The Stars are Aligning Again for Obama

Poor Mitt Romney.  If he ever had a chance to become President, the Republicans in the House are spoiling it.  By failing to pass the payroll tax and unemployment extension, the majority in the House has once again proven the axiom "whom the gods would destroy, they first make mad."  While I do not have much sympathy for taxpayers seeing their pay checks reduced by an average of $19.00 a week for a few weeks, I do sympathize with the millions of people who will lose hundreds of dollars a week in unemployment compensation.  Now the almost 20 million people out of works have a pretty good reason to vote for Obama. This is the same group that just 24 hours ago might have voted for Romney.  The Republican may be enjoying these victories, but be assured they are Pyrrhic.  Obama's approval rating has just gone up about 5 points.  Being unable to come up with a rational reason why Obama won the presidency in 2008, I decided it was caused by all the stars being properly aligned or by fate.  If the Republicans do not get their act together and put winning before hating I think we are going to see a repeat in 2012.  Obama doesn't have to screw up, his enemies are doing it for him.

Politicians have no skin in the game

Why should our political leaders put us before their personal interest?  They all have jobs.  They cannot be laid off before the next election.  They are not depending on Social Security for income or Medicare/Medicaid for health insurance.  Their retirement is not being threatened.  They are not worrying about paying their mortgage or sending their kids to good schools.  It doesn't matter what their science and math scores are.  They do not need food stamps to put a meal on the table.  They have good wages, benefits and great working conditions.  The financial crisis did not land any of them into poverty or cause any of them to declare bankruptcy.  They probably pay off their credit cards in full so why would they care if credit card companies are putting it to the average consumer. 

Politicians don't even have to worry about being reelected.  As long as they do the bidding of the special interest, they will get the money to defeat the challengers who really just want to take their place in this parallel universe.  If by chance they are defeated, they leave their jobs richer than when they started and/or they stay financially secure by influence peddling.  Our crisis is rolling off them like water off a duck's back.  They have no skin in the game.