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Tag Archives: As I see It

The Government VS The American People


The oft cited “American People” have been persuaded to shoot themselves in the foot by an entertainer and his loosely associated group of neer do wells sometimes called Congress. The still ongoing Presidential campaign brought more promises and empty superlative rhetoric than can be brought to fruition like the overblown numbers of  the touted “illegal voters”. To date this administration has begun to roll back safety measures for the environment that we all live in, is attempting to kill the little bit of healthcare that many of us now have, promising the return of jobs that are not possible to be returned and tweeting about things that do not have anything to do with governing. Now due to the high-flying rhetoric on the campaign trail many Americans who have been angry with the government now are having second thoughts but unfortunately we took the needle and damage is done. Our options now are push your representatives to do their jobs, do not take no for an answer , do not believe much of what they tell you and finally vote them out of office. The concept of  representatives being good people is and has been a misconception for years. We just never knew as  much as we know now thanks to electronic and social media. The job of representative is important and we deserve to have the right people in place. At this time we have people whose personal  perks (that we pay for) have been mandated by them! Their health care was never endangered during this “repeal and replace”, with that fact in place what incentive would they have to do anything for us?  It seems that they have one objective and that is to take care of themselves in any way they can and if it coincidentally does something for the voters then that’s a bonus. The solution is the vote and avoiding the politispeak that some many elected officials use when addressing  their constituents. We must have no illusions about our Congress, they are not on our side and it appears that they never will be. We as voters need to create a revolving door if need be to get the right people in place. Once we have that accomplished we need to demand changes in their salary and power. The power needs to be in the hands of the people as we are usually the recipients of their ill-fated laws and actions. It is apparent to me that these neer do wells are not listening to the people and the people are the reason they are in office. We can spend another election season of speeches that mean nothing or we can demand the truth then vote for or against the runner but we must be informed to do that.

How Smart?


How smart do you have to be in order to be President? We should all know that it doesn’t take a college degree to be elected to office or even to grow rich. What it does take is at least a rudimentary knowledge of history and general knowledge. Apparently these modern times have changed that since we have a Sexist, insulter in the Oval office. This individual seems to lack the basic knowledge of American history, For example Andrew Jackson died 15 years before the Civil War began, Frederick Douglas died 121 years ago these two men have both been cited in recent terms by our current Oval office occupant. It has occurred to me that I know the basics of these two men and I am not necessarily smarter than a modern day 5th grader but where does that put our TOTUS? Where does that put the current Congress who is busily touting him but making laws that harm the oft cited “American People”? It should apparent to us all that our lackluster attitude towards voting is why the present occupant of the White House is there, we as voters need to smarten up and become “woke” or we are destined to live under poor representation in Washington D.C.. The white House is “our” house, whoever occupies it is, in a sense “renting” it from us so it’s appearance and physical  upkeep are important but sadly those things seem to be slowly going downhill along with some protections that affect us all.

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Once Again and Always


Apparently TOTUS is again blaming others for his failure, ineptitude or lack of governing ability. The recent focus is  a scrap of paper called the Constitution. The campaign promises made were at least overblown rhetoric with no basis in reality. The blame game appears to be the strongest suit in his deck of cards couple that with the flashy signing of executive orders which will at best bog down the courts and at the least create chaos in the states. It is without precedent that a President has moved in ways that have the potential to create a war footing at the cost of true security. Add in the push for the “great wall” and  repealing &  replacing “Obamacare”, this Healthcare action will leave many millions with less to zero coverage at a higher rate (to be clear several states never opted in so that coverage may not be affected). The “great wall” is another potential money pit as some areas do not need a wall due the terrain being a wall in itself. These two items have the potential to devastate State budgets and cause immeasurable harm to millions of American people. The blame for all of this has the fingerprints of a neer do well Congress who stated years ago the President Obama would get nothing passed, now hat has passed is being undone by a child! All of this with tacit and open approval of  a Congress who has no regard for their supporters , no matter what they say. This is possibly the worst Administration in years and we fell for the hype and dismissed the rhetoric. To toss out a few clarifying statements: We were allowed to shoot ourselves in the foot, we were led down the garden path and we were brought to water and water boarded! It will take the next President (if it’s not Pence) years to clear away the debris while our Congress if we re-elect them continues to range far afield doing what ever they want in Our Names. Our perception of Congress is that they are in charge and they are not-WE ARE!

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Whose Opinion Counts?


Thinking and reading about the political scene local and Federal, I had a thought about the people who we elect to serve  or speak for us. Their opinion is not what matters! It is the will and opinion of the voters. The sole job of the elected officials is to take those opinions and the voter’s will  to the meeting rooms in Government and translate that information into Government policy that makes sense and works. We have seen the poor results for years and have not understood the basis of those results. To put this in perspective: When a person arrives in the centers of Government they are sworn in and have to pledge allegiance to the municipality and the Nation, the Nation and municipality being the citizenry they are supposed to represent. It is not illegal to give an opinion but it is (or should be) illegal to under or misrepresent the people who voted for them. It appears to be normal to offer what the “American People” want rather than what the American people need. That offer flies in the face of what the oft quoted “American People” are really asking for. It is so easy to make rash or suspect statements and hope the statement takes hold or collapses before the truth comes out but reality is less believable at that point. With the availability of news sources (many suspect) there is no reason to totally believe what comes out of the mouths of our elected officials. My manner of getting information is to look at several sources and put together a picture that makes sense generally. This information does not always make a perfect picture but it does form a basis to get the truth. How many times recently have you thought to yourself “what is this person I voted for talking about?”. The party affiliation does not matter as both sides only want asses in the seats so to speak. The reason I believe we are at odds with one another is that the elected officials want the power to do the bidding of their majority moneyed backers and at the same time tell us that they are working for us. To accomplish this trick the electeds go to town halls and other venues and tell the attendees what they want them to hear. There are times when many of us want to say “shut the hell up” when we hear the electeds and their spokespeople talk. Perhaps we should look at the speeches like a shoe lace that you just tied, as you move it becomes untied. It appears that what we are being told is like that shoelace.

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Dubious Integrity


The ascension of Donald Trump (as he sees it) is starting to hit his Congressional and public supporters much like a cold rain in the face. The stream of tweets from the outhouse has astonished many and especially the voting base that pushed Mr. trump into office. This Presidency has and had more issues from the beginning. The idea that Mr. trump “tells it like it is” or “speaks his mind” are both innocent on their faces but the Whitehouse as the leader of the Free world these two traits are detrimental to the country’s ability to work with the greater world. We have  a Congress of dubious integrity along with a “Tweeter in chief” who has now installed an unapologetic hate monger in the NSC above the long time Generals. The potential for more misguided  military actions is apparent. Aside from the issues that the public knows about there are ongoing issues that are monitored by the security forces of the US. It is wise that we the voters pay close attention to the Congress as they can hurt us more that the “TOTUS” can. The Dupublican leadership has no intention of taking care of anyone but themselves and have shown that time after time. Any die hard, unapologetic  party member on either side is serving under false colors as those colors will eventually run! Neither major party can serve any of us completely so the choices we need to make in voting should be on the person and what they have done in their time serving. No matter how smooth the campaign rhetoric is, we should be looking at the rough underside of that same rhetoric. There is a quip from the Maltese Falcon which goes like this” The cheaper the crook, gaudier the patter”. This is something to remember when politicians speak. Following a party as a whole is as grave a mistake as walking on thin ice in spite the sign saying caution “thin Ice”.

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Silencing Elizabeth Warren backfires on Senate GOP


The Beat Goes On!! Our current Congress again shows how un-American they are ( or are they?). In my opinion this is one  of if not the worst Congress we have had in years. This particular Congress has shown that they are incapable of doing the job they campaigned on and have further moved us back 20 years. This TOTUS will soon prove to be the undoing of the GOP along with their anti-American activities. If as a voter you think we will be OK, think again. This administration has the potential to out us in more danger than any previous and the GOP is determined to install poor choices for his cabinet. I have reproduced the letter below this post. MA.

Washington (CNN)The Senate has silenced Elizabeth Warren.
And by doing so, majority Republicans just handed the liberal firebrand a megaphone — further elevating President Donald Trump’s fiercest and most prominent critic in the Senate and turning her into a Democratic hero.
The rebuke of Warren came after the Massachusetts Democrat read a letter written 30 years ago by Coretta Scott King, the widow of Martin Luther King Jr., opposing the nomination of Jeff Sessions for a federal judgeship.

#LetLizSpeak: ‘She persisted’ becomes rallying cry for Warren supporters
Warren cited the letter during a debate on the nomination of Sessions — now an Alabama senator — as Donald Trump’s attorney general. Reading from King’s letter to members of the Senate Judiciary Committee in 1986, Warren said: “Mr. Sessions has used the awesome power of his office to chill the free exercise of the vote by black citizens in the district he now seeks to serve as a federal judge.”
Republicans cried foul — charging that Warren violated Senate rules against impugning another senator. A vote along party lines upheld that decision, turning what could have been an ordinary late-night partisan floor speech for political devotees into a national story.
“They can shut me up, but they can’t change the truth,” Warren later told CNN’s Don Lemon.
Warren is now forbidden from participating in the floor debate over Sessions’ nomination ahead of a confirmation vote expected Wednesday.
“She was warned. She was given an explanation. Nevertheless, she persisted,” Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Kentucky, said on the Senate floor.
The line was an instant classic — the kind liberals imagine being replayed ad nauseum in TV ads in a future presidential campaign.

Elizabeth Warren set to release book taking on Trump
It couldn’t have come at a better time for Warren, who is up for re-election in 2018. On Tuesday, she announced she hired an aide who is an expert on national security, a move that could help burnish her expertise in that area, as well as the publication of a new book, which will become available in April.
Liberals had been frustrated with Warren’s vote in committee in favor of Ben Carson, Trump’s nominee for secretary of Housing and Urban Development.

Coretta Scott King letter Elizabeth Warren was trying to read
No more.
By Tuesday night, the hashtag #LetLizSpeak was trending on Twitter.
Warren used Twitter to attack Sessions and McConnell.
“I will not be silent about a nominee for AG who has made derogatory & racist comments that have no place in our justice system,” she wrote.
In a follow-up tweet, she said: “I will not be silent while the Republicans rubber stamp an AG who will never stand up to the @POTUS when he breaks the law.”
And then: “Tonight @SenateMajLdr silenced Mrs. King’s voice on the Sen floor – & millions who are afraid & appalled by what’s happening in our country.”

Not My Intention, But!!!!!


I is and was not my intention to spend much of my time on the TOTUS (DOTUS) however the issuances from the White House are coming too fast. The recent immigration ban, the installation of a right wing racist above the  seasoned military of the Joint chiefs, the selection of a trio of advisors who can hardly put together a coherent sentence. Those items being said, we are heading for a potential 4 year headache of epic proportion . We can expect little to no help from the Neer Do Wells in Congress since aside from a few have been waking around with their heads up the chute for years. Since the election of the “Boy I Wonder”, the Alt Right thinks they are! The backers of Trumps (voters) at least some of them are experiencing voters remorse and it will get worse as the years go by. The correct action is as follows:

  1. do not re elect the same Congress people.
  2. Do your homework-find out what the truth is not what the candidates tell you.
  3. Get your ass out and vote
  4. Understand that this is America and immigrants started this country so we are all the result of immigration forced or otherwise!   Remember if you stand for nothing you will fall for anything.

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What To Watch For


This incoming administration will be interesting to watch for an assortment of reasons. To start the financial affairs of the President elect have yet to be sorted out. We need to look at the role of his family in the White house and beyond, the cabinet choices and if the entertainer really wants the job! No matter what is said on the campaign trail, no amount of glib talk, tweets or fast talking will run the Government (which is in reality is the job of the cabinet members). The long time hands on management method of running his companies may prove to be his worst asset. The President of the United States has to be free of all potential conflicts of interest in order to spend 105% of his time on Government work. There is no alternate method. When the reality of the job hits, we may see some really bad actions on his behalf and from the Congress. It is already evident that Congress is in free fall (no matter what Congressional leaders  say). To his agenda: his cabinet picks are the first step in “draining the swamp” for better or worse. Trump’s election while seeming to be a God send for the Dupublicans is a wake up call to all of us. The statements made during and after the campaign will be the movie that voters want to see and if it doesn’t live up to the hype, the Dupublicans, “conservatives” and Trump supporters will be the recipients of “surprise” shifts in national attitude. This  shift will become evident in the next General elections. Remember that Bernie Sanders was not as far away from Trump’s agenda except for the soaring , ranting and irrational rhetoric. I fully expect pushback on this but looking at what has occurred now and in the past I will be proven correct in total or part. It is well to remember that we have a Congress composed of  too many self serving people that we have elected to office too many times and who have  done things in our names to their benefit. Be cautious when you hear “the American People” in any sentence spoken by a member of Congress because we probably did not agree to or know about whatever it is.

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Where We Go Wrong


The past election and current political news(?) coupled with the International issues have created a perfect storm of misinformation and potential mistakes yet to be made. Our new Government lead by the Conservative GOP will be scrutinized closely by all. Our part as voters is to simply pay attention to who we have elected , especially from the State to federal levels as these are the people who have and can do us (the voters) the most harm. No matter what you think your politics are, the elected officials we have in place are on a different path and have been for many years. Each person we elect is a cheerleader at first, once elected or reelected become part of the political system in order to get along. No matter what is said on the campaign trail, the reality of the political network colors what these folks do. In a correct Democracy this is not a bad idea but under the current system our Congress for the most part are no more than long term servers who do not serve anyone aside from themselves. If we look back at the many times the Congressional leaders have uttered words that should make us “woke”, we still ( some of us) believe or trust them. I am of the opinion that no matter how long a person has served in Congress, they are still not necessarily the best choice election after election. Each election cycle should have us looking at the incumbents with fresh eyes and with some idea of what they have done and said prior to that election cycle. Governing is a hard job and the higher you go , the harder it gets. Unfortunately our Congress has more of a “wait until you present something then I will critique it publicly”, rather than evaluate and alter it as needed to make it better for all of us. Through all of this, The congress still collects a 6 figure salary for less than a full year of work, enjoy a very nice medical and retirement package. It is the duty of each one of us to pay attention through what ever media source you choose to keep an eye on our elected officials and listen to them with filters that hopefully reveal the truth. I encourage all to forget party lines and labels, get the truth and vote for real. What we need are more doers and not headline seekers in Congress.

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The Empty Talking Heads


 

The two prominent political pundits, explainers and almost human talking heads have uttered (and probably will continue to) statements that are geared more to incite voters more than inform. Without them we would never know how people in the spotlight can influence opinion through faux news and information. Apparently Mr. O’Reilly is in the camp of the alt-right.  MA

Newt Gingrich and Bill O’Reilly are both well known pundits(?) who take to the airwaves at any opportunity to use their celebrity to tout crap! Recently Gingrich offered explanations that Mr. Trump has decided to stop using the “drain the swamp” statement since the Donald was “over it”. Mr. Gingrich is called a Trump ally but it may be more like a self appointed explainer.

This from Mr. O’Reilly:
Fox News host Bill O’Reilly said efforts to abolish the Electoral College system are “all about race.”

O’Reilly said on “The O’Reilly Factor” Tuesday night there is a “hidden reason” for liberals seeking to change the system.

“If the Electoral College were abolished, presidential candidates could simply campaign in the nation’s largest cities, New York, L.A., Chicago, Houston,” he said. “And rack up enough votes to pretty much win any election.”

O’Reilly claimed Democrats wanted to campaign only in cities where “the minority vote usually goes heavily to the Democrats,” effectively “neutralizing the largely white rural areas in the Midwest and the South.”

“Very few commentators will tell you that the heart of liberalism in America is based on race,” O’Reilly said. “It permeates almost every issue – that white men have set up a system of oppression and that system must be destroyed.”

O’Reilly said that Democratic presidential candidate Bernie Sanders, and to some extent nominee Hillary Clinton, peddled the idea that “so-called white privilege bad, diversity good.”

“The left sees white privilege in America as an oppressive force that must be done away with,” he said.

Summing up his argument, O’Reilly said, “The left wants power taken away from the white establishment, and they want a profound change in the way America is run.”

Calls to abolish the Electoral College have been mounting since Clinton lost the election to President-elect Donald Trump, despite winning nearly 3 million more votes than him. She ended up with a total of 227 Electoral College votes to his 304 – five electors who were supposed to vote for Clinton defected and voted for someone else on Monday, while two refused to cast their ballots for Trump.