The Cliff

Honestly, have you ever seen a bigger bunch of pre-schoolers? This Congress just wants to hold it's breath till it gets its way. Children. Why do we pay these folks, anyway? Shouldn't we have some recourse to force them into doing what we pay them to do? I need to think about this.

As for the farm bill, wouldn't you think they'd just pass that and get it over with so our tax dollars won't be spent on exorbitant prices for milk (that we'll then have to pay even more for at the grocery store)? But no ... this bunch of babies will use the farm bill as "bargaining" power. They have forgotten that we matter. That real people - not phantom voters - are affected by their lack of activity.

Seriously - we need to implement term limits on these people so they aren't always worried about their next election. Getting the money out of elections would help a lot, too.

Our democracy is severely wounded: we need to fix it before it's too late.

That's all.

Are career politicians ruining our democracy?

I've been doing a lot of thinking about this debt ceiling crap going on in Washington. (And no, there is no limit to the things that interest me! Politics. Quantum Physics. Constitutional law. Quilting. Knitting. I'm never bored.) I guess I'm thinking about it so much because I watch so many political commentary shows.

The debate about the debt ceiling has magnified congressional ridiculousness. We cannot afford this pettiness. Imagine what the collapse of the US economy would do to world markets. If you thought your 401K/investments looked bad in 2008, imagine what they'll look like if our politicians don't get on with the people's business. Why now? Why pick this fight now when raising the debt ceiling has been pretty much a no-brainer for years? I mean, it's not like we can say "Nevermind. We're not gonna pay our debts." If Congress really has some desire to get spending under control, then go ahead & raise the debt ceiling then get on with the business of cutting spending. (Actually do the people's business - what a concept!!).

It's all due to career politicians, I think. I know our process is broken. Our democracy has turned into a risky game of "king of the hill". It no longer matters what's right for the country, or what a person's ideology is: if the other party said it, it must be bad (even if it was a good idea 6 months ago). I don't know the cure, but I have some ideas. OK maybe one idea. Term limits.

If you really listen to what our politicians are saying - and I mean really listen - you'll always end up hearing "I'm doing what I have to do to get reelected". Hmm. I'm voting for these folks to do what is best for our country. If they've lost the courage to make the tough decisions, they aren't doing me any good by being my representative. Imagine if they didn't have to think about being re-elected. Oh, there would be some down-sides for sure but I do think the positives would far outweigh the negatives.

If our politicians weren't concerned about being re-elected, maybe they would learn to compromise again. Isn't that what governing is all about? We're pretty much a split country (Democratic, Republican), so why should any one party get all the decisions? When I hear any congressperson say "the American people want this", I wonder which "American people"? Which half wants this? Our two party system used to serve us well when the politicians would actually agree to compromise. (Ever studied the stories of the the writing of our Constitution? Talk about a lot of compromise!!!!) If we limited everyone to one six-year term, we'd eliminate the root cause of a lot of the problems in Washington today.

Imagine campaigns where huge corporations couldn't buy the election. Imagine our candidates not being indebted to those corporations. Imagine the Congress actually doing the business of the people instead of jostling for camera time which will translate to campaign dollars. Our Constitution was put in place so we would not elect kings (and queens), but unlimited terms and unlimited money seem to be doing just that.

I wrote to my congressfolk to express my frustration with their antics. You should do the same. Here's a link for you to easily email any of your elected representatives: email my rep

If you're interested in starting a drive to implement term limits, leave me a comment or email me. I'd be willing to lead the charge!

The Trouble with Joe

Yea, yea. We’re all about sick to death of hearing about Joe “you lie” Wilson’s outburst during the President’s speech to the joint session of Congress the other night. Humor me, though. I have a different viewpoint on this.

I have no problem with Joe Wilson disagreeing with our President (whether you like him or hate, him he is OUR President, just as George W. Bush was OUR President): our Founders wisely set up a system of government that allowed for healthy debate and disagreement. What I have a problem with is Congressman Wilson’s lack of leadership. Yep, leadership.

Help me here. As far as I know, we still have a representative democracy – I don’t think that’s changed during my many years on this earth. And as far as I know, that still means we the people elect other people to represent us the people in Washington. We elect 100 Senators, 435 Representatives, and one President. (We don’t really elect the Veep; that choice was left to the candidtate). So…in Congress, we have 535 people to do the business for ALLLLLLLLL of us other folks here in our great country. Well I don’t know about you, but (a) I expect every one of these elected people to do the job we’re paying them to do, and (b) by golly I expect them to LEAD.

Now…. Leaders are, by default, role models. And therein lies the problem with Joe. What is he teaching the young ones? That it’s perfectly OK to disrespect the President in front of a nationwide television audience, that’s what. And what is he teaching the rest of the world? That we don’t give a rat’s ass about any sense of decency toward the leaders of this country, that’s what. So I ask you…can this be good? Of course not.

Let’s agree that two wrongs don’t make a right (so we can eliminate the “well so-and-so did such-and-such” argument) and agree that both sides of this mess we call a governing body have done their fair share of being complete jerks. I want to put that behind us and ask our elected leaders to do some leading.

I do NOT want Senators and Representatives that play to their base. They should be smart enough to know that the base will not get them re-elected, and the base will not leave for the other party, either. I want Senators and Representatives that want to do what is best for ALL the people of this great country. So here’s what I want ALL of us to say to our elected officials:

You are NEVER going to make everyone happy, so quit playing to the lowest of the low. Yea, I may not get everything I want in health care reform, but shouldn’t there at least be SOME reform? Everything the Dems do can’t be right/wrong, everything the Reps do also can’t be right/wrong. So how come all you “guys” up there on The Hill have to vote along party lines all the time? Why is it so cool to side only with your party and treat anyone stepping outside the box as an outcast? What the hell kind of leadership is this? And why the hell aren’t you speaking out against the left- and right-wing nutjobs out there? Why aren’t you demanding that people within x-distance of the President do NOT carry weapons? Why aren’t you insisting to the birthers that the President is indeed a native-born citizen? Lead, damn it! Barney Frank seems to be the only one amongst you with gonads! Talk back to the morons and work to LIFT the level of intelligent debate, not toss it down to it’s lowest level. For when you allow the nutjobs to run the place, you end up making ALL of us have egg on our face when the world sees Joe Wilson disrespect our elected President.

And THAT, my friends, is the trouble with Joe.