On the question of welfare...

I have a friend with a catastrophic disease. The medicines that keep him alive run $2.5K/month. He works as hard as he can, but can barely afford to eat, let alone pay for prescriptions. Thanks to our buddies in congress, and the voters who think all poor folk are lazy, his benefits have been repeatedly delayed and whittled down.

I agree that there's far to much abuse of the system and there needs to be sweeping reform to prevent it. But cutting everyone for over-generalized opinions hurts children, elderly and the weakest members of our society. And that damages our nation as a whole.

Wise old Ben never intended that we turn our backs on those whose lives depend on us. He taught that those who CAN work MUST work. And that's where reforms should start. Not all poor are lazy. Not everyone on food stamps is an addict. Without our help, my friend and others like him will die. Instead of lumping them all together and slamming doors, we must weed out the users and take better care of those who really need us.

House Republicans Unlikely To Touch Obamacare In Next Government Funding Offer

My dream is to have a congress that represents the needs of the people and the best interests of the country, not one that represents corporate and special interest, plays party games, refuses to do their jobs and engages in activities that border dangerously on terror and tree son. I'd like to have legislators that go in, make a difference and go back to their jobs. Not career politicians who get salary and benefits for the rest of their lives no matter how long they served. Publicly funded (exclusively) campaigns where normal, working class citizens have a shot at public office, not public offices purchased by millionaires and corporations who expect full attention and servitude in return. Parties who balance congress, look out for their constituents and shake hands after working together on positive legislation. Legislators who will play hardball with the president if needed, but are right there with him/her in the trenches working to make the country better. The lobby and all forms of influence peddling made illegal, with mandatory punishment for everyone involved, including legislators.



But I keep waking up to find my dream has vanished and our country has the best congress money can buy.
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Dreaming of George

"You people..." We are locked in an "us vs them" battle. When we should be working together as neighbors, brothers, Americans, instead we lock horns and hurl spin and epithets at each other in the name of whatever our differences are. It's so ingrained in us we can't look at each other as equals. The lenses we wear and the words we use keep us at a distance and prevent us from coming to any kind of discussion table. We put party before country, citizens, human beings. We don't consider what's best for our nation, only what our party believes is right at the expense of everything else.
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Dianne Feinstein Cites Support For Assault Weapons Ban (VIDEO)

The terms "assault weapon" and "military style" are way too vague. Who defines what's included? Lots of guns could be called that and banned. It could also be tied up in costly lawsuits for years. This is NOT the way to handle responsible gun control. We need to focus on prevention though background checks and mental health issues, and do something that will actually affect criminals... better coordinating of investigations and harsh, mandatory sentences for gun crimes. We also need to address the animosity we have for each other. Instead of being Americans first, we treat each other like enemies over issues, party, religion, and every other difference. Until we change that, our children will continue to grow up in an atmosphere that breeds violence. Passing a quick law to ban something is a bandaid. Lip service to look like you're doing something about the problem, and allotting a bunch of tax dollars that could be used more productively doing almost anything else. Makes no difference in why some do the things they do or how they get away with it.
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The Fiscal Cliff Sparks Anger Among Conservatives (SLIDESHOW)

It never matters to Congress what the people need or what's the honorable, responsible course of action. Nor does it matter that they rarely, if ever, actually do the job they were elected to do. Yet they have no trouble hoovering salary, perks, retirement, health care, protection from their actions while they strut, play party games, bend over for corporations and special interest, and treat half of the country like foul, bitter enemies. Just once I'd like to see them put away the fake animosity, stop the rhetoric, sit down at the table, discuss the actual needs of the people, agree and shake hands. Just do their job. But then, I guess that's expecting too much. On the other hand, we have the best congress money can buy!
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