Winds of change, hot air and smoke

Barack Obama says he's the agent of change. Hillary Clinton says, you want change, I'm your gal. She's been there, done that and the best one to carry forward the charge of change. John Edwards says uh uh guys, I'm the best one's coat tails to hang onto if you want change...

The media picks it up. It's the buzz. Obama is reaching the kids with his message of change and now everyone wants to do it.

Even the Republicans are fighting to be the best agent of change.

Change can be good.

As long as, like the old cliche says, you don't toss out the baby with the bathwater.

Some things are broke, and broken badly, but it ain't all broke.

A lot of the changes Barack and other candidates are talking about will toss the baby, the water, the tub, and the water source out the door. If elected and able to enact some of those changes they're touting we'd rock the very foundation of this country and in a few years we'd be longing for days of old. We better hope we don't get what so many are asking for in regards to universal health care and other programs being tossed out from the campaign trail.

In regards to the things that DO need to be changed (fixed), the new President simply won't touch 'em. Even if the entire Congress swung to the new President's party they couldn't fix it, nor would they want to fix them.

The candidates are full of hot air.

The way to change Washington is from way down here in Fayette County, Georgia. And in Chicago, Malibu, Las Vegas, Denver, Jefferson City, and Oklahoma City and your hometown.

It's us folks. We have to get involved.

Kids are coming out in droves to vote for Obama. Some will stay engaged. For a large percentage this election will be something they look back on one day and fondly, or not-so-fondly, remember. They'll go back to their lives and the fad and the energy will pass.

Many will watch what happens after the election and see that overall not much changes. The two parties will use each other to keep things the same. One will want to do what the President wants, the other will oppose it. The ones that say they want to do it will breath a secret sigh of relief because they can look like the good guys, blame the other guys and not change anything.

Every Presidential candidate says they're going to get the line item veto. The chances of that happening are zilch. If the Republicans give it to a Republican President that means a Democratic President would have it in the future. And vice versa. Ain't gonna happen.

Giving the President the line item veto takes a huge amount of power away from Congress. Ain't gonna happen.

Small as that one little change sounds, it could be huge. The onus would be on the President to cut the pork. The prez would be able to cut the fluff out of bills with all the little addendum's that get tacked on.

If the President had the line item veto he'd also take away a bargaining tool the two parties use to garner support for a bill. "We want you to vote yes on this bill... if you will we'll add your pet project to it."

Congress ain't gonna let it happen unless there is such an up swell from way down here in everyday America that they're forced to do it.

Change won't happen in Washington until we have a revolution of involvement across the country. It will take a huge groundswell of not just words of displeasure, but action. People will have to take the time to learn how our government works. They'll have to get involved.

Unfortunately, I don't see that happening. Look at how many people vote. Go to your next County Commission or City Council meeting and look around to see how many people show up. If we can't get involved locally and effect a change in our own back yard, how are we going to spur action at the national level?

I find it ironic that every Presidential candidate has jumped on the "change" bandwagon. The winds of change aren't blowing, the candidates are blowing smoke.