Politics - FEH!

Americans as consumers need to wean ourselves off our voracious appetite... for credit. Read on.

There are still those people who don't understand why many "politicians" (meant in the most extreme pejorative sense) are loathed by so many. The past several weeks are a particularly good example.

I have tried to follow the "bailout" (even though the media have recently stopped using the word), and while I have only heard one person describe it in possibly acceptable terms (Senator Judd Gregg), I really don't understand it other than many did wrong and will be rewarded, while the public who is hurt will be hurt more by the costs. Yeah, it's complicated, but I don't feel I can accept the government's word that this expensive (talk about understatement) "fix" is all for the best - time will tell. Instead of throwing more money at a problem (the American way), I'd be looking at what happened, who did what and why, and how can we prevent this from ever happening again!

Anyhow, the original bailout was three pages long. Then the House politicians discussed and "negotiated," and the draft was suddenly 42 pages long. Not yet satisfied, nearly a week of ongoing talks between Treasury Secretary Paulson and key lawmakers followed, and the new working version was now up to 102 pages. It was voted down, because the people spoke... wrote letters, emailed, and called.

Then the Senate decided to get in on the action (here's the good part): Once the Senate was done adding "sweeteners" today to "entice" reluctant House Republicans to change their minds and vote for the bailout, the bill heading for discussion and probably passage tonight (I am guessing) had grown to 451 pages (a most appropriate number if you are into allusions [think Bradbury]) ! I would love to know what else ended up in it! Government pork is not my meat of choice. I believe it was Ronald Reagan who described the government as being like an infant with an insatiable appetite at one end and no sense of responsibility at the other. That about sums it up as we see how eagerly some are trying their darnedest to spend us into bankruptcy! I predict the bailout will pass, and I only hope for the best but expect the worst.

I need to do more than call and email my representatives, which I have done. I have decided to offer voters a choice of someone else (a sort of None of the Above); someone who is of the people and for the people! I am not ready to write our country off. So, I will soon be promoting myself as a write-in candidate for the position of United States Senator from New Hampshire. If you are reading this, you are among the first to know as I am still in the planning stages. There will be more soon, but I figure why not? I have nothing to lose and a lot to gain. Putney Swope did it, so can I. I would enjoy Being There. If Chauncey Gardiner can do it, so can I! In the movie Chauncey noted, "In the garden, growth has it seasons. First comes spring and summer, but then we have fall and winter. And then we get spring and summer again." I fully agree!