A deceitful President, a useless Congress, an apathetic American public

Searching for easy ways to find money to pay for their profligate ways without altering their quest for unearned rewards, earlier tonight, the Senate - that good ol' boy's club that prefers posturing to substance - voted in favor of the Budget Reconciliation Bill. The name of this particular bill would be hilarious if it weren't so terribly sad. In case you don't know, the word 'reconcile' has several meanings: to make friendly after estrangement, to purify by special service after profanation or desecration, to make acquiescent or contentedly submissive, to heal, settle, harmonize, make compatible. What this bill actually does is destroy. It's a stealth bomber dressed up in pretty language that seeks to camouflage the contempt this august body has for all of its constitutients, but primarily for the elderly, the poor, children, and those sensitive souls who prefer retaining our last outpost of wilderness and beauty instead of succumbing to the gluttony of the greedy.

This badly named bill contains amendments to cut spending by cutting Medicare, Medicaid, and food stamps and allowing drilling in the Alaska National Wildlife Refuge to hopefully secure a volume of oil that represents six month's usage in America - if they're lucky. Not surprisingly, G.W. Bush has threatened to veto the bill if it cuts Medicaid, but such a threat from him is the norm, providing wiggle room and the chimera of a caring concern as his poll numbers continue to drop - politics speaking with a forked tongue...Bushspeak.

Never before has such Congressional double dealings made me want so badly to be a true force of nature, a powerful witch, or the personification of a furious vengeful god. Were I able, I would reach out with the muscular arms of Medusa, the calamitous voice of the original earth mother, and the righteous, collective fury of every person whose trust and expectation has been abused, sundered and left to rot by barbarians. Rather than simply rescinding their own little pet projects like bridges to nowhere, fruit fly research, or improved landscaping for a wealthy community, they choose instead to take more away from people who have little left to give. They do it because it's easy, and it's easy because within the atmosphere that is D.C., knowing they've accepted Presidential lies without question, helped to kill and maim their own countrymen, increased the burden of voters seeking to live from one paycheck to the next, sold out the middle class and allowed themselves to be bought by the wealthiest bidders, they can get away with it while pretending to be men and women of character.

How can that be, you ask? It' simple.

Regardless of the fact that the most recent polls show that only 39% of the public approve of how Bush is doing his job, and only an equal percentage is satisfied with the job Congress is doing, they know that you - the American public - would rather sit on your couch potato butts and watch "Desperate Housewives" or "The Simpsons" and whine and complain to each other rather that stiffen your backbones, stand on your feet, and rant and rave at them. You, Mr. and Mrs. America, let them do what they want without raising any hue and cry, without getting on the telephone to scream in their ears, without writing the letters to put them on notice. You'd rather sit in your corner and snivel, while hoping that someone else does for you what you should be doing for yourself.

No matter what excuses you tell yourself, no matter how much you rationalize that God will provide, no matter how often you lie to yourself and your children that no one "can fight City Hall,'' your behavior is that of a slug. You just muddle on, singing the same monotonously sad tune. You make no demands - not of yourself or of the people you employ - your president, your senators, your representatives, or your state and local government. So, you get just exactly what you deserve. Nothing. Nothing but the assurance of more misery for everyone. You act like a rag rug and let others put their foot on your neck while they walk all over you.

As a simple example, look at what Congress and the President have done and not done. Instead of demanding a thorough discussion on stem cell research, you sit quiescent while they meddle with the life of Terry Schaivo. Instead of demanding responsible action on health care, you twiddle your thumbs while they provide protection for gun manufacturers. Instead of demanding real reform of the immigration and naturalization service, you complain about heating bills while allowing them to gut the Clean Air Act. Instead of demanding repair of a crumbling infrastructure, you allow them to pass a bankruptcy bill that endangers you while it provides a windfall for the banking and credit card industries. Instead of demanding they create programs to ease poverty, you roll your eyes and allow them to create more poor. Instead of demanding improved public education for all, you allow them to further your own ignorance.

The next time you're tempted to complain about anything being beyond your control, or about our careening, poorly maintained and sinking ship of state, just save your breath because you're the bum whose hand controls the helm.