Best that I can determine there are only two things wrong with our government.
Republicans and Democrats.
Other than that everything is going fine.
Imagine where America would be under the following scenario:
In each business enterprise for the last 100 years the employees of every single company were split into two unions. The two unions had vast ideological differences and basically fought tooth and nail over every business decision. How many companies would have prospered under that labor division?
Would America be the capitalist powerhouse it is today?
No.
So, in case you’re keeping score, here’s where we are today, February 22, 2009:
The Republicans, who had no problem ballooning the deficit with President Bush at the helm, have suddenly grown balls and are “going back to their fiscally conservative roots.” Whew, how convenient. Just when they pledged bi-partisan cooperation, there they go, voting unanimously against whatever’s on the agenda. Well, almost unanimously.
Meanwhile the Democrats have presented and passed an economic stimulus plan that just happens to feature every two-bit social program they could dredge up.
The parties have one thing in common. They love spending money they don’t have.
Here’s what we know so far:
President Bush’s tax rebate plan didn’t work. Remember it? Was it good for you?
The first half of the bail out – the one that we just had to do to loosen the credit markets?
Didn’t work. Was it good for you?
The second half of the bail out, the “TARP,” the one we’re about to role out, but with more “oversight” and limited executive compensation? Any evidence that it will work? None.
The stimulus package that just passed – any evidence it will do the trick?
None. Might. Might Not. Just like porn – might stimulate you, might not. Is it good for you?
I used to get very upset about how the government spent my money. I’m over that. They’re not spending my money anymore. They’re several generations ahead now. So, while the woman who had octuplets is being roundly criticized, may I commend her for doing her part to populate the U.S. with the taxpayers of the future. We’re going to need them.
Just gotta job ‘em someday.
So, the way I see it the stimulus bill is a cheesy attempt to slip a high hard one past us. President Obama made it easy on the Republicans who can say they voted against the largest spending bill in history.
The Pelosi’s should have broken the bill up into the debatable parts. Pass a massive infrastructure bill. Let them vote against it. Pass a massive energy bill. Let them vote against it. Pass Health Care reform. Let them vote against it. But they had to do it all at once, tossing in all that “stuff” in a bill that couldn’t have been read by Congress reading at the normal reading rate of a human. Good move in the short run. Bad move in the long run. They’ll pay.
Congressmen have long been re-elected on their ability to bring home the bacon to their home district. Now we just call it pork. One man’s pork is another man’s bacon. Just don’t call it an earmark.
Back to the two parties. Could it be that we’ve outgrown them - that they no longer serve us as well as they should? We have two parties who have strong ideological bases. And maybe that’s the problem. They can’t see past their ideologies. Are the problems of 2009 beyond their grasp? While the pols continue to spit blame, could it be more obvious that they all let us down – that they simply didn’t understand what was ahead? Do you get the feeling that they are on a fishing expedition for solutions and they’re overmatched? Maybe their indecision on our eventual social security shortfall and failure to solve it is just a preview of things to come. We should’ve known.
Could it be time for a third party? Maybe one that doesn’t have its own shill cable network. A party that doesn’t have an ideological base, but a factual, pragmatic one? One that can reason its way through the complex, tough decisions that confront us without being encumbered by the expectations of its donors. An inclusive one where all opinions are respected, valued, and utilized, and consensus decision making is the norm.
Or is it going to be octuplets all around?
Sunday, February 22, 2009
Sunday, February 8, 2009
U got some splainin to do
The week that was:
Fascinating isn’t it that there’s a whole lot of cheating going on.
First a bunch of the President’s nominees get caught in tax dodges.
Then it gets revealed that A-Rod was using steroids back around 2003.
The question of the week is, “when everyone’s cheating, is it really cheating?” Let’s reflect.
Baseball is largely a contest between a pitcher and the hitter.
If they’re both juiced, what’s it all mean?
It’s 2003 and 67 year old Roger Clemens is out there throwing BB’s. What to do, what to do? Now it turns out 104 players tested positive when it wasn’t against the rules, just against the law. A-Rod’s getting crucified, but forgive me if I want to know the rest of the names. If McGuire was hitting against pitchers who were juiced, who had the advantage? Who goes to the Hall of Fame now? Can we be sure about anyone? Do we just throw out the whole steroid era?
Meanwhile, in DC it appears that a life in public service culminates in a late-in-life paycheck of epic proportions as an influence-peddler. Just don’t get called back to public service because you’ll have some “splaining to do,” especially if your accountant was asleep at the wheel. Now, I’ve had my own IRS adventures, so I know how easily one can slip up. But aren’t the parallels between sports and politics becoming apparent? If everyone’s doing it, is it cheating, or are the rules just changing?
Tom Dashcle bit the dust and we’re worse for it. He was clearly exactly what the doctors ordered and now we have to find someone as qualified. But, it turns out there aren’t two sets of rules. But, it sure is time to change the rules. If you’re going to be a public servant, looks like we’ll have to limit that pot at the end of the rainbow. Do you know any other professions where there is a huge payoff when it’s over? A huge pension and great jobs lined up? Teacher? Preacher? Businessman? (Well, sometimes, if you make it to the very tippy top.) It will make it tough on young ex-Presidents, but while we’re bitching about CEO’s bonus’s might we take a look at what an ex-congressman could possibly be worth.
If we can’t trust A-Rod and Tom D, whom can we trust?
Fascinating isn’t it that there’s a whole lot of cheating going on.
First a bunch of the President’s nominees get caught in tax dodges.
Then it gets revealed that A-Rod was using steroids back around 2003.
The question of the week is, “when everyone’s cheating, is it really cheating?” Let’s reflect.
Baseball is largely a contest between a pitcher and the hitter.
If they’re both juiced, what’s it all mean?
It’s 2003 and 67 year old Roger Clemens is out there throwing BB’s. What to do, what to do? Now it turns out 104 players tested positive when it wasn’t against the rules, just against the law. A-Rod’s getting crucified, but forgive me if I want to know the rest of the names. If McGuire was hitting against pitchers who were juiced, who had the advantage? Who goes to the Hall of Fame now? Can we be sure about anyone? Do we just throw out the whole steroid era?
Meanwhile, in DC it appears that a life in public service culminates in a late-in-life paycheck of epic proportions as an influence-peddler. Just don’t get called back to public service because you’ll have some “splaining to do,” especially if your accountant was asleep at the wheel. Now, I’ve had my own IRS adventures, so I know how easily one can slip up. But aren’t the parallels between sports and politics becoming apparent? If everyone’s doing it, is it cheating, or are the rules just changing?
Tom Dashcle bit the dust and we’re worse for it. He was clearly exactly what the doctors ordered and now we have to find someone as qualified. But, it turns out there aren’t two sets of rules. But, it sure is time to change the rules. If you’re going to be a public servant, looks like we’ll have to limit that pot at the end of the rainbow. Do you know any other professions where there is a huge payoff when it’s over? A huge pension and great jobs lined up? Teacher? Preacher? Businessman? (Well, sometimes, if you make it to the very tippy top.) It will make it tough on young ex-Presidents, but while we’re bitching about CEO’s bonus’s might we take a look at what an ex-congressman could possibly be worth.
If we can’t trust A-Rod and Tom D, whom can we trust?
At the Cinema - January 2009
Frost/Nixon - 9 . Frank Langella gives my new favorite performance of 2008, largely because it’s such a deft impersonation of a President that those my age know so well. If you’re under 30, you may not be as impressed. He runs us up and down the sympathy pole and reveals magical insights into the ego of a man who dedicated his life to public service, yet was never appreciated – and in the end was vilified. Director Ron Howard seems to do his best recreating real events by layering on the drama and this recounting of the David Frost interview of Nixon and the back story is no exception. He revs up the action until we just can’t wait for the climax. Well worth seeing.
The Wrestler – 8. Mickey Rourke will probably win a best actor Oscar for his tour de force in which he tours and forces as a wrestler sliding down the rope of his career. This is at times a brutal movie, and the only punches it pulls are in the wrestling ring. Evan Rachel Wood adds to her resume as his alienated daughter. There’s some brute force in their scenes. Marisa Tomei is every bit Rourke’s equal in her best role since My Cousin Vinnie. She won’t win an Oscar for this role like she did for that one, but she’s wonderful as the stripper attracted to the wrestler but trying to keep her distance. I didn’t much care for the ending, which has generated a little controversy, but in fairness it’s the trip that’s fascinating here, not the destination.
Rachel Getting Married – 2. Anne Hathaway’s Oscar-nominated turn as the screwed up sister of the bride can’t save this Jonathan Demme mess of a picture. I give it a two for the few interesting scenes between her and Rosemarie DeWitt (who’s every bit as good), but other than that the movie is as excruciating as attending a real wedding. (Not yours of course.) I don’t know if it was the hand held camera that made me nauseous or the subject matter, but I never believed it for a minute. In fairness, let me point out that almost all other reviews have been raves. I don’t know what movie they were watching. In fact I don’t think I’ve ever seen a bigger disparity on one of my favorite web sites, metacritic.com between the critical acclaim and audience reaction. Critics praised it, and the viewers didn’t. I guess I just ain’t as sophisticated. If Demme was out to make us squirm and uncomfortable, he succeeds, but not the way he wanted. I’m a big Anne fan, so let me just say, check out Get Smart and at least have some fun watching her. "Bridal Wars" notwithstanding (which I have no plans to see because it's been panned so badly), I think she's going to be a huge star.
Taken – 8 I’ve never been much of a Liam Neeson fan, but here he brings some great anger to his role as the CIA retiree father of a kidnapped daughter who turns out to be the kidnapper’s worst nightmare – a father who’s both skilled and pissed. The theme here is basically “you fucked with the wrong American” as he chews through the Paris underworld leaving a body count that never seems to catch the attention of the police. Throw in some Bournish chase scenes and fights and you’ve got the picture, but it’s a well done ride that avoids the “blurry action” until the climactic fight scene. You’ve seen it all a million times, why not go see it again? This one is at least crisp and to the point.
The Wrestler – 8. Mickey Rourke will probably win a best actor Oscar for his tour de force in which he tours and forces as a wrestler sliding down the rope of his career. This is at times a brutal movie, and the only punches it pulls are in the wrestling ring. Evan Rachel Wood adds to her resume as his alienated daughter. There’s some brute force in their scenes. Marisa Tomei is every bit Rourke’s equal in her best role since My Cousin Vinnie. She won’t win an Oscar for this role like she did for that one, but she’s wonderful as the stripper attracted to the wrestler but trying to keep her distance. I didn’t much care for the ending, which has generated a little controversy, but in fairness it’s the trip that’s fascinating here, not the destination.
Rachel Getting Married – 2. Anne Hathaway’s Oscar-nominated turn as the screwed up sister of the bride can’t save this Jonathan Demme mess of a picture. I give it a two for the few interesting scenes between her and Rosemarie DeWitt (who’s every bit as good), but other than that the movie is as excruciating as attending a real wedding. (Not yours of course.) I don’t know if it was the hand held camera that made me nauseous or the subject matter, but I never believed it for a minute. In fairness, let me point out that almost all other reviews have been raves. I don’t know what movie they were watching. In fact I don’t think I’ve ever seen a bigger disparity on one of my favorite web sites, metacritic.com between the critical acclaim and audience reaction. Critics praised it, and the viewers didn’t. I guess I just ain’t as sophisticated. If Demme was out to make us squirm and uncomfortable, he succeeds, but not the way he wanted. I’m a big Anne fan, so let me just say, check out Get Smart and at least have some fun watching her. "Bridal Wars" notwithstanding (which I have no plans to see because it's been panned so badly), I think she's going to be a huge star.
Taken – 8 I’ve never been much of a Liam Neeson fan, but here he brings some great anger to his role as the CIA retiree father of a kidnapped daughter who turns out to be the kidnapper’s worst nightmare – a father who’s both skilled and pissed. The theme here is basically “you fucked with the wrong American” as he chews through the Paris underworld leaving a body count that never seems to catch the attention of the police. Throw in some Bournish chase scenes and fights and you’ve got the picture, but it’s a well done ride that avoids the “blurry action” until the climactic fight scene. You’ve seen it all a million times, why not go see it again? This one is at least crisp and to the point.
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