Politicians in Washington constantly tell us we’re in a serious crisis. But if it’s as serious as our solons say, surely it’s affected their own behavior, right?
Many CEOs of bailed out companies have sacrificed their normal salaries, accepting pay of only $1 for this year.
Members of Congress? They gave themselves a pay raise.
CEOs have been attacked for using their corporate jets. Heads of Detroit automakers were so browbeaten that they actually drove to Washington to plead for bailouts. On the other hand, after obtaining and reviewing emails between Speaker Nancy Pelosi and the Air Force, Judicial Watch’s Tom Fitton says that “Speaker Pelosi treats the Air Force like her personal airline.”
But what about substance? Faced with tough times ahead and with taxpayers on the hook to pick up trillions in new spending, Congress might stop larding on extra pork, right?
Well, how important to our nation’s survival is a million dollars to study swine odor; $800,000 for oyster rehab; $200,000 for tattoo removal; $4 million to improve a street in Hattiesburg, Mississippi?
Leaders are supposed to lead. But, even in times of crisis, our so-called leaders can only follow their oldest habit: spend.
This is Common Sense. I’m Paul Jacob.
10 replies on “Failure to Lead”
Why don’t you call a spade a spade?
Those guys aren’t leaders. They are a bunch of superegotistical self serving power and money hungry criminals who have led our country into bankruptcy and the ultimate failure of our system of government. They have turned their backs on the Founding Fathers and seduced the citizens into moral decay. We are no longer a free people, rather a sorry ragtag sucking our own blood. Leadership, my fatooey, they are the snakes in what used to be a Garden of Eden.
Conservatives and their younger idiot brothers, Republicans, warn of financial disasters to accelerate in the near to long term.
Will Bush continue to get the blame as Obama’s get out of jail card for the next four years? If Americans are that stupid, they will get the government that they deserve.
Or will DC dems continue to support a president whose socialist policies may not play well back in their districts? Surely, the independent voters (who blow with the wind, having no set system of values or great mental capacities) will associate coming financial disasters with Obama and his Rat Pack (although O is no Sinatra), as they realize that the White House and both Houses of Congress are in democrat hands. Again, not Bush, but the democrats and socialist liberals.
The GOP will never get the black or welfare vote, so must look to those who aren’t really informed, but are nonetheless laid off, stuck with mortgages they can’t afford, and largely screwed over just like everyone else.
Except self-serving politicians, who will not be inconvenienced, no matter what it costs the taxpayers. See “automatic pay raise unless they actually vote against it,” like they’re actually going to do this! Or check Nancy Pelosi’s flight plans.
House reps must be re-elected EVERY two years, eg, NEXT year.
If the GOP is so stupid that they can’t replay the “Republican Revolution of ’94,” they’ve simply wandered too far off the reservation and have simply become RINOs, who are worse than liberals because their positions are foreign to both the GOP and the Constitution.
The GOP will, in any event, remain the lesser of two evils…but they won’t have a better campaign issue than laying the blame for national financial woes on the dems, who are “too big to fail,” politically speaking.
If they can’t connect with Americans on this issue, they are beyond hope. The 85 republicans (spineless slugs) who voted for the clearly unconstitutional ex post facto (after the fact) act taxing a specific individual or groups of individuals (Bill of Attainder, also unconsitutional) should be replaced by conservatives, who know that the Constitution forbids both in Article 1, Section 9.
Check it and see. If you don’t own a copy of the Constitution, first: why not? And second: you can google this up with the search term “The Constitution,” as Article 1, Section 9 is right upfront since it’s the first Article! It’s about 5 pages in my pocket-sized copy, which I keep within arm’s reach along with my KJV of the Bible.
Obama: see “circumlocution,” which is an exact description of everything Obama says when he’s not telling outright lies.
Clarification:
»Article 1, Section 9 is right upfront since it’s the first Article! It’s about 5 pages *in* my pocket-sized copy, which I keep within arm’s reach along with my KJV of the Bible.
It’s 5 pages INTO my copy, not 5 pages long. Actually, it’s several paragraphs, about a page in my small copy. The relevant paragraph is only one sentence:
“No Bill of Attainder or ex post facto Law shall be passed.”
Let’s hope the Supremes can get this one right! A bright 12 year old should be able to understand a brief explanation. Then that 12 year old could explain it to his representative in Congress, who may or may not understand it.
Sorry, it IS 5 pages IN, but this is rather ambiguous.
I agree with most of your comments. This one hit’s it right square on the haed. Keep up the good work.
It seams that only the working people and companys have taken any cuts. The government never cuts just adds more tax and then throughs it at a problem. The only time they take a cut is in the money or services they give to the public. They don’t cut there own infrostuctor.
Thats Infrastructure
So long as Washington politicians keep saying, “but the earmarks are only a small fraction of the total,” we will have corruption & ineptitude in managing our national affairs. ANY amount is too much is the point. Earmarks are a circumvention of the process & politicians know this. Its easier than doing it the right way. They do not want open public debate on much of this because if that happened, most would press them to vote against expenditures. And these guys count on bringing home “bacon” to make themselves look good, especially just before an election.
Congress kept quiet about “their” pay raises. That was an admission they planned to keep on keeping on w/ their pork barrel despicable politics as usual.
Its probably good in “some” circumstances to have experienced politicians to operate the government. BUT. The story unfolding for most of us is, most of them have been in office far too long & they have succumbed to the corrupted politics of the beltway.
Republicans need to get out of the earmarks business to regain any credibility. then they have to stand directly up to Obama & tell him criticizing his plans is not unAmerican & in fact, doing so is the most American thing anyone can do.
His plans are not for our good & they are far too inclusive of hyper-partisan plans & expenditures for programs that support only Democrat or socialist objectives.
Show his budget is wrong with a budget of your own & show that it would save taxpayers a lot of money, reduce their debt & reduce any future debt.
Show Americans we intend to put money in their pockets & not into the coffers of suspiciously highly influential special interest groups.
For instance.… why did ACORN rent & provide buses to trek protesters to Connecticut to attack AIG employees at their homes? Were the protesters “taken care of” in ANY manner at all? Were taxpayer dollars ever involved in tis special interest group politically partisan action?
Why is ACORN getting ANY taxpayer money when all of their activities are directed at the enhancement of & promotion of ONLY the Democrat party? Especially since ACORN is suspected of RICO violations & serious voter fraud activities for YEARS now!
What Republicans lack are strong voices attacking actions by Democrats & allies of Democrats who Democrats make sure taxpayers fund. If taxpayers are to fund Democrat oriented groups, then its only fair to equally fund Republican groups. In the end, NONE of it should happen. But exposing it by speaking out is the only way!
We have far too many Republicans who fear making waves because they fear the attack machines will drive them out of office. Lets be real guys, if you are not doing the job, we do not want you in office & in fact, sooner or later folks will understand & respect those who do stand up for American values!
One million dollars to study swine odor; $800,000 for oyster rehab; $200,000 for tattoo removal; $4 million to improve a street in Hattiesburg, Mississippi?
The problem is every single expenditure can be framed as a “job creation measure”. Four million to improve a street will go to local businesses. Funding a rock and roll museum would be said to create construction or other jobs, benefitting local businesses and resulting in increased tax revenue. “A rising tide lifts all boats” is always their answer. Even entitlements are presented that way, with the justification that the money is spent in the community to the benefit of all.
Rubicon said: And these guys count on bringing home “bacon” to make themselves look good, especially just before an election.
That means the problem stares back at us in the mirror every day. We are the ones who measure their effectiveness by how much “bacon” they bring home to the district or the state. We look to Washington to feel our pain. We want empathy and philanthropism but neither is the purview of government. We have to change the measures by which we judge our representatives. Are we sending them to Washington to raid the national treasury or to safeguard our rights? Until we decide it’s the latter, we will get the government we deserve.
This is exactly what I was looking for. Thanks for wirting!