He Stopped Loving Us Today

            We mourn the loss of a country song slinger whose music made us feel as if we were not alone—as if he was our friend—a friend who felt what we felt and dreamed what we dream.  He had happiness like us.  He had problems like us.  And he loved and worked hard just as we do.  In the process, he scored our lives with his music and his range and his inventive interpretations.  We loved his music before country was cool.

            George Jones accompanied us on our journey, as we had our first dates, got our first cars, found our soul mates and negotiated life’s milestones.  We mourn his passing partly because of the time we’ve spent together, and partly because of the reminder that it is, of the passage of time.  The Thief of Hearts has taken our old friend, but his song lingers on.  Today there is a wreath over all our hearts.

            Rest in Peace, Ol’ Possum.

Getting Loud on the Bus    April 25, 2013

As soon as I saw the toxic waste truck leaving the Head Start cafeteria, I knew sequestration had gone too far.  While lofty statesmen in congress protest they didn’t know anything about all these consequences, skeptics’ cloying voices annoy listeners with droned intonations about how congress refused compromise and permitted sequester legislation, and it is, Heaven forbid, ingenuous to plead innocent at this point.  It’s just not statesmanlike.  It is however, adolescent.  One is tempted to ask these legislators if they are going to Junior Prom next week. 

Sequestration is the logical preamble to the Deficit Scold agenda—you know, those valedictorian economist wanabees who still haven’t heard of Investment-Savings Liquidity-Money theory, and wouldn’t listen if you bull-horned them inside a bus.  Long story short, austerity screws about 95% of Americans, and you know which 95% we’re talking about.  The scary part of the whole situation is the word ‘preamble’.  This is just the start for the squirrels. 

             If you want to know about the logical conclusion, read Charles Dickens.  So far, adulthood eludes the House.  Around here, we wonder why the House is refusing to follow regular congressional rules and meet with the Senate to arrive at a budget resolution.  They are choosing instead to stay on their bus and ignore the loud voice of reality.  You’ll probably see a lot of them at the Junior Prom, if you chaperone.  They’ll be wearing expensive shoes, custom suits and inappropriate grins. 

Involuntary Sexual congress         April 24, 2013

            Our Senate LUMPs (Legislators Undermined by Money and Power) have stuck it to us again!  While a vast majority of voters favor expanded gun-buyer background checks, they caved to the people who seemed a greater threat to their re-election and failed to pass this simple safety measure.  You can believe it was defeated by a majority of the people—loyal Americans with sincere concerns about the second Amendment.  Or you can recognize that the measure was defeated by a minority of Senators, representing a minority of sincere loyal Americans, using Senate rules to hold the majority hostage under threat of filibuster. 

It is of course not the first time congressional LUMPs have sold you out.  You remember the Senate’s fiscal cliff deal where Amgen was favored by half a billion dollars over the interests of voters.  And the House’s “Monsanto and the meat packers” bill that also authorized money to run the government?  Avaricious, ripping screw jobs created by legislative deal-makers and rammed through your back door by congress.

            Vote these squirrels and their rapacious behavior out of office—these honorable icons of moral rectitude who have stopped insider trading because they can now be prosecuted for it!  Fortunately, we have term limits for the U.S. congress, if we just have the sense to impose them.  Around here we call them ELECTIONS !  Are YOU not yet tired of the congressional acts that have been inflicted upon you without your consent?  

Wisdom From a Life of Crime       April 23, 2013

            I met Deemon O’Flaherty when we were undergraduates, before the world of crime took him to become a defense attorney.  We often argue about the death penalty.  He still likes to affect a carefree Irish brogue and owns a devilish mischief as if he invented it himself.  “Boy-o,” he said, “the Saints have had a fine laugh on us now, haven’t they?”  I raised an eyebrow.  “Well,” he continued, “we’ve come a distance since you got your B.A. and I got my B.S. and went on my criminal way to Law School.  Now, I’M the one doing Benevolent Acts in the courts, and YOU’RE full of B.S.!”

            “If you mean Better Sense, you are as usual, one with those very Saints,” I slammed.  “Apart from your parochial interest in keeping your clients alive, you know the death penalty makes sense.”

            “Ksshhh!  The Blarney Stone makes sense.  The death penalty is just a way thou shalt kill the poor unfortunate slobs who can’t afford me.  When’s the last time a wealthy defendant was executed?  What per cent of the executable criminals are wealthy?”

            “Can I help it if prosperous people around here respect deterrents,” I retorted?

            “I rest my case, laddie.  NO. I’ll add one more nail to the coffin lid of the whole sorry mess.  Life in prison, without the chance of parole, inflicts infinitely more retribution upon the real nasties of this earth.  Especially if there’s any solitary confinement involved.”

Postponing Fairness           April 21, 2013

            Again!  Again it was heard—a familiar phrase from the 60’s—we should put off doing A until X or Y gets done.  This time the target was immigration reform.  The refrain was, we should put it off until we know more about loopholes in the system (read, how Tsarnaev got to be a citizen).  It is the foot-dragging refrain used by representatives of vested interests, bigots, and other simple thinkers.  I’m as simple as anyone, but how such a contention can be made with a straight face, and how people with any sense of history can hear it without snorting derision, is beyond belief.

            Still, even Senators, have a right to say what they think and be heard.  We could all use practice in listening to those with whom we disagree.  It’s a good thing.  It helps us join to ensure the failure of bad ideas—we can all help shovel out the rotten corn. 

So, listen to the same old line, heard so often:  ‘we want to help the poor, but first we must reduce the national debt’; ‘we need to end racial discrimination, but it’s not politically expedient right now—wait a while’; ‘we need to end slavery, but not right now—it would hurt our country.’  If you recognize any of this, grab a shovel.  We have rotten corn to move.

            Around here we think America needs action not excuses.  Not well- or ill-intentioned delaying tactics.  Congress should be a place for promoting fairness, not postponing it.