How can Congress, including our congressional reps from the progressive caucus and Senators Obama, Clinton, Biden, McCain, Durbin etc. manage to pass the most significant bill of our lifetime, ( perhaps less significant only than the conferring on the president the powers of war earlier agreed upon by a joint, bipartisan coalition in Congress and abroad ) which from my reading appears to abrogate any remaining shreds of constitutional, constituent or congressional powers and hand them to an oversight board consisting of several of the very masterminds and deep thinkers, ( see section 104 ) that either got us into this mess, didn't see it coming or haven't a clue as to what to really do, at least as of last week.
Several local legislators policy directors told me the bill was a D-minus, barely, but despite that, they were convinced there was nothing more to do to make it better or that we could afford or should spend more time investigating how to make it better. it was, in their opinion, the only option to 'stop the bleeding.'
I doubt that any of the women who come to CWIT seeking assistance have ever received food stamps or an opportunity to complete an apprenticeship after doing D-minus work or would get a loan or a pass from their professor or that any of us would get a bailout from our bank or insurance company on such flimsy conditions as this bill.
But, although I strongly disagree with this bill and the manner in which it was conceived and birthed, I submit, respectfully, that if they can stop the bleeding of artificially inflated monies, then perhaps they- congress- can stop real bleeding occurring daily in the countries we are occupying, the bleeding of our own troops, among them my family, the bleeding of people in this country who can't afford health care, the bleeding of our environment and natural resources, and other places I know we all see actual blood.
When will our representatives get some balls, huevos, ovaries, whatever you want to call it, perhaps we should send buckets to congress. tennis balls might work also. I'm embarrassed that our leading Gay politician offered this and lauds the bill and Congress's great work on it.
What I've sent is just the summary of the bailout-oops, recovery- or is it the new fuck us over while we watch- bill, I encourage so that we can all have a real discussion about how to bring change and hope to our country and maybe even the world we impact so disastrously upon.
BTW the full bill is 458 pages or so, but it is actually quite accessible, via internet I found it on the Wall Street Journal website, and it seems most of the important stuff is in the first 100 pages. As you well know, reading is critical to getting good grades, a D-minus is basically failing and you wouldn't put up with a student slipping by with that attitude, so why are we letting congress. Also, there is almost nothing in this bill, so vigorously applauded by its architects, that is halfway palatable, that any of us would ever consider serving to our guests for brunch or any other meal.
If I sound cranky, I apologize. It's just that I'm busy trying to meet payroll, keep CWIT from needing a bailout, planning a wedding, learning how to walk in three inch heels and packing my trousseau. and I'm bummed that the Cubs ( and Sox ) just lost and my one real new years pleasure and dream has already been dashed.
And well, after almost two years of illness that sapped my energy and voice, I'd rather speak out honestly than struggle for breath and words, or try to couch them. I spent way too much time on the couch and it feels great to be able to stand up again, even walk to the beach.
For some of us, Jews at least, these are the days of awe. but they shouldn't be the days of aw shucks, I wasn't looking. May our new year be full of joy and peace. But if we have to leave false prosperity behind, B'shert, which is Yiddish for its meant to be.
Lauren Sugerman is executive director of Chicago Women in Trades.
