We the People of the United States, in order to form a more perfect union, establish justice, insure the domestic tranquility, provide for the common defense, promote the general welfare, and secure the blessings of liberty to ourselves and our posterity, do ordain and establish this Constitution for the United States of America.
Preamble to the Constitution of the United States
While we as a nation have never completely achieved the high ideals outlined in the Constitution, we have got ever closer over the last 224 years. And why is that? Because as a people we have kept our eyes on the prize. And I think that although we still have our eyes on the prize, it has become more of a moving target, and it is moving away from us. Washington is following the new Golden Rule: He who has the gold makes the rule.
An October report issued by the non-partisan Congressional Budget Office spells out who is getting the gold: between 1979 and 2007 the top 1 percent of Americans with the highest incomes have seen their incomes grow by an average of 275 percent; the rest of us saw our incomes grow at a rate of just under 40 percent. During the same period the top one-fifth of earners in America earned more money than the bottom fourth-fifths combined.
And now the Supreme Court has decided that corporations are entitled to free speech (read: political campaign and lobbying contributions) the same as natural persons, except that corporate contributions are unlimited, while those of natural persons are capped at $2,500.
It is not surprising that politicians, Democrats and Republicans, are in the pockets of the wealthy. When your local representative holds a “town hall” meeting, he is listening but he is not hearing. If you wish to participate in the best government money can buy, you need to approach him with a $50K check in your hand.
As a result, the middle class is getting smaller, the homeless class is getting larger, at least five applicants show up for every job opening (although there have been reports of over 50 for some jobs), school budgets and programs are being cut and classes are getting larger, union-busting is going strong, and Republicans now want to privatize Social Security and all other so-called "entitlement" programs.
And Washington's response: "Tighten your belts – we are all in this together." Bullshit! Our current crop of politicians is in it for their puppet-masters; the rest of us can sink or swim. So much for forming a more perfect union, insuring domestic tranquility, yada, yada, yada. Congress almost shut down the country this past summer over a normally routine procedure: raising the debt limit.
So I suggest a New Year's Resolution for everyone: Let's elect representatives who really represent their constituents – leaders who will try to do what is good for the country regardless of whether it fits their ideology. And let's work to pass a constitutional amendment limiting personhood to human persons.
On another matter, Congressman Jim Sensenbrenner, R-Wisc. was heard saying that, “[Michelle Obama] lectures us on eating right while she has a large posterior herself."
And here is a quote from Rush Limbaugh: "I'm trying to say that our first lady does not project the image of women that you might see on the cover of the Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue or of a woman Alex Rodriguez might date every six months or what have you."
Here are pictures of these two gentlemen; I concede that both might be experts on the subject of overweight. We are so lucky to live during a time when there are no more important matters in Washington to discuss than the First Lady's butt.
In order not to offend anyone, I want to wish you a Merry Christmas and/or a (insert your own holiday).
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My books, “There Are Only Seven Jokes” and “The Spirit Runs Through It” are available in paperback, or at the Kindle Store.
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