Washington, Hollywood On The Potomac
Ken Hughes
December 31, 2007
It’s difficult to determine if the 2008 presidential election process is more like Jeopardy or a Miss America contest. In either case the questions and answers are only ask and given for there entertainment value. Most voters see very little value in what goes on in the primary campaigns. Primary campaigns are designed for those political activists whose interests go beyond the norm to select their party’s candidate in order for the games to begin in earnest.
In recent elections theatrics plays a larger and larger roll in national politics. Candidates are sculptured, choreographed, and every word is scripted to create an image of perfection. This starts long before they ever announce they will be running for president. For a couple of years before they will admit they are candidates they travel the country, seeking advice, testing the water, visiting friends. Factually it’s all foreplay for the coming event, no one except perhaps the media is ever deceived by such foolishness. Men and women who intend running for president know years in advance of their intentions, in many cases they are prepared from infancy.
With many men and women the opportunity to run for president becomes an obsession, many from early years as students in universities where the zeal to address social issues runs rampant. One of the problems with academia teaching political science is that the instructors seldom have any experience in the real world. What looks fair and balanced on paper only addresses one side of the issue. Text books address causes and seldom cost, neither financial nor emotional. When someone is lifted up by his or her boot straps someone else has to do the heavy lifting. We must always be vigilant of politicians bearing gifts of gold the gifts don’t turn out to be made of lead.
There’s no social justice without equal social responsibility. In the past half century this countries government has wasted billions of tax payer’s dollars on programs that have turned out to be cash cows for unscrupulous hucksters who knew how to work the system. Rather than allow private charities to set the standards and administer the funds bureaucrats whose only experience came from books written by persons whose only experience came from books [and the circle never ends.] Every time someone suggests bringing the system under some kind of control the do-gooders scream foul. A classic example is when George Bush assumed the presidency he went to his arch-rival Teddy Kennedy and asks him to write a fair education bill within the guidelines of “No Child Left Behind.” Even though it was Democratic legislation it has become an albatross for President Bush’s administration. The failure is any is attributed to Bush.
In the beginning of the 2008 presidential election cycle Democrats were emphatic the Bush tax cuts, [voted on and passed by the majority of congress] where unjust and needed to be repealed. Democratic Congress men and women are convinced because all money is branded with the great seal of the United States of America the money belongs to the government and since they are the caretakers of the government, the money is actually theirs and is only on temporary loan to the public.
With all the hysteria how the Bush tax cuts were bleeding the nation dry there was no mention of the pork barrel [set aside] spending congress undertook at the same time. Nor was there ever any indication what additional taxes would be used for, all the public was told was their taxes would go through the roof when and if Democrats take control.
I’m not clairvoyant, I wish I were. I do know no one I talk with thinks there’s any need for an increase in taxes until congress proves they can be physically responsible with taxes they collect now. The public has an image of congress standing on the banks of the Potomac River throwing million dollar bills in the water to float down the river to God only knows where and to whom. This make about as much sense to taxpayers and the way congress is requesting, rather demanding more taxes.
There’s only one solution to the irresponsibility of the 110th congress and that’s to replace most of those running for reelection with new more responsible candidates for congress when the time comes. Nancy Pelosi and Harry Reid have made a mess out of their administering congress and the low polling numbers of congress prove we need change in the next [111th] congress.
The failure of both Nancy Pelosi and Harry Reid comes from believing their own propaganda. They assumed because they despised George Bush and they gained control of congress everyone hated George Bush. The fact is the public was sending a message to congress, lie to us and your history. Republican Congressmen lied to their constituents when they began acting more like Democrats than the Conservative Republicans they were elected to be. This may well be the same scenario in the coming 2008 elections. Democratic congressman can just as easley be replaced regardless of whose elected president.
Voters are becoming more sophisticated with each election. This new information age has provided the public with information not previously available. Until the internet and Bloggers came to the political arena voters were dependent on the media for most of their information. Today information abounds, nothing remains a secret from the public. Its taking politician’s time to adjust, but adjust they must. One way the public can assist in the adjustment is by retiring many of the incumbents who haven’t changed an opinion in years. Vote for new congressmen and women bring America into the 21st century with 21st century thinking.
THE ONLY WASTED VOTE IS NOT VOTING
In recent elections theatrics plays a larger and larger roll in national politics. Candidates are sculptured, choreographed, and every word is scripted to create an image of perfection. This starts long before they ever announce they will be running for president. For a couple of years before they will admit they are candidates they travel the country, seeking advice, testing the water, visiting friends. Factually it’s all foreplay for the coming event, no one except perhaps the media is ever deceived by such foolishness. Men and women who intend running for president know years in advance of their intentions, in many cases they are prepared from infancy.
With many men and women the opportunity to run for president becomes an obsession, many from early years as students in universities where the zeal to address social issues runs rampant. One of the problems with academia teaching political science is that the instructors seldom have any experience in the real world. What looks fair and balanced on paper only addresses one side of the issue. Text books address causes and seldom cost, neither financial nor emotional. When someone is lifted up by his or her boot straps someone else has to do the heavy lifting. We must always be vigilant of politicians bearing gifts of gold the gifts don’t turn out to be made of lead.
There’s no social justice without equal social responsibility. In the past half century this countries government has wasted billions of tax payer’s dollars on programs that have turned out to be cash cows for unscrupulous hucksters who knew how to work the system. Rather than allow private charities to set the standards and administer the funds bureaucrats whose only experience came from books written by persons whose only experience came from books [and the circle never ends.] Every time someone suggests bringing the system under some kind of control the do-gooders scream foul. A classic example is when George Bush assumed the presidency he went to his arch-rival Teddy Kennedy and asks him to write a fair education bill within the guidelines of “No Child Left Behind.” Even though it was Democratic legislation it has become an albatross for President Bush’s administration. The failure is any is attributed to Bush.
In the beginning of the 2008 presidential election cycle Democrats were emphatic the Bush tax cuts, [voted on and passed by the majority of congress] where unjust and needed to be repealed. Democratic Congress men and women are convinced because all money is branded with the great seal of the United States of America the money belongs to the government and since they are the caretakers of the government, the money is actually theirs and is only on temporary loan to the public.
With all the hysteria how the Bush tax cuts were bleeding the nation dry there was no mention of the pork barrel [set aside] spending congress undertook at the same time. Nor was there ever any indication what additional taxes would be used for, all the public was told was their taxes would go through the roof when and if Democrats take control.
I’m not clairvoyant, I wish I were. I do know no one I talk with thinks there’s any need for an increase in taxes until congress proves they can be physically responsible with taxes they collect now. The public has an image of congress standing on the banks of the Potomac River throwing million dollar bills in the water to float down the river to God only knows where and to whom. This make about as much sense to taxpayers and the way congress is requesting, rather demanding more taxes.
There’s only one solution to the irresponsibility of the 110th congress and that’s to replace most of those running for reelection with new more responsible candidates for congress when the time comes. Nancy Pelosi and Harry Reid have made a mess out of their administering congress and the low polling numbers of congress prove we need change in the next [111th] congress.
The failure of both Nancy Pelosi and Harry Reid comes from believing their own propaganda. They assumed because they despised George Bush and they gained control of congress everyone hated George Bush. The fact is the public was sending a message to congress, lie to us and your history. Republican Congressmen lied to their constituents when they began acting more like Democrats than the Conservative Republicans they were elected to be. This may well be the same scenario in the coming 2008 elections. Democratic congressman can just as easley be replaced regardless of whose elected president.
Voters are becoming more sophisticated with each election. This new information age has provided the public with information not previously available. Until the internet and Bloggers came to the political arena voters were dependent on the media for most of their information. Today information abounds, nothing remains a secret from the public. Its taking politician’s time to adjust, but adjust they must. One way the public can assist in the adjustment is by retiring many of the incumbents who haven’t changed an opinion in years. Vote for new congressmen and women bring America into the 21st century with 21st century thinking.
THE ONLY WASTED VOTE IS NOT VOTING
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