Explosive Expressions (Entries tagged as reform)

Health Care Collapse

nospam@example.com (Jason Frisvold) — Thu, 21 Jan 2010 13:46:27 -0500

Are You Fucking Kidding Me? Well, I suppose that since the Senate took the idea of healthcare out back, beat the shit out of it, bowed down to the healthcare industry, and shit out a complete waste of paper, maybe this isn't so bad. But to completely give up like this?

Democrats need to grow a pair and stop screwing around. Sure, the senate bill was a piece of shit, but that's only because you cowed to Republican pressure, changed things to make them happy, and they voted against it anyway. How about putting together a bill that makes sense. Market the living hell out of it. Make sure America knows exactly how awesome it is, and then see what the Republicans do. Sure, they'll probably vote no. Then you have a really good case to go back to the public with and say "See? They're trying to fuck you over, Mr. John Q. Public. We did everything we could and the Republican's are still trying to stick it to you." We'll see how fast that majority comes back.

As for know, I'm completely disgusted with the government as a whole. The Republicans in office are completely useless with their "Vote No" shit. How about using your fucking brains, stop playing games, and make actual decisions.

As for Democrats, you're a bunch of pussies. You had a majority and you squandered it. That's what happened in Massachusetts. That's why Brown is in office and not Coakley. Think about it, they were both horrible candidates. Neither of them would make good Senate material. Although, perhaps in retrospect, they're both perfect fits... Regardless, the reason Brown won has nothing to do with the Republican view, it has to do with the utter disgust America currently has with Congress in general. Republicans won't make a decision, and Democrats are fucking everything up and blaming it on attempts at bi-partisanship.

If you're in office right now and you want to stay there, you need to wake up and look at reality. Stop playing games with people's lives and start making mature decisions. Screw the party, vote with the people. We elected you, how about you start listening to us. Massachusetts is only the beginning. If things don't change, and change quickly, I can easily see a lot more lost seats. And if the current Republican view gets in control again, we're fucked.

Congressional Reform

nospam@example.com (Jason Frisvold) — Thu, 31 Dec 2009 23:38:52 -0500

I was forwarded an email this week about congressional reform. They're calling it the "Congressional Reform Act of 2010" though I haven't been able to dig up a source, or anything indicating whether or not it's real.

Anyway, it goes something like this:

1. Term Limits: 12 years only, one of the possible options below.

A. Two Six year Senate terms
B. Six Two year House terms
C. One Six year Senate term and three Two Year House terms

Serving in Congress is an honor, not a career. The Founding Fathers envisioned citizen legislators, serve your term(s), then go home and back to work.

2. No Tenure / No Pension:

A congressman collects a salary while in office and receives no pay when they are out of office.

Serving in Congress is an honor, not a career. The Founding Fathers envisioned citizen legislators, serve your term(s), then go home and back to work.

3. Congress (past, present & future) participates in Social Security:

All funds in the Congressional retirement fund moves to the Social Security system immediately.
All future funds flow into the Social Security system, Congress participates with the American people.

Serving in Congress is an honor, not a career. The Founding Fathers envisioned citizen legislators, serve your term(s), then go home and back to work.

4. Congress can purchase their own retirement plan just as all Americans.

Serving in Congress is an honor, not a career. The Founding Fathers envisioned citizen legislators, serve your term(s), then go home and back to work.

5. Congress will no longer vote themselves a pay raise. Congressional pay will rise by the lower of CPI or 3%.

Serving in Congress is an honor, not a career. The Founding Fathers envisioned citizen legislators, serve your term(s), then go home and back to work.

6. Congress loses their current health care system and participates in the same health care system as the American people.

Serving in Congress is an honor, not a career. The Founding Fathers envisioned citizen legislators, serve your term(s), then go home and back to work.

7. Congress must equally abide by all laws they impose on the American people.

Serving in Congress is an honor, not a career. The Founding Fathers envisioned citizen legislators, serve your term(s), then go home and back to work.

8. All contracts with past and present congressmen are void effective 1/1/2011.

The American people did not make these contracts with congressmen, congressmen made all these contracts for themselves.

Serving in Congress is an honor, not a career. The Founding Fathers envisioned citizen legislators, serve your term(s), then go home and back to work.

This sound really good to me. Seriously. There are term limits for other offices, why not the House and Senate? I'm not 100% sure I agree with the healthcare and retirement fund portions, though it would force them to think more about the decisions they are making.

Congress, especially the Senate, has proven to be a completely ineffectual body of government. Take a look at the mess they made of healthcare. We're going to be forced into buying healthcare from a third party with penalty of a fine if we don't have any? How does that help anyone? The problem was never that people didn't want healthcare, it was the people couldn't afford healthcare. Now you've forced people into a corner and there's really nowhere to run.

It would be wonderful to see congressional reform, but let's get real. In order to get congressional reform, you need to have congress pass a bill to reform themselves. That's not likely to happen. Would you consciously give yourself a pay cut, lose decent benefits, and put an and to your own career? I think not.

But, it's a new year. Maybe we'll see an actual miracle this year?

Societal Drain

nospam@example.com (Jason Frisvold) — Mon, 11 Aug 2008 16:09:42 -0400

What is it about some people that refuse to be productive members of society? I'm not talking about people with valid disabilities, who are incapable holding jobs. In fact, many of those people try to be independent, at least as much as they can. No, I'm talking about the utterly useless people who do everything they can to get government assistance and remain on it forever.

Let's look at an example, shall we? I know of a couple with a few small children. They are on welfare and receive housing assistance. The husband can't work because he's on disability. The wife can't work.. umm.. well, I have no idea why she can't work other than laziness. Well, she actually does work, but she calculates her hours and income to ensure that they can stay on welfare and still receive the maximum tax return each year. They get medical assistance from the government as well.

Ok, so maybe they have a legitimate excuse for all of this. Or, maybe not. The husband is on disability because he has a mental condition that prevents him from holding a job. Mind you, he's been working under the table for the same person for over a year now. But, the government has classified him as unable to work, and given him a handicap parking spot! A fucking handicap parking spot! He has a MENTAL issue, not a physical issue. If his MENTAL issue is that bad to need a handicap spot, then what the hell is he doing with a drivers license?

But it gets worse! Apparently she's depressed and has a bad image of herself. So, the doctor (paid by medical assistance!) has prescribed anti-depressants. Ok, that's valid. Oh yeah.. and diet pills. And acne cream. What the hell? My tax dollars are paying for these medications, purely because she's a lazy slob who's too busy plotting ways to keep her government support than to get a job? Christ, lady, how about you stop stuffing your face all day and you go get a job?

Well, maybe it's me. Maybe I'm just being too harsh. Maybe I have a problem with them and I just want to make it look like they're lazy when they really do have a problem. Well, I do have a problem with them, but I think it's pretty justified. Have I mentioned that she GLOATS about her ability to do all of this? Actually tells people about how she can manipulate the system and end up with big screen TVs, new vehicles, and just about anything else she wants? Feeling sick yet?

These type of people are an absolute blight on society. They drain away the money intended for people who actually NEED it. The single mother trying to take care of her family, all because her husband died in a freak accident. How about the single father caring for his family after his wife died in some godforsaken war that the government felt compelled to fight? These people bust their asses to get by, and many of them have to do it without government assistance because the system has been twisted so much that those who truly need help rarely get it.

I think it's high time that the system was fixed. How about the welfare people start doing inspections? How about truly investigating when a complaint is filed? How about kicking the lazy ones to the curb and letting them fend for themselves. Not to worry, Darwin will get them eventually.

These people make me sick. I have family and friends who were unable to get assistance when they needed it, yet we have people like the couple above who gloat about their ability to fuck the system. Where's the justice in that?