From the Ridiculous to the Sublime

Perhaps with so much of the media's attention focused on the presidential primaries, members of Congress were seeking some attention of their own with the congressional hearing on Roger Clemens and his alleged use of steriods.

It wasn't matters of national security that warranted their attention, or considerations of an economic recession, or even global warming that our elected officials chose to focus on; it was a man, a baseball player.

Many of us collectively shook our heads at that hearing, but to move from the merely silly to the ludicrous, two Representatives, Henry Waxman and Tom Davis, have in their wisdom, approached the Attorney General and asked for a judicial hearing on whether Roger Clemens committed perjury in testifying at the congressional hearing.

For some weeks now, the Justice Department has had on its plate a request authored by Representative Dennis Kucinich and backed by additional congress people, for an impeachment hearing on Vice President Cheney and some 150 lies/misstatements he is alleged to be responsible for.

Maybe the icing on the cake is that Representative Waxman is the chairman of the House of Representatives Oversight and Government Reform Committee.

I am a mere member of the citizenry of the United States. When I weigh Roger Clemen's possible perjury against whether a top member of the administrative branch of our federal government violated the constitution, I am reminded of an old adage which goes: Wish in one hand, hold dung in the other--see which fills more quickly. (Yes, admittedly cleaned up to be politically correct.)

For the news article detailing the information for this post, please go to: http://rawstory.com/news/afp/Congress_asks_Justice_to_launch_Cle_02272008.html

Gas, Gas...My Kingdom for Reasonable Fuel Prices

Exxon recently announced its history-making multi-billion dollar profit from 2007, which exceeded its multi-billion dollar profit from 2006.

I am not against making a profit, but I am against such wild profit margins--historical!--in the face of fuel prices that make the average person to make life choices.

Seem like an exaggeration? Consider the minimum wage earners who have to fuel up to go to and from work, let alone the many errands a household may require. Believe me, there are plenty of people who are scrimping where they can--usually in the areas of groceries and health care--so they can afford to drive to work.

Think prices of goods and services outside the fuel industry are already high? Wait until these high diesel fuel costs catch up with the trucking industry, the industry which moves the majority of product in America. As their costs rise, so does the price of their service. As it costs companies more to get their products from place to place, those companies raise prices as well. We cannot sit comfortably back and think these inflated fuel prices only affect "the other guy," because we are all that other guy to one extent or another.

I don't understand why our politicians are not addressing the fuel price issue in any shape or form, other than the power of the oil industry wields due to its combined wealth.

Conservation Burial: A Win-Win For People and Environment

In our-ever evolving quest to treat our earth and environment more gently, there have been some awesome and some not-so-awesome discoveries and changes. I happily stumbled upon what I hope will become a trend of the not-so-distant future.

Dr. Billy Campbell and his wife, Kimberly, respect the circle of life in all things and have found a way to back up their convictions with action. Their idea is conservation burial. The Campbells have purchased a nature preserve near Westminster, South Carolina that is being utilized as a "green" burial ground for people interested in being laid to rest sans embalming, metal caskets, or vaults.

At Ramsey Creek Preserve and also at the Campbell's second conservation burial area near Atlanta, there are no fancy headstones, no mausoleum's, no containers full of dying or plastic flowers. People are buried there in simple wooden caskets, or shrouds, or in their street clothes--any manner they wish that uses biodegradable material--and their burial sites are marked with stone indigenous to the area with simple, chiseled writing or may remain unmarked if so chosen. Those who have been cremated may have their ashes scattered there, or their receptacles placed there.

"There" is a beautifully wooded area with running streams and wildlife. As the bodies decompose, they feed back to the earth, just as our ancestors did not all that long ago. But Ramsey Creek Preserve is not really about death at all, but much more about the circle of life. There is a simple pine-boarded chapel for funeral services. There are plans to build an observation tower so that visitors can view the wetlands area.

I cannot do justice here to fully describe this concept of conservation burial, but I hope that I have whet your interest or curiousity enough that you'll click on the title of this post to go to the Campbell's website to learn more about Memorial Ecosystems. In addition, here's a link to Natural Burial's site: http://naturalburial.coop/

We Will Be Free

February is Black History Month. When history books include history from all different perspectives, there will no longer be a need for a separate month for black history. Other perspectives that are also important and relevant to the understanding of especially American history would be that of the Native Americans and also many of the nationalities who, upon arrival in this land of freedom, met with one obstacle after another.

We will be free when we embrace all of our heritage; when we acknowledge the mistakes made by people of all races, colors, creed, and religions; when we try to understand that which caused those mistakes. Only then can we grow as a nation and not as a population artificially divided by labels.

The National Popular Vote Plan

It seems there is a quiet movement afoot in each state legislature, The National Popular Vote plan, to determine whether that particular state wants to sign on to having the presidential elections in out country determined by the outcome of the popular vote.

This legislation doesn't suggest abolishing the Electoral College, but instead, awarding each state's electoral votes to the nation's overall popular winner. If there were a tie in the popular vote, then the present system of allocating the electoral votes of each state would be used to determine the winner.

Much of the reasoning behind this move is to make each state's voters as valuable as the next, rather than candidates courting votes with the higher number of electorial votes. The article link to this post states that in the 2004 presidential election, neither of the candidates visited Illinois, a state with nearly 13 million people, at all during their campaign. Imagine then, how little attention the states with smaller populations received.

As a long time advocate of eliminating the Electoral College altogether, I am pleased with this first step away from that system being the determining factor in how our president is chosen. Many people are adverse from eliminating it altogether, since it has been part of our political heritage from our country's inception.

Governor Schwarzenegger opposes the National Popular Vote plan on the basis that in changing away from the Electoral College and its votes, we would be doing away with states' rights and uniqueness. I question that way of thinking; I fail to see how a popular vote does any such thing.

The Electoral College was not created to embrace states' rights--it had nothing to do with them. It was created because in that time period of our nation, there was no mass media as there are today. Candidates didn't reach the masses of people as they can today. The original Electoral College was established with educated and world-wise men who could, if they chose, uphold the popular vote of the state. However, then--as now-- those electors don't HAVE to vote as their state did, if for some reason they feel the populace didn't understand an issue, were not representing the state or nation's greater good--really, for any reason whatsoever.

I respect the vision of our founding fathers, but I believe if they were here today, with all the advances in communication, they would be the first to agree that the popular vote is the best and fairest way to choose our national leader.

How About Accountability?

Hmmm, let's see...as taxpayers, we are responsible to pay to the Internal Revenue Service what the tax code says is our fair share. If we don't, the IRS is sure to notice and will do whatever it takes to collect those monies from us. But that's fair, though, right? If my fellow taxpayers are anteing up their share, so should I.

And the governments to whom we pay our taxes--in this example, the federal government--are responsible to spend those monies in a wise and responsible manner. Right? Well, we all know the answer to that, after we've read some of the audacious amounts the government has paid for items and services over the past, such as the $100 toilet seats.

One of the latest spending blunders to come to we taxpayers is via the Department of Education, the head of which is Margaret Spellings. A 2007 audit revealed the Department of Education had overpaid a lending corporation, Nelnet, by $275 million, due to a loophole in the contract that allowed the company to charge a "higher than market" interest rate.

How did the Dept. of Ed, who is accountable to every tax-paying citizen, deal with this issue to serve the best interests of we taxpayers? Essentially, they said to Nelnet--don't do that any more, and oh yes, don't worry about the extra $275 million--you can keep it.

Additionally, overpayment to other lending institutions may total $330 million MORE.

How did Margaret Spellings respond to this potential $605 million waste of taxpayer dollars? She has forbid any further payments at the higher interest rates to the lending companies, but there will be NO INVESTIGATION into exactly how much was overpaid. Oh yes, six of the one hundred U.S. senators objected to her handling of the situation.

Where does the buck stop? When the government wastes our money so flagrantly--as if waving their hand and poo-pooing the importance of a measly $275 million--why aren't those responsible held to task? Why do they still have their jobs--and Ms. Spellings does--I checked--why can't they be prosecuted for malfeasance or whatever name you wish to attach to this sort of behavior?

Let's have some accountability in all areas of government. The law is that we must pay taxes. Isn't it the law--or shouldn't it be--that those who receive our hard-earned dollars get the most bang for our bucks?

Super Primary Tuesday

I just returned from casting my vote for the nominee of my choice for the political party with which I most frequently identify. I proudly wore the "I Just Voted" sticker given me at my polling place, hoping if someone who had not yet voted might be reminded or inspired to do so. I felt really good about participating in the election process of our country; I also felt that I had carried out my responsibility as a citizen of America.

From what I'm hearing on the news, voter turnout on this super primary Tuesday will no doubt be in record numbers. That's great news. Even so, those numbers will still not represent the majority of registered voters, and registered voters don't represent the majority of those old enough to vote.

Whether you feel that this country needs major changes in the way the government works, or you feel that the present situation is acceptable--either way, YOUR VOICE is important. Your VOTE is one of the best ways to make your VOICE heard. It isn't the only way, but it is part of the process.

We live in a country where we have the right to vote; in my mind, it is not only a right, but a responsibility of each citizen. To fail to vote is to say "I don't care." Politicians have long noted the growing silence of the citizenry. Don't ask why elected officials aren't representing your views--especially if you are a non-voter. As citizens we have been bored and frustrated into complacency by the political system and process--but the system and the process isn't at fault. It is we citizens who fail to vote, to write letters, emails, make phone calls, or stay abreast with issues that are really at fault.

If we want our elected officials to stand up and take notice, first we have to do so. Believe me, when more people register to vote and more registered voters vote, elected officials will take notice. They take notice when we write them or call them or visit their offices. Being a responsible citizen in a country such as ours where officials are elected not appointed or born into office requires some effort. The outcome of such effort will be rewarded many times over by a more responsive government. Help me, help yourself and your children, help the entire country by becoming involved.

Write and let me know your thoughts, please.