This page is changed on
a regular basis!
We sincerely hope you enjoy reading “Regurgitations.”
(Politics move at such a heady pace, we have a tendency to ‘forget.’ It is this ‘forgetfulness’
which has created such pitiful governmental representation.)
Quote from our book,
DIRTY OLD LANDLORD
(Available through your local book store and Amazon.com)
“A majority of the attendees bathed during the winter months – on Saturday nights - in a tub of water before the radiating warmth of the kitchen’s range – with its cavernous oven door wide-open.”
(…about Wawaka, Indiana basketball fans on Friday nights)
You Are Un-American If You . . .
. . . are tolerant of the intolerant.
Comments of The Day!
“Unchecked corporate power has ensured that the priorities of health insurance companies,
fossil fuel corporations and Wall Street,
have taken precedence over the needs of the average American.”
Public Citizen
“American Veterans are to blame for the fag takeover of this nation.”
Fred Phelps . . . Westboro Baptist Church
(spoken like a true Christian)
“We have come to take our government back!”
Rand Paul . . Senatorial Candidate (R), KY
(back from where?)
Bumper Sticker of The Day!
“Stop Nancy Pelosi”
(from what?)
Dan Quayle Quote of the Day!
“For NASA, space is still a high priority.”
(from “Dan’s Gems”)
Quotes In Our Time!
“When a man wantonly destroys one of the works of man we call him a ‘vandal.’
When he destroys one of the works of God, we call him a ‘sportsman’.”
Joseph Wood Krutch
Question Of The Day!
“Whatever happened to that $10-mil – taxpayer subsidized – helicopter
hangar built on a Crawford, Texas ranch?”
Who’s On It?
We speak of the membership comprising the U. S. Senate Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs:
Majority Minority
Christopher Dodd, (CN), Chairman* Richard Shelby, (AL) Ranking Member
Tim Johnson, (SD) Bob Bennett, (UT).
Jack Reed, (RI) Jim Bunning, (KY)
Chuck Shumer, (NY) Mark Crapo, (ID)
Evan Bay, (IN) Bob Corker, (TN)
Robert Menendez, (NJ) Jim DeMint, (SC)
Daniel Akaka, (HI) David Vitter, (LA)
Sherrod Brown, (OH) Mike Johanns, (NE)
Jon Tester, (MT) Kay Bailey Hutchison, (TX)
Herb Kohl, (WI) J udd Gregg, (NH)
Mark Warner, (VA)
Jeff Merkley, (OR)
Michael Bennett, (CO)
It is common knowledge that the financial community has the biggest lobby in D. C. which means, the economic future of America can literally lie in the hands of the above listed names. We must not forget those energy industries i. e., coal, petroleum etc. that have openly lobbied in their lustful pursuit of the dollar as opposed to human concern. We must never underestimate the number of congressional pockets these lobbies have lined with millions of campaign dollars. A lot of these high-flying donors belong in jail.
We also must ask, “Who is qualified to serve on this committee?” If record of military service for this country – as opposed to the cash register – can be an indicator, we are in really hot water. In fact, we foresee a period of total darkness descending upon America’s future if things don’t change – quickly.
It is thought by many that Christopher Dodd’s (D), CN, decision not to rerun for office was a wise decision. We haven’t begun to feel the fall-out as a result of corporate America’s disregard for Main Street and Chris Dodd’s consistent infatuation with Wall Street!
“We will still be electing the best fundraisers, rather than the best leaders.”
Dan Newman, Exec. Dir., MAPLight.org
An Ideal Political Couple
We got all sorts of suggestions as to what comprised ‘the ideal political couple.’ The winning entry was submitted by Ben from Portland, OR. Ben suggested the ideal political couple could well be John Boehner (R) OH, House Minority Leader and, Mitch McConnel (R) KY, Senate Minority leader. Boehner a/k/a Golf Course Charlie as well as “the tan man” and, McConnel, have both brazenly practiced partisan politics. (It is a matter of record that partisan politics have never - but never - benefited the American citizen.)
The clincher in determining Ben’s Ideal Political Couple submission was, “ . . . only the Ohio River separates their respective states!” (We have great compassion for the residents of Kentucky and Ohio.)
Since we are getting deluged with suggestions, we already have a great ‘couple’ for the next issue of REGURGITATIONS.
Thank a Veteran!
Memorial Day has come and gone. Ironically, every day should be a Memorial Day. If it weren’t for the veteran, we wouldn’t have anything! Not even cash registers – many of which have proved so vital in stoking the fires of greed, the type of greed that caused the near collapse of the American economy. What is even worse, one major political party has literally placed capitalistic welfare ahead of human welfare. Example: In one senate race, the incumbent – a Viet Nam Veteran - holding the rank of captain at the age of 25, awarded the Silver Star, the Bronze Star and the Purple Heart - lost both legs and an arm in the war - was defeated in a senate race by a candidate who questioned the veteran’s patriotism. Incidentally, the winner of this Senate race had no record of military service but he was unequivocally the “God Bless America” type. Wrap him-up in the flag, boys! (Shame on those that voted for him!)
Sad but true, many Americans spend more time squeezing heads of lettuce in the produce department of the local supermarket than they do in showing any concern for our men and women who wear/wore the uniform. In fact, if as many citizens demonstrated for veteran welfare as they do for the legalization of marijuana, we would have a fighting force, second to none. (You can be assured these “weed” demonstrations are seldom – if ever - within spitting distance of a military recruitment poster.) Our biggest criticism is of those veteran organizations that have been sitting on their hands as opposed to speaking OUT vociferously for the sake veterans’ welfare!
For some strange reason, we can spend millions of dollars seeking the extradition of a one-time Hollywood movie director from Switzerland! (After all, the bastard seduced an underage girl some thirty-odd years ago – a girl who- today as a grown-up woman - wants all charges dropped.) Conversely, seldom can we find the time to give our veterans the attention that they deserve.
The American embarrassment of the decade could have well been that Memorial Day when “Five Deferments” Dick Cheney placed a wreath at the tomb of the Unknown Soldier.
It was called, “The North Platte Canteen.”
It is a short, inspiring - video going around the internet! Since we are computer illiterates, we will try to give you the Internet address: http://www.youtube.com/watch_popup?v+o7DGeLvDw8I If you succeed in pulling it up, you will find it well worth the effort.
The video goes back to WWII days when the America’s “greatest generation” put the letter “U” in the word “united.” It goes back to those days when sincere concern was exhibited for a fellow human being. With thanks to the draft, we quickly became a nation imbued with the necessity of discipline and we were imbued with being united in our objectives.
The North Platte, Nebraska Canteen did just that during WW II – as the Union Pacific Railroad had as many as 39 troop trains a day stopping in this small town en route to the West Coast. The area citizenry met every troop train with home-made cookies, cakes, sandwiches and coffee. North Platte Canteen is an example of WHAT this country was all about. North Platte Canteen proved that indeed “Love chases away fear.”
Today, we are openly display defiance against, 1) paying taxes; 2) voting, or - heaven forbid – 3) that anybody should volunteer to serve their country! We are a country consisting of too many voicing that tired mantra, “What’s in it for me?” and Congressional representation in Washington that puts the pork in the barrel! Where is a preponderance of shared concerns? We have become enamored with ourselves - our relentless pursuits of materialism and, profits. Customer service has degenerated into a faded memory as every profit-minded aspirant whacks-away at the bottom line with gusto - to affect cost savings that have another bearing on profits. The baby-boomer generation has already acquired a tarnished reputation.
One American President made “political points” by ending the draft. The draft should have been continued and, improved upon – especially to negate economic favoritism – not ended! Today we have sterling examples of those that adhere to the “Don’t do as I do, but do as I say.” Dick Cheney – again, with 5 draft deferments - deserves special recognition. Senatorial candidate Richard Blumenthal (D), CT also had five draft deferments. (See Albert Einstein Nominees below.) How many have voiced how government should be run as opposed to having actually served their country? We are in an era of “ethics be hanged if it’s not against the law.”
We are a nation that is literally decaying from the inside – a country that has for too long voted a candidate into office not, as a result of proved qualifications, rather, because that political candidate verbalized what too many of us wanted to hear. Statesmen tell you what is good for you which means, statesmen don’t stand the proverbial snow-ball’s chance in hell of ever getting elected to public office.
Albert Einstein Society Nominees?
You are ‘blessed’ with two! Let’s start with Richard Blumenthal, (D), CT – State Attorney General and Senatorial candidate. Blumenthal has – on more than one occasion – referred to his active duty in Viet Nam. According to that ‘awful’ New York Times, Blumenthal never got to Viet Nam but was a member of the Marine Reserves – which is said to have followed five draft deferments. (It is doubtful that Blumenthal has even watched a documentary on Viet Nam.) This set of circumstances puts him in a dead heat with “Five Draft Deferments Dick” (Cheney) and but lacks the efficacy of Geo. W. Bush’s service to his – Bush’s - country. In Blumenthal’s own words, “ . . . I’m not going to let somebody impugn my devotion to his country.” Exactly what “devotion” was “impugned” by what? The truth? One thing for sure, actions speak louder than words.
And then, there is another zipper problem as evidenced with Rep. Mark Souder, (R), IN who - as a dedicated evangelical Christian – long espoused the glories of family values and ‘abstinence!’ Yet, during all this time, it appears that Souder was having sexual dalliances with one of his part-time staffers. It has also be said that the couple’s ‘trysts’ were confined to Indiana’s state parks! (That’s a paragon of testimonials for any State’s public environmental program!) It was not known whether Souder and his staff member carried butterfly nets with them on these excursions into a sexual wilderness. Something tells us the butterflies were spared! Was Souder trying to prove that one could have family values without abstinence?
Butterflies or no butterflies, you must admit this sure beats a cubicle in an airport men’s room.
Then and Now!
THEN: Remember Katherine Harris? The former Secretary of State of Florida who played a major role in the 2000 election of Geo. W. Bush as President of the USA? This is the same Katherine that was in the U. S. House of Representatives. And, this is the same Katherine Harris that provided great grist for TV’s popular SATURDAY NIGHT LIVE. In fact, it has been said that Katherine has more scandals in her past that most people have children.
NOW: In spite of her successful efforts to put “genius” into the White House, the Republican Party eventually turned its back on Katherine since it was felt that Katherine was carrying a lot of excess baggage plastered with “scandal” stickers. But never fear, Katherine was a key heir to her late father’s $500-mil fortune. She is said to live in Sarasota. It is also said that Katherine is a snappy dresser!
“Beyond Petroleum?”
That’s the catchy “slogan” used by BP! And, it is beyond something – of what, we really can’t say. Just how much can the people of Louisiana endure? First it was hurricane Katrina and now the BP spill. Louisiana’s Senator Mary Landrieu (D) verbally pontificated something to the effect that the oil industry employs a lot of people. (This pontification resulted when she was confronted with the devastation that the spilled oil wreaked on the state’s fishing industry and its coastal wild life.) The way things have gone, Landrieu had better start by considering how she’s gong to cover the unemployment checks for both areas of endeavor. BP says that Transocean – who have an off-shore registered address to avoid paying American taxes and is headquartered in Switzerland – owned the oil rig. BP also says that Halliburton employees manned the alleged $500-mil rig that has produced the oil that has inflicted billions in dollars of damage! (Remember when Dick Cheney was at one time the CEO of Halliburton before Geo. W. Bush tapped him to be VP?) It is good that Obama has named an investigation panel – this is as it should be. (If you attempted to get an off-shore address to avoid paying taxes, best you pack your tooth-brush since you will be headed for the “slammer.”)
And, David Vitter (R), LA has bloviated over the BP “spilled milk” as well. After having been discovered consorting with the employees of a D. C. brothel, it is natural to question Vitter’s sincerity! (Regardless, your heart should go-out to the residents of Louisiana.)
The combined BP – Transocean – Halliburton mess makes the Exxon Valdez incident – which finally inspired the concept of double-hulled ships - look more like a sack of garbage spilled-off a house boat on Lake Wawasee! The mess has moved to the states of Mississippi, Alabama and now Florida. (It could well be carried by the currents up the East Coast.) Oh, joy! It is time to starting getting informed and we have to ask, “On whose Administrative watch was ‘regulatory’ oversight permitting a veritable barn dance comprised of fox’s doing the Virginia Reel in the taxpayers’ chicken coop? You can’t call this “Dancing With The Stars!”
We have learned that even more heads are going to roll. We have experienced ENRON, the big Bail-Out, Massey Energy’s coal mines, Wall Street, all resulting in death and unemployment lines. It seems to go on and on! When will the next shoe drop? It appears that this oil spill will give our economy yet another serious set-back as a result of corporate abuses inflicted upon unregulated capitalistic principles starting with the Reagan Administration. (Remember Ronnie?) The Whiz Kid, President Geo. W. Bush, contributed much to de-regulation!
It all reminds us of that recorded thread-bare recording one gets when calling many business telephones, “. . . this call may be monitored for quality assurance.” Or, “Your call is important to us, please continue holding!” First, quality in what? On the latter, if the call really was important, would you really be put on “hold?” In a great way, the American people have literally been put on “hold.”
Big Daddy and Little Daddy!
Ever wonder if political nepotism can exist? It sure does and a glaringly good example is California’s congressional district #52. Let’s face it – voters provided the booster rockets! First it was the voters that did much to put Duncan D. Hunter Sr. (R), CA into office and presto! America was treated to a blast of hot air not unlike an engine on a Boeing 747 airliner – during take-off. Daddy has apparently gone into retirement and his son, Duncan D. Hunter, Jr. is now congressional representative for District #52.
Little Daddy’s (Jr.) latest bloviating entails expelling natural born citizens from America if such citizens were the children of ‘illegals!’ (To hale with the American Constitution.) Somewhere along these lines of mental gymnastics, somebody should at least have a sense of xenophobic shame. But then, shame doesn’t garner votes therefore there’s no need for concern.
You don’t have to see it to smell it!
The biggest problem with America seems to be that the average American citizen is not an informed voter otherwise we wouldn’t be saddled with the current squirming mass of dollar feeding maggots that we have.
This is just the ‘tip of the iceberg’ so to speak. ONE of America’s outstanding ‘keepers of the cash register’ has to be the Cheney family. As you well know, Big Daddy Cheney was given in the vicinity of $50-mil when he resigned from Halliburton to become VP in the White House. (That proved to be the best investment that Halliburton ever made.) Cheney’s daughter- Liz – mysteriously appeared on the payroll of the State Department and Five Deferment Dick also had a son-in-law that mysteriously appeared on the payroll of Department of Homeland Security – all were on the public dole during the same time frame. This is the same Dick Cheney that held secret energy meetings which are rapidly becoming not so secret. A legal challenge to Cheney’s penchant for secret meetings was denied by Associate Justice of the Supreme Court, Anthony Scalia. (Scalia was a great hunting buddy of Dick Cheney which provides reconfirmation that not even the Supreme Court is non-partisan. Reports have it that Scalia has retained both of his faces)
Then there was Phil Gramm –former Republican Senator from Texas, who left his Senate seat to become a senior official for the Swiss investment banker, UBS. (UBS is said to pay more than the lowly pay a Senator gets which is in he vicinity of a paltry $190,000.00 a year.) Phil’s wife, Wendy, resigned her directorship of the federal Commodity Futures Trading Commission – which prompted one journalist to observe that during Wendy’s federal commission tenure, it was not dissimilar to “asking Dracula to keep an eye on a blood bank” – Wendy eventually resigned her directorship in order to sit on the board of Enron where she was said to be paid, $1-mil in Enron stock, $50,000 annual salary and a board meeting attendance fee of $176.000.00 a “sit-around!” Now that Enron has gone belly-up and the Gramm’s guest baths could be papered with Enron stock certificates - it seems that Wendy is now sitting on the boards of 11 corporations which she and her husband have been credited with contributing much to those corporation’s “deregulation” status. Wendy is also giving speeches, charging only $4,500 each! Phil also served as “financial adviser” for the ill-fated John McCain Presidential campaign – the latter of which treated us to SayRah – who gets paid more than 20 times what Wendy Gramm is paid to preach. ( John McCain also treated us to SayRah, the brain trust and “the mouth,” Joe THE Plumber. Both Phil and Wendy Gramm are a/k/a the “First Family of Financial Collapse.”
Fearless Leaders Feeding at the Trough!
Let’s not overlook Tom Daschle - who at one time was in the U. S. Senate. Daschle, who hails from little Aberdeen, South Dakota apparently thinks, “To ‘hale’ with Horace Mann” with an obvious, “Go east young man, go east.” Although Senator Daschle is surrounded by all sorts of sordid tales, - not the least being income tax evasion - he has still managed to build a $2-mil house in a D. C. suburb. (Don’t you know running-water and gold plated potty handles came with that deal?) His second wife Linda is a leading D. C. lobbyist. Tom Daschle joined his wife’s firm to function in a key policy position. (Lotsa bacon coming home with this duet.) Obama’s big mistake was to support Daschle for a cabinet post. (Any support for that matter!)
And it gets better. Who can overlook Mitch McConnel (R), Kentucky who can negatively drone on against anything pro-Democratic Party and, his wife - Bush’s Secretary of Labor - Elaine Chao. It seems that not only did Massey Energy contribute a respectable amount of money to McConnell’s campaign coffers, Massey Energy is reported to have also contributed $100,000 to the National Republican Senatorial Committee. Now, why would anybody wonder why investigations of Massey Energy were mysteriously shut down by Elaine Chao while serving as Bush’s Secretary of Labor? As for Elaine’s husband Mitch, he still is the Senate Minority Leader of the party of “no.” (Mitch is said to still have his personal Toyota. God Bless America!)
One more – it’s Chris Dodd, (D) CN – who decided not to run for another term in the Senate. Dodd has been reported as the willful recipient of preferential interest rates by a big mortgage company before the big recession caught-up with the big cash register concerto. Dodd’s close association with the banking industry is common knowledge. (We touched on this earlier.)
We must never forget Sen. Max Baucus, (D) MT who received more than $3.5-mil in campaign contributions from the health care industry. That same industry also gave Blanche Lincoln, (D) AR more than $2-mil, as well as Sen. Kent Conrad (D), ND, $1-26-mil and Bill Nelson, (D) Florida more than $1-mil. Sen. Carper, (D) Delaware doesn’t count since he received a paltry $869M from the ‘tongue depressor’ bunch.
It goes on and on. There seems to be far more Republicans with their fingers in the financial cookie jar - as evidenced with the ENRON fleecing, the near economic collapse of America, the Massey Energy debacle, Wall Street, BP – it will go on and on. There has been an overt concern for welfare of the cash register as opposed to human welfare. Look at what we’ve got to show for it all! Big bucks plus caskets with genuine bronze handles!
It’s absurd!
It’s not difficult to understand why many feel like “not voting for any incumbent” regardless of the political party involved. A good motivation for such attitudes is evidenced in the presence of Representative John D. Dingell Sr., (D), MI and Senator Robert C. Byrd (D), WV. Between the two of them, they have a total of 106 years in Washington’s capitol!
There is a big difference between a “political career,” as opposed to “serving the people.” What was that great line uttered by Lincoln . . . “that government of the people, by the people and for the people . . . .?”
Please say it isn’t so . . .!
Yet, it is said that SayRah Palen’s daughter, Bristol gets in the vicinity of $15,000 to $30,000.00 an appearance to address audiences with dubious mental credentials. Bristol – as many of you know – had a baby out of wed-lock! She is now profitably extolling the virtues of abstinence in spite of the fact she obviously hadn’t practiced abstinence.
Thank goodness an out-of-wedlock child was not the case with Chelsea Clinton! Had Chelsea given birth to a child out of wed-lock, certain groups would have tattooed a Hitler mustache directly over her belly button and toted her out of town on a rail – naked - all the while the mobs would be screaming, “We want our virginity back from smaller government!” Then, Chelsea would have then been permanently exiled to Wakarusa, Indiana! (Tarring and feathering would be considered optional.)
In the meantime, Bristol gets big money to blather-away and ‘Big Ma Ma, Say Rah” is reportedly raking-in $100,000 for her usual undocumented blathering! In the meantime, our unemployment lines aren’t diminishing proportionate to the ringing bells on the Palen cash registers! Question! Who holds the baby when Bristol does her ‘thing?’
They Say, We Say
TS: Would you tell me what regrets you might have on the political scene?
Alice . . . Brentwood, TN
WS: In a way I guess you could call it ‘political.’ We truly regret never having met Dorothy Height and Eleanor Roosevelt. To us, these two women embrace the genre of “great minds.”
TS: Everybody seems to know about Senator David Vitter’s (R ), LA, antics
that put him on a D. C. Madams’s list! Any comments?
Jeff . . . Casper, WY
WS: It is to our own detriment that we spend an inordinate amount of time speculating on zipper problems as opposed to intelligent service for the people. Vitter voted against a jobs bill, against expanded benefits to Medicare recipients and was against expanding CHIP to cover nearly 4-mil uninsured children. The zipper should be the very least of this man’s problems but, it isn’t!
TS: Since this isn’t directly political, I am going to ask on a dare.
Don’t you think it is wonderful that the three major soft drink companies
are removing 80% of the calories of their soft drinks sold in public schools?
Cynthia . . . Bangor, MA
WS: We have to ask, “Who put so many calories in those soft drinks that made it possible to remove 80% of them – calories - and then boast about it?”
TS: Does any one situation in Washignton disturb you?
Maurice . . . Sarasota, FL
WS: What a great question! Permit us to provide one example - of many – that literally begs for a house cleaning in the nation’s Capitol! We are ‘blessed’ with Sen. Richard Burr, (R), NC, who is a ranking member of the Veterans Affairs Committee and is not a veteran. He even called-in Karl Rove to help him with his re-election fund raising efforts. (Incidentally, it should come as no surprise that Karl also has no record of military service for his country.)
TS: Do you have any pet peeves with political verbalizing?
Alvin – Olympia, WA
WS: There are many! One that really gets our knickers in a knot is to hear ANYBODY self-righteously intone, “Now is not the time to point fingers!” The devil is isn’t? In fact, it is the lack of finger pointing – accountability in general - that has permitted the absurd continuance of public absurdities. Forget about the Auto Industry and Wall Street! The American consumer has long bailed-out the oil industry! (It takes place every time you visit a gas pump!)
TS: Why is it, BP can get oil at a depth of a mile but can’t stop the flow??
Lester – Fond du Lac, WI
WS: The quest for money works in not-so mysterious ways.
TS: Have you observed any contradiction with the BP disaster?
Stella . . . Savannah, GA
WS: Yes! What scares us is the fact that there will doubtlessly be more. A good example is Rep. Issa, (R ), CA! The American people must endure a horrible recession, add the West Virginia coal mine disaster – compliments of Massey energy, stir-in – the BP fiasco and, Rep. Issa is concerned over whether the White House did, or did not offer a job to Senatorial candidate Sestak of Pennsylvania. Here is a good example where party objectives vastly exceed people welfare. It is also a good example of the Republican Party not sparing the horses if it means ‘getting’ Obama. Didn’t you know? Obama was born in Tibet!
TS: Is there any one example of hypocrisy that you can recall?
WS: There are many! A fairly recent example occurred on Memorial Day. Imagine, Congressional members of the Republican Party criticized President Obama for not appearing at Arlington, Cemetery on Memorial Day.” If these Congressmen really wanted to support the military, why haven’t they any record of military service for their country? Check the Internet for Congressional membership in the military! You will be shocked!
Next Regurgitations!
Where is Gale Norton – Bush’s 48th Secretary of the Interior?
The first nominee for a corporate Hall of SHAME!
Another quote from DIRTY OLD LANDLORD
Get another dose of Dan Quayle’s wisdom!
Take Back Our Country!
Hypocrite of the hour!
You won’t believe this!
So sad. So true!
Previous Blogs thru
01-15-10
02-18-10
03-21-10
04-20-10
05-17-10
06-17-10
(Should you have any comments relating to the foregoing commentary, you can contact me at efrick@edfrickauthor.com Compliments are ecstatically welcomed!) |
