"working class senators" and homelessness...

well...a committee looking at lobbying reform in the senate balked at doing anything worthwhile to fix the problem that has become the city of washington d.c. despite efforts (by both republican and democratic senators...don't even try to blame this on one party...both are in the pockets of lobbyists in a big, big way...look what happened to clinton's talk after he showed up in washington...look at the face of lobbyist corruption and his very much republican background...look at all the money the parties get from special interests) the committee basically offered to throw a very small bone to the american public while retaining all the meat for senators and their lobbyist friends.

the biggest suggestion...put the ban on lobbying to a full 2 years after getting out of the senate. gee, thanks buddy...that will solve it all. if they have to go get a normal speaking job for an extra 12 months obviously there will no longer be influence peddling on the hill. i mean, why didn't we think of this sooner? how about just banning ex-senators from ever lobbying in washington...if you want to do that shit, do it on your own turf.

and as for senators not taking free rides on corporate jets all the time? according to trent lott "somebody's got to look at this in a way that deals with reality and makes sense. do we want to artificially make people pay more, which would force working class senators not to be able to travel, and the rich guy to travel at will?" yea trent...."artificially" more...if artificially means paying your own goddamn way given the salary increases you and your buddies routinely vote yourselves. "artificially make people pay more" meaning "stop giving people free rides that leave them indebted to corporations when they are supposed to be representing the people of their state." how's this for an idea, if trent is so worries about working-class senators not being able to pay their way...since we bailed out the airline industry why don't they give free airfare to senators? hell, it's the least they could do after they handouts they were given in the last few years...i mean, our tax dollars went to them already, and somehow i doubt that senators flying around on their regional jets would push them over the edge and dry up the billions they were handed.

kevin phillips had much better ideas on how to deal with lobbyists and the death grip they have on washington as they drag it and the country into the depths of disrepair...unfortunately, no one is listening to him...and it's getting too late...

this morning there is a homeless man outside my window. his shopping cart is full and resting next to him as he sits on a parking barrier listening to the radio. he's got a dog with him...and he carries around a cushion to lay on the ground for the dog to lay on. a man and his dog, just sitting in the albuquerque sun watching car after car go by...what brought him here? what did he do with his life before he was forced to spend his days just waiting for tomorrow with his furry friend? does he have any family? does he have any hope? isn't there anything society can do for him and his dog? why don't i do something? do people offer his dog food but not him? has anyone ever tried to steal the dog? does the dog ever disappear for awhile, or is it always by his side?

not feeling good about my country today...

the homeless were a nuisance to the five o'clock commuters so they were erased from the streets...