Time To Clean House

The other day I read an article that intrigued me.  It's no secret that I'm not an Obama supporter, and I've posted my fair share of rants on this blog about it.  (Some would say ad nauseam.)  While there may have been posts regaling my support of John McCain for President, the reader would also have noted that he wasn't my top choice either, simply the lesser of the two evils, in my humble opinion.  The more I have learned about the politics of our fine country, the more I have learned that it's not about Democrats or Republicans.  We need to send them all home.  Without lifetime benefits.  But that's another rant for another day.  It's not about donkeys and elephants.  It's about Big Government.   Very Big Government. 

Over the weekend I heard about the "recess appointments" that President Obama has made.  I was unfamiliar with what that meant, so I looked it up.  Before having the opportunity to look it up, though, I must admit that my blood was boiling, and I was looking for a large stone to place on the scale of What I Don't Like About Obama vs What I Do Like About Obama.  I'll let you guess onto which side I was about to cast the stone.  Just another item to add to my long list of his "offenses".  Once I looked it up, though I was put in my place and quite taken aback to learn that this is a tactic that has often been used by past Presidents to appoint whomever they wish to fill an office.  What?  You mean those sainted Republicans have practiced this as well? (you can't see it, but the word "sainted" is dripping with sarcasm)  Oh yes.  It's authorized by article II, section II of the Constitution.  "The President shall have Power to fill up all Vacancies that may happen during the Recess of the Senate, by granting Commissions which shall expire at the End of their next Session."So it's perfectly legal, and was put into practice by our very first President.  However, at the time the rule was made, "recess" of Congress lasted between six and nine months, not the customary few weeks that is the norm now.  How convenient, then, for a President to make appointments that would normally require confirmation before the senate.  Well, we know how those confirmation hearings go, so no wonder a President would want to appoint them.  Give them a little time to prove him/herself before the end of the next session of congress, when they must be approved.  Argument is made also that the article means if an office is vacated (due to the death or resignation) during the recess... as opposed to the appointment being made during the recess.  But that's Big Government for you.  And most of us never even know it is happening. 

Funny thing about studying politics.  It's not funny at all, and there are some really troubling things happening, that are perfectly legal.  And though I'm normally dissing the Democrats or Obama, it's not just those folks... it's all of them. 

Now, for the most part, unless I can be convinced otherwise on an individual candidate, I will continue to support the Republican party... for the time being.  I hope there isn't any of this nonsense about Libertarian or Independant candidates running for President... yet.  Whether or not they are the more qualified, preferred candidate, they are not yet strong enough to defeat the Republican Party, therefore would simply steal the votes of well-meaning citizens, and in effect divide the Republican Party, ensuring another term for Obama.  Until the time that we can send them all home and start over with folks who are willing to uphold The Constitution, and find some honest people who are willing to pledge their lives, their fortunes, and their sacred honor, then we're just going to hafta dig our feet in and do the best we can.  How amazing would it be to have men and women who are more interested in preserving the integrity of our nation than in lining their own pockets?  Do not kid yourself.  We are no more near an "Equal Rights" society today than we were in the 60s.  For certain factions of people, yes they now enjoy rights that they didn't back then.  But for others... not so much... and we never will as long as our politicians are busy making back-room deals, abusing constitutionally-allowable statutes to ensure selective appointments to offices, and pandering to lobbyists who are only in it for the money.  Until excessive government spending and fraud is brought under control, until the tax system, welfare system, printing of worthless money (and the list goes on....) is reformed, change will be difficult to come by. 

The article I referred to simply stated that Barack Obama is the best thing that ever happened to America.  That statement kind of threw me for a minute.  But as I read on, it explained that Americans have been asleep for too many years.  We've been going about our lives, working at our jobs (well, some of us), going to soccer games, enjoying camping trips on the weekends, vacations in the summer, just living with the status quo.  We'll complain on occasion when we don't like something that's going on in Washington, but tomorrow it's back to the daily grind.  It seems, though, that since the election of President Obama, Americans are starting to wake up and realize that We The People have let Big Government run over us long enough. 

The article further went on to bash Obama and list some of the "horrible" things he has done... and while I agreed with most of them (haha.. surprised?), that wasn't the crux of the article for me.  Many people are indeed awakening and the wise ones will realize that we can't blame Obama for everything that is wrong in our country.  Oh yeah, I think some of his ideas are just wrong, and borderline insane, and I don't like him, but most of what is wrong with our country is the Big Government premise.  So, to that end, I suppose I have to agree with the author of the article.  Whatever it takes to once again awaken this sleeping giant, has to be a good thing. 

If you want to see Hope and Change You Can Believe In, get your butts in gear and let's find some folks who will TRULY represent us in Washington!  Let's first send those folks to Congress, and maybe one day we can elect a president who is neither a Democrat nor a Republican.  Good riddance, I'd say!!