In 495 days, we will have our first opportunity to go into the voting booth and voice our support or complaint with the way our government handled the financial meltdown that occurred in the fall of 2009. Although congress has tried very hard to deflect the blame to Wall Street, the Bush Administration, Financial Regulators, former Fed Chair, Alan Greenspan and anyone else in sight, most people who are paying attention know it was congress who was “asleep at the wheel.” Certainly, these others share some responsibility, but Congress wrote the laws, oversaw the regulators, and pushed home financing for those who were not credit worthy.
A large number of Republicans and Democrats are so mad they are leaving their respective parties over what has happened and is happening in Washington. Independents, as a group, are also upset with this mismanagement. All of this creates the environment where, the 2010 mid-term election might well be a "woodshed" moment for the incumbents in both parties.
If enough non-politicians run for office as Independents on the platform with the key issues listed below we can send an important message.
Here is what the independent candidate should focus when running against incumbents in either party.
7 Tenants for Independents running against Incumbents in Congress
1. Set Congressional Term Limits, Oppose the repeal of 22nd Amendment. Both of these are very hot issues. Term Limits to counter the career politician. (2 or 3 term maximum) Keep 22nd Amendment because 8 years is enough of any president.
2. Fiscal Responsibility (Do the math and stop spending). Give honest budgets, and projections that include the $40 + trillion in future entitlement obligations. It really isn’t that difficult to summarize this information in a way Americans can understand.
3. No Special Interest Money (REAL Campaign Reform). The last campaign finance reform legislation was a disgrace. Candidates must vow not to take special interest money, (and then keep their word).
4. Constituents First (before party, donors and self). Enough said.
5. Distinguish Small Business from Big Business These too groups have very little in common with one another. Most small businesses are owner operated or privately owned and are often treated poorly by large financial and insurance business segments. Big business has a great deal of support from politicians because of lobbying groups and special interest money. Small business creates most of the new jobs. Small business was, for practical purposes, ignored in the Stimulus Plan.
6. Eliminate Conflicts of interest practices such as examples below:
a. Using inside information to trade short-term stock options.
b. Getting sweetheart deals from companies groups that are vying to influence legislation.
7. Be a "change agent" - Tell the truth - even if is cost you the seat in congress in the next election. We are experiencing a credibility gap with our politicians mainly because they have no fear of losing their office. Therefore, they will not level with the American people and continue to “kick the can” to future generations instead of solving the problems we have created.
We need responsible Americans to get involved at a grass-roots level and offer up quality independent candidates to run against the incumbents whether Democrat or Republican. If enough people will get involved in this effort we can make a difference and send a message to the inside-the-beltway, east-coast and west-coast, Ivy-League or Berkeley elite.
This message: The center of the country is what makes this nation work and the independent middle is the only group who can pull American out of this current economic disaster. Join me in doing our part to make this happen.
Peace & Progress,
Clinton Bennett
Wednesday, June 24, 2009
Wednesday, June 3, 2009
The Paradox of Sonia Sotomayor
Since the nomination of Judge Sonia Sotomayor to fill the position of Justice David Souter, many of us have wondered who she really is and how she will rule once she in confirmed to the court. As with many of the recent confirmations, the most politically and emotionally charged issue is abortion.
Yesterday, Sotomayor, was quoted by Democrat Senators as saying that Roe v. Wade is established law. Certainly this is what she needs to say to get through the confirmation process. But I still wonder exactly where she stands and how she might rule in cases that might chip away at one of the most controversial cases of the prior century. Although while on the lower court she has not ruled on the abortion issue directly, she has shown some restraint and thoughtfulness when addressing related issues.
It sets up an interesting paradox. I would suggest that if Republicans are really interested in pro-life results, Sotomayor would be “as good as it gets” relating to appointments from the Obama Administration. Thus, we should expect some conservative critics to “go silent” if they are clever. Newt Gingrich and Rush Limbaugh have already started backing down the rhetoric.
Likewise, some pro-choice supporters may lose the enthusiasm that we would normally hear for a Democratic nominee. I suspect that privately there is disappointment that the nominee doesn’t have a more activist paper trail on the abortion issue.
If or when she is confirmed, she will be sixth of the nine active Supreme Court Justices who are Roman Catholic. Currently the court has five Roman Catholic Judges, Samuel Alito, Anthony M. Kennedy, Antonin Scalia, Clarence Thomas and the new chief justice, John G. Roberts Jr. Judge Sonia Sotomayor would be the sixth, which is an unprecedented dominance by any minority group. Again, the irony is that even this Catholic bloc, doesn’t stand together on the abortion issue even though Catholic teaching allows little departure from it’s pro-life position.
Could Sotomayor hold unspoken pro-life sentiments? Only time will tell. After all, she is replacing Justice David Souter, who disappointed the pro-life supporters when President George H. W. Bush appointed him in 1990.
Yesterday, Sotomayor, was quoted by Democrat Senators as saying that Roe v. Wade is established law. Certainly this is what she needs to say to get through the confirmation process. But I still wonder exactly where she stands and how she might rule in cases that might chip away at one of the most controversial cases of the prior century. Although while on the lower court she has not ruled on the abortion issue directly, she has shown some restraint and thoughtfulness when addressing related issues.
It sets up an interesting paradox. I would suggest that if Republicans are really interested in pro-life results, Sotomayor would be “as good as it gets” relating to appointments from the Obama Administration. Thus, we should expect some conservative critics to “go silent” if they are clever. Newt Gingrich and Rush Limbaugh have already started backing down the rhetoric.
Likewise, some pro-choice supporters may lose the enthusiasm that we would normally hear for a Democratic nominee. I suspect that privately there is disappointment that the nominee doesn’t have a more activist paper trail on the abortion issue.
If or when she is confirmed, she will be sixth of the nine active Supreme Court Justices who are Roman Catholic. Currently the court has five Roman Catholic Judges, Samuel Alito, Anthony M. Kennedy, Antonin Scalia, Clarence Thomas and the new chief justice, John G. Roberts Jr. Judge Sonia Sotomayor would be the sixth, which is an unprecedented dominance by any minority group. Again, the irony is that even this Catholic bloc, doesn’t stand together on the abortion issue even though Catholic teaching allows little departure from it’s pro-life position.
Could Sotomayor hold unspoken pro-life sentiments? Only time will tell. After all, she is replacing Justice David Souter, who disappointed the pro-life supporters when President George H. W. Bush appointed him in 1990.
Thursday, May 14, 2009
Down Home in the District
For the past few weeks I have had the opportunity to travel around the 6th Congressional District of Alabama and talk to working people and small business owners about all the things going on in Washington, D. C. As is usually the case, the pain and suffering of people is more real when you view it “in person” rather than through statistics or news reports. Businesses that have been successful for years have failed or are on the verge of failure. A truck repair company owner, who has hopes of passing her business to the next generation, is now behind on her taxes and spending her personal savings just to meet payroll. The owner of a hardware store is selling other property just to keep the doors open. I met James, a 60 year old unemployed man, with absolutely no hope of finding a permanent job and fighting with his insurance company to keep his COBRA insurance coverage. These are just a few examples of hundreds of people I met who represent the reality of thousands of others who are suffering in our current economic disaster.
Our politicians speak of recovery and an end to our recession (or depression), but few of them will acknowledge a painful truth. Even though at a “macro level” things may improve, these individual’s hopes of a secure financial future has been destroyed, and most likely, never to be recovered. For these people their most important mission left is to work to secure some resemblance of American hope, as they experienced it, for their children and grandchildren.
A part of that mission is to properly identify those who are really responsible. Regardless of all the finger pointing and demonizing that has been happening for the last few months, few can debate that the root cause of the finance disaster was the lending of money to the unqualified borrowers for home loans. I know this is controversial and hard to admit. Certainly everyone who desires to own a home should have that opportunity. However, we can’t ignore one of the basic rules that is at the foundation of our economy. This fact: In order to loan money you must have the belief (not the hope), that the borrower can afford to repay the loan. Otherwise the borrower must get someone to co-sign with them. There were many who were participants in this fiasco, but only the federal politicians changed the fundamental credit guidelines. Thus by 1999, the die was cast and all the pieces in place for this disaster to happen. This was a bipartisan disaster, with few critics. Of course, when a voice cried out in the wilderness, warning of the dangers to come, they were quickly discredited as backward or worse, unkind to the poor.
Make no mistake; our politicians made a conscious decision to make these loans possible. Furthermore, they were well aware of the impending crisis years before the general public knew it. So why did they fail to fix it in 2002 or the years after? Why did they not warn the public of this impending disaster? I think the answer is that most Washington politicians serve special interest groups, their political party, or themselves. Other possibilities are cowardice and ignorance.
Regardless of motives of Congress, the only conclusion is that most of our politicians in Washington are conflicted. They are elected to serve their constituents and they “talk that game” pretty well. However, once again, their actions have failed us.
The Constitution begins with “We the people”, and the working people and small business owners of the 6th Congressional District of Alabama know that phrase isn’t there by accident. In fact, never before have so many of us felt a kinship with our founding fathers. Our consolation lies in the belief that the strength and will of responsible Americans will prevail. Reasonable people are tired of the “haters” on both fringes. Those who have been busy making a living and raising families are getting involved and beginning to challenge the irrational. What is true in Alabama is true in most of the country; the hard-working middle who make this country strong will not continue to be ignored by Washington.
Peace and Progress,
Clinton Bennett
Our politicians speak of recovery and an end to our recession (or depression), but few of them will acknowledge a painful truth. Even though at a “macro level” things may improve, these individual’s hopes of a secure financial future has been destroyed, and most likely, never to be recovered. For these people their most important mission left is to work to secure some resemblance of American hope, as they experienced it, for their children and grandchildren.
A part of that mission is to properly identify those who are really responsible. Regardless of all the finger pointing and demonizing that has been happening for the last few months, few can debate that the root cause of the finance disaster was the lending of money to the unqualified borrowers for home loans. I know this is controversial and hard to admit. Certainly everyone who desires to own a home should have that opportunity. However, we can’t ignore one of the basic rules that is at the foundation of our economy. This fact: In order to loan money you must have the belief (not the hope), that the borrower can afford to repay the loan. Otherwise the borrower must get someone to co-sign with them. There were many who were participants in this fiasco, but only the federal politicians changed the fundamental credit guidelines. Thus by 1999, the die was cast and all the pieces in place for this disaster to happen. This was a bipartisan disaster, with few critics. Of course, when a voice cried out in the wilderness, warning of the dangers to come, they were quickly discredited as backward or worse, unkind to the poor.
Make no mistake; our politicians made a conscious decision to make these loans possible. Furthermore, they were well aware of the impending crisis years before the general public knew it. So why did they fail to fix it in 2002 or the years after? Why did they not warn the public of this impending disaster? I think the answer is that most Washington politicians serve special interest groups, their political party, or themselves. Other possibilities are cowardice and ignorance.
Regardless of motives of Congress, the only conclusion is that most of our politicians in Washington are conflicted. They are elected to serve their constituents and they “talk that game” pretty well. However, once again, their actions have failed us.
The Constitution begins with “We the people”, and the working people and small business owners of the 6th Congressional District of Alabama know that phrase isn’t there by accident. In fact, never before have so many of us felt a kinship with our founding fathers. Our consolation lies in the belief that the strength and will of responsible Americans will prevail. Reasonable people are tired of the “haters” on both fringes. Those who have been busy making a living and raising families are getting involved and beginning to challenge the irrational. What is true in Alabama is true in most of the country; the hard-working middle who make this country strong will not continue to be ignored by Washington.
Peace and Progress,
Clinton Bennett
Sunday, May 3, 2009
Pushing Back
Dear Readers,
Few of us could have imagined when we were the age of my girls that we would find ourselves strapped with the challenges that we currently face as a country. Unfortunately, many of our politicians were “asleep at the wheel” or lacked the courage to speak up in full knowledge of the impending financial crisis. Now is the time for responsible Americans to get involved and supervise our elected officials more closely. Gone are the days when we can assume that we can go to work, do our jobs and expect our politicians to take care of our best interest. We have learned the hard way that lobbyist with special interest and party bosses are calling the shots. Instead of giving up or becoming cynical, we must take action and hold congress accountable.
In the next few weeks I will be outlining the foundation of my political perspective. As current events take place, I will also reflect on what is happening in the country. Hopefully this will provide a basis for discussion which will help all of us develop a plan to influence our federal government. Our founding fathers never planned for a two party system which would to be controlled by lobbyist promoting special interest groups. Join me as we work together to bring new leadership to congress for a better tomorrow.
Peace and Progress,
Clinton Bennett
Few of us could have imagined when we were the age of my girls that we would find ourselves strapped with the challenges that we currently face as a country. Unfortunately, many of our politicians were “asleep at the wheel” or lacked the courage to speak up in full knowledge of the impending financial crisis. Now is the time for responsible Americans to get involved and supervise our elected officials more closely. Gone are the days when we can assume that we can go to work, do our jobs and expect our politicians to take care of our best interest. We have learned the hard way that lobbyist with special interest and party bosses are calling the shots. Instead of giving up or becoming cynical, we must take action and hold congress accountable.
In the next few weeks I will be outlining the foundation of my political perspective. As current events take place, I will also reflect on what is happening in the country. Hopefully this will provide a basis for discussion which will help all of us develop a plan to influence our federal government. Our founding fathers never planned for a two party system which would to be controlled by lobbyist promoting special interest groups. Join me as we work together to bring new leadership to congress for a better tomorrow.
Peace and Progress,
Clinton Bennett
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