Monday, December 28, 2009

TSA, Unions, and the Republicans

I always knew Republicans (the current variety) were some of the biggest hypocrites in history; but to see them beating on Obama because of the Nigerian terrorist is the worst.

So, Senator Jim DeMint spent a lot of time this weekend railing about TSA. What he neglected to tell his audience is that he has a hold on the nomination of the new director of TSA because the rank and file may want to unionize.

Then there are the 100 Republican lawmakers who voted against funding TSA this year!

Give me a break! I thought Ronald Reagan taught Republicans what to do with uppity unionized federal workers - fire them all! It worked for the Air Traffic Controllers and the airlines kept flying so it could probably work for TSA.

Given the economy and the jobs situation in the US, you wouldn't have to wait long or look far for new employees!

We live most of the year in Greece and when we return to the US, we have to not only provide the airline (Air France) with our passport numbers, but also where we're going in the States - and we're US citizens. I can't believe it is easier for non citizens, even if they have visas.

And what's up with not being suspicious of this guy - he buys a one-way (!!) ticket in cash, has no carry-on luggage and is traveling for two weeks!

I don't think there's a enough communication going on.

Tuesday, December 15, 2009

2010 Elections - Will You Vote?

I've been reading how disappointed that Democrats are becoming with the Democratically-controlled Congress. So disappointed that fully 53% of them are saying they are less likely to vote for Democrats in the 2010 election!

The poll also shows that 81% of Democrats want Lieberman kicked out of the caucus. Frankly, keeping him in the caucus was one of the stupidest things that the Obama administration championed from the beginning. Not only did Lieberman work for McCain's election and trash Democrats - but he has never supported the Obama agenda.

So, how is the Administration going to change things? Time is running out especially since Lieberman is now in control of what goes in and what stays out of the health care reform bill. The only sure thing in the bill at this point is that people are going to be forced to buy insurance from the same people who have refused to cover them at affordable rates now.

We know the party partisans are going to insist that people not talk down the Administration, the Congress, or the bills that are (or mostly are not) being brought out for passage. I think people will smile sweetly and mouth all sorts of platitudes, but in the end - we'll know how many Democrats stayed home on November 2, 2010.

Now, I've always been proud of my voting record (which I think is close to perfect) since I was first able to vote in the California primary that saw Bobby Kennedy win the election and later lose his life. My personal philosophy is that people are dying for the right to vote all over the world and I have that privilege and right and often I've voted while thinking of them.

But, if I sit out this election (my Congressman has been serving in the House of Representatives since 1988 and is quite likely to continue to easily win elections, with or without my vote) nothing much will change. Neither of my Senators are up for election (and both are extremely capable and I respect them wholeheartedly) so, I could keep my record by voting for local issues and just bypass Congress.

Will I? Only time, and what kind of health care bill is signed by President Obama, will tell.