Call It What It Is.

Call It What It Is.  The entire Ferguson, MO shooting episode has been a bit surreal.  Most of the people who have been covered or quoted by the media have had their own agendas and that is what has driven their comments on the issue.  But after careful consideration of the evidence available, there are some undeniable points that should be stressed.

·      Anytime a life is lost. it is tragic; even more so when the loss is a youth.  There is so much special about every child and the world will never fully realize what is lost with that particular person.  Regardless of the circumstances that took his life, Michael Brown’s death is a tragedy.

·      By all indications, the Grand Jury in Ferguson did their job thoroughly and carefully.  The system worked.  The officer in question was judged by his community peers to be innocent of criminal actions.  The obvious temptation to indict on lesser charge(s) for political reasons was resisted, as was the temptation to bypass the Grand Jury process for a trial. The constitution was followed and justice prevailed.

·      No matter what statistics you wish to quote, Michael Brown’s skin color did not put a target on his back; his act of thievery did.

·      Based on the Grand Jury’s body of evidence, there were three obvious and indisputable opportunities to avoid this episode:

1.   Michel Brown, under the influence of weed, could have chosen not to steal a box of cigars from the convenience store.  When caught red-handed by the store clerk, he could have handed back the cigars and that might very well have eliminated any search for him by the police.

2.   At the time he was stopped by the officer while walking down the middle of the street, Michael Brown could have stepped over to the side of the road, as instructed, peaceably and surrendered to questioning.  Instead, he chose to struggle with the officer.

3.   Following the chase from the shooting that occurred at the police vehicle, Michael Brown once again chose not to surrender peaceably and exhibited aggressive behavior towards the officer, resulting in his fatal shooting.

·      Michael Brown made a terrible mistake by choosing to steal.  He paid for that decision with his life.  Even after committing the initial crime, he was given multiple opportunities to end the matter peaceably.  He chose not to.  As tragic as his death is, the blame for that death must rest with Michael Brown and the actions he took.

 

Let It Lay, Foks; Just Let It Lay.

Let It Lay, Folks; Just Let It Lay.  I have been extremely amused by all of the Republican hand-wringing over Obama’s recent immigration executive action.  Much of it has simply been Obama’s media hacks placing the onus on the Republicans to deflect attention from the real constitutional questions (Now the Republicans have to show they can govern).  However, the Republicans themselves have fed into the frenzy by repeatedly warning against the action before it was taken, by loudly and accurately pointing out the potential costs and pitfalls of such an action, and by making disparate threats in case it did happen.  A few on the far right are screaming “Impeach”; a non-starter for any person with any sense of realism.  A few of the more moderate-inclined are campaigning to use the “Power of the Purse” and to try and squeeze the life out of this new policy by starving it for funds.  This would never work because any president brazen enough to take this action in the first place will have no reluctance to shuffle funds around, legally or illegally, to accomplish what he wants.  It may actually turn out that the “Legal Challenge”, as far-fetched as it seems, will be the downfall of this policy.  The Courts have become so much more politically involved over the last several years.  But this course would be very time-consuming and would likely conclude after Obama has already left office. 

I submit that the best solution is two-fold.  First, knowing that a Republican president elected in 2016 would reverse this action, just leave it alone; let it lay.  Just like Obamacare, it is bad policy and it will create nothing but trouble for as long as it exists.  Any possible benefits will be far outweighed, in a very obvious fashion, by the costs to our nation and our society.  Let the pain soak in.  Let the Democrats embrace this policy; MAKE the Democrats own this policy.  Remind the public at every opportunity who is responsible for this action and the implications that will bleed out over the next few years.  The fact is that Obamacare cost the Democratic party nearly 30 Senate seats.  It is entirely likely that this new immigration action will turn out to just as expensive.  Instead of running around and crying about the sky falling, the Republicans should put McConnell and Boehner in front of the microphones and set out the case that this was the wrong approach, it is an affront to our government, it is bad policy, but…elections have consequences and this what the people did to themselves when they re-elected this man in 2012.  How much damage can this new policy do in two years?  Time will tell.  

Secondly, take selected actions in areas where you have clear control.  Take account of how Obama did this and file it away.  Make it as clear as possible through the appropriations process that this is his baby and he must find the funds to accomplish it.  Fund the involved agencies as if this new policy did not exist and let them scuffle to get it done.  Obama has once again publicly demonstrated that he has no interest whatsoever in bipartisan efforts.  Fine; let him stew in his executive action juices.  Find your Democrat partners where they may exist in the House and the Senate.  Work with them at every opportunity to get some business done.  And, at every opportunity, remind this president that even though there are some things he can accomplish without the consent of Congress through executive action, there are also many areas where Congress can be a “pain in the ass” when he tries to do his job.  Let the people judge how wise Obama’s policy is.  Let them see if the Democrats in Congress continue to enable him in his efforts.  Let the public weigh the real value of a Republican president to go with a Republican Congress in 2016.  Let it lay; just let it lay. 

Lift The Curse....Please!!

Lift The Curse…..Please!!  There is a darkness that lies over our nation.  It seeps into all that our government endeavors to accomplish.  It divides our people and our leaders.  It is the elephant in the room whose presence dominates even when silent.  It is the dog that does not bark; casting its fierce demeanor through its mere presence.  It is the impediment to any fundamental progress in normal governing.  It is the wound that will not heal; it is the scab that is repeatedly ripped open.  It is the transgression that cannot be forgiven.  It is in everyone’s face every day and its omnipresence is undeniable.  Every day, every week, every month that goes by; its poisonous influence becomes ever more invasive and no one seems capable of looking beyond it to a new day, free of its confusion and arbitrary nature.  Can we not lift this curse of Obamacare?

Republicans are hell-bent on repeal.  Democrats are hell-bent on preservation.  Both are blinded by partisanship to the broad areas of agreement between them and the perceived political implications of reasonable compromise.  At the end of the day, is it truly as simple as Democrats admitting that it was an illegitimate child of the legislative process whose intent was noble but whose process was maddening.  The Republicans, on the other hand, must accept the pound of flesh that they have already realized from the ACA as sufficient and realize that a major overhaul that leaves fundamental principles of agreement constitutes an adequate repudiation of the original piece of legislation.  Both sides of the aisle must understand that it is not sustainable in its current form; that the individual and employer mandates are an improper intrusion into the free market; that health care must be dealt with in a serious and immediate fashion because people actually NEED it and USE it; and that it constitutes a logjam that is preventing any other effort at bipartisanship from having any prospect of success. 

Call it repeal/replace; call it revision; call it overhaul.  Just get it done!  The 2017 Project and Ed Gillespie have laid out detailed blueprints of the path to solving this dilemma.  I have long ago given up on Obama as being an honest partner in any form of legislative compromise.  But I cling to the hope that there are Democrats in the House and the Senate that will join with Republicans in an effort to put forth a veto-proof solution to the curse of Obamacare.

What To Do With A Republican Congress?

What To Do With A Republican Congress? Now that the midterms are history and the Republicans control the House and the Senate, what can we expect to see from the two legislative branches of our government over the next two years?  There will be analysis, advice, and speculation galore about how the Administration should handle things to improve the 2016 Democrat presidential nominee’s chance at winning.  That same body of “wisdom” will be whispering in McConnell’s and Boehner’s ears about setting the stage for a Republican presidential victory in 2016.  But just for the hell of it, let us speculate for a moment about how things could develop in such a way that constructive, sensible, and bipartisan legislation could be produced.  And remain calm, my friends…this trip to Disneyland is free of charge.

In their wildest dreams, Republicans will not gain enough seats in the new Senate to over-ride a Presidential veto.  Therefore, as the debate goes, one of two choices will be to pass legislation that is mainly Republican-authored and dare the president to veto it.   If this course is taken, the appearance at first will not really be too different from what we have been seeing over the last two years; it will just be in form of process as opposed to rhetoric.  I suppose that if the sheer volume of vetoes approaches a high number, the public will blame the president for intransigence; but given the current unpopularity of Congress, it is not unreasonable that the public would continue to largely hold the Republicans responsible for a failure to enact meaningful legislation.  There will be some powerful and intelligent people that argue that this course will provide the best opportunity for the Republicans to retake the White House in 2016 and thus be in a position to unwind the nanny state morass of this Administration.  They may be right; but it is a terrible gamble that will not only continue the insane gridlock that currently exists but will also perpetuate the low opinion that most folks have of our government and its relative competence.

An alternative to this approach would be to attempt a high-wire act.  It is all about the math.  If a piece of legislation can pass both houses with a sufficient vote total to over-ride a veto, then the Executive decision on approval becomes infinitely more difficult.  Suddenly, Obama’s disagreement is no longer with the Republicans in Congress; his disagreement is with those Democrats who voted for the legislation.  I submit that this would bring into stark realization the fact that Obama’s liberal agenda is out of step not only with most of the nation, but also with most of Congress.  It will pit a reasonable and bipartisan approach to legislation against an ideologue with a radical, personal agenda.  That, my friends, is a fight that Republicans can win and that this nation can appreciate.  So what if some of the good press rubs off on the Democrats?  How-D-Freaking-Do!!  When things go well, there is plenty of credit to go around and there can be plenty of winners on both sides of the political aisle.  The biggest winner of all would be the citizens of these United States.

Whether it is Harry Reid or Mitch McConnell, it must be incredibly difficult to seek any form of consensus in the U.S. Senate.  All the prima donnas, all the agendas, all the pathetic media coverage, and all of the overstated power and authority accredited to it leave the Senate as an impossible place to do business.  But it is my belief that even though McConnell can be as rabidly partisan as any Senator on the hill, he has been around long enough to understand what the Senate once was and yearns for it to return to some form of relevance and efficiency, restoring some semblance of integrity and trust.  If a sufficient degree of civility can be re-established in the Senate to the point where honest and sincere debate can once again commence, I cling to the hope that McConnell can find Democratic leaders and Democratic votes for good, constructive legislation that will begin to address the serious issues facing this country.  There is a strong argument to be made that under reasonable conditions of debate and process, if a piece of legislation cannot obtain a sufficient number of Democratic votes to over-ride a veto, then it was simply a partisan bill to start with. 

Over the last term and a half, Obama has demonstrated the trust and credibility of a thief and the co-operative nature of a 2 year old child; it is perfectly understandable that McConnell and Boehner do not trust him to be an honest partner in the legislative process.  But now that the sheet has been pulled back on the One and he has been exposed to all as the charlatan that he is, there must be some Democrats in the Senate and the House that will be willing to work with Republicans in an effort to revise our tax laws so that they encourage economic activity instead of creating a permanent class system; to deal with the realities of an open southern border and millions of illegal aliens already residing in our nation; to take an honest and pragmatic approach to government spending that provides what is necessary and no more; to make some common sense revisions to Social Security and entitlements that makes them sustainable; and to either repeal-and-replace the Obamacare debacle or dramatically revise it to reflect an overall recognition that health care for all is essential but it must be made available in an affordable way through the private sector.

If this latter scenario could play out in WDC, then the chances of having a substantive and sincere debate over real issues and real solutions in the next presidential election cycle will be greatly enhanced.  It doesn’t mean that we are guaranteed to get that marvelous and inspirational President that we all yearn for, but it does mean that the center of gravity for this great democracy of ours will return to its rightful location…the halls of Congress.