Saturday, March 30, 2013

Sharing a Recent Post from my other Blog

I took a risk and put this on my 'author's' blog.  Usually when I mention anything political, I lose readers, but in this case, I didn't.  Strange...a few years back, a woman I considered a very close friend wrote me off because I said something negative about Obama when he was first running for office.  She saw him as the second coming of Lord, I suppose.  A true friend wouldn't care if we didn't agree on everything, so I guess I didn't really lose anything, did I?


Ginger is Wearing a Different Hat Today!

I'm an author, but today I'm stepping away from the world of fiction writing where I can sweep myself away to a different era, civilization, and a place where everything has a happily-ever-after and addressing what has happened to the population's voice when it comes to government.  I want changes, but I have no idea how to initiate them.  I wonder why so many take the time to write scathing reviews about fictional works on Amazon, but when it comes to what's really important in life, no one seems to find the time or a way to speak out.

Rumors of siphoning money from Medicare trust to pay for Obamacare ran rampant during the campaign between the President and Romney.  Who knows if that's true, but it made me wonder why Bernie Madoff went to prison for Ponzie scheming people out of millions when, if the rumor is true, what makes a difference between Bernie's actions and the Government infringing on money we've paid for through our jobs all these years?  Even more, I wonder if government officials would be so quick to initiate Obamacare if they had to "endure" it. Aren't they Americans?  Why are they exempt from something they can vote into our futures?  My insurance increased this year, my coverage decreased, and my drug costs went up, too.  When I asked my doctor about the future of the medical profession, he wasn't able to offer any assurance that things would improve...in fact doctors are leaving the profession and a shortage is sure to occur. I honestly don't want the government determining my health care needs.

What bothers me more is that I cannot figure out why we continue to re-elect the same stale politicians when what we want is hope and CHANGE.  We at least have the good sense to allow two terms for the Commander-In-Chief, yet we continue to send back old-timers who are more interested in taking a side than considering the issues at hand.  That line dividing our country (GOP/DEM) is killing us.  Why don't we have term limits instead of electing people to a career position where they continue to pad their pockets and vote themselves raises.  Did you know they recently received one?  Did you?  Only one member, and he happened to be a Republican, refused a raise during a time when most Americans are struggling to get by day-to-day.  Now that's what I call noble.  It's time to do away with party lines and become ONE NATION, indivisible, under GOD with liberty and justice for all!

Here's a list I got from the Internet that lists how long people have been in Office.  I got it from Wikipedia, so I can only assume it's accurate although somewhat dated since I know some of the people listed have since died.  No doubt, had they not passed, they would still be serving.  I recall seeing Strom Thurmond carried in on a stretcher in order to cast a vote.

HOUSE AND SENATE TIME

Total tenure
rank
Uninterrupted
rank
NameParty affiliationTotal tenure timeUninterrupted time
11Robert Byrd(H,S)Democratic Party57 years, 176 days57 years, 176 days
22John Dingell(H)Democratic Party57 years, 22 days57 years, 22 days
33Carl Hayden(H,S)Democratic Party56 years, 319 days56 years, 319 days
44Daniel Inouye(H,S)Democratic Party53 years, 118 days53 years, 118 days
55Jamie L. Whitten (H)Democratic Party53 years, 60 days53 years, 60 days
66Carl Vinson(H)Democratic Party50 years, 61 days50 years, 61 days
77Emanuel Celler (H)Democratic Party49 years, 305 days49 years, 305 days
88Sam Rayburn(H)Democratic Party48 years, 257 days48 years, 257 days
99John Conyers(H)Democratic Party48 years, 1 day48 years, 1 day
10
Sidney R. Yates (H,I)Democratic Party48 years, 0 daysn/a
1112Strom Thurmond(S,I)Republican Party47 years, 159 days46 years, 57 days
1210Wright Patman(H)Democratic Party47 years, 3 days47 years, 3 days
1311Ted Kennedy(S)Democratic Party46 years, 292 days46 years, 292 days
14
Joseph Gurney Cannon (H,I)Republican Party46 years, 0 daysn/a
1513Adolph J. Sabath (H)Democratic Party45 years, 247 days45 years, 247 days
1614J. Lister Hill(H,S)Democratic Party45 years, 142 days45 years, 142 days
1715George H. Mahon (H)Democratic Party44 years, 0 days44 years, 0 days
1816Warren Magnuson(H,S)Democratic Party44 years, 0 days44 years, 0 days
1917Charles Edward Bennett (H)Democratic Party44 years, 0 days44 years, 0 days
2018Justin Smith Morrill (H,S)Republican Party43 years, 299 days43 years, 299 days
21
William B. Allison (H,S,I)Republican Party43 years, 152 daysn/a
2219Charles Melvin Price(H)Democratic Party43 years, 110 days43 years, 110 days
2320Henry M. Jackson (H,S)Democratic Party42 years, 241 days42 years, 241 days
24
Carter Glass(H,S,I)Democratic Party42 years, 157 daysn/a
2521John William McCormack(H)Democratic Party42 years, 58 days42 years, 58 days
2622Charles B. Rangel (H)Democratic Party42 years, 1 day42 years, 1 day
2723Bill Young (H)Republican Party42 years, 1 day42 years, 1 day
2824John Sparkman(H,S)Democratic Party42 years, 0 days42 years, 0 days
2925William R. Poage (H)Democratic Party42 years, 0 days42 years, 0 days
3026Jack Brooks(H)Democratic Party42 years, 0 days42 years, 0 days
3127Robert L. Doughton (H)Democratic Party41 years, 305 days41 years, 305 days
3228Joseph William Martin, Jr. (H)Republican Party41 years, 305 days41 years, 305 days
3329Dave Obey(H)Democratic Party41 years, 276 days41 years, 276 days
3430Clarence Cannon (H)Democratic Party41 years, 69 days41 years, 69 days
3531John C. Stennis (S)Democratic Party41 years, 59 days41 years, 59 days
3632Kenneth McKellar (H,S)Democratic Party41 years, 30 days41 years, 30 days
3733William Huston Natcher (H)Democratic Party40 years, 240 days40 years, 240 days
38
Claude Pepper (H,S,I)Democratic Party40 years, 207 daysn/a
3934William P. Frye (H,S)Republican Party40 years, 157 days40 years, 157 days
4035Ted Stevens(S)Republican Party40 years, 10 days40 years, 10 days
4136Thad Cochran(H,S)Republican Party40 years, 1 day40 years, 1 day
4237Carl Curtis(H,S)Republican Party40 years, 0 days40 years, 0 days
4338Peter W. Rodino (H)Democratic Party40 years, 0 days40 years, 0 days
4439Pete Stark (H)Democratic Party40 years, 0 days40 years, 0 days
45
Jennings Randolph(H,S,I)Democratic Party39 years, 364 daysn/a
46
Eugene Hale(H,S,I)Republican Party39 years, 363 daysn/a
4740Leslie C. Arends (H)Republican Party39 years, 362 days39 years, 362 days
4841Daniel A. Reed (H)Republican Party39 years, 352 days39 years, 352 days
4942George William Norris(H,S)Republican Party39 years, 305 days39 years, 305 days
5043John Taber(H)Republican Party39 years, 305 days39 years, 305 days
5144William M. Colmer (H)Democratic Party39 years, 305 days39 years, 305 days
5245Don Young(H)Republican Party39 years, 304 days39 years, 304 days
53
Samuel Smith(H,S,I)Democratic Party39 years, 9 daysn/a
54
John Little McClellan(H,S,I)Democratic Party38 years, 329 daysn/a
5546Morris Sheppard(H,S)Democratic Party38 years, 145 days38 years, 145 days
5647Ernest Hollings (S)Democratic Party38 years, 55 days38 years, 55 days
5748Richard Russell, Jr.(S)Democratic Party38 years, 9 days38 years, 9 days
58
John Sherman(H,S,I)Republican Party38 years, 4 daysn/a
5949Russell B. Long (S)Democratic Party38 years, 3 days38 years, 3 days
6050Patrick Leahy(S)Democratic Party38 years, 1 day38 years, 1 day
6151Max Baucus(H,S)Democratic Party38 years, 1 day38 years, 1 day
6252Chuck Grassley(H,S)Republican Party38 years, 1 day38 years, 1 day
6353Tom Harkin(H,S)Democratic Party38 years, 1 day38 years, 1 day
6454George Miller(H)Democratic Party38 years, 1 day38 years, 1 day
6555Henry Waxman (H)Democratic Party38 years, 1 day38 years, 1 day
6656Frederick H. Gillett (H,S)Republican Party38 years, 0 days38 years, 0 days
6757Wilbur Mills(H)Democratic Party38 years, 0 days38 years, 0 days
6858Dante Fascell(H)Democratic Party38 years, 0 days38 years, 0 days
6959Robert H. Michel (H)Republican Party38 years, 0 days38 years, 0 days
70
Robert Crosser (H,I)Democratic Party37 years, 305 daysn/a
71
Robert L. F. Sikes (H,I)Democratic Party37 years, 290 daysn/a
7260Nathaniel Macon (H,S)Democratic-Republican Party37 years, 255 days37 years, 255 days
7361Henry Cabot Lodge (H,S)Republican Party37 years, 250 days37 years, 250 days
74
Alben W. Barkley(H,S,I)Democratic Party37 years, 74 daysn/a
7562Henry B. Gonzalez (H)Democratic Party37 years, 60 days37 years, 60 days
76
Francis E. Warren (S,I)Republican Party37 years, 6 daysn/a
77
James Eastland (S,I)Democratic Party36 years, 83 daysn/a
7863Ed Markey (H)Democratic Party36 years, 63 days36 years, 63 days
7964Joe Biden (S)Democratic Party36 years, 12 days36 years, 12 days
8065John Murtha(H)Democratic Party36 years, 3 days36 years, 3 days
8166Orrin Hatch(S)Republican Party36 years, 1 day36 years, 1 day
8267Barbara Mikulski (H,S)Democratic Party36 years, 1 day36 years, 1 day
8368Nick Rahall(H)Democratic Party36 years, 1 day36 years, 1 day
8469Henry L. Dawes (H,S)Republican Party36 years, 0 days36 years, 0 days
8570Felix Edward Hébert (H)Democratic Party36 years, 0 days36 years, 0 days
8671Edward Boland (H)Democratic Party36 years, 0 days36 years, 0 days
8772William Broomfield (H)Republican Party36 years, 0 days36 years, 0 days
8873Dan Rostenkowski(H)Democratic Party36 years, 0 days36 years, 0 days
8974Neal Edward Smith (H)Democratic Party36 years, 0 days36 years, 0 days
9075Claiborne Pell(S)Democratic Party36 years, 0 days36 years, 0 days
9176Joseph McDade (H)Republican Party36 years, 0 days36 years, 0 days
9277Paul Sarbanes(H,S)Democratic Party36 years, 0 days36 years, 0 days
9378Pete Domenici(S)Republican Party36 years, 0 days36 years, 0 days
9479Ralph Regula(H)Republican Party36 years, 0 days36 years, 0 days
9580Christopher Dodd (H,S)Democratic Party36 years, 0 days36 years, 0 days
9681James Oberstar (H)Minnesota Democratic–Farmer–Labor Party36 years, 0 days36 years, 0 days
9779Richard Lugar(S)Republican Party36 years, 0 days36 years, 0 days
9880Daniel Akaka(H,S)Democratic Party36 years, 0 days36 years, 0 days
9981Norman D. Dicks (H)Democratic Party36 years, 0 days36 years, 0 days
10082Dale Kildee(H)Democratic Party36 years, 0 days36 years, 0 days
101
Shelby M. Cullom (H,S,I)Republican Party36 years, 0 daysn/a
102
Henry A. Cooper (H,I)


Just in case you're interested, you might want to check out this list: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Longest_living_United_States_Senator and note which are still serving.

Here's proof that some people just never go away:

http://www.mynews3.com/content/news/local/story/Reids-tenure-in-Congress-now-states-longest/Ih-qKmcvWECLZ_mpsePcjA.cspx?rss=3269

California and Nevada are two of the most financially devastated states and when it came time to vote, they put the same politicians right back into office.  Does that make sense to anyone?  I am neither Democrat or Republican....I chose candidates personally, not by a party affiliation.  It's time to speak out, and this is my opportunity to do so and I took it.

Remember, the content reflects my opinions, and according to the constitution, at least for now, I'm still entitled to have a few.  I'm putting away my soapbox and getting back to doing what I enjoy most...writing novels.  There I can forget reality.



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WARNING: I support the office of the President, not the person currently holding it!