January, 2018, Part 2, Political Class Insanity: A Senator Votes For The Opposite Of What He Believes, Another Politician Gets Indicted and More

It is the beginning of another month which means it is again time to review the latest political class insanity from Washington and around the world. Political class insanity takes many forms including the wasting of taxpayer wealth, criminal fraud within government programs, inane and stupid political quotes and actions, the inability to create and implement effective and efficient government programs, stupid and ill performing economic policies and strategies, and other forms of insanity that continue to evolve and surprise and shock us.

Let's get started:

1) We have often pointed out how confused, dazed, and lost most politicians are. We once reported that a Georgia Congressman thought the island of Guam could tip over in the middle of the Pacific Ocean. We reported on a Texas Congresswoman who thought that there were still two Vietnams with North Vietnam ruling over South Vietnam. That same Congresswoman once declared that her own Congressional district was 50 feet below sea level which, of course, it was not. We once had a Speaker of the House proclaim that a piece legislation (Obama Care) had to be passed BEFORE we could see what was in it.

Which brings us to the latest piece of politician confusion. As most of you know, Washington recently enacted some far reaching tax reform legislation that will reduce and simplify the Federal tax process. It is estimated that over 140 America tax filers will see a reduction in their taxes going forward as a result. The tax legislation will also make filing one’s taxes easier and quicker. And the legislation has already resulted in companies taking important steps to reward themselves, their employees, their stockholders, and the charities they support with their tax savings.

Which brings us to our latest confused politician. Joe Manchin is a Democratic Senator from the state of West Virginia. He voted against the tax reform legislation as did every other Democrat in Congress. In a recent radio interview, Manchin acknowledged there was a lot of good in the legislation that he voted against: “There’s some good in this bill. I acknowledge that. The things that you mention are correct. Initially people will benefit and see some changes in their taxes.” He went on to say that, “I think there is going to be benefit from the get-go, which is called the sugar high.”

Now, he did try, vainly, to justify his no vote on the legislation. He said that taxes could go up in ten years if Congress does not renew the tax cuts. Well, that gives Americans ten years of tax reductions, Joe, and in ten years all Congress has to do is renew the tax cuts, that simple. Another way to say the same thing is a line I found describing Manchin’s idiotic position: “Which is like saying you’re going to pass on this delicious chocolate cake right now because there might not be any left in 2027.” 

Obviously, Manchin voted against his conscience and voted along party lines because his handlers in the upper end of the Democratic Party dictated his vote. Which is just another example of what is wrong with our political class in America today: doing the right thing always takes a back seat to doing the things that benefit only politicians and the two major political parties.

2) It is not only politicians that are confused, dazed, and lost. Often celebrities are the same way. For some reason they think that because they are good at show business stuff that they have deep insights into life and politics that they need to share, and impose, on the rest of us who do not have their brains or knowledge.

Third tier comedian Rosie O’Donnell is one of those show business types. She has been a vocal, often hysterical critic, of Trump ever since he decided to run for the Presidency, somehow thinking that her ranting and raving will make some kind of positive difference in the state of the union.

Unfortunately, her out of control ranting and raving may have exposed her to some serious felony possibilities:

• Tim Brown, writing for the Freedom Outpost website recently, reported that O’Donnell could face a $12 million fine and 15 years in prison for attempted bribery.
• In the run up to the vote to reduce taxes, O’Donnell went on Twitter and publicly offered to pay two Republican Senators $2 million if they voted against the tax reduction legislation.
• Unfortunately, selling your vote to the highest bidder is not the way our republic and government processes are supposed to work which makes offering a sitting member of Congress money to vote a certain way a crime.
• According to the article: “18 U.S. Code § 201 criminalizes the attempted bribery of federal officials by whoever “directly or indirectly, corruptly gives, offers or promises anything of value to any public official … with intent to influence any official act.””...”The fine to be imposed would be “not more than three times the monetary equivalent of the thing of value, whichever is greater, or imprisoned for not more than fifteen years, or both, and may be disqualified from holding any office of honor, trust, or profit under the United States.””
• While some people initially thought her bribery tweet was in jest or to make a symbolic point, she followed up with another tweet, insisting she was serious, making her even more susceptible to prosecution.

Still no cure for stupid...or show business people who think they are smarter than the rest of us when it comes to politics, government, and the world.

3) Probably the second most mentioned topic in this blog behind stupidity of politicians is the crookedness of politicians. Which brings us to the latest instance of a crooked politician:

• Virginia Democratic Congressional candidate Shaun Brown was recently indicted by a Federal grand jury.
• The indictment includes two counts of wire fraud and one count of theft of government property.
• Specifically, the indictment claims that Brown and others filed bogus claims with the Federal government’s Summer Food Service Program in excess of $439,000 via a non-profit group that Brown founded in 1995.
• Her non-profit was supposed to provide meals to children of low income households during the months when those kids could not get meals via school lunches.
• The indictment claims that Brown defrauded the Federal government, and American taxpayers, by submitting for compensation for more meals than she actually served.

If true, and a Federal grand jury indictment is serious stuff, then how low is this potential member of Congress, using hungry kids as a front to defraud the American taxpayer. And she wanted to be a member of Congress. So sad and pathetic.

That will do it for today’s insanity: Another potential greedy and pathetic politician, this one feasting off of low income kids, an idiotic show business celebrity whose big mouth might land her in prison, and a Senator who voted how others in his political sphere dictated how he was to vote rather than voting for the best interests of his constituents. More insanity to follow.

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www.loathemygovernment.com

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Please visit the following sites for freedom:

Term Limits Now: http://www.howmuchworsecoulditget.com
http://www.reason.com
http://www.cato.org
http://www.bankruptingamerica.org
http://www.conventionofstates.com
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=08j0sYUOb5w