We're not the only ones mesmerized by our upcoming presidential election. For numerous reasons we're all too painfully aware of, who the next U.S. president will be has peaked worldwide interest.
Democrats are being asked to consider "words" vs. "actions" by the Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama campaigns.
Information about the actions -- legislative actions -- on the part of each candidate is readily available right here at home online, yet the following info bounced back and forth across the Pacific and Atlantic oceans before landing in my computer.
My cousin, an ex-Pat living in exotic places for many years, still follows our politics -- hers, too, in a way, since she holds dual citizenship -- sent me this.
Her message begins quite simply, "Let's take a close look at who's really qualified and/or who's really working for the good of all of us while serving in the Senate.
Obama or Clinton?"
Records of these two candidates should be scrutinized in order to make an informed decision," she continued.
She explained further that Sen. Clinton, who has served only one full term - six years - plus an additional year as a senator, campaigning.
In her first six years she managed to author and pass into law 20 pieces of legislation. These bills can be found on the website of the Library of Congress, but to save us the trouble of looking them up, she listed them.
1- Establish the Kate Mullany National Historic Site.
2- Support the goals and ideals of Better Hearing and Speech Month.
3- Recognize the Ellis Island Medal of Honor.
4- Name courthouse after Thurgood Marshall.
5- Name courthouse after James L. Watson.
6- Name post office after Jonn A. O'Shea.
7- Designate Aug. 7, 2003, as National Purple Heart Recognition Day.
8- Support the goals and ideals of National Purple Heart Recognition Day.
9- Honor the life and legacy of Alexander Hamilton on the bicentennial of his death.
10- Congratulate the Syracuse University Orange Men's Lacrosse Team on winning the championship.
11- Congratulate the Le Moyne College Dolphins Men's Lacrosse Team on winning the championship.
12- Establish the 225th Anniversary of the American Revolution Commemorative Program.
13- Name post office after Sergeant Riayan A. Tejeda.
14- Honor Shirley Chisholm for her service to the nation and express condolences on her death.
15- Honor John J. Downing, Brian Fahey, and Harry Ford, firefighters who lost their lives on duty.
If we want to be brutally honest, with the exceptions of three items, numbers two, seven and eight, the merits of which are questionable, the rest aren't worth squat.
Congress does this all the time: Waste time, energy and money on bills that help no one in the country, and are nothing more than ego inflaters for the families of those who have post offices named after them, because nobody knows who they are in the first place.
Think that's cynical? Yes, it is and with good reason. Just watch Jay Leno's or Sean Hannity's man-in-the-street interviews, or questionnaire results that are published in newspapers occasionally.
Very few people know who the current vice president is, let alone who our founding fathers were or anything about U.S. history or geography. They don't even know which occurred first, World War II or Vietnam.
Unless Elvis is honored on a postage stamp, most will only recognize George Washington or Thomas Jefferson as anything but some old guys.
Only five of Clinton's 20 bills have any meaningful substance, which means 75% were pretty inane.
(Note: You can view every article as one long page if you sign up as an Advocate Member, or higher).
