Yesterday, Congressman Ike Skelton proudly presented Federal TAXPAYER money to a law enforcement program that will do a lot to improve the safety and security of our Mid Missouri region. $1.27 Million to a six county program to improve communication, etc., between law enforcement agencies was brought home by the congressman.
This is a good thing.
How it got here is a VERY, VERY, VERY, VERY, and DON'T misunderstand me, VERY Bad Thing!
Earmarking!!!
Yup, the way to fund things without having Congress vote on and approve them.
And Skelton is not the ONLY one with dirty hands on this earmark. Representative Kenny Hulshof (also a candidate for Missouri Governor) helped slide this one past everyone without getting a vote.
But the problem is NOT just these two men. It is all 435 members of Congress who have allowed this culture of corruption to exist. And I use the term corruption because this is a process done to circumvent the proper system of having expenditures presented and voted on. Many excuse this as being a method of political expediency.
BULL SHIT!!!
What makes this worse is that Skelton tried to defend the practice. He acknowledged that earmarks have been politicized, which is true, but went on to explain that this earmark was a good one.
OH, well shit, let me just shut up now. This was a GOOD one. That makes it OK. It is just fine now because this was a good project and was funded by a good earmark.
BULL SHIT!!!!
How was the road to HELL paved?
It is not the project, it is the system that is the problem.
The fact that Congressman Skelton is defending the practice proves one major thing. He has been in Washington too long. Period.
How else to you explain someone defending the indefensible?
Earmarks are an example of what is wrong with Washington. But also, what is wrong with our great nation.
Ike Skelton was first elected to Congress in 1976. He has been there too long. Most of Congress is just like him. Been there too long.
And that sits on OUR shoulders. "We The People" have gotten lazy and accepting of the practices of our representatives in Washington. Once they get to our nation's Capital, we keep sending them back. And back. And back. And back again.
Shame on them but also shame on us. Our lack of oversight of them has allowed this to become standard operating procedure.
Do the right thing Congressman Skelton. Do the right thing Congressman Hulshof. I DARE YOU!
------------------
Over the weekend, DirecTV had a free preview of one of their higher end packages. Basically, they had all of the premium channels for free over the weekend. (By the way, if you want to get rid of cable, I can give you a referral....save you $50 by doing so....anyhow...)
HBO had a Dana Carvey comedy special on Saturday night. I had not seen his standup in a LONG time. I know that he has had some health problems and a long recovery after being the victim of a bad heart surgery. Anyhow, I didn't know how funny he would be to me.
He did get in to politics and did exactly what I really enjoy. HE beat up everyone. (Why I like Lewis Black too.)
Anyhow, he did this bit about Ronald Reagan in 1988 deciding who the future Presidents would be. Of course, he did his famous George H.W. Bush and Ross Perot impressions. Then he added some others that weren't as good. Referring to how Al Gore sounds today as being like a gay Forrest Gump made me about fall out of my bed. Then he got to election 2008. Having Reagan call John McCain old was pretty damned funny considering the concerns over Reagan's age. But the way he described Barack Obama was, um, painful for Obama fans.
He described him as being a cross between "The Mad Magazine guy and Urkel."
OUCH! Especially knowing how thin skinned the guy is.
I know what I look like, and I don't want people picking on me, which is why I work in radio.
----------------------
Have a great Tuesday. Add comments if you have the time.
