Quick Update

Obviously I haven't posted here in awhile, like 4 months! Ok, tardiness is an nice excuse but not a good reason. The short answer is that while I'm still angry with the events, people and situations in the world, I'm not angry enough to rant or vent about it, especially here. I'm run short of the energy to translate thought into page. And the reason for the lack of sufficient anger is, as you might expect, health issues, life and work. Or the other way around in no particular order.

You see I've had a number of health issues which are critical or serious to cause hospitalization or some such medical intervention, but just a bunch of irritating and frustrating issues which have left me tired most of the time, physically and mentally. Irritating in that it's taken away my ability to travel unless planned day(s) in advance and frustating because it's defying the physicians and specialist who are going through the tests for the obvious.

You see they have to run down the list of obvious causes and go through the various tests to discover if it's the problem and cause, or not. And so far, it's a lot of nots, and one close one which didn't pass the tests, except it's something with the same symptoms. And it's likely there isn't a treatment to help and especially a cure. That's because it's probably something known but only by a few specialists or one who is trying to find it.

So,that's the story about why I haven't posted and probably won't for awhile more. The news still makes me mad as do stupid people, especially elected ones, even the President at times. What a SOB these days. But the Republicans are far worse, to the point they're not even hiding the fact they're lying about everything. They don't care anymore. The party of no to the people.

Anyway, that's all I have to say for now. I'll keep you posted if things change.

Politicians being stupid

I originally planned to call this post "Men being stupid", but I realized women are politicians too and likely voted from some of the bills mentioned in my rant against decent common sense. Common sense from this chair anyway. And the news stories?

Well, the state of Nebraska, which I thought was better than the Dakotas for their treatment of women, have one-upped them with a new bill doing two things. One it requires women planning an abortion be "screened" for mental health and other problems before be allowed to get an abortion. It's clearly meant to slow down the process and get pro-life counselors to talk to women seeking abortions as a screen for a mental health exam.

It's clearly inappropriate and only shows the narrow morality and mentality the Nebraska legisltature and Governor have for women's rights. It's just another sign they don't trust women, but it's hypocritical as we all know if men were faced with the same situation, they wouldn't hesitate to scream foul as an afront to their rights. Men, and some women, being stupid.

On top of that, the law bans abortions after 20 weeks, which is just near the end of the second trimester, not for health reasons often used, but because it says "fetus feel pain" and an abortion would inflict pain on the fetus. Except it's still tied to the mother and the procedure accomodates this issue. It's cow pasture material and apparently they dragged some of it into the Nebraska legistlature chamber as this bill and now law.

They're trying to take away the mother's right to choose and the protections with that choice. That's not good law, it's simply politicians being stupid.

Ok, next item. The news story saying Democrats may not pass the 2011 appropriations bills this fall until after the November elections. Not because of pottential problems with Republicans to pass the bills, but because they're afraid. Afraid of Republicans in the elections focusing on the deficit problem with the appropriations. This isn't just politicians being stupid but spineless or gutless, take you pick.

This is the annual problem with Congress, they rarely pass appropriations before the deadline of September 30th, to fund the federal government October 1st. It's both parties at fault, regardless of which is in power. They always pass continuing resolutions funding government at the previous year spending until they can pass the appropriations measures, that is except one, war funding.

But for some reason, they never seem to fail to pass the appropriations for the wars in Iraq and Afghaniston. Well, except once but then they fixed it with a quick fix bill before the final bill. That's because these funds are unique and separate funding measures and the wars are pay as you go or no war. And we all know Congress likes funding wars, it's sells votes.

But not to pass the appropriations bills because you're afraid the Republicans will hammer you in the election ads isn't not good politics. It's not good government. It's simply being stupid out of fear of an imaginary enemy, something that hasn't happened. The incumbents are going to get hammered in ads anyways, this just adds ammuntion to their ads.

So the Democrats are shooting themselves in the foot, er mouth, or more so their own political future, or so they fear. They're not thinking, just having no balls to actually represent the voters who put them there. Just politicians being stupid.

Thought in passing

Just some thoughts from the news this week, or more so later in the week.

First, executive salaries. The Washington Post reported the Boys and Girls Club of America lost $13 million in 2008 (no 2009 report filed yet). This while getting over $100 million in federal money and the CEO earning $1 million in salary, expenses, travel and retirement savings. And this while the club closed 24 offices and clubs and fired 10% of the staff.

Where is it acceptable to see CEO skimming the cream while the carton is leaking from the bottom? Where is it allowed that CEO can drive a company into the ground, or bankruptcy, or government takeover, and still make money? Aren't CEO supposed to earn how the company goes?

Yeah, we know it wasn't on Wall Street, they only lied, fudged the numbers and skimmed billions for false profits. But ordinary companies or organizations who are supposed to do good, like this one? How can a CEO say they're good when the results aren't there?

And we wonder what's wrong with CEO's? Or maybe that's the obvious they don't see? It's not about what's wrong but what's right about CEO's.

The recent Supreme Court decision allowing unlimited corporate campaign financing. One person jumped ahead of the curve. Why buy a sitting or prospective Representative or Senator in Congress, when you can simply be a corporate one? Murray Hill, who owns his (self-named) company is running for Congress. He isn't holding back he's a corporate candidate.

While in innovative to say the least, it's scary it's the future. A lot of sitting representatives and senators better take notice that the next competitor in your next election won't be another person seeking office to represent the people, or more so represent corporate interests, but simply a corporate candidate.

This isn't new. Several CEO's and other corporate individuals have run for office, Senator Linda Cantwell for one (former software executive). Most do well for awhile but run into Washington politics and change. And it is a requirement that all elected people separate themselves legally and financially from their corporate ownership or holdings, usually put into a blind trust.

But now we will see blatant corporate candidates, following former Vice President Cheney's practice not to do that, despite the law. He, if you remember, when elected and told to follow the law to separate this financial interests, including salary, responded with a less than diplomatic, "Go fuck yourself."

Yes, he collected his annual dividend and interest from his Haliburton holdings and former job (CEO) while being VP. He also refused to recuse himself in the decisions to issue billions of dollars worth of contracts to Haliburton its subsidaries for the war in Iraq. Yes, he personally profited by the war.

He was the best war profitter in history. He was instrumental in starting it for that very reason. Not patriotism but greed. Pure and simple greed. Get our money, sacrifice American soldiers, and in 8 years smile all the way to the bank. And now we'll see more political savy candidates do this very thing.

All thanks to Cheney and the Supreme Court.

And lastly, lying Republicans. Yes, like they don't know how to do anything else. The senior Republican in the Senate yesterday again announced plans to defeat the healthcare reform bill, citing the lack of public support. Except every poll has shown the public wants healthcare reform and wants the public option.

It's that simple. We don't want the status quo which is causing 45 million people to be significantly underinsured or uninsured and causing another similar number to be less than fully insured, denied coverage for critical medical needs, or denied insurance due to pre-existing conditions.

But the truth has never stopped the Republicans on the healthcare debate. And some Democrats too, like Mr. Stupak and Nelson. They also lied whenever they spoke about it. It's not that they picked and choose what from the information or the polls, they simply lied or made things up. None of what they said was true.

But it's the Republicans in mass who are the biggest liars on this issue. Every time they stepped in front of the microphones or cameras. They're the answer to the often asked question, "How can you tell when someone it lying?" Their lips are moving.

And so goes the news in America. Not good but our ordinary lives continue.

Government is not Broken

"Congress is broken." Many people's favorite words. But oh so wrong when you don't say what, why, when, who, etc. So to that I respond with the following.

Please distinguish what you mean. Government is the many agencies under the Executive Branch which provide you and America the products and services which enrichen your life. They are following the mandates and work specificed by Congress and with the funding also specificied by Congress in Appropriation bills.

So when you talk about how "government is broken", please specify what part of government you're talking about. Politicians and pundits love to bash "the government" when it's really Congress or the President they're bashing. There are nearly 4 million government employees, not counting the military forces (only DOD civilian employees) and millions more contract employees working under contracts or directly for the agencies.

They're not broken. They're just doing their job. I spent nearly 28 years (additional 4 in the USAF) and I can tell you, we weren't broken and they're not broken. I know the government employees are dedicated and hardworking. So they don't deserve your criticism, or worse, you anger, when you won't be specific as to what you're talking about a broken government.

And I won't argue with you about Congress. It's long been broken and is the worst example of good government, only an example of a corrupt government. But we elected them. On promises for our votes, which they knew were lies and know won't be done because they're bought and paid for by corporations and tutored by their lobbyists.

And it's not about wasteful spending. Those agencies, excluding the DOD and military spending, are only about 5% of the annual government budget. The rest are interest on the debt, entitlement programs, military spending (personnel and operations) and equipment (ships, planes, weapons, vehicles, etc.) purchases and the two wars in Iraq and Afghanistan.

Five percent. That's all what the agencies have for the year, allocated and defined by Congress. The agencies don't get to use the money outside the programs specificed by Congress. They don't have that luxury. So, arguing they're misspending money isn't true, they're spending what Congress mandated in the agencies' requests or with earmarks.

And to those pundits and politicians who want to dissovle the IRS, It would help the argument if you offer an alternative that works, and not simply argue against the IRS. We need to have taxes to make goverment work for the people, and that requires enforcing tax laws, which by the way aren't written by the IRS, but again, Congress. They write the laws, the IRS only write the administrative code and enforces the laws.

They're not the problem with the tax system, so venting against them is erroneous and wrong. And yes, I've met and known many in the IRS, and they're just like any other dedicated and hardworking government employee, doing their best within the rules set by Congress. Congress did this, not the IRS.

And if you abolish the IRS what will you propose in its place to ensure tax are being collected? You will need a government agency, so what don't you understand? If you're angry at the income tax system, it's not the IRS, again, it's Congress. Blame them, not the IRS for enforcing the laws Congress writes and passes.

If you don't like the tax laws, and some in Congress don't, you should know better than anyone, the problem is you. Yes, you're your own problem and your own enemy. Not a pretty picture huh? So, when I hear it from elected representatives, I only need to tell them to look in the mirror for the problem and the solution.

So, don't bitch about government unless you tell us what you're angry at and why, with factual information, and not political rhetoric or simply bullshit. I didn't spend a career to hear that crap from anyone.

It is time

It's time the Democrats jettison the Republicans in the healthcare debate and pass the legislation the people ask them to pass. It's not their healthcare reform, it's the American people's healthcare reform and it's America's healthcare reform. It's that simple. And the Republicans have been and are being not only a roadblock, but simple deadend.

As a political analysist noted, the Republicans kept moving the compromise to the right, on the public option, on abortion, and on almost any issue in the healthcare legislation, to the right where the whole bill was to the right of center without a real public option or guarranteed coverage for every American. It's time this stopped.

The Democrats should politically say, diplomatically as possible, "Fuck the Republicans!"

Reconcilation has been used 22 times on healthcare legislation, 16 of those times by Republicans no less. They're now bitching about what they've used in the past and telling the Democrats they don't care about their view or vote. They pushed through what they wanted. They told the Democrats, "Go fuck yourself!"

The Republicans have used or threatened to use filibuster more times, several times more in fact, during this current Congressional session than any of the past sessions in the last 50 years, and it's the Republicans who have also used it far more times than the Democrats. The Republicans are the party of "No!"

No to the Democrats. No to Americans. And no to America. They simply don't care about the American people, or at least anyone not making a few hundred thousand dollar annual salary. They only care for corporations and the rich. The rest aren't worth anything beyond lying to get their vote, something they done very well.

They've sold themselves to us as the party to protect individual rights. Except it's not the rights of the poor and middle class they're protecting. It's the rich to be rich and become richer, leaving us standing in the line of losing, losing jobs, our family's healthcare, our homes, our savings and retirements, and our lives. But the rich are fine, thanks to the Republicans.

It's time the Democrats decided to stand up and do what they wanted in the first place. Fuck any compromise, it's not possible and whatever you could get from the Republicans will only allow them to stall the process and sell their political rhetoric, which is all lies. You know it and we know it.

So get on with the show and help the American people. Get some political balls and a backbone and get the work done. For the American people. Whatever it takes, we want it done.