Politicians are like fish and relatives, they all start to stink if they're in the House too long - or the Senate for that matter.
Why do we spend so much time bantering about what career politicians say instead of getting rid of them? Term limits for ALL elected officials would increase attention to the common good and virtually eliminate special interest.
American founding fathers intended the common man to inhabit the House of Representatives, for two years and then go back home to their shops and farms.
The Romans had a system called cursus honorum, rotating through consuls, plebes, praetors, magistrates and other elected officials every year with a ten year waiting period to hold the office again.
The Council of 500 in ancient Athens rotated it membership annually, Thomas Jefferson's influence in the Articles of Confederation stated "no person shall be capable of being a delegate for more than three years in any term of six years".
I don't understand why there isn't more outcry for Congressional term limits. Your thoughts?
Tuesday, April 21, 2009
Miss USA Pageant, what were you thinking?
Perez Hilton is entertaining and I don't blame him for being who he is, an outspoken celebrity blogger and entertaining guest on gossip shows like Tyra Banks and Chelsey Lately.
I question the choice of Perez Hilton by the Miss USA Organization as a judge for their pageant. He is well known for raw, outspoken and controversial remarks on his website criticizing famous people he dislikes, "outing" gay celebrities and fawning over his favorites stars.
Pageant organizers have been conspicuously silent but remarks on the Miss USA website overwhelmingly support Miss California. She overwhelmingly wins the popular poll of the "Top Ten Contestants".
The question about gay marriage posed to Miss California by Perez Hilton is an important issue and she bravely answered it honestly. Perez didn't like Carrie Prejean's answer and has unleashed a tirade against her along with doing his part to make sure she didn't win Miss America.
In Perez' blog he went on to call her a dumb B____, does that mean it is okay for people to call him and anyone else they disagree with names of similar context? Is it okay to call him a dumb F__? Should someone who disagrees with this blog call me a dumb A-hole?
Is this the country we want to become? "I am an American, disagree with me and I will call you names, trash your career and do everything I can to destroy you!"
Real debate on the issues is important, win some, lose some and continue to strive for the things you believe in.
I believe in America and Perez Hilton's right to his beliefs.
I wish Perez believed in Miss America's right to hers.
I question the choice of Perez Hilton by the Miss USA Organization as a judge for their pageant. He is well known for raw, outspoken and controversial remarks on his website criticizing famous people he dislikes, "outing" gay celebrities and fawning over his favorites stars.
Pageant organizers have been conspicuously silent but remarks on the Miss USA website overwhelmingly support Miss California. She overwhelmingly wins the popular poll of the "Top Ten Contestants".
The question about gay marriage posed to Miss California by Perez Hilton is an important issue and she bravely answered it honestly. Perez didn't like Carrie Prejean's answer and has unleashed a tirade against her along with doing his part to make sure she didn't win Miss America.
In Perez' blog he went on to call her a dumb B____, does that mean it is okay for people to call him and anyone else they disagree with names of similar context? Is it okay to call him a dumb F__? Should someone who disagrees with this blog call me a dumb A-hole?
Is this the country we want to become? "I am an American, disagree with me and I will call you names, trash your career and do everything I can to destroy you!"
Real debate on the issues is important, win some, lose some and continue to strive for the things you believe in.
I believe in America and Perez Hilton's right to his beliefs.
I wish Perez believed in Miss America's right to hers.
Friday, April 17, 2009
I went to a Tea Party so I must be a Right Wing Extremist
I went to my first protest April 15th at the state capital in Denver with many other Americans of all ages and political views and am proud to be labeled a "right wing" extremist.
People were civil and respectful, many brought their children. I was sitting under a tree eating a snack as the protest came to an end and a woman came up with a trash bag and asked if I needed to throw anything away.
The protest was about spending rather than raising taxes, increasing the deficit by using tax money for Democratic pet projects disguised as stimulus and bailing out private businesses with taxpayer money.
Deficit spending did not bring us out of the Great Depression but made things worse. 8 years of deficit spending under FDR left us with 20% unemployment. World War II brought us out of the depression, not government spending on "make work" projects
The banking problem started with modifications to the Community Reinvestment Act done in 1995 by Democrats and was made much worse by the Banking Modernization Act of 1999, a republican sponsored bill signed into law by Bill Clinton.
In short, both Republicans and Democrats in Congress are to blame for the banking crisis. A majority of the legislation creating the problem was passed during the Clinton administration but he isn't any more to blame than George Bush.
George Bush tried to overhaul the mortgage industry in 2003 but was thwarted by Congress.
The PBS web site has a good time line on bank deregulation.
People were civil and respectful, many brought their children. I was sitting under a tree eating a snack as the protest came to an end and a woman came up with a trash bag and asked if I needed to throw anything away.
The protest was about spending rather than raising taxes, increasing the deficit by using tax money for Democratic pet projects disguised as stimulus and bailing out private businesses with taxpayer money.
Deficit spending did not bring us out of the Great Depression but made things worse. 8 years of deficit spending under FDR left us with 20% unemployment. World War II brought us out of the depression, not government spending on "make work" projects
The banking problem started with modifications to the Community Reinvestment Act done in 1995 by Democrats and was made much worse by the Banking Modernization Act of 1999, a republican sponsored bill signed into law by Bill Clinton.
In short, both Republicans and Democrats in Congress are to blame for the banking crisis. A majority of the legislation creating the problem was passed during the Clinton administration but he isn't any more to blame than George Bush.
George Bush tried to overhaul the mortgage industry in 2003 but was thwarted by Congress.
The PBS web site has a good time line on bank deregulation.
Friday, April 10, 2009
Obama is the best player on the "Pirate" team
Growing up I always played sports in the street with other kids in the neighborhood. I was taller than everyone else and basketball season meant I would be picked early when choosing teams. Baseball season was another story, I couldn't hit the ball very far and wasn't any better at catching or throwing. I still cringe when I remember a kid from the next block named Al Stone who was always looking for an opportunity to chide me.
"Your the best player on our team" he used to say whenever I would strike out or miss a catch.
The joke of course is I wasn't on his team.
Maersk Alabama Captain Richard Phillips attempted to escape his captors last night and the Obama Administration helped the pirates get him back.
In the middle of the night he jumped in the water and was coerced back in to the lifeboat by the pirates.
If Navy SEAL's had been deployed the Captain would have been pulled under as soon as he hit the water, a respirator placed in his mouth and the pirates would have never seen him again.
"Your the best player on our team" he used to say whenever I would strike out or miss a catch.
The joke of course is I wasn't on his team.
Maersk Alabama Captain Richard Phillips attempted to escape his captors last night and the Obama Administration helped the pirates get him back.
In the middle of the night he jumped in the water and was coerced back in to the lifeboat by the pirates.
If Navy SEAL's had been deployed the Captain would have been pulled under as soon as he hit the water, a respirator placed in his mouth and the pirates would have never seen him again.
Thursday, April 9, 2009
President Obama, there is no need for a 21st Century response to the Pirate stand off, just let the SEALs do their job.
A brave merchant ship captain is held captive by Somali pirates as the USS Bainbridge (DDG-96) stands by waiting for orders from higher up. FBI negotiators are involved and General Petraus reports the Navy is sending additional ships in to the area.
I was in the Navy when President Jimmy Carter executed Operation Eagle Claw, the failed attempt to recover hostages in IRAN.
Long story short if then deputy Secretary of State Warren Christopher had listened to the Israeli's and used the right helicopters the raid would more than likely had been successful and eight heroic American Soldiers and Marines would still be alive.
I am concerned about the outcome of the current hostage situation and wonder how long this is going to last while the Obama Administration works "around the clock" according to Joe Biden instead of letting military commanders do their job and go get Captain Phillips.
Extracting a hostage from four poorly trained armed men floating in a lifeboat dead in the water two hundred niles off shore requires a SEAL team of six to eight men and not a huge "flotilla" of ships and the collection of helicopters, airplanes and flying drones that go with it. Sending more Navy ships to the Indian Ocean will drag the situation out and wear more on the nerves of the captors hurting the chances of a successful rescue.
The Navy SEALS are more qualified to bring a successful end to this crisis than any "Obama Biden Hillary" 21st century solution.
President Obama, please get out of the way and let the real American Hero's do what they do best!
I was in the Navy when President Jimmy Carter executed Operation Eagle Claw, the failed attempt to recover hostages in IRAN.
Long story short if then deputy Secretary of State Warren Christopher had listened to the Israeli's and used the right helicopters the raid would more than likely had been successful and eight heroic American Soldiers and Marines would still be alive.
I am concerned about the outcome of the current hostage situation and wonder how long this is going to last while the Obama Administration works "around the clock" according to Joe Biden instead of letting military commanders do their job and go get Captain Phillips.
Extracting a hostage from four poorly trained armed men floating in a lifeboat dead in the water two hundred niles off shore requires a SEAL team of six to eight men and not a huge "flotilla" of ships and the collection of helicopters, airplanes and flying drones that go with it. Sending more Navy ships to the Indian Ocean will drag the situation out and wear more on the nerves of the captors hurting the chances of a successful rescue.
The Navy SEALS are more qualified to bring a successful end to this crisis than any "Obama Biden Hillary" 21st century solution.
President Obama, please get out of the way and let the real American Hero's do what they do best!
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