Starting All Over Again

                                                                   -by The Radio Guy

           Did you see the latest poll of American satisfaction with its’ legislators in Congress?

           A whopping 89 percent of Americans say they are dissatisfied with the performance of Congress.

           And, my God, who can blame them?  People tired of Democrats tax and spend ways, so, in the 90’s, they put the Republicans in power.  Which turned out to be an awful mistake.  Because as soon as the Republicans got in power, they started acting like Democrats!  Both parties have become so drunk on earmarks, they consider them rights. And, most all begin acting like spoiled 5 year olds, when the discussion turns to reform of the earmark system.

           Reforming Social Security?  Oh, Lord…don’t go there!  Today’s Congress apparently wants to pass this problem onto our grandkids to solve.  Reforming the Tax System?  No way! They might end up with less money to spend on pork projects!

           Then, there’s the election process.  If Abraham Lincoln was alive today, he couldn’t even consider running for President.  He wouldn’t have the money.  Since he was a country lawyer, I’d assume he’d have gotten smart and become a lobbyist.  No common citizen these days has even a prayer of being elected to anything other than a menial local office. And elect to a national office someone with other than an  ( R ) or ( D ) after their name…?  Well, you’d better have the name recognition, record and cash of Joe Lieberman.   Even with good ideas, bucking “the system” is almost impossible. 

            Not long ago, I read an article about Democratic Presidential hopeful Hillary Clinton. (You may hiss and boo now, if you’d like.)  In it, she showed a pragmatic side, suggesting that one had to work “within the system” to effect change.

            I appreciate where Senator Clinton is coming from.  But, I would pose the question…under normal circumstances, working “within the system” to effect change might be fine.  But, what if the real problem…was the system itself?  

           And that’s the question I want to raise here.  More and more I’m becoming convinced that our entire system of government has gotten beyond our control.  And, I respectfully wish to raise the idea that perhaps what is needed is a total reform of the system.

           If I read my Constitution correctly, our Founding Fathers gave us the right to establish our government…and, the right to abolish it, if necessary for the future of democracy.

           I’m not suggesting anarchy here.  But, consider:  is it time to think about establishing a new Constitutional Congress to take a hard look at how government is run…how taxes are raised and spent, how money has infiltrated and infested government, our election process and look at possible changes to improve on and, hopefully, make some fixes to the system?

           Should lobbyists have such wide ranging personal contact with our legislators?  (We have reports of Congressmen who want to kick constituents off their “private” elevators, but welcome giving a lobbyist a ride!)  We have suggestions for a Flat Tax, and A Fair Tax.  I don’t know which,  if either of these ideas is correct,  but shouldn’t they see the light of day?  Shouldn’t our government give us a serious examination of our tax code and see if there’s a better way? 

           Why is there no solution to the Social Security crisis?   Why are our legislators spending so much time clamoring about enforcing “timetables” on Iraq, (which is the job of the Commander-In-Chief, not them!), instead of dealing with a problem that could bankrupt our nation, or saddle its’ citizens with taxes we can only now dream of in our worst nightmares!

            Why is there no talk of solving the problem of earmarks?  Congressional pork?  Health Care? Tort reform?  

           And, God…why do we now have a 2 year long Presidential election cycle?  I’m already sick of Presidential politics…and I’ve got a year to go.   No candidate truly excites me. (So far!)  Nobody’s giving us real ideas.  No one is giving us anything that hasn’t been hashed and rehashed over the past 20 years.   By the time Moveon.org starts buying radio advertising, I’m going to be looking for an oven to put my head into!  (Just kidding, but you get the point.)

           Why?  Why?  Why?  Why?  Why?

           No wonder only 11 percent of Americans think Congress is doing a good job.

           I wish I had a little of what they’ve been smoking. At least I might feel better.

           Ideas?  Anybody?  Anyone?  Bueller?  Bueller?