Anyone who knows me or who has read some of my comments and posts will know that I have tremendous disdain for the politicians in Washington and the dysfunctional way they behave. They’re like a bunch of little kids arguing on the playground. I think they forget that they’re there to do the work of the American citizens and taxpayers who elected them to serve us. Unfortunately, it’s got to the point that they’re just looking out for themselves. They’ve created this entire political elite class who live in the increasingly isolated world of Washington where everything is ok. They don’t know what it’s like back in their constituencies and the problems that the people face every day. It’s like going to Disney World and escaping from reality for the day, except Washington is permanently detached from reality. Continue reading
Government
Symposium 2012: What are your thoughts on the debt ceiling debate that will be forthcoming in 2013?
RMC3: It’s the perfect opportunity for the Republicans to stick it to the Democrats and the President. They need to say they’re not going to increase the debt ceiling and force this issue of massive spending cuts. Let the government shut down. It sure as hell isn’t functioning well as it is. It’s like we’ve got a bunch of dysfunctional derelicts controlling the hardworking American taxpayers’ tax dollars—just spending on anything and everything that comes along. Washington is guilty of financial gluttony. They’re not willing to make any sacrifices because it may not be popular with their constituents or with the voters. And so, they’re spending us into financial oblivion. Continue reading
Symposium 2012: Can America ever achieve energy independence?
Cartwright: Not as long as Americans are obsessed with driving their cars and aren’t willing to make sacrifices. Hell, they bitch when the price of gas goes up ten or fifteen cents. The way we’re going there is absolutely no hope of achieving energy independence. Continue reading
Symposium 2012: What are your thoughts on the Congress and the job it is doing?
RMC3: Let’s see. The Senate hasn’t passed a budget in years, and the House keeps giving Obama everything he wants. The House was ready to take one for the team in this whole fiscal cliff debate. So, I’d say they’re an abject failure just like the last Congress. They’re all up there on Capitol Hill doing their little dog and pony show but it’s all just PR. They’re not going to do anything about spending. They haven’t done anything about the spending over the last couple years except get us deeper and deeper in debt. They haven’t done anything about entitlement reform that we’ve needed for decades. There’s more partisan bickering than ever before, so I’m hard pressed to have a favorable opinion of the Congress at this point. Continue reading
Symposium 2012: What role did the media play in the 2012 election?
Sydney: There can be no doubt that with each passing election the media plays a growing role and definitely is a factor that influences the result. During the Presidential campaign TV stations and newspapers were packed with commentary analyzing every step that each candidate made, and every word that they spoke. It would be impossible to believe that the media didn’t help sway voter opinion in Mitt Romney’s favor following the first debate, or that it turned opinion against him following his leaked speech to his supporters. Continue reading
Symposium 2012: 2016…Are you willing to make any predictions on the Democrat presidential nominee and Republican nominee?
Sydney: On the Democrat side Hillary Clinton is probably the standout candidate at the moment. She is vastly experienced in politics. Her stint as Secretary of State further bolstered her credentials in the important area of foreign relations and should serve her well if she does decide to run for the Presidency. Continue reading
Symposium 2012: More and more states and municipalities are facing bankruptcy. Is it up to the federal government and taxpayers to bail them out?
Sydney: This is a difficult question. The Federal Government can’t let the States and other municipalities to go broke but says it doesn’t have the money to bail them out. However, the Federal Reserve could buy municipal bonds to help the States. This would cost hundreds of billions of dollars but when you consider that the government gave trillions of dollars to the banks because they couldn’t be allowed to fail the money needed to save States and municipalities seems like a drop in the ocean. Continue reading
Symposium 2012: What are your thoughts on early voting and voting procedures in the U.S.? Is it time for reform?
RMC3: I’m not a big fan of early voting. Growing up, you voted on Election Day unless you voted absentee and then you had to have a really good excuse as to why you needed to vote absentee. I think the whole early voting scheme is just a convenient way to rig elections and stuff ballot boxes. Early voting needs to be eliminated, and there needs to be a stringent procedure for voting absentee. You need to prove you’re going to be out of town or whatever. Continue reading
10 Ways the Federal Government Can Save Money…Almost Immediately
Submitted by Digger Cartwright
The massive federal budget deficits of the last several years have resulted in an unprecedented increase in our national debt. Since President Obama came to office, the national debt has soared from $10 trillion to nearly $16 trillion, a 50% increase. This uncontrolled federal spending and the accompanying increase in the level of national debt cannot continue. Otherwise we will find ourselves in the same situation as Greece, Spain, Portugal, Italy and other countries whose massive social programmes have led them to financial collapse. If we do not control the amount of federal spending, stop deficit spending, and stop increasing the national debt, several things will ultimately happen. This isn’t speculation, it is simply economic fact what will eventually happen: Continue reading
Do the Super PACs Undermine Our Democratic System?
From Thinking Outside The Boxe’s Sydney Correspondent: Super PACs (Political Action Committees) are organizations that can accept unlimited contributions from individuals, unions and corporations as long as they do not make contributions to candidates or parties, or collaborate with them in their spending (which is also unlimited). These Super PACs have been the subject of much controversy with many votes believing they should be illegal and that they have too much influence. Even their advertisements have been criticized. But in a country which values the right to free speech should people be banned from expressing their political opinion publicly? Democracy gives everyone the right to have their say. Isn’t that what those contributing to the Super PAC’s are doing? What this question boils down to is the debate over whether there is too much money being spent on and in politics. Continue reading
Thinking Outside The Boxe 