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Thursday, Nov. 8, 2012 | 2:02 a.m.
Another view?
View more of the Las Vegas Sun's opinion section:
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Message to all elected officials: The election is now over and the votes are counted. The electorate has extended you jobs — temporary jobs. We offer you some advice about keeping your jobs: Shake hands across the aisle and be open to compromise. In other words, get to work. This is not the time to posture or campaign for the next election. We are watching you. In two, four or six years, you are up for re-evaluation. Take that seriously! You work for us, your constituency, not some lobbyist. We have extended you a modicum of trust; please relish that trust. The electorate is tired of your petty disagreements. We pay your salary, expenses, health care costs and pensions. You are not cheap to keep.
Don’t let us find out that your ambitions are self-serving. You are an elected official, a public servant. Don’t disappoint us, your employer, your constituency.
This is not a threat but a warning. Take us seriously.
In reply to Steve Ginsberg; well said, however when it comes to both the representatives of the Democratic and Republican Parties this will at best, be short lived.
With the majority of today's politicians, their mindset is, "the voters have just two main political parties in which to choose from. So in essence, their choices in voting are extremely restricted."
Case in point is President Obama in his first term highly alienated labor union leaders. However, when it came time for his reelection, the union leaders had no other alternative than to endorse Barack Obama. There was no doubt that a Republican Romney could never have been considered for union endorsement.
However, top labor union officials have confirmed that they have begun shifting resources out of the liberal's hands and into a new strategy for labor to build an independent voice separate of the Democratic Party.
Henry Clay writes on the "Whig Party"; "Government is a trust, and the officers of the government are trustees. And both the trust and the trustees are created for the benefit of the people."
Modern Whigs are neither Conservative nor Liberal and do not wish to be confined to the traditional left-right political spectrum. Just imagine a challenging political party who values independent thinking, meritocracy, and integrity.
This dream is more than possible. However, it is all in the hands of the American voter!!!
Steve says "Don't let us find out that your ambitions are self-serving"
Before our President can work for ALL American he must repay his micro-targeted groups that gave him his win
Labor Union Bosses are at the front of the line.
Single women are next
We watch and await their prizes and rewards
For the half the country that did not vote for Obama we will be feeling his pain higher taxes, more regulation, and Obamacare
I know that the extreme element of Democratic Party is going to contend that the "Whig Party" is just an off-shoot of the Republican Party. This couldn't be further from the truth.
The "Whig Party" is a conglomeration of both moderate Democrats and Republicans.
While the "Whig Party" values an ethical system of capitalism and free enterprise, it just as well values the need for a strong middle-class workforce that is adequately compensated in pay and benefits. The "Whig Party" also recognizes and values the need for social programs that give a hand-up to the truly needy and underprivileged.
No one with any sense would ever describe Abraham Lincoln as a former President who would deny any American of equality. Abraham Lincoln was a "Whig Party" member.
Democrats, give this a lot of thought. Abraham Lincoln freed the slaves. Is this not what the present and fallen middle-class workers of the United States are now in the midst of from corporate America?
Secondly, moderate Democrats must surely see that President Barack Obama betrayed middle-class America by reneging on his initial campaign promise to repeal and or withdraw America from NAFTA and all other NAFTA styled trade agreements.
Again, confirmation after confirmation has been made that NAFTA has sucked million after million skilled American middle-class careers right out from under their feet.
Just a bit more, "political food for thought".
If only what the letter writer said were true, life would be so good. But, alas it is not. It is nearly impossible for an incumbent president to lose. No matter how bad, he's got a lock on the job for 2 terms NOW. Well, Mr. President hold on tight, it's going to be a rough ride. And you asked for it.
CarmineD
We the people must not follow our usual practice of awakening every 2-4 years, voting, and being inattentive in between. We have to be our own lobbyists, stay after elected officials to do the right thing, and call them on their crap. We have to help govern or we're just going to get more of the same.
On a final note; every moderate Obama supporter should read this link provided. The confirmed truth about Obama is spelled out within these contents;
http://firedoglake.com/2011/10/12/job-ki...
We can talk all we want about loyalty, doing the right thing, not listening to lobbyists, etc and it will do no good. 'Risk' is the key for us. We've got to become willing to let go of the security blanket...vote for someone new, someone we don't know, a name of a party that is new to us.
The people in office are not going to change as along as they know we will support them no matter what.
That must change. If we can't get term limits, we need to impose them at the voting booth, by not allowing these elected positions to be a 'career'. These people were intended to go 'serve' the people for a short time and then return to the same lives we all lead, not go and 'serve' themselves and lobbyists and never return to the lives we all lead.
Michael
Enjoyed the letter, Mr. Ginsberg. And very, very true.
I'd just like to point out that politicians from both parties are actually listening to what you are saying right here and now at this point in time.
Two years from now?
No.
They won't learn from their mistakes and wrong steps.
Especially the extreme right wingers.
They have shown they don't listen and when you question them, they shout, "We're doing the will of the American people." When they say that, it's a telltale obvious clue they...aren't.
History will repeat itself.
I make a prediction. The GOoPers in power will scream united we stand, divided we fall. But their actions will continue where what actually happens is divided we stand, united we stall.
Of course, the article is referring the Republican Party and the people who represent the Republican Party. People like,
The voices;
Donald Trump, John Sinunu, Renince Priebus, Michele Bachman, Rush Limbaugh, Sean Hannity, Bill O'Reilly and Foxnew.
The obstructionist;
Mitch McConnell, John Bohener, Eric Cantor, Paul Ryan,Grover Norquist, Karl Rove.
These guys and girls with not stop. They must be overwhelmed by another election. In another two years, the majority of them will be out of public office. They will be voted out or removed, or rejected by a wave of reasonable Republicans coming back to right the Republican ship.
Mr. Ginsberg,
Excellent letter I really enjoyed reading your letter.
I also agree with Jim Weber 4:29 a.m. and LTV at 7:45 a.m.
We need to stay on top of the issues contact our elected officials and let them know how we feel.
Have a wonderful day to all.
America consciously and deliberately voted for a status quo government.
A feel good redistributionist President and a fiscally responsible House.
This allows the President to constantly expand our dependency society while Americans are using the House as a firewall to try to contain the cost.
This allows the Democrats to play good guy to the Bad guy Republican.
Point is Democrats NEED the Republicans to blame for not being able to provide more and greater expanded goods while secretly accepting some sort of Fiscal control
A lesson in reality from Rachel Maddow;
"Ohio really did go to President Obama last night, he really did win. He really was born in Hawaii, and he really is, legitimately, president of the United States again. And The Bureau of Labor Statistics did not make up a fake unemployment rate last month. And the Congressional Research Service really can find no evidence that cutting taxes on rich people grows the economy. And the polls were not skewed to oversample Democrats. And Nate Silver was not making up fake projections about the election to make conservatives feel bad. Nate Silver was doing math.
And climate change is real. And rape really does cause pregnancy sometimes. And evolution is a thing! And Benghazi was an attack on us, it was not a scandal by us. And nobody is taking away anyone's guns. And taxes have not gone up. And the deficit is dropping, actually. And Saddam Hussein did not have weapons of mass destruction. And the moon landing was real. And FEMA is not building concentration camps. And UN election observers are not taking over Texas. And moderate reforms of the regulations on the insurance industry and the financial services industry in this country are not the same thing as communism."
Maddow said that the Republicans "got shellacked" Tuesday night in a way that conservatives did not see coming because of what Maddow called their "vacuum-sealed, door-locked spin cycle of telling each other what makes them feel good."
"Unless they are going to secede," Maddow added, "they are going to need to pop the factual bubble they have been so happy living inside if they do not want to get shellacked again.......
Excellent letter Mr. Ginsberg.
PhilVentura - "Maddow said that the Republicans "got shellacked" Tuesday night in a way that conservatives did not see coming because of what Maddow called their "vacuum-sealed, door-locked spin cycle of telling each other what makes them feel good."
You need to repeat that as often as possible for people like Future. I've been saying for the last three years this GOP loaded with Tea Party members is akin to the sixties and the John Birch Society. The Republican Party will be forever damaged until they realize there is a real world beyond that bubble they live in. Watching only Fox and listening/reading only World Net Daily or Coulter, Hannity, Limbaugh and others, keeps them completely ill informed. This country may not lean moderate right as some think. It could very well be center leftish.
VernosB,
How many TEA Party seats were lost in the House? How many Republican seats were lost in the House?
I seem to recall seeing that only 2 seats were lost there. That is hardly a "shellacking" as some have put it.
The real shellacking was in the Senate races that should have been a lock for the Republicans to pick up, but three religious idiots put their dogma ahead of everything else. In the end that cost the Republicans one seat when there was a very real probability that they would have taken control by one seat.
This election did nothing but keep everything exactly like it was for all intents and purposes. ALL of the elected officials, including Senators who were not up this cycle, need to remember we are watching closely.
Carmine says, "It is nearly impossible for an incumbent president to lose."
Sorry Carmine. I know your not a fan of facts but almost 25% of the 44 presidents of the U.S. lost reelection.
Again, my sincerest apologies for factual information.
Please re-read the Rachel Maddow piece above and break out of the bubble.
Comment removed by moderator. Inappropriate
boftx,
We'll see how the deficit and budget talks go. I suspect Boehner might have a problem from his right with the Tea Party.
My earlier comment was in reference to the far right ideology which I believe helped the President win the election and the 20 women who are now in the Senate. If you remember what happened under the far right pull from the Birchers in the past the Republican Party suffered. I suspect and believe we are seeing the surface of that conflict and there will be GOP infighting.
There is a bubble certain people live in ignoring the realities outside of what people like Rove, Hannity, Limbaugh and others speak about; those low information voters who believe Obama is a Kenyan Muslim intent on destroying America.
Mr.Ginsberg,
I agree with your letter and the GOP has taken a beating in this years presidental election.If they haven't learned anything from the results.They will certainly be scratching their heads when they lose in the next senate and congressional elections in a few years.
Mr Ginsberg
Your letter is most appropriate. I sincerely believe that if we stay on top of what our elected officials are doing in Washington they will have to respond. I feel its very important for everyone to communicate in writing with their representatives.
Your article is most appropriate in that elected officials have to know that they are being followed and that they cannot shirk their duty or more importantly just vote in lock step with their caucus.
Last Tuesday's election should serve as a wake-up call for the Republicans, but I don't see that happening...
The demographics of this country are changing and the GOP has not a clue about that.....
Many of the right-wingers have decided to blame Romney's defeat on Hurricane Sandy, and others are claiming that Romney lost because he was "too moderate."
Others are simply blaming the "liberal media" for the butt kicking that took place...
We are fast becoming a minority dominated nation and the tired old white guys who have always made all the decisions and called all the shots are quickly getting left at the bus stop...
Of course, most of them are in denial about what is going on, but that's to be expected.
It's going to take a few more butt kicking's before they come to the realization that their party, the GOP, is out of touch with much of America...
The GOP Party platform offers Nothing to a huge percentage of America. They have ignored blacks, Hispanics, Asians, woman's right, gay rights, and several very important social issues such as Obamacare, Medicare & Social Security.
Any attention that the GOP has given to Obamacare, Medicare & Social Security has come in the form of destroying or greatly cutting back those programs...
They like to use the word "privatizing" when talking about both Medicare and Social Security, but we all know what there intent really is....
They will tell you that their goal is to save both Medicare and Social Security while changing Obamacare to make it better....
Of course, only a complete idiot buys into that line of thinking.
A recent letter to the editor of the Sun pointed out that if the GOP does not change the direction it's going, it will sooner or later cease to exist as a party.....
Sound advice, but not something that the current leaders of the GOP are willing to accept....
Let the dogs bark. It will be a hard to notice all million compromises can't be accepted when one solution is all there is to table right answers.
Brad......
The Wig party will stay stuck in the 1800's, right
where it belongs.
Get a grip.
DEMOCRATS run the show now and that's the way it's
going to be.
Steve.....
The crazy teabaggers are still stuck in stupid.
We'll keep voting them out until they're gone.
Teabaggers are the problem.
"Carmine says, "It is nearly impossible for an incumbent president to lose."
Sorry Carmine. I know your not a fan of facts but almost 25% of the 44 presidents of the U.S. lost reelection"
As usual you are wrong in quoting me. Go back and read my post. I'm talking about incumbent presidents NOW not years ago. NOW a president even as bad as Obama has a lock for 2 terms.
CarmineD
In reply to "Teamster"; you write for me to, "Get a grip. Democrats run the show now and that's the way it's going to be."
You're off track there partner. Just as I predicted this election, the voters clearly proved they could change nothing. All the extremists and moderates from both the Republican and Democratic Parties kept "gridlock" of the "status quo" in place.
Even President Barack Obama--who won the White House in 2008 after a campaign where he talked about how he would change Washington--admitted that he has failed to do so and cannot do so from the inside.
Sure "Teamster"; the Democrats is running the show. Even your own union leaders see this propaganda clearly. Why do you think the unions have cut their contributions to the Democratic Party by 40% and are moving in a different direction that will ultimately represent labor that is free from the Democratic Party?
Wow!!! And you still say the Democrats are running the show? Better hold hands tight with your political buddies! Cause if the country falls over the financial cliff, we may very well as a country be going back to those primitive days of the 1800's. Welcome to the new political reality show for America, "BACK TO THE FUTURE".
Some people will admit that they screwed-up when they do but not my little buddy Carmine. He loves to rant & rant on this board but it appears that he won't stand-up and be counted when his "feet are held to the fire."
Take Carmine's daily rants about Romney winning the White House for example......
For several months before the election Carmine told us almost daily that Romney was going to easily defeat President Obama and he was going to win ALL of the battleground states and accumulate more than 300+ electoral votes in the process...
Since this past Tuesday, Carmine has refused to stand by what he said. As many of you know, I have repeatedly ask Carmine to post what he said about Romney winning the presidential election.
He has tried to ignore me & he has tried to say something quite differently than what he actually said...
Here's a few of Carmines' many rants about Romney winning the White House and sweeping the battleground states....Enjoy! Of course, there's many more....
__________________________________________________________
"No, Teamster. The story is just beginning. And it's a whole new cast of characters and story line. The best advice I can offer you and others, who are still swooning from 2008 over President Obama, is to start making preparations for 2016.
HAHAAHAHAHAHAHAHAHH! " CarmineD (11/03/12) 5:16 am __________________________________________________________
"Truth be told columnist the White House/President Obama lost the reelection in August 2011. Having nothing to do with climate change as much as hope and change. Hurricane Sandy is just a footnote to the loss." Carmine (10/31/12) 4:34 am
________________________________________________________
"Romney-Ryan win the White House on Nov 6, 2012. Obama-Biden go packing. Obama to the teachers' lounge and Biden as his teacher's aid.." CarmineD (10-23-12) 10:14 am.
________________________________________________________
"Look for Nevada to stay blue & Ohio to again vote for the president elect...."
Carmine said:. Wrong on the first, right on the second. Both for Romney."
CarmineD (10-23-12) 3:47 am _______________________________________________________
LongTimeVegan said:
"President Obama wins re-election by 6 to 8 points."
Carmine said:
"Wrong. It's electoral votes that matter. Romney-Ryan win with 310 electoral votes, all the swing states, and 53 percent of the popular vote. Start planning for 2016."
CarmineD (10-22-12) 7:14 am
______________________________________________
Need I say more! The proof is in the pudding....The lesson to be learned here is to NEVER, NEVER pay any attention to what Carmine says..... Also, don't expect Carmine to stand by what he says!
I'm going to be out of town for several day.....that's good news for Carmine! Anyway, Happy Veterans Day and a special "thanks" to all of the veterans out there who have given so much to this great country!
Thank you El Lobo: I always enjoy it when others quote and post my words of wisdom. Even you.
CarmineD
On question Carmine. Is it possible for any commentator to hold another's "feet to the fire", politically speaking, when that same person can't even politically roast a marshmallow?
Brad......
YES, we majority voters got what we wanted.
We wanted PRESIDENT OBAMA and the DEMOCRATIC PARTY
to keep moving our country forward.
And that's exactly what he and they will do.
The losing republican party will now have to
make concessions.
That's life in the big city.
THANK GOD FOR PRESIDENT OBAMA, VICE PRESIDENT
JOE BIDEN AND SENATE MAJORITY LEADER HARRY REID!
El_Lobo.......
Great post again!
Right on the mark!
In reply to "Teamster"; I have little if any love for Republicans.
However, I was not surprised by your above comments. Referring to the financial cliff the country faces, our politicians and their supporters love to skydive. Some have parachutes, and others do not.
Vernos,
"I've been saying for the last three years this GOP loaded with Tea Party members is akin to the sixties and the John Birch Society"
As an ex-Bircher, I totally agree with you.
Also remember that their are those who use them for their own gain.