British papers have reported that the "bombers" were no where near ready to perform their terrorist deeds. The people arrested in the UK did not have airplane tickets. Many of them did not have passports.
Even though a 12 year old boy without a ticket got on a plane in Gatwick, I doubt that a non-white adult would be able to get into an airport without passport or ticket.
So if the bombers were as far away from committing the crimes as the papers report, why were they arrested? What could these people be charged with? They were UK citizens. They committed no crime by not having a passport. They did not even have bomb making materials.
How better to frighten the public than to bust a terroist plot involving airplanes and mythical gel explosives? Now we give up more rights, freely, to fly. That bottle of water might be the makings of a bomb. That cup of Starbucks coffee might hide dangerous chemicals, other than caffeine.
Remember the shoe bomber, Richard Reid? We still have our shoes inspected years after that lout as busted.
Once we have given up a freedom, we seem to never get it back.
Wednesday, August 16, 2006
Monday, August 07, 2006
Conservative Name Callers
Why do conservatives resort to name calling when talking about liberals? Why are so many of the conservative talkers draft dodgers who feel qualified to comment on the actions of war hero's? Why do they spout the same propaganda as if they are reading from the same playbook?
If a conservative is going to use an economic argument to support the conservative case, why do many call liberals socialists at best, and communists at worst? Some even group liberals in the terrorists, as if questioning the President's policies on war and taxes is somehow un-American?
Isn't conservative philosophy strong enough to stand on its on merits?
If a conservative is going to use an economic argument to support the conservative case, why do many call liberals socialists at best, and communists at worst? Some even group liberals in the terrorists, as if questioning the President's policies on war and taxes is somehow un-American?
Isn't conservative philosophy strong enough to stand on its on merits?
Friday, August 04, 2006
It's a Class War, stupid
Remember when Presidential candidate Clinton said "It's the economy, stupid"? Or when candidate Reagan said "Are you better off now than you were four years ago?" These men spoke to Americans on topics that are in our daily lives. These phrases united Americans around issues that matter.
The current Republicans are speaking about gay marriage, abortion, etc.; the hot button issues of our generation. How do these affect our daily lives? Unless you are gay, or pregnant, these are at best philosophical issues. Why are these issues repeated endlessly on talk radio, on conservative television and by members on the floor of Congress? A couple of reasons come to mind: divide and conquer, and reframe the debate.
Since registered Democrats out number registered Republicans, the Republicans must campain on issues that will split the Democrats into groups that will or will not vote on the party line. Those that cross party lines help Republican candidates win office and stay in office. Few registered Republicans will cross party lines for these hot button issues. How do I know this? Because these are the issues the Republicans have chosen to run on. They would not pick issues that are of little importance that would hurt themselves politically, would they?
The genius, evil genius that is, of these hot button issues is not only do they divide and conquer, they reframe the debate, move the issues from ones the Republicans are traditionally weak to traditional strengths.
Why don't they talk about issues that affect us? I believe that this will bring our attention to the real issues the Republicans are advocating: rule by the extremely wealthy, creation of an American aristocracy, remove the American government as a force to restrict corporate power.
Two major signs of this hidden platform are: suppression of minimum wage, and elimination of the inheritance tax. This Republican Congress has chosen not to raise the minimum wage. This base level pay for the working poor has not been raised nationally since the Clinton administration. Since inflation happens whether or not the minimum wage is increased, the working poor have in-effect had their wage cut bit-by-bit over the last nine years. The situation for the working poor is so bad, that many are working two or more jobs, mostly without medical benefits, just to make ends meet. The effects of the parents being away from home most of the day and night are felt by the children who are raised by grandparents or placed in substandard day-care. To be poor and sick, in America, is to be at the mercy of a system that has little to offer.
Why was the inheritance tax created in the first place? America was to be a different place from the countries of Europe. America was to be the land of opportunity, not the land of aristocracy. If the extremely wealthy pass on all their wealth to the next generation, we will have the makings of a ruling class. We do not want to be in the land of the new Golden Rule: the one with the gold rules. This tax is not only to protect America, it is fair. Much of the money in the hands of the extremely wealthy was generated by capital gains which are taxed at a lower rate than wages. The extremely wealthy also have access to investments that are tax free. America is the place where these people have gained their wealth and owe a debt to the system the allowed them to accumulate such riches.
Lee Atwater, George H.W. Bush's political adviser and Karl Rove's mentor, said the Democrats would win if the Democrats would just talk about class issues, in other words, to attack the country club set.
The extremely wealthy, the Paris Hilton set, live in a world apart from the rest of us. They have access to the best money can buy. So what if America does not have universal health care, the Paris Hilton's can afford the most expensive doctors and hospitals on the planet. So what if the working classes do not have an adequate or any retirement plan, the Paris Hiltons's already live off of their inheritance. So what if the streets are not safe, the Paris Hilton's can afford their own security force and armored cars.
This is how the extremely wealthy live. The ones who care about the rest of us are obvious by their generosity. For example: Bill and Melinda Gates, and Warren Buffet. These three people have at least 60 billion dollars in assets that they have pleged to a foundation that will help all of us, and will fight disease that afflict the most poor as the first order of business. The less generous hoard their wealth and hide behind managers who run their businesses. The Waltons of Walmart come to mind. If they gave, not just provided at what they think is a fair price, health care for all their employees, the Waltons would still be billionairs and their employees would have something real to be happy about.
So, where am I going in this "essay"? Remember a couple of things when you go to vote Democrat: there are more working class people than Paris Hilton's, anyone working for a pay check is part of the working class, no matter how big the check; the ultra rich care not about us, we are the "mythical little man" according to them; they will still be rich even if the minimum wage is raised, or we have national health coverage or both; low taxes with high government spending do not hurt the ultra rich, the working classes will pay the bill for all the accumulated debt; personal happiness in countries with higher taxes strangely enough is greater, much greater than in America.
The ultra rich do care who is in Congress. The members of Congress write America's laws, set tax policy, set the rules for corporations, decide which government benifits it will give to the public, or take away from the public. If the federal government cannot be reduced in size, say the proponents of the ultra rich, at least it can be reduced in influence, influence of corporate power. Congress can and does limit corporate power. This is a good thing! We do not want to return to the days of child labor, no pay for overtime, summary firings. Why should we continue to support representatives who believe that unleashing the corporation is the American way?
The ultra rich do not care about our happiness or welfare, so why should we continue to support representatives in Congress that care more for the ultra rich than the rest of us?
Vote Democrat and install representatives into Congress who do care for our happiness and welfare!
The current Republicans are speaking about gay marriage, abortion, etc.; the hot button issues of our generation. How do these affect our daily lives? Unless you are gay, or pregnant, these are at best philosophical issues. Why are these issues repeated endlessly on talk radio, on conservative television and by members on the floor of Congress? A couple of reasons come to mind: divide and conquer, and reframe the debate.
Since registered Democrats out number registered Republicans, the Republicans must campain on issues that will split the Democrats into groups that will or will not vote on the party line. Those that cross party lines help Republican candidates win office and stay in office. Few registered Republicans will cross party lines for these hot button issues. How do I know this? Because these are the issues the Republicans have chosen to run on. They would not pick issues that are of little importance that would hurt themselves politically, would they?
The genius, evil genius that is, of these hot button issues is not only do they divide and conquer, they reframe the debate, move the issues from ones the Republicans are traditionally weak to traditional strengths.
Why don't they talk about issues that affect us? I believe that this will bring our attention to the real issues the Republicans are advocating: rule by the extremely wealthy, creation of an American aristocracy, remove the American government as a force to restrict corporate power.
Two major signs of this hidden platform are: suppression of minimum wage, and elimination of the inheritance tax. This Republican Congress has chosen not to raise the minimum wage. This base level pay for the working poor has not been raised nationally since the Clinton administration. Since inflation happens whether or not the minimum wage is increased, the working poor have in-effect had their wage cut bit-by-bit over the last nine years. The situation for the working poor is so bad, that many are working two or more jobs, mostly without medical benefits, just to make ends meet. The effects of the parents being away from home most of the day and night are felt by the children who are raised by grandparents or placed in substandard day-care. To be poor and sick, in America, is to be at the mercy of a system that has little to offer.
Why was the inheritance tax created in the first place? America was to be a different place from the countries of Europe. America was to be the land of opportunity, not the land of aristocracy. If the extremely wealthy pass on all their wealth to the next generation, we will have the makings of a ruling class. We do not want to be in the land of the new Golden Rule: the one with the gold rules. This tax is not only to protect America, it is fair. Much of the money in the hands of the extremely wealthy was generated by capital gains which are taxed at a lower rate than wages. The extremely wealthy also have access to investments that are tax free. America is the place where these people have gained their wealth and owe a debt to the system the allowed them to accumulate such riches.
Lee Atwater, George H.W. Bush's political adviser and Karl Rove's mentor, said the Democrats would win if the Democrats would just talk about class issues, in other words, to attack the country club set.
The extremely wealthy, the Paris Hilton set, live in a world apart from the rest of us. They have access to the best money can buy. So what if America does not have universal health care, the Paris Hilton's can afford the most expensive doctors and hospitals on the planet. So what if the working classes do not have an adequate or any retirement plan, the Paris Hiltons's already live off of their inheritance. So what if the streets are not safe, the Paris Hilton's can afford their own security force and armored cars.
This is how the extremely wealthy live. The ones who care about the rest of us are obvious by their generosity. For example: Bill and Melinda Gates, and Warren Buffet. These three people have at least 60 billion dollars in assets that they have pleged to a foundation that will help all of us, and will fight disease that afflict the most poor as the first order of business. The less generous hoard their wealth and hide behind managers who run their businesses. The Waltons of Walmart come to mind. If they gave, not just provided at what they think is a fair price, health care for all their employees, the Waltons would still be billionairs and their employees would have something real to be happy about.
So, where am I going in this "essay"? Remember a couple of things when you go to vote Democrat: there are more working class people than Paris Hilton's, anyone working for a pay check is part of the working class, no matter how big the check; the ultra rich care not about us, we are the "mythical little man" according to them; they will still be rich even if the minimum wage is raised, or we have national health coverage or both; low taxes with high government spending do not hurt the ultra rich, the working classes will pay the bill for all the accumulated debt; personal happiness in countries with higher taxes strangely enough is greater, much greater than in America.
The ultra rich do care who is in Congress. The members of Congress write America's laws, set tax policy, set the rules for corporations, decide which government benifits it will give to the public, or take away from the public. If the federal government cannot be reduced in size, say the proponents of the ultra rich, at least it can be reduced in influence, influence of corporate power. Congress can and does limit corporate power. This is a good thing! We do not want to return to the days of child labor, no pay for overtime, summary firings. Why should we continue to support representatives who believe that unleashing the corporation is the American way?
The ultra rich do not care about our happiness or welfare, so why should we continue to support representatives in Congress that care more for the ultra rich than the rest of us?
Vote Democrat and install representatives into Congress who do care for our happiness and welfare!
Thursday, August 03, 2006
Midterm Elections
Please vote in the midterm elections.
If you care about the American experiment in democracy: vote and vote Democratic. Why? As long as the House and Senate are held by the Republicans, there will be no investigations into anything this President does.
Remember when the House of Representatives was Republican and the President a democrat, the House would investigate anything the President did, important or not. Most of the investigations were of a trivial, personal nature. This did not stop the Limbaughs of the world from proclaiming the downfall of America and blaming the President for this decline.
Where is the fire in the Republican belly to protect the Constitution? As long as the President is a Republican, there is no fire, no investigation, no Constitution. Even Republicans are sworn to protect the Constitution. Where are they now?
Again, vote in November. And vote Democrat.
If you care about the American experiment in democracy: vote and vote Democratic. Why? As long as the House and Senate are held by the Republicans, there will be no investigations into anything this President does.
Remember when the House of Representatives was Republican and the President a democrat, the House would investigate anything the President did, important or not. Most of the investigations were of a trivial, personal nature. This did not stop the Limbaughs of the world from proclaiming the downfall of America and blaming the President for this decline.
Where is the fire in the Republican belly to protect the Constitution? As long as the President is a Republican, there is no fire, no investigation, no Constitution. Even Republicans are sworn to protect the Constitution. Where are they now?
Again, vote in November. And vote Democrat.
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