During World War II, Winston Churchill saved the world from tyranny and
annihilation but couldn't save his job from a rationing of scones and a
shortage of beer.
Our Congress with the worst record of achievement since World War II
will learn from - "his bit of history" - and save us from the Fiscal Cliff by
softening the blow for the wealthy, lowering the taxes for the middle class
and delaying any discussion of painful spending cuts until further out in the
year!
Politics of the Modern Era...No real problems solved but more importantly...
no one - not having a Happy New Year!
I don't know if politicians don't solve the problems of the American People
because they no longer have the problems of the American People!
This Congress will get a pay raise in 2013 - the best medical care our country can offer -
a pension for life - an expense account - free travel - only work about 3 days a week -
and than be offered a lobbying job or go on a book tour!
So if the job is so good...why do they seem so bad at it?
Why do so many great people go to Washington with such good intentions and
come home as part of a continual system of failure and disappointment?
Where is our Winston Churchills, our Thomas Jeffersons and Sam Rayburns of today?
Maybe they are there - but they're no longer able to work for us! Maybe the only way
they can get the job...is to do a terrific job for the people responsible for returning
them to office every 2 to 6 years.
And that's not us!
We may be the ones that vote for them...but we are just as guilty as them for allowing
ourselves to be manipulated and coerced with every new election cycle.
The Big Corporate Donors...the Wealthy Special Interests...the political people entrenched in power are no longer just fighting for a tax break or a government contract, but in fact they essentially have become the government...they make the campaign donations - they write the laws - they do the campaign ads and they set the agenda - it is the American people that are left to vote for a tax break or a government program that has been targeted directly to them!
And when we do have a glimmer of a Winston Churchill or a Teddy Roosevelt...we don't vote for them. We vote for our own special interest's instead...and are easily swayed by a pocketful of incentives.
Maybe this is why a Vietnam Hero like John McCain selects even more torture when he chooses an "I can see Russia from here" Sarah Palin as a running mate - or when an in the closet moderate like Mitt Romney is forced to pick an " I will end Medicare and Social Security as we know it" Paul Ryan...or why a President Brack Obama negotiates politically like a community organizer instead of the Leader of the Free World.
I am glad we "fixed the Fiscal Cliff...but when are we going to "fix our political system", so it won't just be a Happy New Year!...but it will be more like the spirit of "Auld Lang Syne."