I think I’ll chime in on current political affairs. You might have noticed that I have tried to stay away from that awful mess known as the Government of the United States of America. However, I am getting quite tired of our “elected” officials catering to money and self interest. Since I have no chance of getting elected (to any post) I’ll just rant away on the internet instead.
Previous presidents have done it and now our own King is doing it. King George has a forked tongue (for that matter, most in politics do). The willful arrogance of thinking they are above the law is just astounding.
Keep in mind, I don’t toe the party line but tend to be more Democratic in my thinking than Republican. The following are just some random questions/issues that have been floating around in my head:
1. What is with the idea that a lie is OK as long as it is not under oath? All lies should be penalized.
2. What is with signing statements? There are no line-item vetoes for the President. As such, signing statements should not be allowed. Let’s put it in terms that Bush can understand; you are either for the bill or against it.
3. What is up with the new four branches of government? Cheney thinks that his office is not part of the executive branch? WTF!
4. Congress! Don’t even get me started with Congress. Well, OK, just a little bit. It was my understanding that the reason for the three (now four) branches of government was to provide oversight of the other two (three). Congress has allowed the executive branch to take full control over the judicial branch as well as walk all over the Constitution. Congress has failed in their roll.
5. Most, if not all, politicians are in bed with large lobbying groups. This should be illegal (if it is not already). As such, politicians are incapable of protecting the Constitution and the average Joe. The only things they protect are the rights of big business to walk all over customers. Case in point; credit card companies’ have the ability to change the terms of agreement any time they feel like it. Rather unfair business practice if you ask me.
6. Our President, Vice President, much of their cabinets, the previous Congress’ Republican leaders, the current Congress’ Democratic leaders, many officials at the Pentagon, and many in the judicial branch of government are guilty of treason. As such, they should be tried, convicted, and executed for high crimes against the United States. Law and order must be returned to our government or America will go down in history as one of the worse experiments ever.
Strong words with little to back them up (I know) but that is my feeling. Under the strictest definition of the law (taking in account all of the loop holes), none will be tried and convicted. It is actually a shame.
Where America is concerned, there is honor among thieves.
Now, no rant would be worth anything (and many of mine aren’t) unless a solution was given (save executing everyone and starting over).
1. Make me dictator. That would solve all the problems. I’d even disappear some of the worse abusers of the system.
Well, maybe that will not happen, not like any of this will, but here are some better ideas.
2. Limit the money that is spent on any political race to that which is provided by a specific election fund. Everyone running has a certain amount that they are given and, in the words of Tim on Project Runway, have to “make it work.” Any political ads by “friends of” and “Swift boat” types would be illegal.
3. Term limits, term limits, term limits! Get rid of career politicians and you might have a fighting chance of getting something done around here.
4. Bring back debates. Not that made for TV crap they feed us these days. Give us a stage and podiums (debaters get no say in anything). Give us pointed questions that the debaters do not know ahead of time. And for the love of what ever god/goddess you believe in, make the debaters debate ONE ANOTHER! Duh! I’m talking about “a formal contest in which the affirmative and negative sides of a proposition are advocated by opposing speakers.” Let them talk to each other and rip the other’s arguments apart! How hard can that be?
5. Make people accountable for what they say. None of this “say something long enough and people will believe it” crap! Have a bipartisan (independent?) office whose sole purpose is to fact check (like Fact Check dot com maybe). Only this one will have more push in informing people of the errors in what a politician says.
6. Given that the above will never happen (hey, I’m an optimist right?), how about we just create American President TV show. Contestants, er, uh, I mean contenders will get up in front of a studio and TV audience and sing, dance, and do dog tricks. Then, just like American Idol, the public can phone in their choice.
With politicians, who needs terrorists? or in the words of... uh, what's his name in the movie Hunt for Red October, "and when I'm not kissing babies, I'm stealing their lollypops."
Well, there you have it, another useless rant.
