Closing Time, Sorta

I’ve been meaning to write a final post to close the blog down. There are a multitude of reasons that I found myself coming to this decision: lack of time, sporadic updates and a lack of focus. These few months of silence have given me an opportunity to finalize my decision or so I thought. I find myself lost in the world where there is more talk of a doped up actor instead of what truly matters in our daily lives. I found myself locked in discussion with a coworker that left me shocked at the disconnect there seems to be in this age of information. Just the other day I found myself in a short conversation with a friend concerning Wisconsin that concluded when he stated “they are always protesting anyway.”

Instead of shutting down I have found a focus, I want to continue my study of democracy and provide information that is not often highlighted, as well as commentary on how this is relevant in this day and age. I may change the name and even the address of the blog, but that will come at a later date.

The Right to Privacy

Ever since 911 we have seen our rights eroded. We were told that we were essentially on a war footing and needed to have increased security measures. A shocked nation allowed these measures to become permanent: warrant-less wiretaps, the patriot act and airport "security" screening.

Little by little our rights have been trampled upon in the name of safety. The airport security theater started with banning potential weapons on airplanes: box cutters, scissors, nail clippers. It has since morphed many times over and is as useful as the terror level color code.

First of all, these measures do not increase safety. A determined person will always find a way to cause carnage. I do not think we should make it easy for them but we have to be careful not to lose our souls in the process. Since we began to treat people like guilty parties; with x-rays, metal detectors and pat-downs we have lost a little of ourselves.

The second is that we are always reacting to the last action rather than considering our policies as a whole. An idiot puts explosives in his shoes, so we are asked to remove our shoes. Another idiot tries to mix liquid explosives, nearly blows his face off, now I can't even board with a cup of coffee.

Now that a dude packed his shorts with C4 or whatever we have the pleasure of groping and body scanners. As a free society we can never be completely safe; it is in the nature and the trade-off we must make. The determined saboteur will find a way: things hidden in cavities, explosives in the under carriage and whatever else sick people like that consider.

Some people seem to believe that we are never gonna get anywhere unless we treat the U.S. like a max security prison, however, contraband can be found in even the most secure lock-ups. If we cannot police and control prisoners, who have given up all of their rights as citizens, how can we expect to do better with regular Joes?

"The right of the people to be secure in their persons, houses, papers, and effects, against unreasonable searches and seizures, shall not be violated, and no Warrants shall issue, but upon probable cause, supported by Oath or affirmation, and particularly describing the place to be searched, and the persons or things to be seized. "

In others words, "don't touch my junk."

They just be concealing it

I found myself locked into a conversation with a friend about politics recently (Yes it is a day of the week that ends in "y'"). This individual has conservative/anti-government leanings and I have liberal/anti-corporate leanings. We disagreed on most of the usual things concerning government intervention: climate change, health care, and financial regulation to name a few. These are all the expected areas that our world views tend to polarize us on but at some point we hit the issue of race. There is apparently a portion of financial regulation legislation that sets up an Office of Minority and Women Inclusion (OMWI), with the intention to make sure minorities and women are represented in Wall Street firms. This individual couched this in the light of race; he excluded or maybe didn’t know about the gender issue.

Racism is apparently dead, it was apparently shot on the balcony with Martin, and I didn’t get the memo. In fact we are now living in a world of reverse racism. I hear this echoed in right-wing chambers like radio and tea party activists, but, this is the first I have had the pleasure to get it from the horse’s mouth. His concern was first that the government should not meddle in private business and second that racism is mostly gone. I refused to be pulled into the libertarian argument about government intervention but could not help the fact that his second point was dead wrong.

Racism is not dead. I do not know if I can say it any more plainly than that. I thankfully haven’t been through any major issues with race as yet, just the everyday stuff. I am hyperaware of my race and stereotypes and work hard to make a “good” first impression. Even with that I still get the reactions, looks and qualifiers. I do need to note some qualifiers of my own. I do understand that there are a lot of poor whites out there who have a tough time in this economy, in any economy, who see this as the government keeping them down. Racial quotas bother these people and I can emphasize with them. The key here is that nobody actively worked to get them and keep them poor over another person. What they are experiencing is the normal, however unfair, reality of class warfare that we all have to battle.

The OMWI is needed, the fact is that white males have a head start and everyone else needs some help to level the playing field. I believe we stand on the shoulders of others, this is the American experience, we build upon the past. My grandparents (If they had been born in America) set the example and help my parents do better than they did my parents in turn help me do better than my grandparents did and I help my kids do better. It usually takes several generations to come from poor to middle class and stay there; of course there are the exceptions that go right there no matter the race or gender.

The Gap

There has recently been a lot of lamenting about the economy and for good reason. The list of obvious ills is well known, but what the heck:

1. Unemployment is up
2. Savings rates are in the negatives
3. Foreclosures at record rates
4. US deficits are sky-high

These are only symptoms of larger problems in our society and government; problems that we can all see and sense and agree on. I have to borrow an idea from my favorite MSNBC host Rachel Maddow. She has previously noted that there are certain issues that are so inflammatory that both ends of the political spectrum take sharp turns and run into each other.

I mention this because the tea parties have a lot of things right. Where we depart company is the focal point of their righteous anger is the government where I would say it’s the corporations. Our government has been corrupted by capitalism.

Our economy at this point and for the years I've been around has been designed so we serve it. We have been sold a bill of goods that equates company and Wall Street profits to economic success. This is the continuation of trickle-down theory which refuses to die even after being proven wrong. Trickle-down is the cousin of disaster capitalism for which the cannibalism phase is a natural outgrowth.

This has become all too real to me recently over the last 6 months as people close to me have lost their jobs. This has ranged from recent college grads to my mom who has been working forever. These people have or will be without health insurance as long as they are without jobs. It is getting easier and easier to fall through the gaps in our society as the social safety nets have been completely shredded. I believe it is time for us to reassess our social contracts and constructs, to refocus our energies on supporting and advancing individuals over corporations. To continue to have these gaps is irresponsible, embarrassing and just plain stupid. It’s time to fill in the gaps.

Where do your Health Care Premiums go?

CEO compensation compiled by the AMA in an article about the hard times hitting health care CEOs.

http://www.ama-assn.org/amednews/2009/images/gbisc0601a.pdf

The Health Care Debate Part 1

America needs Universal, Single-payer, and “Socialized" health system. That was likely the most anticlimactic statement; I'm a big lefty and everyone knows that. Before I go on I must note that no plan being currently considered meets these criteria. There are many reasons to switch to the system I want; at the same time I realize some have concerns.
I will not every pay any attention to the unrealistic/outrageous questions that some ask.

The Other side:
1. How much is this expansion going to cost us?
The short answer is less. The long answer is that we don't know. The fact is that we already have the highest healthcare costs and the poorest outcomes in the "developed" world. Countries with Universal systems use their bargaining power to rein in costs. For instance the very same drugs cost less in Canada; savings range from 20 -45%.

2. What about long waits? I've heard they ration in Canada and those other socialist Lands.
Health insurance already rations. We judge people's worth to society based on their pocketbook. Fat cats get the best treatment. Health insurance workers decide whether people should have based on their bottom line, they even have metrics that are judged by Wall Street money in/payments for procedures.

3. Those damned illegals will use it!
"Illegals" already use the emergency rooms and that comes directly from you and I. The point is to formally account for these costs. Its best to treat people before a minor thing escalates into something more dangerous. Treating all with respect and the best care is the compassionate thing to do.

4. The government can't run anything!
We come together as a society because the whole is greater than the sum of our parts. The government is not a mythical giant living on Capitol Hill, we are the government. Our family members serve in the armed services, post offices and fire houses. All of these are government agencies that play vital roles in our everyday lives and do so admirably.

5. I'm happy with my Doctor can I still see her/him?
Hopefully. Many doctors over the years have shifted between and off the various Health Insurance plan. This is a free country, just as you want a choice of plans; Doctors want the freedom to move between networks.

Health care is a right, without it, life is not possible, liberty and happiness cannot be pursued. Right now we are carelessly discussing and calculating the worth of those without health insurance. People are standing up and shouting that fellow Americans are not good enough. I believe our obligation to protect Americans should go beyond military might; the health of everyone on our soil is just as significant.

American Will

I have chimed in about the torture debate and the war on several occassions but recent events have crystallized a few things for me. Our former Vice President and permanent dick, Dick Cheney, has the infamous "dark side" quote. He has been fleshing out this theory during his latest media blitz justifying torture. By extension people who do not take these illegal measures care more about "rights" of "evil doers" than America. People who hold this opinion fail to see that America is an idea or a principal and not a nation of common identity, but I digress.

A coworker echoed the Cheney reasoning: "Americans want to intervene but lack the will to do what it takes to win." This was in the context of an ongoing discussion of the targeting of civilians by America and the use of napalm. This was also with the backdrop of John Stewart tripping over himself walking back from critical statements of U.S. use of nukes.

I will readily admit that my morals and principals do not allow for any form of mass murder and destruction; I can't even stomach the death penalty. Hundreds, maybe thousands of Iraqis were murdered when we targeted high level targets in Saddam's regime. We are making the same mistakes in Pakistan and Afghanistan with drone strikes. I understand war but I detest it; it should always be a last resort. Our Iraqi occupation is not a last resort. Americans may not have the "will," but we do a great job at turning a blind eye.

Why I am a Liberal: The Conservative

I stand in the middle of the extremists. There are those who think everything America does is good.

The conservative mindset has no self-awareness to speak of; it consists of bravado with little to back it up. The one theme, the single thread of consciousness which everything else springs from, is that America is a gift to the world. This jingoist views American history through the equivalent of beer goggles; the so-so girl next door becomes a modeling chick after enough brews have been knocked back.

The conservative premise leads to circular logic that we see in "debates" of the day: America does not torture therefore "waterboarding" is not illegal. America "waterboards" in a "humane" way. These arguments disregard facts in settled law and history.

Symbols of our racist past, to say nothing of our present, are white-washed so people feel free to fly the confederate flag. This logic prevades in more just conservatives; I know far too many people who refuse to see that an unprovoked attack is a illegal.

This is not to say that pride in ones nation has no place, on the contrary, pride is what leads you to want you nation to be at it's best. This means knowing and accepting it's full history; the good, the bad and the indefferent.

True pride means working to improve on its failings and conserving, yes conserving, the points of greatness.

Why I am a Liberal: The Rant

I stand in the middle of the extremists. I am a real Liberal. I want real change.

I am tired of the image of the mealy-mouthed, weak-kneed liberal who is afraid to offend.

I believe in standing up for the truth no matter how ugly it is. Transparency is key to a vibrant Democracy. I am aware that the country that I know and love has a jaded history that most are in denial of. We've sold arms to despots, installed dictators and supported death squads; however that is only part of the story. We've also been the overwhelming force for good in world wars, the refuge for the persecuted and the hope for the future.

Conventional Wisdom: Government Sucks

The next bit that is accepted as matter of fact is government is inefficient and corrupt. Government run programs and agencies are seen as pariah in the eyes of most of the public. This is confirmed by the actions of people who are wrapped up in their own welfare rather than the public's: Blago that means you.


There is also another piece of conventional wisdom that goes hand in hand with the previous: business does things more efficiently and cheaper than governments. This is echoed in conversations about healthcare most of all but can be found elsewhere. When I was recently in Chicago I found out that they turned over their parking meters to private business.


Once again this conventional wisdom is bogus. Nowhere is more evident than our national security and armed forces. We have a glut of private contractors in Iraq tasked to protect convoys, rebuild and feed our troops.


Countless money is dropped on contractors over our enlisted. Billions are unaccounted for in no-bid and cost-plus contracts. There are far too many cases of troops hurt by faulty work: electrocutions, poisoned by non-potable water, Iraqi cities with limited or no running water and electricity. The worst part is that there is no accountability.


I am not a communist. I do not want the government making my kicks or my jeans. I do want the government supplying my healthcare. I do want a government bureaucrat appointed by an elected official to decide what options are available for my care. I do not want my healthcare decided in some boardroom that I have no access to petition and no vote on.


Government can do plenty of things better than industry. Sure there are corrupt officials but government does not have a monopoly on that. For every Blago you present I will supply you with a Maddoff. An informed populous with an intact fourth estate will keep officials in check.


Do you really want to think about whether you paid your fire dues when your smoke detector goes off?

Stimulate This...

Stimulus is being asked for by everyone: from the porn industry to the hoes on the street, wall street. It seems though that everyone is still missing the reason we are in this pickle. People are quick to point out that trickle-down principles have largely failed but still they refuse to take the next logical step; power to the people.

So called bad mortgages were targeted as the reason for the beginnings of Wall Street’s problems. They have been labeled as toxic and home owners as stupid. These all only true when you ignore the monetary policy touted by banks and championed by conservatives.

For the last 30+ year’s free money has been sold to the public in the form of credit cards, falling interest rates and pay day loans. At the same time incomes, liquid assets (real hard money), has been stagnant. In lieu of cash we have turned to various products to make ends meet.

Economies are driven by demand.

We need to drive up demand. Poor schmoes like me tend to spend all the cash we have as seen by the recent years of negative savings. Some claim it's not a big deal but they are wrong. In short, people need for: food, mortgages, leisure, gas and home bills to name a few. Perhaps we would all throw some more in our 401ks and Roth IRAs with some money left in our pockets.

The point is that disposable income in the hands of many will do the economy good. The Bush administration and the 110th Congress tried to do just that with stimulus checks. This has largely been seen as a failure as people squirreled away the one-time giveaway. It is human nature to pay off the most overdue bill first if given a bit of an extra cash injection but if we could expect an extra bit on a regular basis we would be better off.

This is not to say that there should be bi-weekly or monthly stimulus checks; that would be insanity. Americans need to be paid more and also weened off credit and overspending. How is that done?

Funny enough (At least in light of "conventional wisdom," but we see where conventional wisdom has brought us.), some say that the best way to go about it is raising taxes on big businesses and forcing them to keep the money in the company rather than cashing out. An incentive to take smaller quarterly bonuses but investing in the longevity and productivity of the company instead of the huge payoff. I am not so concerned with how it gets done but it needs to get done for us to truly get out of the mess we are in.

Pirates of Somalia

Pirates are misunderstood by most people. Sure everyone loves a good "argh", but, few understand the camaraderie and the honor of a pirate. See they had a very strong code of ethics and operated their ships as democracies. This model was very different from what was in use on the imperialist fleets that "owned" the waters.

In this new age the imperialists are corporatist and pirates are back again; what was old is new. Much like the pirates of old it is easy to assume the worst and send them to the gallows. I believe we should first ask: why have these men have chosen this path.

Most of the incidents of piracy can be seen as border protection, a coast guard stand-in. It seems that some see the broken Somali government as an opportunity to infringe on Somali waters.

Accusations of everything from illegal fishing to dumping have been made. These pirates are usually arm with small arms and fishing boats up against tankers. For the most part the worst that has come out these encounters is delayed ships and loss of money. Like any others ventures there are of course some bad apples who are not “nice guys” but such things are expected.

These pirates do not have the look and the lingo we are used to but they are nonetheless doing the good works for their countrymen. They are certainly upholding the spirit of the pirate code of ethics.

High Crime and Misdemeanors Part 2

It seems like Paul Krugman and I were thinking the same exact thing. Great minds... Alright, I can't really put myself in the same class as a Nobel prize winning economist, but we do agree. I bet Mr.(Nobel Prize Winner) Krugman rocks his bling everywhere he goes. Nothing here from me but check out the article on the NY Times website.

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/12/19/opinion/19krugman.html?_r=1&hp

High crime and Misdemeanors

It is often said that "crime does not pay", but that old wives tale has been debunked time and time again. The truth is "small crimes do not pay." It really pays to be part of a criminal conspiracy looking to separate millions from their cash. Don't deal or smuggle drugs; become a kingpin of cocaine or some other high society drug (crack and weed gets you actual time).

I give this advice as someone who, at times, even hates jay walking. I am learning though that small time guys get vilified big-time but big-time guys get cushy quarters.

Let's say I was a thug who stole a purse or four or four hundred and knocked a few heads in; i would get some shitty cell with a repressed guy named Deebo. What would the damage be? Some people's lunch money or expensive jacket or their week's paycheck; I would rightly be put in the slammer. Let's say i instead used my company to steal those very same people's retirement, as well as their kid's college fund and made them lose their home to boot; i would get part of a 700 billion bailout.

Let's look at another example. If i were a Japanese fighter in ww2 and i tortured Americans for the safety of my "homeland." I would be put to death when evidence was brought. If instead I: started an illegal war on false pretenses, led to the deaths of thousands (some say millions) of people, indefinitely detained and tortured suspects, lost/stole millions of dollars on fraud and waste; I may have a shoe thrown at me.