4 posts tagged “congress”

The United States Electoral College is a term used to describe the 538 Presidential electors who meet every four years to cast the "official" votes for President and Vice President of the United States. The Constitution gives each state legislature the plenary power to choose the electors who shall represent its state in the Electoral College. The Electors never meet as a national body. At 51 (Fifty states plus the District of Columbia) separate meetings, held on the same day, the electors cast the electoral votes. As such, the collective concept of the 51 groups is the technical definition of the college. It is because of this power structure that the popular vote was overturned in the 1824, 1876, 1888 and the more recent 2000 Presidential election. What scares me about this system is that it is elitist in nature and has a cloak of anonymity that render them (the Electors) unaccountable to the general masses. The Constitution does not require the Electors to vote as pledged, but many (not all) states have enacted laws that do require their Electors to vote as pledged. This system seems to be in place to assure certain citizens that under no circumstance will an "undesired" candidate be allowed to occupy the highest positions in the land. You may wonder why the forefathers choose to wrest the power from the voting public and give it to these 538 mysterious individuals (who are they?).

There are calls to reform this antiquated system. There are those who truly want to put the power in the hands of the people. The argument for an "Electoral College" is that while the Congress is popularly elected by the people, the President and Vice President are elected to be executives of a federation of independent states. The Electoral College ensures that candidates, particularly in recent elections, pay attention to key 'swing-states' (those states that are not firmly rooted in either the Republican or Democratic party). It equally assures that voters in states that are not believed to be competitive will be disregarded.

Supporters of direct election argue that it would give everyone an equally weighted vote, regardless of what state he or she lives in, and oppose giving disproportionately amplified voting power to voters in states with small populations. Under the current system, the vote of an individual living in a state with three electoral votes is proportionally more influential than the vote of an individual living in a state with a large number of electoral votes.

The arguments for and against get bogged down with historic policy and precedence set throughout elections that are skewed by the history of the United States divisions among its political parties, voters and regions (in other words they filibuster the discussion). 

Registered Voter,

Bycha Buxton

 

According to the Washingtonpost.com "BP has agreed to pay $303 million to settle civil charges that it cornered the propane market three years ago and inflated heating and cooking costs for about 7 million mostly rural American households, a source familiar with the accord said." They (Washington Post) also state that " the London oil giant has been fighting criminal and civil charges by the Commodity Futures Trading Commission that it "purchased enormous quantities of propane to establish a dominant and controlling" position in the market and then drove prices up 50 percent by keeping fuel supplies off the market."

I'm not shocked that these 'goliath' Corporations try to manipulate the markets to gain profits. As a business model you do no more wrong than the competition to stay in business. So what does this mean? It means you learn the tactics of your industry (and within the law) apply what deems the most suitable to your business plan. They (British Petroleum) did not act alone as the only Big Oil Company fixing prices (my version of the truth). As one of the largest Natural Gas producers in the U.S. they were the most obvious with their illegal scheme to corner the market and they got caught.

When do we not only get off foreign oil but stop the domestic producers from fleecing America? Can we be heard by these Oil Executives? Do We (Americans') have the chutzpah to stand up and say no more?! BP got to sweep this under the rug. What happened when the 'Oil Industry' was called in front of Congress to testify? Did British Petroleum commit purgery? Has the 'Oil Industry' purgered itself and the truth yet to be told? The fact is we are being taken to the cleaners, oblivious to the mass mugging being committed while we continue to self-serve our nation further into ecological destruction and economic servitude.

 The third century of the industrial revolution age is seeing the repackaging of socialism in various forms. The most dramatic is the plan of Venezuela’s President, Hugo Chavez (President Bush’s biggest fan) is to create a city from scratch in a national park. Here in the U.S. a more subtle approach is the national health care plan, proposed by Hillary Clinton. Our neighbors to the north (Canada) already have such a system to much applause by those who think this is a fresh new idea.

Moving pictures also came along once upon a time. Only to evolve into talking pictures, then Technicolor, inevitably sex came on the screen (no pun intended); now you need the FCC; they have to have a mortal enemy (Hollywood), and even they need somebody to take advantage of (The Screen Writers Guild). Socialism has always morphed into a living hell for those who can't escape its promises of equilibrium (i.e, Cuba). In its' purest form; an entry in Webster’s dictionary Socialism is beautiful. But in this century cooperation rather than competition to guide private industry will bring the big “C” if not carefully planned to remain an ever evolving entry in Wikipedia.

What is the big “C”? China’s 1 billion people? Castro’s dream of a ‘Communist’ victory, or ‘Coverage’ (health care); managed by a government who can’t agree on how or how not to fund a war? Imagine if your triple bypass was filibustered in a short session of congress just before the holiday break. Merry Christmas and Happy New Year! Socialism historically leads to a societal breakdown. Can we improve the quality of life socializing programs and not society? These are questions for a democratic society. Isn't freedom beautiful! (Even thorns have roses.)

Be careful my liberal friends, who see a great utopia on the horizon. I too see wonderful things; a world liberated from the oppression of ideologues like Stalin, Mao Tse -Tung, Ho Chi Minh, Mussolini, Hitler, and Hussein. Have we defeated these ideas only to incorporate them into our great republic? The ‘Gipper’ would be turning over in his grave along with JFK, MLK and the KKK. 

Your American,

Bycha Buxton

buxtonbycha@aol.com

Recently there has been a request by U.S. Senator Grassly for the financial records of 6 Pastors of the so-called "Mega Church's" located primarily throughout the south. The underlying question is whether these individuals are using the exempt status afforded to faith based organizations for personal profitable gain. There have been Ministers and Churches who have throughout time used their power for gain other than the salvation of souls.

Our government has historically adopted the position of a separation between the State and matters of the Church. But this does not exclude priests who are pedophiles, zealots bent on destruction or pastors who profit from deception. We are afford by constitutional right, innocence before our peers; be it a jury of 12 or the public masses, so I reserve judgment until due time. I do however have the right to an opinion based on the actions of the accused.

In the Jewish temple (Herod's) the first cleansing took place (John 2:13-16) it tells how during The Passover, Jesus ran off  " them that were selling dove, sheep and oxen: and He poured out the coins of the money changers and overturned their tables." The money changers would profit by exchanging the Roman currency with graven images for plain coins  to be an acceptable tithe offering for a fee. Jesus said, " Take these things away; stop making My Father's house a place of business." 

Apostle Paul writes of the 'Christian Rights' (1Corinthians 9:13-14) "that those who work in the temple should get their food from the temple... in the same way, those who preach the gospel should receive their living from the gospel." But Paul chose to spread the gospel for no charge to the church as  "...a servant unto all, that I might gain more" (1Corinthians 9:19) and instead labored for a living.

An introspective question to all who preach the gospel is why did Paul choose this way?

I will not begin to assess the hearts and minds of men/women and their reason. I can only look at the obvious, reference my understanding of good; evil and listen to my own conscience (The Holy Spirit) for guidance and I still am imperfect in every way but always willing to try and correct my wrongs; repent and ask forgiveness. I ask you brothers and sisters in Christ (the accused and the guilty) are you justified in all your actions concerning this matter? What will you do for your own salvation? You are held to a higher standard. The answer is not to me nor to the congregations that you lead, you love and bring to Christ Jesus; but to HIM who is, was and will always be. There is a reason Jesus said " It is harder for a rich man to enter the  Kingdom of Heaven, than a camel to go through the eye of a needle."

I AM,

Bycha Buxton
buxtonbycha@aol.com