Back to Business as Usual

In the next few hours the party formerly known as the Party of No, will have its first "political victory" and fulfill one its first promises to the American people.  The newly Republican House of Representative is on the verge of repealing the Health Care Reform bill of 2010.  Keep in mind that this reversal will not change anything because the Senate is Democratically controlled and the President would certainly veto this act if this miraculously passed the Senate (trust me, it won't).

I certainly agree that the Health Care Bill did not do everything that was promised and needed to solve.  A lot of matters were sacrificed in the matter of compromise and while this was landmark legislation, it is just a start to correcting the health care issues of our nation that was years in the making.  A majority of the Americans have a problem with this law for one reason or another and it is by no means perfect, but with 309 million people what is.  Some say it doesn't do enough while other state that it intrudes too much.  I will just say that this is like everything else in Washington, political posturing to an audience, to the people at home that I gave an half-assed effort to fix health care without promoting new ideas or solutions.  People unfortunately, the Party of No is back to business as usual.  Their sole goal is 2012, long term aspirations at the sacrifice of the short term help for millions that are plagued with access to good and basic health care for them and their families.  I seriously hope that in eve of all that has happened this month that Congress can actually solve problems, but then again hope was so 2008.

I'm Back With More To Say

I'm back and there is still a lot to be outraged about.  While it is hopeful that on the eve of the Tucson tragedy that the pundits, the cable television networks, and the blogoshere (myself included) turn the heated rhetoric of 2010 that does not mean that there could not have and continue to have spirited debate.  I believe and have always believed that public discourse is the responsibility of all as long as it is based on accurate information.

Before I begin the next chapter of the Outraged Citizen, I must state what this blog is and what it is not.  The Outraged Citizen began as a person unhappy at the political bickering, the wasteful spending of our government, the scaling decline of morals, the love and obsession of celebrity and reality television along with the complete dismissal of common sense. There were way too many distorted truths from cable television and thought that I may not be the only person that wanted something more real, more intelligent and I know while my sarcasm and political affiliation may swing more left than right, I thought that I could be more honest the other things out there. My idea is and was not to promote hate or violence but to add a bit of satire, some humor, and to give a different take compared to what is found elsewhere.

For purposes of full disclosure, I started this blog angry at what our country had become mainly in 2008 and 2009.  When corporations like the one I worked for greedily constantly forecast to raise its gross revenue percentage to double digit growth year after year.  In this process they made bad decisions, made bad loans to people who didn't know any better and make huge profits.  Instead of accepting the consequences of making these bad loans they along their competitors who did the same thing were rewarded with a public-backed bailout.  In turn those same people what nearly sent these companies to bankruptcy were not received company bonuses back by the public that they wronged.  I was dismissed from my company which I will call the stagecoach after I made a decision not to make deceptive sales. I chose not to commit the same actions of countless others that cared less about the consequences of their actions --of not only themselves but consumers who believed in them, who thought that their best interest were paramount --to increase their own paychecks.  I did see some who tried to live above their means but the majority were wronged.  The wrong people were bailed out and most of those were the victims are still being wronged today.

We arrived at this place because of greed and that is what I was outraged with about the most.  I have seen money be the evil of people for over ten years and I am not surprised to see people continue to profit from other's pain.  Speaking of pain isn't it amazing that we only become human after something painful.  Why does it take a 9/11 or a massacre to notice that fact?  It is also sad that once that pain fades everything goes back to normal.

I'm back and maybe not as outraged, but the title is staying.  Thanks for reading!!

A Nation Divided, Uniting

On the eve of the violence, loss of life, and wounding in Tucson our nation is uniting once again.  It is sobering that this happens mostly in a sense of tragedy.   Politicians suddenly become human again and for some time the us versus them game is paused.  The arguments and the political backbiting has stalled on red states versus blue states and I am reminded and at the same time distantly hopeful that this is the way our politics should work.  We can have spirited and calm conversation.  We should have the ability to disagree that all should be able to state their ideas and their opinions without threat or reprisal.  It is the very essence of our country.  I just hope that we don't go back to yesterday and the bickering of 2010.

We have had this opportunity many times before.  I vividly remember September 12, 2001.  As I took the train that morning, people were human as they somberly walked to their destinations.  Strangers said hello with friendly glances and gone was some of the road rage that plagued the streets and highways.  We stood together united and some weeks later that unity began to break apart and we went back to business as usual.  There is an opportunity for us to try again and we must all take a part.