I now realize that my friend Matt was correct. Politics is topic which you hardly ever win, yet all too often lose. A study released even shows that even when given facts about a particular subject, more often than not, a person will remain fixed to their position. So in what way did I think this trivial blog would have some sort of profound impact?
Today, because I questioned how quickly Bin Laden's body was disposed of and because I stated I needed more details before I accepted this report as fact, I was accused of questioning Obama's ability as President and creating a conspiracy. Even though I never said this had been faked, I was now someone who was anti-American.
Let me be perfectly clear: my opinion on Obama has not changed one bit because of this development. He was simply in the right place at the right time. Flip the votes and it is McCain making the call to go ahead with the operation. So this event does NOT make the man.
Am I happy Bin Laden is dead? I am neither happy nor unhappy. My friend Matt talked of how this brings closure for Americans because Bin Laden was a symbol, and symbols are powerful. How very, very true Matt. Hitler was a symbol - and the nation was jubilant upon news of his death. And that symbol was subsequently transferred to the hate groups that inhabit our very country now. Waco and Ruby Ridge were powerful symbols, and their destruction led to horrors in Oklahoma City. I am neither happy nor unhappy because each time a symbol is destroyed, hatred, distruction and death follow in its wake. Bin Laden is dead and we must now prepare for the inevitable backlash.
I started this blog because I felt I needed an outlet and thought, just perhaps, I could get what I considered a needed message broadcast. I see now that I have quite simply caused myself even more undue frustration and have had some sense of superiority when writing these. I still believe each and every word I have typed here and would not change a single one. But, in all honesty, what do I know? I am simply a human being as are each of you.
So I bid each of you adieu. Let us all hope that the future brings us great success that we can pass on to our children and grand-children. Thank you for letting me into your lives. And remember, freedom is not American - it is human.
Monday, May 2, 2011
Think of Yourself Much?
We Americans have a pretty twisted view of ourselves as it pertains to the rest of the world. The internalized sense of being right, compared to all others is akin to chritstians telling jews they are wrong. Unrest breaks out in Egypt, Syria, Libya, etc... and all you hear from our side is that these people are screaming for democracy. I certainly hope not, because even our Founding Fathers hated democracy. This is why the United States is a republic - but I digress.
I have yet to see a single "one man, one vote" type of sign at any of these areas of unrest. These people are not in the streets screaming for democracy. They are not screaming for government of any kind. And they sure as hell haven't asked to be like America. They are screaming for the ability to life their lives as man and woman was meant to - on their terms. Yes, government plays a factor into the lives of all, but how we live these lives (our enjoyments, moments of happiness) is defined by us as human beings.
We tout freedom of speech, press, religion, et al as somehow American in nature. These freedoms aren't American - they're HUMAN. And for a country that cannot even recongize the equality of its' own citizens, we sure do have a ton a graft about other countries' affairs.
These uprisings are not about becoming more like America. These uprisings are about becoming more human. It amuses me to see news of certain countries being considered for the U.N. Council on Human Rights. Lets be honest - NO COUNTRY belongs on that council. We've been as dire to our own people as anyone. And considering Extraordinary Rendition, America's hands are clearly soiled.
So instead of trying to figure out how we can help others be more like America, maybe we can look inwards for a bit and help ourselves become more human.
I have yet to see a single "one man, one vote" type of sign at any of these areas of unrest. These people are not in the streets screaming for democracy. They are not screaming for government of any kind. And they sure as hell haven't asked to be like America. They are screaming for the ability to life their lives as man and woman was meant to - on their terms. Yes, government plays a factor into the lives of all, but how we live these lives (our enjoyments, moments of happiness) is defined by us as human beings.
We tout freedom of speech, press, religion, et al as somehow American in nature. These freedoms aren't American - they're HUMAN. And for a country that cannot even recongize the equality of its' own citizens, we sure do have a ton a graft about other countries' affairs.
These uprisings are not about becoming more like America. These uprisings are about becoming more human. It amuses me to see news of certain countries being considered for the U.N. Council on Human Rights. Lets be honest - NO COUNTRY belongs on that council. We've been as dire to our own people as anyone. And considering Extraordinary Rendition, America's hands are clearly soiled.
So instead of trying to figure out how we can help others be more like America, maybe we can look inwards for a bit and help ourselves become more human.
Here We Go
Of course, I have to comment on the death of Osama Bin Laden. As to how I feel about it, I'm actually a bit unsure. After 20 years of military service you'd think I'd be running through the streets singing Lee Greenwood. However, what I am doing is sitting here realizing that we may have solved one of our self-inflicted wounds. I realize it is dangerous to use this sort of tone directly after the announcement. I don't need something like this to be appreciative of my military brothers and sisters - I share blood, sweat and tears with them. And if he truly is dead, then a hearty Bravo Zulu on a job well done.
This much I know - WE created Bin Laden. Starting in 1979, we sent in the CIA to train, organize, fund and arm Bin Laden and his mujahidins to fight against the Soviets. So, in actuality, it has taken 32 years - not 10 - to take this man down.
Of course, all we have is a press conference and printed news so far. There are no pictures and his body was buried at sea less than 24 hours after the news. People who die in the U.S. of natural causes aren't buried that fast. How fast were we to provide picture after picture of Hussein and his son's bodies? Some of you may be thinking that pictures of Bin Laden's body may incite blowback. What - you don't think dumping it in the ocean and not returning it to his family won't? Do you think that radical terrorists around the world are going to go quiet simply because he's dead? Showing pictures to prove his death will cause no more damage than the jubilant celebration going on in America today will do.
And Obama was eloquent as he attempted to tap into the "joy-joy" feeling that existed for about a week after 9/11. That short period where no one hated anyone else - unless you were a muslim. Blacks, whites, hispanics, asians...all together. I doubt that happens over this and, if it does, it will be even more fake than the first time. You do realize that 9/11 is what convinced the Westboro Baptist Church that this was god's punishment for homosexuals right? Well, perhaps god hated Bin Laden just a bit more this time Westboro.
I am happy this is over, but I am not blinded by the story. I know the U.S. funded Bin Laden, I know that the title Al Qaeda is the name of the list kept by the CIA of members of Bin Ladin's mujahidins - not what the call themselves and I know the FBI never listed 9/11 on Bin Laden's most-wanted rap because they didn't have the evidence to tie him to it.
We now enter a scary moment in time. After 9/11 we saw what the Bush administration did in the name of national security. With an event like this, don't act shocked if it gets even worse.
So, if it is true, congrats to my brothers and sisters in arms. But if they fail to produce concrete evidence of the identity, then I may be off to Morpheus to take the red pill.
This much I know - WE created Bin Laden. Starting in 1979, we sent in the CIA to train, organize, fund and arm Bin Laden and his mujahidins to fight against the Soviets. So, in actuality, it has taken 32 years - not 10 - to take this man down.
Of course, all we have is a press conference and printed news so far. There are no pictures and his body was buried at sea less than 24 hours after the news. People who die in the U.S. of natural causes aren't buried that fast. How fast were we to provide picture after picture of Hussein and his son's bodies? Some of you may be thinking that pictures of Bin Laden's body may incite blowback. What - you don't think dumping it in the ocean and not returning it to his family won't? Do you think that radical terrorists around the world are going to go quiet simply because he's dead? Showing pictures to prove his death will cause no more damage than the jubilant celebration going on in America today will do.
And Obama was eloquent as he attempted to tap into the "joy-joy" feeling that existed for about a week after 9/11. That short period where no one hated anyone else - unless you were a muslim. Blacks, whites, hispanics, asians...all together. I doubt that happens over this and, if it does, it will be even more fake than the first time. You do realize that 9/11 is what convinced the Westboro Baptist Church that this was god's punishment for homosexuals right? Well, perhaps god hated Bin Laden just a bit more this time Westboro.
I am happy this is over, but I am not blinded by the story. I know the U.S. funded Bin Laden, I know that the title Al Qaeda is the name of the list kept by the CIA of members of Bin Ladin's mujahidins - not what the call themselves and I know the FBI never listed 9/11 on Bin Laden's most-wanted rap because they didn't have the evidence to tie him to it.
We now enter a scary moment in time. After 9/11 we saw what the Bush administration did in the name of national security. With an event like this, don't act shocked if it gets even worse.
So, if it is true, congrats to my brothers and sisters in arms. But if they fail to produce concrete evidence of the identity, then I may be off to Morpheus to take the red pill.
Saturday, April 30, 2011
When The Levee Breaks
When it rains, it pours, and I am no exception. Sometimes I am frustrated by more things than there are blogs to cover. We picked up the "Sunday Early Edition" of our local paper (I guess Saturday would be early Sunday) and the headline was how our local Governor had repealed an '04 law allowing collective bargaining. So that's Wisconsin, Ohio, Indiana and Oklahoma now. To be honest, I never thought Oklahoma HAD collective bargaining as red as this state is.
Ok, the first thing we need to do is define what collective bargaining is. Collective bargaining is where employers and employees (or employees representatives .i.e. union rep) come together to decide company policy as it pertains to employment and employment benefits. I know most of you reading already know this, but humor me. In today's America, this is a BAD thing it seems. Well, all I can say is that before the NFL owners got so greedy, the NFL was the most profitable sports organization around and the reason for it was collective bargaining. Collective bargaining allowed them to put the best product forward and money into everyone's pocket. Prosperity for ALL. Now the owners want collective bargaining gone...look where that has 'em.
Now scale this work stoppage back and put it in place in every corner where local government has repealed collective bargaining rights. Do you get the picture now? There is only one reason to undo collective bargaining: to increase the profit margin and cost-cutting of the employer. This includes government agencies. Most of the entities that want collective bargaining gone are the ones that are trying to undo health care coverage to save money.
Now government agencies will appeal to to us saying that without the destruction of collective bargaining, the funding of the budget is impossible. Um, no, the answer is if you hadn't lacked any sense of foresight you would have built ALL of your state programs soundly and wouldn't be looking to screw over state employees to cover your losses. I mean teachers are already at the lower-income rung on the ladder, yet face daily scrutiny on every move they make because they teach our children. What possible good can come from ripping the floor out from under our teachers...not to mention firefighters and policemen? Even lower tests scores, longer response times? Is that improvement?
This fight isn't limited to public service employees. A bill repealing collective bargaining rights affects EVERY union. The governments like to cite the auto companies as proof that unions destroy corporations. WRONG. Failure to adapt to quality, fuel efficiency and customer desires killed Detroit. Look at Walmart: the poster-child for conservative business actively hunts down and kills all thoughts of a union. Good thing since they treat their employees like crap and have special disdain for the females and minorities in their employ (they currently have the largest class-action lawsuit in history filed against them by their female employees). When a company fails, it is do to mismanagement, bad business practices and greed...either that or a Walmart opened up near you and you couldn't compete with their volume discount.
Unions are not bad. There are some unions who have had some shady dealings, but they are not the norm. The next time you wake up and are getting ready for work, as yourself if you would like a say-so in the way your employer treated you or if you were happy simply sitting at the grinding stone. If you would like a say-so, then collective bargaining is your avenue of choice.
Ok, the first thing we need to do is define what collective bargaining is. Collective bargaining is where employers and employees (or employees representatives .i.e. union rep) come together to decide company policy as it pertains to employment and employment benefits. I know most of you reading already know this, but humor me. In today's America, this is a BAD thing it seems. Well, all I can say is that before the NFL owners got so greedy, the NFL was the most profitable sports organization around and the reason for it was collective bargaining. Collective bargaining allowed them to put the best product forward and money into everyone's pocket. Prosperity for ALL. Now the owners want collective bargaining gone...look where that has 'em.
Now scale this work stoppage back and put it in place in every corner where local government has repealed collective bargaining rights. Do you get the picture now? There is only one reason to undo collective bargaining: to increase the profit margin and cost-cutting of the employer. This includes government agencies. Most of the entities that want collective bargaining gone are the ones that are trying to undo health care coverage to save money.
Now government agencies will appeal to to us saying that without the destruction of collective bargaining, the funding of the budget is impossible. Um, no, the answer is if you hadn't lacked any sense of foresight you would have built ALL of your state programs soundly and wouldn't be looking to screw over state employees to cover your losses. I mean teachers are already at the lower-income rung on the ladder, yet face daily scrutiny on every move they make because they teach our children. What possible good can come from ripping the floor out from under our teachers...not to mention firefighters and policemen? Even lower tests scores, longer response times? Is that improvement?
This fight isn't limited to public service employees. A bill repealing collective bargaining rights affects EVERY union. The governments like to cite the auto companies as proof that unions destroy corporations. WRONG. Failure to adapt to quality, fuel efficiency and customer desires killed Detroit. Look at Walmart: the poster-child for conservative business actively hunts down and kills all thoughts of a union. Good thing since they treat their employees like crap and have special disdain for the females and minorities in their employ (they currently have the largest class-action lawsuit in history filed against them by their female employees). When a company fails, it is do to mismanagement, bad business practices and greed...either that or a Walmart opened up near you and you couldn't compete with their volume discount.
Unions are not bad. There are some unions who have had some shady dealings, but they are not the norm. The next time you wake up and are getting ready for work, as yourself if you would like a say-so in the way your employer treated you or if you were happy simply sitting at the grinding stone. If you would like a say-so, then collective bargaining is your avenue of choice.
Maybe We Can Ride Bikes
Last week it was announced that because BP claimed the disastrous oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico as a $41 billion loss, the company paid ZERO in income taxes. I'll say that again: BP, who destroyed the livelihood of thousands, caused untold environmental damage and made billions in PROFIT was able to claim the disaster as a loss, off-setting its profits, therefore enabling them to claim an overall loss and not pay ANY taxes. Meanwhile, the single-mother of three who has two jobs and has nothing to itemize other than bobby pins had to pay her fair share.
This was a LEGAL move by BP. But we all know legal doesn't always mean correct. This is the same thing as someone breaking into your home, stealing your valuables and then getting injured on exit - and then they sue you and win. Don't laugh - this case happens all too often.
BP and its brother oil companies are taking in HUGE profits each quarter. Exxon made $11 billion last quarter. THAT'S PROFIT. Yet, gas prices are so high that EVERY segment of our daily life is affected.
I'm sorry...I can't do this in a nice way anymore....
Has this country gone clueless? Are we so fucking dumb that we just sit back and let these people ass-rape us and then we kiss them on the cheek? I so cannot understand the conservative view of letting this "capitalism" run our affairs. You see these corporate entites stealing the country away yet you go and provide them with easier means in which to do so. You see the families decimated by health problems from fracking and other wonderful corporate machinations and you simply turn your head. You tread on the heads of every minority in our country and act appaled when they finally fire back at you.
Is the need for acceptance, majority and power so great that you would hand over this country to a select few? Does Bubba in Alabama really think that if the Tea Party gets its way his life is going to somehow improve? When will you people wake up and see that politicians don't give a shit about the end result of their policies? So, Bubba, next time you cast your vote, you should get a thank-you card that reads "Thanks for the vote. Now fuck off."
We have GOT to take control of our country back. We MUST makes this a government BY and FOR the PEOPLE again. In order to do that we have to get past all the bullshit and look at the actual FACTS. There is always room for debate - no one has all the answers. All I know is if we let the conservatives take control as their belief structure stands, we will soon need "papers" to cross state lines.
I digress...back to BP, et al. People you need to put pressure on your lawmakers to get the breaks these big corporations receive removed from the table. Conservatives would say that this would cause them to take their business away. Yeah, but if I'm gonna get fucked at the pump, I'd rather it be because they can't be here destroying my country anymore!
This was a LEGAL move by BP. But we all know legal doesn't always mean correct. This is the same thing as someone breaking into your home, stealing your valuables and then getting injured on exit - and then they sue you and win. Don't laugh - this case happens all too often.
BP and its brother oil companies are taking in HUGE profits each quarter. Exxon made $11 billion last quarter. THAT'S PROFIT. Yet, gas prices are so high that EVERY segment of our daily life is affected.
I'm sorry...I can't do this in a nice way anymore....
Has this country gone clueless? Are we so fucking dumb that we just sit back and let these people ass-rape us and then we kiss them on the cheek? I so cannot understand the conservative view of letting this "capitalism" run our affairs. You see these corporate entites stealing the country away yet you go and provide them with easier means in which to do so. You see the families decimated by health problems from fracking and other wonderful corporate machinations and you simply turn your head. You tread on the heads of every minority in our country and act appaled when they finally fire back at you.
Is the need for acceptance, majority and power so great that you would hand over this country to a select few? Does Bubba in Alabama really think that if the Tea Party gets its way his life is going to somehow improve? When will you people wake up and see that politicians don't give a shit about the end result of their policies? So, Bubba, next time you cast your vote, you should get a thank-you card that reads "Thanks for the vote. Now fuck off."
We have GOT to take control of our country back. We MUST makes this a government BY and FOR the PEOPLE again. In order to do that we have to get past all the bullshit and look at the actual FACTS. There is always room for debate - no one has all the answers. All I know is if we let the conservatives take control as their belief structure stands, we will soon need "papers" to cross state lines.
I digress...back to BP, et al. People you need to put pressure on your lawmakers to get the breaks these big corporations receive removed from the table. Conservatives would say that this would cause them to take their business away. Yeah, but if I'm gonna get fucked at the pump, I'd rather it be because they can't be here destroying my country anymore!
We Cannot Be THAT Dumb
One would have thought that Obama dropping the birth certificate bomb would have quelled some of the blatant racism whose vitriolic bile has been spewn over the country since the election. Nope. No sooner had the dust settled from the birth certificate before we were entreated to the newest criticism from the Tea Party and conservatives: Obama faked his way into college and his grades and classes are a sham.
How the fuck did we go from "I regret that I have but one life to live for my country" to "Oh yeah, well you're stupid"? I mean, this is exactly what it is - playground name calling. But why? Simply put, because most Americans political views are based solely on perception. How else could you explain Donald Trump being the top republican "candidate?" This is a man who calls the Chinese "motherfuckers," and the audience ate it up. Of course, I imagine his audience had to go ask Jesus' forgiveness for being fired up by the term. No, that's not name-calling - that's pointing out the hypocritical lives most conservatives lead.
This same hypocracy is being applied to Obama. Bush Jr.'s college days were fertile land for comedians for a very long time, yet, for whatever reason, it did not detract from his ability as President in the eyes of conservatives. Now, here we are with them questioning Obama's college days and tying them directly to his ability in the oval office. Roosevelt was applauded for his isolationist stance on WW2 (until the bombings) yet Obama now has The Rock behind him screaming to "go layeth the smacketh down" on Libya.
Listen, if I haven't plainly explained this, I was for Obama being elected. However, I feel he has woefully underperformed based on his campaign. No transparency in government as he promised, cow-towing to every Republican demand and failing to stand tall on his basic beliefs. If you want to come at him on those points, hey, its fair game. However, these new grumblings about school performance and admission are rediculous. Does this mean that the Republicans half-ass vetted Obama? How long did we hear about his pastor during the election? His association with Acorn? Oh, and his birth certificate. If they went back far enough to question his country of origin, how the fuck did they miss his college days? Perhaps they were at a frat party when it was time to review those records.
Neither side of the isle is innocent when it comes to this playground one-upmanship. But, until Americans stop letting it influence them, it will continue. Isn't about time we told Timmy we don't give a shit if he beat up Johnny, we want to know how he's going to ensure our savings isn't going to disappear when the bank folds.
How the fuck did we go from "I regret that I have but one life to live for my country" to "Oh yeah, well you're stupid"? I mean, this is exactly what it is - playground name calling. But why? Simply put, because most Americans political views are based solely on perception. How else could you explain Donald Trump being the top republican "candidate?" This is a man who calls the Chinese "motherfuckers," and the audience ate it up. Of course, I imagine his audience had to go ask Jesus' forgiveness for being fired up by the term. No, that's not name-calling - that's pointing out the hypocritical lives most conservatives lead.
This same hypocracy is being applied to Obama. Bush Jr.'s college days were fertile land for comedians for a very long time, yet, for whatever reason, it did not detract from his ability as President in the eyes of conservatives. Now, here we are with them questioning Obama's college days and tying them directly to his ability in the oval office. Roosevelt was applauded for his isolationist stance on WW2 (until the bombings) yet Obama now has The Rock behind him screaming to "go layeth the smacketh down" on Libya.
Listen, if I haven't plainly explained this, I was for Obama being elected. However, I feel he has woefully underperformed based on his campaign. No transparency in government as he promised, cow-towing to every Republican demand and failing to stand tall on his basic beliefs. If you want to come at him on those points, hey, its fair game. However, these new grumblings about school performance and admission are rediculous. Does this mean that the Republicans half-ass vetted Obama? How long did we hear about his pastor during the election? His association with Acorn? Oh, and his birth certificate. If they went back far enough to question his country of origin, how the fuck did they miss his college days? Perhaps they were at a frat party when it was time to review those records.
Neither side of the isle is innocent when it comes to this playground one-upmanship. But, until Americans stop letting it influence them, it will continue. Isn't about time we told Timmy we don't give a shit if he beat up Johnny, we want to know how he's going to ensure our savings isn't going to disappear when the bank folds.
Friday, April 29, 2011
What Kind of American Are You?
Ok...a little off-topic, but I thought I needed to finally write this after seeing the whole "Superman renounces US citizenship" stuff (I'll get to the Superman crap in a minute). I remember growing up, that if were speaking about race, we had whites, blacks, asians and mexicans. To have any such conversation today, we have African-Americans, Asian-Americans and Hispanic-Americans. However, white people are now known simply as "Americans." Hmmm....anyone see anything odd here?
I am married to a woman of predominately Asian heritage, who just so happened to be born in the U.S. How is it, therefore, I must term her an Asian-American? If she had come here from Asia and gotten citizenship, she would be Asian-American. To me, she's an American - plain and simple. And unless one of black friends came here from Africa, he is simply an American as well. I leave Hispanic-American alone because the many varied Hispanic cultures are proud and to call them by any other name than their country of origin (.i.e. to call a Puerto Rican a Cuban) would almost certainly incite a riot. Hispanic-American is all-encompassing without causing disgrace.
Let me offer another piece of imformation: black people from Africa aren't terribly fond of black people from America. For whatever reason, they don't recognize the African decent of black people in America. So to use the term African-American to someone born here is also an insult. And this is the perfect example of why this whole system of separate distinctions is flawed.
Culture is geographical and not racial. whites from the northern U.S. have a different way of life from those down south. Even within the south itself, different areas developed diffirent cultures. To try and lump an entire group under one label is lazy and insensitive. Well, with one exception - AMERICANS. If we live, work, play, pay taxes and die here then we are one. "Americans" denotes nothing more than a country of citizenship. It offers no definition of culture, no evidence of origin other than the United States. It is a perfect label.
And if we can all truly fit under one banner, why then can't we see past race and other issues to realize we are part of one great thing? The hatred that remains pervasive in our society has gone on for far to long.
Oh, and by the way, Indians were here before it was America. So how do you think Native-American feels?
ON TO SUPERMAN!! Yes, Superman is renouncing his U.S. citizenship and dropping his old theme of "..the American way!" Well, frankly, some GOPers are screaming how unpatriotic this is. Funny thing though: Superman was an illegal alien for a looooonnnngg time. Besides that, his super powers were for the good of mankind - not the American mankind. On top of that, with the foreign policy blunders we've had lately, I'd want to be a world hero too and not specifically American.
I am married to a woman of predominately Asian heritage, who just so happened to be born in the U.S. How is it, therefore, I must term her an Asian-American? If she had come here from Asia and gotten citizenship, she would be Asian-American. To me, she's an American - plain and simple. And unless one of black friends came here from Africa, he is simply an American as well. I leave Hispanic-American alone because the many varied Hispanic cultures are proud and to call them by any other name than their country of origin (.i.e. to call a Puerto Rican a Cuban) would almost certainly incite a riot. Hispanic-American is all-encompassing without causing disgrace.
Let me offer another piece of imformation: black people from Africa aren't terribly fond of black people from America. For whatever reason, they don't recognize the African decent of black people in America. So to use the term African-American to someone born here is also an insult. And this is the perfect example of why this whole system of separate distinctions is flawed.
Culture is geographical and not racial. whites from the northern U.S. have a different way of life from those down south. Even within the south itself, different areas developed diffirent cultures. To try and lump an entire group under one label is lazy and insensitive. Well, with one exception - AMERICANS. If we live, work, play, pay taxes and die here then we are one. "Americans" denotes nothing more than a country of citizenship. It offers no definition of culture, no evidence of origin other than the United States. It is a perfect label.
And if we can all truly fit under one banner, why then can't we see past race and other issues to realize we are part of one great thing? The hatred that remains pervasive in our society has gone on for far to long.
Oh, and by the way, Indians were here before it was America. So how do you think Native-American feels?
ON TO SUPERMAN!! Yes, Superman is renouncing his U.S. citizenship and dropping his old theme of "..the American way!" Well, frankly, some GOPers are screaming how unpatriotic this is. Funny thing though: Superman was an illegal alien for a looooonnnngg time. Besides that, his super powers were for the good of mankind - not the American mankind. On top of that, with the foreign policy blunders we've had lately, I'd want to be a world hero too and not specifically American.
Thursday, April 28, 2011
Playing God to Avoid Playing God
One concept that I have always tried to adhere to is to understand where those i speak out against get their information and opinions. When it comes to speaking out against religious groups, it is of utmost importance to understand their particular denomination and the bible in general. Otherwise, you leave yourself open to having your point completely obliterated. One thing I know for certain is that each and every christian has been taught to love thy neighbor and not cast judgement. Many have ignored these lessons, but it is ingrained into them. As well, christians believe with all their hearts that god is responsible for everything that happens in this world, without exception.
So it strikes me as odd that a group of people who believe god does everything somehow come to the understanding that something like abortion requires their immediate attention. Couldn't one reasonably argue that if god is responsible for all, he/she is responsible for abortion? Some christians may respond this is god giving humans a choice like in the garden of eden with the tree. Fair point, however, god never intervened in Adam and Eve's choices about the tree and, if you believe in the story, gave his son's life to forgive them of their 'sin'.
For conservatives to step in and try to regulate abortion in the name of god and his/her intentions tells me that (a) someone thinks god made a mistake and (b) we need to protect mankind from itself. Neither point is valid and your own religion is against these exact things. According to the bible, god is infallable and omniscient, so to think you need to step in to fix things seems a complete affront to what you actually preach to others. And the bible never said to go forth and protect people from themselves. It merely says to get the message out and that people will do with it as they may.
For a group that has been taught to love thy neighbor and turn the other cheek, christians certainly are a hateful group. They hate homosexuals, they hate abortion, they hate non-believers, they blame natural disasters on Ellen DeGeneres hosting the Oscars (yes, they actually said it). If god has taken the time to smack the U.S. for a gay woman hosting a TV show, isn't it safe to assume something so large an affront as abortion would reap a bigger response?
What love is being expressed when you tell a woman who has been impregnated by a rape that she must have the child and face a daily reminder of the hell she was put through? How much compassion is shown when a young mother is told she will die when she gives birth or that her child will never develop past 6 months yet she is forced into carrying the pregnancy to term? Who gave you the right to play god and decide who can and cannot have an abortion?
Interestingly enough, these people who are sreaming about where life begins are also the driving forces behind capital punishment. Not only are they deciding who must be born but also who must die. If this isn't wanting to play god, I don't know what is.
Now, to give full transparency, I do support the death penalty in irrefutable cases and I am against abortion as a means of birth control - rape, incest and endangering the mother's health are not within the mother's control - however using a form of birth control or celibacy is. So, to the conservatives out there I say I am fine with not using federal or state funds to finance abortions - but that is the ONLY regulation that lawmakers should be able to set. Beyond that, you're dipping into your god's realm of expertise.
So it strikes me as odd that a group of people who believe god does everything somehow come to the understanding that something like abortion requires their immediate attention. Couldn't one reasonably argue that if god is responsible for all, he/she is responsible for abortion? Some christians may respond this is god giving humans a choice like in the garden of eden with the tree. Fair point, however, god never intervened in Adam and Eve's choices about the tree and, if you believe in the story, gave his son's life to forgive them of their 'sin'.
For conservatives to step in and try to regulate abortion in the name of god and his/her intentions tells me that (a) someone thinks god made a mistake and (b) we need to protect mankind from itself. Neither point is valid and your own religion is against these exact things. According to the bible, god is infallable and omniscient, so to think you need to step in to fix things seems a complete affront to what you actually preach to others. And the bible never said to go forth and protect people from themselves. It merely says to get the message out and that people will do with it as they may.
For a group that has been taught to love thy neighbor and turn the other cheek, christians certainly are a hateful group. They hate homosexuals, they hate abortion, they hate non-believers, they blame natural disasters on Ellen DeGeneres hosting the Oscars (yes, they actually said it). If god has taken the time to smack the U.S. for a gay woman hosting a TV show, isn't it safe to assume something so large an affront as abortion would reap a bigger response?
What love is being expressed when you tell a woman who has been impregnated by a rape that she must have the child and face a daily reminder of the hell she was put through? How much compassion is shown when a young mother is told she will die when she gives birth or that her child will never develop past 6 months yet she is forced into carrying the pregnancy to term? Who gave you the right to play god and decide who can and cannot have an abortion?
Interestingly enough, these people who are sreaming about where life begins are also the driving forces behind capital punishment. Not only are they deciding who must be born but also who must die. If this isn't wanting to play god, I don't know what is.
Now, to give full transparency, I do support the death penalty in irrefutable cases and I am against abortion as a means of birth control - rape, incest and endangering the mother's health are not within the mother's control - however using a form of birth control or celibacy is. So, to the conservatives out there I say I am fine with not using federal or state funds to finance abortions - but that is the ONLY regulation that lawmakers should be able to set. Beyond that, you're dipping into your god's realm of expertise.
Wednesday, April 27, 2011
Nice Move!!
Who knew that Obama actually knew the true chess of politics? A President who has fallen woefully short on every campaign promise suddenly shows us the true chess master he is. Out of the clear blue sky Obama's asministration release his long-form birth certificate. Stroke of absolute genius.
Oh, he's been teasing us a lot lately. The GOP takes power and starts threatening his party's key program - he busts out the tax loopholes for big oil (in the midst of skyrocketing gas prices). Unfortunately, it was only enough to slow the GOPs agenda on the budget. As well, the public was still paying attention to the whole discussion. Next, when we already KNOW gas prices suck and don't need to be told, he whips out a commission to investigate the GOPs good buddies in big oil. Uh-oh - that created a crack in the GOP armor. It did not, however, have a crack in the public interest.
Obama must see this as the key moment of his Presidency because the long form birth certificate is Willy Wonka's Golden Ticket. This document rips the pillars out from under the GOP and the Tea Party. This is damage that could unseat the 2012 elections. Not only that, its a BIG blinder to the public on the budget. I would not be surprised if the following discussion is not taking place:
Obama: Alright guys, its over, I won...
Harry Reid: This is a nightmare...
John Boehner: We are dead politically.
Obama: No, no, we can work this out. You want to keep your backers, right?
Reid/Boehner: Fuck yes!
Obama: Well this will pull the wool over the public eyes for a while, so you guys cut a deal with us on the budget. We won't publicize anything and by the time the public gets back to the budget it won't even be news anymore.
Reid: That just might work. They'll think they followed us all along and not realize we got the budget done when they weren't looking.
Boehner: Yeah, and we won't have to face the Tea Party for backing down on the budget.
Obama: See, you guys aren't so dumb after all.
This is all fictitious - Reid and Boehner ARE dumb. All kidding aside, this scene (better written, of course) could be in any political movie ever made and it would sound accurate. I may be wrong, but I think this is the move that gets Obama in for another four years.
Oh, he's been teasing us a lot lately. The GOP takes power and starts threatening his party's key program - he busts out the tax loopholes for big oil (in the midst of skyrocketing gas prices). Unfortunately, it was only enough to slow the GOPs agenda on the budget. As well, the public was still paying attention to the whole discussion. Next, when we already KNOW gas prices suck and don't need to be told, he whips out a commission to investigate the GOPs good buddies in big oil. Uh-oh - that created a crack in the GOP armor. It did not, however, have a crack in the public interest.
Obama must see this as the key moment of his Presidency because the long form birth certificate is Willy Wonka's Golden Ticket. This document rips the pillars out from under the GOP and the Tea Party. This is damage that could unseat the 2012 elections. Not only that, its a BIG blinder to the public on the budget. I would not be surprised if the following discussion is not taking place:
Obama: Alright guys, its over, I won...
Harry Reid: This is a nightmare...
John Boehner: We are dead politically.
Obama: No, no, we can work this out. You want to keep your backers, right?
Reid/Boehner: Fuck yes!
Obama: Well this will pull the wool over the public eyes for a while, so you guys cut a deal with us on the budget. We won't publicize anything and by the time the public gets back to the budget it won't even be news anymore.
Reid: That just might work. They'll think they followed us all along and not realize we got the budget done when they weren't looking.
Boehner: Yeah, and we won't have to face the Tea Party for backing down on the budget.
Obama: See, you guys aren't so dumb after all.
This is all fictitious - Reid and Boehner ARE dumb. All kidding aside, this scene (better written, of course) could be in any political movie ever made and it would sound accurate. I may be wrong, but I think this is the move that gets Obama in for another four years.
Monday, April 25, 2011
Sieg Tea!
My good friend and political tag-team partner, Matt, posted an outstanding video from youtube the other day. In the video a member of the Tea Party gives his testimony of how tired the Tea Party is of being called racist. During his rant, the man sites several "facts" that drive the Tea Party's beliefs. I think we should dissect his commentary - don't you? (to follow along, the link is: http://current.com/http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3cLxQ4B23_g)
For starters, to call the Congressional Black Congress a bunch of criminals and Al Sharpton and Jesse Jackson "negra race pimps," doesn't seem like "Hello, I'd like to take issue with being called a racist." Shortly thereafter we are treated to "...blacks, negras..." - excuse me, but are you trying to separate blacks into separate groups now?
I think the Teahad concept amuses me the most. To use a bastardization of a term associated with radical Muslims (considering the speaker's view on Muslims) is too funny. To quote him, "Muslims have a rich history of infiltrating, procreating and then eliminating." Call me kooky, but that sounds exactly like Christians over the centuries. And we are informed that the Tea Party isn't after the Muslims who pose a genuine threat to our security but "...starting deportation of ALL Muslims as soon as possible."
On black Americans, our speaker says that blacks "...make up 13% of the population, but somehow...make up 45% of city, state and federal jobs." What he doesn't tell you is that there are far many more 'service jobs' than there are high office jobs. In other words, for every city, state or federal official, there are a lot more cooks, drivers, janitors and the like. And whether it sounds like a stereotype or not, these are the jobs most often filled by black Americans. He follows these statistics with the statement "and we wonder why the government doesn't work." That one line in and of itself shows the deep-seeded racism he bears, but we shall let him dig his hole deeper.
On Hispanics, our speaker is on to the illegals. Yes, I would like to see immigrants use legal means to get inside the country, but the whole argument about them taking our jobs is moot considering I've never heard one person tell me how much they were looking forward to their career picking fruit or mowing lawns. And as for "grabbing their crotches and flipping us the bird," that sounds like a lot of motorists and most sports fans in America.
And then....."...we want god in our lives as Americans..." - all I can say is see my earlier blog post on that one.
Our speaker goes on to blast homosexuals and tells us how he does not want ANY of the blacks who voted for Obama to be able to vote again - because "they have not been educated." Well, trust me bubba, as much as I hate stupidity, an education has never been listed as a qualifier for voting. Oh, the tail end comment of "they vote Democratic" might have something to do with his feelings too.
I'm not going to quote this moron any more. All I can say is that if you watch this video and somehow agree with the message being espoused, I no longer need to know you. This man, along with the Tea Party, are so inherently racist, every time they gather it seems like a KKK rally.
And to add the shock to go with this awe, remember, the last large political group that wanted to rid its country of an entire religious people and ban others from voting was the Nazis. They also wanted to reclaim god for their country and create their perfect society....
For starters, to call the Congressional Black Congress a bunch of criminals and Al Sharpton and Jesse Jackson "negra race pimps," doesn't seem like "Hello, I'd like to take issue with being called a racist." Shortly thereafter we are treated to "...blacks, negras..." - excuse me, but are you trying to separate blacks into separate groups now?
I think the Teahad concept amuses me the most. To use a bastardization of a term associated with radical Muslims (considering the speaker's view on Muslims) is too funny. To quote him, "Muslims have a rich history of infiltrating, procreating and then eliminating." Call me kooky, but that sounds exactly like Christians over the centuries. And we are informed that the Tea Party isn't after the Muslims who pose a genuine threat to our security but "...starting deportation of ALL Muslims as soon as possible."
On black Americans, our speaker says that blacks "...make up 13% of the population, but somehow...make up 45% of city, state and federal jobs." What he doesn't tell you is that there are far many more 'service jobs' than there are high office jobs. In other words, for every city, state or federal official, there are a lot more cooks, drivers, janitors and the like. And whether it sounds like a stereotype or not, these are the jobs most often filled by black Americans. He follows these statistics with the statement "and we wonder why the government doesn't work." That one line in and of itself shows the deep-seeded racism he bears, but we shall let him dig his hole deeper.
On Hispanics, our speaker is on to the illegals. Yes, I would like to see immigrants use legal means to get inside the country, but the whole argument about them taking our jobs is moot considering I've never heard one person tell me how much they were looking forward to their career picking fruit or mowing lawns. And as for "grabbing their crotches and flipping us the bird," that sounds like a lot of motorists and most sports fans in America.
And then....."...we want god in our lives as Americans..." - all I can say is see my earlier blog post on that one.
Our speaker goes on to blast homosexuals and tells us how he does not want ANY of the blacks who voted for Obama to be able to vote again - because "they have not been educated." Well, trust me bubba, as much as I hate stupidity, an education has never been listed as a qualifier for voting. Oh, the tail end comment of "they vote Democratic" might have something to do with his feelings too.
I'm not going to quote this moron any more. All I can say is that if you watch this video and somehow agree with the message being espoused, I no longer need to know you. This man, along with the Tea Party, are so inherently racist, every time they gather it seems like a KKK rally.
And to add the shock to go with this awe, remember, the last large political group that wanted to rid its country of an entire religious people and ban others from voting was the Nazis. They also wanted to reclaim god for their country and create their perfect society....
God and Country
First things first:
yÉ™
–adjective
1.
of or pertaining to worldly things or to things that are not regarded as religious, spiritual, or sacred; temporal: secular interests.
4.
6.
going on from age to age; continuing through long ages.
Now, with that out of the way there is no doubt as to what the founding fathers meant when they created a secular society. Of course, if you listen to most christians, they'll tell you that the founding fathers put god into the Constitution and we are a christian nation. Really? Allow me to give you a few quotes from the men in question themselves:
Thomas Jefferson
I have examined all the known superstitions of the world and I do not find in our particular superstition of Christianity one redeeming feature. They are all alike founded on fables and mythology. Millions of innocent men, women, and children, since the introduction of Christianity, have been burnt, tortured, fined, and imprisoned. What has been the effect of this coercion? To make one half the world fools and the other half hypocrites; to support roguery and error all over the earth.
Christianity...(has become) the most perverted system that ever shone on man...Rogueries, absurdities and untruths were perpetrated upon the teachings of Jesus by a large band of dupes and imposters led by Paul, the first great corruptor of the teachings of Jesus.
John Adams
The Government of the United States is not in any sense founded on the Christian religion.
The doctrine of the divinity of Jesus is made a convenient cover for absurdity.
Thomas Paine
Accustom a people to believe that priests and clergy can forgive sins...and you will have sins in abundance.
The Christian church has set up a religion of pomp and revenue in pretend imitation of a person (Jesus) who lived a life of poverty.
James Madison
Religion and government will both exist in greater purity, the less they are mixed together.
What influence in fact have Christian ecclesiastical establishments had on civil society? In many instances they have been upholding the thrones of political tyrrany. In no instance have they been seen as the guardians of
the liberties of the people. Rulers who wished to subvert the public liberty have found in the clergy convenient auxiliaries. A just government, instituted to secure and perpetuate liberty, does not need the clergy.
the liberties of the people. Rulers who wished to subvert the public liberty have found in the clergy convenient auxiliaries. A just government, instituted to secure and perpetuate liberty, does not need the clergy.
These are the people who wrote our Declaration of Independence, our Constitution and set up our entire nation. The whole reason these men were against religion being involved in government was because religion and FAITH are NOT THE SAME THING!
Faith is a belief in something. The founding fathers were men of faith, and there faith was in god. If you believe in god and have faith that he/she exists, then that is perfectly acceptable. Faith has given people the strength to trudge through weary circumstances. Faith does not have to be in a god; it can be in your fellow man, in your family - whatever you decide to place belief in.
Religion is a set of dogma that attaches rules and regulation to faith. It's sole purpose is for control. If you in any way doubt this, I point you to the Westboro Baptist Church, Scientology, and Jerry Fallwell as shining examples of it in action. These are extremes, however no religion is different - they are all about control. I invite you to get a group of people together and read one single verse from the bible. Afterwards let each person tell what they understood the verse to mean - I propose you'll get numerous versions.
As it is, our government has enough problems stopping themselves from sniffing corporate crotch without religion being involved. Throw dogma in and we may as well pack up and go create another country somewhere. So its is fine that you post bible verses on facebook just after the pics of your party from the night before, but keep your religion out of my public entities like government and schools. If I want to brainwash my children I'm sure I could do it without the church's help!
Sunday, April 24, 2011
Oh, The Budget
Lately all we have heard is how social programs and workers rights have destroyed our economy and if we wish to reign our spending in, we must take control of these lawless programs. What you have actually heard is a well choreographed dance about the Republican agenda which in no way would balance the budget.
For starters, defense, social security and medicare account for about 80-85% of the country's total budget. So you could cut every single social program out of the budget and it wouldn't even make a dent. And the assault on Planned Parenthood is such a lie. There is no way the federal funds Planned Parenthood receives could be used for abortions because the Republicans got laws introduced prohibiting that exact thing from happening.
Other social programs they don't mention directly are food stamps, welfare and Pell grants for college students. I know, typically the best way to improve a society is to keep them hungry, poor and dumb, but maybe this once we could flip the script. What Washington doesn't want to admit is that by cutting food stamps they screw over at least 1/3 of military families who need food stamps to get by each month. And this is a country that supposedly loves its military.
The line of attack that is happening to unions is also a disgrace. To say that collective bargaining is destroying states is akin to saying that if every citizens home was paid off it would make them less happy. Don't get me wrong, unions are not innocent (they've pulled some doozies of their own), but organizations that were created because of the horrific working conditions employees found themselves in is not a bad thing. Unions are pretty much the last line of defense protecting most normal Americans from the corporate monsters. If unions are undone then you can pretty much erase the "pursuit of happiness" from the vernacular of America.
What no one is saying is "aren't we still paying for two wars?" Or perhaps, "Do you think the $700 billion bailouts affected the economy?" Look at it this way, which would have done more to stimulate the economy: bailing out the failed banks or using the $700 billion to PAY OFF the "bad" mortgages, thus covering the banks suspected losses PLUS putting money back into the pocket of the homeowner? If we were bound and determined to bail something out, we should have gone the right direction.
The only way to balance this monster is to give up on our attempts to own the oil of Iraq and poppy fields of Afghanistan. We are also going to have to find a way to streamline social security and medicare. Now I know both programs are beholden to seniors and I am glad they are in place, however, if we had had a better health care apparatus in place, would we even need medicare? Imagine - a health care bill that actually let us remove medicare from the budget. It wouldn't be free, but I dare say it could be set up to run more efficiently. As for social security, well, I'm perplexed. We don't want the funds managed by the wall street brigade cause it may well just disappear. Social security may well just be that lone dinosaur that we have to leave alone.
Here's some food for thought. If you hammer away social programs, let the public become ready for higher crime rates, starvation and the continued decline of our educational standing in the world.
For starters, defense, social security and medicare account for about 80-85% of the country's total budget. So you could cut every single social program out of the budget and it wouldn't even make a dent. And the assault on Planned Parenthood is such a lie. There is no way the federal funds Planned Parenthood receives could be used for abortions because the Republicans got laws introduced prohibiting that exact thing from happening.
Other social programs they don't mention directly are food stamps, welfare and Pell grants for college students. I know, typically the best way to improve a society is to keep them hungry, poor and dumb, but maybe this once we could flip the script. What Washington doesn't want to admit is that by cutting food stamps they screw over at least 1/3 of military families who need food stamps to get by each month. And this is a country that supposedly loves its military.
The line of attack that is happening to unions is also a disgrace. To say that collective bargaining is destroying states is akin to saying that if every citizens home was paid off it would make them less happy. Don't get me wrong, unions are not innocent (they've pulled some doozies of their own), but organizations that were created because of the horrific working conditions employees found themselves in is not a bad thing. Unions are pretty much the last line of defense protecting most normal Americans from the corporate monsters. If unions are undone then you can pretty much erase the "pursuit of happiness" from the vernacular of America.
What no one is saying is "aren't we still paying for two wars?" Or perhaps, "Do you think the $700 billion bailouts affected the economy?" Look at it this way, which would have done more to stimulate the economy: bailing out the failed banks or using the $700 billion to PAY OFF the "bad" mortgages, thus covering the banks suspected losses PLUS putting money back into the pocket of the homeowner? If we were bound and determined to bail something out, we should have gone the right direction.
The only way to balance this monster is to give up on our attempts to own the oil of Iraq and poppy fields of Afghanistan. We are also going to have to find a way to streamline social security and medicare. Now I know both programs are beholden to seniors and I am glad they are in place, however, if we had had a better health care apparatus in place, would we even need medicare? Imagine - a health care bill that actually let us remove medicare from the budget. It wouldn't be free, but I dare say it could be set up to run more efficiently. As for social security, well, I'm perplexed. We don't want the funds managed by the wall street brigade cause it may well just disappear. Social security may well just be that lone dinosaur that we have to leave alone.
Here's some food for thought. If you hammer away social programs, let the public become ready for higher crime rates, starvation and the continued decline of our educational standing in the world.
Saturday, April 23, 2011
The New Cults
From here on out, we shall use new names for our political parties. The Democrats will be the Scientologists and the Republicans will be the Branch Davidians. Hogwash, you say, but I dare you to prove to me that allegiance to a political party has not morphed itself into a cult standing. To be fair, we'll call the Green Party the Heaven's Gate from now on. What most of you simpletons fail to understand is that there is no difference in either party. It is an illusion of choice. Lobbyists and corporate entities own every single politician. My own daughter complained how her student council elections were nothing more than a popularity contest. My answer was that EVERY election is a popularity contest.
Think back and remember how Joe Lieberman was kicked out of the Democratic party for not towing the party line. Its the same thing as when a Scientologist becomes momentarily smart enough to realize the whole thing is bullshit. And to compare Republicans to Branch Davidians is too easy because of the militia groups and the racist entities such as the KKK and Tea Party. Green party and Heaven's Gate? - once they drank the kool-aid it came to an end.
Our government is NOT what it was intended to be. The days of by and for the people have long since been over. Why do you think the process of chosing nominees takes so long? You have to find that charismatic leader to entrance your base. And it is not important that the person have any intelligence - for example: Rahm Immanuel, Sarah Palin, George Bush (hell, any Bush), Dick Cheney, Michelle Bachman, Dianne Finestein. What is important is that the base will listen and belive all that they say.
The time has come for us to divorce ourselves from allegiance to a party. Get off of your asses and research the bills up for vote and the offers being made in Washington. Make up your OWN decision of what is acceptable or not. 234 years of nursing on the breasts of political parties is enough. If we want the government to be for us and by us again, we have to start getting ourselves involved - and not by toting a party line but by digging for the true information so that we can make a REAL decision - not one given to us in a press conference.
Think back and remember how Joe Lieberman was kicked out of the Democratic party for not towing the party line. Its the same thing as when a Scientologist becomes momentarily smart enough to realize the whole thing is bullshit. And to compare Republicans to Branch Davidians is too easy because of the militia groups and the racist entities such as the KKK and Tea Party. Green party and Heaven's Gate? - once they drank the kool-aid it came to an end.
Our government is NOT what it was intended to be. The days of by and for the people have long since been over. Why do you think the process of chosing nominees takes so long? You have to find that charismatic leader to entrance your base. And it is not important that the person have any intelligence - for example: Rahm Immanuel, Sarah Palin, George Bush (hell, any Bush), Dick Cheney, Michelle Bachman, Dianne Finestein. What is important is that the base will listen and belive all that they say.
The time has come for us to divorce ourselves from allegiance to a party. Get off of your asses and research the bills up for vote and the offers being made in Washington. Make up your OWN decision of what is acceptable or not. 234 years of nursing on the breasts of political parties is enough. If we want the government to be for us and by us again, we have to start getting ourselves involved - and not by toting a party line but by digging for the true information so that we can make a REAL decision - not one given to us in a press conference.
What the Frack?
Hydraulic fracturing - or Fracking as it is called - is the hot topic today. This is the process of drilling and injecting highly toxic chemicals into the ground to break up soil and release natural gas deposits. The process itself sounds terrible - and it is. Thousands of Americans have become victim to their water supply being contaminated by the gas and chemicals from this process. Some can even set their tap water on fire. But if this is the case, why isn't there a bigger outcry?
The reason is simple: Republicans, led by Dick Cheney, orchestrated a quiet coup de gras on environmental protection by getting oil and gas companies exempted from all provisions of the clean air and water acts. In layman's terms, each law in place to protect our environment from toxic pollution could no longer be applied to oil and gas companies. This was done with a clear conscience and the full understanding that despite all the known dangers, profit outweighed all.
Once an oil company moves in and begins fracking, any reported water contamination is met with a visit from the oil companies' scientists. They take water samples, analyze them and then report back that the natural gas contaminating your water isn't THEIR natural gas - even though the fracking took place 2 inches from your underground water supply. If an affected individual persues the matter further, the company denies responsibility yet settles out of court for a small monetary incentive, an agreement to provide "clean" water and an ironclad no disclosure agreement. Why all this if they bore no responsibility?
And the "clean" water they supply is more often than not simple a filtration of the existing water supply. The issue is that the fracking chemicals that leak into the water destroy any filtration equipment leaving our landowner to continue to drink contaminated water. The health effects from the chemicals used are too numerous to list but a short sample is cancer, destruction of red blood celss and brain damage.
If you look at a satellite image of Yellowstone National Park, the cornerstone of "pure" America, you may begin to wonder where and why all the gas wells around it came from. This was the Republicans once again strong-arming the Bureau of Land Management into giving up PUBLIC land that has been held in trust for decades. On top of this, the Republicans are now using the Federal deficit as an excuse to completely get rid of the EPA in a cost-cutting measure. Now, the EPA is about as corrupt an organization as there is, however it is the only entity in place to provide some form of environmental common sense.
So, instead of working to develop new energy technology (which, by the way would create jobs and stimulate the economy), we continue to suck the teat of fossil fuels. Not because it is the sensible way, but because it makes a few people a lot of fucking money. Profit ALWAYS outweighs decency and common sense.
Therefore, if you think fracking is a necessary evil, then I invite you to slit your own throat and promptly remove yourself from the gene pool for you obviously do not posses the insight and intelligence needed to move the human race (much less America) into the next century.
The reason is simple: Republicans, led by Dick Cheney, orchestrated a quiet coup de gras on environmental protection by getting oil and gas companies exempted from all provisions of the clean air and water acts. In layman's terms, each law in place to protect our environment from toxic pollution could no longer be applied to oil and gas companies. This was done with a clear conscience and the full understanding that despite all the known dangers, profit outweighed all.
Once an oil company moves in and begins fracking, any reported water contamination is met with a visit from the oil companies' scientists. They take water samples, analyze them and then report back that the natural gas contaminating your water isn't THEIR natural gas - even though the fracking took place 2 inches from your underground water supply. If an affected individual persues the matter further, the company denies responsibility yet settles out of court for a small monetary incentive, an agreement to provide "clean" water and an ironclad no disclosure agreement. Why all this if they bore no responsibility?
And the "clean" water they supply is more often than not simple a filtration of the existing water supply. The issue is that the fracking chemicals that leak into the water destroy any filtration equipment leaving our landowner to continue to drink contaminated water. The health effects from the chemicals used are too numerous to list but a short sample is cancer, destruction of red blood celss and brain damage.
If you look at a satellite image of Yellowstone National Park, the cornerstone of "pure" America, you may begin to wonder where and why all the gas wells around it came from. This was the Republicans once again strong-arming the Bureau of Land Management into giving up PUBLIC land that has been held in trust for decades. On top of this, the Republicans are now using the Federal deficit as an excuse to completely get rid of the EPA in a cost-cutting measure. Now, the EPA is about as corrupt an organization as there is, however it is the only entity in place to provide some form of environmental common sense.
So, instead of working to develop new energy technology (which, by the way would create jobs and stimulate the economy), we continue to suck the teat of fossil fuels. Not because it is the sensible way, but because it makes a few people a lot of fucking money. Profit ALWAYS outweighs decency and common sense.
Therefore, if you think fracking is a necessary evil, then I invite you to slit your own throat and promptly remove yourself from the gene pool for you obviously do not posses the insight and intelligence needed to move the human race (much less America) into the next century.
Welcome to the Machine
Well, many of you asked for this and I finally got off of my buttocks and put this blog into motion. Let me offer a warning though: be careful what you have wished for. Something tells me that in the anals of this blog, I will undoubtedly piss each of you off with some viewpoint.
If you were wondering about the name, you need only remember that Benjamin Franklin published Poor Richard's Almanac to voice opinion on governmental and other matters. So, in a nod to true genius, I give you Economically Challenged Dick.
I imagine that much like facebook, blog posts could be slow or come in droves - simply depending on what is rolling through my mind. For now, let me welcome you and hope that you check in frequently. OH, and leave comments. No dialogue ever got completed by one person saying everything!
If you were wondering about the name, you need only remember that Benjamin Franklin published Poor Richard's Almanac to voice opinion on governmental and other matters. So, in a nod to true genius, I give you Economically Challenged Dick.
I imagine that much like facebook, blog posts could be slow or come in droves - simply depending on what is rolling through my mind. For now, let me welcome you and hope that you check in frequently. OH, and leave comments. No dialogue ever got completed by one person saying everything!
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