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Secret Service Goes Quiet on Pay

  • Posted on July 25, 2013 at 1:46 pm

Office of George BushH.W. Bush and his Secret Service Patrol

Yesterday, I saw on the news the nice little story about President H.W. Bush shaving his head in support of one of his secret service member’s children who is battling leukemia.  I diverged off from the cute little story when I had a conversation with my sister this morning and she was quite upset to think that President H.W. Bush has that many secret service people protecting him.  I told her I thought there seemed like a lot but I didn’t actually get a good look at the picture as I was working in my studio and mostly listening to the news.  I decided it was worth a second look and I am flabbergasted at the sheer number of able-bodied men it seems to take to protect merely one of our ex-presidents.  The story is here:  http://usnews.nbcnews.com/_news/2013/07/24/19662020-bush-41-shaves-head-in-support-of-2-year-old-cancer-patient?lite

Now, maybe this doesn’t bother you but from my perspective, it seems like there weren’t any cuts made in protecting our dear ex-presidents when all those cuts were made this spring to the rest of the country.  I know there are many people unemployed so I think that maybe a job in the Secret Service would be good place to look for work.  Here is the link in case you are so inclined.  http://www.secretservice.gov/faq.shtml#faq8

I did some research because I wanted to know what it costs to take care of our ex-presidents.  Interestingly enough, I could only find the cost for their homes, office, and so forth but not the cost for Secret Service as I think it’s a secret!  Now, the cost for running their homes and so forth is also quite large.  In fact large enough that most of us would be happy with a onetime payment of that lottery prize.  I am providing a link here but the expense for 2012 was $3.7 million.  Interestingly enough, there was an act back in 1997 that would have ended secret service for all future ex-presidents after ten years.  http://www.usatoday.com/story/theoval/2013/03/26/obama-bush-clinton-carter-congressional-research-service/2020323/

This would mean that President Clinton would have been the last to receive this service for his lifetime.  However, contrary to what we have been made to believe about Congress and the President not getting along, they actually do pass some legislation.  In January of this year, as I loosely quote Wikipedia, President Obama signed legislation reinstating lifetime Secret protection for himself, President George W. Bush, and all subsequent presidents.  Maybe this seems fine to everyone else but I question a government that can spend so much on those at the top of the government food chain and so little on those at the bottom.  They, meaning Congress, politicians, and the right wing media have us little people worrying about the person next door getting food stamps, SNAP if you will.  As you will see from this chart, the average SNAP benefit is $133.41.  I have been to the grocery store lately and by my calculations that doesn’t go too far!

We can all get into a battle about protecting our ex-presidents but my concern is the number of secret service needed to do that job.  There have been major cuts to programs for everything from defense to education.  Everyone at the bottom seems to have to give up something, so why don’t those at the top?

 

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A Puppy Called “Congress”

  • Posted on August 8, 2010 at 2:18 pm

Brodie and Snow Bella, A Peaceful Moment

This morning I decided to give my ten month old Australian Shepherd, Brodie, a shower.  Giving Brodie a shower is not an easy task as he just hates it.  I tricked him and picked him up and put him in the bathroom and quickly shut the door.  I felt victorious at this accomplishment.  I know he felt tricked but I had won!  After I was done and dried him off with a couple of towels I let Brodie loose and he went hog wild running around the house.  I took a shower myself and went back out to see Brodie only to find him contently licking his paws and happy as can be.  Now you’re probably wondering what the point of all of this is but I am getting to it.  When I thought about Brodie another thought came to my mind.  I thought Congress is just like Brodie, my puppy!

Now you’re probably wondering what on earth I could be referring to so I’ll get right to it.  When you have a new puppy, it is all cute and wonderful.  There’s nothing that puppy could do that is going to really irritate you because you know it’s a puppy and it’s oh so cute.  A new congress is pretty much like a new puppy.  I remember when we were all very hopeful about the new congress that came in with President Obama.  Many of us decided to give them some leeway as we knew they had to figure things out and get used to the job.

There are other ways that congress is like a new puppy as well.  Puppies are pretty destructive.  They go on search and destroy missions where they might eat your shoes, bras, remote controls, you know, anything plastic.  Congress goes on these same missions trying to decide how they can tinker with some of our favorite government programs like public education, Social Security, and Medicare.  You name it, they’ll find a way to chew it up and make it worse.

Puppies are pretty unmanageable just like congress.  When Nancy Pelosi and Harry Reid try to assert themselves and take control, they usually find out how hard it is to tame that little beast especially when he might have just peed on your leg.  Sometimes you love the congressman’s unruly moments like Representative Alan Grayson when he pissed on the Republican’s collective leg.

It’s okay as long as it’s their leg and not mine.  He was such a stubborn little puppy when some Republicans asked him to apologize for his outburst the previous day.  Here is his response to that, ever the cute little frisky puppy! 

Senator Reid couldn’t even get the senate to work on an energy bill.  He can’t get those unruly puppies to pass even a weak energy bill.  http://www.boston.com/bostonglobe/editorial_opinion/editorials/articles/2010/08/07/even_facing_an_emergency_the_gop_fizzles_on_energy/

They just won’t listen to him much, like your puppy when he is distracted by something outside and you’re calling him back!

Congress also seems to have to be nurtured just like a puppy.  They need lots of perks from lobbyist to keep them contented.  They need lots of money and pats on the back from their constituents to keep them in office.  They also seem to like to run in packs and play with the “big dogs”.  You know those people that hold so much power and wealth.  Those puppies love to be entertained so they hang out with Hollywood hounds as well.  They really need a special amount of care much more than you and I do as they are quite temperamental just like a puppy.  While middle class household pay has stayed stagnant, congressional pay just gets better and better.  http://www.thecapitol.net/FAQ/payandperqs.htm

If you read through the link closely you will discover the untold perks available though staffing and pension as well.  This puppy is getting the royal treatment.

Sometimes when you are expecting your puppy to be up to something because it’s too quiet in the house, you only discover that your puppy is dog tired and sleeping.  Congress has those days too when you think they are up to something and they end up doing much of nothing.  I felt like this during the whole health care debate.  It seemed like a lot of fuss and much ado over nothing.  They’re bark was much bigger than their bite on that one.  Many of us out here that are more progressive were expecting so much more from this puppy than what we got!

This puppy called “Congress” never met a defense bill they didn’t like.  Just like my puppy dog they are always willing to go to battle for some stupid idea they sink their teeth into.  My puppy dog battles with the cat, which is hilarious, because she is smarter and quicker than him in many ways.  Snow Bella, my cat, actually loves Brodie.  They’re crazy about each other just like the special relationship the Department of Defense has with Congress.  Much like Snow Bella, the D.O.D. always gets their way and Congress ever the stupid puppy pays for it!  The one left out of this puppy and cat game is the American people.  Congress gives us those puppy dog eyes and we fall for it every time.

I know it’s tough to say, “No!” to a puppy as I have had to do it many times and it’s not an easy task with my puppy dog, Brodie.  He looks so cute and innocent most of the time!  Congress can look that way too.  However, it’s time we tamed this puppy called “Congress” before they get so out of control that they destroy some of our favorite things.   This puppy called “Congress” is going to be a two year old pretty soon, so it’s time for them to grow up.  They may have a rude awakening come November when some of us decide to turn this puppy back into the pound and try out a new puppy.  I’m ever hopeful that all of us working together can teach this puppy dog some new tricks.  I continue to email and call my representative and senators eagerly waiting for them to jump at my command.  It hasn’t worked too well so far but I am determined to get some results so I will keep on training this puppy and hoping for the best!  I encourage all of you to join me to put the pressure on Congress.  The only way I think we are ever going to get a different result is to keep in “training” mode.  I don’t feel I can let up for a minute with Brodie because as soon as I do there goes another pair of new shoes.  With Congress it is the same way.  We must be diligent with our training.  We must let Congress know who the boss is and who is paying their bills!  Our collective forces have to be much greater than his pack animal mentality.  They may be running with the pack of power and money but we are running with a pack of potential voters.  Without us there is no other pack for Congress to run to, so let’s take control of this beast and show him who is boss!

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Plop, Plop, Fizz, Fizz: Get your Alka-Seltzer out now.

  • Posted on August 3, 2010 at 2:27 pm

Okay, this is another “Can You Believe This?” story.  It seems that the Pentagon cannot account for 9 billion dollars earmarked for reconstruction in Iraq.  Come on.  How on earth do you misplace that kind of money?  I only discovered this because a guest on the Chris Matthews show implied that the reason we are hearing so much about Charlie Rangel and Maxine Waters is because there are other things they are trying to cover up.  This was one of those things.  After thinking about it I’m left wondering if any of that money was used against our soldiers.  This is total incompetence!

http://www.cnn.com/2010/WORLD/meast/07/27/iraq.audit/index.html?hpt=T2

I remember boatloads of cash missing before.  Don’t you?  You may want to hurl after watching Donald Rumsfeld once again.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_rRqeJcuK-A

Yet we keep giving more and more money to the defense department.

http://www.wanttoknow.info/corruptiongovernmentmilitary

When will it stop?  We spend far more than other countries on defense spending.

We are also giving money here to this top secret stuff:  http://media.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/special/nation/tsa/static/articles/hidden-world.html

My gosh, we seem to have plenty of money for defense spending, Homeland Security and every other insane thing to keep us “safe” and most everything else except education.  Go figure.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Fy2010_spending_by_category.jpg

All of this got me thinking about the money that our federal government is spending on different programs.  I figure if they have so much money to throw around in the defense department that the D.O.D. could casually misplace 9 billion how do the other departments fair?  The figures are from Wikipedia and they are basically estimates as the appropriations must be approved by Congress.   http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2010_United_States_federal_budget

The biggest expenditure is Social Security but the Department of Defense is right behind it.  They’re ahead if you count things like Homeland Security.  The FBI falls under the Department of Justice and the CIA is kind of a mystery.  It used to fall under defense but now I’m not sure how it’s paid for.  With Homeland Security, the CIA and FBI there must be some duplication of services.  If you keep reading you will be stuck wondering why some of the departments aren’t combined together.  One thing you can be sure of is that while everyone else is worried about losing their jobs, federal government jobs seem to be growing.  It seems like you can find employment in West Virginia, Virginia and even Washington D.C.  I’m sure there are many poor in the D.C. area but if you have the skills it looks like D.C. is the place to be.

http://www.google.com/publicdata?ds=usunemployment&met=unemployment_rate&tdim=true&dl=en&hl=en&q=unemployment+percentage+chart#met=unemployment_rate&idim=state:ST110000:ST510000:ST540000:ST260000&tdim=true

This post is merely meant to inform people about the 9 billion.  Yes, we must keep our nation safe but when does this mission for safety turn into insanity and don’t you think it would be interesting to follow the money to all of the private sector corporations that we are feeding on this gravy train?

I know many of you out there just don’t know or don’t care.  You live your lives thinking you will pay your taxes and just leave me alone but it is really our job to keep the government honest and on their toes.  Otherwise, we will end up with nothing more than tyranny.  I know there are many excessive links above to study and they will probably drive you nuts but the point is if we don’t do the work to research this stuff, the news isn’t going to give it to us.  Investigative reporting today is a joke as most of the news outlets on TV are owned by some private corporation with an agenda.  If you don’t think MSNBC is interested in what benefits General Electric then you must be kidding yourself.  We must follow the money whether it is with these news conglomerates or with the government.

When you look at the pie chart it is infinitely clear that education is not a priority.  For as much as the government proclaims their support of public education, they give a paltry 46.7 billion for it.  If the education department lost 9 billion, I think they would notice it.  The Department of Defense is so big and over grown; it doesn’t even blink an eye when it loses 9 billion.  This is both amazing and disgusting.  To further complicate this matter is an area called the “Black Ops”.  These are secret missions.  Who knows what we’re doing where ever?  You and I don’t know as these missions are secret.  http://www.wired.com/dangerroom/2010/02/pentagons-black-budget-tops-56-billion/ You can also read more here.  http://www.globalresearch.ca/index.php?context=va&aid=13603

It’s easy to see why most people want to bury their head in the sand and not look up until these two wars are over.  However, it’s time the American people were fed the truth about these missions, the money and what the real truths are concerning our government.  We don’t have money for basic things like health care and education but we have plenty of money for anything related to defense spending.  We spend far more than any other country on defense but we continue to let that bloated military spending grow and grow.  We are kept afraid by politicians and they also keep us in the dark about what’s really going on.  They get lobbied by the big dogs of companies that love these wars, and that’s where the real power is contained.  I encourage you to read this speech by President Eisenhower and give it some thought.

http://www.h-net.org/~hst306/documents/indust.html

However, if you want the shortened version just take this quote and think about it.

In the councils of government, we must guard against the acquisition of unwarranted influence, whether sought or unsought, by the military industrial complex. The potential for the disastrous rise of misplaced power exists and will persist.

We must never let the weight of this combination endanger our liberties or democratic processes. We should take nothing for granted. Only an alert and knowledgeable citizenry can compel the proper meshing of the huge industrial and military machinery of defense with our peaceful methods and goals, so that security and liberty may prosper together.


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