Which Way We Going?

(NASA Photo of our sun)

It is the center of our Solar system. And, not surprisingly, it looks nothing like you.

Priorities. Prioritizing. It's critical to the successful management of any undertaking. It assigns an order of importance to things. It requires decision, which operates on a perception of importance. It's not a difficult thing to do.

Fifteen years ago one in every fifteen hundred children born in America would suffer some form of Autism. 1 in 1,500. Today the statistic is one in every one hundred and ten. 1 in 110.

Let's prioritize. How important is this?

$300 Million Dollars. That's how important it is. That's the money our Government gave (in total) to deal with the matter of Autism. $300 Million.

$300 Million dollars is a lot of money, but then so is $100.00. Don't believe me? Next time you're broke imagine what you could do with a hundred bucks. $300 Million is a lot of money. It's also an insufficient amount of money. 1 in 110 children. In my view the increase in Autism is a national crisis. And by crisis I mean CRISIS. A plague. A national disaster.

Research and care and support are necessary. $300 Million . Inadequate. Superficial. Pathetic.

$300 Million. What was the amount our Government gave to Wall Street? Anyone remember? What was the amount spent - in real money and in borrowed funds - to wage war? Anyone remember? What was the amount spent on the last Presidential Campains? Anyone remember?

$300 Million. 1 out of every 110 new Americans.

I really don't need a calculater to figure out that $300 Million is woefully inadequate. Do you?

Priorities.

Hmm.

Money, Money, Money, Money.

Having survived the Bush-Cheney regime, I watched (with great hope and expectation) President O'Bama's administration move into 1600 PA. Avenue and begin a new chapter of American history. My expectations were high, to say the least. But, like many others, I find myself growing somewhat anxious and skeptical as each day passes.

"Yes we can!" It was a battle cry for change. Sadly, the words seem more and more just another hollow political campagn slogan, designed to ignite the voters support and to offer the promise of hope - but little else.

Change - real change - seems a distant, and somewhat impossible, dream. At least if one thinks government will effect the change. It won't.

Foreclosures continue at unprecedented rates, unemployment continues to rise, and continued economic collapse looms on the horizon in the form of (collapsing) Commercial Properties and budget shortfalls. Hard times.

We have not seen the worst, even though we're told we're on the rebound. Little has changed. The big banks continue giving outlandish bonuses to themselves (this time the average is $700,000.00) while the residents of 'Main Street America' struggle even more. They continue to lobby effectively in Washington D.C., thwarting any real chance of reform. And, our elected officials seemingly find no difficulty in accepting the millions offered in campaign contributions ($209+ Million so far in 2009).

Is there any hope - real hope - that change can happen? You betcha! And it is coming. Not from government, however. It never does. It's coming from where it always comes: the people. Our government is fractured; broken and ineffective. Our people, however, are not. Granted, they've been used and abused - and many are battered and bruised - but we have always risen to the occasion when required to do so. And we will now. Watch for it. It's coming.

I have great faith in America. And by 'America', I mean Americans. We the People.

Broken Government

For some time now I’ve said that the Government is broken; broken and, possibly, beyond repair. This morning the House of Representatives passed an economic stimulus package and were quick to proclaim that it proved the government was not broken. Rep. John Boehner was front and center on CNN proclaiming just that. Ridiculous. What the quick action proves is that our Representatives can act when they want to – or are pressured to – which is, among other things, a rare occurrence.

Whether the economic stimulus package is a viable action or not is not the issue. The issue is that our ineffective, do-nothing Congress, gets no accolades for getting off their collective, self-serving asses, and finally doing (once) their job. It’s what they’re paid (well) to do. Do the citizens of this country pat themselves on the back and grin and postulate – have a photo-op - and applaud themselves for doing their jobs? No. And the average American does his job every day. What’s the real lesson learned here? Elected officials can function when necessary; when pressured? No. It underscores the fact that the Congress (which should have seen the economic mess coming months ago) is a knee-jerk, too little too late, out-of-touch group of elitists idiots. They’re ‘band-aid providers’ in an economy that is beginning to hemorrhage – an economy they created by the way.

Leading economists have expressed serious doubt as to the long-term effectiveness of this stimulus package, and I tend to agree with them. But Pelosi and Boehner, with big smiles and pat’s to their own backs, act as if they accomplished a great thing. I suppose, after crawling on their knees behind Emperor Bush for so long, they’re just excited to realize they actually have feet to stand on.

And the catch phrase of the day – “Right or wrong, at least give us credit for doing ‘something’” – is as stupid and revealing a statement as I’ve ever heard.

Our government is broken – and remains broken. Can we fix it? Yes. This November send everyone in Washington DC home – permanently. It’s time to take back our government, and our country.

Democracy wasn't intended to scare you... Honest.

Required viewing

The truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth

Go straight to Abu Ghraib. Do not pass go. Do not collect $200.00.

Renewed complaints concerning treatment of detainees/prisoners in U.S. detention facilities have surfaced which allege brutality far worse (and perverted) than previously reported. Still, the administration chooses to remain secretive, and data and documents are not forthcoming. Allegations of rape, torture, and death have been met with stonewalling, denials, and silence.

Congressional leadership – either unwilling or simply due to incompetence – has failed to hold this administration accountable and certainly seems ineffective in securing further information/documentation (including photo’s and video) known to exist.

The ACLU has continued to push for the evidence under the ‘Freedom of Information Act’ but the government remains distant and does not seem willing to cooperate fully.

Eye witnesses have sworn to what can only be considered as barbaric treatment of detainees (some children) including the rape of a young boy.

Controlled or limited access to the detainees by members of the Red Cross – itself an unconscionable and abhorrent act – leads one to assume the government has much to conceal. After all, aren’t they the ones who keep telling us ‘If you have nothing to hide, why worry?’ as they continue to strip away our civil liberties?

In a recent Republican Presidential Candidates debate one of the gentleman refuted John Edwards contention that there are two Americas in existence. He claimed, rather patriotically and with practiced conviction, that there exists only one America. He is wrong. There are indeed two Americas: The America we think exists, and the America that actually does exist.

Rep. Dennis Kucinich

In the audio recording below (dtd 2006) Congressman Dennis Kucinich refers to George Bush’s plan to permanently base U.S. Troops in Iraq. Last week the so-called leaders of the U.S. and Iraq agreed (in principle) to just such an action.

It is now more than obvious that Mr. Bush’s war was not to liberate the Iraqi people from a brutal dictatorship, but to invade and occupy a nation for control of their natural resources. In the agreement signed last Monday, 50,000 U.S. Troops will be based in Iraq for the long term, and the United States will retain a large degree of control over the ‘democratically elected’ Iraqi government.

Is there any other conclusion to be drawn but that this action is no more than colonial-style control of one nation over another for the purpose of exploitation? In less ambiguous words: It's all about the oil.

Liberation, or the war on terror, can no longer be used as the reason for our invasion.

In 1961 then President John Kennedy challenged the American people to land a man on the moon before the end of the decade. In February of 1962 John Glenn orbited the earth three times and just seven years later Neil Armstrong stepped down onto the surface of the moon. The challenge was met. It was a testament to what American determination can accomplish. So why is it that now, in our fifth year of the occupation of Iraq, the Iraqi people are still without running water, reliable electrical power, or adequate medical aid and supplies? Because, sadly, that is not where George Bush’s interests lie. Let’s not deceive ourselves any longer. Freedom for the people of Iraq was never Mr. Bush’s goal. Granted, it was what we were told, but it just doesn’t hold true.

I cannot remember a time in the history of America when the government so blatantly defied the will of the people, and with such arrogance. Make no mistake, these are sad days for America and every American. Our core values and beliefs, our Constitution and civil liberties, our principles and ideals, are being trampled right before our eyes. And all the while, the citizens of Iraq suffer. And they suffer in ways we cannot begin to fathom. These are the people we supposedly went to liberate. These are the people whose freedom, we were told, we went to secure. Yet in real, tangible, practical terms, they are, seemingly, the last concern of those controlling their land.

Before the money brokers, investors, oil sellers and resellers, commodity brokers, policy makers, and governments consider the disposition and control of Iraqi oil, they should look long and hard at the suffering Iraqi people. That is where they will see the real cost of each barrel of the oil they value so much.

Just a reminder.

Consider this...

"...we must not let our rulers load us with perpetual debt. We must make our election between economy and liberty or profusion and servitude. If we run into such debt, as that we must be taxed in our meat and in our drink, in our necessaries and our comforts, in our labors and our amusements, for our calling and our creeds...we [will] have no time to think, no means of calling our miss-managers to account but be glad to obtain subsistence by hiring ourselves to rivet their chains on the necks of our fellow-sufferers. And this is the tendency of all human governments. A departure from principle in one instance becomes a precedent ...till the bulk of society is reduced to be mere automatons of misery. And the foreshores of this frightful team is public debt. Taxation follows that, and in its train wretchedness and oppression.

President Thomas Jefferson

Love it or leave it?

To those who have conveyed to me the sentiment “America, love it or leave it.” I say, “I agree” and “I do”. It’s my country. I love it. I love the ideals of America. I love the hope and promise of America. I love America.

I love America so much that I refuse to sit idly by and watch as some – professing a perverse patriotism – attempt to dismantle the very foundations of America. I love the America that was formed to promote ‘life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness’; the America that was formed ‘of the people, by the people, and for the people’; land of the free and home of the brave.

I love the America that prompted men to rise up and say, with sincerity and conviction, ‘Give me liberty or give me death’. I love the America that stood, proudly, for justice and equality, and freedom; freedom to speak your mind, and freedom to act.

I love America.

I resent those that would pervert America for their own personal gain or benefit, or partisan interest. I resent those that would try to weaken America through fear or manipulation or dictate. I resent those that would attempt labeling those that dissent – not only a right but a duty of all citizens – as un-American or unpatriotic. I resent those that, through apathy or indifference or sheer laziness or ignorance, allow others to minimize, subvert, or destroy the rights and freedoms guaranteed to each citizen – regardless of race, creed, color, or anything else - under the Constitution; the Constitution that so many of our forefathers have fought and died to defend.

I love America.

When I look at our flag I cannot help but feel a sense of pride. Within that cloth of stars and stripes I see my Uncle who was in the second wave of troops to land on Omaha Beach; I see my Father who, at 17 years of age, sailed off to war; I see my Brothers who continued that tradition of military service, enlisting during a time of war; I see those that served with me as well, young men from across America who willingly took an oath to ‘defend the Constitution against enemies both foreign and domestic’. And I see those who did not serve militarily but at home, ensuring that America continued to function. In short, I see Americans; men and women who come from strong stock, from ancestors who cherished freedom and justice and would never bow their heads to any dictatorship, whether at home or abroad. What I do not see when I look at our flag is buildings and offices and bureaucracies and committees. I do not see political parties, secret agendas, corporate interests, political action groups, or politicians. Nor do I see those that violate and betray the decency of our country and its citizenry by abusing others.

America, love it or leave it? I’m here for the duration. Let King George know.

Why? Why? Why?

When children are young and inquisitive they learn much by asking the simple question: “Why?”. And, as many exasperated parents can attest, their follow up questions (same as the original question) can go on and on and on and on and on.

As cute (or infuriating) as the question can be, the simple “Why?” is, undoubtedly, the single most powerful question one can ask concerning anything; and everything.

“Why is the sky blue?”

“Why can’t I stay up late?”

“Why are we still in Iraq?”

Even if one buys into the lies, misinformation, and false understandings which led to war, the question of why we’re still there needs to be answered.

Is it to establish democracy? Not really, but let’s pretend so. The Iraq Government – elected by the people of Iraq – has repeatedly asked us to leave. They have stated that the fighting will not stop until American forces are gone. American military Commanders have stated repeatedly that the situation in Iraq cannot be resolved militarily. So, the question is, “Why are we still there?” Another question one might ask is, “What good is a democracy in Iraq if we do not allow that democracy to self-govern?”

And, what has happened to democracy in America when, clearly, the vast majority of Americans want us out of Iraq yet our Government ignores the ‘will of the people’ and pursues it’s own agenda? ‘…of the People, by the People, and for the People…’ are words not to be dismissed nor ignored no matter what any ‘Decider’ may think. Either America (and Americans) is (are) free, or it (and we) are not. Emperor George has failed his oath of office. He has done so intentionally, and with great vigor. Why, why, why, is he still President? Why is Dick Cheney still Vice-President? Both swore an oath to defend the Constitution, but both failed to do so; and, in fact, have worked to weaken and subvert the Constitution.

I just wanted to say that outright before the Senate and the Emperor sign off on H.R. 1955 which will make it illegal to advocate such things.

Oh, in case you’re wondering why we are still in Iraq, consider the following possibility:

(A sticker of this artwork has been circulating around the Bay Area in California. I will research and credit the Artist as soon as I determine who he/she is. Incredible piece of work.)

Thought you should know...

Just in case you were wondering:

American Wounded 28,451
American Dead 3,863
Iraqi Dead 1,109,934 (estimated)
Iraqi’s Displaced 2 Million plus (estimated)
Cost of War 1.6 Trillion (USD)

(as of 11-13-07)

'General'ly Stupid

General Abazaid, retired, recently announced that Americans ‘should relax’ and that we’ll be in the middle east for ’25 to 50 years’. My initial response was to just scratch my head and sigh, but after thinking of his words for awhile I find myself growing more and more nauseous. The word ‘relax’ isn’t one you often hear when referring to war. Relax? Something is wrong when one can encourage people to ‘relax’ regarding war. How cavalier. How disrespectful. How absolutely stupid.
Relax?
People are dying.
Relax?
More people will die.
Relax?
This man was in charge of our troops for a time. Was that what he communicated to the Soldiers? Relax?
Is that what he would tell the wounded and maimed in our VA Medical Centers? Relax?
Did he tell the families of our fallen Soldiers the same thing? Relax?
Did he tell the innocents in Iraq to relax too?
How does this man’s mind work? - or not work?
Relax?
If I could thank God for only one thing today, it would be that Abazaid is no longer Commanding troops.
Relax?
God help us if any other Commanders still in uniform share his view or have his attitude.

LTG Ricardo Sanchez

Lieutenant General Ricardo Sanchez has joined the ranks of the retired who have now found their courage and their voice. Convenient. Where was his voice when it would have counted, when it might have made a difference? It was silent. Was the hope of a fourth star pinned to his shoulder worth his silence regarding the situation(s) in Iraq? No.

HUH?

$50 Billion?

In his State of the Union address he said 'we' have to control spending. Now, he's asking for $50 Billion more for Iraq (to continue funding 'the surge'). $50 Billion! That's in addition to the money already budgeted for the war (about $460 Billion), and in addition to the $147 Billion of 'supplemental funding' previously requested. Is the man insane? Is Congress insane? Or are 'we' insane for allowing this to continue? (Answer: All of the above.)

What will it take - honestly - before we stand up and say "No!" to this insanity?

Whew!!

I stopped at a local watering hole on the way home. It was hot and a cold beer sounded good. The tavern was dark and cool, and nearly empty. I took a seat at the rear of the narrow bar, close to the television. CNN.
In just a few minutes, as if some unheard signal had sounded, the bar began to fill. I assumed it was the ‘just off of work crowd’. The stools and tables filled up quickly.
“Mind if we sit with you?”
I looked up to see a young couple, drinks in hand.
“Sure. Have a seat.”
They dropped down on the chairs opposite me and introduced themselves. After a few moments of awkward small talk their eyes turned to the television. Wolfe Blitzer in the Situation Room.
“So, what do you think of this war?” I asked.
“We support the troops.” the young woman replied.
“What’s that?”
“We support the troops.” she repeated, her partner nodding in agreement.
It’s a phrase I hear a lot, but don’t understand. “What does that mean?”
They stared at me, wide-eyed, but silent.
“I mean, specifically, what does it mean when someone says they support the troops?”
Silence.
“Well… Regardless of, you know… Regardless of what someone thinks about the war, you still have to support the troops.” the young man answered. This time the young lady was nodding her agreement.
I decided to nod in return. “But, what does that mean?”
Silence. Their faces flushed slightly as they looked at one another then back to me.
“Just curious.” I sipped at my beer.
“Do you support the troops?” the young lady asked, a bit defensively.
“Yes. I do. I definitely do.”
The woman’s eyebrows arched high on her forehead and she gave me a look that reminded me of the look my Grandmother would give me when I was a child. It was a combination “I told you so/There you go then” look. And, of course, if was accompanied by another slow nodding of her head.
“That’s why I think they should come home. Tomorrow. If not sooner.”
They stared at one another then back at me. They both frowned.
“You agree, don’t you? I mean, you said you supported the troops. Right?”
“I don’t know about that.” The young man looked thoughtful. “I mean…” He sighed.
“When we say we support the troops we mean that they should be given everything they need.” the woman interjected.
“Right.” the young man said.
“I agree. And what they need most is to come home.” I replied.
The young man grinned. “Just like that, huh? Just pack up and leave?”
“Pretty much.” I signaled the bartender for another round.
“But if we just leave… All those soldiers would have died in vain.”
“Soldiers never die in vain.” I replied. “They die following orders. They die defending themselves and their fellow soldiers. They die fulfilling their oath. They die doing what their country has odered them to do. But, they never die in vain.”
“But if we just… leave, then… What was the point of going over there in the first place?”
“Exactly. Good question. What was the point of going over there in the first place?” I asked.
“Oh, well…” He waved his hand in the air as if shooing a fly away. “I don’t get into politics. One side says this the other side says that…” He sighed again. “It’s confusing.”
“You can’t tell who’s telling the truth.” the young woman chimed in. “It is confusing. It gives me a headache.”
“I know.” I replied. “That’s why I think we need to bring our troops home now. Until we figure it out.”
“You know, I don’t think we’ll ever know the truth; never figure it out. It’s politics, you know?”
“Well, we can’t leave them there forever.”
“I don’t want to talk about this anymore. It’s depressing.” the young lady remarked.
I noticed an iPhone jutting up from her purse. “So what do you think of the iPhone?” I asked.
“I love it!” she exclaimed.
“It is fantastic!” her partner agreed.
They pulled their phones out and showed me the features. Their fingers moved quickly and I watched as they showed me pictures, browsed the internet, and tried to teach me about the operation of the sleek, shiny phone.
“It is impressive.” For some reason I began to grow depressed.
Three thousand six hundred plus Americans are dead. Tens of thousands wounded, maimed. Hundreds of thousands of Iraqi citizens dead. Twelve billion dollars a month spent on a war to which many are, sadly, indifferent.
I sipped at my beer and watched the young couple show me yet more features on their phones. It is a pretty slick gadget. I shook their hands, settled up with the bartender, and headed for home. I watched the pedestrian traffic as I strolled through the City. There was little that indicated we were a country at war, or that our government was spending us into an economic disaster. When did we become so casual, so cavalier, about something as devastating as war?
I thought of a blog post by a young soldier in Iraq. Basically, he just described his day. Tired, hot, always on edge. Never enough sleep. Scared and wanting to come home. Fiercely proud of his fellow soldiers and hoping no more buddies would be killed or injured. A hell of a situation to send a young man into. A hell of a situation to keep him in while we try to decide what we should do.
If Chelsea Clinton or the Bush girls were there, or even one of Romney's sons, would they still need to think much longer about what to do or how to do it? Doubtful.
We have abused those courageous enough to serve. Our government has abused them and betrayed them, and we as a nation have allowed it to happen. By our silence and indifference and fear we have allowed an ignorant cowboy and his cronies to have their way. We have allowed them to run roughshod over the Constitution and our civil liberties, wage war, and destroy our standards of morality by illegal imprisonment and the use of torture.
We should all be ashamed. But we should also all stand up and, finally, say “Enough.”

Wake up.

Perhaps instead of asking the Candidates what they will do, we should ask what they have done. Do the Senators and Congressmen need to be President before they get to work? What have Clinton and Obama done while in the Senate to address the issues they discuss now on the campaign trail?
It is an enormous mistake for Democrats to assume the last election was simply a message sent to Republicans - it was a message to all self-serving 'public servants'. Granted, I voted against Republicans during the last election. But I intend to vote against certain Democrats in the upcoming election (Pelosi being chief among the Dem's who will not get my vote). Americans are just sick to death of our inept government (Republican and Democrat alike).
At times I feel like I'm living in a foreign country. Where has America gone? We have no [mainstream] free Press, diminishing civil rights, and an economic disaster [if not collapse] looming on the horizon; yet all I hear are politicos debating the same issues they've been debating for decades. How can anyone take any of them seriously?
George Bush and Company have done almost irreparable damage from which I'm not sure we can ever truly recover; damage both domestically and internationally. These are, indeed, dangerous times we live in, and it's high time we held our elected officials accountable for both their actions and inaction.

Running on empty

I recently shared my frustrations regarding the (mainstream) Press and the Bush administration with Helen Thomas, the incomparable UPI Journalist and White House Correspondent. Thought I'd share her response.

"Everything you say is true and more so; but I honestly believe the people will wake up and the shamed press will begin to do its job again; we have been taken by the pigmies; the right wing talking heads and a president who could care less about the u.s. constitution, but I believe there is always hope and we should all be in the streets again; bush has had an easy ride. To this moment he will not say why he went to war, killed so many people, because whatever the reason it is unacceptable-don't despair but I agree we're running on empty now" - helent

Truly, she is wise beyond her years.

Democracy

So, is Democracy dying in America? I wonder.

When did we (America) become so - complacent? Indifferent? Uncaring? It frightens me sometimes. Really, it does. I truly think our country may be broken - and possibly beyond repair. (Not that anyone is really trying to repair it.) The Democrats in D.C. are equally as bad (and culpable) as the Republicans. Both are self-serving; more concerned with reelection than doing their jobs. I think the only difference between the two parties - that I can see - is that Democrats sex scandals usually involve women.

Journalism

C-Span's recent broadcasts of Bill Moyer and Dean Baquet were interesting and thought provoking. The broadcasts were also depressing. The future of a 'free and unbridled Press' seems bleak. Of course, I'm referring to 'old media' - internet reporting seems the logical progression and is without restriction (at least at the moment).
As a younger man - part of the generation who opposed the Viet Nam war, received the right to vote at 18, and fought for Civil Rights - I valued the investigative, fact based, unbiased reporting of dedicated and ethical Journalists. That was when 'news' actually was news and not packaged entertainment or propaganda disguised as news. And news consisted of, as [Dragnet] Joe Friday would say, "The facts, M'am. Just the facts."
I fear for the younger generation. They have grownup without the advantage of a true free Press - also, diminishing civil liberties and an apathetic, self-serving government.

(Continued at the expanded blog - see blogroll.)