Mid-term Election Thoughts

All right--I admit it.  The party of Thomas Jefferson blew it.  In 2008, it looked like it would transform the nation.   Money filled their coffers;  voters of all ages and races turned out in unbelievable numbers with unbridled exuberance.  The new president would be post-partisan and post-racial.  A filibuster-proof majority was sent to the Senate.  And now, November 1,2010, twenty-four hours before the mid-terms, all that feeling is gone.  The Democratic domination in 2008 has resulted in a wave of lethargy and the sense of unfulfilled expectations.
What caused this? The answers would fill a book and this is just a blog post.  But the short list would include the partisan leadership in both houses of congress on both sides.  There wasn't REAL leadership.  Just business same as ever and post-partisanship be damned.  The R's just said "NO" ; the D's never pushed the president's agenda.
So it's time to vote again.  In my state, the choices are pathetic.  No policy differences between the candidates for Congress.  If you didn't mark "D" or "R" beside their names you couldn't tell which was which.  For governor there are two women (we'll get our first female governor): one is tarred with allegations of her own corruption, the other tarred with the corruption in the present administration that caused our present governor to turn down a cabinet post.  Nice choice there.......
Normally, I might not even to bother to vote in this kind of an election.  But I am going to, and I am voting to support what I voted for in 2008----CHANGE.  Not Tea Party or Glen Beck B.S. but the change we need.  The change Obama promised.  Let's look at the record:

End of Partisanship----didn't happen, not because the president flubbed it but because the Republicans ignored the gestures and Reid and Pelosi did not push his agenda nor did they make the kind of attempts at reaching across the aisle that the president did.
Health Care Reform---again, Congress dropped the ball and gutted what could have been one of the defining pieces of legislation in the 21st Century.  There's much good in it and it deserves to be revisited and improved.  Repeal is moving backwards.  And a reminder to those sign holders--if the government took its hands off of "your" Medicare, there wouldn't be any Medicare--it's a government program, you fools!!!
WAR--"huh, good Gawd y'all, what is it good for?"(Edwin Starr) Obama has fulfilled his promise to wind down Bush's war of choice in Iraq.  He has escalated the effort in Afghanistan; unfortunately, because of the mis-begotten Iraq conflict, it's too late to destroy Al-Qaeda's structure, which has moved to Pakistan and Yemen.  But he has promised an end there as well in 2011.  Guantanamo needs to be closed but I think congress may need to be involved there to craft legislation to legally detain or try the terrorist suspects outside the present legal strictures.  Seems with terrorism the right to presumed innocence and illegal seizure, among others, are not applicable.
The Economy----Obama's policies probably helped avoid a repeat of the Great Depression.  Unfortunately, they did not go far enough to stimulate rapid growth and alleviate the painful job losses that ALWAYS follow financial melt-downs.  Read any economic history and you will understand this fact.  What the nation is going through is nothing new.  And cutting the deficit and taxes will NOT help---these policies are shown to worsen the effects of the crisis and prolong recovery.  Ask Japan--do we want a lost decade of economic stagnation and deflation like they had/are having??

So please go to the polls tomorrow, November 2nd, and vote with intelligence--not with sloganeering or nice catch-phrases dancing in your head.  Barack Obama was elected to provide change.  He thought he had allies in congress but political gamesmanship trumped the post-partisan era Obama attempted to introduce.  Let's use these mid-terms to send people to Washington who will help the president fulfill the dreams we all voted for two years ago.



 

About November

I've heard that one gets more conservative as one ages. Something about preserving one's own wealth rather than giving it to those more needy or less able to generate wealth. Worse yet---giving it to the government in the form of taxes----horrors and shudders!!!!!!!

Maybe I'm bucking the trend but I find myself becoming more liberal in terms of social issues but still fairly conservative in fiscal matters. But I do believe that the primary function of government to protect its citizens. You'll get no argument from me that there is a lot of waste in the government sector. But the recent remarks from the co-chair of the commission studying the deficit and social security to lessen the government stake are just so wrong-headed I could spit. As I recall, in the second term of the last Republican president there was a similar push to privatize retirement savings and wind down Social Security. Imagine if it had happened-----how much did your 401-K lose in 2007-2009----less than the Dow, then congratulations; more---then how many years did it add before you can retire---or even, can you retire without Social Security???

I have less than 65 days until I retire. I'm working my way through funding options so I can continue to feed the oh-so-dearly-loved Pirate Dogs, with some food also available for the humans in the household. Since I can collect S.S. at 62, this is going to work. The benefits are reduced but it will be do-able and actually fairly comfortable. But if the previous administration had its way, my employer would be stuck with an employee on the verge of burn out for another six or seven years, not to mention my defined benefit, i.e., pension plan, income would suffer. If I retired at 66 or 67, I would lose several years of good commission income and actually be in WORSE financial shape than by retiring early. Sort of the opposite of what the demagogues of anti-government benefits preach.

Lots of pre-mid-term chatter about Obama the Muslim Socialist. One comment---listen with your ears, process the information with your brains, and give the sitting president the support he deserves. I hated the bail-outs but 1) they were enacted by the Republicans and 2) they worked because of the policies and decisions of Barack Obama. Don't take the word of a blogger and Pirate Dog lover. Follow this link to The Economist editorial leader from the 8/21-8/27/2010 edition. Read it, think about it, and you'll realize it's true. Right now the no-brainers have the floor and the screeching is deafening. Please don't let it deprive you of your right to a choice come November as it has deprived Alaska of its incumbent senator or KY of a real chance for change. I don't hear policies or solutions coming from the talk-show hosts or the opposition leaders---just noise and obstruction.

November is the first referendum we have on the decisions we made in 2008. Were it not for politics as usual in Congress and the "Just Say NO" clique, we might even have unemployment down to a sustainable level and a real recovery in progress. Don't blow the November mid-terms. Let's give our leaders the chance to finish cleaning up the Bushian nightmare. Don't give your vote to those who would make us relive it.

Dead Horses

There's nothing to be gained in beating a dead horse, goes the old saw. So why do the conservatives continue to do so?? Their present dead horse is the growth of government as exemplified by "Obamacare." Funny, when Medicare/Medicaid was enacted I don't remember cries of foreboding about "Johnsoncare." Was it because we were not as clever then? Doubtful. Most likely it was because we were more civil then, at least in our domestic policy discussions. But I digress....

This morning I happened to catch Congressman Mike Pence (R-Ind,) on MSNBC's "Morning Joe" program. Mr Pence is a conservative Republican and a winner of Conservative Man of the Year from the organization Human Rights. After the usual frothing about how health care reform as presently constituted will be a crushing blow to our economic recovery, Mt. Pence would NOT name any other government program than "Obamacare" that he would cut to help reduce spending at the federal level and the trillion-dollar deficit. This despite several instances of encouragement by the show' s panelist Mike Barnicle. Mr. Pence's stand is so typical of the conservative Republicans who got us into this mess in the first place---the Iraq War, the debacle named Afghanistan, the collapse of the financial system in 2007------the legacy of George W Bush and the Republican controlled congress (until 2006). And now it's Barack Obama's health care reform that is plunging us into the abyss???? I think not. I agree with David Frum---time for the conservatives to work within the system rather than merely being perceived as obstructionist if they want to make any headway in the November mid-term elections.

So go to the tea parties, continue the "I'm NRA and I vote", and the "NObama" bumper sticker tirades. On with the racial epithets and gender preference slurs, on Rush, on Sean, on Glenn, on over the top screaming, and on to defeat with your beaten dead horse in November.

State of the Union 2010

So the first state of the union address by Barack Obama, originally believed to be scheduled for Feb. 2, has been the victim of constituent pressure. Rather than pre-empt or, worse yet, compete with the season premiere of Lost, the prez and team have scheduled the big speech for Wed. Jan. 27. Bending to special interests already.....And think of the poor speechwriters. Seven seasons of West Wing have taught us all about the angst of the White House staff in crafting this annual message and policy statement. To move it forward a week would have sent Josh and Sam into apoplectic fits and a long stay in a sanitarium.

In a previous post, we said we'd comment on some of the political news, so here we go---from the perspective of some rather intelligent canines---the Pirate Dogs!!!!

The first subject is hubris. The Democratic leadership (or lack thereof) embodied in Nancy Pelosi and Harry Reid were so certain they could use their numerical advantage and senatorial super-majority to ram through anything on their agenda. In the course of attempting this one party take-over of the republic, these two have totally undermined the bi-partisan goals of their party's leader---the president. So the Republicans do a drug war thing--"just say no"--- and all the economic recovery and needed programs like environmental protection and health care become subject to the pork needs of every Democratic denizen of the halls of the capitol. These "leaders" of the Democratic party are so inept they allowed a Republican victory in a Massachusetts special election for the Senate seat that has been held by a Kennedy since 1952!!!!! Scott Brown ran the type of campaign that might entice any voter. If he eschews his "Number 41" b.s. and actually does what he said---represent the citizens of MA first, he would be a breath of fresh air in the Senate.

Next we have Pat Robertson saying Haiti's deals with the devil caused the tragic earthquake. What is it with "Christians"???? Now the soldiers in the Middle East can't aim their weapons properly because all the gun sights have biblical inscriptions on them and they are being recalled and replaced!!!! Or at least removed. Did it occur to these people that part of the rationale for the Islamic jihadist is their perception that they need to defeat the Crusaders, i.e., Christians, in order to preserve their life style and religion. Aren't they to be allowed the same freedom of religion as the citizens of the United States??? Didn't the King of England in 1776 call the Sons of Liberty "terrorists"?

Scandals----aahhh, what would American media be without them. Around the clock Tiger affair coverage, Mark Sanford and the Argentinian/Appalachian deception. Now John Edwards has admitted fathering Rielle's daughter and the National Inquirer's editorial board is going to submit their coverage for a Pulitzer prize, that most coveted award for SERIOUS journalism!!!! The National Inquirer---home of "I was an Alien Love Slave" exposes.......People, are you there?? Thank heaven they are "ineligible". What a fiasco that would be-----maybe even worse then McCain picking Palin !!!! Or thinking Reid and Pelosi could steer health care reform through the legislative process and have it emerge as a really positive benefit for the American people!!!

Next, let's discuss campaign finance reform. Now that the Supreme Court has overturned parts of McCain-Feingold and opened the door to limitless contributions, maybe it's time for real reform. Let the federal government take one dollar from each tax return and put the money in a pot for the presidential election. The money would be divided equally among all candidates appearing on the ballot in 26 states. (26 states is one more than half the total number of states. Some states have very low filing fees which encourage very marginal or fringe candidates to enter their primaries. If candidates can file in at least 26 states this might prevent public funding for the extremists and wackos.) Any additional expenditure would be illegal and we wouldn't want a criminal for president, would we?? No fund raising is permitted in local elections. Each office seeker should pay a filing fee and get out and meet the voters and convince them of their worthiness to serve. Just like the Founding Fathers had to---you didn't see George Washington or Thomas Jefferson doing polls and paying political advisers!!!!!!

Finally, the BIG ONE---health-care reform. Now Paul Krugman has some ideas in his column today but how about this----let's make the plan that all the government officials, Senators, House members, and federal employees have available to the general public?? Even a Republican couldn't vote against that without having to answer charges of elitism. What's good for our bureaucrats and elected representatives should be good for all the citizens, right???

Happy New Year 2010

The blue moon rose large over the Organs on New Year's eve. Fireworks graced the skies at midnight ushering in the first year of the second decade of the 21st Century. Just a couple hundred more years until NCC-1701 leaves its moorings for its maiden voyage.

The biggest concern is that we make it that long. Some kind of health insurance reform will get through Congress in 2010. It will be largely influenced by lobbyists since despite all of Barry Obama's post-partisan change beliefs, the District of Columbia is still a place where money talks and everything else (like ethics, representing the voters who sent you, honesty) walks.

Should we even discuss the latest foiled terrorist attempt? Does the end justify the means or lack thereof?? The guy got caught, the bomb did not go off. It wasn't 9/11 all over again. So all the recommendations by all the investigative committees in the world can't defeat the fact that human beings are not infallible. It is the nature of the species to err in order to evolve.

Speaking of errors, what exactly is the problem with those whole body screen machines?? Being an individual with a knee implant, I can attest that the machines (Albuquerque has them) are far less intrusive than some bozo using wands and "patting" me down. They are also much faster, making the lines at airport security check points flow much more smoothly. If the concern is privacy, as I've heard voiced by opponents and talking heads on t.v., then we need to eliminate Facebook, Google, credit cards, credit bureaus, government, and probably most other human institutions because we cede a little of our precious privacy every time we interact with one of them.

Just a few thoughts--

"...and Happy New Year. Let's hope it's a good one, without any fear. War is over if you want it, war is over now." -- John Lennon

Unreformed

This morning the Senate passed the health care reform bill. 60-39. Who was missing?? Was this 40 Dems and 20 Repubs in favor?? As Aerosmith says, DREAM ON.

Now that the bills are through the nonsense of quorum calls and cloture resolutions and all the other b.s. that our representatives use to avoid governing and making hard choices, what did we get?? A political deal where any Dem senator who wanted could get some pork or special consideration for his/her state!! Abortion reform? Insurance pools? Less responsibility for the state and more for the Fed on Medicaid?

What about all the millions of baby boomers who would like to retire but can't get reasonable cost health insurance? What is so bad about a Medicare buy-in at 55? That's what all federal employees basically get for their health insurance. If it's good enough for Senators Liebermann, McCain, and Nelson it should be good for the rest of us!!!!

Now there will be a conference committee to blend the House and Senate versions into a bill that can become law after Barack Obama signs it. So to Nancy Pelosi, John McCain, John Boehner, Joe Liebermann, Barry Obama----before you go any further, please, over the Christmas recess, read Profiles in Courage by John F. Kennedy and learn how a LEADER acts.

The American people want HEALTH CARE REFORM not political hash. Early buy-in to Medicare, a public option for health insurance, reform in how medical professionals are compensated (pay for results, not number of procedures). This is not too much to ask and we, the people, deserve better than what we've gotten to this point!!!!