IRAN: Arrogance, stupidity or both?

It one of the most stunning displays of arrogance and/or stupidity, Iran has announced to the world that it has set up a court to try Israelis, in absentia, over crimes Iran says are tantamount to genocide against humanity.

From Reuters …

Iran sets up court to try Israelis over Gaza

“Iran has set up a court to try Israelis for its air attacks on Gaza and is ready to try in absentia any people who Tehran says have committed crimes, a judiciary official said on Tuesday.

“Iran, which does not recognise Israel, has criticized some Arab states and Western countries for not doing enough to stop military action by the Jewish state.”

If one does not recognize the State of Israel, Iran would be hard-pressed to exert any type of judicial jurisdiction over its inhabitants in a court of law. And considering that Israel is a sovereign state recognized by the United Nations, a further claim of interference with a duly constituted authority also could be lodged in the United Nations.

“Iran's top authority, Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, has urged Muslims to defend Palestinians whatever way they can.”

What you have when a state is controlled by religious zealots is a mish-mash of modern technology based on 7th century moral precepts which are intolerant of any other religion unless it is subservient to your own. This is blatantly unacceptable in modern times and the religion needs to be changed or, more likely, the religious leaders need to be changed.

" ‘The court is in a special branch in Tehran and entrusted with the task of dealing with the executors, planners and officials of this (Israeli) regime who have committed crimes,’ judiciary spokesman Alireza Jamshidi said.

“He said the court was set up based on a 1948 U.N. convention on the prevention of genocide to which Iran is a signatory.”

Islam was founded on the precepts of ethnic cleansing and mass genocide – and its violent practitioners are more likely to be sanctioned by an international court than Israel. In addition, the word of a Muslim cannot be believed by any person whom they believe is an infidel or unbeliever. The religion explicitly sanctions lying and deception as methods for vanquishing your enemies.

“Iranian Foreign Minister Manouchehr Mottaki on Tuesday accused Israel of committing ‘genocide against humanity’ in Gaza. He was speaking in a meeting with foreign envoys in Tehran that was broadcast and translated by Iran's English-language Press TV.”

Conveniently, he did not mention the terrorists who sparked this conflict, nor did he mention his nation’s President who has openly threatened to commit genocide against humanity by eradicating Israel from the face of the earth. Perhaps this court should take Mahmoud Ahmadinejad - The President of the Islamic Republic of Iran – into custody for conspiracy to commit genocide against humanity and all of the nuclear technicians who are conspiring with him?

“Jamshidi called on all Palestinians who have been affected by the Israeli operation in Gaza to file complaints. The Israeli officials could be tried in absentia, he added.”

Considering complicit acts of aggression against Israel by his nation which seemed to be providing support to those who attacked Israel with mortar and rocket fire and the United States troops in Iraq with sophisticated penetrator IEDs (Improvised Explosive Devices), a case could be made for taking taking legal, as well as military, action against Iran.

“Israel, which accuses Iran of supplying Hamas Islamists with weapons, said the strikes which began on Saturday were in response to almost daily rocket and mortar fire from the Hamas- ruled Gaza Strip.”

“Jamshidi said Iran's judiciary chief, Ayatollah Mahmoud Hashemi-Shahroudi, was sending letters to his counterparts in all Islamic states seeking their cooperation with this court.”

Might these letters be sent to all of the nations which openly fear Iran and who will secretly celebrate any American and/or Israeli strike on Iran’s nuclear facilities. The last thing Saudi Arabia, Syria, Jordan, Lebanon and the rest of the Middle East needs or wants is an Iran with nuclear weapons.

What can YOU do?

Recognize political posturing and empty rhetoric for what it is: a media show for the locals who still view their corrupt and morally bankrupt leadership as all powerful and righteous.

From the day the British set ink to paper, there has been conflict and strife in the Middle East. Israel was been under constant siege by modern-day locusts armed with conventional weaponry.

I do not believe that there is anything that would be considered a moderate Muslim, except those in the United States who openly demonstrate tolerance for other cultures and religions. Should any of these people preach the violent overthrow of the United States, perhaps they should be deported with their extended families back to the Middle Eastern country that most matches their beliefs. They came here, ostensibly to become Americans. Americans who are freely allowed to practice their religion so far as it does not impact the rights of other citizens to practice their religions. They are free, as we all are, to celebrate our own cultures as long as it does not involve the abridgement of the rights of others.

As I write this, protestors are marching outside of the Israeli Consulate in Los Angeles. Perhaps they should express equal outrage for any terrorist group which lobs mortars and rockets into populated civilian areas with the sole purpose of inspiring terror – enough terror to force them from their homes. As well as openly condemn those who have driven these people from other Arab countries, notably Jordan which would be the Palestinian state if some British Twit (along with T.E. Lawrence aka Lawrence of Arabia) hadn’t divided up the Kingdom in that particular fashion.

Religious zealots and other crazy people should not be allowed to possess nuclear arms under any circumstances. Especially those with messianic desires and an open worship of an afterlife which rewards the murder of innocent men, women and children on the basis of an outdated religion.

-- steve

Quote of the day: "The very purpose of existence is to reconcile the glowing opinion we have of ourselves with the appalling things that other people think about us.” -- Quentin Crisp

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

Reference Links:

Iran sets up court to try Israelis over Gaza  - Yahoo! News UK

“Nullius in verba”-- take nobody's word for it!
"Acta non verba" -- actions not words

“Beware of false knowledge; it is more dangerous than ignorance.”-- George Bernard Shaw

“Progressive, liberal, Socialist, Marxist, Democratic Socialist -- they are all COMMUNISTS.”

“The key to fighting the craziness of the progressives is to hold them responsible for their actions, not their intentions.” – OCS

"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

“A people that elect corrupt politicians, imposters, thieves, and traitors are not victims... but accomplices” -- George Orwell

“Fere libenter homines id quod volunt credunt." (The people gladly believe what they wish to.) ~Julius Caesar

“Describing the problem is quite different from knowing the solution. Except in politics." ~ OCS

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They are lying about the financial crisis: it wasn't deregulation that was at fault, it was the politicians and their appointees ...

Nothing angers me more than hearing that George Bush and the Bush Administration was solely to blame for the current financial crisis because of his “laissez-faire” policy of minimal government intervention in the markets. Much of our current misery can be traced back to Jimmy Carter’s Administration, through the Clinton Administration – and even Bush 41 was complicit in setting the stage.

Other than actual criminals and those  motivated by greed, it was partly the failure of the regulators to enforce the laws currently on the books, partly the failure of Congress to write coherent and enforceable legislation, partly the regulatory agency’s failure to prosecute lesser criminal acts in their quest for high-profile cases to attract favorable media attention, partly the blindness of the media and partly the effects of interfering political lawyers and lobbyists that were behind much of our current problem.

If one need cast blame at the Administration, it certainly wasn’t so much Bush’s policies as his politics. So let’s take a fast look at who and what in our government was behind this economic catastrophe. And, unless you are blind, it isn’t limited to a single party or politician.

First, let us stipulate that there were crooks and evildoers, on Wall Street and Main Street,  who took advantage of the present situation to earn staggering amounts of money by being in the right place at the right time or simply going along with the current system.

Second, let us all agree that the stage for much of the government fraud, waste, corruption and inattention to the public welfare was based on the hyper-politicalization of the government and the necessity for 24/7 fundraising in what seems like a never-ending campaign cycle. It should be noted that the last presidential campaign was the longest political campaign in history and plunged the nation in to a frenzy of special interest fundraising and political events.

And third, let us also agree that we have just witnessed the failure of the media to uphold their tacit agreement with the American people to serve as the eyes and ears of the public and to be “truth tellers to power.” They were so lopsidedly in favor of the democrats, they overlooked almost everything on one side in order to play “gotcha” journalism. Where sex and scandal reigned supreme over malfeasance and corruption.

On to the charge that the Bush Administration was solely responsible for the debacle which now faces us …

Hyper-politicalization – You are either for us or against us applied, not only to al QAEDA, but to everyone that was in the government or doing business with the government. Many decisions were made solely on the basis of politics and their impact on the Administration. Favoritism and cronyism, while not a direct Bush mandate, were certainly the basis of many agency decisions. Had Bush selected stronger, more capable leadership, perhaps the outcome would have been different. Well-credentialed and well-meaning people were placed in positions of importance. Unfortunately, they never dealt with a counter-minded Congress, a well-entrenched bureaucracy and really lacked the leadership skills to maneuver the ship of state in choppy waters.

Yes, the hyper-politicalization of government agencies decimated some of the regulatory agency’s effectiveness as incompetent cronies were appointed to high public office and we so preoccupied with political matters that they failed to uphold their sworn duty to protect the public.

Off the top of my head, I can point to Alberto Gonzales at the Department of Justice and Alphonso Jackson at HUD (Department of Housing and Urban Development). Two critical agencies involved with housing issues. Add to that, Christopher Cox of the Securities and Exchange Commission and you have a trifecta of impotence. I would also like to single out James Lockhart who headed OFHEO (Office of Federal Housing Enterprise Oversight) and who now heads its successor, the FHFA (Federal Housing Finance Administration). He was the regulator of Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac where open and blatant manipulation of the books resulted in multi-million dollar payouts to its politically connected leadership.

Secrecy – from the top down, people were cautioned to be closed mouthed about their agency’s activities. Secrecy was the watchword of the Bush Administration. Bush crony, Mel Martinez, while Secretary of HUD, racked up 40,000+ comment letters regarding a rewrite of predatory lending regulations because he refused to show his proposed rule to the financial industry; and even went so far as to withhold it from Congress. Needless to say, the bill met resistance as was sidetracked. Martinez failed upward and was given White House support to become the next Senator from Florida. Next up was Alphonso Jackson, who was more communicative with the industry and Congress, but resigned before the rule could be implemented. Jackson, it should be noted, was allegedly under investigation for cronyism and interference in the agency’s contracting practices – for political purposes. The President then placed Steve Preston from the Small Business Administration and the rule was issued – some provisions to take effect in 2010.  By comparison with this bunch, former President Nixon was a blabbermouth.

Media Manipulation – There is no doubt that the Administration tried hard to encourage favorable media attention in a time when much of the media was in the bag for the liberal democrats and, specifically, Hillary Clinton and then Barack Obama. Along with the promotion of the Administration’s policies came the need for the regulators to showcase their agency’s effectiveness so they courted both Congress and the media. Looking to pursue high-profile cases and overlooking the smaller ones, the simply did not do their job. Unfortunately, both Congress and the media remained rather unreceptive to their efforts.

This led to a lack of transparency which failed to highlight not only bad administrative decisions, but outright malfeasance in pursuing the agency’s objectives.

A recalcitrant congress – Not only was the Congress unwilling to act with bi-partisan accord, but there was open hostility on both sides of the aisle. It is almost unbelievable to imagine the sheer stupidity of many members of both the House and the Senate who often acted like they were royalty in pursuing their own political and self-interest projects.

Many of these representatives of the people offered up legislation that they could neither understand nor even read as special interest lawyers and “staff” crafted the language of the laws they were inflicting on the public. Somehow, these manifest morons did not realize that legislation cannot cure every financial, military or social ill – but they were still offering bills as real solutions to real problems. Unfortunately, they did not understand the problems nor the proposed solutions.

In the housing arena, they created a patchwork of laws, rules, regulations, guidelines which often were conflicting, confusing, unenforceable and, above all, ill-understood by those who needed to develop systems and procedures designed to cope with these so-called legislative solutions.

The myth of “record fines …”

Corporations that blatantly disregarded the law and were subsequently caught, simply negotiated their way out of trouble. By discharging a member or members of top management, the corporation could say that they had cleaned house and were willing to settle the matter – paying a “record” fine without admitting any wrongdoing. In many cases the “record” fine was so small in comparison to the amount of money actually involved, that it became just another cost of doing business as the corporation went about its business. The executives who were accused of wrongdoing, either paid personal fines – sometimes from company funds and insurance policies – and walked away with their millions. In some cases tens and hundreds of millions.

One need look no farther than the people at Fannie Mae or Freddie Mac who cooked their books, lied to Congress and received a slap on the wrist. Of course, these were mostly well-connected democrats who were allowed to escape being placed in jail like the thieves they appeared to be. 

Politically connected lobbyists, lawyers and venue shopping …

Lobbyists lobbied for special interest exemptions in the financial arena. Lawyers used the overlapping regulatory jurisdiction to skate under, over or between the edges of the law. In some cases choosing state bank charters, in others choosing national bank charters. Becoming a thrift or an industrial bank. Switching venues and organizational forms when necessary.  Lawyers explaining their interpretation of the law to agency lawyers who knew better but were not willing to spend the agency’s hard-won budget dollars on an “iffy” case that could turn on the interpretation of a clause or a phrase.

These were but a few of the failures and circumstances that led us to the current situation -- and it doesn’t appear to be getting better…

We have seen our emergency reserves, savings, and retirement funds decimated by those who publicly assured us of the safety and soundness of their organizations – while they took tens or hundreds of millions in unearned compensation. Yes, unearned,  as they lost billions of our dollars.

We have seen the amount $700 billion bandied about by the politicians. When, in fact, the bailout is now into multiple trillions. Even the democrats couldn’t resist adding pork to the bailout bill and watched the so-called fiscally conservative Republicans cave to their demands.

We have the Federal Reserve reducing the Federal Funds target rate to a amount between zero and one-quarter of one percent. Further cuts beyond zero are impossible and thus one of their most important primary tools has just been rendered useless.

We have Treasury Secretary Henry Paulson spending billions of the taxpayer’s money and not even asking how or when it is being spent. For all appearances, he does not know how to solve the current crisis and is flailing about. A Wall Street man to the end, he has made his and is isolated from the consequences of his actions. Openly flaunting the intent of Congress to bring transparency to the process.

We have Representative Barney Frank and Christopher Dodd trying to preserve the remaining federal funds so that the democrats can direct their usage.

We have corporations being allowed to change into bank holding companies to gain access to federal funds.

We have seen bailout funds extended to the people in the Madoff Ponzi scam when they were all sophisticated and should have known something was amiss. Some believe that the story remains untold and that tax avoidance and off-shore accounts may still surface. And yet the government appears to be willing to include these people in the bailout umbrella – when they should get nothing more than a tax deduction for their lost funds – if that.

We do not see anyone being prosecuted or asked to return their bloated bonuses based on losing their shareholders billions of dollars. Madoff remains under house arrest in his $7 million Park Avenue apartment when he should be held without bond at Riker’s Island or the Federal Detention center.

We have Barack Obama reportedly ready to spend another billion dollars on infrastructures – which seems like a gift to the unions and their workers. Along with eliminating the secrecy provision of employees voting to join a union.

We do not seem to be doing anything to bring the $55-TRILLION of outstanding credit default swaps under control.

We do not seem to be doing anything to de-leverage the loans that would cause major financial institutions to immediately fail – if the accounting was true, correct and honest.

We do not seem to be doing anything to regulate toxic derivatives – the root of all financial evil which has been done to the taxpayers and citizens of the world.

We are headed towards socialization and the demand to open all financial books to the government (For those of you who are skeptical, look up XBRL).

And we are heading for the largest scam of all, global warming, which will allow the government to cover-up postpone the responsibility for their corrupt actions until well after we are all dead.

But most damaging of all --

We have the accounting profession and the Securities and Exchange Commission about to plunge a dagger into the heart of American business … by discarding our accounting rules in favor of a European model that is already being politically manipulated to deny transparency and cover up crimes committed by well-connected financiers.

We are on a road that might lead to a revolution in this country. Possibly as soon as 2010 when we throw out those politicians who were complicit in this massive failure of government – and deny support to both parties which led us on this path to destruction.

One need only consider who both parties put forth as leaders to see the magnitude of the problem. And one need only to consider that a relatively few local yokels at the first primaries were allowed to pick the candidates that were to survive the political vetting process.

While I hope that Barack Obama will somehow rise above his party’s corrupt background and scant experience to perform a miracle of leadership, it would truly be a miracle given the people that he has already chosen for his Administration.

Tomorrow – more about this accounting scam that threatens to destroy accountability in finance.  -- steve


Quote of the day:
“There is no greater importance in all the world like knowing you are right and that the wave of the world is wrong, yet the wave crashes upon you.” -- Norman Mailer

“Nullius in verba”-- take nobody's word for it!
"Acta non verba" -- actions not words

“Beware of false knowledge; it is more dangerous than ignorance.”-- George Bernard Shaw

“Progressive, liberal, Socialist, Marxist, Democratic Socialist -- they are all COMMUNISTS.”

“The key to fighting the craziness of the progressives is to hold them responsible for their actions, not their intentions.” – OCS

"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

“A people that elect corrupt politicians, imposters, thieves, and traitors are not victims... but accomplices” -- George Orwell

“Fere libenter homines id quod volunt credunt." (The people gladly believe what they wish to.) ~Julius Caesar

“Describing the problem is quite different from knowing the solution. Except in politics." ~ OCS

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MY PERSPECTIVE: UNDERSTANDING THE MIDDLE EAST (Updated)

UPDATE: 12-28-08  IRAN'S LEADER ISSUES A FATWAH - AND MAY RECEIVE MORE THAN HE BARGAINED FOR!

From Reuters ...

"Iran's Supreme Leader issued a religious decree to Muslims around the world on Sunday, ordering them to defend Palestinians in Gaza against Israeli attacks 'in any way possible,' state television reported."

"Ayatollah Ali Khamenei also declared Monday a day of public mourning in Iran after Israel killed more than 280 Palestinians in two days of air strikes on Gaza. 'All Palestinian combatants and all the Islamic world's pious people are obliged to defend the defenceless women, children and people in Gaza in any way possible,' Khamenei said. 'Whoever is killed in this legitimate defence, is considered a martyr,' he said in a statement."

Perhaps Khamenei should issue a warning to those who fire rockets amid defenseless women, children and people in Gaza. Or perhaps set the Islamic world's pious people on the road to peace.

UPDATE: 12-28-08  BOTTOM LINE: PALESTINIANS, YOU ASKED FOR THIS!

What did the Palestinian people think would happen if they continued to allow Hamas to continually fire unguided missiles into Israel at civilians? What did they believe that other Arab leaders were saying when they asked Hamas to stop the continual provocation of Israel? And what did they think was going to happen when the terrorists hide among the civilian population and fire their weapons?

To those who are wailing and slapping their head -- perhaps instead of vowing revenge and demanding more violence -- perhaps they should ask Allah why this happened and why are they not seeking peace by removing the terrorists among them?

And, considering that there is an election in Israel, are they so stupid as to not realize that this will produce a hard-line political stance which is likely to result in greater restrictions.

Again, can you think of any people who refuse all international help and continue to live in circumstances of their own making?

Original blog entry ...

From my perspective, the nations in the Middle East operate under a simple set of rules.

One, the Muslim culture, as currently practiced in the Middle East and  in spite of the Western myth of the moderate Muslim, demands that one “be of the faith” or submit to those who “are of the faith.” There is no tolerance for other religions – to the point of severe and often fatal punishment for anything the religion considers blasphemy. Muslims have appealed to the United Nations to denounce, or better yet criminalize, anti-Muslim sentiment.

Two, Muslims ONLY respect force and the will to use it. They regard everyone that is not of their religion as weak and without the protection of Allah.

Three, Muslims are allowed to say or do anything to promote their religion. And I do mean anything, including killing, raping, lying, cheating and stealing. Anything as long as it does not involve a righteous fellow Muslim.

Four, the culture is borne of battle and death in the defense of the religion is not only honored, but a desirable outcome of battle. The more enemy you kill, the happier Allah will be.

Fifth, under Islam, cease fires and truces are ONLY acceptable as interludes to re-arm and re-group.

Sixth, the Western concept that the Muslim religion has been hijacked by a group of evil clerics for their own purposes is totally bogus. The religion remains mostly unchanged since the 12th Century and that modern behavior parallels behavior in past times – only the weapons and methodologies have changed.

Seventh, Israel is a clear and present danger to all Muslim states – not because of their religious differences, but because they are an obvious example of how the different cultures can co-exist and thrive – without the monarchy and in a democratic fashion. Remember, Arabs are openly welcome in Israel and treated with the respect accorded all Israeli citizens.

Eighth, those born into the monarchy or their friends will do or say anything to preserve their status and wealth – as well as to avoid an outright revolt based on the people’s shabby treatment while the so-called royals live the good life. Even places like Dubai, allegedly the gold coast of the Middle East, have repressive customs and do not tolerate something as simple as a public kiss between a couple on a beach.

Ninth, the American Constitution allows militant Muslims to use the “freedom of religion” against us as they fundraise and talk of jihad in mosques mostly funded by those in Saudi Arabia.

And tenth, and most controversial, is that much of the conflict may be inspired mullahs and carried out by sexually-repressed teenagers and young men who have little or no outlet to occupy their time. 

The Religion of Peace …

This is a publicity campaign waged in an Orwellian world where up is down, left is right, black is white and right is wrong.  How can the “Religion of Peace” continue to hurl rockets into neighboring sovereign states? How can the “Religion of Peace” not put down their weapons and simply accept the help of their neighbors to rebuild their land?

To my way of thinking, the Religion of Peace is a crock: they don’t want peace – their leaders want to live in their opulent and respected lifestyle, protected by 12th century laws which simply allows them to control all human rights and kill any dissenters at will.

So I have no sympathy for those who embrace their “culture of death” and attack their neighbors maliciously . And its not about ancient rights – as most of the modern Arab nations were created with a stroke of the pen by the British who divided territory by tribes and had little or no foreknowledge of the consequences.

Where is the United Nations?

One would believe that the United Nations would intervene in the situation and condemn the aggression. But considering the number of states that support the Islamic goal of an Islamic world – little is to be expected from this quarter. 

The news media …

According to the AP …

“Israeli Defense Minister Ehud Barak says Israel's air offensive against militant sites in Gaza ‘will widen as necessary.’"

“Barak says Israel does not intend to allow Islamic Hamas militants who rule Gaza to continue firing rockets and mortars on Israel's southern communities.”

“Hamas says at least 192 Gazans were killed in the first day of the offensive and 270 were wounded.”

“Barak says there is a time for calm and a time for fighting. Speaking at a news conference Saturday, he said ‘now is the time for fighting" and that "the operation will expand as necessary.’"

“Israeli warplanes retaliating for rocket fire from the Gaza Strip pounded dozens of security compounds across the Hamas-ruled territory in unprecedented waves of airstrikes Saturday, killing at least 155 and wounding more than 310 in the single bloodiest day of fighting in recent memory.”

The concept of innocent civilians …

War brings with it collateral damage. Innocent civilians killed during military operations. Property adjoining the battlefield destroyed. But what of a military which wears no uniforms, which hides in Mosques, hospitals and schools full well knowing that we do not attack such locations, or simply positions their weapons among the population – knowing that the return fire will kill so-called “innocents” and thus provide a media event to allow people to see dead women and children?

Perhaps, under these circumstances, there are no innocents as their own people have condemned these non-combatants to death. The are a casualty of their own religion and their accepted leadership.

“The vast majority of those killed were security men, but civilians were also among the dead. Hamas said all of its security installations were hit and responded with several medium-range Grad rockets at Israel, reaching deeper than in the past. One Israeli was killed and at least four people were wounded in the rocket attacks. With so many wounded, the Palestinian death toll was likely to rise.”

"The operation will last as long as necessary," declared Israeli Defense Minister Ehud Barak, though it was not clear if it would be coupled with a ground offensive. Asked if Hamas political leaders might be targeted next, military spokeswoman Maj. Avital Leibovich said, "Any Hamas target is a target."

What did they expect?

What do the Gazans expect: that you can simply lob rockets and mortars into another country without a response?

“The strikes caused widespread panic and confusion in Gaza, as black clouds of smoke rose above the territory, ruled by Hamas for the past 18 months. Some of the Israeli missiles struck in densely populated areas as children were leaving school, and women rushed into the streets frantically looking for their children. Most of those killed were security men, but civilians were among the dead.”

“Said Masri sat in the middle of a Gaza City street, close to a security compound, alternately slapping his face and covering his head with dust from the bombed-out building.”

"’My son is gone, my son is gone,’ wailed Masri, 57. The shopkeeper said he sent his 9-year-old son out to purchase cigarettes minutes before the airstrikes began and now could not find him. ‘May I burn like the cigarettes, may Israel burn,’ Masri moaned.”

What, he is not celebrating the death of his innocent son as a martyr to the cause of Islam? Perhaps some of that hatred should be re-directed to his leaders who set the stage for his son to be killed.  Where is his cry for peace? Where is his plea for a cessation of hostilities? And, just maybe, the son survived – slightly wounded, dazed and taken to a local hospital.

“Defiant Hamas leaders threatened revenge, including suicide attacks. Hamas ‘will continue the resistance until the last drop of blood,’ vowed spokesman Fawzi Barhoum.”

Revenge? The never-ending cycle of attack and counter-attack? This is a response to their aggression. And, resistance to what? Peace? Co-existence with a democratic Israel? Why is it that media sources do not point out that Palestinians are not welcome in other Arab nations as they are considered to be troublemakers. Better yet, why does the media remain silent on the fact that the real home of the Palestinians is now occupied by the modern state of Jordan?

“Israel told its civilians near Gaza to take cover as militants began retaliating with rockets, and in the West Bank, moderate Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas called for restraint. Egypt summoned the Israeli ambassador to express condemnation and opened its border with Gaza to allow ambulances to drive out some of the wounded.”

Retaliating … or simply continuing the original attack which provoked the Israeli response? Condemnation is one thing … but we have seen ambulances used as ammunition carriers before as they shuttle back-and-forth knowing that they are relatively safe from attack.

More protests …

From people who will openly riot, kill and destroy property on encountering an anti-religious cartoon, one should consider exactly what they are protesting. No being able to molest Israel with impunity? No being responsible for the consequences of their actions? What did they think would happen? Israel has shown remarkable restraint. What do you think would happen in the United States if Mexican separatists decided to lob mortars and missiles into San Diego every few days? This is self-defense: pure and simple. And this is Israeli restrain. By all rights they should have reduced the entire area to rubble.

“Protests erupted in the Abbas-ruled West Bank and across the Arab world.”

“Several hundred angry Jordanians protested outside a U.N. complex in the capital Amman. ‘Hamas, go ahead. You are the cannon, we are the bullets,’ they cried, some waving the signature green Hamas banners.”

If I remember my history correctly, it was the Jordanians who drove the Palestinians (PLO) from their lands into Lebanon – which they soon turned one of the most sophisticated and beautiful countries in the world into rubble and chaos.

“King Hussein of Jordan ejected Arafat's Palestinians in September 1970, called Black September because they were trying to take over his kingdom. King Hussein drove them into Lebanon after killing more than 10,000. The Lebanese welcomed the fleeing Palestinians into their bosom, but suddenly found themselves under attack by Arafat's Palestinians who set up a mini Terror State within Lebanon. For the next 12 years terror raged and over 100,000 Lebanese were murdered by their Palestinian brothers.” <Source>

“In Beirut, dozens of youths hit the streets and set fire to tires.”

Perhaps these kids should have studied their history along with their Koran?

“In Syria's al-Yarmouk camp, outside Damascus, dozens of Palestinians protested the attack as well, vowing to continue fighting Israel.”

Perhaps, over time, Syria will come to regret their position on Palestinians as they continue to multiply and become integrated into the Syrian government.

What will it take to halt Gaza aggression?

“Israeli leaders approved military action against Gaza earlier in the week. Past limited ground incursions and air strikes have not halted rocket barrages from Gaza.”

“But with 200 mortars and rockets raining down on Israel since the truce expired a week ago, and 3,000 since the beginning of the year, according to the military's count, pressure had been mounting in Israel for the military to crush the gunmen.”

“Earlier this month, Israeli security officials told the government that militants possess rockets with ranges capable of reaching farther from Gaza than ever before, including the cities of Beersheba and Ashdod.”

“Gaza militants fired several rockets Saturday, including one that struck a new target, the town of Kiryat Gat. A missile hit on the town of Netivot killed an Israeli man and wounded four people, rescue services said. In Ashkelon, TV cameras showed people huddle against a wall as a rocket alert sounded.”

There will come a time when words of peace and protest will not suffice …

If there is no apparent resolution to this continual barrage against Israel, there may come a time when there will be but a single warning: leave now! And the areas that are hostile to Israel will be completely destroyed.

Barak, the Israeli defense minister, said that the coming period "won't be easy and won't be short for the communities in the south (of Israel).

“Israel declared a state of emergency in Israeli communities within a 12-mile (20-kilometer) range of Gaza, putting the area on a war footing.”

What the media is reporting …

“Hospitals crowded with people, civilians rushing in wounded people in cars, vans and ambulances. "We are treating people on the floor, in the corridors. We have no more space. We don't know who is here and what the priority is to treat," said a doctor at Shifa Hospital, Gaza's main treatment center. He hung up the phone before identifying himself.”

“In the West Bank, Hamas' rival, Abbas, said in a statement that he ‘condemns this aggression’ and called for restraint, according to an aide, Nabil Abu Rdeneh. Abbas, who has ruled only the West Bank since the Islamic Hamas seized power in Gaza in June 2007, was in contact with Arab leaders, and his West Bank Cabinet convened an emergency session.”

Just which aggression is he condemning? The rocket firing which is an overt act of aggression against a sovereign state? And which party is he calling upon for restraint? The Israelis who are responding to being attack or the attackers who decided to target Israel? Considering Abbas is in contact with Arab leaders, one wonders what he is saying. Surely it can’t be anything against Islam which seems to be the root cause of the attacks?

The sad truth …

“Israel left Gaza in 2005 after a 38-year occupation, but the withdrawal did not lead to better relations with Palestinians in the territory as Israeli officials had hoped.”

“Instead, the evacuation was followed by a sharp rise in militant attacks on Israeli border communities that on several occasions provoked harsh Israeli military reprisals.”

Was this abandonment of territory simply a reaction to International pressures? And did Israel’s actions lead to the reinforcement of the idea that terrorism will eventually yield the attacker’s desired results?

“The last, in late February and early March, spurred both sides to agree to a truce that was to have lasted six months but began unraveling in early November. In recent days, Israeli leaders had been voicing strong threats to launch a major offensive.”

On to Iran …

Although the Iranians are not Arabs, they are Muslim and have the same outcome for Israel: death and destruction. As their once vibrant culture has almost been destroyed by the Mullahs, they are once again flirting with danger. It is well-known and accepted that Iranian forces are involved in the Iraq conflict and as Syria’s influence in Lebanon receded, Iran’s influence grew. Can you trust this country with a nuclear weapon? The answer is an emphatic NO! A “No” which is also silently echoed by their Arab neighbors who fear a nuclear-armed Iran and silently look to the Israelis to solve their problems.

We are now past Christmas, approaching New Year and the Obama inauguration on January 20th is looming large. Could the event that Vice President-elect Biden spoke of be the attack on Iran? And the response which will have people openly questioning Barack Obama’s actions be the sanctioning of Israel? We do not have much longer to wait for the answer.

And the attack will be justified. Just as the Muslims continue to wail about the injustice of Israel’s existence and continue to lob deadly missiles into their country – there will come a time when Israel says “NO MORE!” And I believe that time is fast approaching.

What can YOU do?

Recognize that freedom is a two-way street. There are those who want freedom, but must in turn grant freedom to others. Unless this is possible, conflict is inevitable. Both sides will lose men, women and children. Homes will be destroyed. A darkness will fall upon a barren land. Hope will dissipate until one side surrenders. And if they re-arm, the cycle will repeat. Until the leadership recognizes the benefits of human rights and stops stealing from the people – there will be no peace as the leaders must continually point to some scapegoat to account for their people’s misery.

Israel is a thorn in the side of the surrounding nations, not because of religious differences – but because it shows the people what can be done in a tolerant, cooperative atmosphere where certain men are not omnipotent kings of the realm. And that’s why the leaders of these nations continue to fight on.

Aided and abetted by the United States who will often overlook localized conflict to obtain reasonably-priced oil. So, if the United States does want peace in the Middle East, is it not reasonable to demand our leadership develop a comprehensive energy policy which will remove American dollars from the region and thus lower the level of conflict. The fastest way to do this would be to build out our national energy grid, use CNG (compressed natural gas) for our truck fleets, develop nuclear power sources and use our own oil while we develop alternative fuel vehicles.

Until the Muslim religion experiences a reformation, perhaps one should consider leaving them in relative peace to enjoy a 12th century lifestyle and preventing their leaders from visiting other countries. A zero immigration policy for nations which remain bellicose and hostile to Israel.

And if we need bomb them … perhaps we should use Playboy magazines, Britney Spears and Paris Hilton videos – and videos of the California lifestyle. Perhaps they would dream of the Mohave Desert instead of Israel?

Could this be the cover attack which is the diversion for a much larger attack on Iran? Especially since both Iran and Syria are the chief backers of Hamas. Or possibly a staged precursor to an Obama peace initiative -- complete with more humanitarian aid (e.g. money for the corrupt leadership)?

If anyone should have other opinions, send them along.

-- steve

Quote of the Day: “There comes a time when injustice must be addressed, the politicians and media be damned.” -- 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

Reference Links:

My Way News - Barak: Gaza operation will expand as needed

NABIL ABU RDAINAH, AIDE TO PALESTINIAN PRESIDENT MAHMOUD ABBAS: "President Abbas demands that the Israeli government stop this aggression immediately to spare our people its painful effects, and calls on the international community to intervene to stop the aggression."

WHITE HOUSE SPOKESMAN GORDON JOHNDROE: "Hamas' continued rocket attacks into Israel must cease if the violence is to stop. Hamas must end its terrorist activities if it wishes to play a role in the future of the Palestinian people."

RUSSIAN FOREIGN MINISTRY STATEMENT: "Moscow deems it necessary to stop large scale military action against Gaza, which had already led to big casualties and suffering among civilian Palestinian population. At the same time we call on Hamas leadership to stop shelling Israeli territory."

<More statements from world leaders courtesy of Reuters> 

Coincidental Note:

"Political scientist Samuel Huntington, whose controversial book 'The Clash of Civilizations' predicted conflict between the West and the Islamic world, has died at age 81, Harvard University said on Saturday. <More on this interesting scholar>

“Nullius in verba”-- take nobody's word for it!
"Acta non verba" -- actions not words

“Beware of false knowledge; it is more dangerous than ignorance.”-- George Bernard Shaw

“Progressive, liberal, Socialist, Marxist, Democratic Socialist -- they are all COMMUNISTS.”

“The key to fighting the craziness of the progressives is to hold them responsible for their actions, not their intentions.” – OCS

"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

“A people that elect corrupt politicians, imposters, thieves, and traitors are not victims... but accomplices” -- George Orwell

“Fere libenter homines id quod volunt credunt." (The people gladly believe what they wish to.) ~Julius Caesar

“Describing the problem is quite different from knowing the solution. Except in politics." ~ OCS

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Freedom from government tyranny sometimes requires an act of civil disobedience ...

In government-related matters, sunshine is the best disinfectant and laughter is often the best antidote …

From the folks at KFYI …

“VIDEO: Santas Disable Enforcement Cameras in Tempe: Watch as some Santas gift wrap three speed and red light cameras.”

“A group of Santa impersonators are on the naughty list of Arizona law enforcement officials.”

“A YouTube video posted Monday shows four people dressed as Kris Kringle, white beards and red hats included, covering three speed and red light enforcement cameras in Tempe.
Two are covered with boxes - one decorated with Christmas wrap - and the third is blocked with what appears to be a red sheet.
The Jackson 5's ‘Santa Claus is coming to town'' plays during the more than two-minute video.
At the end is a message that reads:
’Ho Ho Ho! Death to the surveillance state! Free movement for all people!’'

What can YOU do?

Remember, in the great majority of cases, automated red light enforcement cameras are more about municipal revenue generation than they are safety. Especially when the municipality contracts with third-parties to provide the equipment, installation and shares the revenue.

For more on the egregious nature of red light cameras, visit www.highwayrobbery.net for more information.

And as a Christmas gift, remember that approximately 80% of all tickets given by automated traffic enforcement devices are for “rolling right turns.” Make a full stop before turning right and scrooge your municipality out of their ill-gotten gains.

-- steve

Quote of the day:  “There is nothing worse than aggressive stupidity.” -- Johann Wolfgang von Goethe

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

Reference Links:

KFYI - "The Valley's Talk Station"

“Nullius in verba”-- take nobody's word for it!
"Acta non verba" -- actions not words

“Beware of false knowledge; it is more dangerous than ignorance.”-- George Bernard Shaw

“Progressive, liberal, Socialist, Marxist, Democratic Socialist -- they are all COMMUNISTS.”

“The key to fighting the craziness of the progressives is to hold them responsible for their actions, not their intentions.” – OCS

"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

“A people that elect corrupt politicians, imposters, thieves, and traitors are not victims... but accomplices” -- George Orwell

“Fere libenter homines id quod volunt credunt." (The people gladly believe what they wish to.) ~Julius Caesar

“Describing the problem is quite different from knowing the solution. Except in politics." ~ OCS

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Democratic hypocrisy and the unions ...

UPDATE: 12-22-08  WITH THE BEST OF INTENTIONS  ...

Here is a comment from one of my readers which points out the progression of most unions.

"In 1977, myself and fellow employees started a union as a bargaining tool against a municipality run by Democrats. The 80 employees were mostly very conservative, but were taking it in the shorts as far as wages and benefits. We started the union on the premise of increasing wages, eliminating nonsensical work rules, promoting individuality and ingenuity over the good old boy system. Well, 30 years later, things have changed and it is now run by liberal’s who have destroyed what we started. If that’s what evolution is all about, I want no part of it. Things do change, not always for the best."

Like most unions which were started by decent, honest individuals seeking safety improvements or escaping onerous working conditions, many unions have morphed into little more than political machines lead by a fat-cat leadership which wants to emulate the lifestyle and earnings of corporate titans. Often selling out their members to support their own interests.

Original blog entry ...

It is no secret that I am not a fan of the unions – especially public service employee unions who have the de facto power to cripple this nation’s public services if the government does not give in to their sometimes extortionate demands.

I have never seen a union voluntarily vote to reduce the size of government, eliminate nonsensical work rules, promote individuality and ingenuity over seniority and temper their demands to coincide with the economic time.

In fact, I believe most unions are headed by an often corrupt leadership which feels entitled to all of the perks and privileges granted to those who actually produce goods and services. And my greatest fear is that we are moving toward a European union model – a coalition of socialists and communists who demand more and more government entitlements and can shut down major cities at will with their work stoppages and outright strikes.

I also believe that there is an unholy alliance between the democrats, especially corrupt democrats, and the unions which does not bode well for a nation that needs to recover its financial footing and to repair or replace a significant amount of its decaying and crumbling infrastructure without undue fraud, waste, mismanagement and corruption.

Has anybody noticed that we are in the middle of an economic crisis involving housing?

In a time when people are struggling to stay afloat in a troubling economy and, for some, save their homes from foreclosure, I find that it is unseemly for the democrats to excoriate companies for their profligate partying – and then watch while a government agency accepts favors from a union.

According to the Washington Post …

“Cool Is the Rule When HUD Is in the House”

“If Barack Obama really wants to "make government cool again," as he said during the campaign, he might want to check out the Department of Housing and Urban Development.”

“About 600 HUD employees had a pretty cool time yesterday during a holiday party at the nearby L'Enfant Plaza Hotel. It was sponsored by Local 476 of the American Federation of Government Employees.”

“But it wasn't just the smooth sounds of a tight band that made it cool. Or the good time partygoers had dancing the Electric Slide. Or the tables with cheesecake, carrot cake and that deliciously moist chocolate cake that folks who clearly don't need another empty calorie crowded around.”

“What makes it cool is the attitude that flows from the top down and the bottom up.”

“It starts with Secretary Steve Preston. He's known for his town hall meetings -- they're really more like pep rallies -- that he holds by video hookup with employees around the country. He wasn't there yesterday, but Roy Bernardi, the department's deputy secretary, appeared and thanked the union members for their good work.”

" ‘The employees here have been called on to do more, and they have done more without complaint,’ he said after his speech. He also spoke about things the HUD bosses do to improve conditions for workers, including a 6 a.m. shift for those who want to start early and leave early, an enhanced plan to help them pay back student loans and training programs.”

“He recited a list of other accomplishments. Among them: Last year, for the first time in 13 years, not one departmental program was on the Government Accountability Office's high-risk list. That list covers programs that are vulnerable to fraud, waste, abuse and mismanagement. He thanked employees for other programs that saved taxpayers money, and he sounded more sincere than bosses sometimes do when patting themselves on the back by praising their staff.”

Coincidently, HUD Secretary Preston was nominated to fill the shoes of the disgraced Bush crony Alphonso Jackson who is under federal investigation for alleged cronyism, introducing party politics into contracting decisions and various other alleged misdeeds.

“One difference between HUD and agencies with mission drift is that rank and file and management seem to share a vision -- a vision of making decent housing more available and our urban areas more livable.”

" ‘We think we'll be the ones leading the recovery,’ is the way Patrick W. Simien, a HUD lawyer, expressed the positive, forward-looking attitude shared by his colleagues. ‘People are looking forward to the challenge and having a positive impact on the economy.’"

What would a government-related party be without a lawyer present?

A love fest in preparation for the new Administration …

“While it's common for the brass at agencies to talk about how great things are, in HUD's case, the union organizers have some pretty good things to say, too. ‘We have decent, moderate Republican leadership,’ said Eddie Eitches, Local 476's president. The Local has deep penetration, with about 1,100 members in a bargaining unit of 1,800 employees, according to Eitches. His comments are high praise coming from a union leader whose members adore Obama. If Shaun Donovan, New York City's housing chief and Obama's pick to head HUD, is confirmed, he'll find an agency whose employees have pretty good morale.”

“Their love for the president-elect was shown by the long line of members waiting to have their picture taken against a blank green screen. Through a bit of camera magic, wizards from Event Digital Photography manipulated the photo into a picture of the member standing next to Obama with a Christmas Tree and fireplace in the background.”

What’s not to like? President-elect Barack Obama was closely associated with a democrat community activist group that militantly fought for lower cost housing – illegal aliens included – using organizing techniques set forth by one of Hillary Clinton’s heroes, Saul Alinsky. Considering the love affair between the democrats and the unions, the union’s penetration into the bargaining unit will be significantly greater and we can anticipate federal funds flowing to community activists and their groups in the near future. Unfortunately, these community funds are often accompanied by waste, fraud and corruption which features a stunning lack of government accountability and oversight.

Pandering politicians …

“But it also was a bipartisan affair.”

“Rep. Frank R. Wolf, a Northern Virginia Republican who starts his 15th term next month, was there to greet the workers. So was Rep. Donna F. Edwards, the Maryland Democrat who was first sworn in six months ago tomorrow. Eitches likes to point out that her victory came after she spent much more time and talked much more substance at last year's party than then-incumbent Al Wynn did.”

“Wolf has been a supporter of such issues as allowing workers in the Federal Employee Retirement System to receive credit for accrued sick leave upon retirement and expanding telework opportunities.”

“Edwards was there to show her appreciation to the union and her dancing skill. ‘If your voting depended on my dancing,’ she modestly told the crowd, ‘I think I'd still be at my old job.’"

“She reminded the union members that she is the child of two government workers. Perhaps that's one reason she's so serious about looking at the jobs agencies farm out to contractors. Too much of that can be ‘debilitating and demoralizing to the federal workforce,’ she said after her brief talk to the crowd.”

Can you say “larger government” and “more union members?”

" ‘We need an aggressive federal workforce,’ she added, to oversee expenditures related to America's two wars and the various financial rescue packages.”

Is this what she really means: it’s our turn to handle the money and make sure it is spent on our causes.

“After the speeches, some workers returned to the office, and the band, East Origin, played an nice rendition of ‘That's the Way Love Goes.’"

Local 476 knows how to throw a holiday party. ‘It's like a family," Simien said of HUD. " ‘Everybody knows everybody after you've been here a few years.’ "

What ever happened to our civil service system which was designed to assure fairness and performance in government positions? Why are we allowing the unions, with their abominable record to sink their hooks farther into a government which is already bloated, inefficient and filled with waste, fraud and corruption. Year-after-year, the GAO (Government Accountability Office) claims that many government Agencies and programs are simply unauditable for various and sundry reasons. Some cite old-fashioned accounting systems, others cite manual spreadsheet procedures prone to error. With all of the money that our government spends, one would assume that they would be more accountable to the taxpayer than to the self-serving special interests which dominate Washington politics.

Fighting for power …

Our national defense demands that we close our borders and control the hoards of illegal aliens who are invading our shores. However, the most unions are dead set against anything which prevents these illegal aliens from becoming dues-paying union members and often looks the other way where illegal aliens are involved. So why would we continue to unionize the very people who should be on the lookout for illegal aliens?

Fighting for control of the TSA employees …

Again, according to the Washington Post …

“Which Union Would Represent TSA?”

“There's a battle brewing over which Federal workers' union will get to represent the approximately 43,000 Transportation Security Administration workers that protect American airports.”

“Federal workers unions hope the Obama administration grants Transportation Security Administration employees collective bargaining rights and expanded worker protections in the early months of the new presidency. If that happens there is promise of a tough fight among those unions to represent the people who protect American airports.”

This should not happen. How can you trust any union whose publicly stated policies promote open borders and greater financial and housing benefits for illegal aliens?

“It's expected that the American Federation of Government Employees (AFGE) will face off against the National Treasury Employees Union (NTEU), two groups that have already set up shop in several airports in anticipation of presidential and congressional action that would grant collective bargaining rights to transportation security officers (TSOs), reversing course on a Bush Administration position that was a major sticking point when the Department of Homeland Security was established in 2002.”

These are some of the rudest, stupidest people in government service. Drunk with the power of petty bureaucrats who now get to push around citizen/taxpayers. These are the people who often steal from traveler’s luggage and whose  punishment (or lack thereof) remains hidden from the public as a “personnel issue.” I am totally against any union intervention in an already stupid process.

Stupid is as stupid does …

What good is a list of names of suspected terrorists without biometric identification – especially if thousands of travelers share the same name? And how are we supposed to get a terrorist to submit biometric identification information? Not to mention that foreign names cannot be easily transliterated into English in a meaningful sense? Or that one can simply pick a name from the mother’s side of the family, the father’s side of the family, or combine both to make up a unique name. And it is often this list which empowers those who think granny is a terrorist while studiously avoiding profiling Muslim men between the ages to 18 and 34.

See the Sixty Minute Story on the TSA ...

 
This video will give you an interesting perspective on the TSA process. After unionization, imagine the rise in employee stress claims and early retirements that further milk the system. Bruce Schneier is an internationally renowned security technologist whose word can be taken as gospel. Note that no one mentioned the thefts of passenger's personal property and those TSA people who were caught napping on the job.
 
Preparing the battlefield …

“Even though TSOs do not have collective bargaining rights, both AFGE and NTEU have signed up dues-paying employees at the local level and have chartered chapters (for NTEU) or locals (for AFGE), who then appoint and train officers to staff their local efforts and represent individual employees during work-related disputes with TSA.”

“The dispute between the two unions dates back to early 2007, when NTEU won the right to represent roughly 30,000 Customs and Border Protection employees. It was one of the largest union elections in Federal government history. Following the election, AFGE filed a complaint with the Federal Labor Relations Authority, which eventually ruled that NTEU had the right to organize CBP workers.”

Which union represents the citizens against egregious violations of their civil rights and dignity? Who stands up for them against the petty tyrants which abound.

The real stakes: power and money …

“This time around, the pool of workers is bigger and the stakes higher, with TSA's 43,000 employees adding significant numbers and political clout to whichever union wins out.”

Here come the union thugs …

It is no secret that the unions want the Obama Administration to forego secret union ballots in favor of an open card check-off system. Imagine as the union organizer, backed by two linebacker-sized thugs, says “would you please consider allowing our union to represent you.” This egregious violation of the historical concept of the “secret” election ballot is sure to be a hot topic in the opening days of the Obama Administration. 

They’re not all bad apples …

There are many fine, honest and upright government employees and union members. Unfortunately, they are often not well-represented by their malignant power-hungry leadership. Perhaps, if Obama does make concessions in granting unions more power, he will also make it easier for the ordinary taxpayer to seek justice in fighting against unionized aggression at little or no cost to those with valid complaints.

Change?

Perhaps Obama will see the light and not let the corrosive effects of unions interfere with his legacy and signature legislation. Perhaps by taking on the powerful education unions, we can achieve our educational goals without a gold-plated bureaucracy? Perhaps we can even save the automakers, the airlines and numerous public services from the ravages of creeping unionism.  If the unions want to exert more control, let them put up their money and buy into the enterprise.

What can YOU do?

Perhaps it is time to vote against machine politicians who pander to the unions – only to cede decision-making power to those who want more and more for less and less work. By rewarding seniority over achievement, we are dooming ourselves to becoming Europe II. Definitely not the United States of America that were so love.

Demand that the government institute accessible grievance procedures which result in the firing of overbearing and obnoxious workers. They work for us … not the other way around.

If you are a union member, vote for honest leaders who have the rank and file’s best interests in mind – and that of the employer.

-- steve

A union is a mob with a purpose; at first self-protection, now self-proliferation. -- 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

Reference Links:

Joe Davidson - Cool Is the Rule When HUD Is in the House

Which Union Would Represent TSA? - Federal Eye -#more#more#more

“Nullius in verba”-- take nobody's word for it!
"Acta non verba" -- actions not words

“Beware of false knowledge; it is more dangerous than ignorance.”-- George Bernard Shaw

“Progressive, liberal, Socialist, Marxist, Democratic Socialist -- they are all COMMUNISTS.”

“The key to fighting the craziness of the progressives is to hold them responsible for their actions, not their intentions.” – OCS

"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

“A people that elect corrupt politicians, imposters, thieves, and traitors are not victims... but accomplices” -- George Orwell

“Fere libenter homines id quod volunt credunt." (The people gladly believe what they wish to.) ~Julius Caesar

“Describing the problem is quite different from knowing the solution. Except in politics." ~ OCS

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SNOW IN MALIBU: Christmas Tree Safety ... (Updated)

HLINE_thin

After Holiday Action Report ...

1.  Do not assume that flame resistant materials won't burn -- they do burn,  just a little bit slower than something that is not flame resistant.

2.  Invest in a good fire alarm and place it in the vicinity of your holiday display. Make sure the batteries are new and test the alarm to see if it is working. A few seconds warning can make a tremendous difference.

3.  Keep an ABC (Powder) fire extinguisher nearby. Aim it at the base of the fire and don't stop until it is out. If you sense that you are losing the battle, get out and call for help.

4.  Verify the placement of all decorations and candle-holders personally. Do not delegate this to anyone.

5.   If you are using live candles (i.e. in a Menorah or candelabra) allow sufficient space all around the candle-holder and make sure that it is not set on a flamable decorative base. Be sure that there is nothing over the candle area. Make sure that the candle-holder is tip-proof and will not slide under light vibration.

6.   Do not assume the fire is out until you check for embers and place a wet rag over the burned area until it is cool to the touch. Clear out the entire area when you perform this check. It is not sufficient to just "eyeball" the area.

7.  Remember, you can replace physical goods. Preserving life and avoiding injury is your prime objective.

Hint: if your livingroom is near the front door, leaving a hose and nozzle in a convenient position can't hurt. 

While sitting watching television, the fire alarm behind my head went off with both tone and voice alert. Looking around I saw nothing until I saw the mantle ablaze; I am not sure if one of the candles had slumped over or the rush of air from the heater register blew some of the gauze-like artificial snow material into the flame; in any event, one of the candles had caught the snow-like material on fire. Grabbing a fire extinguisher (in this case Halon), the fire was quickly extinguished leaving only a few deep char marks in the mantle. Has this been near the Christmas tree -- it might have been a radically different story. Note, I was surprised at the force of the fire extinguisher output and noticed that it was blowing the burning material around. I kept the handle down until I saw there was no flame. While Halon is no longer available (thanks to the environmentalists), substitutes can be found. I use this more expensive extinguisher as it can be used on electrical devices, does not corrode electronics and leaves little or no residue. Not so for ABC powder extinguishers.

lights09

It is unseasonably cold here in Southern California – with snow in Malibu – which causes people to turn up their home heating systems or put on their fireplaces.

Therefore, One Citizen Speaking would like to take this opportunity to remind you that Christmas Trees, Wreaths, Runners and other live decorative reminders of the holiday season will dry out faster than may be anticipated. Keep your tree well-hydrated, discard dried branches, check your Christmas tree lights and place your tree away from heat and other  ignition sources.

A dry Christmas Tree or any other decoration used with lights can explode and burn with ferocious intensity.

Check 0ut this short NIST  (National Institute of Standards and Technology) demonstration of how quickly a Christmas Tree fire can engulf a room.

More NIST videos demonstrating Tree fires can be found here.

A Season for Sharing in Fire Safety can be found here.

It would be a shame to compound the problems of the economy and foreign affairs with a totally preventable accident.

Be well. Be safe. Be in good spirits.

lights03

“Nullius in verba”-- take nobody's word for it!
"Acta non verba" -- actions not words

“Beware of false knowledge; it is more dangerous than ignorance.”-- George Bernard Shaw

“Progressive, liberal, Socialist, Marxist, Democratic Socialist -- they are all COMMUNISTS.”

“The key to fighting the craziness of the progressives is to hold them responsible for their actions, not their intentions.” – OCS

"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

“A people that elect corrupt politicians, imposters, thieves, and traitors are not victims... but accomplices” -- George Orwell

“Fere libenter homines id quod volunt credunt." (The people gladly believe what they wish to.) ~Julius Caesar

“Describing the problem is quite different from knowing the solution. Except in politics." ~ OCS

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Congressional Back Door: Bush Administration said to be considering using TARP Bank Funds to bail out automakers ...

The government system is broken …

First, where is all of this openness and transparency that was widely touted by Congress and the Treasury Department when they were selling the $700 Billion Bailout Package. The required reports have not been filed, the oversight committee not fully staffed and a widely-advertised public  transparency website is non-existent.

Second, we have already seen Treasury Secretary Paulson openly admit that the TARP (Troubled Assets Relief Program) initiative, which was designed to allow the government to purchase toxic loans from financial institutions, was not having the desired effect on the economy and that the remaining funds should be used in a somewhat different manner than that originally anticipated by Congress.

As if Congress really cared; as they larded the original bailout legislation with pork and tax incentives for their democrat special interests.

Third, we now have the possibility of the Administration potentially telling financial institutions (aka the Wall Street Wizards) to create some securities which can be purchased by the United States Government – and further rewards these financial evildoers with additional commissions.

Fourth, in two instances, Ford and Chrysler, we would also be bailing out the Ford Family (40% of Ford) and private hedge fund Cerberus Capital (Chrysler). Cerberus is headed by former Treasury Secretary Snow and former Vice President Dan Quayle. 

Fifth, in the last bailout program aimed specifically at the automakers, there was no notice of the previous pledged $25 BILLION Department of Energy appropriation for energy-efficient car research etc. which has yet to be disbursed and the fact that the bailout included funds for government organizations (municipalities and agencies) who sold government transportation assets to private investors (with assurances from now-nationalized AIG) in return for unrestricted funds that could be used for other purposes. They then leased-back the assets to provide the mandated service to the public. Due to revenue shortfalls, they are having trouble paying their private investors – and that money was included in the legislation.

And sixth, this current bailout of the automakers appears to be a democrat appeasement of one of their largest constituencies: the unions. The unions who, along with a fat and complacent management, have milked the system dry and are now stumbling about as they await a rescue which would effectively reward their corrupt and complacent leadership for their previous poor judgment and lack of action.

Bankruptcy is a good thing …

Consider the wisdom of pouring good money after the bad money that was consumed under a flawed business model?

Cars are piling up at dealerships and people are concentrating on keeping their vehicles longer. Consumer money is more likely to be spent on repairs than on new vehicles. Dealerships are closing nationwide. The definition of insanity that is jokingly applied is: continuing to do the same thing and hoping for a better outcome.

The Court would force a large degree of transparency on the automakers and would be able to discard union and vendor agreements which no longer serve any purpose.

There is very little downside – except for the incompetent members of management which will be eliminated without golden parachutes.

THE BUSINESS MODEL IS BROKEN!

Chapter 11 (Reorganization) bankruptcy would force the automakers to revamp their business model or face Chapter 7 bankruptcy (liquidation).

No more paying workers to show up and play crossword puzzles. No more onerous work rules that stifle innovation and increased productivity.

Perhaps even breaching state franchise laws to allow for a lower cost distribution system that bypasses the auto dealerships (still used for delivery and repair). You build your dream vehicle on the Internet, make a downpayment, it is scheduled for production and/or delivery and you cut out a large chunk of the vehicle cost. Before you feel sorry for owners of car dealerships, check out the disproportionate number of yachts owned by those who own the dealerships.

Allowing the automakers to devolve into bankruptcy will not affect all of their workers and, in many cases, ongoing operations can proceed without interference. If the unions balk, perhaps it is time to investigate the ways they spend their members money on personal perks and self-interest deals.

What can YOU do?

Realize that it is now a given that the great majority of our elected Congressional officials are corrupt and are pandering to the special interests. It is also a given that the same is true for an Administration which has hyper-politicized its Agencies and has appointed incompetent cronies to positions of great power.

Further realize that the Obama Administration will probably no different that the Clinton Administration – or perhaps, at worst, the Carter Administration. As the countdown towards the inauguration proceeds, many people surrounding President-elect Obama are of the corrupt Chicago Machine (as is the President-elect himself) and are associated with past and present wrongdoing.

Our treasury is being looted by a financial crisis that is not abating. In essence, we are creating Russian-style Oligarchs that will ultimately influence all governmental organizations. It’s not that Obama is moving towards the political center – and towards the majority of Americans – but the Bush Administration has moved the government so far left, it only appears that Obama is moving toward the center.

We need to stop incentivising bad behavior with our bailouts lest we encourage more of the same.We need to resist the temptation to bailout everyone who has the political clout and connections to jump aboard the gravy train. Demand that the government end their bailout efforts and use the funds as intended: to promote lending liquidity. If the automakers are worthy of a loan, let them apply to a consortium of financial institutions without the necessity of guarantees. Personally, I see no reason for bailing out a private hedge fund or preserving the wealth of a single family at the expense of the American taxpayer.

We need to curtail the "tin cup" mentality which shells out money to everybody that asks.

We need to take back our government by electing more honest politicians (if there is such a thing), rotating them out of office sooner rather than later, and re-calling those who do not meet our standards.

We need also to reform the legislative process to remove the lawyers and hyper-technical language that allows for loopholes. The system is broken and we need to fix it before we become Russia with a nicer climate and more personal amenities.

-- steve

Quote of the day: "Crime is contagious. If the government becomes a law breaker, it breeds contempt for the law, it invites every man to become a law unto himself; it invites anarchy."                           -Justice Louis D. Brandeis: Olmstead v. U.S.

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

Reference Links:

U.S. to use bank bailout to aid automakers - International Herald Tribune

“Nullius in verba”-- take nobody's word for it!
"Acta non verba" -- actions not words

“Beware of false knowledge; it is more dangerous than ignorance.”-- George Bernard Shaw

“Progressive, liberal, Socialist, Marxist, Democratic Socialist -- they are all COMMUNISTS.”

“The key to fighting the craziness of the progressives is to hold them responsible for their actions, not their intentions.” – OCS

"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

“A people that elect corrupt politicians, imposters, thieves, and traitors are not victims... but accomplices” -- George Orwell

“Fere libenter homines id quod volunt credunt." (The people gladly believe what they wish to.) ~Julius Caesar

“Describing the problem is quite different from knowing the solution. Except in politics." ~ OCS

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China: Spying by administrative mandate?

What is going on here?

China has now required companies whose products feature security elements to disclose those elements to the Chinese government.

To which I reply: screw you! Didn’t you steal or purchase enough information in your ongoing efforts to penetrate American corporate and military secrets?

It should be remembered that China is ONLY a convenient trading partner of the United States. They are not our friends and they certainly do not wish us well. And while they benefit greatly from our technology, the line at which our corporations and military hands over security secrets to the Chinese government must be drawn.

If they want to play domestic trade games, let them live with a 100% inspection of container goods at our ports.

From the Associated Press…

China irks US with computer security review rules

“ The Chinese government is stirring trade tensions with Washington with a plan to require foreign computer security technology to be submitted for government approval, in a move that might require suppliers to disclose business secrets.”

“Rules due to take effect May 1 require official certification of technology widely used to keep e-mail and company data networks secure. Beijing has yet to say how many secrets companies must disclose about such sensitive matters as how data-encryption systems work.”

“But Washington complains the requirement might hinder imports in a market dominated by U.S. companies, and is pressing Beijing to scrap it.”

“Beijing tried earlier to force foreign companies to reveal how encryption systems work and has promoted its own standards for mobile phones and wireless encryption.”

Suppress your own people, but do it with your own technology …

“Those attempts and the new demand reflect Beijing's unease about letting the public keep secrets, and the government's efforts to use its regulatory system to help fledgling Chinese high-tech companies compete with global high-tech rivals. Yin Changlai, the head of a Chinese business group sanctioned by the government, has acknowledged that the rules are meant to help develop China's infant computer security industry by shielding companies from foreign rivals that he said control 70 percent of the market.”

“The computer security rules cover 13 types of hardware and software, including database and network security systems, secure routers, data backup and recovery systems and anti-spam and anti-hacking software. Such technology is enmeshed in products sold by Microsoft Corp., Cisco Systems Inc. and other industry giants.”

And what does China plan to do about all of the stolen software that is being used by Chinese nationals. In fact, weren’t they the ones that screamed the loudest when Microsoft started checking licensed software for authenticity before allowing access to all software features?

“Giving regulators the power to reject foreign technologies could help to promote sales of Chinese alternatives. But that might disrupt foreign manufacturing, research or data processing in China if companies have to switch technologies or move operations to other countries to avoid the controls. Requiring disclosure of technical details also might help Beijing read encrypted e-mail or create competing products.”

Yah think?

"I think there's both a national security goal and an industrial policy goal to this," said Scott Kennedy, an Indiana University professor who studies government-business relations in China. ‘I'm sure before they came out with this, there was a discussion with industry and industry probably was giving them lots of requests about what should be included.’"

“The agency that will enforce the rules, the China Certification and Accreditation Administration, said in a written statement they are meant to protect national security and ‘advance industry development.’ But it did not respond to questions about what information companies must disclose and how foreign technology will be judged.”

Boycott manufacturers that comply …

United States corporations and financial institutions have no other option than to boycott manufacturers who comply with Chinese rules. Otherwise, the ongoing cyber-warfare between the Chinese government, their hackers and United States institutions will be escalated with our enemies having greater access our secured systems.

We have already seen examples of attacks on our infrastructure which originated in China – enough is enough!

It was bad enough that we found distributors selling bogus Chinese CISCO routers – which were then found in some sensitive areas, but accepting this Chinese administrative demand for security information is sheer madness.

Unfortunately, some members of the far-left and those who succumb to greed will be stumbling all over themselves to provide this information, officially and unofficially. Let us treat those who supply the information unofficially as spies and traitors. Boycott the others.

What can YOU do?

Demand that the Administration officials rebuff this request on a national basis and instruct companies to withhold critical or sensitive information.

Toughen the penalties for industrial espionage and if that espionage involves a foreign national, invoke the maximum penalty for spying: a life term without the possibility of parole.

Do not purchase computers or software from companies which willingly cooperate with Chinese requests for information on security processes.

-- 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

Reference Links:

China irks US with computer security review rules

“Nullius in verba”-- take nobody's word for it!
"Acta non verba" -- actions not words

“Beware of false knowledge; it is more dangerous than ignorance.”-- George Bernard Shaw

“Progressive, liberal, Socialist, Marxist, Democratic Socialist -- they are all COMMUNISTS.”

“The key to fighting the craziness of the progressives is to hold them responsible for their actions, not their intentions.” – OCS

"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

“A people that elect corrupt politicians, imposters, thieves, and traitors are not victims... but accomplices” -- George Orwell

“Fere libenter homines id quod volunt credunt." (The people gladly believe what they wish to.) ~Julius Caesar

“Describing the problem is quite different from knowing the solution. Except in politics." ~ OCS

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Plaxico Burress: Another opportunity to support the Second Amendment?

The event: 

“On November 28, 2008 Burress accidentally shot himself in the leg while in a nightclub. He turned himself into police the following day and was charged with criminal possession of a handgun. Burress is scheduled to return to court on March 31, 2009 to enter a plea to the charges."

The consequences:

“Burress was subsequently suspended without pay from the New York Giants. He is currently free on $100,000 bail while awaiting his court date.” Widely criticized as a “moronic oaf,” Burress faces an uncertain job future and his value as a celebrity endorser has been harmed.

Those that may have participated in hiding this shooting from the authorities may face prosecution.

The broader issue:

In the face of rising crime, are New York’s stringent anti-carry handgun laws constitutional.  Especially if it can be shown that NFL players are more likely to be violently assaulted than ordinary citizens.

A clumsy oaf …

Nobody will deny that Plaxico Burress is a clumsy oaf who accidently shot himself in the thigh. Nobody will deny that people who carry firearms should be in complete control of their faculties at all times.

But what the liberal New York press says about using a weapon for self-protection is pure hogwash. Their crime rate attests to the fact that the police simply cannot be everywhere they are needed and that there is no hesitations for criminals to follow one of the most restrictive gun laws in the nation.

I was watching a news program dedicated to the analysis of the prior weeks media coverage when I heard an outrageous assertion by the somewhat disgraced reporter Judith Miller. 

“Well he might have shot someone else when that gun went off and that’s why we have these laws. And I think that its just about as dangerous to smoke a cigarette in an office building here as it is to carry an illegal firearm. We can have a debate about that but that’s not what the news coverage has been focusing on.” (Fox News Watch; 12/06/08) 

An assertion which seems to be prevalent among those elite liberals who want their bodyguards to be armed and effective, but want to deny the rest of us similar protection.

The Moronic Mayor …

New York Mayor, Michael Bloomberg, “urged that Burress be prosecuted to the fullest extent, saying that any punishment short of the minimum 3½ years for unlawful carrying of a handgun would be ‘a mockery of the law.’”

"Our children are getting killed with guns in the street. Our police are getting killed...That's why the state legislature passed the automatic sentence if you get caught with an illegal gun.

"I think it would be an outrage if we didn't prosecute to the fullest extent of the law, particularly people who live in the public domain ... If we didn't prosecute to the fullest extent, then I don't know who on earth you would.”

The mere fact that you are the mayor of the largest city in America, a billionaire and have created a major company does not insulate you from charges of misguided liberalism and stupidity. Especially since you have chosen to disregard the Second Amendment and the God-given right to self-defense and prefer to leave your citizens at risk from armed criminals.

To prosecute anyone and demand a minimum sentence of 3-1/2 years for what might have happened is to make a mockery of light sentences for those convicted of DUI. If the same standard of “what may have happened” were applied, all New York citizens charged with DUI should have been charged with “premeditated manslaughter.”

However, one thing on which Mayor Bloomberg is absolutely 1o0% correct: those who covered up the shooting and those hospital personnel who failed to discharge their duty and report the gunshot wound to the police, should be prosecuted. To the extent Burress participated in the alleged cover-up, he should be prosecuted.

What can YOU do?

Always uphold your Constitutional rights to self-defense and the right to own and bear arms.

Support those who are also fighting to preserve your rights. Join the National Rifle Association.

Elect and re-elect those who support your rights.

-- 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

Reference Links:

Plaxico Antonio Burress|Wikipedia

Judith Miller|Wikipedia

Bloomberg Coverage|New York Post

Full disclosure: I am a life member (Benefactor Level) of the National Rifle Association.

“Nullius in verba”-- take nobody's word for it!
"Acta non verba" -- actions not words

“Beware of false knowledge; it is more dangerous than ignorance.”-- George Bernard Shaw

“Progressive, liberal, Socialist, Marxist, Democratic Socialist -- they are all COMMUNISTS.”

“The key to fighting the craziness of the progressives is to hold them responsible for their actions, not their intentions.” – OCS

"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

“A people that elect corrupt politicians, imposters, thieves, and traitors are not victims... but accomplices” -- George Orwell

“Fere libenter homines id quod volunt credunt." (The people gladly believe what they wish to.) ~Julius Caesar

“Describing the problem is quite different from knowing the solution. Except in politics." ~ OCS

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OBAMA: FIRST THINGS FIRST

The devil is in the details …

How many times have we witnessed lofty goals proposed by politicians only to see the end result fail in a morass of special interest contractors, mismanagement, cost overruns, corruption, malfeasance and outright stupidity?

So pardon me when I cast my skeptical, cynical eye at Obama’s pronouncement and wonder about the details.

Politico.com  is reporting … 

“Obama unveils 21st Century New Deal”

“On Saturday, Barack Obama pledged the largest new investment in roads and bridges since President Dwight D. Eisenhower built the Interstate system in the 1950's.”

“President-elect Barack Obama added sweep and meat to his economic agenda on Saturday, pledging the largest new investment in roads and bridges since President Dwight D. Eisenhower built the Interstate system in the late 1950s, and tying his key initiatives – education, energy, health care –back to jobs in a package that has the makings of a smaller and modern version of FDR's New Deal marriage of job creation with infrastructure upgrades.”

Modernizing schools …

“The president-elect also said for the first time that he will ‘launch the most sweeping effort to modernize and upgrade school buildings that this country has ever seen.’ ‘We will repair broken schools, make them energy-efficient, and put new computers in our classrooms,’ he said in the address.”

There is no doubt that the members of the activist left have sought to infiltrate the educational process and thus be able to expose youngsters to their radical philosophies at an early age. What would have been considered inappropriate subject matter in years gone by is now routinely taught as being normal and customary. Therefore, one must ask if this initiative will lead to the expansion of federal intervention into what has been local control over education.

Pandering to the unions …

It is no secret that two of the core constituencies courted by the liberal democrat leftists in this last election cycle were the unions. Specifically, the teachers unions and the trade unions. Therefore, it comes as no surprise that the major beneficiaries of the construction and school upgrades will be the unions.

Perhaps if Obama was serious about his recently announced initiative, he would think through the process to demand further improvements which would benefit all Americans.

To curtail costs, for each government project, the union would suspend its onerous work rules and hefty contributions to its pension and benefit funds to match local labor rates. As well as to allow any American to work on the project without the necessity for joining a union or being forced to surrender a portion of his wage as a substitute for union dues.

To assist in immigration reform, to demand that only American citizens be allowed to work on these construction projects and that each worker be required to present a valid picture identification card and have their social security number verified.

In addition, to further educational goals, perhaps a requirement that all teachers be re-certified in their subject matter specialty as well as be certified in the basics of proven teaching methods. Also, this might be a good time to reduce the administrator-to-teacher ratio and to stop paying additional monies for teachers who are overqualified to teach certain grades. There should be no reward for a teacher with a master’s degree to teach a second-grade class unless it was a specialized education class requiring a higher level of education and training. Here, the list of improvements, long fought by the education unions, should be reconsidered. After all, it is public money that is being spent and for a public purpose.

Medical records …

Yes, we are all tired of filling out the same forms each time we enter a doctor’s office or having critical healthcare information locked away in a cabinet when it might be used to assist the attending physician in his diagnosis and choice of treatments.

Truth-be-told, this is a somewhat flawed goal when it comes to paper-pushing routine paper. Primary care doctors, and some specialists, are so overscheduled that they do not have time to read voluminous records, in paper or electronic form, and tend not to rely on past data. It is a standard operating practice to re-interview the patient for current complaints, order tests and then proceed from this point. It is also an open secret that certain exculpatory and exclusionary tests will be run simply to protect the doctor from future medical claims by patients with profit-minded trial lawyers. Another class of donors that seems to be beholden to the liberal democrat legislators.

Without getting into the arguments or infrastructure requirements of a government-controlled single-payor system, suffice it to say that electronic recordkeeping moves the process forward.  One should consider that allowing insurance companies to insert themselves into the delivery of medical care has resulted in skyrocketing costs and shoddy medical care in many cases. There is no difference, at least in my mind, between the greedy Wall Street Wizards who gamed the mortgage marketplace to reap multi-million dollar bonuses and those that reap multi-million dollar bonuses by manipulating the healthcare system.

It is a shame that even those caught defrauding the system are given relative slaps on the wrist and the recovery of funds is so low as to be considered a cost of doing business. Everyone knows how to manipulate the coding system to change an elective “nose job” into a “rhinoplasty to repair a deviated septum.”

But even more dangerous considerations loom …

What about the lack of strong legislation to protect the compromise of medical records for political and profit-making reasons.

Let us not forget that the personal medical records of Britney Spears and a number of other highly interesting celebrities were allegedly accessed and sold to the tabloids.

Let us not forget that the personal records of  “Joe the Plumber” were accessed and released to the media for political purposes.

And what did the democrat governor of Ohio, Ted Strickland,  do about this egregious and systematic misuse of government computers and the release of personal and confidential information? Or the attempted cover-up.

According to the Columbus Dispatch …

“Gov. Ted Strickland, a Democrat, placed Jones-Kelley on a one-month unpaid suspension last month after Inspector General Thomas P. Charles found she authorized the check on Samuel Joseph Wurzelbacher, aka Joe the Plumber, for no legitimate government purpose.

“Thompson also was suspended for a month after Charles found that he participated in directing the check and instructed Niekamp to send a deceptive e-mail about it. Three others received lesser punishment.” <Source>

At the very minimum, these people should have all been terminated and faced fines and jail time for there clearly illegal actions. This wasn’t a case of ill-advised curiosity, this information was fed to the media in the attempt to embarrass the opposition political party.

The possibility that your medical records could be used for political or criminal purposes such as blackmail or extortion pale compared to their potential use as a determining factor in the denial of insurance coverage, rate setting or in the denial of employment opportunities.

And we have no legal defense against government or other workers who engage in this activity. Even if you could prove damages, the resulting efforts will never clear your name or remove you from the collective database known as the Internet.

Worthwhile initiatives that need careful scrutiny … 

We need to  consider much more than the broad strokes of Obamas “five key parts" of his economic plan:

—ENERGY: “[W]e will launch a massive effort to make public buildings more energy-efficient. Our government now pays the highest energy bill in the world. We need to change that. We need to upgrade our federal buildings by replacing old heating systems and installing efficient light bulbs. That won’t just save you, the American taxpayer, billions of dollars each year. It will put people back to work.”

I do not know why we should trust the federal government to manage construction and renovation projects which end up creating additional naming opportunities as monuments to legislative egos.

One need only consider the recent visitor’s reception center – built in part because Harry Reid does apparently does not like to smell his fellow citizens on a hot day --- and whose construction schedule was delayed for three years while costs ballooned from an estimated $71 million dollars to a final cost of $621 million. 

—ROADS AND BRIDGES: “[W]e will create millions of jobs by making the single largest new investment in our national infrastructure since the creation of the federal highway system in the 1950s. We’ll invest your precious tax dollars in new and smarter ways, and we’ll set a simple rule – use it or lose it. If a state doesn’t act quickly to invest in roads and bridges in their communities, they’ll lose the money.”
—SCHOOLS: “[M]y economic recovery plan will launch the most sweeping effort to modernize and upgrade school buildings that this country has ever seen. We will repair broken schools, make them energy-efficient, and put new computers in our classrooms. Because to help our children compete in a 21st century economy, we need to send them to 21st century schools.”

This is an outright falsehood. It’s not the buildings that will increase our competitiveness, it is the quality of education. Here in Los Angeles we have a billion dollar educational complex and a $320 million dollar modern art high school. Will these improve the graduation ratio of LAUSD (Los Angeles Unified School District) students. I think not. These are the people who couldn’t even manage a $100+ million payroll system or have the guts to simply fire a $300,000 ex-Vice Admiral who is more about motivational programs than education.

—BROADBAND: “As we renew our schools and highways, we’ll also renew our information superhighway. It is unacceptable that the United States ranks 15th in the world in broadband adoption. Here, in the country that invented the Internet, every child should have the chance to get online, and they’ll get that chance when I’m president – because that’s how we’ll strengthen America’s competitiveness in the world.”
(Incoming White House Chief of Staff Rahm Emanuel had talked about expanding broadband access, but this is the first time the transition has formally proposed it.)

Again, we need to be extremely wary of the Administration’s handling of electronic privacy, Internet neutrality and other issues which may involve the curtailing of your First Amendment rights. We know that the common carriers, the telephone companies, cable companies and wireless operators all want to act as the gatekeepers to enable them to profit from the content being delivered over their infrastructure. It is not enough we pay for our own hardware, software, maintenance and connectivity – they now want to surcharge high-bandwidth items such as videos and other creative content belonging to others. Needless to say, they are also publishing reports that Google is using a disproportionate share of the nation’s bandwidth. We have all heard about the coming fight over the old “fairness doctrine” which has been re-labeled as a “locality access” issue, so we must be ever vigilant when our Constitutional rights may be at stake.

—ELECTRONIC MEDICAL RECORDS: “In addition to connecting our libraries and schools to the Internet, we must also ensure that our hospitals are connected to each other through the Internet. That is why the economic recovery plan I’m proposing will help modernize our health care system – and that won’t just save jobs, it will save lives. We will make sure that every doctor’s office and hospital in this country is using cutting edge technology and electronic medical records so that we can cut red tape, prevent medical mistakes, and help save billions of dollars each year.”

Again, we need clear and binding legislation covering the privacy of electronic communications and medical records before proceeding with this massive creation of the world’s largest interconnected and distributed database of medical records. We need to also remember that the government has empowered law enforcement agencies with the technology to tap these massive communications systems at will. Sometimes with warrants and sometimes with little more than a wink and a nod.

One need only consider that jailed private-eye Anthony Pelicano was alleged to use police officers and even a member of the FBI to obtain personal and private information for commercial use.

In the final analysis, I ask you a simple question: Can you think of a major project or system which has been on-time, on-budget and not obsolete before installation? Even excluding military systems?

One need look no further than the physical and electronic fencing which was supposed to protect America from an onslaught of  illegal aliens who were rapidly destroying our education, healthcare, judicial, retirement, social and cultural infrastructure to see what the confluence of money, political power and special interests means to construction projects.

What can YOU do?

Until I see successful pilot or demonstration projects that were managed by the government, I will consider Barack Obama’s announcement to be nothing more, nor less, than another government giveaway to special interests and a media campaign to make the American people feel good.

As Americans we need to scrutinize the actions of the government and hold our elected officials to account for the mismanagement of our economy.

We are rapidly approaching a critical mass, when the number of government employees and entitlement recipients can vote together to drain our national treasury at will. This must not be allowed to happen and power needs to be de-federalized and returned to the states where it can be more easily managed under the watchful eye of the citizenry.

We need to demand more transparency in governmental contracting down to the granularity level of putting payments to contractors and others on-line for analysis by citizens. It’s our money that is being spent and our government that is spending it our name.

Be well, take care and consider that these difficult economic times will pass – unfortunately for some, with the pain of a kidney stone. We will have another chance to re-adjust government in 2010 – provided that we are still functioning.

-- steve

Quote of the Day: “The American people should be made aware of the trend toward monopolization of the great public information vehicles and the concentration of more and more power over public opinion in fewer and fewer hands." – Spiro Agnew

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

Reference Links:

Obama unveils 21st Century New Deal - Mike Allen and Jonathan Martin - Politico.com

DispatchPolitics : Worker says 'Joe the Plumber' cover-up was forced upon her Columbus Dispatch Politics

“Nullius in verba”-- take nobody's word for it!
"Acta non verba" -- actions not words

“Beware of false knowledge; it is more dangerous than ignorance.”-- George Bernard Shaw

“Progressive, liberal, Socialist, Marxist, Democratic Socialist -- they are all COMMUNISTS.”

“The key to fighting the craziness of the progressives is to hold them responsible for their actions, not their intentions.” – OCS

"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

“A people that elect corrupt politicians, imposters, thieves, and traitors are not victims... but accomplices” -- George Orwell

“Fere libenter homines id quod volunt credunt." (The people gladly believe what they wish to.) ~Julius Caesar

“Describing the problem is quite different from knowing the solution. Except in politics." ~ OCS

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