Tag Archives: Politics

Politics

aSide Order

Citizen Co-Sponsor Project, Your Chance To Show Your Interest

Got a note from my Congressman, Jeff Miller (R-FL1), informing me about a website designed to take public input on legislation of the 113th Congress. It is set up where you can browse bills in categories that interest you, and can become a “co-sponsor” of them, any of them, if you wish. And if you know of a bill that isn’t listed, simply use the search box by bill number to bring it up so you, and now others, can become a co-sponsor too!

It is a tool that allows the House to see what bills are important to you so please use it. It’s a pretty cool tool.

Link: Citizen Cosponsor Projectendofstory

Depends on what the meaning of ‘Service’ is

I became confused when I heard the word “Service” used with these agencies:

Internal Revenue ‘Service’ 
U.S. Postal ‘Service’ 
Telephone ‘Service’ 
Cable TV ‘Service’
Civil ‘Service’ 
State, City, County & Public ‘Service’
Customer ‘Service’ 

This is not what I thought ‘Service’ meant.

But today, I overheard two farmers talking, and one of them said he had hired a bull to ‘Service’ a few cows. BAM!!! It all came into focus. Now I understand what all those agencies are doing.

I hope that you are now just as enlightened as I am.

endofstory

Some lawmakers are not making laws, KUDOS to them!

It’s always been my contention that the people we elect to represent us should not be called “lawmakers,” just because they can and do make laws. The Constitution does not demand that they make laws. But if laws are to be made, only they can do it.

Consequently, The Lunch Counter wants to recognize sixteen members of Congress, 2 senators and 14 13 members of the House, for resisting to make new laws. I’m of the belief that after over 230 years of existence, there are enough laws out there already. It’s so bad, that laws are being made because other laws are not being enforced. Can you say . . .  immigration?

Not surprisingly, some on the Left are calling this Congress the least productive in modern history. This includes 6 freshmen House members.

Our elected representatives ought to be called “managers” instead of lawmakers. Then maybe they would feel compelled abide by the Constitution and look out for the folks instead of dreaming up new ways to put limits on our freedom ,which in most cases, is what laws do.

According to govtrack.us . . .

The members of Congress who haven’t filed a bill so far are an assorted bunch. The list includes House Speaker Rep. John Boehner (R-OH), whose many administrative and procedural duties preclude him from being very active in proposing legislation.

Six of the members who haven’t yet filed a bill are in their first term: freshmen Rep. George Holding (R-NC), Rep. Alan Lowenthal (D-CA), Rep. Tom Rice (R-SC), Rep. Bradley Schneider (D-IL), Sen. Tim Scott (R-SC), and Sen. Jeffrey Chiesa (R-NJ), who was appointed to the seat vacated by the death of Frank Lautenberg in June. Rep. Mark Sanford (R-SC), who previously served in Congress in 2000 but began this term in May after winning a special election, also hasn’t yet filed a bill. (H.R.3051, 8/2/2013) These lawmakers are presumably taking the time to learn how Congress works and decide on their legislative agenda.

The remaining eight members of the House with no bill in their name have been in Congress for a while: Rep. Corrine Brown (D-FL), Rep. Jim Clyburn (D-SC), Rep. Kay Granger(R-TX), Rep. Jeb Hensarling (R-TX), Rep. Jack Kingston (R-GA), Rep. Kenny Marchant (R-TX),Rep. David Scott (D-GA) and Rep. Lynn Westmoreland (R-GA).

Since govtrack.us published the article, 7/22/2013, Rep. Mark Sanford (R-SC) sponsored H.R.3051, a bill to extend State jurisdiction over submerged lands and to allow States to grant oil and natural gas leases in the extended area. Hit the Citizen Cosponsor Project to become a co-sponsor.

2014 Election, 2016 Election, Economy, Immigration, Politics, Race Relations

“One Spin, One Win,” The 2014 Election

You could say that politics in 2013 and leading up to the 2014 election is not unlike the wheel games on the boardwalk. A big win for either party is not certain. It’s not even certain that one party will win. The balance of power could stay as it is, which isn’t enough to stop America’s decline.spinning_wheel2

Some say, like this article, that the Tea Party (which isn’t an actual party, but a group of political conservatives) has lost its power due in part to its low profile compared to a few years ago when it took the House in the 2010 election. And also point to some of their “candidates” beginning to change color and lose favor. Sen. Marco Rubio for example, was against immigration reform without border security first, before he was for it. Who the Tea Party gets behind in 2014 and 2016 remains to be seen. They have had enough of politicians that lack the backbone to stand up for conservative principles, ALL the time.

Then there are the democrats that have had enough of the “Hope and Change” vapors. Who instead want to see the promises (any of them) come to fruition. Too bad it took five years for them to see that the man they elected hasn’t a clue about solving why they still don’t have a job, why their health care is getting more expensive, and why their dollar is worth less and less every day. While they all won’t switch their political party, they might sit the next election out. A phenomenon that cost Romney his election win when, compared to 2008, over 3 million republicans stayed home and didn’t vote. On top of buyer’s remorse, you have Democrats like Louisianans Elbert Guillary and Ralph Washington switching to the Republican Party.

Both parties have reason for concern. If Democrats keep the Senate and take the House back, it’s game over for America as we know it. High unemployment the new norm. Overbearing government control of our lives, despite the Constitution, the new norm. And the so-called “lame duck” will be anything but lame. The stakes couldn’t be higher for Republicans to get behind the conservatism that got them elected in 2010, if they ever intend to get control of the Senate, keep the House, and turn this ship around. They actually can make Obama’s promises come to fruition. Being Democrat-lite is a loser.

Links: Tea Party Plans to Abandon GOP Stars | Two Black Democrats Become Republicans in Louisiana

Media, Middle East, Politics, War On Terror

No “Stand Your Ground” For U.S. Embassies

1 Comment

The news this weekend is all about the United States closing 22 embassies in the Middle East. Two things are clear. Make that three.

surrender_white_flag

alQaeda is on the run. But not in the direction we’ve been led to believe.

The lesson learned from 9/11/2012 seems to be, instead of defending our interests, you retreat. They win. We lose.

The third thing is, which seems to be lost in all the hoopla, is the way the administration is handling this incident that is yet to obama_surrenderhappen. An incident that, arguably, is best dealt with in private, not in public. They have signaled to the enemy that they’ve already won. Without a single shot being fired. At the same time, they’ve told the enemy that their electronic communications were intercepted, losing our intel on the two terrorist leaders. It clearly demonstrates that this administration has absolutely no will to take the fight to this enemy. Even when they deliver it to us. And is willing to sacrifice national security for political cover.

That the administration would weaken their hand with all this pre-emptive transparency to the enemy, seems more than a little politically motivated when we still get no transparency on what happened nearly a year ago in Benghazi.

Economy, Energy, Organized Labor, Politics

Only The Names Have Changed In Dept. of Labor

Labor Secretary Perez is hitting the ground running with a new and improved Department of Labor 2014-2018 Strategic Plan Outreach. I think it would be a mistake to think that President Obama picked Thomas E. Perez for Labor Secretary for the purposes of helping to turn this sorry economic situation around.

20130723-PerezBioPhoto-200

On the contrary, through the smoke and mirrors of his bullet points, the message is clear. The government has no intention of taking its boot off business’s throat. “Ensuring” access to opportunities that are already there means more government intervention.

Ensure access to opportunity . . .

  • to earn a fair day’s pay
  • for workers and employers to compete on a level playing field
  • to retire with dignity and peace of mind
  • opportunity for people to work in a safe and healthy environment
  • and with the full protection of our anti-discrimination laws.

The names have changed, but the agenda? Not so much. A higher federally mandated minimum wage that won’t be a minimum wage, but a “living wage.” Undermining the employer/employee relationship through government intervention. Increasing labor union membership, bailing out labor union underfunded pensions. And other than putting more pressure on the coal industry, working in a safe and healthy environment isn’t an opportunity. It’s not only to the employer’s benefit to have a safe work environment, but is required. The antidiscrimination issue is code for lowering or eliminating job qualification standards, forcing employers to hire more people to make up for the loss in productivity.

To his credit though, Sec. Perez says he will allow you to take part in a live web chat starting Monday Aug. 5 at 2 pm. Make sure you are heard. And let’s see how sincere he really is in his method of finding common ground via “collaboration, consensus-building and pragmatic problem-solving.”

Link: Department of Labor 2014-2018 Strategic Plan Outreach

Obamacare, Politics

A Miracle Hits Washington

In response to Republicans and some Democrats wanting to de-fund the unaffordable Affordable Care Act, the President flippantly remarks that “they haven’t an alternative”

Well what do you know. The “no alternative” just picked up another co-sponsor. Rep. Tom Rice (R-NC7) signed on as a co-sponsor to H.R.2300, AKA the Empowering Patients First Act of 2013.

It’s some kind of miracle that a bill that, according to the Community Organizer In Chief (President Obama), doesn’t exist can also have co-sponsors.

You, and President Obama, can follow the bill HERE.

Link: H.R. 2300: Empowering Patients First Act of 2013

Economy, Media, Politics

No Significant Hiring This Year, Or Next

President Barack Obama gave a major economic policy speech last week. We’ve heard it all before, and before. Here’s what he didn’t say, and probably won’t ever say: Businesses will not begin new, significant hiring this year or in 2014.

Real unemployment will get worse and, the 7.6% unemployment rate from the BLS is bogus, manipulated math. The real unemployment rate is more like 17.2%.

The closely followed, single BLS unemployment metric, now 7.6%, fails to reflect the actual state of things: Unemployment and underemployment is, according to Gallup, 17.2%. That means more than 20 million Americans are unemployed or grossly underemployed. And here’s a much more significant metric: only 44.7% of adults 18 years and older in the U.S. are in a full-time job, according to Gallup’s Payroll to Population (P2P) metric.

Link: Jim Clifton, Gallup Chairman and CEO

Energy, Politics

Pipeline Safety? Not So Much

While the exploding oil train in Canada where 47 people died is still fresh in your memory, you may be surprised to learn that there were plans to make accidents like that preventable. The Obama administration has delayed by nearly a year a plan to boost safety standards for the type of rail car involved.You would also be surprised to learn that the government agency responsible is called the Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration.

A proposed rule to beef up rail-car safety was initially scheduled to be put in place last October, but it has been delayed until late September at the earliest. A final rule isn’t expected until next year.

The administration has a good track record of delaying and denying approval of the XL pipeline over safety and environmental issues, all of which have been satisfactorily addressed. Pipelines don’t crash and burn. Rail cars do. So why all the foot-dragging? Maybe because Warren Buffet, one of the largest campaign donors to the Democratic Party, owns BNSF Railway. A railroad company that transports the same oil that the XL pipeline would. Isn’t it obvious where this administration’s priorities are?

Link: Oil Train Safety Rule Delayed By 1 Year

Economy, Media, Politics, Race Relations

Reality v Pres. Obama’s Speeches

Keep in mind that Senator Obama, and now President Obama, for five years now, has been focused like a laser beam on rebuilding the economy. Really? I guess it depends on the meaning of “rebuilding.” His speech on the economy last week, was the same speech he has read since day one. More spending, more taxing the rich, infrastructure, middle class, green energy, education, investments, bla bla bla.

Five years later, here’s a progress report (minus $7 trillion in more debt) from an unlikely source. The Associated Press.

Four out of 5 U.S. adults struggle with joblessness, near-poverty or reliance on welfare for at least parts of their lives, a sign of deteriorating economic security and an elusive American dream. {emphasis added}

… the widening gap between rich and poor, and the loss of good-paying manufacturing jobs …

Faced with the reality that picking victims by race is not working, maybe trying something that would help “everyone” (as in post-racial?) is a wiser approach?

As nonwhites approach a numerical majority in the U.S., (a reality not missed by Democrats, in so many ways) one question is how public programs to lift the disadvantaged should be best focused – on the affirmative action that historically has tried to eliminate the racial barriers seen as the major impediment to economic equality, or simply on improving socioeconomic status for all, regardless of race.

Hardship is particularly growing among whites, based on several measures. Pessimism among that racial group about their families’ economic futures has climbed to the highest point since at least 1987. In the most recent AP-GfK poll, 63 percent of whites called the economy “poor.”

I’m not the only one who sees our American ship heading for the rocks. Most would think this to be bad news. But not our President. He’s getting closer to what he calls leveling the playing field. It is clear, according to the AP, that poverty and pessimism about our country’s future is shared by everyone, regardless of race, equally.

Obama is closing the gap in poverty among the races. Not by lifting those at the bottom, but by lowering those higher up.

While racial and ethnic minorities are more likely to live in poverty, race disparities in the poverty rate have narrowed substantially since the 1970s.

I don’t blame or hold President Obama solely responsible for this disaster. It is the result of something larger than himself. It is Liberalism in general, the ideology, that fails us. Just like it fails in every other country it is tried.

The consequence of spreading the wealth only results in one thing. Spreading the misery.

Link: Exclusive: Signs of declining economic security

Gun Control, Politics

Missouri Gives Feds The Finger Over Gun Control

Probably goes nowhere when it gets to the Supreme Court. If it gets that far. But I like their spunk.obama_holder

The legislation would make it a misdemeanor for federal agents to attempt to enforce any federal gun regulations that “infringe on the people’s right to keep and bear arms.” The same criminal charges would apply to journalists who publish any identifying information about gun owners. The charge would be punishable by up to a year in jail and a $1,000 fine.

Link: Democrats to aid Republicans on Missouri gun bill