Paul Ryan Needs Friends ~ Not Republicans

Paul Ryan should stick to his guns and decline the House speakership.  He's one of the few bright spots the republican party has.  It's certainly not Jim Jordan, leader of the House Freedom Caucus who are as sure they have the only answers as is the President and oh, so many others.

You talk about a circular firing squad.  These guys look in the mirror, see only their the self righteous image they have of themselves without recognizing that every one of their compatriots are seeing the same thing.

When Jordan states he and his cohorts were sent to Washington to change the way it works he seems to think that with those votes comes omnipotent wisdom. He's wrong.

Paul Ryan has ambitions.  I'm not a huge fan of career politicians but if we are to be so cursed, Ryan is one I could live with.  He's barely acceptable to the Freedom Caucus guys and to me that's a plus, but to give up his aspirations for them would be crazy.  They'll turn on him the minute he goes against something they badly want.

The Party as a whole got themselves into this mess.  They have no right to beg one of their best to take the fall for them.  The Freedom Caucus wants Dan Webster.  Fine.  See if they can get the votes for him and see how he does.  I expect he'll fail miserably because he will have but one small group of obstructionists supporting him through thick and thin.  He'll win nothing.

Then too their is the Senate to contend with.  They too are in a state of disarray but not getting the press for the moment.  I'm all for new leadership in both houses and both parties but now is not the time to bully one of your best to knowingly put his career at risk.  How self serving can the party get?  Who cares if they need a sacrificial lamb.  Well, I care.  We should all care.

He should either get a signed letter of resignation from each house member, date to be added, and let them know he'll use it if they don't back the party or just let them stew in their own juices and suffer with the consequences with an inconsequential leader who has nothing at stake and nothing to lose.

Follow your instincts Mr. Ryan.  Don't cave to pressure from the self-serving.

My Apologies To Kevin McCarthy - Sort Of

Okay.  Kevin McCarthy bowed out of the race for Speaker of the House.  I didn't think he would and for that I apologize.  I think, however, it was due to pressure from within; not because it was the right thing to do.

Now what?  I bear in mind one should be careful for what they wish.  Who will fill the void.  None of the people I think would be good want the job.  That tells me a lot and I'd rather not be thinking the way I am.  They aren't interested because of the grief that comes with it rather than taking on the really tough issues whether or not your fellow Republicans like you or not in the end.

I'm worried that the handful of right wing tea party types will hold up the party.  You know the ones. Those who think principle is more important than accomplishment.  Those who would rather shut down the government than compromise.  Those who think that their way is the only way acceptable.  Something of which both parties are guilty.

It didn't work before and it won't work now.  We should not forget that the Democrats are just as firmly entrenched as the Republicans and neither side seems willing to listen to voices of reason of which there are many.  Why is that?  Is it strictly a power trip?

I was wondering why, with all the negatives Hillary has, why an entire political party keeps her on top of the polls.  When did we become so blindly partisan.  Surely there are enough people in both parties with good enough sense to know at the moment nothing is working.

What is it they fear? The loss of their power jobs?  If so they're in it for the wrong reasons.  We try to turn over the membership but it seems every new one we send to the hill has mislead us as much as those we've turned out.

The only remedy I can think of is to have them bear the consequences of their own poor judgement.  The problem is I don't have a clue as to how we can accomplish that. When politicians  can lie with impunity from the President on down then tell us to trust them and we do, with whom does the fault lie?

We're all culpable.  If we don't get a handle on it we'll end up being the third world country Mr. Obama would like.  Actions, be they positive or negative, have consequences. We had best stop turning a blind eye and deaf ear to them or those Russian rockets going into Syria may soon be coming to a neighborhood near you.

A Man Of God Says It All

With the entire administration, including the President, having reduced themselves to little more than infantile, name calling hellions leave it to a man of God, the Senate Chaplin, to state it correctly.  "Lord, deliver us from governing by crisis."

This is one time you really want to understand church and state is different from God and state.  Being a mostly Christian nation we invoke that notion in nearly everything, thus Barry Black is the Senate Chaplin who spoke volumes in his opening prayer this morning. He brought the point of the current exercise in bad behavior home, focusing on how Congress is supposed to function rather than how they are by using drama and sound bite governance rather than 'judicious compromise'.

Chaplin Berry's offering:

Keep us from shackling ourselves with the chains of dysfunction. Use our senators today to serve your purposes for this generation, making them ever mindful of their accountability to you. Lord, deliver us from governing by crisis, empowering us to be responsible stewards of your bounty. Using judicious compromise for the mutual progress of all. Provide this land we love with your gracious protection and may we never cease to be grateful for the numberless blessings we receive each day from your hands. We pray, in your merciful name, Amen."

Where he goes astray is asking the Senate to be responsible stewards of God's bounty without including we the people.  After all the Senate as well as the House are beholden to us for all that they have.  I'm sure the good Chaplin would be happy to remind them that what the Lord giveth He can taketh away.

They'd be wise to remember that we the people can do the same.