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Monthly Archives: December 2010

What should We Believe?


The Congress is now divided and the essential bills that affect millions of Americans are being held hostage. One major party is parading around like a peacock while the other is screaming foul. The President is in the middle with little or no support because each sides internal “mini” factions are filling the air with shouts of “The President gave up too much or got too little”. The picture I see is that these parties and their supporters are the equivalent of children who want everything and willing to give nothing. Our Congress and it’s associated parts are all so used to doing what they want that they have forgotten who the real bosses are. The real bosses are the people, we have experienced such a long run of prosperity that we failed to oversee the people we elected. This failure has brought us to this point and now we are demanding action. These demands are based on misinformation and innuendos designed solely to garner votes and the “OK” from the voters. Once in office it’s business as usual.

Does This Sense?


There are several discussions as to whether there should be a death penalty in Illinois. Keep in mind that having a death penalty does not automatically reduce crime however keeping a convicted murder or anyone else who would fall under the death penalty incarcerated for 15 plus years to life is ludicrous. The cost for this is enormous ( average cost is 20 to 40 thousand dollars annually) and as these individuals age the health care costs increases just like the care of any aging person. It is my opinion that the death penalty needs to be applied persons proven to be beyond redemption and have committed a crime that requires this punishment. We spend millions of dollars in court costs, maintenance and healthcare on people who have grievously offended the public and the law. There is no win in this situation for the public and the government with the perpetrators on the upside.

Where Is The Trust?


I am at a loss to understand what is in the minds of our elected officials. We have seen actions and media stories that belie the purported honorable intentions of the politicians. You would think that after obvious missteps in speeches and actions these “professional politicians” would see the errors of their ways and change. The Republicans who now have the power in Congress have made their actions personal instead of taking care of the people’s interests while looking after their own.They have made extending the tax cuts for the wealthiest seem like bad a thing but the wealthy apparently are not as concerned about it as the Republican Congress. it appears that the Republican actions are more in the realm of self preservation and a show of power than doing the job they were elected to do. I believe this is politics as usual and has nothing to do with the promises made on the stump. I have yet to see a career politician who I could believe in. Will Rogers once said: “Ancient Rome declined because it had a Senate; now what’s going to happen to us with both a Senate and a House?”. Obviously being the majority os more of a power deal than doing the work of the people.

Scan Me


After a round of protests , shout downs and backlash against the recent change in airport screening techniques, it was suggested that maybe the TSA members need to be screened a bit closer. Maybe look at their sexual proclivities. The rationale behind the screenings is that this keeps us safe. The terrorists are coming in from outside and the disruption is as effective as the act. Consider how many people are involved when a plot is discovered or suspected. How many man hours are taken away from normal safe keeping duties.I believe the hype about body scans being harmful is more disruptive than the actual search.

What About The Public?


The president has frozen the pay of civilian government workers, but what about the Congress? My understanding is that the Congress has control over its own pay structure and increases. The laws affecting Congressional wages and compensation are written and adjusted by the Congress itself, so how can a fox monitor the other foxes in the henhouse? The last 10 years in politics has shown how little our elected officials care about the voters until election time comes around. The 2 major political parties have failed the voters time after time even though once in a great while there are individuals who show some signs actually of working for the people. These few individuals are never appreciated until they have passed on or retired. The current group could all be removed without as much of a ripple in the mess we currently have but sometimes a house cannot be economically repaired and has to be torn down and rebuilt. The two major political parties are too busy trying to appease the loudest and most affluent voters that they have ignored the lesser voters while professing to work for the average person. The sitting Congress has mastered the art of “politispeak” and have had no problem going back on their words with the ease of a hot knife cutting  butter. The voters of America need to move out of their comfort zones regarding race, money and political leanings to unite for a more open Congress where we really get correct information.

Dupublicans and Others


The other major political party is now in the majority and is running like rioters through the streets. They have decided for the public to dismantle the health care bill but offering nothing in its place. If you have a better idea you need to present it for examination, this is better than doing nothing or obstructing what is in place. Now they are looking to replace their national chairman (a Black American) due to poor revenue production. The indicates that they and their constituents have not moved beyond Antebellum thinking and are not as open as they want us to believe. After 3 years of wrangling, name calling and innuendos the party has not done the job they were elected to do. This is not to say the the other side has done any better. We have a situation now where the national government is almost at a standstill due to covert and sometime overt biases that do not serve the interests of the voters. It is imperative that the people be represented by people who can leave their egos and personal interests behind and truly serve their constituents.