Today’s method of decision making on the part of the electorate seems to be more emotional and celebrity bases than at any time in American history. Americans have never been great at calmly analyzing challenges and working to create sensible solutions (witness the Civil War). We tend to pick a position based on irrational grounds–felt right, seems more compassionate or patriotic, attractive candidate, opposite my dad, identical to my dad, whatever. Once picked, we become ignorantly immovable and even nasty in our condescension toward others whose illogic has led them to a different position. The rancorous partisan divide in the country today is the natural fruit of such a decision making process. We have the stupids vs. the blind. Not a pretty picture.
Once upon a time the government had a vast scrap yard in the middle of a desert. Congress said, “Someone may steal from it at night.” So they created a night watchman position and hired a person for the job.
Then Congress said, “How does the watchman do his job without instruction?” So they created a planning department and hired two people, one person to write the instructions, and one person to do time studies.
Then Congress said, “How will we know the night watchman is doing the tasks correctly?” So they created a Quality Control department and hired two people. One to do the studies and one to write the reports.
Then Congress said, “How are these people going to get paid?” So They created the following positions, a time keeper, and a payroll officer, then hired two people.
Then Congress said, “Who will be accountable for all of these people?” So they created an administrative section and hired three people, an Administrative Officer, Assistant Administrative Officer, and a Legal Secretary.
Then Congress said, “We have had this command in operation for one Year and we are $18,000 over budget, we must cutback overall cost.” So they laid off the night watchman.
NOW slowly, let it sink in. Quietly, we go like sheep to the slaughter… Does anybody remember the reason given for the establishment of the DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY …. During the Carter Administration? Anybody? Anything? No? Didn’t think so! Bottom line. We’ve spent several hundred billion dollars in support of an agency …. the reason for which not one person who reads this can remember!
Ready?? It was very simple … and at the time, everybody thought it very appropriate. The Department of Energy was instituted on 8-04-1977. TO LESSEN OUR DEPENDENCE ON FOREIGN OIL..
Hey, pretty efficient, huh??? AND NOW, IT’S 2009 — 32 YEARS LATER — AND THE BUDGET FOR THIS “NECESSARY” DEPARTMENT IS AT $24..2 BILLION A YEAR. THEY HAVE 16,000 FEDERAL EMPLOYEES AND APPROXIMATELY 100,000 CONTRACT EMPLOYEES; AND LOOK AT THE JOB THEY HAVE DONE! THIS IS WHERE YOU SLAP YOUR FOREHEAD AND SAY, “WHAT WAS I THINKING?”
Ah, yes — good ole bureaucracy. AND, NOW, WE ARE GOING TO TURN THE BANKING SYSTEM, HEALTH CARE AND THE AUTO INDUSTRY OVER TO THE SAME GOVERNMENT?
HELLOOO ! Anybody Home?
(an email from Bayou Charlie)
While we all gather with family and friends to celebrate Thanksgiving, I hope that each of you and all of you are blessed beyond measure and that you enjoy a sense of joy, love, and peace. Thanksgiving is my favorite holiday for many reasons.
One reason is that I love history, especially American history. When I think of Thanksgiving I think back to the brave individuals who dared to come to an unsettled land filled with danger and uncertainty. They left what they knew to pursue what they dreamed of. Indeed, whether it was for religious freedom or economic gain or sheer sense of adventure—the people who settled America (and later formed the United States) did so at great risk.
The holiday that we celebrate Thursday commemorates the survival of some of the earliest to come to these shores…the Pilgrims. Let’s remember them and their gratitude to God for leading them to a new world—our world.
We would not be here without them! Their risk is our reward.
On Tuesday, the Senate health committee voted 12-11 in favor of a
two-page amendment courtesy of Republican Tom Coburn that would
require all Members and their staffs to enroll in any new
government-run health plan. It took me less than a minute to sign up
to require our congressmen and senators to drink at the same trough!
Three cheers for Congressman John Fleming of Louisiana !
Congressman John Fleming ( Louisiana physician) has proposed an
amendment that would require congressmen and senators to take the same
healthcare plan they force on us (under proposed legislation they are
curiously exempt).
Congressman Fleming is encouraging people to go on his Website and
sign his petition (very simple – just first, last and email). I have
immediately done just that at:
http://fleming.house.gov/index.cfm?sectionid=55§iontree=29,55
Please urge as many people as you can to do the same!
If Congress forces this on the American people, the Congressmen should
have to accept the same level of health care for themselves and their
families. To do otherwise is the height of hypocrisy!
Please pass this on!!
If you find yourself wondering why Congressional and Senate Dems are going “all in” for healthcare deform, the answer is simple. They control the Oval Office, the Senate, and the House. They know they won’t get another chance like this one. So it’s all for this most radical change in American politics since Roosevelt crammed Social Security down our throats. They will lose seats in next year’s election (bet on it) so as Elvis sang, “It’s now or never.”
An old friend just asked me “Who buys off Democrats?” Her point was, I guess, that since the Democrats are the party that cares so much for the poor, that no one in the Democratic party could by anyone off. So, here are some things to consider:
1. The party that cares for the poor has more millionaires and billionaires as a percentage of its presence in Congress than the heartless robber barons of the other party.
2. The party that cares for the poor brought us the Social Security system (broken), the Welfare State, Reverse Discrimination, protection for people who destroy their own bodies, extended but not paid for unemployment benefits (in England it’s called the “dole”), and many other great programs.
3. The party that cares for the poor believes that $1 taken from a producer and 10 cents of that dollar being given to the poor (after being used up by bureaucrats) is an effective way of taking care of the helpless while at the same time seeking to reduce tax deductions for contributions to charities and churches where nearly 82 cents out of every dollar is able to go directly to those who need it.
4. The party that cares for the poor apparently does so at the expense of liberty as Nancy Pelosi and Harry Reid have both demonstrated in their totalitarianesque manipulation of House and Senate “rules” to squash contrary debate.
5. The party that cares for the poor uses the poor (and has ever since Reconstruction) to build political blocks and voting power but has never shifted any lasting and dignifying advantage their way.
6. The party that cares for the poor is worsening unemployment through their mindless subsidies that keep people from getting jobs. They can make more staying home than taking “less than ideal” jobs.
So, who buys off the Democrats? They do. With money taken from the rest of us in the name of caring for the poor.
Unfortunately, AP just announced that the final holdout Democrat (Blanche Lincoln) caved in to pressure or persuasion from Harry Reid and said she’ll vote with the rest of her party. This comes after pseudo-courageous Mary Landrieu (Louisiana) caved (with special stimulus money promised to her state).
This is sickening. The not-too-much-longer Democrat majorities in both parties are spending our money to persuade our representatives—strike that, our legislators—to pass bills that will wreck our economy and that we have made it very clear we don’t want.
What this means is that we MUST unite to vote them out in 2010. 100% of the House is up for re-election and 33% of the Senate. My advice: if they are there, remove them (regardless of which “party” they belong to; the truth is that there is really only one party—the get and keep me elected party).
As it comes to light that Secretary of the Treasury Timothy Geitner has arranged, apparently, all types of sweetheart deals with companies like AIG, Merrill Lynch and other recipients of TARP funds, how long can his already tarnished reputation survive. You simply cannot have the head of your money living under a shadow of ethical problems and personal aggrandizement at taxpayer expense. Perhaps it’s time to resign.
A liberal friend of mine commented recently on Facebook that she was glad that Palin isn’t Vice President because of her lack of credentials. To be honest, I am (although I think she’s building them). However, my immediate and sustained response is, “Look at what we’ve got.” He has even less credibility than she does. What a difference the unmitigated support of the media makes in an election outcome. We failed to elect one unqualified Vice President and ended up with an unqualified President (and his VP to boot). I hope these next 3 years can pass without too much damage.
So the evil mastermind behind September 11 is coming to a city near you for trial and, presumably, conviction and sentencing–New York City. What may seem like poetic justice is actually a formula for disaster. There are 2 main reasons I say this.
First, by moving the perp to a civilian trial setting the door is opened to the defense argument that he is entitled to protection under the US Constitution. It doesn’t matter that he sought to destroy the very country whose legal protection his attorney will seek. Frankly, the idea that Khalid could get off on a technicality is both shameful and stunning.
Second, the invitation to a terrorist attack in New York will prove to be irresistable for Al Qaeda. The potential news coverage of an attack will be exponentially increased.
In short, Attorney General Holder is once again demonstrating that the Obama administration is leaderless and does not understand the world of “realpolitik.”
