Off The Charts

Congressional compensation---off the charts.
Congressional term limits off the radar.
Barny, Christoffer and Charles Rangle off the radar.
Nancy and Harry off their rockers.
The American people are finally seeing and believing the madness, the corruption in Washington DC.
There is no reason to pay ex congressional people a salary for life! Or to have a job for life. Familiarity breeds contempt. And contempt runs rampant in Washington.
Barny Frank, Christoffer Dodd and Charles Rangle all have get out of jail passes. Why you ask? Longevity I say, too big to fail others say.
Harry and Nancy---poster children for what is wrong with American politics today.
Well there is a ground swell of awareness in the form of Tea Parties popping up across America. Care to join?
One last thought---God Bless Ramos and Campean!

Stranger

United We Stand

United we stand is something we learned early on in grade school. So fundamental, so necessary for the success of any organization. There was no way we could loose site of something so basic and important, I thought.

Well, look at us now. On the brink of losing it all. Divided we fall. Congress and the American public divided just about 50/50. These are struggling times, times of growth, change, complacency maybe?

Too much trust in our government may have led us here. Believing "they" will do what's right. Lack of education in all levels of our education system. It is not taught that we are the guardians of all that is good in America. We should not abdicate our responsibilities to anyone. It's far too important.

So what do we do? Well, for starters, we look at how our politicians vote. Do they vote with America's interest in mind, or to keep in good favor with the party leaders and the lobbyists who contribute to their campaigns?

It's nice when a politician brings home the earmarks to your state to buy your vote, but we can't let this over ride the national interest any longer. We are so divided we can't even supply our own energy any more.

Holding their feet to the fire is a solution. If they don't do what's in the best interest of the country, we must vote them out. Sometimes it's a difficult decision booting out someone with seniority. We must look beyond our own interests to the greater good.

So voting record is the number one and best indicator and make sure they do what they promise at election time.

Stranger

The Common Good

The common good, isn't that what we all want for America? I know there has to be debate, and that can be constructive. However it is no longer about debate. It's about power, selfishness, and even hatefulness. We have moved so far from working for the common good that we no longer expect anything but divisiveness and therefore we except the rhetoric from both parties as the way it is, and we cannot do anything about it.

We must interject ourselves into the debate as well as the processes. We can no longer trust in the representative government. Congress no longer listens to us. They live in a world of their own, alongside special interest money that is pouring into the system with a devastating effect.

What's in the public interest? Energy policies! Why don't we drill off our own coast? In Alaska? In the Gulf? China is in the process of drilling in the Gulf with Cuba! Who has the best record for clean technology, China/Cuba or the United Sates of America?

How about refineries for gasoline? How about nuclear energy? Can the environmentalists have that much money and power to block it? Something doesn't add up.

"We the People" must take control back from the "me first" crowed. Get involved, demand our country back. It is after all our responsibility to safeguard the governmental structure set up more than two hundred years ago.

We are off course for sure. Many people are pulling us toward socialism, not learning the lessons of Canada, France, Sweden, Great Britain and others. Our system is a good one. Let's preserve it. Send the politicians home, cut their pay and for Pete's sake elect common people to Congress. There are plenty of people with the smarts and patriotism who could and would step up for a one or two term commitment.

There are way too many special interest groups claiming to have our best interests in mind when they lobby the folks who work on the hill. You know that's not true. It's all about massaging the laws to work in their favor. It has nothing to do with our best interest. We tell our representatives what we want and need. We don't need a go between. We need politicians who will listen and act in everyone's best interest.

Anyone in their third term, vote them out!

Stranger

What a wonderful country

Can you imagine how much better this country would be if we rid ourselves of lobbyist? Politicians would pay more attention to "We the People". There would be less corruption, less bribery, less money being filtered into the campaigns of those who play the game of "what's in it for me". Politicians would make decisions based on what's best for the country. We would have an energy policy, a solvent Social Security system, less expensive health care. You can add more to the list.

Special interest groups buy their way. We have the power to change this, but are fooled by the pork that our representatives bring home. A bridge, building, museum -- the cost is too high. The money corrupts an otherwise honest person into a corrupt politician. Lobbyists must go. They don't represent the people as some would have us believe. They represent organizations with very specific agendas.

I don't know how to exact our power. I'd like to hear from you. Tell me how.