"And if re-re-re-re-re-elected, I promise you I will...."

The best case yet for congressional term limits:

In our recent gubment shutdown / debt ceiling crisis, a small MINORITY of hard core Tea Party Republicans called the shots.  It's said that the majority of the House Republicans did NOT share the Tea Party venom, yet were afraid to stand up to the TP bullies.  With their own re-elections coming up next year, they were afraid if they DIDN'T at least pay lip service to the extremists they would face a strong primary challenge from a Tea Party-er themselves. *Holy sheep shit, Robin!*

So they voted, perhaps reluctantly, to "shut 'er down".  Millions of disabled veterans were scared to death their disability checks, often their sole source of income, wouldn't show up.  Same with military retirees.  Same with senior citizens.  Same with veterans going to school using their GI Bill.  (And let's be clear here, these were all PRE-PAID beneifts.)

A small army of gubment workers and contractors (that's a whole 'nuther blog post) missed their paychecks, too, and no doubt many missed paying a few bills on time.

Overall it's estimated the shutdown cost us $24 BILLION dollars.  All this because a group of otherwise reasonable Republicans, who could have voted their conscience but lacked the balls, valued their JOBS more than the citizens....the country....they personally pledged to serve.  

They valued their job, their POWER, their chance to be cut in on some lucrative business deals, more than the country.  And frankly, I imagine if the shoe had been on the other foot, the career Democrats would have done the same thing.

They threw the whole country under the bus in order to save their jobs.  I think it's time we make that job a whole lot less desirable.  A short term limit would be a good start, perhaps followed by a lifetime prohibition on a future career as a lobbyist.  And no lifetime congressional pension or health benefits, either.  In fact no perks at all.  When their term is up, they go back home to the rat race like the rest of us.

I say it's time we throw THEM under the bus for the greater good of the country!

*Cue the music*

S

It's already starting

Civil unrest.  Like many, I've predicted that next spring we could be seeing massive protests all across the country.  Protests by the unemployed, the underemployed, the currently-employed-but-worried-about-tomorrow.  Protests by those cynics who think our government is broken, and our elected civil servants corrupt.  From the Tea Partyers to the Union members, there are a lot of them, and I think they have some very valid complaints.


But my timing was off.  It's starting now.  The relatively small number of rowdies who are protesting Wall Street and the banks have now spread to other cities and financial districts, and they're gaining respectability.  (There was a march here today on the Federal Reserve Bank in Dallas.)  Now there's word that protesters are mobilizing on college campuses (anything to get out of class  ;) upset about increases in tuition and cuts in classes, all while their administrators are pulling down very handsome paychecks.


And of course the Greeks are rioting.  They're now saying a Greek government default is inevitable, and if so, Italy and Spain and Portugal might be close behind.  Will a financial earthquake in Europe lead to a tsunami here?


Frankly, in a perverse way, I welcome all this.  I'm hoping that by next year, an ELECTION YEAR, there will be a mass exodus of incumbent politicians of both parties wanting to get out of Dodge before the crowd gets really rough.  Think of it as the "Ultimate Spring Cleaning".


This could be historic!  


S