Thank God For August
Aug 13, 2009 Political
It has been a long, hot summer down here in Texas, but then it is alway so here- I understand Al Gore is in Tennessee scratching his balding head, wondering where the hell the global warming went, and there are places in the Northeast that haven’t hit 90 degrees yet. Good for them- heat is only good for my arthritis, but I tend to feel the heat more than I used to. Getting older does that, I understand.
There are other reasons for being grateful for August than just that it means that for many, the summer is almost over, or that we have not had a hurricane yet- (knock on wood)- the main reason, for myself at least, is that it has managed to do what the minority party in Congress has not been able to do, slow down the passage of all these onerous, money grabbing, tax raising, freedom- restricting unconstitutional laws that the Dems have been passing so fast that they say they have not the time to read them.
It is rather funny in a sad sort of way, that the older people who this healthcare bill will affect the most, know more about the bill than do the people who wrote the monstrosity of a bill. Of course, it affects the older people directly, but the Lawmakers have opted out of taking the public option, and this is part of what fuels the flames of resentment. The “It’s good for you, but I have better,” sense of inequality that is a part of the institutional arrogance that is so pervasive in Washington.
It seems to be the same attitude that might come from a King to a serf, tossing the serf a bone, and claiming the serf has been fed. Dismissive, snobbish elitist behavior doesn’t sit well with the regular people who matter. And lawmakers, at least those with courage, are getting an earful from their constituents- the very people they are supposed to represent.
When people hear Arlen Specter, the democrat turncoat say that he has to “parcel” the billout to staffers in order to read it, he is not only not being honest with his constituents, he is not doing the job they elected him to do. He is not being paid so he can have lobster while his staff decides his position- if that is the case, he needs to be removed from his position as a Senator. It is probably time for that anyway, but his electorate will decide that.
When Sheila Jackson- Lee talks on a cell phone while her constituents try to talk with her, and explain the problems they see in this bill- well, that’s just rude. She should have had that phone put somewhere the sun don’t shine, just to make the point about politeness, but in the bigger picture, that just demonstrates the complete and utter ignorance and false “superiority” these people feel that they are entitled to.
Some of them truly do not care what the citizens have to say- they are determined to pass this bill regardless, and to them I say, Beware- just because you are in power now doesn’t mean that it will always be so. You are supposed to be responsive to the electorate, not to the Party. The Party is a collection of people who have similar opinions, the electorate are the people who decide if you are up to the task of representing them, and the Party cannot save you if the electorate decide that you are no longer fit for office. You will be on your butt looking for work like the rest of us.
Believe me, it’s not an easy life when you actually have to work for a living. Some of you lawmakers have never had to do this- you have not had a life outside of politics, so if you do not listen to your electorate, you might just be in for the rudest awakening you never wanted.
Sometimes bad laws can die an ugly death in August- and sometimes the best course of action is to allow that to happen.
It’s your career- it’s your call.
We’re watching.
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Tags: arrogance, bad laws, hubris, town halls