Bush vetoes health and education bill ............

Yeah, Grim:

I find it aggravating. Its pure politics and is one small example of the disfunction of the highly partisan politics that is currently the example in Washington.

When the president wants certain legislation or a vote his way he has his legislative staff and anyone in govt appropriate involved.

Example: This autumn on the proposal from Senator Webb to provide more time off for soldiers who have served in Iraq/Afghanistan--the vote was close to being passed in the Senate. On the very last day before the vote was passed the administration had Pentagon personnel meet with Senator John Warner and they convinced him to both side with the President and change his vote on that issue from the previous spring. That was thorough involvement.

The President had his staff and he was involved on the proposals dealing with immigrants. He didn't win that one.

He was intimately involved to the last minute on big legislation on the Drug Benefits vote from 2003.

Turning it into a me or they vote/partisan comments by not being involved on the budget issues is a disservice to Americans.

It actually disrupts the smooth running of various departments of govt. Its not the biggest issue or problem out there but it is an example of playing politics rather than governing.

If the administration had been intimately involved in the legislation earlier it would have been flushed out in the news. Possibly democrats would have pushed at the president for "political gain".

But there was no early news out there. The administration let it roll forward without interaction.

It just became one more political game played by the parties. Americans lose a little one so politicians can play their game.

 

Well, there are two fundamental problems that contribute to this.

1. Voter citizens are not active. We've become an outsourced democracy where people feel they have a better chance through a PAC than they do by contacting their elected official directly. Coupled with apathy, citizens are uninvolved and the system perpetuates this by maintaining the illusion that they accomplish little to nothing.

2. The different branches of the government spend far too much time intermingling. The time they spend influencing one another, should have been spent consulting their constituencies. For example, the executive branch. The primary functions of the President are 1) national security and 2) signing Bills into Law. It is not up to the President to dictate education, healthcare, energy policy etc. That is the job of the elected officials, for them to work to develop legislation that reflects the views of their constituents.

Bottom line, the executive branch has assumed far too much power, by using the increased (sic) need for national defense, to justify influencing domestic policy, which was never the intention of the Founders. In fact, by assuming so much influence over the whole of the government and direction of the nation, the POTUS has become what the Founders feared. A single individual with almost absolute control of the Republic.

For sure, the Congress is also to blame, but without a citizenry to hold them accountable, it will continue and continue.

The only way I see things changing, would be for the people to effect a massive influence at the voting both, congressional and general elections, or for some people of integrity to run for and win seats in office.

The former being much more preferable and likely to the latter.

Left, right it doesn't matter. What matters are centrists, who are neither liberal, nor conservative. They are not all out for liberty, and they tread uncomfortably close to statists. These are the scariest people out there. People without positions, people who will not commit to going on the record in a clear and concise manner. People with questionable foreign donors.

And I really believe, there is a national consciousness about this stuff, and it is growing. That Hillary can poll so high, and yet she is considered by many experts to be unelectable is a clarion call that the electoral emperor has no clothes.

I have listened to and read a lot of criticism about Dr. Paul, but I truly believe he is the most electable, principled man running. He may not have the perfect or best policies, he may not be the most vibrant, attractive or young, but he has character, and I (along with a lot more people than many may realize) are not going to continue voting for politicians who lack substance and conviction.

 

I think you, America, should take after Canada. We don't have a debt/deficit of trillions of dollars; we have free health care, free education, free car insurance, etc, etc.... This is very sad to see that Georgy shoved those bills down the toilet; they have great potential to make your country better.

 

You don't have free anything. Everything is paid for with taxes. Instead of people buying what they need, they finance their own needs, and subsidize the usage of people who do not have the means, ability or will to pay their own way.

IIRC, two western provinces charge a monthly healthcare premium on top of the taxes collected.

Free car insurance? Sounds like a new one to me. Free orange juice in the mornings too?

 

If it's not fresh squeezed I don't want it!

 

This little issue might be an example of how both parties are more interested in politics than governance but......

the tact taken by the Bush administration and Republican members of Congress is simply outrageous.

http://www.thecarpetbaggerreport.com/archives/13686.html

On the one hand, Republican members of Congress are adding their own pork and criticizing Democrats for being fiscally irresponsible....

and the 2 largest examples of earmarks came directly from Republicans.
Its rediculous