American status quo versus American nouveau
What if the body politic changed, and the dinosaur politicians lagged behind, or maybe did not even get it? What if their financiers had their own out of touch agendas?
What if recent “old time” federal strategies of run to the national party’s extremes in the primaries and then to the middle in the general elections began to “not work”? What if words began to mean something, and pandering became caustic. Even a normally blasé and busy body politic senses when things are not right, and a threat to their existence and way of life exists. Such are the times today.
Not that the politicians who volunteer to run for federal office are lazy or even assuming. They have much competition and their own family frictions. But America and its future is not about them, but us. And “us” most certainly is not the present two national parties, one which is probably not a national party anymore, though it will take a decade or so to show the reasons their leaders ran their party into the American ground.
Rather “us” is we Americans, and how we choose to be governed. Our Constitution is so special in human history. No prior religious books like the Bible or Koran suggest anything like our new world America is normal, though it should be. Said another way, those who are born here who think all that we have is normal are spoiled, selfish, of just plain naïve, like I and may others were. I offer as evidence the present immigration trends towards our Country as suggesting others recognize this special and unique America.
And on to nouveau, since Americans are problem solvers. Initiative and making mistakes, and picking up and trying better, are culturally imbued. Now many know zero defects mentality in the military and regular American life and work, but that idea is seldom applied to American politics. This political idea of initiative and willingness to make mistakes should be amplified, as there has got to be a better way than the present two national parties being in charge of the election process at all levels, and we body politic should not have to accept the choices from among the volunteers who choose to go through their party’s gauntlets.
The present situation is not by accident, but on purpose. And many well intentioned and hard working Americans got us where we are today. Consider that things might have even been worse than they are today? But in turn, there has to be a better way. All this assumes the American people have changed, and whom we vote for should reflect this. One can even assume that outsiders with money to donate are not able to pander to the body politic anymore, though many dinosaur politicians will take the money and pander to us, with “our” tax money, of course.
One hopes real American change starts in the elections of 2008, but maybe not. America has suffered through a few decades of poor leaders, albeit volunteers promoted by their parties and elected by fellow Americans, often pandered to. Political power and access to the national wealth resulted. But things have changed, and it is reasonable to expect American leaders to be voted in and begin to act like their fellow Americans, who sense, things about to get bad. Bad is the sins of our ancestors, and good is what we do about it.
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Wednesday, March 05, 2008
Tuesday, March 04, 2008
Our economic future is our vote
If American capitalism and American socialism and the something in-between has brought us to the coming economic downturn, maybe a depression, then there has to be a better way.
The better way is best determined by we voters and not our politicians. It is our elected politicians that got us into our present mess, albeit supported and encouraged by a more liberal intelligentsia, some with the most altruistic intents, as in trying to make most Americans homeowners also a stake holder in America. But most of these fellow Americans also set themselves up to be off the hook if they were wrong, or boo boo’d. Instead, we Americans would be left holding the bag for mistakes, so to speak, as in covering bad debt and bad policies, and suffering through economic downturns most of these elites could not imagine might happen on their watch, or because of their ideas they promoted and got passed by our politicians.
The present problems are just a culmination of decades long bad policies that cumulatively have added up here in America. First we generated vast wealth after WWII, then we used the Income Tax Amendment to tax it for redistribution of wealth and hopefully opportunity for the lesser off Americans, then we began borrowing when even the taxes would not cover the promises. Later the retributions with little accountability occurred, as when our Country covered the massive Savings and Loans losses with our tax money (some Americans made a lot of taxpayer money out of this mess). This has been followed by politicians’ policies, practices, and laws that have encouraged, and sometimes intimidated, those that have money to loan money to poor homeowner risks, albeit, again, often with the best of intents. Some to this has been abused in many ways, to include buying homes beyond ones means counting on the status quo of ever increasing home prices to hedge one’s bets. Perhaps some of us even know people who have homes beyond their means full of empty rooms because things like furniture are beyond their borrowing and income means.
As all collapses of schemes occur, something prompted it. And then it cascaded to the point of traditional long standing and well regarded banks maybe going under. This time things may be different in 2008. First is the status quo politicians’ complicity in all this that has led to the present state. Second may be the unwillingness for the taxpayers to “eat this debacle”, this time and in spite of the present promises on the law books. Third may be the unwillingness for the voters to accept any status quo politician’s solutions to the problems for which the politicians were complacent. Fourth and last, there has to be a better way, and some change is in order in our New American World.
Some changes in standards are obvious and called for. Citizen responsibility is a large part of our American future. This post focuses on economics, and most changes should be in the air, or hopefully more developed than that. And American citizens should only count on themselves, and their votes, to change things, mostly votes for those whom we elect to make the changes happen.
A key point is that many Americans who are more conservative economically in their habits and practices will now most likely be drawn down in the coming economic problems, and may resent those fellow Americans and the status quo politicians that made it happen. One can imagine calling it a friction between richness and happiness, since the two are not synonymous. For example, my happiness includes lowering my standard of living to include drinking local spring water and using a wood stove. Others probably have higher standards. But by golly, it is my standards I am in charge of, as in being in charge of my life, and helping my families and their kids financially, which I can. And most don’t expect their income taxes to go towards covering the mistakes of their fellow Americans, to include these Americans life style choices. The Savings and Loan debacle was enough. There has to be a better way.
So vote as a way to at least start to change the status quo. Nobody else will ever do it. The alternatives are pretty depressing.
There is one obvious good alternative. Migrate elsewhere, as in Belize or Costa Rica. Many have, and many more may be on the way. For this poster, stay at home and vote.
If American capitalism and American socialism and the something in-between has brought us to the coming economic downturn, maybe a depression, then there has to be a better way.
The better way is best determined by we voters and not our politicians. It is our elected politicians that got us into our present mess, albeit supported and encouraged by a more liberal intelligentsia, some with the most altruistic intents, as in trying to make most Americans homeowners also a stake holder in America. But most of these fellow Americans also set themselves up to be off the hook if they were wrong, or boo boo’d. Instead, we Americans would be left holding the bag for mistakes, so to speak, as in covering bad debt and bad policies, and suffering through economic downturns most of these elites could not imagine might happen on their watch, or because of their ideas they promoted and got passed by our politicians.
The present problems are just a culmination of decades long bad policies that cumulatively have added up here in America. First we generated vast wealth after WWII, then we used the Income Tax Amendment to tax it for redistribution of wealth and hopefully opportunity for the lesser off Americans, then we began borrowing when even the taxes would not cover the promises. Later the retributions with little accountability occurred, as when our Country covered the massive Savings and Loans losses with our tax money (some Americans made a lot of taxpayer money out of this mess). This has been followed by politicians’ policies, practices, and laws that have encouraged, and sometimes intimidated, those that have money to loan money to poor homeowner risks, albeit, again, often with the best of intents. Some to this has been abused in many ways, to include buying homes beyond ones means counting on the status quo of ever increasing home prices to hedge one’s bets. Perhaps some of us even know people who have homes beyond their means full of empty rooms because things like furniture are beyond their borrowing and income means.
As all collapses of schemes occur, something prompted it. And then it cascaded to the point of traditional long standing and well regarded banks maybe going under. This time things may be different in 2008. First is the status quo politicians’ complicity in all this that has led to the present state. Second may be the unwillingness for the taxpayers to “eat this debacle”, this time and in spite of the present promises on the law books. Third may be the unwillingness for the voters to accept any status quo politician’s solutions to the problems for which the politicians were complacent. Fourth and last, there has to be a better way, and some change is in order in our New American World.
Some changes in standards are obvious and called for. Citizen responsibility is a large part of our American future. This post focuses on economics, and most changes should be in the air, or hopefully more developed than that. And American citizens should only count on themselves, and their votes, to change things, mostly votes for those whom we elect to make the changes happen.
A key point is that many Americans who are more conservative economically in their habits and practices will now most likely be drawn down in the coming economic problems, and may resent those fellow Americans and the status quo politicians that made it happen. One can imagine calling it a friction between richness and happiness, since the two are not synonymous. For example, my happiness includes lowering my standard of living to include drinking local spring water and using a wood stove. Others probably have higher standards. But by golly, it is my standards I am in charge of, as in being in charge of my life, and helping my families and their kids financially, which I can. And most don’t expect their income taxes to go towards covering the mistakes of their fellow Americans, to include these Americans life style choices. The Savings and Loan debacle was enough. There has to be a better way.
So vote as a way to at least start to change the status quo. Nobody else will ever do it. The alternatives are pretty depressing.
There is one obvious good alternative. Migrate elsewhere, as in Belize or Costa Rica. Many have, and many more may be on the way. For this poster, stay at home and vote.
Monday, March 03, 2008
Peer review is as tough or tougher than spouse review
And spouse review can be pretty tough from one who loves you, or maybe hates you. All this assumes some of us may not be perfect.
Peer review is so healthy because it cuts through the usual restraints about hurting one’s feelings while it promotes good ideas and exposes bad ideas. It can be the basis of decisions if exploited in the right way by savvy leaders. The techniques of application are many. One being “role playing” in front of peers, and the second being “what do you do now lieutenant” drills, which requires one to respond to a given situation in front of peers, and then taking their peers' critiques.
Now one senses that many of these types of questions are off-limits to the reporting media being able to ask these healthy questions to those fellow Americans who aspire to run our America. If many past debates seemed staged as to formats and questions, they probably were. Now one hears and reads that certain questions are now off-limits, as if a one time scripted answer is all we Americans deserve and will get. Now even the hints of complicity of going along to get along are appearing, as if access in the future depends on complicity now. That should be a media story in itself as it exposes a candidate to being more important than our Country and our families and our kids. This trend is new. Not too long ago, no proper thinking candidate would imagine even trying this method of intimidation. The audacity of some of our politicians has gone from bold and honest to intimidating, with an “in your face” style that is so un-American.
And all most Americans want to do is be able to ask the questions we choose, and be able to hear the responses, real time or even scripted if need be. This is different, not because Americans changed, but the candidates and their parties and hired minions have changed as recently as today, like 2008.
And spouse review can be pretty tough from one who loves you, or maybe hates you. All this assumes some of us may not be perfect.
Peer review is so healthy because it cuts through the usual restraints about hurting one’s feelings while it promotes good ideas and exposes bad ideas. It can be the basis of decisions if exploited in the right way by savvy leaders. The techniques of application are many. One being “role playing” in front of peers, and the second being “what do you do now lieutenant” drills, which requires one to respond to a given situation in front of peers, and then taking their peers' critiques.
Now one senses that many of these types of questions are off-limits to the reporting media being able to ask these healthy questions to those fellow Americans who aspire to run our America. If many past debates seemed staged as to formats and questions, they probably were. Now one hears and reads that certain questions are now off-limits, as if a one time scripted answer is all we Americans deserve and will get. Now even the hints of complicity of going along to get along are appearing, as if access in the future depends on complicity now. That should be a media story in itself as it exposes a candidate to being more important than our Country and our families and our kids. This trend is new. Not too long ago, no proper thinking candidate would imagine even trying this method of intimidation. The audacity of some of our politicians has gone from bold and honest to intimidating, with an “in your face” style that is so un-American.
And all most Americans want to do is be able to ask the questions we choose, and be able to hear the responses, real time or even scripted if need be. This is different, not because Americans changed, but the candidates and their parties and hired minions have changed as recently as today, like 2008.
Sunday, March 02, 2008
Is America’s defense about us or is it just a jobs program?
I’ve made my peace. It is about our defense. The recent decision to award the jet refueling contract to a combination that includes French made airplanes, albeit modified in the USA in Alabama and elsewhere, is just such a decision.
The friction is as thick as it can be. While the USA Boeing alternative is weaker, it seems, the decision is going to be reviewed.
So how is it going to be? Give us Americans an advantage, or give us jobs? Both are important. Keep all this in mind when your kids want to join the military to be themselves. In the meantime, our elected politicians will decide about our jobs and our kids that join the military.
I’ve made my peace. It is about our defense. The recent decision to award the jet refueling contract to a combination that includes French made airplanes, albeit modified in the USA in Alabama and elsewhere, is just such a decision.
The friction is as thick as it can be. While the USA Boeing alternative is weaker, it seems, the decision is going to be reviewed.
So how is it going to be? Give us Americans an advantage, or give us jobs? Both are important. Keep all this in mind when your kids want to join the military to be themselves. In the meantime, our elected politicians will decide about our jobs and our kids that join the military.
Our liberal and reporting media Americans can be such a bunch of losers!
This group, thank goodness is a minority of Americans and more importantly, a minority of voting Americans. That we may have to listen to them is just a fact of life these days, but we certainly don’t have to pay attention to them. Most Americans are willing to fight for what they believe in, and the time is upon us now. Most appalling to many Americans is the proclivity for today’s soothsayers, called hired pollsters, to tell us what we think and what we should do, rather than regular Americans using their own judgments and experiences. Slightly less appalling is that some minority of Americans actually buy this soothsayer trash, often disguised as intellectualism amplified by peer pressure similar to what many experienced in high school, where the cool people dominated the world of the high school. And then they and we graduated and entered the real world.
America, its people, and its government means to include voting, are more important than any fellow Americans means to circumvent our Constitution and our laws. This idea is unique in the world, and so special. Those who explain away our immigration trends as economic in nature are probably missing part of why? They are probably part of this minority of Americans.
Today a light bulb went on. The convergence of the detractors of the Iraq surge telling America to quit, and the minority of liberal and media intelligentsia telling Hillary Clinton to quit provided the generator of the light bulb’s electricity that was simply appalling. This minority of Americans are either: a bunch of losers who wilt in times of friction and conflict; or are so simply motivated to their cause that any soothsayer prediction should be exploited to the detriment of our Country and free debate, surrender to a cause being the prime example.
So the purpose of this post is to suggest American voters vote their judgments and experiences, and ignore this loser bunch of Americans. One old adage is as true now as it was decades ago: Never believe anything you hear, and only half of what you see.
This may be said another way. The old adage that only 10% of an iceberg is above the surface may be appropriate in 2008. Much of America in 2008 is this underlying group of Americans that don’t respond as well to the old time soothsayers who work the part of the iceberg that is more apparent and on top. Propaganda and modern marketing methods may not be as effective as advertised if it means Americans and their kids may suffer.
Said another way, America has suffered through a recent decades long period of poor national leaders more interested in their own politics, their own constituencies, their own egos, and even youth educational idealism, or their own way to mine our national wealth. Perhaps the federal elections in 2008 will be more of the same, but hopefully the 90% of the iceberg types below the surface will begin to assert themselves.
Many also believe we Americans must accept those who volunteer to go through the terrible gauntlet of their national party rules, with one being our future President.
Many believe it is not too late for 2008. We Americans still can pick a federal President that is better than the choices we are offered today.
A key point is that the present way of running for President is run by our two national parties, and they have never been part of our Constitution, and never will be, while they are in charge, today. For the storm the Bastille types, of which I count myself one, there has got to be a better way. For the more Churchill types, of which I also count myself one, democracy may not be great, but it is greater than the alternatives. My balance is that we Americans deserve, and will need, better than those running for President today.
Being dictated to by a bunch of losers is too appalling to accept in 2008.
This group, thank goodness is a minority of Americans and more importantly, a minority of voting Americans. That we may have to listen to them is just a fact of life these days, but we certainly don’t have to pay attention to them. Most Americans are willing to fight for what they believe in, and the time is upon us now. Most appalling to many Americans is the proclivity for today’s soothsayers, called hired pollsters, to tell us what we think and what we should do, rather than regular Americans using their own judgments and experiences. Slightly less appalling is that some minority of Americans actually buy this soothsayer trash, often disguised as intellectualism amplified by peer pressure similar to what many experienced in high school, where the cool people dominated the world of the high school. And then they and we graduated and entered the real world.
America, its people, and its government means to include voting, are more important than any fellow Americans means to circumvent our Constitution and our laws. This idea is unique in the world, and so special. Those who explain away our immigration trends as economic in nature are probably missing part of why? They are probably part of this minority of Americans.
Today a light bulb went on. The convergence of the detractors of the Iraq surge telling America to quit, and the minority of liberal and media intelligentsia telling Hillary Clinton to quit provided the generator of the light bulb’s electricity that was simply appalling. This minority of Americans are either: a bunch of losers who wilt in times of friction and conflict; or are so simply motivated to their cause that any soothsayer prediction should be exploited to the detriment of our Country and free debate, surrender to a cause being the prime example.
So the purpose of this post is to suggest American voters vote their judgments and experiences, and ignore this loser bunch of Americans. One old adage is as true now as it was decades ago: Never believe anything you hear, and only half of what you see.
This may be said another way. The old adage that only 10% of an iceberg is above the surface may be appropriate in 2008. Much of America in 2008 is this underlying group of Americans that don’t respond as well to the old time soothsayers who work the part of the iceberg that is more apparent and on top. Propaganda and modern marketing methods may not be as effective as advertised if it means Americans and their kids may suffer.
Said another way, America has suffered through a recent decades long period of poor national leaders more interested in their own politics, their own constituencies, their own egos, and even youth educational idealism, or their own way to mine our national wealth. Perhaps the federal elections in 2008 will be more of the same, but hopefully the 90% of the iceberg types below the surface will begin to assert themselves.
Many also believe we Americans must accept those who volunteer to go through the terrible gauntlet of their national party rules, with one being our future President.
Many believe it is not too late for 2008. We Americans still can pick a federal President that is better than the choices we are offered today.
A key point is that the present way of running for President is run by our two national parties, and they have never been part of our Constitution, and never will be, while they are in charge, today. For the storm the Bastille types, of which I count myself one, there has got to be a better way. For the more Churchill types, of which I also count myself one, democracy may not be great, but it is greater than the alternatives. My balance is that we Americans deserve, and will need, better than those running for President today.
Being dictated to by a bunch of losers is too appalling to accept in 2008.
Saturday, March 01, 2008
There is nothing new under the sun
Only the people change.
What price glory? Are America’s choices these days more intellectual or practical. We have many choices, by the way. An analogy might be are we more Catholic or Lutheran in our thinking?
I’ll defer to the intellectuals whom I define as debating within their military and foreign policy groups as to smart ways to proceed, and to proper respect for their published professors, whom are also smart, it seems. This is a good course of action, by the way.
I’ll vote for those other practical types whom balance ideals with human instincts and experience, both in our world and the rest of the world. Since the world is not perfect, the dilemma for all is to how to balance our own world and our own families with all these foreign ideas for which we have no experience. This assumes there are differences in values and standards between different societies. And we in the USA are not so naïve as to buy the multi-cultural diatribe when we are under duress by the foreign barbarians with their own values, who are also not so shy about preserving their way of life. I have even tried to even feminize this issue, but the idea is not there. The courses of action are American, not male or female.
The fascination with many things foreign still escapes me, having lived overseas in many third world rural and urban areas. Our new world is a better deal, and the present immigration patterns suggest (I would say prove) this trend. Even many present candidates for president (mostly democrats) who suggest we take on the world’s poverty problems are naïve, descending into an abyss we Americans will never support, and running for the wrong office in 2008.
There is at least one apparent course of action that is appealing. It is the Naval Service. After all, the Naval Service is both the Navy, and the Marines, and there is much institutional experience and professional military education and practical exercises that have been going on for decades, as in long before Iraq. My suggestion is go read about what these fellow Americans are saying about Iraq and before, and more importantly, the rest of the world. This is a freebie for those citizens so inclined.
For those too busy in life, like raising a family, or going to work everyday, trust there are other Americans who have the benefit of your tax payments to pay their salaries, and argue in your benefit and for our defense. Our Naval Service is such a good investment for the more practically minded. Now this idea is a trust idea, so wish many luck.
It is hard to imagine such a fate could depend on the judgment and emotions of so few who are most idealistically oriented, even to the point of being anti-American. Hopefully, this group of Americans are a minority, and the majority will rule. Time to vote! Ah, the trump card!
Only the people change.
What price glory? Are America’s choices these days more intellectual or practical. We have many choices, by the way. An analogy might be are we more Catholic or Lutheran in our thinking?
I’ll defer to the intellectuals whom I define as debating within their military and foreign policy groups as to smart ways to proceed, and to proper respect for their published professors, whom are also smart, it seems. This is a good course of action, by the way.
I’ll vote for those other practical types whom balance ideals with human instincts and experience, both in our world and the rest of the world. Since the world is not perfect, the dilemma for all is to how to balance our own world and our own families with all these foreign ideas for which we have no experience. This assumes there are differences in values and standards between different societies. And we in the USA are not so naïve as to buy the multi-cultural diatribe when we are under duress by the foreign barbarians with their own values, who are also not so shy about preserving their way of life. I have even tried to even feminize this issue, but the idea is not there. The courses of action are American, not male or female.
The fascination with many things foreign still escapes me, having lived overseas in many third world rural and urban areas. Our new world is a better deal, and the present immigration patterns suggest (I would say prove) this trend. Even many present candidates for president (mostly democrats) who suggest we take on the world’s poverty problems are naïve, descending into an abyss we Americans will never support, and running for the wrong office in 2008.
There is at least one apparent course of action that is appealing. It is the Naval Service. After all, the Naval Service is both the Navy, and the Marines, and there is much institutional experience and professional military education and practical exercises that have been going on for decades, as in long before Iraq. My suggestion is go read about what these fellow Americans are saying about Iraq and before, and more importantly, the rest of the world. This is a freebie for those citizens so inclined.
For those too busy in life, like raising a family, or going to work everyday, trust there are other Americans who have the benefit of your tax payments to pay their salaries, and argue in your benefit and for our defense. Our Naval Service is such a good investment for the more practically minded. Now this idea is a trust idea, so wish many luck.
It is hard to imagine such a fate could depend on the judgment and emotions of so few who are most idealistically oriented, even to the point of being anti-American. Hopefully, this group of Americans are a minority, and the majority will rule. Time to vote! Ah, the trump card!
Friday, February 29, 2008
Change in America is about
The change is mostly the financial fear and probable impact of a coming depression that will hurt most of us and the world in so many ways. Aggravating all this are the international wacko types who think they are number one in the world; the puppet president of Iran being the latest example. If and when he and his leaders start a war in their region, things will get out of hand, as in what we think in the USA may make us bit players. Talk about piling on when we are down.
The political change improving things in the USA is optimistic. All the last many decades of our political leaders and parties are about to be replaced by future leaders who better represent our fears to survive for our kids sake. The times are not 1929 with all the causes then. Mostly today it is about having jobs, and not taxing and borrowing our way into some politician’s idealistic view of their future based on their upbringing. Even better, the old ideas of taking advantage of our largesse is being supplanted by those living in the real world. The idea of pay as you go supplanting pandering, and Americans knowing this, is much about the change in America.
Even free trade and globalization is an indictment on our federal government agencies (mostly state department when it used to represent us) when treaties are not enforced, like in environmental and sweat-shop standards. This is not a subtle subject in the rural area where I live and so many low paying jobs are going overseas. People resent being messed over by those who take advantage of the treaties our fellow Americans negotiated. Most prefer the dignity of work over welfare.
What a shame it came to this, but let it roll, never-the-less. And so let us elect new leaders and politicians, probably from a new national party yet to be named that does better than the old republicans and democrats. Suddenly, the elections of 2010 and 2012 are more important to our future. Yes, choices matter. And the politicians are not the only choosers.
The change is mostly the financial fear and probable impact of a coming depression that will hurt most of us and the world in so many ways. Aggravating all this are the international wacko types who think they are number one in the world; the puppet president of Iran being the latest example. If and when he and his leaders start a war in their region, things will get out of hand, as in what we think in the USA may make us bit players. Talk about piling on when we are down.
The political change improving things in the USA is optimistic. All the last many decades of our political leaders and parties are about to be replaced by future leaders who better represent our fears to survive for our kids sake. The times are not 1929 with all the causes then. Mostly today it is about having jobs, and not taxing and borrowing our way into some politician’s idealistic view of their future based on their upbringing. Even better, the old ideas of taking advantage of our largesse is being supplanted by those living in the real world. The idea of pay as you go supplanting pandering, and Americans knowing this, is much about the change in America.
Even free trade and globalization is an indictment on our federal government agencies (mostly state department when it used to represent us) when treaties are not enforced, like in environmental and sweat-shop standards. This is not a subtle subject in the rural area where I live and so many low paying jobs are going overseas. People resent being messed over by those who take advantage of the treaties our fellow Americans negotiated. Most prefer the dignity of work over welfare.
What a shame it came to this, but let it roll, never-the-less. And so let us elect new leaders and politicians, probably from a new national party yet to be named that does better than the old republicans and democrats. Suddenly, the elections of 2010 and 2012 are more important to our future. Yes, choices matter. And the politicians are not the only choosers.
Thursday, February 28, 2008
Will we fight ever?
Will we fight to defend Israel, or Taiwan, or our own Country if any are attacked in the future? Will we allow ourselves to get dragged into another European war that starts in the Balkans like in WWI? What will we do if a Chinese civil war goes nuclear, and the downrange fallout patterns cover Japan, and finally drifts over Hawaii and then the USA? Will we allow nutcases like the present puppet president of Iran, who now declares Iran is the most powerful nation in the world, to dictate to we USA citizens? Should we even worry about the capacity of Iran to start a war? Do we understand that other countries in the world will react differently to the same threats as we see them? Is hostage taking a viable foreign policy tactic for third world countries in the future?
Is open out in the TV news war a viable course of action in the future? Must most war be covert in the future?
How influenced are we USA citizens by the political influences of the reporting media and our federal politicians? As the story goes, the Hearst newspapers and the Yellow Press got us into the Spanish-American War circa 1896, so there is a precedent.
How worried should we USA citizens be about our potential future presidents having their mettle challenged by those who think they can use intimidation as a foreign policy method? How worried should we be that some future president may overreact and get us into a war just to prove his or her mettle?
How much have we USA citizens thought about the differences between experience, education, and intelligence being applied to answer these most difficult questions? How many have heard of the Powell Doctrine? How many have thought about our vital national interests as a guide to our future? Will our country’s future be more influenced by our masses of voters, or a small elite group of master politicians and media managers?
How many think about these questions, while we have the time and benefit of true peace, which will aid in deciding their vote for President of the USA? And the vote will have much to do with our future, and our kids’ futures. Maybe even the world’s future?
Will we fight to defend Israel, or Taiwan, or our own Country if any are attacked in the future? Will we allow ourselves to get dragged into another European war that starts in the Balkans like in WWI? What will we do if a Chinese civil war goes nuclear, and the downrange fallout patterns cover Japan, and finally drifts over Hawaii and then the USA? Will we allow nutcases like the present puppet president of Iran, who now declares Iran is the most powerful nation in the world, to dictate to we USA citizens? Should we even worry about the capacity of Iran to start a war? Do we understand that other countries in the world will react differently to the same threats as we see them? Is hostage taking a viable foreign policy tactic for third world countries in the future?
Is open out in the TV news war a viable course of action in the future? Must most war be covert in the future?
How influenced are we USA citizens by the political influences of the reporting media and our federal politicians? As the story goes, the Hearst newspapers and the Yellow Press got us into the Spanish-American War circa 1896, so there is a precedent.
How worried should we USA citizens be about our potential future presidents having their mettle challenged by those who think they can use intimidation as a foreign policy method? How worried should we be that some future president may overreact and get us into a war just to prove his or her mettle?
How much have we USA citizens thought about the differences between experience, education, and intelligence being applied to answer these most difficult questions? How many have heard of the Powell Doctrine? How many have thought about our vital national interests as a guide to our future? Will our country’s future be more influenced by our masses of voters, or a small elite group of master politicians and media managers?
How many think about these questions, while we have the time and benefit of true peace, which will aid in deciding their vote for President of the USA? And the vote will have much to do with our future, and our kids’ futures. Maybe even the world’s future?
Wednesday, February 27, 2008
If it is that obvious to me, then it must be obvious to others?
The title suggests certain principles that apply to most Americans, and most likely most of the rest of the world.
They are:
(1) When younger I thought I was really smart with a deserved big ego, until I grew older.
(2) When younger I thought my status quo was normal and assured, as in before, during, and in the future. Then I grew older.
(3) When younger I thought I was rich. Then I got married and had kids and knew I was not rich.
(4) When I was younger, I did not know how protected I was. Then I became a Marine recruiter, and got to meet the rest of humanity. It still hurts my feelings to think only one 1 in 3 Americans in my area at the time were even mentally, morally, or physically qualified to be considered as a Private in the Marines.
(5) When I was younger I confused privileges with rights. When I lived overseas, often in the third world, I began to “appreciate” things like warmth, being dry, western toilets, toilet paper (to include splinter-free toilet paper), and public health and public assistance (like education) that give kids a chance to reach adulthood.
So in this 2008 election cycle certain things are also obvious to me.
They are:
(1) Much of the reporting media coverage I have access to focuses on the federal elections. Yet much of what affects Americans is state and local.
(2) Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama seem to be running for some “world president” position. When they mention using my taxes to accomplish their vision of their future, it is obvious to me.
(3) The American trend to worry about what the rest of the world thinks about us is obvious to me. Also obvious is the complete difference between the emigration trends and what the reporting media says is important to so many Americans. It is also obvious there is a mismatch between the coverage and the reality of having to defend our borders.
So certain questions about our future, and our voting, also seems obvious to me.
(1) Is America’s elite leadership too over-intellectualized? Can we defeat ourselves by being too smart, or too spoiled, or too assuming?
(2) Do we have something to be proud of, respect, and promote? The obvious answer is our Constitution and our constitutional way to change the Constitution if and when we want to.
(3) Do I need to carry a legal gun to protect myself and my family in future America? To answer the question with an obvious answer, yes. As budgets change from basic government functions like defense to benefits, and if not corrected, then it is back to defending ourselves with legal guns, and other legal defenses.
(4) Can we go rural, as in revert to our past? If not, what? Surrender to some barbarinans?
(5) Is America, and our votes, about the USA, or the world? If we vote for the world, then who will defend our American rights that are so obvious to me?
The title suggests certain principles that apply to most Americans, and most likely most of the rest of the world.
They are:
(1) When younger I thought I was really smart with a deserved big ego, until I grew older.
(2) When younger I thought my status quo was normal and assured, as in before, during, and in the future. Then I grew older.
(3) When younger I thought I was rich. Then I got married and had kids and knew I was not rich.
(4) When I was younger, I did not know how protected I was. Then I became a Marine recruiter, and got to meet the rest of humanity. It still hurts my feelings to think only one 1 in 3 Americans in my area at the time were even mentally, morally, or physically qualified to be considered as a Private in the Marines.
(5) When I was younger I confused privileges with rights. When I lived overseas, often in the third world, I began to “appreciate” things like warmth, being dry, western toilets, toilet paper (to include splinter-free toilet paper), and public health and public assistance (like education) that give kids a chance to reach adulthood.
So in this 2008 election cycle certain things are also obvious to me.
They are:
(1) Much of the reporting media coverage I have access to focuses on the federal elections. Yet much of what affects Americans is state and local.
(2) Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama seem to be running for some “world president” position. When they mention using my taxes to accomplish their vision of their future, it is obvious to me.
(3) The American trend to worry about what the rest of the world thinks about us is obvious to me. Also obvious is the complete difference between the emigration trends and what the reporting media says is important to so many Americans. It is also obvious there is a mismatch between the coverage and the reality of having to defend our borders.
So certain questions about our future, and our voting, also seems obvious to me.
(1) Is America’s elite leadership too over-intellectualized? Can we defeat ourselves by being too smart, or too spoiled, or too assuming?
(2) Do we have something to be proud of, respect, and promote? The obvious answer is our Constitution and our constitutional way to change the Constitution if and when we want to.
(3) Do I need to carry a legal gun to protect myself and my family in future America? To answer the question with an obvious answer, yes. As budgets change from basic government functions like defense to benefits, and if not corrected, then it is back to defending ourselves with legal guns, and other legal defenses.
(4) Can we go rural, as in revert to our past? If not, what? Surrender to some barbarinans?
(5) Is America, and our votes, about the USA, or the world? If we vote for the world, then who will defend our American rights that are so obvious to me?
Tuesday, February 26, 2008
Cold black noses are cold and clammy
American dogs are so much like American humans that much is what is new? So who is smarter in the long run, our American dogs, or we American humans? My vote is for the humans, but the logic and loyalty of well fed animals is OK, too. Even bully instinct is as much female as male, at least in my own local yard dog small farm. Yes, girls can be mean, too.
American dogs are so much like American humans that much is what is new? So who is smarter in the long run, our American dogs, or we American humans? My vote is for the humans, but the logic and loyalty of well fed animals is OK, too. Even bully instinct is as much female as male, at least in my own local yard dog small farm. Yes, girls can be mean, too.
Election periods always prompt trend observations
Reading the tea leaves is chancy work, much as always subject to the eyes of the tea reader. Today’s soothsayers, usually called pollsters, provide the recent trend forecasts.
The influence of the TV media in trying to promote the mostly producers’ candidates is a trend. The influence of the younger college age generation being concerned about what the rest of the world thinks about America is a trend. The self-announced power of the pundits to predict what is happening recently is a trend. The latest version of propaganda managed and paid for effects on we people, called the media managers and spin masters, is a trend.
The biggest trend of all still is seldom talked about. The last few decades of status quo in America is about over. To put a good face on the trend, most of what we Americans have tried to improve for we, America, and we, the World, will still take more time, and the trend is to reinforce all that is good about America, and within budget. This smells like a slow down trend. How about we catch up at home, locally, state, and even federal?
Now many of us have heard that lack of growth in federal budgets “is a cut”, which of course is baloney. And many Americans wonder if the present candidates for our federal President want to be President of the world? If correct, that is not an American trend, though some may disagree. Do we really want our taxes to go towards trying to solve the world’s problems, as defined by the politicians running for the federal office? Do we really want to live in their vision of their future using our taxes. If their trend, not ours, is to be President of the World, then they are in the wrong place and running for the wrong office. If you buy the do-gooder ideas balanced with some financial sobriety, then there are other alternatives to be more USA American that can become trends for the next decade or so. Even the most conspiracy oriented will probably go along with taking care of our country first. Even this probable trend is obvious, and for our world and human benefit in the long run.
The underlying trend of the last two decades is also so obvious. The trends need to focus on local, state, and sometimes federal tax distribution for our benefit. The frictions between benefits like retirements and the local taxes that it takes, and basic police and fire security like most expect from government, is becoming more obvious. If one has to hire an extra, on top of basic police neighborhoods patrols, to protect their life and home, to include little kids, then something has trended out the wrong way.
Most of American local communities have not yet suffered this way. But it is coming as a trend. Vote to make things better, of course, in your voters mind. And voter choices are often more grey, than black or white. Now that is our America.
Reading the tea leaves is chancy work, much as always subject to the eyes of the tea reader. Today’s soothsayers, usually called pollsters, provide the recent trend forecasts.
The influence of the TV media in trying to promote the mostly producers’ candidates is a trend. The influence of the younger college age generation being concerned about what the rest of the world thinks about America is a trend. The self-announced power of the pundits to predict what is happening recently is a trend. The latest version of propaganda managed and paid for effects on we people, called the media managers and spin masters, is a trend.
The biggest trend of all still is seldom talked about. The last few decades of status quo in America is about over. To put a good face on the trend, most of what we Americans have tried to improve for we, America, and we, the World, will still take more time, and the trend is to reinforce all that is good about America, and within budget. This smells like a slow down trend. How about we catch up at home, locally, state, and even federal?
Now many of us have heard that lack of growth in federal budgets “is a cut”, which of course is baloney. And many Americans wonder if the present candidates for our federal President want to be President of the world? If correct, that is not an American trend, though some may disagree. Do we really want our taxes to go towards trying to solve the world’s problems, as defined by the politicians running for the federal office? Do we really want to live in their vision of their future using our taxes. If their trend, not ours, is to be President of the World, then they are in the wrong place and running for the wrong office. If you buy the do-gooder ideas balanced with some financial sobriety, then there are other alternatives to be more USA American that can become trends for the next decade or so. Even the most conspiracy oriented will probably go along with taking care of our country first. Even this probable trend is obvious, and for our world and human benefit in the long run.
The underlying trend of the last two decades is also so obvious. The trends need to focus on local, state, and sometimes federal tax distribution for our benefit. The frictions between benefits like retirements and the local taxes that it takes, and basic police and fire security like most expect from government, is becoming more obvious. If one has to hire an extra, on top of basic police neighborhoods patrols, to protect their life and home, to include little kids, then something has trended out the wrong way.
Most of American local communities have not yet suffered this way. But it is coming as a trend. Vote to make things better, of course, in your voters mind. And voter choices are often more grey, than black or white. Now that is our America.
Monday, February 25, 2008
When east meets west…
Both sides are out of their league, or experience level. Expecting humans to think like “our own experience level” is all so human. Yet there is really nothing new under the sun, except the people do change, and history seems to recycle. For those who like history as a “hobby”, isn’t it amazing to read and find out that much of what is important “now” was just as important “then”. And “then” can be way back to the roman ages, or be more current like the recent world events.
Today’s soothsayers and pundits that we read are mostly western educated and experienced. That says it all. While we had a western dark ages, much of the rest of the world was flourishing, so there is much in our western education and experience that may be missing from the bigger picture of humanity. In turn, we westerners seem to have been dominant in the world for the last few centuries, but will it continue? Now we even have a minority of eastern educated humans using propaganda techniques, called madrashahs, to perpetuate a 7th century ideal of humanity.
The various ideas are different, to be kind. But the question should be less than one of dominance, than what is best for humanity? Again, there is nothing new under the sun, only the people. And only the people will decide, mostly with their feet and their pocket books, and love of their families. And there is much to suggest the ideas of east vs. west are already being superceded by old world vs. new world ideas. If this reality idea ever takes as what is really happening, then this is a new “under the sun” idea.
The practicality of this esoteric academic type argument is appropriate to we in the USA. Let us vote for those that promote our USA national interests, and expect the old world and the rest of the new world to follow. Never, ever, ever, let us get dragged down by the past. While most USA types are mostly too busy to worry about our old world, there is still a distant connection. And while the American pin striped pants types who do foreign policy may tend to be old world oriented, most of USA people still live here in the new world. And they still have to get up, maybe fight with their spouse, go to work, raise their pain-in-the-tail kids, do home repairs, listen to their parents and in-laws, fight city hall and the school boards, do charity work, and even support by word and family, foreign military affairs. And all this after getting up at 0430 to go to a church workout with one’s sister, and don’t forget balancing the family budget.
Even the arguments of benefits vs. basic government expectations are now in play in the new world. While none of these quandaries are “new under the sun”, the privilege to discuss so and vote for change is “new under the sun”. Pour it on, new world USA America! Whatever this means? While the financial picture is pretty ugly, the opportunity to vote even during possible hard times is still new world, and it is seemingly “new under the sun”, and it is still our USA and our new world. One might also note or imagine none of this is subject to professional media managers ideas of what to think. We are smarter than them as to our future.
Both sides are out of their league, or experience level. Expecting humans to think like “our own experience level” is all so human. Yet there is really nothing new under the sun, except the people do change, and history seems to recycle. For those who like history as a “hobby”, isn’t it amazing to read and find out that much of what is important “now” was just as important “then”. And “then” can be way back to the roman ages, or be more current like the recent world events.
Today’s soothsayers and pundits that we read are mostly western educated and experienced. That says it all. While we had a western dark ages, much of the rest of the world was flourishing, so there is much in our western education and experience that may be missing from the bigger picture of humanity. In turn, we westerners seem to have been dominant in the world for the last few centuries, but will it continue? Now we even have a minority of eastern educated humans using propaganda techniques, called madrashahs, to perpetuate a 7th century ideal of humanity.
The various ideas are different, to be kind. But the question should be less than one of dominance, than what is best for humanity? Again, there is nothing new under the sun, only the people. And only the people will decide, mostly with their feet and their pocket books, and love of their families. And there is much to suggest the ideas of east vs. west are already being superceded by old world vs. new world ideas. If this reality idea ever takes as what is really happening, then this is a new “under the sun” idea.
The practicality of this esoteric academic type argument is appropriate to we in the USA. Let us vote for those that promote our USA national interests, and expect the old world and the rest of the new world to follow. Never, ever, ever, let us get dragged down by the past. While most USA types are mostly too busy to worry about our old world, there is still a distant connection. And while the American pin striped pants types who do foreign policy may tend to be old world oriented, most of USA people still live here in the new world. And they still have to get up, maybe fight with their spouse, go to work, raise their pain-in-the-tail kids, do home repairs, listen to their parents and in-laws, fight city hall and the school boards, do charity work, and even support by word and family, foreign military affairs. And all this after getting up at 0430 to go to a church workout with one’s sister, and don’t forget balancing the family budget.
Even the arguments of benefits vs. basic government expectations are now in play in the new world. While none of these quandaries are “new under the sun”, the privilege to discuss so and vote for change is “new under the sun”. Pour it on, new world USA America! Whatever this means? While the financial picture is pretty ugly, the opportunity to vote even during possible hard times is still new world, and it is seemingly “new under the sun”, and it is still our USA and our new world. One might also note or imagine none of this is subject to professional media managers ideas of what to think. We are smarter than them as to our future.
Sunday, February 24, 2008
Who speaks for Americans?
The present 2008 election cycle in the USA still seems too often like the status quo that has existed for decades. At all levels, local, state, and federal, much of the debate, discussions, and frictions, are still pretty much run by both national political parties, and their enablers to include party professionals, the media, and so many new public unions. Even that could be acceptable if the debate and worries about making things better for Americans was, well, about Americans. Somehow things have evolved to how the politicians will distribute our taxes for their personal and party visions about our future. For those that don’t like what is happening in too many school districts, or retirement benefits for our local government employees, or control of our southern borders, take that in your face. And in this is a trend worth noting.
Not too many decades ago, Americans running for office still responded to the voters. Now these same professional politicians hire really smart media managers with someone else’s money to manipulate us to do their will, and we go along if the status quo is to continue to exist. And as long as we could afford it, or borrow to support it, well, that was noble and idealistic in purpose.
What’s a shame is that we have voted for politicians who have resorted to borrowing to supplement all the wonderful promises and benefits for fellow Americans that got us to vote for them, the politicians. Now too many fellow Americans are left holding the bag, so to speak. How about their future taxpayer obligations, the requirement to work to generate these taxes that pay the retirements, and these taxpayers expectations about their future expectations. The whole scheme has been elevated to the federal level with too many relatives who are in fear of losing “benefits” of social security and mostly Medicare, and they will vote their fears. In the same vein, many younger Americans don’t want to be left “holding the bag”, so to speak. Why pay in with no expectation of pay out. Somethings got to change for our USA system to make sense for our old people. Hopefully it is not a night of the long knives, though that is an option.
The whole pathos, yes I mean pathos, is that our most wonderful quality of life that extends to most Americans will go on forever. It won’t in all likelihood. And this terrible forecast about our future is based on events dictating to us what will happen, vice we Americans dictating our own future.
For those who enjoy going to local plays, or even off-Broadway shows, they are most likely observing the final acts of the old status quo through the 2008 elections. America is not about the political dinosaurs going through their most gut wrenching changes compared to what they expected to happen, and all too often worked so hard for all their life, to include whom they married. America is about the future of our present citizens and our children, and all the gut wrenching changes we will have to make. Best case is that we will make these changes because we should do it for our own common interests. Worst case is that these changes will be dictated to us. Humble pie will come in when foreigners and other outsiders dictate to us, and we have to listen and implement. In turn, our new world status will allow us to accommodate quicker than those in the old world. Our old fall-back of vast national resources will work well in balancing ideals with mining and food resources.
In the same vein, we USA types will survive and still be the beacon for the whole world, albeit will adjusted and reasonable expectations. The results will not be by accident, but on purpose. And we will vote this way, since we will still be able to vote, thank goodness.
In the meantime our old world cousins will go through the turmoil they deserve…and think is normal.
The present 2008 election cycle in the USA still seems too often like the status quo that has existed for decades. At all levels, local, state, and federal, much of the debate, discussions, and frictions, are still pretty much run by both national political parties, and their enablers to include party professionals, the media, and so many new public unions. Even that could be acceptable if the debate and worries about making things better for Americans was, well, about Americans. Somehow things have evolved to how the politicians will distribute our taxes for their personal and party visions about our future. For those that don’t like what is happening in too many school districts, or retirement benefits for our local government employees, or control of our southern borders, take that in your face. And in this is a trend worth noting.
Not too many decades ago, Americans running for office still responded to the voters. Now these same professional politicians hire really smart media managers with someone else’s money to manipulate us to do their will, and we go along if the status quo is to continue to exist. And as long as we could afford it, or borrow to support it, well, that was noble and idealistic in purpose.
What’s a shame is that we have voted for politicians who have resorted to borrowing to supplement all the wonderful promises and benefits for fellow Americans that got us to vote for them, the politicians. Now too many fellow Americans are left holding the bag, so to speak. How about their future taxpayer obligations, the requirement to work to generate these taxes that pay the retirements, and these taxpayers expectations about their future expectations. The whole scheme has been elevated to the federal level with too many relatives who are in fear of losing “benefits” of social security and mostly Medicare, and they will vote their fears. In the same vein, many younger Americans don’t want to be left “holding the bag”, so to speak. Why pay in with no expectation of pay out. Somethings got to change for our USA system to make sense for our old people. Hopefully it is not a night of the long knives, though that is an option.
The whole pathos, yes I mean pathos, is that our most wonderful quality of life that extends to most Americans will go on forever. It won’t in all likelihood. And this terrible forecast about our future is based on events dictating to us what will happen, vice we Americans dictating our own future.
For those who enjoy going to local plays, or even off-Broadway shows, they are most likely observing the final acts of the old status quo through the 2008 elections. America is not about the political dinosaurs going through their most gut wrenching changes compared to what they expected to happen, and all too often worked so hard for all their life, to include whom they married. America is about the future of our present citizens and our children, and all the gut wrenching changes we will have to make. Best case is that we will make these changes because we should do it for our own common interests. Worst case is that these changes will be dictated to us. Humble pie will come in when foreigners and other outsiders dictate to us, and we have to listen and implement. In turn, our new world status will allow us to accommodate quicker than those in the old world. Our old fall-back of vast national resources will work well in balancing ideals with mining and food resources.
In the same vein, we USA types will survive and still be the beacon for the whole world, albeit will adjusted and reasonable expectations. The results will not be by accident, but on purpose. And we will vote this way, since we will still be able to vote, thank goodness.
In the meantime our old world cousins will go through the turmoil they deserve…and think is normal.
Saturday, February 23, 2008
Hollywood is about entertainment
That it has devolved to politics and cultural and environmental fads is a most crass abuse of egos by too many entertainers. Some have not, by the way.
Let those that choose to confuse entertainment with politics run as politicians if they choose, and let us vote as we choose. In the meantime, can we just go to the movie, or buy the DVD, without remorse and expecting entertainment.
In the meantime, let many of us vote with our pocketbooks, and not see the movie or buy the DVD.
Especially irritating are movies that portray women like men, to include as strong as men. This so silly, since we all know men and women are different, thank goodness. And movies and TV shows that respect this most obvious idea and frictions are entertainment.
Apparently this most obvious idea of separating politics from entertainment is not as obvious as many Americans may have thought. Maybe this is a hint as to why the Hollywood industry may be going down financially, at least for now.
That it has devolved to politics and cultural and environmental fads is a most crass abuse of egos by too many entertainers. Some have not, by the way.
Let those that choose to confuse entertainment with politics run as politicians if they choose, and let us vote as we choose. In the meantime, can we just go to the movie, or buy the DVD, without remorse and expecting entertainment.
In the meantime, let many of us vote with our pocketbooks, and not see the movie or buy the DVD.
Especially irritating are movies that portray women like men, to include as strong as men. This so silly, since we all know men and women are different, thank goodness. And movies and TV shows that respect this most obvious idea and frictions are entertainment.
Apparently this most obvious idea of separating politics from entertainment is not as obvious as many Americans may have thought. Maybe this is a hint as to why the Hollywood industry may be going down financially, at least for now.
Financial directions we can vote on
Mostly the votes are for the politicians who will do what we want to happen in our best future interests. Mostly these interests are vital national interests.
Like it or not, most of us are entering the times when we are going to be left holding the bag, also called the financial sins of our mothers and fathers and the politicians they elected. Often we are also present beneficiaries of much of this largesse. And it is at all levels, to include local, state, and federal.
The examples are everywhere, and are being dealt with as best politicians and voters who elect them can…postpone and put off to the future. For example, New Jersey, the state, may have as much as $113 billion in unfunded deficiencies. Numbers are hard to figure given all the smoke and mirrors and accounting games, but the trend reflects things that began to go off the tracks when the state, as well as other governments as in local and federal, went from pay as you go to borrowing to pay for all the promises that all to often also got votes. Now it is time to pay the piper, or default, with the latter’s terrible consequences. Even muddling through will not probably work in the long run.
Much of the rub appears today as budget competitions between promised benefits, which are a growing lot based on demographics and ever increasing promises; and the basic government services like defense, home security, infrastructure for our common good and enhancement, and even border security to include food safety.
Here is where we voters can make a difference in whom we vote for, now and in the future; and locally, state, and federal. The choices of financial directions are becoming more stark than anytime in the last few decades. Two examples stick out. Is national defense to become secondary to social security and Medicare? Are bureaucracies like defense to be supported as a jobs program first? These questions are most serious for those who choose to accept them. Most won’t, it seems, and will take what ever they get as a result.
To conclude, we Americans generate a lot of national wealth that will pay for many things that our elected politicians will decide in distributing our taxes. It is suggested that politicians who want to achieve their most idealistic socialistic and hippie and English commune goals with our money are now passé. Rather we should be voting for politicians who will help us achieve our national interests that we can pay for, both paying for our future as well as the financial sins of our mothers and fathers. It sure looks like it will take a new national party to make this happen. And it will take a new generation of Americans not bound to the status quo presented to them, as ugly as the picture is today.
Mostly the votes are for the politicians who will do what we want to happen in our best future interests. Mostly these interests are vital national interests.
Like it or not, most of us are entering the times when we are going to be left holding the bag, also called the financial sins of our mothers and fathers and the politicians they elected. Often we are also present beneficiaries of much of this largesse. And it is at all levels, to include local, state, and federal.
The examples are everywhere, and are being dealt with as best politicians and voters who elect them can…postpone and put off to the future. For example, New Jersey, the state, may have as much as $113 billion in unfunded deficiencies. Numbers are hard to figure given all the smoke and mirrors and accounting games, but the trend reflects things that began to go off the tracks when the state, as well as other governments as in local and federal, went from pay as you go to borrowing to pay for all the promises that all to often also got votes. Now it is time to pay the piper, or default, with the latter’s terrible consequences. Even muddling through will not probably work in the long run.
Much of the rub appears today as budget competitions between promised benefits, which are a growing lot based on demographics and ever increasing promises; and the basic government services like defense, home security, infrastructure for our common good and enhancement, and even border security to include food safety.
Here is where we voters can make a difference in whom we vote for, now and in the future; and locally, state, and federal. The choices of financial directions are becoming more stark than anytime in the last few decades. Two examples stick out. Is national defense to become secondary to social security and Medicare? Are bureaucracies like defense to be supported as a jobs program first? These questions are most serious for those who choose to accept them. Most won’t, it seems, and will take what ever they get as a result.
To conclude, we Americans generate a lot of national wealth that will pay for many things that our elected politicians will decide in distributing our taxes. It is suggested that politicians who want to achieve their most idealistic socialistic and hippie and English commune goals with our money are now passé. Rather we should be voting for politicians who will help us achieve our national interests that we can pay for, both paying for our future as well as the financial sins of our mothers and fathers. It sure looks like it will take a new national party to make this happen. And it will take a new generation of Americans not bound to the status quo presented to them, as ugly as the picture is today.
Friday, February 22, 2008
When it rains, it sometimes pours.
We USA Americans still have a little time to think about what is important internationally, as in worth fighting for. Here’s a primer for the discussion.
We inherited our old world striped pants diplomat's nation-states, mostly European and colonial in nature. Some of the ideas have extended to far east Asia, but they too have their own histories of temporary nation-states usually more like tribal fiefdoms. That some of the tribal chiefs have included amalgamation with domination is a tribute to their good political instincts. Today it is called winning the hearts and minds of the intended populations. Back then it was called killing off the opposition, and often intermarrying.
Thanks to Islamic fascist types, who are after all a very small minority of Islam, but dangerous as to their killing instincts and liberal funding for various reasons, to include payoffs, the whole idea of nation-states has come up again, and for good reason, since it may not be the future history of humanity. The general objection is the bad idea of trying to get multi-cultural groups to recognize their commonality when thousands of years of human experience suggest otherwise. The specific objections are more pointed, as in why should we send in the militaries of the USA, the U.N., or NATO to reinforce old time ideas since these people want to kill and dominate each other anyway.
Ah, if life were so simple!
Many idealists support the glorious ideas of people groups gaining independence and control of their lives and lands. Today’s consequences are not so idealistic. Local mafias and gangs and all things not so democratic is what really and usually arises to rule and manage the land and people. A world reduced to tribes and city-states is not what we Americans think is the way things should go, many think. When infrastructure is reduced to the local area, and there is little interaction other than old river steamers in the Congo, and below the falls, for example, then we USA Americans have choices about what is important to us. Or should we let our government support the Kosovo independence declaration knowing its economic weakness and history of Ottoman Empire machinations. Is this an idealistic stance, or a realistic stance? Most importantly, should we let out federal politicians, including those presently running for offices, spend our money and send our children in their causes as they sort this out. This is not a silly question, though it should be. The example of how USA Americans and politicians think about protecting us on our southern boundary is a most recent example. We new world people and our leaders can still lead, and the whole world will probably benefit.
End of the promised primer. The world is full of new ideas of promised tribal lands, like Kurdistan, Baluchistan, or even Tibet. One might say the world has not been fair, since the pin-striped diplomats of old have delivered us to our present state. But don’t discount their logic and confidence at their time. Perhaps they knew more than is being reported today?
So if and when turmoil and confusion seems to reign supreme, as if the media reporters are confused and out of work, consider this primer as to future courses of action that benefit our American Nation. And by golly, we do have other courses of action, if we choose to vote these ways. And we voters can think and vote domestic and foreign issues, just about equally. This is why, whatever our future deals us, the new world we USA Americans live in is also the course of actions for our whole world.
We USA Americans still have a little time to think about what is important internationally, as in worth fighting for. Here’s a primer for the discussion.
We inherited our old world striped pants diplomat's nation-states, mostly European and colonial in nature. Some of the ideas have extended to far east Asia, but they too have their own histories of temporary nation-states usually more like tribal fiefdoms. That some of the tribal chiefs have included amalgamation with domination is a tribute to their good political instincts. Today it is called winning the hearts and minds of the intended populations. Back then it was called killing off the opposition, and often intermarrying.
Thanks to Islamic fascist types, who are after all a very small minority of Islam, but dangerous as to their killing instincts and liberal funding for various reasons, to include payoffs, the whole idea of nation-states has come up again, and for good reason, since it may not be the future history of humanity. The general objection is the bad idea of trying to get multi-cultural groups to recognize their commonality when thousands of years of human experience suggest otherwise. The specific objections are more pointed, as in why should we send in the militaries of the USA, the U.N., or NATO to reinforce old time ideas since these people want to kill and dominate each other anyway.
Ah, if life were so simple!
Many idealists support the glorious ideas of people groups gaining independence and control of their lives and lands. Today’s consequences are not so idealistic. Local mafias and gangs and all things not so democratic is what really and usually arises to rule and manage the land and people. A world reduced to tribes and city-states is not what we Americans think is the way things should go, many think. When infrastructure is reduced to the local area, and there is little interaction other than old river steamers in the Congo, and below the falls, for example, then we USA Americans have choices about what is important to us. Or should we let our government support the Kosovo independence declaration knowing its economic weakness and history of Ottoman Empire machinations. Is this an idealistic stance, or a realistic stance? Most importantly, should we let out federal politicians, including those presently running for offices, spend our money and send our children in their causes as they sort this out. This is not a silly question, though it should be. The example of how USA Americans and politicians think about protecting us on our southern boundary is a most recent example. We new world people and our leaders can still lead, and the whole world will probably benefit.
End of the promised primer. The world is full of new ideas of promised tribal lands, like Kurdistan, Baluchistan, or even Tibet. One might say the world has not been fair, since the pin-striped diplomats of old have delivered us to our present state. But don’t discount their logic and confidence at their time. Perhaps they knew more than is being reported today?
So if and when turmoil and confusion seems to reign supreme, as if the media reporters are confused and out of work, consider this primer as to future courses of action that benefit our American Nation. And by golly, we do have other courses of action, if we choose to vote these ways. And we voters can think and vote domestic and foreign issues, just about equally. This is why, whatever our future deals us, the new world we USA Americans live in is also the course of actions for our whole world.
Thursday, February 21, 2008
Just where do your campaign contributions go?
Idealism compared to realism can be painful: http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0208/8619.html
The thrust of the link is to pick on Hillary Clinton. Fine. A little goes towards Barack Obama, also. One may fairly apply the ideas in the link to the republican candidates, also. And there is much discussion about campaign contributions as to sources, most appealing being those from small time contributors using the internet. What an appealing citizen influence principle! But the uniqueness of the link is where the money goes. A lot of fellow Americans, albeit a small group, are making a lot of money off of the campaigns using the best propaganda and media control techniques thought of so far; with maybe some lavish lifestyles of eating and living ameliorating some of the most demanding work schedules. Even reported ego fits about not accepting a “poor politicians” Gulfstream G5 jet airplane when one expects a Gulfstream G7, albeit at more expense, if reflective of the old time status quo politicians who think their lives will go on forever, are sad. This idea of ego has gone from subservient in the 1960’s to “I deserve it” in today’s times. Just who are these Americans? Soviet commissars come to mind.
The election cycle in 2008 is becoming more important to our future than the only years ago prediction it was going to be status quo as usual. The impetus is mostly negative, as in concern about our future and the path we have been on. We are not stuck on our present path. Unfortunately we voters are going to have to shake things up. And while the media will report one group of voters over another, usually because it is a for profit business, after all, we voters are still in charge.
So contributions are important. But so is how the politicians spend the money we give them. And always think locally, state, and federal. So much that is important to us is closer to home than Washington, D.C., or the reporting media centers in New York and London. Americans still live in New Mexico, for example. And they and their kids count, too.
Idealism compared to realism can be painful: http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0208/8619.html
The thrust of the link is to pick on Hillary Clinton. Fine. A little goes towards Barack Obama, also. One may fairly apply the ideas in the link to the republican candidates, also. And there is much discussion about campaign contributions as to sources, most appealing being those from small time contributors using the internet. What an appealing citizen influence principle! But the uniqueness of the link is where the money goes. A lot of fellow Americans, albeit a small group, are making a lot of money off of the campaigns using the best propaganda and media control techniques thought of so far; with maybe some lavish lifestyles of eating and living ameliorating some of the most demanding work schedules. Even reported ego fits about not accepting a “poor politicians” Gulfstream G5 jet airplane when one expects a Gulfstream G7, albeit at more expense, if reflective of the old time status quo politicians who think their lives will go on forever, are sad. This idea of ego has gone from subservient in the 1960’s to “I deserve it” in today’s times. Just who are these Americans? Soviet commissars come to mind.
The election cycle in 2008 is becoming more important to our future than the only years ago prediction it was going to be status quo as usual. The impetus is mostly negative, as in concern about our future and the path we have been on. We are not stuck on our present path. Unfortunately we voters are going to have to shake things up. And while the media will report one group of voters over another, usually because it is a for profit business, after all, we voters are still in charge.
So contributions are important. But so is how the politicians spend the money we give them. And always think locally, state, and federal. So much that is important to us is closer to home than Washington, D.C., or the reporting media centers in New York and London. Americans still live in New Mexico, for example. And they and their kids count, too.
Wednesday, February 20, 2008
Just wondering
Are the media reports about our terrible north American weather fair? After all, it is the winter.
Are the media reports about the engineering problems on the ISS, the International Space Station, fair? After all, we citizens have spent billions of dollars on the equipment which is supposed to work out of the box.
Now we hear that heavy seas may hamper the shoot down attempt of the American errant spy satellite. Just what are we getting for our American money, to include basic embarrassment if this most difficult shot fails?
Are the media reports about our terrible north American weather fair? After all, it is the winter.
Are the media reports about the engineering problems on the ISS, the International Space Station, fair? After all, we citizens have spent billions of dollars on the equipment which is supposed to work out of the box.
Now we hear that heavy seas may hamper the shoot down attempt of the American errant spy satellite. Just what are we getting for our American money, to include basic embarrassment if this most difficult shot fails?
Buy low, sell high, politically speaking
For decades we have voted for politicians who placated us with more and more benefits generated by the vast wealth we Americans generate, and share through taxes; and more recently, a lot of borrowing.
All has not been easy given the control of public schools and their curriculums, for example.
But suppose the boom becomes bust, as most good runs end when enough is finally added on to the run to bring it down. This analogy seems appropriate to today’s America, the society and its politicians, and the coming elections. All this is exacerbated by so many others in the world who seek our quality of life and relative comfort and family safety, politically speaking. America is special in the world’s history, though many take it for granted, as in it is a “right” that comes from birth. America’s high quality of life is simply underappreciated by those not otherwise exposed to the rest of the world. Those that think things like clean running water, flush toilets, splinter-free toilet paper, electricity on demand, reasonable medical care, safe food, and “political rights guaranteed by a constitution”, will be disappointed if the economic and political boom goes bust.
Given this concern, the present American candidates for President from both political parties seem too status quo to this poster. Now all of us accept that politicians are a special breed, and one should accept this. But should we also accept that they are the only present choices for what may be hard times ahead, certainly not the status quo times. One still never hears terms like “national interests” being a consideration for our votes. It should be so, locally, state, and federal.
Until the term “national interests” becomes a topic, the present status quo candidates are suspect. This poster has “had it”. Our America has many more good leaders than running for offices today (515,00 elected offices by one count). Candidates that think of national interests as compared to mining and abusing our national wealth are the kind this poster thinks of. Most of the other world thinks this way, and we should, too.
We are not omnipotent, especially economically and militarily. We need to take care of ourselves at home, first. And our American way of doing this is what makes us so appealing. But always, national interests first.
Candidates who are willing to say these kind of ideas and run on their ideas can still be in the forefront today. Those who still are status quo, and hope to buy low and sell high, politically speaking, are on the way out. In the end, it is our voter decisions. The status quo types will say let it ride, and take what they and we get, even muddle through. The “national interest” types want to do better than that, as in decide what America will be in the near future. This is our constitutional privilege, thank goodness.
For decades we have voted for politicians who placated us with more and more benefits generated by the vast wealth we Americans generate, and share through taxes; and more recently, a lot of borrowing.
All has not been easy given the control of public schools and their curriculums, for example.
But suppose the boom becomes bust, as most good runs end when enough is finally added on to the run to bring it down. This analogy seems appropriate to today’s America, the society and its politicians, and the coming elections. All this is exacerbated by so many others in the world who seek our quality of life and relative comfort and family safety, politically speaking. America is special in the world’s history, though many take it for granted, as in it is a “right” that comes from birth. America’s high quality of life is simply underappreciated by those not otherwise exposed to the rest of the world. Those that think things like clean running water, flush toilets, splinter-free toilet paper, electricity on demand, reasonable medical care, safe food, and “political rights guaranteed by a constitution”, will be disappointed if the economic and political boom goes bust.
Given this concern, the present American candidates for President from both political parties seem too status quo to this poster. Now all of us accept that politicians are a special breed, and one should accept this. But should we also accept that they are the only present choices for what may be hard times ahead, certainly not the status quo times. One still never hears terms like “national interests” being a consideration for our votes. It should be so, locally, state, and federal.
Until the term “national interests” becomes a topic, the present status quo candidates are suspect. This poster has “had it”. Our America has many more good leaders than running for offices today (515,00 elected offices by one count). Candidates that think of national interests as compared to mining and abusing our national wealth are the kind this poster thinks of. Most of the other world thinks this way, and we should, too.
We are not omnipotent, especially economically and militarily. We need to take care of ourselves at home, first. And our American way of doing this is what makes us so appealing. But always, national interests first.
Candidates who are willing to say these kind of ideas and run on their ideas can still be in the forefront today. Those who still are status quo, and hope to buy low and sell high, politically speaking, are on the way out. In the end, it is our voter decisions. The status quo types will say let it ride, and take what they and we get, even muddle through. The “national interest” types want to do better than that, as in decide what America will be in the near future. This is our constitutional privilege, thank goodness.
Tuesday, February 19, 2008
Small Wars and America
We’ve got a lot experience with small wars going back to the frontier Indian wars, Pancho Villa raids, the Banana Wars, the guerrilla actions in the southern Philippines going back to Pershing, and even the small war in Iraq. The recurring problem is the perishability of the knowledge and lessons learned. The short attention spans and short times of generations of American soldiers makes it part of the nature of the beast. Kicking down doors in Iraq, or Sri Lanka, may hurt more than helps. Amplify this by back knowledge from old National Geographic articles from the third world as long as 100 years ago, and there we are. A new layer of humans even complicates this more. It is the academic well intentioned younger people who study and form their own opinions more based in study than experience. They too have a real basic on which to contribute. Their operations analyst ancestors did much to contribute to the winning war effort in WWII.
Now it seems like the latest fad, the small war in Iraq, will become the tail that wags the dog. Many well intended people suggest that the Army should focus on small wars as in America’s national interest. Maybe they are right, but then maybe they are wrong. As a retired Marine it is appealing to see the effectiveness of Army “light” units doing so well in the small wars in Afghanistan and Iraq. These are “kick tail” Americans, and we should be so proud of them and their families at home here in the USA.
Assuming we the USA cannot do it all, as in police the world, or even fight all possible wars our State Department and American humans can get involved or dragged in, then maybe we should spread our efforts and monies to try do it all. We American voters should not get distracted into the so-called “fighting the last war” syndrome, though many will try, for good and bad reasons. Perhaps we should vote for those who think more balanced and less distracted by the latest war for which we have Americans committed. Assuming all our soothsayers cannot really predict the future, perhaps we should hedge our bets, and fund and think about trying to do it all, within budget, and with reasonable limitations.
Let me take a parochial point of view with saving our tax monies as an objective. We in the USA already have a small wars military, called the naval service with the Marines. While the Marines advertise themselves as a 911 force, they bring much more to the small wars arena to include professional education. Add in the great Army light units, and we in the USA are sitting pretty good, at least compared to our competition, which is most tribal leader and city-state peoples. And if our entire professional military education can include courses that are small war oriented, to include respect for third world leaders in tribes, as an example, then we can exploit our USA while we cover our rear-ends if things get really bad. Then it is time for the regular Army and Air Force.
Only the most naïve may miss the implications. The other USA bureaucracies must assume these same ideas and professional education principles for our new world in the USA to be the future of the World. We can bleed ourselves out if we choose to make our bureaucracies jobs programs*. Or we can do better. We should focus on educating our bureaucrats long before we focus on educating our losers in society. We are not stuck with history nor the well intended Americans telling us what is best. A little American common sense and accountability goes a long way. Our Defense Department is a good example for what to think, good and bad, about our future.
* Who is the bigger jobs program? Is it the Department of Defense, or the Department of Homeland Security, or the Department of Health and Human Resources, or ? Is the distribution of our taxes and massively borrowed monies about us, or our USA future? The old world may have been about our past, and the waters we should carry in honor of our ancestors causes. The new world is about us, dirty, confused, complicated, and reeking of all the best parts of the new world.
We’ve got a lot experience with small wars going back to the frontier Indian wars, Pancho Villa raids, the Banana Wars, the guerrilla actions in the southern Philippines going back to Pershing, and even the small war in Iraq. The recurring problem is the perishability of the knowledge and lessons learned. The short attention spans and short times of generations of American soldiers makes it part of the nature of the beast. Kicking down doors in Iraq, or Sri Lanka, may hurt more than helps. Amplify this by back knowledge from old National Geographic articles from the third world as long as 100 years ago, and there we are. A new layer of humans even complicates this more. It is the academic well intentioned younger people who study and form their own opinions more based in study than experience. They too have a real basic on which to contribute. Their operations analyst ancestors did much to contribute to the winning war effort in WWII.
Now it seems like the latest fad, the small war in Iraq, will become the tail that wags the dog. Many well intended people suggest that the Army should focus on small wars as in America’s national interest. Maybe they are right, but then maybe they are wrong. As a retired Marine it is appealing to see the effectiveness of Army “light” units doing so well in the small wars in Afghanistan and Iraq. These are “kick tail” Americans, and we should be so proud of them and their families at home here in the USA.
Assuming we the USA cannot do it all, as in police the world, or even fight all possible wars our State Department and American humans can get involved or dragged in, then maybe we should spread our efforts and monies to try do it all. We American voters should not get distracted into the so-called “fighting the last war” syndrome, though many will try, for good and bad reasons. Perhaps we should vote for those who think more balanced and less distracted by the latest war for which we have Americans committed. Assuming all our soothsayers cannot really predict the future, perhaps we should hedge our bets, and fund and think about trying to do it all, within budget, and with reasonable limitations.
Let me take a parochial point of view with saving our tax monies as an objective. We in the USA already have a small wars military, called the naval service with the Marines. While the Marines advertise themselves as a 911 force, they bring much more to the small wars arena to include professional education. Add in the great Army light units, and we in the USA are sitting pretty good, at least compared to our competition, which is most tribal leader and city-state peoples. And if our entire professional military education can include courses that are small war oriented, to include respect for third world leaders in tribes, as an example, then we can exploit our USA while we cover our rear-ends if things get really bad. Then it is time for the regular Army and Air Force.
Only the most naïve may miss the implications. The other USA bureaucracies must assume these same ideas and professional education principles for our new world in the USA to be the future of the World. We can bleed ourselves out if we choose to make our bureaucracies jobs programs*. Or we can do better. We should focus on educating our bureaucrats long before we focus on educating our losers in society. We are not stuck with history nor the well intended Americans telling us what is best. A little American common sense and accountability goes a long way. Our Defense Department is a good example for what to think, good and bad, about our future.
* Who is the bigger jobs program? Is it the Department of Defense, or the Department of Homeland Security, or the Department of Health and Human Resources, or ? Is the distribution of our taxes and massively borrowed monies about us, or our USA future? The old world may have been about our past, and the waters we should carry in honor of our ancestors causes. The new world is about us, dirty, confused, complicated, and reeking of all the best parts of the new world.
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