Congressman Stupak then informs the masses that he has decided to change his mind since President Obama has been so gracious as to sign an executive order to make sure that there is no Federal funding for abortions. I was not so much angry as disappointed in the man. I don’t live in his district, but I called him to express my disappointment. Since I don’t live in his district, my words fell on deaf ears.
It’s been a few days, and the truth has come out. (Note to our elected officials: It always does. Someday.) Congressman Stupak didn’t change his mind because of a presidential order.
He changed his mind for money. This is called whoring himself for a vote.
Don’t get me wrong. I am thrilled to death that Michigan is taking advantage of the current practice of buying and selling votes. Let’s see, what did Congressman Stupak get for his vote?
First off, there’s money for refurbishing various airports in his districts. The air traffic up to northern Michigan is so mind-blowingly busy you know. Then there is $15M to repaint the Mackinac Bridge. There’s $125M for a replacement lock in Sault Saint Marie. There’s $25.6M for a federal courthouse in Marquette. There was also a few other goodies thrown in, bringing Stupak’s total take at around $578M, making the Louisiana Purchase look like chump change.
Thank you, Congressman Stupak.
This leads me to the $578M question, one that is directed to member of both parties (I’m a bi-partisan cynic). Are there no honorable leaders in Washington? Or has the inside of the Beltway turned into a massive red light district?
Article comments
— go to most recent comments1 - El Bicho
"the current practice of buying and selling votes."
Current?
2 - Silas Kain
And Bart Stupak is the ONLY whore? What about Joe Wilson? He called the President a liar in the middle of the SotU speech and he raked in cash. The member of Congress from TX who will remain unnamed raked in plenty of cash after calling Stupak a baby killer. Can't have it both ways, here. They're all whores every last one of them. Rather than have us fight each other from both sides of the aisle is there any among us who will at least come together long enough to admit we have a major problem with campaign financing?
Those on the Right had better start reading the words of Christ a little more closely in order to realize that THIS is the TIME to render unto Caesar what is his. Because, my friends, WE, the people, ARE Caesar! Is that so damned difficult to comprehend? Or are the dimwitted, back water religious zealots buying into the blasphemy being spouted by their respective preacher? And for those on the Left, listen up. YOU, my friends, are equally complicit in perpetuating this war of words. If you think this republic is worth saving, start acting like responsible fucking adults and work together to find a way to forge a better system and FAST. Otherwise, this is a nation not worth saving and we may as well negotiate a final break up of the same. I am completely fed up with all the division. This is a call to arms. A time for action. Deal with it or break it up.
3 - Ruvy
Joanne, I am truly ashamed of you. You lumped magicians with congressmaggots. That is an insult to magicians everywhere, of every nationality. Whoring for votes is not new - but it is a shame that the Michigan politician Stupak settled for chump change. That's like a john in Manhattan paying $5.25 for a blow job and a subway token ($2.25 is the subway token - even jíbaro whores in the Puerto Rican mountains charge more than $3.00)....
Silas, you country ceased being worth saving after it attacked the Children of Israel in 2002.
Your president defied G-d by demanding that we give up our ancestral lands, and had the gall to do it at the same time we were celebrating the Receiving of the Torah, which gave us those ancestral lands; and he had the gall to physically attack our brother Children of Israel in Afghanistan, turning them into hostages locked between the American-Pakistani created Taliban assholes on the one side - and your own 'smart bombs' on the other.
The murderous behavior of your government towards the Children of Israel has been noticed On High; both the sins they knew they were committing (against the State of Israel), and the sins they didn't know they were committing (against our brother Children of Israel, the Pashtun).
They have cooked your goose but good. Not only have they burdened your bankrupt country with "health care" program that will drive it to penury within 5 years - they are trying to repatriate every ex-pat dollar they can, pressuring foreign banks to close American owned investment accounts overseas.
America is a goner - destined to fall by the Hand of G-d. Kiss your ass goodbye - or get to Australia.
4 - zingzing
ruvy--what if we all go australia? we won't change. we'll just come after whomever we can again.
ladeeedada dadaaada
ladeedada dadadaaaaaa.
mmm mmm mmmm mmmmmmmmmmmmm.
set up your own chorus.
here's a sample of what you believe:
americans think
jews are bad
they'll do what they can to
make them sad
they'll drive a car
(an automobile)
on arab gas
they'll really go far
no matter what
the jews do think
the arabs suck
more gasoline (k-k-kink)
we'll take what they
have us to give
and we'll say
"fuck you" rueven (yeah, that one sucked.)
just so you know
this isn't the way
we want it to be
but it's the stupid reality that you perpetuate through your stupid, stupid childish threats and antics and blowing up every opportunity you have for peace and general prosperity because you think you're totally special for some god-given, god-awful reason. just stop being a jerk, jerk.
so loaded on religion right now. oh god, it's god, i see god.
5 - Ruvy
zing, ff you all go to Australia, then I feel sorry for the poor bastards Down Under. And keep your day job - your song-writing/poetry stinks. Stick to criticizing the pros/prose. At least you won't embarrass yourself.
6 - zingzing
it was supposed to stink, ruvy... try to get the point after you read it for once. it was from "your" perspective: simplistic, stupid, arrogant, juvenile. everyone can gather that, except for you.
7 - Ruvy
it was from "your" perspective....
You can't even comprehend my perspective, much less attempt to write from it, zing, so don't waste your efforts. Write about sisu, or Sibelius, or maybe an article about the Mannerheim Line. It's something you probably have some familiarity with.
The only thing worse than me hijacking a comment thread to talk about the Middle East is you attempting moronic sketches of what you imagine to be "my" point of view.
Do what Joanne does. Write about what you actually know. I know you are not stupid, zing. So show us your brilliance - for a change.
8 - Baronius
Silas, did you read the article? Joanne didn't say that Stupak was the only whore, or that either party is virtuous.
And Ruvy, have you entirely given up on reading articles? You make the same comment on every thread. Although I still get a chuckle every time you praise the Taliban. Your Israeli leaders, you want to see lynched, but your militant terrorist Pashtun brothers get a big thumbs-up from someone they'd kill for being a Jew.
9 - Ruvy
Baronius,
I still get a chuckle every time you praise the Taliban.
You really do need a course in reading comprehension.
Reread please: he had the gall to physically attack our brother Children of Israel in Afghanistan, turning them into hostages locked between the American-Pakistani created Taliban assholes on the one side - and your own 'smart bombs' on the other.
Does that sound like praise for the Taliban?
And, just to be sure, I was responding to Silas - not making the "same comment over and over again".
As for Joanne's article - calling selling oneself for votes "whoring" is an insult even to whores - who at least bring some people pleasure - even though it is at a high price. These politicians will only bring you pain and loss. And then G-d will bring you damnation.
A fun deal all around....
10 - Baronius
Ruvy - Do you not hold the following statements to be correct?
- The Pashtuns are descendants of the Jews.
- The majority of the Taliban is Pashtun.
- The Taliban consider Israel to be an enemy state.
- The Jewish people have a right to the Holy Land.
- The Jewish people have a right to defend their land against their enemies.
- The enemies of Israel include the Pashtun.
11 - Joanne Huspek
Perhaps I am naive, but I would NEVER be bought or sold in such a matter, therefore, I (used to) believe that everyone else will act accordingly. What is a person if they have no convictions or core? By definition, a "leader" should lead, set an example (a good example) and be an inspiration to the people.
What we have are a bunch of money-grubbing, short sighted leeches. I'd be in jail if I acted like Congress.
12 - Silas Kain
Yes I read it and I was making a blanket statement about Stupak and the rest of them. The point which I obviously failed to make is that Stupak is one of 535 members of Congress. I'm sick of it, Baronius. I'm sick of all the nonsense coming from both sides especially from the so-called leaders in both parties. We're in a mess. We're paralyzed on this health care debacle and forgetting everything else which requires the attention of our government.
Now to this Taliban thing. Leaving ideology out of the equation, I admire their tenacity and commitment to their cause. It's not right. It's immoral on so many levels but do we as a nation have a passion? Is the division we're currently experiencing coming from a fear of the unknown? Does that unspoken fear permeating our society blind us from addressing that which ails us head on?
Our leaders claim that our politics aren't perfect but the best in the world. Guess again. The political system which has morphed out of the Watergate era is toxic. Blind corporate greed has driven potential profits into the hands of politicians paid off to perpetuate this broken down mess. While those on the Right are screaming "Constitution" they''re the same ones who refuse to cooperate in the Census 2010 which is CONSTITUTIONALLY mandated. We are a people who "pick and choose" those parts of the Constitution which we agree with. Gee, kind of like how we practice religion, isn't it?
13 - roger nowosielski
"And then G-d will bring you damnation."
I suppose the above disqualifies from making the same comment over and over again.
Perhaps you should just preface every comment you make from now on with this opening line, and then proceed with the original thought. But you always end with it, with the result that whatever new or interesting you may have said in the interim gets lost in the shuffle.
14 - Baronius
Silas, I'm just saying that you're yelling at an article that you agree with.
15 - Dr Dreadful
The mantra that every last member of [insert name of legislative body here] is a whore and a leech is a cop-out.
It's lazy thinking. Certainly there are some very poor legislators - my House representative is one of them - and certainly every member of Congress has to make compromises and act against their desires (or those of their constituents) more than they'd prefer. But there are also some very good people on Capitol Hill. Senator Brownback of Kansas (much as I abhor his personal politics) is one, as was the late Ted Kennedy.
Trying to washing your hands of the whole thing by calling them all crooks is bullshit.
16 - roger nowosielski
Great point, Dreadful. It is a cop-out to be blaming the situation solely on men rather than on parts of the system.
It's like saying there are no more honorable persons. But if there are no more honorable persons in government, why should the critics regard themselves as honorable themselves? And on what grounds? Simply because they disagree with the outcome?
Indeed, lazy thinking.
17 - Silas Kain
But there are also some very good people on Capitol Hill. Senator Brownback of Kansas (much as I abhor his personal politics) is one, as was the late Ted Kennedy.
Perhaps you are correct. I'm no fan of Brownback and as much as I disagreed with Kennedy, I think he was an amazing public servant. The problem, Dread, is that the entire system is tainted which causes those who are the "good guys" to be ignored. Bernie Sanders is a classic example. He always defies conventional political wisdom. The problem is the only ones who give him any legitimacy is the illegitimate Left wing media. While Lieberman tries to be "Independent" he is the poster boy for the normal Congressional machinations.
Maybe I am completely wrong on this one but I honestly believe the current polarization is a direct result of the two party system we have in place. We've created a black & white world where there is left or right, positive or negative. There's no room for compromise. While those on both sides of the aisle seem to think that this is the time for bold, partisan politics, I disagree. We need more parties at the table so that there is effective compromise which benefits us all.
18 - Silas Kain
Silas, I'm just saying that you're yelling at an article that you agree with.
I gotcha, Baronius. When I wrote that comment I had just finished a heated debate with a friend over the entire HCR debate. With all the other issues we've got on our plate, I just wish we'd all take a breath and let this play out. We've got a window of opportunity so let's assess all the other issues we've got so that when November comes we make an informed decision when we cast our ballots. Is that such a novel idea?
19 - Ruvy
I hope that this
- The Pashtuns are descendants of the Jews.
- The majority of the Taliban is Pashtun.
- The Taliban consider Israel to be an enemy state.
- The Jewish people have a right to the Holy Land.
- The Jewish people have a right to defend their land against their enemies.
- The enemies of Israel include the Pashtun.
is not an example of Jesuit training. If it is, the Jesuits are total idiots.
When you work from false assumptions and faulty reasoning, (not to mention lazy thinking) you get the pile of bullshit in italics above.
The Pashtun are Children of Israel. But they are not Jews; they are the other tribes of Israel exiled by the Assyrians 2,730 years ago.
The majority of the Taliban are (unfortunately) Pashtun. But the majority of the Pashtun are NOT Taliban.
In addition, the ideas of the Taliban do not arise from among the Pashtun, but were shoved down their throats by madrassas funded by the Pakistani and Americans.
So, it becomes a matter of irrelevance what the Taliban think of the State of Israel.
The enemies of the State of Israel include a small number of misguided Pashtun who do not realize that they are opposing their brothers. You have heard of people being misled, haven't you?
20 - Ruvy
To drive the point home, Baronius, there is a great deal YOU do not know about the Pashtun that I DO know about - like how they are coming more and more to resent the Punjabi who are using them for cannon-fodder.
Before you go on and on about the Pashtun, I suggest you educate yourself beyond some badly written Wikipedia article.
21 - Dr Dreadful
Have there been any genetic studies which actually prove that the Pashtun are one of the tribes of Israel?
22 - jeannie danna
Oh look another tired article about how bad this government is...I hope you do get the one that you so richly deserve.
23 - roger nowosielski
"the current polarization is a direct result of the two party system we have in place. We've created a black & white world where there is left or right, positive or negative. There's no room for compromise. While those on both sides of the aisle seem to think that this is the time for bold, partisan politics, I disagree."
The current polarization is more a reflection of the fact that the two parties are pretty much the same. And it's precisely for that reason that they feel they must accentuate their differences on almost every single point - in order to keep on reasserting their singular identity. So you're dealing more with an illusion, Silas, than underlying reality. (I can provide you with appropriate links if you like.)
And so, for this very reason, your talk of compromise is misguided also. The entire political situation is already compromised. Just look at the healthcare legislation just passed: it hasn't done away with the private insurance handle on the healthcare business; that will remain as strong as ever. Yet, it is being billed as a government takeover. Perhaps it will come to that, eventually, but not yet. But then again, judging by the kind of controversy this bill has generated, one would think that we are in the grip of a Bolshevik Revolution.
It's all appearances, Silas, not reality.
24 - roger nowosielski
Hi, Jeannie.
25 - Baronius
I wouldn't trust Brownback to put one book in alphabetical order.