How’s that Integrity Working for You?

I remember hearing Candidate Obama saying many things during the presidential election. Some of those things included his famous, “no earmarks” statement. How about his word that we would go “line by line” relative to discussing bills? Don’t forget his speech in which he said we would debate issues on C-Span. Well, this healthcare bill was not even read until hours before the vote. To make matters worse, the behind the door deals turned many of our stomachs and gave us a bad taste for politics, in general.

Now we read that Senator Harry Reid wants to put in a provision that parts of the healthcare legislation can never be changed! Now let me get this straight, we can change virtually any part of our constitution after the proper process, yet we can’t change parts of this bill? He must know that this is exactly what future legislators will endeavor to do. His view also makes me wonder if he is not trying to prepare his resume for a job after he is defeated in the next election, possibly by a local school board member or county commissioner.

Mr. Obama’s Chicago style politics has awakened many of us who have been going to work and trying to provide for our families. He may not understand it but regular folk feel that his policies are being stuffed down our throats without regard to how we feel. Government ‘of, for and by the people’ seems a thing of the past. If this is the way democrats will exercise power, many of us will do all we legally can to insure that they are banished to the ash heap of electoral history. His initiatives make us yearn for the days of grid-lock. Most of all, his socialist policies make us realize that we need to get involved and support candidates that will not “forget from whence they came” and remember who works for whom.

How Sausage is Made

Well, it looks like the old adage is true…”everyone has his price.” That adage became so true last week.  Words like “The Louisiana Purchase” describing Senator Landrieu sweetheart deal seem very appropriate because of her vote. Then Nebraska Senator Ben Nelson got a bundle for his cornhusker constituency. In both cases, we got a picture of “how the sausage is made.” Unfortunately, most of us are slightly disgusted by this gut wrenching use or abuse of our money.
I encourage each new representative (there will be many after the 2010 elections) to come up with some type of legislation to look into this travesty of justice. This may take the form of disclosure of each bill and a picture of where the money goes.
As much as I dislike this healthcare bill, I like how it pulled the covers off the process of legislation. Now that we see how things are done, we need to “hold their feet to the fire” in getting integrity back into politics. The way these guys have acted, used car dealers look like the Pope compared to them.

While it may not be illegal, it still smells like, you got it,  a sausage factory!

What say you?

The Best Politicians That Tax Money Can Buy

Well, it looks like Nebraska Senator Ben Nelson buckled and will be voting for the healthcare bill. I was disgusted to see that through political pressure or  the alleged threat to close Offut AFB, NE, he caved in. When will they learn that “we the people” do not want this monstrosity?! Our grandchildren will be paying for these foolish bills. Most of us like the healthcare program we already have.  How much of our money was spent to get his vote, which will eventually hurt us?  

Does anyone vote convictions anymore or does everybody have their price? I believe history will show that this was our darkest hour. This assault against capitalism is unlike anything we have ever seen. These politicians just don’t get it!  Of all people, Senator Nelson should understand the will of the people! The people of Nebraska must be beside themselves.

Moreover, I am afraid many of us don’t get it either. For example, will anyone remember this in November 2010? Will we forget this and shrug with a “ho hum” and a trip to Blockbusters? So what can we do? I know you have called and written your representatives but then what? Here’s an idea.

When you write them, just simply say, REAL CHANGE WILL BEGIN IN 2010

Tiger Woods and Senator Max Baucus, A Tale of Two Servicers

While discussions proceed about healthcare, cap and trade, global warming etc., we now have revelations of Tiger Woods having multiple affairs and Senator Max Baucus divorcing his wife and living with a staffer. Moral standards seem to be a thing of the past. When I was a child, we had a couple living together in our neighborhood. The men in the neighborhood got together and had a “talk” with the man involved. He married his “live-in” shortly thereafter.
When Bill Clinton got involved with Monica Lewinsky, the press claimed that it was his own private life. Never mind the fact that these incidents occurred in the Whitehouse, owned by the citizens of this country. In spite of the fact that Mr. Clinton lied, he got a pass…while Tiger stews in media juices because of his poor choices. Sadly, these moral failings occur with men and women of all political parties, persuasions, colors, creeds etc.
My observation of all these events brings me to the following conclusions:

- Tiger Woods is a private citizen who used his own money to finance his “liaisons”

- Both Max Baucus and Bill Clinton used their governmental influence and our resources to facilitate their “liaisons”

- The press is exposing Tiger’s sins while Mr. Baucus gets a pass

- Mr. Baucus is in a power position to spend our money on healthcare and other issues while Tiger is just a talented golfer with “feet of clay.”
Each of these men provides a public service in the entertainment (in the case of Tiger) or public sector (in the cases of Clinton and Baucus). The problem is that one of them only serviced women they knew while the other two are, in some ways, still servicing the private and public sectors. Just as “Nero fiddled while Rome burned,” the press of this country fiddles with Tiger Woods while public officials service us. Mr. Baucus should receive more scrutiny than Tiger because Baucus is spending our money while Tiger spends his own money.

Healthcare and Slavery?

Recently, Senator Harry Reid compared the need for nationalhealthcare to the need to abolish slavery and preventing the passing of civil rights legislation. I was amused by his comment which was devoid of historical context. I grew up in the south during the civil rights movement. If I recall correctly,eighty per-cent of the dissenters against the civil rights bill were democrats. One of the biggest dissenters was Al Gore’s father, Senator Albert Gore, Sr.

I find it ironic that he would use a slavery and civil rights paradigm because healthcare will eventually enslave us economically. This man is out of control. Doesn’t he realize that our swing towards socialism will eventually hurt our country? Does he care? I don’t think so because such irresponsible statements insult our intelligence.
These democrats are following a president who is driving a bus towards the precipice of political disaster. My concern is that we may not be able to repair the damage of these draconian policies. The equivocation of healthcare and civil rights is analogous to comparing apples and oranges. Mr. Reid, your outlandish analogy did more to turn me against healthcare instead of supporting it.

Huckabee "Mans Up" to His Release of Maurice Clemmons

Unlike Michael Dukakis who tried to do a “rope-a-dope,” Governor Mike Huckabee dealt with his release of Maurice Clemmons while he was governor of Arkansas. While I disagree with what he did, I think he showed his integrity by confessing his mistake. If we could see the results of our decisions before we make them, all of us would bat 100%.

While this is not to minimize the tragic results (the deaths of four police officers) of Mr. Huckabee’s decision, it does show that he is willing to deal with his choices. Fortunately, most of our decisions don’t have the same type of consequence. In a sense, Mr. Huckabee’s decision is one of the vagaries of holding public office.

I suspect many of the other governors may be checking the list of the prisoners they have pardoned or released over the past years. After checking the list, many may revert to everything from finger crossing to prayer. Someone once put it this way…”decisions determine destinations.”

Governor Huckabee, you rolled the dice and only time will determine whether or not they will come up as snake eyes.