Sunday is a big post.

If you will allow me a bit of self-promotion of sorts, I want to note that sometime before Noon today this blog will is is 100,000th page view.  

In the blogging world, the fact that it will have taken me 21 months and a day or two does not make this an earth shaking event.  In the world of viral internet this is no more of an event than a sniffle.

Just want to say thanks for reading.  While I am about to stray from the preferred local discussions and thus jeopardize such success as has been noted, nonetheless ...

Speaking of reading, the "Our View" piece on The Standard Times I find myself thinking well it is mostly correct, except ...

Just what is the point behind the paragraph that provides you with what I take as accurate facts which are as follows:

The House of Representatives has 7.5 percent more Republicans than Democrats, despite receiving 1.5 percent fewer votes than Democrats. Even so, it is not the GOP majority controlling the House today, it's the tea party minority, which operates not from the bully pulpit, but just as plain old bullies.

Those Republicans in office did not receive 1.5 percent fewer votes than Democrats in the districts from which they were elected. Those Republicans were elected by the people in their districts to represent the people in their districts.  We will find out a little more than a year from now  whether those Republicans are out of touch with the people who they represent.

Bottom line folks, a Senators represents his or her state, a Rep., his or her congressional district.  Believe it or not, part of the duty of any office is to keep in mind the fact there is just a bit of an obligation by an elected official to pursue the preferences of the majority of those who elect you.  

Saying this, I will also add that I do not agree with a great deal of what is advocated by the present political agenda of the Tea Party. I also don't agree with the premise that because nationally Republicans elected to congress received less total votes than Democrats the Republics are required to cede to the Democrats.  

The House of Representatives was created so as to elect individuals to represent the interests of their districts on the national level.  It was created with the very bright idea that someone in Virginia might just be of a different opinion on matters that someone on Massachusetts.  

It was created specifically to keep in check the more populous states.  Its creators actually envisioned scenarios where rural agricultural areas with less population could be overshadowed and dominated by the populated areas.

You can rant and rave about the tea party, and would probably be right on as far as I am concerned about much of what is going on.  But please, the implication from the fact that Democrats nationally received more votes for congress somehow makes elected official per se wrong in their stances is I am sorry based on flawed logic.

Yes each and every member of Congress has an obligation to the national interest.  Just as they have an equal if not larger obligation to their districts interest.  That 1.5 percent spread is more indicative to me that large urban areas are in fact overshadowing the rest of the country. It indicates nothing more than big wins in specific districts. It doesn't indict that someone from a congressional district in Arizona is obligated to follow the dictates of someone from a congressional district of New York.

The paragraph before the above quoted statement in the article is:

It's time for the grown-ups to take control in Washington and to begin actual, civil debate, recognizing that there is room for thoughtful cuts — big cuts — to government spending, as well as fair, responsible increases to revenue. Bill Clinton did it in the 1990s, cutting spending by $251 billion and raising taxes by $249 billion. Where did that get us? Budget surplus.

Everyone would do well to remember how Bill Clinton did it.  Compromise.  

Is the stance of Democrats any more reasonable?   Are the Democrats acting anymore grown up?  Depends on where you come from I suppose.

I for one am eternally grateful for the foresight of the found fathers. After the next federal census, and the next congressional redistricting with the gains and losses of house seats, it will be the make up of the House of Representatives and the allotment of those seats which will give New England and the rust belt the ability to keep from being the down trodden oppressed.

If you are a Democrat, you have to ask yourself very seriously how it came about that you lost control of the house in the last mid-term election. If you are a Republican you have to be just as serious at asking yourself how you manged to throw away a very strong chance to regain control of the senate last November.

I am all for thoughtful cuts.  I can even buy into fair and responsible increases to revenue. The Standard Times is too.  I bet not one of you are there would disagree with that.  Who can honestly disagree with thoughtful, fair and reasonable action.

Where the disagreements come in, and very quickly, is over what is thoughtful, what is fair and what is reasonable.

Heck I go to that party every year on the local level.  I can tell you as often as not, my thought process and personal concept of what is fair and reasonable is often at odds with a great many people. 

But there in lies the rub.  People want government to be all things to meet their particular needs.  This is seen every single day, one every single level of government.

I would love to see where we would be right now had our state legislature followed through on the promise to distribute all the lottery money ever collected to date to the local levels.  Do you remember that sales pitch way back when?  What about the sin tax money being spent on eradicating the sins?  The gas tax being spent solely on transportation needs.  

Think back if you are old enough to the fair and reasonable arguments made for those revenue increases and then do a bit of research on where the money went.  

The tea party members aren't the only bullies in government, just the most effective ones at the moment. Think back on that one too.

Enough for today.  For those of you needing a local topic well open line continues.  Come up with one.

Be safe.