134

134 members of your United States House of Representatives voted against a bill for greater shareholder input into CEO compensation.  All aboard the gravy train.  Actually this bill passed the House but I can’t imagine what happens in the Senate where you have to be a millionaire to think about running. 

Who do we want?

I keep wondering about this primary Presidential “Race” that is on as we speak.  I keep looking at these people wondering how they can continue to “not get it”.  I am here at a conference with a group of outstanding teachers of Government, History and Civics.  We are being taught by a group of learned professors.  All of the people here seem to get it.  If there are so many people who “get it” about how this country should be ( I refuse to put quotes around should be as even if my exact vision for how should be is not your own there is no doubt there is a should be that exists in contrast to how it is) how can we keep electing  people with little vision other than enacting a straight ideological line irrespective or incapable of an independent thought.  This is just some random musing on my part. 

Headed for a Constitutional Showdown?

The President and Congress appear to be headed for a showdown at the O.K. Corral over executive privilege.  Excuse me, but is this what we elected you people for?  This is yet another tangential non-issue that takes away from addressing the real problems this country faces.  Everyone knows that this White House stonewalls and obfuscates.  The people elected them for a 2nd term anyway.  So Congress, get on with your business, it looks like you are on a partisan witch hunt.  Mr. President, by stonewalling and constantly protecting your secrecy you look like you are hiding something even when you are not.  You do not have executive privilege to keep non-national security information from the Congress.  Produce the information and stop wasting the time that we the people are paying you for.  Once again, both sides are wrong and the people lose.

The news should make us ashamed…

I read, on Yahoo, an article that describes a study of the workforces of the world and how much they whine.  I can understand France being number 1 because, well, no explanation needed.  For the United States to be in the top five should make us all ashamed of ourselves.  We have the highest standard of living in the world, and yet we complain.  This is a travesty.  It is too bad that the rugged, frontier, pull yourself up by the bootstraps mentality has been replaced by the woe is me, victim, the world owes me attitude.  We have become to reliant on government, litigation, and lotteries.  To get something, it should be earned. 

Now, lest some right-wing, Darwinian, capitalist come along and peg this as a diatribe for unbridled capitalism I must beg to differ.  I also read an article on CEO compensation that listed the top 10 in America.  These salaries are not based on production nor contributions to a company.  They are purely a handout in an old boys network of corporate greed.  Boards that agree to such compensation at the expense of stockholders should investigated for fraud.  They think nothing of firing thousands of workers to cut costs when the most obvious useless cost is sitting at the head table. 

I guess what I am trying to say is that the attitude of many needs an adjustment.  CEO’s and entry level alike should be sent to other parts of the world when they get to unhappy with what they have. 

Doomed to Repeat it….

Anyone who remembers their Civics class may remember the names: Paine, Locke and Hobbs.  These were political philosophers who understood the meaning of society and how it needed to be set up in order to operate well.  At that time the world was full of monarchies and individual rights were not at all recognized.  I believe today the pendulum has swung to far.  So far, in fact, that people are so wrapped up in their individual rights that few are willing or even see their responsibility to others and the greater society.  I am sick of people who think that rules do not apply to them, people who want to be cared for because they unwilling to do their part.  I am mostly sick of people who have an obscure skill which, for some reason, is highly valued in our economy and instead of being grateful become self important buffoons.  One politician, it was John McCain I think, talked about being part of something greater than ourselves.  It is time for some of us to pull our heads out (so to speak) and see the bigger picture. 

Comparison Shopping

Don Imus said something stupid and insensitive.  While I find this appalling, though not rare, I pause to wonder what other people in the public eye have done and said and kept their jobs.  Well, where to begin, the Vice-President shot a guy in the face.  President Bush has a DWI, John McCain was one of the Keating 5, Hillary Clinton has Whitewater and Bill Clinton (insert your favorite White House intern joke here)?  Allen Iverson killed a guy, Ray Lewis obstructed justice and Mike Tyson (we won’t even make a list) lead a laundry list from the world of sports (Sports Center could give us a list of the week).   Mel Gibson (antisemitic), Robert Downey Jr. (I don’t have enough room here), and Nick Nolte (have you seen that booking photo) come from the world of movies.  How about music?  Michael Jackson (shut up nothing was proved except dangling a baby over a balcony), Ozzie Ozboure (bat under glass anyone, oh yeah and peeing on the Alamo) and Brittany Spears (how do you install a car seat?) give us some examples. 

With the state of the world, you would think the media would find something with substance and meaning to report on rather than some two bit talk radio jockey making a dumb-ass comment on the air. 

Presidential Race Worthy of Adult Common Sense

“If the Presidential Election were held today”, “In a poll of likely voters”, “With the election just eleventy seven months away it appears the Nomination will go to”….  If I hear anything akin to one of these one more time my head will explode.  The problem with politics in the United States is we focus on the wrong things.  If we want to elect a good President why don’t we actually focus on what the candidates plan to do.  Why don’t we spend the whole year making them sit in rooms with voters and tell them what they are going to do.  Instead the candidates focus entirely on raising money for most of the time, which will be spent on campaign rallies, commercials and travel that will all add up to telling us nothing.  (If I really wanted to know how someone voted on a bill that had thirteen different topics and could be distorted to make everyone’s vote look like a vote against abortion, for gay marriage, against building bridges in Alaska and for campaign finance reform depending on the audience, I would look it up)  The media is a  problem.  Since actually talking about issues is not sexy they have concocted this “horse race” which, by the way, is the stupidest concept ever.  Taking a snapshot of the American electorate every thirty seconds when most people haven’t made up their minds or made up the minds to be with the majority in the last poll is not a sound way to report the “news”.  Comedian Lewis Black often looks like he is going to have an aneurysm when he rants about things that make no sense or are stupid.  This makes no sense and is stupid.  In conclusion I blame: the media, political parties, consultants, and the American People.  I’m sorry, I just can’t talk about this anymore, I will have to continue my rant another time. 

Big News?

The treatment received by veterans at Walter Reed and other facilities has created quite the firestorm lately.  Members of Congress have been at the forefront of indignitude (homage to SNL).  My question is this, weren’t the families of veterans trying to get some help from their Congress members.  It seems as though some are more concerned about the negative publicity than the actual treatment the veterans receive.  After all it took a newspaper article to create the furor.  Members of Congress did not seem all that concerned with the reports (if their position is purely information receptacle)  nor did they actually take an active role in seeking information about the treatment of our veterans (if they want to approach  their duties proactively).  It seems as though once again Congress has abdicated its oversight responsibility and it has been passed to a newspaper. 

This is what you are going with???

I am sometimes amazed at the things people get up in arms about.   I read in an article today that there are people out there who have nothing better to do than try to get a school reading program banned.  Why? because it is sponsored by Pizza Hut.  I guess it is that one personal pan pizza at the end of the program that will break the camel’s back.   Look if you want to fight childhood obesity,  fine.  But don’t go after the reading program.  How about starting with: video games, television, surfing the Internet:), soda machines in schools, concession stands at schools sponsored sporting events and the many other poor food choices made in schools that don’t promote academic achievement and take place more than every few months.  I bet these are the same people that decry schools for having low test scores in reading.   If you are going to become indignant and boycott something, please make it count.  How about making sure every child has enough to eat every day. 

adults who should wear diapers

What is the matter with people? When did the idea of being punctual, taking responsibility for your actions and not being a huge whiner become antiquated concepts.  I am so tired of people who think that their time is more valuable than anyone else’s.  To those people, you are a self-absorbed, inconsiderate jack-a**.  And what is with people thinking that the world revolves around them being pissed off.  The world doesn’t stop when you decide someone stepped on your toes.  Deal with it like a grown up and don’t throw a tantrum like a two year old.