SPECIAL WEEKEND EDITION

Let it RAIN, RAIN, RAIN – Special Weekend Edition

A refresher for the refreshing RAIN: A quick review, “As one who has lived in the desert for the past half century I can tell you that nothing is so fresh as the air and ground after a good rainstorm. In the desert they are often referred to as ‘gully-washers,’ and they take with them everything in their path. Street grime is gone. Chocking dust is washed away. Everything that impedes progress becomes so much flotsam that rolls downhill and into a lake. Of course, some items of value are lost as well but the calm after the storm allows for rebuilding a stronger and better place than had existed before. With that thought in mind I will offer a solution to the Washington corruption and call it RAIN. Be sure to read my next post but in the meantime remember what your Congress has done for/to you.”

RAIN – REMOVE ALL INCUMBENTS NOW: This campaign calls for political activism. American citizens can no longer sit idly by and watch our great country crumble as other great countries have done. The system that seduces young, new elected politicians has been corrupt and punitive if those newly elected officials refuse to play ball. They are emasculated by being ignored and not placed on any important decision-making committees if they don’t buy into a system that is gilded by lobbyists, many of whom are former elected officials who have “gone to the dark side” to pimp for large corporations. Once the newly elected solon sells a little bit of his soul he is placed on a committee. The more selling, the better the committee that oversees spending of the federal budget until the new idealistic person who wants to do the right thing no longer has a political soul. That is how the corrupt system works.

The power of committees: Committees effectively control the flow of your tax money. The Appropriations Committee, for example, was established by the constitution to oversee all government expenditures, “No money shall be drawn from the treasury, but in consequence of appropriations made by law, and a regular statement and account of receipts and expenditures of all public money shall be published from time to time."
- US Constitution, Article 1, section 9

Imagine the power of sitting on that committee. The Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs committee has the following charge: 1. The following standing committees shall be appointed at the commencement of each Congress and shall continue and have the power to act until their successors are appointed, with leave to report by bill or otherwise on matters within their jurisdictions:

(d)(1) Committee on Banking, Housing and Urban Affairs, to which committee shall by referred all proposed legislation, messages, petitions, memorials and other matters relating to the following subjects:
• Banks, banking, and financial institutions.
• Control of prices of commodities, rents and services.
• Deposit insurance.
• Economic stabilization and defense production.
• Export and foreign trade promotion.
• Export controls.
• Federal monetary policy, including the Federal Reserve System.
• Financial aid to commerce and industry.
• Issuance and redemption of notes.
• Money and credit, including currency and coinage.
• Nursing home construction.
• Public and private housing (including veterans housing).
• Renegotiation of Government contracts.
• Urban development and urban mass transit.
(2) Such Committee shall also study and review on a comprehensive basis, matters relating to international economic policy as it affects United States monetary affairs, credit, and financial institutions; economic growth, urban affairs, and credit, and report thereon from time to time.

A gaggle of committees reside in the Senate: The committees in the Senate alone include the following: Agriculture, Appropriations, Armed Services, Banking, Budget, Commerce Science and Transportation, Energy and Natural Resources, Environment, Finance, Foreign Relations, Health, Education, Labor & Pensions, Homeland Security nad Governmental Affairs, Judiciary, Rules and Administration, Small Business nad Entrepreneurship, and Veterans Affairs. The house has their own committees, 21 in all, and there are several joint Senate and House Committees. Congressmen can sit on more than one powerful committee. The more seniority one has, the more potential for power.

How lobbyists influence spending: Bills that determine how your money is spent come out of the committees. Lobbyists, often former Congressmen are paid by corporations and organizations that want to promote a certain agenda, or who want to have favorable legislation for their industry (such as removing clean air regulations to save money or getting tax breaks for their industry, or even pressing certain political agendas such as gun ownership and regulation) write legislation. They then give the written documents to their “pet” congress-people who in turn introduce it as law. It is that simple. It is that potentially corrupt.

How can the voter change things: My campaign suggests that first, EVERY REGISTERED VOTER get out and vote November 4. Whenever an incumbent is running, cast a vote against him or her with the purpose of voting out every incumbent and thereby crippling the “good ole boy” seniority system. The very potential for corruption by rewarding freshmen Congressmen will be shattered and a new group of leaders will emerge.

The need for stability: Those congressmen who are fortunate enough to not be running – and by design 1/3 of the Senate must run every two years will get the message. In 2010 another 1/3 will be up for reelection and if they have not cleaned up the mess another third can be bounced out on their ears. House members terms are six years so many will not be up for reelection but again they will hear the voters loud and clear.

This is not a cure-all but a start: Even those who are bounced out of office will continue to receive obscene pensions and health care for them and their families for life, but it is a start. Those elected will be the first reformers and will have the power to change many of the rules that are bankrupting our country both economically and morally. We will continue this campaign daily until the election. Please share this information just as you would a political email. There is strength in numbers. Use your strength.

A little blogging music Maestro... Anything by the New Kids on the Block.

Dr. Forgot

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