I think more people should watch "Mr. Sterling" closely. The season finale was about a filibuster for a Prison Education Bill providing College for inmates; If you have never watched Mr. Sterling, it's about the son of an ex-governor that is appointed to the Senate, except that Sterling is an Independent that un-intentionally changes the balance of power in the Senate; He learns the ropes from political staffers of the Democratic Senator that passed away and by trial and error in which he soon sees the political in-fighting and power-struggles that keep what's right from getting done. He sets out to clean up the system so the fighting turns particularly nasty. But the reason I believe "Mr. Sterling" should be watched more closely is, that if the working of the law are accurate as portrayed, then it demonstrates how just one person could bankrupt or change the system bringing it to a screeching halt. 

The reason this is important is that the storyline revealed just what politician more than likely are doing; the show put forth that one person/one Senator could bring the Federal Government to its knees with a filibuster past a vote deadline that would in essence raise the National Debt Ceiling so Banks could foreclose on loans keeping the government afloat. But the politicians in real life know enough not to flirt with the "debt ceiling" and crash their own system. I'm just a convicted felon that was arrested when I was 17, over 18 years ago, and I'm only educated guessing what raising the "debt ceiling" means--if they're really doing so, as I believe I learned in a college class I was able to take before funding was cut, informed me does happen. But what the banks do is freeze the loan for the "debt" and adjust interest and the government agrees to pay higher rates, and only pay the interest, out of your tax dollars while borrowing more money from other banks (inflating the Federal deficit), and doing the same thing with them. Pardon me, if I offend your people, but all the while the National Debt keeps raising you people are being separated from your money by the Government quicker than any burglar thief, or robber. It's a siphon that politicians pour into "Big Business" pockets as a reward from their being elected into office. I understand stuff like this because I come from a moderately Republican family where I was smart enough at the age of 14 to manage my family's small businesses until my drug abuse caught up with me at age 17. 

I mean think about it--sure, if you hit financial troubles, a Bank the average person has a loan from may work with them for a limited period of time and modify your payments, but eventually they will demand their money. Except why is it that Banks don't foreclose on the Government they won't hesitate to take the average persons home and put you and your family in the street--because it's free money in the hundreds of millions--year after year and the Banks don't care if the budget's ever balanced. 

So, there is a huge chunk of your change being taken from you by tax because of gross mismanagement of the people's money, which they refuse to pass a "Balanced Budget Amendment" to fix. Why should they fix it? "Big Business" gets huge amounts of money from the interest paid for the "Debt Ceiling," then, the President/Republicans (in reality) gives that same "Big Business" a large tax cut so the "National Debt" grows larger and more interest is required, for which big business is able to make larger donations to Political Campaigns to keep the system stacked against the majority--average, hardworking, good, and decent people. Why are the people paying taxes in amounts that they are not obligated to pay, because the politicians refuse to pass the Balanced Budget Amendment, which would pay off the National Debt by a certain time and then lower the taxes in the long run for all that interest. 

What they showed on the Season Finale of "Mr. Sterling" is purely fictional, but a certain amount of reality, to the inner-workings of our government in action. I imagine, remains for credibility of the show. The storyline was set as "Senator Sterling" fighting for a Prison Education Package in the budget that was taken away and given to a Movie Star's Children's Art program. "Sterling" filibustered the Budget, which in essence was futile, until it was found out he could filibuster past the vote deadline for raising the debt ceiling which would shut down the Federal government, for all but National Security functions (I would hope), until the bankruptcy was concluded in court. The storyline showed that Sterling was scheduled to appear at a parole hearing of a California inmate that had benefitted from the program that was cut for lack of funding (Hey, kinda like me), which he was fighting to get in the budget package the politicians used party pressure to take away the rescheduling of the hearing he had made a deal to get. The politicians did an end run to send the House of Representatives home so no matter what he wouldn't be able to get extra money allocated for the Prison Package even if he filibustered til doomsday. When the "Senator" still refused to give up the filibuster, and not allow the vote to raise the debt ceiling, the politicians historically agreed to a last minute amendment of the Bill to take the money for the movie Star's program and give it back to his program, but the twist was that he had recently started dating the movie star and she helped him gain support while he was filibustering and could end up ruining the relationship. 

Back to the real world, that television show I believe reflected accurately how the politicians would be scared to death that the Debt Ceiling wouldn't be raised and the government would fold exposing the truth of what has really been going on and how the taxpayers are being robbed by politicians. What it is, defined by violation of criminal law, is "racketeering." But politicians won't prosecute their friends--and I've tried to file U.S. Grand Jury complaints, but the clerk's illegally open that mail and direct it to the Judges' that the Complaint is on (for obstruction of justice and abuse of power), and they order that citizens don't have the right to press criminal charges against government officials. U.S. Attorney's or District Attorney's won't prosecute their political allies, so I have no recourse to present my hard evidence against them. Maybe free citizen's can get the "Racketeering" charges prosecuted for themselves, but because I have failed on my issues it would be futile for me to try for you. 

Now, what makes it difficult to change that for you average and good people, is that if you vote them out of office their Parties insure the elected continue business as usual. If a group of people get together and elect your own it's virtually impossible to elect one of your own because Big Business backs the Party Politicians and the 50% that does register to vote, votes that party line; So, if real change is going to happen, then good people need to find suitable candidates, get the people that don't register to vote registered to vote, get the signatures to place the People's Candidates on the Ballot, and then to vote for the candidates. All after explaining first, to the disenfranchised, what's caused this action and that the candidates will take care of the things that need to get done, i.e. the Balanced Budget Amendment. Clean up the mismanagement of Social Security funds, produce a National Health Care Plan, and a real Education package for all kids. 

It's sick that all the tax dollars that have been wasted over the years on National Debt interest, could have been used for Cancer and other civilized research for the good of humanity. It might be desirable to have them vote on absentee ballots as modern life affords little time to get away for making the Polling Place. What is sad is that even if this miracle would take place it probably will be necessary to enlist the help of Professors and other government scholars to guide the people's Candidates at the tasks at hand because all the aids and personal have strong political ties and wouldn't work for unknowns. 

People must be fed up with the system, more than half don't even vote in major elections for at least the past 20 years. Those are the people that are tired of nothing important for humanity getting done and know the Politicians voted in are no better than the out going. When are people going to at least try and change the system? 

Inmate Joel Brown 
April 2003