The 545

We agree with President Obama following remarks me issued at his news conference this morning. Well . . . . at least partially!

Gearing up for his re-election bid, he does what any good politician does who looks to the future and sees himself back in Illinois without a job in two years – he finds someone else to blame.

His target today was Congress. “They need to lead,” he said, and he’s right.

But he failed in putting himself in that category, also.

In an undated piece I have, written by Charley Reese, is penned the following:

“Politicians are the only people in the world who create problems and then campaign against them. Have you ever wondered why, if both the Democrats and the Republicans are against deficits, we have deficits? Have you ever wondered by, if all the politicians are against inflation and high taxes, we have inflation and high taxes?”

Let us interject that if you are not familiar with Mr. Reese, he is a nationally syndicated columnist who has received a nomination for the Pulitzer Prize. He is also widely acclaimed for several books he had written.

Reese noted that: “You and I don’t propose a federal budget. The president does. You and I don’t have the Constitutional authority to vote of appropriations. The House of Representatives does. You and I don’t write the tax code. Congress does. You and I don’t control monetary policy. The Federal Reserve Bank does.”

Are you beginning to understand why our current president may have come close to shifting the blame so convincingly? But don’t jump the gun and cast your vote just yet.

Reese didn’t exactly leave out the person who holds the highest position in our government.

“One hundred senators, 435 congressmen, one president and nine Supreme Court justices – 545 human beings out of 235 million (311,655 currently) – are directly, legally, morally and individually responsible for the domestic problem’s that plague this country.”

The writer went on by excluding a number of people that we all might want to hold responsible, directly or indirectly, to the mess we are in today.

“I exclude the members of the Federal Reserve Board because that problem was created by the Congress . . .

“I exclude all the special interests and lobbyists for a sound reason. They have no legal authority. They have no ability to coerce a senator, a congressman or a president to do one cotton-picking thing. I don’t care if they offer a politician $1 million in cash. The politician has the power to accept or reject it. No matter what the lobbyist promises, it is the legislator’s responsibility to determine how he votes.”

His writing, which if far better than this author can pen, explains that the ultimate power with lies with only 545 citizens of this country. He encourages each of us not to be conned by the rhetoric politicians spew forth that it is all the economy, inflation, or politics that keep them from their oath to the people who sent them to Washington to take care of the people’s business.

“Those 545 people and they alone are responsible. They and they alone have the power. They ad they alone should be held accountable by the people who are their bosses – provided we the people have the gumption to manage our own employees.”

Obama cannot shift the entire blame to Congress. He is part of the 545 people who are part of the problem and he holds the top spot.

He was only partially correct when he tried to shift the problem.