Outrageous Behavior in the Senate

Image via WikipediaSummer is here, and the time came for the Senate to take a summer break. The nation is in crisis with high fuel prices crippling the country. So what did the public servants we elected and we pay with our tax dollars do?

Shut down the senate and went on a five-week vacation - starting at 2:49 in the afternoon. Guess they wanted an early start for the weekend on their trips - while many Americans struggle to afford to go to work and eat.

According to a Fox News article, the Democrats left but the Republicans had a pizza party with those walking by on the street. Republicans urged the senate to continue in session until something is done to give Americans fuel cost relief NOW. The Democrats apparently think we can afford to not have enough money to buy food, pay the mortgage, and get to work.

I find it outrageous that with the current state of affairs in this country and given the fact that they work FOR us - were elected BY us - and are paid BY us, any member of congress would feel they have the right to take a vacation while we suffer rather than put in the time to get us the help we need right now.

Working into the summer break would be incentive to reach an agreement on immediate relief so they could enjoy a break before they start the next session - in which they could address the long term fuel relief issue.

Read more about it HERE

Want to know who voted to break for summer and who voted to stay (and who didn't vote at all)?

46 Democratic yes to vacation votes, 1 Republican, and 1 Independent. Who voted no - stay and work? 40 Republicans. Who didn't vote (not present or didn't have the backbone)? 8 Republicans and 4 Democrats. But, don't take my word for it, read the votes HERE.

Had those non-voters voted against the break, it would have kept the Senate in session, hopefully long enough to get immediate relief for us. As it is, the vacationers won and we get to endure at least 5 more weeks of high prices and mounting financial stresses.

Want to see how many days the senate was actually in session this last time? View the calendar HERE.

Want to know what they did during this last session? Read a summary HERE.


UPDATE (8/4/08): One of my favorite writers offers his perspective on the situation.
Nancy Pelosi's Innovative Solution to Save Energy and Find New Oil

Why Reverend Wright Matters in Obama's Campaign

I have been watching this story unfold with a great deal of interest, and feel it is now time to speak up about something I only saw kind of referenced yesterday - by Bill O'Reilly - coincidentally after I fired off an email to his show mentioning it.

When people seek out a church/religion, generally they are seeking God or a better way to live. They may want answers, comfort, peace, or knowledge. What gets people to stay with a particular church/pastor is that they find what is being espoused is congruent with their particular belief set. If there is a strong conflict between the two, people will leave and seek out other churches/religions/pastors. This is evidenced in many discussions about churches/religions changing their policies/stances on various issues in order to stop congregants from leaving.

The evidence is overwhelming that Reverend Wright has not only preached anti-American venom from the pulpit, but that he has done it multiple times - which illustrates that he was not speaking rashly, but from his deepest set of beliefs. Add to that the continual and repeated references from his own lips regarding how whites hold back/put down/victimize blacks.

Obama attended this church and listened to the ravings of this pastor for TWENTY YEARS. For 20 years, Barack Obama and his wife sat in the church and listened to all the venom spewed by Reverend Wright. For 20 years, they found enough congruence between their own beliefs and what he was preaching to continue to stay - and I would bet, financially support the church/pastor.

Recently, Michelle Obama was accused of making anti-American statements (essentially the same statement reworded on several occasions). Is it any wonder that she would say such things as how ashamed she is of America when shame of, hate for, and the blaming of America is routinely preached in the church she attends?

And what of Obama and his campaign? Can we really have as our leader and representative someone who has, for 20 years, found enough congruence with his own beliefs to continue to attend a church led by Reverend Wright, and whose own wife also makes anti-American statements? How can someone who believes whites are out to get blacks, and that America is an evil and shameful country possibly fairly serve the interests of its citizens?

UPDATE TO POST:

Several things have come out since I made this post, that I felt I needed to add for your information:
Video - Barack Obama Responds
Contradiction to Barack Obama's Claimed 'Stand' on 'hate speech'
Video Clip - Bill O'Reilly's Take on Barack Obama's Response
Video Clip - Newt Gingrich and Bill O'Reilly discuss Barack Obama's Response
Article: Ann Coulter Weighs In on Obama's Response
Article: Pat Bachanan Weighs in On Obama Reply - Points out Some Facts

IMPORTANT NOTE: If you go to the Barack Obama website and pass along ANYTHING from it (i.e. "email this to a friend") be warned - they will begin to spam you! Then you have to 'unsubscribe' AND give them a reason WHY you are unsubscribing. How about 'you collected my email information without my knowledge or consent and then spammed me!'