The Urgency of the Mid-Terms

For over forty years the American people had the good sense to keep the House of Representatives under Democratic control. The Senate switched from time to time, and the Presidency went back and forth. But in the Peoples House, they trusted the party of the workingman and woman. I have a feeling that those sentiments might be returning to the American voting public.

President Bush has set a new record low as far as his polling numbers go, with a current approval rating of 28%. Fully 70% of the citizens of this once-and-future great nation believe that the country is moving in an undesirable direction.

As the Presidents approval rating spiraled downward, the Attorney General of the United States brazenly informed a congressional committee that they would not rule out warrant less wiretapping of domestic-to-domestic calls. Then it comes out that the White House was aware of election tampering by jamming phone banks in New Hampshire. These guys are shameless! Corrupt and shameless and craven and condescending and dishonest and vapid and petty and trite. A truly pleasant group. Great at dinner parties.

The only way the madness can be stopped is by returning control of one or both houses of congress to the Democratic Party. That would put to rest Bush’s inane legislative agenda. It would also open up the opportunity to start investigations into Halliburton and other Pentagon resources for materiel acquired via no-bid contracts for our new outsourced military. We can launch investigations into the prisoner abuse scandals and go a little higher up the chain of command than a Sgt. In the Reserves when the real punishments are doled out. Maybe we could get a look at that Secret Energy Summit that Cheney held and then held out on. Then there is the biggest investigation of all that needs to be conducted: That would be investigating the Iraq war and the mess we have created in Mesopotamia. Those responsible for this fiasco need to be held accountable.

But the only way that can happen is if we return control of one or both houses of the congress to the Democrats. I live in the Missouri Fifth. Emmanuel Cleaver is a first term Democrat, but he is in a safe seat. So those of us in the Kansas City area need to be working for Claire McCaskill to replace Jim Talent(less Hack), the Junior Senator from Missouri. Good ole Jim is a former lobbyist still hanging on to some Abramoff cash.

Of course, help with the McCaskill campaign is vital – they are running neck-and-neck – so I will be contacting the McCaskill campaign headquarters and finding out what we can do. I will get the info and the materials, and reserve the meeting room in the Plaza Library. I have two commitments, and myself. We need two more to make it worthwhile. And of course you can bring a friend, just let me know so I can get a large enough room. (I’m optimistic!)

In addition to the senate race here in Missouri, I am willing the do whatever I can to help Paul Morrison defeat Phil (KK)Kline in the Kansas Attorney Generals race. Dennis Moore in the Kansas 3rd is in a safe seat, but I’m willing to help just the same. I actually pay more taxes in Kansas than I do in Missouri, just for the privilege of working there, even though it is a Missouri Corporation, a Missouri bank account that my checks are drawn on, and those checks are written in Missouri and delivered to HR by courier late the day before they are distributed. But I digress…back to the political season…

Those of us in the Missouri 5th need to help our neighbors to the North get rid of Sam Graves. Mr. GOP values has voted to kill more money, boots on the ground, and equipment for the troops in Iraq, but he veritably spits blood supporting the endeavor. This hypocrite needs to go.

But the really important races that those of us in the Kansas City area need to work on feverishly are the state representatives and state senators who are standing for reelection. Matt Bartle especially needs to be punished for what he has done (along with Matty Blunt the boy Gov) to social services in our state. If we don’t turn the statehouse back over to the Democrats, and Lame-Duck Blunt, he will keep enacting policies that hurt the poor, working and middle classes. There is plenty to be outraged about. No matter what district we live in, even if our seat is securely occupied by a Democratic fanny, we can help in the next district over, or the one after that or the one after that and find a democratic challenger trying to unseat an odious character. (But in the interest of fairness, don’t get involved in a race where the Republican is a RINO. They aren’t all bad, check the incumbents voting record before signing on to help the challenger. If the incumbent is a good public servant, find another challenger to help.)

These folks pass laws and make budget decisions that touch the lives of everyone in the state. In my book, that gives any registered voter in the state a voice in any state campaign, whether they can vote in that district or not is irrelevant. As citizens, we are impacted, and that gives us the inalienable right to participate in the campaign of any candidate running for state office.

(I am on my stretch of four days off – I will gather information about the candidates for the August primary and post it in the next couple of days.)

Let’s make our presence felt, let’s impact an election. What do you say?