Fickle Faddle

We are a fickle nation. Lest the Republicans and the Tea Partiers think that this past election is a mandate for them, they should be cautioned that the American Public is dissatisfied with EVERYTHING its congress, sent to Washington to accomplish, failed to accomplish in the past two years, and they're taking it out on the incumbents, whomever they may be, electing those who present the best arguments NOT to elect the other guy/gal. All you had to do was see the endless, scurrilous ads (to which, Tony, you were [fortunately] not exposed) to realize that. As in the 2008 elections, those who showed up with the most money and promises, albeit at the cost of the reputation of the opponents, won the election. Of course there were obvious exceptions, eg., Odonnell in Delaware, the Bigmoney Babes in California (echoes of Palin in 2008), all just too far out in right field to engender serious contemplation, thus left in the wake of what the public deems progress-to-come this year.

We'll have to see what the newbies can actually accomplish, beyond trashing the president so he doesn't get reelected (McConnell), wasting time repealing HealthCare (veto), pushing less taxes for the superrich, etc. Not a good idea for actually fixing things in the bunch, just a lot of vilification and blather during the election campaign with a lot of generalities ("I have a plan..." [Yeah, but what IS it?]), amounting to a good sales pitches, nothing more. We can only hope for progress...

Congress seems to be becoming more and more of just a machine to get reelected, and to prevent the opposition FROM winning office. We'd have been better off if, when he had the chance, Nixon had taken over the government, closed congress until a constitutional convention could take place, and TODAY (well, THEN) could be taken into consideration. Even moreso now. Our system needs FIXING. China, with its streamlined government and economy is gonna stomp us into oblivion, we don't watch out. Our representatives waste their time arguing, nitpicking one another, at the behest of the people who finance the advertising that gets them elected, and at the expense of the business they've been sent to do.

The one thing Obama still has is the bully pulpit, let's hope he uses it to expose the true colors of the people on the congressional gravy train who are supposed to be representing the people back in the hinterland. I say "Fight, Barack, your back's to the wall."

Henry Francisco