After watching the circus surrounding the House Republicans, one wonders if the requirements to serve in the United States Congress be changed to include a mandatory civics lesson. And, no one should be allowed to serve unless they take a course and pass it. There are now people in positions of legislative power who do not have the first clue as to how our government works, and worse, have no clue as to just what role they play in governance. It is their shock and surprise as to the services provided to ordinary Americans that is mind-boggling. They didn’t know that the federal government pays for expenses of those American troops who have died in the service of our country? They didn’t know that the FDA, funded by the federal government, protects our food supply? What part of the Constitution of the United States of America which reads “… for the people…” have they failed to understand?
Some Republicans are comparing President Obama’s discretionary closures to the closures of President Clinton in the 1990’s. One even had the audacity to complain that the Lincoln memorial has never been closed, and was not closed during the House Republican shutdown in the 1990’s. Perhaps they are not paying close attention to the dates. That was the 1990’s. This is 2013. That makes it what? It makes it a post 9/11 decision, when potential high-profile targets for terrorists have to be factored into the equation as to what will or will not remain open. Another factor is that the Park Services personnel has been furloughed and should not be expected to work for free. (To the Tea Party Republicans: That would be the dreaded Socialism against which you so adamantly and routinely rail against.)
But back to the civics lesson. No one should be in office who does not know how our government works and just how much our government does for us. It appears that this batch of Republicans is a bad stew that needs to be thrown out.
And lastly, no one should be allowed to serve without taking an I.Q. test, and passing it with at least a score of 120. That would, in and of itself, more likely than not, go hand in hand with the passing of the civics tests. It is doubtful that any of the Tea Party Republicans currently serving in the House of Representatives would pass either test.
Raye's Radar 