Why The Senators From Texas Are Cowards

This has never been a political blog--not a serious one anyway. For the most part I've steered away from such issues, not out of apathy, but because, for a lack of a more eloquent explanation, it's complicated. No longer can discerning citizens place a reasonable amount of trust in choosing a straight-party ticket with the belief that that party will, for the most part, do what's best in representing their constituents' beliefs. It's just not that simple anymore. Political ideologies aren't quite as black and white; instead they are ...political.

I realize this sounds vague, and so what I'm trying to say is that in order to be informed, one has to put forth quite a lot of time and effort to stay on top of what their elected representatives truly are doing. For those who do make decisions based on research  over a pundit's bullet points, this may result in their backing an elected official who falls on the other side of party lines. Unfortunately, copious amounts of time, energy, and discernment are, like jobs, in short supply. So too are brains which is another reason why I steer clear of politics in an open forum.

That's not meant to be a dig at anyone with a differing opinion. I can respect anyone able to rationally present another perspective and will hear them out. I don't feel a high need to convert others to my way of thinking. At the end of the day, if we can agree to disagree and that's where we leave it then I am satisfied. It's the brainwashed simpletons who believe that their religious deities are aligned with their political ideology and who use bias, overly sensationalized party propaganda to berate me into their way of thinking--those are the one's I'd like to punch in the throat.

Sen. John Cornyn

Now, I'm not writing all of this to tout my personal political views or to endorse one party over another. In fact, there are elements in both the Democratic and Republican platforms that I take issue with. For example, no, I don't like the idea of bigger government in business, and yet, at the same time, I believe the government has to step in because corporations, particularly in the financial, energy, insurance sectors are too greedy and immoral to do it themselves. 

This brings me to my point and why I am beyond disappointed at the cowardice of senators like those of the Lone Star State, John Cornyn and Kay Bailey Hutchison, who, as a strong-arm tactic to ensure Bush tax cuts are extended to the wealthy, refused to pass a measure that would provide health assistance to 9-11 responders. I've been following this issue over the past week, but after seeing this clip, I was nauseous. 

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To interject some context, a friend of mine recently shared with me a Christmas card sent to their company from a man in Austin who is one of, if not the largest lobbyist in Texas. Rather than something Christmas-y, the front of the card was an expensive portrait of himself, his shiny, plastic wife, and their two genetically perfect, designer-outfitted children sitting outside their opulent home. 

Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison

There's nothing wrong with a family photo for Christmas cards, but this one seemed more like an exhibition of wealth, and based on the expressions everyone had on their faces, I half expected the inside of the to read, "Let them eat cake. Merry Christmas." I've got to say, the whole site of this card brought on the sudden urge to storm the Bastille, the single retraining factor being the lack of money needed to pay the $500 insurance deductible required to fix the front of the minivan after I rammed it through this guy's front gate. 

Don't get me wrong, I'm not a socialist. In the United States everyone has the right to be wealthy--from white trash lottery winners to professional politicians, but for some reason, the thought of putting more money into the pockets of a Texas lobbyist, while denying benefits to those who were saving lives at Ground Zero seems, well ...messed up. Assholes. 

No doubt, Cornyn and Hutchison know this lobbyist, and in fact, they probably received more than just a card from him--a pig to roast over a spit, perhaps? It really doesn't matter either way as I am disgusted by both senators' lack of decency. 

It's sicking to see how greed and convenient self-righteousness, under the guise of partisan unity, have stymied this great nation's ability to do what's right for its heroes and it's citizens.

painting by Alex Ross