Politicians can not be trusted!

Even if politicians are talking together somewhat and doing a little compromising lately, they are still performing in an inadequately.  Dictionary.com gives the second meaning to politician as “a seeker or holder of public office, who is more concerned about winning favor or retaining power than about maintaining principles.”  This means that they cannot be trusted.  Cannot be trusted!

A recent example, out of many, is the whole gun control issue after the horrible shooting at Sandy Hook elementary school in Connecticut.  After all the outrage is expressed, after a former colleague and victim of violence, Gabrielle Giffords, appears before the Congress to express her strong feelings that corrective action in controlling the proliferation of weapons in this country is absolute necessary, after a number of other similar incidents over the past few years – what is being done?

The debate is not over, but do you think that the Congress will put any control on the sale of semi-automatic attack weapons; on the sale of the huge ammo clips; even on the registration of all arms sales?  No.  That is basically because the NRA is one of the strongest lobbies in the country and they gives plenty of money to many of our “fine” congressmen.  Even the Democrats are pulling back their proposals.  There is no principle involved here, just keeping their seats in the Congress and all of the benefits, and “benefits”, that go along with them. 

The next time some of these folks come out to mourn the victims of another shooting, ask them what they have done to stop the violence. Why do they fail to take common sense actions?

Think about it, and take care.

Let's get it right

In listening to NPR this morning I heard about the long standing rule that the U S House of Representatives has followed.  It is that the Speaker of the House will not report a bill out to the full House for consideration unless a majority of the majority (in this case the Republicans) is in favor of the bill.  This rule has followed the philosophy that the bill must help the Republicans (majority) in some way.  

I thought we elected our representatives to do what is best for the country, not for their party!  What an outrage and how self-serving.  

What made this news worthy today, I guess, is that Speaker Boehner created an exception by passing through a bill that did not have a majority of the majority support.  Then it did pass because the Democrats supported the bill in numbers sufficient to pass the bill.  He said that the new rule would be to not pass a bill out without the majority of the majority support when possible.  Kudos to Speaker Boehner !!  Perhaps a little of what the American people have been saying is getting through, at least to Mr Boehner.  Forget crass partisanship and act in a manner that will benefit the country.  Compromise is acceptable, hard lines and hard heads are not.

At this point the issue doesn't matter, but the process certainly does.  We have many challenges facing our country and we need smart people working towards solutions that will help.

That brings me to the Food for thought that I posted today:  

In the absence of justice, what is sovereignty but organized robbery?   Augustine

We need more peace and justice in this country, and in the world, and Mr. Boehner's change is at least a step in the right direction.

What do you think?

Take care