Anonymous congressman's book slams 'nation of naive, self-absorbed sheep'

[21st Century Man]

Nothing new here to those of us who are politically informed but might open the eyes of those who are not.

Bullet points:

1. 'My main job is to keep my job, to get reelected. It takes precedence over everything,' an anonymous member of Congress writes in a new book.
2. 'Voters are incredibly ignorant and know little about our form of government and how it works,' he writes.
3. 'It's far easier than you think to manipulate a nation of naive, self-absorbed sheep who crave instant gratification'.
4. One liberal news blogger claims the author is a Democrat.
5. The Confessions of Congressman X' will be released May 24 by a small Minnesota-based 'vanity press' publisher.


Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-3586858/Screw-generation-Anonymous-congressman-writes-tell-slams-nation-naive-self-absorbed-sheep-admits-never-reads-bills-votes-on.html#ixzz48SjRThut
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[pyewacket]

I saw that, too. Thanks for posting it. I've been watching CSPAN for decades and I remember the issue of term limits raised and then just quietly disappear more than once because the people wouldn't demand it. People want 'their guy' to remain in office for all the money and pork projects they promised to deliver to their districts. Career politicians are just that and worse.

Who do you think are some of the most memorable Congressmen or Senators?

I miss James Traficant- he wasn't an elegant speaker but he was never boring.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rPI8nwPQRVU

We no longer have statesmen like Daniel Patrick Moynehan and we need them now more than ever.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jED7oY_uvQU

Edited to add this video:

Hubert H. Humphrey


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pz9aRhgUyGw

[albrecht]

I always liked Trafficant, Lawrence "Larry" MacDonald, and "B-1" Bob Dornan, as the more colorful and outspoken guys. Their speeches covered by C-Span, often once every else had left to be at least put into the Congressional Record, are epic and often hilarious. And, sometimes, to counter the far-left elements and centralized-control elements embedded in the media and establishment you need some more far-right and populist people in offices.

[pyewacket]

I always liked Trafficant, Lawrence "Larry" MacDonald, and "B-1" Bob Dornan, as the more colorful and outspoken guys. Their speeches covered by C-Span, often once every else had left to be at least put into the Congressional Record, are epic and often hilarious. And, sometimes, to counter the far-left elements and centralized-control elements embedded in the media and establishment you need some more far-right and populist people in offices.

I forgot about MacDonald and Dornan- a couple of my favorites, also. 

[21st Century Man]

Pyewacket,  I loved James Traficant.   What a character!  LOL

I also liked and respected Moynihan and that quote by him about Hoover is how I feel about our massive federal bureaucracy.

Humphrey was before my time.

I don't like many politicians, Republican or Democrat. Very few are particularly likable.  However, I do respect some politicians and their views.  The ones that fight for what they believe in.  No matter what party.  They might be wrong but I respect their views if they passionately believe in them and if they think what they are doing is making the country a better place.

I guess from recent history, I like Newt Gingrich.  He made a difference when he was in Congress.   He is undoubtedly one of the smartest politicians to ever grace the halls of the House of Representatives. Plus he was my representative for years.

Maybe Mike Lee.  I respect Cruz but he is not particularly likable. Same can be said for Rand Paul. I like Bernie Sanders.  I don't agree with him but I like him.

I simply don't know the politicians in the House very well.  Most of them seem self-serving not unlike their compadres in the Senate.  However,  I am far more knowledgeable about  those in the Senate.

[pyewacket]

Pyewacket,  I loved James Traficant.   What a character!  LOL

I also liked and respected Moynihan and that quote by him about Hoover is how I feel about our massive federal bureaucracy.

Humphrey was before my time.

I don't like many politicians, Republican or Democrat. Very few are particularly likable.  However, I do respect some politicians and their views.  The ones that fight for what they believe in.  No matter what party.  They might be wrong but I respect their views if they passionately believe in them and if they think what they are doing is making the country a better place.

I guess from recent history, I like Newt Gingrich.  He made a difference when he was in Congress.   He is undoubtedly one of the smartest politicians to ever grace the halls of the House of Representatives. Plus he was my representative for years.

Maybe Mike Lee.  I respect Cruz but he is not particularly likable. Same can be said for Rand Paul. I like Bernie Sanders.  I don't agree with him but I like him.

I simply don't know the politicians in the House very well.  Most of them seem self-serving not unlike their compadres in the Senate.  However,  I am far more knowledgeable about  those in the Senate.

All good people, 21CM, let's not forget the ladies- Jeane Kirkpatrick is one I've admired. She should have been our first woman president. The speech is outdated and circumstances have changed but I can't see her handling our national interests like the present administration does.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Dv8L-cuq17s

[starrmtn001]

I'm relatively new to the political arena and have an embarrassing little amount of knowledge about the government process - but I am learning.

Two names come to the (my) forefront currently.  From the oversight and reform  committee, Trey Gowdy and Jim Jordan.

Wow!  I just went to YouTube to get some information for my post, and look what I found.  Both are live streaming right now.

The first one has Judge Napolitano, talking about the ruling, that will be a major setback for  obamacare.  The second is a CSPAN live stream from the Oversight And Reform channel.

Live Stream:Coverage- Speaker Paul Ryan and Donald Trump-Future Of GOP ( for Judge Napolitano, you'll have to go back to about 1:22:11 on the time bar.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CkOo_jNS0Jo

D.C. Home Rule: Examining the Intent of Congress in the District of Columbia Home Rule Act of 1973


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KX0b6Bn9jos

[21st Century Man]

All good people, 21CM, let's not forget the ladies- Jeane Kirkpatrick is one I've admired. She should have been our first woman president. The speech is outdated and circumstances have changed but I can't see her handling our national interests like the present administration does.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Dv8L-cuq17s

I had forgotten about her.  Yes, she did a fantastic job.

Condi Rice is not at Kirkpatrick's level but I liked her.

I wish I could think of a Democratic female politician that is likable but I can't think of any. All I can think of are Clinton, Feinstein, Boxer, Warren and Pelosi.  They don't cut the mustard though.

[21st Century Man]

I always liked Trafficant, Lawrence "Larry" MacDonald, and "B-1" Bob Dornan, as the more colorful and outspoken guys. Their speeches covered by C-Span, often once every else had left to be at least put into the Congressional Record, are epic and often hilarious. And, sometimes, to counter the far-left elements and centralized-control elements embedded in the media and establishment you need some more far-right and populist people in offices.

You have excellent taste, albrecht.  Forgot about McDonald and Dornan.  McDonald had died before I really got politically involved. He was from my area.  Loved old Bob though.  It was a damn shame when he was voted out of office.

[21st Century Man]

McDonald tried to get rid of the limitation upon the amount of outside income a Social Security recipient may earn. This needs to be taken up again.  Very few can live comfortably off of Social Security and those that have not saved for retirement need another source of income.

[21st Century Man]

I'm relatively new to the political arena and have an embarrassing little amount of knowledge about the government process - but I am learning.

Two names come to the (my) forefront currently.  From the oversight and reform  committee, Trey Gowdy and Jim Jordan.

Wow!  I just went to YouTube to get some information for my post, and look what I found.  Both are live streaming right now.

The first one has Judge Napolitano, talking about the ruling, that will be a major setback for  obamacare.  The second is a CSPAN live stream from the Oversight And Reform channel.

Live Stream:Coverage- Speaker Paul Ryan and Donald Trump-Future Of GOP ( for Judge Napolitano, you'll have to go back to about 1:22:11 on the time bar.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CkOo_jNS0Jo

D.C. Home Rule: Examining the Intent of Congress in the District of Columbia Home Rule Act of 1973


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KX0b6Bn9jos

I rewound the first one and there was Chachi talking with the other heads on Fox.  Now he's a political expert?  LOL

[VtaGeezer]

Nothing new here to those of us who are politically informed but might open the eyes of those who are not.

Bullet points:
1. 'My main job is to keep my job, to get reelected. It takes precedence over everything,' an anonymous member of Congress writes in a new book.
2. 'Voters are incredibly ignorant and know little about our form of government and how it works,' he writes.
3. 'It's far easier than you think to manipulate a nation of naive, self-absorbed sheep who crave instant gratification'.

Electing Congressmen or Senators is like hiring a plumber; he says he's a pro, he chose to work up to his elbows in shit, and he's well paid for it.  I don't blame the public, they're choosing an unknown based on almost no info from local media who haven't a clue what their guy is really up to in Washington.  In the First Congress, there was a House seat for 30K people; now its 700K.  The system is too big to expect responsive behavior without a crisis driving it.  I have little doubt we'd do better with legislators chosen by lot.

[albrecht]

You have excellent taste, albrecht.  Forgot about McDonald and Dornan.  McDonald had died before I really got politically involved. He was from my area.  Loved old Bob though.  It was a damn shame when he was voted out of office.

Dornan was one of the first, soon to be more I suspect, that was defeated by the use of the illegal alien vote, or aliens who were not illegal but not yet citizens, and though the audit and investigation wasn't enough to overturn his defeat, it was still suspect in my eyes.

The shoot-down (or depending on one's view conspiracy about) of KAL-007 by the Soviets, that resulted in all of those deaths including that of Larry McDonald, would be an interesting show for a good host. Revisit the major, tense, incident in the Cold War and also revisit the 'conspiracy' theory side of things. And the history caused by it: Reagan annoucing that GPS could be for civilian use, deploy more missiles to West Germany, and even Lee Greenwood writing "God Bless the USA" which has almost become the official GOP anthem!

[136 or 142]

Nothing new here to those of us who are politically informed but might open the eyes of those who are not.

Bullet points:

1. 'My main job is to keep my job, to get reelected. It takes precedence over everything,' an anonymous member of Congress writes in a new book.
2. 'Voters are incredibly ignorant and know little about our form of government and how it works,' he writes.
3. 'It's far easier than you think to manipulate a nation of naive, self-absorbed sheep who crave instant gratification'.
4. One liberal news blogger claims the author is a Democrat.
5. The Confessions of Congressman X' will be released May 24 by a small Minnesota-based 'vanity press' publisher.


Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-3586858/Screw-generation-Anonymous-congressman-writes-tell-slams-nation-naive-self-absorbed-sheep-admits-never-reads-bills-votes-on.html#ixzz48SjRThut
Follow us: @MailOnline on Twitter | DailyMail on Facebook

Indeed there is nothing new here, I was hoping for details on how the legislative process is rigged by lobbyists.

Forgive me for quoting from myself from three days ago, but nothing I wrote was an original idea of mine and I wrote this before I'd heard about the book and I just learned from 21st Century Man what's in it:


The problem as I see it is that while most voters are cynical of politicians, most politicians are equally cynical of the voters.  They know that the many voters seemingly want immediate near perfect solutions whereas the best they can provide is Pareto Optimality so the worst lie that they can do everything the voters want.  There are more honest political candidates, but whenever they say something like "we can't have it all" the more cynical politicians pretend to be optimists and lie "the only people who say that are those who don't try hard enough."

This is more cynical than I am, but it is a quote from a conservative economist...

“The first lesson of economics is scarcity: There is never enough of anything to satisfy all those who want it. The first lesson of politics is to disregard the first lesson of economics.”
― Thomas Sowell

[21st Century Man]

Indeed there is nothing new here, I was hoping for details on how the legislative process is rigged by lobbyists.

Forgive me for quoting from myself from three days ago, but nothing I wrote was an original idea of mine and I wrote this before I'd heard about the book and I just learned from 21st Century Man what's in it:


The problem as I see it is that while most voters are cynical of politicians, most politicians are equally cynical of the voters.  They know that the many voters seemingly want immediate near perfect solutions whereas the best they can provide is Pareto Optimality so the worst lie that they can do everything the voters want.  There are more honest political candidates, but whenever they say something like "we can't have it all" the more cynical politicians pretend to be optimists and lie "the only people who say that are those who don't try hard enough."

This is more cynical than I am, but it is a quote from a conservative economist...

“The first lesson of economics is scarcity: There is never enough of anything to satisfy all those who want it. The first lesson of politics is to disregard the first lesson of economics.”
― Thomas Sowell

Nice to see you quoting Sowell.  I tend to be very cynical regarding politicians.

[GravitySucks]

McDonald tried to get rid of the limitation upon the amount of outside income a Social Security recipient may earn. This needs to be taken up again.  Very few can live comfortably off of Social Security and those that have not saved for retirement need another source of income.

If people continue to earn a wage while receiving Social Security benefits, they are helping to maintain the viability of the system. They are basically helping to fund their own future benefits. If they are going to put a limit on wages, that limit should at least be as high as the maximum social security taxable income limit for that year (before it begins to reduce the amount of benefits received).

Others may argue that if this is allowed, a percentage of the workforce will not be leaving the available labor pool, thus making it harder for younger people to find gainful employment. The cost in "brain drain" and lost productivity of not having these experienced people in the workforce offsets any potential negative effects (IMHO).

It's late. I hope that makes sense. It did in my head.

[21st Century Man]

If people continue to earn a wage while receiving Social Security benefits, they are helping to maintain the viability of the system. They are basically helping to fund their own future benefits. If they are going to put a limit on wages, that limit should at least be as high as the maximum social security taxable income limit for that year (before it begins to reduce the amount of benefits received).

Others may argue that if this is allowed, a percentage of the workforce will not be leaving the available labor pool, thus making it harder for younger people to find gainful employment. The cost in "brain drain" and lost productivity of not having these experienced people in the workforce offsets any potential negative effects (IMHO).

It's late. I hope that makes sense. It did in my head.

I think I understand but it has given me a headache.  LOL.  I don't think anybody should be forced out of their job.  As long as they are a capable employee, let them work until they really retire or drop dead.  Experience should count for something.

[NowhereInTime]

Nothing new here to those of us who are politically informed but might open the eyes of those who are not.

Bullet points:

1. 'My main job is to keep my job, to get reelected. It takes precedence over everything,' an anonymous member of Congress writes in a new book.
2. 'Voters are incredibly ignorant and know little about our form of government and how it works,' he writes.
3. 'It's far easier than you think to manipulate a nation of naive, self-absorbed sheep who crave instant gratification'.
4. One liberal news blogger claims the author is a Democrat.
5. The Confessions of Congressman X' will be released May 24 by a small Minnesota-based 'vanity press' publisher.


Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-3586858/Screw-generation-Anonymous-congressman-writes-tell-slams-nation-naive-self-absorbed-sheep-admits-never-reads-bills-votes-on.html#ixzz48SjRThut
Follow us: @MailOnline on Twitter | DailyMail on Facebook

My money's on this guy:

[Juan]

Kirkpatrick was a Democrat for almost all of her career.  She changed to Republican during Reagan's second term.

[VtaGeezer]

*+-/

Kirkpatrick was a Democrat for almost all of her career.  She changed to Republican during Reagan's second term.

Ya can live like a king on SS in some places, provided indoor plumbing or refrigeration at the butcher shop aren't priorities.

[MV/Liberace!]

My money's on this guy:

heh heh