The ISIL Threat and Immigration Debate Reveals Congress’ True Colors

The true definition of leadership, selfishness, bravery and courage has been demonstrated by many people but is mostly seen in war movies were the one lone hero is shown jumping on a grenade to save his fellow service members.  I guess that is one act we will not see coming from this congress.

No, they much wish to avoid doing the job that they campaigned so hard to secure, the one that they are being paid so much to do.  The one that they claimed they would be better at than the other person.  Congress has and is continuing to derelict their duties but no one seems to mind.  The general public seems to be under the spell and proving an idea that many African-Americans have been saying ever since I can remember.   Growing up, I used to hear “blame it on the black man” so often that I just got used to hearing it.  As I grew older, I finally was able to realize what it meant and fought hard to help as many blacks as I could erase that excuse from their minds.  I hadn't heard that phrase for some time now and thought I and others had been successful.  At this point and time, though America, I believe I was wrong.

Congress wishes the ISIL threat to be left on the doorstep of the Obama Administration after suing this same administration for over-stepping his bounds with executive action.  Now they sit back on their hands and some of those who were quick to impeach are now saying that there is nothing that they need to do and this president should show leadership and do it all himself.  Talk about leaving people on the battlefield.  I could understand it if he was the only one we elected or truly had the constitutional power to do but he doesn't and those sitting in Washington knows to whom this power really falls, too bad those who work in front of and behind the cameras don’t.

Dylan Rattigan had a mental meltdown on his show about what he expects this president, this one man to do about the economy.  He was asked by Karen Finney exactly what that was and he had the perfect solution.  The only problem with it is nothing is done by one man, it is supposed to be done as depicted in the very same constitution that his detractors quote so often by those groups of Representatives and Senators as well, but Mr. Rattigan demands this only from this president.  The stock market has never been higher, jobs are back and more are coming, the unemployment rate has dropped and the deficit has shrunk but Mr. Rattigan and those who think as he does, is still not happy and demands that this president, this one man do more and fix everything that is wrong with this country in 8 years, that those whom he did not rail against that came before him was able to fix in the last 70 years.  Blame it on the black man.

John McCain and Lindsey Graham has never met a camera that they didn't like and can easily be booked to appear on any show where they will be able to blame all that is wrong with the world on this president.  It is never mentioned or even asked about all the years that they have severed in office exactly what they have done and pressured their fellow congress members to do about these things.  No one cares that they have been there so long that new furniture had to order for them because they wore the other one out.  No one seems to care that the promises they made to cross the aisle and do what is right for this nation as a whole has been proven to be a big lie.  No one seems to care that they have a constitutional obligation to debate and assist this president in governing but seems only capable of governing their choices on the lunch menu.

Mitch McConnell, Harry Reid and Nancy Pelosi have a constitutional obligation to help this president but seems content to just sit back and blame everything on the Republican House of Representatives or the Koch Brothers and of course this president.  No one seems to care that they were not hired to place blame but to solve this nation’s problems.  Right now we have a threat from a radical group with major weapons and well-trained leaders that need immediate attention but the only pressure that seems to be provided is toward this president and not their own members.  I cannot believe that if these powerhouse leaders were to combine efforts, they could not get both sides of congress to do what they were hired to do, but then I guess I am asking for something that they just don’t have.  Now Democrats, in red states, are pleading with and seemed to have won their argument with this president not to do anything about immigration on the executive level until after the election.  One can only assume that it more about them than it is about doing the job you were sent to Washington to do or about those who voted you in.  Self-preservation appears to be the only theme in Washington now and even those who thought that there were a few brave souls there are beginning to see that we were fooled again.  I guess true leadership will only be found in the movies.  So they all sit around, blaming one or the other, neglecting their sworn duty and blaming it on the black man.

John Boehner is a rare animal because he clearly has no spine or backbone.  Anytime you choose a side and less than a minute later switch to the other proves that you are as steady as the mast on a sailboat.  While he may be a good man personally, he truly does suck as a leader.  It even appears that he cannot gauge even his own caucus which is in itself astounding since he meets with them almost every day.   The deals that he is in a constitutional position to make with the other side to move this nation forward are only as good as the temperature of those under him.  I understand that a good leader considers the opinion of everyone he/she leads before making a decision but to have to back track on your own decision contradicts and demeans that understanding.  No one seems to care that the John Boehner mantra was jobs and when he had a chance to accomplish that mission, he snaked away with his tail between his legs.  No one seems to care that he had an opportunity to keep the government opened but allowed a little known senator by the name of Cruz to infect his caucus and close Washington doors.  Don’t worry though, they were given a way out to escape the blame, they had this president.  John Boehner was interviewed after a negotiating with this president on a “grand bargain” in which he said he was very happy with the outcome because they got 80 to 90 percent of what they wanted.  So what happened to that grand bargain which would have solved so many problems at once, it fell apart because even though they got the majority of what they wanted, they were still not happy because then that would take away their biggest and best weapon.  The weapon of being able to blame it on the black man.

Wall Street, Tea Party and the general public seems to have joined this fray as well.  Wall Street has never been richer but they are hiding more money in Swiss bank accounts and squirreling away more cash in the Cayman Island than ever before while crying to anyone who will listen that they are paying too much in taxes.  No one seems to care that with all that money, they hire the best possible accountants to make sure that in the end, they pay less than people on welfare.  No one seems to care that they were the ones who crashed this economy in the first place but are fighting so hard against raising the minimum wage.  No one seems to care that the stock market is higher than it’s ever been but these same titans of industry have created a group designed to trash this entire nation and then walk away scot-free.  No one seems to care that prisons are packed to capacity but if any of them are convicted of something, they are taken directly to a four star golf resort that is a prison in name only. 

The Tea Party has morphed from a grass-roots organization bent on correcting the collapse caused by Wall Street to being owned and controlled by Wall Street.  The fat cats that they started out trying to make sure paid for their crimes of nearly sinking this nation are now the ones pulling the strings, behind the scene and having those finding their voice making talking points, pointing their finger at one person and doing all that their puppet masters ask of them.  The Tea Party started out being a group of citizens who would not be shut down or ignored anymore into a group who obviously sold their soul to the highest bidder and just in case you were not paying attention, that bidder is Wall Street.  Now they follow Wall Street’s lead and instead of pushing an agenda that treats us all the same, they have jumped on a bandwagon that is inclusive.  If you think, act or look like them then you can get on but if you differ in any way at any time, you will not be allowed in or thrown off that wagon while it is moving.  No one seems to care that the majority of those claiming Tea Party are after nothing but to sit in those chairs, collect that tax-payer money and point their finger at one man.  They are and never really were interested in governing; they were sent to Washington with one goal.  That goal was to burn it to the ground, now maybe it’s just me but didn't this happen to Washington before and wasn't it the British.  So am I to assume that the Tea Party looks dresses like Thomas Jefferson but acts like King George.

And now we come to my favorite part, the general public.  Those who seemed so angered by the collapse of the economy yet failed to exercise their constitutional duties by turning out to vote regardless of the obstacles.  You see, bravery means that you stand strong in the face of distractions, barriers and obstacles.  It does not mean you talk a good game and when it is time to put up or shut up you do neither.  You sit back and watch the Tea Party put up sad candidates and instead of getting out and making sure that those slow and worthless horses never leave the gate; you decided that you got better things to do and ignore your job.  Now that they are in office, you have the audacity to whine like some big old baby.  All you had to do was go to the polls and stop them from ever getting into office but you choose to sit at home and not leave your doughnuts unprotected.  Now you realize that it wasn’t your doughnuts you should have been protecting, it was your rights.  Crowds of immigration advocates march now and demand action on immigration.  Many who get a hold of a microphone directs their comments to one man.  Never do they look to their congress person and demand action from them; never do they even mention their congress person.  They only mention one man.  No matter how much he does and to be honest, he has done more than any other before, it is still not enough and they want him to do more.  I could have stopped those who are against a comprehensive immigration bill from getting into office but I choice to sit on my hands and now because I was too lazy to do my job, I’m going to get in front of every camera and demand as well as tell you how to do yours. 

Why not everyone else does it, just do nothing, take no responsibility, hide from accountability, find as many excuses as possible and when the chicken does come home to roost, blame it on the black man.