tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3563456583012555283.post1085026096681103530..comments2023-04-26T07:30:16.380-07:00Comments on Taking Notes: Who Writes Our Laws?Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10748499370910869188noreply@blogger.comBlogger7125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3563456583012555283.post-32573808192071298582011-07-04T21:39:59.330-07:002011-07-04T21:39:59.330-07:00Olivia, I agree that the lobbyist have too much sw...Olivia, I agree that the lobbyist have too much sway with our politicians. We need to take that money out of legislation. Unfortunately as you know that will not be easy nor will it happen soon.<br />I really like your writing. You've covered a lot here that is important. People need to take the time to read and consider your views. I appreciate not just your passion but your depth. <br />You also are on point with your thesis that the right wing conservatives are motivated by more than just a misguided simplistic economic worldview. <br />Many are in fact motivated to the core by their life-long racists attitudes. It is considered impolite in some circles to bring that to light. We are not to mention the crazy cousin or the bastard son. Much the same with mentioning the dark underbelly of hate that lives in our communities masquerading as kind upstanding hard-working citizens. <br />You are correct to recommend that the uninitiated expose themselves to the websites of these people. We cannot defend ourselves from them if we do not both accept the reality of their presence and the nature of their evil.Michael Galvinhttp://truthout2pwr.blogspot.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3563456583012555283.post-59814026942212125032011-06-15T16:16:40.360-07:002011-06-15T16:16:40.360-07:00I am glad you are "half-serious" my frie...I am glad you are "half-serious" my friend, because after seeing my mom sitting at the kitchen table into the wee hours of the morning preparing lesson plans and correcting papers, I have to say: They don't get paid enough. Yes, NY. And no, she was never off for 6 months. During the summer most of them are teaching summer school or tutoring students that need help. Their 9-5 is Bull. They stay after school to help kids who need it and they don't get paid.<br /><br />Much is glossed over and taken for granted when making those statements. <br /><br />I have evolved from being a conservative democrat to being a progressive democrat and if that puts me on that imaginary left, so be it. I can't see the center anymore, it has gone so far to the right is appalling.<br /><br />Robin, your points of view are always welcome. Thank you for sharing them.Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10748499370910869188noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3563456583012555283.post-32355569667046053562011-06-15T15:04:00.445-07:002011-06-15T15:04:00.445-07:00Olivia, I sorry our view are not a bit closer toge...Olivia, I sorry our view are not a bit closer together. I think some of this is becouse you live in west/red states. Also, obviously you are far more to the left than me, I'm used to that living in NY/NJ - but I think most people would still classify me a left of center; at least on social issues.<br /><br />I think you are missing my point on who writes the laws. These laws are complex, it is silly to think a congressmen can do this by himself! Months - sometimes years of work go into just one bill! It is not just the right side libbyist that submit draft bills; ANY interested party can do this; that is part of free speech and it is the only practical way to get laws written. My main point is that traditionally the EXECUTIVE branch did a lot of this work - Why is Obama MIA on this? For the first 2 years of Obama the congress was controlled by Dems - you think the Dems had the Heritage Foundation, Koch Bros, writing their bills? That's just crazy talk. Even now any Dem in congress can submit a bill.<br /><br />As for the media - you really think CNN and NPR are conservative/right leaning? No way, granted they are right of you, but clearly left of center. <br /><br />One last point just to get your blood boiling; your statement:<br /><br />"who gets paid full time with perks and benefits and takes off six months out of the year"<br /><br />To that I will say this - half seriously - NY City TEACHERS.Robinhttp://backpackbasecamp.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3563456583012555283.post-90597500902959845332011-06-15T12:15:09.018-07:002011-06-15T12:15:09.018-07:00Gosh Robin, we find ourselves, once again, at diff...Gosh Robin, we find ourselves, once again, at different locations of the spectrum. I fail to see liberal news outlets. Maybe your area is different, but the only one we could "count" on was MSNBC and that is going away. <br /><br />As for your So What? on writing bills. It is their job, not something that ought to be outsourced to a non-profit that works exclusively for Wall Street, the Heritage Foundation, Koch Bros, etc. - I, and many, would have a problem with it if the bills were written exclusively by a "liberal" organization. The outsourcing of our jobs was cause of outrage but the outsourcing of work by legislators, our laws? that's fine? - Can't agree with that at all.<br /><br />I can't understand why you, an intelligent man who believes in democratic values would think this is okay. That being the case, we can save our money and let ALEC run the government. What is the point of having legislators? They are dead weight.<br /><br />If they can't read thousands of pages, they should stay at work and do their job instead of obstructing whatever comes down the pike and taking off every other week. I don't know anyone who gets paid full time with perks and benefits and takes off six months out of the year. We can thank Boehner for this gift to the taxpayers. <br /><br />Surely when you go to work, you do your own job? the one you get paid to do? and if you said to your boss that you couldn't do your job and he should hire an outside company to do it, surely he would not continue to pay you for ... doing nothing?<br /><br />Once again, thank you for your comments and we will continue to agree to disagree.Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10748499370910869188noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3563456583012555283.post-75428122180748334182011-06-15T08:45:17.565-07:002011-06-15T08:45:17.565-07:00Well I would say this; of course the legislators d...Well I would say this; of course the legislators don’t write the laws! Although some do stick in their two cents, most of the bills are literally thousands of pages. They don’t even have time to READ the laws. Many bills are written via lobbyist, many come from the administration. This is the way the process works. I don’t have a better alternative than this, except that the administration should do its’ job and submit workable bills. The “Obamacare” bill is a good example of the administration being MIA. Basically leaving it up to congressional staffs and lobbyist to write the healthcare bill. GIANT mistake Mr. President! Obama should have presented a bill to congress for them to modify, not just a bunch of ideas. And so we end up with “Obamacare” that only does – in my view – a partial fix and does nothing to control the root problem of costs spiraling out of control and threatens to bankrupt this country.<br /><br />As far as the media; yes each media outlet is owned by a corporation. So what, the media is by and large liberal. Perhaps living in red state this is not so obvious to you. On TV, CNN is the most ‘centrist’ of the channels but still tends to lean to the left. With national newspapers it is split more evenly; having the NYTimes on the left and WSJ on the right. Local papers tend to reflect the local population. <br /><br />On the broader question of freedom of speech – don’t get me started! There have always been limits to free speech in the US – but it is getting far worse. Generally it is not the right that is restricting free speech, it is the left. In general, the left places a far high priority on “Equality” and “Diversity” and shows no hesitation framing issues so that “equality” trumps freedom of speech. This can be seen in many areas but the view of how the bill of rights applies or does not apply to the workplace is one of the obvious ones. So for example; businesses general can’t fire someone because of their religion or sex but if someone says something “offensive” – fired. Freedom of speech is not protected in the workplace but equality of sexes is protected.<br /><br />RobinRobinhttp://backpackbasecamp.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3563456583012555283.post-35794867870130977682011-06-14T20:06:08.303-07:002011-06-14T20:06:08.303-07:00Great story! thanks for sharing it. Our "rag...Great story! thanks for sharing it. Our "rag" is NOT liberal & the few liberal or dem column writers are long gone. Loved your story!Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10748499370910869188noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3563456583012555283.post-49152602532634355132011-06-14T18:59:09.504-07:002011-06-14T18:59:09.504-07:00This reminds me of the time I walked into the groc...This reminds me of the time I walked into the grocery store just prior to the 2010 elections. A kiosk was set up and our metro area paper was doing the "free subscription" sales push (you know what I mean, I'm sure). I take the paper for the Sunday, holidays and Tuesdays editions. Tuesday is "coupon day" in my area. Anyway, the man at the kiosk asked a 30-ish woman, dressed in corporate attire, if she was a current subscriber. She boldly responded that she wasn't interested in a "liberal rag". She went on to say that she's tired of the liberal media ruining our State and destroying the nation. Understand, I'm all for free speech and I generally respect other's opinions even if I disagree. But I couldn't just let this arrogant individual spew the propaganda without a challenge the poor sales rep couldn't deliver. So I stopped, walked back to the woman and asked her how she had determined the paper was a "liberal rag"? Her answer was the anticipated, "they all are". I looked her up and down, dressed to the nines, and said, "You know, I can still afford the paper. My guess is you're dressed in your credit card and you can't afford to have the paper delivered. If you could, you'd already know our liberal rag went out of business over 5 years ago" and walked off in search of the white meat peaches (yum!). But I couldn't resist the parting shot of "Conservatives have ruined the paper!". The sales rep smiled and I winked. No better sales sales pitch for that gal than a liberal bad-mouthing his paper as Conservative. I'll bet she put the subscription on her credit card.BlueTroothnoreply@blogger.com