Yesterday for those with Cable, we observed a very rare sight in American politics...a Direct back and forth between the President of the United States and Republican members of the House of Representatives...trully amazing!
Being a history and political science major, it reminded me a session of "Question Time" in Great Britain (in which members of the House of Commons direct question the Prime Minister) and is something we just don't see in America these days..we're used to the President saying something...the Republicans making a statement later denouncing it and then the President will counter later and so on and so forth...but this usually takes all day and isn't very exciting...what happened yesterday on the other hand was very interesting...The President was invited to the Republicans getaway in Baltimore and shocked everyone not only by showing up but by letting Cable news broadcast it Live!
As we watched..the President made his case for many of his political programs and ask the Republicans why they didn't support them..asking them point blank why they would challenge the Stimulus but at the same time appear at public project openings in their states that were paid for by the Stimulus?...He then did something that Republican House members were still talking about today..he stated that he had read Republican proposals and acknowledged them and even admitted many of them had a lot of potential..
Overall after watching this event..I wondered..why don't they do this more often? While not exciting to many in the average public..for those of us who pay attention to politics this kind of close quarters political combat Live on television is very refreshing and (like Presidential debates) helps voters better understand the interaction between our President and members of Congress...to think if they did this on a regular basis, politically biased pundits could be put out of a job! Ok maybe not but isn't that a nice thought?
Such events make our political system seem a bit more transparent and should be do more often (maybe not as often as Question Time in the U.K. but still) and lets hope it does!
Saturday, January 30, 2010
Saturday, January 23, 2010
Lesson Learned: JUST KILL IT!
This tuesday we Americans watched as Washington Political Logic came crashing down on the Democratic party as a Republican won the special election for Mass. Senate (previously held by the "Liberal Lion" Ted Kennedy) and has sent shockwaves throughout the political landscape...
Many in the media and most certainly the Republicans are claiming a big victory and claiming this is a sign of what will come to pass this November....Too bad it isn't
As POLITICO pointed out in a article the other day, the Republicans still have alot to worry about before this Novemeber...Polls from many organizations found that Mass. voters didn't move to the right, they moved against Washington..these polls found that Healthcare was a huge factor in the results of the election...and while Mass. has a state-wide universial healthcare system that includes an individual mandate, voters believe that their system isn't for the entire Nation and the current efforts by Pres. Obama and Senate Democrats aren't going to make the situation better..
Case in point, according to Rasmussen Polls from Election Nite tuesday, 56% of Mass. voters thought Healthcare was the most important issue, and the Democratic candidate Coakley got a slim majority of these voters..
The Next important issue for Mass. voters was the economy at 25% for which the Republican Brown picked up a slim majority of...
So what is the lesson to take from Tuesday's election? There are several lessons but possibly the most telling is that while Americans do see Healthcare as a major issue, it is such a divisive issue that it muddies the political waters and therefore a not-so-reliable rallying cry for the Democratic Party...Another lessons was for the Republicans, in which they took advantage of the divisivenesss of the healthcare debate and use it against the Democrats and they will likely mold as many of November's races after their victory in Mass.
But the big lesson to learn from the Night is for the Democrats...that if they don't show some confidence and leadership they will fail badly this November...
But enough of Tuesday's election...I believe this election is a sign of a greater sentiment held by millions of Americans...that the Democrats need to abandon the healthcare reform effort or it will slowly but surely drag them into defeat...a Rasmussen polls proves just that...According to Rasmussen 61% of Americans believe Congress should end the healthcare reform effort and move on to more pressing things like the economy and the deficit..59% say that considering the current economic situation Obama should wait to reform the system til after the economy improves...which is something I've been saying for several months now but nobody listens to Common Sense these days..If Democrats had spent all this time on trying to improve the economy instead of this worthless healthcare debate the economy would likely be improving by now and would boast their chances of winning this November and then Obama could have used his political capital to reform our disfunctional Healthcare system..and now what do they have for all their effort? Unemployment hit 10%...the Reform effort has hijacked by special interests till there wasn't much reform left in the bills...and now Democrats look as if they are ignoring the wishes of the American people and therefore arrogant...and there's few things that anger Americans more than arrogance..
So what if anything can the Democrats do the save their butts this November? Firstly, their doom isn't exactly certain because while people are angry with Dems, they don't think much more of Republicans and the Tea Party Movement could be a stumbling block for the Republicans and save the Democrats..but ultimately the Democrats have to do one thing to survive for sure this November...ABANDON HEALTHCARE REFORM...and then focus much more on the economy and fiscal reform (as Obama finally seems to be doing)...such efforts will make voters happy and would give the Republicans less to yell and scream about and if they try to derail those efforts they will look like obstructionists and the people will make them pay this November...but the Democrats need to understand that ending the debate now and moving on won't be a deathblow..this election was a wake-up call for them to move on to what Americans care about right now and reform our dysfunctional system when they have more political strength...
Because I trully understand why they tried so hard to push reform now...they had the seats, they had their President, and they believed they had the people's support...but instead they found that the Country isn't sure what to do with the healthcare system and in this time of huge deficits they just saw reform as another government program that will supposedly save money but will eventually become a burden as most government programs do and rejected such an effort and Democrats need to learn that NOW...of forever hold their peace..
http://www.rasmussenreports.com/public_content/politics/elections2/election_2010/election_2010_senate_elections/massachusetts/a_final_look_at_massachusetts_election_night_poll
http://www.rasmussenreports.com/public_content/politics/current_events/healthcare/january_2010/61_say_it_s_time_for_congress_to_drop_health_care
Many in the media and most certainly the Republicans are claiming a big victory and claiming this is a sign of what will come to pass this November....Too bad it isn't
As POLITICO pointed out in a article the other day, the Republicans still have alot to worry about before this Novemeber...Polls from many organizations found that Mass. voters didn't move to the right, they moved against Washington..these polls found that Healthcare was a huge factor in the results of the election...and while Mass. has a state-wide universial healthcare system that includes an individual mandate, voters believe that their system isn't for the entire Nation and the current efforts by Pres. Obama and Senate Democrats aren't going to make the situation better..
Case in point, according to Rasmussen Polls from Election Nite tuesday, 56% of Mass. voters thought Healthcare was the most important issue, and the Democratic candidate Coakley got a slim majority of these voters..
The Next important issue for Mass. voters was the economy at 25% for which the Republican Brown picked up a slim majority of...
So what is the lesson to take from Tuesday's election? There are several lessons but possibly the most telling is that while Americans do see Healthcare as a major issue, it is such a divisive issue that it muddies the political waters and therefore a not-so-reliable rallying cry for the Democratic Party...Another lessons was for the Republicans, in which they took advantage of the divisivenesss of the healthcare debate and use it against the Democrats and they will likely mold as many of November's races after their victory in Mass.
But the big lesson to learn from the Night is for the Democrats...that if they don't show some confidence and leadership they will fail badly this November...
But enough of Tuesday's election...I believe this election is a sign of a greater sentiment held by millions of Americans...that the Democrats need to abandon the healthcare reform effort or it will slowly but surely drag them into defeat...a Rasmussen polls proves just that...According to Rasmussen 61% of Americans believe Congress should end the healthcare reform effort and move on to more pressing things like the economy and the deficit..59% say that considering the current economic situation Obama should wait to reform the system til after the economy improves...which is something I've been saying for several months now but nobody listens to Common Sense these days..If Democrats had spent all this time on trying to improve the economy instead of this worthless healthcare debate the economy would likely be improving by now and would boast their chances of winning this November and then Obama could have used his political capital to reform our disfunctional Healthcare system..and now what do they have for all their effort? Unemployment hit 10%...the Reform effort has hijacked by special interests till there wasn't much reform left in the bills...and now Democrats look as if they are ignoring the wishes of the American people and therefore arrogant...and there's few things that anger Americans more than arrogance..
So what if anything can the Democrats do the save their butts this November? Firstly, their doom isn't exactly certain because while people are angry with Dems, they don't think much more of Republicans and the Tea Party Movement could be a stumbling block for the Republicans and save the Democrats..but ultimately the Democrats have to do one thing to survive for sure this November...ABANDON HEALTHCARE REFORM...and then focus much more on the economy and fiscal reform (as Obama finally seems to be doing)...such efforts will make voters happy and would give the Republicans less to yell and scream about and if they try to derail those efforts they will look like obstructionists and the people will make them pay this November...but the Democrats need to understand that ending the debate now and moving on won't be a deathblow..this election was a wake-up call for them to move on to what Americans care about right now and reform our dysfunctional system when they have more political strength...
Because I trully understand why they tried so hard to push reform now...they had the seats, they had their President, and they believed they had the people's support...but instead they found that the Country isn't sure what to do with the healthcare system and in this time of huge deficits they just saw reform as another government program that will supposedly save money but will eventually become a burden as most government programs do and rejected such an effort and Democrats need to learn that NOW...of forever hold their peace..
http://www.rasmussenreports.com/public_content/politics/elections2/election_2010/election_2010_senate_elections/massachusetts/a_final_look_at_massachusetts_election_night_poll
http://www.rasmussenreports.com/public_content/politics/current_events/healthcare/january_2010/61_say_it_s_time_for_congress_to_drop_health_care
Friday, January 15, 2010
God Bless Haiti....Pat Robertson, not so much..
If you haven't been living under a rock for the last week..you are aware of the incredible disaster that has happened in the nation of Haiti...a 7.0 earthquake has devasted the nation and the world is scrambling to help including thousands of American troops and millions of dollars of food and water are headed there as we speak...a disaster in our own hemisphere and as such most Americans are united in their concern and actions towards our southern neighbor...Almost all Americans that is...
Rush Limbaugh had the audacity today of claiming this disaster plays right into Pres. Obama's hand and people shouldn't send money to the Red Cross and other organizations because their information could be used by Obama to send them emails or politicals ads or whatever.....Can you believe this nutjob? To Rush nothing Obama does is ok and he just can't seem to stop himself...I have no respect of this supposed American..because his "free speech" to me borders on treason and someone just needs to tell him to SHUT THE FUCK UP....for once...
And then there's the great Pat Robertson...the televangelist who is nearly as old as the biblical characters we are all familiar with...while he has told his "followers" as he calls them, to pray for Haitian people...he made the claim that when Haiti was still under French rule, Haitian leaders made a deal with the devil to drive out the French and that because of this the nation has been cursed by God..claiming it to be a True story...I've never liked Pat because he claims to speak with God and in the same breath call fo the death of world leaders, claims doomsday is upon us, that other Christian denominations harbor the spirit of the Anti-Christ, Feminism is a socialist plot and that Gays and Lesbians are part of the reason 9/11 happened....I only wish I was making this stuff up..Pat Robertson is a hack and a fraud...who only cares about making money and using God to shield his intolerable behavior and attitudes...Pat Robertson is one of the people that drive Americans away from Christianity and make Americans look like religious crusaders to the rest of the world...He is putting it bluntlly..a Waste of Oxygen...but thats a blog for a different day..
These two supposed Americans are not only un-American...they are inhuman...to call for people not to send aid to Haiti or to claim they are cursed for dealing with the devil is not only inappropriate...its just down right stupid and ignorant..not that I am surprised by such actions from these two clowns...Pat, Rush...just do America a favor...Stop Breathing and save some oxygen for the rest of us Aye?
Rush Limbaugh had the audacity today of claiming this disaster plays right into Pres. Obama's hand and people shouldn't send money to the Red Cross and other organizations because their information could be used by Obama to send them emails or politicals ads or whatever.....Can you believe this nutjob? To Rush nothing Obama does is ok and he just can't seem to stop himself...I have no respect of this supposed American..because his "free speech" to me borders on treason and someone just needs to tell him to SHUT THE FUCK UP....for once...
And then there's the great Pat Robertson...the televangelist who is nearly as old as the biblical characters we are all familiar with...while he has told his "followers" as he calls them, to pray for Haitian people...he made the claim that when Haiti was still under French rule, Haitian leaders made a deal with the devil to drive out the French and that because of this the nation has been cursed by God..claiming it to be a True story...I've never liked Pat because he claims to speak with God and in the same breath call fo the death of world leaders, claims doomsday is upon us, that other Christian denominations harbor the spirit of the Anti-Christ, Feminism is a socialist plot and that Gays and Lesbians are part of the reason 9/11 happened....I only wish I was making this stuff up..Pat Robertson is a hack and a fraud...who only cares about making money and using God to shield his intolerable behavior and attitudes...Pat Robertson is one of the people that drive Americans away from Christianity and make Americans look like religious crusaders to the rest of the world...He is putting it bluntlly..a Waste of Oxygen...but thats a blog for a different day..
These two supposed Americans are not only un-American...they are inhuman...to call for people not to send aid to Haiti or to claim they are cursed for dealing with the devil is not only inappropriate...its just down right stupid and ignorant..not that I am surprised by such actions from these two clowns...Pat, Rush...just do America a favor...Stop Breathing and save some oxygen for the rest of us Aye?
Saturday, January 9, 2010
2010: The Year of the Tea Party?
Recent polls have shown that the American people are fed up with both parties and the recent NBC/Wallstreet Journal poll showed the 28% of those polled would prefer a "Tea Party" candidate as opposed to a Democrat or Republican...Further the retirement of 24 members of the House (14 Republicans, 10 Democrats) and 8 members of the Senate (6 Republicans, 2 Democrats) has been used to show that the Anti-Incumbent sentiment is starting to scare off members of Congress and some (like Fox News) are making it sound like Democrats know their going to lose control this year and are getting out while the getting is good..though is a pretty weak arguement considering there are almost twice as many Republicans retiring as Democrats...the true story is that both sides are worried about this fall...Democrats are worried about tooking weak and disorganized and losing control of the House and/or the Senate...Republicans are worried that Tea Partiers are going to wreck their races by running their own candidates to challenge who they deem not conservative enough or too corrupt...
The amazing thing is..only the confident political force this so far is the Tea Partiers...but they are overly confident and it will likely be their downfall...Why you ask? While there is real anger against Washington and the government, the Tea Party movement is still terribly de-centralized and has already broken up into rival camps and have no real particular platform...just general goals of being Anti-Tax, Anti-Incumbent, and Anti-Obama...very vague and they will continue to be weak and disorganized until they unify and set up real goals and a true Platform..so while I do believe they will likely get a few of their backed candidates, they will not be able to trully change the balance of power in Washington...not yet anyway...
The Democrats have good reason to fear this fall but so far, the signs show that while they COULD lose both houses of Congress..they likely won't...In all likelihood, Dems will lose the House of Representatives but will hold on to the Senate but will likely lose at least 5 seats which will severely weaken them for the 2012 elections..But lets not get ahead of ourselves..Why will they survive? While the healthcare debate did terribly weaken their position, they could still pull of a mediocre year by focusing on the economy and jobs and save themselves...
But, if they decide to pursure legislation like Cap & Trade or Immigration reform they risk losing what little political capital they have left and will leave themselves wide open for the Republicans and Tea Partiers this fall...because if the Dems actually get some good for everyday Americans work done that isn't terribly controversial and the Republicans continue with their Party of NO shtick then the Republicans will just look overly partisan and petty and people will not vote for them in the fall and this will save the Dems and could possibly strengthen the Tea Partiers...
2010 is shaping up to indeed be a major political event for politics in America...will it be a repeat of 1994? Will Democrats survive another election cycle? Will Tea Partiers fracture the Republican Party for good? For now it is too early to tell...but it promises to be an interesting year no matter what the outcome...Stay Tuned
The amazing thing is..only the confident political force this so far is the Tea Partiers...but they are overly confident and it will likely be their downfall...Why you ask? While there is real anger against Washington and the government, the Tea Party movement is still terribly de-centralized and has already broken up into rival camps and have no real particular platform...just general goals of being Anti-Tax, Anti-Incumbent, and Anti-Obama...very vague and they will continue to be weak and disorganized until they unify and set up real goals and a true Platform..so while I do believe they will likely get a few of their backed candidates, they will not be able to trully change the balance of power in Washington...not yet anyway...
The Democrats have good reason to fear this fall but so far, the signs show that while they COULD lose both houses of Congress..they likely won't...In all likelihood, Dems will lose the House of Representatives but will hold on to the Senate but will likely lose at least 5 seats which will severely weaken them for the 2012 elections..But lets not get ahead of ourselves..Why will they survive? While the healthcare debate did terribly weaken their position, they could still pull of a mediocre year by focusing on the economy and jobs and save themselves...
But, if they decide to pursure legislation like Cap & Trade or Immigration reform they risk losing what little political capital they have left and will leave themselves wide open for the Republicans and Tea Partiers this fall...because if the Dems actually get some good for everyday Americans work done that isn't terribly controversial and the Republicans continue with their Party of NO shtick then the Republicans will just look overly partisan and petty and people will not vote for them in the fall and this will save the Dems and could possibly strengthen the Tea Partiers...
2010 is shaping up to indeed be a major political event for politics in America...will it be a repeat of 1994? Will Democrats survive another election cycle? Will Tea Partiers fracture the Republican Party for good? For now it is too early to tell...but it promises to be an interesting year no matter what the outcome...Stay Tuned
Saturday, January 2, 2010
Hypocracy thay Name is Politics..
I've taken a bit of a break from my blog as of late because of the holidays but it's high time I jumped right back into politics and what better way to start than to discuss our rather dishonorable and cowardly EX Vice President Dick Cheney...
I've discussed Dick at least once before and how his opinion on national security issues literally means NOTHING to me. Mainly because any man who got managed five deferments during a time of war has no business discussing war or security IMHO..but sadly Dick still seems to think people give half a rat's arse what he thinks. He has made the claim that President Obama has pretended that we aren't at war with terrorism and by trying such terror suspects in Federal court is a sign of weakness. Funny how when Richard Reid (aka Shoe Bomber) attempted the same terrible feat as the Christmas day bomber he was arrested and tried in Federal Court with all the Constitutional rights as anyone in America..and just like the Christmas Day bomber he was foreign national. Amazing how Dick didn't seem to mind back then..
Now most Republicans shoot down any comparison because our security apparatus is supposed to be better than 8 years ago and on that point I agree with them. Those who are criticizing the nation's many intelligence agencies for the same stupidity they practiced before 9/11 are right on in my book, but many other things you hear out there is just garbage. Such as, "Obama waited too long to talk to the nation about the attempted attack", which makes little sense considering Bush waited 6 days (compared to 3 days Obama waited) to talk to the nation about the Shoe Bomber and even then when you watch the press conference Bush talked about it like an after thought. To those who claim that we are less safe under President Obama compared to when Cowardly Dick was in office, I call BS. I've researched this theory and found that Obama hasn't changed hardly any of the security measures and the apparatus is identical to how it was when old Cowardly Dick less office a year ago...
What I will acknowledge that Dick said that has some truth is that Obama does treat the War on Terrorism differently than he and Bush did and Thank God for that. Obama treats terrorism not just as attacks on America but for what they truly are, crimes against America. But this policy of using the Federal Courts was Started by the Bush Administration who didn't even start the idea of military tribunals til the end of his term and for some cases they are more fitting (such as KSM), but I also understand why Obama's Attorney General wants to try them in Federal Court, because it helps promote America's image of a just nation who gives everyone their day in court. This is a very noble goal but ultimately holding these criminal and religious nut jobs responsible should be the real goal and at least what Obama is doing isn't breaking any international laws (unlike GITMO).
Finally, to the waste of oxygen that is Rep. Hoekstra. This "representative" of the Great State of Michigan is using the Christmas Day attempted attack as a fundraising opportunity in that state's gubernatorial race this year by claiming that is all Pelosi/Obama's fault that attack almost happened and therefore he needs your money!....Just remember readers, if these idiots want to be that uber partisan about Terrorism just remember that 9/11 happened on their watch and since then their hasn't actually been a successful attack on American since Obama took office he has Bush beat by default. Now in all honesty I know such partisan comparisons pointless and inaccurate but when it comes to Republicans lately...Forrest Gump said it best, "Stupid is as Stupid Does"...
Just one more thing before I go. I've just got one question for Mr. Cheney and Mr. Hoekstra...How do you sleep at night you little pricks?
I've discussed Dick at least once before and how his opinion on national security issues literally means NOTHING to me. Mainly because any man who got managed five deferments during a time of war has no business discussing war or security IMHO..but sadly Dick still seems to think people give half a rat's arse what he thinks. He has made the claim that President Obama has pretended that we aren't at war with terrorism and by trying such terror suspects in Federal court is a sign of weakness. Funny how when Richard Reid (aka Shoe Bomber) attempted the same terrible feat as the Christmas day bomber he was arrested and tried in Federal Court with all the Constitutional rights as anyone in America..and just like the Christmas Day bomber he was foreign national. Amazing how Dick didn't seem to mind back then..
Now most Republicans shoot down any comparison because our security apparatus is supposed to be better than 8 years ago and on that point I agree with them. Those who are criticizing the nation's many intelligence agencies for the same stupidity they practiced before 9/11 are right on in my book, but many other things you hear out there is just garbage. Such as, "Obama waited too long to talk to the nation about the attempted attack", which makes little sense considering Bush waited 6 days (compared to 3 days Obama waited) to talk to the nation about the Shoe Bomber and even then when you watch the press conference Bush talked about it like an after thought. To those who claim that we are less safe under President Obama compared to when Cowardly Dick was in office, I call BS. I've researched this theory and found that Obama hasn't changed hardly any of the security measures and the apparatus is identical to how it was when old Cowardly Dick less office a year ago...
What I will acknowledge that Dick said that has some truth is that Obama does treat the War on Terrorism differently than he and Bush did and Thank God for that. Obama treats terrorism not just as attacks on America but for what they truly are, crimes against America. But this policy of using the Federal Courts was Started by the Bush Administration who didn't even start the idea of military tribunals til the end of his term and for some cases they are more fitting (such as KSM), but I also understand why Obama's Attorney General wants to try them in Federal Court, because it helps promote America's image of a just nation who gives everyone their day in court. This is a very noble goal but ultimately holding these criminal and religious nut jobs responsible should be the real goal and at least what Obama is doing isn't breaking any international laws (unlike GITMO).
Finally, to the waste of oxygen that is Rep. Hoekstra. This "representative" of the Great State of Michigan is using the Christmas Day attempted attack as a fundraising opportunity in that state's gubernatorial race this year by claiming that is all Pelosi/Obama's fault that attack almost happened and therefore he needs your money!....Just remember readers, if these idiots want to be that uber partisan about Terrorism just remember that 9/11 happened on their watch and since then their hasn't actually been a successful attack on American since Obama took office he has Bush beat by default. Now in all honesty I know such partisan comparisons pointless and inaccurate but when it comes to Republicans lately...Forrest Gump said it best, "Stupid is as Stupid Does"...
Just one more thing before I go. I've just got one question for Mr. Cheney and Mr. Hoekstra...How do you sleep at night you little pricks?
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