Thursday, December 16, 2010

1.1 Trillion Spending/Budget Bill

Is there something wrong with the drinking water in Washington D. C.? When a politician drinks it does he/she lose his/her short term memory and become arrogant?

Why is anyone even considering this newly proposed omnibus spending/budget bill? This almost 2000 page bill was introduced two days ago. It has a price tag of 1.1 trillion dollars. Debate starts tomorrow. Senate leadership wants to vote on it tomorrow. It is laden with earmarks – special spending rewards for Congressmen and women, who vote for it. Congress has had months to pass the 2011 budget and did nothing. Now this has to be voted on immediately. It’s an emergency! Don’t read it – just vote for it.

Does the November election mean nothing to Washington? Voters told Congress that their wild, irresponsible spending must stop. This country can not afford it. Congress is destroying this country. Do not borrow anymore money to fund projects that are unwanted or unnecessary. We are 14 trillion dollars in debt. STOP the spending spree!

The other lesson of the November election was that Congress must stop ignoring the voice of the American people. You represent us. You are responsible to us!

Bills like this infuriate the American people. It is deliberately long to conceal all the nasty details you don’t want revealed until it is too late. It must be voted on quickly before anyone knows just how bad it is. It is packed with special rewards for those who vote for it. We remember the Cornhusker Kickback and Louisiana Purchase. This bill represents what the American people most dislikes about Washington.

Signed,
The Electorate

Wednesday, November 10, 2010

Happy 235th Birthday, US Marine Corps!

Some people wonder all their lives if they've mad a difference. The Marines don't have that problem.

-Ronald Reagan


Marine corps flag


Here's health to you and to our Corps
Which we are proud to serve;
In many a strife we've fought for life
And never lost our nerve;
If the Army and the Navy
Ever look on Heaven’s scenes;
They will find the streets are guarded
By United States Marines.





To the few, the proud, the brave, the bold, the ones who run towards danger, who never shirk duty, to each and every Marine whether at home or abroad, as well as those who have gone before and those who's time will come,


HAPPY BIRTHDAY!














Tuesday, November 2, 2010

Make Your Voice Heard: VOTE!

I voted sticker


Election Day is here yet again. It's time to do your duty as an American citizen, drive your ass down to your precinct, and cast your ballot. To quote Charles Schultz, this is your life, Charlie Brown. You need to go out and take part in it.



Remember, no griping unless you've made your voice heard.


The Daughter of the Electorate

Tuesday, August 10, 2010

State Aid Bill

The House has been called back in session to vote on a 26 billion dollar State Aid bill. This bill is a BAILOUT for states. States that have acted responsibly will be forced to subsidize states that have acted irresponsibly. Not only is this not fair, but it will only encourage irresponsible states to continue to act irresponsibly. Governments, like private citizens, must learn to live within their means.

Each state needs to make the hard choices. They must choose what budget cuts suit their circumstances. Law enforcement, fire services, and teaching positions should be the last cuts considered. Every state has non-essential expenditures that can be cut. Each state must decide their priorities.

The purpose of this bill may or may not be to support another union. The issue is that this massive federal spending spree must STOP. The federal government must break its spending addiction.

NO MORE BAILOUTS!

Signed,
The Electorate

Monday, August 2, 2010

Non-Enforcement of Immigration Laws

George Washington stated, “We are a nation of laws and not of men”.

We have immigration laws that have been passed by Congress. The Executive branch has deliberately decided which laws it will enforce and which laws it will not enforce. If the Administration disagrees with a law it has decided that it will not enforce that law. It does not agree with our current immigration laws. Hence it will ignore them.

The Executive branch is, in effect, granting itself the powers of the Legislative branch. Is Congress fighting this usurpation of its power? Of course not, it is meekly ceding its power. Soon their will be no balance of power. The Executive branch will reign supreme. Congress will soon be irrelevant!

It is long past time for the Executive branch to enforce the laws passed by Congress. Enforce our immigration laws. Secure our borders. Require full workplace enforcement. The American people were promised this in 1986 when amnesty was granted to illegal immigrants living within our borders. The federal government has broken its promises.

Once our borders have been truly secured and we have real workplace enforcement for a period of one year, we can consider what to do about illegal immigrants living in the United States.

Signed,
The Electorate

Sunday, July 11, 2010

The Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill

It has been more than 80 days since the Deepwater Horizon oil spill began. I have watched in horrified amazement as this disaster unfolded. It is obvious that we have no idea how to respond to oil spills at this depth. We did not implement our own worse case scenario plan. We did not instigate a burn. We did not have the skimmers and booms we needed. We turned down the offers of other countries who wanted to help.


What did the federal government do? For over 30 days it did virtually nothing! The government sat there twiddling its thumbs as the black oil crept closer and closer to shore. I did not expect the federal government to plug the spill, but I did expect them to do something – anything – to protect the shores.

The Gulf States begged for help. They received little. In many, many cases the federal government actually prevented the states from helping themselves. The EPA and Army Corps of Engineers said that states could not build berms without a study because it might adversely affect the environment. Any sane person knows the oil would do vastly more damage than a berm would.

Please tell me that this very slow and lack-luster response to the spill was not done to advance a political agenda. “If the damage is bad enough, we can pass Cap + Trade.” Of course, the alternative reason – incompetence – is not reassuring either.

It is obvious that this country needs oil – our own oil – to function. We must not depend on foreign oil. Practical alternative fuel is far in the future. We need to seek safer oil. If the government can not protect our shores from deep-water drilling, we need to drill closer to shore where spills can be contained quickly. We need to drill on shore. We need to make use of our large quantities of shale oil. We need more clean coal and natural gas. We can not afford to turn this country into a third world economy by waiting for some unknown or undeveloped alternative fuel. We need fuel now. We have fuel – let us use it.

Signed,
The Electorate

Saturday, July 10, 2010

2011 Budget Hidden in War Bill

The House recently passed and the Senate is considering a supplemental war funding bill. Of course, Congress is adding billions in extra spending for their favorite projects, which are in no way related to war funding. This unfortunately is only Washington politics as usual.

What is really offensive is a hidden provision that was added to the bill which states that if the war funding bill is passed that the 2011 budget will “be deemed as passed”. Congress is too cowardly to openly debate and vote on next year’s budget. They know it is larger than last year’s humongous budget. This budget includes over one and a half trillion dollars of deficit spending. Congress knows the public is concerned about their outrageous spending and borrowing. The American people want the government to cut spending and reduce the debt. Congress does not want to go on record as voting for this spending binge in an election year. Hence they seek to hide the budget in another bill.

The 2011 budget should not be slipped through in a hidden provision. It needs to be openly and fully debated. Congress’ votes need to be recorded. If you support the bill, you must be willing to say so. You are responsible for your votes. The American people are tired of dirty tricks and backdoor deals. We deserve better.

Most importantly do not use our military to sneak through more outrageous spending. Anyone who uses our military to pass a bloated budget should be ashamed. This would be Washington at its devious worst.

Signed,
The Electorate