The Schoolyard Bailout Blowout

 

We refuse to go to the playground till the Democrats play nice!

Before I write anything else read this explanation of why the bailout bill failed today.

“When the gavel came down, the members on the floor were nearly silent. Democratic members immediately met in Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s office after the vote. Republican members went into the office of Boehner, the top Republican in the House.

The Republican House leadership blamed Pelosi, saying she gave a partisan speech before the vote that alienated House Republicans. 

While thanking Treasury Secretary Henry Paulson for negotiating on the bill, Pelosi said on the House floor that the Democrats had insisted that the bill “protect the American people and Main Street from the meltdown on Wall Street.”

Pelosi also said the cost of the bailout “is a number that is staggering, but tells us only the costs of the Bush administration’s failed economic policies — policies built on budgetary recklessness, on an anything-goes mentality, with no regulation, no supervision and no discipline in the system.”

After the vote, Boehner said, “Americans are angry, and so are my colleagues. They don’t want to have to vote for a bill like this, and I understand that.” 

“I think that we need to renew our efforts to find a solution that Congress can support. I do believe that we could have gotten there today had it not been for this partisan speech that the speaker gave on the floor of the House,” he said.”

CNN’s Jessica Yellin, Deirdre Walsh and Scott J. Anderson contributed to this report.

When I heard that the bailout had failed I was thinking that it would be because a group of Republicans had heard from their constituents and said they could not in all good conscious pass the measure. I do not like Boehner but I believed that he would slam his people for not supporting the passage of the bill; because there was supposedly a deal between both sides. I was wrong.  If I am to believe what Bonehead says (yes I know I misspelled his name). Then instead of feeling pride that a group of House members stood up for the people they represent, I am left feeling disgusted.

Nancy Pelosi had no business making partisan comments and I suspect after it passed Boehner would have made some about how all this was made possible by John McCain.  The part that blows my mind is that Bonehead is saying that they voted “no” because of Pelosi’s speech.  I guess it would have made the Republican party look bad if they passed a bill after she said the things she did.  Thank goodness they protected their pride by sending the markets down 777 points to preserve their honor.

So, while I may not agree that this bill needs passage; as do many Americans. I do find it morally offensive that it was not held up  because of the people that do not think this is the answer.  Instead, I am led to believe that the Democrats said mean things and the Republicans refused to do their chores and now they should be spanked and grounded.  Act like you are five and we should all treat the Republicans that held out because of the comments like they are five and the Democrats the same way for saying naughty things.  They certainly weren’t doing it for us and they certainly don’t care about what happens to anyone but themselves. 

Sarah Palin: Caribou Barbie

Usually, nicknames for political figures seem kind of like a simple thing for people to dream up.  I have used terms like President Shrub for George Bush and Governor Good Hair for Texas Governor Rick Perry. These names are okay but recently my close friend Shawna threw out a term used by her friend the Rev. Durrell. This was too priceless to let go and how he arrived at this fitting name for Sarah Palin is sure to be another of life’s mysteries. Everyone, please welcome “Caribou Barbie” to the center of the stage. 

Caribou Barbie has many wonderful aesthetic features and for that reason alone most Americans should vote for her.  Am I saying that we are a vain and fairly vapid society? Yes, because if you listened to her Katie Couric interview you have to concede that a vote cast in her direction is either for McCain or just because you think she looks really good. Her first interview on ABC was pretty lackluster and she got ribbed for it pretty hard. I for one was willing to give her a break and it seemed that she might have been nervous or a little apprehensive. Granted, as a Vice President she cannot display those traits in an interview but she hasn’t been under the national spotlight that long.

I ignored her first interview, saw the SNL skit with Tina Fey, chuckled and moved on.  She had a promo piece done on her by Sean Hannity.  I have to say promo piece because he seemed to primarily lead her to the correct answers in the interview.  If she had made serious mistakes in his interview she would have been toast and rightfully so.  It wasn’t like any of us expected anything like balanced reporting from someone that has a right wing tattooed on his left butt cheek. Again, I saw nothing for concern at this point.

Then the McCain campaign seemed to keep her away from the press. “Foul,” cried the press but not me.  I figured she was busy and did not have time for the press to nitpick. Then she finally took the time to be interviewed with Katie Couric. Caribou Barbie has had over two weeks to get her answers straight after the ABC interview and the Fox News promo spot. So, Sarah Palin nailed the interview, right? Nope, Mrs. Palin explained her foreign policy statements from her previous interview as follows:

Couric: You’ve cited Alaska’s proximity to Russia as part of your foreign policy experience. What did you mean by that?

Sarah Palin: That Alaska has a very narrow maritime border between a foreign country, Russia, and, on our other side, the land-boundary that we have with Canada. It’s funny that a comment like that was kinda made to … I don’t know, you know … reporters.

Couric: Mocked?

Palin: Yeah, mocked, I guess that’s the word, yeah.

Well, that was pretty dismal and obviously her coaches are doing a lousy job because most seventh graders could have pulled that off better with two weeks of preparation time. Later in the interview she explained why the United States should not second guess Israel including an explanation by Palin about who the “good guys” and “bad guys” are. This paled in comparison to her explaining that we need to make sure Israel knows we will never let another Holocaust happen.  It could not get any worse but no wait, it did get worse.

When Caribou Barbie was asked about John McCain’s history on pushing finance regulation by Couric here is what was said:

Couric: But can you give me any other concrete examples? Because I know you’ve said Barack Obama is a lot of talk and no action. Can you give me any other examples in his 26 years of John McCain truly taking a stand on this?

Palin: I can give you examples of things that John McCain has done, that has shown his foresight, his pragmatism, and his leadership abilities. And that is what America needs today.

Couric: I’m just going to ask you one more time – not to belabor the point. Specific examples in his 26 years of pushing for more regulation.

Palin: I’ll try to find you some and I’ll bring them to you.

I wish it was a joke but its not. I’m not saying she has to get every answer right but she at least needs to know how to speak when she does not have the right answers. For now be kind as best you can, after this last interview Caribou Barbie is going to need some love and a beauty pageant that she can go to and answer those hard questions with the stereotypical answer about wanting world peace.

The Little Secretary That Cried Bush

What were the Bush Administration and Paulson doing when they got caught unawares? They weren’t surprised at all. They lied for months to protect the markets and it did not work. At the moment, many think it looks like they had no clue, but the odds are that they knew all along what was happening and followed the ostrich plan. They hoped that if they hid their heads long enough it would get better by sheer will.

The Democrats and Republicans voted to create the situation that banks abused over the years; much like letting the kid that loves chocolate into Willy Wonka’s Chocolate Factory and telling him to eat nothing.

Lastly, Bush and Congress have been whipping us up by fear mongering for years and we are now a bit wise to the panic syndrome. The old, “we need more power without oversight”, mantra that they have preached over 8 years is now being met with the people saying, “hmmmm, not so sure we believe you.”

In closing, we the people have been lied to about the reasons for war in Iraq, the desire to stop bin Laden by the Bush Administration, told to suck it up regarding health care and just two weeks ago we watched our leaders lie about the financial crisis after Freddie Mac and Fannie Mae were taken over. Is it any wonder that when the powers that be cry wolf, we say, “did you hear something?”.

Last One Out Of The Soup Wins

 

The circle is complete

I read an article on CNNs web site having to do with a Rev. Dr. Malcom Brown of the Church of England saying that Charles Darwin is owed an apology.  It seems that the Reverend feels that the Church of England misunderstood what Darwin had proposed. Darwin’s great-great-grandson Andrew Darwin had this to say, “When an apology is made after 200 years, it’s not so much to right a wrong, but to make the person or organization making the apology feel better.”

 

“Spot On!” If there was ever proof that evolution happens here it is.  In the day of Charles Darwin, scientists were very worried about reputation and status, especially in England and Germany. 150 years later his grandson could defend the family honor, pull out his sword of truth and say, “It wasn’t a misunderstanding, the Church of England knew exactly what it was doing.  How dare you try to gain press attention by making a trivial apology from someone in your public relations office.”. Instead, Andrew has evolved to the point that his family does not need to jump up and down, declaring that they have been wronged.  The Darwins simply know what the Church of England feared and has finally come to recognize as a good attention getter, Their ancestor was just as right now as he was then.  No muss, no fuss it simply is and issuing apologies to ancestors is a silly gesture after about two generations.  The wrong is done, the damage has been blended and the families know the truth.

 

However, I feel that Darwin could not have seen that we would all look at one another as equals one day.  All men and women are the same.  We are all human beings.  Many would even like us to believe that all peoples are at the same point on the evolutionary ladder.  This is a very touchy belief that incites racism calls from those that denounce it. I do not not believe that we are all equal and I do not think this division is racial. I look to the political pundits and politicians to demonstrate evolution in the United States.

 

Listen to any con. or lib. candidate, radio host, campaign manager or writer and you can see quite plainly that some of us did not have ancestors climbing out of the primordial soup as fast as others of us did. These ancestral throwbacks say ugly things about each other and we the people sit watching and hoping that the fall lineup on television and HBO will save us from listening to these idiots talk.

  

You see, we like the Darwins have evolved.  We do not care which of you wins, we do not care which of you screams “change” the loudest. We want to know when you people running the show will get out of your trees and join the rest of us down here and see the truth. Currently, the political mouth pieces say lots, do nothing and care little for those they represent or the people they speak to as long as they make money or gain power.  

 

Hats off to you Charles. Thanks to you, I can see the family trees of our politicians and their mental midgets. I do not need to have an ugly fight with an informed speaker to know the simple truth that all evolved humans know. Sometimes, certain species go extinct to clear the way for creatures that are better equipped to survive. The last thing the dinosaurs probably thought was, “Why, big rock fall from sky?  Me wonder, is big rock friend, food or place to live? Me make noise at it and see what happen.”. This dinosaur logic worked well for us mammals.  The only question I have for you party politics animals is, “Have you Politicians and Pundits noticed that we can drive to our local fast food joint and eat the dinosaur’s ancestors and have you started to wonder why you are growing feathers and we all look very hungry?”.

Sarah’s Glasses

Sarah Palin is running for Vice President; though she should be running for President.  Watching John McCain speak after her is like watching paint dry.  Sure you can see it start to stick to the wall but you would be better off playing in a fire ant bed.  The effects are negative but by far more exciting.  I transgress.

Today I heard a news report that eyewear stores around the country are selling out of frames (model: kazuo kawasaki 704) exactly like the ones Sarah Palin wears. Really?  It’s not a joke? So, throngs of adult females around the country are buying them because they are getting their fashion ideas from Sarah Palin. Surely, there was not a conversation at the Republican National Convention last week that went something like, “She sounds really smart and has real executive experience, what do you think?” said the middle aged Republican man in seat 3b and his wife in 3a replied, “I think, I want to get a pair of glasses just like those.”

A week ago, I was the one thinking, “She better be really good, she better have substance.  Because women in America are not going to flock to the Republican ticket just because they picked a gender specific candidate to try to garner votes from the failed Hillary Clinton bid for a role in the White House.”

A week later people are buying up eyewear based on a candidates style preference. I am flabbergasted. Why bother expecting our kids to grow up and shun the behavior of Brittany Spears; when we act like mindless sheep as adults.  Anyone that fooled themselves into thinking we as a people were not in danger of being sucked in by a charismatic figure and falling into formation like a good little flock needs to think again. I have always believed that women posses a great many attributes that put them over their male counterparts in many areas. However, any hopes I had of women saving men from our brutish and boneheaded, lumbering ways in life have been ruined by seeing that we all posses the ability to be shut off our brains and march off the nearest cliff together.

Legal or Illegal Citizens

Watch For Border Crossings Sign

Authors note: When I originally wrote this article it was not yet politically correct to refer to persons in this situation as ‘undocumented workers’. Recently, I have heard several debates that calling people ‘illegal aliens’ makes them illegal human beings and I would like to use this recent politically correct term in this article but I find that the article’s point is lost. In fact, I find the new and improved term ‘undocumented worker’ to not be helpful for anything but pushing an agenda.  The fact remains that being in the United States without proper documentation when you are not a natural born citizen is illegal and those that hire persons of this status are breaking the law. The fact also remains that we are creating a sub-class of people in our society and the cure is still simple.  Instead of making illegal aliens live without the basic rights we afford our citizens and perpetuating this problem by using a softer term for their status, make them citizens or send them home. What our government allows now is not only illegal but promotes the abuse of illegal non-citizens. So, I rebuke the use of the term, ‘undocumented worker’ for this article and hope that people will learn that words aren’t the problem here, breaking the law and abusing a group of people are, fix it!

All the ranting and raving about the illegal alien issue is enough to make one’s head swim.
However, if you look at the term its not so hard to understand. No one can say that illegal aliens do not work or try hard to make their way, most do. The problem lies in the fact that if you have come from a foreign country to live in the United States it requires that certain rules be followed and as the name implies these people are here illegally. The people that employ them are also doing something illegal. So, the law needs to change or we need to re-examine what we think of laws in general.

An easy example to follow are taxes. If you do not pay your taxes its considered illegal and the IRS will do all sorts of wonderful things to let you know how much you should suffer for your transgressions.
Guess what, illegal aliens do not pay income tax. They can apply for assistance, get loans, buy insurance, get police protection and the list goes on. Many of these services are paid for across the country by law abiding tax payers. So, you can break the law and not pay your taxes or you can pay your taxes to support those that break the law. It seems like it is time to decide wether they are legal and can have all of the positives and negatives that we enjoy as legal citizens and are paid accordingly, or they can be returned to their home of origin and their employers can be fined for doing something illegal. Instead of the rest of us paying for illegal immigrants and companies that are breaking the law, maybe its time to do something instead of sitting around watching people break the law. How about making them citizens or sending them home?

Maybe we should pick and choose which laws we want to obey. Go ahead, speed down the highway doing ninety and toss those tickets out of the window, its illegal but we live in the United States and if we the people are our government and our elected officials do not care then why should we? Try it and when they haul you off to jail remember to say you did it because, “I wanted to,”and hope your friends and family have time to come visit you in your new five by nine foot home. Its good to be in America, its just a pain to be a legal citizen in America and have to follow all of these laws.

A Rainbow of Troubles

 

Newsline: 

Michael Sheridan was stripped of his title as class vice president, barred from attending an honors student dinner and suspended for a day after buying a bag of Skittles from a classmate.

School spokeswoman Catherine Sullivan-DeCarlo says the New Haven school system banned candy sales in 2003 as part of a districtwide school wellness policy.

Michael’s suspension has been reduced from three days to one, but he has not been reinstated as class vice president.

The TV Mini Series Pitch:
This was no ordinary day for Michael Sheridan as he walked into his middle school. Like so many politicians of our age he was about to give into a vice worthy of the ire about to be leveled by the New Haven school system. This school Vice President was about to let down his constituency by committing a crime not unlike a state governor that might go out to buy hookers.

Mr. Sheridan was in withdrawals from a terrible Skittle addiction. Like so many other classmates hooked on products made by those sugar peddlers like M&M Mars and Hershey, Mr. Sheridan was about to throw his career away for a succulent grape or lemon flavored candy.

Luckily, he was caught in the act and saved by a school district that has more time than others worried about things like gang violence and teen age drug abuse. A school district that cares enough to stop the rampant consumption of sugar laden items instead of worrying about the loaded semi-automatic in little Timmy’s backpack.

Mr. Sheridan has been stripped of his office, given suspension, will have to enter a sugar rehab clinic and get years of psycho-therapy for the ridicule he must have suffered but one thing is certain. As an American I am proud to live in a country where a bag of Skittles gets you busted. Kudos to school boards everywhere and keep up the good work. Maybe we can get catheters and I.V. food nutrient packs for kids, so they never leave their desks to eat or use the restroom while they study for tests to get their school districts more money.

Hello World

Welcome to the Wild Wallaby Blog.  Here you can read my musings.  I will try to keep the posts topical but from time to time you may see something I have written in the past.  You may even see an entry that has no bearing on much of anything other than a brief stop along life’s road.