Not my fault…..

1379480_520035688080383_1054559655_nAs a mother, I will never listen to my children as the argue with fingers pointed at each other screaming it was the others fault.  It always takes multiple sides for a disagreement to start.  Over the last many days we have been subjected to nothing more than that same finger pointing  by paid “news” sources and elected officials as they push this agenda or that.

What needs to be kept in mind…all of those in Washington were elected.  No one should be surprised by the actions playing out right now, especially by the House since those individuals ran for office saying they would do exactly what they are doing right now.  We as a people complain when Washington does “business as usual” yet when someone stands up to try to change things we hear that they are working outside of what is expected or how there is “infighting” in a party.  SO, what do we want?

Most people I know are able to look at the situation and place blame across the board, on all of our so-called “leaders” as it should be.  Blame on a weak President who will call the President of Iran but makes the statement he will not negotiate with the Republicans in Congress.  A weak Republican Speaker of the House who can not even keep his group on the same message or for that matter a consistent message for more than a few hour at a time.  A weak Democrat leader of the Senate who would rather give interviews and call others names rather than even try to negotiate.  All who have taken extreme stances and pointed their fingers at the others screaming it is their fault.

Many people make the statement that they want the politicians to “negotiate” but for many that is just not true.  For Democrats that means just allow for more money with no strings or questions attached and for Republicans it means squash Obamacare.

As for the Health care law, I do feel that everyone needs to flash back a bit and remember how it all started. There are parts of this law that all Americans have supported such as access to health care for those with pre-existing conditions, allowing children to stay on parents policies for a longer period of time and access for all children to basic healthcare.   Instead of our elected leaders sitting down and negotiating to pass pieces that would help the people, a huge law, admittedly not even read by many who voted on it was passed via the “nuclear option” and back room deals.  SInce then it has been a topic for elections everywhere.  To be surprised at what is happening now is just silly since those voting the way they are doing exactly what they said they would do when they to were elected.

SO what now?  Not sure if any of us have that answer.  As a country we are more divided that ever in my lifetime.  I can only hope that a true leader would rise above all of this craziness and name calling to lead us into the future.  I guess there is always hope but for the near future it looks like more of the same.  Good luck to all of us!

Is it washington or us?

I woke up today to the same dire warnings of impending doom on the news.  “The government will shut down in just a few days”.  If I close my eyes I see chicken little running our country.  Regardless of the side you agree with, I would think that most in this country would be just disgusted with he dysfunction in our fine nations capital.

When you look at polls, both the Congress and President have awful approval numbers.  As a country we disapprove of many initiatives that the administration is pushing.  Our elected officials at all levels spend hours in front of cameras, giving interviews and flat-out sucking the air out of the room instead of doing what they were all elected for, doing the business of the people who elected them.

imagesSo the question is, how do these same people that we disapprove of, those who continue to ignore what “we the people” want keep getting elected?  Most complain about Washington but maybe everyone needs to take a moment to reflect and look in the mirror.

Looks like this weekend will be spent doing anything and everything except watching, reading or listening to the news!

Roundup anyone?

So after the operation weed whacker story yesterday, the news did a few minutes examining the changing opinions on marijuana.  It was actually very interesting.  The reports went out asking normal folks walking along about their thoughts on legalization.  They talked to all types of people random age, sex and color yet the answer was over whelmingly the same.  People did not seem to care what others did as long as it was done responsibly.

From there they talked to both the police commissioner and DA of Phila who of course were not pro legalization but both agreed it was time to change laws.  In PA no matter what the quantity you are caught with, you are arrested, charged and taken in to the station.  Why would two men charged with upholding the law and order say they feel that it may be time to at least change some laws?  Well, to start, $320 million  spent in Pennsylvania alone on what they described as small quantity possession charges.  Thousands of arrests, time in court, police that could be out on the streets addressing the violence issues running rampant in the city.

I am not arguing one way or the other on the topic.  I had never really put much thought into it to be honest but those numbers do draw my attention. If nothing else it is a very interesting debate.