Saturday, February 20, 2010

BROKEN GOVERNMENT

It has long been apparent that the government of the United States is faltering. It has been broken ever since election has replaced governing as a goal, and parties have replaced the general welfare as a direction. Wealthy industrial lobbies have replaced the public as determinants of legislation and party affinity, extreme right and left wing zealots have mired our elected officials in the slime of inaction; only the wealthy (banks and insurance companies) remain the recipients of governmental assistance.

The answer is clear, and was espoused more than 200 years ago, one summer day in Philadelphia, when a weary but proud group of men announced;

We hold these truths to be self-evident, . . . [T]hat whenever any Form of Government becomes destructive . . . it is the Right of the People to alter or to abolish it, and to institute new Government, laying its foundation on such principles and organizing its powers in such form, as to them shall seem most likely to effect their Safety and Happiness.”

Perhaps we have reached the time for the second American Revolution; this time each of us will hold a ballot rather than a gun. Let us, indeed, take back our government and our nation, not from fellow citizens, but from the sloth and corruption that has rotted the core of our most noble institutions. Let the election of 2010 be the second wave of our attack, after the election of 2006. Let us once more, in unity, tell our legislators that they work for us, not the other way around and, if they forget that simple truth, our answer MUST always be, “YOU’RE FIRED!

Thursday, February 18, 2010

Big Brother Lives! A true Objection . . .

George Orwell would be proud of Lower Merion for proving they could make his nightmare into a reality. They are being sued for using a webcam in a laptop they gave to students to spy on them at home.

If this is true, it is one of the most egregious violations of rights I’ve heard in years. I’m angry, and you should be also. Therefore if you, anyone in your family or anyone you know received one of these laptops, please call my office (KANE, SHORE & WITCHER, LLC) at (215) 259-3786 to find out what your rights are. Do it today before you have more taken from you.

http://americasright.com/?p=3159

IGNORING THE LAW

Following the law is a fundamental tenet of a democratic society. There are times, however, when ignoring, or even flouting the law, as in the civil disobedience of the 1960’s Civil Rights marches. The purpose there, however, was to highlight evil laws and get them removed.

A more insidious attack on our criminal justice system, however, is the application of “Zero Tolerance” policies without common sense. When a child is handcuffed and arrested for writing on her desk with a marker, or another fined for being late to school, the message we send is that no matter how hard you try, you can’t win. Even minor things that children have been doing since schools were invented are now treated as violent crimes, so why try? Instead of writing innocent things on your desk, write obscene ones. Instead of being late and getting fined, stay out of school.

Until our intolerance and intransigence are themselves ameliorated, there will be increasing disrespect for the law. We’re doing it ourselves, so let’s stop NOW!

http://www.cnn.com/2010/CRIME/02/18/new.york.doodle.arrest/index.html

Tuesday, February 16, 2010

. . . The End of the Beginning . . .

During the last few weeks, each day we hear of another incumbent politician, Senator or Congressman, who has decided not to run for re-election. For some, it is the obvious choice because of age, affliction, or some other problem. For most, though, it appears to be the realization that the American people are “mad as hell and [they’re] not going to take it anymore.” It is neither Democrats or Republicans who are being targeted, but rather any incumbent. After the house cleaning of 2006, the “Pols” finally know that they are temporary employees that can be fired by their bosses – the voters. Incumbents are an endangered species.

What, though, of the Senator (no names please) who could have won re-election in a walk, yet chose not to run because he is fed up with partisan politics and Congress’ inability to accomplish ANYTHING? What of the eminently qualified individual who chooses not to run because he or she has an irrelevant skeleton in their closet?  We can still be saved, but unless we change quickly; educate our children in Civics, teach the Law in high school, and encourage quality candidates of both parties, this does not bode well for the future of our democracy.

Abraham Lincoln once quipped;

“America will never be destroyed from the outside. If we falter and lose our freedoms, it will be because we destroyed ourselves.”

 

Is this the beginning of the end, or the end of the beginning?