Stalemate will continue until American public pulls together

Government of the people, by the people and for the people. I think that we have received what we've asked for. Our government is just like us.

Our President, Senate and Congress are so dysfunctional that government is at a standstill. No real legislation is being proposed. Republicans and Democrats won't reach across the aisle to create legislation that benefits the American public. Senate and Congress do not work together. The President won't work with Congress. The President is sued over executive orders, then reprimanded for not using executive orders. Congress tries to repeal the Affordable Care Act 50+ times.

CNN and Fox News choose sides and blame people and parties. Time passes. Issues arise. Politicians observe and do nothing. Government occasionally shuts down as the administrative and legislative branch play chicken with workers, agencies and the economy.

But are these top level politicians any different than all of us? We've chosen sides and we debate politics in the local coffeehouse, on social media and among family and friends. If we vote, our votes are as dysfunctional as our federal government. No real change takes place. The candidates mumble about the economy, immigration, jobs and corporations as people. But whether the faces in Washington change or not, the action doesn't.

Why should it? We're a divided country. They're a divided government. We asked for representative politics, and we got what we asked for.

The only way government will change is if we change. When we pull together and demand leaders that will work together and get government moving. When we force our elected leaders to lead or go away. It will take a combined effort from both parties' voters to force politicians to start taking action for America again.

Until that happens, elected officials will continue to grandstand to the media and keep government motionless. How long can we afford to have Washington make excuses about why nothing is being done? As long as we're willing to be divided by them.

Doesn't everyone need a bailout?

On the eve of this Thanksgiving Day, I want to wipe out the ungratefulness from my mind. I'll blog it instead. During this week of Thanksgiving and Black Friday and Cyber Monday, maybe Tuesday could be Universal Bailout Tuesday.

If investment and banking CEOs deserve a bailout, what about me? Shouldn't it count that among the three members of my family, there are four jobs, three rescued pets, two college enrollments (and a partridge in a pear tree, but I digress).

I'd be glad to support the car industry, the banking industry and the stock market, but right now, my cash on hand is a little strapped. But with a small fraction of the checks the government is considering, I'd be glad to purchase a new vehicle. Hybrid, if that would help our global warming situation, too. I'd save some, and invest some. We can discuss percentages. I don't need all $700 billion. I'd share the wealth. $70 billion would be just fine. $70 million even. Heck, some days just $70 would help. Thank goodness, that's now two tanks of gas for my little pickup instead of one.

Speaking of gas, before the election I saw this video with an Obama supporter telling the reporter that she was voting for him because he was going to put food on her table and gas in her tank. I'd be glad to have Barack fix my Thanksgiving dinner tomorrow. If he arrives tonight, he could help me clean house. Or tomorrow he could wash the dishes. I never really liked washing dishes anyway.

Does anyone believe in self bailout? How about working hard and earning more? Adapting to difficult economic times with innovation? Finding newer and better ways to exist? It used to be that people were ashamed of bailouts. People bragged about pulling themselves up by their bootstraps. They "weathered the storm," put their "nose to the grindstone," "burned the midnight oil." Now bailout is the term of the year for 2008. Bailout used to be something pilots did as a last resort before the plane crashed, not something people did before they had to cancel their three-week Caribbean vacation.

Unemployment hasn't reached double-digit figures And my last peek at the job service board showed lots of jobs. OK, no CEO of national financial institution jobs, but good, solid work. People who want to work can find positions. Believe not the media, who search for examples of people to fit their story premises. Yes, some people have been looking for work for months. But some people have been laid off and found a job that same week. They never even applied for unemployment. The country's situation is not hopeless -- not until its citizens give up hope.