For lack of knowing what to do they do what they know
They most popular version of this is that the military is always preparing to fight the last war. But it is just as applicable to our political leaders and their hired staffs inside the D.C. beltway.
After winning the war, when the priority for training the Iraqi security forces went to the military and not the gendarmes, or constabularies, or quasi-military police forces, a large red flag went up for many. Most experienced military TV pundits spoke about a window of opportunity closing, and they gave a time table. And then the window closed. The needed Iraqi family income jobs and local security never materialized. The American military was doing what it knew and what it was trained for, and it was very professional about doing it . And the State Department, AID, and numerous NGO organizations did what they thought was their part of winning the peace, usually under the guise of nation building as they had been trained. Clinton even published an order in the late 1990’s requiring all bureaucracies to work together, though in best D.C. fashion no chain of command and budget authority went with it.
And now in the best WWII leadership examples, the top General in Iraq and the Ambassador are voluntarily working together better than anyone else since the winning of the Iraq war. They are savvy and practical and smart and worthy of all support possible from the inside the D.C. beltway as well as the country. And having a Navy fellow at Central Command takes advantage of his earlier experience, professional education, and his assigned almost pro consul type duties. It also provides good balance to playing it by ear rather than doing what we know.
At least the Executive has admitted mistakes, and taken corrective action by his choice of new players to accomplish his goals. Maybe he can avoid fighting the last war, and actually fight this new war.
The saddest most exasperating part of the whole Iraq experience is that of our Congress and their hired staffs. Their performance to date has made the military look like total true professionals. In a group of 535 arm chair generals and secretaries of state and librarians of congress, along with their hired staffs, most, primarily democrats, come across as focused on the 2008 elections for their power’s sake, and not our national interest. The citizens revolt against the two tries of the Senate and the Executive to force their immigration solution down the citizens throats shows the disconnect between citizens and politicians is there, and quite strong. Most appalling about Iraq is the obvious intentional and disingenuous practice of many in Congress to vote a time table without any discussion of an alternative or the consequences of leaving on an announced, and quite short time table. This is irresponsible. Even if there is an unannounced (so far) plan to blame the forecasted results on someone else, do they think the citizens are that dumb enough to buy it when their jobs and families are threatened? If politicians vote polls and the election of 2008 for their political gain and at our citizen expense, then they might not like the resulting polls, to include the vote. But by then it will be too late for them.
Another group also suffers from the lack of knowing what to do syndrome. There is a whole cottage industry inside the D.C. beltway of for-hire campaign managers, media advisers, pollsters, focus group organizers and analyzers. They apparently also are managing the last campaign, or war.
The ideas are not like the old 60’s love it or leave it themes. This is serious national business of which the congress is 1/3 of government. This is not the Vietnam war nor it is some last gasp counter culture feel good exercise. This is not the 1930’s expression of American isolationism and pacifism. Nor it is some cynical instinct about history. This is America in the early 21st century and our collective future, as well as many like us in the world.
One can think of the future as old world compared to the new world. Or one can think we will only do what we know because we know not what to do. The results to date are poor as to the politician’s (and their hired minions) ability to think about this, and vote our national interests. Maybe it’s back to Vietnam, and the counter cultures last hurrah, albeit at our expense. Or maybe it’s not.
Thursday, July 19, 2007
Thought control and governance in America’s future
Will thought control end in fire or ice?
One can call thought control information control and distribution. It has an old term of propaganda. The newer term is spinning the news, or facts, or information, or whatever. The professionals at this in America are now media masters, usually for hire. The audience for propaganda and spinning is always selective, be they local or regional or national. Usually media masters pay pollsters to provide a poll result, usually skewed towards the paymasters desired outcome, later used for profit and media spin. If in doubt, just work in a family business where cousins spend most time debating and constructing and agreeing on the poll questions before they might ever accept the votes of the same people.
In the old not too distant past, one had to actually debate and discuss facts and proposed policies among their peers, who were still accustomed to listening and being thoughtful, and deciding their opinion. Most of this debate was local, as to public education policy or about the local sand quarry proposal.
Much of that not too distant past still exists, thank goodness. But the times they are a changing. More and more people are choosing to use hired government officials to try get their way. In this course of action, they can pay or vote or bull their way to their desired option, vice debating the idea and winning in this court of ideas. Depending on where one lives, most of these courses of action still fail…so far.
One area where local control seems to be under attack is in public education, an American tradition. For logical reasons there has been consolidation of curriculums at the state and federal levels. Even testing and books are now a big business in implementing all this. But the output is disappointing in the quality of kid’s ability to exist in the workplace. This is a fancy way of saying they are ill-educated, or better said, we have failed them. And the answer is not more money to the system, it is rather holding people accountable for results…kinda like the military’s “up or out” system. Teaching is not a career, but an opportunity.
This idea applies to how America is governed in our future, near and far. We must educate our future citizens better than the last two decades or so have done. Then if they vote to govern and tax themselves in their way, so be it. Most of this idea means competing in the arena of ideas, which of course is difficult in times of so many attempting to stifle debate or just ignore others in pursuit of their ideas.
The Democratic Party is disintegrating in front of our American eyes. So is the whole socialist agenda, and well as the presently hired media people. Alive and well are many benefit payment programs. Here is an historic opportunity to lead Americans whether they are presently republican or democrat. Most important is to stifle propagandists and now media masters, and promote discussion and debate. This is so American.
And you know what. Our future voters may go the socialist route, but at least it will be an educated choice. Many will guess otherwise.
So is it fire or ice? Only time will tell.
Will thought control end in fire or ice?
One can call thought control information control and distribution. It has an old term of propaganda. The newer term is spinning the news, or facts, or information, or whatever. The professionals at this in America are now media masters, usually for hire. The audience for propaganda and spinning is always selective, be they local or regional or national. Usually media masters pay pollsters to provide a poll result, usually skewed towards the paymasters desired outcome, later used for profit and media spin. If in doubt, just work in a family business where cousins spend most time debating and constructing and agreeing on the poll questions before they might ever accept the votes of the same people.
In the old not too distant past, one had to actually debate and discuss facts and proposed policies among their peers, who were still accustomed to listening and being thoughtful, and deciding their opinion. Most of this debate was local, as to public education policy or about the local sand quarry proposal.
Much of that not too distant past still exists, thank goodness. But the times they are a changing. More and more people are choosing to use hired government officials to try get their way. In this course of action, they can pay or vote or bull their way to their desired option, vice debating the idea and winning in this court of ideas. Depending on where one lives, most of these courses of action still fail…so far.
One area where local control seems to be under attack is in public education, an American tradition. For logical reasons there has been consolidation of curriculums at the state and federal levels. Even testing and books are now a big business in implementing all this. But the output is disappointing in the quality of kid’s ability to exist in the workplace. This is a fancy way of saying they are ill-educated, or better said, we have failed them. And the answer is not more money to the system, it is rather holding people accountable for results…kinda like the military’s “up or out” system. Teaching is not a career, but an opportunity.
This idea applies to how America is governed in our future, near and far. We must educate our future citizens better than the last two decades or so have done. Then if they vote to govern and tax themselves in their way, so be it. Most of this idea means competing in the arena of ideas, which of course is difficult in times of so many attempting to stifle debate or just ignore others in pursuit of their ideas.
The Democratic Party is disintegrating in front of our American eyes. So is the whole socialist agenda, and well as the presently hired media people. Alive and well are many benefit payment programs. Here is an historic opportunity to lead Americans whether they are presently republican or democrat. Most important is to stifle propagandists and now media masters, and promote discussion and debate. This is so American.
And you know what. Our future voters may go the socialist route, but at least it will be an educated choice. Many will guess otherwise.
So is it fire or ice? Only time will tell.
Foul language in Hollywood movies
Did the tail wag the dog? If so, can the dog reassert itself?
Movies used to have little to no foul language in them, though foul language existed in society. In the late 1960’s the restraints on foul language in movies changed to be more “realistic”. The logic seemed fair enough; it just reflected how we spoke anyway. And then it may have been a symptom of the counter culture having its way, again.
Somehow it morphed into foul language for shock value which often meant extra income for movie makers. And a regenerative effect seemed to take hold where movies and society both fed each other in the greater use of foul language for both shock value and just using language. Having been in the Navy and Marines, foul language is a familiar exposure whereby judging the increasing use of foul language in movies is a clear trend to many.
After the recent Live Earth concerts, it is notable how many entertainers commented on the use of foul language by fellow entertainers, and perhaps as a major change in society, vowed not to use foul language in their future public concerts. And the apparent ability of using shock value words to generate movie income is also on the decline. Whether the public is just tired of hearing foul language in movies, or just voting with their pocket books is for the historians to research and argue. The pendulum is definitely beginning to swing the other way.
Some will call the decline of foul language in movies censorship. Others will call it good business practice. Most will say self-censorship is also self-control and good manners.
These days, the most common complaint about the movies probably isn’t sex or violence, but the use of profanity, especially when it’s gratuitous or unnecessary. Is this simple enough?
Did the tail wag the dog? If so, can the dog reassert itself?
Movies used to have little to no foul language in them, though foul language existed in society. In the late 1960’s the restraints on foul language in movies changed to be more “realistic”. The logic seemed fair enough; it just reflected how we spoke anyway. And then it may have been a symptom of the counter culture having its way, again.
Somehow it morphed into foul language for shock value which often meant extra income for movie makers. And a regenerative effect seemed to take hold where movies and society both fed each other in the greater use of foul language for both shock value and just using language. Having been in the Navy and Marines, foul language is a familiar exposure whereby judging the increasing use of foul language in movies is a clear trend to many.
After the recent Live Earth concerts, it is notable how many entertainers commented on the use of foul language by fellow entertainers, and perhaps as a major change in society, vowed not to use foul language in their future public concerts. And the apparent ability of using shock value words to generate movie income is also on the decline. Whether the public is just tired of hearing foul language in movies, or just voting with their pocket books is for the historians to research and argue. The pendulum is definitely beginning to swing the other way.
Some will call the decline of foul language in movies censorship. Others will call it good business practice. Most will say self-censorship is also self-control and good manners.
These days, the most common complaint about the movies probably isn’t sex or violence, but the use of profanity, especially when it’s gratuitous or unnecessary. Is this simple enough?
Wednesday, July 18, 2007
The cruel crude facts about Iraq today
It’s a mess. Half the problems today are caused by how the “win the peace” has been prosecuted by the D.C. crowd, Executive and Congressional and hired minions (though the D.C. crowd would say managed vice prosecuted). Poor successive strategies, lack of unity of effort by the various bureaucracies based in D.C., and the poor oversight and head knocking by the President are the main culprits. The other half of the problems are from our enemies there. They are the historical fighting Iraqi factions born out of the legacy of creating an Iraq out of Mesopotamia; and the Iranian support of these factions as well as Al-Qaeda using all its outsider suicide bombers. Back last spring the Iranians let it out that they would conduct a summer campaign in Iraq to influence the Congressional vote, and now they are doing it. Some group(s) are paying for all this opposition, so half the mess is a funded hot war against us.
The latest strategy out of D.C. is sticking. It is a strategy about we in the US, and our way of life and benefits. It is not about an Iraqi democracy intent. It is about our established democracy. The strategy is to fight them there (they are many in numbers and origins) to best preserve we and our way of life here. Historians can write about all the interim more idealistic and even some more exploitive strategies, but these are all in the past. The latest strategy also finally recognizes the Iranian regional war going on since 1979 (when the mullahs evicted the Shah) has finally gone overt and more in the open.
Nobody expects the US to be in Iraq fighting forever, especially since we won the war and are now fighting for our future peace. We have little precedent for what to do, though the Brits do during their mandate time in the same area. The main friction here in the US is mixing apples and oranges, or the past with the present. Now that the most basic strategy has evolved and is sticking, it dictates not treating the Iraqis as equals, but dictating to them. And it dictates no safe havens for the Iranian war both in Iran and Syria. And it dictates a time, though nothing as silly as Congress trying to mandate an “announced” time. Just plan a time, and execute.
Given keeping a withdrawal schedule secret is probably not politically sustainable, then we go the Brit route. Make the schedule smart from our point of view, and announce it. But certainly stop the Iranian influence in Iraq as their part of their regional imperialistic efforts and Persian empire revivals. Our allies need this.
Stopping the Iranian influence in Iraq is cheap talk for going to war, assuming diplomacy fails with these masters of manipulation. This war would be small, as is Iran, and occupation is not involved. They are probably in a high hover as they try get over the near term hump in asserting themselves and their regional hegemony and their nuclear goals. If we want out of Iraq, which we do, we must take care of the Iranian problem (they started) along the way.
So there it is, the cruel crude facts about Iraq. We will pull out sometime, that’s a no-brainer. There will be massive immigration problems we should plan for. But if we do it best we will do it based on the local situation and not US congressional politics; then we should also be safer at home.
The difference in the time schedule possibilities is probably a matter of a year, maybe even months. The reason for waiting is the President’s choice of his current military commander and his Ambassador. Both are sharp as tacks, and should be provided the chance to do their best for our benefit.
It’s a mess. Half the problems today are caused by how the “win the peace” has been prosecuted by the D.C. crowd, Executive and Congressional and hired minions (though the D.C. crowd would say managed vice prosecuted). Poor successive strategies, lack of unity of effort by the various bureaucracies based in D.C., and the poor oversight and head knocking by the President are the main culprits. The other half of the problems are from our enemies there. They are the historical fighting Iraqi factions born out of the legacy of creating an Iraq out of Mesopotamia; and the Iranian support of these factions as well as Al-Qaeda using all its outsider suicide bombers. Back last spring the Iranians let it out that they would conduct a summer campaign in Iraq to influence the Congressional vote, and now they are doing it. Some group(s) are paying for all this opposition, so half the mess is a funded hot war against us.
The latest strategy out of D.C. is sticking. It is a strategy about we in the US, and our way of life and benefits. It is not about an Iraqi democracy intent. It is about our established democracy. The strategy is to fight them there (they are many in numbers and origins) to best preserve we and our way of life here. Historians can write about all the interim more idealistic and even some more exploitive strategies, but these are all in the past. The latest strategy also finally recognizes the Iranian regional war going on since 1979 (when the mullahs evicted the Shah) has finally gone overt and more in the open.
Nobody expects the US to be in Iraq fighting forever, especially since we won the war and are now fighting for our future peace. We have little precedent for what to do, though the Brits do during their mandate time in the same area. The main friction here in the US is mixing apples and oranges, or the past with the present. Now that the most basic strategy has evolved and is sticking, it dictates not treating the Iraqis as equals, but dictating to them. And it dictates no safe havens for the Iranian war both in Iran and Syria. And it dictates a time, though nothing as silly as Congress trying to mandate an “announced” time. Just plan a time, and execute.
Given keeping a withdrawal schedule secret is probably not politically sustainable, then we go the Brit route. Make the schedule smart from our point of view, and announce it. But certainly stop the Iranian influence in Iraq as their part of their regional imperialistic efforts and Persian empire revivals. Our allies need this.
Stopping the Iranian influence in Iraq is cheap talk for going to war, assuming diplomacy fails with these masters of manipulation. This war would be small, as is Iran, and occupation is not involved. They are probably in a high hover as they try get over the near term hump in asserting themselves and their regional hegemony and their nuclear goals. If we want out of Iraq, which we do, we must take care of the Iranian problem (they started) along the way.
So there it is, the cruel crude facts about Iraq. We will pull out sometime, that’s a no-brainer. There will be massive immigration problems we should plan for. But if we do it best we will do it based on the local situation and not US congressional politics; then we should also be safer at home.
The difference in the time schedule possibilities is probably a matter of a year, maybe even months. The reason for waiting is the President’s choice of his current military commander and his Ambassador. Both are sharp as tacks, and should be provided the chance to do their best for our benefit.
Tuesday, July 17, 2007
Running the RAM and economic policy
A RAM is a water powered pump that is still used mostly in the third world, to include Putnum County, Tennessee. It uses an ingenious 1879 (or so) design that pumps 24/7/365 spring water. Today’s RAM is number three here, the first being in 1905, the second in 1958, and the third in 2002. The company, Rife Ram, did one upgrade in 1962, which was a relatively minor upgrade. Recently we did a maintenance effort after 5 years, and it payed off. No machine can be expected to run for 50 years without maintenance. In the RAM’s case even the mineral free (freestone) spring water input causes rust over time. And this RAM uses a lot of stainless steel. Bottom line, this water powered pump provides good drinking water and flush toilets, etc. Since the water is pure spring water, it must be remembered to brush daily with fluoride toothpaste.
We have a GIS of the place and area, and all the sources of the springs are on the place, as in rural. Plus the water has been checked by Tennessee Tech nearby. We are so lucky to have good water naturally.
During the recent 5 year maintenance, we had problems, mostly in the restart. A call to an engineer at Rife Ram solved the problem in his solution, and all is well now. But along the way, we did jury rig a part using a hack saw and metal grinder, and even used rust lock paint to protect the galvanized part after the work was done. All is well as one can drink spring water from the tap, and flush toilets 24/7. Even the yard dogs seem appreciative. And since then, the actual parts have been orderd and delivered by UPS. I choose to let well enough alone, since all is working well.
Should this kind of leave well enough alone and benign neglect idea work for our National economic policy? Only the voters will decide.
A RAM is a water powered pump that is still used mostly in the third world, to include Putnum County, Tennessee. It uses an ingenious 1879 (or so) design that pumps 24/7/365 spring water. Today’s RAM is number three here, the first being in 1905, the second in 1958, and the third in 2002. The company, Rife Ram, did one upgrade in 1962, which was a relatively minor upgrade. Recently we did a maintenance effort after 5 years, and it payed off. No machine can be expected to run for 50 years without maintenance. In the RAM’s case even the mineral free (freestone) spring water input causes rust over time. And this RAM uses a lot of stainless steel. Bottom line, this water powered pump provides good drinking water and flush toilets, etc. Since the water is pure spring water, it must be remembered to brush daily with fluoride toothpaste.
We have a GIS of the place and area, and all the sources of the springs are on the place, as in rural. Plus the water has been checked by Tennessee Tech nearby. We are so lucky to have good water naturally.
During the recent 5 year maintenance, we had problems, mostly in the restart. A call to an engineer at Rife Ram solved the problem in his solution, and all is well now. But along the way, we did jury rig a part using a hack saw and metal grinder, and even used rust lock paint to protect the galvanized part after the work was done. All is well as one can drink spring water from the tap, and flush toilets 24/7. Even the yard dogs seem appreciative. And since then, the actual parts have been orderd and delivered by UPS. I choose to let well enough alone, since all is working well.
Should this kind of leave well enough alone and benign neglect idea work for our National economic policy? Only the voters will decide.
What comes after the global warming hokey passes into history?
Three forces will be in play. First is that of the eco-religious types. Second is the anti-western and anti-capitalist types who have adapted environmentalism as their means to an end. Last are the conservationists who also include the human impact factor, i.e., environmentalism is about humans and how we interact with the world.
There are two common denominators. The subject is complicated and not all the science is close to being known, especially about how humans try manage complex natural systems. Said in simple terms, we are poor at playing God. The other common denominator is the ignorance of the population and the media. At a minimum, a basic course in thermodynamics would help, but few take this course. About two years ago National Geographic magazine had a picture of a cooling tower with the steam arising from it. But the reporter labeled it as smoke, and even the editors let it pass. Now that is ignorance.
The eco-religious types will always be around because faith substitutes for science and facts. And so many end of the world scenarios can be wrapped in “mankind as the enemy” causes, especially if supported by cherry picked reports prepared by those who make a living doing research for a living. The US federal payments for global warming research today is somewhere between two and seven billion dollars, depending on which report to believe. This is big business. And while President Eisenhower is famous for his warning about a military industrial complex, the other half of his warning was about a science industrial complex. And like the waves washing ashore at the beach, different end of the world scenarios will come and go as has been going on in the past.
The anti-western and anti-capitalist types who have adapted environmentalism as a means to an end are a serious threat to western values and the future of humanity. If they can exploit the ignorance of most of the population and media, and implement any treaty such as Kyoto, then they will have gained traction. And too many are quoted as saying Kyoto is just a first step. Of course, politics in the west and most of the world provides a good balance as politicians (mostly western) set goals, and then immediately ignore them. And even the business green initiatives, a more trustworthy reference indicator, act in the best profit sense first, so there can be win-win solutions. Of course it does not take these anti-capitalist types to make this happen, though they may claim credit for what is happening anyway.
The conservationist group is a natural attractor for most citizens. This group always thinks about the human impacts as part of the reasoning process. This group always recognizes the balance between humans and the environment, and attempts to make rational decisions. While also suffering from the problems at playing God, at least humans are factored in. The best example for our US future is the impacts of the now off-limits impacts of the agriculture and timber industries. Agricultural water run-off of fertilizers and pesticides will come under attack sooner rather than later. The conservationist group is best prepared to devise policies that recognize we also need to eat, or make biofuel.
Predicting the future is impossible, but often tried. Counting on the human influence is usually the safe bet.
That the conservationist group is a natural attractor for most citizens will make it the main effort after the global warming hokey passes. Here in the US the most simple ideas to conserve will become popular. Just turning out the lights when one leaves the room like our ancestors did is one obvious example because it saves money. Changing the thermostat or using fans because it saves money is another example. Car pooling may come back for energy and home budget reasons. Agriculture practices about water run-offs will probably change. The whole point is there are common sense solutions for this group that puts things in balance.
One hopes this environmental future about after the global warming hokey passes does not become a national party issue, though certainly both parties will try to do so. If anything is a National Issue, this is one. Voting citizens must be ruthless in not letting this devolve into some party issue. Our National future and advancement is at stake.
Three forces will be in play. First is that of the eco-religious types. Second is the anti-western and anti-capitalist types who have adapted environmentalism as their means to an end. Last are the conservationists who also include the human impact factor, i.e., environmentalism is about humans and how we interact with the world.
There are two common denominators. The subject is complicated and not all the science is close to being known, especially about how humans try manage complex natural systems. Said in simple terms, we are poor at playing God. The other common denominator is the ignorance of the population and the media. At a minimum, a basic course in thermodynamics would help, but few take this course. About two years ago National Geographic magazine had a picture of a cooling tower with the steam arising from it. But the reporter labeled it as smoke, and even the editors let it pass. Now that is ignorance.
The eco-religious types will always be around because faith substitutes for science and facts. And so many end of the world scenarios can be wrapped in “mankind as the enemy” causes, especially if supported by cherry picked reports prepared by those who make a living doing research for a living. The US federal payments for global warming research today is somewhere between two and seven billion dollars, depending on which report to believe. This is big business. And while President Eisenhower is famous for his warning about a military industrial complex, the other half of his warning was about a science industrial complex. And like the waves washing ashore at the beach, different end of the world scenarios will come and go as has been going on in the past.
The anti-western and anti-capitalist types who have adapted environmentalism as a means to an end are a serious threat to western values and the future of humanity. If they can exploit the ignorance of most of the population and media, and implement any treaty such as Kyoto, then they will have gained traction. And too many are quoted as saying Kyoto is just a first step. Of course, politics in the west and most of the world provides a good balance as politicians (mostly western) set goals, and then immediately ignore them. And even the business green initiatives, a more trustworthy reference indicator, act in the best profit sense first, so there can be win-win solutions. Of course it does not take these anti-capitalist types to make this happen, though they may claim credit for what is happening anyway.
The conservationist group is a natural attractor for most citizens. This group always thinks about the human impacts as part of the reasoning process. This group always recognizes the balance between humans and the environment, and attempts to make rational decisions. While also suffering from the problems at playing God, at least humans are factored in. The best example for our US future is the impacts of the now off-limits impacts of the agriculture and timber industries. Agricultural water run-off of fertilizers and pesticides will come under attack sooner rather than later. The conservationist group is best prepared to devise policies that recognize we also need to eat, or make biofuel.
Predicting the future is impossible, but often tried. Counting on the human influence is usually the safe bet.
That the conservationist group is a natural attractor for most citizens will make it the main effort after the global warming hokey passes. Here in the US the most simple ideas to conserve will become popular. Just turning out the lights when one leaves the room like our ancestors did is one obvious example because it saves money. Changing the thermostat or using fans because it saves money is another example. Car pooling may come back for energy and home budget reasons. Agriculture practices about water run-offs will probably change. The whole point is there are common sense solutions for this group that puts things in balance.
One hopes this environmental future about after the global warming hokey passes does not become a national party issue, though certainly both parties will try to do so. If anything is a National Issue, this is one. Voting citizens must be ruthless in not letting this devolve into some party issue. Our National future and advancement is at stake.
Monday, July 16, 2007
Why do we make the enemy ten feet tall?
They have serious problems, too.
The Iranians have started a hot war with the U.S. that they may win given a U.S. restraint strategy that we use. Normal diplomatic comments are to not attack them, even in self defense, as an attack will only unite them against the attacker, us. But how long does this take if it means Iran dominates the region, or takes out Tel Aviv with a nuclear weapon. This is not a cold war, but a hot war. Of course all this is predicated on the present small cabal in Tehran having unlimited time to conduct their strategy. If they were ten feet tall, they might have all this time, but they are not ten feet tall, and this small cabal can be easily replaced. What replaces them may not be any friendlier than to the U.S. than the present cabal, but think about it from the present cabal’s point of view, which is about their self preservation. And most arm chair generals assume any U.S. attack on Iranian safe havens (for the regional hot war they are fighting now in the open), or even the protected nuclear sites, include some kind of invasion and occupation. But suppose it was less, as in air and missile strikes, perhaps with some special operations type forces that just set back the enemy as well as send a message to the Iranian people that they are not the target. Now that would make the small cabal even smaller, given we can make the case that they started the hot war for their own imperial purposes.
And don’t forget the Iranians do not have inexhaustible funds. They have promised much to so many, but simply do not have the funds to meet their promises. Just ask Hamas in Gaza recently about $300 million promised but not paid. Or ask the Russians about a monthly payment of $20 million for their Bushehr nuclear plant work. Why should they be given time?
The Syrians are definitively not ten feet tall. Their present president got his job by nepotism, and now daily suffers from the problems associated with nepotism. He and his father’s minions still run things, mostly funded as Iranian proxies, which is a less than ten feet tall stature. The main strength of Syria is its strategic location, and that the U.S. treats them as a safe haven for all they things they do in their interests vis-à-vis Lebanon, and for the Iranian imperial interests is a policy only. Even Syria became the repository of the Iraqi WMD’s, and that is becoming a liability.
North Korea at best is two feet tall. One need only look at a night satellite photo of the earth to see how poor and badly off the country is do to the communist dictatorship and its economic policies and one wonders how the present dictator survives. Of course he got his job through nepotism, also.
The present fad country of the time period is China, and they too are not ten feet tall in any measure to include economically or militarily. Their expansion is so rapid it reminds many of the U.S. robber baron times, but they simply don’t have the political system in place to expand and protect its people. They are prime for a civil war, perhaps just a revolution, but either is coming soon, as in the next five years. Here’s two hints: severe environmental problems causing birth defects, and nepotism practiced by the ruling communist northern Chinese tribes.
There is at last Russia. As the former Soviet Union, much U.S. military education in the past made their military look ten feet tall. Then there were dissenting opinions based on just interviewing former conscripts, such as by Andrew Cockburn. And then I looked at really neat pictures and movies about Soviet capabilities, and I was intimidated. Later their abysmal performance in their Afghan invasion, and my observations of their equipment in the first Gulf War led me to understand the idea of just how short our enemies can be. Now history even adds in the poor state of their space and ballistic missile programs, and their nuclear navy programs, and I take more of what I read about Russian capabilities with a grain of salt.
Just look at now Russian aviation exports and again it is impressive, until you look at how many are still running in five years. The recent purchase of Mig-31’s by Syria, with Iranian financing and sharing is a good example of sounding fierce, and being a lamb. Earlier purchases of 1980’s Russian jets are all parked. This is definitely less than ten feet tall.
These days we have many enemies, some focused on the U.S., and some focused on western values in general. All are not ten feet tall, in fact, most are our size or smaller. They too have their own problems which I expect we exploit in all ways: diplomatically, financially, militarily, and propaganda wise. If we don’t use all means, then we are not professional enough, and need to hire (vote in) a new team.
We have been attacked and declared war on by regional powers before, to include Japan and Germany. It is happening again with Iran. We must fight back, or surrender. Measuring the enemy’s height puts things in perspective, since we are closer to ten feet tall than the Iranians.
Can this be multiculturalism applied to foreign policy? Are we all culturally equal, as in what has been made in the New World in America equal to the Old World in Iranian despots desire to return to some old past that they still run? Do we have to reduce our height from ten feet tall down to their height out of some academic principle or idea? Why? Do we have something worth fighting for?
The military has one idea we can use in this area. Try evaluate the enemy’s capabilities which is easier than trying to evaluate their intentions, which is difficult. Given all this, we can pick the time and place to act in our National Interest. And when we do, we should arrive ten feet tall. In the perfect world we would descend on Iran diplomatically, financially, and militarily. This will probably not happen. So fight back in a come as you are mode. Maybe we might seem nine feet tall, which is pretty tall.
They have serious problems, too.
The Iranians have started a hot war with the U.S. that they may win given a U.S. restraint strategy that we use. Normal diplomatic comments are to not attack them, even in self defense, as an attack will only unite them against the attacker, us. But how long does this take if it means Iran dominates the region, or takes out Tel Aviv with a nuclear weapon. This is not a cold war, but a hot war. Of course all this is predicated on the present small cabal in Tehran having unlimited time to conduct their strategy. If they were ten feet tall, they might have all this time, but they are not ten feet tall, and this small cabal can be easily replaced. What replaces them may not be any friendlier than to the U.S. than the present cabal, but think about it from the present cabal’s point of view, which is about their self preservation. And most arm chair generals assume any U.S. attack on Iranian safe havens (for the regional hot war they are fighting now in the open), or even the protected nuclear sites, include some kind of invasion and occupation. But suppose it was less, as in air and missile strikes, perhaps with some special operations type forces that just set back the enemy as well as send a message to the Iranian people that they are not the target. Now that would make the small cabal even smaller, given we can make the case that they started the hot war for their own imperial purposes.
And don’t forget the Iranians do not have inexhaustible funds. They have promised much to so many, but simply do not have the funds to meet their promises. Just ask Hamas in Gaza recently about $300 million promised but not paid. Or ask the Russians about a monthly payment of $20 million for their Bushehr nuclear plant work. Why should they be given time?
The Syrians are definitively not ten feet tall. Their present president got his job by nepotism, and now daily suffers from the problems associated with nepotism. He and his father’s minions still run things, mostly funded as Iranian proxies, which is a less than ten feet tall stature. The main strength of Syria is its strategic location, and that the U.S. treats them as a safe haven for all they things they do in their interests vis-à-vis Lebanon, and for the Iranian imperial interests is a policy only. Even Syria became the repository of the Iraqi WMD’s, and that is becoming a liability.
North Korea at best is two feet tall. One need only look at a night satellite photo of the earth to see how poor and badly off the country is do to the communist dictatorship and its economic policies and one wonders how the present dictator survives. Of course he got his job through nepotism, also.
The present fad country of the time period is China, and they too are not ten feet tall in any measure to include economically or militarily. Their expansion is so rapid it reminds many of the U.S. robber baron times, but they simply don’t have the political system in place to expand and protect its people. They are prime for a civil war, perhaps just a revolution, but either is coming soon, as in the next five years. Here’s two hints: severe environmental problems causing birth defects, and nepotism practiced by the ruling communist northern Chinese tribes.
There is at last Russia. As the former Soviet Union, much U.S. military education in the past made their military look ten feet tall. Then there were dissenting opinions based on just interviewing former conscripts, such as by Andrew Cockburn. And then I looked at really neat pictures and movies about Soviet capabilities, and I was intimidated. Later their abysmal performance in their Afghan invasion, and my observations of their equipment in the first Gulf War led me to understand the idea of just how short our enemies can be. Now history even adds in the poor state of their space and ballistic missile programs, and their nuclear navy programs, and I take more of what I read about Russian capabilities with a grain of salt.
Just look at now Russian aviation exports and again it is impressive, until you look at how many are still running in five years. The recent purchase of Mig-31’s by Syria, with Iranian financing and sharing is a good example of sounding fierce, and being a lamb. Earlier purchases of 1980’s Russian jets are all parked. This is definitely less than ten feet tall.
These days we have many enemies, some focused on the U.S., and some focused on western values in general. All are not ten feet tall, in fact, most are our size or smaller. They too have their own problems which I expect we exploit in all ways: diplomatically, financially, militarily, and propaganda wise. If we don’t use all means, then we are not professional enough, and need to hire (vote in) a new team.
We have been attacked and declared war on by regional powers before, to include Japan and Germany. It is happening again with Iran. We must fight back, or surrender. Measuring the enemy’s height puts things in perspective, since we are closer to ten feet tall than the Iranians.
Can this be multiculturalism applied to foreign policy? Are we all culturally equal, as in what has been made in the New World in America equal to the Old World in Iranian despots desire to return to some old past that they still run? Do we have to reduce our height from ten feet tall down to their height out of some academic principle or idea? Why? Do we have something worth fighting for?
The military has one idea we can use in this area. Try evaluate the enemy’s capabilities which is easier than trying to evaluate their intentions, which is difficult. Given all this, we can pick the time and place to act in our National Interest. And when we do, we should arrive ten feet tall. In the perfect world we would descend on Iran diplomatically, financially, and militarily. This will probably not happen. So fight back in a come as you are mode. Maybe we might seem nine feet tall, which is pretty tall.
They said they were going to do it, and now they are doing it
Back in the spring the word came out from the Iranians they planned a summer campaign with the purpose of changing the Congressional vote to leave Iraq.
And it is working, it appears.
That this campaign is so out in the open and overt, and is killing Americans and Iraqis, shows a haughtiness and confidence brought by decades of experience in successfully dealing with the Americans, Democrats and Republicans. Other than the Iraqi based U.S. military reports about all the evidence mounting against the Iranians about this campaign, nothing much comes out in D.C. about this, with the exception of Senator Lieberman and the recent Senate bill voted 97-0 warning the Iranians. And the media provided little coverage to reflect the low value this vote had in D.C.
As long as Iran has safe havens in Iran and Syria, then they can do a kind of “slow bleed” strategy that keeps training safely going and sending in supplies and bombers to kill Americans slowly and surely, as well as fuel the sectarian violence that may tear apart much of Iraq. As long as they can demonstrate more patience than us in following a campaign plan and losing people, then time is on their side, or most importantly, they have to believe this is so. That they have alliances of convenience, as with Al-Qaeda, only makes our side’s job that much tougher. This is especially painful when counting the high percentage of suicide bombers that come out of Wahhabist sources in Saudi Arabia. It is also painful seeing Russian and Chinese diplomatic support for Iran used as a way to drag us down.
All these problems on our side demand solutions in D.C. by the Executive and the Congress. The solutions are above the level of the regional commander at Central Command. And the time has passed when covert action is alone all we do. Solutions and courses of action must be explained to the American people, who must be included in the information loop. Given the apparent bad luck our Nation has with the current mostly poor leaders in D.C., we may be left holding the proverbial bag until things worse than regional genocide come to pass, like the nuclear annihilation of Tel Aviv and a nuclear dirty bomb in the U.S.
Back in the spring the word came out from the Iranians they planned a summer campaign with the purpose of changing the Congressional vote to leave Iraq.
And it is working, it appears.
That this campaign is so out in the open and overt, and is killing Americans and Iraqis, shows a haughtiness and confidence brought by decades of experience in successfully dealing with the Americans, Democrats and Republicans. Other than the Iraqi based U.S. military reports about all the evidence mounting against the Iranians about this campaign, nothing much comes out in D.C. about this, with the exception of Senator Lieberman and the recent Senate bill voted 97-0 warning the Iranians. And the media provided little coverage to reflect the low value this vote had in D.C.
As long as Iran has safe havens in Iran and Syria, then they can do a kind of “slow bleed” strategy that keeps training safely going and sending in supplies and bombers to kill Americans slowly and surely, as well as fuel the sectarian violence that may tear apart much of Iraq. As long as they can demonstrate more patience than us in following a campaign plan and losing people, then time is on their side, or most importantly, they have to believe this is so. That they have alliances of convenience, as with Al-Qaeda, only makes our side’s job that much tougher. This is especially painful when counting the high percentage of suicide bombers that come out of Wahhabist sources in Saudi Arabia. It is also painful seeing Russian and Chinese diplomatic support for Iran used as a way to drag us down.
All these problems on our side demand solutions in D.C. by the Executive and the Congress. The solutions are above the level of the regional commander at Central Command. And the time has passed when covert action is alone all we do. Solutions and courses of action must be explained to the American people, who must be included in the information loop. Given the apparent bad luck our Nation has with the current mostly poor leaders in D.C., we may be left holding the proverbial bag until things worse than regional genocide come to pass, like the nuclear annihilation of Tel Aviv and a nuclear dirty bomb in the U.S.
Sunday, July 15, 2007
What is important to Americans?
Certainly homeland security is very important. So is economic security to allow opportunity for raising families. So is benefit's security for all those millions of Americans who receive some kind of payments from the government. And so is immigration control that benefits the Country, and not the immigrants.
What is not very important to Americans says much, also. Iraq and the middle east is not important, unless one counts in the unwillingness to lose the war there, and unless one worries about we and mostly our allies being held hostage to some future middle eastern oil embargo. Since we Americans get very little oil on a percentage basis from the middle east, the problem is more about our allies. Even the Iranian overt and out in the open regional aggression is not important to Americans, though it should be.
One could generalize that the most important things to Americans are domestic in nature, and the least important things to Americans are foreign in nature. That there are crossovers is obvious when one looks at homeland security and taking the fight and war to the religious zealots that wish to kill us and take over here in America. The benefits and detriments to the pacts about globalization and free trade, as negotiated, also appear as hot button crossover issues.
What is important to Americans and their politicians can be different, the most recent examples being the two different tries by the Senate to force an immigration bill; and the repeated tries to legislate an Iraqi withdrawal in the face of obvious vetoes and liberal use of pork to buy votes. This suggests we have the bad luck as a Nation to presently have poor leaders in the Congress or their staffs that think less in National Interest terms and more in political advantage terms. Either they don’t listen or they don’t care what the citizens think. The time for Congressional term limits has come to help turn this listening problem around.
It is depressing that most of the national media, the D.C politicians, their hired D.C. staff minions, and the D.C. pundits also ignore or tune out any divergent thoughts. This is dangerous to our Country’s future since so many decisions and strategies do have impacts and outcomes. The so-called defeatist types come to mind. This small sub-group of Americans do not represent what is important to Americans, yet they dictate all that is happening these days as if there are no consequences to their precipitous actions, to include future votes and their diminishing salaries. These people have had their run, and are failing in their ideas and methods to dominate America to their way of thinking.
The federal elections of 2008 will be very important to our Country’s future. The two main parties are both suffering from too obvious focuses on political power just for the sake of political power. The Democrats seem especially dominated by the most extreme anti-war types whose policies, if implimented, never discuss consequences. And most polls show most Americans say they are independents vice one of the two main parties. And most will probably vote what is important as an American. The results should be seismic.
Certainly homeland security is very important. So is economic security to allow opportunity for raising families. So is benefit's security for all those millions of Americans who receive some kind of payments from the government. And so is immigration control that benefits the Country, and not the immigrants.
What is not very important to Americans says much, also. Iraq and the middle east is not important, unless one counts in the unwillingness to lose the war there, and unless one worries about we and mostly our allies being held hostage to some future middle eastern oil embargo. Since we Americans get very little oil on a percentage basis from the middle east, the problem is more about our allies. Even the Iranian overt and out in the open regional aggression is not important to Americans, though it should be.
One could generalize that the most important things to Americans are domestic in nature, and the least important things to Americans are foreign in nature. That there are crossovers is obvious when one looks at homeland security and taking the fight and war to the religious zealots that wish to kill us and take over here in America. The benefits and detriments to the pacts about globalization and free trade, as negotiated, also appear as hot button crossover issues.
What is important to Americans and their politicians can be different, the most recent examples being the two different tries by the Senate to force an immigration bill; and the repeated tries to legislate an Iraqi withdrawal in the face of obvious vetoes and liberal use of pork to buy votes. This suggests we have the bad luck as a Nation to presently have poor leaders in the Congress or their staffs that think less in National Interest terms and more in political advantage terms. Either they don’t listen or they don’t care what the citizens think. The time for Congressional term limits has come to help turn this listening problem around.
It is depressing that most of the national media, the D.C politicians, their hired D.C. staff minions, and the D.C. pundits also ignore or tune out any divergent thoughts. This is dangerous to our Country’s future since so many decisions and strategies do have impacts and outcomes. The so-called defeatist types come to mind. This small sub-group of Americans do not represent what is important to Americans, yet they dictate all that is happening these days as if there are no consequences to their precipitous actions, to include future votes and their diminishing salaries. These people have had their run, and are failing in their ideas and methods to dominate America to their way of thinking.
The federal elections of 2008 will be very important to our Country’s future. The two main parties are both suffering from too obvious focuses on political power just for the sake of political power. The Democrats seem especially dominated by the most extreme anti-war types whose policies, if implimented, never discuss consequences. And most polls show most Americans say they are independents vice one of the two main parties. And most will probably vote what is important as an American. The results should be seismic.
Saturday, July 14, 2007
Not all change is for the better
Whoa be the parents who let their child out of the house to roam the neighborhood for the day. After all local government child services may come after them for, well, being normal. This is a societal change that is not good. But the fear of the government is real, and pervasive. Our kids suffer as a result.
Not too many decades ago, societal values about kids roaming the neighborhood during the day and neigborhood were different.
Insulated kids protected against all threats to their health by constantly overbearing parents and government are more inclined to be ignorant of common sense threats to their health. The most dangerous and scary things that will do us in are simply never exposed to kids, at least while they are kids. Hence while in the old days there were never any deaths by car accidents in high school, and maybe a few in college, now they are the norm. Certainly because of richness, more kids drive cars today, but most don’t think they can get hurt or die (which of course is also normal). Yet free range kids learned among themselves there are more simpler and safer ways that is denied them today in the experience upbringing. So why we socially accept these high death rates from autos in high school and college while we still hover over them at younger ages is a change that is not for the better.
When kids run in packs in a neighborhood, there is a natural immunity to all the weirdo’s and sexual predators that may come in.
Nobody expects today’s parents to change their ways. Perhaps their kids as parents may change the societal standards. There are good reasons for doing so.
Whoa be the parents who let their child out of the house to roam the neighborhood for the day. After all local government child services may come after them for, well, being normal. This is a societal change that is not good. But the fear of the government is real, and pervasive. Our kids suffer as a result.
Not too many decades ago, societal values about kids roaming the neighborhood during the day and neigborhood were different.
Insulated kids protected against all threats to their health by constantly overbearing parents and government are more inclined to be ignorant of common sense threats to their health. The most dangerous and scary things that will do us in are simply never exposed to kids, at least while they are kids. Hence while in the old days there were never any deaths by car accidents in high school, and maybe a few in college, now they are the norm. Certainly because of richness, more kids drive cars today, but most don’t think they can get hurt or die (which of course is also normal). Yet free range kids learned among themselves there are more simpler and safer ways that is denied them today in the experience upbringing. So why we socially accept these high death rates from autos in high school and college while we still hover over them at younger ages is a change that is not for the better.
When kids run in packs in a neighborhood, there is a natural immunity to all the weirdo’s and sexual predators that may come in.
Nobody expects today’s parents to change their ways. Perhaps their kids as parents may change the societal standards. There are good reasons for doing so.
Thought control is not American
Yet more and more overt acts and statements of sentiments are reported in the main stream media. That statements like treason, Nuremburg type trials, and legislative actions like McCain-Feingold and Fairness Doctrine can or could be applied to what we think and say is simply un-American.
Those that say give an inch and they’ll take a mile have a point in this discussion. Perhaps this idea alone is how we have devolved to the possibility of criminalizing thought. Others say, and I am one of them, that the Clintons brought to D.C. in 1992 the political art of the politics of personal destruction, criminalizing political opposition, and using detectives to dig up dirt. Others have taken this and expanded it in the give an inch and take a mile idea. Even if innocent, any citizen politician prosecuted is losing money in defending himself and most importantly, his reputation.
Why volunteer for government service of two to four years? It is easier and better to stay home and do well there. The family point of view is no charade, but a real consideration.
The trend line of legislating thought control is still there. How so many Americans came to this way is still astonishing! Even the most ardent socialist do-gooder in the American vein would not promote this, I think. So there must be other more worldly types (in their mind) who want to dominate the world in their way, and they have to suppress other ideas anyway they can, to include legislating when they have the control, albeit temporary it seems.
Particularly disturbing is the comfort of American security from which they can be themselves. As long as others provide this American security by culture, law, and civility, this assault on the American way will continue.
Yet more and more overt acts and statements of sentiments are reported in the main stream media. That statements like treason, Nuremburg type trials, and legislative actions like McCain-Feingold and Fairness Doctrine can or could be applied to what we think and say is simply un-American.
Those that say give an inch and they’ll take a mile have a point in this discussion. Perhaps this idea alone is how we have devolved to the possibility of criminalizing thought. Others say, and I am one of them, that the Clintons brought to D.C. in 1992 the political art of the politics of personal destruction, criminalizing political opposition, and using detectives to dig up dirt. Others have taken this and expanded it in the give an inch and take a mile idea. Even if innocent, any citizen politician prosecuted is losing money in defending himself and most importantly, his reputation.
Why volunteer for government service of two to four years? It is easier and better to stay home and do well there. The family point of view is no charade, but a real consideration.
The trend line of legislating thought control is still there. How so many Americans came to this way is still astonishing! Even the most ardent socialist do-gooder in the American vein would not promote this, I think. So there must be other more worldly types (in their mind) who want to dominate the world in their way, and they have to suppress other ideas anyway they can, to include legislating when they have the control, albeit temporary it seems.
Particularly disturbing is the comfort of American security from which they can be themselves. As long as others provide this American security by culture, law, and civility, this assault on the American way will continue.
Friday, July 13, 2007
Rural influence
There are things we learn in school, and things we learn out of school. Watching my 15 year old boy bush hog some of the local food plots for wildlife was both unnerving as I thought he might use the tractor to hurt himself, and my normal desire to do it myself and my way. Even giving him a mission statement with examples did not satisfy my desire for his safety from himself. Well he did accomplish the mission, and by the way, did it better than I might have done. And along the way he lived.
While he bush hogged selected fields, my 12 year old daughter found a baby rabbit, which she is nursing to the best of her ability. Even the yard dogs seem to respect what she is doing, or at least they have not tried to eat the baby rabbit.
None of this took government. Most of it takes my money and time. None of this is taught in school.
There are things we learn in school, and things we learn out of school. Watching my 15 year old boy bush hog some of the local food plots for wildlife was both unnerving as I thought he might use the tractor to hurt himself, and my normal desire to do it myself and my way. Even giving him a mission statement with examples did not satisfy my desire for his safety from himself. Well he did accomplish the mission, and by the way, did it better than I might have done. And along the way he lived.
While he bush hogged selected fields, my 12 year old daughter found a baby rabbit, which she is nursing to the best of her ability. Even the yard dogs seem to respect what she is doing, or at least they have not tried to eat the baby rabbit.
None of this took government. Most of it takes my money and time. None of this is taught in school.
Thursday, July 12, 2007
National interests, that is American interests, count too
The President hit a home run today in his one hour news conference in D.C. While I as another armchair general disagree with much of the strategy before and today, at least he laid out his logic. Good on him. Most appealing was his repeated referrals to our National Interest, as compared to focus groups and other polling data as a method of ruling. The icing on the cake was to read the first AP report about what I had just watched and listened too, and the report was so different that one of us was out of touch. Given all the mainstream media prejudice and injection into American politics I read about, now I have observed a real world case. If this keeps up, a lot of AP people should seek employment elsewhere. And all we want is the news. The business model idea is so simple, and up front.
The other thing that seems to stick out today is common sense about pulling out of Iraq in a precipitous manner. The era of the minority anti-war types dominating the democrats and the sympathetic media has reached some nadir. The main theme is about us, and what are the consequences to our national security. Thank goodness someone has said Iraq is about us, and not the Iraqi people. Since politicians have yet, in general, to even discuss the consequences of a time table pull out, thank goodness some of the media have.
The 2006 congressional elections have energized some groups, depressed some groups, and been so full of Iraq anti-war stuff to the detriment of addressing more serious things like social security. It is amazing how some groups have announced their cause is mandated by the election results. Most of us know the actual results show an almost evenly divided public and an evenly divided Congress. This is where National Interests should predominate. A Nancy Pelosi can try impose her view on the nation, but in the end it is the nation that decides.
There is much work to be done as this Nation evolves. Those who focus on political power and the benefits are dinasours. The main effort must be on our National Interests. Call it selfish, call it national, or just call it common sense. And the rest of the world will benefit.
For those Americans born in the last thirty years, who could imagine being attacked by jihadists from hell just for our values and how we think?
The President hit a home run today in his one hour news conference in D.C. While I as another armchair general disagree with much of the strategy before and today, at least he laid out his logic. Good on him. Most appealing was his repeated referrals to our National Interest, as compared to focus groups and other polling data as a method of ruling. The icing on the cake was to read the first AP report about what I had just watched and listened too, and the report was so different that one of us was out of touch. Given all the mainstream media prejudice and injection into American politics I read about, now I have observed a real world case. If this keeps up, a lot of AP people should seek employment elsewhere. And all we want is the news. The business model idea is so simple, and up front.
The other thing that seems to stick out today is common sense about pulling out of Iraq in a precipitous manner. The era of the minority anti-war types dominating the democrats and the sympathetic media has reached some nadir. The main theme is about us, and what are the consequences to our national security. Thank goodness someone has said Iraq is about us, and not the Iraqi people. Since politicians have yet, in general, to even discuss the consequences of a time table pull out, thank goodness some of the media have.
The 2006 congressional elections have energized some groups, depressed some groups, and been so full of Iraq anti-war stuff to the detriment of addressing more serious things like social security. It is amazing how some groups have announced their cause is mandated by the election results. Most of us know the actual results show an almost evenly divided public and an evenly divided Congress. This is where National Interests should predominate. A Nancy Pelosi can try impose her view on the nation, but in the end it is the nation that decides.
There is much work to be done as this Nation evolves. Those who focus on political power and the benefits are dinasours. The main effort must be on our National Interests. Call it selfish, call it national, or just call it common sense. And the rest of the world will benefit.
For those Americans born in the last thirty years, who could imagine being attacked by jihadists from hell just for our values and how we think?
Wednesday, July 11, 2007
The USA Senate as a great deliberative group is a joke on the USA
More and more they come across as politicians with a longer time between elections. That is as the founding fathers intended. But these days the normal 1/3 up for reelection every two years seem more like House Representatives. So much for reflection and deliberation, and more to survival as a politician from where ever. Just who invented the idea of this group of Americans as some great deliberative group should get some award. Maybe they borrowed the Roman Senate idea, and of course Rome went down the tubes.
Most would expect such a deliberative group to discuss and debate the Iraq issues from a National point of view, that is what is in our National interests. When that happens, it appears, hell will freeze over. Until then things are more like inside D.C. pressures and the insidious influence of the media types. Apparently they have more influence than the common citizens who think National interest first, and of course vote.
One wonders about the quality of our national leaders we have elected? Did most Senators assume their main job was home matters and to distribute the national wealth? Now that our Nation has been attacked, do many know how to think and vote in the national interests. The evidence is simple as few speak about our nation and many speak about the veracity of the enemies who want to change our way of life. More appalling is the total lack of discussion in this great deliberative body about the consequences of pulling out of Iraq, and some time table.
Mismanagement of the Iraq war is no excuse to take the course of action of quitting. Our national interest is just that. There is a long term national interest in fighting and winning the war against those who also share a long term vision to terminate us. This is not a hearts or minds thing, it is survival. And the USA Senate today is in need of some replacement.
More and more they come across as politicians with a longer time between elections. That is as the founding fathers intended. But these days the normal 1/3 up for reelection every two years seem more like House Representatives. So much for reflection and deliberation, and more to survival as a politician from where ever. Just who invented the idea of this group of Americans as some great deliberative group should get some award. Maybe they borrowed the Roman Senate idea, and of course Rome went down the tubes.
Most would expect such a deliberative group to discuss and debate the Iraq issues from a National point of view, that is what is in our National interests. When that happens, it appears, hell will freeze over. Until then things are more like inside D.C. pressures and the insidious influence of the media types. Apparently they have more influence than the common citizens who think National interest first, and of course vote.
One wonders about the quality of our national leaders we have elected? Did most Senators assume their main job was home matters and to distribute the national wealth? Now that our Nation has been attacked, do many know how to think and vote in the national interests. The evidence is simple as few speak about our nation and many speak about the veracity of the enemies who want to change our way of life. More appalling is the total lack of discussion in this great deliberative body about the consequences of pulling out of Iraq, and some time table.
Mismanagement of the Iraq war is no excuse to take the course of action of quitting. Our national interest is just that. There is a long term national interest in fighting and winning the war against those who also share a long term vision to terminate us. This is not a hearts or minds thing, it is survival. And the USA Senate today is in need of some replacement.
Tuesday, July 10, 2007
American politics is not a blood sport
The professional upgrade of American politics in the last 50 years has introduced polling, enhanced television as a medium, introduced position papers vice live values discussion, used focus groups to rule, introduced the politics of personal destruction, and made the Nazi propaganda machine look like the early version it was. This professional upgrade has taken advantage of the dumbing down of American education and the results on the younger population, who have little idea about what the melting pot or even the present buzzword of multiculturalism means, or the effects on their future lives.
It is less complicated to finish out an older person’s life by enjoying the fruits of the land earned by our ancestors. To me fruits of the land include electricity and forced air heat and flush toilets. To the younger types these things are too often perceived as rights, but they are not. Just move to the third world, to include rural Mexico to see the difference between “fruits of the land” and so called “rights”. More importantly, it is less complicated to just let all the political rights people in America enjoy today just to disappear in a third world surge of ideas avidly promoted by some Americans who don’t know any better. It is one thing to naively claim I am American and I have rights in rural Mexico, or some other third world country; and what is coming in our country without any corrective action.
Sure there are those like the wacko environmentalists who really want to end humans on the earth, and then some kind of expected nirvana will return. But most naively still expect humans to be around, and probably the dominating species. Even this idea is not one of education and educated opinion, but more one of gut feel and feelings about what seems right.
And what seems right in American is so spoiled, so status quo, so ignorant and naïve, that truly many Americans think that what they have in life is normal, automatic, and will continue forever. If only this were so.
Things have gotten to the point where our way of life is under attack from the jihadists from hell, and the response from the Congress and the media is irresponsible to this older person. Either they don’t care, are undereducated, or are over confident about the status quo existing in perpetuity.
I fear for our future. It is easier to just get old and go away, and let the next generations live in their own cesspool, which certainly is coming the way things seem to be going. And the next generations will be led by the present professional politicians and all their schemes that work in America. After all, today’s politics is about them and media blood sport, not we Americans and our way of life.
The professional upgrade of American politics in the last 50 years has introduced polling, enhanced television as a medium, introduced position papers vice live values discussion, used focus groups to rule, introduced the politics of personal destruction, and made the Nazi propaganda machine look like the early version it was. This professional upgrade has taken advantage of the dumbing down of American education and the results on the younger population, who have little idea about what the melting pot or even the present buzzword of multiculturalism means, or the effects on their future lives.
It is less complicated to finish out an older person’s life by enjoying the fruits of the land earned by our ancestors. To me fruits of the land include electricity and forced air heat and flush toilets. To the younger types these things are too often perceived as rights, but they are not. Just move to the third world, to include rural Mexico to see the difference between “fruits of the land” and so called “rights”. More importantly, it is less complicated to just let all the political rights people in America enjoy today just to disappear in a third world surge of ideas avidly promoted by some Americans who don’t know any better. It is one thing to naively claim I am American and I have rights in rural Mexico, or some other third world country; and what is coming in our country without any corrective action.
Sure there are those like the wacko environmentalists who really want to end humans on the earth, and then some kind of expected nirvana will return. But most naively still expect humans to be around, and probably the dominating species. Even this idea is not one of education and educated opinion, but more one of gut feel and feelings about what seems right.
And what seems right in American is so spoiled, so status quo, so ignorant and naïve, that truly many Americans think that what they have in life is normal, automatic, and will continue forever. If only this were so.
Things have gotten to the point where our way of life is under attack from the jihadists from hell, and the response from the Congress and the media is irresponsible to this older person. Either they don’t care, are undereducated, or are over confident about the status quo existing in perpetuity.
I fear for our future. It is easier to just get old and go away, and let the next generations live in their own cesspool, which certainly is coming the way things seem to be going. And the next generations will be led by the present professional politicians and all their schemes that work in America. After all, today’s politics is about them and media blood sport, not we Americans and our way of life.
Monday, July 09, 2007
Who’s in charge of America?
The voter’s are!
In this topsy turvy time it seems like the virulent 16% anti-war types are, or the ever pathetic media types in their own world, or even the inside the beltway of D.C. types who live in their own self-important world are in charge. At least that is what is reported.
Add in the ultra liberal San Francisco control of the former national democratic party still using the influence of their predecessors’ good work, and another façade has been added to the American political landscape.
But at times like this, it is best just to wake up and go to work, and do the political basics, to include voting. A lot of politically embarrassing things are being said and done, often without reported challenge, that will come home to roost. The era of do-gooderism and good intentions is coming to an end when these people begin to threaten our and our children’s way of life. There are choices and consequences, to include choices and consequences to psychobabble. And in swarm theory, and experience, the swarm of Americans are fickle and will change course in a moments notice. Hence do the political basics today.
This idea is not about power. It is about America, a way of life, and our future, and our children’s future.
This post is also not some hidden message about all the Iraq problems we as a Country have. It is about all the domestic and foreign problems we have as Americans. Given the present report card on our present political leaders, mostly in D.C., we Americans have done a poor job electing our representatives. In the immigration debate it took a hard worked coordinated message from the citizens to the inside the beltway types, twice, to send a message that won the Senate vote. Life would be easier if we voters just elected them up front. How about that as a course of action?
Having lived and worked and done the budget battles inside the D.C. beltway, one will get caught up in the mentality there. Most Americans just don’t know how it is. Even the best intentioned people forget the more blue collar issues that drive most Americans in their family lives and jobs in the rest of America when they (inside the D.C beltway) get caught up during their D.C. service fighting for their cause.
The solution is simple. Vote. And suck it up in the meantime.
The voter’s are!
In this topsy turvy time it seems like the virulent 16% anti-war types are, or the ever pathetic media types in their own world, or even the inside the beltway of D.C. types who live in their own self-important world are in charge. At least that is what is reported.
Add in the ultra liberal San Francisco control of the former national democratic party still using the influence of their predecessors’ good work, and another façade has been added to the American political landscape.
But at times like this, it is best just to wake up and go to work, and do the political basics, to include voting. A lot of politically embarrassing things are being said and done, often without reported challenge, that will come home to roost. The era of do-gooderism and good intentions is coming to an end when these people begin to threaten our and our children’s way of life. There are choices and consequences, to include choices and consequences to psychobabble. And in swarm theory, and experience, the swarm of Americans are fickle and will change course in a moments notice. Hence do the political basics today.
This idea is not about power. It is about America, a way of life, and our future, and our children’s future.
This post is also not some hidden message about all the Iraq problems we as a Country have. It is about all the domestic and foreign problems we have as Americans. Given the present report card on our present political leaders, mostly in D.C., we Americans have done a poor job electing our representatives. In the immigration debate it took a hard worked coordinated message from the citizens to the inside the beltway types, twice, to send a message that won the Senate vote. Life would be easier if we voters just elected them up front. How about that as a course of action?
Having lived and worked and done the budget battles inside the D.C. beltway, one will get caught up in the mentality there. Most Americans just don’t know how it is. Even the best intentioned people forget the more blue collar issues that drive most Americans in their family lives and jobs in the rest of America when they (inside the D.C beltway) get caught up during their D.C. service fighting for their cause.
The solution is simple. Vote. And suck it up in the meantime.
Saturday, July 07, 2007
Dealing with a bad poker hand, and protecting our National Interests
It seems like the main friction these days is between the lack of faith in the executive’s management of the Iraq war (with gross congressional mismanagement added in), and most American’s impatience with the overall mismanagement and their family’s blood being bled for some D.C. group’s latest effort to unscrew themselves. Complicating the mismanagement history is the strategic issue of protecting us and our families from this group of infidels from hell. Even the latest surge strategy has reached media hyperbole, that is to say what we are being reported has nothing to do with reality. The last complicating factor is that of the democratic party trying to exploit all this terrible situation for their own political election benefit. The inside of D.C. flavor really stinks.
Yet we citizens are stuck with protecting our national interests since few in the executive or congress seem interested. What a sad state of affairs!
So most who have been dealt a bad poker hand fold. And it looks like this is what is happening inside of D.C. today. Some others take a longer national point of view, and play again with new opportunities. Our national opportunities have everything to do with our kids and future, just as a reminder. Dinosaur politicians who pontificate surrender or quitting are losers. How about we fix our problems, and go for the win.
It seems like the main friction these days is between the lack of faith in the executive’s management of the Iraq war (with gross congressional mismanagement added in), and most American’s impatience with the overall mismanagement and their family’s blood being bled for some D.C. group’s latest effort to unscrew themselves. Complicating the mismanagement history is the strategic issue of protecting us and our families from this group of infidels from hell. Even the latest surge strategy has reached media hyperbole, that is to say what we are being reported has nothing to do with reality. The last complicating factor is that of the democratic party trying to exploit all this terrible situation for their own political election benefit. The inside of D.C. flavor really stinks.
Yet we citizens are stuck with protecting our national interests since few in the executive or congress seem interested. What a sad state of affairs!
So most who have been dealt a bad poker hand fold. And it looks like this is what is happening inside of D.C. today. Some others take a longer national point of view, and play again with new opportunities. Our national opportunities have everything to do with our kids and future, just as a reminder. Dinosaur politicians who pontificate surrender or quitting are losers. How about we fix our problems, and go for the win.
The simplest things are too often the hardest to achieve
Said another way, gaining unity of effort is too often very difficult when it comes to Iraq. We’ve been there over 4 years, and yet there is still no one person in charge. Our effort depends on D.C. inter-agency cooperation, primarily Defense and State. Thanks to the present leaders there, the local cooperation is the best it has been, but there is still no one person in charge, who of course should be President as chief head knocker. Even the creation of a new job of coordinator is another fig leaf.
And the Congress appears to be clueless, caught up in democratic party investigations (as in 300 investigations in 100 days). Even Senator Lieberman tells us what Iran is doing in overt war actions that are getting our people killed, and negating our Iraq policy intents, and yet all one can read is questions about whether or not he is suggesting war. We Americans are having a really bad string of bad luck with political leaders who do not recognize the obvious that Iran is doing, and even hold one hearing to check out the intelligence, at a minimum.
And our allies are watching, too.
And as long as America again allows a safe haven, this time in Iran, any local strategy, to include a surge strategy, is doomed to fail in the end. This whole mess is way past using covert means; the American public must be informed and the Congress must vote on an Iran war, even if limited in its objectives. Let’s hope the 535 congressional armchair generals stay out of the tactics, which they are incompetent at.
And last there is the so called intelligentsia, or more commonly described as those who have influence in academia, the media, and the professional political class. While they often tear the USA down, seldom is offered corrective courses of action for which they can be held accountable, or even the consequences of their failure of their ideas. Since most recognize that what we have in the USA is unique in human history, and can fail from domestic and foreign attacks, then practicing and promoting policies that preserve this America is in our National Interest. Any other politics that do otherwise seem irresponsible behavior. For sure any such practices make the simplest things most difficult to achieve.
Said another way, gaining unity of effort is too often very difficult when it comes to Iraq. We’ve been there over 4 years, and yet there is still no one person in charge. Our effort depends on D.C. inter-agency cooperation, primarily Defense and State. Thanks to the present leaders there, the local cooperation is the best it has been, but there is still no one person in charge, who of course should be President as chief head knocker. Even the creation of a new job of coordinator is another fig leaf.
And the Congress appears to be clueless, caught up in democratic party investigations (as in 300 investigations in 100 days). Even Senator Lieberman tells us what Iran is doing in overt war actions that are getting our people killed, and negating our Iraq policy intents, and yet all one can read is questions about whether or not he is suggesting war. We Americans are having a really bad string of bad luck with political leaders who do not recognize the obvious that Iran is doing, and even hold one hearing to check out the intelligence, at a minimum.
And our allies are watching, too.
And as long as America again allows a safe haven, this time in Iran, any local strategy, to include a surge strategy, is doomed to fail in the end. This whole mess is way past using covert means; the American public must be informed and the Congress must vote on an Iran war, even if limited in its objectives. Let’s hope the 535 congressional armchair generals stay out of the tactics, which they are incompetent at.
And last there is the so called intelligentsia, or more commonly described as those who have influence in academia, the media, and the professional political class. While they often tear the USA down, seldom is offered corrective courses of action for which they can be held accountable, or even the consequences of their failure of their ideas. Since most recognize that what we have in the USA is unique in human history, and can fail from domestic and foreign attacks, then practicing and promoting policies that preserve this America is in our National Interest. Any other politics that do otherwise seem irresponsible behavior. For sure any such practices make the simplest things most difficult to achieve.
Friday, July 06, 2007
The view depends on where you sit
Those who work inside the D.C. beltway have a view from where they perch. Their view is important from their point of view. Most Americans live elsewhere, and their view is just as important, though immediate control of the vast public monies and policies is more limited. But rest assured, the control is there. After all the politicians and their hired professional staffs cannot exist without the voters who make it happen.
Exposure to this is as simple as being from elsewhere and reading the newspapers from the rest of the Country vice the Washington Post. If one wants to add in the media’s view, then even New York Times and its subsidiary Boston newspaper reflect much of the same. The view depends on where one sits. And the newspapers published outside of D.C. better reflect the citizens we are today. Thanks to the Internet, one does not have to travel and read as in the pre-Internet days.
The incestuous power of living and working and socializing in this D.C. beltway type environment is mesmerizing, and vicious. Whether the rest of the Country knows it or not, those in our capital have vast powers over our lives and our children’s lives. Mostly it is about money, but also it is about what our Country does. And it is about what “they” think is important.
This voter is particularly alarmed by Senators and Congressmen and Congresswomen who choose to bail out of Iraq. I am sympathetic to those who cite the mismanagement of the “win the peace” by the executive branch. My political alarm is one as simple as when and where do we finally fight, as in the problem will come home to roost for us and our children. My political alarm is also one of those inside the D.C. beltway are responding to D.C. forces, not American forces. This begs the question, just who is in charge? Where is the Congress in all this, especially given the Iranian overt war actions?
To bleed my American heart out, the view of what is important in our Country applies more to domestic issues. Social security and Medicare and Medicaid promises for which most people and companies pay taxes are the simple and obvious choices. Or how about free trade and globalization effects on communities in America. While I am a believer, politicians explaining all this is a requirement for a future vote.
Last the view also depends on time in service, as in professional politicians and their staffs making a “career” out of serving inside D.C. It’s a lucrative retirement compared to most Americans, and suggests that idealism is fine, but so are benefits. This whole phenomenon is recent, as in the last half century. This is a lead-in to another call for congressional terms limits of 12 years, to include staffs. If one believes that power corrupts then limiting time in Congress for those elected and their staffs, will benefit our National Interest.
Wednesday, July 04, 2007
New Leaders are called for
After a generation of the baby boomer types dominating almost everything in America, to include government, advertising, media, moral standards to include the sex out of marriage exploitation of the pill, and abortion, and the environment, the compass is due for a change in a more human direction. This group had their chance, and now the American world moves on.
Does the American world have the leaders who will lead this change in compass? Yes, and they are not professional politicians, a group which has arisen under the baby boomer generation. And the World includes so many others from the rest of the World that so goes America may go the rest of the World, given time.
So where do these future American leaders come from? The answer is us, and to be more specific those with real world business experience. Idealism and good intentions are out the door, results are more in the door.
Agendas will change. All the moral relativisms will become more like trying to help the poor, and letting the efforts fail if the poor fail. The best part will be consequences, and the willingness to live with it if many of the poor fail, as they probably will. The whole friction will be so American and so much better than what the baby boomers delivered in their failures to try make things better. The good news for the future is that Americans are so populist in their soul, we will try, and try, and try again. The really good news is that Americans will be less, and less, tolerant of do-gooder intentions without accountability. In this is the next hope for a more perfect America.
The other agenda for Americans is our personality applied to foreign thoughts. Since we are inherently anti-war and isolationist, any future leader worthy of the title must guide us in our best national interest, and explain it to we the citizens. We do have reasons to fight for our way of life and our country, if explained in plain English. We are so special as a New World country, and maybe even an Old World country alternative, much improved. Any future leader must of course be themselves, and this future leader means acting like a parent, which if they are not is disqualifying.
America has lacking Executive and Congressional leaders today. Call it bad luck in history. We do have a good group of waiting leaders just waiting. Some may be charismatic by voter ideas, not media ideas. The American media is part of the past and to be ignored.
After a generation of the baby boomer types dominating almost everything in America, to include government, advertising, media, moral standards to include the sex out of marriage exploitation of the pill, and abortion, and the environment, the compass is due for a change in a more human direction. This group had their chance, and now the American world moves on.
Does the American world have the leaders who will lead this change in compass? Yes, and they are not professional politicians, a group which has arisen under the baby boomer generation. And the World includes so many others from the rest of the World that so goes America may go the rest of the World, given time.
So where do these future American leaders come from? The answer is us, and to be more specific those with real world business experience. Idealism and good intentions are out the door, results are more in the door.
Agendas will change. All the moral relativisms will become more like trying to help the poor, and letting the efforts fail if the poor fail. The best part will be consequences, and the willingness to live with it if many of the poor fail, as they probably will. The whole friction will be so American and so much better than what the baby boomers delivered in their failures to try make things better. The good news for the future is that Americans are so populist in their soul, we will try, and try, and try again. The really good news is that Americans will be less, and less, tolerant of do-gooder intentions without accountability. In this is the next hope for a more perfect America.
The other agenda for Americans is our personality applied to foreign thoughts. Since we are inherently anti-war and isolationist, any future leader worthy of the title must guide us in our best national interest, and explain it to we the citizens. We do have reasons to fight for our way of life and our country, if explained in plain English. We are so special as a New World country, and maybe even an Old World country alternative, much improved. Any future leader must of course be themselves, and this future leader means acting like a parent, which if they are not is disqualifying.
America has lacking Executive and Congressional leaders today. Call it bad luck in history. We do have a good group of waiting leaders just waiting. Some may be charismatic by voter ideas, not media ideas. The American media is part of the past and to be ignored.
Tuesday, July 03, 2007
Always look on the bright side because it usually is
Reading all the pundit articles and many editorials about the Senate immigration failures got my attention. I thought it was mostly about lack of faith in the federal goverenment to do the basic "defend the borders" things, as older laws had promised, but were never delivered by our government. I even thought it might be about the disconnect between our so called elected leaders and we the citizens, those who elect them. Now days later, there are too many articles suggesting I am some kind of racist, or cultural KKK type, or similar articles. Whoa, hold the horses. After the first Senate failure, the second attempt was a good try, but to now miss the message, or ignore the message, is serious business. Just who is in charge?. Is it the Senate, the immigrant do-gooders, or the People?
Well it looks like the voters are in charge and not the elected politicians. That is the bright side about America! And the 4th of July is a good time to remember all this, and say thank you to all who got us to the bright side.
Reading all the pundit articles and many editorials about the Senate immigration failures got my attention. I thought it was mostly about lack of faith in the federal goverenment to do the basic "defend the borders" things, as older laws had promised, but were never delivered by our government. I even thought it might be about the disconnect between our so called elected leaders and we the citizens, those who elect them. Now days later, there are too many articles suggesting I am some kind of racist, or cultural KKK type, or similar articles. Whoa, hold the horses. After the first Senate failure, the second attempt was a good try, but to now miss the message, or ignore the message, is serious business. Just who is in charge?. Is it the Senate, the immigrant do-gooders, or the People?
Well it looks like the voters are in charge and not the elected politicians. That is the bright side about America! And the 4th of July is a good time to remember all this, and say thank you to all who got us to the bright side.
Monday, July 02, 2007
Why don’t they think like us?
Because they are different from us. That’s it. One does not need to have an academic PhD to recognize this simple fact of life. What our values are and others values are do vary. Even a Hindu mother in Indonesia raising her daughter in her cultural way is to be respected. We are so different, and that is it. We should recognize and respect the others, full well knowing this is not some academic idea of USA multiculturalism. Rather other cultures have good ideas and foods, and if assimilation and the melting pot ideas work naturally, we are a better New World nation for it. This is the story of America.
The story continues. Assimilation continues. Many do gooders argue a change to our Nation’s personality. It is a good debate, and the most obvious voter side of the debate today is to assimilate, or leave. America is a wonderful land, special as the old world made it, and worth both defending and using as a way to advance life on the rest of the earth.
One can reasonably extend this USA and New World idea to the rest of the world. That “they” don’t agree about women’s votes, or arranged marriages, or male facial hair beards, says they do not think like us. So what are we to do with these types of people, surrender, convert, fight, or go along some how, to include killing most of them in battle. This veiled sentence is about the Islamic crazy’s. It is the Hindu mother in Indonesia that should get more attention.
Because they are different from us. That’s it. One does not need to have an academic PhD to recognize this simple fact of life. What our values are and others values are do vary. Even a Hindu mother in Indonesia raising her daughter in her cultural way is to be respected. We are so different, and that is it. We should recognize and respect the others, full well knowing this is not some academic idea of USA multiculturalism. Rather other cultures have good ideas and foods, and if assimilation and the melting pot ideas work naturally, we are a better New World nation for it. This is the story of America.
The story continues. Assimilation continues. Many do gooders argue a change to our Nation’s personality. It is a good debate, and the most obvious voter side of the debate today is to assimilate, or leave. America is a wonderful land, special as the old world made it, and worth both defending and using as a way to advance life on the rest of the earth.
One can reasonably extend this USA and New World idea to the rest of the world. That “they” don’t agree about women’s votes, or arranged marriages, or male facial hair beards, says they do not think like us. So what are we to do with these types of people, surrender, convert, fight, or go along some how, to include killing most of them in battle. This veiled sentence is about the Islamic crazy’s. It is the Hindu mother in Indonesia that should get more attention.
Sunday, July 01, 2007
If the world were perfect
People would not be beheaded. Women could vote universally. Ideally most other people would think like us. Our western values would get a chance as east meets west. Alas it is not so.
We actually have enemies, as in the real thing. Why is exasperating to many idealistic westerners, but the reality is there are groups who wish to do us in, and more importantly rule us. The religiously motivated groups who wish to impose their indoctrinated version of heaven on earth are the latest culprits, hard to believe as it is. The intensity of this religious zeal is astounding to many in the west. Soon the intensity of the Christian, Hindu, Buddhist, and many Animist responses will appear. Religious zeal knows no bounds.
What has bounds is reason. The mid east is not our focus of action, or our center of gravity. The power of oil income practiced by shabby desert tribes is on the decline. Their problems are not our American problems given a little pro American leadership and policy. Today it is a big deal, but tomorrow it is back to the desert tribes. Even a little domestic drilling in the future will send powerful messages throughout the world.
Our American center of gravity is the New World idealism, mixed with business and the the New World, mostly American, way to drag the rest of the Old World our way. Certainly the real world suggests business things, but along the way the western ideas of women’s suffrage and the promotion of western values as the basis of any new world should be our center of gravity.
People would not be beheaded. Women could vote universally. Ideally most other people would think like us. Our western values would get a chance as east meets west. Alas it is not so.
We actually have enemies, as in the real thing. Why is exasperating to many idealistic westerners, but the reality is there are groups who wish to do us in, and more importantly rule us. The religiously motivated groups who wish to impose their indoctrinated version of heaven on earth are the latest culprits, hard to believe as it is. The intensity of this religious zeal is astounding to many in the west. Soon the intensity of the Christian, Hindu, Buddhist, and many Animist responses will appear. Religious zeal knows no bounds.
What has bounds is reason. The mid east is not our focus of action, or our center of gravity. The power of oil income practiced by shabby desert tribes is on the decline. Their problems are not our American problems given a little pro American leadership and policy. Today it is a big deal, but tomorrow it is back to the desert tribes. Even a little domestic drilling in the future will send powerful messages throughout the world.
Our American center of gravity is the New World idealism, mixed with business and the the New World, mostly American, way to drag the rest of the Old World our way. Certainly the real world suggests business things, but along the way the western ideas of women’s suffrage and the promotion of western values as the basis of any new world should be our center of gravity.
Friday, June 29, 2007
Something stinks in politics
We all want to get along, kinda like Rodney King in L.A.
But for the umteenth time a rash of bad economic news, especially news leads and titles when the actual economic news is much better, starts to smell like an attempt to hoodwink us Americans. I could even buy this, until it coincides with the election cycle. Something is rotten in Denmark, as the old saying goes.
There is much about how bad the mainstream media is in being an adjunct of the democratic party. That's fine too since most of us just tune them out, and they lose jobs slowly but surely.
My question is are these American people deliberately propogandists in the worse Nazi sort of way, or even mean spirited enough to try trick us into voting their way. Do they love or even respect their country? Is some other utopian or potitical agenda at play? And the barbarians are at the gates.
We all want to get along, kinda like Rodney King in L.A.
But for the umteenth time a rash of bad economic news, especially news leads and titles when the actual economic news is much better, starts to smell like an attempt to hoodwink us Americans. I could even buy this, until it coincides with the election cycle. Something is rotten in Denmark, as the old saying goes.
There is much about how bad the mainstream media is in being an adjunct of the democratic party. That's fine too since most of us just tune them out, and they lose jobs slowly but surely.
My question is are these American people deliberately propogandists in the worse Nazi sort of way, or even mean spirited enough to try trick us into voting their way. Do they love or even respect their country? Is some other utopian or potitical agenda at play? And the barbarians are at the gates.
The American personality drives us today
The American personality might be characterized as an easygoing, sentimental, fair-minded ruthlessness. We tie yellow ribbons 'round the old oak tree at the same moment we dispatch a wing of B-52s to carpet-bomb the enemy. No murderer in the world gets as many appeals from his conviction as an American murderer. But when we have finished being fair (about the same length of time that a French murderer has to spend in prison before being released), we fry him. (Tony Blankley)
Americans are New World. We are not Old World. Traditionally in the past, the vast oceans around us insulated us from all the Old World's travails. And we are still New World enough to be anti-war and isolationist since the oceans protected us against all things: smart, dumb, idealistic, Old World, or otherwise. Along the way we Americans changed, too. The urban/rural shift is the obvious one. So also is the naming of new children as the most popular names change to more family type names with Old World origins. This trend cannot be dictated, it is American.
So how can a Country as large as the USA be so seemingly evenly divided over major issues such as immigration, our place in the World, and foreign wars. Perhaps it is our American personality, and perhaps it is just talking past each other. The follow on suggests considering trying to convince the others, or just listening to them. Perhaps I and many others are working not against political opponents who think another way, but just working against an American personality adopted by about one half of my fellow citizens.
So do I fight in the arena of debate and ideas, or surrender to not wasting my time fighting an American personality? Do I write and blog, or go silent?
One can make their peace in many ways. I have made my peace. The events of 9/11 made the oceans inconseqeuntial, and now my children and grandchildren are under threat of life and western standards of life. The threat is obvious by the attack of 9/11. It is the Islamic fascist barbarian group of madarassa indoctrinated thugs who will tell us how to live their way.
Even the American personality will say no, and after much diplomacy, will also come to fight for our way of life. All this suggests less a debate than just providing information to the other half of the American personality and let them, and us, assert ourselves.
The American personality might be characterized as an easygoing, sentimental, fair-minded ruthlessness. We tie yellow ribbons 'round the old oak tree at the same moment we dispatch a wing of B-52s to carpet-bomb the enemy. No murderer in the world gets as many appeals from his conviction as an American murderer. But when we have finished being fair (about the same length of time that a French murderer has to spend in prison before being released), we fry him. (Tony Blankley)
Americans are New World. We are not Old World. Traditionally in the past, the vast oceans around us insulated us from all the Old World's travails. And we are still New World enough to be anti-war and isolationist since the oceans protected us against all things: smart, dumb, idealistic, Old World, or otherwise. Along the way we Americans changed, too. The urban/rural shift is the obvious one. So also is the naming of new children as the most popular names change to more family type names with Old World origins. This trend cannot be dictated, it is American.
So how can a Country as large as the USA be so seemingly evenly divided over major issues such as immigration, our place in the World, and foreign wars. Perhaps it is our American personality, and perhaps it is just talking past each other. The follow on suggests considering trying to convince the others, or just listening to them. Perhaps I and many others are working not against political opponents who think another way, but just working against an American personality adopted by about one half of my fellow citizens.
So do I fight in the arena of debate and ideas, or surrender to not wasting my time fighting an American personality? Do I write and blog, or go silent?
One can make their peace in many ways. I have made my peace. The events of 9/11 made the oceans inconseqeuntial, and now my children and grandchildren are under threat of life and western standards of life. The threat is obvious by the attack of 9/11. It is the Islamic fascist barbarian group of madarassa indoctrinated thugs who will tell us how to live their way.
Even the American personality will say no, and after much diplomacy, will also come to fight for our way of life. All this suggests less a debate than just providing information to the other half of the American personality and let them, and us, assert ourselves.
Too many basic functions of the federal government are failing us
What are we going to do about it?
The government is supposed to provide for the common defense and general well being. Yet the Iranians are literally attacking us and our allies throughout the middle east, and yet there is no public response by the Executive or Congress, not one hearing. One hopes some covert things are going on. But after decades of giving an inch to the Iranians and they take a mile, the future of our common defense looks worse than today. If the Executive and Congress cannot provide for a common defense, and keep the citizens even barely informed, then who will?
It took a citizen uprising to stop the Senate’s recent “comprehensive immigration” reform, this being the third time since the mid-60’s. In the interim, literally millions of illegal immigrants have invaded our Country with little apparent problem or challenge. The government is supposed to guard our borders and control our immigration, but has failed us in this so basic government function. If the Executive and Congress can’t do this, who will?
The spate of poisoned and unsafe foods and toothpastes and pet products and tires from China begs the question, who is checking our imports? Our China imports have increased dramatically (40% by one account) but the Food and Drug Administration inspector work has not increased at all. The way I read it, we citizens are the guinea pigs, and when we or our pets start getting sick or dying, then the FDA learns about it and takes corrective action. If the Executive and Congress can’t do this, or even fund these preventive inspections, who will? Who will make the Chinese and others go by our auto safety standards, our food safety standards, and even our radiation standards? Who will tell them this is not negotiable, and hold them to it?
Recently federal responsibilities and funding have extended to the infamous bridge to nowhere in Alaska, rehabilitating a public park in Chicago, and making a bicycle trail in Tennessee. This suggests our Executive and Congress have misplaced priorities.
None of this discussion is about rocket science. Some leadership is called for in recognizing the most basic requirements of any federal government, and acting accordingly. And some management skill is called for in implementing these most basic federal government responsibilities. If the Executive and Congress can’t do this, then it is time for the voters to change our Executive and Congress.
What are we going to do about it?
The government is supposed to provide for the common defense and general well being. Yet the Iranians are literally attacking us and our allies throughout the middle east, and yet there is no public response by the Executive or Congress, not one hearing. One hopes some covert things are going on. But after decades of giving an inch to the Iranians and they take a mile, the future of our common defense looks worse than today. If the Executive and Congress cannot provide for a common defense, and keep the citizens even barely informed, then who will?
It took a citizen uprising to stop the Senate’s recent “comprehensive immigration” reform, this being the third time since the mid-60’s. In the interim, literally millions of illegal immigrants have invaded our Country with little apparent problem or challenge. The government is supposed to guard our borders and control our immigration, but has failed us in this so basic government function. If the Executive and Congress can’t do this, who will?
The spate of poisoned and unsafe foods and toothpastes and pet products and tires from China begs the question, who is checking our imports? Our China imports have increased dramatically (40% by one account) but the Food and Drug Administration inspector work has not increased at all. The way I read it, we citizens are the guinea pigs, and when we or our pets start getting sick or dying, then the FDA learns about it and takes corrective action. If the Executive and Congress can’t do this, or even fund these preventive inspections, who will? Who will make the Chinese and others go by our auto safety standards, our food safety standards, and even our radiation standards? Who will tell them this is not negotiable, and hold them to it?
Recently federal responsibilities and funding have extended to the infamous bridge to nowhere in Alaska, rehabilitating a public park in Chicago, and making a bicycle trail in Tennessee. This suggests our Executive and Congress have misplaced priorities.
None of this discussion is about rocket science. Some leadership is called for in recognizing the most basic requirements of any federal government, and acting accordingly. And some management skill is called for in implementing these most basic federal government responsibilities. If the Executive and Congress can’t do this, then it is time for the voters to change our Executive and Congress.
Thursday, June 28, 2007
Going to the well once too often
… Or the law of diminishing returns never goes away.
Many tried and true political methods of the past to fund benefits that got people elected or hired, or got agendas promoted, are inherently coming to an end. Here are obvious examples:
The tobacco industry agreement provided very large de facto windfall taxes that are already spent.
Cigarette taxes are raised to where the resulting tax income is at its limit.
Government slashes in Medicare and Medicaid are forcing doctors and others in the industry to leave this part of the business. Present beneficiaries are going back on their own.
Pay as you go for social security has been a successful ruse, but coming to an end as the baby boomers arrive in the queue and the ratio of workers to beneficiaries becomes much smaller.
Borrowing money to pay federal bills vice raising taxes to pay the same bills is ever more a political hot potato. It is today’s version of taxation without representation as we pass the principal and interest on to future generations who cannot vote today. Economic arguments about the affordability ignore the political fairness problem which grows more and more.
Robbing Peter to pay Paul is a dicey political problem when used to fund new benefits. Robbing Peter to pay Paul is to be avoided. Even when the Peace Dividend appeared as a windfall de facto tax income in the early 1990’s, it disappeared quickly as a funding source. In the rural part of Tennessee where I now live, the apparent shifting of benefits from long time tax payers and voters to the poor and illegal immigrants is a very volatile voting issue to those on the losing end. The incremental health care discussion is especially volatile.
The general public is becoming much more aware of the costs of environmentalism as these costs begin hitting them in the pocket book, and lifestyles. The general public can understand the idea of 10% of the biofuel for airline travel taking a field the size of Florida to grow, all the while their cost of food also goes up.
Alternate sources of income, such as paying to use public parks, or paying more to watch our beloved TV’s (you will be learning more about Cable Cards soon), will also reach a point of diminishing returns.
There are some obvious consequences:
Every dollar we borrow from a foreign source to pay today’s federal bills threatens our future National Sovereignty and National Interests.
Using smoke and mirrors to try obfuscate robbing Peter to pay Paul will have terrible political consequences when exposed to the light of day.
Uncontrolled spending vis-à-vis earmarks will come to a real end, not a smoke and mirrors end.
A National energy policy will include all elements, to include future domestic drilling for oil (with time limits).
Generational political conflicts over benefits and funding of these benefits will become political reality. Likely, birth rates will go up, as the old form of Social Security called large families comes back.
A Congressional Term Limits Amendment will be become the law of the land. We already have a Presidential Term Limits Amendment.
… Or the law of diminishing returns never goes away.
Many tried and true political methods of the past to fund benefits that got people elected or hired, or got agendas promoted, are inherently coming to an end. Here are obvious examples:
The tobacco industry agreement provided very large de facto windfall taxes that are already spent.
Cigarette taxes are raised to where the resulting tax income is at its limit.
Government slashes in Medicare and Medicaid are forcing doctors and others in the industry to leave this part of the business. Present beneficiaries are going back on their own.
Pay as you go for social security has been a successful ruse, but coming to an end as the baby boomers arrive in the queue and the ratio of workers to beneficiaries becomes much smaller.
Borrowing money to pay federal bills vice raising taxes to pay the same bills is ever more a political hot potato. It is today’s version of taxation without representation as we pass the principal and interest on to future generations who cannot vote today. Economic arguments about the affordability ignore the political fairness problem which grows more and more.
Robbing Peter to pay Paul is a dicey political problem when used to fund new benefits. Robbing Peter to pay Paul is to be avoided. Even when the Peace Dividend appeared as a windfall de facto tax income in the early 1990’s, it disappeared quickly as a funding source. In the rural part of Tennessee where I now live, the apparent shifting of benefits from long time tax payers and voters to the poor and illegal immigrants is a very volatile voting issue to those on the losing end. The incremental health care discussion is especially volatile.
The general public is becoming much more aware of the costs of environmentalism as these costs begin hitting them in the pocket book, and lifestyles. The general public can understand the idea of 10% of the biofuel for airline travel taking a field the size of Florida to grow, all the while their cost of food also goes up.
Alternate sources of income, such as paying to use public parks, or paying more to watch our beloved TV’s (you will be learning more about Cable Cards soon), will also reach a point of diminishing returns.
There are some obvious consequences:
Every dollar we borrow from a foreign source to pay today’s federal bills threatens our future National Sovereignty and National Interests.
Using smoke and mirrors to try obfuscate robbing Peter to pay Paul will have terrible political consequences when exposed to the light of day.
Uncontrolled spending vis-à-vis earmarks will come to a real end, not a smoke and mirrors end.
A National energy policy will include all elements, to include future domestic drilling for oil (with time limits).
Generational political conflicts over benefits and funding of these benefits will become political reality. Likely, birth rates will go up, as the old form of Social Security called large families comes back.
A Congressional Term Limits Amendment will be become the law of the land. We already have a Presidential Term Limits Amendment.
Wednesday, June 27, 2007
Sometimes one must state the obvious
Sometimes the king has no clothes, even if it takes a child to say the obvious. This parable applies to today.
It is obvious the Iraq war was has been mismanaged in D.C. Our present leaders in the Executive and Congress have few even interagency ideas of what to do (or cannot overcome it) in any third world conquest, and after attack on our country. The high school version and Congressional version of fad now is to bail out, and to pontificate about it, apparently with the most silly media coverage.
We have elected the wrong leaders, though leader may be the incorrect term. The present people there seem more like professional politicians and at best local politicians who can not think in a National sense beyond pontificating, which is being kind. And the present talk about how to pull out of this mess never mentions the consequences of doing so. If only the world were friction free and without consequences. That the charade that is amplified in the media of somehow being hood winked is appalling. We all have memories, to include the debate and the vote. Many politicians may seek to pretend and report otherwise, and the media may cover up, but many citizens have to live in the real world. They are worth listening to ... before the next vote.
And it is our National Defense and Interest at stake, as if that seems to matter in the confident thoughts of the present political leaders.
The terrible consequences of the mismanagement of the Iraq war is that so many citizens are fed up enough to quit, plain and simple. Talk about a Catch 22. We're damned if we do and damned if we are not. Unfortunately life and the military is not a Catch 22 movie and the irony of the movie is not a foreign policy.
There are alternatives to just politically quitting in some sort of mollifying way to American voters.
First is the leaders we need. They are not presently elected and in charge today, but we most certainly must elect them in the future. These Americans are everywhere, and they are not the people in D.C. today. They are Americans like Ike who got us out of Korea, or Reagan who attacked Gaddafi after the killings by them in Germany, or those today just waiting to be called. The obvious principle is that they thought National Defense, and knew when talk ended and power talked in dealing with these mostly small level despots today. Perhaps that is the most king has no clothes element today that is astounding. This is not multiculturalism; this is our National Defense and our way of life. And after all, we are dealing with despots, not the likes of Gandhi or King.
Sometimes the king has no clothes, even if it takes a child to say the obvious. This parable applies to today.
It is obvious the Iraq war was has been mismanaged in D.C. Our present leaders in the Executive and Congress have few even interagency ideas of what to do (or cannot overcome it) in any third world conquest, and after attack on our country. The high school version and Congressional version of fad now is to bail out, and to pontificate about it, apparently with the most silly media coverage.
We have elected the wrong leaders, though leader may be the incorrect term. The present people there seem more like professional politicians and at best local politicians who can not think in a National sense beyond pontificating, which is being kind. And the present talk about how to pull out of this mess never mentions the consequences of doing so. If only the world were friction free and without consequences. That the charade that is amplified in the media of somehow being hood winked is appalling. We all have memories, to include the debate and the vote. Many politicians may seek to pretend and report otherwise, and the media may cover up, but many citizens have to live in the real world. They are worth listening to ... before the next vote.
And it is our National Defense and Interest at stake, as if that seems to matter in the confident thoughts of the present political leaders.
The terrible consequences of the mismanagement of the Iraq war is that so many citizens are fed up enough to quit, plain and simple. Talk about a Catch 22. We're damned if we do and damned if we are not. Unfortunately life and the military is not a Catch 22 movie and the irony of the movie is not a foreign policy.
There are alternatives to just politically quitting in some sort of mollifying way to American voters.
First is the leaders we need. They are not presently elected and in charge today, but we most certainly must elect them in the future. These Americans are everywhere, and they are not the people in D.C. today. They are Americans like Ike who got us out of Korea, or Reagan who attacked Gaddafi after the killings by them in Germany, or those today just waiting to be called. The obvious principle is that they thought National Defense, and knew when talk ended and power talked in dealing with these mostly small level despots today. Perhaps that is the most king has no clothes element today that is astounding. This is not multiculturalism; this is our National Defense and our way of life. And after all, we are dealing with despots, not the likes of Gandhi or King.
Tuesday, June 26, 2007
What happens when our adversaries don't think like us
They become emboldened to the point of overt aggression. The very USA people who have encouraged and demanded diplomacy and reason and listening have in the end made things worse. The Iranians, like other regional powers in history, have learned appeasement out of decades of western reactions and some actions dominated by those who have led the policies that the Iranians take as appeasement. It is coming that our national defense and national interests are being threatened enough to where even the pacifists will be concerned about their way of life.
Two obvious points jump out.
First is that we simply don't have the leaders in the Executive or the Congress we need to survive as a nation, and I dare suggest, promote our nation as a way of life. Now that we are being attacked and the discussion in D.C. and the main stream media is still on lesser issues, the old articles about comparisons to the late 1930's come back again. Actually they were better then. What might have been nipped in the bud by small military action, or covert action, now will take tanker trucks of blood and lives, and again those most sincere about avoiding war at all costs have now brought it down on us. God damn them all.
Second is an even bigger concern about things spiraling out of control, or unleashing the genies, or just plain losing control of the situation. Those that think Iranian misjudgments by Iranian dictators are the only problem are naive, hopeful, or disingenuous. Regional nation-state and tribal leaders and even narco promoters throughout the world will take advantage of the distractions of the USA and its allies, real or perceived, and just be themselves. As a USA nation mostly focused on itself, we want to avoid all this. But once the genies are unleashed, things become scary for the control freaks and those who actually have to bleed.
One conclusion comes to mind. Our present Executive and Congressional leaders may want to surrender. Some present leaders may think it is surrender to the Iranians in the region, and some may think it is surrender to the action of the ages in people asserting themselves. I could almost listen to the last idea, until I see the terrible fascist and hatred nature of these despots, these criminals, these kill all barbarians. Since 5 out of 6 USA people think more like the alternatives in the Nations defense are better choices, change in the coming elections will promote this most basic defense of the Nation. Since our government is not parliamentarian, but republican, a Chamberlain cannot be replaced by a Churchill as quickly, but surely most certainly.
The most fundamental mistake is that of those in the west who think all people think like them and have the same values and aspirations. One wishes it was so. But it is not. So it is down to fight for our values and way of life, or surrender. Thank goodness there is a vote everywhere in the west. As an American, we take an oath to support and defend the Constitution, not any individual. The oath includes defending against all enemies, foreign and domestic.
The now oft written and publicized line, mostly in the third world, is that the way to win the local or regional war in not militarily or otherwise locally, but rather in Washington, D.C., is being applied against us again and today. There are historical reasons to buy this line. But perhaps the Iranians have gone too far, as well as the genies soon to be unleashed. But also perhaps our present political leaders will surrender.
If a war continues, we did not start it. The Iranians already have. And all attempts to control it are a good idea, but will probably fail. That there is no action in D.C reflects so poorly on our present elected leaders that many changes are coming, foreign and domestic. God damn them all.
They become emboldened to the point of overt aggression. The very USA people who have encouraged and demanded diplomacy and reason and listening have in the end made things worse. The Iranians, like other regional powers in history, have learned appeasement out of decades of western reactions and some actions dominated by those who have led the policies that the Iranians take as appeasement. It is coming that our national defense and national interests are being threatened enough to where even the pacifists will be concerned about their way of life.
Two obvious points jump out.
First is that we simply don't have the leaders in the Executive or the Congress we need to survive as a nation, and I dare suggest, promote our nation as a way of life. Now that we are being attacked and the discussion in D.C. and the main stream media is still on lesser issues, the old articles about comparisons to the late 1930's come back again. Actually they were better then. What might have been nipped in the bud by small military action, or covert action, now will take tanker trucks of blood and lives, and again those most sincere about avoiding war at all costs have now brought it down on us. God damn them all.
Second is an even bigger concern about things spiraling out of control, or unleashing the genies, or just plain losing control of the situation. Those that think Iranian misjudgments by Iranian dictators are the only problem are naive, hopeful, or disingenuous. Regional nation-state and tribal leaders and even narco promoters throughout the world will take advantage of the distractions of the USA and its allies, real or perceived, and just be themselves. As a USA nation mostly focused on itself, we want to avoid all this. But once the genies are unleashed, things become scary for the control freaks and those who actually have to bleed.
One conclusion comes to mind. Our present Executive and Congressional leaders may want to surrender. Some present leaders may think it is surrender to the Iranians in the region, and some may think it is surrender to the action of the ages in people asserting themselves. I could almost listen to the last idea, until I see the terrible fascist and hatred nature of these despots, these criminals, these kill all barbarians. Since 5 out of 6 USA people think more like the alternatives in the Nations defense are better choices, change in the coming elections will promote this most basic defense of the Nation. Since our government is not parliamentarian, but republican, a Chamberlain cannot be replaced by a Churchill as quickly, but surely most certainly.
The most fundamental mistake is that of those in the west who think all people think like them and have the same values and aspirations. One wishes it was so. But it is not. So it is down to fight for our values and way of life, or surrender. Thank goodness there is a vote everywhere in the west. As an American, we take an oath to support and defend the Constitution, not any individual. The oath includes defending against all enemies, foreign and domestic.
The now oft written and publicized line, mostly in the third world, is that the way to win the local or regional war in not militarily or otherwise locally, but rather in Washington, D.C., is being applied against us again and today. There are historical reasons to buy this line. But perhaps the Iranians have gone too far, as well as the genies soon to be unleashed. But also perhaps our present political leaders will surrender.
If a war continues, we did not start it. The Iranians already have. And all attempts to control it are a good idea, but will probably fail. That there is no action in D.C reflects so poorly on our present elected leaders that many changes are coming, foreign and domestic. God damn them all.
Monday, June 25, 2007
Fatherhood situation report
Daughters are not as smart as I thought. She might actually be a 12 year old kid. I do hope the showers are cold at the girls camp (they are at the boys camp), and think so. Both are on the Cumberland Plateau in Tennessee. My intent is for her to be appreciative of all the wonders we do have at our homes, today.
This father may be a bigger pansy than I thought.
I was, and am, very proud of her in her preparation. She used the internet to repeatedly download the camp checklist of what to bring, and went through the checklist repeatedly during packing. Her brother, to be kind, was not so fast. The camp's philosophy and mine as a Marine are the same. If you don't bring it, live without it or make do. At least the camps have a list. The old Marines seldom did, though there were always work arounds. The obvious example is rain gear where a sheet of plastic or a plastic trash bag can be modified to work.
So I was shocked, shocked as in Casablanca the movie terms, when I got a letter begging for cowboy boots so she could ride horses. Of course, I blew her off in the best father and Marine way. She had her chance and blew it. Then I got a second letter also begging for the cowboy boots (size 3, though she would take sizes 2, 3, and 4). Then I went back and read the internet checklist, and sure enough it called for cowboy boots. The letter added she and another girl shared her friend's boots since they were on alternate days, except for the rodeo. Hence the begging for boots along with all the I miss you stuff.
So pansy me went to the local discount store and got her made in India cowboy boots and took them out to girls camp.
But I can be tough. I skipped the rodeo, anticipating blaming it on the local prevailing thunderstorms.
Daughters are not as smart as I thought. She might actually be a 12 year old kid. I do hope the showers are cold at the girls camp (they are at the boys camp), and think so. Both are on the Cumberland Plateau in Tennessee. My intent is for her to be appreciative of all the wonders we do have at our homes, today.
This father may be a bigger pansy than I thought.
I was, and am, very proud of her in her preparation. She used the internet to repeatedly download the camp checklist of what to bring, and went through the checklist repeatedly during packing. Her brother, to be kind, was not so fast. The camp's philosophy and mine as a Marine are the same. If you don't bring it, live without it or make do. At least the camps have a list. The old Marines seldom did, though there were always work arounds. The obvious example is rain gear where a sheet of plastic or a plastic trash bag can be modified to work.
So I was shocked, shocked as in Casablanca the movie terms, when I got a letter begging for cowboy boots so she could ride horses. Of course, I blew her off in the best father and Marine way. She had her chance and blew it. Then I got a second letter also begging for the cowboy boots (size 3, though she would take sizes 2, 3, and 4). Then I went back and read the internet checklist, and sure enough it called for cowboy boots. The letter added she and another girl shared her friend's boots since they were on alternate days, except for the rodeo. Hence the begging for boots along with all the I miss you stuff.
So pansy me went to the local discount store and got her made in India cowboy boots and took them out to girls camp.
But I can be tough. I skipped the rodeo, anticipating blaming it on the local prevailing thunderstorms.
Recent Newsweek reports are becoming funny
Reports by at least two Newsweek reporters who have visited Tehran, Iran recently make many want to laugh at the reporters. How naïve, or prejudiced, or egotistical they come across as reporters. The universal principle of going to any microcosm of a country, and saying the whole country is like this, is silly. It’s laughable. Especially saying the capital is representative of the country is just out of touch. Most know better.
And educated and apparently not so smart people are the usual culprits. Hearing engineers in D.C. who apparently visited Atlanta’s Stone Mountain sometime, seriously tell people that people in the south dress and go around like the beginnings of the movie “Gone With the Wind” was too funny, if the gross application of this ignorance wasn’t so serious.
And ignorance and expectations are a two-way street. As a bachelor Marine going to Denmark for a first exercise, I had visions of sugar plums dancing in my head, Danish style. I could just imagine nubile topless females sunning themselves in the Tivoli, Copenhagen and my devil’s approach to all. Well, I ended up in the middle of Jutland, and it was more like Mayberry RFD. The old Georgia Tech expression of corn fed farm girls came to mind (an old football insult cheer). So which is a way to write about the how the Danish people are … there is none. It is “site” specific. Denmark is a big country, and Iran is even bigger.
I for one have been to military schools with Iranian military types, not the Army of God types, and have the utmost respect for them from a professional point of view. And I have some other time in various countries and capitals and cultural centers, and know now what most Americans have figured out and also know, there is no generic American. Any citizen from Corona, S.D. that goes to the big city of Minneapolis St. Paul for a visit knows this. I just wish Newsweek types on Tehran paid visits knew this, or would even hint the “site” specific influence of their article. Otherwise they seem funny.
Reports by at least two Newsweek reporters who have visited Tehran, Iran recently make many want to laugh at the reporters. How naïve, or prejudiced, or egotistical they come across as reporters. The universal principle of going to any microcosm of a country, and saying the whole country is like this, is silly. It’s laughable. Especially saying the capital is representative of the country is just out of touch. Most know better.
And educated and apparently not so smart people are the usual culprits. Hearing engineers in D.C. who apparently visited Atlanta’s Stone Mountain sometime, seriously tell people that people in the south dress and go around like the beginnings of the movie “Gone With the Wind” was too funny, if the gross application of this ignorance wasn’t so serious.
And ignorance and expectations are a two-way street. As a bachelor Marine going to Denmark for a first exercise, I had visions of sugar plums dancing in my head, Danish style. I could just imagine nubile topless females sunning themselves in the Tivoli, Copenhagen and my devil’s approach to all. Well, I ended up in the middle of Jutland, and it was more like Mayberry RFD. The old Georgia Tech expression of corn fed farm girls came to mind (an old football insult cheer). So which is a way to write about the how the Danish people are … there is none. It is “site” specific. Denmark is a big country, and Iran is even bigger.
I for one have been to military schools with Iranian military types, not the Army of God types, and have the utmost respect for them from a professional point of view. And I have some other time in various countries and capitals and cultural centers, and know now what most Americans have figured out and also know, there is no generic American. Any citizen from Corona, S.D. that goes to the big city of Minneapolis St. Paul for a visit knows this. I just wish Newsweek types on Tehran paid visits knew this, or would even hint the “site” specific influence of their article. Otherwise they seem funny.
A foreign policy for the American people
Thinking out of the box … Yes!
Thinking by all regions of America … Yes. Beyond the D.C. beltway … certainly.
A realistic appreciation of how the world has changed, and is always changing … absolutely.
Dominated by the New World in the Western Hemisphere … of course. Lowering the Old World’s domination of all things foreign, including policy … by default.
Some of the principals that come naturally are:
Takes advantage of the miracle the Old World created in the New World.
Incorporates the American personality which avoids wars, but also is willing to fight wars when need be (don’t tread on me).
Simple in concept … do the New World right thing and credibility will follow.
Inherent focus on the common people objectives and much less domination by the Old World ruling classes.
Never dogmatically applied.
Assumes the best future pattern for the whole World is that of the New World.
This last point is titanic in its implications. It is titanic in its belief that the miracles created in the New World are superior to the Old World’s ways. And it is titanic in the large guidepost it establishes. And we all know the New World is always evolving, too, but the guidepost always remains a New World guidepost.
In a perfect world, we Americans will never be dragged down by the Old World, rather, we will drag the Old World our way. And we also know the World is not perfect, so the road will be bumpy and curved, rather than smooth and straight in some utopian idea of a perfect world.
One can say this foreign policy has already started just by using immigration patterns of people coming to the New World. But immigration is an indicator or a tool of an applied foreign policy. The bigger picture is one of western culture and values being best used in the New World. An American foreign policy that expresses this as best for the whole World is so American. It is not natural, and there are other possible outcomes and World situations, some much worse.
Thinking out of the box … Yes!
Thinking by all regions of America … Yes. Beyond the D.C. beltway … certainly.
A realistic appreciation of how the world has changed, and is always changing … absolutely.
Dominated by the New World in the Western Hemisphere … of course. Lowering the Old World’s domination of all things foreign, including policy … by default.
Some of the principals that come naturally are:
Takes advantage of the miracle the Old World created in the New World.
Incorporates the American personality which avoids wars, but also is willing to fight wars when need be (don’t tread on me).
Simple in concept … do the New World right thing and credibility will follow.
Inherent focus on the common people objectives and much less domination by the Old World ruling classes.
Never dogmatically applied.
Assumes the best future pattern for the whole World is that of the New World.
This last point is titanic in its implications. It is titanic in its belief that the miracles created in the New World are superior to the Old World’s ways. And it is titanic in the large guidepost it establishes. And we all know the New World is always evolving, too, but the guidepost always remains a New World guidepost.
In a perfect world, we Americans will never be dragged down by the Old World, rather, we will drag the Old World our way. And we also know the World is not perfect, so the road will be bumpy and curved, rather than smooth and straight in some utopian idea of a perfect world.
One can say this foreign policy has already started just by using immigration patterns of people coming to the New World. But immigration is an indicator or a tool of an applied foreign policy. The bigger picture is one of western culture and values being best used in the New World. An American foreign policy that expresses this as best for the whole World is so American. It is not natural, and there are other possible outcomes and World situations, some much worse.
Sunday, June 24, 2007
“An unfinished life” … the movie
This one’s a sleeper, maybe soon to the a cult type rural movie. My 12 year old daughter watches it up here in Tennessee when from Atlanta, like every day. The movie location is like Wyoming or Montana.
Robert Redford finally plays his age, and he is great. Morgan Freeman is also good, as well as Jennifer Lopez. The movie is directed by the Swede Lasse Halstrom, who specializes in my mind with rural movies. He directed “The Cider House Rules”.
Thumbs up. Go check it out since it is past theater distribution. I had to look like five times to find it at WalMart in Cookeville, Tn.
This one’s a sleeper, maybe soon to the a cult type rural movie. My 12 year old daughter watches it up here in Tennessee when from Atlanta, like every day. The movie location is like Wyoming or Montana.
Robert Redford finally plays his age, and he is great. Morgan Freeman is also good, as well as Jennifer Lopez. The movie is directed by the Swede Lasse Halstrom, who specializes in my mind with rural movies. He directed “The Cider House Rules”.
Thumbs up. Go check it out since it is past theater distribution. I had to look like five times to find it at WalMart in Cookeville, Tn.
American future foreign policy
When one reads a WaPo piece by David Ignatius I am attracted, even if he did pronounce in one earlier article that the global warming debate is over (at least in his mind). So maybe his judgment can be different. But when I read an article today that attempts to summarize what three old time men of the diplomatic past say about the future, I have my attention gained again. The three old time people are Henry Kissinger, Zbigniew Brzezinski and Brent Scowcroft on a TV show that is part of a round table series of shows that some or all of them do. I actually took the time to listen to the almost one hour show, and what they said and what David Ignatius said they said is not quite the same. In fairness to David Ignatius, and I believe he is well intentioned and a good writer, his judgment about what to say they said is different from mine. And I am just a common citizen. Actually, so is he. And the interviewer was Charlie Rose, who did a very fair job I believe.
At this point I diverge from the article and the Charlie Rose interview, though the theme in all is American future foreign policy. Clearly the old time assumptions and standards about the world as it was are changing. It is in fact important to listen to our adversaries, if often just to show them we can listen. Just who do we Americans want listening was really never asked? Is it the old time diplomats in their ways of astute diplomacy and dancing around the issue, or is it some new types more attuned to the present ugly reality. Is the goal still to use astute diplomacy to have our way, or to adjust to the new world way, what ever that is. And who dominates the future world? Is it the old world’s most complicated problems, the old world’s newest global balkanization problems, or good grief, can we address new world problems. These old time diplomats came across as old time diplomats. Though well experienced and well intentioned and certainly politically powerful, for lack of knowing what to do, they recommend doing what they know. The logic makes sense for many citizens.
Can we have a “new world” foreign policy? I think I heard such a diplomatic line during the show as “do the right thing and credibility will follow”. Never in the one hour show or the David Ignatius summary of same, did I hear discussion of terms like thuggery, bullying, the role crime plays in most third world societies, or even piracy. What I heard was more east coast diatribe based on lifestyle and experience based on the west. The general point of view was to treat many of them as moral equals. Another point of view and course of action says when those Barbary type people arise, one does not treat them as anything else than criminals who hurt us. We kill them to protect our way of life.
So one thing in a future foreign policy that is a seismic shift does, if it emphasizes the “new world”, is unleash the genies. In this is the path to the human future. And in any foreign policy, old world or new world, squashing the thugs and bullies is constant. I for one wished it had been mentioned in the show. We must always talk to all, but never be dragged down by the old world diplomatic solutions and thugs.
When one reads a WaPo piece by David Ignatius I am attracted, even if he did pronounce in one earlier article that the global warming debate is over (at least in his mind). So maybe his judgment can be different. But when I read an article today that attempts to summarize what three old time men of the diplomatic past say about the future, I have my attention gained again. The three old time people are Henry Kissinger, Zbigniew Brzezinski and Brent Scowcroft on a TV show that is part of a round table series of shows that some or all of them do. I actually took the time to listen to the almost one hour show, and what they said and what David Ignatius said they said is not quite the same. In fairness to David Ignatius, and I believe he is well intentioned and a good writer, his judgment about what to say they said is different from mine. And I am just a common citizen. Actually, so is he. And the interviewer was Charlie Rose, who did a very fair job I believe.
At this point I diverge from the article and the Charlie Rose interview, though the theme in all is American future foreign policy. Clearly the old time assumptions and standards about the world as it was are changing. It is in fact important to listen to our adversaries, if often just to show them we can listen. Just who do we Americans want listening was really never asked? Is it the old time diplomats in their ways of astute diplomacy and dancing around the issue, or is it some new types more attuned to the present ugly reality. Is the goal still to use astute diplomacy to have our way, or to adjust to the new world way, what ever that is. And who dominates the future world? Is it the old world’s most complicated problems, the old world’s newest global balkanization problems, or good grief, can we address new world problems. These old time diplomats came across as old time diplomats. Though well experienced and well intentioned and certainly politically powerful, for lack of knowing what to do, they recommend doing what they know. The logic makes sense for many citizens.
Can we have a “new world” foreign policy? I think I heard such a diplomatic line during the show as “do the right thing and credibility will follow”. Never in the one hour show or the David Ignatius summary of same, did I hear discussion of terms like thuggery, bullying, the role crime plays in most third world societies, or even piracy. What I heard was more east coast diatribe based on lifestyle and experience based on the west. The general point of view was to treat many of them as moral equals. Another point of view and course of action says when those Barbary type people arise, one does not treat them as anything else than criminals who hurt us. We kill them to protect our way of life.
So one thing in a future foreign policy that is a seismic shift does, if it emphasizes the “new world”, is unleash the genies. In this is the path to the human future. And in any foreign policy, old world or new world, squashing the thugs and bullies is constant. I for one wished it had been mentioned in the show. We must always talk to all, but never be dragged down by the old world diplomatic solutions and thugs.
Saturday, June 23, 2007
What’s your brand of news?
This post is from the user point of view. We all know or think the media is prejudiced in its reporting. Most think the prejudice is in political skewing. Some others, of which I am one, think too many young “journalists” have been led astray by academia in its influence on later job reporting with an emphasis on emotional influence or just driving up business profits. The trends are that these students are slowly losing their jobs after school while their academic professors go on to well paid retirements. What a classical generational screw job.
So what is your brand of the news these days. Is it still mainstream media, albeit with your filters on, blogs, some of which seem to have good intel type sources, or TV, as in the three main USA networks, or even the cable 24/7 networks. Add in the government funded news through BBC and NPR and PBS, or even the local TV jobs which have come along in the last 20 years or so. That’s about it, and compared to the rest of the world, we are probably the best informed news junkies in the world.
But do we know the news to our satisfaction? The real question is: do we know the constructed news or the real news? Most certainly we know the reporter’s opinion of the news. In this is the change from the past. In the past we could seek opinions in an opinion section, and we could seek the news in the news section. When apparently a whole industry changed to opinion writing and opinion TV appearances, and again I blame academia, much of the American public turned off. No amount of most of the media living in New York and D.C. with all the terrible peer pressure, can change what I think academia and the industry has done. Add in Democratic Party thought control and censorship about debate (and I though Galileo had it bad) and the times are difficult and dangerous to the thoughtful citizen in these times of the politics of personal destruction.
This post is from the user point of view. We all know or think the media is prejudiced in its reporting. Most think the prejudice is in political skewing. Some others, of which I am one, think too many young “journalists” have been led astray by academia in its influence on later job reporting with an emphasis on emotional influence or just driving up business profits. The trends are that these students are slowly losing their jobs after school while their academic professors go on to well paid retirements. What a classical generational screw job.
So what is your brand of the news these days. Is it still mainstream media, albeit with your filters on, blogs, some of which seem to have good intel type sources, or TV, as in the three main USA networks, or even the cable 24/7 networks. Add in the government funded news through BBC and NPR and PBS, or even the local TV jobs which have come along in the last 20 years or so. That’s about it, and compared to the rest of the world, we are probably the best informed news junkies in the world.
But do we know the news to our satisfaction? The real question is: do we know the constructed news or the real news? Most certainly we know the reporter’s opinion of the news. In this is the change from the past. In the past we could seek opinions in an opinion section, and we could seek the news in the news section. When apparently a whole industry changed to opinion writing and opinion TV appearances, and again I blame academia, much of the American public turned off. No amount of most of the media living in New York and D.C. with all the terrible peer pressure, can change what I think academia and the industry has done. Add in Democratic Party thought control and censorship about debate (and I though Galileo had it bad) and the times are difficult and dangerous to the thoughtful citizen in these times of the politics of personal destruction.
It’s the beginning of the world, and I feel fine
It is not good for the eastern mind to fathom the western way
Double talk, impatience, short term and now
Seldom patience and values about big things
Why is life such a big thing…numbers count too
Girls marry at 30 so why the hurry since families choose
East meets west and we’ll never be the same
It’s the beginning of the world as we know it
And I feel fine
Too many people, too little earth, or so they say
Is it numbers, is it demands on the earth
Who decides, are there new rulers or religions
Is it inherent or do we need a new pope of ecology to tell us
Can he make us
Can we make us
Will it be collapse as some say or will it be balance as some say
It’s the beginning of the world as we know it
And I feel fine
Equality is fine, but all men are not equal
Those here, equal and unequal, want the same for themselves
And their families too
Some fight to go up, some fight to try stay up, all fight to be up
Up becomes more common and common
It’s the beginning of the world as we know it
And I feel fine
Evil men will never go away, why are they here, life is so hard anyway, why, why, why
Dark ages are real, so sorry, so sorry, why, why, why
How do they do it to us, why are they here, why, why
We keep crushing them like bugs, they don’t go away
We don’t go away either, never ever go away
After a Dark Age comes the light, a bright shining light
And the dark age will be short, short, short before the bright shining light
It’s the beginning of the world as we know it
And I feel fine
We are a world, yes, yes … nations and tribes all mixed around, everywhere
We are two sexes as made to reproduce the race until the future, yes, yes
We are many generations together, humans are getting older, yes, yes
The humans are gentrifying the earth, yes, yes
It’s the beginning of the world as we know it,
And I feel fine
And I feel fine
It is not good for the eastern mind to fathom the western way
Double talk, impatience, short term and now
Seldom patience and values about big things
Why is life such a big thing…numbers count too
Girls marry at 30 so why the hurry since families choose
East meets west and we’ll never be the same
It’s the beginning of the world as we know it
And I feel fine
Too many people, too little earth, or so they say
Is it numbers, is it demands on the earth
Who decides, are there new rulers or religions
Is it inherent or do we need a new pope of ecology to tell us
Can he make us
Can we make us
Will it be collapse as some say or will it be balance as some say
It’s the beginning of the world as we know it
And I feel fine
Equality is fine, but all men are not equal
Those here, equal and unequal, want the same for themselves
And their families too
Some fight to go up, some fight to try stay up, all fight to be up
Up becomes more common and common
It’s the beginning of the world as we know it
And I feel fine
Evil men will never go away, why are they here, life is so hard anyway, why, why, why
Dark ages are real, so sorry, so sorry, why, why, why
How do they do it to us, why are they here, why, why
We keep crushing them like bugs, they don’t go away
We don’t go away either, never ever go away
After a Dark Age comes the light, a bright shining light
And the dark age will be short, short, short before the bright shining light
It’s the beginning of the world as we know it
And I feel fine
We are a world, yes, yes … nations and tribes all mixed around, everywhere
We are two sexes as made to reproduce the race until the future, yes, yes
We are many generations together, humans are getting older, yes, yes
The humans are gentrifying the earth, yes, yes
It’s the beginning of the world as we know it,
And I feel fine
And I feel fine
2008 will be the vote heard round the world
The most basic instincts in humans of security, opportunity for descendents, and basic quality of life come into discussion more than used to be. The world seems about as full of friction and wars as normal, but the USA has forces converging that together are pivotal. The converging forces are political, generational, and cultural. The results are pivotal in where ever the outcome leads us as a nation, and they are pivotal in that we used the vote vice revolution or a civil war.
Much as it is said as California goes, so goes the USA later, a saying much less said now days, so as the USA goes, so will much of the New World, and eventually the Old World.
The cultural conflicts at play are religion, cultural censorship, drugs, and immigration.
The generational conflicts at play are who pays for all the promised benefits, and expectations and standards.
The political conflicts at play are the growing ineffectiveness of the national government, an America first homeland defense, and the traditional national traits of isolationism and anti-war instincts.
The effect will be heard loud and clear around the world. That a vote was used vice the alternatives is most profound for much of the world. The detailed results will have some effects, too. In old Disney talk, it will definitely be an “E Ticket ride”.
The most basic instincts in humans of security, opportunity for descendents, and basic quality of life come into discussion more than used to be. The world seems about as full of friction and wars as normal, but the USA has forces converging that together are pivotal. The converging forces are political, generational, and cultural. The results are pivotal in where ever the outcome leads us as a nation, and they are pivotal in that we used the vote vice revolution or a civil war.
Much as it is said as California goes, so goes the USA later, a saying much less said now days, so as the USA goes, so will much of the New World, and eventually the Old World.
The cultural conflicts at play are religion, cultural censorship, drugs, and immigration.
The generational conflicts at play are who pays for all the promised benefits, and expectations and standards.
The political conflicts at play are the growing ineffectiveness of the national government, an America first homeland defense, and the traditional national traits of isolationism and anti-war instincts.
The effect will be heard loud and clear around the world. That a vote was used vice the alternatives is most profound for much of the world. The detailed results will have some effects, too. In old Disney talk, it will definitely be an “E Ticket ride”.
Friday, June 22, 2007
Public health and costs
Up front I have nothing to do with the industry, to include medical, trial lawyers, and the health insurance industry. In old time talk, I am a Joe Blow. I do have doctor friends, and friends in the Medicare industry. I don’t know any medical trial lawyers.
As the son of a Marine, and then myself a Marine, I think of myself as having grown up through a kind of health care system including the APC pill which is now discredited. The general line was if you were really ill, then the system would admit you, and it would be difficult to get out of it. One of my elementary school male friends, Jim Poindexter, died of leukemia at the El Toro hospital. In the interim, being sick as from the flu was treatable by corpsman and even a medical Chief. Of course as a battalion commander, I had my own doc, and got some special attention, none it deserved, even when he dug out a NC tick I could not dig out at home. It was a nasty tick, and since I have had over 40 ticks through training and exercise, this one got my attention.
The idea of a national health care system is wonderful. So are many other things. As a Marine who lived through the Naval Services health care system, both as a kid and a Marine, I would counsel caution. First I believe that most medical problems presented by the patient or parents are usually treatable by someone else than a doctor. The flu or some lung congestion or some birth control don’t require a doctor. Add in things that basic first aid will do, as in using butterfly bandages vice going to the emergency ward, and things can change.
Even societal change, as in the old days of mothers kicking kids out for day and they come home when night or hunger comes first, should come back.
Any national health care system means “rationing” treatment, assuming doctors and trial lawyers will work at the government rates. So if you need a hip replacement, wait in line, as in 18 to 36 months, and then some politician or senior officer or enlisted man may bump you. That’s what happens today in the Naval Service way, and I am being complementary since the service will be professional, once you make it through the queue, again, if you do.
The wild card I hear is this. Will Americans step up to the plate to become doctors to go through this system. Numbers count. Most won’t. And there are so many trial lawyers who line up to in detail to extortionate doctor’s decisions. They are even on TV advertisements these days. And all we citizens want is medical support.
I’ve made my peace. Limit the trial lawyers medical payments by law so they quit naturally. Bust up the doctors unions with competition. One radiologist having a county wide contract must be subject to competition. And here’s one I know I object to, but do not know how to solve. All the many American administrators who make careers off of Medicaid and Medicare must find other employment, or let’s declare it for what it has seemingly become, a jobs program.
And all most want is affordable health care. And most are willing to wait in the queue, as long as they think they are in the queue. Some may not to want to wait. Then they can pay the extra expense. The friction between the two ways is so American.
Up front I have nothing to do with the industry, to include medical, trial lawyers, and the health insurance industry. In old time talk, I am a Joe Blow. I do have doctor friends, and friends in the Medicare industry. I don’t know any medical trial lawyers.
As the son of a Marine, and then myself a Marine, I think of myself as having grown up through a kind of health care system including the APC pill which is now discredited. The general line was if you were really ill, then the system would admit you, and it would be difficult to get out of it. One of my elementary school male friends, Jim Poindexter, died of leukemia at the El Toro hospital. In the interim, being sick as from the flu was treatable by corpsman and even a medical Chief. Of course as a battalion commander, I had my own doc, and got some special attention, none it deserved, even when he dug out a NC tick I could not dig out at home. It was a nasty tick, and since I have had over 40 ticks through training and exercise, this one got my attention.
The idea of a national health care system is wonderful. So are many other things. As a Marine who lived through the Naval Services health care system, both as a kid and a Marine, I would counsel caution. First I believe that most medical problems presented by the patient or parents are usually treatable by someone else than a doctor. The flu or some lung congestion or some birth control don’t require a doctor. Add in things that basic first aid will do, as in using butterfly bandages vice going to the emergency ward, and things can change.
Even societal change, as in the old days of mothers kicking kids out for day and they come home when night or hunger comes first, should come back.
Any national health care system means “rationing” treatment, assuming doctors and trial lawyers will work at the government rates. So if you need a hip replacement, wait in line, as in 18 to 36 months, and then some politician or senior officer or enlisted man may bump you. That’s what happens today in the Naval Service way, and I am being complementary since the service will be professional, once you make it through the queue, again, if you do.
The wild card I hear is this. Will Americans step up to the plate to become doctors to go through this system. Numbers count. Most won’t. And there are so many trial lawyers who line up to in detail to extortionate doctor’s decisions. They are even on TV advertisements these days. And all we citizens want is medical support.
I’ve made my peace. Limit the trial lawyers medical payments by law so they quit naturally. Bust up the doctors unions with competition. One radiologist having a county wide contract must be subject to competition. And here’s one I know I object to, but do not know how to solve. All the many American administrators who make careers off of Medicaid and Medicare must find other employment, or let’s declare it for what it has seemingly become, a jobs program.
And all most want is affordable health care. And most are willing to wait in the queue, as long as they think they are in the queue. Some may not to want to wait. Then they can pay the extra expense. The friction between the two ways is so American.
Are we stupid or something?
Like this variation of a line from Jenny in the movie “Forrest Gump” I wonder if something happens to nations when they become mature, as in super powers, or more realistically, the last super power nation standing in recent history. Is it overconfidence, the comfort of the older status quo, stupidity, or something? And of course there is no such thing as a nation in this discourse, but rather the people who lead and represent the nation. Most of us think of the leaders in the political sense, and rightly so. But there are also the industry leaders, the religious leaders, the tribal leaders, and even these days self-appointed media and environmental leaders. Do they all have something in common in their thinking? Many common citizens think many are stupid or something.
Our western culture and rule of law has brought westerners many benefits vis-à-vis public electricity, public health, public tap water, public elections, public pursuit of religion, public education, public transportation, and public security. The human pursuit of better opportunities for our children has been achieved in the west. This is monumental in human history. These public things were worked and fought for. They are not normal in human history, but rather achievements to be savored and advanced and defended. And again, this is the public’s benefits, not the ruling class, or who ever else appoints themselves as the ruling class. And much of the world is still not there in terms of public achievements. Much of this world is in the east. It is especially distressing to see the Arab civilization dominated by zealots who are devoted to tearing down their civilization as part of appointing themselves the ruling class, albeit by the gun and bomb.
Much more distressing is to see western leaders from various groups, some political, some religious, and some business who have other judgments that call upon practices like appeasement, and more idealistically turning the other cheek. That these leaders most often had nothing to do with our earlier western public policies that benefit us and our children seems the simple assumed security of the past and status quo types. If what we read about Sweden’s reinforcement of Sharia law, or British boycotts, or Christian Church interventions into the most historical conflicts, is even on theme, then many people are going down the tubes as the world’s publics begin to go another way. Are these leaders stupid or something?
Like this variation of a line from Jenny in the movie “Forrest Gump” I wonder if something happens to nations when they become mature, as in super powers, or more realistically, the last super power nation standing in recent history. Is it overconfidence, the comfort of the older status quo, stupidity, or something? And of course there is no such thing as a nation in this discourse, but rather the people who lead and represent the nation. Most of us think of the leaders in the political sense, and rightly so. But there are also the industry leaders, the religious leaders, the tribal leaders, and even these days self-appointed media and environmental leaders. Do they all have something in common in their thinking? Many common citizens think many are stupid or something.
Our western culture and rule of law has brought westerners many benefits vis-à-vis public electricity, public health, public tap water, public elections, public pursuit of religion, public education, public transportation, and public security. The human pursuit of better opportunities for our children has been achieved in the west. This is monumental in human history. These public things were worked and fought for. They are not normal in human history, but rather achievements to be savored and advanced and defended. And again, this is the public’s benefits, not the ruling class, or who ever else appoints themselves as the ruling class. And much of the world is still not there in terms of public achievements. Much of this world is in the east. It is especially distressing to see the Arab civilization dominated by zealots who are devoted to tearing down their civilization as part of appointing themselves the ruling class, albeit by the gun and bomb.
Much more distressing is to see western leaders from various groups, some political, some religious, and some business who have other judgments that call upon practices like appeasement, and more idealistically turning the other cheek. That these leaders most often had nothing to do with our earlier western public policies that benefit us and our children seems the simple assumed security of the past and status quo types. If what we read about Sweden’s reinforcement of Sharia law, or British boycotts, or Christian Church interventions into the most historical conflicts, is even on theme, then many people are going down the tubes as the world’s publics begin to go another way. Are these leaders stupid or something?
They had a chance since we told them
Over generalizing is normally not a fair description method for any one group, but the Congress may be one of the exceptions that come along now and then. The Congressional members and their staffs seem utterly aloof to the point of arrogance, responsive to those that enhance their political power and financial future, and assuming of some ruling class mentality. And we have been telling them about this for some time. Even the election of 2006 and the Democratic promises for change seemed like someone was finally listening. Alas, it was business as usual. Say one thing to get elected, and then do what you want to do after the election. After all, the voters will forget. But sometimes we don’t forget. There are pivotal times in history where words mean things and are not forgotten. We are there, today.
Some of our members of Congress are so important they have three or four committees to worry about. There is their own taxpayer funded personal staff, then perhaps a taxpayer funded congressional committee staff, and then a candidate funded election campaign staff. How many think the candidate actually finances their campaigns with their money. I even accepted the need to raise money till I read about $8,000/hour private jets and $400 haircuts. Now the line is blurred. And a few select members even have party staff to worry about. Many of these staffs have missed their chances too when they counsel business as usual. Maybe they are right, but probably not.
The most recent good example of us telling them is that of another bipartisan immigration law. In a great case of we told them, there was a national uprising that demanded control of the borders first, as in restore trust and faith in one of the federal government’s most basic responsibilities. Well, that apparently was not good enough, and most read how smoke and mirrors and obscure parliamentary rules will be used in the near future to try sneak in a Senate bill. Some of us are slow learners, maybe even a bit naïve and idealistic, but most also know when told to shut up and stuff it. The Congressional elections of 2008 can’t come fast enough, now.
That many citizens are doing State workarounds to get around Congress is most admirable. Transparency in spending laws and other initiatives are outstanding. The will of the people will be felt, one way or the other. Electing members of Congress who want a chance and will listen is the voters’ job. There is much work to do.
Over generalizing is normally not a fair description method for any one group, but the Congress may be one of the exceptions that come along now and then. The Congressional members and their staffs seem utterly aloof to the point of arrogance, responsive to those that enhance their political power and financial future, and assuming of some ruling class mentality. And we have been telling them about this for some time. Even the election of 2006 and the Democratic promises for change seemed like someone was finally listening. Alas, it was business as usual. Say one thing to get elected, and then do what you want to do after the election. After all, the voters will forget. But sometimes we don’t forget. There are pivotal times in history where words mean things and are not forgotten. We are there, today.
Some of our members of Congress are so important they have three or four committees to worry about. There is their own taxpayer funded personal staff, then perhaps a taxpayer funded congressional committee staff, and then a candidate funded election campaign staff. How many think the candidate actually finances their campaigns with their money. I even accepted the need to raise money till I read about $8,000/hour private jets and $400 haircuts. Now the line is blurred. And a few select members even have party staff to worry about. Many of these staffs have missed their chances too when they counsel business as usual. Maybe they are right, but probably not.
The most recent good example of us telling them is that of another bipartisan immigration law. In a great case of we told them, there was a national uprising that demanded control of the borders first, as in restore trust and faith in one of the federal government’s most basic responsibilities. Well, that apparently was not good enough, and most read how smoke and mirrors and obscure parliamentary rules will be used in the near future to try sneak in a Senate bill. Some of us are slow learners, maybe even a bit naïve and idealistic, but most also know when told to shut up and stuff it. The Congressional elections of 2008 can’t come fast enough, now.
That many citizens are doing State workarounds to get around Congress is most admirable. Transparency in spending laws and other initiatives are outstanding. The will of the people will be felt, one way or the other. Electing members of Congress who want a chance and will listen is the voters’ job. There is much work to do.
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