And the beat goes on....

Discussion in 'General Discussion' started by RightHand, Jun 29, 2015.


  1. RightHand

    RightHand Been There, Done That RIP 4/15/21 Moderator Moderator Emeritus Founding Member

    The Senate spent a full month fully engaged in the decision on how the new president, George Washington, should be addressed. This set a precedent for useless political discord that exists to this day.

    BTW, old George was sworn in on April 30, 1789, in New York City's Federal Hall, a full 9 days after John Adams was sworn in as Vice President. Both inaugurations were sparsely attended. Martha didn't even show up.
     
  2. BTPost

    BTPost Stumpy Old Fart,Deadman Walking, Snow Monkey Moderator

    Our State Legislature (Alaska) spent a whole week, Debating if Alaska should be on DayLight Savings Time, during their 90 Day Mandatory Annual Session.... Then it took the Governor, to call TWO Special Sessions to get them to pass a State Budget. He had to resort to threats of firing 90% of the State Employees, including the State Troopers, to light a fire under them..... We the State Voters, passed a Referendum, a coupe of years ago, to cut the Annual Session from 180 days, to 90 days, and cut OFF their Per Diem for any Special Sessions, and they still can't get their ACT together.... And we the People wonder how this can Happen.... Elected Folks just can't live without Talking, and they seem not to be able to DECIDE anything, until the LAST Second..... Oh Yea... The DayLight Savings thing was held over for the Next Session, as NOTHING was Decided.... Well, DUH.....
     
    Last edited: Jun 30, 2015
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  3. Dont

    Dont Just another old gray Jarhead Monkey

    Cut them to 30 days!!
     
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  4. Brokor

    Brokor Live Free or Cry Moderator Site Supporter+++ Founding Member

    99% of bureaucrats are useless, and only siphon off the people because they aren't good at doing anything else. Very few actually go into politics to serve the people any more. They sit around, passing legislation trying to appease the corporate lobbyists, playing their game while the nation burns. So much for liberty. We don't need them.
     
  5. chelloveck

    chelloveck Diabolus Causidicus

    I think the newly minted US citizens had had enough of the pomp and circumstance, and folderol of regal coronations. I don't think they wanted George to think that his head was fit for a crown. ;)

    [​IMG]
     
  6. RightHand

    RightHand Been There, Done That RIP 4/15/21 Moderator Moderator Emeritus Founding Member

    That's the one line of you comment with which I disagree. I think many young men and women first enter politics with a sincere desire to serve the people but within a year, the pernicious influences of their surroundings turn them from would be statesmen to politicians. The saddest part is they don't recognize it when it happens.
     
    Last edited: Jun 30, 2015
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  7. Tully Mars

    Tully Mars Metal weldin' monkey

    John Adams by David McCullough goes into this in great detail.
    A book that should be on everyone's must read list.
     
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  8. RightHand

    RightHand Been There, Done That RIP 4/15/21 Moderator Moderator Emeritus Founding Member

    Absolutely! It was a great book. another one that is among my favorites is "Patriots: The Men who Started the American Revolution" by A.J. Langguth.
     
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  9. Tully Mars

    Tully Mars Metal weldin' monkey

    We don't have that one-I'll put it on "da list":)
    The Autobiography of Benjamin Franklin is good as well, however he does paint himself in a bit more of a favorable light than some of his fellows did;)
     
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  10. Idahoser

    Idahoser Monkey+++ Founding Member

    I wonder if we set them up to fail by using such a nebulous description of their duties. How exactly do you "serve the people" when everybody wants something different?
    I think the departure from a few basics is what went wrong.
    If we could get back to them, it would reduce the opportunity for mischief by quite a lot.

    1. Every law applies to every person equally.

    well, that pretty much takes care of the rest don't it. You want my taxes to go up, that's fine, yours go too. We all pay the same rate. REAL fair share. Nobody gets special treatment, especially not the people writing the laws.
    No preferences for anything the government does.

    I guess I do feel the need to add one more:

    2. Not yours to give.

    Prohibit any kind of redistribution through government (by definition, coerced, forced, the opposite of charity). No welfare whatsoever, for anybody or anything. You can't have it so you can't give it.

    They ought to be unpaid volunteers, filling in where they're needed for a time, then disappearing. The very concept of a "career politician" is offensive. If you can't make a life for yourself, you sure as hell have no business trying to run mine.
     
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  11. RightHand

    RightHand Been There, Done That RIP 4/15/21 Moderator Moderator Emeritus Founding Member

    For those who like historical fiction, "Citizen Washington" by William Martin is a great read. I also enjoyed Martin's book "Cape Cod" which covered the original settlers.
     
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  12. kellory

    kellory An unemployed Jester, is nobody's fool. Banned

    Only one problem with this... If it is an unpaid job, only those with indepentant means will ever be in charge. IE: the Nobles will we the only one to rule, ever.
    Serfs need not apply. We left that kind of government behind us.
     
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  13. kellory

    kellory An unemployed Jester, is nobody's fool. Banned

    One of the worst things to ever happen to Congress was air conditioning.
     
  14. ghrit

    ghrit Bad company Administrator Founding Member

    Yeah, well, the original definition of citizen in the US said something in it about land owning to qualify. Or so I think I remember.
     
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  15. kellory

    kellory An unemployed Jester, is nobody's fool. Banned

    Yes, a land owner, (a man of means) no women, (they were chattle) no peddlers, or Transients. You had to have a stake in the results.
     
  16. ghrit

    ghrit Bad company Administrator Founding Member

    And that, right there, disenfranchises the masses that cannot or do not own land or a business. So the original states established what amounts to a tiered citizenship, exactly what goes against current thinking about egalitarianism.
     
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  17. kellory

    kellory An unemployed Jester, is nobody's fool. Banned

    Correct, but they were looking out for their own interests, and the belief of the time.
     
  18. ghrit

    ghrit Bad company Administrator Founding Member

    Oh, the horror!! Not so altruistic as to want better for all the escapees from European tyranny? But you get my point, you have to pay for altruism and enthusiasm. That avarice is contagious was never in doubt.
     
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  19. kellory

    kellory An unemployed Jester, is nobody's fool. Banned

    Man will ALWAYS look to his own self interest. Anything less, is suicide.
     
  20. Ganado

    Ganado Monkey+++

    And not being required to be in their seats when congress is in session
     
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