News About The Republican 114Th Congress

Well since the winners and losers of this election were politics-as-usual generic cut-outs, I can't really say I'm optimistic of any real change actually happening. Of course they'll continue the theatrical pro wrestling match that is American politics. I'm not enthusiastic because the republican congress will continue a more aggressive foreign policy that Obama seems to have no problems with, although I anticipate policing of the world will get even worse these next couple years anyway. However the republicans did elect the openly gay Carl DeMaio to congress in California, as well as several other non whites and non males. So I'll remain hopeful that identity politics such as the sex-card, race-card, and sexual-orientation-card that the left constantly play to create gender, race, and culture wars will die off in due time. One can only hope...............

http://www.prisonplanet.com/elections-reveal-decline-of-racial-politics.html

 

Politics today has become the new religion. I noticed someone had mentioned 'critical thinking' in a post somewhere here, and it made me recall something a Belgian friend told me about being kicked out of school because of questioning Catholicism. Once the authorities have accepted an answer to a question, one should then accept that answer and refrain from further questioning.

I maintain that our primary problem is that of Centralized government over a large and diverse area and population. As a result we end up with laws and regulations that are so complex that no one or group of our lawmakers can really explain the laws that they pass, making them even more difficult for those who must abide by them or enforce them to follow.
Ideally, Federal laws should be written clearly and concisely, defining only what it is they are meant to accomplish. How that is achieved should be left to the States and the people to determine how to comply with the laws fully, avoiding Federal prosecution, penalties and/or fines. A maximum of one page would probably be sufficient for the creation of a Federal law.

Power, when imposed by a Centralized source can have devastating consequences when put to misuse. Those who support a strong centralized government seem to be of the opinion that "If I go down, then so must you." Ideally removing single encompassing bubble of Federal government from the States and the people allow the existence of many, many bubbles to expand and contract with less impact upon all when one or more may burst. When the great Federal bubble bursts it results in the expansion of all the contained bubbles causing a great many of them too to burst.

Lets hope the new Congress takes on some of the existing problems that are keeping our economy from recovering, and acts in ways which will finally result in a real recovery. Who is going to get the blame when the Fed begins to increase the interest rates which is going to have quite an impact on our debt and deficits?

 

I believe that laws are obfuscatory simply because regular citizens can not then recognize the 'back doors' that are installed, that only the lawmakers and their supporters
can understand and use to their benefit.

Future tax form. #1. How much did you make?

#2. Send it in.

 

We don't have to "believe" in concepts like "Global Warming" or "man-made climate change" or what have you. What we can see, smell and detect is pollution. If pollution is our focus, we'll reach the goals of a clean planet. I think that the once-strong ecological movement was stabbed in the heart by the whole idea of global climate studies. It made the goal seem like it was centuries away.

We can fix pollution now. Without even thinking about how it affects the future. We need the issue to be closer to people and telling them that their fictional great great grandchildren will suffer for every gallon of gasoline they use isn't going to work. Sure hasn't so far.

As near as I can tell BOTH political parties have handled this issue badly and then only to score political jabs. They aren't concerned with advancing the science or we'd have 100 mpg cars and few people commuting. Commuting to work in the 21st century is foolish if all you do is sit in front of a computer screen. Our attitudes about work have to change.

 

It was better back in the days when politicians didn't have to spend 80% of their time fundraising. We got the Clean Air Act of 1963 and Clean Water Act of 1977 and CAFE vehicle fuel standards and other important and successful legislation.

Now, the bills are written by the polluters and the politicians don't have time to read them before voting, because they are too busy trying to get campaign funds from the polluters.

 

This is a bit off-topic since this is the 113th Congress, but the Senate is voting on the Keystone XL Pipeline tonight. It's expected to be very close.

 

The Keystone XL pipeline lost by one vote. The incoming 114th Congress will probably pass it and then Obama will probably veto it. Congress will be unable to override his veto.

 

Looks like John Boehner will remain as Speaker of the House. Because he was so successful in solving the nation's problems in the last Congress (not). From the New York Times

 

Yes, and he announced that he has nominated a legislator ---ALREADY---to convene the eighth committee on Benghazi!!!!Useless pricks.

 

The previous 7 all found the same thing... No conspiracy.


So..... keep trying until you make something up that agrees with your conspiracy. Morons.

 

According to Mr. Tobacco (Sen. McConnell) the first thing that the Republican congress will do is pass a bill mandating the construction of the Keystone XL Pipeline, despite the fact that it will not lower gas prices and will only create a couple thousand permanent jobs. But it will benefit some of the richest people in America.

It is likely that the President will veto the bill.

 

I read somewhere that the number of permanent jobs would only be about 500, the rest would be temporary.

Obama did say he would veto. Hope so.

 

I gather the consensus is we need neither the jobs nor the oil?

 

The reality is we would get neither...

 

Someone, somewhere, most certainly will get both.

Perhaps we should rejoice? Rejecting 500 jobs in the U.S.A. will probably result in 5,000 or more jobs elsewhere in the world without raising the product price significantly, if at all.

 

Product price is controlled by speculators and has nothing to do with reality...

 

I would be more likely to concur if instead you had responded with "In reality product price is controlled by speculators", after all reality is what is or in this case the product price we pay.