"Change" and Just What the Hell Does that Mean?

Without any modification to the Constitution at all, women wouldn't have a vote and Blacks would only count as a partial person on the census. I challenge you with the fact that without the ability to change at all, we would have long ago slipped into a Civil War. No Wait, we did that and only after losing about a half a million citizens were we able to put the pieces back together. So just what the heck do I want in the way of change?

First of all, for me, it would be a change if the congress of the United States actually passed something and then actually tried to make it all fit within the revenue they have. I am not saying that in extraordinary times they don't need the ability to float a loan, but they should have some intent to pay for what they pass. I would make them all listen to that talk radio guy and put them on beans and rice until they at least turn the boat around and realize that they will get all the change they can handle if they don't. I would start with them being subject to any bill they pass.

Just so you will know, there are a lot of "unfunded" bills passed all the time. Congress then appropriates the money to make the bills work, or in some cases pass the requirements on to the States as unfunded mandates. I would make the provisions of PAYGO be enforced and that just passing bills isn't enough. Kind of like my parents didn't just get jobs, they also had to decide how the money got spent and that was the real challenge. Any child can spend an allowance, it takes real maturity to make money and then spend it within the budget. I think there needs to be enough flexibility in the way the Constitution is interpreted to allow some wiggle room. That doesn't mean I want the Congress to do the Hoochie Coochie and limbo under any tent they can stick their nose under. We elected those people because we thought they were adults and responsible people. Now the challenge is they have to act like it.

Once upon a time, after Harvey and I had consumed a portion of alcoholic beverages, we think we hit on something. We both tried to describe a time the United States really worked. Our solution was that we needed to have some frontier to direct our activities and efforts to. For some reason in spite of the warnings by President Eisenhower, we applied that logic to making the world safe by sending our Armies in to clean up all the messes. We think the Space Program was the almost perfect vehicle. Perhaps that same emphasis on education would produce good results. Whatever the Congress does, it needs to have the input from both sides and be funded with the money they get not the debt they can establish. Wait, is that the Change I think will really do it?

Happy Tax Day boys and girls. Even with a bunch of additional taxes paid, I have enough to eat and continue to live. I hope you have the same. Either Congress will change or it will get changed.

MUD