Elections Don't Matter....I Guess.

Before I blog, it was just reported that the Colorado Prisons chief was fatally shot as he opened his door. Anyhow, the overwhelming majority of us support an assault weapons ban. The Congress just doesn't care what we think. Nor do they care much about the President's agenda, which is our agenda. Nor do the Democrats have the spine or the fortitude to put their electoral fortunes beside and do the right thing. Nor do they care much about the word regulate which is in the 2nd amendment. Nor do they care that the Supreme Court with its most conservative justice in agreement, has ruled that guns can be regulated. Nor do they care, in my judgement, about the 35 people killed daily in this country by guns. I do not want to hear that people kill people not guns. Guns are deadly weapons. Assault weapons are not designed to protect you from someone stealing your TV. Harry Reid has shamefully mismanaged this, Patrick Leahy hasn't been as aggressive as he should be. Politicians need to stop apologizing to the Gun advocates. They need to stop producing pictures of themselves killing varmants or looking tough. Toughness comes from standing up against the dangerous extremists in this country that put violence above humanity. Shameful. Elections used to matter. Not anymore I guess. Where are you Americans for reason and truth?

The Only Adult in the Room

The President has been consistently misrepresented and his views not even known by many of his adversaries. He has been criticized for not reaching out to the other side even though he has and has been willing to put pro Republican ideas on the table for negotiation. Recently and currently, he is holding lunches and meetings with members of Congress, perhaps to change the perception but perhaps to get a serious deal. He has been the adult. Paul Ryan, whose ideas were roundly defeated at the polls last November, attended a lunch with the President. One day later, he came out with a budget that again eliminates ObamaCare and cuts entitlements beyond what is reasonable all the while knowing this hoax will go nowhere. We need adults at the negotiating table, not petulant kids. Where are you Americans for reason and truth?

Just Imagine

Today, we saw an unexpected but welcome decline in the unemployment rate as well as a job creation number that was higher than thought even with public sector jobs disappearing. Just Imagine if we had a House of Representatives more cooperative with our President when he called for infrastructure repair, or a more balanced approach to the deficit. Just Imagine if the stimulus was more to the liking of the President instead of blocked over and over again. Just Imagine, if Senator McConnell was more supportive of this President instead of trying to stop him at every turn. Just Imagine if Congress agreed to put legislative force behind Simpson Bowles instead of only advisory responsibility. Just Imagine if the Constitutional requirement for passage of legislation was actually followed instead of filibustered. Just Imagine. Where are you Americans for reason and truth?

Tax Breaks

We are at the lowest percentage of tax revenue relative to the size of our economy, in fifty years. Americans overwhelmingly support the elimination of tax breaks for the wealthiest and support tax reform. Even current Republicans have gone on the record in the past few years supporting policies that generate more revenue. Yet, we are about to go over the Sequestration bridge at midnight tonight because the Senate Republicans ignored what WE the People want and filibustered a reasonable bill. The House won't even allow a vote on moderation and instead have a Speaker who is so inept, so shrill with his language, so tied to Tea Party extremism that he cannot even get out of his own way. I say the President issues a signing statement like his predecessor did frequently, and suggest which elements of the legislation he is choosing not to enforce. I would keep middle class needs at the top of the list. Where are you Americans for reason and truth?

Does it Matter?

Let us suppose that Sequestration was the total brainchild of President Obama. Let's suppose he cajoled and influenced Congress with such pressure, that they voted for it against their will. Let us suppose the President was solely responsible for the mess. Does it matter? Does anyone believe that when this idea was proposed and approved, that it would be lived up to? It is most accurate to say that no matter who thought it up, it was intended as a wedge to move the parties to negotiate a better arrangement. It was designed to get a responsible group of legislators together and come up with an idea, which they failed to do. We are at this point now, not because of the idea, but because of the mutual inability for our House Republicans to work with this Democratic President. Bob Woodward may win on points for a few days, but America loses big time. Instead, his story should be on the effects of the real situation and not on the blame game that sells his books. This isn't Watergate Mr. Woodward. Where are you Americans for reason and truth?

246,378

Speaker Boehner was elected by 246,378 Americans. There are 315 million Americans. President Obama was elected with about 63 million votes. Yet, Speaker Boehner is assuming the role of obstructionist and blamer in chief. Today he blames the Senate for inaction on Sequestration. This Speaker took his House on vacation for crucial days that could have been used to resolve this House Republican controlled mess. When a single House member can fly in the face of the nation in the manner by which Speaker Boehner is, there is something radically wrong with the way modern politicians are interpreting the Madisonian model of Democracy. Speaker Boehner is known to less than 20% of the country by name, and was elected by less than .1 percent of the nation. He needs to realize who he is NOT working for, everyone other than Ohio's 8th. Where are you Americans for reason and truth?

SOUR SOUR Grapes

President Obama had a resounding victory in November both in terms of electoral votes and the popular vote. The Senate picked up seats for the Democrats, and gerrymandering notwithstanding, Democrats got more votes in House Elections and did pick up a few seats. On matters of guns, immigration and taxes, the people of this nation do, according to polls favor overwhelmingly, the path laid out by the President. In addition, the President has reached his highest favorability rating in a long time, while Congress remains mired in an all time low of popularity. You would think therefore, that the voice of the people would prevail. It is not. The intransigence of the Republican party and their continuous quest to embarrass and show vitriolic hate and disrespect to Barack Obama is palpable and obsessive. They are only hurting the country and ultimately themselves. This latest crisis, sequestration, no matter who thought it up, was intended to force responsibility with cuts in spending. It was passed by Congress in such a deliberately unpopular way, that the thoughts were that after the election, reasonableness would prevail and we would look like a country whose government works. But no. The Republicans are so distraught over losing an election they thought was in reach, that sour grapes are keeping them from governing. They may think that in the end the nation will blame Obama, but they couldn't be more wrong. So, my Republican friends, for your own sake, get a grip. Help yourselves, but much more important, help our nation, the one you supposedly love. Where are you Americans for reason and truth?

Repeal

Last year the Republicans ran around the country yelling "Repeal Obamacare". Well, that didn't work out for them, but it did do us a big service. It reminded us that just like Congress has the power to make law, it has the power to repeal laws it has passed. The sequestration, which is about to occur and everyone seems to hate, while everyone is trying to assign blame, is the law of the land as of March 1st. So, repeal it. Congress can. The President is likely to support that. Get back in the negotiating room, and act like adults. It is so easy that it hurts to see these elected imbeciles put ego first and country second. Where are you Americans for reason and truth?

Simply Amazing

The Hagel filibuster attempt, first in history has been reported by many and admitted by some in the Republican party as payback or revenge for the past Senator's disagreement with the neo cons in his party. He was against a war that was fought by our brave soldiers under false pretenses with cost of blood and treasured human life. Those policies were policies of madmen, who concocted reasons to go to war. Those policies have finally been proven wrong and this Presdident will end the second costly war next year. Chuck Hagel has the experience and wounds to show for it, to be an outstanding, reasoned and careful Secretary of Defense. This is what our nation wants and needs....not the continuation of failed, reprehensible policies of aggression that neither work nor should be pursued. It is simply amazing how these lunatics wish to rewrite history for the sake of their own egos. A pox on them all. Where are you Americans for reason and truth?

Reagan and Bush and Disengagement

I believe that history will realize in total, that the Reagan and Bush 2 Presidencies were filled with examples of aloofness and disengagement. Reagan did not properly secure our barracks in Lebanaon where 330 were lost and Bush failed with 9-11, having ignored certain warnings and signals and certainly he blew Katrina where New Orleans flooded while he kissed Brownie's ass. The Republican outrage over Benghazi, and the loss of four lives is simply an attempt to cover up for their own past ineptitude. The loss of life and the mistakes made are regrettable and sad. They are deserving of scrutiny by their government and the number of private and public hearings on the matter have been transparent and frankly disproportionate. Lindsay Graham and John McCain's hatred of this President clouds their ability in all aspects of their lives. To suggest an absence of engagement on the part of this President is not only false and unbelievably inaccurate, it is just plain hate. These two along with Prick Cheney(no typo), represents the worst of our country's politics. Americans outside of the tea party, racists and haters will have none of it. Where are you Americans for reason and truth?

The Bullies Unite

Yesterday the bullies of the Senate who supported the failed Iraq War, who accepted the lies of the Bush Administration, who cavalierly accept the death of men and women in battle, many who have never worn a uniform, piled on the nominee for the Defense Secretary. Previously one of their own, Chuck Hagel was inappropriately grilled by the scum of the Senate, men who are trying to hang on to failed policies that Americans left behind long ago. Whereas his performance may have been less than crisp, the piling on was so dramatic and so mean spirited that I was left supporting this man more. He has been selected to depart from these imbeciles and their views and that is what he should have done...spoke about his disagreements with them. Instead, he tried to appear more like them than he is. As such, he looked indecisive, but this does not negate his abilities not will it derail his confirmation. This nation, for once and for all needs to derail the abject dishonesty and failures of neo con versions of American foreign policy. Once the public flogging and its aftermath fades into history, perhaps those who still support War and more war, will take their place into the box of irrelevancy.

Words Matter

"For we, the people, understand that our country cannot succeed when a shrinking few do very well and a growing many barely make it. We believe that America's prosperity must rest upon the broad shoulders of a rising middle class. We know that America thrives when every person can find independence and pride in their work; when the wages of honest labor liberate families from the brink of hardship. We are true to our creed when a little girl born into the bleakest poverty knows that she has the same chance to succeed as anybody else, because she is an American, she is free, and she is equal, not just in the eyes of G-d but also in our own." President Barack Obama. January 21st, 2013. WORDS MATTER. Where are you Americans for reason and truth?

When You Can't Win, Change The Rules

The Republican Party of this country knows it has a problem. It cannot win with women, young people or minorities. This knowledge led them to try and stack the deck in red states in bullet proof gerrymandered districts. Now both parties do this, but in the case of the reds, it is because they do not offer a message that is likable to our citizens, at least not enough to defeat President Obama. Instead of offering something for blacks and hispanics to support, they tried to pass laws to suppress minority votes. Instead of offering women a comprehensive approach to their health care, they lied about Planned Parenthood. Now, having lost again, by 5 million votes and a huge electoral defeat, they want to change the laws about how Electoral Votes are calculated. If you cannot win, then change the rules. Where are you Americans for reason for truth? By the way, where were they during Bush v. Gore?

Keep Talking Mr. Rubio

Recently, I have found Senator Marco Rubio from Florida to be one of the most offensive members of Congress. Now we know he is the fair haired, good looking, Hispanic Republican looking at a 2016 or 2020 run for the Presidency. We all know he has to bash Obama to maintain his tea party bonafides and we all know that he is positioning himself as the go to guy for the extremists. I want him to continue to talk, to campaign and to go on TV, because whenever he speaks, he shows himself to be unworthy of the Presidency and more important, unqualified. He also, as a reminder, cooked up his resume to solicit sympathy from hispanics alleging a Cuban escape story not all that accurate. Today he is calling the President a liar about guns. He has mispoke about Planned Parenthood, has distorted views about the economy and continues to walk back statements that are found to be profoundly wrong and untrue. Keep talking Senator. Where are you Americans for reason and truth?

Guns

As I have watched the debate continue to unfold over the 2nd amendment, and regrettably, this only seriously happens after a tragedy, only to be forgotten, I applaud the actions of the President to put the issue front and center. Today, whatever his suggestions are, at least Congress will be forced to engage in a public debate that may stick around this time. The speed of Governor Cuomo and the NY legislature in passing some state controlled regulations shows that strength of will and bipartisanship is sometimes possible, at least at the state level. As I have watched and listened to people like Alex Jones, Rand Paul and Wayne LaPierre along with militiamen from small groups in various states, I get very scared listening to these guys talk of armed rebellion, 1776, impeachment and revolution. I know people in this country love guns, and nothing that the President suggests will take away the right to own and use them for self defense, hunting or just plain obsession, but the strongest advocates for no gun control seem to be the people that we can least afford to have own them. Where are you Americans for reason and truth?

What do 157 House Republicans say to Sandy Victims?

DROP DEAD

What Deficit?

The best way to fix the deficit is by growth in our economy. More workers, means more tax revenue. It means more sales taxes paid to municipalities. We as a nation are recovering and despite Republican falsehoods and nonsensical and deliberate attempts to be relevant, the deficit will be coming down slowly without another crisis and without another nasty threatened economic collapse. The debt needs to be raised to pay for those things that Congress has passed into law. Obama is ending another war and the health care costs are having their cost curve bending in the right direction. As Mr. Krugman reminds us, these point to a better than we are being warned future. If we elected people to lead us, we must let them. The real deficit is in Congressional action. Where are you Americans for reason and truth?

18

There are 200 Democrats in the House of Representatives. You need 218 to pass legislation. There are 67 Republicans who voted against Sandy Aid almost all from red states. More Democratic votes were cast for House members than Republicans but gerrymandering has made sacrosanct most of these districts. There do exist more moderate Republicans in blue states whose party is leaving them behind. Here is my wish, my hope, for an America that can compromise and avoid doing battle over every single legislative issue....find 18 more moderate Republicans and get them to switch parties. The days when a split government could function are long gone. We need the gavel in the hands of the President's party. These folks would have an opportunity to express moderation, compromise and do good for the nation. Let's find them. I would like to start by asking Peter King from NY. Democrats have been tough in war, have balanced the budget, have cut spending and have worked across the aisle. This too, is what King and others in the party truly believe. Come on board Representative King. 18 and counting. Where are you Americans for reason and truth?

Hate

It is pure hatred of this President by Congressional Republicans that is harming every American. Split government no longer works. We need one party rule. Where are you Americans for reason and truth?....Happy new year...except Congress.

Ignore Him

Happy holidays to all...almost all. I would skip Wayne LaPierre. The manufactured fears by our idiot Congress hurt our nation. All these calls for compromise even as the President moderates his position, are ludicrous. The President has the people on his side. We are more moderate ad thoughtful than we are given credit for. We should all just ignore the Speaker. He and Congress are out of control. The President and the nation will prevail if we simply shut these extremists out. Moderation will win the day...for this I am sure. Where are you Americans for reason and truth?