Random Thoughts…and Then Some

It’s been a bit since I’ve taken the time to write.  Life has a way of keeping me occupied. I miss writing though.  Writing is my means to purge all that is frustrating me.  So much has happened.  Most of it not so good.  It’s the times that we live in.  We have to pick and choose.

Another theater shooting…more innocent lives lost.  Just because the 2^nd Amendment says we have the right to bear arms. Never mind the fact our Forefathers created that amendment to justify the existence of civilian militias…of which we no longer need.  How many more innocent citizens…children (remember Sandy Hook?) have to die?

On June 17^th, 2015 nine human beings were shot to death at Emanuel African Methodist Episcopal Church in Charleston, South Carolina.  Their “crime”….the color of their skin!  How sad is it that in 2015 AD we continue to kill others based on the color of their skin!  Even more heinous…murdered in a place of worship!  I’m not a religious man by any stretch of the imagination.  Yet even I can honor the concept of Sanctuary!  Nine human beings…just trying to make sense of the shit word we live in…gunned down in a place of safety and security.  Simply unacceptable…and so very sad. L

As the anniversary of Michael Brown Jr. and the Ferguson, MO riots befalls us, much ado has been made about the event a year later.  Most of the commentary I’ve read commemorating this event has lauded the riots.  A game changer, leading to bigger and better things.  In some respects, yes it has.  But overall…no.  “Black Lives Matter”…the catch phrase of the new civil rights movement.  The reality is this movement will never succeed.  Its “heroes” are miscreants…Michael Brown Jr…Eric Garner…Freddie Gray.  Criminals each and every one of them…worth more dead than alive.  The fact that they were criminals is the part no one wants to talk about or mention.

Last but not least the GOP debates.  I commend the Grand Obstructionist Party for moving forward and adapting.  No longer are they blaming President Obama for all that ails this country.  Now, they blame Hillary Clinton too!  Way to go!  Way to move forward!  Not a damn one of you have anything original to offer other than to blame someone else!  It absolutely disgusts me that Donald Trump is the frontrunner to be the figurehead of this country.  It is even more disgusting that there are people in this country that actually support the piece of shit that is Donald Trump!  I can only hope the closer we get to the presidential election clearer heads will prevail and Donald Trump (Ted Cruz as well) will fall to the wayside.  I spent 12.5 years in the military promoting all that the United States of America has to offer.  Like hell I will have sacrificed just so a piece of shit like Donald Trump or Ted Cruz can serve as this county’s figurehead!

America the Sad

Ted Cruz…America’s “Green Eggs and Ham” President Wannabee!

Well, it’s official.  Senator Ted Cruz has announced he is running for president in 2016.  His “coming out” wasn’t necessarily a huge surprise.  Speculation has swirled seemingly from day one regarding Ted Cruz’s presidential aspirations.  Unlike many of his contemporaries that continue to play the “maybe I am, maybe I’m not” game, I commend Mr. Cruz for having the “intestinal fortitude” to make his presidential intentions known beyond a reasonable doubt.  Considering the size of Mr. Cruz’s ego, I’m actually surprised he waited this long to make his announcement.

It is no secret that I am not a fan of the person or politician that is Ted Cruz.  However, I couldn’t be happier that he is throwing his hat into the presidential ring.  For one thing, by running for president, Mr. Cruz further fractures a very tumultuous Grand Obstructionist Party.  We’ve already seen glimpses of dissent within the now Republican controlled House and Senate.  These fissures within the Republican Tea Party will only grow larger with Sen. Cruz running for president.    

Another reason why I’m happy Ted Cruz is running for president is he will now have to come out of the shadows and be held accountable for his beliefs and intentions.  Up until now, Sen. Cruz has been able to get away with blaming President Obama for all perceived wrongs while sitting back in the relatively safety of the masses of his fellow representatives.  As a presidential hopeful, Mr. Cruz will no longer be able to enjoy that “safety net” that comes with being one of the many.

In addition to losing his safety net, Ted Cruz will now be on the hook for identifying and explaining realistic and practical solutions for the problems facing this country.  Based on what I have seen and heard so far from Sen. Cruz, his only current “solution” is blaming President Obama.  Amongst many things, Ted Cruz wants to repeal the Affordable Care Act and abolish the IRS.  Yet when pressed for details, he is unable to offer any practical and attainable solutions that would replace these entities.  As the presidential race heats up, time will prove that Ted Cruz is long on ideology and lacks practical solutions for solving this country’s challenges.

Realistically, Sen. Cruz’s chances of becoming President of the United States is a long shot.  While he has appealed to the radical few, he’s also alienated the more moderate majority.  Due to his past antics, Mr. Cruz will be hard pressed to garner the support he needs to win his own party primary, much less the presidency.

However, part of me is also concerned.  As bombastic as Ted Cruz is, it is plausible he could win.  In today’s day and age of smartphones and political correctness, anyone and everyone is just one misstep away from going from champ to chump.  Sen. Cruz could win not because he is the best person for the job.  He could win because he is the lesser of the eligible evils.

While I commend Mr. Cruz for leaving no doubt regarding his presidential aspirations, I believe his doing so will finally prove to the world just how incapable he will be of attaining such a lofty goal.  While I believe Ted Cruz is a long shot to win the presidency, I also worry he could win based on the misfortunes of others rather than his own merit.  While Sen. Cruz was not solely responsible for the 2013 federal government shutdown, we must remember his actions went far towards ensuring the shutdown occurred.  Let us not forget, Mr. Cruz chose to waste valuable taxpayer time, money, and resources reading Dr. Seuss’ “Green Eggs and Ham” to his daughters from the Senate floor rather than take action to avoid the shutdown.  Ted Cruz has proven his willingness to advance his own personal agenda at the expense of the good of this country.  Is this really the “leader” that we want to represent this country as President?  Only the future will tell for sure.

LoL…it speaks for itself!

Red Now…Blue Later?

It’s a good day to be a Republican in the United States today. As expected, the Republican Tea Party has become the majority in the U.S. Senate.  In addition, a large number of Republican state governors were unexpectedly elected, especially in states that have long been considered Democratic strongholds.   It goes without saying that in light of past Grand Obstructionist Party (GOP) transgressions, I’m both leery and concerned about the future of this country.

Despite the ominous possibilities, Republican Tea Party control of the U.S. Congress could actually be a good thing.  While it’s easy to assume that even less will get accomplished (if that is even possible), it is possible that more will actually get accomplished.  The reason for this is simple.  All eyes are already looking forward to the 2016 presidential elections.  Now that the Republicans have control of Congress, electing a Republican president will ensure their ability to advance their conservative agenda.  On the other hand, it is just as imperative a Democratic president is elected to provide some sort of sanity check to that agenda.

This means neither party can afford to be looked upon as the “obstructionist” party leading up to the presidential elections.  Therefore, there is a good chance each party is going to try and advance their agendas as a means to show that they are the party that can get things done.  President Obama cannot afford to veto everything that comes to his desk.  At the same time the Republican Tea Party cannot leverage another federal government shutdown.  The only way either party can show that they are the party that can get things done is through <gasp> compromise.

What may be a short term boon for the Republican Tea Party could also very well be its undoing.  With full control of Congress, the burden now falls more on Republicans to prove that their party is united and capable enough to lead this country.  However, with veteran radicals still in place like Ted Cruz, and potential radicals like newly elected Joni Ernst, it is going to be difficult for the party to maintain and prove its unity.  Radicals like Ted Cruz have already proven their propensity to go against party expectations to advance their own private agendas at all costs.  If the Republican Tea Party as a whole cannot keep these radicals in check, it will be a cold day in Hell that they win the presidency.

Yesterday proved, at least to me, that many in this country forgot who was perceived as responsible for the 2013 federal government shutdown.  However, I believe some good can come from the Republican Tea Party gaining control in the U.S. Congress.  Through compromise, each party can advance agendas that can put this country back on the right track.  However, I feel that it is the Grand Obstructionist Party (GOP) that has the most to prove…and the most to lose come 2016 if they cannot control their radical few.

Prophetic?

Re-branding…Well…It Sounded Good at the Time!

So it appears the Republican Tea Party’s way to “re-brand” itself is to keep doing the very things that make it completely repulsive to those that know better.  The latest Republican “re-branding” initiative…sue Obama!  The rationale behind this complete waste of valuable time, money, and resources… President Obama has “overstepped his executive powers in carrying out his landmark healthcare reform law” (McGinnis, 2014).

 

Apparently, the Grand Obstructionist Party’s (GOP) previous attempts to undermine the Affordable Care Act (aka Obamacare) 54 times weren’t enough. Nor were its 6 attempts to repeal Obamacare outright (York, 2014).  Instead of moving on and addressing the pertinent issues confronting this country, the Republican controlled U.S. House of Representatives chooses to pursue through the judicial what it could not accomplish legislatively.  Ted Cruz, the egocentric poster child for the Republican Tea Party, highlighted just how infatuated his party still is with undermining and/or repealing Obamacare despite repeated epic failures to do.  At a recent Young America’s Foundation conference, Mr. Cruz “forcefully argued that Obamacare is not here to stay” and that upcoming “elections should be about many, many things,” the Texas Republican said, listing jobs and growth as examples. “But they should be about repealing every bloody word of Obamacare” (Killough, 2014). 

 

While many conservatives feel the President has “overstepped” his boundaries, I counter today’s Congress has “understepped” theirs.  It is Congress’ responsibility to enact the laws that keep this country moving forward.  Unfortunately, today’s “leaders” in Congress exert a lot of effort blaming President Obama rather than investing that effort in finding solutions to the problems that face this country.  As a result, Congress chooses to do nothing …or settle for some half-assed short term stop gap, rather than do its job and make the hard decisions necessary to keep this country functioning.

 

Ironically, Ted Cruz and the Republican Tea Party have only themselves to blame for the Affordable Care Act’s implementation.  Their “do-nothing” attitude created the need for someone to step up and take care of business.  This is exactly what President Obama did, he stepped up.  The reality is this nation’s healthcare system is a disgrace.  As rich and “evolved” as this country is, it is despicable that all Americans do not have access to quality, affordable health care regardless of their socioeconomic status.  Congress, especially the Republican Tea Party, had ample time to address the disparities adversely impacting the nation’s healthcare system.  But like every other issue, they chose to do nothing.

 

By no means is the Affordable Care Act perfect.  Yet, it is a step in the right direction.  Despite its rocky start, it is working.  The fact that it is working is what upsets the Republican Tea Party the most.  Even more upsetting is the fact that every proposal drafted by the Republican Party to overhaul our nation’s healthcare system after Obamacare was already implemented (apparently better late than never is good enough) was an epic failure and embarrassment.  Which means this latest ploy by House Republicans to sue the president has nothing to do with overstepping boundaries.  It has everything to do with soothing their bruised and battered egos.

 

President Obama did what no one else was willing to do, and that is “overstep” and take action.  This latest stunt by the House Republicans to sue the President is nothing more than one more shenanigan in a long line of wasteful inaction.  Ted Cruz’s crusade to repeal Obamacare is just one example of how out of touch and delusional he and his fellow band of radicals truly are.  Despite the fact there are pertinent issues facing this country that must be addressed, the Republican Tea Party continues to “re-brand” themselves by deflecting their own inadequacies and deficiencies onto the President.  If only Congress would put as much energy into actually taking a stand and taking action as they do blaming President Obama, they might actually get something useful done for a change.

 

 

Sources:

 

Killough, A. (2014, July 29). Cruz: Let’s repeal ‘every bloody word’ of Obamacare. Retrieved from CNN Politics Political Ticker: http://politicalticker.blogs.cnn.com/2014/07/29/cruz-lets-repeal-every-bloody-word-of-obamacare/?hpt=hp_t2

McGinnis, A. (2014, July 24). U.S. House panel votes to authorize lawsuit against Obama. Retrieved from Reuters: http://www.reuters.com/article/2014/07/24/us-usa-congress-lawsuit-idUSKBN0FT29M20140724

York, B. (2014, 3 14). No, House Republicans Haven’t Voted 50 Times to Repeal ObamaCare. Retrieved from Fox Nation: http://nation.foxnews.com/2014/03/17/no-house-republicans-havent-voted-50-times-repeal-obamacare

Napoleon “Ted Cruz” Bonaparte

I’ve heard it said that everything is bigger in Texas. If so, then nothing can be bigger than the Texas-sized ego of Ted Cruz.  This was especially apparent during a recent interview on CNN’s “State of the Union” with Candy Crowley.

It seems as if it wasn’t enough that Mr. Cruz’s efforts led to a federal government shutdown.  Now, Mr. Cruz wants to ensure that shutdown remains in effect.  Despite the fact that there have been 44 attempts to undermine “Obamacare”, Mr. Cruz wants to use the debt ceiling as a means to advance his own personal agenda against “Obamacare”.

Mr. Cruz’s rationale for this is simple.  According to him, “Obamacare” “would destroy the private health care system.”  Really Mr. Cruz?  Apparently you haven’t noticed, but the private health care system IS ALREADY BROKEN!  Don’t believe me, just ask someone that has a pre-existing condition that can’t afford health care!  “Privatize” is the Republican Tea Party answer to “fix” everything.  The only thing health care privatization “fixes” is the bank accounts of doctors and politicians like Ted Cruz.

Mr. Cruz went on to state that “Obamacare isn’t working”.  Once again, really Mr. Cruz?  “Obamacare” was only implemented 5 days ago.  Don’t you think it’s a bit premature to state that the system isn’t working?  Or better yet Mr. Cruz, are you afraid that “Obamacare” just might actually be successful?

At this point, I feel there are a few things quite apparent here.  First of all, the angst that Mr. Cruz feels towards “Obamacare” is nothing more than a manifestation of the jealousy he feels towards President Obama himself.  The reality is Mr. Obama is President and Mr. Cruz is not.  More importantly, Mr. Cruz will NEVER BE PRESIDENT.  As a result, he will never be taken seriously. At least as seriously as he wants to be taken.  Mr. Cruz has always been nothing, will always be nothing, and his current actions only serve to reinforce this.

Ted Cruz is nothing more than a modern day Napoleon.  Texas’ed sized ego with an equally large inferiority complex. Completely out of touch with reality.  A bane upon society.  A loser in every sense of the word.  “Obamacare” won’t destroy the private healthcare system.  It’s fair to say at this point “Obamacare” will work.  The only thing amiss here Mr. Ted Cruz is YOU and the rest of your Republican Tea Party puppets!!

And It Finally Happens

 

This one’s for you Republican Tea Party!

Well it is official, after 43 attempts to undermine “Obamacare”, the Republican Tea Party has finally succeeded in shutting down the federal government.  Truth be told it should come as no surprise.  The Grand Obstructionist Party has been working diligently to achieve this lofty achievement. Ensuring the sequestration was but only an appetizer to the shutdown main course.  I have no doubt Ted Cruz and the rest of his band of merry radicals are quite proud of their “accomplishment”.

I commend the more moderate House Republicans for having the courage to make a last minute attempt to break ranks and restore some semblance of sensibility.  Rep. Charlie Dent, R-Pennsylvania and Rep. Peter King, R-New York will certainly come under fire within their party for their efforts to stand up to the inept few.  Their efforts show there are still some within the Republican ranks that have smartly chosen not to drink the Tea Party Kool-Aid.

Naturally the finger pointing has begun.  The GOP led House blames an unyielding Democratic led Senate.  Yet the House was told repeatedly any attempt to undermine “Obamacare” would be met with rejection.  You would think after 43 attempts the Republican Tea Party would get the hint.  Yet a small radical faction, driven by overblown egos, continues to advance its own personal agenda and re-election aspirations.  At the expense of the entire country.  If only the same effort and zeal would have been dedicated towards running the federal government effectively.  Perhaps we wouldn’t be in this position.

Today marks the pinnacle of dysfunction that has come to define our federal government.  It is also marks a defining day for the Republican Tea Party.  The Republican Party used to be a bastion of the working man and woman.  Today, it is nothing more than a puppet of the Corporate Masters that pull its Tea Party purse strings.  It has become a party controlled by the radical few that only hold their own interests at heart.  It has methodically alienated the majority of this country and is completely out of touch with the changes that are taking place in this country.  Has the Republican Tea Party finally reached the tipping point of no return?  I have a feeling this latest Grand Obstructionist Party “accomplishment” will go far towards determining that.  It will certainly be on my mind when I report to work today to sign my furlough paperwork…again.