Day: February 15, 2012

Congress Approval At All Time Low: What It Means

A new poll shows that only TEN percent of those polled have a positive view of Congress in 2012.

The Gallup Poll showed the unbelievable reality that Congress has a lower rating than BP during the Oil Spill, or Richard Nixon during Watergate, or banks during the banking crisis of 2008.

This could mean, in theory, that we could witness a wholesale removal of members of both parties in Congress in November, but that is really highly unlikely.

The fact that many Americans are unhappy with Congress as an institution does not mean that they do not like THEIR member of Congress, and most members routinely get re-elected, particularly in the House of Representatives, with a higher chance of defeat in the Senate races.

Also, reapportionment of seats, which occurs once in a decade, will probably promote less turnover since boundary lines change. And since a substantial number of members of Congress are retiring, some of them are leaving because they see the handwriting on the wall, as the saying goes!

More than incumbents losing who do not retire, is the question of whether the Republicans can retain control of the House of Representatives, and whether the Democrats can continue to control the Senate.

What seems most likely at this juncture is that we may see a switch in party control in both chambers, as the Democrats only need a 25 seat gain to take control, and there is great discontent with the Tea Party Movement membership in the GOP, which has made life miserable for Speaker of the House John Boehner and his party.

And the likelihood is that the US Senate will see a Republican takeover, needing only four seats to accomplish that.

This will present a new scenario for President Barack Obama if he is re-elected, but it is a more normal situation to have a Democratic House and a Republican Senate historically, having occurred from 1911-1913, 1931-1933. and from 1981-1987. The present opposite party control in the two chambers–a Republican House and a Democratic Senate–has NEVER happened, and seems to have proved to be less able to accomplish ANY cooperation as a result!

Rick Santorum: Anti “Modern Women”, And Wants Women Back In The 1950s!

Former Pennsylvania Senator Rick Santorum may be leading in many polls at the moment for the Republican Presidential nomination, but he has a major problem among women, and rightfully!

Rick Santorum is the Number One “Male Chauvinist Pig” in American politics!

Santorum wants women to be what their image was in the “good old days” of the 1950s–mostly staying home, not working, not educated beyond high school, only there to make her husband’s life easier when he came home, doing all the household duties, having large families, and basically being always available in two places–the kitchen and the bedroom!

Those days are gone forever, even for wealthier women, as well as middle class and poor women.

The reality is that women NEED to work to sustain their economic advancement, whether single, married, divorced, widowed, and with or without children.

Also, women have become a larger portion of the college educated, and do not wish to sit home full time forever and just keep the house clean and take care of the children, and most certainly, expect their boyfriends or husbands to share in the domestic duties.

The age of feminism has arrived since the 1960s, and women are NEVER going back to the old subservient existence they had.

They are human beings who wish and need also to work and accomplish personal goals; wish to serve their country in the military as equals; wish to control their family sizes through contraception methods; wish in overwhelming numbers to have control of their own bodies, and not be told they must follow through on any and all pregnancies unless that is their wish; and are not going to allow any church or synagogue to dictate to them their role in American life.

Rick Santorum will not be able to gain support of many women, unless they are the minority that allows themselves to be dictated to by their husbands, boyfriends, or fathers; are religiously fanatical where they are willing to make themselves subservient; and have no problem in giving up the potential and challenge of professional careers and opportunities to just be a “baby maker” and housewife full time for their entire lives. Such a person is Rick Santorum’s wife, Karen Santorum, who gave up a nursing and legal education, shows herself adoring her husband as if he is God, and has no ambition except the advancement of her own husband.

Those who wish this are the era of “Ozzie and Harriet”, “Leave It To Beaver”, “Father Knows Best”, and “The Donna Reed Show”! Sadly, for Rick and others like him, that is a distinct small minority of American women, and that is a good thing!

February 15: Momentous Day In American History Twice!

On this day, February 15, two momentous events in American history, 35 years apart, occurred, transforming America forever.

In 1898, 114 years ago today, the battleship USS Maine exploded in Havana Harbor in Cuba, killing about 260 on board, and although it was caused by an accidental explosion, it spurred America into war against Spain, in what became known as the Spanish American War. As a result of the war, America became an “empire” with colonies in Puerto Rico, Guam, and the Philippine Islands, and had a “sphere of influence” over Cuba, eventually leading to problems when Fidel Castro rose to power in 1959 and condemned US “imperialism” in his island nation.

In 1933, 79 years ago, we almost lost President elect Franklin D. Roosevelt, as he was the target of an assassin, Joseph Zangara, who instead mortally wounded Chicago mayor Anton Cermak, while FDR was visiting Miami, Florida. Had FDR been killed or seriously wounded, we might not have had the New Deal programs that helped to ameliorate the Great Depression, and instead would have had conservative Texan and former Speaker of the House John Nance Garner, the Vice President elect, as our President.

The role of America in world affairs, and the coming of the greatest President of the 20th century, and only second to Abraham Lincoln in our entire history, were transformational moments in the American story!