Right about now the American people are facing what we call the mid-term elections. Usually they are boring, but not now. Seats in the House of Representitives and the Senate are up for grabs. At present the Democrats have the majority in both Houses. At least if you count noses. However, due to certain rules a minority party may upset that majority. How? Well, in the Senate we have a rule at present that takes a majority to pass something 60 % instead of 51 %. How? Well if the other side wants to cause delays, or shut down the process they can filibuster for one thing. To over-ride that filibuster you need those 60 votes and you always have some of your own party that will desert, so you find yourself looking for replacement votes from the other side.

     So when is a majority not a majority, at least under normal circumstances? When politicians make up rules, apparently. That rule has played havoc with getting business accomplished for the people on many occasions. Barganing for Republican votes on many important bills to make up for a lost Democrat vote or two has been all but impossible. Truly, the Republican Party has become the, "Party of No". This is no joke! When elected representitives of the people become obstructionists for the simple reason of playing politics we are in trouble. The troubles we face need both sides of the isle to solve such serious problems.

     The common wisdom for that tactic is no doubt to disallow Obama any credit for passage of huge victories, such as Health Care, Wall Street reform, Banking reform and a whole host of legislation, much of which is long over due and corrects the inequities that have caused our nation to falter and collapse under, at best, spurious practices and worst, out right criminality. You might ask, "Well, couldn't a refusal to vote for a bill be on concience or because you honestly believe that bill is not what the people need?" It could be, but if you have been watching what's happening or read, or otherwise expose yourself to the facts, then you know that is not the case this time around.

     When Republicans actually are on board with something and then desert it when the President becaomes enthusiastic about it you can smell the political machine driving the fight and not what's good for the people.

     Now I won't pretend I understand just how all this works, but this will give you a rough idea of how the system works, or doesn't work.