Paul Luvera Journal

The reason there is gridlock in Congress, the reason politicians are totally failing in carrying out their constitutional duties and the reason the balance of power provided in the Constitution is no long working is because of big money in politics and government. Until there is campaign funding reform and control over the flow of money into politics and government we will continue to experience this dysfunctional excuse of governing. Whatever you think of Bernie Sanders, on this particular issue he…

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You probably remember the Three Stooges, not from their 1920s vaudeville comedy act, but from their movies which are still being shown. Well, last night Larry, Moe and Curley gave us another comedy act only it was Ted Cruz, Marco Rubio and Donald Trump who enacted their slap stick craziness  on the debate stage. Yes, these are the same men who want to be president of the United States of America. It was a virtual circus with everything but the three main…

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When Senate majority leader Mitch McConnell (R – KY) within hours of Justice Scalia's death declared that the Senate would not even hold hearings on any replacement proposed by the president no matter what the Constitution provides, it wasn't all that surprising. This party has deteriorated from the days when it put public good before political self-interest to the point of chaos and internal dissension we find it in today. When the party, for political self-interest, took under its wing tea party…

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Last night I watched a portion of the fiasco falsely advertised as a “Republican Debate.” By anyone’s standards, it was anything but a debate. In fact it could only be described as an unruly group of schoolchildren in rebellion while their incompetent teacher struggles unsuccessful to regain control. It’s difficult to decide whether the spectacle was more an illustration of the absence of presidential qualities in the candidates or the ineptitude of those supposedly in charge. As a contest between candidate and…

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  President Obama has asked Congress on Wednesday to authorize the use  of military force  against ISIS. It made me reflect on how much armed conflict involving the United States that has taken place since my birth 80 years ago in 1935. It is a staggering list for a nation dedicated to peaceful co-existence. To start with, our military is deployed in more than 150 countries around the world, with over 160,000 of our active-duty personnel serving outside the United…

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Any time I write about politics it is inevitable that I will annoy and anger somebody. Nevertheless I need to express my concern about this last election. In fact, a syndicated columnist, Ann McFeatters has already expressed my views in an column she titled Voters have no clue how to solve the nation's problems. I know the following photo is an unfair protest photo, but it matches my mood as I write this. She begins by saying: "after the world's most expensive…

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I just don't understand the logic of the Republican party, assuming you can still consider it a unified  party, regarding their tactics over the need  to pass a budget. They say it is all about the abomination of the Affordable Health Care Act or Obama-care and the overriding need to stop it. It's my understanding that they believe this threat is so great they must not allow the law to be observed even though it has passed Congress, was signed…

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NOTE:   My wife and I leave  this  week for Botswana  Africa and I will not be posting for several weeks. Thanks for  checking back ======================================================================================== I think many, if not most, Americans today see a total disconnect between the politicians in Washington and the American people. Americans generally see their leaders in Washington as  overpaid and overindulged agents  of special interest groups, the rich and the corporate powerful. CBS series “UnitedStates  of  Influence” demonstrates this. http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-503544_162-20074813-503544.html  The polls conducted reveal some striking  facts about …

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Sent: Sunday, November 11, 2012 3:28 PM To: 'kriley@seattletimes.com' Editoral Page Editor Subject: Sunday Editorial  Ms. Riley:  I couldn’t believe the Times would run an editorial on Sunday “Some advice for Gov. Jay Inslee” after the Times  has  demonstrated unrestrained bias during the election in its attempt to elect his opponent. The paper abandons its ethical, if not moral, obligation of objective journalism by running full page ads on its own for Inslee’s republican opponent as well as slanted reporting…

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