I'll admit that Representative Sheila Jackson Lee (D-Texas) is an idiot, but that is quite beside the point. Still, by making one of the most absurd speeches on record, she illustrates just how totally dysfunctional our two party system has become.
Jackson Lee said: "I am particularly sensitive to the fact that only this president — only this one, only this one — has received the kind of attacks and disagreement and inability to work, only this one."
Then Jackson Lee decided to jump completely off the cliff: "Read between the lines. What is different about this president that should put him in a position that he should not receive the same kind of respectful treatment of when it is necessary to raise the debt limit in order to pay our bills, something required by both statute and the 14th amendment?"
Here is EXACTLY WHY Jackson Lee is wrong. During the last (ultimately successful) attempt to raise the dept ceiling during the tenure of President George W. Bush, NOT ONE SINGLE DEMOCRAT SENATOR VOTED TO INCREASE THE DEBT CEILING. EVERY DEMOCRAT VOTED AGAINST THE BILL TO, as Sheila Jackson Lee so eloquently put it, "raise the debt limit in order to pay our bills, something required by both statute and the 14th amendment."
So, in spite of Jackson Lee's faulty memory, Barack Obama is, in fact, being treated exactly the same way President Bush was treated. It could be argued Obama is being treated with more respect.
This entire Washington debate is just bullshit! If you are against raising the debt limit, you should hold fast to that position. If you believe it is necessary, you should support it. Period. False rhetoric,, race baiting (as Jackson Lee just engaged in), and political posturing should be stopped.
If the political parties would get out of the way we might actually get something done in this country.
- - - - - - - - - -
No doubt I'll get replies stating "Well, the Republicans did it, too." YES! THAT IS, OF COURSE, EXACTLY MY POINT!
Jackson Lee said: "I am particularly sensitive to the fact that only this president — only this one, only this one — has received the kind of attacks and disagreement and inability to work, only this one."
Then Jackson Lee decided to jump completely off the cliff: "Read between the lines. What is different about this president that should put him in a position that he should not receive the same kind of respectful treatment of when it is necessary to raise the debt limit in order to pay our bills, something required by both statute and the 14th amendment?"
Here is EXACTLY WHY Jackson Lee is wrong. During the last (ultimately successful) attempt to raise the dept ceiling during the tenure of President George W. Bush, NOT ONE SINGLE DEMOCRAT SENATOR VOTED TO INCREASE THE DEBT CEILING. EVERY DEMOCRAT VOTED AGAINST THE BILL TO, as Sheila Jackson Lee so eloquently put it, "raise the debt limit in order to pay our bills, something required by both statute and the 14th amendment."
So, in spite of Jackson Lee's faulty memory, Barack Obama is, in fact, being treated exactly the same way President Bush was treated. It could be argued Obama is being treated with more respect.
This entire Washington debate is just bullshit! If you are against raising the debt limit, you should hold fast to that position. If you believe it is necessary, you should support it. Period. False rhetoric,, race baiting (as Jackson Lee just engaged in), and political posturing should be stopped.
If the political parties would get out of the way we might actually get something done in this country.
- - - - - - - - - -
No doubt I'll get replies stating "Well, the Republicans did it, too." YES! THAT IS, OF COURSE, EXACTLY MY POINT!
3 comments:
The American people are experiencing the results of the emergence and ever-growing ego of a ruling class. Both parties are to blame for this, it is true. The American people have failed to maintain proper vigilance (ala Rupert Murdoch) on their political representatives, and those representatives have grown more and more bold in expressing their belief that they are better than us and should dictated how we live our lives.
Right now, Americans are waking up to this reality. More and more of them are demanding more accountability from their representatives and better candidates for office. Because of the near impossibility of bringing a third party into direct competition with the existing ones, we are forced (as of now) to work with them. The Democratic Party is beyond reach. It has veered sharply left in the last several years, and shows no sign of allowing any moderating influence to gain any traction.
The Tea Party has shown that disparate groups of disaffected voters can coalesce behind a single principle, which is that the rampant spending by which our votes have been bought is ruining this country. Right now these voters are trying to make inroads into the Republican Party, which is the only one remotely accessible. If it can be reformed and made responsive to freedom, then there is a light at the end of the tunnel. If not, then you'd better stock up on ammo and canned food.
If we can't purge enough of the ruling class from power then the future of this country will be clear. Stagnation and decline will be the rule. If we can't reform the system in order to avoid catastrophe, then those who love freedom will have little choice except to overthrow that system. Don't think that they won't. This is why I objected so strenuously to your "pox on both your houses" attitude. I have a hard time dismissing the arguments of those who say that we cannot vote our way out of this mess. I don't want that hope extinguished, and blaming everyone equally doesn't help. There is plenty of blame to go around, but there are millions of Americans who want to fix what's wrong, and there are (as of now) a handful of politicians who represent them. Let's not throw the baby out with the bathwater just yet.
Chris, Your post is passionate and extremely well written. You make a very valuable contribution to this blog.
Your points are valid but we do disagree in part. I believe the political parties, including, if not especially, the Republican Party, are the source of much of the problem.
Parties, in reality, are all about power. Positions are fluid and principles are rare, but pontificating and grandstanding are common.
You and I AGREE that the Tea Party Movement is one of PRINCIPLES and not party. Tea Partiers are to be congratulated and cheered onward.
We must have significantly smaller government. But a compromise on revenues that gets us to our goal is a well placed bargain.
We've been compromising with people who want larger and more intrusive government for decades now, and where has it gotten us? If I meet someone who is wholly wrong halfway, now I'm half wrong. How is that helpful?
For far too long those with principles have sacrificed them in the name of compromise and bipartisanship and getting things done. This is how we have gotten to where we are now. At some point those with principles have to stop bending over for those without and stand their ground. It doesn't matter whether it's been done much in the past, or whether it will work out, we have to take a stand somewhere and say enough is enough, we will not go any farther.
It's time to call the President's bluff. The Democrats have rejected the Republican plan. Now it's their turn to present their alternative. What, they don't have one? You don't say! This is my surprised face. Go ahead and lead, Mr. Chief Executive, if you can. Show us that big brain in action. Let's see that steely calm and cool demeanor at work.
The United States will not default. There is plenty of money coming in to service the debt and pay entitlements. The government will have to prioritize and not pay some other things, just like adults do when they don't have enough money to pay all of their bills. It's the President's job to set those priorities. If he wants to play games with Social Security checks, that's his business. Fewer and fewer people are fooled these days, even with the media covering for him.
I'm sick and tired of letting these assholes dictate how I should live when I wouldn't hire them to work with me in any productive capacity. We have to stop going in the wrong direction at some point. This is as good a point as any.
Post a Comment