Deliberate Pain

If a person were innocently walking down the street and you threw a rock deliberately at their head and hit him/her, you would be inflicting deliberate pain on the individual. The House Republicans are doing just this. Throwing rocks at heads of innocent Americans. A law to make us healthier was passed by Congress and signed into law. It has not yet been fully implemented. It is the law of the land. Instead of allowing it to take hold as it should, a small group of tea party fanatics will shut down the government, hurt seniors, Federal workers, close parks, delay checks and negatively impact a slowly recovering economy just so that they can hurt Barack Obama. These sick monsters deserve nothing but the worst. They represent the darkest part of the human experience. I do not wish them well. They deserve rocks thrown at them. Where are you Americans for reason and truth?

Third World USA

Third world nations generally do not accept the will of the people. They tend to have corrupt governments and leaders who line their own pockets while raping the citizens of their rights and privileges. Third world nations rig elections and defile the opposition. The United States of America is no third world nation. Oh, really? We have passed a signature healthcare bill not even yet implemented but the corrupt amongst us wish to kill it before it takes hold. We have had a President elected to two consecutive terms with citizens choosing to support his agenda, which includes health care while the corrupt amongst us wish to deny him legitimacy. We have attempts to kill the rights of voters by denying them an opportunity to do so under the falseness of fraud allegations. No we are not a third world nation. Or??????? Where are you Americans for reason and truth?

He's No Mr. Smith

Jimmy Stewart played Senator Smith in a great Hollywood production about the little guy, in "Mr. Smith Goes to Washington". It is a great movie and one that has stood the test of time. His filibuster in the film made all the little guys stand up with pride at the courage of one man, with a desire to rid the Government of corruption and good old boy hardball politics. In the present, the bloviating idiot, self serving, do nothing junior Senator from Texas knows no bounds. He is indecent, ridiculously rude, insulting and uses McCarthyite tactics to get in the news. Whereas the shameful lot of Americans too stupid to see him for what he is may support him, he is no Mr. Smith. Senator Ted Cruz is a curse on this nation. He is a man with no moral compass, no compassion for truth and not worthy of the position he holds. As he gets the cameras to focus on him today, and the headlines tomorrow, his attempt to distort, dissuade and discourage people from learning the truth about our Government will succeed amongst the ignorant, but not amongst decent people in our land. You are an ass, Senator and your passing fame will fade into the ash heep of history. Where are you Americans for reason and truth?

I'm Back Baby

Took the Summer off to refresh and retool and now I am compelled to blog some more. I continue to be offended and embarrassed by the ineptitude of my government. We are allowing mistruths and distortions to rule the day. We are actually taking lies and spreading misinformation in an effort to create a new normal that is not part of any Constitutional reality. In fact, if our Government was a reality TV show its ratings would be sky high. One thing is crystal clear, hate and disrespect of this President by his enemies has exceeded any prior attempts at weakening a President. You and I know why this is, but that is a social issue for a future blog post. To allow hatred, not founded in accurate policy differences, to actually hurt the nation, has become the rule of the day and hiding behind gerrymandered districts with citizens encouraged to be ignorant with perpetual fear mongering by its do nothing, power hungry representatives, has so injured our system that I see little hope for immediate change. There was a time when split government worked...compromise was respected...and differences were worked out. Today, however, the circus mentality by elected carnival barkers has co opted our once sacred ability to govern ourselves. What is clear, is that this nation was not founded by threats to the system, but protections of it. James Madison would not support a Congress threatening to neglect its constitutional responsibility to the paying of our nation's debts. None of the founders would have. So to those out there spinning inaccuracies and re interpretations not based in any common sense, of our constitutional processes, you are about to hurt the very people you claim you wish to help. All hope is not lost. There will be an election in 2014. Since fractured government doesn't work anymore, at least with President Obama's opponents who view compromise as a curse, we can have the issue resolved with one party rule. Then we can show the world that when we have a two term President, voted by more than 50 percent of the vote twice, it really does mean something. Where are you Americans for reason and truth?

Gone Fishing

GONE FISHING BACK IN AUGUST

Rand's Rants

Rand Paul's name comes up a lot these days. The junior Senator from Kentucky is a libertarian, who rails against Government for its intrusion into our lives (except when he supports government regulating a woman's body or a gay person's marriage rights). The fact that this man's name comes up as a future Presidential candidate should fuel our fear but that is for election politics which will be here soon enough. What Senator Paul, who loves to cite Constitutional scripture fails to admit, is that in a Republic, we elect people to serve us. We have three distinct branches of government with separate powers and checks and balances on each other. The surveillance issue is not fraught with Government intrusion, it follows Constitutional requirements. The President executed it, informed Congress who approved it, and the courts issued the warrants. All three branches of government collaborated as they are supposed to. Now, you can disagree with the reach of their decisions on this matter, but you cannot claim Constitutional foul. In fact the founding fathers may actually be seeing their work in action as it was supposed to occur...with all its warts. When Senator Paul stops supporting corporations and donors who don't think twice about violating our privacy every minute of every day, then perhaps he can claim a degree of credibility. For now, he remains in the ash heap of stupidity, hypocrisy and self aggrandisement.

What about Governing?

The Republican party will stop at nothing to embarrass and defile President Obama. The resounding victory this past November notwithstanding, is a fantasy in the eyes of political hacks with no goal except to destroy the opposition. If we assume the absolute worst about each of the three recent embarrassments to the President, what we can say is poor management of each situation or the absence of a pit bull within the Executive branch to manage these issues. However, the House Republicans, unable to govern, unwilling to defend our national interests and totally without a cohesive strategy for the nation, has decided to double down on its hatred toward the President. As such, no governance, no policies, and no help. Where are you Americans for reason and truth?

Still Steamed

Still cranky over their devistating loss to Obama, the Republican party is basking in the glow of the Obama missteps as he starts his second term. Now I do not mean to diminish the importance of finding out the truth on any issue within our government, but proportion is certainly absent. We fought and died over fake weapons of mass destruction and then proceeded to forget about the whole scandal. I suppose the hatred toward this President, partly of his own making, is understandable, but while the attempts to distract us away from our affection toward the President are in play,this gives the Republicans another excuse not to do what is right for our country. You won't hear much, at least for a while, about the important agenda items that have been laid before us while the power of oversight, led by some bad people, takes hold. We the People are again being held hostage by an overreaching and hateful group of politicians who care more about blood sport than they do about our country. When the dust settles, and most in the know already know this, there will be no inappropriate actions tied to our President and talk of impeachment will die down. This will be after the 2014 elections as Obama enters his lame duck period. Too bad. By the way, the deficit is at the lowest point in 5 years. Any news about that? Where are you Americans for reason and truth?

I Beg you...forget the polls... We just don't care.

How many times have we heard in the last two months that polls indicate a 90% support of sensible background checks before gun purchases? How many times have we seen polls over the last year that strongly suggest a support for a path to citizenship? How many times have we heard the President refer to America's support for these two sensible approaches? LOTS....too many to count. The bottom line, however, is that these two issues are just not on the top of peoples' minds, no matter how they answer the poll questions. People are concerned with other things...jobs, the future of their children, AND, what is happening to me TODAY. We are creatures of habit and creatures in need of immediate gratification. We just don't see guns and immigration as issues that affect our daily lives. We are sad and angered after a tragedy, but we go on with our lives, answer poll questions as sensible citizens and then act as selfish ones. Our Congress, for all the criticism we give it, really does understand Americans. They get the fact that we forget, that we care about other things and know that they can weather the temporary storms of polling data, keep their phones off the hook, take a few pot shots at a town hall meeting, and then vote against what's right and take the NRA's money. They care not about what is right, they care about how much they can take. Where are you Americans for reason and truth?

Fly Fly Away

My posts have become more infrequent, not because I have given up, but because my anger and frustration mounts every day as I watch the Legislative branch of Government become more and more ineffective each session. They are now on another undeserved vacation and they certainly took care of their commercial flights before they left. They took some shots at the President, blaming him for the long lines at the airports and left cuts in tact for Head Start and other very worthy programs. The Congress, not able to do its job two years ago to pass legislation that balances cuts and revenues, passed Sequestration. It was intended to be avoided but these incompetents couldn't. On three occasions I heard the FAA chairman make a speech warning us about airport delays and furloughs, but the amnesiac Republican party railed about the surprise and lack of warning. Then it hit them. We are going on vacation, how will we get home on time. Magically, they found the money and the air traveling public is saved while the children who rely are important services are not. Way to go 113th. If possible, you are worse than your predecessor Congress....oh, and thanks for those background checks. Where are you Americans for reason and truth?

A System in Disrepair

The Constitution of the United States is totally clear and unambiguous. For a bill to become a law, it takes a majority of both houses of Congress coupled with a President's signature. That's it. No debate. Modern day politics however have changed the essence of this reality. Senate rules permit them to declare certain bills subject to a filibuster proof vote. Today, by a 54 to 46 majority, the bill to expand background checks passed. This was consistent with the 85 percent of us who supported this. The 60 vote threshold, simply a Senate rule that has evolved not from Constitutional requirement but rather from political obesity, has again given the NRA a victory. A simple background check expansion failed. I would be upset if it wasn't for the reality that Speaker Boehner and his ignorant minions would have stalled it anyway. The Senate gave this idiot an easy out. Again this nation failed to honor the wishes of the people. If these Red state Democrats think they saved their jobs, they are wrong. These despicable, weak at the knees politicians may have just garnered support from their overly conservative populations, but Alaska and North Dakota barely hit the percentage meter in terms of population. The nation will respond. In its own way and its own time. Gun control will prevail, Red states will become blue, and the NRA will one day die. I hope sooner than later, but today is merely a temporary continuation of insanity. Where are you Americans for reason and truth?

NRA Wins Again

Forget the fact that the House hasn't even taken up a gun bill yet and that it will probably not look like the Senate bill. Forget the fact that the House is driven more by its extremist base than is the Senate. Forget the fact the the watered down bill that these Senators are gloating over is nowhere near what is needed to control violence. Forget it all. Remember this......the NRA will win again. It will get a bill that allows dangerous and uncontrolled weapons on the streets of this country. We will see school shootings, theatre shootings and factory shootings again. We will continue to have 40 gun related deaths a day, and move ahead as the most ignorant citizenry in the world of Democracies not even understanding our own Bill of Rights. Thanks for nothing. Until we vote out of office the gerrymandered Republicans who seemingly will serve for life, gun control is only a dream. Where are you Americans for reason and truth?

The Values Party

As the Republicans continue to autopsy their party, there remains a strong evangelical base that loves to preach values. They don't believe in gay rights, don't believe in a woman's right to choose, want prayer in the schools and condemn the blasphemic activities of a former President Clinton's White House activities. These folks condemn moderation toward any of these views to include gun control and immigration reform. These are also the supporters of Rush, Hannity, O'Reilly, Savage and Palin. They are also the supporters of family values Senator Vitter who cavorted with whores, former Governor Sanford's reinvention of himself and newly elected Ben Carson who compares gays to pedophiles. Add to this list Ted Cruz, Rand Paul and Michelle Bachman and you have a party not in need of an autopsy, but in need of cremation. Why the Democrats have not been able to bury them for once and for all is more a statement of our own national inadequacy than it is the desire for differences of opinion. Where are you Americans for reason and truth?

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?