Re: 545 People
Charlie Reese wrote:Have you ever wondered why, if both the Democrats and the Republicans are against deficits, we have deficits?
During the Clinton administration, the deficit was eliminated, and a surplus was run for several years. This was when a Democrat was in the White House, and the Republicans controlled the Congress.
Quote:You and I don't propose a federal budget. The president does.
Note the use of the verb "to propose." The President can only propose a budget. To that extent, a private citizens proposal is as valid as that of the President. Only when the Executive branch and the Congress are in the control of the same party, and the President and the members of that party in Congress are cooperating well, is there any significance to this otherwise meaningless statement, which is presented as though it were a crucial "fact."
Quote:You and I don't have the Constitutional authority to vote on appropriations. The House of Representatives does.
That is a not quite accurate representation of how the Constitution grants the authority for revenue bills. Specifically, Article One, Section Seven, the first paragraph, reads, in its entirety:
All bills for raising Revenue shall originate in the House of Representatives; but the Senate may propose or concur with Amendments as on other Bills.
There is a very good reason for this. The House of Representatives is the only body of government as established by the original Constitution which is directly elected to represent the people based proportionally upon the population. But this statement is sufficiently misleading to be described as a lie--it implies that only the House votes on revenue bills. The Senate also votes on revenue bills, may propose amendments, and the President has the power to veto any such bill as he or she would consider irresponsible.
Does this clown suggest that there would be an improvement in governance by opening the process to 100,000,000 or more budget proposals, and a plebicite every time the government needs money? What a moron.
Quote:You and I don't write the tax code, Congress does.
So? That is, among many other things, what we pay them for.
Quote:You and I don't set fiscal policy, Congress does.
So? That is, among many other things, what we pay them for.
Quote:You and I don't control monetary policy, The Federal Reserve Bank does.
The Chairman of the Federal Reserve is nominated by the President, and approved (it they so chose) by the Senate. If any head of the Federal Reserve were to implement monetary policy sufficiently odious to the people as to raise an outcry, the President and the Congress have a remedy ready at hand.
Quote:One hundred senators, 435 congressmen, one president and nine Supreme Court justices - 545 human beings out of 300+ million - are directly, legally, morally and individually responsible for the domestic problems that plague this country.
Horseshit--is this clown suggesting that capitalist corporate policies have no effect on the economy, with its concomitant effect on the people? Are the commodities markets bands of innocent lads who simply make an honest living betting on the future prices of agricultural goods and raw materials? Are lending and credit institutions obliged to follow the direct orders of the executive, legislative and judicial branch in the policies which they pursue, such as the disastrous sub-prime lending policies which have crippled our economy? Does this idiot just make this **** up as he goes along?
As for the rest of this, it is so much rabble-rousing drivel, concocted from half-truths, lies and misdirection, intended to arouse indignation in the heart's of those who can't be bothered to inform themselves about what the constitution actually does say, and how the government works. So, for example, this idiot writes:
Quote:The Constitution, which is the supreme law of the land, gives sole responsibility to the House of Representatives for originating and approving appropriations and taxes.
This is an outright lie. The House has no sole power to approve appropriations and taxes. I have already quoted the relevant portion of the Constitution.
Politicians are a necessary component of the effective management of the social contract. Without them, government would not be effective, because the idealists would be sheep among wolves in dealing with those with special interests, and those who lust for power would never in any way be accountable to the people for their venality, their thefts and their enormities. Were there no such thing as a politician, it would be necessary to create them. If we have a country cheerfully rolling to Hell in a handcar, the responsibility rests soley with the people who elect politicians and subsequently do not inform themselves about their activities nor inquire into the consequences until it is too late, reserving to themselves only the power to whine impotently.
That whole screed is a crock of sh*t.