Thanks, House Speaker John Boehner. You have successfully presided over a Congress which has the dubious distinction of officially becoming the least productive Congress in the history of the U.S.
The 113th Congress is solidly on track to enact 251 laws in total — over 10 percent less bills than the 112th Congress — which itself was credited with enacting the least amount of legislation since 1973.
Yet, if our Constitution were to be very carefully amended to change the purpose of the Congress, we could likely find that you have set a new record for frivolous activity, including the most recent announcement of your intention to file a taxpayer-funded lawsuit against the President of the United States for trying to do his job (against incredible opposition from House Republicans).
Despite some apparent irony in your pending lawsuit, I see at least one really positive facet to your case.
Although the current situation is not being billed as an impeachment, there are several Washington insiders who seem to think that filing a lawsuit is the foundation for an impeachment.
The last time the ultra-conservative right tried for an impeachment, their case relied on some sort of stain on a blue dress.
The good news from my perspective? The ultra-conservatives seem to have expanded their horizons a bit. It’s no longer focused on White House interns; now we have some actual issues to discuss.
I only wish they could find room to include Republican House leadership in their case.
Speaker Boehner and your band of merry men have refused to do your jobs, evidenced by your unwillingness to deal with critical issues (immigration, unemployment, tax reform), yet able to find the time to conduct 40 votes to repeal ‘ObamaCare’.
Speaker Boehner and the House Republicans – with front-man Ted Cruz leading the House Theatre of the Absurd — had the audacity to shut down the entire Federal government for a couple of weeks in October 2013, costing the American economy some $24 Billion in direct costs.
No doubt, the antics and shenanigans of the 113th Congress is the 21st Century version of The Adventures of Alice in Wonderland.
So, thanks again, John Boehner. Lewis Carroll left us with the wisdom, “If you don’t know where you are going any road can take you there,” so I know he would be mighty proud that you have been able to update and continue his saga for current and future generations!
Walrus Feeling Guilty
October 4, 2013
With all of the attention on the shenanigans in Washington and the in-depth moment by moment reporting, I thought the Walrus might sit this one out, but various forces have caused guilt.
Congress certainly has the authority to challenge the Affordable Care Act. Why don’t they just challenge the ACA in Court? Why are they messing with the greatest economy in the World?
Oh, wait. They did challenge it in court. In the Supreme Court. The highest court in the land. On June 28, 2012, the United States Supreme Court issued an opinion upholding the constitutionality of the “Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act” finding that the federal government can require people to purchase affordable health care insurance coverage or face an income tax penalty.
So, we have a law which was approved by the House of Representatives, approved by the U.S. Senate, approved by the President of the U.S. and affirmed by the Supreme Court.
But, wait! We also have a splinter group of dubiously elected officials (i.e. the Ayatollah John Boehner, Cruz Control, Private Ryan, Eric “T.P.” Cantor – and others who shall remain anonymous for now).
These creatures have determined (in September 2013) that the only appropriate way for the Congress to arrive at a Continuing Budget Resolution which would keep our federal government running is to open a debate on a law which was enacted in 2010?
Now, don’t get me wrong. There are many times I wish that I could just put all of the clocks and calendars around the world on pause. Just give me a few days to catch up on all of the loose ends, and then I would restart the clocks and calendars as though those few days I had to myself were invisible and inconsequential. Sort of like a short “working vacation” in the Twilight Zone.
Boehner and his Band of Merry Men apparently have gone beyond the Twilight Zone and have jumped all the way down the rabbit hole, desperately trying to drag the rest of the country with them.
I have to wonder – how does the Supreme Court feel about this behavior?
Cheney and Rumsfield: United Again!
May 16, 2013
Headline: Former Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld, former Vice President Dick Cheney call Benghazi a cover-up
‘If you’re going to put people at risk, you have to try to protect them,’ says Rumsfeld.
‘They lied,’ says Cheney.
This is solid stuff.
Cheney and Rumsfeld are world-class experts in lies, cover-ups and deception, so they must not be trifled with.
Although the investigations into the false claims around WMD (which led to to the war in Iraq and the subsequent invasion of Afghanistan, and have cost some $3.7 Trillion and well in excess of 200,000 lives) have not yet started, it certainly makes sense to paralyze the U.S. government with multiple, continued and fruitless Benghazi investigations.
Thanks, Dick, for being you!
A Real Tragedy of the Bush-Cheney Regime
April 18, 2013
Some of us who survived the Vietnam tragedy (either by serving and returning or by another means) viewed U.S. involvement in the various Middle East wars as tragedy of epic proportions.
During the most recent Reign of Terror (Bush-Cheney) — just 9 months into his Presidency, Bushy – using the slogan “War on Terror” — got us into a religious war in the Middle East through a combination of lies, subterfuge and self-dealing financial benefit contracts.
About 6,700 Americans have died in those two wars, as have about 1,400 allied personnel, Canadians prominent among them.
That is a dreadfully huge number. The roster of the slain would have stretched even longer, but for the amazing advances in military armor and military medicine over the past generation.
More than 50,000 Americans have been wounded in battle since 9/11 — 16,000 of them so seriously that they would certainly have died had they suffered an equivalent wound in any prior conflict.
So, in addition to the huge loss of life and human potential among our young adults who were called to serve in this senseless and stupid war(s), we have the diversion of taxpayer dollars into an abyss; the incredible human and financial costs of caring for wounded warriors who battled in vain; and the continued high terror threats to the U.S. due to religious zealots who – for the next 7 generations, or so – will equate the entire U.S. to the terrible decisions and evil intentions of the Bush-Cheney Reign of Terror Regime.
When Bill Clinton had a momentary loss of judgment and allowed an over-zealous female intern to get under his desk, Congress pounced and after spending countless millions and wasting scarce federal resources, came very close to impeachment.
The Bush-Cheney Reign of Terror Regime created a false and fully egregious story which led to the launch of Operation Enduring Freedom (Afghanistan) on October 7, 2001, followed by a further fairy tale which opened up Operation Iraqi Freedom, beginning with the invasion of Iraq on March 19, 2003.
In the dozen years since, the U.S. — and the world — has seen zero benefit, plenty of costs.
I’ve heard no call for impeachment, no accusations of impropriety.
When will we draw the line and hold these domestic terrorists – Bush & Cheney – accountable for their evil deeds?
Wizard of Oz & Sequestration
February 23, 2013
For the first 210 +/- years of our 2-party Democracy, we were blessed to have elected officials who were statesmen and who seemed to place the public good before their own personal agendas.
Since the birth of Americans for Tax Reform under the leadership of Grover Norquist – and subsequently the rise of ‘Tea Party’ backed candidates — we’ve witnessed a series of national dramas which seem to accomplish nothing, but waste scarce resources and divert our elected leaders from doing the job we elected them to do.
The only honest and sustainable way to reduce taxes is to re-engineer and reform government, and that requires a great deal of analysis, planning and making tough decisions.
It seems that some of our elected officials just don’t want to roll up their sleeves and do the hard work; then make the tough decisions which are supported by careful analysis and research.
We just can’t let a farmer from rural Ohio continue to hold our country hostage because of some wealthy campaign contributor(s) he is beholden to.
That’s not a Democracy: it is a ‘Wizard of Oz’ Dictatorship.
And that’s wrong, terribly wrong.
http://www.dccc.org/page/s/sequester-ja?source=fb_auto_share_sequester_ja
Owners of Handguns in New York State
January 5, 2013
On December 14, 2012, one individual — who apparently obtained by force several semi-automatic firearms from a family member — shot and killed 26 innocent victims at the Sandy Hook School in Newtown, CT.
The firearms included one rifle – the controversial .223 caliber Bushmaster AR-15 — which by several definitions has been categorized as an assault weapon.
The other semi-automatic weapons were hand guns – one was a 10 mm Glock which can accommodate a 15 round magazine. The other was a Sig Sauer 9 mm, which can accommodate a maximum capacity of 20 bullets.
Following this tragic event, a nearby regional newspaper – The Journal News — filed a freedom of information act (FOIA) request with Westchester, Rockland and Putnam counties in NYS seeking the names and addresses of pistol permit holders in these counties.
By New York State law, the name and address of individual permit holders licensed to own a handgun — a pistol or revolver – is public record.
Owners of ‘long guns’ — rifles or shotguns which can be purchased without a permit — are not subject to public record disclosure.
I just listened to a radio interview with NYS Senator Gregory Ball on the controversial ‘outing’ of the names and addresses of hand gun permit holders by The Journal News.
In the interview, Senator Ball was adamant in his opposition to releasing information (which is required under NYS law) based on his personal values and opinions.
Senator Ball has held elected office in New York State since 2007. Several times, he has taken an oath of office to “…support the constitution of the United States, and the constitution of the State of New York…”
The Journal News published names and addresses of hand gun permit holders from public record information obtained from Rockland and Westchester counties, which is both legal and appropriate in New York State.
Officials in Putnam County have refused to release the gun permit information to The Journal News.
Senator Ball has joined with other elected and appointed public officials in Putnam County to oppose the FOIA request from The Journal News.
This FOIA request seems to follow the laws of the State of New York; thus is fully in compliance with the Constitution of the State of New York.
It is my belief that NYS Senator Gregory Ball has violated his oath of office and thus should be sanctioned and removed from public office and further subject to any civil or criminal penalties which are available and appropriate for elected officials in New York State who flagrantly and blatantly violate their oath of office.
It is time for honest and productive discussion about firearms in New York State and across the U.S.
Firearms
January 4, 2013
On December 14, 2012, one individual — who apparently obtained by force several semi-automatic firearms from a family member — shot and killed 26 innocent victims at the Sandy Hook School in Newtown, CT.
The firearms included one rifle – the controversial .223 caliber Bushmaster AR-15 — which by several definitions has been categorized as an assault weapon.
The other semi-automatic weapons were hand guns – one was a 10 mm Glock which can accommodate a 15 round magazine. The other was a Sig Sauer 9 mm, which can accommodate a maximum capacity of 20 bullets.
Following this tragic event, a nearby regional newspaper – The Journal News — filed a freedom of information act (FOIA) request with Westchester, Rockland and Putnam counties in NYS seeking the names and addresses of pistol permit holders in these counties.
By New York State law, the name and address of individual permit holders licensed to own a handgun — a pistol or revolver – is public record.
Owners of ‘long guns’ — rifles or shotguns, which can be purchased without a permit — are not subject to public record disclosure in New York State.
Earlier today, I istened to a radio interview with NYS Senator Gregory Ball on the controversial ‘outing’ of the names and addresses of hand gun permit holders by The Journal News.
In the interview, Senator Ball was adamant in his opposition to releasing information (which is required under NYS law) based on his personal values and opinions.
Senator Ball has held elected office in New York State since 2007. Several times, he has taken an oath of office to “…support the constitution of the United States, and the constitution of the State of New York…”
The Journal News published names and addresses of hand gun permit holders from public record information obtained from Rockland and Westchester counties, which is both legal and appropriate in New York State.
Officials in Putnam County have refused to release the gun permit information to The Journal News.
Senator Ball has joined with other elected and appointed public officials in Putnam County to oppose the FOIA request from The Journal News.
Whether it is religiously or morally right or wrong, this FOIA request seems to follow the laws of the State of New York; thus is fully in compliance with the Constitution of the State of New York.
It is my belief that NYS Senator Gregory Ball has violated his oath of office and thus should be sanctioned and removed from public office and further subject to any civil or criminal penalties which are available and appropriate for elected officials in New York State who flagrantly and blatantly violate their oath of office.
Hopefully, there is a procedure in the NYS Constitution to sanction Senator Ball, and the appropriate officals will step in to rescue my fellow residents, voters and taxpayers in NYS from clearly unconstitutional behavior by our elected officials.
A Letter to Hon. John Boehner
December 28, 2012
Hon. John Boehner
Office of the Speaker
H-232 The Capitol
Washington, DC 20515
Dear Mr. Boehner:
I’ve been following the saga of ‘the fiscal cliff’ since the end of summer 2012.
It was made very clear to us outside the Beltway (commonly known as citizens, voters and taxpayers) that our elected officials in Congress would take no action until after the November elections.
As disappointing as that news was, it seemed reasonable and appropriate to many of us on the outside to expect that our elected officials would do some talking behind the scenes in preparation for a call to action after the election at which time our elected officials would work together in the best interest of the overall U.S. economy — business, commerce, education and the citizens of the United States.
Now – several months later and just a few days from the ‘tipping point’ a.k.a the ‘fiscal cliff’– we seem to have a continuation of the petty, partisan and puerile drama that has come to categorize our Congress following the national elections of 2010.
November 2010 marked the point in time when a number of conservative tea party candidates were elected to the House of Representatives. The infusion of passionate but neophyte tea party representatives — all of whom signed the Grover Norquist Pledge — precipitated your election as Speaker in January 2011, which coincidently seems to mark the beginning of extreme dysfunction in our nation’s capital.
I have listened to you and some of the ‘young rascals’ who were elected in 2010 under the tea party platform.
When I listen, I hear some really great sound bites, focused almost entirely on the federal government.
There is no one I’ve met who wouldn’t like to see smaller government and reduced government spending — sweetened by the magic elixir of reduced taxes.
The real problem seems to be: Government (as we see and interact with it from outside the Beltway) includes federal, state, county, local, schools and a vast number of entities which operate in the public sector as ‘quasi-government’ agencies.
As a citizen, voter and taxpayer in the U.S., I know I pay: federal income taxes; federal excise taxes; state income taxes; state sales taxes; county property taxes; county sales taxes; city property taxes; city sales taxes; city sewer taxes; city library taxes; and property taxes levied by my local school district. I can quantify the majority of those taxes: what I can’t quantify is the amount of other government and quasi-government fees and taxes I pay daily, weekly monthly or annually: highway and bridge tolls, parking fees, hotel occupancy fees, motor vehicle fees, MTA fees, license fees, daily use fees, and park access fees, most of which are invisible to me.
You and the ‘young rascals’ have some great rhetoric: What I don’t hear from you and your tea party cabal is dialogue, discussion, research or new ideas about re-engineering our overall government in the U.S. for enhanced efficiency and longer term sustainability.
Mr. Boehner: With your intractable and rigid focus on cutting spending at the margins and continued tax breaks for the ultra-rich, I think you and your tea party followers may be threatening the very essence of the United States and our economy as a going concern.
That thought leads me to believe that you and some (or all) of your tea party cabal may be guilty of treason because your actions are diametrically opposed to the best interests of my fellow citizens, voters and taxpayer of the United States of America.
It is my hope, Mr. Boehner, that come Monday, December 31, 2012, you and your followers will move away from treason to align with the majority of American citizens, businesses and American society to ensure a rational, sensible and sustainable solution to the ‘fiscal cliff’ dilemma which currently threatens our country.
Thank you in advance for considering my opinions, and hopefully, for adjusting your posture to a more inclusive and mainstream position.
Sincerly,
The Walrus
Mount Vernon, NY 10552
Mitt Romney & the Military
July 13, 2012
There seems to be an increasing interest in Gov. Romney around his expertise and general views on war and the military.
Preface my comments from one who has never served in the Armed Services and one who was adamantly opposed to the War in Vietnam:
As the Vietnam War raged in the 1960s, Mitt Romney received a deferment from the draft as a Mormon “minister of religion” for the duration of his missionary work in France, which lasted two and a half years.
Before and after his missionary deferment, Romney also received nearly three years of deferments for his academic studies. When his deferments ended and he became eligible for military service in 1970, he drew a high number in the annual lottery that determined which young men were drafted. His high number ensured he was not drafted into the military.
If Mitt Romney avoided service because he was against the Vietnam War, fine.
However, he says he wants a Hawkish foreign policy that will involve the lives of many young Americans. How about any of his 5 sons joining up for service? Not so far.
Mr. Romney has expressed appreciation for the country’s “volunteer army” and said “that’s the way we’re going to keep it. He explained his sons had made different career choices in life and had not chosen to serve in the military but he mentioned a niece whose husband he said had just been called up by the National Guard.
As many from my generation have pointed out: Mitt Romney is a Chicken Hawk and is not fit to be President. If elected, Mitt Romney would be a Coward in Chief President and he would cause irreparable damage to our country.
Buffalo & Promise Neighborhood
December 20, 2011
Back in the day, I was given a wonderful opportunity.
I was in 4th grade at PS 83 in Buffalo, NY and I was selected to be part of an experimental program that brought 16 students from various neighborhoods around the city – 8 male, 8 female – together in a 5th grade class at PS 68 with a very experienced and high-performance teacher.
Our group stayed intact from grade 5 to grade 8, and we graduated in June 1965 with the other students at PS 68, going on to the high school in our respective neighborhoods.
Sad to say, over the years, PS 68 lost its luster. It eventually sunk to the level of a failed elementary school.
In the mid-1990’s, M&T Bank discovered PS 68 and decided to adopt the school, investing not only dollars, but some of the intellectual capital of its employees and management team.
With the help of business leaders from M&T, and over a period of several years, PS 68 was transformed from a failed public school into a District Sponsored Charter School.
Today – now known as the Westminster Charter School – PS 68 is at least as good as it was in 1965 when I graduated from 8th grade.
On December 19, 2011, the neighborhood which is anchored by the Westminster Charter, Highgate Heights Elementary and Bennett High schools received notice that they had been awarded a $6 million federal grant to improve services in the neighborhood!
The Buffalo Promise Neighborhood was one of only five U.S. communities, out of more than 35 applicants, to receive the U.S. Department of Education Promise Neighborhood implementation grant in 2011.
In 2010, the Westminster Foundation was one of 21 national recipients of a federal Promise Neighborhood planning grant, which led to the establishment of the Buffalo Promise Neighborhood.
As a graduate of both PS 68 and Bennett HS, I’m proud to see this 360 degree transformation coming to life!
Thank you, M&T Bank, and all of the partners who have worked together to make this possible!
walrus51 