Getting Bumped

Somehow, the title of today's cartoon and commentary make perfect sense. Originally, we'd thought of talking about school being back in session, which led to thoughts of how testing is bumping actual teaching of the curriculum of schools across the country.

That subject got bumped when we were floored - almost literally - by the actions of Nebraska's Gov. Dave Heineman. Heineman shocked many of his fellow Republicans across the country when he came out AGAINST the Keystone XL pipeline on Wednesday. Heineman wrote a letter, calling on President Obama and Sec. Clinton to deny TransCanada the federal permit needed to drive the company's tar sands pipeline through the Nebraska Sandhills, over the fragile resource of the Ogallala aquifer.

Anyone who understands the process knows the filthy pipeline is likely a done deal -which makes Heineman's actions at this late date little more than political window dressing. He'll pass the blame on to the Legislature for not acting sooner to block the pipeline. Then Heineman will to try and cover his heinie with this last-minute opposition. Later, when the pipeline has a "leak" and destroys the water supply for all of Nebraska, at least his political behind will be covered - or so he appears to think.

As sad and disgusting as that story is, it still got bumped for the real story of the day - a story we have very passionate feelings about.

We can't even begin to say how annoyed and angry we are, primarily at the Speaker of the House, but also a little at the President's staff, after the events of Wednesday afternoon.

In case you'd been away from the media for the last few weeks - like Congress, who STILL are on their five-and-a-half week vacation - President Obama announced in August that NEXT week, the first FULL week of September, he was going to make a speech to the nation about jobs and the economy.

Since one of the primary problems in job creation in America right now is a do-nothing Congress that has the power to do much more than it has, the President decided he needed to address Congress AND the American people with his jobs message on Wednesday evening. The first day back to work for our representatives in Washington, after their five-plus week vacation is Wednesday, September 7 - NEXT Wednesday.

The President's staff knew that the next GOP Presidential Primary debate was also scheduled for that day. From all appearances, the White House had received proper assurances from the television networks that THIS President, like all Presidents before him, would be given preferential treatment as befits the office, and the GOP debate would be delayed slightly to allow the President to speak first.

The way the President's staff presented that knowledge to the country, however, left them open for the political disrespect they should have expected from the Republicans and John Boehner.

Sadly, like clockwork, the arrogance of the Republicans exploded as expected, with Speaker Boehner - for the first time in the history of the nation - declining the President's "request" to speak to Congress.

Agreeing to the request of the President is supposed to be a mere formality. When a President requests something of you - especially something as simple as showing up to perform the duties you were elected to do, after MORE THAN A MONTH OF VACATION, it is not, in our minds, a request.

The amount of disrespect shown by Republicans for the office of the President - let alone the disrespect they show the man who currently commands that position - by unilaterally rebuffing the man WHO IS ALSO THEIR PRESIDENT, is a disgrace. Their actions dishonor both the Congress and the country they betray when they claim to work for its benefit.

The President should have simply TOLD Congress that he WILL be addressing the nation from the floor of Congress next Wednesday night at 8 PM, Eastern time. Period. If the insolent, arrogant, ignorant, disrespectful, worthless Republicans in Congress didn't want to show up at that time to do the work they were elected to do, that would be their problem to live down to voters hungry for results in 2012.

Instead, once again, President Obama caved, an action we have seen far too much from him. Even if he's now moved his speech to Thursday, at least he's ready to get back to work.

America needs to get back to work. If Congress isn't, they can be replaced. After all, it's happened to millions of American workers over the past few years. Unlike the Republicans in Congress, THEY were ready and willing to perform their jobs, given the opportunity.