UNION “State”?

Did you watch –How did he (Oval Office Occupant –“OOO”) do? Opinion based on which aisle –Party –position on Iraq?

Well, no...4th-Grade Geography missed for emergency appendectomy recovery, so unclear –which part of America: “Iran” –militant organization –of Palestinians?

Way wasn’t billed as: ‘Set-up to get votes in ten months’ –‘Daddy’s Feelings’ –‘Speak-to-Choir’ –‘Tell Other Countries What To Do’ Report. The Assignment: Report on Condition –current status –of America.

The people with hate enough to murder over 3,000 Americans four years ago –hate us less –more? We are measurably safer –endangered? Relations with other countries –improved -worsened –with which countries? Why? Current debt? Proposals to reduce? What specifically helped/hurt farmers, working -middle class, college-bound, senior adults, handicapped –ranchers –children, singles? Gains –losses? How many bought a first house –how many had foreclosure? How many enrolled in Food Stamps –compared to last year? Helped oceans, mountains, forests, rivers, air, trees, wildlife, fish, endangered species –how? Vetoed what pork –‘earmarks’ –worthless weapons? ‘Spent’ election ‘capital’ –to benefit All –how?

Missing:
-‘–sorry on creating biggest agency in history, but I’m trying to cut down on bureaucracy –like annoying laws and safety enforcement of mines.

-‘My Party & I spent all the money last President had in the bank, all that you gave us last year, all that we borrowed –so much money from so many countries the interest on the debt is over $1 million a day. –I’m gonna keep on spending it, so tell your kids, grandkids: ‘too bad.’ –If debt gets too big while I’m here: I’ll demand China, our biggest lender, devalue their money –again.’

–‘Roads, trains, bridges, my salary, police, firefighters, air-traffic controllers, FBI, CIA, military, pipes, weapons, education, parks, cameras, invasions, “security” –working -middle class can pay those bills, again. Not my fault their job got exported, I’m working for welfare –for country’s wealthiest –givetome –or I’ll accuse Democrats of trying to help all –with “tax increase.”'

No Honorable Mention Award:
-Arrival time of that “roses and kisses” greeting from Iraqis…maybe when the lights stay on longer than four hours a day…

–‘When a state gets messed up I can’t fix it all by myself –I need my cronies to like do stuff.’

-‘I know I showed up just days of a Florida hurricane the year before –with a $11 Billion check, but that was just before my election. So it took longer to get over to New Orleans, so what: New Orleans doesn’t have any thing for me –no campaign money, no votes.’

-‘Ya, their guy Billy T. helped me out, big time, on my ‘Medi-Care Money Giveaway’ to drug-makers –but Billy isn’t in the Senate any more, he took a job immediately with a pharmaceutical house. Three –seven days –what’s a few days, it’s not like the people could dress for a visit from their leader; I wore suit and tie when I flew over them and my PR people made sure my dress shirts were lit good for the camera on my face visits. But they were dirty, mostly –covered in mud –and whining, not very proper.’

Missions Accomplished -No Mention:
–38,000 oil contracts, written before November 20004 election, doled to pals after election –no mention of the water taken from ranchers, residents living on the land –pals are busy look’n for oil.

-School kids tested non-stop. Those unable to read, do math, stay in school –dropping out of high school, 20 to 50% –depending on political orientation of those doing the counting, with no education, no skills, no trade: no follow-up.

-'Looked Out for Americans’ Health: New Bankruptcy laws
–with help from …oh ya, that ex cockroach hunter guy in charge of House Majority, now off in Texas proving he’s innocent of collecting $700,000 from pals –sent to Party Headquarters in DC, then $700,000 back to Texas pals running for office –so what if that’s illegal. Together we convinced your over-paid representatives to teach wasteful Americans a lesson: when they get sick –bills have to be paid –even if they had insurance, even if they’re broke. When people spend money on surgery, drugs, tests, lounging in hospitals –they can’t just file bankruptcy, gotta learn better money-management. No excuses. We fixed those scofflaws –and helped insurance companies at the same time. Nice coincidence.’

-‘Party responsible for abuse, humiliation, sodomy, torture, death in Iraqi prisons: tossed her ass into prison, being a new mommy no excuse; woman general in charge of the prison, told to sit quietly in the corner: after we demoted her, she quit so she must’ve been guilty too. We didn’t find any male generals or anybody higher up guilty of anything.’

-‘Even though over 100,000 Iraqis dead, over 50,000 American military wounded –it wasn’t easy to get all that stuff they needed over there. At least we got electricity going –long enough for kids to do their homework, what with all the schools we built. Now is not the time to mention school or teacher shortages in this country –this is about “positives.”’

-‘While everybody was busy on vacation in July in a single Bill we:
-Dealt with energy: MTBE, supposed to help gasoline mileage but poisoned water supply of several states, we got protection –we bullet-proofed the makers; they can’t be sued or forced to clean up the mess. States will have to learn what responsible Republican people know –‘clean up your own messes, don’t look to government for help’ –even though we got MTBE put into gasoline.’

-‘Made investment in your future: we gave oil, gas & nuclear energy producers some spending money –13 billion bucks, to see if they could come up with anything new.’

-‘Looked out for you –changed Daylight Savings hours. –Canada had no call to be rude, just cuz we didn’t tell them in advance. Heck, we didn’t ‘heads up’ anybody that every camera –computer –MRI –every digital thing in North America has to be changed, but they probably read about it in the newspaper after we did it. Really, not our problem.’

-‘We got you covered if you eat fast food: get fat –fast-food makers can’t be sued now, we made it a law. And don’t be bothering to look for hidden addictive ingredients, not your business.’

'If there’s any insomnia going don’t forget:
-We sent the “doctor” over to convince Europeans we don’t ‘do’ torture, really –even though the pregnant grunt got tossed into prison for it –we didn’t bag any country’s citizens, send them off into the black & blue…. Nope, we only do legal stuff.’

-‘Everybody gets to keep their AK47s and all the bullets needed
-Car makers don’t have to do anything drastic on mileage or anything taxing about $35,000 tax breaks on SUVs costing more than $100,000.
-Nobody got restricted from blowing up mountain tops –or dumping toxic coal plant waste into waterways –only happens on rainy days
–CEOs made out OK, even if lots of pensioners took it on the chin & the wallet
-Oil, Coal, Gas, Drug, Debt-card, Bank, Weapon and Caterer companies –got protection –all did ‘better’ last year –with our help
-“Contractors” –those working Iraqi prisons, made out OK, with US military doing the heavy lifting on heat and jail terms, while they lifted the heavy paychecks. –Those working New Orleans damage: got Minimum Wage roll-back, our pals just trying to help –roll-back just temporary, right?’

'Odd: Louisiana the only state without contractors. Oh well, lucky FEMA knew a few pals they could call to go over and help. Too bad they can’t lift the thousands of trailers sitting empty, they’ll prolly get to them soon.'

‘FBI & Co:
-Found the spy –working in President of Vice’s office for three years
–Nabbed Republican Party’s main travel agent/ bagman…wonder if he’s wearing that black hat while spilling his guts
–Got all (?) the reporters, leakees, of ‘leaked’ identity of under cover agent
–Bagged main buyer of stuff, who stuffed his deep pockets deeply –it’s not your business who he worked with or if he shared the booty’

–'We started Probe –planet Pluto –important cuz…well, it must be or we wouldn’t be spending tons of your money on it if wasn’t going to get us something’

-Doing by-gone era ‘party-line’ thing –on Americans’ phone calls.’

Religion had a rockn’ year:
-‘We’re still dishing buckets of your money to those organized around one religion –to stop the disease infecting 40 million: they used your money to spread ‘just say “no” to sex’ instruction, instead of condoms or medicine. It’s super for the one religion...no word on how that’s working out –for the people and their children who already have the disease….’

-‘Head of one religion asked FBI: to kill elected head of a country with a lot of oil –well, he asked, not demanded…guess he don’t follow the Ten Commandments.’

-‘But Followers sued all the way to no-longer supreme court to get them Commandments allowed on public property –maybe the ‘leader’ hadn’t heard.’

-‘Same guy blamed a Prime Minister who got sick –as ‘punishment’ for working on peace for his country. –“Religious” ‘leader’ with Blackberry messages straight from the Almighty, Lucky us’

So: Signs we are secure? Cameras hanging over city blocks spying on pedestrians, scissors–small knives even–allowed back on planes, Pentagon nailed 16 –children, women, some old men, in two houses –face to face? Naw, high-tech toy. –Two wedding parties got dead –neighbors got $100. -a year’s income, for giving “terrorist” names to military, so some 600 still sitting in a wedge of Cuba without any rights, lawyers or trial dates.

Translators? Helicopters that stay up? Nickel one hasn’t been spent on bridges, pipes, rails, protecting ports or any infrastructure –hasn’t found Osama –scissors could hold passengers hostage till cockpit doors open –border a bit leaky –Iraq invasion hemorrhaging billions –a pandemic flu capable of killing millions coming, they forgot to order flu shots. Safer?

Fewer will be eating –going to college –getting meds –rights. Fewer vets will get treatment on government’s tab –but rich people will get more money –to make more jobs? –to send out of the country?

Family values…families floating in sewage, Food Stamp aid to families cut…law, order, rights for all…court nominees opposed to property -gender -sexual -minority rights for all…demand for more science, math education, Student Loan fund slashed…coal waste dumped into water-ways, air pollution …oil leases in nation’s parks; deforestation… massive debt. –Which part: “compassionate” –“conservative”?

So with the missing parts filled in: All Things Considered you feel safer –are safer now?

Lobbyists who want to do business with Congress –prevented from donating to Democrats or even hiring Democrats, by ex-cockroach hunter Republican who ran House of Representatives. The money lobbyists give to Republicans comes from giant corporations and Indian tribes –each/all with an agenda –goal –project –special law they want. –Cash ‘donation’ large enough: lobbyist and/or the client get face time with Congress member –at dinner –at Scottish golf course. Which part of that: honorable, decent? Did YOU get face time with your representative? At the core –source of Indian tribes’ money: gambling. Occupant donations? --$100,000+ and use of Enron private jet, plus millions to Republican Party. –Returned: zero. –Proposals to clean up that mess?

Well, give him credit: there weren’t that many train wrecks, not that many old pipes burst…at least not just one Party in the room hearing the speech…but a mystery: what happened to the stutter? Drugs? At the end: occupant shook hands –with an opposition Party Senator –ranked second from bottom in seniority, but ‘skipped’ most senior Senator –standing next to him, the opposition Party Leader. Why? The way to ‘lower’ “partisan rancor”? Pandering? “Uniter” –“not a divider”? Serious disrespect.

New Orleans repair estimate: $250 Billion. Residents bucking flood, sewage, starvation, thirst, employment, homelessness –five months, going on a year: ineffective protest.

Medicare Prescription Drug coverage estimate: true cost, hidden from Congress during debate –$750 Billion. People bucking lousy coverage: media attention, hearings, changes –on four weeks of unhappiness. Why? –Easier to fix? OOO a racist? Indifferent to costs?

REMEDY
Support the Troops? But not a CEO –a pal –a one per-center –the one religion member –no medical insurance?

You have 100% ownership of what even Bill Gates can’t buy: Your power.

You saw the pictures: women in Afghanistan, families in Iraq. Even with lousy/missing equipment –training –supplies: American military made it happen –women in Afghanistan risked death. Fathers, mothers risked getting blown up in Iraq.

The people unhappy with medication coverage: vote –big time, big numbers –every election –people in Washington Know it. You want change in Bankruptcy laws –medical insurance –Pentagon –worthless weapons –budget –Iraq –agencies –more –less of something –in your neighborhood –your state –your country –government to actually respond?

First get your voice heard –use your power –Before another week goes by Send a message: go to nearest Post Office, pick up Voter Registration form, fill it out, turn it in –on the spot.

Don’t ever forget: Election night, 2004, 8 PM Eastern Time each network, ABC, CBS, NBC, announced they received calls from the White House –angry calls because the networks had not declared Ohio for the Occupant –while people in Ohio were still standing in line to vote –long lines, until 4 AM. WHY were they angry –How did the White House Know Ohio’s Electoral Votes would go to him –before the polls had closed –before votes counted? Electronic Voting machines –with easily-manipulated software. –And a CEO of machine-maker corporation who stood up at a Republican fund-raiser to vow: “I will help you and Republicans any way I can” –two years before the election.

Once upon a time long-time residents went to vote: they found polling places moved or doors locked; some were told “wrong” polling place, their name removed; others found their ballots in the trash –black residents –in Florida, five years ago.

DO NOT claim you love this country –DO NOT claim ‘Support the Troops’ –DO NOT whine if YOU wind up floating in sewage –stranded on one-way freeway –barred from nearest hospital if: you don’t Demand your state officials remove electronic voting machines –Register –Vote.

Too indifferent to vote? Other people counted on that –THEY made decisions that affect your life now –their voice counted, yours didn’t. If just one person in each city had voted differently: John F. Kennedy would not have been President.

Democracy isn’t free –but the form is. The only ‘courage’ required of you to support the country: fill out Voter Registration form. Then: Share the power –get one form for each neighbor on the block, the new kid who will graduate this year, the baby-sitter, each at work, at the car-wash, the cleaners, soccer practice parents, religious house worshipers. Keep extras with you –for coffee shop, bus stop, grocery check-out line, PTA meeting, bake sale, movie line, flea market.

Don’t want to be ignored: Use your power the way Afghanistani women, Iraqis, American senior adults do. –Register this week, while democracy still exists in This country.