I suppose you are a true politico if you spend your Saturday evening watching the healthcare debate on C-SPAN. In many circles, this is the ultimate is lameness. There is no alcohol, no glamorous women, no evening scene, but a whole lot of coffee and cigarettes. There is a degree of making observations, complaining about the opposition, and planning on what the next step will be in the process, but it is far from anything anyone in my age category would consider “a good time”. I wish I had more friends that had an interest in politics and such (and I certainly wish I had more lady friends that had an interest), but I guess we have to run in our own circles sometimes, even if means sacrificing certain social aspects in the interest of being unique and having a hobby.
The House of Representatives passed their version of the healthcare bill 220-215. While I am certain these people are completely insane and have a political death wish, we saw history in the making tonight. Watching Speaker Pelosi waltz up to the podium to announce the final results was enough to make anyone rethink eating (as the mere sound of her voice causes the stirring of the stomach deep from within). Listening to her speak about how since one Republican voted for the bill makes it a “bi-partisan” bill makes me quite unhappy, because in some way she probably does believe that in her warped mind, or she is putting on a pretty good act. Anymore, it is hard to tell with these people.
We ended up flicking back and forth between the debate and The Godfather Saga tonight. A friend of mine actually got a brand new flat screen TV, a Visio, and Al Pacino and Marlon Brando looked better than ever. I began to watch and then thought about the characters themselves.
If you think about it, we have a ton of Santino Corleone’s in Congress today. When I say that, I mean we have a lot of people acting purely on emotion, sometimes getting good results, but oftentimes getting a bad result. Healthcare is emotionally a supercharged issue, and we have a Congress that charged into this thing headfirst without really considering the repercussions, much like Sonny would do in The Godfather. They may be completely well intentioned, but they totally disregard the future results of the decision they are acting on today.
I do not need to tell you what happened to Santino, and if Congress is not careful in their approach to things, they will be heading down the same path. Of course, rather than getting pumped full of bullets at a toll booth, they will be getting the boot from D.C.
Congressmen should not be like Santino Corleone. Congress should be like Tom Hagen, a consigliere. Consigliere’s provide counsel, look into things, give recommendations, and advise. However, the boss does not have to agree with the consigliere. Furthermore, if the boss is not satisfied with the consigliere, a replacement can be brought in at the word of the boss.
The American people are like Don Corleone, the boss. The people decide who is going to represent them in Congress and allows them to make their own recommendations on bills. The only difference is we actually give them the power to make the bill decisions. However, the American people still reserve the right to keep or dismiss Congress, just as Michael Corleone had the right to keep or dismiss Tom Hagen from his duties.
Unfortunately today, the boss and the consigliere are having a disagreement. Congress wants to pass healthcare reform, but the American people are not enthusiastic. Some polls have Americans equally favoring and disfavoring the new healthcare legislation, and some polls like Rasmussen have more people opposing than supporting healthcare reform.
The don is left with a choice. Keep the consigliere or dismiss him? If Congress tries to pass this 2,000 page monstrosity against the wishes of the American people (let’s be honest, 220-215 is hardly a mandate folks), will America give Congress the boot in 2010? Congress is not the boss, although it is trying to be given how it has approached different pieces of legislation over 2009.
I said earlier Congress is full of Santino Corleone’s. As Vito Corleone said, “Santino made a terrible don”. He did not think rationally all the time and was ruled by his emotions, and that has become evident with the current Congress we have. There is a very good reason these people are not the boss, and a very good reason why the American people ARE the boss.
Congress should not forget who they work for, or they will be replaced by the true boss: the American people.
The Mang
Conservative Capo of Youngstown
The House of Representatives passed their version of the healthcare bill 220-215. While I am certain these people are completely insane and have a political death wish, we saw history in the making tonight. Watching Speaker Pelosi waltz up to the podium to announce the final results was enough to make anyone rethink eating (as the mere sound of her voice causes the stirring of the stomach deep from within). Listening to her speak about how since one Republican voted for the bill makes it a “bi-partisan” bill makes me quite unhappy, because in some way she probably does believe that in her warped mind, or she is putting on a pretty good act. Anymore, it is hard to tell with these people.
We ended up flicking back and forth between the debate and The Godfather Saga tonight. A friend of mine actually got a brand new flat screen TV, a Visio, and Al Pacino and Marlon Brando looked better than ever. I began to watch and then thought about the characters themselves.
If you think about it, we have a ton of Santino Corleone’s in Congress today. When I say that, I mean we have a lot of people acting purely on emotion, sometimes getting good results, but oftentimes getting a bad result. Healthcare is emotionally a supercharged issue, and we have a Congress that charged into this thing headfirst without really considering the repercussions, much like Sonny would do in The Godfather. They may be completely well intentioned, but they totally disregard the future results of the decision they are acting on today.
I do not need to tell you what happened to Santino, and if Congress is not careful in their approach to things, they will be heading down the same path. Of course, rather than getting pumped full of bullets at a toll booth, they will be getting the boot from D.C.
Congressmen should not be like Santino Corleone. Congress should be like Tom Hagen, a consigliere. Consigliere’s provide counsel, look into things, give recommendations, and advise. However, the boss does not have to agree with the consigliere. Furthermore, if the boss is not satisfied with the consigliere, a replacement can be brought in at the word of the boss.
The American people are like Don Corleone, the boss. The people decide who is going to represent them in Congress and allows them to make their own recommendations on bills. The only difference is we actually give them the power to make the bill decisions. However, the American people still reserve the right to keep or dismiss Congress, just as Michael Corleone had the right to keep or dismiss Tom Hagen from his duties.
Unfortunately today, the boss and the consigliere are having a disagreement. Congress wants to pass healthcare reform, but the American people are not enthusiastic. Some polls have Americans equally favoring and disfavoring the new healthcare legislation, and some polls like Rasmussen have more people opposing than supporting healthcare reform.
The don is left with a choice. Keep the consigliere or dismiss him? If Congress tries to pass this 2,000 page monstrosity against the wishes of the American people (let’s be honest, 220-215 is hardly a mandate folks), will America give Congress the boot in 2010? Congress is not the boss, although it is trying to be given how it has approached different pieces of legislation over 2009.
I said earlier Congress is full of Santino Corleone’s. As Vito Corleone said, “Santino made a terrible don”. He did not think rationally all the time and was ruled by his emotions, and that has become evident with the current Congress we have. There is a very good reason these people are not the boss, and a very good reason why the American people ARE the boss.
Congress should not forget who they work for, or they will be replaced by the true boss: the American people.
The Mang
Conservative Capo of Youngstown
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