On Massachusetts and Blazing Saddles

Our federal legislators got a wake up call this week. Because of the election of a Republican to Ted Kennedy's seat and the ensuing flurry of activity I was reminded of the classic Mel Brooks movie from the 70's, Blazing Saddles. In that movie Governor Lapetomaine, played hilariously by Mel Brooks, utters the words after realizing he must do something in his job "Gentlemen, we have to protect our phony baloney jobs."

Now we see in real time and in real life our legislators doing the same thing. What was once and idea (health care for all) that must be done now has changed into maybe less is now more. All because of one election. If it was a necessary thing why would one election change that? Fight for what you want or get out of the way and on with your life's work. I think the real work here is to protect their jobs.

We hear about how populism is such a silly and easy thing. We are not really deep thinkers and leaders if we take a populist opinion. Whatever happened to government of by and for the people. Isn't that a populist statement???

What we saw unfold this week should be a wake up call to everyone. Vote them out, all of them because all they are protecting is their phony baloney jobs. That is the special interest in this discussion. We have the power and it is time to exercise it. Give our leader a new team. We have a new player from Massachusetts and I hope he becomes an All Star. Let's get a few more bats in the line up along with some good pitching and see if we the people can't start winning some games.

Vote Them all Out

Thomas Jefferson spoke volumes about service to one's country. He knew that being in Congress was not meant to be a career.

"All can be done peaceably, by the people confining their choice of Representatives and Senators to persons attached to republican government and the principles of 1776, not office-hunters, but farmers, whose interests are entirely agricultural. Such men are the true representatives of the great American interest, and are alone to be relied on for expressing the proper American sentiments." --Thomas Jefferson to Arthur Campbell, 1797. ME 9:420

He also knew the dangers of special interests:

It [is] a cause of just
uneasiness, when we [see] a legislature legislating
for their own interests, in opposition
to those of the people.—
The Anas. Washington ed. ix, 118. Ford ed., i, 200.
(1792)

Vote them out all of them. Take some time out and read Jefferson. He warns us all. We need to exercise our power.

Vote them all out!!!!!!!

Who knew I would get an assist from two U.S. Senators. Senators Chris Dodd of Connecticut and Byron Dorgan of North Dakota have decided not to run for reelection. Hooray!!!!! That is two down and 98 to go. What was Dodd going to run on anyway, his record?

As far as the House of Representatives is concerned this November all 435 seats are up for grabs. As I have said before vote them all out. It is the only way we can send a message that this is a country of, by and for the people. Congress was meant to be a position of service and not a career. Do them a favor and send them all packing and let's return to the service concept as that was the intention the designers.

Keep checking back for further updates. Hopefully there will be more.

The Public Health Care Option

We have hundreds of private health care plans. We also have Medicare, Medicaid and we have the plan that our Representatives and Senators enjoy. I have an idea. Look at all of these and choose one for the public option. The only requirement is that the Senators and Representatives must accept this as well along with the rest of the government workers.

They call this problem the public option, like the public is something other than them. You know those pesky public people. The Senators on the talking heads show this morning almost admitted that this was so difficult they didn't know what to do. If that is surprising to you than you are not paying attention.

We have millions of people out of work and still bleeding. COBRA is not an option for 95% of the people. Employers are going to start cutting back on health care offerings. Things are going to get worse before they get better. Washington, do your job. Either use what programs we have and subsidize it or shut up. There are models everywhere, a lot of good ones that work. Pick one and let's move on to creating jobs. Because if that doesn't happen nothing else will matter. The Great Depression lasted so long because there were no jobs. Jobs create income, which creates, money in peoples pockets, which helps everything. No band aids like cash for clunkers as that was a only short term flashy political thing that in the long run will do little. A long term solution is needed here.

Hellooooo, anybody home??????

The Power of the Vote - Use It.

Have you had the time to witness your representatives to Congress actions lately. We see such things as people shouting LIAR! at the President. We have representatives telling people that one parties health plan is for them to die quickly when sick. Still the same we vs them, you can plug in the party of choice.

It is not however time for change, it is time to vote. This is our time. Take a long hard look at your spokespersons in Congress. Are they doing a good job or are they just howling at the moon. Their retirement plan includes health care and a nice pension so don't fret for their well being just vote them out. Put fear into all their hearts that if you act like a fool you will be dismissed. We can fix this. We have the power and we need to use it. The stakes are too high to continue with representatives who don't get it.

Around one hundred fifty years ago a wise President told us this country was of the people, by the people and for the people. Coming this November make sure the person you vote for gets this. If they don't, send them on the way to their life's work.

New Manager, Same Ball Club Part 2

For the few readers of this diatribe you might remember that it was written here that we have a new Manager (Obama) but the same team (congress). Not many more wins should be anticipated. Here is some fodder to perhaps prove the point.

In our gotta have it right now society the left feels the stimulus was not enough and wants to spend more money to get the economy moving. The Obama plan is not working. The right says Aha, I told you he was a tax and spend liberal. None of his plan is working. Could they both be right?

Truth is only about 10% of the Obama stimulus plan has been implemented. It will take time to implement the plan and hopefully get us out of this economic mess. It took time to get us in (Congress and Wall Street) and it will take time to get us out (Obama). We need to get out of this hole in the right way so it is a lasting recovery. Change will be hard here. Remember Manager Obama has pretty much the same team, so don't expect too many more wins than last year. Play Ball.

Wall Street and steroids

There is a parallel between steroids in baseball and Wall Street. Baseball players took steroids because their peers did and they wanted to be able to compete. Wall Street analysts took extreme risks because their peers did to and they wanted to be able to compete.

Now here is the difference. Baseball woke up and said no more steroids and we will begin testing. Wall Street gets more money (their steroid) and still little or no testing. You don't reward bad behavior. What is the incentive for Wall Street to not do this again when our government is the pusher. Is this so hard to see?