When is enough finally enough?

[Foxfyre]

As I read this short piece tonight, all the broken promises, disappoinments, boondoggles, and downright lies and hypocrisy of the last two decades seemed to flash before my eyes.

How much of this kind of dishonesty will we accept from our government before we say enough is enough? How much hypocrisy and/or duplicity is tolerable from our elected leaders?

Is there no alternative to accepting the bad with the good? If not, what should we do about it?

Pelosi Breaks Pledge to Put Final Health Care Bill Online for 72 Hours Before Vote

Speaker Nancy Pelosi's office tells THE WEEKLY STANDARD that the speaker will not allow the final language of the health care to be posted online for 72 hours before bringing the bill to a vote on the House floor, despite her September 24 statement that she was "absolutely" committed to doing so.

House members are still negotiating important issues in the bill--whether it will provide taxpayer-funding for abortions, for example. Pelosi is pushing for a Saturday House vote, and a number of big changes will be introduced, likely less than 24 hours before the vote takes place (if in fact it does). The Rules Committee hasn't yet released its resolution, or rule, that must be passed before the bill can move from committee to the floor. The rule will set the terms of debate and determine what amendments are in order.

It seems likely that the rule will allow very few, if any, up-or-down votes on amendments on the House floor. Rather, the rule will include a series of amendments that will all be adopted at once if the rule passes.

On September 24, Speaker Nancy Pelosi told THE WEEKLY STANDARD that she was "absolutely" committed to putting the text of the final House bill online for 72 hours before the House votes:

TWS: Madam Speaker, do you support the measure to put the final House bill online for 72 hours before it's voted on at the very end?

PELOSI: Absolutely. Without question.


But tonight, when asked if Speaker Pelosi will leave the bill online for 72 hours after we see what's in the rule, Pelosi spokesman Brendan Daly replied in an email: "No; [the] pledge was to have manager’s amendment online for 72 hours, and we will do that."

Apparently Pelosi's agreement to leave the "final" bill online "at the very end" of the process wasn't such a straightforward pledge.
The Weekly Standard

 

[LibocalypseNow]

Reid & Pelosi have presided over by far the worst U.S. Congress in History. This is not very surprising to me. Look for the coming Hopey Changey Talking Points to go something like..."BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOSSSHHHHHH!!!!!!!! FOXXXXXXXXXXXXXX NOOOOOOOOOOOOZZ!!!!!" How sad.

 

[Foxfyre]

Reid & Pelosi have presided over by far the worst U.S. Congress in History. This is not very surprising to me. Look for the coming Hopey Changey Talking Points to go something like..."BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOSSSHHHHHH!!!!!!!! FOXXXXXXXXXXXXXX NOOOOOOOOOOOOZZ!!!!!" How sad.

I don't know whether they are the worst. The one we had the first two years of Bill Clinton's presidency was pretty bad. But the blatant disregard and disrespect of the people may be the most blatant ever in the current Congress. And what is so distressing is that we continue to take it. There will be some who will even defend them in this kind of thing.

 

[Foxfyre]

And here's another one that is positively infuriating, frustrating, and frightening. When the system becomes this corrupt, how can we trust the process at all? Who among us supports the Democrats on this one?

Senate blocks census US-citizenship question
.Andrew Taylor, Associated Press Writer – Thu Nov 5, 12:52 pm ET

WASHINGTON – Senate Democrats have blocked a GOP attempt to require next year's census forms to ask people whether they are a U.S. citizen.

The proposal by Louisiana Republican Sen. David Vitter was aimed at excluding immigrants from the population totals that are used to figure the number of congressional representatives for each state. Critics said Vitter's plan would discourage immigrants from responding to the census and would be hugely expensive. They also said that it's long been settled law that the apportionment of congressional seats is determined by the number of people living in each state, regardless of whether they are citizens. A separate survey already collects the data.

The plan fell after a 60-39 procedural vote made it ineligible for attachment to a bill funding the census
Senate blocks census US-citizenship question - Yahoo! News

 

[LibocalypseNow]

I hear ya Foxfyre. In the end,absolute power really does corrupt absolutely. There are no Checks & Balances on this Socialist Nightmare at this point. We will only drift closer & closer to becoming a Third World Banana Republic until this changes. Hang in there.

 

[ThePickledPunk]

Enough is never enough for the left. Hence the need for them to "transform" everyhting from our economy to our country in general terms. It might be enough once every decision is taken from the hands of individuals and given to an all-knowing beneficient beauracracy.

 

[Foxfyre]

Enough is never enough for the left. Hence the need for them to "transform" everyhting from our economy to our country in general terms. It might be enough once every decision is taken from the hands of individuals and given to an all-knowing beneficient beauracracy.

Well it is obvious that the GOP lacks the balls, discipline, or inclination to fix the problem. So what are the chances of a new pro-American party emerging and representing we the people?

 

[LibocalypseNow]

Yea the Republican Party hasn't shown much backbone lately. Lets hope this changes soon. They may not be the best opposition but they are the only opposition.

 

[ncarolinadixie]

IMO it's not that they don't have any backbone left but that they just don't care anymore. They've been told for so long to sit down and shut up that "WE WON" and had to deal with being kept out of meetings and such as that that they're just sitting back watching the house of cards come tumbling down one card at a time. What gets me is that we're constantly being told that it's the Republicans that are holding things up which is blatently false. Even ole willy boy has said on numerous occasions that the Democrats have a filibuster proof majority and even he can't figure out why they aren't using it. It's almost like they're using the (R)'s as nothing more than an excuse for the lack of follow through or holding back so that they can say that it's not their fault if something doesn't come to a vote. Just more passing the buck IMO and what's sad is that we're allowing them to get away with it. We've allowed ourselves to become so divided and so partisan among ourselves that we're falling for anything they throw at us. WE'RE ALLOWING the buck to be passed instead of stepping up and DEMANDING that they do what WE elected them to do. REPRESENT US!! Instead we're sitting here in forums such as this complaining and whining about nothing being done. We're fighting amongst ourselves while they're sitting in their ivory towers benefitting themselves at our expense.

 

[Foxfyre]

Interesting perspective from everybody.

The most pertinent observations so far I think are these:

Libo

In the end,absolute power really does corrupt absolutely. There are no Checks & Balances on this Socialist Nightmare at this point.

That's the scary thing. With so much power in the hands of the Democrats, the only practical defense we have is at the ballot box. But with the media in the back pocket of this administration, it is really hard to get any message out but theirs, and they will brand any other message but theirs 'extremist', 'racist', 'naysayers', 'hatemongers' et al.

PickledPunk took it to what I think might in fact be the destination we're headed for.

It might be enough once every decision is taken from the hands of individuals and given to an all-knowing beneficient bureaucracy

That alone would spell the demise of the Republic as we know it. And what form would the bueaucracy then take when it achieved effective control over every aspect of our lives?

And finally Dixie observes:

IMO it's not that they don't have any backbone left but that they just don't care anymore. They've been told for so long to sit down and shut up that "WE WON" and had to deal with being kept out of meetings and such as that that they're just sitting back watching the house of cards come tumbling down one card at a time.

But then how do you account for their opposition to conservatives like Sarah Palin and Fred Thompson as well as the conservative television and radio hosts and political commentators? When they criticize rather than utilize the conservative voices out there, their failure to actively confront the bad legislation coming from the Left doesn't look so much like lack of caring as much as it looks like complicity.

 

[PatekPhilippe]

This is what happens when the Democrats main campaign strategy is to divide up the Nation into red and blue, black, brown and white, gay and straight, greens and gas hogs, rednecks and metrosexuals. Then selectively make promises to the largest demographic in various States.

The government no longer represents the people who elected it. They represent themselves. Every single person in America has no one to blame but themselves.....they allowed this trash to enter the White House and the halls of Congress.

 

[Foxfyre]

This is what happens when the Democrats main campaign strategy is to divide up the Nation into red and blue, black, brown and white, gay and straight, greens and gas hogs, rednecks and metrosexuals. Then selectively make promises to the largest demographic in various States.

The government no longer represents the people who elected it. They represent themselves. Every single person in America has no one to blame but themselves.....they allowed this trash to enter the White House and the halls of Congress.

I hadn't thought of it in that way, but you are absolutely right! That is how they are doing it. That is exactly how the congressional leadership and Obama and his surrogates are beguiling and hoodwinking their constituencies. They divide us and then tell each division what it wants to hear. And because the media isn't doing its job, many of those are too uninformed to see it, if they even care.

Another factor is that the President, his surrogates, and members of Congress do not have to directly experience the consequences of their policies and proposals. They exempt themselves or make sure that they will not be adversely affected if they in fact are not personally benefitted.

In my morning email today I received this--source unknown:

Proposed 28th Amendment to the United States Constitution:

Congress shall make no law that applies to the citizens of the United States that does not apply equally to the Senators and/or Representatives.

Congress shall make no law that applies to the Senators and/or Representatives that does not apply equally to the citizens of the United States.

I think such an amendment would be a very good idea.

 

[California Girl]

I'd like them to add to that amendment.

Congress shall pass no law that does not specifically site the section of the Constitution that gives Congress the power to pass said law.

 

[California Girl]

We really need to STOP ELECTING IDIOTS

 

[kyzr]

I'd like them to add to that 28th amendment.

Congress shall pass no law that does not specifically site the section of the Constitution that gives Congress the power to pass said law.

...and said new laws shall be fully funded prior to implementation not adding to the national debt...

 

[Foxfyre]

I'd like them to add to that amendment.

Congress shall pass no law that does not specifically site the section of the Constitution that gives Congress the power to pass said law.

Wow. Wouldn't that be an interesting turn of events. We should put it in.

 

[Immanuel]

Senate blocks census US-citizenship question
.Andrew Taylor, Associated Press Writer – Thu Nov 5, 12:52 pm ET

WASHINGTON – Senate Democrats have blocked a GOP attempt to require next year's census forms to ask people whether they are a U.S. citizen.

The proposal by Louisiana Republican Sen. David Vitter was aimed at excluding immigrants from the population totals that are used to figure the number of congressional representatives for each state. Critics said Vitter's plan would discourage immigrants from responding to the census and would be hugely expensive. They also said that it's long been settled law that the apportionment of congressional seats is determined by the number of people living in each state, regardless of whether they are citizens. A separate survey already collects the data.

The plan fell after a 60-39 procedural vote made it ineligible for attachment to a bill funding the census

I did not realize that illegal aliens were included in the census and that the border states which heavily benefit from the influx of illegals, both my native state and my current state of residence would be included in that, would benefit from the fact that so many illegals settle there.

The simple fact that these states get more representation in the electoral college by having illegals is a benefit and seems to be unfair.

Immie

 

[JakeStarkey]

As I read the nonsense by the wingnut far right, seven words come to mind: "Mainstream America does not listen to you."

Mainstream America will not let the hopelesschangeless Republican far right wing run things any more. The NY 23d race shows that.

 

[Foxfyre]

I'd like them to add to that 28th amendment.

Congress shall pass no law that does not specifically site the section of the Constitution that gives Congress the power to pass said law.

...and said new laws shall be fully funded prior to implementation not adding to the national debt...

This one might be a bit tougher to reconcile. If it is a law that requires industry to be responsible--not dump mercury or other heavy metals or toxic materials for instance--or to clean up a toxic spill for instance--there will be a cost to industry that the taxpayer should not incur. However, whatever Congress funds comes right out of our pocket, and that is a huge part of the problem right now. Congress regards our money as theirs to spend on whatever they want no matter how counter productive, irresponsible, ill advised, frivolous, impractical, or self-serving. So to avoid deficit spending for that stuff, they would simply have to increase our taxes.

So to achieve your concern maybe we could amend CG's proposal to something like this:

Congress shall pass no law that does not specifically cite the section of the Constitution that gives Congress the power to pass said law; nor shall Congress expand any program or policy that will increase the national debt or impose additional taxes on the people without citing the section of the Constitution that gives Congress the power to do so.

 

[Foxfyre]

As I read the nonsense by the wingnut far right, seven words come to mind: "Mainstream America does not listen to you."

Mainstream America will not let the hopelesschangeless Republican far right wing run things any more. The NY 23d race shows that.

Well I tell you what Jake. If you are including the members here as the 'wingnut far right', my fervent hope is that you WILL listen to us real soon, because I hope we are developing a voice loud enough to be heard and listened to by everybody.

Is there any point stated here to which you especially disagree? Is there any point stated with which you agree?