Picture a train track going round and round a mountain. The train, about to leave the station at the highest elevation, suddenly begins spiraling down the track. The engineer is not in control and disaster is barely averted.
Maintenance teams talk a lot about locating and fixing the problem with the vehicle or the track. They spend so much time talking and laying blame on each other that they don't get the work done. Repairs are delayed.
Day after day and issue after issue, the train spirals down the mountainside. The ground on the cliff is cracking from the wear and tear. The team hired to keep the vehicles and track working stalls. The riders keep pleading. The administration keeps chiding. The workers keep quarreling and debating the best methods.
The structure gets worse as weeks roll by but the people hired to do the work don't care. This is their fifteen minutes of fame and power. They are flexing their puny muscles. Winning arguments and displacing blame are more important to them than taking care of business and shoring up the infrastructure. They seem to get an adrenaline rush as they barrel along the tracks over the cracking cliff.
The "shareholders" would hire a new maintenance team, but the rules don't allow it without a fight and there isn't time anyway. So, everybody has to keep waiting for the engineer to take control and the maintenance team to decide how to fix the rip. The team threatens each other and the riders. They disrespect the engineer and the administration. They somehow think the strife is cute or charming or that it endears them to the riders who seem to support their side of the quarrel.
It is regrettable, but the out of control train is the only way down the mountainside. The riders feel stressed. They feel helpless. This breeds anger and lack of confidence. As soon as they can, they will fire the maintenance group unless the team learns to cooperate, negotiate, reconcile and facilitate.
Will the team get the work done before the track falls over the cliff and the train carrying all the riders plummets to disaster?
Your call maintenance team. Please get it done and done right this time. The ride near the cliff is too bumpy for sure. Do it now, not six weeks from now. Your jobs and our patience will not weather much more of this unnecessary drama and failure.
And save the issues that have no relevance to the present situation for a later day. Keep the cracks from becoming canyons. And remember that plans that include unacceptable issues are no plans at all. They are just more excuses for finger pointing.
Sunday, October 13, 2013
Thursday, October 10, 2013
The Chasm That Will Not Be Bridged
The Good Lord really knew what He was doing when He created the two lead characters in the current political mess. On the one hand, we have Mr. Bluster, John Boehner, king of the Basset hound look and the crocodile tears. On the other, we have a white man inside a black man's skin who is quite used to strife.
Both men are promising they won't negotiate. Both are "stuck between a rock and a hard place". And as a result, the citizens of this country cannot seem to win.
When you understand that many long-time Republicans in Congress believe that the crisis after crisis stalemate should not go on, it is hard to explain how the Speaker of the House keeps getting himself into his binds.
This Week interviewed Speaker Boehner Sunday morning. They showed a clip filmed after the recent Presidential election where Boehner is admitting that the election results left no doubt that the Affordable Health Care Act (ACA) was now law. Yet, here he is in October, 2013, still fighting the Affordable Care Act. You recall that this is the Affordable Care Act that is now in effect. You remember it -- the law that was passed and signed into law several years back. The very one that despite righteous indignation of a vocal minority of Americans was upheld by the Supreme Court. The law we are discussing was apparently accepted, if not welcomed warmly, by a majority of Americans who reelected the President who signed it into law and whose name is often used in a nickname for the law.
At least one critic of this law defended her position in an unusual way. She was reminded during the last election that her candidate was opposed to the insurance law even though it was modeled after the act he had signed into law while he was governor of his state. Her response was, but the people of his state got to vote for that law. They had a say in whether it was passed.
Well, voting on every law Congress designs probably isn't feasible. It certainly wasn't at the time our country was being formed. Our forefathers designed and structured our governing system in a manner that excluded the need for a popular vote on every issue. The way that Americans have a say in what laws we have is by whom we elect to run our government. During the last election, we sent out a quite schizophrenic message. We elected a liberal Democrat as President, by a reasonably respectable majority. We elected a Democratic Senate, though not with such resounding enthusiasm. And we elected a Republican/Libertarian/Tea Party majority in The House of Representatives.
All this, of course, is not new information. But it is the cause of the great divide and our inability to get around our stalemate. Chaos and confusion are so high in our own ranks that those whom we elected don't know what to do. So, we are left with a bunch of zealots who won't budge an inch on principle. We are stuck with a Speaker of the House too stuborn to even let the current budget crisis go to vote. And we have a President with personal family experience of being victimized by money greedy insurance companies. He also represents a party that tried for over six decades to protect the American public by enacting just such a law. And who is right? Well, certainly not the American public that is screaming out against being protected. Certainly not the special interest groups that have circulated lies and rumors about the law. And certainly not the hard-core politicians that will flush the whole country down the drain in order to get their own way.
Boehner, who has been refusing actual negotiation himself, sounded like a broken record last Sunday. He kept saying that the President and the Democrats would have to agree to sit down for a discussion or his party would not move. Let me define Boehner's apparent definition of discussion for you here. The Democrats have to agree to blink . . . then he will hold talks . . . then the Democrats will cave again . . . then he will hold a vote. Really Mr. Speaker, we hired you all to work out the kinks. We did not hire you to refuse to even take a vote to see if anybody wants the law. You won't know for sure how your own party feels about the situation until you permit the majority of the House to demonstrate it's wishes. Then if the budget that does not include an axe of the ACA fails, you go back to the drawing board. If it does not fail, we restore government services to all Americans. And you and the Tea Party representatives might get to come back for another term.
But if you cannot build a bridge over that chasm and the two parties cannot work out the kinks, then you have all failed at the job we hired you to do. Remember, sir, that you work for us, you do not work for you. And we, the American people, expect you to see that you do not destroy the country you were hired to protect. Quite frankly, war might be easier than the current divide, and you already know how we feel about war.
Both men are promising they won't negotiate. Both are "stuck between a rock and a hard place". And as a result, the citizens of this country cannot seem to win.
When you understand that many long-time Republicans in Congress believe that the crisis after crisis stalemate should not go on, it is hard to explain how the Speaker of the House keeps getting himself into his binds.
This Week interviewed Speaker Boehner Sunday morning. They showed a clip filmed after the recent Presidential election where Boehner is admitting that the election results left no doubt that the Affordable Health Care Act (ACA) was now law. Yet, here he is in October, 2013, still fighting the Affordable Care Act. You recall that this is the Affordable Care Act that is now in effect. You remember it -- the law that was passed and signed into law several years back. The very one that despite righteous indignation of a vocal minority of Americans was upheld by the Supreme Court. The law we are discussing was apparently accepted, if not welcomed warmly, by a majority of Americans who reelected the President who signed it into law and whose name is often used in a nickname for the law.
At least one critic of this law defended her position in an unusual way. She was reminded during the last election that her candidate was opposed to the insurance law even though it was modeled after the act he had signed into law while he was governor of his state. Her response was, but the people of his state got to vote for that law. They had a say in whether it was passed.
Well, voting on every law Congress designs probably isn't feasible. It certainly wasn't at the time our country was being formed. Our forefathers designed and structured our governing system in a manner that excluded the need for a popular vote on every issue. The way that Americans have a say in what laws we have is by whom we elect to run our government. During the last election, we sent out a quite schizophrenic message. We elected a liberal Democrat as President, by a reasonably respectable majority. We elected a Democratic Senate, though not with such resounding enthusiasm. And we elected a Republican/Libertarian/Tea Party majority in The House of Representatives.
All this, of course, is not new information. But it is the cause of the great divide and our inability to get around our stalemate. Chaos and confusion are so high in our own ranks that those whom we elected don't know what to do. So, we are left with a bunch of zealots who won't budge an inch on principle. We are stuck with a Speaker of the House too stuborn to even let the current budget crisis go to vote. And we have a President with personal family experience of being victimized by money greedy insurance companies. He also represents a party that tried for over six decades to protect the American public by enacting just such a law. And who is right? Well, certainly not the American public that is screaming out against being protected. Certainly not the special interest groups that have circulated lies and rumors about the law. And certainly not the hard-core politicians that will flush the whole country down the drain in order to get their own way.
Boehner, who has been refusing actual negotiation himself, sounded like a broken record last Sunday. He kept saying that the President and the Democrats would have to agree to sit down for a discussion or his party would not move. Let me define Boehner's apparent definition of discussion for you here. The Democrats have to agree to blink . . . then he will hold talks . . . then the Democrats will cave again . . . then he will hold a vote. Really Mr. Speaker, we hired you all to work out the kinks. We did not hire you to refuse to even take a vote to see if anybody wants the law. You won't know for sure how your own party feels about the situation until you permit the majority of the House to demonstrate it's wishes. Then if the budget that does not include an axe of the ACA fails, you go back to the drawing board. If it does not fail, we restore government services to all Americans. And you and the Tea Party representatives might get to come back for another term.
But if you cannot build a bridge over that chasm and the two parties cannot work out the kinks, then you have all failed at the job we hired you to do. Remember, sir, that you work for us, you do not work for you. And we, the American people, expect you to see that you do not destroy the country you were hired to protect. Quite frankly, war might be easier than the current divide, and you already know how we feel about war.
Tuesday, October 1, 2013
More Finger Pointing
"More finger pointing," was the comment of a local news anchor as they cut away from the President's words concerning our partial government shutdown. Hard to determine which party does it the most. Each side of every issue wants the other side to take the blame, especially at election time.
Since the era of Watergate, at least, the Republicans have spent so much time trying to win the next elections, that they don't have time to accomplish anything worthwhile. But that doesn't leave the Democrats free of responsibility for the gridlock. Currently neither party, as well as Libertarians and Tea Partiers, has the vaguest idea how to work together to get things done. They have no team ethic. Everyone acts like the player who wants to hog the ball so that he can become the best known team member. At the risk of being redundant, they all act like preschoolers who still need to learn socialization skills. At the risk of being redundant twice, I would suggest that both parties concentrate on putting more Americans back to work instead of obstructing each other's efforts.
Let us think about what job growth would accomplish besides the obvious desired effect. Take Social Security, for instance. If there were plenty of jobs for everyone who needed work, there would be much more revenue for Social Security. With this abundance of jobs would be more individuals buying their own insurance. More people could afford to buy their own food.
Thus, as you can surmise, working Americans would mean less individuals on Medicaid. Also there would be less people qualifying for food stamps. There would be more people off the streets into work rooms, thus ending with less crime. Less crime would mean less tax payer expense for jails and prisons. On top of this, the Stock Market would be less volatile.
But, after the first few efforts to save the banks and car companies, as well as create a handful of specialized jobs, how much effort has Congress made to put America back to work? Mostly they have quibbled about not taxing the rich and corporations so they will create jobs that they seem reluctant to create anyway. Some of the business owners say the behavior of Congress makes them fear the risk.
Well, Tea Partiers, you've now upset the other Republicans in Congress. You've put more Americans out of work at least temporarily. You've cut income to Social Security -- again. You've cut incoming taxes, not only from government employees, but also from the businesses where said money could be spent. Depending on how long you continue this ill-advised strategy, you could cause more foreclosures and individual bankruptcies. And for what? To rebel against a law that has passed Congress, been signed by the President and upheld by the Supreme Court.
No matter how long and hard you continue to writhe on the floor, kicking and screaming like preschoolers throwing tantrums, the law is in effect.
True, the law is seen as somewhat unpopular. But if it were as unpopular as you say it is, the President would not have been reelected and Democrats would not hold the majority in the Senate.
You say your constituents don't like the law. How many of them? Actually figure out the percentage of your voters who showed up at your town meetings to protest. Then remember that it is the disgruntled element of any issue that goes to meetings. Did a majority of your constituents actually attend? Be honest with yourselves about these issues.
You've certainly made names for yourselves with your efforts. Trouble is, we won't know until the next elections if these names are good or bad. What you mostly have done is tick off all members of all parties with both sides laying blame at each other's doors and accomplishing absolutely nothing worthwhile.
Majority rule brought about legislation that many Americans have wanted since around 1945. If you do not accept it, it is a sign you do not believe in the American system of government. It is the law and it has been enacted now. Change scares people, but the law may turn out to be at least acceptable if not a blessing. We already know it is a blessing for people who have been unable to get insurance because the insurance companies wanted to protect their profit margins (wanted to rake in the bucks, without having to spend any of them).
The Senate and the President have called your bluff. This represents a further loss for those of you who prefer minority rule in cases where you disagree with the majority. In pure slang language, it's a done deal now. It's the law. Get over it. Get on to something constructive. Put obstructionism behind you and put Americans back to work.
Since the era of Watergate, at least, the Republicans have spent so much time trying to win the next elections, that they don't have time to accomplish anything worthwhile. But that doesn't leave the Democrats free of responsibility for the gridlock. Currently neither party, as well as Libertarians and Tea Partiers, has the vaguest idea how to work together to get things done. They have no team ethic. Everyone acts like the player who wants to hog the ball so that he can become the best known team member. At the risk of being redundant, they all act like preschoolers who still need to learn socialization skills. At the risk of being redundant twice, I would suggest that both parties concentrate on putting more Americans back to work instead of obstructing each other's efforts.
Let us think about what job growth would accomplish besides the obvious desired effect. Take Social Security, for instance. If there were plenty of jobs for everyone who needed work, there would be much more revenue for Social Security. With this abundance of jobs would be more individuals buying their own insurance. More people could afford to buy their own food.
Thus, as you can surmise, working Americans would mean less individuals on Medicaid. Also there would be less people qualifying for food stamps. There would be more people off the streets into work rooms, thus ending with less crime. Less crime would mean less tax payer expense for jails and prisons. On top of this, the Stock Market would be less volatile.
But, after the first few efforts to save the banks and car companies, as well as create a handful of specialized jobs, how much effort has Congress made to put America back to work? Mostly they have quibbled about not taxing the rich and corporations so they will create jobs that they seem reluctant to create anyway. Some of the business owners say the behavior of Congress makes them fear the risk.
Well, Tea Partiers, you've now upset the other Republicans in Congress. You've put more Americans out of work at least temporarily. You've cut income to Social Security -- again. You've cut incoming taxes, not only from government employees, but also from the businesses where said money could be spent. Depending on how long you continue this ill-advised strategy, you could cause more foreclosures and individual bankruptcies. And for what? To rebel against a law that has passed Congress, been signed by the President and upheld by the Supreme Court.
No matter how long and hard you continue to writhe on the floor, kicking and screaming like preschoolers throwing tantrums, the law is in effect.
True, the law is seen as somewhat unpopular. But if it were as unpopular as you say it is, the President would not have been reelected and Democrats would not hold the majority in the Senate.
You say your constituents don't like the law. How many of them? Actually figure out the percentage of your voters who showed up at your town meetings to protest. Then remember that it is the disgruntled element of any issue that goes to meetings. Did a majority of your constituents actually attend? Be honest with yourselves about these issues.
You've certainly made names for yourselves with your efforts. Trouble is, we won't know until the next elections if these names are good or bad. What you mostly have done is tick off all members of all parties with both sides laying blame at each other's doors and accomplishing absolutely nothing worthwhile.
Majority rule brought about legislation that many Americans have wanted since around 1945. If you do not accept it, it is a sign you do not believe in the American system of government. It is the law and it has been enacted now. Change scares people, but the law may turn out to be at least acceptable if not a blessing. We already know it is a blessing for people who have been unable to get insurance because the insurance companies wanted to protect their profit margins (wanted to rake in the bucks, without having to spend any of them).
The Senate and the President have called your bluff. This represents a further loss for those of you who prefer minority rule in cases where you disagree with the majority. In pure slang language, it's a done deal now. It's the law. Get over it. Get on to something constructive. Put obstructionism behind you and put Americans back to work.
Wednesday, September 25, 2013
Another View From Main Street
Jobs are more plentiful, but growth slowed recently. Many are still out of work. Businesses are still cutting back their employees. Full time work hours are being cut because business owners would have to provide health insurance for full-time employees.
With the Affordable Health Care Act being implemented, uninsured people are fearful what it means to them. One man interviewed on CBS was amazed his premiums were less than he feared. Parents with children born with chronic or life threatening illnesses are grateful insurance companies are now required to insure these children. Parents of college students are relieved that they do not have to pay for a separate policy for the child. Amoral political groups continue to manufacture and circulate lies about the Health Care policies as if we do not have enough genuine concerns to address.
Bigots, racists and prejudiced individuals continue to undercut the efforts of the first black president. It makes a difficult presidency harder. Sadly, some of the racists disguise their sentiments as politics, contaminating the efforts of financial recovery as well as political party policies.
Banks we helped to financial stability continue to gouge customers with high fees and interest rates. They continue to grow.
We are grateful that American automobile companies are doing better.
World problems periodically erupt like hot spots in a forest fire. The people in these hot spots expect the world, especially America, to bail them out of their problems, even those that are self inflicted. Then when we act, they hate us even more.
Preschoolers and Kindergarteners are coming home and discussing political and international problems with more understanding than some of us adults. They don't understand why we can't fix it.
Local elected officials who espouse a belief in small, rather than large Federal government, cut taxes on the home front while insisting on cutting them at the Federal level. Are they so shortsighted they do not know more responsibility at the local, county and state levels will require their constituents to pay for things locally?
People of all parties continue to experience nausea over attack ads and finger pointing.
Federal elected officials, suffering from inadequate training in socialization skills, continue to threaten, bully, attack, bluster, obstruct. Why was it we sent them to Washington? Are we going to have to fine all members of Congress for every law they fail to negotiate through the entire process. Maybe we could subtract $1,000 for every time they obstruct a vote.
Newt Gingrich continues to act like the rear end of a donkey. Will we never see his retirement?
Immigrants continue to bypass legal entry. They can't understand why they are not embraced with warmth. They feed the environment with hate for natural-born Americans. They despise the weather. They dislike that they are expected to learn this language. They demonstrate for policy changes. They send home for friends and family to join them -- illegally as well -- and flood the land. The conservative response to such problems is to spend more money building stronger borders and for more guards. The liberal response is to allow amnesty or forgiveness every few years. There is stress on all sides.
People continue to go berserk and try to make a name for themselves by shooting up schools and malls. It's a favorite new attention-getting device. It's effective. The media continue to feed the problem by giving them coast to coast attention until everyone is sick of hearing about it.
Politicians hold up their fingers around their constituents to determine wind direction. This is so they'll know whether to beat drums for gun control or to support the NRA. It isn't as if the gun control already in place actually works. Or for that matter, that most criminals even attempt to buy their guns legally. Security measures are ineffective. People, even though struck with a 2 x 4 of information, don't bother to take notice that someone needs help. Even when it is noticed, there frequently isn't help available.
We continue to be war weary. We continue to be a broke country because of wars. The world continues to expect us to borrow money so we can defend them and help support them while our politicians don't want to support our own poor and hungry. I still suggest a short-term (perhaps five year) moratorium on supplying weapons and dollars to other countries. That might help us see some relief from the threat of bankruptcy.
And then there is the frequent battle in Congress with people threatening not to pay the national debt or at least the interest on it. Fine, upstanding, law-abiding citizens pay their debts. The threats not to pay them -- that's trash talk. That's insanity. That's unacceptable.
Congress doesn't even believe in Congress or the Constitution any more. They are so uninformed and arrogant that they think they are exempt from abiding by the laws enacted by Congress. They even disregard the rule of the Supreme Court. They also disregard the signature and office of the Presidency. They should be recalled.
The rich continue to get richer and the poor get poorer. And the ill-informed members of the poorer populations continue to think that is okay. They keep reelecting the same individuals that protect those who exploit the hardworking wealth producers of this land -- the lowly employee.
And the most exasperating thing of all is that people who expect education, roads, bridges, parks, senior citizen centers, etc., etc., etc., apparently think these things can be achieved without taxes. How? If there is a way, write up the proposals. Submit them to your congressmen. Write them up on-line. Tweet them out one line at a time. Do something before your little hot rod falls into a sink hole or another bridge collapses with your own kids on it. Tell us how to educate our children before they grow up even more ill-informed than our tax cutting politicians. They are the future of our country. They will have the responsibility for young and old alike some day. They need to learn all they can learn.
In summary, the view from Main Street is almost as bleak as it was. The stress level is ever growing. Our minds and nerves are on high red alert. We are begging for mature and lucid decisions from our leaders. It's time to tackle the gridlock and win this game for all of us.
If it doesn't get done, that may make a young friend of mine correct. She said that life sucks and then you die. Let's show her some more of the good years, please. I remember good years from the past, don't you? Wouldn't you like some more?
With the Affordable Health Care Act being implemented, uninsured people are fearful what it means to them. One man interviewed on CBS was amazed his premiums were less than he feared. Parents with children born with chronic or life threatening illnesses are grateful insurance companies are now required to insure these children. Parents of college students are relieved that they do not have to pay for a separate policy for the child. Amoral political groups continue to manufacture and circulate lies about the Health Care policies as if we do not have enough genuine concerns to address.
Bigots, racists and prejudiced individuals continue to undercut the efforts of the first black president. It makes a difficult presidency harder. Sadly, some of the racists disguise their sentiments as politics, contaminating the efforts of financial recovery as well as political party policies.
Banks we helped to financial stability continue to gouge customers with high fees and interest rates. They continue to grow.
We are grateful that American automobile companies are doing better.
World problems periodically erupt like hot spots in a forest fire. The people in these hot spots expect the world, especially America, to bail them out of their problems, even those that are self inflicted. Then when we act, they hate us even more.
Preschoolers and Kindergarteners are coming home and discussing political and international problems with more understanding than some of us adults. They don't understand why we can't fix it.
Local elected officials who espouse a belief in small, rather than large Federal government, cut taxes on the home front while insisting on cutting them at the Federal level. Are they so shortsighted they do not know more responsibility at the local, county and state levels will require their constituents to pay for things locally?
People of all parties continue to experience nausea over attack ads and finger pointing.
Federal elected officials, suffering from inadequate training in socialization skills, continue to threaten, bully, attack, bluster, obstruct. Why was it we sent them to Washington? Are we going to have to fine all members of Congress for every law they fail to negotiate through the entire process. Maybe we could subtract $1,000 for every time they obstruct a vote.
Newt Gingrich continues to act like the rear end of a donkey. Will we never see his retirement?
Immigrants continue to bypass legal entry. They can't understand why they are not embraced with warmth. They feed the environment with hate for natural-born Americans. They despise the weather. They dislike that they are expected to learn this language. They demonstrate for policy changes. They send home for friends and family to join them -- illegally as well -- and flood the land. The conservative response to such problems is to spend more money building stronger borders and for more guards. The liberal response is to allow amnesty or forgiveness every few years. There is stress on all sides.
People continue to go berserk and try to make a name for themselves by shooting up schools and malls. It's a favorite new attention-getting device. It's effective. The media continue to feed the problem by giving them coast to coast attention until everyone is sick of hearing about it.
Politicians hold up their fingers around their constituents to determine wind direction. This is so they'll know whether to beat drums for gun control or to support the NRA. It isn't as if the gun control already in place actually works. Or for that matter, that most criminals even attempt to buy their guns legally. Security measures are ineffective. People, even though struck with a 2 x 4 of information, don't bother to take notice that someone needs help. Even when it is noticed, there frequently isn't help available.
We continue to be war weary. We continue to be a broke country because of wars. The world continues to expect us to borrow money so we can defend them and help support them while our politicians don't want to support our own poor and hungry. I still suggest a short-term (perhaps five year) moratorium on supplying weapons and dollars to other countries. That might help us see some relief from the threat of bankruptcy.
And then there is the frequent battle in Congress with people threatening not to pay the national debt or at least the interest on it. Fine, upstanding, law-abiding citizens pay their debts. The threats not to pay them -- that's trash talk. That's insanity. That's unacceptable.
Congress doesn't even believe in Congress or the Constitution any more. They are so uninformed and arrogant that they think they are exempt from abiding by the laws enacted by Congress. They even disregard the rule of the Supreme Court. They also disregard the signature and office of the Presidency. They should be recalled.
The rich continue to get richer and the poor get poorer. And the ill-informed members of the poorer populations continue to think that is okay. They keep reelecting the same individuals that protect those who exploit the hardworking wealth producers of this land -- the lowly employee.
And the most exasperating thing of all is that people who expect education, roads, bridges, parks, senior citizen centers, etc., etc., etc., apparently think these things can be achieved without taxes. How? If there is a way, write up the proposals. Submit them to your congressmen. Write them up on-line. Tweet them out one line at a time. Do something before your little hot rod falls into a sink hole or another bridge collapses with your own kids on it. Tell us how to educate our children before they grow up even more ill-informed than our tax cutting politicians. They are the future of our country. They will have the responsibility for young and old alike some day. They need to learn all they can learn.
In summary, the view from Main Street is almost as bleak as it was. The stress level is ever growing. Our minds and nerves are on high red alert. We are begging for mature and lucid decisions from our leaders. It's time to tackle the gridlock and win this game for all of us.
If it doesn't get done, that may make a young friend of mine correct. She said that life sucks and then you die. Let's show her some more of the good years, please. I remember good years from the past, don't you? Wouldn't you like some more?
Thursday, September 19, 2013
Same Ol', Same Ol'
Here we are again, another crisis with the debt ceiling looming . . . war on the horizon. . . Iran a potential threat . . . Israel and Palestine quibbling . . . Republicans and Democrats pointing fingers at each other . . . news media in a hurry to begin Presidential election insanity. There's not enough going on that they need that back? Just a regular year, month, week, in paradise. There's even another shooting to make the craziness complete.
And here we, the people, are sitting in the same ol' situation -- stressed further by the one per cent getting 95 per cent of the monetary plenty. Uncertain how the new medical insurance will affect budgets and families, couples face 2014 with trepidation. And the Tea Partiers are extorting the President as well as the members of Congress who passed Obamacare. Isn't this against the law? Oh, only when regular people do it. The Congress is exempt from normal laws.
Then, of course, there is the other part of the war between Tea Partiers and the rest of the country. They continue to think roads and bridges repair themselves for free. I guess they also believe kids learn to read by themselves. Well, possibly their kids do, for as we all know, their ilk are superheroes.
Please hear this plea, oh Lord. Please see there are no games about the debt ceiling. Please let the bulimic rich share with their employees now instead of waiting to regurgitate it back in philanthropies later when 95 per cent of the country needs charity. Whatever you do, don't excuse them their sins of greed just because they had to find somebody to give it to since they couldn't take it with them. We probably shouldn't even mention the ego trip they are on because they have something to share with the people they exploited.
Help us to solve our issues with Syria without going to war. Please bring Israel and Palestine to the table for genuine talks and real resolve. Help Iran to feel more a part of the world community without adding to the nuclear problem.
Get all political parties in the mood to negotiate and help them use reason and intelligence. Stop their constant bickering if you will.
And best of all, help us get better mental health treatment for all Americans. Perhaps trained psychologists should hold group therapy with all children from Kindergarten on through graduation. Certainly, all people likely to have PTSD should be automatically sent to therapy.
The bickering might be slowed in future congresses if there were age requirements. I read the other day that although women achieve adulthood in their early thirties, men don't mature until around 43. So, how about age requirements of around 45-65? This should include term limits, as well.
Whatever you can do will be appreciated. I'm sure even the people directly involved would like your help with this.
These things I ask in the name of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit.
Amen
And here we, the people, are sitting in the same ol' situation -- stressed further by the one per cent getting 95 per cent of the monetary plenty. Uncertain how the new medical insurance will affect budgets and families, couples face 2014 with trepidation. And the Tea Partiers are extorting the President as well as the members of Congress who passed Obamacare. Isn't this against the law? Oh, only when regular people do it. The Congress is exempt from normal laws.
Then, of course, there is the other part of the war between Tea Partiers and the rest of the country. They continue to think roads and bridges repair themselves for free. I guess they also believe kids learn to read by themselves. Well, possibly their kids do, for as we all know, their ilk are superheroes.
Please hear this plea, oh Lord. Please see there are no games about the debt ceiling. Please let the bulimic rich share with their employees now instead of waiting to regurgitate it back in philanthropies later when 95 per cent of the country needs charity. Whatever you do, don't excuse them their sins of greed just because they had to find somebody to give it to since they couldn't take it with them. We probably shouldn't even mention the ego trip they are on because they have something to share with the people they exploited.
Help us to solve our issues with Syria without going to war. Please bring Israel and Palestine to the table for genuine talks and real resolve. Help Iran to feel more a part of the world community without adding to the nuclear problem.
Get all political parties in the mood to negotiate and help them use reason and intelligence. Stop their constant bickering if you will.
And best of all, help us get better mental health treatment for all Americans. Perhaps trained psychologists should hold group therapy with all children from Kindergarten on through graduation. Certainly, all people likely to have PTSD should be automatically sent to therapy.
The bickering might be slowed in future congresses if there were age requirements. I read the other day that although women achieve adulthood in their early thirties, men don't mature until around 43. So, how about age requirements of around 45-65? This should include term limits, as well.
Whatever you can do will be appreciated. I'm sure even the people directly involved would like your help with this.
These things I ask in the name of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit.
Amen
Wednesday, September 11, 2013
Has The President Relinquished His Power?
The Russian suggestion that we might want to back off our strike plans if Syria will turn their chemical weapons over to the world community may well have rendered this article moot. However, it is being published here anyway, because what is written is important if Syria doesn't follow procedures to give up the weapons.
There is a lot of speculation as to whether the President will go ahead with the plans to strike Syria even if Congress votes no on the issue. Apparently some Presidents act anyway, even after a negative vote. Though some Congressmen wish the President had not had such a right, they are probably wrong. But, even if he did have such power, I believe he relinquished it when he asked Congress for a vote of confidence on the issue.
There was already a lot of talk these days about impeachment. Much of it is pure hot air -- more conservative propaganda meant to win the next Presidential election. But, should the President receive a no vote from Congress and then strike anyway, that might just lend cause to proceed with the threat.
Members of Congress have to listen to their constituents. They forget often enough that they were elected to represent our wishes not their own agendas. A lot of U. S. citizens do not want to meddle in Syria. Should they not be heard?
Much as the President would like for everyone to forget his speaking about line drawing, he did say there would be consequences for the use of chemical weapons, and we do remember. So, almost a century ago the world set a fuzzy red line about the use of chemical weapons. For some time, the world has done nothing about their use. Remember Sadam Hussein and mustard gas? Now our President believes the United States is responsible to punish one country which used them. And where is the rest of the world? Mostly holdouts who are planning to be dropouts on this issue. If this is a world's fuzzy red line, then the world should take action, not one major power along with a handful of little ones. This might be a good time to develop some rules and procedures that would be used by the entire world community every time someone used them. Then there would not be a situation like this for any country objecting to their use.
The President might want to sit back and review a few facts while congress debates a potential vote. Not many individual people in the Middle East are our friends. They have no problem coming to our country to study in our universities and some of them stay and earn a stack of dollars. But, on the whole, they resent our power and our strength. Some of them even hold clandestine meetings plotting the demise of Americans.
One news program showed a Syrian saying that if we bomb Assad's part of Syria, we will be starting World War III. Can you assure us he is not right? Can you promise that Assad figuratively flipping the middle finger at the President was not meant to start just such warfare? Alone, they may not have the might, but they seem to have the support of Iran, Russia and Iraq (letting Iran fly supplies over to Syria). Now the latter is a case in point. After all the money and deaths over their country, where do they get off letting Iran use their air to help Syria?
We are war weary and broke. We see no good coming from another war, especially when there seems no immediate threat to our country. I liked the days when we didn't fight unless we were attacked first. What happened to them?
I hate to sound unsympathetic, but I am feeling crass right now. Were these really innocent civilians that died, or were they American haters? Were any of them already our enemies? Muslim Brotherhood? Future jihadists?
Is our intel correct this time? Or is the intelligence community setting up conditions for another unfavorable and unnecessary war? No matter how desirable it might be to have a democracy in Syria, that should be their choice and their war, not ours. Is it possible the rebels orchestrated the use of the chemical weapons to provoke us to action -- similar to the lies told to us by a member of Hussein's administration and his former mistress? And why were we chomping at the bit to act before the report from the team that entered Syria to check if they were used?
Horrible though I know you will find this, Mr. President, Syrian children may not be so sweet and innocent as American children, especially yours. Think carefully before defying Congress if they eventually hold a vote and the answer is no.
There is a lot of speculation as to whether the President will go ahead with the plans to strike Syria even if Congress votes no on the issue. Apparently some Presidents act anyway, even after a negative vote. Though some Congressmen wish the President had not had such a right, they are probably wrong. But, even if he did have such power, I believe he relinquished it when he asked Congress for a vote of confidence on the issue.
There was already a lot of talk these days about impeachment. Much of it is pure hot air -- more conservative propaganda meant to win the next Presidential election. But, should the President receive a no vote from Congress and then strike anyway, that might just lend cause to proceed with the threat.
Members of Congress have to listen to their constituents. They forget often enough that they were elected to represent our wishes not their own agendas. A lot of U. S. citizens do not want to meddle in Syria. Should they not be heard?
Much as the President would like for everyone to forget his speaking about line drawing, he did say there would be consequences for the use of chemical weapons, and we do remember. So, almost a century ago the world set a fuzzy red line about the use of chemical weapons. For some time, the world has done nothing about their use. Remember Sadam Hussein and mustard gas? Now our President believes the United States is responsible to punish one country which used them. And where is the rest of the world? Mostly holdouts who are planning to be dropouts on this issue. If this is a world's fuzzy red line, then the world should take action, not one major power along with a handful of little ones. This might be a good time to develop some rules and procedures that would be used by the entire world community every time someone used them. Then there would not be a situation like this for any country objecting to their use.
The President might want to sit back and review a few facts while congress debates a potential vote. Not many individual people in the Middle East are our friends. They have no problem coming to our country to study in our universities and some of them stay and earn a stack of dollars. But, on the whole, they resent our power and our strength. Some of them even hold clandestine meetings plotting the demise of Americans.
One news program showed a Syrian saying that if we bomb Assad's part of Syria, we will be starting World War III. Can you assure us he is not right? Can you promise that Assad figuratively flipping the middle finger at the President was not meant to start just such warfare? Alone, they may not have the might, but they seem to have the support of Iran, Russia and Iraq (letting Iran fly supplies over to Syria). Now the latter is a case in point. After all the money and deaths over their country, where do they get off letting Iran use their air to help Syria?
We are war weary and broke. We see no good coming from another war, especially when there seems no immediate threat to our country. I liked the days when we didn't fight unless we were attacked first. What happened to them?
I hate to sound unsympathetic, but I am feeling crass right now. Were these really innocent civilians that died, or were they American haters? Were any of them already our enemies? Muslim Brotherhood? Future jihadists?
Is our intel correct this time? Or is the intelligence community setting up conditions for another unfavorable and unnecessary war? No matter how desirable it might be to have a democracy in Syria, that should be their choice and their war, not ours. Is it possible the rebels orchestrated the use of the chemical weapons to provoke us to action -- similar to the lies told to us by a member of Hussein's administration and his former mistress? And why were we chomping at the bit to act before the report from the team that entered Syria to check if they were used?
Horrible though I know you will find this, Mr. President, Syrian children may not be so sweet and innocent as American children, especially yours. Think carefully before defying Congress if they eventually hold a vote and the answer is no.
Sunday, September 1, 2013
Oh Sigh, Syria
We, the people of the United States, were taught that we are, or at least soar, like eagles. After that lesson, most of us have the good sense not to want to be a preying hawk or a passive dove. We would prefer to fly above the fray.
Syria, both the rebels and the controlling officers, are watching our country to see which figurative bird will prevail. They don't think we are eagles. They are laughing at us. I've already said to the rebels of the Middle East, or anywhere else, that it is not America's job to police the world. So, if you decide to rebel against your governments, you need to prepare a structured plan which will give you at least a half chance to win. It is not okay for Syria, Egypt, Yemen or wherever to make an impulsive jump into war and expect the world community to rescue -- bail them out. You knew your leaders had chemical weapons and that they had no scruples against using them. You should have thought of that and planned a coping strategy before acting.
President Assad, I believe it would behoove you to quit bragging. Our president here in the United States has been dealing for several years with an obstructionist House of Representatives. The majority of that House in Congress is Republican. They never cease, even despite much American disapproval, to try to get back the presidency for their party. So, they act like dissonant members and obstructionists with the hope the public will think the President is at fault. Right now those dissonant Congressmen are engaging in their usual bluster about whether the president is right or wrong and whether he is planning to authorize too much or too little. But if you continue to say that our government blinked because we were afraid of your military, you are probably going to cause the United States Congress to coalesce, at least on this one issue. Remember the remark of the Japanese leader at the start of World War II. He said he was afraid he had just awakened the sleeping giant. He had. Also, as close as you are to Iraq, have you not witnessed the results of a U. S. Shock and Awe campaign? Do you want the hawks to call for one on your turf?
It's possible, I suppose, that you do have a better military than most of the world believes. But most of the world doubts it. So, if you cannot back bluster with might, it is best to get and stay quiet.
World Community, especially Great Britain, is it or is it not moral to use chemical weapons on anyone, especially one's own people? If it is wrong, what should the world do about it? Should we fight it or watch it? What is your moral evaluation and are you willing to stand behind your principles? Or are you, also, waiting for the United States to back your beliefs?
To our Congress, this is a time to set aside politics and make a decision based on morals. Is it right or wrong to use chemical weapons? On your own people? Is it the world's responsibility to police it? Should we lead a police effort? Should we even participate in a police effort?
Messieurs McCain and Graham, please do not vote against the plan because it is too little, too late. Make it a yes or no vote on the proposed plan. The good Lord knows it will probably become more than planned anyway. It always does.
No games gentlemen. Please pray people. Please base your votes on moral choices, not just on the use of chemical weapons, but also on our responsibility for and business to interfere in another country's war.
Yes, Mr. President, we believe you did have the power to launch that attack. But, thank you for not exercising it without the vote of Congress.
Syria, both the rebels and the controlling officers, are watching our country to see which figurative bird will prevail. They don't think we are eagles. They are laughing at us. I've already said to the rebels of the Middle East, or anywhere else, that it is not America's job to police the world. So, if you decide to rebel against your governments, you need to prepare a structured plan which will give you at least a half chance to win. It is not okay for Syria, Egypt, Yemen or wherever to make an impulsive jump into war and expect the world community to rescue -- bail them out. You knew your leaders had chemical weapons and that they had no scruples against using them. You should have thought of that and planned a coping strategy before acting.
President Assad, I believe it would behoove you to quit bragging. Our president here in the United States has been dealing for several years with an obstructionist House of Representatives. The majority of that House in Congress is Republican. They never cease, even despite much American disapproval, to try to get back the presidency for their party. So, they act like dissonant members and obstructionists with the hope the public will think the President is at fault. Right now those dissonant Congressmen are engaging in their usual bluster about whether the president is right or wrong and whether he is planning to authorize too much or too little. But if you continue to say that our government blinked because we were afraid of your military, you are probably going to cause the United States Congress to coalesce, at least on this one issue. Remember the remark of the Japanese leader at the start of World War II. He said he was afraid he had just awakened the sleeping giant. He had. Also, as close as you are to Iraq, have you not witnessed the results of a U. S. Shock and Awe campaign? Do you want the hawks to call for one on your turf?
It's possible, I suppose, that you do have a better military than most of the world believes. But most of the world doubts it. So, if you cannot back bluster with might, it is best to get and stay quiet.
World Community, especially Great Britain, is it or is it not moral to use chemical weapons on anyone, especially one's own people? If it is wrong, what should the world do about it? Should we fight it or watch it? What is your moral evaluation and are you willing to stand behind your principles? Or are you, also, waiting for the United States to back your beliefs?
To our Congress, this is a time to set aside politics and make a decision based on morals. Is it right or wrong to use chemical weapons? On your own people? Is it the world's responsibility to police it? Should we lead a police effort? Should we even participate in a police effort?
Messieurs McCain and Graham, please do not vote against the plan because it is too little, too late. Make it a yes or no vote on the proposed plan. The good Lord knows it will probably become more than planned anyway. It always does.
No games gentlemen. Please pray people. Please base your votes on moral choices, not just on the use of chemical weapons, but also on our responsibility for and business to interfere in another country's war.
Yes, Mr. President, we believe you did have the power to launch that attack. But, thank you for not exercising it without the vote of Congress.
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