Se-quest-er: 1. To cause to withdraw into seclusion.
2. To remove or set apart; segregate.
3. Law
a. To take temporary possession of (property) as security against legal claims.
b. To requisition and confiscate (enemy property).
FROM THE CHURCH OF INEFFABLE STUPIDITY:
"And we're going to hurt a lot of people. And it's up to the president, really, to act now."
Eric Cantor
“The sequester is not something I proposed, it's something that Congress proposed. It will not happen.”
Barack Obama
"These men and women, our Marines were training there in Hawthorne. And with this sequester, it's going to cut back this stuff. I just hope everyone understands the sacrifices made by our military."
Harry Reid
In my 55 11/12 solar orbits on this good flat earth, I have never seen a congress so inept, so reprehensible, or so shameless. There is one entity who has become even more disappointing - our President. More on him later.
Congress can be broken (perhaps I should stop there. Accurate, concise, factual, pithy.) into 4 basic parts. The first group, a headstrong, mindless, irrational, deluded, misinformed, and ultra-conservative collection of weasels who call themselves the Tea Party. For reasons I still cannot fully fathom, they have taken virtual control over the GOP agenda, and have forced bad choices or no choices at all on the rest of the country. Whether we can survive with their mindless inanity until 2014 remains to be seen. The more one studies their platform, the more clear the reality becomes. TeaBuggerers represent a clear and present danger to our democracy.
The second group has a different perspective, but in practice, they are as damaging as the TeaBuggerers. This class is best represented by the Senate's own Mutant Ninny Turtle, Mitch McConnell. Crass, conniving, quite possibly evil and definitely self-serving, McConnell showed his true colors when he promised to emasculate Obama during his first term and make him a one term president. He and his close cohorts care nothing about America, only their own self-preservation, power, and money. They also intend to throw sand in any liberal or progressive idea that might actually help people. As such, they reflect the disdain, even hatred, that the super rich and their puppets in congress have for the majority of America.
The third group consists of folks like Senator Max Baucus. A democrat in name only, a self-serving, greedy, small minded, and pompous SOB, Baucus represents almost the worst of the Democrats, while displaying in all his glory what a really good politician is all about. In Chicago-ese, a "good politician" is someone who once bribed, stays bribed. Once bought and paid for, they will stand with you through thick and thin, until an even better offer comes up. It is impossible to imagine Baucus returning to his home state after he retires. Too many rich and fertile pastures line the roads of DC, filled with a plethora of plentitude ready to fill his many pockets. Besides, he has a number of chips to cash in. So many of his votes resulted in a direct financial benefit to a small group of lobbyists and the billion dollar interests that they represent, and at the same time, damaged the financial and social health of the rest of America. Good riddance, Mr. Max. If only you could take 10-12 others with you next year.
The fourth group is the most disappointing. These assholes have the spine of an earthworm found on a sidewalk after a flood. They voted on Friday, in favor of their own creature comfort when they fly home to play, pray, and plead for campaign $$$. I suppose that ethics, morals, and taking a stand against such crap is a concept so beyond their grasp, that I have no reason to every support any of them for elected office again. (as an aside, despite my demanding that they take me off their phone list, the DCCC called yesterday, and again this morning, seeking $$$ from me so Congress can keep doing what they have been doing of late. You can imagine my response.) I am at a complete loss at how easily these jerks caved in yesterday. Passing self-serving legislation in record time, while cancer patients, headstart, and other critically important programs are ignored? Unthe-effing-believable.
I used to have respect for Congress, even in the worst of times. A congressman, or senator who appeared in person was worthy of a listen. I thought I understood how hard they worked, and where their heart was - someplace looking out for the country. That is no longer the case. None, NOT ONE of these bastards deserves our vote, our support, our donations, or our respect. They have tarnished the system so deeply, that they have tossed the last bit of respect that their offices once demanded. Because I literally hate the misuse of the word "literally," as of today, I figuratively piss on both houses of congress, upon every single member, with no exceptions.
That leaves us with our Negotiator in Chief, Barack Obama. Did he learn his negotiating skills in Romper Room? PlaySkul? Gilligan's Island? Are his political advisors routinely relying on recreational opiates? Is a deal, any deal, even a stinking, very bad, horrible, disgusting, spineless, effing, bloody back-asswards deal with the GOP so important to him, that he is willing to risk the rest of the nation's interests simply to get that deal? (insert image of Lord Chamberlain leaving the plane, proudly waving his peace treaty with Hitler to the crowd.)
What Obama is doing is not caving. He does this too often, too routinely to be given such an excuse. Caving means that the pressures around you exceed your ability to handle a situation or issue rationally. What Obama does is preemptively negotiate against our best interests, and all too often, break his promises that we were foolish to accept. There isn't time to pressure him, because he compromises so deeply ahead of time. Compromise alone is not bad. But accepting the worst possible deals offered, BEFORE any negotiations can be started? That's no negotiation. That's amateur bungling. If he was in charge of the Bears' draft policy, he could still be forgiven. But he is president, and his approach is damaging the country.
Clearly, Mr. Obama's word is not good. He is not a trustworthy individual. His willingness to piss on liberals, to break his word, and to cut deals that so favor the GOP (and damage our country in the process) shows that he no longer deserves our respect. I suspect that the next two years will be as bad, if not worse. I predict that because of his refusal to follow up on his word, the democrats in congress will find themselves unable to trust him. Ever. And I foresee some democratic candidates begin to campaign AGAINST this White House in 2014, timidly at first, then more vocally.
Throughout the upcoming political clusterfuck, I see Obama becoming curious, surprised, and totally not expecting the backlash against his style of leadership. But even that won't change his approach. For him a deal with the GOP is the only thing that matters. While they laugh at him behind his back, and perhaps, in his face.