A Note to Congress: By All Means, "Unfriend" Me!

This morning I awakened to a local Fox news segment regarding Roger Clemons.  Most of us remember Mr. Clemons, the former Houston Astros pitcher, who is headed back to Washington, D.C. to deal with accusations of lying to Congress.  


Congress.  I could think of a few other labels to affix to that mass of people who have become not only a drain on the country, but drained it.  Have you checked out their health insurance?  Their retirement plan?   Their salaries?  How they really spend their time?  Treat their staff?  I'm just asking. . . .


Back to Mr. Clemons:  Did he lie to Congress?  Perhaps he did; perhaps not.  Lying, generally, is not a good thing -- especially after taking an oath that one will tell the truth.  But, this little writing is not so much about Mr. Clemons as it is about the folks to whom he allegedly lied.  Those folks we call Congress -- the legislative arm of our federal government.  Why should Congress devote the time and energy into going after Mr. Clemons?  Why should Congress even be offended by the behavior of others that only mimics their own?


At this point I thought of including a litany of Congressional lies but got so bogged down in the fodder my research on that topic yielded that I just gave up, being unable to decide which to choose.  


Am I not defending nor condoning Mr. Clemons's infractions, whatever they may be.  However, Congress seeking to convict/condemn anyone for lying offends my sensibilities.  That a group of lying, drug & alcohol abusing, cheating, thieving, prostituting, pimping, manipulative, overpaid, self-serving, greedy, criminal, incompetent, prevaricators, who give themselves unmerited raises, supreme health care coverage, perquisites and benefits that the people for whom they work -- you know -- ordinary Americans -- do not have -- would take the time to call ANYONE on the carpet for doing what they do as a matter of habit -- is abominable.  Talk about the pot calling the kettle black!


(Note:  while specific members of Congress for which the paragraph above would be inapplicable come to mind, it is believed that, for the most part, it is applicable to a good number of those few hundred folks who have attempted to elevate themselves to a superior class of American -- something beyond ordinary.  The only thing worse is that so-called ordinary Americans keep electing these parasites.)


Oh, you find this writing offensive?  Oh, you're a member of Congress?  Fine, just give me a call and I'll tell you the part I couldn't put in print out of respect for family, self and the Hoxie name (it's kind of hard to hide  with a name like Hoxie -- if it were Smith or Jones or Johnson, I might be tempted), and genuine regard for my real friends.  And when you call, be prepared to give me your address so that when I see my doctor, dentist and chiropractor, visits to all now overdue, they will know where to send their bills.


And, if you're using Facebook to "reach out" to me, your constituent, and someone in your office 1) told me I am not on the voter registration rolls (ha!) and 2) complained about the half million people they have to deal with when I asked for assistance in dealing with a federal issue, and to whom I replied I am just one, will you please deal with me? -- I am NOT your friend, not even on Facebook, so UNFRIEND me and REMOVE me from whatever group you have placed me without my permission! 

We Don't Need Term Limits

There is no need to impose term limits because they already exist. We have the power to eliminate the entire Congress every 2 years. We have the power to change Presidents every four years. And we have the power to systematically change every Senator 2 years at a time over a 6 year period.

Why are we so complacent? Term after term the same people are returned to office, and as the years go by they conveniently forget the folks they're supposed to represent. Their constituencies shrink until there is only one -- not you -- not me -- just the person holding the office.

There was a time that I called the office of Congressional District 18 here in Houston. First, I was told that I was not on the voter registration rolls. Ha! The next time I called I was told something to the effect that "we have over 500,000 people in this district . . ." blah, blah, blah, to which I replied "it's your job; if you don't want to do it, quit and make room for someone who will."

The sad part is the people who ought to run for office generally don't. The sad part is that folks are more interested in when one lost one's viriginity or bounced one's first check than whether or not one has an inkling of an idea of how to make some sense of the mess we're in, and help get us out.

Perhaps if we were to stop deifying the folks who prostitute themselves for our votes, then forget about us and take care of themselves with top quality health and insurance and fat pensions, and instead call them to task, they would remember who is supposed to be working for whom.