Accountability, Responsibility, and Common Sense

I often feel that our representatives have lost touch with American citizens and with reality. We see so many examples of this that it's not worth listing them here. What we rarely see is someone willing to stand up and take accountability, and articulate a clear path to fixing most of what ails this country.

Tom Coburn is a senator for Oklahoma that would get my vote today, for any office, based on this single speech. Now, unlike Coburn, I strongly believe we should have let the banks twist in the wind. The bailout provides no guarantees of righting the ship, but it does guarantee that government gets bigger, our dollar will be devalued, and our Congressional branch has surrender more of it's power to the Executive branch. Of course, there was so much fear-mongering that was no way in hell this thing wouldn't pass.

Average American Lemming: "But Uncle Jimbo, our sixth largest bank [Washington Mutual] just failed."

Uncle Jimbo: "Yes, it did. But you know what? Now we have a new sixth largest bank. Isn't the free market wonderful."

One thing, among many, that has driven me nuts over the last several weeks has been the interchangeable use of the terms [de]regulation and oversight. So let me clarify it for everyone, WE DO NOT NEED MORE REGULATION. We need less. We do, however, need more oversight that's not derailed by a socialist agenda. [Let me take a second to comment on this video. While the editing and comments were obviously done with intent to support an agenda, it is obvious that people knew there was a problem, that the problem jeopordized a social program enabling lower income people to purchase homes, and that Congressional oversight ignored the warnings for fear of their prized program being derailed.]

So, do we need some regulation? Probably. I'm not going to blow the "completely free market" smoke up your ass. But the more regulation you have the more oversight you need to ensure compliance. Operational reality dictates that we can't have an over-regulated system.

AAL: "Uncle Jimbo, I'm still confused. Both Biden and Palin suggested we need more regulation."

UJ: "Of course they did. They are both mouth-pieces for an extreme socialist and a maverick socialist. Look it's simple; fewer rules, and more verification of compliance with those rules. If you still don't understand, I can't help you."

Pelosi, the democrats, the media, and a bunch of others have tried to throw all the blame on Bush and his administration. Coburn has it right. Congress is on the hook for all of this. If they didn't legislate the problems specifically they abdicated their power to the executive branch which makes them just as culpable. Bush is an asshat for sure, but Congress hung us out to dry. Make sure you understand the races for your congressional representatives this November. I for one am voting out every incumbent until we get some that think like Coburn.

Until we as citizens show common sense, accountability, and responsibility in our daily lives how can we possibly hold our representatives to a higher standard.

Uncle Jimbo's Top Ten Ways to Be More Accountable, Responsible and filled with Common Sense

10. Even though you really love the way the place looks, avoid signing a mortgage for your 5000 sq ft. estate until you've secured your first golden parachute.

9. Put down the People magazine. What Katie wears or what visions Mapother is having are not important.

8. Read more. Start with the Constitution. Then work up. I'll let you figure out for yourselves what's above the Constitution.

7. If you still drive a vehicle that gets less than 20 MPG, shoot yourself in the head. Thank you in advance.

6. The American Dream has always been to own a home with a white picket fence. Make sure, before you try to buy that home that you are actually, legally, an American.

5. Go see American Carol.

4. Put the fork down. Walk away from the cake.

3. Stop caring about reality TV, start caring about reality.

2. If you can't adhere to 3-10, please have yourself sterilized. Voluntary sterilization is much better than the alternative, Uncle Jimbo's Sterilization Stand and Juice Bar.

1. Stop being a lemming. Stop burying your head in the sand, understand the issues, and make informed decisions.