For the past two weeks, the Winter Olympics and “reform” of health care dominated the news cycle. The bobsledding, curling, snowboarding, and other forms of physical activities have ended with the closing of the Winter Games. But, the other “games” of health care reform go on, and on. “Reform” has become like twin 800-lb gorillas, at almost 5000 pages for the two bills proposed by the legislative branches, squatting in our living rooms, waiting for a medal, if only for survival! “They” are sitting on me and I cannot get out or up!

In order to salvage the two reform bills that the majority of Americans do not want, the health care summit was tried, modeled after that Beer summit, but minus the beer, I think. To put it bluntly, the summit lacked dignity. The whole episode came off like an insincere imitation of a bad reality television show. The president looked like a snotty and snooty professor. Since when is it among the customs and traditions of the presidency, to have the holder of the highest office in the land, address members of the Legislative branch so informally, in a public setting? Maybe I am too much of a traditionalist, but when these branches of government get together and the cameras are rolling, I expect to hear greetings such as, “Senator Full of Yourself,” or whatever is the formal name of the Senator being addressed. “Fred” and “Jack” do not do jack for me!

Maybe this confab should have been modeled on the “Cash for Clunkers” plan. I forgot. There was already “cash for clunkers,” votes, two examples being the alleged Cornhusker and Louisiana deals.

Stop the presses! “Cash for you name your deal,” could now be coming in the form of a judgeship for a vote. Supposedly one of the Democratic holdouts has a brother who is a judge, and within the last day or so, the judge has been offered a judgeship? I refuse to believe that our president can be so blatant with “pay you as I want your brother to go.” I am pulling a doubting Thomas and I want to see the nails in the hands and the spear in the side – of the brother who is the legislator! Without that physical evidence, I will pass on that one. My president would not stoop so low. Folks are always making up stuff….back to the real story.

I was not impressed by the “rent a doc” photo op at the People’s House, to announce that health care “reform” could be forever linked with the word “nuclear.” The nuclear option is going to be employed to pass “reform” against the will of the majority of the people, supposedly being served by passage. Moreover, the scene with the white coats, instead of inspiring confidence that members of the medical profession are solidly behind this health care reform bill, very humorously the refrain “they are coming to take me away,” kept running through my mind. I became concerned that the president was going to be taken away for repeatedly trying to peddle this King Kong bill!

There is a version of “pay as you go” in the form of a piece of legislation, called “Pay-Go.” One Senator’s ire was triggered by the failure of his fellow legislators to adhere to this recently enacted legislation, in passing another financing bill. He refused to vote for a bill extending unemployment and health benefits, unless this new bill was funded under the provisions of “Pay-Go.” Senator Bunning is to be admired for taking a stand, although he came off as if impersonating Don Quixote. I guess that he can take comfort that the windmills he tilted, did not harm him, although he took quite a few jabs, for daring to go against the old boys/old gals, club!

Did Senator Bunning think that honor, commitment, dignity, transparency, veracity had been blown into those chambers with the recent winter storms that blew through DC? Apparently, in a variation of “bait and switch,” this reform bill will have the numerous taxes included in the bill, taken out immediately – if not sooner. The “benefits” would then kick in about four years later? The vision that comes to mind is that we will be paying for a pig (in a poke), without being able to enjoy the bacon or pork chops for four years. What if restaurants or other businesses tried this method of doing business, by charging for the service four years before delivery?

First Lady Michelle Obama famously declared that she became proud of her country of birth, only because of the election of her husband, to the post of president. I am joining her in that sentiment, but kind of in reverse. For the first time, I am totally ashamed of many of the members of the branches of government running this country. For the first time since becoming a citizen, I am not proud of the awful caricatures of leaders who populate it.

How can I not be ashamed when almost daily:

▪ The stories break about the back room deals?

▪ The pages and interns viewed, and used as snacks?

▪ The “borrowing” of taxpayer money, frozen US currency replacing frozen peas in refrigerators?

▪ The promises that are deliberately made – to be broken?

▪ The legislators in the pockets of lobbyists (check the synergy between bills passed and “contributions received)?

Senator Bunning placed in perspective, the all too prevailing attitude among his peers:

“For too long, both Republicans and Democrats have treated the taxpayers' money as a slush fund that does not ever end. At some point, the madness has to stop.”

Senator Bunning, I have a feeling that the “madness” is just beginning! Removing “slush” from the funds of legislators, would be like removing oxygen from their chambers.

Radio host Mark Larson described most politicians as having an “edifice complex.” This phrase is stunningly apropos. Legislators go into office and within one term, it seems as it “coincidentally,” there is at least one building that is an ode to self.

The US is the laughing stock of the world. Even third world dictators, instead of smelling the sulfur under their own armpits, are declaring that they are smelling sulfur when the current American leader enters the room. A sulfur-smelling dictator turned on the current president even after the metaphorical “singing Kumbaya around the campfire” gesture that was extended to him. President Obama should take back the hug and return the book.

Are we that removed from 1776 where leaders were prepared to give up life, possessions, fortunes, and family to attain liberty, to now being inflicted by namby pambies who are loathe to give up ever expanding perks, privileges, and pork, for the sake of their country?

In his Op-Ed piece for USA-Today.com, Senator Bunning lamented:

Only in Washington

After four legislative days of impasse, I reached a supposed deal with Majority Leader Reid to have an up-or-down vote on a pay-for amendment that would fully fund the legislation and not add to the debt. Only minutes before the vote, Democrats used a parliamentary maneuver to set aside my amendment and not vote on the actual substance of it. Only in Washington could this happen. The Democrats did not want to vote on my amendment because they knew they were in the wrong and ignored their own rules. Hypocrisy again rules the day in Washington.

I have 40 grandchildren, and I want them to grow up in a country where they have all of the same opportunities I had as a child. I fear that they will not have those opportunities if Washington continues on its course of spending without paying for it. We are at over $12 trillion in debt. I know many Americans sit around their kitchen table and make the tough decisions. It is time for the politicians in Washington to do the same."

Senator Bunning, look out of your window. If you see pigs flying across the skies, then you stand a real chance of having politicians, whose hands are firmly planted in the pockets of American taxpayers, making “the tough decisions.” Speaking of pigs, I will no longer slur pigs by making a comparison about politicians “feeding at the trough like pigs.” Also, I continue to reiterate – I will not be participating in any government run health care plan. Prepare my cell.

 I will always be proud of “America,” the America in which reside patriots:

▪ Who are taxed to death and beyond, but somehow keep producing to support their country

▪ Who sacrifice their sons and daughters to preserve their country

▪ Who give to those in need from the little that they possess

▪ Who uphold the tenets and traditions of their country

▪ Who bravely manage to survive despite oppressive laws in the “land of the free”

Thankfully, I can end this article on a good note, by including two stories about the Winter Olympics. Of course, I applaud all of the athletes whose dreams came true by getting the chance to participate, and especially when they were fortunate to leave with the medals of their desire. But, pride swelled in my bosom as I read the story about the reverential treatment of Old Glory, by three generations of the Wescott family. Third generation Seth Wescott “draped himself” in the American Flag, after winning gold in snowboarding. Bill Plaschke of the LA Times, described the scene thus:

"Imagine dozens of Canadian flags being flapped by the roaring crowd at the finish line in anticipation of a local gold. Imagine them all suddenly stopping, dwarfed by the thick whip-whip-whip of Wescott's giant Stars and Stripes."

Priceless.

US Olympian Katherine Reutter of Illinois did not win a gold medal in competition. She won silver and bronze. But, she gave a gold medal performance off the ice. She is going to use her winnings to pay to fix her parents’ house. In the age of oversized egos and selfishness, her actions stand out. "Everything that I win here is going toward your house. Start making your plans now, because we're remodeling,” Katherine Reutter told her Mom, about her plans to remodel the foundations of the family home.

Priceless.

If only those of us who love this country, can “remodel” the US that easily, by ditching negative and unproductive “change” and concentrate to the foundation, which is callously being chipped away. Positive change, while keeping the foundation intact – that would be change that I could believe in. I would hate to see the future of the 40 grandchildren of Senator Bunning, or any future generations of the US, sacrificed on the altar of the egos of those with an “edifice complex,” or an Oedipus complex for that matter.

America, let us pray for these heartbreakingly fallible men and women politicians who, whether they believe it or not, are being allowed by God, to rule over us, and therefore should honor His gift and our trust. Let us pray that they free themselves from the stranglehold and seduction of “raw, naked power.” Let us pray that they faithfully carry out the duties of their office, in service to “we the people,” Old Glory, and “the republic for which it stands,” “so help me God.” Please.