| Jimmy Stewart's character portrayed in "Mr. | | | | in the Social Security and Medicare sectors |
| Smith Goes To Washington" would have been | | | | that need adjustments NOW. Additional |
| right at home last week in Washington D.C. | | | | taxation will further burden the middle |
| surrounded by the "Porkmeisters" of the | | | | Americans who have enough on their plate as |
| current day. Déjà vu here we go again. | | | | it is. The Fair Tax or other tax alternative |
| Conveniently, the closure rule has been | | | | may give the financial income to not only |
| simplified removing the spectacle of a | | | | fund these needed programs but eat away the |
| 'elected citizen' fighting with the | | | | swelling national debt and make America |
| Filibuster Rule. | | | | competitive on the world stage. One major |
| | | | benefit would be to remove the need for any |
| There won't be a pair of pants big enough to | | | | lobbyist looking to buttonhole an elected |
| remove the evidence of this pork outrage from | | | | official to get their client a tax loophole. |
| the Depositary For The National Archives. | | | | No corporate or individual taxes would do |
| Participants will be left with explaining to | | | | away with pork-laden bills and stealth |
| their future heirs and families their roles | | | | riders, as there would not be any IRS code to |
| as a fully operation "Porkmeister". Under the | | | | modify. The safety net for low income |
| faint shield of just getting their 'due' for | | | | families will offset any increase to the |
| their district deals are struck and America's | | | | family budget for a national sales tax and |
| future is mortgaged up to its eyeballs. If | | | | have built in protections against additional |
| there ever was a case for term limitations | | | | burdens to the lower income segments. This |
| this is it. Familiarity of this modus | | | | program can make a lot of sense but will be |
| operandi breeds contempt. The chart in the | | | | fought tooth and nail by all the special |
| "club" ranks the biggest porker of them all. | | | | interests protecting their little corners of |
| "Gosh if I could just get to the top" muses a | | | | the world. Term limitations could put a dent |
| sharp elbowed elected official pushing toward | | | | into the "Career Politicians" where pay backs |
| the money trough for the daily hit of slop | | | | and back scratching are the rule. Having |
| from the tax payer money flow of tax revenues | | | | fresh faces each term would be a learning |
| all in the pitch of darkness. Waistlines | | | | curve for each with no long-term memory to |
| increase as the 'Let's Make A Deal' is played | | | | resource of who is owed what favor. Fresh |
| out daily. Long term seniority can magnify | | | | ideas, fresh approaches with new points of |
| and command even more pork. Is there any 'Mr. | | | | view. That is the base of attraction for |
| (Ms.) Smiths in Washington now? Maybe, Barak | | | | Barak Obama. Thus far, appears untethered to |
| Obama and Tom Colburn with their plan to put | | | | special interests and is outside of the old |
| the budget online could at least shine the | | | | party machine. Obama has shown the ability to |
| light on the players so they could at least | | | | reach across the aisle to Senator Tom |
| "Man Up" to "Yeah, I sponsored that pork | | | | Colburn, the biggest thorn in the |
| attachment". Senator Barak Obama from the | | | | "Porkmeister's" side to put the budget and |
| State of Illinois and Abraham Lincoln with | | | | bills on the Internet for ALL to see. It will |
| Senator Tom Colburn from the State of | | | | take fresh thinking and fresh ideas with a |
| Oklahoma and Will Rogers with being Junior | | | | flow of fresh blood. America was founded |
| Senators from their respective states perhaps | | | | based on a "can do" attitude. Lately, the |
| could bring with them the spirit of Lincoln | | | | country is reeking with negativism and |
| and Rogers to Washington. Wow! Would that be | | | | frankly its becoming tiresome. When lawmakers |
| refreshing for a change? Both of the parties | | | | are below attorneys in the polls the |
| are stinking up the country right now. As a | | | | electorate are on to them. Changes must come. |
| nation, we deserve better and we must DEMAND | | | | Special interests must be put aside and some |
| more. | | | | new "Mr. (Ms.) Smiths Must Come To |
| | | | Washington". |
| China recognizing the power of the Internet | | | | |
| has restricted its use and has even developed | | | | If the tough issues are not addressed soon, |
| its own system. With a host of Internet | | | | families will be increasingly under financial |
| monitors trying to get their arms around any | | | | pressure with their very credit and financial |
| communication that will show their government | | | | foundations at stake. Things have to change. |
| in a bad light is censored. The Chinese are | | | | Unfortunately, the situation many times needs |
| now mastering the online power of satire | | | | to get really bad before it gets better. With |
| where if you can't read between the lines, | | | | enemies trying to destroy our way of life, we |
| then your not understanding the writers | | | | must become strong again from within. A |
| drift. The cat is out of the bag in China. | | | | return to looking at making the tax system |
| The Internet is America's only hope that the | | | | fair and removing much of the special |
| Bloggers in China can marshal enough support | | | | interest lobbying efforts to grab a loop hole |
| to prevent their country from taking a wrong | | | | at the tax payers expense would be a good |
| turn. The same hope remains for America. The | | | | start. The Fair Tax could do just that. Will |
| Blogashere and other online activity in the | | | | this be an easy sell? No way! It will be |
| Internet will bring all the governing bodies | | | | tough to do. It will impact the |
| under close scrutiny for all to see. An | | | | "Porkmeisters" and many of the lobbyists |
| informed electorate is America's hope. Truth | | | | trying to buy influence. Term limits with |
| eventually will come out. Having all | | | | real limited campaign budgets will broaden |
| congressional bills and budgetary items | | | | the citizen pool with people who want to |
| online with ALL the sponsors named will point | | | | compete on the basis of ideas not how much |
| the brightest and most focused stage | | | | cash they can raise. When some campaign |
| spotlight to the proponents of pork. | | | | budgets approach the governmental budgets of |
| | | | some countries, it's time for a change. It |
| Operating in darkness shields the | | | | now is a campaign of exclusion for lack of a |
| "Porkmeisters" from scrutiny. | | | | large cash stash to run for office. After the |
| | | | term is up, the elected "new blood" needs to |
| If a project is so weak and without merit and | | | | go back to work where they were making a |
| the only way for its passage is to stick it | | | | living before. No where was this valued |
| on the trailing tail of a bigger bill than | | | | citizenry participation meant to be a "life |
| that is just so lame and impotent. | | | | time calling". Serve the term, do great work |
| | | | and go back to work. No full retirement for |
| Yes earmarks and "secret endorsements" lead | | | | part time effort that has not measured up, |
| to runaway spending. Since the line item veto | | | | representatives need to pay Social Security |
| was struck down the executive branch has | | | | just like other Americans, no special parking |
| little option but to rattle the sword and | | | | spaces, nothing. To serve in an elected |
| veto the entire bill and hope that it there | | | | capacity is a privilege not another |
| are not enough additional votes to over ride | | | | entitlement. Serve one term and go home and |
| the veto. Otherwise, Presidents would need to | | | | get back to work and encourage others to run |
| hold their nose and sign it any way. Perhaps | | | | and serve. Pass it on and keep it going. |
| it is time to make another effort to take | | | | Definitely, becoming a "Porkmeister" and all |
| another run at putting the line item veto in | | | | that it brings with it is not the goal. |
| place with hopes of getting a better play | | | | Making America a better country needs to be |
| with the Supreme Court. Until then, we are | | | | the only goal through positive and innovative |
| left to try and shine a light on the | | | | thinking and bringing in fresh blood to the |
| budgetary and legislation enactment by | | | | fray. Limiting campaign spending, reducing |
| putting everything online and let the public | | | | term limits, passing the Fair Tax, bringing |
| see exactly who is doing what. Parading ones | | | | back the line item veto, putting the budget |
| voting record and actions can only help to | | | | and bills on internet with ALL sponsors being |
| mute the abuses that are currently under way. | | | | identified will be a good start. |
| | | | |
| There are huge challenges ahead for America | | | | Will the real America please stand up. |