Readers know that I am not much of a fan of the way things happen, or not, in the US congress. I have also seen, up close and personal, what can happen to really good legislation and/or accounting guidelines when they are opposed by the banking industry. The latest example is the blockage of a credit card holders right not to be gouged by the card issuers, the biggest of which are Citi, Chase, BofA, Wells & etc. These institutions are the biggest recipients of TARP money and therefore, should feel some obligation to consumers and should try, in some minor way, to facilitate spending during the holiday season. But no! Once again, the ABA steps into the breech and puts the interests of the banks ahead of everybody else.
The system needs revision ... how can a senator from Mississippi have such a dramatic affect on people in the other 49 states? Thanks again Hammer - the members are moral cripples. The exact same set of circumstances are at work now that created the mortgage disaster. We've got a bunch of mental lightweights that don't have the courage to say no to the lobbyists controlling the destiny of this country. The weakened dollar rules! The inmates are in control of the asylum! Am I forgetting any cliches?
If you think for, even a nano-second, that members of congress and their elitist supporters can really relate to what is happening in this country, you are very sadly mistaken. On the off chance that they do, they, obviously, do NOT care and they are way too obtuse to be able to see in which direction we are heading.
THINK!
Monday, November 23, 2009
Wednesday, November 18, 2009
Why Blog?
Why do anything? Is it just me? Should I stop reading about what's going on in the world? Are members of congress (not the fun kind) as obtuse as they seem? Have WE learned anything at all from the events of the last nine years?
Let me try to explain - in 2000, we elected an administration that proved incapable of really understanding the consequences of its actions. This is a nice way of saying that people of average intellect should not have that much responsibility. Why? Because bosses tend to hire people who can not challenge them intellectually. Bosses that bully their way into positions of responsibility all have the same weakness - they know that they are in over their heads and they do NOT want anyone else to learn that fact. This leads to paranoia which leads to bad management because the people that get hired are not allowed to expose the stupidity of their superiors. The case with Bush and Cheney proves this point as does the Wall Street mess.
In spite of all that, we reelected them in 2004. This proved that the American electorate are as out-to-lunch as the people that we elect. So, we get what we deserve, yes? Yes we can. But we keep trying. As optimists, the last time out, we elected a president that talked the talk and walked the walk. However, he too seems to be in way over his head and he too has surrounded himself with people (there are some smart people in there, like Larry Summers) that do not appear to have the courage of their own convictions. That is, the advisors seem to have a good grasp of what's going on, but they can't stand in the way of the force that really makes things happen - money.
The last nine years have proved that the American people are victims of their own apathy, and we have gotten exactly what we deserve. That is, the administration and the congress are the beneficiaries of a system that is driven by money. Look at the healthcare bill. It is some 2,000 pages in length. Why, because it was not drafted on the Hill, it was drafted on K Street as is every piece of legislation. Each "interest group" gets its paragraph - this is the system - pay to play at its worst. This system has been in place for several years now and it really works. That is, it is a money machine for elected officials. Why do you think that the number of lobbyists has grown so much in the last several years? Could it be because members of congress are spending so much on getting reelected? They need those donations and so long as the system works (for them), it will NOT change.
Not to sound too cynical, but the only thing upon which there appears to be any agreement, is that we average citizens are pretty far down on the food chain. I wrote our congressional representative this morning as I have several times in the past. If I get a response, it will be automatically generated and it will tell me how much Michele cares about (fill in the blank) and that it is definitely a priority and she is on it! Here is a clip from UTube that, kind of, makes my point. One is struck by how out of touch these people really are. BTW, did you know that these speeches are made in an empty chamber? Listen and THINK!
Gangster Government
Let me try to explain - in 2000, we elected an administration that proved incapable of really understanding the consequences of its actions. This is a nice way of saying that people of average intellect should not have that much responsibility. Why? Because bosses tend to hire people who can not challenge them intellectually. Bosses that bully their way into positions of responsibility all have the same weakness - they know that they are in over their heads and they do NOT want anyone else to learn that fact. This leads to paranoia which leads to bad management because the people that get hired are not allowed to expose the stupidity of their superiors. The case with Bush and Cheney proves this point as does the Wall Street mess.
In spite of all that, we reelected them in 2004. This proved that the American electorate are as out-to-lunch as the people that we elect. So, we get what we deserve, yes? Yes we can. But we keep trying. As optimists, the last time out, we elected a president that talked the talk and walked the walk. However, he too seems to be in way over his head and he too has surrounded himself with people (there are some smart people in there, like Larry Summers) that do not appear to have the courage of their own convictions. That is, the advisors seem to have a good grasp of what's going on, but they can't stand in the way of the force that really makes things happen - money.
The last nine years have proved that the American people are victims of their own apathy, and we have gotten exactly what we deserve. That is, the administration and the congress are the beneficiaries of a system that is driven by money. Look at the healthcare bill. It is some 2,000 pages in length. Why, because it was not drafted on the Hill, it was drafted on K Street as is every piece of legislation. Each "interest group" gets its paragraph - this is the system - pay to play at its worst. This system has been in place for several years now and it really works. That is, it is a money machine for elected officials. Why do you think that the number of lobbyists has grown so much in the last several years? Could it be because members of congress are spending so much on getting reelected? They need those donations and so long as the system works (for them), it will NOT change.
Not to sound too cynical, but the only thing upon which there appears to be any agreement, is that we average citizens are pretty far down on the food chain. I wrote our congressional representative this morning as I have several times in the past. If I get a response, it will be automatically generated and it will tell me how much Michele cares about (fill in the blank) and that it is definitely a priority and she is on it! Here is a clip from UTube that, kind of, makes my point. One is struck by how out of touch these people really are. BTW, did you know that these speeches are made in an empty chamber? Listen and THINK!
Gangster Government
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