The Chilkoot Homesite
The Chilkoot Homesite
A Testament to Ted
Photo courtesy of the Stevens for Senate Committee
Senator Ted Stevens, R. (Alaska)
Any politician who spends any time in D.C.
can get himself between a rock and a hard spot when it comes to the oil
lobby...and this is what I think has finally happened to my good friend Ted
Stevens.
I would imagine that many, if not most,
junior and aspiring Congressmen and Senators see the oil lobby as the 'pot at
the end of the rainbow.'
But, for those who spend more time than they should in Congress, the oil lobby
could end-up being their demise.
Senator Stevens, a long-time friend of mine, is having his problems with this.
And, there'll probably be more in Congress to have problems like this before
it's all over...
Unfortunately, we've got the same problem with those who lobby for and take
money under the table from the health care industry.
John McCain coined it right by saying 'Washington is broken'.
He understands what the problem is about.
The American people spend a lot of time and money electing people, who in the
end, just sell themselves out to one lobby or another, forgetting who voted for
them and why.
And, there are 'rewards' for doing this in Washington, if you have the sense
enough to get out before it catches up to you.
The problem is, some get as addicted to power as they do to money and don't
know when to quit.
And those are they who can end up in disgrace.
A man reaps what he sows.
What goes around, comes around.
What I admire in John McCain is his 'resiliency'.
But, I would imagine that he, like many others, fears the oil lobby.
There's just too damned much money involved with it.
I mean...the oil companies pay oil execs such big bucks just to sit there and lie
straight-faced to the American Congress and there's not a damned thing that
Congress can do about it.
And that's because all of Congress is generally afraid of the oil lobby...
...of losing all those bucks, or of being exposed.
It's high time that Congress prove its integrity to the American people and put
its foot down and put an end to all of it...
...and 'nationalize' our oil companies and proceed immediately to bring their
financial holdings abroad back home.
Then, before the oil profits are spent in any way, set up a national health
system for the American people that is affordable to all of the people...and
with the remaining monies start paying down on the national debt.
'What do I think of my good friend Ted Stevens?'
Ted has done a lot of good for the State of Alaska and probably doesn't deserve the [filtered word] he's being
put through.
Yes, I admit, he's been one of the biggest pork-barrelers in Congress...but by
being a 'bulldozer', he has managed to do a lot to balance things up for
the people of the State after the Lower '48' and the oil companies practically
raped Alaska to get to its North Slope oil.
Meanwhile, politics in Alaska have also been corrupted by the influence
of the oil lobby on the operation of State Government...and this is where Ted and his son have gotten themselves into hot water.
Which shows how a man who tries to take care of his own in a murky political
climate can get himself into trouble.
On the other hand, if you are a President or CEO of a large corporation,
nothing would be thought of the kind of activities that Senator Stevens has
been accused of.
And, which of us would have preferred that our own father could have done a
little more to help us out in life?
We live in a culture that says a father is lacking when he doesn't.
Which puts a man with power under a lot of temptation, especially when he knows
he can do something to effect the lives of those he loves, and doesn't.
And this is why I do not believe that Ted Stevens has done anything
wrong...unless anyone is willing to agree that being human and trying to be a
good father to his son, is wrong.
IMO, Ted's only fault is that he has stayed too long in Congress on Alaska's behalf and too many back in the State now want
his job, even if they have to ruin his career and legacy to take it away from
him.
And the moral to this story is that 'those
who live in glass houses shouldn't be throwing stones...'
All for Ted,
A Republican residing in the State of Oregon
Other Links:
Blog at John McCain2008 at Ning
