Open letter to the members of Congress

Dear Members of Congress,

Let me first state unqualified respect for the offices of the members of Congress.  We, the people, elect these members and expect they individually and collectively demonstrate as much respect.  It apparent that individually and collectively the members do not meet this expectation.

It was never intended our nation would establish a permanent political class, in which decades of holding elected office would become the norm.  It is time for Congress to end this practice.

Regardless of which side of the aisle, from which state or district, or which gender, or other identifier, the performance of the members of Congress has been unsatisfactory.  From where I sit in America, the real America as opposed to within the beltway, you are more interested in personal aggrandizement, retention in office, political party fealty, and currying favor from special interests than serving the nation and its citizens.  Multiple polls rating Congress as a failure validates this position.

Forsaking time honored and tested procedures for political advantage, spewing hyperbole via every possible means of communication, offering as “facts” utterly ridiculous and unsubstantiated sound bites, campaigning instead of governing, and failing at self policing members whose behavior is so outrageous as to bring dishonor and discredit upon both chambers are merely symptoms of the basic, central failure.  You, the elected legislators sent to our nation’s capital to serve the people, are failing us.

Intransigence and orthodoxy are unacceptable substitutes for leadership and compromise.  

Demagoguery does not provide a foundation for a meeting of the minds.  

Inflammatory rhetoric does not frame a debate.

 

The world is a dangerous place.  Our nation’s economy is in shambles.  Unemployment is far too high.  Challenges abound.  Government agencies and officials overstep their bounds.  You, whose duty it is to uphold our laws, are violating constitutional safeguards and guarantees.  And yet you cannot or will not rise above the pettiness to tackle the hard problems facing our nation and find solutions acceptable to both major political parties.  Instead of severing relationships with special interest groups and funders in order to serve the nation and its people, you actively seek to embrace and serve those same special interest groups and funders.  Compromise, absolutely essential in our republican form of government, has been trampled by the self-serving actions as you seek  election/reelection.  Consequently, from where I sit, it looks like government run amok: special deals for special friends; failure to find middle ground solutions; unwillingness to meet and hammer out hard solutions to hard problems; casting of blame from one side of the country to the other, without providing solutions; pushing problems into future years.  And, in what is undoubtedly the most distasteful of all negative aspects, perpetual campaigning aided and abetted by the special interests and funders.

It is your responsibility to serve the entire nation and all of our people.  As long as members of Congress participate in egregious behavior and perpetual campaigning, fail to find compromise solutions, remain wedded at the hip to special interests and funders, act in disgraceful, immoral ways, and simply seek to obtain and retain political power through election/reelection, you will continue to fail in their primary and sole responsibility as contained in the oath of office, “I do solemnly swear (or affirm) that I will support and defend the Constitution of the United States against all enemies, foreign and domestic; that I will bear true faith and allegiance to the same; that I take this obligation freely, without any mental reservation or purpose of evasion; and that I will well and faithfully discharge the duties of the office on which I am about to enter: So help me God.”

I therefore offer the following.  As a matter of priority, Congress must come together and pass lifetime term limits of no more that two terms (selected and/or appointed), aggregate in either or both chambers.  (Every current member who has served more than two terms or is in a second term immediately announces resignation at the end the current term.)  Demonstrate to the people of the nation you are more interested in serving us than in currying the favor of special interests, funders, political parties, and the like to enter and remain in political office.  Lead by example and use the time provided by a maximum two terms to serve the people, not themselves.  If a two-term limit is the law of the land for the presidency, there is absolutely no valid argument of why it can’t be the law of the land for members of Congress.

Demonstrate service to our nation by instituting term limits and putting the people ahead of personal gain.   

No place for disparaging comments

Much has been made recently, and absolutely correctly, about racially disparaging comments allegedly made by the owner of a professional sports team.  Such comments are inappropriate and out of place in our country.

It matters not who utters such comments, nor does it matter about what race or ethnic group such comments are made: white, black, Asian, Hispanic, mixed, etc.  Anyone making these comments should be called out by the media and the rest  of us.

It isn't only when whites make comments about blacks that we should find the utterances repugnant.

Until the nation as a whole condemns and reacts appropriately to any and all disparaging, negative race/ethnic based language, we must all press for this level of equality. 

Character stands for something

Character and principles matter.

Dictionary.com, in part, defines character thusly: "qualities of honesty, courage, or the like; integrity." It further defines principle as: "an accepted or professed rule of action or conduct."

In a recent conversation, I expressed the view that President Obama displays neither character nor principle.  This expression was offered in the context of his rather dramatic shift of stated views regarding same sex marriage.  In 2008, candidate Obama staunchly defended the Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA) definition of marriage existing only between one man and one woman.  (As an aside, his commentary referred to his belief being based upon his Christian faith.)  Then, after Vice President Biden famously usurped the President in announcing support for gay marriage in 2012, President Obama suddenly expressed a change of belief.  This, of course, occurred during the election season.

The individual with whom I was having the conversation asked if it is possible for someone o character and principle to change their stance on this matter.  I replied that while possible, it is certainly not the case for Obama, due to the blatantly political nature of the announcement.  Even this rather liberal leaning member of the conversation acknowledged that Obama's change of views was not based on honesty, but derived from raw politics.

Thinking more broadly about our current President, there appears to be ample evidence that he is a man lacking in character and principle.  The now famously false assertion ("if you like your plan, you can keep your plan, period" comes to mind) regarding the Affordable Care Act easily comes to mind.  He clearly does not display honesty or integrity, nor does his conduct convey the like.  This is why his popularity continues to decline in the polls.  Frankly, the country no longer trusts him.

But the lack of character and principle is not confined to the office of the President.  This serious flaw presents itself in a very wide swath of government officials, both elected and staff employees.  It is not surprising the elected lean far from the truth on an all too regular basis, demonstrating their lack of character.  But it is becoming pandemic in nature for them to lie about nearly everything and anything.  In and of itself, this makes electing honest representatives a troubling and challenging process.

It should be the case that a candidate tells the electorate what he or she stands for and believes.  The electorate then decides if this is the person to be elected, based on their values based assessment of the individual.  But when serial liars and prevaricators say whatever it takes to mobilize a sector of the electorate in their favor, then repudiates basic positions for political convenience after taking office, the entire process is reduced to a shameful, disgusting level.

Character stands for something, though politicians and other government officials appear to stand for nothing but their self promotion.  

  

    

No longer tolerate

As Christians celebrate Easter, we learn of more and more reports of deliberate oppression and harassment.  These attacks on our religion and beliefs are sadly aided and abetted by the courts and governments at all levels.  This is tragic, since our nation was came about as a result of people seeking freedom of religion.  That we now see zealots misinterpreting and falsely asserting constitutional basis for their attacks on our faith is shameful.  That courts and elected officials aid and abet the attacks points to having forsaken that which provided the foundation for this great nation.

The intolerance of zealot secularists demand much from our tolerance as Christians.

While I may continue tolerating the ignorant zealot secularists, I will no longer tolerate those on the bench and in our governments who fail to protect our guaranteed freedoms, including freedom of religion.

Absurd

The progressives are, in ramping up to the 2014 elections, bringing out the old canard about government issued photo identification cards being required to vote.  They claim such a requirement deliberately and unfairly targets minorities, thereby disfranchising them by denying the right to vote.

Absurd.  The argument does even come close to holding water.  Ms. Bertha Lewis, former ACORN CEO, claims that voter identification laws are a new form of oppression of people of color.  Rubbish.  A quick and partial listing of other activities/actions requiring a government issued photo identification immediately dispels such an absurd assertion.

• Operate a motor vehicle
• Board a commercial aircraft flight
• Purchase alcohol
• Purchase certain prescription medications
• Take the ACT test
• Obtain welfare
• Obtain a passport
• Cashing a check
• Buying a firearm
• Applying for employment
• Obtaining a marriage license
• Taking professional examinations
• Obtaining a hunting license
• Obtaining a fishing license
• Using a credit card in many stores
• Applying for food stamps
• Applying for Social Security
• Applying for MEDICARE
• Picking up items from FedEx and UPS
• Renting a car
• Opening a bank account
• Cash a check
• Signing a lease for an apartment
• Obtaining a library card
• Entering some government buildings
• Test drive a car
• Pick up children from school
• Rent tools 
• Rent a hotel room

Would Ms. Lewis have one believe that minorities are unfairly targeted by the requirement for government issued photo identification for any of the above?  Of course not.  It is perfectly reasonable to require confirmation of a voter's identification by checking a government issued photo identification card.  To exercise the most important role of a citizen is no less important than buying a beer.

By the way, The Washington Times reports that participants for a recent NAACP rally were provided a DO and DON'T list that included “DO bring photo identification (driver’s license, passport or other valid photo ID) with you and keep it on your person at all times.”

Far from the maddening news

Turning far from the maddening recent news (LGBT orthodoxy demanding "openness and inclusion for all," except those holding different views; Virginia Congressman declaring his $174,000 annual salary doesn't permit a "decent" standard of living; media battle over Obamacare numbers; a taxpayer subsidized private "White Power Conference" exclusively for people of color; and yet another legislator in my home state indicted for criminal behavior), we attended the Friday night baseball game at one of the local universities.

Walking into a superb facility, I felt we had re-entered small town America.  Paying a paltry $6 for a ticket, we walked into the stadium along with families, youngsters, and university students.  Not a bad seat in the house, as the saying goes, in the open seating arrangement we were able to find seats behind the home team dugout and settled in with our friends for a night of baseball.  A hot dog and soda rounded out the early minutes, as we sat and watched the home team players spruce up the infield.  Watching the players man rakes and brooms, it was impressive that they were taking care of their home field.

More people filed in, including a young man wearing a USMC ball cap.  "Semper Fi, Marine," I commented as he and his family walked by.  Smiling broadly, he told us he'd just graduated from Marine Corps Boot Camp that morning.  Outstanding!  (My buddy, another retired Devil Dog, later mused that we should sneak up behind him and shout, "ATTEN HUT," just to see his reaction.  We didn't, of course, but laughed at our insider joke.)

Seated with our very good friends, who've we met decades ago while on active duty in the Marine Corps, we watched the game, ate our hot dogs (that always taste so much better at the ball park), cheered for the home team, and talked and laughed about all matter of things.  High on the list, naturally, were discussions about kids and grandkids.  Laughing between innings, it was as if we were in an island of relaxation and enjoyment.

Young boys ran around, as they are prone to do, chasing the periodic foul balls.  By the way, there were team reps who retrieved the foul balls in exchange for a chit for a free soft drink.  The balls cost and the team can't afford to be letting the foul balls walk out in the pockets of the fans.  Some very serious fans were huddled over their scorebooks, capturing the performance history of the game.

The game was competitive, with plenty of thrills, at least for the home team.  Booming, high long fly outs popped off the aluminum bats.  While not a lot of hits, there were some good plays in the infield and outfield.  One of the home team players crushed what looked to be a fastball and sent it comfortably over the fence in center field, just adjacent to the 410 foot marker.  At the end, our home team won comfortably.  As we were beginning to walk out, the home team gathered in front of their dugout, arms around each other's shoulders, and sang out a rousing fight song, ending with their school's initials.  Superb!  The smiles and enthusiasm they displayed throughout add to the enjoyment.

Yep, far from the maddening news.  Spring evening, baseball, wife, and friends, doesn't get much better than that.  

Has it been and will it be worth it?

Though extended by the White House, yesterday was the deadline for the current sign up period for the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, aka Obamacare.  Has it been and will it be worth it?

• Pelosi's now infamous exhortation that the law had to be passed so they'd know what is in it.
• The government now controls what medical insurance citizens are required, by federal law, to purchase.  Citizens may neither want nor need the required insurance.  For example, we are in our sixties and object to federal law requiring us to have medical insurance for pregnancy and childbirth.  Further, the government demands include paying for policy elements many find objectionable based on religious beliefs.  For example, I do not accept abortion as a form of birth control, so most strongly object to being required to fund abortions and non-surgical abortion pills ("morning after pills").  Both take a human life.
• Prior to the passage of the law, we were told 30 million Americans did not have medical insurance.  Last fall we were informed more than 6 million people lost their medical insurance.  This morning we are told 7 million people signed up for Obamacare.  No matter how the numbers actually turn out (who really pays for their policies, how many actually obtain policies, how many simply replaced replaced cancelled previously held policies, how many of the sign ups are actually Medicaid, etc.), the entire effort fails to address the tens of millions without medical insurance.
• Anecdotal information indications sharp rises in health care costs for the many to pay for the few.
• Obamacare has become the most polarizing law in decades.
• Anecdotal information indicates the majority of individuals are experiencing higher premium, co-pay, and out of pocket medical costs.
• The law provides for federal control of medical decisions.
• More than 37 unilateral changes to federal law have been enacted by the executive branch, violating federal law.
• The law provides multiple federal bureaucracies that will control how much is paid to doctors and hospitals.
• Anecdotal information indicates large and concerning numbers of doctors and hospitals are not included in the exchanges.
• Hundreds of millions of dollars have been wasted in setting up the exchanges, both at the federal and state levels.   
• The main points made while attempting to sell this to the American public have been proven false:

1. If you like you doctor, you will be able to keep your doctor.
2. If you like your health insurance, you will be able to keep your health insurance.  Period.
3. American families will save an average of $2500 per year.

From this vantage point, three encompassing concerns remain:

1. So-called elected leaders either knowingly lied to the American people or are so inept as to present false information time and time again.  
2. When austerity is required, hundreds of millions of taxpayer dollars have been squandered.
3. Any law that gives any level of government the ability to dictate to the American people regarding health care, moral values, and wealth redistribution is bad law.  When the executive branch brazenly and illegally modified federal law for political and personal expediency, the rule of law no longer exists. 

So no, it hasn't been and most likely will not have been worth it.