Forgive me for the length of this blog entry. One of my acquaintances tried to get me to donate to his political candidate and started by claiming we needed change. Although he could not tell me what change was needed or what the candidate was proposing as change, I started thinking about the change that is necessary to return America to my America.
Increasing governmental power …
If the United States continues to follow its recent historical path, there will come a time when the government and the special interests will become one; an event which I will refer to as the singularity.
A corrupted government …
The major special interests, such as the trade unions and defense contractors, will have so thoroughly corrupted both the government bureaucrats and their political leadership as to be able to plunder the United States Treasury and siphon off the benefits of the backbreaking labor performed by American citizens.
But unlike the creation of a hydrogen bomb,fusing hydrogen into helium with a blinding flash of radiation, heat and blast; it will happen almost imperceptibly over time. Slowly eating away at the protections of a “checks and balances” system like a cancer on the heart of state.
The executive …
The Executive (the President and Administration) will be consumed with 24-7 campaigning to remain in power and pass that power along to the next generation of party politicians who will, in turn, pass it along to their next generation of party politicians. They will do this primarily by pandering to the special interests for enough money to feather their own nests and then purchase enough media coverage to explain to the people all the benefits of a strong executive confers upon the nation.
The legislative …
The Legislative (Congress) will also be consumed with 24-7 campaigning to remain in power and to pass that power along to the next generation of party politicians. I am sure that you are beginning to see a theme emerge here. The two major parties will pit the special interests against each other in an attempt to feather their own nests and purchase enough media coverage to explain to the people all of the benefits to the “free giveaway” programs that are, in essence, buying the people’s vote. There will be artificial distinctions between the parties so that, acting in loose concert; they can co-opt the minds of a majority of Americans with their plans for change. It doesn’t seem to matter what that change may bring for the citizens of the United States, it is merely enough to equate the word “change” with the idea that there is some hope for a better future – for all people.
The judiciary …
The Judiciary (Supreme Court) will continue their 5-4 battle against ideological concerns while assuming an activist stance that attempts to thwart the Constitution, which they have all sworn to uphold, by usurping the law-making power of Congress and make laws from the bench; often out of specious theories of what the founding fathers would have done in a modern world.
The fourth estate …
The so-called forth branch of the government, because the media historically served as the eyes and ears of the people, has eroded or I should say “corroded” to the point of unbelievably. Their original function, to report and assist in rooting out government corruption and injustice wherever and whenever it was found, has given way to the celebration of the news and the profits it can bring if properly managed. To this end, we provided the media with “unofficial” special protections and unprecedented access to the hall of government. A trust with the American people to provide the “truth.” A trust which appears, with the exception of a very few news organizations, severely damaged or broken.
Big Media …
Unfortunately, we are dealing with what used to be the “honorable” profession of journalism. And which has become a toxic mix of real journalism and pseudo-journalism by celebrities such as Keith Olbermann and Bill O'Reilly. And media which, as never before in the history of the United States, has been so overwhelmingly one-sided and based on celebrity-driven ratings. Where corporate considerations of licensing and regulation override the freedom of the press and neutrality in reporting. Where the newsroom may be populated by consummate professionals, but the editorial tone, and by extension, the content is set by the ideological bent of its corporate masters who seem afraid of upsetting those in government. The game is eyeballs and ears: building the audience to earn a handsome payback on the news with advertising dollars.
Which is why both the government and old media fear the Internet. The government sees the control of information slipping out of their hands, via a more easily controlled media, into the hands of the people. The old guard, with its fixed schedules, cannot compete with the almost instantaneous delivery of the news which makes every one of their presentations seem stale and dated. “Yeah, I already heard that, time to change the channel.”
Both fear the extent to which the Internet promotes interactivity and the scrutiny and discussion of daily events. Where when governmental news junky could hardly get an audience with their own family, they now can communicate at the touch of a button with those of like mind and a willingness to discuss the matter under consideration. Is there any wonder which the Internet with its research, opinion, commentary web sites and chatrooms exerts a seductive power over those previously without a voice?
There is no doubt that much of the mainstream media has breached the trust of the American public by talking sides in a world that demands journalistic neutrality. So it is amazing to them when talk radio and cable television can easily build an audience by presenting an honest discussion of the issues … with the audience often being able to contribute to the discussion.
Look for the Orwellian-named “Fairness Doctrine” coming to legislative fruition soon unless the people learn the truth about what the politicians and special interests are planning and say no … primarily by threatening politicians and others with the loss of their “gravy train.”
Celebrity …
We can hardly leave a discussion about the media without considering the toxic effects that celebrity has had on our government.
Just because someone is good looking and well-spoken and seems to hold an admirable point of view, it is important for the people to remember that these are actors: people paid to affect the personas of others and exude sincerity when all about them is fake. People who speak carefully crafted lines written by accomplished writers and honed and tested before being presented for delivery.
Most celebrities are self-centered, infantile and narcissistic. With them, the people and the audience are secondary to their needs, rising in importance only on the occasions they are needed to support the celebrities’ work.
I am sorry to say, such a man is Fred Thompson, a man I supported for the position of President of the United Mistake. In retrospect, a major mistake on my part. I was taken in by the illusion that he was a conservative Republican and possessed the ability and experience to put forth an agenda similar to my own positions. Truth be told, what we got was a tightly-scripted performer who was ill at ease among the people. A “star” who would show up, deliver his speech from his note cards, stop to shake a few hands and take a few pictures and then disappear. His carefully scripted set pieces were memorable, but he couldn’t seem to sustain the act.
Another example is Barbra Streisand, a marvelous singer and entertainer, whose illiterate and ill-informed political musings were co-crafted by her political consultants. She appears to be a capable director and a notorious control-freak, not someone I would consider for a political position; even as an ambassador to nowhere. In the same vein is Rob “Meathead,”Reiner whose professional work I really like and whose personal politics I abhor. Apparently Reiner saw nothing illegal or evil about using massive sums of money raised from taxes to push his pre-school agenda or further his political control over the money that was being spent. Even though most people didn’t need or want such schooling. Or that the program seemed almost as a babysitting service for illegal aliens while they worked elsewhere.
We cannot even begin to describe how we feel about the political musings of Alex Baldwin, George Clooney, Tim Robbins and Susan Sarandon. At least to me, they exhibit all of the same sensibility as the less telegenic Rosie O'Donnell and others of her ilk.
Here in California we find Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger, ostensibly a Republican (In my opinion a RINO – Republican In Name Only) passing himself off as a “post partisan” politicians who is acting on behalf of the people. A man too rich to be bought by the special interests. Too bad the reality is far different. What we have is a narcissistic personality acting like a liberal democrat, appointing committed liberal democrats to positions of power rather than naming conservative Republicans. And whose campaign fundraising activities are far greater than his recalled predecessor, Gray Davis. He has developed the use of “foundations,” with their unknown contributors into an almost untraceable source of funds to pay for much of his travel on private jets and to support his “movie star” lifestyle. Meanwhile, he has done exactly nothing to rein in the California Legislature’s profligate spending on special projects, often for the benefit of illegal aliens. His idea of fiscal reform is to try to con the people that he has solved the massive deficit by papering it over with money borrower from other state accounts, notably those related to transportation funds and state employee pensions. Or propose new bonds issues and other borrowing. His latest plan, raise quick money by mortgaging the future earnings of California’s lottery so that he may leave office with a little or no deficit position and an unblemished record that speaks well toward his attainment of a higher political office. And it is all Hollywood-style smoke and mirrors where the perception is the reality.
Perhaps the old saying, “politics is show business and celebrity for ugly people” is somewhat spot on.
Big Labor …
Meanwhile, back at the camps of the special interests, the labor unions, long ago the tool of an unholy alliance between the democrats, Marxists and organized crime, the leadership will be consolidating its power over local, state and federal institutions by organizing government workers and using that magic word “strike” to force governmental concessions: more money in wages certainly, but a pittance compared to the money that is to be poured into union-controlled health and welfare plans. Power to determine the granting of favorable contracts to shell companies controlled by unseen and unknown “businessmen” who sub-contract the work to those who actually perform the actual labor – and who may skimp a little on the quality of the materials and oversight inspection on the work site. I hardly want these people building the next generation of nuclear energy plants to meet the needs of an “artificially” created energy crisis. Where solutions only increase the size, cost and power of the government over the people. These are the people who will persuade, threaten or cajole their members into voting the “union” way so as to maximize their influence with government entities.
Military/Industrial Complex …
Let us not forget the military-industrial complex, an old term made popular by former President Dwight D. Eisenhower who warned against the formation and nurturing of such an unholy alliance. Again, part of a revolving door which sees the leadership of one group trading in their hats for temporary appointments to positions of authority within the government. In an environment where the stupid, but politically savvy or corrupt usually rises to the top, we see decisions being made more for their political value than their value to the nation of a whole. If the two interests happen to coincide, so much better. It is no wonder that we spend more and more money on weapons systems which kill less and less people. It is a sad fact that, with the multi-million dollar weapons system, the most deadly weapon turns out to be a marine or infantryman with a rifle and a comparative handful of bullets.
The Wall Street Wizards …
But it is not only the military-industrial complex in which we see this revolving door, one merely need to consider the influence of the “Wall Street Wizards” on the governance of our nation’s financial affairs. Where faded, former or failed Wall Street “names” are given the power to institute policies which aid and abet their past cronies who they will rejoin after their stint in government service. How many citizens actually realize that Wall Street produces nothing of value in and of itself? They facilitate the production of meaningful goods and services by financing such ventures. From which they take a healthy piece of the action. At least, that is how it is supposed to work. Now consider the “other” Wall Street. The one that has a vested interest in keeping America’s debt high so as to earn a continuing revenue stream of interest payments. The one that produces artificial derivatives, toxic illiquid paper which almost nobody understands or can price without sophisticated computer models. And, above all, the one that encourages speculation in the markets to create the necessary buying and selling to create enough “churn” to produce outrageously high bonuses from all of the brokerage activities.
The professionals: Lawyers
All aided and abetted by the so-called professionals. Lawyers who become politicians and corrupt the political process with their complex and convoluted legalese which eschews clear language in order to build exploitable loopholes into the system. Whose entire reason for making the simple into a complex jumble of confusing, convoluted and conflicting legislation is so that ordinary citizens need other lawyers to “interpret” the meaning of what has been legislated and to provide “legal” permission to perform ordinary business or personal transactions. This is a demonstration of pure “profession” power which even exceeds the power of politicians. While politicians may come and go, attorneys are here to stay.
The professionals: “certified” accountants …
Another class of professionals that are suspect are the “certified” accountants. Has anyone else noted that all of the major frauds perpetrated by major companies such as Enron, all had legal and accounting support from “brand name” firms? Other than Arthur Andersen, Enron’s accountant, how many accounting firms can you remember that have been severely sanctioned. In fact, while the public supposes that Arthur Andersen is no longer, it has neither been dissolved nor liquidated in bankruptcy. It apparently lives on in the form of four trust organizations (Omega I-IV) and its people have moved on to “sell their opinion” to other firms in great need of professional holy water. The Courts have vacated their felony condition. Somewhat worthless now that their escutcheon has been stained in the public’s mind. But who is to say that they can’t reconstitute themselves as a brand later on – when they can claim those bad things that were done are “old news” and it’s a new day dawning with a new crop of dedicated and diligent professionals. It is no joke that the bookkeeper will tell you the truth, but the accountant will tell you what you want to hear.
NGOs …
NGOs, Non-Governmental Organizations, a term which is used frequently by elected officials to designate extremely powerful organizations that perform some form of government-related activity, by people who are not “formally” connected with the government. These are organizations like the think tanks and the major charitable institutions such as the Red Cross. Many of these organizations are actually lobbyists who supply position papers to government officials. They are grant and donation driven and almost always are structured as “non-profit” entities while some may have “for profit” subsidiaries. These are the organizations which produce position papers for a lazy legislature and act as informal lobbyists to government bodies. If the government wants to “back-channel” informal information between governments, NGOs often serve as willing conduits.
The lazy legislator …
The overriding problem with legislators today is that they: one, think that legislation can cure every problem, sometimes to the extent of modifying the behavior of citizens; and two, realize that only new legislation receives media attention. Therefore they are wont to ignore functional legislation already on the books in favor of newly-crafted legislation which often does nothing but confuse the situation. There is little or no regard for the “repeal and replace” process which produces a consistent set of rules and regulations. Likewise, there is little or no regard for single-issue bills which demand a straight up or down vote on a single matter. Instead, sneaky and dishonest legislators attach their pet bills to other, and often unrelated, bills that are sure to pass. Or, as an alternative, they craft legislation which modifies existing legislation and hide it in totally unrelated bills. Therefore, toxic, unproductive and legislation for the special interests can be hidden in plain sight so as to ameliorate complaints and absolve the legislator from any wrongdoing. How many ordinary people read the Congressional record or Federal Register? Even the media does not read these documents unless tipped off by some source.
The picture of today’s legislator is one of perpetual campaigning and fundraising. Few, if any, read the massive amounts of legislative drivel that is churned out in the, frequently, small amount of time allotted before a vote. They rely on the faceless, nameless “staff” for their opinions. And, staff usually consists of some bright lawyers supervising a staff of political wonks and “gofers.”
Sovereign foreign nations …
As never before, we are seeing foreign governments, especially some that are hostile to the interests of the United States, buy influence with our elected leadership and rank-and-file politicians through the use of American lawyer/lobbyists and public relations/advertising firms. Imagine, if you will, an entire foreign state committed to lobbying the members of the Administration and Congress to let their citizens, who swear allegiance to this foreign power, become voting citizens of the United States and, in the meantime, allows the United States to assume full responsibility for the education and healthcare of people who may be impoverished and illiterate. As well as placing no tax on the transfer of money, created by hard-working illegal aliens, back to a home country in which the top ruling families are mired in decades of political corruption. A foreign nation which openly decries dope dealing, but which politically profits mightily from the transfer of deadly and mind-numbing narcotics into the United States.
Why are we allowing lawyer/lobbyists, NGOs and others to openly advocate for the destruction of our healthcare, education, judicial, social, retirement and cultural infrastructure by convincing Americans, via the media and their bought-and-paid for politicians, that it is the “fair” thing to do? The “humane” thing to do? Whatever happened to enlightened “self-interest?” If I want to indulge in charity or help an individual, that is my business. It is voluntary on my part and not an incumbent requirement imposed by the government.
This is not to say that I am not sympathetic to some of these hard-working, decent individuals who have chosen to make a life for themselves and their families in another country which has almost limitless opportunities. But I do not accept the criminals, lazy or those who refuse to assimilate into our “American” culture. By all means celebrate your cultural diversity, but don’t ram it down my throat by building ghettos and enclaves of racial or ethnic similarity to the exclusions of ordinary citizens who become afraid of traveling in these areas.
We also see the foreign sovereign nations leading or purchasing prime real estate and American corporations. Fronted by Americans, these organizations can further promote the positions of their owners.
Who could have imagined that someday we would lease the property formerly occupied by the Navy’s Long Beach Naval Shipyard, with the permission of our politicians, to COSCO (China Overseas Shipping Company) for their container operations. Containers which could easily hide people, contraband or even nuclear weapons. It has been reported that COSCO has been used by their military masters to aid in spying and the creation of political chaos with shipments of drugs, arms and other contraband.
How many of our defense industries have outsourced or sub-contracted critical components to companies owned by foreign sovereign nations? Actions which might not be tolerated if the company wasn’t on American soil and being, at least figuratively, headed by Americans.
How much of America’s personal information flows to information processing companies in India, Pakistan and the Philippines where it can be compromised by militant evildoers?
Using our laws against us …
Sometime in the recent past, all of the hard-line Marxists, Communists and Anarchists found that their socialistic and dictator-dominated world was collapsing around them and that it was necessary to find a new spiritual and financial home to support their interests. Looking around for a crowd of mushy-headed individuals with money to support their radical philosophies. Yes, they were smart enough to have read George Orwell’s 1984 and knew enough to not use the old definitions and rhetoric. They knew that, given the right group of people, they could claim up was down and blue was red and be believed. So they found such a group: the environmentalists. And over time, the strong conquered the weak and idealistic and now they use our own donations, given ostensibly for good and worthy works, and laws against us.
This is a militant group that wants to weaken the United States and turn us into a nation of appeasers … willing to concede more and more power in return for relative peace and security.
They block our nation’s ability to become energy independent by suing to prevent nuclear plants from being built. They tie-up projects for years, increasing costs to the point where the project is economically feasible. They use environmental impact report requirements like the weapons they have become. And should anyone loudly object, they are branded with the ecological equivalent of “racist” by claiming that the person or the organization supports “corporatism” and unbridled capitalism over the people’s right to clear air and water. Convincing mush-headed morons to march when simple logic tells you that those who lead corporations are subject to the same water, air and contamination health risks as everybody else.
I am a conservationist. I believe in the “stewardship” of our planet. But I do not value any aspect of the planet over the requirements of human life. I love my pets, but I do not anthropomorphize all animals into mini-humans. Yes pandas are cute, but they will kill you in a heartbeat if you invade their territory or pose some kind of threat.
It is time that we become energy independent by exploiting our own natural resources. By developing reliable, clean nuclear and geothermal energy sources. The socialist/ecologist/dreamers would have you rely on what is fundamentally unreliable: natural solar power and wind power. I am all for ocean-driven power sources, but even the currents and tides change. Nuclear and geothermal energy are constants.
It is time to separate the radical conservationists who would turn us all into sun-worshiping vegans while they assumed the reins of power.
Big Education …
Using our educational system against us … All propaganda is not overt and obvious. Historically, many nations have feared or fallen to the discord produced in their schools and universities. Here in California, the community, state and certain branches of respected Universities are hotbeds of radical thought and practice. Where students are taught to parrot the professor’s opinion or fear the consequences of bad grades. Where radical commentary that is openly disparaging of the United States and its institutions is passed off as “progressive” thought. Where there exists no good or evil, only relative shades of gray which often portray the murderous Marxist Che Guevara as an intellectual man of the people … just like his buddy Fidel Castro. They primarily teach relativism where everything has a context similar to the use of the term dialectic which describes a discussion and reasoning using talk as a method of intellectual investigation.
Unfortunately, they try to apply similar methods to science in order to produce a plethora of deliberately confusing and pre-ordained “political” truths to replace scientific facts.
Which is no wonder, since so much of our educational process is controlled by the educational unions and others with a Marxist bent. A conservative or inquiring student often gets “slapped down” in this environment and thus becomes a complicit party to intellectual deception.
It used to be that the profession of teaching was consumed with learning the art and science of making information available to students in an orderly manner that allowed them to learn the lessons of history and the skills to cope with real life. Teachers were teachers first and subject matter experts second. Now teachers have become the arbiters of what is worthy of knowing and in what direction the discussion should be steered for maximum political impact. I can count on both hands the number of teachers which influenced me: to learn, to explore and to appreciate. The others forgotten in a nameless mind-jungle of mediocrity.
Why call them research papers? Now students simply browse the Internet for suitable material, cuts-and-pastes the copy, re-writes a little to avoid charges of academic plagiarism and then calls that research. In this instance, learning has become an automated process that is producing a deliverable result: no thought or critical consideration necessary. Considering how many “cheat” sheets exist on line, it is a wonder that anyone truly learns anything useful.
A recent visit to my junior high school was disheartening. Not only did they not want the books and equipment that I freely offered them, they made a pitch to donate non-discretionary (their words) funds to be used for something called “pupil enrichment.” I tossed a dollar bill on the former A9 patio which could only be used by seniors and told them that was the extent of my support. A little rude, but then again, they turned down thousands of dollars worth of donations (I would have done almost anything to get my hands on this type of “stuff” when I was younger) in favor of pitching me for a donation with an unspecified use.
Big Religion and Charity …
Perhaps it is a sign of the times, but I seem to feel that respectable religions and charities have turned into self-serving bureaucracies, more obsessed with self-perpetuation and fundraising than doing charitable works or explaining the meaning of life through gospel and other assorted teachings. Most religious services have turned into after-service social events. And most major charities turn down tangible donations (which could be profitably used by the desperately poor) in favor of cash or in-kind donations.
We seem to have become a more wasteful nation. Where decent and serviceable merchandise is discarded for the new and socially acceptable. Yes, technology does obsolete many things in our current culture, but not everybody needs the latest whiz-bang laptop with ultra-sophisticated software to simply write a term paper. One major hospital routinely discards more than a million dollars worth of unused, brand new, medical supplies. Simply because they were dispensed, paid for by the patient and are left sitting in the room at the time of discharge. The hospital claims that it would be medically imprudent and prohibitively costly to have the cleaning crew toss the items into a box to distribute to a clinic serving a less affluent clientele. A position which greatly infuriates me. Whatever happened to the great traditions of charitable hand-me-downs?
And most abhorrent to me is the naming of anything in the close proximity to the organization’s property with the name of a sponsor. It’s almost like the commercial showing the person who just purchased a new label gun; the camera pulls back and everything you see is labeled. Yes, my name appears on a few of those plaques… most of which I have never seen and do not care to view.
Conclusion …
We are at a crossroads, a point in time in the historical development of the United States, when the battle between good and evil, honesty and corruption, and obscenity and decency is at the tipping point. It is becoming increasingly difficult to support this dishonest and burdensome system and still preserve the rights of ordinary citizens. Something must be done about rectifying the situation now.
The upcoming election …
It is not so much that you are voting democrat or Republican, liberal or conservative; but you are being presented with a choice between right or wrong. A conservative America with its traditions and values, some of which need changing, or a liberal America where situational ethics and moral equivalency rule; where children remain uneducated by those that push multi-cultural diversity which “dumbs down” the entire classroom by mainstreaming barely functionally illiterate or language-deficient students in the same classroom with high achievers merely to avoid the appearance of “racial, ethnic or gender” bias. We are living in a world when boys can legally use the girl’s bathrooms in some school districts if they feel or declare themselves to be sexually ambivalent. The separation of church and state crowd have made a point of also separating morality from immorality. Imagine a world where the Ten Commandments, rules for basic social interaction, cannot be openly displayed on a courthouse wall for fear of offending some segment of the population.
What can YOU do?
Don’t be played. The government has managed to balkanize the population into a series of special interest groups, which are more easily manipulated, and thus requires a coalition between groups with competing needs to win an election.
It appears that we are heading for a singularity, when the government becomes the “be all and end all” in our individual lives. The United States of America will cease to exist in favor of “The Confluent States of Mutual Interests.” It’s not a world that I want to see or live in.
Get over your bad self and start considering our great nation and the often unwelcome change it is undergoing in the hands of our elected officials, appointed politicians and their supporting special interests.
Decide that it is now time to take action. To ignore the traditional political parties and cross party lines to vote for the best candidate. And not the candidate who is a celebrity, telegenic and well-spoken, who speaks of matters in which they have no direct understanding, knowledge or experience.
It is time to vote for those who are COMPETENT and COMMITTED to the United States. This is not a sporting event and you are not a fan of a particular team. You are a citizen of the United States and the decisions you make will affect your life and those of your family for decades to come.
I will not tell you how to vote, just that you need to vote. Without more informed participation in the process, we as a nation and as a people are screwed. Big-time and forever.
Do your homework. Separate the fact from the fiction. Go behind the image and ask hard questions. Get tough. It is time to end this “go along – get along” sinecure of those currently in power as well as those hope to replace them.
Do not vote for any candidate or current politician who is willing to subvert the safety, security, sovereignty and economic strength of the United States or limit an individual's right of self-defense for their personal philosophy, power, prestige or profits.
-- steve
A reminder from OneCitizenSpeaking.com: a large improvement can result from a small change…
The object in life is not to be on the side of the majority, but to escape finding oneself in the ranks of the insane. -- Marcus Aurelius
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