America In Peril
07.19.08 (10:11 pm) [edit]We have become so incensed at acquiring cheap Labor, goods, medicine and toys that we expose our citizens dangerously just to save a buck. I am thoroughly convinced when the word deregulate is mentioned in the government it is synonymous with thievry. The congress voted to deregulate the drug industry in purchasing active ingredients for our medicine and we find out that they went to china for cheap ingredients. China gave us anti freeze as the active ingredient for a blood thinner called heparin that killed 95 people in the U.S. and guess what we are still purchasing the same goods from china, a spokesman for the drug industry said that it is much cheaper than when purchased in the states and that the F.D.A. needs to do a better job in it's analysis of medicine. This is the same country that sold us toys for our children laden with mercury and diseased cat fish. And they are on the most favored nation trading partners list.
Congress also voted to deregulate the financial institutions so that we would have a free market system and now we discover that it is only free as long as the investors are making a profit and when that cease it becomes the responsibility of the tax payer to bail them out. We find out that both Fannie Mae and Freddy Mac are failing financially and the federal government has to put up billions of dollars to bail them out of a bad management situation, but now we find out that the head of Freddy Mac will receive a salary this year of 19 million dollars even thought the institution can't cover all it's obligations. Now we know that deregulations or no rules to the game end up in chaos
A Battle is not a War
07.16.08 (9:31 pm) [edit]John McCain keeps talking about he knows how to win a war simply because he advise the president to send more troops to Iraq. 20000 more troops were sent to Iraq and the sectarian violence did decrease but now we face the problem that if we withdraw them the violence may start over again. If you listen to John McCain you would think that we won the war but it was only a battle.
He keep repeating the mantra that he knows how to win a war and nobody ask him what war did he win, he spent the entire vietnam war as a prisoner of war and he fell for the lie that Iraq had weapons of mass destruction and they did not. So where did all this commander in chief potential come from?. His military records indicate that even though he flew combat missions he was never commander of a combat squadron. Does merely being a military officer automatically qualify you to be president of the U.S.?. I think not all military people have to operate within military instructions that has been handed down for eons, irregardless of your rank there is still a standing operating procedure that you must follow. There is a great difference in leading a nation and leading a military unit and they are mutually exclusive. Remember Ross Perot vice presidential running mate and Alexander Haig.
America Held Hostage
07.15.08 (11:58 am) [edit]How does it feel to be held hostage by a system that has abused you and misused you under false pretense. We have heard the capitalistic cry of let the market be the determiner of our supposedly free market system and then we find out it's only free when the powers that be are making huge profits at our expense. But when bad managers reach the peter principle then the federal government must step in with our tax dollars and determine the market. Our present condition exposes the fallacy of republicans who swears by the free market system and then step in to pass legislation that dumps the responsibility of bad decision makers on the government that they disdain during profitable times.
Let it be reminded that our present economic condition was not caused by natural disasters of any kind but by greedy men placed in important position trying to make all the money they can at the public's expense. They stock market has fallen from a high of 14000 in November to a low of 11000 in July, just think of what your social security check would be now if we had done what President Bush and the republicans wanted us to do by tying it to the stock market you would be receiving about 22% less this year.
We have bridges falling and not being repaired, 48 million people who can't afford access to health care, wounded veterans who can't get proper health and mental care and we say with a straight face that a financial institution is to big to fail. How ludicrous is that.
Capitalism on a slippery slope
07.11.08 (12:23 pm) [edit]Bear Stearns and now Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac are on the verge of financial disaster. I was always taught that the capitalist system was based on risk and reward, you risk investing a certain amount of money in a project for the reward of the profit you will receive when the project is completed or sold. Now we find out that capitalism is slowly slipping toward socialism for a few. Why is a for profit enterprise backed by the government and labeled to big to fail. and where is the risk involved if the federal government is going to bail the investors out.
All organizations fail from the top down, shouldn't we allow them to fail so that we have the opportunity to choose better managers with a vision who are more efficient and effective at running a corporation rather than bailing them out at tax payers expense. The Secretary of the treasure Paulson said that you don't throw the baby out with the bath water and I agree but some time the bather should be thrown out for doing such a lousy job.
How not to Treat a Terrorist
07.10.08 (11:28 pm) [edit]The United States has been branding Iran as a terrorist nation that is dangerous and causing instability to the middle east. We have been advocating that other nations support sanctions against them and low and behold we find out that we are the leading exporters to them in cigarettes, mechanical tools and designers clothes.
Doesn't that make us hypocrits and the exports increased tremendously under the Bush Administration and he's the one that said they were a member of the axis of evil it's quite obvious that the reason we have lost so much creditability in the world is that we speak out of both sides of our mouth. We are going to participate in the openining ceremonies of the olympic in China which is one of the biggest violators of human rights in the world and the excuse we use is that sports and politics shouldn't mix but don't they both involve people.
Over Staying your Welcome
07.08.08 (9:17 am) [edit]Isn't it an embarrassing moment when the host feels like the guest has over stayed their welcome and publicly via the news media ask them to leave. Nouri Al Maliki via a news release ask the U.S. to set a withdrawal date. The U.S. has consistently accused every American who insisted on a with drawl date as a cut and run politican and that setting a date to withdraw would only give Al Qaeda more time to prepare to take over Iraq. We must remember that Al Qaeda didn't come to Iraq until after we invaded it.
Have we taken on the attitude that we must be a nanny state? if you look back over our history and every war we have been involved in except Vietnam we are still their care taker for as long as they let us stay. Europe,Japan, Korea and possibly Iraq. Is it our condescending attitude toward other nations or do we feel we just need some body to take care of. We have enough problems at home like health care,education, infrastructure decline, energy and global warming to solve rather than taking on another dependent
Mixed Messages on our Birthday
07.07.08 (1:21 pm) [edit]Woke up on the fourth of July our nation birthday feeling good about being an American and being a viable part of it's history since I am a combat veteran and served actively 24 years meritoriously to defend it's freedom. Then when reading the morning paper I find out that President Bush felt it was his responsibility to attend the opening of the Olympics ceremonies in China a nation whose violations of human rights is second to none. There is an old saying that he stands for nothing will fall for anything. Yet he's always talking about freedom and democracy.
Then we learn about Robert Mugabe blatant disregard for democracy by murdering and seriously injuring people who would not vote for him. Over two hundred people had to seek shelter in the South African and Dutch embassy to avoid being killed and he shamelessly declared himself the victor and freedom loving countries stood by and paid only lip service. How's that for freedom and democracy.
Now we find out that with all the out pouring of new voters registering as democrats that even if Senator Obama wins the popular vote by millions, that he could still loose the presidential election due to the electoral college vote if he fail to win the less populated states like Idaho,Montana, Wyoming, North and South Dakota where one popular vote out weighs 24 popular votes in states like California and New york. Whats up with that crap.
Support The Troops
06.14.08 (11:25 am) [edit]John McCain said that it doesn't matter how long the troops will be in Iraq and that there is no anticipated date for withdrawal even thought the surge worked. I agree with the media that he is out of touch with reality. The war is costing the U.S. tax payer three billion dollars a week and the defense department is saving money by disallowing wounded veterans their benefits. according to a broadcast on public television, the defense department issued orders to the medical department of the army to change the diagnosis of over 60000 wounded veterans suffering from post traumatic stress disorder to pre existing personality disorder to avoid paying them disability payment. 80% of these soldiers had served over 6 years without any symptoms of personality disorder yet after two or three tours in Iraq PTSD symptoms became evident. How's that for supporting the troops.
Also don't forget that he voted against the bill that would give them free college tuition for serving three years successfully in the military. But look how he hangs his hat on his injuries while in captivity and prison but he would deny other who are victimized by war the same benefits. Is that any way to show support for our troops.
Muslinazation of the America
06.10.08 (12:46 pm) [edit]The central question is what is happening to America foreign policy and why are we letting the Muslim nations shape it. We find out that the U.S. is trying to put together an agreement with Iraq that will give us rights to their bases and certain rights to our military personnel. But before the agreement can be ratified by the U.S and Iraq, the prime minister of Iraq Nouri Al Maliki had to go to Iran to get the OK from the leading Mullah, and he state emphatically no and that the U.S. must leave Iraq period.
Now we find out that the government of Pakistan is providing a safe haven and intelligence to the Taliban on the location and movement of troops in the area and the U.N troops cannot violate that truce. Even though our invasion of Iraq was wrong and many innocent civilians were killed and considered as collateral damage in the war, we delivered them from a cruel dictator and sacrifice 4000 of our young military personnel plus three-fourths of a trillion dollars of our capital and this is what we get. Since Iran is in the same shape they were in before our invasion why do they seek instruction from another dictatorial power?, are they trying to tell us that they don't like freedom. But on second thought we should have figured that out for ourselves since they never attempted a revolution from within to free themselves.
Pakistan is playing both ends against the middle and getting paid. We give them ten billion dollars a year to fight terrorist and what do they do, they pay them off and prevent the U.S from chasing them into their safe havens. So we need a change in administrations and most of all somebody who is able to determine when we are being screwed, but most of all we need to stop letting Muslims and Islamist fanatics determine our foreign policy.
A Case for Involuntary Servitude
05.28.08 (2:24 pm) [edit]Recently a vote was taken to give veterans tuition grants after serving three years honorably in the military. John McCain thought that was to much to give them. John McCain went to the Naval Academy for four years received tuition room,board and pay just on the promise that he would serve four years in the military and he thinks that giving veterans who have served honorably free tuition is to much to pay. He thinks that many will not reenlist just because they receive the tuition for time served. He doesn't say how much time they should have to serve, just think after three years most have done at least 15 months in Iraq or Afghanistan risking life and limb.
Is this an underhanded attempt at an unofficial draft or a blatant attempt for involuntary servitude with the risk factor that you won't be alive to receive the tuition or that you will be so physically or mentally maimed that you won't be able to take advantage of the tuition grant. I believe that the risk of three years is worth the reward.
No more Wars for OIl
05.06.08 (12:20 pm) [edit]States the Maverick John McCain who runs the truth express, when Michael Moore made these statements he was ostracized and called un-American for defaming the government. Presidential candidate John McCain makes the statement and not even a whisper from the super patriots, what happened did the truth express arrive late or is old John just pandering to the anti war crowd. He is described as being a maverick but sometimes the way he changes his opinion on different subjects should cause the American public to investigate carefully whether he's confused and beginning to show his age. Even the Bible declares that three score and ten should be the limit.
The Mote in the other Fellow's eye
04.21.08 (1:59 pm) [edit]When President Bush Met the pope, he talked about moral relativism and some people not knowing right from wrong. How hypocritical for a man to make such a statement after starting a war on false premises and distortion of intelligence that has resulted in 4000 young men and women killed, 29000 seriously injured and 4 million people displaced and are now homeless in their own country, did he not realize that he was talking about himself.
The Pope is not entirely pure in this sad period of the catholic church, even though he apologized to some of the victims, he never mentioned the thought of bringing these criminals dressed in religious garb to justice. Many of these perpetrators are still very active in the catholic church hierarchy. It's interesting that we can always find fault in the behavior of others, but for these two sin lies at their door.
Private sector Health Care Failure
04.14.08 (12:35 pm) [edit]According to statistics listed in the New York times 27000 deaths occurred that was preventable in 2007. Ranging from emergency child birth to Lupus, COPD and Heart Attacks. It is alleged that if these people had access to health care rather than emergency room care that at least 27000 of these fatalities could have been prevented. The major reason for not having health care was that they couldn't afford it. America is the only developed country in the world that doesn't provide some type of health care program or access to it simply because you are unable to pay. We constantly complain about the lines and administrative bureaucracy needed to implement it but if you look at the longevity of life and the infant mortality rate in the U.S. as compared to other developed countries you have to agree based on statistics alone that the U. is in dire need of some form of publically financed health care rather than the patched up form of emergency room care that we provide at tax payer expense any way.
Balancing the Budget on the Backs of the Victims
04.04.08 (1:13 pm) [edit]Many states are releasing convicted felons of every crime except murder to balance the states budget. California plans to release 22000 inmates who are within two years of completing their sentence for every thing except rape and murder.
The U.S. lost 80000 jobs in March, so what are these released prisoners going to do to survive except commit more crimes, however this time they can do it almost with impunity as long as it's not rape or murder because they will only receive probation. But on second thought maybe this will spur the economy because of the need for burglar bars and special locks needed to protect property life and limb.
When are we going to look for real solution to problems rather than finding a quick fix that causes severe problems in other areas. We protest about how woeful the public education system is and how far our students are behind in math and science and yet the first thing we do in a budget crunch is lay off teachers and cut the budget. We complain about the problem of crime and what do we do? but release prisoners back on the victims of their crime and lay off prison guards exposing them to the hazard of violent attacks by inmates.
It is now time for the electorate to prioritize the needs of our community and do what ever needs to be done to provide services to the ones who are paying the freight. We should cut the salaries of the powers that be since they don't seem capable of providing viable options to the problem but only protecting their interest. Lets give them an ultimatum to solve the present problems without balancing the budget on the backs of the victims or get the hell out of the way. It's time for new leadership.
Where Was Al qaeda
04.01.08 (3:51 pm) [edit]Last week the Iraqi military attacked the city of Basra which was a strong hold for the Shiites militia, the militia was more than a formidable foe for the Iraqi military. The Iraqi military had to call on the assistance of the U.S. military. We were not supposed to be in Iraq fighting a Shiite militia but Al qaeda was what we was supposed to be fighting. President Bush said it was a defining moment for the military of Iraq but obviously we are going to have to revisit this moment because after five years of training 4000 lives lost and billions spent on their behalf they are still not ready go it on their own. So the surge didn't work and irregardless of how John McCain tries to paint it the surge was an effort in futility. We should start developing an exit strategy and leave this fiasco as safely and as soon as possible. We have expended more than enough treasure and human lives to justify our staying any longer. I don't know where Al Qaeda was during the recent fighting, but if they are tougher than the Shiite militia may be them not being there is a blessing in disguise.
Is This the Best We Can Do?
03.25.08 (12:05 pm) [edit]What is happening with the recent influx of public elected servant being caught up in adulterous relationships. Do they understand the consequences they are going to suffer after placing their hands on the bible swearing to uphold the duties of the office and then being caught in a lie. The new governor of New York has already done a mea a culpa by confessing his shenanigans immediately after his swearing in the office. Now we find out on a few occasions the room rent was paid using public funds. Shouldn't they have put hand cuffs on him and declared the office of governor vacant because if all you do is repeat bad behavior how are you going to change society remember all forms of government and corporations rots from the head down not the tail upward.
Now it appears elected officials measure their success by how many mistresses they can have and get appointed to their staff. It now appears all of our elected leaders are incompetent, arrogant,liars or sexually promiscuous
Don't Believe It, Don't Believe it
03.21.08 (12:59 pm) [edit]What are the odds that three different people will violate the privacy of one individual on three different occasions. That is what the Secretary of state is proclaiming what happened. That individual just happened to be Barack Obama a leading candidate for the democratic nominee for president of the United States. The Bush administration states that it was done by contract employees. The question is what is their classification, what firm do they work for and why did they have access to personal files of elected officials especially people campaigning for elected office because any information gathered can be used to smear a candidate.
Condelizza Rice stated it was just a coincident but I don't believe it, this is the same gang that told us that Iraq had weapons of mass destruction and was an imminent threat to the U.S. and sent Colin Powell to the U.N. with a story about those fictitious aluminum tubes. Don't forget how they outed Valery Plame a career C.I.A. agent to discredit her husband from exposing their lies, and then pardoned the individual who was responsible for outing her before he could be sentenced and serve a day in prison. So believe little of what you see and none of what you hear.
When Black Man Speaks
03.20.08 (3:05 pm) [edit]A black Pastor of a Church on the south side of Chicago made some inflammatory remarks about the U.S. Government. Many people have accused him of preaching a victimization sermon but the truth of the matter is that you have to be victimized before you can cry victimization and knowing the environment from which he came I think he is well qualified to speak from his own experience. Pastor Dave kudos to you I think you evaluated the sermon in it's entirety rather than the few sound bites that has been given.
Reverend Wright spoke about the drug problem in the black community, how did they get there when no black in the community had a plane or large truck to introduce that amount of drugs in a community. Where were the law enforcement agencies when the drug dealers were blatantly selling drugs on the corner in plain sight of every one. So the Reverend was right either the police was instrumental in introducing the drugs, or aided and abetted the drug dealers in selling the drugs in the community with impunity. Have you ever noticed the number of liquor stores in the black community and none of them are owned by black people. How is it that Asians and other nationalities can come to America get liquor licenses and put liquors stores in the black communities without the black community approval and yet the blacks can't qualify for a liquor license. Isn't that a form of victimization.
What about the segregated and unequal schools that blacks were made to attend because of de jure segregation by the government yet blacks paid the same amount of tax on the dollar as did the whites, isn't that a form of victimization. In 1964 I returned home from vietnam and couldn't buy a house in the community that I wanted to live but I had to spend a year fighting for freedom for the Vietnamese that I didn't enjoy in my own country, isn't that a form of victimization. In 1965 the voting rights act was passed giving blacks the right to vote for their elected representatives for the first time but the constitution was ratified in 1776 declaring that all men were created equal and endowed with certain inalienable rights. Wasn't that a form of victimization.
So Fractalmom until you have walked at least a mile in that black pastor's shoes do tell us how great you are.
Thirty Billion not a Bailout
03.19.08 (2:53 pm) [edit]It takes the government 6 months to distribute one hundred and fifty million to american citizens it considers in need and it took them less than 24 hours to come up with 30 billion to loan J.P. Morgan to buy out the failing Bear Stearns. Then they have the audacity to tell the American public that it is not a bail out. Who do you know that can borrow thirty billion at two percent without any collateral.
J.P. Morgan made out with a great loan but for those of us who have I.R.A's, 401k's and other retirement portfolios watch from now on the snail pace at which they grow. So the old adage that my loss is your gain holds true.
Not Racist Just Condescending
03.14.08 (10:09 am) [edit]Geraldine Ferraro made a statement about Barak Obama that many people considered racist. judging by her work in the civil rights struggle I do not think she is racist but she is condenscending as hell. Barak Obama is a college graduate and a law school graduate from a prestigious law school. He has been elected to two offices state Senator and A member of the U.S. Senate which means he is not only tractible and intellectually smart but he has excellent coordinating and organizing ability. He has been elected to more offices by the public than Hillary Clinton but Geraldine refuses to give him any credit for his accomplishments and ability, but states he is just lucky. Would somebody please inform her that he is not an unqualified affirmative hired appointee he made it on his ability.
The Hillary Clinton campaign refused to address this issue until the public out cry against Geraldine's remark became loud and vocal. I believe Hillary Clinton is a qualified candidate who deserves to compete for the nomination for president of the U.S. I strongly advise her to shed all the campaign baggage with lose lips so that she will have a fighting chance.
Trivial Pursuit
03.12.08 (12:56 pm) [edit]The congress of the United States could not stop a president from pre-emptively bombing and invading a sovereign country under false pretense of an impending disaster. They can't stop the president's barbaric action of torturing prisoners in order to get information. They couldn't rescue the victims of Katrina nor provide adequate health care for our wounded veterans.
But they are able to drag athletes in front of their committees under the threat of perjury to testify if they have ever used steroids. Now they have went one step farther they are threatening churches with subpoenas to investigate their records to see if they are operating within the law, isn't that the job of the I.R.S. We have a myriad of problems in this country, a huge budget deficit, inflation, high energy prices and a possible recession and the most important thing on their agenda is church records. I call that trivial pursuit.
What Justice?
03.10.08 (5:13 pm) [edit]On sixty minutes on Sunday was the saddest case of injustice done to an individual by the justice system that I ever witness. An individual has spent 26 years in prison for a crime he didn't commit and two members of the legal system knew that he was not guilty but yet could not testify to is innocents simply because of a lawyer client privilege that he had with the known guilty culprit. Now they have known he was innocent but couldn't do anything until the guilty suspect gave them the permission to tell the truth on his dying bed.
Now after 26 years they come forth with an affidavit declaring his innocent only because the suspect gave them permission to tell his story. I know that a defense lawyer is supposed to defend his client but at what expense. Doesn't the word truth and justice mean anything unless you can afford to pay for it. So this innocent man has wasted away 26 years in prison for a crime he didn't commit simply because of loyalty of two hired attorneys to a guilty suspect. What Justice.
What's Going On
03.01.08 (10:56 am) [edit]President Bush goes on Television and states Iraq is not a civil war, our economy is not headed for a recession and that the republicans will win the white house in November. He has made many untrue statements in the past all of which were laughed off until we realized the consequences of his lies. Remember the W.M. D's in Iraq that nobody ever found, he was going to capture Bin Ladin dead or alive and he was going to punish the person responsible for outing Valery Plame if he or she was a part of his administration, yet he pardon Scooter Libby.
In the Same vane Roger Clemens lied about his involvement with steroids and human growth hormones something which affected only him and the federal government wants to charge him with perjury and send him to a federal prison. Would somebody please explain what's going on.
Proof of Incompetence
02.19.08 (11:08 pm) [edit]
The F.D.A. sent an inspection team to China to inspect a manufacturer of ingredients that goes into a blood thinner that has been causing allergic reactions in patients. The Inspectors gave the plant that they inspected a glowing report, now we discover that they inspected the wrong plant. Their excuse for this blunder is that no one on the inspection team spoke fluent Chinese. How incompetent can you be to send an inspection team to a foreign country without a fluent interpreter.
A willing Accomplice
02.18.08 (1:46 pm) [edit]Bernard Bernanke Chief of the Federal Reserve Bank, Henry Paulson Secretary the Treasure and the office of Comptroller of the Currency is responsible for the mortgaging fiasco our country finds itself in today. All three were responsible for invoking a clause that prevented State Attorney Generals from proceeding against predatory lenders who through various schemes made outlandish loans
to people with suspect credit records who were not able to pay the mortgage based on their income.
Many schemes were used such as no down payment, teaser rates that increased astronomically after five years, giving kickbacks to people who took out the loans.
Now we find ourselves with a housing market that is in disarray because many people who took out these loans also took out equity loans on the property and as soon as the rate of interest increased the potential owner discovered that he was not able to pay and now the house is in foreclosure and more is owed on it than it is worth.
This has caused a glut in the housing market of unsold and repossess houses. The lending institution is going to write them off as a loss and the communities are going to suffer because of a loss of tax base both deprives our needed treasure of cash and it's all because of the people we placed in charge became willing accomplices to this home mortgaging scheme