Senatorial Negligence

There is one number that I can't get off my mind...1.2 million. That is the number of American people that will lose their Unemployment Benefits by the end of the month. Every single Republican in the Senate, plus one lone Democrat Ben Nelson (D-NE) voted to kill the American Workers, State, and Business Relief Act of 2010 or Measure H.R. 4213. This was not motivated by any idealogical principle, or common sense for that matter, even though they would lead you to believe that. The motivation on killing this bill is the election in November. They are either still trying to appeal to their wacked out right-wing nutjob base. Or they're trying to make the economy a complete catastrophe and then point the finger at the Democrats.

Here are some of the excuses they came up with: They feel that they have to be tough on taxes...even though this bill provided needed tax cuts to small businesses. Also they feel that if Unemployment is taken away it'll better motivate people to really get out there and find a job...even though currently there are six unemployed people to every one job opening. Oh and the ever popular, we can't take on anymore debt...it doesn't matter to them that this would be almost completely paid for anyway. They won't recognize that...they need to appear tough on people who are already down on their luck in a job market that doesn't seem to be getting any better...that'll show 'em! This is a direct attack on Working Americans!

We have created a welfare state...a welfare state??? I'm pretty sure that I and the millions of other Americans who are out of work right now paid our Unemployment Insurance for many years...yet they see it as we're taking something from them. How dare we pay for something then expect to receive it when we need it! My favorite is that this bill would be a greater drag on our economy. You want to know what'll be a real drag on our economy...1.2 Million people not having any money!!!!! Also the mass amounts of homeless this will create...but they won't see any of that in their plush Ivory Tower.

All that matters to them is getting re-elected and gaining more seats. They must have zero unemployment in their states...fat chance. So, taking the risk of sending us even further into the depths of this recession; or perhaps even into a depression is better than sustaining our economy and giving needed tax breaks to small business so that jobs could be created? That makes perfect sense! And all the people that lose their homes...well they can just go to hell as far as the Republican Senators are concerned. This is not governance, this is negligence! Plain and simple.

Bought and Paid...

So this past week has given me so many reasons to be infuriated at elected officials. The jobs bill not passing in the Senate, the White House removal of a certain provision in the Bank reform bill that gave control of CEO salaries to all stock holders, not just the ones that have controlling stakes. And then there's Congressman Joe Barton (R-TX)... Another reminder that many of our leaders who are supposed to be working for their constituents are in actuality working for the "Corporate Machine." In this case BP, if you haven't seen it yet, here's the video: http://www.dailykos.com/tv/w/002738/

OK, when I first watched this video, I had to watch it twice because I could not believe what was coming out of his mouth. You apologize to BP for making them clean up the mess that they caused by not following proper safety regulations and for constantly prizing production over all else??? Now in the congressman's defense...he is their dancing monkey. Bought and paid for ladies and gents by "Big Oil." Mr. Barton spelled it out perfectly, he wants things to go exactly how they did for the Exxon Valdez spill. Today, over twenty years later there is still litigation over that particular spill. Barton wants it all to go through the court system on a case by case basis...I CALL BULLSHIT!!! For one a company the size of BP can keep cases in court for years until the people suing them run out of money. Secondly the taxpayer would be paying for it as well, this would be completely unacceptable. I hope that the people of his congressional district take serious note of this and vote his ass out when the time comes.

Now also this week as mentioned above...the Jobs Bill. Here's a link for that story: http://blog.aflcio.org/2010/06/18/senate-republicans-kill-jobs-bill-block-jobless-aid/ Oh lord why do we elect such bastards? 250,000 unemployed workers a week are losing their unemployment insurance...do you grasp the gravity of that? And that's per week people! That is 250,000 American families, with those numbers in four weeks it equates roughly to one million American families. You think we're in a recession now?!? Let's see how things are when there are even more foreclosures, people won't be able to pay their bills because they have to feed their kids. This is not the America we were raised in...as I stated on the review's Facebook page when this article was first posted: This isn't a Democrat or Republican issue, it isn't even a Union issue...this is a Human issue. If you can sit up on Capitol Hill and look down on your fellow Americans and tell them their kids don't deserve to eat tonight, or to have a roof over their head...well my friend there's a special place in hell for you...

Been a While

It's been a while since my last entry and quite a bit has happened, oil is still spewing into the Gulf of Mexico (day 49), there is still tension over Arizona and it's new immigration law, and the toxic ultra bipartisanship still festers at the core of our great nation. There has always been a "us against them" sort of thing going on inside each party, but never really to this degree. Because at the end of the day each elected official realized that they had a job to do, and they represented their constituents whether they're Democrat or Republican. For every elected official out there that takes time out of their day to be an obstructionist solely to oppose the other side, I say this to you...DO YOUR FUCKING JOB!!!

They get paid for this shit? I say put them on an hourly wage like a large portion of the population (myself included) and when they aren't working on the job...they get docked! We have so many problems in this country and they're bickering over the details. There's also the politicians that speak out of both sides of their mouth. One moment there they are preaching small government, the next they're asking where the federal government was during the oil spill. Seriously!? Most intelligent people would see right through that as an opportunistic jab at the Obama administration...and they'd be right.

Now I believe in a strong military, it is essential. But again you have the people that say "Small Government" but "Big Military"...I wonder if they realize that the military is the government. And throughout the world and the history of man the single most used tool by kings, emperors, and dictators alike to oppress the people is...you guessed it, the military. I don't fear military oppression in our nation, our founding fathers saw it important to include checks and balances within our system of government so one branch cannot have more power than the other. Back to the point though, the Arizona Immigration law took effect and a lot of people were saying that protecting the borders should be left to the states themselves. Jan Brewer the governor of AZ said this many times...but then a couple of weeks ago she complained that they weren't getting enough federal support...she even asked for predator drones. Come on, don't scream States rights then in the same breath rail at the Feds for not giving enough support. And they get away with it...

People are very quick to harshly criticize President Obama, I think considering what he was left with, he's doing a good job. I do have my own criticisms though, I thought that the Healthcare bill should have had a public option available and that the Bank reform bill doesn't have the "teeth" it should have, but in both cases it is a start. I do feel that after the bank reform was passed the Employee Free Choice Act should have been put back on the table. That bill is so important to working families of this country, it should not be ignored any longer. Also the next job bill that comes through, how about we don't send a bunch of jobs over to China, when we can do them right here in America. Just Saying... What bothers me is as I stated before people criticizing the President for not doing more for the oil spill. What is he supposed to do? Placing blame on him is just idiotic, his administration didn't loosen safety restrictions on the industry and give them a free pass. But guess who's administration did???? Our nation was lead down the road to slaughter and was at the brink of economic collapse, and you're going to blame the guy that has to clean up the bloody mess...Priceless.