congress
A handy guide to all Congress happenings on both sides of the aisle. Thank goodness for this political body that keeps Presidential power in check.
Clear and Present Dangers Staring Us in the Face
There are really only two political leaders I trust and their perspectives are very different but they’re both decent, well informed, honest people: Dennis Kucinich and Jim Webb. Coming from the real progressive left, former Congressman Kucinich’s criticism of the current efforts to stage a soft coup against President Trump, with whose policies he does not agree (a perspective I share), has real weight behind it (see here).
Guillermo CalvoPublished 7 years ago in The SwampHow Democrats Are Slowly Winning Over Red States
The GOP's attempt to pass extremely controversial healthcare bills hasn't gone unnoticed by their constituents - especially those who would lose healthcare as a result of the issue. Republican representatives are now getting so many protests, shamers, and phone calls that they're refusing to hold town halls.
Cato ConroyPublished 7 years ago in The SwampA Presidential Matter: Immigration Reform
Not since the days of Ellis Island has the United States been faced with such a decisive shift in the demographics of American population. No longer is our population made up of European immigrants but rather an influx of Mexicans, Cubans and others coming from all over the world. The Hispanic population is now becoming one of the fastest growing ethnic groups. Today, the influx of so many crossing our borders especially children from South America and Mexico has made it imperative that new reforms must be put in place. With so many individuals that have already crossed our borders illegally in avoidance to the current limited restrictions makes a very strong case to restrict, set limitations and reform our current immigration policies. This is to enforce who and how many people will be able to come into and reside in the United States. In either case the numbers that have migrated and settled into this country continues to grow. There is also a flip side to our immigration problems. While so many seek refuge in the United States legally, and many more illegally, many American citizens are seeking refuge in other countries. And, in many cases all for a better quality of life. There again, many more are leaving the United States seeking a more affordable place to live. Today, our immigration reform needs to focus on both concerns; those coming into the US and US citizens migrating to foreign countries.
Dr. WilliamsPublished 7 years ago in The SwampThe World Continues to Drift Towards War
Signs are beginning to point to the possibility that North Korea has lost its only friend. According to ZeroHedge.com, China has issued its final warning to North Korea:
Patrick HostisPublished 7 years ago in The SwampThe Divided States of America
Everything wrong with the world right now stems from people not minding their own business and focusing on their own lives, and trying to control others.
Terry OsterhoutPublished 7 years ago in The SwampAnother Day In Paradise
As one travels through the cities and towns across the United States you see the faceless multitudes drifting from place to place. For you and me it is just another day in paradise. But, for those countless millions all across the country their plight continues unmercifully with no respite in sight. Day after day, night after night those weary souls are just left out in the cold. Their plight has only grown in numbers. As of today in the state of Washington alone there are over 60,000 children roaming the streets. That is just the children that they account for. And, there are thousands more adults, and families seeking shelter each night. These numbers themselves indicate that their is something drastically wrong in our society today. In New York City there are close to 70,000 homeless adults and children and many more encamped in old subway tunnels. The fact of the matter is that in every major city and even in rural areas their is a growing percentage of our population forced into a vicious cycle that is almost impossible to break free.
Dr. WilliamsPublished 7 years ago in The SwampTrump's ‘Rookie Error’ Revisited
Chuck Schumer asked the question about the health-care bill that no one at the White House asked. The New York Democratic senator put it rhetorically to The New York Times: “Why,” he asked, “would you risk voting yes for a bill that is devastating to your constituents and has no chance of becoming law?”
Michael Eric RossPublished 7 years ago in The SwampEducation Reform
The American educational experience from the late 1960's thru today has been a total disaster. Instead of securing our place in educational standards when the educational experience of the post World War II period up till around 1970 we have succumbed to the lowest common denominator. In the mid 1960's is where the United States was ranked first in Math and Science of all the industrialized nations; a far cry from the realities of education in America today. We have failed generations of our youth. Today, the United States has yet to climb back even into the top 25 of countries around the world. Over the past 40 years through policies, laws, and Supreme Court decisions that were supposed to improve education have done the exact opposite. A lesson in futility sort of speaking has undermined the ability of Americas to compete in the global economic community. Sure, there have been bright spots here and there but the overall educational experience in the United States from elementary thru secondary we have continued to loose sight of the aspects that what made American educational the success it was 50 years ago.
Dr. WilliamsPublished 7 years ago in The SwampBurned
I knew it would happen soon. That roller-coaster feeling. That sinking feeling in your stomach. All these military flights into war zones were the same. Boring as hell, followed by sheer terror (of landing), then walk out into an oven, followed by boring as hell briefings. At this point, we were in boring as hell to terror transition. I started strapping all my gear to the side of the C-130. A Colonel sitting across from me asked me what I was doing. “We are about to do an anti-terror landing Sir.” He stared at me quizzically. “The plane will dive down to land.” That, he understood.
Patrick HostisPublished 7 years ago in The SwampWinds Of War
Once our earth was filled with green fields that were kissed by the sun. Once there were blue skies filled with white clouds gently floating high above. Once there were valleys where fresh clean water used to run. Now, those green fields are gone, parched by the scorching sun. Gone are the valleys where the clear waters used to run. Gone are the hopes of mankind who let their dreams depart. Gone are those blue skies now clouded over by storm clouds and winds of war. Today, the powder keg of tension in nations has placed mankind precariously close to falling back into the abyss of caves.
Dr. WilliamsPublished 7 years ago in The SwampDescent Into Darkness
As time marches on the tempo of life has filled the world with an anxiousness, a foreboding premonition of darker times ahead. Today, the world has morphed into a more violent and troubled place. A place that is far removed form the serenity of those glorious days of yesteryear. A world now filled with terrorist groups and rouge nations whose leaders spread terror far and wide to achieve their diabolical ends. We also live in an age where drug cartels continue to spread their poison to an already susceptible public. The carnage that follows is all to apparent today in practically every city across the US. And, now the United States is being led by Tweedledee and Tweedledum who are steering this country to the brink of disaster by their eagerness to catapult this nation closer to international conflicts that have really no bearing on the lives and livelihoods of everyday Americans. In all probability the United States will instigate the ultimate disaster that will send international tremors reverberating all around the globe.
Dr. WilliamsPublished 7 years ago in The SwampPoverty
The fast track mobilization of our corporate world has made the United States government synonymous with the giants of industry. It is these giants of industry that have pushed America into the realization that the majority of Americas are now faced with third world conditions. With the names of Halliburton, Koch, Texaco, Chevron, Bank American, Wal-Mart and others whose CEO's control the purse strings of our elected officials, corporate control is the reality of today. For over 100 years Washington's predatory economic policies and the Global elite methodically pushed the United States out of contention as the world's largest economy. In doing so corporate America has left millions of Americas so impoverished that they will have no chance of ever rising above the poverty level that they have been thrust into. The cycle of poverty has only grown wider.
Dr. WilliamsPublished 7 years ago in The Swamp