Thread: 545 People (That Are To Blame)

545 PEOPLE
By Charlie Reese

Politicians are the only people in the world who create problems and then campaign against them.

Have you ever wondered why, if both the Democrats and the Republicans are against deficits, we have deficits?

Have you ever wondered why, if all the politicians are against inflation and high taxes, we have inflation and high taxes?

You and I don' t propose a federal budget. The president does.

You and I don't have the Constitutional authority to vote on appropriations.
The House of Representatives does.

You and I don't write the tax code, Congress does.

You and I don't set fiscal policy, Congress does.

You and I don't control monetary policy, the Federal Reserve Bank does.

One hundred senators, 435 congressmen, one president, and nine Supreme Court justices 545 human beings out of the 300 million are directly, legally, morally, and individually responsible for the domestic problems that plague this country.

I excluded the members of the Federal Reserve Board because that problem was created by the Congress. In 1913, Congress delegated its Constitutional duty to provide a sound currency to a federally chartered, but private, central bank.

I excluded all the special interests and lobbyists for a sound reason. They have no legal authority. They have no ability to coerce a senator, a congressman, or a president to do one cotton-picking thing. I don't care if they offer a politician $1 million dollars in cash. The politician has the power to accept or reject it. No matter what the lobbyist promises, it is the legislator's responsibility to determine how he votes.

Those 545 human beings spend much of their energy convincing you that what they did is not their fault. They cooperate in this common con regardless of party.

What separates a politician from a normal human being is an excessive amount of gall. No normal human being would have the gall of a Speaker, who stood up and criticized the President for creating deficits. The president can only propose a budget. He cannot force the Congress to accept it.

The Constitution, which is the supreme law of the land, gives sole responsibility to the House of Representatives for originating and approving appropriations and taxes. Who is the speaker of the House? She is the leader of the majority party. She and fellow House members, not the president, can approve any budget they want. If the president vetoes it, they can pass it over his veto if they agree to.

It seems inconceivable to me that a nation of 300 million cannot replace 545 people who stand convicted -- by present facts -- of incompetence and irresponsibility. I can't think of a single domestic problem that is not traceable directly to those 545 people. When you fully grasp the plain truth that 545 people exercise the power of the federal government, then it must follow that what exists is what they want to exist.

If the tax code is unfair, it's because they want it unfair.

If the budget is in the red, it's because they want it in the red.

If the Marines are in IRAQ , it's because they want them in IRAQ .

If they do not receive social security but are on an elite retirement plan not available to the people, it's because they want it that way.
There are no insoluble government problems.

Do not let these 545 people shift the blame to bureaucrats, whom they hire and whose jobs they can abolish; to lobbyists, whose gifts and advice they can reject; to regulators, to whom they give the power to regulate and from whom they can take this power. Above all, do not let them con you into the belief that there exists disembodied mystical forces like "the economy," "inflation," or "politics" that prevent them from doing what they take an oath to do.

Those 545 people, and the y alone, are responsible.

They and they alone, have the power.

They, and they alone, should be held accountable by the people who are their bosses provided the voters have the gumption to manage their own employees.

We should vote all of them out of office and clean up their mess!

Charlie Reese is a former columnist of the Orlando Sentinel Newspaper.

Strong words indeed and if you just change the numbers and job descriptions he could be talking about ANY country.

This so freakin true it's unreal. The people that founded this country are turning over in ther graves at least 50 times or more. It's the people like you and me we can't do a thing about it even when we vote does or voice realy count, I don't think so.

I am amazed at how "common sense" stings so (every time), and is simply something we muse about rather than do something about.

About whether the "common vote" really counts? Personally, the time is long overdue we get rid of the Electoral College and commit 100% to Popular Vote they way our Founding Fathers intended .... the Electoral College was instituted as a means of "qualifying" candidates back when everyone was a "newcomer" and we had to be sure we were on the same page.

If we can do that, then we can turn to remodelling the Stock Exchanges, which have pretty much outlived their practicality (as far as real business is concerned - IMO) and have demonstrated how they are corruptly dedicated to special interests and merely operate as a money game focused on making false income via transactions and leveraged points at investor's expense.
I really don't care if it smells of Socialism or not --- sometimes making accountability real means acting like someone really cares enough to lay down the Rules and stand tall enough to back them up!

Charlie makes a lot of (to many people, radical) sense.

Originally Posted by Vasili

About whether the "common vote" really counts? Personally, the time is long overdue we get rid of the Electoral College and commit 100% to Popular Vote they way our Founding Fathers intended .

I agree completely.

And regarding socialism, too many marry the ideology in their minds with communism when in fact it spans the middle divide between it and capitalism: From each according to his ability to each according to his work. Capitalism is not perfect and neither is the USA. A 'more perfect union' is probably a marriage of capitalistic and socialistic principles.

Is universal health care socialistic? Yes. Are the citizens of the UK, Canada and Switzerland better off than their American counterparts for it?

Are wage caps socialistic? Yes. Should CEO's, corporate pirates and managers be allowed utterly outrageous saleries, perks and dividends at the same time corporate shareholders are losing their life savings? Greed, when not self managed, must be externally managed.

Originally Posted by vasili

personally, The Time Is Long Overdue We Get Rid Of The Electoral College And Commit 100% To Popular Vote They Way Our Founding Fathers Intended ....

Amen !

Originally Posted by karenwms63

Amen !

LOL
Am I "preaching to the choir" again???

I agree. AMEN!
When do you run for PresidentCharlie? I will vote for you! TRY NOW PLEASE!!!! None of these guys are worth my vote. But of course one will. Then again, this is a different subject.lol

Originally Posted by karenwms63

Amen !

He Karen, I was born in Poplar Bluff, MO My father still lives their. Nice to meet you. classieladiee

I agree whole heartedly!!!!! We have been hearing change for a couple of years, the last congressional election was all about change, and where did that get us. I think we just got another bunch of the same, and their pet priorities got the attention. Too bad the norm is that you have to have a law degree, or some major money to run for almost any office, that does not bode well for the common sense guy, or gal to get in and do some real good!!
There is some real smooth talking going on again, and buy those 545 people and the want-a-bees, what are we in for now????
This is just my Opinion, but I am really scared.
It almost feels like the country that our founding fathers left and faught to break away from, with the elite, the rich, and the rest of us..............

Originally Posted by classieladiee

He Karen, I was born in Poplar Bluff, MO My father still lives their. Nice to meet you. classieladiee

Nice to meet you, also. LOL, but I am not a permanent resident here....I am being held hostage by the obligation of caring for my mother-in-law. My husband's people have been here since dirt was formed. Shook Mountain beside Lake Wappapello was their homestead. Small world, huh?

Originally Posted by Vasili

One hundred senators, 435 congressmen, one president, and nine Supreme Court justices 545 human beings out of the 300 million are directly, legally, morally, and individually responsible for the domestic problems that plague this country.

Did you count the PUPPET, too? Ya know, what's the title?.......Oh YEAH......Vice President?

And as far as presidential candidates, aren't they from the group of 545? Senator McCain and Senator Obama? LOL

Since you are counting (for one reason or another), did you notice this learned author put the figure at "300 million"???
*Had me thinking for half a day until I realized he purposely was simply counting Citizens, not total population (Resident Aliens, Student Visas, Illegal Aliens, etc.).

Kinda focuses the "blame" and galvanizes the call to "responsibility" don't you think? And it also suggests 'what' that this country should be doing for, and listening to the influences and agendas that are genuine and really American....Discussions like this brings back memories of bumper stickers I saw when the topic was Vietnam: "America For Americans" and "America: Love It Or Leave It"

And totally to MY point...one world=one country...Bob Marley...whoever...just understand that we can't survive the next Age, whether it be Ice Age or whatever, without a reversal of our beliefs. We must understand that to go forward, we must go as one...

Not as Americans, Spainards, English, Canadians, Islamic, Hindu, Buddhist, Christian,...but as HUMAN...afterall, y'all, GET A GRIP, this is Earth, we are human.

That is so totally the point, Vasili...less than a thousand head determine the future of millions and millions with their influence, but refuse to take responsibility.

LOL! Well, at least I stirred a little bit of cognition with the thread.

So much to do, so little time .....

And so many barriers to overcome...

My Reality is that...in my lifetime, humans will achieve a global society and no one will remember the feeling of nutritional hunger or the pain of some insidious disease that we have the ability to combat...

Thinking globally is a mindset, and we all must bear the weight of making the change to this mindset.

http://www.ted.com/index.php/talks/k...reativity.html This is our first barrier...yes...start with our schools...not changed fundamentally, since the Industrial Revolution...which is why school is mandated...doh!...many ways to promote positive change and yet, the politicians brainwash us to think that our government is where we make any difference, NOT!

I blame everything on Canada and Barrack Obama lol jk.

John McCain 08!!!AMEN!

Seeing as you are saying prayers, Matt, keep in mind that whatever the outcome, part of having the faith means that you are aware of the importance of doing your own works and not being dependent on another, right?

This way, you needn't be disappointed if the world goes crazy and chooses style over substance, or continues it's folly rather than maintain the honor and tradition of our fathers with real measurable effort and dignity in the midst of derision....