Throw the Bastards Out

I don't know where anyone in congress got the idea that Social Security was an entitlement program. It may have something to do with the fact that congressional pensions pay four to five times more than most social security after only five years vesting, or vestiture if you will forgive a slight archaism. Nonetheless, those of us out here in the real world, many of whom have worked forty plus years remember social security as an extorted purchase of an annuity that none of us ever expected to see a return on.

However Franklin Roosevelt characterized his spiel while he was rapidly shifting those three cards, (Liberal social program, insurance policy, and FICA contribution),around the table, quite apart from a method to provide for our elders, most of us downrange invariably saw 'Ponzi scheme' whenever we visualized what was going to happen to us downrange.

And now we come to today and another round of poor mouth propaganda rhetoric from our party partisan electorate.

Please don't get me wrong. While this is not intended as a rant against social security itself, when you strip all the varnish away from the turd of congressional spending you invariably arrive at the same conclusion. It is nothing but a pile of shit. Congress, that stalwart watchdog of democracy and the American way, does not care one whit about either any of us or our elders. It's all about what the money can provide to insure that above referenced five year tenure and that is why I say it is time to 'Throw the Bastards Out.'

Could I do any better? Could anyone else? Both questions, in contravention of strict logic have three answers, just like the card game up above. Yes. No. Maybe...Pick the right one and you win yourself a prize.

So, a few days ago I was reminded that a friend of mine, Emmett Delaney,had written a book called 'The Write In.' It is a story about a regular guy named Les Moore and how he became a national write in candidate for president.

In the book, Les, who is fifty-six years old, has a slight IRS problem, a case of worsening type two diabetes and who is a thirty-five year veteran driving forty-eight states for Transporters Express, one day wins a driver of the year award that comes with a new computer. Les has to learn how to use it though and so one day while trying out the internet he take a survey on what he would do as President of the United States. Les's responses to that survey get him noticed fast and the next thing that happens is that Les Moore finds himself listed as a 'write-in' candidate for president.

Can't happen? Well it does in the book and even though Les is not running, the momentum of the internet carries him along through every trial and tribulation you can imagine for such an endeavor.

I have to admit that an idea such as the one Emmett writes about here has a certain appeal. It is an appeal that every common man, in the best tradition of Jefferson Smith on that memorable Academy Award winning 1939 trip to Washington, wants to emulate.

Now, just as then, many feel that too long has our political system been abused and perverted to further the aims of avaricious career politicians. Too long have our jobs been exported to countries that hate us so that a few corporations can profit while many languish in poverty. Too long have we all been subjected to a rationalistic agenda that does little but fuel ambitions and enrich the bank accounts of ambulance chasing lawyers, the bottom rung of our legal profession. Too long have we all said nothing as we watched this denial of self reliance, this perversion of responsibility for our own actions and this complete disregard for principles that made this nation a singular paragon on the world stage. Maybe 2012 is the year that we, as ordinary folk, stand up and take back our country.

Many years ago I heard a stand-up routine. I can't remember where or who but I do remember the punch line. Anyway, one man says to the other. 'Did you know that the two biggest problems facing our nation are ignorance and apathy.' The other man turns and says. 'I don't know and I don't care.'

Okay, so it's not funny. I know that and now, so do you. So look up Emmett's book. I've provided a link and while reading think about a common man in a national office. Think about yourself in one of those offices. Think about making a difference. After all it is not enough to just 'Throw the Bastards Out.' Like it or not we have to replace them. Maybe with Lester Moore, maybe with you... It could happen.