Force Congressional Transparency Referendum - Let the People Decide

When the Head of the Office of Government Ethics says our government representatives are, "Close to a Laughingstock" in the world, it is time the people of this country demand a referendum.

So...What is transparency? The answer is simple.  The people of this country need to know what their elected officials actually do while they are in office.  For instance:

1. When are they actually IN Congress doing their job
2. What legislation are they backing
3. When, What and How did they vote 
4. How many 'Pet Projects' or Earmarks paid for with our hard-earned taxes are they sneaking through on legitimate legislation
5. Whose LOBBYIST DOLLARS are they accepting
6. How are they spending the $900,000 credit they receive for operating costs

THIS IS TRANSPARENCY.  Here's one solution to Items 1 through 3. Link the automated voting system in place in Congress to a computer program that automatically tallies each representative's vote into a secure data base. Allow anyone in this country to sign up for access to this data base and receive emails weekly or monthly related to their representatives in Congress.

Items 4 through 6 are a little harder.  These problems would require our Congressional Representatives to be HONEST and REPORT these activities as they occur.  Of course, there should be penalties levied or even expulsion from Congress for false reports or not reporting issues in a timely manner.  HOWEVER, if the citizens of our country do not come together and force these things to come about, the United States of America will continue to decline due to the ever-growing greed of our governing bodies.

Check out this article from The New York Times about retiring Head of the Office of Government Ethics has to say about our elected officials:  https://www.nytimes.com/2017/07/17/us/politics/walter-shaub-ethics.html?smid=fb-share

USA Prison System: Big Money for Congress & Corporate America

There is a quote that says, "Men fight for their freedom, yet when they get it, they immediately start passing laws to take it away again..."  AND...Who in this country gets elected and passes these laws?  ANSWER:  The CONGRESS, i.e., the WEALTHY and Corporate America.

A LARGE percentage of the American Penal System, glaringly biased against the poor and middle class, is run by Corporate America.  FACT:   The majority of our inmates are non-violent offenders that need help, not bars.   When counseling for mental health, drug rehabilitation, job training, education or other mandatory programs would turn their lives around, offenders become dollar marks in our penal system's bottom line.  Tossing them into a cage  doesn't cure anything but irreparably damages their lives, stacking the odds against them ever succeeding after getting out.

HOW CAN THAT BE?  Inmates in this country are simply caged and submitted to a LOT of inhumane treatment, i.e., In the beginning of their incarceration, not affording them proper representation in a timely manner because they are unaware of their rights, forcing addicts to go through detox with no medical attention, housing them in unairconditioned units where temperatures rise into the 120's or more, providing improper nutritional intake, using them as 'slave-labor' and strip and cavity searching them multiple times a day.  The list goes on and it's NOT RIGHT!!!!

Until our ELECTED OFFICIALS  start making the needs of the citizens of this country a priority over pleasing the Lobbyists and their lackeys, real issues like our jails will never be addressed. The ultra wealthy own Congress.  In most instances, they can BUY THEIR WAY OUT of this unbalanced legal system and profit off of it at the same time...  

CHRISTIANITY'S POPULARITY BRINGS OUT THE DEVIL IN SOME

Today, opening up Facebook, the following picture of Ted Cruz was a glaring sore spot on my screen.  The post from DefendReligiousLiberty‬ stated,

"As Texas Solicitor General, I had the great honor of successfully defending the ‪Ten Commandments‬ monument that still stands at the Texas Capitol grounds today.  But sadly, the removal of a similar Ten Commandments monument from the Oklahoma Capitol grounds overnight is just the latest chapter in an ongoing assault on religious liberty in America."

Really, "...assault on religious liberty in America." Our Constitution's First Amendment simply promises 'Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof...'  So here is Ted, again, involved in religious legislation!

Thomas Jefferson and others coined the phrase, "Separation of church and state" expressing an understanding of the intent and function of that amendment. Maybe a Christian monument's removal is insulting to Christians but possible justice to the other myriad people who do not sway that direction.

Although gifts don't step on my belief system, no one should have lenience in light of our Supreme Law.  Therefore, if you take some gifts and refuse others because you don't agree with their SO-TO-SPEAK 'RELIGIOUS TINCTURE', then there is a BIG PROBLEM.

Example:  Notice the second satirical picture of Ted Cruz beside a monument touting 'the Tenets of Atheism'.  Of course, Mr. Cruz, a Christian, would be appalled at this representation of him.  Simply, he believes it's OK to stand up for his religious tenets, (lord knows he is forever trying to legislate those beliefs on our country's population).  But, an Elected Official in the USA, pledges to uphold our Constitution which allows for ALL RELIGIONS...NOT JUST CHRISTIAN. Maybe he's never read it?

If we abide by the intent of our 1st Amendment, NO GIFTS in conflict with that law should be publicly displayed on government owned properties.  We are a Melting Pot not a Religious State.  Our people need a neutral government to prove elected officials are committed to everyone without bias as guaranteed and under this inspired document.

The point is, Ted Cruz, Presidential candidate (scary), should fight just as hard to keep any religious monument as he did for the Ten Commandments.  Sadly, it's not going to happen.   At this point in our history, there is the gigantic chasm between Christianity's popularity, their assumption of rights and the lesser importance of everyone else's belief systems.  Politicians, smelling the votes, have been beating that Christian Band Wagon and riding legislation through state after state with those voters in mind, i.e., Mr. Cruz and his Ten Commandments.  Greed before the Constitution! Oops!  The devil in some!

Stop Self-Interest From Destroying Our Democracy

Normally, visitors to this site find foot notes and related documentation to read and determine for themselves the facts behind my statements.  However, this is a commentary on my personal beliefs demonstrated within the entire collection of my previous blogs.  Its purpose is to portray the dangers of Elected Officials putting self interests BEFORE the common good of citizens and the devastating effects their actions have on our country, the Bill of Rights and our Constitution.

Do-Gooders are trying to legislate their belief systems...When any issue cannot be resolved, it should not fall under the purview of government regulations. Abortion, gun control and religion (among others) have been debated for ions. There are no right or wrong solutions, simply pros and cons on either side of the debate.  However, over the past few decades, a growing group of unethical elected officials, in an attempt to please their benefactors, HAVE PASSED 'moral laws' throwing the citizens of this nation into legal battles over unsolvable issues. What should be very private has gone VERY PUBLIC and volatile.

Now the whole focus of our government seems to revolve around these particular topics.  Citizens, Lobbyists, Religious Organizations, etc. are either demanding repeal of the laws OR more and stricter ones.  The concept of doing what is right for the entire country within the boundaries defined by the Constitution is falling aside into the shadows.  The debacle is creating Civil Strife.

Accusations litter the media while campaign trails and our government's effectiveness is coming into question. Brothers are fighting brothers.  States are threatening to secede while zealots are crawling out of every corner of the nation to run for office. Everything is intertwined with the failure of our elected representatives. Their apathy, covetous nature and willingness to accommodate the highest bidder is like a virulent cancer infecting the USA.

The longer we allow unethical men and women to be elected, our country will continue to decline and the number of morally dividing laws will escalate. Sadly, cracks in the foundation of our Democracy are evident today.  It will spread like a cancer until the damage cannot be cut away. Families will be split and sides will be taken. Civil War, mushrooming from the frustration and dissent of our citizens, is a distant shadow on the horizon.  The USA, its Bill of Rights and our Constitution will fall into decline like so many powerful countries throughout history.  We, the citizens, MUST take a stand NOW!  Demand positive results from our representatives or get them out of office.  But how?

SOLUTION?
1.  Do not elect or re-elect any representative pushing for moral reform.
2.  Elect individuals who have experience effecting changes good for the country and its people...ALL OF US!
 3.  Assure elected officials honor their oath of office and have NO TIES to special interests groups.
4.  Impeach anyone in office found bartering or manipu-lating the system for their personal benefit.
5.  Assure their willingness to repeal 'moral laws' and pass an amendment to prevent them in the future.

Let's take our country back from the crooks.  It's is our job as voters to make this happen.  An imperative for our country's survival...

Reaching Deaf Ears...: Remembering...

Reaching Deaf Ears...: Remembering...

Remembering...

     Growing up, my Dad had us stand every night, cross our hearts, recite the Pledge of Allegiance & sing the Star Spangled Banner as the American Flag waved bravely until our TV faded into darkness. He made us proud to be an American. His words still ring through my thoughts reminding me to never forget why we should cherish the freedoms we have.  He would say, "That flag symbolizes who we are. Every man & woman in our great country, despite their differences, colors, tenants, or biases, have ALWAYS risen up TOGETHER forming an impenetrable wall against our enemies.  It is our job to continue protecting these sacred rights, our Constitution & our way of life. NEVER FORGET THEIR COMMITMENT & THEIR SACRIFICES TO PRESERVE THEM!"
     So...This Memorial Day I say, "When I see all the racial comments being thrown around, the divisions in our country, people taking up sides against one another, attempts to force personal tenants on others and most of our elected officials only worried about getting richer...I remember my Dad's words & continue to honor those countless American who knew what was most important to maintain what we have... I pledge to honor their memory & their sacrifices by continuing what my Dad taught me..."

Education Reform - You Decide 

My soon to be 40 year old daughter has been teaching for the past seventeen years.  She CHOOSES to work at the Kindergarten level because she believes children need a GREAT introduction to education and a caring roll model who makes learning fun.

Her portfolio includes a Master's Degree in Administrative Education, a B.A. in Education, multiple certifications in Early Childhood Development, Teacher of the Year and a nomination for Disney Teacher of the Year.  During staff orientation at the beginning of the new term, the district uses her room on their tour as a model for new Kindergarten teams and provides her name if they need to ask any questions about being a success in their field.

A work day for this awesome young woman starts at 7:30 am and usually stretches into twelve hours or more.  The proverbial summer vacations critics site when demeaning teaching as a so-called cushy job, are dotted with different continuing education requirements and preparations for the next year.  You see, each year the classroom must be redone, a new theme created and work packets designed and copied for each student. The job is physically and mentally exhausting and pays very little when compared to other degreed positions.

Most teachers love what they do and are willing to accept the rigors of their profession.  What they fight against and are force fed in many instances are rigid mandates from the district higher-ups and state education agencies that stifle creativity and classroom time with their students....Sadly, in an effort to improve education, lawmakers and administrators are accomplishing just the opposite by their micro-managing techniques.

Everyone has heard the expression, "Teaching the Test"  In Texas, that is exactly what teachers are expected to do in order to satisfy the ranking a school district must achieve to continue receiving their state funding. Instead of giving teachers a curriculum and saying, "TEACH THIS" then evaluating them on their individual performances, the powers-that-be maintain a short leash and actually chastise educators when they deviate from the 'SCRIPT'.  You might as well hire minimum wagers off the street.  As long as someone can follow an explicit outline, why does this type of system need a TEACHER.

There are some alarming statistics about the United States presented by Mark Rice, the Chair of American Studies at St. John Fisher College in Rochester, New York.  In his essay (1) for Forbes dated October 30th of this year, he provides charts ranking the U.S. in several areas, the following seemed relevant to this blog:

2nd in General Ignorance About Social Issues

24th in Literacy

17th in Educational Performance

23rd in Programme For International Student Assessment Science Scores

54th in Educational Expenditures

72nd in Girls Going to Grade School

85th in Boys Going to Grade School

18th in Reading

10th in Teachers' Salaries

34th in Math Progress

134th For Government Commitment to Education

...seems 'Teaching the Test' is NOT working.

My daughter IS a TEACHER.  There are many instructors with the same special skill sets. Passion, knowledge, experience, commitment and creativity will allow them to identify each child's limitations and strengths and use that information to clear roadblocks to learning. Children will excel under their tutelage. Scores will rise.  If an individual cannot do the job, get rid of them.  Don't Teach the Test'...Find a TEACHER and PAY THEM WHAT THEY ARE WORTH...


1  https://rankingamerica.wordpress.com/category/education/

The Recent Election...The Next Stage in the Destruction of America

Sorry I've been absent for a while.  The situation was beyond my control.  So, just a short note today...

Since my last blog, nothing has changed.  Elected officials continue putting their personal biases in front of the primary needs of our country and keeping it strong.

The Republican dominated House has blocked and tried to taint everything President Obama has done while using their social media to SELL their propaganda to us, the people of this country. They realize if you shout something loud and often enough, soon, the lies flowing into Voter's ears are spread as truths from many unwitting mouths...

For eight years, the old Pachyderm Party's relentless assault on the President has gained them a large following.  Why? A mass of voters have the same biases, others are unwilling to research the facts, the largest majority are becoming apathetic and suffer from the 'nothing's going to change' attitude, while common sense has been thrown out the door.   Whatever category one falls into, no one has fought back enough in public to dispel the heinous character assassination or the shameless innuendos.  It might damage THEIR chances for re-election...

Now the Republicans control both the House and the Senate...What a travesty!  They are not content with lining their pockets on the backs of taxpayers.  Instead of fixing what's broken in our Democratic System, they are like a giant cancer creeping into the Constitution, tearing down important legislation made from the bloodied deaths of countless women butchered in back alley abortions. They make a mockery of the words engraved on the Statue of Liberty, "Give us your tired, your poor, your huddled masses..."  They want to build a Berlin-Type wall instead of coming up with a workable system for people escaping their horrors...OMG!  Have we sunk so low?  What is our nation evolving into to?

Poor Being Imprisoned For Debt in USA

Just recently, a relative was arrested for shoplifting.  Without going into details, I will tell you she has been living off and on the streets for five years following a brutal event in her life culminating in the destruction of her successful career and comfortable life.  Her story, although tragic, is far too common, epitomizing how the mental health and justice systems in this country fail the mentally ill and persecute the poor. 

This blog will only address a small part of that problem and will discuss how the poor are being jailed for their inability to pay fines and fees levied on them by the Justice System.  Although I have provided four different sites supporting the following facts, there are thousands.  Simply search DEBTORS PRISONS IN THE US.

FACT:  Literally thousands of poor and indigent individuals in our nation are being imprisoned for debt. Sadly, most of those caught in this unconstitutional practice are like my relative...doomed because she is poor. (a) (b) 

Carl Takei's article, "Courts Should Stop Jailing People for Being Poor", (b) points out some blatant facts: "Courts have found that incarcerating people for debts they couldn’t afford to pay violates the 14th Amendment. Further, it creates hardships for men and women who already struggle with re-entering society after being released from prison or jail, and wastes resources in an often fruitless effort to extract payments. In an age when more Americans are deprived of their liberty than ever before, unnecessarily and unfairly, we should be shutting down debtors’ prisons, not creating more of them."

Obviously, releasing people from jail incarcerated simply because they can't pay their fees, would empty a lot of beds, saving hundreds of thousands of dollars a year for the taxpayers.  That's a given and will not be discussed in this blog.  I want my readers to focus on the injustice of this all and the fact our elected representatives are doing nothing to stop it.  Instead of correcting a situation violating our rights under the Constitution of the United States, they continue to allow this practice while wasting time legislating personal morals, their rich benefactors money demands or letting our country come to the brink of financial ruin.

Because so much information is simply a click away on the internet supporting the truth of this blog and very little denying it, I will let the words of others confirm the truth of today's subject while I convey how this nightmare is hitting in my home and eating away at the life of my relative.

She is a first time offender at 30 years of age needing money to get home and see her critically ill Mother. After trying to borrow the money without success, in her mind, the only course of action was the one that landed her in jail...She tried stealing something to sell and get the money she so desperately desired.  She got caught.   She pleaded guilty, got deferred adjudication and 5 years probation.  Then, American Justice kicked in.

1. THE CHARGES DON'T FIT THE CRIME:  First, she was charged with a felony robbery when all she stole was a $79 rechargeable battery for a drill.  Why?  After she realized the store staff knew she had stolen something, they started chasing her. She stopped inside the store and dropped her purse where she had hidden the battery.  At least five adult male employees of the hardware store grabbed her and violently held her down until the cops arrived.  She repeatedly begged them to let go because they were hurting her.  Even though she had stopped and wasn't running, they did not relent.  She bit the one twisting her arm.  For this reason, her small theft of a battery became a felony. 
2. THE TRUTH OF COURT APPOINTED ATTORNEYS:  Unlike you see on TV, court-appointed attorneys don't come running to the rescue of those unable to pay.  As a matter of fact, her attorney never came to see her until they went to court, made no attempts to get the case reduced to a misdemeanor due to the extenuating circumstances or bothered to contact her when her court date was postponed multiple times.  He did talk to her once on the phone. 
3. PRISONERS, UNABLE TO MAKE BAIL, SIT IN JAIL FOR UNDETERMINED AMOUNTS OF TIME:  Prisoners do not get to go to court right away like you see on TV.  Without her attorney available to explain how the system works or what she should expect, the only answers she got about anything were from other inmates!  She sat in jail, unable to make bail for almost two months, scared, confused and suffering from the symptoms of her severe depression.
4. JAIL FOOD:  Food provided for prisoners in the complex where my relative was held was the same everyday...bad and very small amounts.  Although she gained about 20 pounds in two months, she was always hungry, what they were given was not seasoned and mostly inedible. Other inmates told her she was gaining weight because there are additives in what they are served to make up for the quality and lack of nutrition.  Breakfast started at 4 am.  There is a commissary that sold snacks, stamps, shampoos, etc. at ridiculously inflated prices, but that required money.  Understandably, extra food purchased from there was coveted and had to be guarded at all times if you did not want someone stealing it. 
5. THE COMMISSARY:  I've already mentioned the commissary and its over priced goods.  For instance an individual package of ketchup they give away at fast food joints costs $.25.  Two sheets of notebook paper...$.25.  Use your imagination on the prices of real snacks, personal care items or stamps!  Being indigent, means no shampoo, no deodorant, no toothbrush, etc., etc., etc. The fact inmates have to purchase anything they need while incarcerated at horrendous prices makes my husband and I wonder where our tax dollars are being spent.  
6. THROWN INTO THE STREETS:  When she was released, she had no way to call for someone to pick her up, no bus fare, no money, no where to stay...nothing.  She was simply dumped out the front door with no assistance.  Does this sound like a system that cares anything about rehabilitating people caught up in its clutches?  She borrowed a phone from a passing stranger and called her mom. Luckily, she was out of her coma, had just been released and was recovering at home, When her parents learned of their daughter's plight, they borrowed money for bail to bring her home.  Now, she is providing most of the care for her disabled parents.
7. COURT COSTS:  The court accessed her over $5000 in court costs to be paid monthly in the amount of $100.  If she misses a payment and cannot pay the whole amount, a warrant will be issued for her immediate arrest, probation cancelled and she will have to serve her entire sentence in prison. This atrocity is happening in America, not the Middle Ages! 
8. PROBATION SYSTEM INHIBITS REHABILITATION:  The day before her first probation meeting, my relative called to verify she had the correct time and place.  Although no one had bothered to call and cancel the appointment, she was informed the official was not at work that week. Her appointment was rescheduled. At the rescheduled meeting she was chastised about asking for an extension, charged for it anyway and told not to make it a habit if she didn't want her probation canceled.  She was flabbergasted!  She explained her money situation and inability to locate a job, but was not offered any assistance with those.  However, the probation officer gave her information to sign up for community service and mandatory classes, both involving more fees. This system is not concerned with helping those in its grip.  It is all about the money!
9. PROBATION FEES:  Speaking of money, she has to pay $100 for the privilege of meeting with this probation officer and peeing in a cup!  Drugs were not involved with her charges.  It is my opinion, if the probationer is not receiving anything but instructions on what they have to pay next, the state could save a lot of money by sending an email, firing the officer and sending these offenders to a clinic to take care of the test!       
10. FEES FOR COMMUNITY SERVICE:  Her 250 hours of community service was accompanied by a $55 fee for the orientation class.  It would be left up to her to find some place to satisfy the 10 hour monthly requirement.  For a $79 battery?
11. COSTLY OFFENDER CLASSES:  She was also told to attend a 14 week Outpatient Behavioral Health Service class designed for violent offenders.  The cost?  $560!  Why?  Remember the bite? For this, she will get to meet 28 times with violent rapists, murderers, child molesters, etc.  The system is actually bringing her into contact with very undesirable people.  Great for rehabilitation!  
12. MAKING IT IMPOSSIBLE TO PAY:  The monthly fees accessed her are $200, plus another $615 due before her second visit with her probation officer.  That is a total of $815 she has no way of paying unless she borrows or steals the money.  Results...Her probation will be canceled and she will be thrown into jail for a felony charge of stealing an item valued at less than $100 accompanied by the fact she tried to defend herself from assault!
13. AFFECTS ON FAMILY MEMBERS:  The system is making her life worse. Unable to find a job or cope with the day to day pressures involved in working, she has no means of paying these fees.  The first month her parents, living on social security disability, made a partial payment for the probation officer fee and an uncle covered the court fees for his niece. The Mom had to defer her car insurance payment in order to pay that partial fee.  This decision meant a double payment the next month on her insurance, depleting the amount of money left to buy food.   
14. INABILITY TO BORROW MONEY AND GET A JOB:  Because of mental health issues, this highly educated young woman has not been able to to hold a steady job for the last 5 years, i.e. she's been lost on the streets, cut off from her family.  In addition, her once perfect credit rating bit the dust a long ago making her ability to borrow money legally impossible.    
15. A SYSTEM FOR THE POOR...NOT THE WEALTHY:  A wealthy person is not bothered with such concerns.  Their high price attorneys usually step in  making something as minor as this situation go away.  If charges are filed, they simply pay all the fees up front, don't have to see a probation officer, don't have the impending threat of going to prison hanging over their head and go out into the world to do as they please.  Therefore, this system is discriminating horribly against the poor!   
16. THE INJUSTICE:  In less than three weeks from this blog entry, this beautiful young lady who was the victim of a merciless crime five years ago and failed by the mental health system, is in jeopardy of being incarcerated for several years because she stole a $79 battery, tried to ward off her assailants in the store and does not have the money to navigate the legalities of our failing justice system.

"In his 1964 State of the Union address, President Lyndon B. Johnson said: "Unfortunately, many Americans live on the outskirts of hope - some because of their poverty, and some because of their color, and all too many because of both. Our task is to help replace their despair with opportunity."  (c)  

Now, 50 years later, our country has digressed to the shameful status quo.  The subject of today's blog is just one of many issues our legislatures need to address immediately.  Instead, lawmakers turn a deaf ear to the cries of the poor, middle class and seniors.  Their primary concerns appear lining their own pockets with riches, legislating personal tenets and accommodating their benefactors.  Among their many, many outrageous actions, is a web of laws skirting protections guaranteed under our Constitution and establishing a system of debtors' prisons.  Of course, no elected official actually refers to them as that... I suggest reading a report published by the ACLU entitled: "In for a Penny:  The Rise of America's New Debtor's Prisons" (d)

Outrageous?  Yes!  Remember, hundreds of years ago, nameless poor people shed blood in our Revolutionary War and endured unspeakable hardships through indentured servitude to escape the debtors' prisons of Europe. To what end, I ask?  So history can come full circle allowing that injustice to run rampant today at the hands of out of control, rich, apathetic elected officials?  The fact that it is happening now in America makes the likelihood of a civil war in our future a reality I never thought possible...

(a) http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-505143_162-57577994/as-economy-flails-debtors-prisons-thrive/ 
(b) https://www.aclu.org/blog/criminal-law-reform/courts-should-stop-jailing-people-being-poor
(c) http://truth-out.org/buzzflash/commentary/item/17939-debtors-prisons-once-a-19th-century-relic-again-wreaking-havoc-in-us
(d) http://truth-out.org/buzzflash/commentary/item/17939-debtors-prisons-once-a-19th-century-relic-again-wreaking-havoc-in-us

REPUBLICANS DOUBLE TALK CONTINUES

Every time a Republican gets before a camera, or any media for that matter, more lies and half-truths fall out of their mouths. (a)  A few days ago, Barton of Arizona was comparing our President to Hitler but now denies it. (b)  She released more unmitigated, slanderous misinformation on her Facebook than I've seen since the McCarthy era.

The Tea Party Republicans' fanaticism has gotten so bad, according to a "New York Times" article (c), the huge business lobbies that paid for them to get elected are seriously considering pulling their support.  They quoted David M. Cote, the chief executive of Honeywell and a steering board member of Fix the Debt, as saying, “It’s clearly this faction within the Republican Party that’s causing the issue right now.”   The article went on to say, "... they agree in principle with conservative lawmakers about the need to cut federal spending or roll back parts of Obamacare, but said using the threat of shutdown — or worse, of a debt default — to extract those concessions was both ineffective and dangerous."

Today in an effort to turn some of the heat off the Republican party, a whole bunch of GOP representatives, including Speaker of the House, John Boehner, went on national TV stating they, "...will give President Barack Obama a proposal extending the government's ability to borrow money through Nov. 22 — but only if he agrees to negotiate over ending the partial government shutdown and a longer-term increase in the debt ceiling."  In other words, "Give us what we want or we'll bring this country to its knees."

President Obama HAS NEGOTIATED WITH THESE EXTREMEST during the last few showdowns to no avail.  Therefore, the President said enough's enough.  There will be no compromise while GOP uses the Affordable Care Act as leverage. Still.they continue to threaten a pending economic disaster to push their personal agendas.

"There are reportedly enough votes in the House to produce a clean continuing resolution and end this shutdown for good. But until Boehner is willing to buck the hardliners in his own party, that vote is never going to happen." according to an article in Rolling Stone Politics. (d) They quoted a New York Times  that notes, "the GOP plan to eliminate Obamacare – even if it means grinding the government to a halt – has been in the works for a long time. The current funding standoff is the result of a detailed blueprint drawn together by special interest groups, conservative lawmakers and billionaire donors."  A preponderance of evidence points to just that fact...the GOP course of action is a planned attack to change the government to their bigoted ideals or bring it down.

It is the responsibility of the voting public to educate ourselves so we aware of those elected officials attempting to sway our opinions by hook and crook to their biased, single minded opinions.  All those serving in the House, Senate and Presidential Office were elected to work for the good of EVERYONE in this country instead of tearing down what they personally do not like.

For the last 8 plus years, our Government has stopped functioning because the Congress lines up on party lines instead of voting for the good of the American People! The Republican Tea Party zealots are greatly responsible for that fact. DON'T CONTINUE TO LET THEM PULL THE WOOL OVER YOUR EYES!  WRITE, EMAIL, CALL AND TALK TO YOUR ELECTED OFFICIALS, FRIENDS AND NEIGHBORS.  TAKE AWAY THE POWER OF THESE RABID POLITICIANS AND ALLOW THE GOVERNMENT TO MAKE SOME POSITIVE STRIDES FORWARD. 

(a) http://www.oregonlive.com/today/index.ssf/2013/10/house_speaker_john_boehner_say.html
(b) http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/10/09/brenda-barton-hitler_n_4074388.html
(c) http://www.nytimes.com/2013/10/10/us/business-groups-see-loss-of-sway-over-house-gop.html?ref=federalbudgetus&_r=0
(d) http://www.rollingstone.com/politics/news/8-flagrant-examples-of-republican-shutdown-hypocrisy-20131007