Election Issues Today

The GOP failed to support the President’s economic stimulus package.

Because the GOP consistently FAILS to support the interests of the MAJORITY of American voters, they will ALWAYS be the minority party.

Because the GOP has AGAIN put party loyalty and party line ahead of basic human needs, the GOP will again lose seats in Congress in 2010.

President Obama may have wanted to enjoy some semblance of bipartisanship, but there never was much chance that his Party would be able to bring many of the GOP stalwarts over to the other side of the aisle…not even to vote for a package that represents our “best” chance, yes, perhaps our ONLY chance to bring about economic recovery during the next two years.

And–two years from now, all those GOP Congressmen who voted against the stimulus package will have to answer to their constituents.  Why do the Republican members of Congress shoot themselves in the foot?  Over and Over again.

Did they not notice the election results?  They LOST!   American voters REJECTED their philosophies and did so overwhelmingly!

Well, thankfully, the party in power doesn’t have to depend upon bipartisanship to GET THINGS DONE.

Not everything in the stimulus package is perfect; not everything will work as touted; not everyone who wants a job will get one; not everyone will get a tax break the next two years;

BUT…AND THIS IS IMPORTANT:  the MAJORITY will.

Caroline Kennedy and the Making of a U.S. Senator

What exactly qualifies a person to be a U.S. Senator?  Not constitutionally, but in our own eyes?

Caroline Kennedy is 51 years old, a graduate of Radcliffe College at Harvard and Columbia Law.  She is intelligent and informed and carries both the burden and the benefits of her family name.

She has stated that her interests in the Senate seat are “patriotic, political and personal, and the three are intertwined.”

She would bring to the job name recognition and the ability to focus attention on issues she deems to be important.  Her favors and alliances would be sought after by the most experienced old hands in the Senate.  They know the power of a name and the value of influence.  She would bring both to the job.

She probably has as many qualifications for the Senate as Hilary Clinton did when she ran for the same seat.  She probably is more qualified than Al Franken who ran for the Senate in Minnesota this year.  Remember Ronald Reagan ran for California governor from his position as president of the Screen Actors Guild.  And Arnold, the current California governor?  What were his qualifications?   I think…POTENTIAL for LEADERSHIP, is perceived by voters and they respond at the ballot box.  So if Kennedy does get the appointment, she will have to hold on to it at the ballot box in 2010, and then again at the end of the shortened term in 2012.

You don’t know how well a candidate will do until he or she gets into the job.  Some of  the best-qualified candidates in U.S. history didn’t do all that well in office.  (Herbert Hoover comes to mind.)

So I wish Caroline good luck.  I think she would do a good job.