Election Day — Now, it’s our turn

4 comments

November 3, 11:04 AM

by Bernie Thomas, Baltimore News and Traffic Examiner

 

“It’s not about the money. It’s about, sending a message.”

The Joker—The Dark Knight

For them to survive Washington, for them to get anything done, they must play the Washington game. To get Bills passed, or even introduced, they are “persuaded” to piggyback pork and earmarks. “I’ll help sponsor your Bill, IF you attach this teeny-tiny earmark.” It’s the only way to get things done.

That’s how it works. And therein lies the problem. It’s all about power and money. Before too long, the gleam fades, the ideals are run over by special interests, and the lint in the wallet turns into cash. To be honest, I never understood how our elected officials go to Washington and get rich on just their salaries. I heard somewhere that LBJ arrived in Washington with $47 in his pocket, and left a munti-millionare. How does that happen? WHY does that happen? Maybe someone can explain why Congress is a gold mine to the people who work there.

So, how do we—the people—correct this problem? Simple. Turn ‘em over. If they’re an incumbent, vote ‘em out. This year, there is no presidential incumbent, and as far as I’m concerned, you can flip a coin to vote; there isn’t that much difference between the two when push comes to shove. But there are other choices.

For example, Bob Barr of the Libertarian Party is pulling as much as 4% in some of the polls. Non-democrat and non-republican numbers are rising every election. Seems people are getting more fed up with each turn.

As far as Maryland is concerned, Gilchrest (18 years) is getting out while the getting’s good, so no incumbent there. We can’t get to Mikulski (1987) until 2011, or Cardin (1987, although his website says 2007. Maybe he thought we forgot.)  until 2013, but their names have been around too long. They’re career politicians, and as such, have been corrupted by the system. They have to go.

Why?

Here’s why. Other than being around far too long, they both voted for the 700,000,000,000-dollar bailout no one wanted. Marylander’s made it perfectly clear to them, but they said screw you, we’ll do what we want cause there’s money in it. YOUR money!

The same goes for the rest of them. Following is an excerpt from P. Kenneth Burns of Maryland Politics Today.

“In the meantime, the tally [for the bailout] of the Maryland congressional delegation on Monday was 5-3 with Reps. Donna Edwards (D-4th), Roscoe Bartlett (R-6th) and Elijah Cummings (D-7th) in the dissenting column. Today, it was Rep. Roscoe Bartlett the only one nea column as Cummings and Edwards changed their neas to yeas.”

You’ll remember, Marylanders let it be known in no uncertain terms, that they didn’t want no steenking 700,000,000,000-dollar-damn that’s a lot of zeros-bailout; and, if you remember, the House rejected it ... until they upped the money to $850,000,000,000, the extra money going to wooden arrows, rum producers, auto racing tracks, and wool research; and Mister “I’ll veto any earmarks that cross my desk" McCain voted for it too.

Now that’s democracy at work, buddy. And what has all that money accomplished? Bank officials are lining their pockets, taking high-dollar vacations, and giving themselves raises while the stock market, our economy, is still in the tank.

Remember this? 

This guy voted for it. His vote was deemed "essential" for it to go through. Now look at him. Wanting to know why greedy people do the things they do when you give them BILLIONS of dollars with no accountability. How long has he been there?

They’ve all been there to long, Bush, Pelosi, Franks, Bernanke, Paulson (yes I know these last two are appointments)—all of them. They’re the Royals—American Nobility—and we’re nothing to them ... peasants, to till the fields. surfs, to Lord over.

I’m sick of it. 

Ive long been an advocate of a three party system. Maybe we should let someone else play for a while. It sure couldn’t hurt any more than it already has.

This is your chance. It won’t come around again for another two years. Election Day is your opportunity to remind the Overlords in office who really runs the country; and most of them need reminding.

So grow a pair. Get ‘em out.
 

Related Elections 2008 info: 
Elections 2008 political roadmap
Political issues in 2008
Poll: who will be the next U.S. president?
Examiner Coverage: Elections 2008
 

   Subscribe   Feed

Include other special offers from Examiner.com
Terms of Use