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We hope you enjoy reading

 “Regurgitations.”

(America’s political scene moves with such speed,

 we have a tendency to forget who sold us that sack of wet flour!)

Quote from our book,

DIRTY OLD LANDLORD

(Available through your local book store or Amazon.com)

“It was as convincing as a corsage created from 

pastel-colored condoms.”

You can’t necessarily be considered an American if you . . .

“. . . permit your children to know the price of everything and the value of nothing.”

Quote in Our Time

“A person without a sense of humor is like a wagon without springs

 – jolted by every pebble in the road.”

Henry Ward Beecher

One of Dan’s Gems!

(A pearl of wisdom actually uttered by Dan Quayle)

“Hawaii has always been a very pivotal role in the Pacific. It is in the Pacific.

 It is a part of the United States that is an island that is right here.”

Bumper Sticker of The Day!

“Flush Rush!”

Comments That Should Scare You?

“Civilized people – Muslims, Christians, and Jews – all understand that the source

 of freedom and human dignity is the Creator.”

…former Attorney General John Ashcroft

A Big Moment of Hypocrisy in Washington!

     There is no way to properly gauge the number of national disasters resulting from the Geo. W. Bush Presidency! As predicted, fewer and fewer citizens will openly admit that they had voted for man that ill doubtlessly go down in history as one of America’s worst Presidents.

     Here is just one example out of many! With the BP oil disaster so fresh in our minds, it is not surprising to make note of Bush’s appointments that contributed mightily to this disaster. The Department of the Interior includes the Minerals Management Service. First, Gale Norton – who was named Secretary of the Interior by Bush - left to make more money by getting on the payroll of Shell Oil Company. Gale was followed by Dirk Kempthorne who was effusive in his praise for Bush’s nomination of C. Stephen Allred as Assistant Secretary for Minerals Management Services.

     It was apparent that the aforementioned boys did a spectacular job! An ‘awful’ Inspector General’s report disclosed the prevalence of sex, booze, drugs and gifts in a scandal-ridden Minerals Management Services division of the Department Of  Interior which contributed mightily to “operational sleaziness.” (Again, they had created a veritable barn dance for foxes in the hen house!)

     Kempthorne is now gone – so is Allred. (No yellow brick roads here!) Although Cheney has left, when in office, he did a stellar job of promoting opacity not the least being secret energy policy meetings. His hunting buddy – “I still have a face,” Supreme Court Associate Justice Anton Scalia - is said to have ruled that Cheney’s secret meetings were “executive privilege” hence, it was not necessary to disclose any details of those meetings to the American people. (Yet, the American taxpayers paid for the meetings!)

     So, let’s not pile all the blame on BP even though they are poster boys for the pitfalls of deregulation. Not unlike a cheap sandwich spread – there is rank evidence of an endless slathering of cavalier disregard for people welfare. The petroleum industry – in general - should be taken to task for their “come hell or high water” attitude in the pursuit of profits. The Exxon Valdez crises should have indelibly told us something was terribly wrong more than twenty years ago. Yet, it is taking more than twenty years to settle the claims of those poor people in Alaska that have either been put out of business or have died while awaiting settlement of claims resulting from the Exxon oil spill. Even worse, evidence of oil is still found several inches down on the Alaskan shores of Prince William Sound. And, it was Exxon who did their best to place the blame of the oil spill on the shoulders of an inebriated ship’s captain.  We ask, “Who hired the captain?” It was also Exxon that gave a retiring CEO a $450-mil retirement bonus! (You can bet your bottom dollar it didn’t take twenty years to cut that check!) How do you like $450,000,000.00  for ‘security in your old age?’ This outrageous corporate abuse should prompt a second look at the local gas pumps and doubtlessly do much to expedite an era of renewable energy!

     Obama has his hands full when dealing with a malfunctioning Department of the Interior. It is yet another problem the Obama Administration has inherited. We experienced the Enron debacle, banking bail-outs, Wall Street hubris, the Massey Energy mine disaster in West

Virginia and now BP! It goes on and on? When will the next shoe be dropped? (Clue: follow the money!)

     One thing for sure, if we want to survive, we have to get off this fossil fuel ‘kick’ and start thinking in terms as to how we plan to save planet earth – and by so doing save ourselves! It all starts with our national government’s concern for people welfare as opposed to political party welfare. Open concern for people appears to be emerging at last! Keep your fingers crossed.

        TOP TEN

          World’s Lowest Average Birth Weights 

Sad but true!

     Unfortunately, it seems as if you can tune-in any news program and get a bloviating politician that can side-step an incriminating question with the aplomb of a porn actress shedding a brassiere. Following is a typical example of what we speak: “That’s a very good question – it is to the point and it contains the prospect of great information. It is just such questions -  as the one you asked - that serves every American man, woman and child – it is a question that transcends those that would prefer to talk in political directions other than the direction for which the question is directed. That is why I feel you and your organization is doing such a great service to this great, great county of ours. God bless America!”

     A paragon of ‘politic speak’ has to be Haley Barbour – currently governor of Mississippi. Recently - when appearing on NBC’s MEET THE PRESS - the good governor was asked, “Do you think Joe Barton was wrong?”There was a slight pause and with a straight face, Barbour responded, “No, . . . he just wasn’t accurate!” (The TV viewers were treated to a classic example of “He Who Dances Around Words!”) 

Shake Down Joe!

     When it involves politicians, the State of Texas makes Arizona look more like Valley Forge! What is so un-nerving is, real people had to vote for Joe Barton! According to reliable reports, Joe received $1,400,000.00 in campaign contributions from the petroleum industry. Could this be the rationale for his stating - as ranking member of the Energy and Commerce Committee – before the BP attendees, “This is a tragedy of the first proportion. . .”  What Joe considered a ‘tragedy’ was the fact that BP agreed to set aside $20-bil to pay the clean-up charges as a result of their run-away oil well. In fact, he looked-upon that $20-bil ‘set-aside’ as ‘shake-down’ money extracted by the White House. The Thin Man– Rush Limbaugh – agreed with Joe Barton. (America was treated to the endorsements of the decade! How many sports stadiums have been built as a result of taxpayer generated monies?) 

     Joe Barton is a superb example of the type of politician that has ‘bored’ his/her way into  Amercan government! Let’s go back to Joe’s 2006 campaign election-cycle funds. Reports have it that Barton’s wife was paid roughly $58,000.00 to serve as his campaign ‘outreach director’ and ‘planner’ of fundraising and special events. It was also reported that Joe’s daughter Kristin was paid well over $12-M in salary and bonuses. (We haven’t quite figured-out what esoteric –job description Kristin filled.)  Barton’s mother, Nell – is said to have gotten $7-M for a new car. At this writing, we don’t know if Nell bought a domestic or foreign automobile.  (Nell was probably in charge of Joe’s congressional campaign motorcades.) We won’t go so far as to say that Joe Barton is a certifiable idiot but we do know he can’t be considered the most colorful fly in the tackle box! Worse yet, Divine Conception did not put Joe in office. The mind shudders to think that such an obvious ‘social discard’ represents PEOPLE – people that actually voted for him – people that conceivably looked through a prism of blind partisanship!

    Joe has been in Congress since 1985 – that’s 25 years! Before Joe went on the public dole, he was a consultant for Atlantic Richfield Oil and Gas Co. – now a part of BP. (Surprise, surprise!) If you want to talk-about ‘run-away’ spending, just how many of Joe Bartons – currying favor from special interest groups – operate under the capitol dome?

     With Joe’s open love affair with the petroleum industry it should not come as any surprise that Barton denies climate change and he is a fierce opponent of any government underwriting of any research on global warming.  

Albert Einstein Society Nominees

     It has to been reported that 195 members of Congress have crossed-over to lobbying positions since 2005.

     Here’s a good example of what we speak. Senator Trent Lott (R), MS, resigned his senate seat – complete with that obvious toupee - to join-up with former senator John Breaux (D), LA – to open-up a lobbying firm in D. C. It is estimated that ex-members of Congress can double their earnings as lobbyists – as a result of their past associations developed when in Congress.

     Lott had an eye-popping $1.3-mil remaining in his re-election fund when he reportedly quit the Senate to open his own lobbying firm. One of his first clients was Northrop Grumman – and why not? Northrop Grumman wanted to keep their $35-bil air force contract for flying ‘re-fuelers.’

     Lott dipped into the aforementioned $1.3-mil and allegedly proceeded to spread some influence dollars to such Senate Armed Services Committee members as Senators Saxby Chambliss (R) GA. and Roger Wicker (R) MS.  In other words, it is illegal to make personal use of a ‘simmering’ reelection fund but it is not illegal to spread the dollars around in the arena of influence.  Ethical?  No! But then, again ethics are to be ignored since handing-out re-election dollars is not against the law.

     If you think that left-over campaign funds are entering the world of lobbyists, we sure can’t say you are ‘wrong!’

Who’s on the Energy &Commerce Committee? 

   With the BP oil spill so fresh in our minds it is only logical that we should determine just who is serving on the Congressional Energy & Commerce Committee which is so germane, not only to the BP disaster,  but to all energy exploration projects involving America. 

                                             Henry Waxman, , CA, Chrmn.          John D. Dingell, MI,  Chairman  Emeritus                            Joe Barton, TX,  Ranking Member 

                                             Edward J. Markey, MA                        Rich Boucher, VA                                                                Ralph M. Hall, TX                             Fred Upton, MI

                                             Frank Pallone, Jr., NJ                           Bart Gordon, TN                                                                  Cliff Steams, FL                                Ed Whitfield, KY   

                                             Bobby L. Rush, IL                               Anna G. Eshoo. CA                                                             John Shimkus, IL                              John Shadegg, AZ

                                             Bart Stupak, MI                                    Eliot L. Engel, NY                                                               Roy Blunt, MO                              Steve Buyer, IN

                                             Gene Green, TX                                   Diana DeGette, CO Vice Chair                                              George Radanovich, CA                       Joseph R. Pitts, PA

                                             Lois Capps, CA                                    Mike Doyle, PA                                                                   Mary Bono Mack, CA*                     Lee Terry,NE         

                                             Jane Harman, CA                                  Jan Schakowsky, IL                                                             Mike Rogers, MI                            Sue Wilkins Myrick, NC

                                             Charles A. Gonzalez, TX                      Jay Inslee, WA                                                                      John Sullivan, OK                           Tim Murphy, PA

                                            Tammy Baldwin, WI                            Mike Ross, AR                                                                      Michael C. Burgess, TX                 Marsha Blackburn, TN

                                            Anthony D. Weiner, NY                       Jim Matheson, UT                                                                  Phil Gingrey, GA                            Steve Scalise, LA

                                            G. K. Butterfield, NC                            Charlie Melancon, LA                                                             Parker Griffith, AL                           Robert E. Latta, OH

                                            John Barrow, GA                                   Baron P. Hill, IN

                                            Doris O. Matsul, CA                             Donna M. Christensen, VI

                                            Kathy Castor,  FL                                  John P. Sarbanes, MD

                                            Christopher S. Murphy, CT                 Zachary T. Space, OH

                                           Jerry McNemey, CA                             Betty Sutton, OH             

                                           Bruce L. Braley, IA                              Peter Welch, VT

*Formerly wife of Sonny Bono - now married to Florida’s very own Connie Mack IV – the couple are said to be happily living in California while ‘Connie’ represents the people of Florida.

     Please note that Joe Barton, (R), TX is the ranking member of this important committee. You can thank your lucky stars he’s a ‘ranking member’ as opposed to being chairman!

An Ideal Political Couple and Why!

     It is with thanks from Jack in Louisville, KY who said, “It just has to be Michelle Bachmann and Sarah Palen. Both are famous for, 1) brains - or lack thereof; 2) partisan political players and, 3) stretching things to the breaking point and they, 4) appeal to a certain group that does not necessarily enjoy a reputation for brains.” In fact, Jack said that Michelle Bachmann was, “Joe McCarthy in lipstick.”

Double Hulled Oil Tankers!

     Unfortunately, oil has become daily subject-matter. We have no choice. Our big problem is, our memory-spans are so short! What’s that old maxim, “Out of Site - Out of Mind?” That best describes the Exxon Valdez disaster which occurred in Alaska’s Prince William Sound back in 1989. (ExxonMobil is just now settling the last law suits twenty-one years later.) It was at that time one would think the oil companies would take the initiative by dictating double hulled oil tankers! Not so! Congress gave the oil companies until 2015 to phase out all single-hull tankers operating in US Waters and to replace those singled hulled tankers with “dual hulled” tankers – like in ‘thermos bottle.’ Make sense? Yes, but, good sense seems to be a good reason NOT to have double hulled tankers. And too, double-hulled tankers cost money. Foreign tankers – that often times are given light inspections – seemingly ply American waters with impunity. Only seven of nearly twenty-four oil tankers - operating from Alaska’s North Slope - have “dual hulls.”

     And here we go again! Reports have it that former Senator Trent Lott is guilty of ‘slipping’ a measure into a Homeland Security bill that could save some oil carriers millions via the use of older fleets. Since the time of  Lott’s alleged ‘slipping’ routine, Trent has become a self-employed lobbyist who is obviously doing quite well since it appears he has a new ‘snappy’ toupee replete with strands of grey hair for that rare pinch of integrity in the Lott psyche.  (All of this we touched-on this subject earlier.)

     Ironically, ExxonMobil is the only major “petroleum pusher” that hasn’t started building any new tankers. Until last fall, ExxonMobil was still fighting in court to let the Exxon Valdez return to Alaskan waters – with a patched hull of course. (Any way you look at it, that’s putting the letter ‘H’ in the word ‘hubris.’)

Dumb BunnyAward!

     Many think it is long overdue to turn on the “surprise, surprise” light on that tired comment

“guns don’t kill, people kill!” (No one has ever countered the fact that guns are designed to kill.)  Mexican drug cartels don’t hold American guns in such high regard because they are good at toasting marshmallows!

     At one time, it is said that the NRA chortled such statistics as, “More people were killed in swimming pools than with guns!” (That was until more people got killed by guns! It appears that swimming pools have been relegated to the back seat of the NRA’s killing statistics!)

     Reliable reports have it that the NRA got into an indignant snit when the U. S. government wanted to prohibit the sale of firearms to those listed on the “do not fly” list! Forsooth!

     One thing we do know! Deaths resulting from guns in Germany – the 2^nd highest in

developing nations – were 194. America led the list with 10,177! That should tell us far more than we really want to know. It is accepted fact that the gun lobby in Washington is powerful and appeals to a lot of ‘not-so-brights’ in our current day society.

     We have sure heard about 2^nd Amendment rights but never, but never, do you hear about the 9^th Amendment. Nor - for the sake of clarity-  do you ever hear about the safety of those American citizens that don’t own a gun.

A Corporate Hall of Shame!

    The Swiss banking giant, UBS gets the ‘nod’’ since it played such a big role in the infamous Bernie Madoff scandal. UBS also helped more than 50,000 of America’s richest commit tax evasion by sheltering more than $14-bil in assets. Let’s forget ‘run-away spending’ for the moment and explore ‘run-away tax evasion.’

     It is UBS that can also boast former Senator Phil Gramm, (R), TX as one of the big ‘wheels’ in the outfit! (We all should know what Gramm and his wife Wendy accomplished with de-regulation and de-regulation’s subsequent impact on the American economy.) BP is but one good example of the de-regulation culture.

Senator Robert Byrd Eulogized!

      It seems that Senator Byrd (D), WV spent his last days tending to his Congressional work in a wheel chair. That’s almost as good an observation as Strom Thurmond (R), SC being carried into the Senate Chambers on a chair during the last three years of his life.

   Back to Byrd. This man was in the U. S. House of Representatives for six years and then served in the U. S. Senate for another 51 years. (Somebody said that Byrd was extremely knowledgeable when discussing the U. S. Constitution. After that length of time, he should have every word in the Constitution memorized - twice.)

      In other words, Byrd was on the public payroll for well over a half century. In addition, Byrd was often referred to as the “Pork Barrel King.”  A billion dollar super-highway slashing across West Virginia mountainsides - with no beginning and no end - is mute testimony to Byrd’s pork-barreling ‘expertise.’ Byrd just had to be the epitome of a career politician. And, we haven’t even begun to discuss his membership in the Ku Klux Klan. Byrd was so good in the KKK, he was promoted into the exalted position of a “Grand Cyclops” – now that’s putting ‘grandness’ on a bed sheet! (You have to be able to do some fancy hating to be anointed “Grand Cyclops.”)  This is the same Robert Byrd that took to the Senate floor and spoke around-the-clock for 14 continuous hours in opposition to the Civil Rights Act.

     Byrd has been eulogized as, “A Great American,” “A great public servant,” etc.  Any passing is sad - that’s a known. Yet, the real ‘public servants’ – are the Americans that pay taxes to support the Robert Byrd’s in Congress. This leaves us Representative John Dingell, Sr. (D), MI as a shining example of career politics. Dingell has only been in Congress 55 years!   

     Both  Byrd and Dingell are good examples this country’s dire need for Congressional term limits!

They Say, We Say

TS:  “Do you think the BP disaster will affect our economy?”

Brad . . . Phoenix

WS: We sure do! We think the BP fiasco will undo some of the progress that has been made for a recovering economy.  Let’s not forget, the entire situation was motivated by lust for the dollar which the record shows was openly cheered-on by many Republicans - starting years ago!

TS: “Did Henry Paulson have the biggest salary

 by taking home another $1-bil in 2009?”

 Martha . . . Billings

WS: No.  ‘Hank’ had to turn-in his crown. Hank preceded Blankfein of Goldman Sachs who referred to his ‘paltry’ $100-mil a year salary as “doing God’s work.” Now, it is said that  David Tepper- a Wall Street hedge fund manager - ‘earned’ 4-bil in 2009! Don’t you like that descriptive phraseology - ‘earned?’  School teachers EARN their salary many times over and many deserve the educational equivalent to the Purple Heart! Yet we have to ask, “Just what does one do to EARN $4.-bil a year?” This breaks-down to the fact that ‘Dave’ is ‘earning’ around  $2,000,000.00 an hour? (That’ll get the tails braided on the polo ponies!)

TS: “Can you tell me your primary political affiliation?

Nathan . . . Seattle

WS: We are adamant independents – possessing a pinch of conservatism and a pinch of liberalism.  Although we think one current political  party is the lesser of our two-party evils, you still have evil! Again we preach, ‘it should be people welfare first, party welfare second.’

TS:  Is there any one thing that ‘perplexes’ you?

Myra . . . Toronto

WS: Of course! One – of many – abrasive situation involves Southern Methodist University in Dallas, Texas. Established in 1911, this school acquired an outstanding academic reputation. This enviable reputation has – in our eyes – come to an abrupt halt! SMU is building a Geo. W. Bush Library on campus. According to reports, the ribbon cutting ceremony for the Library’s Tinker Toy Room is scheduled for June in 2011.

TS: Do you think the quality of political candidates has decreased?

Ben . . . San Diego, CA

WS:  Yes! Here’s the paragon of political hacks! A political candidate for the U. S. Senate on the Democratic ticket ran on the Republican ticket some years ago in another state. This same candidate had Mike Tyson as his best man at his wedding and had a notorious ‘prostitution-ring madam’ as a renter on his ‘estate.’  The candidate became a billionaire because he bet heavily on, and won, the housing market melt-down. In other words, he made billions betting on the ‘misery’ of others. Sadly, this is a political candidate that apparently qualifies to represent his party but sure doesn’t qualify to represent the best interests of the people. 

TS: Can you cite any instance of an un-informed voter?

Veronica . . . Presque Isle, ME

WS: We have problems getting people to the polls and when some do get into a voting booth, some can come-up with some of the craziest reasons as to why they voted the way they did. The latest is the woman in South Carolina who said on TV that she voted for Alvin Greene as a nominee for the U. S. Senate because “ . . . his name was so similar to the name of my favorite rock band!” 

TS:  Surely you have an opinon of Sen. Blanche Lincoln

from the state of Arkansas!

WS: Yes indeed! Many Democrats campaigned upon Blanche’s behalf with the verve of a house fly in a bankrupt funeral parlor.  Here is another example of ‘party first, people second.’ Remember Blanche’s stellar performance on stalling health care reform progress? And why not?  As but only one instance, Blanche reportedly was the recipient of over $2-mil in campaign contributions from the health care industry. The Democrats will be severely bitten this November for having backed-Blanche.

Next Regurgitations!

Comments of The Day!

Hypocrite of The Day!

Environmental Wreckers!

A Consumer Friendly Moment!

Another political couple and why!

More Albert Einstein Society nominees!

Who’s on the U. S. Senate Judiciary Committee

(Including the unqualified that questioned Kagan’s ‘qualifications?’)

Knowing the Difference between RIGHT and WRONG!

More wisdom with Dan’s Gems – America’s one-time VP

There’s yet another quote from our book, DIRTY OLD LANDLORD

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02-18-10
03-21-10

04-20-10

05-17-10
06-17-10
06-19-10

(Should you have any comments relating to the foregoing commentary, you can contact me at efrick@edfrickauthor.com Compliments are ecstatically welcomed!)