Gridlock: Who's fault is it??

[bill718]

Thoughts From An Independent

Our infrastructure is slowly crumbling, the crisis at the southern border is not improving, our national and trade deficits are both rising, 40,000 Americans die in gun violence every year, 40 million Americans still have no health coverage at all, a college education is financially out of reach for most Americans. And...The President and Congress can't seem to do anything about any of this.

So, who is to blame?? Donald Trump? Nancy Pelosi? Mitch McConnell? Elizabeth Warren?

NO!! These lawmakers are simply doing the job they were elected to do.

By insisting on a "MY WAY OR THE HIGHWAY!" tribal, no compromise approach to governing, both Democrat AND Republican voters have brought this situation upon themselves, and as long as this childish mentality by both sides continues, there will be no progress. So - Will both sides realize one day that neither side is going to get everything they want, that compromise is really not a dirty word, and working together will accomplish more than sitting apart hissing at each other? Or are we in for more of the same? Judging by the tone of these posts, I'm leaning toward the latter.

An old comic strip once said: "We have seen the enemy......and it is us!"

 

[Siete]

non partisan politics is dead and buried - in my opinion it began with Bill Clinton getting the living shit beat out of him for a f'n bj and has snowballed from there.

now days blame anyone but Republicans.... theyre never at fault for anything, just ask THEM.

 

[Nosmo King]

Thoughts From An Independent

Our infrastructure is slowly crumbling, the crisis at the southern border is not improving, our national and trade deficits are both rising, 40,000 Americans die in gun violence every year, 40 million Americans still have no health coverage at all, a college education is financially out of reach for most Americans. And...The President and Congress can't seem to do anything about any of this.

So, who is to blame?? Donald Trump? Nancy Pelosi? Mitch McConnell? Elizabeth Warren?

NO!! These lawmakers are simply doing the job they were elected to do.

By insisting on a "MY WAY OR THE HIGHWAY!" tribal, no compromise approach to governing, both Democrat AND Republican voters have brought this situation upon themselves, and as long as this childish mentality by both sides continues, there will be no progress. So - Will both sides realize one day that neither side is going to get everything they want, that compromise is really not a dirty word, and working together will accomplish more than sitting apart hissing at each other? Or are we in for more of the same? Judging by the tone of these posts, I'm leaning toward the latter.

An old comic strip once said: "We have seen the enemy......and it is us!"

There is a faction in American politics that sworn allegiance to the constitution. All things by the book, or parchment. They insist that federal judges too must be constitutionally originalist.

Now, I'm not going to specify or allege a break of the constitution. But I want to point out the methods and ideas that lead to the ratification of the constitution.

It is a contract between the federal government and its citizens. A contract born of compromise. A bicameral legislature. That simple construct alone demands compromise to work.

Compromise was the catalyst for the entire contract. And compromise truly is the one and only way to legislate a free citizenry.

An ossified outlook on governance, one that is petrified by righteousness, cynicism and political dogma. It does not serve well in a democratic republic.

 

[toobfreak]

Thoughts From An Independent

Our infrastructure is slowly crumbling, the crisis at the southern border is not improving, our national and trade deficits are both rising, 40,000 Americans die in gun violence every year, 40 million Americans still have no health coverage at all, a college education is financially out of reach for most Americans. And...

You are right about the price of a college education, inexplicably many times higher than elsewhere in the world. Worse, it is a "requirement" for just about every job now even when no tenable benefit can be shown for it, made all the worse by the fact that it is not the education that matters so much but where you got it. Have the same knowledge and skills through life experience or self-teaching? It doesn't count! College has become a big racket now to funnel people through the big CA-CHING cash register of the universities whom you must now get "approval" from for even a basic job before their closely college-allied employers will hire you. Made even worse, many college grads are not only not finding work but finding low pay for the jobs they do get.

Infrastructure was a big talking point of Trump's during the campaign and apparently still is, but apparently like so many other things he doesn't seem to be able to get any traction with congress to back him. Too bad as things are falling apart everywhere. They are too busy trying to get Trump's tax returns from 2008 to see if there is anything they can pick apart on them or to get Mueller to testify for the 8th time to care. LGBTQRVS rights and benefits for illegal aliens they don't want to stop coming in are taking center stage instead.

40 million Americans with no healthcare? But I thought the great lie from Obama was that his ACA would fix all that? Even if no one ever got the $2500 savings we were all promised.

But 40,000 Americans die in gun violence every year? Bullhockey unless you can prove it. That is 110 murders every day. In 2013, there were only 11,200 gun homicides. 21,000 were suicides. And 800 were accidental or other causes. That barely adds up to 33,000 not 40,000 and includes 2/3rds of them UNRELATED to "gun violence." Suggest you get your facts straight.

Gun violence in the United States - Wikipedia

 

[toobfreak]

Thoughts From An Independent

The following article was written by Charley Reese for the Orlando Sentinel newspaper on March 7, 1995 under the title “Looking for Someone To Blame? Congress Is Good Place To Start.” Reese worked for the Orlando Sentinel from 1971 to 2001 as a writer and in various editorial capacities.

The article has been widely read and distributed in modified form as it’s been passed around under the title The 545 People Responsible for America’s Woes.

Politicians are the only people in the world who create problems and then campaign against them.
Have you ever wondered, if both the Democrats and the Republicans are against deficits, WHY do we have deficits?
Have you ever wondered, if all the politicians are against inflation and high taxes, WHY do we have inflation and high taxes?

• You and I don’t propose a federal budget. The President does.

• You and I don’t have the Constitutional authority to vote on appropriations. The House of Representatives does.

• You and I don’t write the tax code, Congress does.

• You and I don’t set fiscal policy, Congress does.

• You and I don’t control monetary policy, the Federal Reserve Bank does.

One hundred senators, 435 congressmen, one President, and nine Supreme Court justices equates to 545 human beings out of the 360 million are directly, legally, morally, and individually responsible for the domestic problems that plague this country.
Those 545 human beings spend much of their energy convincing you that what they did is not their fault. They cooperate in this common con regardless of party.
What separates a politician from a normal human being is an excessive amount of gall. No normal human being would have the gall of a Speaker, who stood up and criticized the President for creating deficits. The President can only propose a budget. He cannot force the Congress to accept it.
The Constitution, which is the supreme law of the land, gives sole responsibility to the House of Representatives for originating and approving appropriations and taxes.
It seems inconceivable to me that a nation of 360 million cannot replace 545 people who stand convicted — by present facts — of incompetence and irresponsibility. I can’t think of a single domestic problem that is not traceable directly to those 545 people. When you fully grasp the plain truth that 545 people exercise the power of the federal government, then it must follow that what exists is what they want to exist.

• If the tax code is unfair, it’s because they want it unfair.

• If the budget is in the red, it’s because they want it in the red.

• If the Army and Marines are in Iraq and Afghanistan, it’s because they want them in Iraq and Afghanistan.

• If they do not receive social security but are on an elite retirement plan not available to the people, it’s because they want it that way.

There are no insoluble government problems.
Do not let these 545 people shift the blame to bureaucrats, whom they hire and whose jobs they can abolish; to lobbyists, whose gifts and advice they can reject; to regulators, to whom they give the power to regulate and from whom they can take this power. Above all, do not let them con you into the belief that there exists disembodied mystical forces like “the economy,” “inflation,” or “other politics” that prevent them from doing what they take an oath to do.
Those 545 people, and they alone, are responsible.
They, and they alone, have the power.

 

[Claudette]

Of course Congress is to blame.


Take a look at todays Dem House. All those useless pricks are doing is holding hearings and investigations over something that already been handled.

They aren't concerned with the crisis on the border, which they don't believe is a crisis and they sure aren't concerned with infrastructure or anything else. All they care about is trying to hang something on Trump.

What a useless bunch of assholes and we are paying them. Good Lord.

 

[mudwhistle]

non partisan politics is dead and buried - in my opinion it began with Bill Clinton getting the living shit beat out of him for a f'n bj and has snowballed from there.

now days blame anyone but Republicans.... theyre never at fault for anything, just ask THEM.

I think when you trash the president on camera minutes before you are going to meet with him you're intentionally poisoning the well.
Democrats tried to keep Trump from becoming president before and after he was elected. They've been trying to get him booted out ever since. They're more interested in harassing him than they are interested in working with him.

 

[BULLDOG]

Of course Congress is to blame.


Take a look at todays Dem House. All those useless pricks are doing is holding hearings and investigations over something that already been handled.

They aren't concerned with the crisis on the border, which they don't believe is a crisis and they sure aren't concerned with infrastructure or anything else. All they care about is trying to hang something on Trump.

What a useless bunch of assholes and we are paying them. Good Lord.

The right hoped that Barr's misrepresentation of what is in the Mueller report, and Trump constantly chanting his mantra "no collusion, no obstruction" would handle his investigation problems, and that might have worked if the report wasn't available for all to read. You'll note that those that haven't read the report for themselves are the only ones claiming anything has been handled.

 

[kyzr]

Of course Congress is to blame.


Take a look at todays Dem House. All those useless pricks are doing is holding hearings and investigations over something that already been handled.

They aren't concerned with the crisis on the border, which they don't believe is a crisis and they sure aren't concerned with infrastructure or anything else. All they care about is trying to hang something on Trump.

What a useless bunch of assholes and we are paying them. Good Lord.

The right hoped that Barr's misrepresentation of what is in the Mueller report, and Trump constantly chanting his mantra "no collusion, no obstruction" would handle his investigation problems, and that might have worked if the report wasn't available for all to read. You'll note that those that haven't read the report for themselves are the only ones claiming anything has been handled.

So if we believe that the report concluded "no collusion and no obstruction" because it did NOT declare the president guilty of ANY charges, we're wrong?! WTF are you trying to say? Because you didn't declare anything. Where is the report wrong. What crime did Trump commit? Was Mueller obstructed in any way?

Better yet, look at the legality of the Mueller investigation. Was it legitimate? Was there sufficient evidence to warrant an investigation? Was it setup by the Obama administration as the biggest scandal in US history? The deep state coup attempts will be outed shortly with real indictments.

 

[BULLDOG]

Of course Congress is to blame.


Take a look at todays Dem House. All those useless pricks are doing is holding hearings and investigations over something that already been handled.

They aren't concerned with the crisis on the border, which they don't believe is a crisis and they sure aren't concerned with infrastructure or anything else. All they care about is trying to hang something on Trump.

What a useless bunch of assholes and we are paying them. Good Lord.

The right hoped that Barr's misrepresentation of what is in the Mueller report, and Trump constantly chanting his mantra "no collusion, no obstruction" would handle his investigation problems, and that might have worked if the report wasn't available for all to read. You'll note that those that haven't read the report for themselves are the only ones claiming anything has been handled.

So if we believe that the report concluded "no collusion and no obstruction" because it did NOT declare the president guilty of ANY charges, we're wrong?! WTF are you trying to say? Because you didn't declare anything. Where is the report wrong. What crime did Trump commit? Was Mueller obstructed in any way?

Better yet, look at the legality of the Mueller investigation. Was it legitimate? Was there sufficient evidence to warrant an investigation? Was it setup by the Obama administration as the biggest scandal in US history? The deep state coup attempts will be outed shortly with real indictments.

Yes, you are wrong. Mueller clearly said "If it were clear that the president committed no crime, we would have said so" The report also said longstanding policy prevented him from indicting a sitting president. and he didn't think it would be fair to accuse the president without an indictment, but congress would be better equipped to deal with his findings.

The report lists several attempts to obstruct Mueller, The fact that Trump wasn't successful in those attempts doesn't matter. If you try to rob a bank, and fail, you are still guilty of a crime.

Your question as to whether the investigation was even warranted is absurd. There is no doubt that the Russians interfered in our election with the intent of helping Trump had hurting Hillary. Whine all you want, but that is a proven fact. .

 

[kyzr]

Of course Congress is to blame.


Take a look at todays Dem House. All those useless pricks are doing is holding hearings and investigations over something that already been handled.

They aren't concerned with the crisis on the border, which they don't believe is a crisis and they sure aren't concerned with infrastructure or anything else. All they care about is trying to hang something on Trump.

What a useless bunch of assholes and we are paying them. Good Lord.

The right hoped that Barr's misrepresentation of what is in the Mueller report, and Trump constantly chanting his mantra "no collusion, no obstruction" would handle his investigation problems, and that might have worked if the report wasn't available for all to read. You'll note that those that haven't read the report for themselves are the only ones claiming anything has been handled.

So if we believe that the report concluded "no collusion and no obstruction" because it did NOT declare the president guilty of ANY charges, we're wrong?! WTF are you trying to say? Because you didn't declare anything. Where is the report wrong. What crime did Trump commit? Was Mueller obstructed in any way?

Better yet, look at the legality of the Mueller investigation. Was it legitimate? Was there sufficient evidence to warrant an investigation? Was it setup by the Obama administration as the biggest scandal in US history? The deep state coup attempts will be outed shortly with real indictments.

Yes, you are wrong. Mueller clearly said "If it were clear that the president committed no crime, we would have said so" The report also said longstanding policy prevented him from indicting a sitting president. and he didn't think it would be fair to accuse the president without an indictment, but congress would be better equipped to deal with his findings.

The report lists several attempts to obstruct Mueller, The fact that Trump wasn't successful in those attempts doesn't matter. If you try to rob a bank, and fail, you are still guilty of a crime.

Your question as to whether the investigation was even warranted is absurd. There is no doubt that the Russians interfered in our election with the intent of helping Trump had hurting Hillary. Whine all you want, but that is a proven fact. .

1. Mueller's job was to indict or recommend indictment, to prove guilt, he didn't. If Mueller couldn't prove a crime a clown show in congress won't either. Trump is innocent until proven guilty. Dershowitz: Mueller got the law 'all wrong' on obstruction of justice
2. Your "attempts" to obstruct Mueller are not crimes, Mueller was not obstructed, besides there was no underlying crime of "collusion". No one tried to rob a bank, i.e. tried to obstruct Mueller, he had all the time and resources needed to complete the investigation for the AG, who declared "no collusion, no obstruction". End of story.

 

[cnm]

Of course the American people must want Congress to perform as it does otherwise they wouldn't enable such behaviour by voting for them.

 

[Claudette]

Of course Congress is to blame.


Take a look at todays Dem House. All those useless pricks are doing is holding hearings and investigations over something that already been handled.

They aren't concerned with the crisis on the border, which they don't believe is a crisis and they sure aren't concerned with infrastructure or anything else. All they care about is trying to hang something on Trump.

What a useless bunch of assholes and we are paying them. Good Lord.

The right hoped that Barr's misrepresentation of what is in the Mueller report, and Trump constantly chanting his mantra "no collusion, no obstruction" would handle his investigation problems, and that might have worked if the report wasn't available for all to read. You'll note that those that haven't read the report for themselves are the only ones claiming anything has been handled.

So if we believe that the report concluded "no collusion and no obstruction" because it did NOT declare the president guilty of ANY charges, we're wrong?! WTF are you trying to say? Because you didn't declare anything. Where is the report wrong. What crime did Trump commit? Was Mueller obstructed in any way?

Better yet, look at the legality of the Mueller investigation. Was it legitimate? Was there sufficient evidence to warrant an investigation? Was it setup by the Obama administration as the biggest scandal in US history? The deep state coup attempts will be outed shortly with real indictments.

Yes, you are wrong. Mueller clearly said "If it were clear that the president committed no crime, we would have said so" The report also said longstanding policy prevented him from indicting a sitting president. and he didn't think it would be fair to accuse the president without an indictment, but congress would be better equipped to deal with his findings.

The report lists several attempts to obstruct Mueller, The fact that Trump wasn't successful in those attempts doesn't matter. If you try to rob a bank, and fail, you are still guilty of a crime.

Your question as to whether the investigation was even warranted is absurd. There is no doubt that the Russians interfered in our election with the intent of helping Trump had hurting Hillary. Whine all you want, but that is a proven fact. .

1. Mueller's job was to indict or recommend indictment, to prove guilt, he didn't. If Mueller couldn't prove a crime a clown show in congress won't either. Trump is innocent until proven guilty. Dershowitz: Mueller got the law 'all wrong' on obstruction of justice
2. Your "attempts" to obstruct Mueller are not crimes, Mueller was not obstructed, besides there was no underlying crime of "collusion". No one tried to rob a bank, i.e. tried to obstruct Mueller, he had all the time and resources needed to complete the investigation for the AG, who declared "no collusion, no obstruction". End of story.

Yup and it took two years and god knows how much tax payer money to complete.

The Dems are still beating the dead horse.

Just shows how out of touch with reality they all are.

 

[Dekster]

I blame/thank Thomas Jefferson

 

[Wyatt earp]

Thoughts From An Independent

Our infrastructure is slowly crumbling, the crisis at the southern border is not improving, our national and trade deficits are both rising, 40,000 Americans die in gun violence every year, 40 million Americans still have no health coverage at all, a college education is financially out of reach for most Americans. And...The President and Congress can't seem to do anything about any of this.

So, who is to blame?? Donald Trump? Nancy Pelosi? Mitch McConnell? Elizabeth Warren?

NO!! These lawmakers are simply doing the job they were elected to do.

By insisting on a "MY WAY OR THE HIGHWAY!" tribal, no compromise approach to governing, both Democrat AND Republican voters have brought this situation upon themselves, and as long as this childish mentality by both sides continues, there will be no progress. So - Will both sides realize one day that neither side is going to get everything they want, that compromise is really not a dirty word, and working together will accomplish more than sitting apart hissing at each other? Or are we in for more of the same? Judging by the tone of these posts, I'm leaning toward the latter.

An old comic strip once said: "We have seen the enemy......and it is us!"

Regean used to compromise with Tippy, Bill with Newt, Obama had a pen and a phone.



.

 

[BluesLegend]

Thoughts From An Independent

Our infrastructure is slowly crumbling, the crisis at the southern border is not improving, our national and trade deficits are both rising, 40,000 Americans die in gun violence every year, 40 million Americans still have no health coverage at all, a college education is financially out of reach for most Americans. And...The President and Congress can't seem to do anything about any of this.

So, who is to blame?? Donald Trump? Nancy Pelosi? Mitch McConnell? Elizabeth Warren?

NO!! These lawmakers are simply doing the job they were elected to do.

By insisting on a "MY WAY OR THE HIGHWAY!" tribal, no compromise approach to governing, both Democrat AND Republican voters have brought this situation upon themselves, and as long as this childish mentality by both sides continues, there will be no progress. So - Will both sides realize one day that neither side is going to get everything they want, that compromise is really not a dirty word, and working together will accomplish more than sitting apart hissing at each other? Or are we in for more of the same? Judging by the tone of these posts, I'm leaning toward the latter.

An old comic strip once said: "We have seen the enemy......and it is us!"

The Federal government alone will spend $40 TRILLION dollars over the next 10 years, isn't that more than enough?

 

[Wyatt earp]

non partisan politics is dead and buried - in my opinion it began with Bill Clinton getting the living shit beat out of him for a f'n bj and has snowballed from there.

now days blame anyone but Republicans.... theyre never at fault for anything, just ask THEM.

Yup the problem is YOU, now no one cares if the President obstructs justice because Bill was not removed.




Starr Report - Wikipedia


The long-awaited report cited 11 possible grounds for impeachment in four categories: perjury, obstruction of justice, witness tampering and abuse of power.[2

 

[Wyatt earp]

Of course Congress is to blame.


Take a look at todays Dem House. All those useless pricks are doing is holding hearings and investigations over something that already been handled.

They aren't concerned with the crisis on the border, which they don't believe is a crisis and they sure aren't concerned with infrastructure or anything else. All they care about is trying to hang something on Trump.

What a useless bunch of assholes and we are paying them. Good Lord.

The right hoped that Barr's misrepresentation of what is in the Mueller report, and Trump constantly chanting his mantra "no collusion, no obstruction" would handle his investigation problems, and that might have worked if the report wasn't available for all to read. You'll note that those that haven't read the report for themselves are the only ones claiming anything has been handled.

So if we believe that the report concluded "no collusion and no obstruction" because it did NOT declare the president guilty of ANY charges, we're wrong?! WTF are you trying to say? Because you didn't declare anything. Where is the report wrong. What crime did Trump commit? Was Mueller obstructed in any way?

Better yet, look at the legality of the Mueller investigation. Was it legitimate? Was there sufficient evidence to warrant an investigation? Was it setup by the Obama administration as the biggest scandal in US history? The deep state coup attempts will be outed shortly with real indictments.

Yes, you are wrong. Mueller clearly said "If it were clear that the president committed no crime, we would have said so" The report also said longstanding policy prevented him from indicting a sitting president. and he didn't think it would be fair to accuse the president without an indictment, but congress would be better equipped to deal with his findings.

The report lists several attempts to obstruct Mueller, The fact that Trump wasn't successful in those attempts doesn't matter. If you try to rob a bank, and fail, you are still guilty of a crime.

Your question as to whether the investigation was even warranted is absurd. There is no doubt that the Russians interfered in our election with the intent of helping Trump had hurting Hillary. Whine all you want, but that is a proven fact. .

So you got tricked into voting for Trump with funny Russian memes?


.

 

[night_son]

Thoughts From An Independent

Our infrastructure is slowly crumbling, the crisis at the southern border is not improving, our national and trade deficits are both rising, 40,000 Americans die in gun violence every year, 40 million Americans still have no health coverage at all, a college education is financially out of reach for most Americans. And...The President and Congress can't seem to do anything about any of this.

So, who is to blame?? Donald Trump? Nancy Pelosi? Mitch McConnell? Elizabeth Warren?

NO!! These lawmakers are simply doing the job they were elected to do.

By insisting on a "MY WAY OR THE HIGHWAY!" tribal, no compromise approach to governing, both Democrat AND Republican voters have brought this situation upon themselves, and as long as this childish mentality by both sides continues, there will be no progress. So - Will both sides realize one day that neither side is going to get everything they want, that compromise is really not a dirty word, and working together will accomplish more than sitting apart hissing at each other? Or are we in for more of the same? Judging by the tone of these posts, I'm leaning toward the latter.

An old comic strip once said: "We have seen the enemy......and it is us!"

Seems to me Independent is synonymous with unwilling to take sides or decide. Easy to blame one side or the other when one refuses to join either. But lack of decision still counts as making a choice and walking down the double line can get one run over faster than strolling along either shoulder. Additionally, self-flagellation was never the American Way. Independents choose to kneel while everyone else runs in some other direction; the Right or wrong direction. Blaming the voter makes life easier to understand, but nailing them to that cross will cause the ground shake and the high halls to tremble.

 

[BuckToothMoron]

Thoughts From An Independent

Our infrastructure is slowly crumbling, the crisis at the southern border is not improving, our national and trade deficits are both rising, 40,000 Americans die in gun violence every year, 40 million Americans still have no health coverage at all, a college education is financially out of reach for most Americans. And...The President and Congress can't seem to do anything about any of this.

So, who is to blame?? Donald Trump? Nancy Pelosi? Mitch McConnell? Elizabeth Warren?

NO!! These lawmakers are simply doing the job they were elected to do.

By insisting on a "MY WAY OR THE HIGHWAY!" tribal, no compromise approach to governing, both Democrat AND Republican voters have brought this situation upon themselves, and as long as this childish mentality by both sides continues, there will be no progress. So - Will both sides realize one day that neither side is going to get everything they want, that compromise is really not a dirty word, and working together will accomplish more than sitting apart hissing at each other? Or are we in for more of the same? Judging by the tone of these posts, I'm leaning toward the latter.

An old comic strip once said: "We have seen the enemy......and it is us!"

With regard to a college education being out of reach for most Americans- This is by and large a problem created by our government.

https://www.usnews.com/opinion/arti...government-is-to-blame-for-high-college-costs
It's not crazy to talk about making student loans dischargeable again, or even capping the number of federally guaranteed loans so that private banks can compete for more borrowers. But the bigger challenge is reducing the cost of tuition in the first place. Tuitions are artificially high directly because of federal financial aid. "It's a vicious cycle," McCluskey recently explained in a speech. "Students tell the politicians, 'We don't want to pay this much for college,' and politicians respond by throwing more money at them, and colleges respond by increasing costs."