After 6 years, 8 investigations, and 8 million dollars, Mr. Goudy came out with his final Benghazi report today. Nothing new about Mrs. Clinton. In fact he stated no specific complaints against Mrs. Clinton in his press conference, or in the report. No charges, just baseless accusations against the so called ineptness of president Obama. What a waste of taxpayer money. Something the Republicans are good at.
Keep in mind that last year a Republican member of the investigating committee (Mr. McCarthy) stated publicly that the investigation was meant to lower Hillary's poll numbers during her run for president. Gutsy to say that publicly, but these Republicans have no shame. One might think this would lead to Republican losses in the House in November, but don't count on it.
June 28, 2016
June 27, 2016
The Supreme Court and Abortion
The last stopping block for unconstitutional laws made by States, is the Supreme Court.
Texas's attempt to deny the right of an abortion by shutting down abortion clinics has been turned down by the Supreme Court, and rightfully so. Abortion is legal. Presenting a hardship to acquire that legal right is unconstitutional. It does not matter where in the United States you live, to have your federal rights protected.
The system worked as it should and we expect law abiding citizens to follow the law. And yes, the federal government might need to take forceful measures to ensure Texas follows the law.
I hope the Supreme Court uses the same reasoning to strike down recent voting laws passed in States, that put an undue hardship on the right to vote.
The Supreme Court should be one of your first considerations when deciding on who to vote for president. It's a shame the Supreme Court is so political, but that's nothing new.
Texas's attempt to deny the right of an abortion by shutting down abortion clinics has been turned down by the Supreme Court, and rightfully so. Abortion is legal. Presenting a hardship to acquire that legal right is unconstitutional. It does not matter where in the United States you live, to have your federal rights protected.
The system worked as it should and we expect law abiding citizens to follow the law. And yes, the federal government might need to take forceful measures to ensure Texas follows the law.
I hope the Supreme Court uses the same reasoning to strike down recent voting laws passed in States, that put an undue hardship on the right to vote.
The Supreme Court should be one of your first considerations when deciding on who to vote for president. It's a shame the Supreme Court is so political, but that's nothing new.
June 26, 2016
The Supreme Court and Guns
Written in 1787, the short and complete second amendment:
"A well regulated Militia, being necessary to the security of a free State, the right of the people to keep and bear Arms, shall not be infringed."
That's no longer the law in 2016.
The Supreme Court ruled in 2008 that the amendment protected individuals’ right to possess firearms unconnected to any service in a militia.
Seems to me the Supreme Court also decided that the original wording meant a group right.
So that is the law. Individuals have the right to firearms and the militia argument is over. That can be changed again by another Supreme Court ruling, or other processes.
The Supreme Court should be one of your first considerations when deciding on who to vote for president. It's a shame the Supreme Court is so political, but that's nothing new.
June 25, 2016
Obama The Great
Recent polls show Obama is leaving office with some of the highest approval numbers of any president late in a second term. The current choices for president makes him look that much better. History will be nice to president Obama.
The current Congress will go down in history as the worst Congress in history. Mr. Ryan said they (the House) have done a good job. We will see what American voters have to say about that in November. I say Mr. Ryan is full of himself and historians will see it differently. Current Americans sure see it differently.
The current Congress will go down in history as the worst Congress in history. Mr. Ryan said they (the House) have done a good job. We will see what American voters have to say about that in November. I say Mr. Ryan is full of himself and historians will see it differently. Current Americans sure see it differently.
June 23, 2016
June 22, 2016
SIT IN !
Mr. Lewis has started a sit in on the House floor and will not allow the House to do regular business until a vote on gun legislation.
The House leadership has cut off C-SPAN cameras and recessed the House.
Now we are having fun!
The House leadership has cut off C-SPAN cameras and recessed the House.
Now we are having fun!
June 20, 2016
The Senate Today
It's no surprise to me the Senate voted down two gun bills today. For those of you who were surprised, you have not been paying attention, for years. For those of you who are mad about those votes today, what are you going to do? For those of you who are going to name call Republicans, claim again that Republicans are sick, immoral bastards, thanks for stating the obvious.
Do you think, if we had a Democratic majority in the Senate, those two gun bills would have passed? If your answer is yes, then you know what has to be done. And things won't change by just electing Clinton president of the United States.
For me, I reached the end of the line on guns (high capacity kill machines) many years ago. For the country, I thought they had reached the end of the line on these killing machines after children were massacred at Sandy Hook. I was wrong.
We used to have a ban on these kind of guns, but then Republicans decided that was not a good idea. What a surprise! Like Republicans know what a good idea is!
One bill was about not selling guns to those who are on the terrorist watch list. The other bill was about getting background checks on those buying guns over the internet, or at gun shows. Both ideas are supported by a vast majority of Americans, including members of the NRA. Both bills failed pretty much on party line votes.
I'm sure the founding fathers would be horrified to think a law could say no individual Americans could own guns. In fact it was such a given, that they never mentioned it. The 2nd amendment was about a military group, or a militia. At that time there was no standing army, so Americans were called on to defend the new country. They had to have a right to own guns in order to fulfill a militia requirement. We have had a standing army for centuries now. The military services supplies our service people with guns and other arms.
I'm all for individual Americans owing guns as long as there are limits on the power of those weapons and the number of weapons one individual can own. I believe in a requirement on background checks, both criminal and mental.
The right, is a federal right, and the federal government should have the authority to define and state rules and regulations on the use and sale of those guns, not the States. Our bureaucracy is so screwed up that many fall through the cracks, and that will have to be tightened.
Unless Democrats get majority, nothing will be done to change gun laws. This election is the opportunity to make a change on gun laws. At this point we can't even reinstate a ban on assault weapons, which used to be the law of the land until Republicans ended that law, even though they voted for it when the law was originally passed. I wonder what changed their minds?
Do you think, if we had a Democratic majority in the Senate, those two gun bills would have passed? If your answer is yes, then you know what has to be done. And things won't change by just electing Clinton president of the United States.
For me, I reached the end of the line on guns (high capacity kill machines) many years ago. For the country, I thought they had reached the end of the line on these killing machines after children were massacred at Sandy Hook. I was wrong.
We used to have a ban on these kind of guns, but then Republicans decided that was not a good idea. What a surprise! Like Republicans know what a good idea is!
One bill was about not selling guns to those who are on the terrorist watch list. The other bill was about getting background checks on those buying guns over the internet, or at gun shows. Both ideas are supported by a vast majority of Americans, including members of the NRA. Both bills failed pretty much on party line votes.
I'm sure the founding fathers would be horrified to think a law could say no individual Americans could own guns. In fact it was such a given, that they never mentioned it. The 2nd amendment was about a military group, or a militia. At that time there was no standing army, so Americans were called on to defend the new country. They had to have a right to own guns in order to fulfill a militia requirement. We have had a standing army for centuries now. The military services supplies our service people with guns and other arms.
I'm all for individual Americans owing guns as long as there are limits on the power of those weapons and the number of weapons one individual can own. I believe in a requirement on background checks, both criminal and mental.
The right, is a federal right, and the federal government should have the authority to define and state rules and regulations on the use and sale of those guns, not the States. Our bureaucracy is so screwed up that many fall through the cracks, and that will have to be tightened.
Unless Democrats get majority, nothing will be done to change gun laws. This election is the opportunity to make a change on gun laws. At this point we can't even reinstate a ban on assault weapons, which used to be the law of the land until Republicans ended that law, even though they voted for it when the law was originally passed. I wonder what changed their minds?
June 19, 2016
Veterans are Not a Charity
I read that charitable contributions in America are way up. That's good!
But some issues (like Veterans) are not a charitable cause, they are a national responsibility.
It's nice that Americans give money to Veteran groups and they should, but that should not be the way most Veterans get the federally promised benefits they deserve. A burn unit for Veterans was built in Arizona with charitable donations. Great! But how come that unit was not funded by American taxpayers whose responsibility it is to pay for Veterans care? Charitable groups paid for bullet proof vests for our troops. Great! But how come the American taxpayer isn't paying for such a basic need for our soldiers?
Bush cut federal funding for Veterans DURING the Iraq war, yet, he claimed the patriotism of being the party of the serviceman. Then a Veterans health scandal hits while Obama is president and Obama is blamed. Could it be that situation was created by Bush's cut in Veteran funding?
America is not cheap and our parents and grandparents understood that, which is why they taxed themselves at more than twice the rate we tax ourselves and created the greatest middle class ever known to humankind. They didn't pass on their debt to their offspring, because they understood that was their responsibility, not the responsibility of their offspring.
It's the spoiled baby boomers who decided to not pay for federal expenses. They were/are the "No New Tax" generation. Within one generation (30 years) we have piled up an almost 20 trillion dollar debt, and climbing. No surprise, the boomers have always been out for their own gratification regardless of the consequences. From sex, drugs, and rock and roll, to an unnecessary Iraq war, They want what they want, but they don't want to pay for it. So we pass it on to our children and our grandchildren. How irresponsible. How immoral.
But some issues (like Veterans) are not a charitable cause, they are a national responsibility.
It's nice that Americans give money to Veteran groups and they should, but that should not be the way most Veterans get the federally promised benefits they deserve. A burn unit for Veterans was built in Arizona with charitable donations. Great! But how come that unit was not funded by American taxpayers whose responsibility it is to pay for Veterans care? Charitable groups paid for bullet proof vests for our troops. Great! But how come the American taxpayer isn't paying for such a basic need for our soldiers?
Bush cut federal funding for Veterans DURING the Iraq war, yet, he claimed the patriotism of being the party of the serviceman. Then a Veterans health scandal hits while Obama is president and Obama is blamed. Could it be that situation was created by Bush's cut in Veteran funding?
America is not cheap and our parents and grandparents understood that, which is why they taxed themselves at more than twice the rate we tax ourselves and created the greatest middle class ever known to humankind. They didn't pass on their debt to their offspring, because they understood that was their responsibility, not the responsibility of their offspring.
It's the spoiled baby boomers who decided to not pay for federal expenses. They were/are the "No New Tax" generation. Within one generation (30 years) we have piled up an almost 20 trillion dollar debt, and climbing. No surprise, the boomers have always been out for their own gratification regardless of the consequences. From sex, drugs, and rock and roll, to an unnecessary Iraq war, They want what they want, but they don't want to pay for it. So we pass it on to our children and our grandchildren. How irresponsible. How immoral.