Last time I checked, it was the voters who elected people to Congress and the White House. It was not Nancy Pelosi, Barack Obama, Harry Reid or even Michael Steele. Our senators, representatives and president are not elected by a party, an agenda or special interest groups. They are elected by the people to represent the people and do the will of the people.
Yet, the POR Trio would have you believe the prime directive for a Democratic rep or senator is to blindly and unquestioningly fall in line with the trio’s agenda. Afterall, that’s what they were elected to do. Right?
Anyone who’s surprised by this tune wasn’t listening closely during the 2008 campaign. Obama summed up his view of a politician’s role in a speech that played to rave reviews in Iowa and helped him clinch the Iowa caucuses. “That’s why telling the American people what we think they want to hear instead of telling the American people what they need to hear just won’t do,” he said. While his words rang with rhythm and rhetoric, their true meaning was lost in the thunderous applause. No one questioned who would be the arbiter of what the American people NEED to hear.
Other fact-check failures from the campaign trail are coming back to bite the nation. As Game Change reminds us, the basic principles that shaped Obama’s campaign were a.) Americans were tired of divisiveness – they wanted a unifier; b.) they wanted an end to partisanship; and c.) they wanted leaders who would say no to special interests. Obama the candidate rode this rhetoric of change all the way to the White House. And yet, according to Washington Post vote tallies for the last Congress, his record in the Senate showed he was one of the most partisan, divisive voices there – coming in right behind Joe Biden. And his links to special interests ran deep.
Since the election, all we’ve heard from the POR Trio is strident partisanship as they demand that all reps and senators ignore the wishes of their constituents, who are too ignorant to know what’s good for them, and bow to the bidding of the all-knowing Democratic leadership and the special interests that fund their message.
This November, we need to show the POR Trio what change is all about. And in the meantime, remind your senators and representatives who they really answer to.
I’m Joey, and I want to bring real change to Washington.
Showing posts with label Harry Reid. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Harry Reid. Show all posts
Sunday, March 21, 2010
Tuesday, January 19, 2010
Joey’s Take: Tone Deaf
My breed reportedly has the largest vocal range of any dog. Yes, I can whimper like a baby, whine like a 5-year-old, sass like an adolescent, growl like a 20-year-old and grumble like an old man. While all these skills will come in useful in Congress, I have an even greater talent: I listen.
That’s a talent our current leadership really should master. But alas, the POR Trio remains tone deaf. Instead of listening to the people, Pelosi insists on playing her own shrill melody while Reid belts out a very flat bass and Obama keeps changing the words while conducting the same old song.
But rather than admit it’s not in tune with the people, the trio – like any good prima donna – and its groupies insist that the discord is not theirs. Rather, all the missed notes are the fault of the previous conductor. Or the fault of the background singers. And the lack of appreciation is definitely the fault of an ignorant audience that just can’t understand the nuances of the music being performed.
This tone deafness spoils any piece the POR Trio tries to deliver and makes the group misread its own press. Trained in arrogance, the POR Trio hears the shouts of the audience as applause while ignoring any negative reviews.
Take the Massachusetts Senate race. While the audience hears Scott Brown’s victory as a countermelody rising across the nation, the PORs will pass it off as simply a lack of talent on Martha Coakley’s part. Meanwhile, the PORs drone on – off beat and out of tune.
I’m Joey. I’m a howling rock star. And I’m running for Congress. I approved every note of this message.
That’s a talent our current leadership really should master. But alas, the POR Trio remains tone deaf. Instead of listening to the people, Pelosi insists on playing her own shrill melody while Reid belts out a very flat bass and Obama keeps changing the words while conducting the same old song.
But rather than admit it’s not in tune with the people, the trio – like any good prima donna – and its groupies insist that the discord is not theirs. Rather, all the missed notes are the fault of the previous conductor. Or the fault of the background singers. And the lack of appreciation is definitely the fault of an ignorant audience that just can’t understand the nuances of the music being performed.
This tone deafness spoils any piece the POR Trio tries to deliver and makes the group misread its own press. Trained in arrogance, the POR Trio hears the shouts of the audience as applause while ignoring any negative reviews.
Take the Massachusetts Senate race. While the audience hears Scott Brown’s victory as a countermelody rising across the nation, the PORs will pass it off as simply a lack of talent on Martha Coakley’s part. Meanwhile, the PORs drone on – off beat and out of tune.
I’m Joey. I’m a howling rock star. And I’m running for Congress. I approved every note of this message.
Wednesday, June 24, 2009
Acute Myopia
Chances are that if you need a cardiac stress test, bone scan, SPECT scan or any number of nuclear diagnostic imaging tests, you're going to be waiting for a long, long time. While you're waiting, you can thank all the enviros who ranted about the dangers of nuclear power. You also can thank Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) and Presidents Clinton and Obama.
The problem is an acute shortage of technetium-99m -- or Tc-99m. This radioactive isotope is used in 85 percent of all nuclear medicine diagnostic imaging tests and is generated from molybdenum-99 (Mo-99), which is produced at only a handful of aging nuclear reactors worldwide -- none of which is located in the U.S. Because of the short half life of Tc-99m, it cannot be stockpiled.
We, along with much of the world, get most of our Mo-99 from Canada's Chalk River reactor that is scheduled to be decommissioned in two years. The current global shortage is due to a leak discovered last month at this reactor, forcing it to shut down for repairs that could take up to eight months. This shortage is just a sample of what awaits us in a few years.
Back in the '80s and early '90s, there was a concerted push to develop nuclear facilities in the U.S. for medical purposes. But when Clinton was elected president, one of the few campaign promises he kept was to eliminate plans for any new reactors. The concern at the time was how to safely handle the spent fuel rods and other waste generated at such facilities. That concern gave rise to national myopia when it comes to all things nuclear.
The myopia has increased under the current administration. Although modern reactors produce much less radioactive waste than their predecessors, we have yet to develop a permanent repository for that waste. Yes, we have spent more than $14 billion to develop the Yucca Mountain Nuclear Waste Repository in Nevada, but we'll never see anything for that money. Reid and Obama have declared Yucca Mountain a dead issue and have cut the funding for the project.
Without a repository for the waste, there's little hope of getting any new reactors built, which means we will continue to be dependent on other nations for much of our nuclear medicine. And when there is limited supply, the price soars.
The myopia of the past has become more acute because of the current administration's focus on healthcare reform. The two conditions have created a new fix -- reduce the demand for the medical isotope by restricting coverage for nuclear diagnostic imaging tests. This would have the added benefit of lowering medical costs, the healthcare reformers reason. Afterall, if you don't diagnose a disease, you don't have to treat it. And if you don't treat it, you will have fewer people who need healthcare. Or Medicare. Or Social Security.
In other words, we have traded nuclear engineering for social engineering.
The problem is an acute shortage of technetium-99m -- or Tc-99m. This radioactive isotope is used in 85 percent of all nuclear medicine diagnostic imaging tests and is generated from molybdenum-99 (Mo-99), which is produced at only a handful of aging nuclear reactors worldwide -- none of which is located in the U.S. Because of the short half life of Tc-99m, it cannot be stockpiled.
We, along with much of the world, get most of our Mo-99 from Canada's Chalk River reactor that is scheduled to be decommissioned in two years. The current global shortage is due to a leak discovered last month at this reactor, forcing it to shut down for repairs that could take up to eight months. This shortage is just a sample of what awaits us in a few years.
Back in the '80s and early '90s, there was a concerted push to develop nuclear facilities in the U.S. for medical purposes. But when Clinton was elected president, one of the few campaign promises he kept was to eliminate plans for any new reactors. The concern at the time was how to safely handle the spent fuel rods and other waste generated at such facilities. That concern gave rise to national myopia when it comes to all things nuclear.
The myopia has increased under the current administration. Although modern reactors produce much less radioactive waste than their predecessors, we have yet to develop a permanent repository for that waste. Yes, we have spent more than $14 billion to develop the Yucca Mountain Nuclear Waste Repository in Nevada, but we'll never see anything for that money. Reid and Obama have declared Yucca Mountain a dead issue and have cut the funding for the project.
Without a repository for the waste, there's little hope of getting any new reactors built, which means we will continue to be dependent on other nations for much of our nuclear medicine. And when there is limited supply, the price soars.
The myopia of the past has become more acute because of the current administration's focus on healthcare reform. The two conditions have created a new fix -- reduce the demand for the medical isotope by restricting coverage for nuclear diagnostic imaging tests. This would have the added benefit of lowering medical costs, the healthcare reformers reason. Afterall, if you don't diagnose a disease, you don't have to treat it. And if you don't treat it, you will have fewer people who need healthcare. Or Medicare. Or Social Security.
In other words, we have traded nuclear engineering for social engineering.
Tuesday, May 26, 2009
Looking for a Contender
Despite all the doomsday predictions foretelling the death of the Republican Party, the GOP actually has a good shot at reclaiming several important congressional seats next year. That is if it recruits credible contenders rather than embracing whomever shows up or letting weak Democrats go unchallenged.
Take the Nevada U.S. Senate seat, for instance. Harry Reid, Senate majority leader and, thus, titular head of all Senate Democrats, is asking to be taken out as he is no longer seen as the champion of Nevada. The Las Vegas Review-Journal reports his favorable rating in the state is at 32 percent and his unfavorable rating at 51 percent. According to the newspaper's poll, Reid has fewer fans in Nevada than President Bush and even Rush Limbaugh!
But despite this news, no Republican has stepped forward yet to challenge Reid's Senate seat. Why? The most likely candidates have their eyes on the governor's mansion. And no one is eager to battle Reid who is infamous for his no-holds-barred campaign tactics.
Even though Reid is in no shape for a well-fought campaign, the most prominent Nevadan Republicans have jaws of glass. A few of them have actually contributed to Reid. Some of the problems they face? Criminal charges of recruiting and hiring undocumented workers. Accusations of pocketing money intended for nonprofit projects. Conflicts of interest, including a state senator whose day job is as a paid lobbyist to the Legislature.
But Nevada is not without its contenders. Tim Cushman, the third generation of a family that helped punch Nevada out of the dessert, is pro-business, understands the challenges facing Nevada and has kept his nose out of politics. He could be formidable in the ring if he could be persuaded to don the Repulican mantle.
Or there's state Sen. Barbara Cegavske, a small business owner who entered the political arena on the school board level when she became concerned about the education her sons weren't getting. Her family is grown now, and Barbara, from all reports, has proved she can go toe-to-toe with the meanest without becoming a closet bone collector.
If the Republicans are to regain seats in Nevada or elsewhere, the local and national committees have to do some scouting, start recruiting the brightest and best, and then dig into their pockets to give these candidates a fighting chance. Only then will they hush the naysayers and start building the excitement they will need to retake the White House in 2012.
Take the Nevada U.S. Senate seat, for instance. Harry Reid, Senate majority leader and, thus, titular head of all Senate Democrats, is asking to be taken out as he is no longer seen as the champion of Nevada. The Las Vegas Review-Journal reports his favorable rating in the state is at 32 percent and his unfavorable rating at 51 percent. According to the newspaper's poll, Reid has fewer fans in Nevada than President Bush and even Rush Limbaugh!
But despite this news, no Republican has stepped forward yet to challenge Reid's Senate seat. Why? The most likely candidates have their eyes on the governor's mansion. And no one is eager to battle Reid who is infamous for his no-holds-barred campaign tactics.
Even though Reid is in no shape for a well-fought campaign, the most prominent Nevadan Republicans have jaws of glass. A few of them have actually contributed to Reid. Some of the problems they face? Criminal charges of recruiting and hiring undocumented workers. Accusations of pocketing money intended for nonprofit projects. Conflicts of interest, including a state senator whose day job is as a paid lobbyist to the Legislature.
But Nevada is not without its contenders. Tim Cushman, the third generation of a family that helped punch Nevada out of the dessert, is pro-business, understands the challenges facing Nevada and has kept his nose out of politics. He could be formidable in the ring if he could be persuaded to don the Repulican mantle.
Or there's state Sen. Barbara Cegavske, a small business owner who entered the political arena on the school board level when she became concerned about the education her sons weren't getting. Her family is grown now, and Barbara, from all reports, has proved she can go toe-to-toe with the meanest without becoming a closet bone collector.
If the Republicans are to regain seats in Nevada or elsewhere, the local and national committees have to do some scouting, start recruiting the brightest and best, and then dig into their pockets to give these candidates a fighting chance. Only then will they hush the naysayers and start building the excitement they will need to retake the White House in 2012.
Tuesday, May 19, 2009
A Message to Republicans
As Republican leaders are gathering to discuss strategy and the future of the party, I've got a few pointers to share with them and the rank and file.
1. The past. Get over it. Yes, we lost the election -- but not by the landslide the Democrats would have you believe.
2. President Bush. Stop hiding from him. Yes, our country is in a mess. But many of our problems took root under President Clinton, maturing under Bush AND a Democrat-controlled Congress. Anytime someone starts blaming Bush for everything, politely remind them that Pelosi-Reid were tag-teaming in the House and Senate.
3. The agenda. Don't let the Dems define us, anoint "our" spokespeople or set our agenda. We should speak for ourselves by presenting well thought-out solutions to the problems facing the nation.
4. Name calling. It's so middle school. Do you really think we're going to advance the cause by spending valuable time arguing about whether we should "rename" the Democrat Party the "National Socialist Democrat Party"? Come on, we've got more important issues to tend to.
5. The basics. Get back to them. The Republican Party was once the party of practical solutions, a party dedicated to basic human freedom. That means expanding the tent and constructively adapting to demographic changes in our country.
6. The future. Recruit, recruit, recruit -- reaching out to minorities, women and people of all ages. We've got opportunities to take back congressional seats in 2010, including Harry Reid's Senate seat, but so far we have done little to recruit serious, credible candidates to challenge the incumbents. And when we do, we have to put our money where our mouth is to help our candidates win. While we're at it, we need to keep our eyes open for a fresh, strong lineup of presidential contenders who can bring new energy and excitement to the process and successfully challenge the Obama-Biden team in 2012.
1. The past. Get over it. Yes, we lost the election -- but not by the landslide the Democrats would have you believe.
2. President Bush. Stop hiding from him. Yes, our country is in a mess. But many of our problems took root under President Clinton, maturing under Bush AND a Democrat-controlled Congress. Anytime someone starts blaming Bush for everything, politely remind them that Pelosi-Reid were tag-teaming in the House and Senate.
3. The agenda. Don't let the Dems define us, anoint "our" spokespeople or set our agenda. We should speak for ourselves by presenting well thought-out solutions to the problems facing the nation.
4. Name calling. It's so middle school. Do you really think we're going to advance the cause by spending valuable time arguing about whether we should "rename" the Democrat Party the "National Socialist Democrat Party"? Come on, we've got more important issues to tend to.
5. The basics. Get back to them. The Republican Party was once the party of practical solutions, a party dedicated to basic human freedom. That means expanding the tent and constructively adapting to demographic changes in our country.
6. The future. Recruit, recruit, recruit -- reaching out to minorities, women and people of all ages. We've got opportunities to take back congressional seats in 2010, including Harry Reid's Senate seat, but so far we have done little to recruit serious, credible candidates to challenge the incumbents. And when we do, we have to put our money where our mouth is to help our candidates win. While we're at it, we need to keep our eyes open for a fresh, strong lineup of presidential contenders who can bring new energy and excitement to the process and successfully challenge the Obama-Biden team in 2012.
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