Politics is Perception
While on vacation last week I was able to catch a lot of child’s
play. I’m not talking about have my daughters around me all the time, I
am talking about that display put forth by our elected “leaders” in
Washington. If the problems in Washington did not make themselves very
obvious during the sessions last week then you are a much better person than I
am. If last week’s debacle was not the flier on term limits then this
nations loves the misery of gridlock. I am not even talking about the votes
that were cast or the deals that passed the house because I knew some unpopular
bill would be passed that did not solve or tackle the issue that this country
is facing. It was the way our leaders conducted themselves.
play. I’m not talking about have my daughters around me all the time, I
am talking about that display put forth by our elected “leaders” in
Washington. If the problems in Washington did not make themselves very
obvious during the sessions last week then you are a much better person than I
am. If last week’s debacle was not the flier on term limits then this
nations loves the misery of gridlock. I am not even talking about the votes
that were cast or the deals that passed the house because I knew some unpopular
bill would be passed that did not solve or tackle the issue that this country
is facing. It was the way our leaders conducted themselves.
I am mainly
talking about the Hurricane Sandy Relief bill. First let me say that the
fact that this had not been done is somewhat appalling. In 2005,
President Bush took major flack by the lack of response by the government to
New Orleans after Hurricane Katrina. Why isn’t President Obama getting
the same treatment? This time it’s Congress’ fault. Talk about a
media double standard. Anyway, that’s not what I am talking about.
talking about the Hurricane Sandy Relief bill. First let me say that the
fact that this had not been done is somewhat appalling. In 2005,
President Bush took major flack by the lack of response by the government to
New Orleans after Hurricane Katrina. Why isn’t President Obama getting
the same treatment? This time it’s Congress’ fault. Talk about a
media double standard. Anyway, that’s not what I am talking about.
What I am about to
say is my opinion of what happened based on what has been reported by several
news outlets and I have been trying to piece together over the past few days.
The Senate overwhelmingly passes the bill that would provide the much
needed relief to Northeast states affected by Sandy. This then moves on
to the House for a vote. Ironically, the vote for this relief was to
happen the same day that vote on the Tax Deal bill was to happen. So,
apparently Speaker Boehner cancels the vote because he was mad at the bad deal
that was voted on and to get back at the Democrats he cancelled the vote. So,
in a nutshell, he took his ball and went home. That is what the media
wants you to believe.
say is my opinion of what happened based on what has been reported by several
news outlets and I have been trying to piece together over the past few days.
The Senate overwhelmingly passes the bill that would provide the much
needed relief to Northeast states affected by Sandy. This then moves on
to the House for a vote. Ironically, the vote for this relief was to
happen the same day that vote on the Tax Deal bill was to happen. So,
apparently Speaker Boehner cancels the vote because he was mad at the bad deal
that was voted on and to get back at the Democrats he cancelled the vote. So,
in a nutshell, he took his ball and went home. That is what the media
wants you to believe.
Let’s go back to
the Senate portion of the show. How could a bill pass so overpoweringly
in the Senate and not get any play in the House? Just doesn’t make any
sense. So as I read more of what was in this bill almost one third of the
money to be dispersed were to go to states on the Gulf Coast and those
representatives were coincidentally Republican. So did Senate Majority
leader Harry Reid add all this pork to this bill to prevent it from being filibustered?
I understand that he wants to change the rules to prevent filibusters on
the Senate floor, but this is not the way to do it. This is the problem
with Washington. The billions of tax dollars spent to buy votes.
the Senate portion of the show. How could a bill pass so overpoweringly
in the Senate and not get any play in the House? Just doesn’t make any
sense. So as I read more of what was in this bill almost one third of the
money to be dispersed were to go to states on the Gulf Coast and those
representatives were coincidentally Republican. So did Senate Majority
leader Harry Reid add all this pork to this bill to prevent it from being filibustered?
I understand that he wants to change the rules to prevent filibusters on
the Senate floor, but this is not the way to do it. This is the problem
with Washington. The billions of tax dollars spent to buy votes.
Back to Speaker
Boehner. He made a bad deal with a group of people that he believed were
negotiating in good faith and never had any intention of making any real
spending cuts. Sorry Mr. Speaker, you had to see that coming. The
fair and balanced deficit reduction that they were talking about was that the
only fair way to balance the budget will be to raise taxes. Now if
Speaker Boehner did not like the Senate’s version of the Relief bill from the
get go, and that was the reason he cancelled the vote then there is nothing
wrong with that. But there was no indication of that and he looked like a
child by cancelling the vote, giving the illusion he was being spiteful.
Boehner. He made a bad deal with a group of people that he believed were
negotiating in good faith and never had any intention of making any real
spending cuts. Sorry Mr. Speaker, you had to see that coming. The
fair and balanced deficit reduction that they were talking about was that the
only fair way to balance the budget will be to raise taxes. Now if
Speaker Boehner did not like the Senate’s version of the Relief bill from the
get go, and that was the reason he cancelled the vote then there is nothing
wrong with that. But there was no indication of that and he looked like a
child by cancelling the vote, giving the illusion he was being spiteful.
So, now the
country is in an outrage because of the vote that didn’t happen. But the
fact that the elected leaders are once again spending foolishly the taxpayers’
money is not even mentioned. The fact that only a handful of people
negotiate these tax and deficit deals that effect everybody should be the true
outrage. This whole past week was so bad in Washington that Chairman of
the Democratic Caucus Rep. Xavier Becerra (D-CA) did not even support it and
this is why “In the end, I
could not support this short-term fix which may spawn additional long-term
problems, putting off until later the tough decisions on taxes and our nation’s
debt and deficits, while also ignoring the biggest deficit challenging
America’s prosperity: a jobs deficit. Produce jobs, revenues increase. Produce
jobs, deficits drain away. Produce jobs, and the engine of American success –
the middle class – grows and strengthens….”
country is in an outrage because of the vote that didn’t happen. But the
fact that the elected leaders are once again spending foolishly the taxpayers’
money is not even mentioned. The fact that only a handful of people
negotiate these tax and deficit deals that effect everybody should be the true
outrage. This whole past week was so bad in Washington that Chairman of
the Democratic Caucus Rep. Xavier Becerra (D-CA) did not even support it and
this is why “In the end, I
could not support this short-term fix which may spawn additional long-term
problems, putting off until later the tough decisions on taxes and our nation’s
debt and deficits, while also ignoring the biggest deficit challenging
America’s prosperity: a jobs deficit. Produce jobs, revenues increase. Produce
jobs, deficits drain away. Produce jobs, and the engine of American success –
the middle class – grows and strengthens….”
The problem is clear, the perception, not so much.
3D
If you don’t take it from me, ask my wife.