I’ve said that politics in the United States is a competition for jobs, with no higher principles involved. It’s like watching a crowd of grimy contestants try to catch the greased pig at the county fair.
Here’s an excellent comment on the shallowness of it all. I recommend the entire article.
From “A Measure of Morality in Congress”, by David Swanson . . . who says that members of Congress most often vote as they do “in order to keep their committee chairmanships, or in order to receive funding for projects in their districts, or in order to receive assistance or not face opposition in their next reelection campaigns.”
“What's the worst fate a Congress Member could face as a result of voting against funding the war? For most it must be the loss of their seat. How horrible is that? Some of these congress members are freshmen, first elected last November campaigning on promises to end the war. Now they're prepared to vote $100 billion for the war in hopes of getting elected again in 2008. What in the hell did they want to get elected for in the first place? What district is going to receive less money if we end the war and redirect our spending to useful projects than if we continue the war but fund special pieces of pork here and there?”
http://www.opednews.com/articles/opedne_david_sw_070322_a_measure_of_moralit.htm
4 comments:
politics in the United States is a competition for jobs
You can't say it any better, Fleming.
This world is really sickening me nowadays. I feel running against walls!
It really is pathetic the way the Democrats avoid their obligations to the voters who put them there.
Democracy truly is dead. Politicians represent themselves, not the voters. Greased pigs is a good description of them. Cheers.
Naj and Daniel, as usual I'm honoured by your reading my posts and commenting.
It's obvious that both of you feel as frustrated as I do -- or is "hopeless" a better word. I really don't know what to do.
I saw an item this morning on Examiner.com about the Democrats voting to fund the war:
'“We feel betrayed by Nancy Pelosi,” said Medea Benjamin of the anti-war group CodePink, which organized a protest in Pelosi's office where its members tried playing a game of “pin-the-war-on-the-donkey.”
'“Today marks the day that Democrats bought George Bush's war,"”she said as tears streamed down her face. “The Democrats are now as responsible as the Republicans for this war.”
'As the voting began, Capitol Police carted out of the chamber a protester in pink as she shouted, "Don't buy this war!"'
To make it much worse, the Democrats dropped a provision from the legislation which would have required consent from Congress before before Bush could attack Iran. A friend emailed this, by Justin Raimondo:
'The idea that the Democrats are any kind of "peace party" is belied by the latest action of the Speaker in regard to this bill, who excised a provision that would have required the President to come to Congress for permission to attack Iran. And, gee, what a coincidence, that this was done right after the recent conference of the American-Israel Political Affairs Committee, where Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert declared:
"I know that… all of you who are concerned about the security and the future of the State of Israel understand the importance of strong American leadership addressing the Iranian threat, and I am sure you will not hamper or restrain that strong leadership unnecessarily."
'He forgot to add: or else. Not that he had to: Nancy skeedaddled back to her office so fast that she must have broken the sound barrier – and the offending passage was cut from the bill.'
In addition to Olmert, there was a lot more Israel Lobby activity behind the scenes, as I've mentioned in a previous post.
Thanks for the moral support, Naj and Daniel.
Hi Fleming,
Yes the removal of that statement from the bill was disgusting, for lack of other expressions at my present state of hopelessness.
But, I heard from my husband today, that Pelosi has promised she will introduce it as a stand alone bill! I think she needs to be pushed to.
How can a conference of 6000 lobbyists change the destiny of 300,000,000 and the rest of the world!
They need to be EXPOSED and STOPPED!
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