12-26-2018

Congressional Caucuses Friend or Foe

I’ve written several articles about Congressional Caucuses. When President Trump took office there were 242 Congressional Caucuses. Yesterday I decided to check again and by golly in the span of 2 years there are now 512 Congressional Caucuses. 512! Do you wonder about whether this is a good thing or not? There is even a Caucus Makers Caucus!

Don’t get these confused with Congressional Committees.

The House has a committee and the Senate has a matching committee. Take the House Veterans Affairs Committee (I just made that up as an example), it would presumably create legislation about a specific need for Veterans. It would then vote to send it to the floor of the House for a vote. The full body of the House would vote on it, say to issue a pair of clean socks to Veterans. If it is rejected it would go back to committee to be reworked and then voted on to send it back to the floor. If it is passed, it goes to the Senate.

The Senate Veterans Affairs Committee (again I just made that up as an example), would create legislation about the same specific need for Veterans. It would vote to send it to the floor of the Senate for a vote. The full body of the Senate would vote on it, say to issue a pair of clean socks to Veterans. If it is rejected it would go back to committee to be ironed out then voted on to send it back to the floor. If it passes it is combined with the House bill and goes to the President to be signed into law.

This process is extraordinarily complicated in itself. The language must be exact. The voting must go exactly right. Both chambers of Congress must basically agree in detail. The President can reject it with a veto, or sign it into law, but if it is vetoed there are specific procedures to override the Presidential Veto and it becomes law.

Are you still with me? According to the Constitution the House and the Senate are separate bodies of the Legislative Branch of government. One of the “perks” is the creation of Caucuses. These are where members can join together to further like-minded goals. A Caucus is controlled by the rules of the House. Some are even funded by taxpayer dollars while others are not. They sort of act like Congressional Lobbyists and can bring legislators together to enable or block certain legislation.

Now think of 512 Congressional Lobbyists Groups each with a possible total of 535 members that could feasibly give 273,920 votes on any particular bill. What if a single Caucus had say, 49 members and out of those members there were 36 actively engaged in more than 100 different caucuses, involving members from BOTH sides of the isle and BOTH chambers of Congress? Would that be troubling to you? Or is that not troublesome whatsoever?

Someone once told me that I’m placing too much importance on the activities of one simple caucus and they are not that important. I strongly disagree.

Let’s look at one caucus, the Congressional Black Caucus which began in 1971. It currently has 49 members of both sides of the isle and of both chambers of congress. Sound familiar?

As of the date of this article they have 36 members actively engaged in a total of 109 Congressional Caucuses and 9 Congressional Organizations. The CBC has 13 members who may not be visibly active in caucuses, but many are extremely up front and vocal never-Trumpers frequently in the spotlight of the news at the drop of a hat.

The Congressional Black Caucus is made up entirely of African-American members (a requirement) and non-African-Americans are not accepted. They are primarily responsible for attacking public and private organizations, church organizations as they have taken the “mantle” of searching out racism in government and shedding light on it. Too bad they don’t start with themselves.

Currently they are attacking the Knights of Columbus (a Catholic entity) as a racist group. They have attacked men in general calling for them to be silent. They have sought to bring down statues of American Veterans, Christian symbols and even attempted to have US military installations renamed because they were named after Confederate Generals.

Their attack on law enforcement (Abolish ICE, etc) and their resistance to enforcement of immigration laws is a threat to the national security of the United States.

Are there no checks and balances in Congress to stop this kind of racism? Who is to say, “Enough is Enough”? Some of the more recognizable members of the CBC are Maxine Waters, Cory Booker, Keith Ellison, Mia Love, Elijah Cummings, Frederica Wilson, Kamala Harris, Sheila Jackson Lee and many others.

I have not delved into any of the other 511 Caucuses or 9 Congressional Associations, but how difficult just working in Congress can be without being thrown into the proverbial Lion’s Den with the appearance of political corruption by a few bad apples? Maybe we need a special investigation into Congressional Caucuses? – I am the Real Truckmaster!

Realtruckmaster.blog

MeWe.Com/The_Real_Truckmaster_Series

12-23-2018

Trump is Ruining Our Country

Let me dive into this head first. I’ve listened as Democrats call him a crook, a cheat and a womanizer and worse. You forgot Trump was far worse than those things he was in fact a Democrat. You say Trump had his business handed to him on a platter. His dad built the business and son Donald simply exploited the business, by lying and cheating. You say his father bailed him out many times and yes to some extent I agree.

I’ve read about Trump’s early years and how his father taught him about life, business and as a disciplinary tool even sent him to military school to “straighten him out”. His father always came to visit him during the holidays. It was during this time when Trump’s primary instructor drilled into his students that winning was the only thing. Trump grasped that idea quickly and set that as his primary focus in life.

Never have I read that Trump’s father handed him anything. At the point in life when he took over the business, Trump began building up the Trump Empire by branding his name “Trump”. That was not necessarily what the father liked, but he didn’t interfere.

Trump did what many successful businessmen have done before and since, he gambled on ideas that didn’t always pan out. Some were successful and others not. Going bankrupt to the point of losing everything but somehow negotiating a deal out of it, wasn’t cheating, just getting the rules changed. Trump didn’t just get knocked down, but he got up fighting. That by my definition makes him a successful businessman. And remember Trump was the “darling” with the powerful, the rich and the famous, who wanted his money and/or his endorsement. The powerful and those groupies alike had to get their picture taken with “The Donald”. Those same people today are the very ones who turned against him once he became President.

But you obviously don’t know Trump any more than you know me. You believe what you read in the tabloids and through the fake news media, right? Oh and you know that I get all my information from Fox News, right?

Well I hate to break it to you but as they say, “You don’t know Jack”. All of your assumptions thus far have been without any factual basis. You don’t call Trump a Republican by claiming he doesn’t know what it means to be a conservative, right? That’s because Trump has been a Democrat all of his adult life and even the Republicans didn’t claim him as one of them.

When you call all Republicans Conservatives is like me calling all Democrats Liberals. So are you? For your information there are Conservatives AND Liberals on both parties and Trump is well he’s just Trump!

You say politicians have argued over fences since 2006 and that may be true, or it could have been going on quite a bit longer. You say politicians have poured a lot of money in trying to secure the border over the years. That also may be true. But I suspect the politicians have not been seriously considering border security at all, simply seeing how they can profit from it with pork barrel projects in their home states. That seems to have been the trigger behind virtually all legislation during our lifetime.

I like it when you call Trump’s wall stupid. It just shows me a little more about you. You Democrats call it unnecessary and costly and belittle Trump for saying he can build it cheaper. Again you call that stupid. In fact if it’s not stupid, it’s racist, it’s anti-American or some other catchy title. Lest you forget what Trump did almost immediately after being inaugurated, he canned the new Air Force One project because it was bloated and overpriced. Boeing came back with a huge price reduction to salvage an airplane that Trump will almost certainly never fly in because it won’t be ready for several years away. So I don’t doubt Trump when he says he can build the wall cheaper, because he won’t just talk about it, he will do it. And the Southern Border needs an effective wall, fence or barrier that is strengthened in certain areas and built across vast stretches of the border where penetration is difficult but enforcement is non-existent.

You give figures of billions of dollars approved for border security which you say Trump hasn’t used. Show me? There have been contracts bid over various types of border sections, and many miles have already been constructed or reinforced. We don’t see that in the news. Nobody talks about what has already been done, and when Trump “toots his own horn” he’s called a braggart.

Politicians like to do things which they personally profit from, and Trump has made it a point to donate his salary back into government agencies and programs, so as not to profit at all.

Trump says he can build a wall for $5B and unlike politicians who have no idea how to turn that into reality, the businessman in Trump has already turned ideas into reality over and over again. I have no idea that he will use every tool in his arsenal to get the job done, ahead of schedule and under budget because he has the experience to make it happen.

You have no problem stating that Trump is selling out his country and I say provide the proof? As President, Trump makes US foreign policy. He has gone around the world not kissing up as Obama did during his 8 years in office. Trump has made it clear that his policy is America First. He hasn’t made secret deals behind closed doors with our enemies. He has negotiated with foreign leaders, in the open to be transparent, and kept many of the details secret at the time.

So whether open or closed doors it’s the liberal media and their followers who try calling him out as a traitor which he is not. How else can someone account for the misrepresented details being leaked to the press, even before the lights have been turned out in the meeting room?

You say Trump obstructs justice or attempts to block DOJ investigations about him, name one? Tell me how the Mueller investigation even began? From made up source documents, paid for by Clinton and her foundation? Perpetuated by FBI leadership, of which Mueller had been a recent past director, with his “investigators” being connected to Clinton and Obama?

You say his past doesn’t bother his supporters. Be advised I speak for nobody but myself when I say that I’m not concerned so much as what Trump has said or done in the past. When it comes to the decisions he makes as president because my faith is not in him, but rather on what God is doing through him.

This may be something you either don’t want to hear or cannot comprehend, but Trump did not become president to tickle anybody’s ears. He came from a very tough background and is not afraid to say what he means and do what he says. He is not a politician and that’s one reason I voted for him and support him 100% thus far. His draining the swamp campaign rhetoric was not just an idle threat. Although many of us didn’t know there was a swamp, we did know that there is something fishy in Congress when you have lifetime legislators who seem to have a lock on the power in Congress. They’ve been in office because the voters feel obligated or misinformed enough to keep electing them and overlooking their selfish legislative decisions.

Take the wall, who was in the legislature in 2006 when the wall was reportedly being discussed for the first time? Many who are still in office, including then Senator Barack Obama and why did the wall not get built? Who was President? George W. Bush, so how much of the border wall was built during his presidency? How much of the money was spent? Where did the rest go? When Barack Obama became President, same questions, how much of the border wall was built during his presidency? How much of the money was spent? Where did the rest go? Why are we still talking about building a border wall anyway?

When did mass migration become an issue? Was it during the Bush, Obama or just the Trump Presidency? When did our border become so riddled with holes big enough for “caravans” to come across? When have foreign actors been so emboldened that they organize masses of immigrants into massive invasion forces?

It seems to me that rather than taking exception to President Trumps stand on national security in particular along the Southern Border, why are not legislators on both sides of the isle not up in arms upset that there is inadequate enforcement methods in place, to include a border wall, fence or barrier?

Keep in mind this is just my opinion, but those who oppose Trump do so just because they can. It has nothing to do with our national security or to make our nation better, safer or more secure. They are simply misguided patriots who are not patriots at all. – I am the Real Truckmaster!

Realtruckmaster.blog

MeWe.Com/The_Real_Truckmaster_Series

12-15-2018

In All Fairness America Deserves Better

In the spirit of Christmas I prepared this article to present a more accurate and factual picture of the public servants we as voters have elected to represent us in Washington. What is clear is that we the American people have spoken, but we deserve better as the 115^th Congress ends its term and the new 116^th Congress prepares to begin in 2019.

I took a look at the official biographies of some of those who lead our government and it is clear that their idea of public service differs from mine. What I see are classic examples of “absolute power corrupts absolutely” and “those with money and people equal power”.

On both sides of the isle there are members of Congress with more than 20 years in “public service” and I use that term loosely. For some they were born into politics, their grandparent, parent, brother, sister or all of the above have been in politics and that’s all they know. They themselves may have gone straight into politics after college so their political gig is the only job they’ve ever known.

Others go into politics after a lifetime of working in the private sector, earning a living, building a business and politics is their way of giving back. Public service means serving the public, the American people who voted them into office and for them remaining in office means trying to see the job through to completion or getting it done right.

I’m sorry to have to break it down this way but there is a difference in thinking between Democrats and Republicans in Congress.

The Democrat position has historically been giving free stuff to those with needs and even to those who can’t afford it.

• We see this from providing free school lunches to some, while expecting others to pay for theirs.
• We have free Medicaid for those who can’t afford it, but expect others to pay the bill for all.
• We have free housing assistance for those with real needs, but again it is paid for by taxpayer dollars.
• We have welfare assistance for those who are unable to work, paid by taxpayers.
• We have free food stamps (money cards) for those who need it, but often it is abused and again paid for by taxpayer dollars.
• We even have free phones for those who can’t afford them, paid for by taxpayer dollars.
• We have free education for those who can’t afford it, again paid for by taxpayer dollars.

You can feed someone their entire life and they become enslaved or indebted to you and have no incentive to get out from under your control. In fact they are motivated just to get more free stuff and FREE isn’t free at all.

The Republican position has historically been to promote hands on learning (Vocational Schools) and on-the-job training (getting your hands dirty).  If you train someone to work with their hands, mind and body they will find a way through the difficulties of life without resorting to things without personal cost or sacrifice. They will feel good about themselves and look for ways to help others.

Politics is the platform for compromise, sometimes it can be for good, but often it is only good for those looking for personal enrichment. How many Members of Congress have accumulated their massive wealth on a congressional salary; Writing books; Speaking engagements?

Democrats look to the people who fall under their control through entitlements and aim to keep them dependent on government handouts. Look at the methodology of the Democrat Party stir up the masses with fear, open hostility against those who refuse to submit to their way of thinking. How do you get “flash mobs” across the nation on hot button topics and who finances and orchestrates them? Who are the participants? The unemployed who don’t look for work? Students who are in classes and given credit for demonstrating? What about the homeless? Do they jump in and join the demonstrators, or are they just collateral damage?

Historically Republicans call for accountability in government, but those who fall into the same trap as Democrats are no angels either. How many will stand on their own principles, or fall on their sword or take the path of least resistance? How many “pork barrel” projects gain their approval?  The Republican Party does not promote mass demonstrations, but call out those who do.

I firmly believe that there is a time and place for everything. Those who go into politics must look at their reasons for doing so. Are they looking to make things better for everyone, or just a name for themselves? Politicians should be the very best and brightest America has to offer. They should have a plan before they go into politics, otherwise they are going to be swayed with the tide until they are no longer focused and become disillusioned or tainted.

I encourage you to go online to the official biographies of YOUR U.S. Representative and U.S. Senator and see for yourself who they are and what their values are. American’s have a right to know (without using Wikipedia).

The Constitution of the United States provides for checks and balances by dividing the government into three separate branches.

With the Legislative Branch as the First Branch of Government (Article I)

Leadership of the U.S. House of Representatives (435):

• The Speaker of the House is Paul Ryan (R-WI)
  • Retiring after 20 Years in Congress
• The House Republican Majority Leader is Kevin McCarthy (R-NY)
  • 11 Years in Congress
• The House Democratic Minority Leader is Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) (Speaker of the House-Designate)
  • 30 Years in Congress

Leadership in the U.S. Senate (100):

• The Vice President of the United States is Michael R. Pence (R)
• The President Pro Tempore is Orrin G. Hatch (R-UT)
  • 40 Years in Congress
• The Republican Majority Leader Speaker of the Senate is Mitch McConnell (R-KY)
  • 35 Years in Congress
• The Democratic Minority Leader of the Senate is Charles E. Schumer (D-NY)
  • 19 Years in Congress

The members of Congress become the delegates of the Electoral College during Presidential Elections to choose the President and Vice President of the United States (minimum of 270 delegates required).

The Executive Branch as the Second Branch of Government (Article II)

• The President of the United States is Donald J. Trump (R)
  • 23 months in office

The Judicial Branch (The Supreme Court) as the Third Branch of Government (Article III)

• The Chief Justice of the Supreme Court is John G. Roberts, Jr.
  • Since 2005
• There are a total of nine Justices on the Supreme Court

There are many facets to American politics that we do not know, but we must not forget that the Constitution of the United States was written to protect the rights of U.S. citizens and to restrict the government and elected officials from abusive and overreaching into our private lives.

It is virtually impossible to go into politics and maintain your core values. Just looking at the Congressional Leaders of both parties one can clearly see justification for Congressional term limits. American deserve better. – I am the Real Truckmaster!

Realtruckmaster.blog

MeWe.Com/The_Real_Truckmaster_Series

12-12-2018

Bliss – the 51^st State

While out and about today I couldn’t help but overhear those well-meaning but misguided souls who provide their friends with their own interpretation of the Trump-Pelosi-Schumer meeting yesterday in the White House.

The masses I listened to who feel they are in the know proclaimed that Trump is going to shut down the government every Christmas and should launch missiles at Canada as a fix all to US immigration problems. I call these people ignorant and misguided who are living in the self-imposed state of Bliss, our new 51^st state, with a flag of safe spaces and the constitution of Trump Derangement Syndrome (TDS), whereby all residents can go to the “state” capitol to pick up their personal safety pin lapel emblem.

I watched the televised exchange and read the after words of the esteemed incoming House Majority Leader Nancy Pelosi and Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer as they publically launched verbal attacks at President Trump. Things they were not willing to tell publically in the meeting.

From what I saw the President lavishly praised the bi-partisan efforts in recently passed bills to help with prison reform and one that helps farmers. He thanked them for their efforts. He then went on to identify talks about the wall as a major point of disagreement among them. He went so far as to provide statistics of the effectiveness of portions of the wall in California, Arizona and Texas where reinforcement/new wall construction have been over 90% effective, yet conceding that the unfinished portions are still being overran.

Things got a bit heated as voiced became elevated, yet controlled simply because of the television cameras and reporters in the room. Schumer began casting blame on the president for not heading the 20 calls to get him to accept the same bill (unchanged) that he rejected last year. Pelosi said keeping the government open trumped funding an ineffective wall that didn’t work anyway. She called the shutdown a #TrumpShutdown and the president called her on it. She wanted to debate in private (no cameras).

Trump charged that he would only accept a bill that included fully funding the wall for $5B, all or nothing. He said the last time Schumer shutdown the government it didn’t work anyway, but said he would absolutely shutdown the government unless he got what he wanted “one way or another”. He didn’t waffle or waiver on his demands but said what he wanted and would settle for nothing less.

Schumer said, “Elections have consequences Mr. President” and Trump responded, “Yes they do, and that’s why the economy is doing so well.”

As far as the meeting it was a bust for the Democrats, who expected the president to fold. He did not, but placed the blame on Congressional Democrats who continue to block the president’s legislative agenda. It would not surprise me if the president called for a special session of Congress and kept them in session until the right border security bill reaches his desk for signature, even if it means legislators have a “White Christmas” in Washington. – I am the Real Truckmaster!

Realtruckmaster.blog

MeWe.Com/The_Real_Truckmaster_Series

12-10-2018

The Circus Comes To Town Again

What I see in the 2019 all-star Democrat Party lineup in both the House and the Senate is more like a circus comes to town again. I’m sure that in their minds Pelosi, Waters, Booker, Schumer and the “new kids” see themselves as Congressional Super Stars. They are so caught up in themselves and their focus on destroying the sitting president that they fail accomplish anything worthwhile for their constituents back home.

In so many ways they have become geographically separated from their home districts and fail to see solutions to the issues that affect real Americans. There are turf wars where gangs are fighting gangs and the legislation spewing from Congress simply ties the hands of law enforcement. Law abiding citizens are threatened not only by the gangs, but by threats of “gun control” from Democrats in Congress. Attempts at enforcement of US laws come under direct attack by those same Congressional Democrats.

Historically there has been a real struggle within Congress where Democrats have stood on the side of lawlessness and chaos. In many cases when there are riots and looting, it is because of the action or inaction of Congressional Democrats. They are quick to blame the President, Republicans and even the American people, rather than themselves.

Gun control is not the only issue. Immigration has been a huge problem over the years because of poorly written law, and even unconstitutional executive action by a Democrat President. Rather than recognizing it for what it is and fixing DACA it is Democrat leadership in the Congress that stands in the way of real immigration reform. On the House side there are problems just getting to the table. On the Senate side it can pass, but must be matched up with both House and Senate versions in order to go to the President for signature. So what is holding things up – Democrat resistance!

American citizens are being snookered. Congressional Democrats are playing a shell game. They move the shells around and in reality there are is not a pea under them.

There is a concerted effort at gaining willing acceptance for law breakers by American voters who are considered less than second class citizens. Rioting, looting, unlawful entry is equally bad for the welfare of Americans and the bully efforts of certain legislators who have made public service a career at the expense of taxpayers must stop.

There are clear cases for term limits in Congress, but the irony is that they must be self-imposed. – I am the Real Truckmaster!

Realtruckmaster.blog

MeWe.Com/The_Real_Truckmaster_Series

12-9-2018

The Real Difference between Democrats and Republicans

Recently I went into a store to do a bit of produce shopping and I ran into a longtime friend who is a hardcore Democrat. You know how I know he is one? He told me straight out and in the loudest voice that had to carry throughout the entire store. He is also very opinionated about Trump, Republicans and the VA, even trashing the local VA clinic and proclaiming his opinions as fact. Like the one that ALL the doctors at the VA quit, because they didn’t get paid. Or what about Trump fired the VA secretary because he told Trump no you can’t do that. I mean if he thinks it’s true, no question about it, it’s true. I finally had to tell him to knock it off because he doesn’t know what he’s talking about.

His response in typical Democrat fashion, “Oh, You’re one of them that like Trump”!

Yes, I’m a Trump fan. Listening to him made me feel less badly about marking with a huge circle and a diagonal line across his Obama bumper sticker in the church parking lot back during the 2008 campaign cycle. YUP, less badly!

Instead of shouting so that everyone has no choice to hear our opinions, Trump supporters simply do like a vehicle I passed in town the other day. It was an older Ford Ranger, probably late 80’s or early 90’s and may not have been badged a ranger at all. It was red in color and had no visible markings but a simple bumper sticker – TRUMP. The guy behind the wheel was well within the speed limit of 35 on that road, and was not bothering anyone, just driving. He would possibly have been shouting to the world in an in your face statement if he’d been wearing a Make America Great Again hat.

If you read my blogs and posted articles you’ll know my political leanings without a doubt. I may come across as in your face about aspects I feel are important. However because you are not a Trump fan (yet) you are not my enemy, but simply uninformed or misinformed if you believe all the main stream media reports that are biased against President Donald Trump.

Trump calls them Fake News and I call them ignorant. They will overlook something of historical importance to write about how Trump offended someone. Golly Trump offends someone every day simply by being Trump.

Trump calls for Congress to legislate and they return by blocking presidential appointments or doing a dog and pony show like they did for the Judge Kavanaugh hearings and after parading (posturing) themselves around in front of television cameras like they did, they actually helped confirm what we already knew – it was a non-issue, propagated by one Democrat (Nancy Pelosi) and her crew simply followed her cue. After the confirmation and swearing in, not a sound was heard, except the person who was used for their political purposes.

Yes Democrats seem to want to beat the drum and shout through the megaphone so the entire world knows. Yes we know just how petty and spiteful they can be. It appears that common sense is NOT a virtue Democrat Party members can aspire to.

Republicans tend to look through things differently and it has to make sense. Like immigration, unlawful is illegal and those who do it are criminals. A wall that is built correctly will direct immigrants to controlled entry points where they can be processed and accepted or rejected based on the merits of their application. If they are honest and sincere and are able to contribute to our society by obeying our laws we welcome them with open arms. If they are criminals and start off by committing criminal acts to get into our country, they will be prosecuted. Doing something bad for a good reason isn’t a reason at all.

Building a wall doesn’t stop illegal immigration, but it slows it down considerably and in the long run is cheaper than support illegal immigrants who should never have come here in the first place.

Building a wall is a national security issue and should be welcomed by ALL US citizens, politicians and the very immigrants who come here daily to work and live. It screens out the criminal elements to seek to harm US residents and tear at the fabric of country.

Yes I’m a Trump fan and proud of it. I make no apologies. In the short 2 years of the Trump presidency the nation is better for it. We still have major issues to overcome, and the resistance of liberals and Democrats are why we have many of these issues to begin with. If Democrats would work as hard to fix the problems of our society as they do trying to stop Trump, there is nothing we could not accomplish together. – I am the Real Truckmaster!

Realtruckmaster.blog

MeWe.Com/The_Real_Truckmaster_Series