About This Job Thing...

A few days ago, I mentioned that I am finally working again. This is great, insofar as I can lessen the dent in the couch. The job includes a lot of court time. I am one of a group of municipal prosecutors who cover the court calls in traffic court. While the pay isn't less than unsubstantial, I do spend five hours in court and I get to litigate the occasional bench trial. At the very least, the stories are entertaining. I am sure one or two of them will show up here on a daily basis. The interviews haven't stopped, I have two tomorrow, so this is a temporary thing, but at least it's fun.

I Feel Safer...

At least, I wish I did. All of those secret government programs aimed at terrorists and protecting national security are supposed to provide that warm and fuzzy feeling of safety, right? I guess instead of fearing some radical religious extremist, I can fear the government. After all, they make sure we have all the information we really need by putting journalists and bloggers in jail, photograph me naked, and listening to my phone conversations. The feeling is more cold and prickly, go figure.

Pay Raises...

Recently, I have made repeated reference to Congress' annual salary. I do this with good reason. At the very least, every American should know where a substantial portion of their taxes go, especially when legislators work less than 1/3 of the year. It is more absurd when this outgoing do-nothing congress attempts to boost its own pay.

Allowing Congress to set their own salary makes as much sense as allowing a corporate CEO to set their own salary while approving 20,000 layoffs. Maybe we need a Constitutional amendment requiring a vote to approve an increase in congressional pay rates. Alternatively, we could make every elected position volunteer, they're a bunch of rich corporate types anyway.

Oh, the Idocy of It All

I made reference earlier this week to the fact that Congress only worked a total of 200 days last year between both the House and the Congress, putting in roughly 100 days each. Thankfully, the newly elected Democratic majority wants to put in a full week's worth of work. I find it interesting that the Republicans air the most vociferous complaints. I guess the $165,000 yearly salary isn't enough to justify more than 103 days of work.

For the record:

The average CEO makes in excess of $10.7 Million per year.

Congressional representatives make just over $165,000, that is until their $3000 raise which starts next year.

The overall average of American works shows makes just short of $41,000.

Does anyone else see a discrepancy here?

Why Republo-fascists...

First, I apologize for being a day or so between posts. Work (yes, finally) has been rough the last couple of days. I am surprised the call has been so heavy in December of all months. More about that tomorrow. On to the point.

I made a comment the other day regarding Newt Gingrich's push to erode civil liberties to provide more protection, and dropped the term Republo-fascist. I feel this play on words is an adequate description of the current neo-conservative movement among members of the Republican Party. While some have already chosen to pass judgment on the President, this pundit wonders would rather focus more on the views of the leaders and what they are doing to the country now. Gingrich's comments represent one facet of this growing problem. The ideology of the Vice President represent another cause for concern. Centralized government power, especially under a leader like the United States President who retains a dominant military power, is particularly dangerous because consolidating power removes the checks and balances which serve to prevent the break down of the separate powers.

Another aspect of this neo-conservative movement operates to isolate minority religions and ideologies and use extraordinary rendition or torturous interrogation to aid in the prosecution of the government's enemies. Moreover, we can't forget the government's utter disregard for civil liberties under the auspice of national security.

The reality of the situation remains this steady slide away from the principles of liberty that formed the basis of this free union. In order to preserve freedom in this country, we need to stop the advancement of policies contra-positive to the purpose of the Constitution by strictly enforce the its terms. Moreover, we must remove proponents of this un-American ideology from places of influence because of the danger they pose to the sanctity of this union. The so-called culture war rages not between the liberal concept of freedom and the conservative concept of security, but between the conservative concept of preserving the status quo established by the founding fathers, and those liberals who wish to pervert and degrade ideals of freedom.

Speechless...

Following up on Newt Gingrich

Last week, I commented on Newt Gingrich's concerns that liberty makes American unsafe. Late last week, Keith Olbermann made a special comment expressing similar concerns. At the very least, this demonstrates a disturbing trend in American politics that seems determined to destroy what has made this country great from its inception. If liberty makes America an unsafe place to be, I would rather bear the burden of insecurity to prevent the imminent threat of totalitarianism.

The Ultimate Question...

Wilson D. Alston has asked the ultimate question, "Does Anybody Really Know Where the Money Comes From?"

Political Perversion

Bipartisanism, in my mind, will be one of the many reasons for the downfall of the American government in it's current form. The primary reason for this is the kind of childish bickering and bigotry that gives politics and politicians a bad name. The Republican response to Representative Ellison is a prime example. There is no need for this kind of brazen ignorance. It serves to discredit the American people. I don't care who you vote for, or what side of the isle you support, the one thing that is sorely necessary in this country is responsible and professional public servants working for the good of the people, not the health of their own party.

What We Really Needed...

The 9/11 Commission made many controversial recommendations regarding what the American Government needs to efficiently and effectively insure national security. One recommendation that should have raised very few, if any, eyebrows is the need for more Congressional oversight of the President's military and police power. The only reason why this suggestion is considered controversial is because it was made to a Republican Congress during a Republican Presidency. The midterm elections in November demonstrate that the American people want a new direction, one that would consider reigning in Presidential power to wage war and pursue those who perpetrated a terrible act of murder and war in this country over five years ago.

Unfortunately, the new Democratically led Congress considers Congressional oversight a controversial political maneuver. This will certainly not provide the kind of security the American people need, be it national, political, or personal. Clearly, a change in power will do little to change national policy, inexorably proving how inconsequential the voice of the people has become in American government.