Just A Rant

Making a living, generating an income, is and always has been man’s foremost consideration. In the beginning it was simply bringing meat back to the cave (or wherever).


In modern times, little has changed except how that meat gets to be in the cave. These days, we beg the guy with the keys to where the meat is stored to allow us to serve him in some capacity so we might be sliced off a hunk each week (or month, or year) to take home to the hungry mate and offspring.

Now, for the point of this rambling; has anyone noticed lately what’s happening to the guy holding the key? He seems to be having as much trouble as the rest of us. That key he so jealously guarded now opens an empty locker. Small business is hurting because of the gross favoritism to the behemoths, those “too big to fail”. This is a disgusting and totally false premise. “Too big to fail” is simply catering to contributors and, maybe even, an excuse to begin the nationalization process. Smaller competitors would pick up the slack in a matter of months, if not weeks or days. “Too big to fail” is pure bunk and absolutely anti-American.

With unemployment at, or near, 10% means 1 out of every 10 Americans is without access to someone holding the keys.

I realize this may sound like a statement in favor of one political party or the other, but it goes far beyond that. While Washington, Democrats and Republicans, battle it out in a popularity contest for their “entitlement” to lifelong luxury at our expense, they seem blind to the fact that the well they so liberally dip from is drying up. The only difference between the parties is what they spend money on. They both spend huge amounts to fund a bloated system, most of which need not exist at all. A huge portion of the bureaucracy could collapse and go away; no would miss it.

Does anyone remember the MMS (Mineral Management Services)? Who even knew it existed before the BP spill in the Gulf? Lo and behold, come to find out, they regulated or controlled nothing and did only what the oil companies expected of them. They rubber stamped everything oil companies sent their way. Congress was up in arms and incensed over that news, like it was some kind of revelation and they had no idea oil companies had that much influence.

We need to wake up. Of course they knew! They, too, are recipients of that very same money machine. The puffing up with indignation was for show to the American public, and only occurred because the word got out that MMS controlled or supervised nothing. All the hearings lambasting BP and TransOceanic and even all the banks and car companies before those, were purely for show. Nothing... absolutely nothing of substance came from any of those hearings. The final chapter of this little drama is the simple fact that no one is talking about it any longer and MMS is back to drawing their government paychecks and doing whatever it is that bureaucrats do that have no impact on the business of government. How many other bureaucracies exist that are blips on the landscape, yet cost hundreds of millions of dollar each year?

As crass as it may sound, all (yes, I said all) decisions are first and foremost made to garner favor from those in control of the big coin purses, and it begins with the thought, “Now, what can I get out of this for myself?”

If some benefit is inadvertently bestowed upon the masses for the greater good, it’s an unexpected side effect and not the reason. But, it will be utilized by our, so-called, leaders come next election so they might use it as campaign fodder to extend their “entitlement” one more term.

No, this is not at all an issue of which party should be in power; it’s an issue of the people exerting influence over the parties because both are much more interested in preserving a power base than the health and future of this country. The machine is broken and those in charge are deaf to its grinding gears.

Everyone is aware that Congress votes itself pay raises with no discussion. Anyone care? Everyone knows that they have the best and cheapest health care in the country. Anyone care? Everyone knows that they retire with pensions that will keep them in the top ten percent of “wage” earners in this country. Anyone care?

And, here’s one I wasn’t even aware of until this week. If you or I have advance knowledge of a company’s good fortune through employees of that company and invest money on that information then we’ll be thrown in jail for insider trading. But, if a congressman or senator learns of things through the course of government business about such future things and they invest then they are immune to prosecution. Why?

It’s simple; those that make the laws, make them to protect themselves not us.

The only way to begin changing things is to abandon all party affiliations and vote out incumbents. It doesn’t matter who fills the seat. They need to learn, again, this country is all about the will of people and their jobs in government are public service and not any form of entitlement meant to enrich them personally. After serving, they should go home, get jobs and live under the laws that they passed. But, if the people give up their right, then this corruption will continue. Corruption is a dirty word, but I can’t think of a better one. And, we the people, allow it. Shame on us.

You may not agree with any of this. But, you have to admit, it’s a pretty good collective poke to get us all out to the polls and start voting for real leaders and stop voting for people just because we recognize their names. It’s not a popularity contest! It’s our future!

Now, I need a job. Any suggestions?

Daniel (Danny) Lance Wright
Author of
"Paradise Flawed"/Dream Books LLC/2009
"Six Years' Worth"/Father's Press/2007
"The Last Radiant Heart"/Virtual Tales/August 2010
"Where Are You, Anne Bonny?"/Rogue Phoenix Press/ ebook available now 2010
“Trouble”, short story/CrossTIME Science Fiction Anthology, Vol. IX