The Fuse Fizzled Out...

The United State Senate has proven itself to be nothing more than a group of spoiled children. They seem to refuse to do what is needed for the country and continue to waste time on their own little ideas of what is right and wrong for the United States. Now they have shown themselves to be a bunch of self-serving wimps. They “reached an agreement” to allow an up or down confirmation vote for Priscilla Owen, Janice Rogers Brown and William Pryor. What really occurred was more business as usual from these guys. They have managed to once again spin their wheels and do nothing. The reality is that the Democrats did not have enough votes to stop the nuclear option to end the filibuster and the Republicans know that someday they will not be in control and did not want to remove their chance to be spoiled kids when it is their turn.

You have to love some of the quotes from these guys.

"We have lifted ourselves above politics," agreed Sen. Robert C. Byrd D-W.Va., "And we have signed this document ... in the interest of freedom of speech, freedom of debate and freedom to dissent in the United States Senate."

"This agreement is meant in the finest traditions of the Senate it was entered into: trust, respect and mutual desire to see the institution of the Senate function in ways that protect the rights of the minority." — Sen. John McCain R-Ariz.

"The Senate is back in business." — Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C.

"Tonight the Senate has worked its will on behalf of reason and behalf of responsibility. We have sent President George Bush, Vice President Dick Cheney and the radical arm of the Republican base an undeniable message: Abuse of power will not be tolerated, will not be tolerated by Democrats or Republicans. And your attempt, I say to the vice president and to the president, to trample the Constitution and grab absolute control is over." — Senate Democratic leader Harry Reid of Nevada.

What a bunch of hot air! This will all come back again when the time comes to nominate a justice for the Supreme Court. Why do we tolerate this 100-member club doing nothing? Hey members of the Senate, why aren’t you working on stabilizing Social Security, securing out southern border, stopping U. S. jobs from being outsourced, equalizing the trade imbalance with China, and many of the far more pressing issues? Maybe they think these things will just go away…

The Fuse is Lit...

It seems as if the “Nuclear Option” will finally come to a head. Depending on which side one feels is right, its tough not to look at them like 2 spoiled kids. Both the Republicans and Democrats want to “take their ball and go home”. I also feel that this is not the issue that either side should draw their line in the sand. The Democrats argued for the first Bush term that since he had not won the popular vote that they had to filibuster his judicial nominees. That was nonsense then and is nonsense now. The Republicans put up with it for 4 years and only now are willing to do something about it. This has put 2 judicial nominees on hold for about 4 years. What neither side seems to think about is that someday the control of the House and Senate will change hands and the shoe will be on the other foot.

If the Democrats force the “Nuclear Option” to happen they will have no say in any Supreme Court nominees for a long time to come. Is this their best move to dig in now? Do the Republicans want to “take the gloves off” and be willing to fight back against the Democrats?

I think that 2 groups who are in the business of negotiating deals should be able to reach an agreement. I feel that a yes or no vote should be the only option. If not its time for the voters to take the ball away from these career freeloaders and send them both home…

Creationists Seek Curriculum Change...

Most people will agree that the quality of education in the public school systems leaves a lot to be desired. It seems that there is a lot of talk about changing the curriculum but it never seems to be to add more math, science and grammar. It always seems to be the need to add more art and music and touchy feely classes. We graduate children that cant read and write or balance a checkbook. The latest thing in Kansas is another big push to teach creationism in the public schools. This is a touchy issue but I feel that creationism is better left to church schools or parents. The people that want creationism taught keep saying that evolution is just a theory. Well so is gravity and electricity and no one gets upset that they are theories.

The creationists are literalists that seem set in the idea that the world was created in 6 days and those 6 days were 24 hours long. The writers of the Bible had to use a “reference of time” to define creation. What’s to say that the first “day” was not really 1,000,000 years? And the second “day” wasn’t 10,000 years and so on? This only would answer part of the creation/evolution question. The real issue is the question of whether humans evolved from apes or not. I feel that we did but there are many out there that get very offended by the very thought.
There is also a group creationists that feel the earth is only about 6000 years old and ignore any of the things like carbon dating and fossils that prove the earth is much older. What will happen if they start pushing the get their agenda into the public schools?

The only sure thing that will come out of this will be a whole lot of kids who still wont be able to read either a Bible or a science book…

Time for Term Limits in Congress...

The time has come to put some term limits on Congress. I think 2 terms for Senators and 5 or 6 terms for Representatives would be about right. We already have a 2-term limit for President and I think that works well. After 8 years I feel most of the voters are ready for a change. 12 years is more than enough for any member of Congress.

Some of the biggest problems going on in Congress these days are because of these career politicians. The do nothing important because they can continue to campaign on the same things each time. It has to be very disheartening for a new member of Congress to find out they have to “toe the party line” or they wont get any support from their parties leaders or any campaign finance support from their party chairs. They become part of the problem right from their first day. Instead of working for the good of the country, they get bogged down in all the ridiculous things that pass for lawmaking. A few of them lately are bringing a bunch of former baseball players to Washington to show their “concern” about steroids, the Terry Shiavo incident, and this important piece of legislation, extending daylight savings time by 2 months.

Most of these career politicians feel that they are above it all. That rules don’t apply to them. They don’t think they have committed ethics offensives or crimes. Does anyone remember the Congressional Post Office scandal about 10 years ago? They take expensive “junkets” paid for by lobbyists. They fill their PACs with family members and pay them huge salaries from campaign funds. When they get caught, they blame the “vast right wing conspiracy” or “the left wing media”. They take no responsibility for anything, including never getting anything done.

A few of the “lifers” that need to go are Ted Kennedy, Barbara Boxer, Nancy Pelosi, John McCain, Tom Delay, Harry Reid, Carl Levin, Arlen Specter, Orrin Hatch, Joe Biden, Maxine Waters, Henry Hide, Henry Waxman, and the list goes on and on…