It's called Politics

One of the big items on Obama's agenda before his election was his promise of bipartisanship. Sounded good to everyone. Bipartisanship means both parties compromise to put out legislation that benefits the majority of the people.

Fast forward a year and a half.....

Obama is still trying to be bipartisan but what is Congress doing, especially the Republican minority who insists on obstructing everything coming out of the White House or put forth by the Democrats in Congress? My question is why are we still trying to play fair when it appears that no one else is?

Case in point: Obama's 15 recess appointments. The constitution provides for the President to make appointments to fill vacant federal positions while the Senate is out on recess. Thus, bypassing Senate confirmation. Obama has more 200 outstanding federal positions open because the Senate refuses to confirm them and all he has done is appoint 15. While Bush was in office, he made more than 170 recess appointments, including the appointment of John Bolton as ambassador to the United Nations knowing full well that his appointment was very controversial. Again I ask, why are we still playing fair, people? The conservative media is calling Obama a hypocrite for using recess appointments because when Bolton was appointed Obama criticized President Bush. Duh, people, this is politics. What part don't you understand?

In politics, you have to do whatever is in your legal power to further your agenda, as long as it is ethical. Obama is being too nice, if you ask me, by only appointing 15. What do we owe the Republican minority? The same minority who claimed the Healthcare reform bill is not bipartisan and voted against it as a bloc knowing all along that they authored more than 200 provisions in that bill? You can call it obstructionism or hypocrisy, but it's called politics, people.

Historic Bills and Spineless Congressmen

I stayed up way past my bed time last night waiting for the U.S. House of Representatives to vote on the historic healthcare reform bill. I tell you, it was more exciting than watching the Longhorns play. We needed 216 votes for it to pass and with only a few minutes left to vote, we had 208, then 210, then 214, then 215, and finally 216, but then it kept going and the final vote was 219 to 212. Yes, we did!!!

I am outraged at some of those spineless Democrats from Alabama, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Texas (Chet Edwards), New York, Massachussets (Stephen Lynch), and other states who did not vote for this bill. Why do we Democrats keep supporting these "Democratic" congresspeople with our money and our votes? Let's figure out a way to vote them out and get new people in, I say.

And the amount of misinformation being thrown around last night was disheartening: we are not robbing Social Security; we are not creating death panels; we are not creating a bigger deficit. No wonder the American people do not know whom they should believe. Besides, where were these people who are suddenly all worried about a deficit when the last administration drove us into the worst deficit in history???? I don't remember hearing them complain then.

Then some guy (I think he was from Texas, I was too disgusted to look at him) starts talking about not "going against the will of the American people." Exactly whose will are we talking about here?

It's not over yet so we can't claim complete victory, but a major hurdle was crossed yesterday. In six years, people will have healthcare even if they can't afford it. Imagine that? It feels good to be an American today.