The outrage from the democrats that Joe Lieberman said he would fillibuster the 1900+ page health care bill came as no surprise. Although he ran and won as an independent, the democratic party thought if they didn't take away his role in congress then he'd assuredly vote in lock step with Obama, Pelosi, Reid, and company. Much to their "feigned" surprise, Lieberman will actually act as an independent and with his own thought process, which is to cast his lot and fillibuster if possible against the new and revised health care bill. Doesn't really matter that this promised to be open administration met behind closed doors with a select few to create this monstosity of a bill, Lieberman has been declared anything from a traitor to be a pawn for the insurance industry. Business as usual in the congress, with nary a "change" from previous administrations, scolded by this president and this congress as secretive and acting only for themselves.
I personally appreciate Lieberman voting his conscience, as he repeatedly explained to anyone who asked, but to those pushing the new, revised , and larger than can ever be read and understood health care bill, he only voted that way because he was beholden to the health care industry for their campaign contributions to him. Now I am vehemently opposed to all lobbyists and their continued and growing influence on the two parties attempting to run our country for their own selfish purposes, but is it just possible that Lieberman voted his conscience ? The fact is that Lieberman has never been accused of taking a bribe, never been under scrutiny or investigation for ethics violations, and switched to an independent after being villified for agreeing with Bush on Iraq. INDEPENDENT. A foreign concept in this country filled with hate and vitriol between the two parties we've grown to distrust, where giant egos and self interests, not the people's, prevail on a daily basis. Fox and msnbc accusing each other of either hating or destroying this country. Our media has gotten almost as pathetic as our government.
As I've previously stated, I'd like a platter filled with different and viable candidates from numerous parties, to be given a chance to truly lead this country and the people who comprise it, to real and acted upon change, not just more rhetoric.
But wait, only one day after Lieberman was lambasted by the democrats, did a leak in the very secretive ethics committee just how many congresspersons, mainly democrats, were being investigated by the ethics committee. I thought we were going to have the most open and honest administration ever. Haha. I never believed one word of these false promises, but it sure helped get Obama elected. Now if there was one word of truth to any of the promises made to the citizens of this country regarding ethics and lobbyists and real change (remember "audacity of change"), as opposed to coddling dictators and foreign leaders opposed to any true democracy, then Obama would call for the resignation of all those guilty of using the public trust, and their own positions of power, for their own selfish, greedy purposes, from Rangel to Murtha and Waters as well as Dodd and ALL congresspersons under the enormous cloud of suspicion, for good reason. At least temporarily take them off of the committees that they are running at this time. Something. This is not an attack on just democrats, but on the entire congress of democrats and republicans, who continue to use their positions of power, though elected by the people, for their own selfish motives. Does anyone think that criminal Duke Cunningham, who was sending men and women off to war so he can financially capitalize on government contracts, was an exception to the thievery and greed that permeates our congress ? Quite the opposite. The exceptions are those rare politicians who truly act for the betterment of all the people of this country, not for special interest groups, and their contributions to the democratic and republican party.
What makes me and should make everyone sick, is that NOTHING will happen to those crooks who have used the public trust and their access and their power for their own personal gain. Jane Harmon and others, that includes you.
Perhaps if our president would stop posing and smiling and follow through on the promises he made to the citizens of this country, by repudiating the ethics violations of everyone, including all those in his own party, and actually do anything to end the horrendous lobbying that goes on a daily basis, and maintain and open administration on a daily basis, not after meeting with a few friends behind closed doors, to come up with a health care disaster, that will hurt more americans than it will help, while failing to be straight with the american public about the true cost of this health care package, which would include all of the costs, including those that will have to paid to the doctors, which is the subject matter of a separate bill.
The time has come to institute real change in this country, and that will only start with the elimination of our two party system and the lobbyists that essentially run it.
Saturday, October 31, 2009
Wednesday, October 21, 2009
Lobbyists Rule Our Government
It amazes me how government by the people and for the people has descended into lobbyists, with automatic entry to every decision made by politicians, speaking on behalf of 200+ million americans and sitting by the handfuls, in every congressional office in Washington, not to mention the Executive branch. How have we sunk so low where former senators, assemblymen, ceo's of industry, government lawyers, and the super rich, liberals and conservatives alike,, as well as their own hand picked p.r. stooges, get to speak on behalf of all americans, with whom they could not care less about?
This is not an attack on either of our 2 parties, rather on both of them. One would have thought that the Jack Abramhoff drama would have given politicians pause to continue allowing Washington "insiders" access to our governmental leaders, who were elected to act on behalf of the people they serve. By access, I mean spend whatever it takes to see that the lobbyists own agendas are fulfilled. Of course, the lobbyists are not representing you or I, but rather the big business, industry, country/dictatorship, et. al. that employs them, at sickening expense. I do believe that if Washington, Adams, Jefferson, Madison, Monroe, Lincoln were to awake from their permanent slumber, they wouldn't believe what they were witnessing. Lobbyists and their p.r. hacks are full time businesses that benefit themselves for peddling influence and lots of money. Honestly, do they work for any of the middle class, who has lost all confidence in our government to act 100% for the people without having to make deals with the pharmaceutical companies or banking industry or the NRA or any of thousands of entities there to serve they're own purposes ? Not 1 iota.
President Obama vowed to end lobbyists in government, as one of his many campaign promises. Not only was that a total fiction now, it was false when he said it. My guess is that there is more lobbyists today than during the Bush years.
The only chance this country has in handing it back to the people is to make some drastic changes to our two (2) party system and the lobbyists that run it.
Our country has been hijacked by the rich and powerful and the high priced lobbyists that work for them. It's not about Obama and not about Bush. It's our political system, which seeps into the media, the fourth estate, and every important decision made by congress and the president that affects all americans.
The people of this country are like ping pong balls in a game played by republicans and democrats. The people are completely left out of the process of governing, un less you count the political caucuses and gerrymandering , our elected officials have worked so hard to keep.
I speak on behalf of the average middle class american, not a right or left winger, not a liberal, not a conservative, not affiliated with any party, industry or cause, in which to make money from. I speak with countless middle class americans who all feel that there is nothing that they can do and feel resigned to the fate that our government does not speak or work for them.
I want the people to regain their foothold in this country, as promised by our forefathers, not just empty campaign promises, with no ability, if not intent, to keep them. We need to remove control of our country from special interest groups and a select few. I'm not sure how we get there, but I'm certain we're doomed if we don't.
Perhaps opening up our election process to many more parties, such as a libertarian party, conservative party, independent party, and common man party, all allowed to campaign without unlimited amounts of money, controlling the process. It's beyond obscene for a presidential campaign or congressional campaign or primary for that matter, to cost a billion dollars. Insane if you think about it.
We need drastic change in the governing of our country where the people's voice can be heard and acted upon.
This is not an attack on either of our 2 parties, rather on both of them. One would have thought that the Jack Abramhoff drama would have given politicians pause to continue allowing Washington "insiders" access to our governmental leaders, who were elected to act on behalf of the people they serve. By access, I mean spend whatever it takes to see that the lobbyists own agendas are fulfilled. Of course, the lobbyists are not representing you or I, but rather the big business, industry, country/dictatorship, et. al. that employs them, at sickening expense. I do believe that if Washington, Adams, Jefferson, Madison, Monroe, Lincoln were to awake from their permanent slumber, they wouldn't believe what they were witnessing. Lobbyists and their p.r. hacks are full time businesses that benefit themselves for peddling influence and lots of money. Honestly, do they work for any of the middle class, who has lost all confidence in our government to act 100% for the people without having to make deals with the pharmaceutical companies or banking industry or the NRA or any of thousands of entities there to serve they're own purposes ? Not 1 iota.
President Obama vowed to end lobbyists in government, as one of his many campaign promises. Not only was that a total fiction now, it was false when he said it. My guess is that there is more lobbyists today than during the Bush years.
The only chance this country has in handing it back to the people is to make some drastic changes to our two (2) party system and the lobbyists that run it.
Our country has been hijacked by the rich and powerful and the high priced lobbyists that work for them. It's not about Obama and not about Bush. It's our political system, which seeps into the media, the fourth estate, and every important decision made by congress and the president that affects all americans.
The people of this country are like ping pong balls in a game played by republicans and democrats. The people are completely left out of the process of governing, un less you count the political caucuses and gerrymandering , our elected officials have worked so hard to keep.
I speak on behalf of the average middle class american, not a right or left winger, not a liberal, not a conservative, not affiliated with any party, industry or cause, in which to make money from. I speak with countless middle class americans who all feel that there is nothing that they can do and feel resigned to the fate that our government does not speak or work for them.
I want the people to regain their foothold in this country, as promised by our forefathers, not just empty campaign promises, with no ability, if not intent, to keep them. We need to remove control of our country from special interest groups and a select few. I'm not sure how we get there, but I'm certain we're doomed if we don't.
Perhaps opening up our election process to many more parties, such as a libertarian party, conservative party, independent party, and common man party, all allowed to campaign without unlimited amounts of money, controlling the process. It's beyond obscene for a presidential campaign or congressional campaign or primary for that matter, to cost a billion dollars. Insane if you think about it.
We need drastic change in the governing of our country where the people's voice can be heard and acted upon.
Monday, October 19, 2009
Well this is exciting. Kind of like when I opened up my law practice after passing the bar. So much to say and trying to figure out where to begin.
My main concern, among countless ones, is really a 2 parter: how are we ever going to fix our political system and how are we going to no longer be controlled by lobbyists ?
First off, I think the time for the 2 party system has long passed. Both parties are bribed by almost the same interests more or less, and as long as K Street has much more of an impact on what our administrations do, as opposed to the vast amount of middle class americans, who have absolutely no input, we are doomed.
We can no longer allow elections to be bought, particularly the presidential election. How many billions of dollars did Obama spend in the primaries, let alone the presidential election ? How much did Hillary spend on the primaries ? How much did McCain spend ? It's beyond stupefying. How can anyone really believe you can have government by the people and for the people with thousands of high paid lobbyists pimping their "special interest" groups to each and every republican and/or democratic congressperson. You can't and we don't.
I will be addressing this in detail in the future as well as a myriad of important issues affecting most americans.
My plan is to allow for an open and honest discourse without any name calling and unnecessary vitriol. After 61 years and 10 months of life, one thing I do know is that no one has all the answers and that yelling and screaming, talking over someone else, being stuck in the mud, so to speak, and feeling this intellectual superiority over those who may disagree and have other ideas and positions, will certainly not lead this country in the right direction.
I would love to see open and healthy discourse without the tremendous devisiveness that has overtaken our media, in print, on radio, and on television. My object is not for me to get rich or famous from creating and maintaining an unbiased forum, where we get away from the same old and tiresome rhetoric, but to truly move forward with the best interests of ALL americans to be considered.
My main concern, among countless ones, is really a 2 parter: how are we ever going to fix our political system and how are we going to no longer be controlled by lobbyists ?
First off, I think the time for the 2 party system has long passed. Both parties are bribed by almost the same interests more or less, and as long as K Street has much more of an impact on what our administrations do, as opposed to the vast amount of middle class americans, who have absolutely no input, we are doomed.
We can no longer allow elections to be bought, particularly the presidential election. How many billions of dollars did Obama spend in the primaries, let alone the presidential election ? How much did Hillary spend on the primaries ? How much did McCain spend ? It's beyond stupefying. How can anyone really believe you can have government by the people and for the people with thousands of high paid lobbyists pimping their "special interest" groups to each and every republican and/or democratic congressperson. You can't and we don't.
I will be addressing this in detail in the future as well as a myriad of important issues affecting most americans.
My plan is to allow for an open and honest discourse without any name calling and unnecessary vitriol. After 61 years and 10 months of life, one thing I do know is that no one has all the answers and that yelling and screaming, talking over someone else, being stuck in the mud, so to speak, and feeling this intellectual superiority over those who may disagree and have other ideas and positions, will certainly not lead this country in the right direction.
I would love to see open and healthy discourse without the tremendous devisiveness that has overtaken our media, in print, on radio, and on television. My object is not for me to get rich or famous from creating and maintaining an unbiased forum, where we get away from the same old and tiresome rhetoric, but to truly move forward with the best interests of ALL americans to be considered.
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