Is partisanship making America better?

Red state, blue state divide: One party will never rule!

"Despite Democratic promises that the House Rules Committee would operate much differently in the new majority, it is as partisan as ever," writes the Hill.

"Furious with how the powerful panel has been directed this year, all four Republican members of the Rules Committee took to the floor Tuesday night to air their grievances publicly."

Wow! Who woulda thunk partisanship wouldn't stop just because Democrats took office?

The partisanship between the left and right hasn't abated in decades. Each side wants to rule America supremely and, therefore, constantly seeks to tarnish the image of the other side, even at the expense of needed legislation. And, every piece of legislation that does pass is riddled with earmarks, pork and other special projects - costing average American taxpayers billions and billions of dollars.

Of course, whom can blame them?

Average, centrist America has let the radical right and left control both major parties. Thus, average Americans continue to get screwed by Congress and the White House, and nothing is going to change that until America Votes out all Incumbents, or both parties begin to realize that their job is constructive consensus, not violent partisanship.

Is partisanship a necessary evil in politics or the sign of a dysfunctional political system?

2008: The Vote Against Incumbents Campaign

Could a fresh start be any worse?

Partisanship. Is there a better word to describe Congress? Unfortunately, it isn't just Congress, it's the radical left and right of the citizenry as well.

It's either their way or no way, yet neither the far left nor the far right represent the views of the MAJORITY of Americans. These two groups of extremists, however, are the most vocal, organized and funded, so they significantly shape the voice of their respective parties because the majority stays silent.

I say screw both Republicans and Democrats. America is neither 100 percent Republican, nor 100 percent Democrat and it never will be! In fact, if all the non-Voters voted as a bloc for an Independent Presidential candidate, he or she WOULD win.

Sure, politicians do need to stand for their Party sometimes, but politicians are supposed to represent the People, not the Party. Today, however, the Party is more important than the people.

Most Americans Do Not, on a daily basis, think of themselves as Democrats or Republicans. We think of ourselves as AMERICANS just trying to survive from paycheck to paycheck as our tax dollars pay for ever more earmarks and pork-barrel projects. Democrats and Republicans, unfortunately, could seem to care less about AMERICANS that do not think exactly as they do. Shame on you.

WE, The People, however, don't stop and ask to which Party someone belongs when help is needed.

Screw Democrats. Screw Republicans. And, especially, screw the incumbents. Seriously, how much worse could our political monopoly become?

Bush more popular than Congress?!?!

Bush testing out a plug-in hybrid vehicle

George Bush is unpopular. That's no secret. According to the most recent Gallup Poll, Bush's approval rating is holding steady at about 33 percent. This low approval rating led many to believe that the unpopular President helped lead to a Democrat-controlled Congress.

But is that the real story?

According to the same Gallup poll, Congress has an approval rating of just 29 percent. Congress is even less popular than the President?

I think Democrats better wake up, as better Republicans. Ultimately, Democrats probably won control of Congress simply because they weren't Republicans - that's it. It was a vote for change that gave Democrats control of Congress.

Yet, has anything really changed? Certainly, the gross, unproductive partisanship of Congress has not changed, and nothing is being accomplished. Even worse, it is possible that essentially nothing will be accomplished until early 2008 - at best.

Perhaps in 2008, when America again votes for change, it shouldn't be limited to replacing Democrats with Republicans or vice versa. Instead, perhaps EVERY incumbent should be replaced?! Perhaps EVERY incumbent should be replaced with an Independent candidate?

Now that would be a change. Seriously, could it get any worse? When the best that is accomplished is, well, nothing, can it really get any worse?

Register to vote. Take a stand for change in 2008.

Government spending at all time high

"For the first seven months of this budget year, which began Oct. 1, revenue collections and government spending are at all-time highs.

However, the spending total of $1.585 billion was up at a slower pace of 3.2 percent from the previous year."

So the government is out-of-control, but it isn't spinning quite as quickly out-of-control?

Let's do it. Register to vote! Dump the incumbents!

(Source: Yahoo via Drudge)

Not just the President: America is also mad at Congress

Get rid of all the incumbents?

The people of the U.S. are not very happy with the job the President is doing according to every poll. A new poll, however, indicates the people are just as unhappy with Congress, despite a switch from Republican control to Democrat control.

"The survey found only 35 percent approve of how Congress is handling its job, down 5 percentage points in a month. That gives lawmakers the same bleak approval rating as Bush, who has been mired at about that level since last fall, including his dip to a record low for the AP-Ipsos poll of 32 percent last January." (GuardianUnlimited)

If we expect change, isn't it time to really change Congress? So, register to vote and lets vote out the incumbents - ALL of them. Yes, a few good people will be lost, but isn't it time for a fresh start?

Democrats prove Congressional waste is non-partisan

While Democrats won over Congress by simply not being Republicans, they are acting just like Republicans now that they are in power. Apparently, America's danger spots, in terms of National Security, are now places like Belgium and the Caribbean.

Rep. Bennie Thompson of Mississippi said he toured the Caribbean because he now chairs the Homeland Security Committee and wanted to see vacation hot spots to “examine border security and port security.” Boy, isn't that convenient?

Isn't it time for Americans to accept the fact that both Republicans and Democrats suck?

Voting out Republicans was O.K., but the focus should have been to vote out ALL incumbents. Party politics don't help the people, just the parties.

(Source: Examiner)

Are you an angry voter? Planning to vote against incumbents?

A new poll suggests that the majority of Americans are angry about how the country is being run and they plan to vote against incumbents (more).

Are you an angry voter? Why?

I'm an angry voter. Of course, since both sides of the aisle have decided to make partisanship their main platform, is it really surprising that nothing good is coming out of Congress?

While I'm totally for voting against incumbents, I do believe that little will change without a higher American voter turnout. Moreover, I think we shouldn't just vote against incumbents, we should vote for outsiders.

I say forget the career politicians. I say forget the die-hard Republicans AND Democrats.

A vote for change requires real change - a completely new voice, a completely new platform.

Rate your incumbent anger!

A call to those that don't vote

So you don't think your vote will count? Or, maybe you don't think there is really any difference between Republicans and Democrats - both are just controlled by well-funded lobbyists? Well, that is no excuse not to vote. If you fit either one of these categories, get out and vote, dammit. Vote for a third party candidate. Even if you have to vote for a Democrat or Republican, then vote against the incumbent. Vote for someone new. If millions of us vote third party and/or against incumbents we could make it much harder for lobbyists and special interest groups to control the outcome of elections. So register to vote. You can make a difference!

Peggy Noonan's Third Time: Ready for a New Political Party?

When those not voting outnumber the voters of either Democrats or Republicans, you know there is a problem. Add in 90%+ incumbency and you know it's time for a change. So, can a new political party be the answer? Perhaps according to a new article from Peggy Noonan, "Something's happening. I have a feeling we're at some new beginning, that a big breakup's coming, and that though it isn't and will not be immediately apparent, we'll someday look back on this era as the time when a shift began," she states regarding a Third Party. Still, my favorite quote is, "The problem is that the parties in Washington, and the people on the ground in America, are polarized. There is an increasing and profound distance between the rulers of both parties and the people--between the elites and the grunts, between those in power and those who put them there."

If we can't have a new party, I say vote against ALL incumbents. The few good politicians we lose are worth the gain of cleaning our political house!

Medical marijuana and voting

So, the Supreme Court ruled that federal law is more important than state law when it comes to medical marijuana. I guess that isn't really much of a surprise.

Nonetheless, the evidence that marijuana has medical uses is indisputable. The Medical Association, not the DEA, should be responsible for the governance of this medicine. The rights of Americans are being denied.

Doctors already control the use of drugs far more dangerous than marijuana. Why the bias? Prisons, police, pharmaceutical companies, and fat advertising contracts - whole industries demanding more money to increase the race for the proverbial carrot on a stick, a battle that can never be won?

For decades 100s of billions have been wasted trying to prevent 'Reefer Madness' without success as drug use has increased. Isn't the definition of insanity doing the same thing over and over but expecting different results each time?

Then there is hemp. Hemp For Victory saved America in WWII, but it's too dangerous to help with global warming, pollution, and foreign oil dependency?

Are the only leaders in American politics fascists? If hemp was so important for Washington and Jefferson, why is it so dangerous today?

The Supreme Court made it very clear, this is an issue for Congress and the people. Since Congress only cares about re-election, nothing is going to be accomplished.

So, get registered to vote! Let's wipe the slate clean. Down with all incumbents!

And buy a hybrid car!