Writing to my Congressmen

On 26 Feb 2009, I wrote to one of my senators and my newly elected representative, both Democrats:

"Sir,

I am writing to you as a concerned citizen. I have watched with great concern the legislation coming out of the Congress and the White House, specifically:

-the 'stimulus package' (American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009, became Public Law No: 111-5),
-SCHIP (Children's Health Insurance Program Reauthorization Act of 2009, became Public Law No: 111-3), and
-the current omnibus bill (Omnibus Appropriations Act, 2009)

My simple YES/NO questions to you, as my elected official, elected to represent and protect the interests of your constituents, are as follows:

1. YES/NO Did YOU read the Children's Health Insurance Program Reauthorization Act of 2009 BEFORE voting on it?

2. YES/NO Did YOU read American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 BEFORE voting on it?

3. YES/NO Will YOU be reading the Omnibus Appropriations Act, 2009 BEFORE voting on it?

4. YES/NO Did ANY of your staff read the Children's Health Insurance Program Reauthorization Act of 2009, in it's entirety, BEFORE you voted on it?

5. YES/NO Did ANY of your staff read the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009, in it's entirety, BEFORE you voted on it?

6. YES/NO Will ANY of your staff read the Omnibus Appropriations Act, 2009, in it's entirety, BEFORE you vote on it?

The reason I ask is a number of news outlets have indicated legislation is being passed without it being read by ELECTED officials!! Referencing the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 specifically, the news media stated NOT ONE ELECTED OFFICIAL read it before voting on it!! And I am just curious to understand how that could possibly be, since these bills, especially these bills, represent huge expenditures of TAXPAYER funds and, as such, should be gone through with a fine-toothed comb to ensure proper protection of TAXPAYER dollars.

Please note: I do post/blog on the internet. I will be posting this request of you and my other elected officials. I will also post the responses received OR not received.

Thank you for your time. Look forward to your responses. "

It is now 5 Mar 2009, one week, and I haven't heard one word from either of my Democratic Congressmen. I even made it simple: all they had to do was write YES or NO, underline or circle one or the other. Not difficult. Or at least "I" didn't think so.

Opinionated Fool
Semper Fi

Opinionated Fool Conspiracy Theory

Concerning the most recent Jeremiah Wright Jr.’s [uhh..'reverend', that is] remarks on Monday, 28 Apr 2008, and Obama's decision to 'distance' himself from the 'reverend', I have am Opinionated-Fool conspiracy theory:

What if.... just if now.... all of this is a show, a put-on, a political ploy?

When Wright first hit the national scene, Obama was criticized for not taking a harder line against his 'pastor'; for not 'throwing Wright under the bus', as it were. With Obama's rather lukewarm chastisement of Wright's 'sermons', is it possible these two decided to do something to allow Obama another 'chance'?

Imagine - Wright's sermons hit the big-time news. Obama stands by him. Obama takes a hit because of his position. Wright goes into 'retirement'. Then Wright gets invited to speak at the National Press Club and uses the forum to make additional incendiary comments. Obama, after a day or so, comes out with a more aggressive position against his pastor, his mentor, his 'uncle'; basically, Obama throws Wright under the truck this time. Obama receives accolades from the news media (Fox News included) for finally distancing himself from Wright. Isn't Obama just wonderful!!??

Now, the circle is complete. And we, the stupid, ignorant, dumb-ass American public, will fall for it.

A separate issue: About gas prices at the pump, how come we haven't heard anything about how the Democrats, as they campaigned for Congress in 2006, claimed the Republican majority controlled the oil prices at the time. And now, with Democrats holding the majority in the Senate and House, the gas prices are now higher!!

Opinionated Fool
Semper Fi

The Streets of San Francisco

The United States Marine Corps wanted to film their spectacular Silent Drill team on the city streets on the anniversary of 9/11 for a recruitment commercial.

The request was denied by Stefanie Coyote, Excutive Director of the SF Film Commmission.

The reason?

"Traffic control was the issue," explained Stefanie Coyote.

The Marines would have shut down just one lane of California Street for a few minutes at a time.

Captain Greg Corrales, SFPD Traffic Bureau, who works with film crews shooting commercials, TV shows and movies in the city, points out the Film Commission often approves shoots for rush hour.

"If they want to get the job done, they find a way to get it done."

Remember "Bullitt"? Apparently there is no problem with traffic when filming a high speed car chase.

http://sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2003/10/26/MO305198.DTL

The city allows street demonstrations, anti-war protests and other events which snarl traffic, such as Critical Mass (when self-propelled commuters -bicyclists in particular- take to the streets en masse).

Captain Corrales, a Marine veteran and whose son is serving his third tour of duty in Iraq, says:

"Ms. Coyote's politics blinded her to her duty as the director of the Film Commission and as a responsible citizen."

Ms Coyote would only allow the USMC production crew to film on California Street if there were no Marines in the picture. They filmed the empty street and will have to superimpose the Marines later.

The Marines were also denied permits to shoot on the Golden Gate Bridge that same morning, ostensibly because of similar traffic concerns.

This is just another insult to the American military, along with the city blocking the USS Iowa from docking there, the banning of the junior ROTC from high schools, and trying to ban the yearly Blue Angels air show.

When the jihad comes to your city, Ms Coyote, I hope that all 800,000 of you liberal idiots and illegal immigrants and chronically homeless will welcome whoever it is that comes to pull your sorry asses out of the fire.

Let Ms Coyote know how you feel:

http://www.sfgov.org/site/mainpages_form.asp?id=18611

or:

Stefanie Coyote - Executive Director
San Francisco Film Commission
City Hall, Room 473
1 Dr. Carlton B. Goodlett Pl
San Francisco, CA 94102

Phone: 415.554.6241

Fax: 415.554.6503

9/11 - Pentagon

Semper Fidelis

Supporting the Troops

While roaming around the internet, I happened across a post on the DailyKos.
Normally, the rantings of political bigots don't interest me for long, but this one did because of the subject matter, Title: "No "Sirs" You hate the troops + the military"

After reading it and the comments posted after it, I really wanted to respond with my own comment. But first I had to sign up. Okay. But then I had to wait 24 hours before posting. Okay. Ready with my comment, I could not find anywhere to click. Okay. Trying to find a way to post my comment, I found a page which let me know that I was not a subscriber and that it would cost $$ to become one. Okay. Never mind.

The gist of the original rant, errr post, was that right wing talk show/radio hosts say they support the troops but in truth hate the military.

It can be found here: http://www.dailykos.com/story/2007/7/13/01621/2224

Here is my response (posted for free):

I, Sir, am fed up to the ears with Right wing Nuts, Left Wing Nuts, Moonbats, Conservatives, Liberals, Centrists, the Leftist Liberal media, the Rightist Talk Radio, self-serving politicians, soccer moms at the mall ... and pseudo-intellectual bloggers .... telling me just how much they hate the war but SUPPORT THE TROOPS!

As a Marine wife (1969-1972) and a Marine Mom (since 2005), I want to ask them: Just how DO you support the Troops?

Have you served in the military?

Do you have a husband / wife / child serving?

Would you support your child serving in the military?

Have you sent a package to a soldier / Marine / sailor overseas?

Have you contributed any money to those organizations which do?

Have you gone to the airport to welcome home returning troops or to see them off?

Have you visited any wounded troops in the hospital?

Have you donated anything to the Wounded Warrior program?

Or maybe you just have a sticker on your vehicle that says 'I support the troops'?

Or do you, Sir, just write the words "I support the troops" in your blog?


In your own words, "Any imbecile can purport as such. Supporting the military and the troops is about something a million times more substantive".

That I agree with.

It is the Soldier, not the reporter who has given us freedom of the press.
It is the Soldier, not the poet who has given us freedom of speech.
It is the Soldier, not the campus organizer who gives us freedom to demonstrate.
It is the Soldier who salutes the flag, who serves beneath the flag, and whose coffin is draped by the flag, who allows the protester to burn the flag.
-- Father Dennis Edward O'Brien

(Political Cartoonist: Eric Allie, CNSNews.com)