Congressman Ruppersberger Response

I must not be the only one voicing doubts about the bailout because my congressman had a response back to me today. Based on its length I have a feeling that many of us are thinking the same things about Wall Street and the bailout.

There is some interesting information - but once again you have to wonder if they really know what is going on in D.C.


Read what the congressman has to say, send questions to him or your representatives for clarification. Its our money, we should know how its being spent.


Its Common Sense!!



Dear Mr. Wolfe: I am writing in response to your communication about the Emergency Economic Stabilization Act (EESA), also known as the rescue package for the American financial system.
Many of my constituents have contacted my office to express their views on this legislation. I have reviewed your comments and I respect the fact that you took the time to make me aware of your position.

I voted for this legislation because inaction would seriously threaten the economy for middle-class families in my district. I do not support everything in this bill, but it is necessary because it will allow our local banks to continue lending money to families and small businesses.

Our national economy is experiencing serious financial problems. As demonstrated by the recent dramatic fall in stock prices, the largest one-day point drop in the Dow-Jones Industrial Average in our nation’s history, this situation is an emergency. Congress had to take immediate action.

Let me stress that this is not a “bail out of Wall Street.” The bill Congress approved is very different from what the Administration proposed. It is focused on helping American families, the communities we all live in, and the local businesses we all rely upon. Any investment of federal tax dollars in financial assets of these firms will give the taxpayers an equity share and a chance to recover these tax dollars in future profits. Both the Office of Management and Budget and the Congressional Budget Office forecast the total cost of this action will be significantly less than the amounts discussed in the media.

The Emergency Economic Stabilization Act provides $250 billion in initial funds now, with an additional $450 billion available if approved by Congress next year. The EESA protects American taxpayers by:

*Requiring that the President propose legislation to raise revenue from the financial industry in order to offset any net loses to the taxpayers. This step is to ensure that American taxpayers and future generations are not left with this debt.

*Increasing the limit for federal deposit insurance from $100,000 per account to $250,000. FDIC insurance protects Americans’ checking and savings accounts if a bank becomes insolvent, and this provision was vital to give confidence to every family that their savings and their retirement funds are safe.

* Permitting the Treasury Department to take an ownership share in any company that participates in the program. The ownership share would allow the government to receive a portion of the future increased value of these assets if they were to become profitable after the government bought troubled assets. This gives taxpayers an equity share in the participating companies with a chance to repay the emergency funding from appreciated assets. * Providing tax relief to over 22 million Americans by fixing the Alternative Minimum Tax (AMT), keeping it from impacting middle-class families.

* Helping Americans keep their homes and to avoid foreclosure. It requires that firms participating in the plan help families who are behind in their mortgage payments renegotiate the terms of their loans to make them more affordable.

* Requiring Congress to exercise constant oversight over the bailout funds to make sure that the money is accounted for and spent wisely. This oversight will allow for the development of responsible regulations to prevent this situation from occurring again.

* Limiting compensation packages of the executives of these companies. No golden parachutes. The executives that created this problem should not be rewarded with taxpayer dollars.



The initial plan called for billions to secure failing financial institutions, administered at the discretion of the Treasury Secretary without oversight or accountability. That was a bad plan, and we worked to secure tough, real-time oversight of the process. This new package goes beyond just shoring up the economy. It provides a clear path to help homeowners stay in their homes, helps business owners get access to desperately needed capital, unfreeze the credit markets, and it starts much needed reforms of the financial sector so that we are never in this economic situation again.



Unemployment in the United States is at a seven-year high, energy prices are at historic highs, and already burdened Americans are seeing the collapse of major U.S. financial institutions. I have spoken to economists and business managers from across the political system, and they agree that Congress had to act quickly to stabilize our economy.



History gives us guidance about the right approach in a crisis like this. At the start of the Great Depression, President Herbert Hoover chose to stand aside while the financial system collapsed. We cannot stand aside and allow this crisis to harm American’s homes, savings accounts, and retirement investments.



I believe the alternative to this bill--to do nothing--would have devastating consequences for our economy that would bring great harm to every community in America. If we let our financial sector fail, all American businesses would suffer greatly. The failure and collapse of these companies would hurt the availability of all lines of credit, so that commercial banks would not be able to lend money for a home, college loan, or small business investment.



We all have the right to know how we got here, why this rescue plan is important, and how we are going to transparently and responsibly move out of this financial crisis. One of the main reasons that we are in the crisis is the lack of proper safeguards and regulations of the financial services industry, regulations which were removed by this Administration over many years. I will fight to make sure that this plan puts the average person first, protects American taxpayers by allowing them to share in the profits and recover assets, and includes strict accountability and oversight. We also need to understand how we got into this situation. The House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform, Congress’s investigative body, is already planning hearings in the coming weeks to investigate the root causes of this crisis and hold people responsible. Thank you for sharing your views on this issue. I certainly hope that we begin to see the economy improve as a result of this action. Please do not hesitate to contact me in the future if you have any questions or comments.



To receive additional information about issues that are facing Congress, Maryland and the nation that may affect you and your community, please visit me at my website at http://www.dutch.house.gov/ and sign up for my periodic e-mail newsletter.

Sincerely,C.A. Dutch RuppersbergerMember of Congress

The Obama Show

I watched the Obama show last night and it was okay. He rehashed everything he has been talking about. Laid out his plans for energy, health care, education, the military, getting America on the right track. What he failed to do was explain how he was going to pay for his plans. So many billion a year for new energy initiatives, higher salaries for teachers, benefits for companies who keep jobs in the country. How does he plan to pay for all of these programs?
The man talks a good game - I just want to see his budget and how red it is going to be.

I agree with what he says needs to done. I just want to make sure we can pay for it with out becoming a province of China.

On another note, as promised, I sent an epistle to my senators and Congressional representative to let them know what I think about the banks paying bonuses.
If you agree with me, please copy the letter, adapt it as you want and send it on to your representatives. A nation gets the government it deserves - I forget what famous individual said that - but they are correct.

As you will see, I have let the gang in D.C. know that it may be time to clean house. If enough of us get together, we just might make it happen.

Power to the People!!

Its Common Sense!

Dear Senator
On the news the other night the special banks - Goldman Sachs etc, - who accepted "bailout" money revealed that they still intended to pay out this year's bonus to their employees. The average bonus for a low level employee is $100,000.00. Who knows how the amount increases as you ascend the hierarchy. Some of the banks claim they set the bonus money aside prior to requesting federal assistance. Maybe all of them did.

If that is the case, if they had what must add up to millions of dollars available to pay these bonuses, why do they need my tax dollars to bail themselves out of a jam?I always believed you paid someone a bonus for a job above and beyond the call of duty. Losing fortunes and heading towards bankruptcy do not seem to be reasons to receive a bonus.There was no job well done - if it wasn't for the American taxpayer a lot of these people would be pounding the pavement.

What protections are in place to assure us taxpayers that our money is not going to be paid out as a bonus (an amount more than both my wife and I earn) to some greedy banker who screwed up?Are the banks going to be forced to use this "bonus reserve" to stabilize their situation before being allowed access to federal funds (my tax dollars) or is Congress going to allow the bonuses to be paid and let the banks continue with "business as usual?"

Senator, we tax payers deserve more than we are getting. We did not create the problem. Poor oversight on your (Congress's)part allowed the greedy banks to create the problem and yet you expect us, not them, to pay for the crisis. Not only are the banks' hierarchy getting away with murder, they are putting us into an enormous debt to China and other foreign countries.

America is falling and it is the lack of leadership in the White House and Congress that has brought us to this terrible time.What specifically is going to be done to insure the banks don't use out money for bonuses?What is being done - specifically - to hold bank management accountable for the situation their greed has caused?

If things don't get better, we taxpayers will need to have our voices heard. This coming Tuesday would be a good time for us to get out and let Washington know our dissatisfaction. Maybe its time to clean out Congress and start over.We deserve service and protection. Thus far Congress and the White House have failed to provide either to the citizens of the country.

Michael Wolfe

TV Campaign

This year's political campaign reaches a new note this evening when Barrack Obama takes a half hour on CBS, NBC (ABC was not mentioned in the list I saw) and several cable networks to drive home his points (Hopefully this will be an informative half hour, not a info-mercial, soap opera or comedy). At least that's what I hope he plans to do and not bore us with a lot of useless information.

I have read the pros's and con's regarding the telecast. My hope is that Obama will now give us some specifics on the plans he wants to enact if elected president. I want to hear his proposals on health care, energy, the economy and the USA's image abroad. I want him to explain how he is going to pay for his programs without going into my pocket and not taking out loans from foreign (China) lenders.

As I have stated, I have not made a decision on who to vote for. Neither candidate has impressed me. Tonight is Obama's night to shine (or crash) and we will watch and listen.

I wish the McCain campaign had the same amount of money to waste on a half hour presentation, but he needs to spend his cash in the undecided states.

Isn't amazing how the pollsters already know how we are all going to vote and how the electoral college is going to line up? I know some of the states have had voting going on for a couple of weeks but I do not trust the early predictions.

Let's wait until all of the electorate have had their opportunity in the ballot box before telling us trends.

Watch Obama this evening and see what he has to say.

Vote out all incumbents next Tuesday!!

Its Common Sense!

Bonus

Last night on the news I saw that several of the financial institutions we are bailing out with our tax dollars are still planning to give their employees bonus, averaging out to $110,000.00 per employee.

What's wrong with this picture?
I thought you rewarded people for doing a good job, not for bringing a country to financial ruin. The financial institutions already had the bonus money set aside. Seems to me that these financial institutions can use the bonus money to bail themselves out and leave my money alone.

Needless to say I will be writing to my representatives later today or tomorrow to have them explain to me why they are allowing our tax dollars to be used as rewards for mismanagement.
The Bankers and Wall Street boys/girls need to get their act together and stop considering themselves better than anyone else. No one deserves a bonus for going into debt or worse, into bankruptcy.

Congress needs to get control of this situation in a hurry, or we are going to find that our money is not being used to open up lending, rather to buy a Mercedes for some Wall Street fat cat.
Enough is enough. Write your representative, demand action and the protection of OUR money.

Its Common Sense!!

The Pickens Plan

Today I finally took the time to take a look at the Pickens' Plan of energy independence. A lot of things we have heard of, but the oil billionaire has plans to get it started. I would like to go to Texas and have a look at the windmills. Just how huge are they? How much power do they produce? How bad an eyesore are they?

My understanding is that the state of Delaware is going to begin the construction of some windmills in the near future, so I will drive over there and take a look. (Texas is too far at the moment.)

I signed Mr Pickins' petition because I want John McCain and Barrack Obama to come out and give some specifics. Can they convince the power companies and the oil companies (notice I am trying to avoid taxpayer dollars and loans from China) to put up the money to get these alternative sources of energy working? We know if there is a profit the energy and oil companies will be interested, and as long as it is a reasonable profit - nothing ridiculous like the oil companies made during this year - then more "power" to them.

The rhetoric needs to stop and action needs to begin. Obama and McCain need to present clear, specific plans and if they don't have one then they should sit down with T Boone Pickens and the executives of the energy and oil companies and come up with a plan that will make the USA energy independent and an example of clean energy for the rest of the world.

Its Common Sense!

Congress and Medicare

To my surprise I received a letter from my Congressman informing me about what Congress is doing to reform Medicare and health care in the country. Although I do not remember ever asking my Congressman about what is being done to save Medicare (I'm eligible in eight years - if the law doesn't change) I did find his information interesting. His letter follows my comments.



Finally the Congress is considering allowing Medicare to buy prescription drugs at bulk rate, just like the VA. Why wasn't that one of the first things Medicare was authorized to do as a dollar savings for the American tax payer and senior citizens? Seems to me that once again Congress is a little slow getting on the ball.



Congress is also considering the use of technology for better record keeping purposes. Once again, its a win win, so why consider when they can enact the measure immediately? I think it would be great if they could accurately track the doctors and clinics that have been ripping off Medicare/American taxpayer for years. Hopefully this would lead to the prosecution of violators and result in even more savings.



He goes on to talk about problems in Maryland related to the fact that there are not enough health care specialists. I am in favor of the government assisting with tuition for medical students - be they doctors, nurses or specialists. However, I think there needs to be strict enforcement of the terms of the contract for these students once they receive their degree and/or certification. In the past I have seen reports of students who had their full tuition to med-school paid by the Federal government with the understanding that they would serve for a period of time - three to four years - in an area of the country needing medical assistance - Indian reservations, parts of Appalachia, the Ozarks, etc,. If the student ops out then they have to reimburse the entire tuition. What upset me was to see the numbers who refused to honor their contract and attempted not to pay back our tax payer money. There have to guarantees that these people will be punished before I would agree to any money Federal money be spent.



There is no doubt that the health care system in this country is messed up and needs to reorganized. Fees have to fair, allowing patients the ability to pay them and doctors to make a decent (not flamboyant) living. There is also the whole matter of prescription drugs that have to be regulate so that there is an end to the exorbitant profits the pharmaceutical companies make.



How can the Federal government make health care better for all of us?



Read what Dutch has to say then let us know your thoughts. And not just us, let your representative know what you think they should be doing to make health affordable and available for all us.



Its Common Sense!



Dear Mr. Wolfe:
Knowing of your interest in the work of Congress, I wanted to provide you with a brief update on what Congress is doing to address the rising cost of health care to help all Americans.
The rapid inflation of health care costs affects all of us, and the spiraling cost of health care is risking the future of Medicare. Here is the problem we are facing: all Marylanders are facing a critical shortage in primary health care professionals, double-digit percent increases in health care costs, and health plans that are covering less and less. For example, if you are a senior citizen, the cost of prescription drugs is often a difficult choice between paying for the prescriptions you need versus paying your rent or buying food. In these unsure economic times, Congress must work to make sure there is access to quality and affordable health care.
Unfortunately, there is no one single solution to the health care crisis, and we cannot rely on just a tax credit or expanded insurance coverage. Here are some solutions that Congress is working on to address our systemic health care problems.
First, Congress must allow Medicare to purchase drugs at a bulk rate and pass those savings onto the patients, as the Department of Veterans Affairs does. Using the purchasing power of Medicare’s 44 million participants should immediately reduce the cost of the most popular life-saving drugs. When 75 million baby-boomers begin to retire, we will begin to see tremendous savings.
Second, Congress is considering legislation to increase the use of technology, especially electronic patient records, in the delivery of care. Technology will reduce costly medical errors, which directly contribute to the double-digit increases in the cost of health care for all Americans.
Third, Congress worked with patient advocacy groups and a coalition of doctors to stop dramatic cuts to Medicare and Medicaid proposed by the Bush Administration. The proposed cuts would have limited access to doctors and would have reduced the level of service for patients. Medicare is crucial to the delivery of health care to our seniors, and it must remain strong for our seniors and the next generation of Americans entering the program. I was proud to support Congressional action that prevented these cuts to Medicare.
Fourth, we are providing insurance to uninsured children. This expansion of health care coverage is necessary to teach young Americans about healthy living by focusing on preventative care. Hopefully, we will create a generation of Americans who focus on treating their health issues early. Preventative care will help save our country millions in health care cost in the long term.
Lastly, Maryland is experiencing real shortages of primary care health professionals. The number of primary care doctors in the state is at a critical level; we have 16% fewer primary care doctors than the national average, and 10% of the primary care physicians we do have are reaching retirement age. Maryland also faces a projected nurse shortage of over 15,000 nurses in the next 5 years. Without these medical professionals, access to care, and the quality of that care, will be severely diminished. In Congress, I have worked tirelessly to increase federal support for nursing schools and have voted in favor of student loan programs that assist students attending graduate or professional schools, in addition to college students. The recent economic rescue package will also help banks continue to make student loans at affordable rates, helping future medical professionals pay for their educations and work in these critical fields.
In the next Congress, I hope that we can work to make high quality health care accessible and affordable. In these tough economic times, reducing health care costs is a critical step in helping Americans make ends meet.
Sincerely,
C.A. Dutch RuppersbergerMember of Congress

Customer Service

The stock market is falling world wide as more and more people are convinced that a world wide recession is occurring. Obama and McCain continue to fight over the right to confront the economic crisis.
(Do you think that maybe both of them are just a bit insane to try and confront such an enormous task?)


However, today I've decide to get away from politics and the economy and give my opinion on an area we all encounter at some time in our life. That of course is customer service, especially the kind you receive over the telephone.


I would like to share some recent experiences I have had with Verizon. Almost a year ago I signed up for the Verizon triple play, phone, Internet and cable. All went surprisingly well. A couple of weeks ago we decide to add the Portuguese channel to our TV. I called, answered the automated questions, selected my way through the codes and finally spoke to a service representative. She was polite, knowledgeable, made sure that the channel was available in my viewing area and promised the channel would be available in 24 hours.


The next day, 25 hours later, we input the proper channel and there was nothing. I once again called Verizon, went through the introduction procedure once again an finally was able to explain my problem to a young man. He verified that the order was being processed, did not understand the detail, but assured me that within one hour the channel would be available.


The time passed and unfortunately there was still no signal on the channel.


Another call to Verizon, once again the introduction procedure, this time I requested tech support and ended up chatting with a delightful guy I know as Mike from Texas. He looked up the record, then asked the channel number I had been attempting. Turned out my guide had the wrong number. Mike gave me the right number and my wife and I have been enjoying the new channel ever since.


This evening when I got home I found a notice from Verizon thanking me for signing up for some phone service - OnePoint Voice Mail for $9.00 a month. I don't know or care what it is, I never asked for it and I hope I can have the problem solved.


Once again I called Verizon, went through the introduction and was informed that due to a high caller volume I should be patient. (Evidently I'm not the only one who was informed they received a service they hadn't order.)


I have been listening to music for the past half hour, typing the blog with one finger. It being Friday they won't be available over the weekend, so I guess I will try again on Monday.


If you ever get a person, Verizon's personnel seem to have an idea of what is going on. That's better than some of the experiences I've had.


Share your experiences. Everyone has a customer service story they need to get out of their system.


We've all been frustrated and angered. Now's the time to get it out.

Its Common Sense!

Challenges of the New President

Joe Biden's comment that Obama would get an international challenge shortly after his inauguration has generated all kind of interest and comments. Of course McCain says he has already faced the challenges so he will be ready for anything.

Personally, I think whichever man becomes president is going to be facing challenges that neither one of them is prepared for. Rhetoric is one thing, sitting behind the desk in the Oval Office is another matter entirely.

Whichever man sits behind that desk will be expected to come up with solutions to two wars; an economy in recession headed toward depression; a Congress who thinks the answer to everything is to borrow money from other countries and then spend, spend, spend; the largest deficit and debt this nation has ever faced; creditors like China who will take advantage at every turn to benefit from our situation; not to mention a variety of terrorists and extremists looking for that one weak spot so they can make their move.

Neither Obama or McCain has ever had to face all of this at one time. The questions is if all of these challenges will be too overwhelming for either man to deal with.

November 4 is coming in a hurry. Think about the challenges, think about the candidates - who can stand up and take the right actions to get the country headed in the right direction?

Your vote counts. Your opinion is important. You are the future of your country.

Its Common Sense!

The Buffalo

A friend sent the following story (joke) and I thought I would share it with you. This sums up how I feel about our current Congress.


Remember in November to vote all incumbents out!!

Its Common Sense.



An Indian walks into a cafe with a shotgun in one hand pulling a male buffalo with the other.

He says to the waiter: 'Want coffee.'

The waiter says, 'Sure, Chief. Coming right up.'

He gets the Indian a tall mug of coffee. The Indian drinks the coffee down in one gulp, turns and blasts the buffalo with the shotgun, causing parts of the animal to splatter everywhere and then just walks out.


The next morning the Indian returns. He has his shotgun in one hand, pulling another male buffalo with the other.

He walks up to the counter and says to the waiter 'Want coffee.'

The waiter says 'Whoa, Tonto! We still have your mess from yesterday. What was all that about, anyway?'

The Indian smiles and proudly says, 'Training for position in United States Congress: Come in, drink coffee, shoot the bull, disappear for rest of day, leave mess for others to clean up.'

Ralph Nader

Last night I saw an interview with Ralph Nader and was shocked to learn that not only he is once again running for president, he is on the ballot in 45 states.

I voted for Mr. Nader in the last two presidential elections. Yes, I am one of those the Democrats blame for giving George W Bush the presidency. If I had voted for Gore or Kerry we would not be in our current mess.

B.S. When I voted for Mr. Nader it was to protest the two party system our country has become mired in. (I also voted for Mr. Nader because I did think the other candidates were presidential in any meaning of the word)

I never thought Mr. Nader had a chance to win, my hope was that he could pull off at least five percent of the vote, allowing an independent third party the right to Federal funding and an opportunity to fight on a more even keel with the Democrats and Republicans.

Regrettable my dream did not come to fruition. Unfortunately too many Americans are content to stick with things the way they are, even though they complain.

Real change, unlike the change the top two candidates are talking about, means to move totally away from the status qua and open things up. Most Americans are complacent, moaning and groaning but doing nothing because they do not believe they can make a difference. We haven't seen massive protests against anything in this country since the Viet Nam war and prior to that the protests of the Civil Rights Movement.

Think how long ago that is. Do we truly have nothing to protest today?

Maybe what we all need to do, is go to D.C. stand outside the Capital and tell our legislators its time to get off their butts and start serving us, rather than themselves.

Multiple parties could make for some real excitement. Maybe one day we'll have the courage to push for that third and maybe even fourth party.

American was built on the principal of free expression. Let's be free and express our true feelings.

Its Common Sense!!

Endorsements

Yesterday Colin Powell endorsed Barack Obama. Does it really mean anything? All kinds of celebrities come out an endorse the candidate of their choice. Some of these endorsements are low key and others can be pretty low down and dirty.

I find it fascinating that so many people think American wants to hear their opinion. Of course I also find it depressing that so many Americans feel obligated to follow the opinions of the people they think are in the know.

One following I have never understood is Oprah. Who cares what she is reading, how she thinks life should be lead or who to the vote for? How did she become a millionaire? I remember when she was a newscaster - not that good - in Baltimore. I remember sitting behind her at a movie in the Reisterstown theater while she talked to her boy friend and wondered if she was going to shut up.

The idea that we allow the opinions of so called "celebrities" to guide our lives is a puzzlement. These are not people we have over for the weekend barbecue (of course they never invite us to their place either) they don't wear clothes we can afford and if we really thought about it, their ideas are not our ideas.

Celebrity worship in this country has reached extremes that need to be reined in. Why do athletes and actors deserve such ridiculous salaries? (Why do we pay such outrages prices to go to sporting events and the movies.)

When gas got to be too much, we cut back and the price came down. We need to do the same for sports and the movies. These folks may have different talents than us, but they are no better than us. Let's return them to our level.

I know that I rambled, but the point is, we need to be independent enough to make our own decisions without outside influences. None of the "celebrities" are going to help you out if things go bad. Trust me, they will only be interested in saving their own butts.

Be true to yourself. Be someone you can like and admire. You be the special celebrity in your life.

Its Common Sense.

Colin Powell for Obama

This morning Colin Powell came out and endorsed Barrack Obama for president. John McCain's people are saying it was expected and not a surprise and that they have the support of five or six former Secretaries of State. (Kissinger, Baker, etc)

Powell apparently is not happy with McCain's negative campaigning, not so much here in the States but on the world scene, where he feels it gives the wrong impression that one party is implying one of the candidates is linked to terrorists.

After the news came out I went to the Fox News Network to get their spin and it was interesting. They were shocked that Powell, the Secretary of State who had pleaded before the United Nations to invaded Iraq based on all of the "evidence" that was available, could now endorse the man who did not support the surge. The impression I got was that although they will not come out and say it is a race issue, that is what they believe.

I agree that Powell's speech at the UN was convincing and I do believe he sold the Iraq War to a lot of people. However, as things developed and he realized that the CIA and other "intelligence" agencies had not been as forthright with information as he expected, he admitted making a mistake, took the blame and left the Bush Administration.

The fact that he still wants an American victory or at least for the Americans to withdrawal from Iraq with honor is natural, he knows what the troops are going through and he knows how important moral is for any future conflict the USA will enter into.

His endorsement of Obama is not a statement that he agrees with everything Obama stands for, it simply means that of the two candidates Obama is the one who is making more proposals Powell is in favor of than is McCain.

It will be interesting to see how it all plays. What, if any, influence Powell's endorsement will have on other voters.

The thing we all have to wait for is to see just how many people turn out on election day. Predictions are for incredibly large numbers - will the reality equal the predictions?

One thing you have to admit is that this campaign continues to provide new twists and turns everyday.

Stay up to date. Research the issues that concern you and see what the candidates are saying. Is Obama a socialist? Is McCain a war monger? Get the facts before you vote.

Its Common Sense!

Response to "Pork"

Back on October 14Th I wrote my senators and congressman and asked them about the "pork" that had been included in the bailout bill. Below are the responses from Senator Barbara Mikulski and Congressman Dutch Ruppersberger. After you read them, please let me where the "pork" went because I can not tell.


Once again our elected officials are avoiding answering any questions that may present them in a bad light.


Out with incumbents!!


Its Common Sense.





Dear Mr. Wolfe:

Thank you for getting in touch with me about the Emergency Economic Stabilization Act (P.L. 110-343). It's good to hear from you.

I know that taxpayers are mad as hell, and so am I. They've watched Wall Street executives pay themselves lavish salaries. They've watched irresponsible lending practices. They've watched Wall Street gamble on risky investment mechanisms. Now those very same Americans who've worked hard and played by the rules are being asked to pay the bill for those who didn't.

Time and time again we have seen the consequences of loose regulations and wimpy enforcement. Time and time again I voted for more teeth and better regulation. I voted to get the lead paint out of toys and the lead out of the bureaucracy at the Consumer Product Safety Commission. I voted to strengthen Federal Drug and Administration (FDA) to make sure it didn't approve dangerous drugs. I also worked to stop predatory lending and flipping in the mortgage market.

I remember back in 1999 when this banking mess got started. I was one of the nine Senators who voted against the bill that got rid of the division between investment banks and commercial banks. It lowered the bar on regulation and allowed for casino economics.

Now, we are facing a credit crisis that affects everyone - from people getting loans for college, to the small business owner who depends on credit to buy inventory. If we do not deal with this credit crisis, I believe that the Main Street economy will have to pay the bill for the bailout and pay the bill again in lost jobs, and in shrinking retirement and pensions.

Regrettably, this rescue is necessary to restore confidence and stability in our economy. The final version that passed is vastly improved from the three page bill that President Bush and Secretary Paulson originally sent to Congress. It protects tax payers, provides oversight and transparency, and rejects using tax payer dollars to finance golden parachutes for Wall Street CEOs. That's why I voted for it. This legislation was necessary to protect our economy, our middle class, and our way of life. But I heard the taxpayers loud and clear. Much more needs to be done to provide for rigorous reform and retribution against those who broke the law.

The Emergency Economic Stabilization Act was passed by both the House and Senate, and was recently signed into law by the President. Knowing of your views was very helpful to me, and I will keep them in mind. If you'd like to read more, I encourage you to visit the "News Room" page of my website at http://mikulski.senate.gov/Newsroom/PressReleases/index.cfm where you can read the transcripts of my three floor statements on this issue.

Again, thanks for contacting me. Please let me know if I can be of help to you in the future.Sincerely, Barbara A. MikulskiUnited States Senator


P.S. If I can be of further assistance in the future,please visit my website at http://mikulski.senate.gov/or call my Washington D.C. office at 202-224-4654








Dear Mr. Wolfe:

Knowing of your interest in the work of Congress, I would like to take this opportunity to provide a brief update on steps Congress may take in the next few weeks to further address the economic crisis.



Last week, the House Leadership announced a series of hearings to be held over the next two weeks to assess what additional action is needed to stimulate the U.S. economy and help prevent a worsening crisis. Following up on the first "stimulus package" that was passed with large bipartisan majorities this past spring, the Leadership also announced that the House may consider a second stimulus package to help get the economy growing again.



Specifics of a possible second stimulus package await the findings of these new hearings. However, the broad outlines of the approach have just been publicly announced. Instead of rebate checks to taxpayers, the second stimulus package is intended to focus on jobs, health care, and helping state governments with their fiscal problems. With unemployment at a five year high, we must do more to create jobs and help families suffering from unemployment and layoffs. Congress is considering a total of $150 billion of investments in infrastructure improvements to roads, transit systems, bridges, and water systems. This would be an important boost to communities across the country by creating jobs while repairing and improving long-neglected infrastructure projects.



When I was Baltimore County Executive, investing in infrastructure was the best way to prepare for future economic growth while creating jobs in the present. The package may also include an extension of unemployment benefits and aid to states to help with rising Medicaid and health care costs.



I welcome your views on what else Congress can do to get our economy back on track and help working families make ends meet during these tough times. At this writing, the House may come back into session in mid-November to consider a package of economic measures. I will continue to keep you apprised of developments.



Thank you for your interest in the work of Congress, and please feel free to keep in touch.



Sincerely,C.A. Dutch RuppersbergerMember of Congress

Write in Candidate

The campaign ads are getting more intense. I'm glad I don't live in one of the battle states. Of course, thus far I have not encounter campaign ads while watching Turner Classic Movie Channel, Animal Planet and the History Channel, so if I avoid the networks I may be safe.

I know my daughter saw the title of this edition and is wondering "What is the old man up to now?" I do not have a history of voting for major party candidates. I did vote for Jimmy Carter for his first term and submitted a write in vote for Miss Piggy when it was Carter against Reagan. I voted for Ross Perot (I apologise, I'm not sure how to spell his last name) and Ralph Nader.

Major party candidates just do not appeal to me, maybe because I know they are going to fall into their party line, regardless of what promises they make.

So what I want to do this evening is ask you to share your thoughts on the best write in candidate for President of the United States. I'm not talking about someone off the wall, or someone with no chance. I am talking about some one you feel is at least as qualified as Obama and McCain and maybe more so.

If you could add a name to the presidential ballot, who would it be? I am really curious to know who people respect and feel is capable to lead this country.

I'll start off and say that my number one choice is Colin Powell. Now we all know his wife told him no, but I believe that Powell is the type of leader who could really lead this nation in a positive direction. I know he was part of Bush's cabinet and bought into the WMDs in Iraq, but when he realized he had been played he did the honorable thing and got the hell out of Dodge.

Okay, now its up to the rest of you to nominate your choices. Who knows, we maybe able to run a quickie write in campaign in the final weeks and screw up the election for the big boys.

Share your thoughts. Dialogue can lead to great things.

Its Common Sense.

Post debate

The debates are over, at least the the ones where the candidates will be together.
I thought McCain had the best line of the evening when he told Obama, paraphrased - if you wanted to run against George Bush you should have run four years ago.

I thought it was McCain's best debate. He attacked, he got passionate and he only rambled a little bit. I found it interesting that Obama never responded to McCain regarding why he never talked out using public funding as opposed to private funding. McCain was correct (and maybe jealous) that Obama has the funds available to run a massive television campaign. I would have liked to have heard Obama's justification for lying.

Once again, for the most part, Obama keep his cool, although he came back at a couple of things McCain said wanting to present the real facts about his record.

It amazes me that neither one of them seems to believe that there is not going to be money to run their programs. Obama talked of long term savings, but didn't explain where the start up money is coming from, and how much more debt he is willing to impose on the American people.

McCain scared me when he said he will balance the budget during his first term. How the hell is he going to do that?

My feeling, after last night's presentation, is that Obama is going to win. Not by a lot and there is good possibility that some states will have to do recounts. I still believe the polls are giving a false story.

Just who are the people that are polled? I have never been polled. Have any of you been part of a poll? If you have, share your experience. I'd love to know what questions are asked and if there is any slant to them.

Time is ticking down and soon we will vote and see what the future holds.

Once again I want to stress, as I will continue to do up until election day, that now is the time to get rid of all of the incumbents. We can't trust any of them. They are a bunch of selfish, egoists who have their own interests ahead of those of the people. (Yes, Nancy Pelosi I am talking about you.)

Once again let's make this country the land of the free and home of the brave.

Its Common sense.

Debates on Socialism

Tonight is the final presidential debate of the election. So far they have not been really stimulating. My hope is that tonight McCain will say something to get a reaction out of Obama. I think we need to see how the man reacts and responds when he is mad. Thus far Obama has been pretty much an academic gentleman - boring. All of his promises won't mean anything if he doesn't have a Congress that works with him.

The same is true for McCain. We've seen John get fired up a time or two, but overall, if you overlook references to terrorists from forty years ago, McCain has been a gentleman as well. Boring.

I want to see them go at it tonight and really attack one another. Let's hear why this one's economic plan will fail and why this one is a lackey of rich. We need some action to stimulate this election.

One thing I am concerned about is the possibility that the President and the majority of Congress will be from the same party. I favor a balance of power. Too much power and control is never a good thing. Look at what is happening now because people are scared and frantic. The government is forcing banks to accept the US government as a partner.

Hello socialism. Help!! The United States was not founded to turn into a Russia, China or Cuba.
Big Brother getting even more involved in our lives is not a good thing. Its one thing to have a national bank that you voluntarily choose to use. Its another thing entirely when all banks have the government on their board of directors.

How much information will be required now for a loan? Any doubts we had of the government eavesdropping on our lives can be dispelled, they want to be in and control our lives as much as possible.

I am not happy with the way things are going. The government is trying too hard and too fast to come to the rescue and I fear when they are finished we are going to find out that we have less rights than when it all began.

What do you think? Are we headed for socialism? Will Wal Mart be replaced by GUM? (Look that up those of you who aren't up on your Cold War history.)

If you are like me and afraid of the direction the country is taking, be vocal, write your representatives, and vote early and often.

Its Common Sense.

Letter to Congress about "Pork"

Once again I have decided to contact my representatives in D.C. to get some answers.
See the request below. If you think this is valid, then please use it or do your own variation to ask your representatives where the money is going.

Congress works for us, they are suppose to answer to us, not tell us what to do and ignore us when we challenge their actions.

Your senator and congressional representative is your employee. Let's make sure we get the value for our buck.
Its Common Sense.

Senator

My understanding is that within the "bailout" monies, was $150 billion in "pork" to satisfy senate and congressional legislators who were reluctant to vote in favor of the measure.I would greatly appreciate it if you could give me the list of senators and representatives who received the "pork" and what the money is supposed to be used for.It is a sad commentary on the leadership in Washington that when the country is down, they still need to fill their grubby mitts at our expense.

Thanks
Michael Wolfe

Christopher Columbus

Today the United States and Spain celebrate the landing of Columbus in the Caribbean and "discovering the New World".
At the time, for the Europeans, it was a true discovery. Being the arrogant individuals they were, they did not question how you discovered something "new" if there already people living there. Since the inhabitants were not European, did not have European culture and religion, they were inferior and whatever accomplishments they may have achieved had no bearing on world affairs.

Now most of us look at things differently.
History shows that several thousand years ago there was a massive migration from Asia, across the Bering Sea, into what would evidently be named the Americas. This migration was in epic proportions when you take into account those who came from Asia eventually settled two continents from their western to eastern boundaries, as well as from their northern to southern boundaries. If you look at the people we of European decent evidently came to call Indians, they evolved with a wide variety of characteristics as they adapted to a wide range of climates and living areas.
These Asians were the true discoverers of the "New World", but because they did not document their discoveries in any written form, they will never receive the credit they deserve.

Others from Europe came before Columbus - Leif Erikson for certain, and their are the legends of the Irish monk Brennan and the Welsh prince Madoc. Although they may have set foot on the American continent, they left no permanent settlement and that is why they do not get credit.

Regardless of how you feel about Columbus, many blame him personally for the diseases that ravaged many of the native American tribes, as well as the destruction and enslavement of many of these same tribes, the truth of the matter was that Columbus was just one, like the thousands who had come before him, seeking riches in new places.

The history of man is the story of migrations, of peoples not be being satisfied and wanting more.
Look at the history of the United States, there was no staying dormant in the original thirteen colonies, explorers and entrepreneurs headed west for new lands and fortune. Today the explorers of the future eye outer space and the depths of the oceans as the next places of that have not been seen or touch.

Columbus had a dream and did what was necessary to attempt to achieve that dream. Unfortunately for him he never did achieve what he had hoped for. The wealth of the Indies was never his. The truth of the matter was that he never became a wealthy man and none of his voyages to the "New World" allowed him to achieve what he considered to be his destiny.

However, his voyages greatly assisted in the empire building of several European nations and his actions caused events that are still felt to this day.

Love him or hate him, I believe that you have to respect a man who set off into the unknown, confident in his beliefs (that the world was round) and trusting that he would succeed.

So, the question is, should we celebrate Columbus Day as a national holiday, or should we reevaluate our history and maybe have a day to celebrate those long ago wanderers from Asia who settled two continents and gave us the basis for the lives we live today?

All parties should get equal credit for their parts in the exploration and advance of our land.

Its Common Sense.

Campaign Scandals

Two scandals have come to light, one for each campaign. The investigators in Alaska have concluded that Sarah Palin acted inappropriately in trying to get her ex-brother-in-law fired from the State Police. However, it does not appear that the committee plans to pursue any criminal case against the Alaskan governor/Republican VP candidate. So there will be talk of lack of judgement, but no penalty for Palin to pay.

The other scandal revolves around ACORN, a citizens rights organization that is very involved with voters' registration. There are investigations in at least nine states where ACORN submitted registrations for people who are dead, do not exist or do not reside in the state. An ACORN office in Nevada submitted registration forms for all of the Dallas Cowboy football team. In a county in Indiana the registration board has thus far identified at least five thousand registration forms that are questionable. Many of these were filled out by the same individual.

Now it is not actually voter fraud, unless someone comes into vote claiming to be the person identified on the registration form. The problem with that is that in many states voters do not have to present i.d. The people manning the polls just see if the name given is on the rolls as a registered voter, hands over the ballot and the person proceeds to the voting booth. So, if the phony registrations are not caught it is quite possible that a lot of damage could be done to the voting process.

The Obama campaign gave ACORN $800,000.00 to assist with voter registration, probably because ACORN came out as an Obama supporter. Nothing wrong with that. What is wrong is that it appears that ACORN is using its position to attempt to swing the election.

Unfortunately, voter registration has ended in most states, so ACORN can not be ordered to suspend its activity. What should be done is that all registration forms nationwide that were submitted by ACORN should be set aside and investigated by a bi-partisan committee. If the abuse shown in Nevada and Indiana proved to be the norm, then all of ACORN should be brought up on criminal charges.

It is a sad commentary that during these troubled times in our country people are still just looking out for themselves. ACORN wanting to guarantee Obama's victory, I suppose to support their political agenda. Members of Congress adding $150 billion in pork to the bailout bill to keep their greedy fingers greased.

Honesty seems to be fading away on the American scene.

Be true to yourself, and watch the other guy very carefully.

Its Common sense.

Campaigns, Finances, Polls

This campaign for presidency started almost two years ago. Am I the only one, or is that way too long for a campaign? Six months sounds about right to me.

How much money has been spent on these campaigns? The report is that during the week prior to the election that Obama is going to pay for half hour prime time spots on the major networks. What is the price tag for that kind of advertising? How many kids with no health insurance could have had needed operations with the money being spent for TV time? How many senior citizens on fixed income could have had help with their heating bill with the money being spent on TV time? It goes on and on. The candidates say they care about the American people. Yet rather than going out and doing something, they would rather talk to us about their strengths and their opponent's weaknesses. Actions speak louder than words. Let's face it, the majority of us can only stand so much of political commercials that are repeated, repeated, and repeated. Then its time to turn the channel.

This morning more poll figures are out giving Obama a wider margin. I am not too trustful of the polls. First, I don't where the polls were taken and what group answered the questions. I know I have never been a part of any poll, and as an independent, I'm one of those they should be talking to since I could be casting the deciding vote.

The truth of the matter is that I think a lot of white middle class independents, liberal Republicans and conservative Democrats are telling the pollsters what they think the pollsters want to hear. However, I fear that many of them when they enter the voting both are going to suddenly have doubts about voting for a man who's father is an African and will end up voting for either McCain or some candidate of a minority party.

Hopefully I am wrong and am only showing my pessimistic side. I want to hope that all of us are going to vote for the man we think is most qualified to do the job (at least out of the choices we have.)

For me there is still no clear cut victor and this is going to be one of the toughest decisions I have made since becoming eligible to vote.

The freedom to vote for the candidate of your choice is one of the greatest rights you have as an American. It is not something to be taken lightly. Let your brain be your guide, not your emotions of the moment.

Its Common Sense.

Newsworthy Trivia and questions I have about the candidates

I saw an article that states that Rensselaer County in the state of New York sent out absentee ballots showing the presidential candidates as John McCain and Barack Osama. Now we all know that it was a typo, especially since the two men responsible are Democrats. But, it is funny and even though replacement ballots were mailed as soon as the error was discovered, you have to wonder, what, if any effect, it will have on the voters.

As this week of collapsing world wide stock markets, bailouts, deceit on the parts of companies and probably congress, the possible collapse of a country (Iceland) I thought I needed to lighten things up. We need to smile a little or we are going to cry.

So, I am asking you my readers to let me know the answers to the following questions because I have to admit that I have not done my homework in these areas.

The presidential and vice-presidential candidates - do they have pets and if yes, what do they have? I picture McCain with a German Shepherd, Palin with a Husky and some kind of yappy rug rat terrier, Obama with a Persian cat and Biden with a yellow Lab.

The same foursome - what do they do for fun? McCain has to be careful of anything strenuous, maybe he is a Bridge player. No doubt Palin is into hunting, snowmobiling and maybe dog sledding. Obama probably hits the hoops and plays chess. Biden looks like the local softball coach.

Finally, I wonder what their favorite foods are. I have no idea and do not care to venture a guess.

I know, these are all irrelevant questions that mean nothing and most people could care less. But after the past week we all just need to sit, relax and hopefully laugh about something. If you are like me you were shocked to learn what you had lost in your 401K during the past two weeks. The shock has worn off, adjustments have been made and life goes on.

Smile, hug your children, spouse and or significant other. Make someone laugh or at least smile. We have to take care of ourselves and each other, because its evident our government doesn't care.

Have a great weekend!!

Its Common sense.

What happened to America?

What is going on? More money to AIG, Pelosi wants a few more billion for another stimulus package, Congress wants to make sure that anything that passes has some pork for them.

Does anyone remember our history? The true patriots who believed in the ideal of this country and put the country before themselves? Sure we always had the greedy and the opportunists, but we were fortunate to have real patriots. Washington, Jefferson, Franklin, Adams, Knox, not top mention all the common men and women who went forward to serve their country, not asking for any reward.

Now a days we only see that kind of commitment and dedication in the men and women of our military. Our politicians are a bunch of crooks. They had to add on billions in pork before they would vote for the bail out bill. As long as their trough is full, they could care less about the rest of us.

It is evident that Congress has no sense of what is happening. If they did, they would give up their fancy medical coverage and take a policy like the rest of working America, with deductibles and restrictions. If they cared, they would start brown bagging it at lunch time and close their fancy restaurant with the agreeable prices for members of Congress. If Congress cared they would start prosecuting the CEO's and banks who brought on this crisis, rather than kissing their butts.

Let's face it, Congress no longer represents the people, they represent whoever will take care of them best.

Vote out the incumbents. Invite those who love and want to serve with no reward to come and lead us during these coming years of crisis. The time for change is now. Let's start with a whole new face on Capital Hill.

Its Common sense.

More money for AIG

I just came across the following article. The Federal Reserve is going to loan 30 some more billion to AIG. I guess they need to check out some spas in the Caribbean.
Write your senators and congressional representatives and say "Enough is enough"
Also anther good line is "I'm mad as hell and I'm not going to take it anymore."

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20081008/ap_on_bi_ge/fed_aig

2nd Presidential Debate

Last night was the second of the three presidential debates. I like the town hall format. I think it would have been better if the questions had not been screened and if the candidates could have talked and responded to one another without worrying about time restraints. They repeated a lot of the same material from the first debate and really had very little new to offer. Once again they were very weak on specifics, although both of them do not seem to realize their is an economic crisis because they both want to spend, spend, spend. Where is the money coming from?

McCain with his "I know how to do this." never explained how he was going to do anything, except buy more bad mortgage loans. I thought we had that covered in the $700 billion, evidently there is still more money they want us to spend. This is turning into a nightmare that will never end.

For his part Obama liked repeating things. I wish he would have explained his tax plan in specifics. Like will the 95% under $250,000.00 all get the same tax break, or will the lower income rung of the 95% do better than the upper rung of the 95%

Both of them could have offered more specifics on energy independence. Both of them should talk with T. Boone Pickins. Maybe he should be the Secretary of Energy. I would have liked to hear just where and when the nuclear power plants were going to be, when would wind technology get moving, how soon could our reserves of natural gas be tapped and made available? How long would it take for our automobile industry to convert engines for natural gas, and how long would it take for gas stations to switch from liquid to gas?

(An aside. Since Ford has already asked for a loan, Chrysler has always been on shaky ground, and GM can't be far behind, should the American car companies join ranks and begin producing one excellent small car, an excellent sedan, an excellent station wagon and an excellent SUV, all in a decent price range and maybe offer some serious competition to their Asian and European competitors?)

McCain showed some passion speaking on foreign affairs and Obama showed a little spunk when he defended himself against some of McCain's accusations.

Over all, once again I was disappointed . I believe the majority of the media gave Obama a victory but the reality is that neither man showed much of anything. Unfortunately, neither man appeared presidential or gave me a feeling that they were the one to lead my country.

I spoke with one of my aunts yesterday, an elegant lady in her late eighties who told me she had received her absentee ballot and that in the column under the presidential candidates she looked for the box that said "None of the above"

I agree with her. For a country as great as we are, I cannot understand why we cannot find a charismatic man or woman to lead us out of the mess we are in.

When was the last time you heard one of the candidates say something that really inspired you and made you want to get out and make your country a better place.

Sarah Palin is drawing record crowds not because she is charismatic but rather because she is so different from the Washington crowd that regardless of how little she knows and now inexperienced she is, she is still a refreshing change. I found it interesting that some of the commentators are saying the Republican ticket should read Palin / McCain if they want to close up the standing in the polls. Does this mean I want Sarah Palin near the White House? Heavens no, but the fact is we all want and deserve something better that what we are being offered.

One more debate next week. I have no high hopes, but maybe, just maybe we'll get some specifics.

Remember to write your senators and congressional representatives and demand that AIG give the loan money back - especially the $440,000.00 spent at the spa.

As I have stated in the past, let's vote out all of the incumbents and bring in a fresh team. They sure can't do any worse and maybe they can do better since they aren't corrupt (yet).

Pay attention, read, get the facts.

Its Common Sense.

AIG Spa Trip

Below is the letter I sent this evening to my senators and congressman after learning about the outing of the executives of AIG. I thought I would share it with you. As always, if I get any response I will share that as well.
Tomorrow I will comment on this evening's debate.

Dear Senator
The news has come out that executives of AIG,who came begging for a $85 billion loan to save their butts, took $440,000.00 of our tax money to go to a spa in California. The reports are that something like $25,000.00 was spent on facials and massages.
I worry about putting gas in my car and maybe having beef once a week and these guys are getting facials?
In my mind, this type of action violates the terms of the loan and I feel Congress should get our money back. If they can afford to go to a resort, then they can work out their own problems.
I am tried of my tax money being wasted and this is an insult.These executives should be prosecuted for thief of American tax dollars, and AIG should be forced to stand or fall on their own.
Thank you
Michael Wolfe

American Socialism

The past few weeks have been interesting, to say the least. The US government bought Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, they loaned AIG a small fortune, they have promised $700 billion to bail out a variety of banks and loaning institutions. Ford Motor Company has come begging for a loan. So have the governors of California and Massachusetts. Who will be coming next to get a guaranteed, secure loan from the US government? (Of course that means us the tax payers.)

Suddenly it appears that the federal government is getting involved in a lot of areas where they really have no business. In a capitalist society enterprises have to take care of themselves. They make it or fail on their own merits. Nobody bailed out Enron when it failed, or went to the aid of its employees. Now, however, the government has decided to stick its head in everywhere.

Maybe it would be better for the country if we did fall into a recession/depression. Its time for a wake up call. Greed took over from responsibility and rather than let the greedy s.o.b.s come crying for help, Congress should have told the CEO's to use their 'golden umbrellas" to bail their companies out of ruin.

Where will the government take over next? Socialized medicine? Control of institutions of higher education? What's allowed on t.v.?

I have never had a problem with the government providing assistance to the poor - with the understanding that the help was temporary and not a life long commitment. Now the government feels it is under an obligation to assist the rich and greedy, and who knows for how long a period.

I do not understand how providing all these loans is going to help me. Gas is still at a ridiculously high price - why should it be more that $1.00 a gallon? Grocery shopping is becoming a fine art, looking for bargains and trying to decide if it would be wiser to become a vegetarian because the price of meat is getting prohibitively high.

Our Congress is moving into areas that have always been the public sector. Little by little they are encroaching in what used to be the peoples domain. As the State takes more control, and dictates terms to the people, the more we are headed to an uneven socialist society, with the power in the hands of the few.

Based on their present performance (how much pork did they add to the bailout bill?) and being afraid of just what they might do next with my tax dollars (since they have done nothing to lower prices or work on the national infrastructure)I believe the best way we can send a message to Congress that we have had enough is to vote out all of the incumbents. Some of them are so confident of reelection (my congressman is an example) that they aren't even campaigning. Its time to put an end to the arrogance and their attitude of superiority.

The only kind of socialist society I would contemplate living in is the one of the early Christians outlined in the Acts of the Apostles. That was the ideal, and it didn't last very long. The type of socialism our current government is trying to force on us is poor at best, and totally unbalanced at worse.

Let's take back our government, let's begin anew with men and women who will listen to us and value our opinion, working for the majority, not their own ambitious goals.

America for Americans, not the politicians.

Its Common Sense.

Return of the Taliban

Evidently the United States cannot continue to pay for wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. Secretary of Defense Gates is now telling the members of NATO, as well as Japan, who do not have troops in Afghanistan, that they either have to provide troops or money to train Afghan troops. What a way to win friends and influence people. What is it about the leaders of our country that makes them think they can tell other nations what to do? We committed ourselves to these wars, we need to take care of our people. If we can find allies, great, but to badger other nations and mandate what they should do just doesn't cut it.

Of course we all know that Afghanistan is the war we should have fought all along. We could be making the poppy growers pay for the war and keeping heroin off of our streets. Of course that is not going to happen. I get the feeling that many of President Karzai's biggest supports are in the drug trade and he is going to do nothing to disrupt their income. Since the USA does not have adequate troops in Afghanistan, there is nothing we can do about the situation either.

Now I have learned that several top members of the Taliban were in Saudi Arabia last month dining with the king. Could it be that the Saudis are trying to broker a peace between the Karzai government and the Taliban? The Taliban are dangerous fundamentalist and I fear the King of Saudi Arabia is trying to find a place to send his nut jobs so they do not become a threat to his throne. Afghanistan is suppose to have a presidential election within a year.

If the king brokers a peace agreement between Karzai and the Taliban, then with the arrival of "peace" there is no longer a need for American or NATO troops. (I have to believe that the only thing the Japanese may contribute is money after what happened to their people in Iraq.)
Bin Laden can come out of the cave in Pakistan where he has been hiding and take up residence, legally, in Kabul.

Why did George W get side tracked with Iraq? Why did he give up on hunting the perpetrator of 9/11?

The scenario I envision - a deal between Karzai and the Talban, Afghanistan turning into an Islamic Fundamentalist State, with maybe a lessening of the rules the Taliban loves, (until Karzai disappears) - leaving us right back where we started six years ago. What the hell?

Our leaders have once again put our country in a no win situation. Regardless of who becomes president, if Karzai and the Taliban make a deal, we lose. I have no idea what deals are being made, to what extent the King of Saudi Arabia will use his money and influence to make the deal, but I believe the deal is coming.

Of course maybe I'll be wrong. Maybe Karzai will stand strong against the Taliban and the USA and her allies will take out Bin Laden, Al Queda and the Taliban. I do not see that happening, but I pray it happens.

Listen to what the candidates are saying about Afghanistan. Our economic crisis is giving our enemies an opportunity to run wild because the media is not paying attention and unfortunately I think they know more sometimes than our so called intelligence services.

Stay alert, let your voices be heard.

Its Common Sense.

Pakistan Invasion

Once again the US military made strikes into northern Pakistan where it is highly suspected that Al Queda and Taliban sympathizers and probably leaders are hiding out. The Pakistani government is not happy with these incursions into their sovereign territory and have repeatedly stated that the US's actions are hurting their attempts to control those regions of their country.

I find it interesting that both Obama and McCain feel that the US military has the right to follow potential threats into Pakistan, with or without the approval of the Pakistan government. My understanding is that Pakistan is an ally, an ally with nuclear weapons, and yet we disregard their sovereignty and do what we want.


Yet, as we well know, during the Iraq War, allegations have been made about the manpower and weapons being supplied to the insurgents by both Iran and Syria. Both of those countries are not consider to be USA allies, in fact our government favors sanctions against both of them. Yet, you do not hear of our troops or missiles violating their national borders in pursuit of the enemy.


It appears that we treat our allies worse than our enemies. Maybe it is because we do not think that Pakistan will retaliate, other than verbally. Are we afraid of how Iran and Syria would respond if we entered their territory? Are we more concerned of how the world would perceive our actions in relation to Syria and Iran, than we are about Pakistan?


Frankly, I fear that our arrogance is going to get us in trouble once again. Pakistan is in the midst of trying to rebuild its government, its military command, and the unity of its people. The last think the new government needs is incursions into areas of its country that are the most isolated and least educated. I believe that regardless of what their government says, these people believe that the US military is operating with the Pakistani government's permission. These are the people who support the Taliban and Al Queda. These are people, if they receive the funding and training, could start a civil war within Pakistan and start a whole new front on the war against terrorism.


The USA needs to work with and support our allies, not simply ignore them when we think they are in the way. Pakistan has nuclear weapons. We want a power friendly to us to control those weapons. Taking actions that divide Pakistan is not wise. We need to work with the Pakistani military, not tell them what to do.


Obama, much more than McCain, has stated he wants to talk with world leaders and improve our country's image. At the same time he has stated he has no qualms about going into Pakistan to get Bin Laden. Invading an ally, what image does that portray?


Mc Cain is so focused on Iraq I don't even know what he thinks about Afghanistan and Pakistan, except its okay to go anywhere to get Bin Laden.


Our country needs to treat our allies as equals, not as people less capable than we are. If we do not show respect for others, others are not going to show us any respect.

Its Common Sense.

Fannie Mae - What is wrong with this picture?

My daughter emailed me the following story about a 90 year old woman who shot herself, rather than be evicted from her house.

http://www.cnn.com/2008/US/10/03/eviction.suicide.attempt/index.html


After reading the story, other than feeling sorry for the woman and wondering how many cops it takes to evict a 90 year old, my first question was who was the idiot who gave a thirty year mortgage loan to a 86 year old woman (The loan was made in 2004)? Come on! How hard would it be to check her income? This is just greed beyond comprehension. Whoever gave her the loan is the one who ought to be shot.


It also raises the question. Who benefits from the bailout? The little guy who took out the loan and is having trouble paying, or the bank that made the loan and is not receiving income?


I think Congress rushed way to fast into this bailout. I know that both Presidential candidates approved the bill, but I think they both sold us out. This "loan" is not going to benefit us. After all, the banks involved will only be able to pay off their "loan" if they are able to establish good loans to generate money for the bank. We will have to wait and watch, but i have a feeling none of this is going to turn out the way we were promised.

On a different note, today October 4 is the feast day of St Francis of Assisi, one of my favorite saints. For those of you who are pet owners - perhaps you have a cat named Little Fascist - this is the day you take your pet to church for a blessing.
God blesses everyone. Let's hope He is going to bless this country because we really need it.

Stay alert to what is going on. Share your observations with those around you. If we don't look out for one another no one else will.
Its Common Sense.

VP Debate

I know that both sides have claimed victory for the VP debate, and let them do it. After all, we aren't voting for the the VPs, we're voting for the president and the VP gets to come along for the ride.
That said, I'd like to offer my comments on the debate.

I enjoyed this a lot more than the one between Obama and McCain. Both candidates made eye contact with their opponents, both were strong on their opinions but not obnoxious or rude to one another.

I thought Sarah Palin did a good job. Of course after the two Katie Couric interviews we were all rooting a little bit for her. I thought the wink and smile were cute. Not cute enough for me to vote for her if she was running for anything on her own, but cute. She certainly tried to sell the fact that she was part of middle America, that she knew exactly how we felt and that she and Todd had suffered through many of the same things we were going through.
Of course she did ramble at times, and I have to admit that there were two instances where I lost her train of thought altogether. I still do not know when she would use nuclear weaponry.
Also her two mantra's "McCain the maverick", and "governor of a energy producing state" got a little repetitious. However, over all I found her entertaining and really trying to speak to the people and sell her cause.

Joe Biden comported himself as a gentleman. Right off the bat he allowed her to call him Joe, and he tried to keep his answers brief and to the point, while occasionally smiling at some remark Palin made. He had his one teary moment remembering his first wife and the accident and what happened to his kids, but overall he played the role of statesman. A little boring at times, but over all a good performance.
Do you think he knows that the American commanding general in Afghanistan is not McCellan?
I am sure he does and he acted as gentleman and did not correct Palin

OK. A fun debate, some personal information/opinions did come out, notably that neither one believes in gay marriage, but they do believe in the rights of same sex partnerships. Both think education in this country needs improving - although need provide anything concrete.

And of course that was the problem with the debate. Once again we heard a lot of generalities but nothing specific or concrete.

Can somebody explain to me the difference in their tax plans? I have written both of the candidates for specifics and received nothing. If they cannot tell a potential voter what they plan to do, what are they going to present to Congress if they win?

Anyway, the debate was fun, but in my opinion meaningless. It is Obama and McCain who have to step up to the plate and knock the ball out of the park. (Who knew I could use a sports analogy?) These two men have to give use specifics.

Their next confrontation is Tuesday. We'll see what happens.

This is going to be the first weekend of October. Get out and see the changing leaves and enjoy the first days of autumn.
All of us should make the most of every day we're granted.
Its Common Sense.

Senate Bailout National Bank and VP Debate

Okay, tonight is the first and only vice-presidential debate of this campaign. Needless to say, we all have to watch. Will Sarah Palin continue to be as nervous as she has been with Katie Couric, or from behind a podium will she get her act together, talk about what she knows and admit the areas where she has limited knowledge?
Will Joe Biden be able to answer briefly or will he let his mouth run on and on and get him trouble?
This could be really entertaining. And - let us not forget, that one of this pair could be a heart beat away from being our president someday. Take some time to consider that prospect.

Last night the Senate passed the bailout bill. Big surprise. What upsets me is the concessions that were made. The tax break for the rich is extended - tell me why you voted for that Barack Obama and Joe Biden. The amount of cash that can now be insured by the FDIC was raised to $250,000.00. What no one said is that the banks will have to pay for the additional insurance. Wonder where that money will come from? Tax breaks for homeowners with foreclosure woes are extended until 2013. Small business owners with five employees or less are getting some kind of break, and no doubt somewhere in the fine print are a couple of "entitlements" that we will be paying for.

Somewhere it says if the loans aren't paid off the president will be able to take action. I will need to find the bill and read it to see if the president really has any power.

I am skeptical about the whole thing. I think the government should have opened a National Bank with this money and started making loans to those who qualify. Frankly I do not see the need to help the banks who let greed and stupidity be their guide. Let's have a National Bank, Congress, as the board of directors, can make oversight into loans as tight as they want without worrying about any one's feelings.
Since the President is the bank's CEO we do not have to worry about any golden umbrella, the job is covered by his salary. We the people are the share holders, so maybe we will receive some dividends on our investment.

Treasury secretary Paulson put everyone in a panic mode. Loans are tight and banks are afraid. Too bad. There was no oversight for their idiotic reasoning that housing prices would continue to climb to unrealistic heights and that they could make loans to anyone who walked in off of the streets. The banks are paying the price for their greed. They should be happy that their executives are not being sent to jail for the mismanagement and attempted robbery of the American public.

The Senate's bill just let's the status quo continue. I thought that Obama and McCain both promised to change Washington!! Looks like business as usual to me.

Let's create a National Bank. It will have branches is all 50 states and territories. It will provide employment. Loans can be rigidly investigated and controlled. With the president as CEO and Congress as the board of directors there will be no need for fancy salaries or perks. They will be doing their job protecting the American citizen. We, the tax paying citizens, will be the stock holders and with good management we should all see dividends.

This makes more sense to me than simply giving money to banks and trusting them to do the right thing.

Its Common Sense.

Fair, balanced, and Impartial News

I know a lot of people who chuckle when they hear Fox News reporters state that they are fair and impartial. We all know the vast majority are just a little to the right. MSNBC, especially Keith Oberman, who got teary eyed during Obama's acceptance speech, are to the left. True, both networks have a couple who lean the other way for a little balance, but let's face it no network is impartial. CCN leans to the left, no matter how hard Lou Dobbs tries to get them to be a little conservative.

I just read where the McCain campaign people do not feel Gwen Ifill will be a fair moderator for the upcoming vice-presidential debate because she has a book coming out in January entitled "Breakthrough: Politics and Race in the Age of Obama"

What happened to news people who truly were fair and impartial. Remember the good old days of Walter Cronkite and Huntley and Brinkley? They had people they admired but they reported the news evenly, with no inference to their personal preference. Their job was to lay out the facts to the best of their ability and then allow the viewer to make their own decision.

Journalist are suppose to give us facts, not twist them to suit their agenda. If something is bad, its bad - if something is good its good.

Unfortunately, today it appears that far too many journalists have decided that not only are they way smarter than the people who view them, they are also way smarter than politicians, military leaders, religious leaders, .etc. They want to tell us how to think. For some reason they feel they are above the clouds, full of knowledge and that they have all of answers.

God help us. Its sad that you have to be careful watching the news in hopes of finding the truth. My wife enjoys switching from the various news channels. It is amazing the different interpretations you can get on the same story.

My advice tonight is that all of us in this election year have to follow the advice given by Pope Paul IV in his encyclical Humanae Vitae. This encyclical came out in the late 1960's when birth control was a major issue, especially for Catholics. Sweet and simple, the Pope said that the true Christian should make no decision until they had an informed conscious. Once they had learn everything they could, then and only then could they make a decision they could justify in the eyes of God.

That's what we all need to do for the up coming election, have informed consciouses. That means we need to look at all of the resources available to us. Network news alone just won't due, sadly the majority are far too opinionated.


You have the responsibility of creating your own informed conscious..How you vote has to be your decision, not someone else's opinion.


Its Common Sense