America Can Prosper - Let's Make that Difference!

Americans voted for change, and instead got ripped off. Let's see about making a change that will really make a difference. Let's finally show some intelligence and get rid of the two party system guaranteed only to make politicians prosper. Let the American people prosper for a change!

Things ARE NOT Getting Better

I do not know about anyone else, but we are much worse off now than we were four years ago.. even two years ago. Groceries have risen about 60% over the last four years. Insurance rates increased. They took all the old cars and destroyed them instead of recycling which made car repair go up. Utilities have risen by 40%. Gasoline prices have seriously increased. Income taxes increased. Homeowner taxes increased. Cost of health care is outrageous even with insurance and companies paying up to 90% of the bill. After my surgery and Aidan's illness we still owe tens of thousands of dollars AFTER insurance. I am unable to hold a full time job due to my condition, yet I have to fight to get benefits and have been denied. Wages have not risen with the price of inflation, and yet they say not to worry because things are becoming stable? Seriously? We may have to sell our home - if we can due to the housing market - or lose it altogether. This is how we know the government is lying to us. They can afford fancy parties, $500 per plate dinners, and designer clothes while we scrounge to keep food on the table. In spite of this people still keep looking with blinders on going in the same direction like sheep. I'm not asking for a hand out. I miss the days when we could pay our bills and have a chance. All this because we have a middle class income? We aren't even doing as well as the lower class who get free money for being poor while we struggle to just survive.

Letter to My Senators

It is ridiculous how Congress continues to argue over the debt and the debt plan. Previously the committee of Bohner and others worked together to come up with a plan and everyone was so excited. It was a bi-partisan effort, but only until it came out of committee. Now, it seems, it's a joke because Democrats want to add more spending capitol to it and Bohner refused.

We NEED to put a stop to overspending. An American family is not allowed to overspend. If we do it we lose our home or our cars because we only have so much money going in. American families understand the concept of needing to budget. Budgeting means that we have to sacrifice some things in order to get ourselves back on our feet.

The American people are tired of the bickering and procrastination. We could care less about Democrats or Republicans or Independents for that matter. What we care about is taking care of business and getting back on track. If  you cannot do that, step down from office and let us put someone in that can.

As far as many of us here in Wisconsin are concerned - cut your pensions when you leave office. Save money there. You aren't working for us anymore so you don't need to get paid. We don't get paid when we leave a job. Quit giving yourself pay raises. Quit using the private jet to fly home. Buy a ticket and go coach like the rest of us. You are overspending and then complain about cuts. It's ludicrous.

The American people are not stupid. You cannot stand in front of us and talk about how this affects our elderly and try to run us through a series of equally picturesque and untrue statements like a carnival con-man just to get your way. If we end up broke and broken medicare, social security, and everything else won't matter anyway. So, lets get real.

Quit trying to convince us that further taxing is going to fix our problems. More tax means less jobs. Not to mention that there aren't enough rich in the nation to fix our debt crisis. Taxing them more would not even put a drop in the bucket.

Do we like the idea of cuts? No. However, we are intelligent enough to understand that it has to happen.

My husband and I are not alone on this. Look at Facebook pages and blog spots. Watch Google +. Read Twitter. You will find that the American people want you to take the cuts. We want you to show you are looking out for the people you represent and not the party you represent.

It's time to show us you went there to do a job and did not run to line your pockets.

** Of course my husband, Brian, has written to Senator Kohl before who merely responds that Brian does not know what he is talking about. Interesting, since Brian is one of the most well read and intelligent people I have ever met. I suspect that my being Magna Cum Laude and Phi Beta Kappa makes me educated, however, if I do not agree with Senator Kohl I too will be considered "uninformed," regardless of the fact that I have been reading, examining, and even researching the issue for several months now. Of course Senator Kohl is not seeking re-election, so I'm sure irritating people is not a major concern of his.

Ron Johnson is a freshman senator, but he has been vocal about the issue. It will be interesting to see his response. However, he sounds like a Republican...and of course most of  the Democrats sound like Democrats. It would be nice to find a Senator that would sound like an American who cares about the people they are supposed to represent and them be able to influence the others.

Who is to blame for the US Economic Problems?

So, is Bill Clinton, George W. Bush, or Barack Obama responsible for the economic difficulties we have in the US today? In my opinion - none of them. The citizens of the United States are responsible for our woes. Why? Because we have a free election and we spend our time arguing, not about what is really important in the nation, but which party has the best plan. We have allowed ourselves to separate into two groups like social groups in high school. But, this isn't high school.

By only aligning ourselves with a party system we are missing the big picture and not making the hard choices we should be making. Politics have become a big money industry. Politicians seem to mostly be interested in power and increasing their power. They are used to living the high life. So how do these people show they are in touch with the average Joe? They go to town hall meetings. They shake hands with citizens. They hire people to make pretty speeches. At the end of the day they go to a high end hotel or back to their high dollar home.

The current, 2011, salary for a rank-and-file member of the House and Senate is $174,000 per year. The Speaker of the House receives $223,500 per year. The Majority Leader gets paid  $193,400 as does the Majority Party Leader. The vice-president is paid $230,700 while the president himself makes $400,00 per year plus another $50,000 for an expense allowance. His family gets free room and board during his tenure as well. When Obama leaves office he will continue being paid almost $200,000 for life.

During earlier years senators and representatives were paid on a daily basis, and only if they were in session. So, perhaps during the late 1700's through the 1800's politicians were passionate and concerned with the well-being of the country. Today we don't see the same passion. We have television and news mediums that promote politicians based on their ratings and charisma. Charisma will not save this country.

Common sense tells us that continually electing politicians because of a party affiliation is fool-hearty. The democrats want to tax the rich. There are not enough rich to tax that will save this economy. They want to tax big business. Big business is already struggling, doing layoffs (part of the reason for our current high unemployment), and filing for bankruptcy. This isn't an answer to our economic woes either. Republicans want to give big business tax breaks claiming it will increase their income and allow them to hire more people. They want to cut union strength to give more power to individuals, but this would also mean that the big companies would have to do the right thing by their employees. But how will this cut the national debt in time even if more people are working and paying taxes?

Everyone complains about the welfare system and how so many people take advantage of our hard earned tax dollars, but no one wants to let anyone take steps to do a much needed revamp. We all complain about the loss of social security and how it needs to be saved, yet no one wants to have it touched in order to fix it. So what is the answer to our woes?

The answer is to quit listening to party politics and start using the free education we were given and making a sound judgement based on taking an honest interest in what people are trying to run for office. Quit financing high dollar campaigns. The man with the money doesn't have to win. The man with a solid plan and a passion for this country should have a fighting chance to honestly represent us. It shouldn't matter if he wears an Armani suit or has a manicure. It's time for us to make a real change in this country. Only the American people can do it. We just need to care enough.

(Side note:  Perhaps Paul Ryan has a good plan. He's been demeaned by Democrats and denounced by his fellow Republicans. At least he puts himself out there and isn't deterred by ridicule. Maybe he should step out of the party and garner independent support.)

More Random Rantings... :)

Okay, I haven't written in a while. It's been hard with the surgery and having both knees replaced. Recovery takes a long time...and I have to adjust to bionic knees now. But it is far less painful now than it was before I had my surgery. I am looking forward to recovery.
To the anonymous woman that was in the hospital with me and only had one knee done and was screaming - Woman! Get up!!!! Laying in bed only prolongs the agony.

Okay, now I've been watching Dancing with the Stars. I seriously love watching Bristol Palin dance. She isn't a professional singer, dancer, or actor. It is amazing watching someone that has no previous show biz experience learning how to dance and watch her progress. Now, for those of you that argue that she's not a "celebrity" think again. This is the same girl that everyone wanted to hear about when her mother was running for Vice President. You guys put her on the front page of the newspaper because she was pregnant and 17. Congratulations. You have created a celebrity. She is as much a celebrity as Kate Gosselin (but with a hell of a lot more talent). If someone mentions a name and everyone knows it.... they are a celebrity. Deal with it.

It's a shame that people think she's only winning because of her mother. If that were the case, people, her mother would have won in the last election. Her mother isn't that popular, come on. People love her because she's entertaining and she's not a pro acting like she's learning to dance. As for the conspiracy that the "Tea Baggers" are running the phone lines to keep her on all if have to say is - "Seriously?" Now that has to be the funniest thing I've heard. You really think that these guys care enough to want Bristol Palin win something that has no political affiliation? For what possible reason?

Personally, I was sad to see Rick Fox voted off. He was really  handsome and he could move for a tall man, I have to say. But this season seems to be geared toward the ladies winning, I think. Although, Disney's Kyle is still in there. Now he's the other underdog. Maybe the Democrats are keeping him in, huh? Yeah. I can see that... lol.