America Under Seige

It's been a long, hot summer in more ways than one, and it's not over, yet.  Mother Nature has delivered quite a beat-down this year and our elected officials are delivering another.  We might have insurance against the ravages of Mother Nature, but where do we go for relief from our own government?

What probably started out as the usual posturing and threats of a meltdown over the debt limit has apparently backfired on Congress as the Republicans realize their very own tea party is deadly serious about allowing the collapse. It would be funny if it weren't so serious. If John Boehner  had been an effective Speaker of the House, he would not have allowed a minority in his own party to take over and dictate his every move.

Things are bad enough in this country, what with the failing economy and the unemployment situation without all this drama over something as simple as raising the debt ceiling.  Why do we even have a debt ceiling, anyway? Is it some ridiculous effort to balance the budget?  No other country has one.  It's silly to compare today's debt with past debt and deficit. Everything costs more and more every year, and we need to raise some "revenues"  in order to pay our bills.

While everyone in Washington is focusing on the debt ceiling stand-off, they are completely ignoring the one thing that would go a long way toward solving the revenue problem.  JOBS.  In the case of Social Security and Medicare, putting more people to work, and thereby collecting more revenues in the form or Social Security taxes on paychecks would certainly help.

Speaking of Social Security, if our Congress is so terribly concerned about the debt, maybe they should consider the debt the government owes to Social Security.  They might start paying back all the funds they have "borrowed" from that program over the past decades.

If neither party can do anything at all, perhaps they should all resign and let us elect someone who will.

Stay tuned. I'll probably get madder.

And, Furthermore.............

The Washington media and the whole of the U.S. House of Representatives gave 'way to their inner adolescents last week as their outrage reached a crescendo over Rep. Anthony Weiner and his texts.  They simply relished Weiner's embarrassment, which was nothing but political theater on their parts.  As they elbowed their ways to the nearest microphones, they could scarcely find enough pompous words to condemn him for sending the salacious texts to several women.  Absolutely everyone who is anyone in Washington or the media jumped on the old Weiner bashing bandwagon.  Oh, they had a fine time!

But, there was one area they ignored.  I didn't hear a single pundit or congressman chastising the women who were willing participants in this farce.  On his show, "Real Time", Bill Mahr and "Glee's" Jane Lynch (I think that's her name) did a dramatic reading of one of the texts sent by Weiner to the woman in Las Vegas.  I gotta tell ya, folks, the things SHE said struck me as being a lot dirtier than Weiner's replies to her. Maybe I'm just old fashioned (or sexist) enough to be appalled by women like her, and at the same time expecting nothing better from Weiner. Believe me when I say these women are not victims or innocent parties.  Obviously, they had been around the block a few times.  Oh, yes they had. They don't get a pass - not from me, at least.

Now, Weiner says he is taking a "leave of absence" (read, "vacation") to "get some help for his problem." Do we believe him?  We do not. I wouldn't be a be surprised if we heard, in due time, that he and his beleaguered wife, Huma, were on an extended cruise, taking a leaf from Newt Gingrich's playbook when he needed to step back and retool his failing campaing.  When the going gets tough, the tough take vacations.

In the meantime, I read an article today saying that many members of Congress have cut back severely on their own texting. Hah! That's probably a good idea, although if they have anything to hide, I'd say they are a little late for that.

So, bon voyage, Anthony and Huma. In a couple of weeks some other politician will do something worse and you'll be forgotten like yesterday's newspaper. 

Stay tuned.

Batten Down The Hatches

It looks as though, in spite of our best efforts to keep it from happening, Congress is going to start messing with Social Security, Medicare, and Medicaid. If anyone believes that seniors and the poor will be better off when the dust clears, I have some swamp land I'd love to sell him/her.

Various Republicans have appeared on television lately, claiming that Social Security, Medicare and Medicaid are a drain on the deficit because they are unfunded.

Wrong, on both counts. The only thing unfunded about them is the Medicare Part D Prescription plan that was passed by Republicans during the Bush Administration.The entitlements have never affected the deficit because they are self-funded. Social Security has never been counted in determining the deficit. Why must the Republicans keep telling this lie? And, why doesn't someone in the Media correct them?

This is the first year that Social security has suffered any kind of shortfall, and it wasn't much of one.

It is amazing to me that so many people in this country want to blame the elderly and poor for the country's financial problems. And, now, they want to punish them by cutting back on the only safety net they have. I can't think of any good reason for this attitude except that they are simply mean-spirited and lacking in compassion for those less fortunate.

Personally, I think if we can bail out the banks and auto industry while conducting two wars, we ought to be able to bail out Social Security. The Veterans' Administration could stand a little help in that way, too.

Where are the Grey Panthers when we need them?

Say tuned.

Bail Out or No Bail Out?

Lately, I've been feeling more and more like Miss Pittypat, in Gone With the Wind. Next thing you know, I'll be waiving my lace hanky around, dabbing my forehead with it and dithering, "Oh, Ah just don't know, Uncle Peter! Ah just don't know!"

When the announcement was made that the Republicans and Democrats had reached a bipartisan agreement on the $700 Billion Bail-out, I was relieved. Then, the next day, after it all went up in a cloud of Republican smoke, I was, well, relieved. WTF!?!

Maybe I just don't understand the situation. Ya think? There are one or two things that I am sure about, though.

1. Nancy Pelosi made a silly speech, attacking the Bush Administration. Even if she was right, it was not the time or place for that kind of speech.

2. All the Republicans who whined (smarmy John Boener) that they voted against the bill because Nancy hurt their widdle feelings need to put on their big-boy pants and get over it.

After further thought, I'm still relieved that the bill didn't pass. I know we need to take action of some sort, but BushCo was trying to shove it down our throats. I'm deeply suspicious when anyone tries to ram a bill through Congress and the Senate, claiming time is of the essence. The original plan was only three pages long. Does that seem right, considering the extent of the catastrophe? It gave Paulson (who?) absolute power, with no oversight and no accountability.

The second attempt wasn't much better. It did call for some oversight, but didn't call for any accountability for the people who got us into this whole mess in the first place. No punishment for the fatcats who made out like bandits. And, it didn't offer any bail-out for the citizens who got caught up in the frenzy of greed that led to this economic disaster.

Maybe when they convene again Thursday, they will be able to put aside all the posturing and politicking (Note to John McCain: Just butt out!), and put some real thought into what is best for the country in the long run, keeping in mind that more than a few heads need to roll and some jail terms need to be judiciously meted out.

Keep your fingers crossed.

More later.