This drives me crazy

[30A Skunkape]

We get whipped into a frenzy over religion in politics, abortion, how many houses a candidate owns, etc, yet most have no realistic idea just how impotent our government is when it comes to addressing issues that actually matter.

Congress left for its traditional August recess after accomplishing nothing. Of the 106 bills enacted since January, 94, or 89 percent were to name government buildings or lands, extend or make technical corrections to existing laws, or passed either by unanimous consent or with less than 10 dissenting votes. The accomplishments included “Frank Sinatra Day,” National Plumbing Industry Week,” and “National Day of the Cowboy.”

http://www.cagw.org/site/PageServer...themonth&JServSessionIdr011=cixgkd4yx2.app20a

 

[BeachSiO2]

Only 1 of the 12 domestic spending bills have been passed to date and it is expected that there won't be much movement on on any others prior to the election. FYI, the US governments fiscal year starts on October 1 just like Walton County's. Could you imagine the BCC not passing a budget until months after the fiscal year has begun?

 

[Smiling JOe]

I guess I don't see it the same way. I wish they would do more of nothing, not passing bills ($$$$$). Bills may not have been passed, but bills $$$$ were passed. Congress spent more money than we have in the Federal coffers. If that is your idea of doing nothing, we are on different pages.

 

[Linda]

I guess I don't see it the same way. I wish they would do more of nothing, not passing bills ($$$$$). Bills may not have been passed, but bills $$$$ were passed. Congress spent more money than we have in the Federal coffers. If that is your idea of doing nothing, we are on different pages.

This definitely drives me CRAZY - especially when you look at the billions of dollars of our tax money that they spend on the most riduclous things. Add to that the fact that a certain would be president wants to raise our taxes and it not only makes me crazy but almost insane

I agree with you SJ - Considering what Congress does when they do show up on the job, I prefer they do nothing.

 

[30A Skunkape]

I guess I don't see it the same way. I wish they would do more of nothing, not passing bills ($$$$$). Bills may not have been passed, but bills $$$$ were passed. Congress spent more money than we have in the Federal coffers. If that is your idea of doing nothing, we are on different pages.

I agree with your sentiments and feel that gridlock is generally a good thing, but with that said, we are facing a fiscal crash thanks to medicare/medicaid/social security and we need to figure out solutions now even if politically unpopular.

 

[BeachSiO2]

This brings up an interesting discussion because by not funding any of the appropriations bills then zero federal agencies will know their funding allocations for the coming year. Isn't this like throwing the baby out with the bathwater? How are we as citizens better off without the funding of at least some federal government agencies? I don't think that US Fish and Wildlife Service, EPA, NOAA, and a variety of environmental protection agencies would agree that no funding will benefit US citizens.

Before we get into earmarks and such, I want to point out that they accounted for less than 2% of the overall federal budget last year.

By the way, I was wrong, none of the appropriation bills have been passed.

 

[Smiling JOe]

skunky, I don't disagree that Congress should be working on finding GOOD solutions for all of the things you mention, but the reason for the current ef-ups with those items, isn't due to not passing bills. It is due to wild and crazy, unbridled unnecessary spending. Not all spending it bad, but much of what Congress spends, is unnecessary and wasteful, with little thought for the People. Once the pockets of Congress, and their friends, are lined with cash, they could care less about taking care of anything except getting more of the same.

Calling the funds in Social Security, a "surplus," is so wrong when Gov't knows that money was supposed to be paid out in the future. Hell, Social Security doesn't even keep up with the rate of inflation, so we lose money when we contribute to it. I'm not foolish enough to expect to receive SS.

Rather than Congress writing more Bills, how about getting them to remove the stupid laws currently on the books? www.dumblaws.com

 

[Smiling JOe]

bchsio2, I'm not referring only to earmarks. How about the money spent in the IRS, war on drugs, and the money spent on rebuilding countries which we blow up, and the act of blowing them up in the first place? Why not invest that money (oh that's right, it isn't even our money. We are borrowing it from the middle east and China!) on bettering our own country, and letting the People make up their own minds on how they would like to FREELY spend their earnings?

 

[seagrovegirl]

What is it going to take to get our government to work for us? We keep voting the goobers out, but they just fall into the same pattern.....

We need farmers, surfers, school teachers, firemen and other real people in our government, those who are really concerned about our economy and our future. It's okay to be wealthy and represent us, if the wealthy truly understood the struggles of everyday Americans.

I am sick of this, and I think most Americans are. Is it going to take a revolt to get some sense back into our government? We need a tea party! Or a boycott on paying taxes until the IRS is abolished..............Think about it....if everyone refused to pay federal taxes how would the gov. prosecute everyone in the US? Those goobers in the house would be brought to their knees.

 

[Linda]

What is it going to take to get our government to work for us? We keep voting the goobers out, but they just fall into the same pattern.....

We need farmers, surfers, school teachers, firemen and other real people in our government, those who are really concerned about our economy and our future. It's okay to be wealthy and represent us, if the wealthy truly understood the struggles of everyday Americans.

I am sick of this, and I think most Americans are. Is it going to take a revolt to get some sense back into our government? We need a tea party! Or a boycott on paying taxes until the IRS is abolished..............Think about it....if everyone refused to pay federal taxes how would the gov. prosecute everyone in the US? Those goobers in the house would be brought to their knees.

I share your frustration. We have got to take a greater interest in our local and state races and hold those that we elect accountable IMO.