I wish we had a representative government

I used to live in a state where I had no representation. Both senators were Republicans who believed more in party loyalty than listening to the people. My representative had personal problems which seriously interfered with her work.

Two years ago, a new representative was elected in my district. I was certain he would come through. But I didn't see his name on the list of the 21 congresspersons who voted against the Iran Freedom Act today. My fellow constituents and I have been sold up the river again.

The Iraq Freedom Act led to a destroyed country, nearly 2400 soldiers dead (and counting), at least 30,000 civilian deaths and a tarnished international reputation. In Washington, this is considered to be a great success.

Iranians have freedom under a democratically elected government. In fact, they probably have more freedom than Americans do. Which is why they need to be destroyed so their country can be rebuilt in the image of the grand ol' U.S. of A. The same way Iraq has been successfully rebuilt, right?

Taxation without representation is tyranny. But how many people even care?

The news?

I remember Walter Cronkite. I remember Chet Huntley and David Brinkley. I remember a time when telling the news was serious business.

What were some of the top stories today? Tom Cruise is happy with fatherhood. Britney Spears is pregnant. Angelina Jolie will have her baby in an African country. Brett Favre has decided to play with the Packers for one more season. And, oh yes, the new White House press secretary used to be with Fox. (I won't say Fox News--that's being too generous.)

Try to imagine Walter Cronkite talking about the tripe that passes for news these days.

Try to imagine Chet Huntley and David Brinkley telling jokes while we patiently waited for substance.

I miss the news.

An energy crisis

When I learned how to drive, gas was twenty-nine cents a gallon. My father pulled into the gas station and a ding, ding called the attendant who would put the gas in our car, wash our windshield and check our oil. When he was done, my father gave him two dollars. That was plenty.

Soon after I got my license, there was an oil embargo. We had to wait in lines. I would go out at six in the morning to get in line for gas, behind twenty other cars. The price went up a little. More than thirty cents a gallon. We had lost the familiar twenty-nine of so many years.

Now if I drive to the station down the street I must pay more than three dollars for one gallon of gas. Nearly forty dollars to fill up my little Honda.

Back when gas was twenty-nine cents a gallon, we imagined a twenty-first century of flying cars and solar power. Not fossil fuel and SUVs. A future of justice. Not unjust aggression.

What happened? I remember the spirit of determination, the spirit of exploration, the spirit of hope.

Ask not what your country can do for you. I have a dream. One small step for man.

Now we struggle to survive.

I worry about the youth, who have never known the days of hope and dreams. The days when gas was only twenty-nine cents a gallon.

Politics, Lies and Videotapes

Osama bin Laden strikes again.

A videotape is released on Sunday. A bombing is executed on Monday. Better watch out for those blood-thirsty Muslim terrorists.

According to some sources, Osama Bin Laden is dead. Government experts swear to the authenticity of the tape. But the timing of the release of these tapes is always curious. Just as talk of impeachment is heating up. Another threat. We can't talk about impeaching the president. We need to stand united against this enemy.

Muslims come in all shades--good, bad and indifferent. But I can't believe all the accusations of bombings, kidnappings and terrorism in general. If Muslim really are doing all these things, we must be the stupidest people to ever inhabit the face of the earth.

I don't think we're that violent. And I don't think we're that stupid.

As they say, whenever an act of "terrorism" occurs, ask yourself, Who benefits?

Not the Muslims.

Exercising freedom of speech in an open and fair society

In China, a citizen cannot openly criticize her leader. Evidently, she can't criticize her leader in the United States either.

I understand the Decided may have been embarrassed by the outburst this morning, but what a wonderful opportunity to display freedom in action.

Unfortunately, this country is becoming what we always criticized the communists of being. Unjust. Unethical. Uncaring.

Do as I say, not as I do. Isn't that the way it goes?

Just a normal day

Violence in the Middle East.

Commotion in the White House.

Murders in the streets.

What's new?

Impeach the Decider

I've tried to hold off saying it. Mostly because, in this land of freedom and democracy, I am concerned about the lack of privacy on the Internet and the censure of those who express their heartfelt opinions. But I can't stay quiet any longer.

"The Decider," as he called himself at a press conference today, has to go. Along with the rest of his gang. It's time to restore some measure of dignity to the White House.

I'm tired of having a president who can't speak English. Past presidents have often been corrupt, but at least they were eloquent. If the White House is going to rob the poor to give to the rich, the least they owe us is a well-spoken leader. Not a college frat boy who sounds like he's coming off a weekend of heavy partying.

I'm tired of having a president who sees everything in black and white. With us or against us. What happened to a new frontier? What happened to nothing to fear but fear itself? What happened to of the people, by the people, for the people? I am so sick of having a foreign policy which resembles the old Batman TV series. The hero rushing to a crisis--when he's not playing the guitar or reading about goats--and the familiar cast of villains who, day after day, are thwarted in their attempts to gain control. Maybe if our president could speak English, or any other language, fluently, he would understand the nuances of life and government.

I'm also tired of a media which is enslaved to the White House. What happened to the balance of power, which is the whole secret behind the success of the U.S. experiment in democracy? The White House, Congress, Supreme Court and mainstream media are all beholden to the same master. Not one elected by the people.

Now they're beating the drums for war against Iran. It's Iran's fault, they say, that we're paying nearly $3/gallon for gas. Never mind that the U.S. has not purchased oil from Iran since the Shah was overthrown in 1979. Iran is an evil empire. Never mind that their president was democratically elected. They have no right to develop nuclear weapons. Never mind that the reason they're enriching uranium is for energy use, not war. And if they did want nuclear weapons, why can India and Israel have them but not Iran? All Muslims know the answer to that one.

This used to be a decent country. Some would say great. Now it is being run into the ground. Do the patriotic thing and push for impeachment.