After the past three years the financial roller coaster the United States (and indeed the world) has been on has resembled the Six Flags Scream Machine; if the scream machine mostly went downward and the screams were of people losing their life savings, not their pocket change. This has led to a great deal of anger. It was first aimed at anyone who wore a suit. But then it seemed to sort of..vanish.
We, oddly, no longer aim this anger at the financial geniuses on Wall Street or the insurance and mortgage industries. This is especially odd since basically none of them have been held to account for their actions. Some may have had to get a smaller yacht, which I suppose is pretty harsh punishment. Hell, even loud mouthed television, “financial experts” who were predicting never ending prosperity and a constant supply of free beer got to keep their jobs.
We, oddly, no longer aim this anger at the financial geniuses on Wall Street or the insurance and mortgage industries. This is especially odd since basically none of them have been held to account for their actions. Some may have had to get a smaller yacht, which I suppose is pretty harsh punishment. Hell, even loud mouthed television, “financial experts” who were predicting never ending prosperity and a constant supply of free beer got to keep their jobs.
It isn't all about the money. It is also about the stupidity.
So who to blame? Whose door can we lay it at? How about Congress?
Everyone ALWAYS hates Congress. We shriek and prattle on about how awful our Representatives and Senators are and lament there is not a cannon with the range to fire them all directly into the sun.
Yes, everyone hates Congress, except their own representative, who they re-elect until they die of old age or get caught riding a greased donkey with an underage hooker while snorting cocaine with a rolled up copy of the constitution. Even then, if they get born again they still stand a coin-toss chance of re-election.
Think I am full of shit? I may be but in 2010, an especially hard year for incumbents, 85 percent of the House were re-elected. It is a little harder to get re-elected to the Senate. In that tough year of 2010 they were only re-elected at a rate of 84 percent (if you go back 31 years you can find a year where only 55 percent were re-elected to the Senate).
So, if these people are such a bunch of jabbering mandrills who is really at fault for them getting their damned job? If I went to the dentist and left with fangs I would get a new dentist. If I brought my Mercedes to a mechanic and was given back a Pinto I would go home for my pistol. Yet we get the same thing over and over and we re-elect them and then do it again until they need adult diapers or figure out they can make more cash as a lobbyist.
Everyone ALWAYS hates Congress. We shriek and prattle on about how awful our Representatives and Senators are and lament there is not a cannon with the range to fire them all directly into the sun.
Yes, everyone hates Congress, except their own representative, who they re-elect until they die of old age or get caught riding a greased donkey with an underage hooker while snorting cocaine with a rolled up copy of the constitution. Even then, if they get born again they still stand a coin-toss chance of re-election.
Think I am full of shit? I may be but in 2010, an especially hard year for incumbents, 85 percent of the House were re-elected. It is a little harder to get re-elected to the Senate. In that tough year of 2010 they were only re-elected at a rate of 84 percent (if you go back 31 years you can find a year where only 55 percent were re-elected to the Senate).
So, if these people are such a bunch of jabbering mandrills who is really at fault for them getting their damned job? If I went to the dentist and left with fangs I would get a new dentist. If I brought my Mercedes to a mechanic and was given back a Pinto I would go home for my pistol. Yet we get the same thing over and over and we re-elect them and then do it again until they need adult diapers or figure out they can make more cash as a lobbyist.
The Gerrymander, the original monster looks cuddly compared to the Shogoths out there now.
Try this out if you have some spare time. Go down to the mall and poll people using this question:
Which of the following would you most trust with the financial future of the United States?
A) Mussolini (or Michelle Bachmann)
B) Bernie Madoff
C) Johnny “Itchy” Jones (local junkie)
D) Congress
If you asked a thousand people something like four of them would answer “Congress.” Yet eight and a half of these nitwits for every ten running for re-election will return to office in 2012.
But ultimately this isn’t about ragging on Congress. It is about ragging on US, every single Kardashian-watching-Palin-obsessed-GlennBeckBillMaherRachelMaddowRushLimbaugh-loving ONE of us. We are responsible because we could, easily, chuck all of them out. But we don’t. Then we whine about it and post something on Facebook. Sure makes you FEEL lots better doesn't it? I am sure Mark Zuckerberg shares your anger on HIS yacht.
Sure sometimes the alternatives are less than attractive. David Duke and Al Sharpton seem REASONABLE by today’s standards so the choices can sometimes be stark. And "sending a message" often leads to lunatics being in the Congress. BUT, there have already been lunatics in Congress. In the Early Republic the House was made up largely of alcoholics and inveterate racists. If you get rid of a crook and elect a lunatic? You can vote OUT the lunatic in 2 years.
Which of the following would you most trust with the financial future of the United States?
A) Mussolini (or Michelle Bachmann)
B) Bernie Madoff
C) Johnny “Itchy” Jones (local junkie)
D) Congress
If you asked a thousand people something like four of them would answer “Congress.” Yet eight and a half of these nitwits for every ten running for re-election will return to office in 2012.
But ultimately this isn’t about ragging on Congress. It is about ragging on US, every single Kardashian-watching-Palin-obsessed-GlennBeckBillMaherRachelMaddowRushLimbaugh-loving ONE of us. We are responsible because we could, easily, chuck all of them out. But we don’t. Then we whine about it and post something on Facebook. Sure makes you FEEL lots better doesn't it? I am sure Mark Zuckerberg shares your anger on HIS yacht.
Sure sometimes the alternatives are less than attractive. David Duke and Al Sharpton seem REASONABLE by today’s standards so the choices can sometimes be stark. And "sending a message" often leads to lunatics being in the Congress. BUT, there have already been lunatics in Congress. In the Early Republic the House was made up largely of alcoholics and inveterate racists. If you get rid of a crook and elect a lunatic? You can vote OUT the lunatic in 2 years.
Whether you agree with him or not, Bernie Sanders isn't full of shit.
So how does this happen? Check the list below.
1-Money
2-Gerrymandering (look it up, Google “Elbridge Gerry”)
3-Stupidity
4-Money
5-Extreme stupidity
And money wouldn't matter so much if WE didn't watch their damned ADS. I want to encourage everyone, whenever you hear a political ad on the radio? Change the station? On TV? Hit the mute button. Don't listen or watch ANY of them.
But wouldn’t it be neat if one of them, just ONE, would tell us the complete truth? Tell us all the shit we didn’t want to hear?
“Umm, yeah, forget about that Social Security shit kids. When you get old the retirement age is going to be 89.” or “Health care? You fuckers are going to be lucky to have FOOD next month.” or “Umm..just a tip….learn Mandarin.”
But back to self loathing. We elect the politicians. It is like if you had a maid who took a dump on the dining room table every morning and you couldn’t bring yourself to fire her out of fear. You would have every reason to loath yourself. SO, unless you can point to a veritable laundry list of consistent action, straight talking and general coherence (Bernie Sanders I suppose) vote them OUT.
1-Money
2-Gerrymandering (look it up, Google “Elbridge Gerry”)
3-Stupidity
4-Money
5-Extreme stupidity
And money wouldn't matter so much if WE didn't watch their damned ADS. I want to encourage everyone, whenever you hear a political ad on the radio? Change the station? On TV? Hit the mute button. Don't listen or watch ANY of them.
But wouldn’t it be neat if one of them, just ONE, would tell us the complete truth? Tell us all the shit we didn’t want to hear?
“Umm, yeah, forget about that Social Security shit kids. When you get old the retirement age is going to be 89.” or “Health care? You fuckers are going to be lucky to have FOOD next month.” or “Umm..just a tip….learn Mandarin.”
But back to self loathing. We elect the politicians. It is like if you had a maid who took a dump on the dining room table every morning and you couldn’t bring yourself to fire her out of fear. You would have every reason to loath yourself. SO, unless you can point to a veritable laundry list of consistent action, straight talking and general coherence (Bernie Sanders I suppose) vote them OUT.
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