What's Wrong with Congress? It's Not Big Enough 

      

    Back in 2012, Brian Flynn published a special to CNN (see cnn.com) regarding what is wrong with Congress, to the effect that Congress is not adequately representing the American people, leading to an all-time low approval rating of 10%. The problem, in his eyes, is that there are not enough of them. A seat in the House of Representatives has expanded from representing 33,000 people to more than 700,000. Our population has exploded relative to the size of Congress. He goes on to say that the reason is: Self-interest and power. I agree.

         

          I really don’t understand, however, what his second reason has to do with the first. With today’s technology in polling and information explosion, I see no need, given an adequate and competent staff, why a Congress person cannot keep up with the desires and opinions of his constituents as well as his (or her) colleagues. Other than the minimal voting power (Refer to the Citizens United v. Federal Election Commission) of the average U. S. citizen, most Representatives and Senators have little interest in what we the people think. My perception is that we are too dumb and poor. Either way, we are a nuisance. However, not only do we not have a say in government, but, also, neither–it seems–for the most part, does our Congress person; so maybe I shouldn’t gripe too much. I just know I haven’t seen any bills hit the floor for a vote in either the House or the Senate from my Congressmen lately.

          But I digress. As you know (I have said many times before), the real reason our Congress does not adequately represent us is that, generally speaking, they don’t care. They have literally sold out to the interests of the Corporatocracy and the Power Elite, aka Shadow Government, represented by those we call lobbyists. We’re back to self-interest and power aren’t we.

          Mr. Flynn thinks we should increase the size of Congress, have them come to Washington quarterly for two-week conventions and, otherwise, work at home, and work part-time, and vote online. This way, he thinks, they would be more productive and better represent their constituents. I don’t think so.

          I think we should do the following:

First, let’s enact a campaign finance act criminalizing any financing of any political campaign by other than government. Let there be no financing from any source other than that through taxes–no contributions or gifts, in any way, shape or form, no use of personal wealth, no gifts from family…. Let’s pay for political contributions by a special corporate income surtax.

Second, let’s reduce the House of Representatives to 217 members and the United States Senate to 50 members (This will immediately reduce costs and arguments across the “board”). In conjunction with the latter, we might want to consider having the governors of our states serve as senators in addition to their present duties, further reducing the cost of government and elections. The reason our present Congress does not represent the people isn’t because there are too many people. The real reason is that “we the people” aren’t able to pay them off as are the Corporatocracy and Power Elite (The Shadow Government). Our current polling technologies provide needed and timely information to them for that purpose. They know what we want. Again, we just don’t pay enough. Another objection from them will be the workload. Nonsense! They now spend on an average, I am told, half their day soliciting campaign financing. My idea will double the time for legislating, offsetting cutting their number in half. Perhaps, also they will then have the time to attend hearings and debates as opposed to talking to an empty house.

Third, let’s enact comprehensive national voting reforms, eliminating such practices as gerrymandering, etc. and providing for the inclusion of multiple parties in all states.

Let’s do these things and do them now. It’s past time for the American people to take back our government. We need government that will govern in favor of the people and in their interests. We need a government that governs without costing an arm and a leg. If you don’t insist on this, it won’t get done.

Ronald Miller

mtss86@comcast.net

Equality of Women

          The Democrats are charging the Republicans of a war against women and the Republicans are accusing the Democrats of starting it. What on earth are they talking about?

          For countless millennia, men have dominated the sexes–ever since Adam and Eve were driven from the Garden of Eden. Then, it was necessary. No sooner had they left the gates of the garden, Adam (man) had to earn his bread by the sweat of his brow. He was the hunter. When engaged with competing tribes, he was the fighter for the protection of the family. So that he could fulfill his purpose, God provided him with the requisite abilities. He made man different from woman, physically and mentally. Man was in charge. Man was responsible. In the settings then, he had to be.

          This having been said, do you really think man and women are equal? I don’t think so. In no way are men and women equal. Anyone who thinks so is deaf, dumb, blind, or delusional. Open your eyes. Look before you. They, women, are superior to men–far superior, not equal. Men don’t even come close to being equal with women.

          It is well known that women are not being treated fairly. They are, on an average, paid less than men; they are less apt to be promoted; and they are discriminated against frequently. Those who work outside the home not only bring home all or part of the “bacon”; but, also, when they get home from work at the end of the day they, more often than not, are required to prepare meals, do the laundry, take care of the children, budget their money, pay the bills, and clean their home (while we guys watch television, etc., etc.). In between times they bear our children giving birth in intense pain; which, if left to men, there would be no children. What man can can live up to that?

          We aren't all the way there, guys, but we are getting there. We are rapidly coming to a period in time when our work (man’s) will disappear. The last function remaining for man will be that of producing children, i.e. sex. Must I remind you of who will be in charge?

Ronald Miller

mtss86@comcast.net

          

Hooray for John Boehner

          Hooray for John Boehner! Finally, he has made some sense. He has put before the House of Representatives the bill to increase the limit on the national debt, and he has done so without allowing any attachments–a clean bill, if you will. Most every time this bill has been put before the House in the past, it has had conditions attached and evolved into one long, extensive, and very expensive argument–the last time, closing down the government at a cost of twenty-four billion dollars, a complete and total waste of time and money.

          This is extremely important, especially in light of the heavy work-load before them and their impending two-week vacation recess. They just don’t have the time to spend in useless and unnecessary argument. That the debt limit must be approved is a no-brainer. Our total economy depends upon it. In fact, as I have said in the past, we should not have to have a debt limit at all. Placing a limit on our government’s ability to borrow literally ties our representatives’ hands, limiting their ability to govern. These aren’t little boys and girls in the first grade that one might make stand in the corner for chewing gum in class. They are supposed to be responsible leaders, capable of governing a nation. For the same reason, we should not have such a restriction in our Constitution. If our leaders in government cannot manage, they shouldn’t be there. Get rid of them.

Ronald Miller

mtss86@comcast.net

The Pan Is On The Stove

The pan is on the stove and has been there a very long time, millennia after millennia, and the cooks are many, stirring up many stews with many ingredients–some good and some bad. There are the constructive ingredients of hard work, motivation, drive, ambition, and the selfless desires of honesty, integrity and trust to do good and serve one’s fellow-man. Sadly, there are the other ingredients, those that destroy our people, and those that destroy our environment–greed, avarice, and evil.

Aristotle (384 – 322 B. C), that great master of political science, is quoted as having said, “From the hour of their birth, some are marked out for subjection, others for rule (Politics, 1.5.2, 1254a). He also wrote, “The art of war is a natural art of acquisition for it includes hunting, an art which we ought to practice against wild beasts and against men who, though intended by nature to be governed, will not submit; for war of such a kind is naturally just” (Politics, 1.8.12, 1256b).

Now I don’t pretend to the possession of wisdom equal to that of Aristotle; but, somehow, his thought just doesn’t go down right with me. I believe men should be governed. I believe in freedom; but, in a free society, one in which one person’s freedom overlaps that of another (especially one with a congested population), government is sorely needed. On the other hand, however, I don’t believe in a war in which one government forces its governance upon another or steals the other’s resources. It would seem to me that the real question is: who will determine the government–who is to govern? War is not the answer.

For as long as man has been in the picture, there has always been someone with a theory as to how things should be done; but, there has been none better than that laid down by God and his Son, Jesus. Believe what you will, but I have neither seen nor heard any better, whether it be from Plato, Socrates, or whomever (Relax. This is not going to be a sermon; I’m not qualified).

Back to the pan on the stove and the cooks cooking the stew, people have been arguing government for centuries. Our founding fathers studied this thoroughly, hardly missing an angle or eventuality. Any student of political science knows the pitfalls of pure democracy in which the majority, the working class, govern; wherein the will of the majority oppresses the minority. This was a key concern of our founding fathers. That the common classes lacked the qualifications to deal with the vast complexities of public financing, foreign affairs, and management was, also, a major concern. This is why our Constitution includes many checks, balances, and protections for the minorities. This is why we have a democratic republic and not a pure democracy.

Herein lies the problem. Please note that I have my tongue in my check when I say this; but, normally, when one looks into the future, they still see it through the colored lens of their present knowledge and experience. They can’t help themselves. Our forefathers, I believe, didn’t see the complexities of our current world. They didn’t see the immense and rising increase in technology, communications, the internet, warfare, atomic energy, almost instant travel, and the increasing size of our populations and their requisite needs. What they did know is that they had their bellies full of kings, queens, dictators, tyrants, and those of that nature. I might add that we, today, feel that way, too–but I digress.

I have been trying to tell you over these past months, our world is on fire. We are in dire straits, economically as well as politically. We have been talking government, i.e. politics–essentially the same thing. We must, also, talk economics. Both subjects are so intertwined, we can’t discuss one without the other. Really! It’s true. Not only is the economy of the United States in severe difficulty; but, so also, are the economies of the rest of the world. The differences in our societies, our governments, and our economies notwithstanding, we are all intertwined. We must all work together. For now, I’m not going to talk further about foreign governments and politics. Such is beyond the knowledge available to me, but I do need for you to understand that their problems affect us as well.

As crazy as this may sound, I submit to you that we must find a way to take politics out of the picture. It is long past time for us to take care of business. I believe our politics are corrupt, dishonest, and completely broken. Our leaders have sold out the leadership of our country, and we must change our Constitution to bring it up to date–to current times. I surely don’t have all the answers to our dilemma and don’t pretend such, but there are many who have some of the answers. If we can all put our heads together, we can turn this thing around. Anybody who has ever been employed by a large and successful corporation knows that we need managerial skills, not politics, to run our country. I have already given you some of my ideas in past postings to this blog, so I won’t repeat myself just now, but it should be a no-brainer to all that we must take back our country from those who have stolen our livelihoods and our wealth from us and are continuing to do so as this is written. We must do it now.

In closing, I will tell you five actions we need to take immediately, if not sooner; and we should do them in a manner that they will last in the United States of America for as long as God allows the world to continue to exist. These are inalienable rights and should be incorporated in our Constitution.

1.     We need to provide our people with jobs with livable wages.

2.     We must establish Social Security for all on a “pay as you go” basis with livable benefits.  This should be administered through the use of a stand-alone fund as is now done and must not be privatized in any way. This should be updated now and financed through an ear-marked tax transparent to all.

3.     We must establish a national single-payer, cradle to the grave, “pay as you go” national healthcare system for all, modeled after Medicare, and administered through the use of a stand-alone fund as is now done with Social Security. This too must not be privatized in any way and financed on a “pay as you go” basis (no deficit) Medicaid and Affordable Health Care must be eliminated. AHC is (and it will get worse–mark my words) unaffordable. The middle class can’t understand or afford it. Haven’t you heard? They haven’t had a real wage increase in over thirty years. Many have lost their homes and their livelihoods. Where are they going to get the money?

4.     We must take the money out of politics, financing elections through taxation. No politician should be allowed to receive contributions in any way shape or form–even from friends or family under penalty of imprisonment. Again, we must take back our country.

5.     We must amend our Constitution overriding the Supreme Court decision in Citizens United v. FEC (Federal Election Commission). I can’t believe anyone, supposedly distinguished, as one who would serve on the our Supreme Court, would be that ignorant (or disingenuous). God made people–man didn’t.

These are only five suggestions. I have more. If Grover Norquist can get Congress, contrary to the interests of the people and this nation, to pledge not to raise taxes (without even checking with you first), then you should be able to raise enough fuss with your illustrious representatives (including Senators) to get them to support my proposals. Haven’t we been told this is a government of the people, by the people, and for the people? Isn’t it time somebody begins to work for us?

Before closing this, I want to make one last point. There are those who will yell Socialism or Communism. We must love them anyway. They know not what they say. I know as sure as God made little green apples that I am neither a Socialist nor a Communist. What I do believe, however, is this. I don’t care whether a cat is white or black. I want a cat that catches mice; and, it is time–way past time–that our government quits all their very expensive masturbating with our government and our lives, and starts managing the affairs of our country. They (We) need to start catching mice.

Ronald Miller

mtss86@comcast.net

Our Right To A Fair Trial

          Most, if not all of you have heard of the man who, at a gas station, shot and killed a black youth because the music in the car in which the youth was sitting with friends was too loud. Beyond what I have just told you, I know nothing, absolutely nothing–nothing that is, except for two facts. First, I hate loud music and especially boom boxes–especially boom boxes. Second, I firmly believe that everyone has a right to a free trial before a jury of his peers and is innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt. I believe that emphatically, a belief I will not yield.

          I also believe emphatically in our right to freedom of speech; and, in conjunction, I believe in a free press, printed, broadcast, and/or televised. Unfortunately for all of us, these freedoms are being abridged every day, denying us our Constitutional rights. For the purpose of this posting, I’m going to ignore the misinformation, outright lies, propaganda, and intellectually low level entertainment imposed upon us every day by the media. I’ll address that another day.

For now, I’m going to address the problem of trial by television. It’s wrong, wrong, wrong. I’m constantly hearing broadcasters cry “freedom of the press” when someone objects–a downright falsehood. The real reason we see court trials televised is profit, profit, and profit–no other reason; and, unfortunately, people have an insatiable appetite for gossip, lust, and sensationalism, failings to which our illustrious media is all too willing to provide. Freedom of speech, the dissemination of knowledge, honesty, and/or integrity is not their primary concern. Isn’t it obvious to you? Their primary concern is ratings, advertising, and profits, to which end simplification and sensationalism are the order of the day.

Watching a trial on live television is very interesting, if not exciting. Viewers gain information, both good and bad, which are not normally allowed to be seen or known by a sitting jury. Such information in the eyes and minds of the public are detrimental to the selection of future juries should they be required due to appeals and requisite re-trials. If the media is interested only in the dissemination of knowledge or entertainment, there is nothing to deter it from broadcasting the trial at a later date; but no, the best ratings are achieved within the intensity and excitements of the moments. That’s where the money is.

Why can’t we have comprehensive broadcasting on the banks use of derivatives and how they wrecked our economy, and how many, by nation, are in circulation throughout the world? Why can we not, in the news, hear about where the money is and where it is going, contributing behind the scenes to the fortunes of our politicians? Why can’t we have detailed broadcasting about our Shadow Government, about which I have talked many times before? They won’t. They won’t because these kinds of subjects are boring. They don’t increase ratings. They don’t make money. I could continue, but I have said enough. I’m sure you understand.

Let there be no doubt; we need the news; We need the media; We need knowledge; We need to be informed, pro and con; and, for that matter, we also need to be entertained. We cannot do without it. Why can’t it all be accurate, honest, and straight, without prejudice, exaggeration, or politicization?

Ronald Miller

mtss86@comcast.net

Your World

          Today, I want to ask you a question, a question which, before you answer, I would like for you to give very much thought, very deep consideration. Set aside the views of any political party which you may support and look from all the angles. Consider only your particular personal values, beliefs, and desires for your life and the lives of others; and, most importantly, be honest with yourself. In addition, don’t tell me your answer. Just answer to yourself. My question is: Whether you belong to the “top one percent” of our society, the most powerful and wealthy, or to the “lower ninety-nine percent” notwithstanding, what kind of world is it in which you really wish to live?

I am compelled to believe you, yourself, want to live a long, happy, healthy, successful, and prosperous life with equal opportunity for all, wishing the same for your children and extended family. Given that is true, wouldn’t you, also, want the same for your fellow-man and for your country? Would you not, also, want that same “good life” for your world, the whole world in which you live and raise your family? Would you, on the other hand, be happy or content in a nation or society where your neighbors were hungry, homeless, crime was rampant, and war and terror is all around us? Given the current reality of such, are you, therefore, happy today?

Is not a world and/or nation in which business, government, money, and power serves the people, as opposed to the people serving them, preferable?

I know. I said I wanted to ask a question. There I go again.

Ronald Miller

mtss86@comcast.net

Defense Spending

          The cry in Congress is “Cut Spending. We are spending way too much money. We are going broke”. We’re certainly doing that all right. In my posting to this blog on January 7^th, I discussed the subject of government spending, especially defense spending, and it is not a pretty picture. As a matter of fact, our spending for defense is an abomination to this country and an insult to the intelligence of those managing it, their integrity notwithstanding. We certainly need defense and the necessary spending that goes with it. We all agree with that, I’m sure, but we don’t need the downright criminal lying, cheating, stealing, and politicking that are going with it, not to mention the bungling inefficiencies in the procurement processes.

          January 28^th, Army Times published an article on their website reporting the filing on January 23^rd of a civil suit against the company, KBR (formerly, Kellogg, Brown, & Root), for incidents which occurred in 2003 and 2004, ten years ago. The charges?–KBR used morgue reefers to transport ice and food for human consumption without properly sanitizing them first, charging the government for the cost of these reefers without disclosing their prior use. In addition, the report also alleges that the heart of the Justice Department’s suit lays in the claim that Kellogg, Brown & Root Services Inc., and Kuwaiti companies La Nouvelle General Trading & Contracting Co. (La Nouvelle) and First Kuwaiti Trading Co. (First Kuwaiti), in 2003 and 2004, took kickbacks and submitted false claims in connection with KBR’s army contract to provide support in Iraq.

The alleged activities occurred under the Logistics Civil Augmentation Program, or LOGCAP III, an umbrella contract for an indefinite delivery of an indefinite quantity of wartime logistical support services such as transportation, maintenance, food, shelter, and facilities management. KBR is alleged to have claimed inflated, excessive reimbursements as well as reimbursement for goods and services that were grossly deficient or not provided, one example of which is a subcontract to supply fuel tankers for more than three times the tankers value. La Nouvelle later rewarded the KBR employee who awarded the subcontract with a $1 million bank draft, the suit claims.

This is only a small example of the corruption in our Defense Department. Let me suggest to you a book which will provide many more–many, many more. Buy it. Read it. Read about the Carlisle Group, KBR, DARPA, Bechtel, Lockheed Martin, Halliburton, the Cheney connection, the Bush family connection, and the Saudi connection. The title of the book is, What Every American Should Know About Who Is Really Running The World, written by Melisa Rossi and published by Penguin in 2005. Once finished, you will understand much more fully the Shadow Government of the Corporatocracy and Power Elite, really in charge of and running our country.

As an afterthought, in the event you do care enough about what is happening to our country and choose to read the additional matter recommended, ask yourself a couple questions. In light of the fact that many of these same companies have been sued time and time again over the years for these fraudulent acts, why do our leaders continue to buy from them? Why don't we purge each and every one of them from our source of suppliers? One more, please–why do we persist in continuing with this enormously expensive facade of subcontracting?

Ronald Miller

mtss86@comcast.net

Our Democracy and Our Sovereignty

          I have discussed repeatedly our form of government, a Democratic Republic, with freedom and justice for all wherein we all should have a vote–a say in government, a government of the people, by the people, and for the people. I have also talked about our Shadow Government, our real government, a government by the Corporatocracy and Power Elite which, behind the scenes, really runs out great nation, dictating the lives and fortunes of our people, i.e. you and me, and taking from us our inalienable rights under our Constitution–our rights as citizens, through the buying of our elections and the procurement of our representatives–all too often a two-way street.

          What I have consistently advocated is the right of equal opportunity for all and the people’s right to participate in the productivity and wealth of the nation in accordance with their contribution to society and their ability to produce. Those who for whatever reason do not have the ability to produce need to be helped or supported by those of us who do have the ability, in proportion to their needs. In no way is a policy of survival of the fittest and the establishment of huge garbage piles of human rejects acceptable in a civilized society or a successful nation for that matter–No Way!

 In conjunction with this, the size of our government should be as large or as small as whatever our people want and are willing to pay for. This should and must be the decision of all the people, 100% of them–not just a handful making the decision for all of us. To that end, payment through taxation should and must be based on a progressive tax system based upon the taxpayer’s ability to pay. Those blessed with the greatest gifts from God, i.e. intelligence, leadership skills, etc. and make the greater contribution to society should be paid accordingly. They should also be taxed accordingly. To whom the most is given, the most is required. For those who want smaller government, as I, eliminate duplication in government and do it now. Don’t just talk about it, as you have for these many years. Consolidate intelligence and other duplicative agencies, just one example of which might be the catfish-inspection office at the Agriculture Department, duplicated at the Food and Drug Administration. Discontinue the practice of shifting functions of government to subcontracting to hide the real cost of government–subcontractors in Iraq or boots on the ground–same function, but the subcontractors sure cost a lot more–just another subterfuge.

    

Before I end this for today, I want to cover one more aspect of our government. Our nation promotes democracy around the world, spending billions upon billions of dollars in doing so. We advocate human rights. We preach fair treatment. We honor our national sovereignty and right to freedom, almost to the point of worship. And yet, privately, under the table or behind the scenes, not inconsistent with our Shadow Government by the Corporatocracy and Power Elite, we control the other nations of the world (the third world for example), taking from them the same rights we so strongly proclaim–those where we know better, however, excluded (you know, Russia, China, North Korea, ….).

I was studying another subject this afternoon; and, in the course of events, I came upon an article about NSSM200, National Security Study Memorandum 200. At first, I could hardly believe what I was reading. It was a report on the Implications of Worldwide Population Growth for U.S. Security and Overseas Interests, completed December 10, 1974 by the United States National Security Council under the direction of Henry Kissinger. It was adopted almost a year later in November, 1975 by President Gerald Ford. Originally classified, i.e. kept secret from the people, it was later declassified and obtained by researchers in the early 1990’s.

The basic thesis of the memorandum was that population growth in the least developed countries of the world (known as LDCs) is a concern to U.S. national security, because it would tend to risk civil unrest and political instability in countries that had a high potential for economic development. This policy gives “paramount importance” to population control measures and the promotion growth which the US deems inimical to the socio-political and economic growth of these countries and to the national interests of the United States, since the “U.S. economy will require large and increasing amounts of minerals from abroad”, and these countries can produce destabilizing opposition forces against the United States. It recommends that US leadership “influence national leaders”, and that “improved world-wide support for population-related efforts should be sought through increased emphasis on mass media and other population education and motivation programs by the U.N., USIA, and USAID.” (I interpret this as mind control. We do it here at home all the time. Just watch the TV news.)

How about that? What happened to our belief in national sovereignty? Hmm…. Apparently, it is ethically permissible for Russia, China, or whatever nation that so desires to do so for the sake of their national security, however defined, to take control over the people of the United States of America? What, if they do (and we don’t like it) and our people strike back with whatever means within our abilities? Will that make us terrorists? They surely need our coal, corn, wheat…… Oh! One more question, if I might. Does this policy established by Henry Kissinger in 1974 conform to the principles set forth by our forefathers when they established our nation, i.e. “life, liberty, and justice for all”, or the principle that “all men are created equal” or …..? Maybe that’s the reason they kept it secret for so long–good thing there was no Edwin Snowden then. This makes me wonder as to what our Shadow Government has in store for us next.

Ronald Miller

mtss86@comcast.net