Stop and go

Well, we averted a government shutdown. Feel free to go to a National Park and celebrate. Better do it in the next five days because that's only as long as this stop gap bill lasts. In that time, politicians are expected to really "dig in" and read all the fine print, written behind closed doors in the caverns of the White House at the eleventh hour. They are to vote on the bill this Wednesday to fund the government for the rest of the fiscal year in September.
This marks the seventh stop gap decision by the rival House and Senate. Basically the stop gap means that it delays real decision making further. It's like procrastinating on your homework until the day before finals when you realize you don't even remember what fucking class it is that you're taking. But imagine that your decisions on that final affected 300 million Americans. Pretty fucked huh?
That's what politicians are saying. But of course, instead of criticizing their own side, they cast blame on the "other side," saying the Democrats aren't realistic about spending cuts, and Democrats claiming that Republicans are on an ideological rampage, slicing and dicing according to their far right ideals and not based on possible economic growth. In the end, Republicans let go of their demand for no government funding for Planned Parenthood (except in DC where they got that thru) and the effective castration of the EPA. Meanwhile Democrats gave way on pretty much everything else from medicaire and medicaid to education, infrastructure and oh by the way, tax cuts for the wealthy once again got in there...funny how that keeps popping up. I wonder how that'll help the economy...as Lewis Black said, the Republicans are a party of bad ideas and the Democrats are a party of no ideas.
Succinct and painfully true.
Think about it: SEVEN stop gaps to bring us to this - this limbo? We haven't even gotten anywhere and they're up on the hill congratulating their friends on being able to go to the fucking Washington Monument. Obama held a press conference in the Blue Room of the White House, a glorified living room - why? Because it has a great view of the Monument - he waxed poetic on the meaning and the symbolism, something he's always been good at. What he has trouble with is turning his utopian poetry into tangible prose.
The Washington Post remarked that this is the "first battle" between the Republican run House and the Democrat held Senate, and both parties seemed determined to stand their ground, meanwhile Obama attempting to be the "calm mediator." Biden lost his cool during the talks, can't say I blame him, exasperated with the non stop back and forth, saying "Well fine, let the American people decide this issue." Well Joe, that's probably not a bad idea. Since it seems that you guys over there in DC can't tell Obama's ass from Palin's elbow, maybe you should hand it to the people it really effects.
Particularly considering this is only the "first battle" in what will no doubt be a long line of bullshit arguments that end up costing more time, more money, resulting in, at best, a mediocre solution for a behemoth issue.
Listening to NPR this morning, Republicans and Democrats alike said in interviews that they're not sure they're going to vote for this bill, saying that they really need to read it carefully and make sure it reflects the interests of their party.
Ummmmm....your party? Fuck your party dick stick, it's the people you should be reading for. This isn't a fucking pissing contest over women's vaginas and tree huggers, this is about billions of dollars that go to running our country, well, at least in theory. Due to this stop and go bullshit, many government agencies and programs have been warily working their day-to-day, not sure if they're gonna have work tomorrow. It's not just about avoiding a shutdown, it's about reaching a fucking final decision so that people can work, get paid, get their due benefits and services without constant sputtering from the powers-that-be.
Let the people deal with the issue...wouldn't it be nice? In reality, you guys up there on the hill are supposed to be the people - in that perfect utopian paradise Obama's speeches spend so much time in. This bill was written behind closed doors and now it's being opened to the "public." In the past half hour of a google search, I can't seem to find any information on where citizens might be allowed a glance. The cycle continues: our apathy feeds their secrecy and back door dealings, loopholes and fine print which further builds the monster that is our privatized government which fuels the helpless notions of an economically battered, dumbed down people which in turn breeds apathy.
Unfortunately, they're not gonna change. If this seventh stop gap is any indication, we are in for a long haul of back and forth bullshit banter from two sides equally entrenched in figurehead politics spearheaded by the top 1% of this country. So, once again, it falls on us to do something. It falls on us to do our own homework and expect no consult with the people who govern us. I hate to rip the sugar coating off, I know it hurts, but they legitimately don't give a rats ass.
So, to enter into the poetic musings likened to our president, grab your flag and head out to a National Park, gloriously still open after the hard fought battles of our fearless leaders. Go and sit on a federal park bench and bemuse the dealings of the elite, ponder the events past and to come, written in your name...and then do me a favor, ask yourself if that's what you want? If that's what you expect in a "free" country, a developed, educated nation...and then when you arrive at your conclusion...Do Something.

Fast Blast: News 1.27.11

Hello all, here's the latest and greatest (or worst) from around the world:

-CNN gets dirty: CNN received exclusive information on the dirty inner workings of the FBI, including severe misconduct by agents and supervisors. For example, an FBI agent sharing top secret information with his news reporter girlfriend then threatening to release a sex tape they made...a supervisor masturbating and downloading porn, a "leadership position" employee using the FBI database to check up on two exotic dancers, then inviting to his office after hours. By the way, none of these people were fired, they received suspensions because, as Director Candice Will said, "You know, our employees are human, as we all are. We all make mistakes. So, our discipline is intended to reflect that" Maybe some philanthropic psychiatrist (say that 10 times fast) could explain to me why so many high up government officials are sexually deviant. Could it be that our stiff (pun intended), self righteous, corporately religious facade is just that? That the bulk of our government officials are overpaid, corrupt puppets of a corpotacracy controlling our country? Just a thought...

-WikiLeaks fire-side twitter chats: WikiLeaks announced that they will begin public discussions on Tuesday February 1st via email and twitter. If you have a question, you can contact them on Twitter (tag: #wlquest) or twlrt@mail.be. They haven't disclosed who will be answering the questions or for how long but email questions close at 6.00pm GMT on Saturday January 29th and the first conference will begin video recording for broadcast at at 11.30am GMT on Tuesday February 1st. Also, if you happen to have a media outlet and are feeling a little adventurous: "WikiLeaks is looking for the most reliable and trustworthy organisations to collaborate with on our upcoming releases. If you would like to register your interest please fill out the form below [on website]. Should an appropriate collaboration opportunity present itself we will be in touch." Looks like the underground monster wants to come out and play in the sunlight...this will be very interesting to see...

-Obama-tube: Since we're on the subject of online chats (not the FBI kind), Obama will be on YouTube at 2:30 pm ET today answering questions about the State of the Union speech, and just the state of our union in general. The event is a part of the White House's attempt to reach out to young Americans.

-No surprise: America's war on terror is failing miserably. A member of the independent Brooklyn based news organization, Vice, traveled to Pakistan to report on the growing violence. The reporter spoke to Pakistanis who complained that our war in neighbouring Afghanistan has taken a horrific toll on their society: a never-ending stream of refugees, weapons, militants, and randomly, heroin. The devastation caused by our dick stick foreign policy is the catalyst for suicide bombings and heightened terrorist activity. No longer are the new members of Al Qaeda fighting for extremist Islamic law. They have abandoned it. The young, angry members now seek revenge for the trespasses against their people and their country. As Shabir Ahmed Khan, the Peshawar secretary of Jamaat-i-Islami fumed to the reporter, "If Westerners are going to kill and murder us, then we will have to fight back. No one has the right to dictate over a free country. They force their political and social policies on us, which they have no right to."

-Afghan's new US parliament: on the cozy subject of the middle east, Afghanistan inaugurated the new parliament yesterday, after a standoff between Karzai and the incoming parliament. Karzai had refused to seat the new parliament due to complaints of horrendous fraud at the elections four months ago. But, as per usual, under the watchful eye of Big Uncle Sam, the new parliament was seated and the White House proudly hails it as "a significant milestone." And another one bites the dust.

It's the economy, stupid

Although, I was more into GI-Joes than into politics in 1992, that phrase could certainly use a resurrection today. It seems that the people, whether they be gun-toting Republicans or tofu-eating Liberals can agree that the economy is crap. However, our constituents, on both sides seem to be doing nothing. The right continues it's ever entertaining quest to defile the name of Obama and his supporters, seeming to forget that to defile the name of an elected official is to defile the name of the American people...tricky. The left seems to be suffering once again from the teetering, I-want-to-please-everyone syndrome of being too vague, too slow and too indecisive as to what needs to be done.
So, where does that leave us?
No other political issue is as pressing as the economy. The right screams and shouts like a paranoid grandmother that there are terrorist on every corner. Obama seems wrapped up in the bloody gauze of healthcare bill that has yet to make clear anything other than its own disabilities to reach a clear consensus and heal an ailing system.
As if trying to avoid the giant dollar sign in the room, Obama has yet to speak out decisively on any economic issues, such as unemployment. As many politicians do, he got that over with on the campaign trail and now seems quite content to enjoy the white house, where men in Boss suits are wined and dined at the expense of those eating ramen noodles for dinner.
Speaking of campaign trails and dashed hopes, consider that many of Obama's biggest supporters during the campaign were bankers and lobbyists from the very institutions which the people are now suffering at the hand of. Thanks to the Supreme Court, big corporations now have even more leeway in ensnaring politicians into their web, giving them huge piles of cash for their political souls. I wonder how much the Supreme Court judges got for that decision. I hope enough to retire to a nice little island where the people, if they ever wake up, can't rise up and slay them.
And yes, I do blame us. I blame politicians for their uncanny ability to skirt issues, sell their souls and fight amongst themselves. However, we watch it all as if it's a particularly entertaining episode of Jerry Springer.
We must act. We must force those who represent us to act. There can no longer be apathy. This is our country and we have to save it from itself. A government FOR the people, BY the people, OF the people, not FOR big banks, BY lobbyists and OF paid off pawns.