Dignity?

How can former Speaker Nancy Pelosi believe any congress critter can  claim any dignity  with the way most of them act?   And why does she think their supposed dignity deserves any reward,  when few of them deserve little more than a smack on the head with a 2 x 4?

Bailout ruminations…

This is a handy calculator which lets you see how much of the bailout your family will pay.

One thing stands out to me:   it is a program designed to help the unwise,  the unwary,  the stupid,  the greedy, the feckless,  and the well-connected.    Essentially, it can be reduced to this:   those who have lived prudently are being forced to pay for those who have not.

Do I feel sorry for those who purchased homes they couldn’t afford?  Not in the least.    I am yet to hear of a single mortgage broker, banker or salesman putting a gun to the head of any borrower and growling,  “Sign zee papers, old man!”

I was a real estate paralegal for a number of years,  and there were people who  postponed,  or even declined,   promotions or pay raises so they could still qualify for some loan program.    It disgusted me then.   It infuriates me now that people who could pay their mortgages don’t,  because they want to qualify for bailout money.

Liberals,  which these days means nearly all Democrats and some Republicans  (I’m neither, by the way),  don’t believe  in the laws of human nature.    Many simply can’t grasp that humans are the most opportunistic species around.    If the government promotes programs which reward failure and poor judgment,  then more people will act in accordance with those requirements.

Over the past week I have watched countless ACORN representatives and Democratic strategists and mouthpieces deny this reality.  People who are about to lose their houses are  approaching sainthood, but businesses are all evil  —  for making them loans,  for not making them different loans,  for not hiring them,  for not paying them enough  —  the list is endless.

I don’t spend much time in fast food restaurants or shopping, because when you live in the country,  you tend to keep trips to town to a minimum because they steal time.    But I have difficulty convincing myself the average slouchy teenager with a limited vocabulary and an indifferent attitude is worth minimum wage to any business.

If you have pro-bailout Congress critters,  ask them why they’re punishing you for living within your means so they can reward those who don’t.    Do not accept their platitudinous answers,  and if one of them is stupid enough to say anything approaching  “it’s for the common good”,  tell them that if you wanted to live under socialist, communist or Marxist rule,  there are plenty of countries to chose from.    Make it crystal clear that this is YOUR country,  and that you are willing to fight to keep it,  even if it means going straight through them.

I can tell you that more than one congressman who really wanted to vote for the stimulus changed his mind after receiving only a few hundred short,  icily polite phone calls conveying that message.  Even if your particular set of critters sees matters correctly, reinforce them.    They are subject to campaigns by groups to have them vote the liberal line,  and any ammunition you provide is a spine-stiffener.

By the way,  send a postcard,  not a letter.    All Congressional mail goes through a decontamination process,  which can add anywhere from a few days to a few weeks.    There’s nowhere to insert anything on postcards,  so they sail through.    Congress.org is a site which allows you to send email,  but also gives you addresses,  phone and fax numbers,  district offices, etc.    Use it.