Category Archives: Congress: Our Fair Leaders (no pun intended…)

Musicians – Learn This…Then Contact Congress

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Hard Times Come Again No More by Stephen C. Foster (1854)

Sing Out: Please sing this song. If you are a musician, please perform it and teach it to others.
Take Action: Tell your Congressional leaders that you’ve added this song to your repertoire, and you are giving out their contact information at your gigs.  Real Americans are really suffering. Ask him/her to stand up and LEAD! Contact Congress
Not good with words? Don’t know what to say? Try this…
Wikipedia Info: Hard Times
YouTube: Hard Times (as sung by Mavis Staples)
PBS Special: Stephen Foster
Lyrics:

Let us pause in life’s pleasures and count its many tears,
While we all sup sorrow with the poor;
There’s a song that will linger forever in our ears;
Oh Hard times come again no more.

Chorus

‘Tis the song, the sigh of the weary,
Hard Times, hard times, come again no more
Many days you have lingered around my cabin door;
Oh hard times come again no more.

While we seek mirth and beauty and music light and gay,
There are frail forms fainting at the door;
Though their voices are silent, their pleading looks will say
Oh hard times come again no more.

Chorus

There’s a pale drooping maiden who toils her life away,
With a worn heart whose better days are o’er:
Though her voice would be merry, ’tis sighing all the day,
Oh hard times come again no more.

Chorus

‘Tis a sigh that is wafted across the troubled wave,
‘Tis a wail that is heard upon the shore
‘Tis a dirge that is murmured around the lowly grave
Oh hard times come again no more.

You can’t have it both ways…

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So I have a question. If any party (or non-party…or party wanna-be) is REALLY “for” the ideals of the founding fathers, will their representatives actually be willing to negotiate their own special interests for the best interests of the nation at large?

I ask because a couple of misguided folks stopped by my house recently to persuade me to support their candidate. Apparently, I misbehaved by suggesting that ALL special interests need to be on the table – not just the ones they/their candidate don’t like. I was subsequently verbally attacked and one of the reps actually said they didn’t need to talk to me (because I didn’t agree with them.) Hmmm….that IS sort of the root of the problem isn’t it?

I’d like to see Congressional representatives attempt to work with each other to get our country out of what I see as a downward spiral of self-serving, catty and immature behavior typically found in the halls of the local junior high.

Yes, we owe too much to others and we do need to protect our founding principles. We depend too much on profiteers for self-serving expertise; the self-serving come in many disguises. But…if it IS broke you SHOULD fix it. It really ISN’T leadership if all you do is gripe about your opponents. ( Even little kids know how to whine! Smart parents don’t reward tantrums by giving the naughty child more power. )

Negotiation and compromise are not evil – they are a necessary part of what makes a democracy tick. If these entities and individuals are REAL patriots they need to quit whining, stop bullying and learn to listen and compromise.

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Here is a Biblical quote that might be helpful to those who only want to listen to those of their own faith:

The Lord says, “Seek the welfare of the city where I have sent you into exile, and pray to the Lord on its behalf, for in its welfare you will find your welfare.”

-Jeremiah 29:7 (NRSV)

A House Divided Against Itself…

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I am not a Democrat or Republican, but I am an active voter, an avid reader and news junkie. It is amazing to me that many members of Congress do not realize they have an EXTREMELY important TEMPORARY job. As far as I can tell,  I still live in the UNITED States of America. In this country, the primary function of an elected official is not to be assured of a job-for-life.

Most literate and reasonable Americans want Congress to decide what is best for our NATION by :

1) examining the difficult issues before them and,

2) making the tough decisions based on a thoughtful analysis of the best information they can get.

I am just a lowly songwriter, but as someone bothered enough to spend time writing activist songs, I have some heartfelt advice for Congress:

Please stop listening to the angry mobs, the lobbyists and the partisan bullies (especially those on your own side of the aisle.) Get a spine and do your best for the good ol’ USA until your term is up. Then get the heck out of D.C. and let someone else make the sacrifice of temporarily representing your district.

Kumbaya, Baby!

Find out what special interest groups are special friends with your representatives at: Open Secrets.