...I'm okay with being REALITY-based.




Wednesday, November 26, 2003
      ( 12:52 PM )
 
Killing Us Softly

I mentioned a couple of days ago that it seemed to me that the Congress had simply given up on actual lawmaking and caring for the country and had just declared all out hunting season on American citizens. The Bush Administration makes no bones about not liking actual people and loving corporations. It seems that Congress has decided to go along with this thinking. I have had some time to really collect some outrage about how I feel about our representatives, and most especially the "opposition party" that supposedly is there to counter the outrageous antics of those weilding power against the good interests of the people. Let's take a look at some of the recent legislation put through by Congress just this last month with the help of Democrats (often cowardly voting off record through voice votes):

Killing American Citizens by sending them to war: The Congress passed the $87 billion dollar extra money for Bush, which not only included money for his wars, but also set aside millions for combating protestors against the AAFT in Miami.

Killing American Citizens by negligence: The Congress just passed the largest defense spending bill ever - they claimed it for its good things like minor raises for servicepeople who long deserved better, meanwhile forgetting to mention the millions in there for renewing space defense systems, which means that many more millions being snorted up the noses of defense contractors with no discernable benefit for anyone but them.

Killing American Citizens by fire. The new "Healthy Forests" act that was passed last week does not make forests more healthy. Rather, it makes them more accessible to logging companies - and in particular the old growth forests that aren't anywhere near populations. By ignoring practical forestry advice, forest fires will continue raging where populations continue to infringe on the edge of forests.

Killing American Citizens by working them to death: new "labor" legislation now in Congress takes away even more overtime than the Bush administration has already taken and also new laws require labor unions to abide by the most arcane regulations (of course labor unions should be regulated, but not corporations) that will cost them and their members much more money that they don't have and effectively infringe their lobbying power.

Killing American Citizens in all sorts of other ways: The new Medicare bill lauds a prescription drug benefit, but it doesn't even start until 2006 and the Democrats in the Senate just rolled over and barked because there was this incredible urgency about the matter. But that's not the best part, later on, Medicare will have to compete with drug companies and old folks won't have it to depend on and will have to go through HMOs for their medical care.

The new energy bill, which thank god did not pass, was written entirely by Republicans and contained the kind of pork you only see in the bacon aisle of your grocery store. It, if passed with the willing hands of mealy mouthed Democrats, will provide for the Killing of American Citizens by nuclear waste and accidents through the building of new nuclear plants, by higher polution and toxicity in our air and water, and by electricution because heaven forbid the electric companies be regulated.

And what has Congress done to make our lives better? Let's see.... NOTHING. I have nothing but disdain for the Democrats who have remained silent and as stalwart as rubber bands under the leadership of the wimpiest of them all, Tom Daschle. I especially loathe my own Democratic Senator, Ron Wyden, for going against the pleas of his constituency and voting for the Medicare bill. I find that the Bush administration has one goal only: to get rid of us so there is more room for corporations. And so far, the Democrats in Congress have succeeded in aiding and abetting this nefarious plan. It's time to get rid of thewhole lot and start fresh. If only we could.

As I've said before, let's just be honest, Representatives and Senators. You don't want us around. Why, all we do is complain about not having jobs, ask to have the same sort of health care you get for free, demand ridiculous favors like education and after school care for our kids and generally just bring you down. So why not turn a new leaf - go honest for once. I think that the Capital Building should air a banner that tells us where we really stand so we can get on with running for our lives.

And I know just what the banner will say: Killing Americans is Our Job... and We're Getting the Job Done.

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