There is a serious systemic problem in the structure of the American government of which we are all aware, but which we all ignore and pretend that it does not even exist. This problem has the capability to destroy our government and has prevented the proper functioning of our government at least since the beginning of the nineteenth century. It is now becoming magnified with every legislative session.
This problem is the United States Senate. It must be changed or it will destroy the American nation.
I am not speaking about the bi-camelarization of the legislative process, certainally not the staggered terms of the senate which provides continuinity. I am speaking about the democratic process itself and that of republican representation. This resulted from a great compromise at the beginning of our country that balanced the cities with the rural areas. Now, we have
rural states with enormously greater proportional representation than the more populated states. This results in an effective denial of proper representation for large numbers of Americans. For example, the 2.5 million members of Wyoming, Vermont, North Dakota and Alaska have the same voting power as the 100 million people in California, Texas, New York and Florida. To put it another way, each person is Wyoming has the same clout in the Senate as 70 Californians. Or another way, the population in the city of Tampa, Florida has the voting power as one-third of the total population of the entire United States.
As the world moves into new realms of international complexity and finds itself dealing with problems involving global pollution, nuclear weapons, international terrorism, a rapidly growing globalization of international economies, America is still dealing with a horse-and -buggy legislative structure to draft national laws largely due to a Senate that is still serving a sparcely populated, rural nation. The United States in 2009 passed the point at which most of its citizens now live in urban areas. As more and more Americans move into industrailized and urbanized areas which are concerned with issues such as light rail transportation, gun control, health care, higher education and other issues, their per-capita voting power in the Senate decreases and that of those people who remain in rural areas continues to grow in proportion.
According to Wikipedia on 2009.1103Tu2326 ,http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_U.S._states_and_territories_by_population
As of July 1, 2008, the estimated population of the 50 states and District of Columbia was 304,059,724. The top nine states in population contain slightly more than half of the total population. But they are represented by only 18 senators. The twenty-five lowest-population states contain less than one-sixth of the total population. But they have half, 50, of the total senators - the other half of the senate represents 5/6 of the US
Additionally, too often the rural states with low populations have prevented the nation from action desired by the majority of the people such as the restriction of civil-rights laws by southern states in the 1950s and 1960s. Or as we see in today’s health care debates.
So what to do? 1. become aware of the problem, of its magnitude and possible consequences. 2. create a discussion group to talk or write about it. 3. find important criteria for alternatives. 4) To explore possible alternative structures. 5) Publicize the issue.
Monday, February 08, 2010
Monday, January 25, 2010
"Chemical" Ali and "Chemical" Rumsfeld
As "Chemical" Ali is put to death today in Iraq it is Interesting to review the connections between Saddam Hussein, "Chemical" Ali, Bechtel and Donald "Chemical" Rumsfeld. http://www.oldamericancentury.org/donald_rumsfeld.htm
Admittedly, this is a biased account, but it would be interesting to see any refutations. There may be none.
The photo shows Rumsfeld, Ronald Reagan's then-special envoy to the Middle East, meeting with Saddam Hussein during a visit to Baghdad, Iraq in December 1983, during the Iran–Iraq War. A 60 second video of the event can be see here> http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Shakinghands_high.OGG
I believe “Chemical” Ali is present in both the handshake photo (with his back to the camera wearing horn-rimmed glasses) and seated in the video
Saturday, January 23, 2010
Obama - Year One
Obama is now becoming seen as a possibly deceptive person, at the best as an uncertainty . No one really feels confident that either they or Obama understands where Obama really stands. There is a growing sense that much is taking place behind the scenes, a sense that a lot is passing under the table. He tells you something and you feel good, then he shows you something else. And while you are figuring that out, you seem to feel that you lose something that you really didn’t want to give up. But it still only “seems” that this is going on. When you hear him talk you do feel better. But I don’t feel as much better now as I did a year ago, or six months ago, or even one month ago.
There is a sense that people are beginning to back away from Obama. No longer as certain as they were - still liking him - but now wary, worried, confused, uncertain. We definitely do hear what he said but now we wonder what he meant. More and more we have to accept one of these two terms: 1) either he is a very likable liar, or 2) he is being manipulated and can't figure it out.
The healthcare fiasco is an embarrassment. It is now apparent that the Democrats could not have passed it even if they had had 110 senators and 700 members of the house. Meanwhile, the Republicans are hanging back in the wings, throwing verbal brickbats at the Democrats, and waiting to be called back on main stage in 2012. They are not risking a thing, only saying the Democrats can't govern. And Obama wants to appeal to the republicans and they publicly make fun of him for it.
Obama needs a bit of the old Harry Ass Truman about him, and PUSH his plans out before the public, stand on them and work for their passage. MAKE Landrieu, or Nelson or Lieberman HAVE to get up on main stage and expose themselves. MAKE the Republican party HAVE to come out on that stage also and MAKE them stop the health care plans that the majority of the American people want. MAKE the Republicans expose themselves as the “Do Nothing” party.
The wars need to be stopped. NOW. Nothing good has ever come out of a war, nothing ever will. The good that followed World War II came not from that awful war, but from the peace that was waged in the rebuilding of Europe and Japan. Defence is one thing, but wars take on a mind of their own, they take charge and live on words like “Honor!”, “Glory!”, “Homeland!”, and make the other guy seem evil. Then the wars can run supreme. Meanwhile, almost all of the people ever killed in any war are innocent of any sin or crime and most of them are women and children. Now, our military is worn out. The equipment is badly worn, the troops have been over 2, 3, 4, sometimes 5 times. More and more it seems, Bechtel, Halliburton, Blackwater (neé) are being used - and that is bad because those corporations make money from war - they WANT wars. They NEED wars.
So Year One ends badly. As I said sometime ago I was not in favor of Obama running for president because he was the wrong color. He was too green. Now we WILL see just how quickly he can learn. Maybe now is his time. But the Supreme Court decision has probably ended his term in office. He has much to think about when he wakes up.
There is a sense that people are beginning to back away from Obama. No longer as certain as they were - still liking him - but now wary, worried, confused, uncertain. We definitely do hear what he said but now we wonder what he meant. More and more we have to accept one of these two terms: 1) either he is a very likable liar, or 2) he is being manipulated and can't figure it out.
The healthcare fiasco is an embarrassment. It is now apparent that the Democrats could not have passed it even if they had had 110 senators and 700 members of the house. Meanwhile, the Republicans are hanging back in the wings, throwing verbal brickbats at the Democrats, and waiting to be called back on main stage in 2012. They are not risking a thing, only saying the Democrats can't govern. And Obama wants to appeal to the republicans and they publicly make fun of him for it.
Obama needs a bit of the old Harry Ass Truman about him, and PUSH his plans out before the public, stand on them and work for their passage. MAKE Landrieu, or Nelson or Lieberman HAVE to get up on main stage and expose themselves. MAKE the Republican party HAVE to come out on that stage also and MAKE them stop the health care plans that the majority of the American people want. MAKE the Republicans expose themselves as the “Do Nothing” party.
The wars need to be stopped. NOW. Nothing good has ever come out of a war, nothing ever will. The good that followed World War II came not from that awful war, but from the peace that was waged in the rebuilding of Europe and Japan. Defence is one thing, but wars take on a mind of their own, they take charge and live on words like “Honor!”, “Glory!”, “Homeland!”, and make the other guy seem evil. Then the wars can run supreme. Meanwhile, almost all of the people ever killed in any war are innocent of any sin or crime and most of them are women and children. Now, our military is worn out. The equipment is badly worn, the troops have been over 2, 3, 4, sometimes 5 times. More and more it seems, Bechtel, Halliburton, Blackwater (neé) are being used - and that is bad because those corporations make money from war - they WANT wars. They NEED wars.
So Year One ends badly. As I said sometime ago I was not in favor of Obama running for president because he was the wrong color. He was too green. Now we WILL see just how quickly he can learn. Maybe now is his time. But the Supreme Court decision has probably ended his term in office. He has much to think about when he wakes up.
Thursday, January 21, 2010
Supreme Court Ruling January 21, 2010.
The Supreme Court of the United States today just changed the playing field of American politics for the foreseeable future with its ruling in Citizens United v. Federal Election Commission. Now corporations can spend as much money as they want in persuading members of congress or the administration to fulfill their needs. Already the major corporations EACH have 100 senators and 435 members of the U.S. House to represent THEM. Those 535 officials are theirs to contact and provide with money, prizes, meals, women, psychologically effective advertisements, even threats and demands (see http://theprettypenny.blogspot.com/2009/07/nra-and-sotomayor.html). You and I have two senators and one representative. I don't know how much money you have, but I can't compete with General Electric say, or Microsoft or Walmart or MacDonalds, much less ALL of them.
So now we are in competition in the selection process of our elected representatives, with the companies that have sold us cars that get 12 MPG, cigarettes, food that has led to a malnourished and sick nation, a "health-care" system that ranks 37th in the world (according to the World Health Organization) and costs two to three times the cost of developed nations, and are heavily invested in armament, bombs, land mines, and other weapons of war. Many of these corporations have substantial investors from foreign countries.
This also means that from now on every election in the United States, even one for the representative Butte County, South Dakota say (the geographical center of the country) will ring with international significance instead of the issues important to just those voters. Not only that but the money the corporations will be using to "influence" congress will be OUR money too. So we still have to pay taxes, then pay the corporations, plus pay our own special lobbies, whether they be Move On, NAACP, AARP or the NRA, and we have very little choice whether to pay any of them or not.
What can we do? Until and unless the corporations can be barred from any contributions to elections, there is no way. Some countries forbid these types of contributions and the entire cost of all elections are borne by the government and regulated and enforced with jail terms for infringement. That would mean a tax increase but would probably result in more money for the taxpayers.
So now we are in competition in the selection process of our elected representatives, with the companies that have sold us cars that get 12 MPG, cigarettes, food that has led to a malnourished and sick nation, a "health-care" system that ranks 37th in the world (according to the World Health Organization) and costs two to three times the cost of developed nations, and are heavily invested in armament, bombs, land mines, and other weapons of war. Many of these corporations have substantial investors from foreign countries.
This also means that from now on every election in the United States, even one for the representative Butte County, South Dakota say (the geographical center of the country) will ring with international significance instead of the issues important to just those voters. Not only that but the money the corporations will be using to "influence" congress will be OUR money too. So we still have to pay taxes, then pay the corporations, plus pay our own special lobbies, whether they be Move On, NAACP, AARP or the NRA, and we have very little choice whether to pay any of them or not.
What can we do? Until and unless the corporations can be barred from any contributions to elections, there is no way. Some countries forbid these types of contributions and the entire cost of all elections are borne by the government and regulated and enforced with jail terms for infringement. That would mean a tax increase but would probably result in more money for the taxpayers.
Thursday, December 10, 2009
Hickory Chamber of Commerce, Mr. Hearn, and Failure
I have just read one of the most amazing statement I have ever seen in my entire life. Mr. Daniel Hearn, President and CEO of the Catawba County Chamber of Commerce, made it in the December, 2009 issue of “Hickory Living” in the column called “Inside the Chamber”.
In an article titled “Campaign for Free Enterprise”, Mr. Hearn stated that “Government . . . cannot compete in the private sector in such areas as health care, for one simple reason. In order for free enterprise and competition to work, there must be the potential for failure.”
My immediate response would come as a question to Mr. Hearn asking him which part of his own health care plan would he like to see subject to failure. Particularly since many Americans have seen their health care plan fail when they were diagnosed with serious illness, or suffered serious injury. And when you do name that part of the American health care plan you would like to see subject to failure, Mr. Hearn, please pick a part of it which has not yet already failed.
While we are at it, I would like for Mr. Hearn to also describe which part of his own retirement plan he would like to see subject to failing, particularly after he had paid into it for forty or so years, like many Americans have experienced with their own retirement plans in the past three or four years.
Mr. Hearn elaborates on his statement by claiming that if a company has no possibility of failure, “ . . . then why would you worry about providing he best quality, service and cost for that product of service?” Obviously he has not noticed that when the big businesses failures of 2009 occurred, it was the “owners” of the companies who found themselves with suddenly worthless stock, while the management floated away on golden balloons.
I think Mr. Hearn has just shown the most compelling reason why the United States Government must control the people’s health care and retirement systems. If anything in any country is too big or too important to fail, then it must be the protection of the health and well-being of its workforce.
In an article titled “Campaign for Free Enterprise”, Mr. Hearn stated that “Government . . . cannot compete in the private sector in such areas as health care, for one simple reason. In order for free enterprise and competition to work, there must be the potential for failure.”
My immediate response would come as a question to Mr. Hearn asking him which part of his own health care plan would he like to see subject to failure. Particularly since many Americans have seen their health care plan fail when they were diagnosed with serious illness, or suffered serious injury. And when you do name that part of the American health care plan you would like to see subject to failure, Mr. Hearn, please pick a part of it which has not yet already failed.
While we are at it, I would like for Mr. Hearn to also describe which part of his own retirement plan he would like to see subject to failing, particularly after he had paid into it for forty or so years, like many Americans have experienced with their own retirement plans in the past three or four years.
Mr. Hearn elaborates on his statement by claiming that if a company has no possibility of failure, “ . . . then why would you worry about providing he best quality, service and cost for that product of service?” Obviously he has not noticed that when the big businesses failures of 2009 occurred, it was the “owners” of the companies who found themselves with suddenly worthless stock, while the management floated away on golden balloons.
I think Mr. Hearn has just shown the most compelling reason why the United States Government must control the people’s health care and retirement systems. If anything in any country is too big or too important to fail, then it must be the protection of the health and well-being of its workforce.
Saturday, December 05, 2009
Tiger Woods Has Company in High Places
Always amazing that another great man, who appears to have everything that any man could ever desire, would fall victim to a series of sexual liaisons.
Words are slowly bubbling up and floating out across the networks that Tiger has always been a bit coarse with his language and had seemed discourteous to a number of people in the past. Those bubbles could never sail in the presence of his perfect aura - but once that is dinged, then those images begin to fit into place in the new puzzle we find before us.
The work of the National Inquirer, that media counterpart to the earthworms and vultures of nature, pays off again and it has found another one and pulled it out of the mud.
And so what? What business is it of ours that Tiger Woods screwed up? Spitzer, and Edwards and Sanford and Ensign and Baucus and Clinton (Bill), and all those countless others were different. They had taken oaths to enforce the nation’s laws. They presented themselves as candidates for offices of great worth. They sought and still seek the spotlight, they support transparency, they propound family values and present themselves as honest, trustworthy, reliable caretakers of our great values. We need to know about the personal integrity of these officeholders, but what about Tiger?
Tiger Wood’s problem is that he has come - through CONSIDERABLE effort on his own part - to present himself as one of the great role models of all time. Not just for the average golfers either, the guys who are in their twenties, thirties and beyond, but for their children and for kids in general. Fathers have pointed out Tiger Woods to their children. “You too can be like Tiger, someday.” The moral they learn is that if we work hard and learn, and do things right, we can all be like Tiger, and you can too! You can be just like Tiger is. Now what do these fathers say?
Tiger Woods also was a great participant in a significant breaking of a part of that old thing we used to call the “color barrier”. There were some things that black people just couldn’t do. Golf was one of them. Woods smashed that old concept to regions far beyond Pluto. A LOT of people, many, many of them who were white, took great pride in that, and were proud of Woods. And Tiger was such a fine man too, a wonderful role model again. And again, the role model part was played well and embellished by Woods.
One more thing. Sports itself seems to have fallen into the black hole of capitalistic commercialism. Drugs, money, advertising, testimonials and hype seem to fuel all the sports we have, reminding us all that the word "sport" has two definitions. One definition concerns the display of skill and ability, the other refers to making fun of something, to jest, to fool. So now Tiger has shown that he is making sport of us. He fools us, we pay him money, he fools us again. Then the fire hydrant appeared - or didn't appear - at least in time to avoid it.
So is it all about sex? I really don’t think so. I think it has to be a matter of power. These transgressors are people who see themselves as being beyond the masses. They can do things that “people” can’t do. Laws and values and such are for the ordinary folks. These immortals are well beyond that, at least in their own minds, and they can get away with anything because they are so good at what they do. Another thing. All these people have "protectors". These are the people who take care of the famous ones, they open the doors, make the phone calls, deliver alibis, and dispense smoke. They’re good too. But they’re not 100%, not 100% of the time.
What can Woods do now? Now that he has found that life itself is very like the game of golf in that it is also full of holes. Well, he has always been an example standing out there in the open waiting for followers to become part of his gallery. Let’s see if he has the ability to learn and play in this great new game that life has now laid out for him.
Words are slowly bubbling up and floating out across the networks that Tiger has always been a bit coarse with his language and had seemed discourteous to a number of people in the past. Those bubbles could never sail in the presence of his perfect aura - but once that is dinged, then those images begin to fit into place in the new puzzle we find before us.
The work of the National Inquirer, that media counterpart to the earthworms and vultures of nature, pays off again and it has found another one and pulled it out of the mud.
And so what? What business is it of ours that Tiger Woods screwed up? Spitzer, and Edwards and Sanford and Ensign and Baucus and Clinton (Bill), and all those countless others were different. They had taken oaths to enforce the nation’s laws. They presented themselves as candidates for offices of great worth. They sought and still seek the spotlight, they support transparency, they propound family values and present themselves as honest, trustworthy, reliable caretakers of our great values. We need to know about the personal integrity of these officeholders, but what about Tiger?
Tiger Wood’s problem is that he has come - through CONSIDERABLE effort on his own part - to present himself as one of the great role models of all time. Not just for the average golfers either, the guys who are in their twenties, thirties and beyond, but for their children and for kids in general. Fathers have pointed out Tiger Woods to their children. “You too can be like Tiger, someday.” The moral they learn is that if we work hard and learn, and do things right, we can all be like Tiger, and you can too! You can be just like Tiger is. Now what do these fathers say?
Tiger Woods also was a great participant in a significant breaking of a part of that old thing we used to call the “color barrier”. There were some things that black people just couldn’t do. Golf was one of them. Woods smashed that old concept to regions far beyond Pluto. A LOT of people, many, many of them who were white, took great pride in that, and were proud of Woods. And Tiger was such a fine man too, a wonderful role model again. And again, the role model part was played well and embellished by Woods.
One more thing. Sports itself seems to have fallen into the black hole of capitalistic commercialism. Drugs, money, advertising, testimonials and hype seem to fuel all the sports we have, reminding us all that the word "sport" has two definitions. One definition concerns the display of skill and ability, the other refers to making fun of something, to jest, to fool. So now Tiger has shown that he is making sport of us. He fools us, we pay him money, he fools us again. Then the fire hydrant appeared - or didn't appear - at least in time to avoid it.
So is it all about sex? I really don’t think so. I think it has to be a matter of power. These transgressors are people who see themselves as being beyond the masses. They can do things that “people” can’t do. Laws and values and such are for the ordinary folks. These immortals are well beyond that, at least in their own minds, and they can get away with anything because they are so good at what they do. Another thing. All these people have "protectors". These are the people who take care of the famous ones, they open the doors, make the phone calls, deliver alibis, and dispense smoke. They’re good too. But they’re not 100%, not 100% of the time.
What can Woods do now? Now that he has found that life itself is very like the game of golf in that it is also full of holes. Well, he has always been an example standing out there in the open waiting for followers to become part of his gallery. Let’s see if he has the ability to learn and play in this great new game that life has now laid out for him.
Thursday, December 03, 2009
Jamie Leigh Jones, KBR, and Senator Burr
Jamie Leigh Jones volunteered in 2005, when she was 19 years old, to work for KBR in Iraq. To secure the position she was required by the company to sign an agreement that any issues she might have with the corporation would be referred to binding arbitration. Shortly after arriving in Iraq she was drugged, gang-raped and beaten by her coworkers at KBR. She suffered serious injuries to her breasts and genitals, and obvious mental trauma. The KBR employees who had assaulted her then prevented her from receiving medical care and kept her locked her in a shipping container for more than a day following the assault. She was told by KBR that if she left Iraq for medical treatment she would lose her job. KBR claimed her assault was part of the job and therefore required to be resolved by arbitration and she could not sue in court. It should be noted from the start that if Ms. Jones had been serving in the United States military she would have had the entire resources of the Universal Code of Military Justice at her service. If she had been simply "visiting" she would have had other options. But because she was an employee of an American corporation serving the Defense Department, that corporation claimed that by signing the contract with KBR she could be denied the constitutional rights of an American citizen.
After 15 months of arbitration, Jones and her lawyers did sue KBR in District Court and the court ruled that the Jones assault was not related to her employment and therefore not required to be settled under arbitration and her lawsuit can go forward.
While this hearing was proceeding, Senator Franken introduced an amendment to the Defense Appropriations Bill in November, 2009, providing that defense companies attempting to deny American citizens working for them their legal rights in American courts should be denied access to defense expenditures or any other payment from U. S. taxpayer funds. The measure passed 68 to 30. All 30 senators voting against the amendment were members of the Republican Party, Senator Burr being one of the thirty.
I called Senator Burr four times asking him to respond in writing to me about this vote. What did it mean to him, why did he cast it, and what was his intention?
On November 16, 2009, Senator Burr wrote to defend his vote, claiming the amendment unfairly discriminates against American corporations, because employment arbitration agreements can not cover claims involving personal injury, assault, etc. to begin with, therefore Ms. Jones could have brought action against her employer in federal court. The fact that KBR had blocked Ms. Jones attempt to do this for over a year was not discussed by Senator Burr.
Senator Burr also refers to the Military Extraterritorial Jurisdiction Act, which he says allows the federal government to prosecute crimes committed by U.S. military contractors working overseas. Senator Burr does not comment however, why the federal government did NOT prosecute these crimes which were committed by U. S. military contractors working overseas - these crimes against an American citizen. Senator Burr can probably still take action to see that the federal government does prosecute these crimes committed by U. S. military contractors working overseas. I hope he will.
Personally, I can’t believe that Senator Burr really wants to place the interests of corporations over justice for rape victims, but I have to read his vote as stating that while he thinks rape is serious of course, and so are some other crimes, still they are not THAT important in this war which has already cost so many lives and run about a trillion dollars. He seems to me to be saying that KBR, in this case, is too important to fail, and maybe we should not make them mad.
But at that point in his letter, Senator Burr - to my mind - rests his case. My question to him now is the same as it was back in November: Why can KBR, by virtue of the fact that it is a major defense contractor, deny access of any American citizen to the federal justice system? I really think the full impact of Senator Franken’s amendment will not fall upon Ms. Jones, but upon other victims who have not had the courage or resources to come forward until now.
This type of action allegedly carried out by KBR is not dissimilar to the attack on the United States on 9-11. It too is terrorism. It too is an attack against American citizens by an organization which is opposed to American principles.
Senator Burr’s vote is also a form of terrorism, an attack against American citizens by an individual who is opposed to American principles. Shame on you Senator Burr, may the shame you have brought to America by this vote find its final resting place on your shoulders.
After 15 months of arbitration, Jones and her lawyers did sue KBR in District Court and the court ruled that the Jones assault was not related to her employment and therefore not required to be settled under arbitration and her lawsuit can go forward.
While this hearing was proceeding, Senator Franken introduced an amendment to the Defense Appropriations Bill in November, 2009, providing that defense companies attempting to deny American citizens working for them their legal rights in American courts should be denied access to defense expenditures or any other payment from U. S. taxpayer funds. The measure passed 68 to 30. All 30 senators voting against the amendment were members of the Republican Party, Senator Burr being one of the thirty.
I called Senator Burr four times asking him to respond in writing to me about this vote. What did it mean to him, why did he cast it, and what was his intention?
On November 16, 2009, Senator Burr wrote to defend his vote, claiming the amendment unfairly discriminates against American corporations, because employment arbitration agreements can not cover claims involving personal injury, assault, etc. to begin with, therefore Ms. Jones could have brought action against her employer in federal court. The fact that KBR had blocked Ms. Jones attempt to do this for over a year was not discussed by Senator Burr.
Senator Burr also refers to the Military Extraterritorial Jurisdiction Act, which he says allows the federal government to prosecute crimes committed by U.S. military contractors working overseas. Senator Burr does not comment however, why the federal government did NOT prosecute these crimes which were committed by U. S. military contractors working overseas - these crimes against an American citizen. Senator Burr can probably still take action to see that the federal government does prosecute these crimes committed by U. S. military contractors working overseas. I hope he will.
Personally, I can’t believe that Senator Burr really wants to place the interests of corporations over justice for rape victims, but I have to read his vote as stating that while he thinks rape is serious of course, and so are some other crimes, still they are not THAT important in this war which has already cost so many lives and run about a trillion dollars. He seems to me to be saying that KBR, in this case, is too important to fail, and maybe we should not make them mad.
But at that point in his letter, Senator Burr - to my mind - rests his case. My question to him now is the same as it was back in November: Why can KBR, by virtue of the fact that it is a major defense contractor, deny access of any American citizen to the federal justice system? I really think the full impact of Senator Franken’s amendment will not fall upon Ms. Jones, but upon other victims who have not had the courage or resources to come forward until now.
This type of action allegedly carried out by KBR is not dissimilar to the attack on the United States on 9-11. It too is terrorism. It too is an attack against American citizens by an organization which is opposed to American principles.
Senator Burr’s vote is also a form of terrorism, an attack against American citizens by an individual who is opposed to American principles. Shame on you Senator Burr, may the shame you have brought to America by this vote find its final resting place on your shoulders.
Saturday, November 14, 2009
National Health Care
The wealth and power of any nation depends on the production that its citizens can create. One of the most important resources any nation will ever have therefore, is a healthy workforce. That resource is far too important to be left to commercial corporations who must, by their very structure, subordinate that national need to their own need for profit.
Commercial businesses operate on a short-term basis, usually from one quarter (a three month calendar period) to the next. Commercial health care corporations plan their services and operations based on that calendar system, because the well being of those corporations depend on their profit, and their sale of stock, but the health care of the nation is an on-going, long-term project requiring elaborate planning for events that will occur a generation or more into the future.
Our present system has already produced close to 50 million Americans who have no health insurance at all, perhaps 50 million more who are under-insured. Many Americans who do have health-care insurance they like, still depend on their employer to provide it and are dependent upon and bound to that company. They can’t quit their job, or look for another job or move because they may not be eligible for ANY health care if they give up their current plan. And since many American businesses also carry a portion of their employees health care costs they find themselves at a disadvantage when competing in the global economy with companies from other nations who do not carry these costs.
Will a governmental health care plan cause an increase in taxes? Probably. But America is currently paying - for its dangerously ineffective health insurance system - about twice as much as any other nation in the world and getting about half as much in return. Taxes may go up, but the price we are paying commercial insurance corporations may totally vanish! Not only will we become healthier, but we will have more money too. And even if we do pay additional taxes, we will get most of that back in care. And even if you or I do not need health care at all in any given period, we will all still realize benefits from having a healthier national workforce with more discretionary money to spend.
How do we implement this national health care? Begin with Medicare. Expand that to include ALL citizens. Phase it in over say, five years or even less. That will give us the strongest possible public option, we will then have a single-payer, single-collector system, and the prices will be set by health care providers and consumers working together under governmental regulations. Together we can improve this system as new opportunities become available. According to reliable polls the majority of American citizens want a single payer system with a strong public option, and most of the American health care providers want that system too. Medicare has been one of the most popular services our government has ever provided.
What would our founding fathers think? Well, remember they lived before the discovery of the germ theory of disease in a nation of less than four million people, aproximately 15% of which were slaves, and about half of which could not vote (because they were women), transportation depended on horses and the wind, communication was accomplished with quill pens, and the life expectancy of Americans was about 35 years. They designed a magnificant political structure for the world they lived in. We now live in a vastly different world. Hello?
Commercial businesses operate on a short-term basis, usually from one quarter (a three month calendar period) to the next. Commercial health care corporations plan their services and operations based on that calendar system, because the well being of those corporations depend on their profit, and their sale of stock, but the health care of the nation is an on-going, long-term project requiring elaborate planning for events that will occur a generation or more into the future.
Our present system has already produced close to 50 million Americans who have no health insurance at all, perhaps 50 million more who are under-insured. Many Americans who do have health-care insurance they like, still depend on their employer to provide it and are dependent upon and bound to that company. They can’t quit their job, or look for another job or move because they may not be eligible for ANY health care if they give up their current plan. And since many American businesses also carry a portion of their employees health care costs they find themselves at a disadvantage when competing in the global economy with companies from other nations who do not carry these costs.
Will a governmental health care plan cause an increase in taxes? Probably. But America is currently paying - for its dangerously ineffective health insurance system - about twice as much as any other nation in the world and getting about half as much in return. Taxes may go up, but the price we are paying commercial insurance corporations may totally vanish! Not only will we become healthier, but we will have more money too. And even if we do pay additional taxes, we will get most of that back in care. And even if you or I do not need health care at all in any given period, we will all still realize benefits from having a healthier national workforce with more discretionary money to spend.
How do we implement this national health care? Begin with Medicare. Expand that to include ALL citizens. Phase it in over say, five years or even less. That will give us the strongest possible public option, we will then have a single-payer, single-collector system, and the prices will be set by health care providers and consumers working together under governmental regulations. Together we can improve this system as new opportunities become available. According to reliable polls the majority of American citizens want a single payer system with a strong public option, and most of the American health care providers want that system too. Medicare has been one of the most popular services our government has ever provided.
What would our founding fathers think? Well, remember they lived before the discovery of the germ theory of disease in a nation of less than four million people, aproximately 15% of which were slaves, and about half of which could not vote (because they were women), transportation depended on horses and the wind, communication was accomplished with quill pens, and the life expectancy of Americans was about 35 years. They designed a magnificant political structure for the world they lived in. We now live in a vastly different world. Hello?
Wednesday, November 11, 2009
Happy Veterans Day?
Once upon a summertime, some forty years ago, a playful picture was made of a man and his son fishing in the Gulf of Mexico. This seems a proper way to spend a day in the good ole summer time even though on the next Wednesday, this man left his children, his wife and his country. He left to return to Vietnam. His country needed him there. Again.
Someone gave me a card today. It said “Thanks for serving our country. Our veterans are our true heroes.” I didn’t know what to say. I was actually shocked. I wasn’t expecting it. I was kind of embarrassed. Such a thing had never happened before. The last time someone commented about my service to my country was when I returned from my second tour in Vietnam. A wealthy-looking guy in San Francisco airport, wearing a hound’s tooth cap with a red feather in it, spat in my face, and he got away. Next day two people got up and walked out of my church when I attended. One of them called me “Baby Killer!” The priest said I was a hero. I had eight days before I was to return to Vietnam for another tour. Since then there haven’t been any more comments. it has been a form of don’t ask - don’t tell. I don’t tell them I am a veteran and they don’t say anything nasty. It has worked out OK. I don’t need to say anything. Or do I? There are some issues. Here are just four of them.
1) Of those who saw combat in Vietnam, 85% later divorced, leaving their children to swim in uncertain waters and to change plans they had made all their lives.
2) That tonight, like every night, some 100,000 veterans are homeless. Spending the night in shelters, under bridges, on streets, in public parks.
3) That some 2,200 veterans died in 2009, as in every year, simply because they did not have access to health care - that’s six a day, one every four hours. Because they can’t get medical care in the country they served.
4) That in America, which has more people in prison and jail than any other nation in the world, one out of every seven inmates is a veteran.
Military service to one’s country can be fatal. Sometimes it leaves a person maimed or seriously injured. Injuries to the body can be understood by Americans, because they can see and react to that to a degree. Injuries to the mind and spirit and to the soul though, are to be hidden. When they become evident they are seen as a weakness in character beyond hope or care. They obviously can’t be helped, they don’t get better and may get a lot worse very quickly. The proper response seems to be punishment or isolation. And if those people will stay out of our way, and hide and say nothing, we will continue to ignore them and pretend they really don't exist. For one more day.
Happy Veterans Day.
Sunday, November 08, 2009
Senator Robert Byrd
Any Requiem for Robert Byrd must include a dirge for his state.
Some comment seems appropriate as a person arrives at a remarkable achievement in our nation's records. Today Robert Byrd will have served his state longer than anyone else has ever served any other state. The people of West Virginia have elected and reelected him some 10 or 11 times either as a representative or senator, the last 56 years as senator. He’s not been around much lately because he is in poor health. So is his state.
Robert Byrd represents MOUNTAINTOP REMOVAL. That’s a process in which mountain tops are scraped by vehicles the size of Delaware and pushed to uncover coal that lies under the ground. The tops then slide down into and fill up the valleys that used to carry streams through West Virginia. Byrd has been “unable” to prevent this. Not only that, but his people are still dependent on coal. Not the marketing of it or the selling of it but the other end of it, digging it out and breathing it in.
As Byrd completes his 56th year as their senator, the people of West Virginia rank among the highest in the nation in low life expectancy 46, high infant mortality 40, tooth loss 50, suicide 42, poor education 37 and mental health problems 50th. These are the people who continue to vote for him.
Is it fair to blame the condition of a state on its elected official? Why not? Particularly when they have been in office for 56 years. But I am not blaming Robert Byrd for all of his state’s problems. I am blaming the electorate.
Some comment seems appropriate as a person arrives at a remarkable achievement in our nation's records. Today Robert Byrd will have served his state longer than anyone else has ever served any other state. The people of West Virginia have elected and reelected him some 10 or 11 times either as a representative or senator, the last 56 years as senator. He’s not been around much lately because he is in poor health. So is his state.
Robert Byrd represents MOUNTAINTOP REMOVAL. That’s a process in which mountain tops are scraped by vehicles the size of Delaware and pushed to uncover coal that lies under the ground. The tops then slide down into and fill up the valleys that used to carry streams through West Virginia. Byrd has been “unable” to prevent this. Not only that, but his people are still dependent on coal. Not the marketing of it or the selling of it but the other end of it, digging it out and breathing it in.
As Byrd completes his 56th year as their senator, the people of West Virginia rank among the highest in the nation in low life expectancy 46, high infant mortality 40, tooth loss 50, suicide 42, poor education 37 and mental health problems 50th. These are the people who continue to vote for him.
Is it fair to blame the condition of a state on its elected official? Why not? Particularly when they have been in office for 56 years. But I am not blaming Robert Byrd for all of his state’s problems. I am blaming the electorate.
Friday, November 06, 2009
Ft Hood, the Muslim and us, and Gods Galore.
There was a bad shooting on Fort Hood, Texas. Soldiers were killed by a gunman. That is not possible. How could such a thing happen on a military base? Then we find the killer was an officer. The impossible story just became totally unbelievable. More information tells us the kiiller was a MAJOR - a field-grade officer! Now we know this has to be a lie! But there is still more to come - we find out that he is also a medical doctor as well! NO- NO- NO- we can't believe that! And THEN we are told he is a psychairist! This is the craziest tale we have ever heard. Finally, word comes out that he is a Muslim. Oh Thank God!!! Now it all makes sense.
But there is still more . . . because as we learn about the killings and the prelude and the killer and the place and the emotions involved, we finally know that as a nation, that we are falling from the sky, slowly spinning down out of control. Nothing is planned anymore and then carried out, all is simply falling down to crash into the streets. Values are grimly abandoned, guns are grimly bought, hatred grimly simmers, vengence is now OURS dammit, too important to be left to some stupid lord to play around with. God can't begin to understand how MAD we have become. Allah has clearly become a pain in the rear, Yahweh revealed to be an raving child. ALL those Gods have to just cool it and go the hell away - at least for a while - when we get it straightened out then maybe, just maybe, we will give them another chance. Dammit, they just don't understand how MAD we have become!
Could it really be possible as some have already been so bold to say, that first man was created and then man created god in his own image? Are the Lord God, Allah and Yahweh only images graven in mankind's own petty likeness so he can bow down before his own imaginary creations and worship an exalted version of himself? Such a story would account for the world we have now created for ourselves, one in which we kill each other to honor, avenge and even just simply "please" our own separate gods.
But there is still more . . . because as we learn about the killings and the prelude and the killer and the place and the emotions involved, we finally know that as a nation, that we are falling from the sky, slowly spinning down out of control. Nothing is planned anymore and then carried out, all is simply falling down to crash into the streets. Values are grimly abandoned, guns are grimly bought, hatred grimly simmers, vengence is now OURS dammit, too important to be left to some stupid lord to play around with. God can't begin to understand how MAD we have become. Allah has clearly become a pain in the rear, Yahweh revealed to be an raving child. ALL those Gods have to just cool it and go the hell away - at least for a while - when we get it straightened out then maybe, just maybe, we will give them another chance. Dammit, they just don't understand how MAD we have become!
Could it really be possible as some have already been so bold to say, that first man was created and then man created god in his own image? Are the Lord God, Allah and Yahweh only images graven in mankind's own petty likeness so he can bow down before his own imaginary creations and worship an exalted version of himself? Such a story would account for the world we have now created for ourselves, one in which we kill each other to honor, avenge and even just simply "please" our own separate gods.
Thursday, October 29, 2009
Dover Air Force Base
Dover is a large Air Force Base, and like many military installations it is located away from a lot of the country. It is on the ocean and smells of salt and the sea, and the wind seems to always blow in like it is so glad to finally reach land. It will embrace you and it can take your breath away.
There is a lot of traffic in and out of Dover. It connects to Germany and England and sometimes surprisingly far into Europe and also has flights to other strange places like California. It is one of several major international airports right around here, but it is not at all like Andrews AFB, or Baltimore-Washington International, both of which are close by and which also handle a lot of aircraft. Those places are mainly to receive VIPs and for real quick turnarounds for everybody else. People who land there run inside, grab a drink, a bite to eat, they race to another plane and are gone in a hurry. Dover handles a lot of heavy equipment that needs repair, worn-out trucks, beat-up helicopters, and big weapons shipped back for repairs. And it has a morgue. Things slow down in Dover. Dover is the place where time finally comes to an end and quits.
If you are flying out of Dover you will need to park your car in the Long Term Lot. You have to drive a little way past the morgue and secure your car and then walk back to the terminal. You get a good look at the Port Mortuary. It doesn’t look too different from the rest of the base in the daytime,
but at night it seems aloof, as if preoccupied in its own thoughts, perhaps more like a poker player who is pretending to ignore you but you know you're being watched carefully. You can’t help notice that the left side of the building has roof that appears to be made of glass, it looks like frosted glass. And it glows in the night as if it is cold inside there. Outside, the night is warm, and the breeze off the ocean builds in intensity.
If you are there at 10:00 p.m., something strange happens. Quietly at first comes a sound that flows across the base, slowly building into a bugle call, softly playing the song we all know as “Taps”. “Day is done, gone the sun. From the lakes, from the hills, from the run. All is well, safely rest; God is nigh.”
And then all that is left is the wind.
There is a lot of traffic in and out of Dover. It connects to Germany and England and sometimes surprisingly far into Europe and also has flights to other strange places like California. It is one of several major international airports right around here, but it is not at all like Andrews AFB, or Baltimore-Washington International, both of which are close by and which also handle a lot of aircraft. Those places are mainly to receive VIPs and for real quick turnarounds for everybody else. People who land there run inside, grab a drink, a bite to eat, they race to another plane and are gone in a hurry. Dover handles a lot of heavy equipment that needs repair, worn-out trucks, beat-up helicopters, and big weapons shipped back for repairs. And it has a morgue. Things slow down in Dover. Dover is the place where time finally comes to an end and quits.
If you are flying out of Dover you will need to park your car in the Long Term Lot. You have to drive a little way past the morgue and secure your car and then walk back to the terminal. You get a good look at the Port Mortuary. It doesn’t look too different from the rest of the base in the daytime,
but at night it seems aloof, as if preoccupied in its own thoughts, perhaps more like a poker player who is pretending to ignore you but you know you're being watched carefully. You can’t help notice that the left side of the building has roof that appears to be made of glass, it looks like frosted glass. And it glows in the night as if it is cold inside there. Outside, the night is warm, and the breeze off the ocean builds in intensity. If you are there at 10:00 p.m., something strange happens. Quietly at first comes a sound that flows across the base, slowly building into a bugle call, softly playing the song we all know as “Taps”. “Day is done, gone the sun. From the lakes, from the hills, from the run. All is well, safely rest; God is nigh.”
And then all that is left is the wind.
Sunday, October 25, 2009
Why Fox News IS Different
Not all words can be defined. Most of Plato’s Socratic dialogs argue over concepts that were born without benefit of definition. Many other statements we use today may carry meaning for us but still cannot be defined. “Fascism” is such a word. It can either not be defined at all or else defined in so many ways that it has even less meaning than when the enquiry began.
Philosophers live in this type of world. When they examine a word, they begin with its definition. If it has none they can agree on, they begin by listing the most important characteristics that its use conveys. In the case of “fascism” a number of characteristics are readily available. And that’s where Fox News performs a great service for the rest of us.
Perhaps the most important characteristic of a fascist organization is that its entire work reflects and supports the personality of its leader, or the leading faction of the organization. We see the North Korean economy, arts, military, agriculture, education system, and ALL other institutions mimic Kim Jong-il’s beliefs and attitudes. Same for Myanmar and Than Shwe, also for Somalia, Libya, and several other nations. That means that whatever happens in the world will be reported and discussed in those countries through the personality of their leader or the controlling faction. Whether it is even reported or not will be determined by the leading group. If it is discussed it will be colored by the wishes, opinions, prejudices and goals of its leading faction.
The word “fascism” comes from the Italian, “fasces” or “bundle”, and refers to the old demonstration that one arrow can be broken over one’s knee, also two and three, even more perhaps, but eventually the number of arrows (or other items) becomes so great, when they are “bundled together” they cannot be broken. So you have a country, or an organization that is completely united, all aiming in the same direction and each supporting the other. That’s power. It may also be good business when the business is plowing, manufacturing, selling and producing. But it may be counter-productive when the business of the organization is scientific research, medical care, or collecting, reporting and analyzing the news of the day. But a fascist organization will perform its scientific research, medical care and news delivery to affirm the prejudices and justify the goals of its leader.
There are other characteristics of a fascist organization. Most of them try to generate mass movements of public opinion. Don’t most political parties? Yes, but this is where the fascist organizations have a great advantage. The U. S. Democratic Party, for example would NEVER be mistaken for a fascist organization. They may have a huge bundle of arrows but they are all pointing in different directions. Fascist organizations have rock solid discipline and are always united and walking in lock-step. They don't need debate or to ask questions, because the goal has already been determined, all they have to do is what they have been told to do. They also shine with predetermined doctrines and slogans. They almost always exhort reaction to save their country, organization, business from a declining status. They come to rescue their people from humility, and extol purity and patriotism. They need a “great power” that must be resisted to use as their recruiting tool. They have hallowed ground they refer to often, back to their (our) fathers, great historical moments and such.
So Fox News seems to be an organization that is strong and capable of doing work. No one will ever accuse it of shirking its duties. But it is clear that its duties do not include finding, reporting and analyzing the events of daily occurrence in the world. Everything they report comes with a constant, familiar and coordinated spin. Their listeners appear to be a faithful and loyal group. In this world of constant confusion, random events, stress and terror, Fox's followers are never surprised. Especially when the latest happening is explained, as it is presented to them, as having be caused by a great power they must continue to resist to prevent their nation from falling from its glorious historical past into humility, and that theirs is the cause of purity, salvation, glory and honor. And they, the Fox watchers, have important, informed, intelligent and forceful leaders who DO know what to do, even if their elected officials do not know what to do and how to do it, because the Fox reporters demonstrate what we all MUST do by reciting the necessary slogans and defined doctrines to lead our way. These comments are carefully selected and well organized lesson plans.
Balanced? No. Fair? No. News? No. Fox? Yes.
Philosophers live in this type of world. When they examine a word, they begin with its definition. If it has none they can agree on, they begin by listing the most important characteristics that its use conveys. In the case of “fascism” a number of characteristics are readily available. And that’s where Fox News performs a great service for the rest of us.
Perhaps the most important characteristic of a fascist organization is that its entire work reflects and supports the personality of its leader, or the leading faction of the organization. We see the North Korean economy, arts, military, agriculture, education system, and ALL other institutions mimic Kim Jong-il’s beliefs and attitudes. Same for Myanmar and Than Shwe, also for Somalia, Libya, and several other nations. That means that whatever happens in the world will be reported and discussed in those countries through the personality of their leader or the controlling faction. Whether it is even reported or not will be determined by the leading group. If it is discussed it will be colored by the wishes, opinions, prejudices and goals of its leading faction.
The word “fascism” comes from the Italian, “fasces” or “bundle”, and refers to the old demonstration that one arrow can be broken over one’s knee, also two and three, even more perhaps, but eventually the number of arrows (or other items) becomes so great, when they are “bundled together” they cannot be broken. So you have a country, or an organization that is completely united, all aiming in the same direction and each supporting the other. That’s power. It may also be good business when the business is plowing, manufacturing, selling and producing. But it may be counter-productive when the business of the organization is scientific research, medical care, or collecting, reporting and analyzing the news of the day. But a fascist organization will perform its scientific research, medical care and news delivery to affirm the prejudices and justify the goals of its leader.
There are other characteristics of a fascist organization. Most of them try to generate mass movements of public opinion. Don’t most political parties? Yes, but this is where the fascist organizations have a great advantage. The U. S. Democratic Party, for example would NEVER be mistaken for a fascist organization. They may have a huge bundle of arrows but they are all pointing in different directions. Fascist organizations have rock solid discipline and are always united and walking in lock-step. They don't need debate or to ask questions, because the goal has already been determined, all they have to do is what they have been told to do. They also shine with predetermined doctrines and slogans. They almost always exhort reaction to save their country, organization, business from a declining status. They come to rescue their people from humility, and extol purity and patriotism. They need a “great power” that must be resisted to use as their recruiting tool. They have hallowed ground they refer to often, back to their (our) fathers, great historical moments and such.
So Fox News seems to be an organization that is strong and capable of doing work. No one will ever accuse it of shirking its duties. But it is clear that its duties do not include finding, reporting and analyzing the events of daily occurrence in the world. Everything they report comes with a constant, familiar and coordinated spin. Their listeners appear to be a faithful and loyal group. In this world of constant confusion, random events, stress and terror, Fox's followers are never surprised. Especially when the latest happening is explained, as it is presented to them, as having be caused by a great power they must continue to resist to prevent their nation from falling from its glorious historical past into humility, and that theirs is the cause of purity, salvation, glory and honor. And they, the Fox watchers, have important, informed, intelligent and forceful leaders who DO know what to do, even if their elected officials do not know what to do and how to do it, because the Fox reporters demonstrate what we all MUST do by reciting the necessary slogans and defined doctrines to lead our way. These comments are carefully selected and well organized lesson plans.
Balanced? No. Fair? No. News? No. Fox? Yes.
Wednesday, October 21, 2009
Depends on Whose Ox is Being Stimulated
Concerning complaints from republicans about the stimulus spending, I commented already on the Washington Post ". . . we have fought several wars without tax increases - there has to be some 'consequenches' to that . . ." We are now fighting 2 unfunded wars to nowhere that have already given $3,000,000,000,000 largely to Boeing, Halliburton, KBR and others who are now using our money to buy our congressmen - and though many of the congressmen have been removed, in my part of the country the congressmen are still there . . . and oh yes, the wars still go on too. Still unfunded. Still open spigotted.
Sunday, October 18, 2009
You Can Call Me Joe.
At least I got noticed. Page 2B CHARLOTTE OBSERVER, Sunday October 18, 2009. They mentioned that "Joe" Womack, a hickory-based blogger had been de-friended on Facebook by McHenry after comments Womack made on his "Pretty Penny" blog about why even have any health-insurance companies and how McHenry had told Womack that he had a page for friends and another for "other people".
Tuesday, October 13, 2009
Patrick McHenry and Health Care
Received email from Patrick McHenry about how America has the best health care system in the entire world, and there are some minor areas that need attention. He apparently sees our system as being not-quite perfect but well on the way. My response:
Mr. McHenry, America does NOT have the best health care system in the world, but falls far short of ALL other developed nations in the world, with over 45 million Americans totally uninsured, and perhaps another 45 million under-insured. Additionally, many American businesses find themselves carrying the cost of providing insurance of their workers as they compete in the new global economy - and they are the only ones who have this cost.
Here's what to do. 1) Provide Medicare for All. All Americans would be insured and the waste and additional costs (profits) of the insurance companies could be used for American health-care. The medical profession would no longer have 100+ insurance firms to deal with, but with only one single payer. 2) Failing that, devise ANY system you want BUT provide a public option in that system. Then let the American people make the decision themselves.
John Womack
Mr. McHenry, America does NOT have the best health care system in the world, but falls far short of ALL other developed nations in the world, with over 45 million Americans totally uninsured, and perhaps another 45 million under-insured. Additionally, many American businesses find themselves carrying the cost of providing insurance of their workers as they compete in the new global economy - and they are the only ones who have this cost.
Here's what to do. 1) Provide Medicare for All. All Americans would be insured and the waste and additional costs (profits) of the insurance companies could be used for American health-care. The medical profession would no longer have 100+ insurance firms to deal with, but with only one single payer. 2) Failing that, devise ANY system you want BUT provide a public option in that system. Then let the American people make the decision themselves.
John Womack
Thursday, October 08, 2009
Disappearing Constituent of Patrick McHenry
Patrick McHenry is my congressman. He represents me in the United States House of Representatives. He is also on Facebook where he seeks "friends" to advise him on matters of our state and nation. I became his "friend" and enjoyed making suggestions to him and asking him questions. Some of his other "friends" apparently did not care for my suggestions or questions, Both my intelligence and my integrity were called into question, then covered with contemptuous comments Finally, I began to notice that no more comments were forthcoming from Mr. McHenry, and slowly it dawned on me that I had been "de-friended". All for asking the one questions of why we even need health insurance companies at all. We have the supply-demand equation between the medical profession and the American people. All we need to add to that is for the federal government to regulate the industry and provide its own insurance to the people, since the nation itself is the real beneficiary of having healthy workers who can be efficient, effective and productive.
After I realized what had happened, I wrote an "Open Comment" to Mr. McHenry asking why I had become de-friended since I was only trying to help him as one of his constituents.
A week and a half later, Mr. McHenry answered saying that "that" Facebook page was for his "Friends", that "others" could contact him on another Facebook page. So I went there and found I still had to become a "Fan" of Mr. McHenry, and I did. Then I wrote that same question from before and sent it. I watched it after it was sent and was rereading it to make sure there were no errors when it disappeared! Wow. So I wrote another question asking Mr. McHenry I can't ask him any questions, sent it and was looking at it when it disappeared too. At least I taped the second question attempt.
Mr. McHenry wrote me again today and said "you can ask me any questions you want." Yeah, sure.
After I realized what had happened, I wrote an "Open Comment" to Mr. McHenry asking why I had become de-friended since I was only trying to help him as one of his constituents.
A week and a half later, Mr. McHenry answered saying that "that" Facebook page was for his "Friends", that "others" could contact him on another Facebook page. So I went there and found I still had to become a "Fan" of Mr. McHenry, and I did. Then I wrote that same question from before and sent it. I watched it after it was sent and was rereading it to make sure there were no errors when it disappeared! Wow. So I wrote another question asking Mr. McHenry I can't ask him any questions, sent it and was looking at it when it disappeared too. At least I taped the second question attempt.
Mr. McHenry wrote me again today and said "you can ask me any questions you want." Yeah, sure.
Thursday, October 01, 2009
Get Rid of Health Insurance Companies
Why do we even HAVE health-insurance companies? Health care is basically a supply-demand equation and we Americans know how to handle that. We buy groceries, houses, computers, automobiles, clothing, education and so on without any insurance “gatekeepers” to tell us “OK, you can have a Ford but not a Pontiac” or “no, you can’t buy a coat this winter, you bought one last year.” Or "you can't have anymore generic DVDs, you will have to buy these which cost ten times as much." And it’s not like we don’t all use health-care. Americans use health-care to get born, we use a lot of it when we die, and we all need teeth repaired and glasses. From time to time, we all have accidents and get sick and we all need health care. We "demand" medical services and we have a top-notch medical industry of doctors, nurses, hospitals, and organizations who can "supply" those services. Why do we think we need a gate-keeper to tell us we can have this but not that, or a certain procedure will cost more than we can afford so we can't have it, or that pills the doctor has prescribed will cost $600 a month?
We can take care of ourselves together as a nation like we used to do on the frontier, and supply-demand will work in this industry like it does elsewhere. All of the money these insurance companies get is money we pay to them, then they give a little bit of it back to us in the form of permission to get some medical service, and the rest goes for their own profit, to their rich CEOs and to buy off our senators and representatives. Let's get rid of ALL health insurance companies and let the citizens of the United States collectively provide for our own general welfare.
We can take care of ourselves together as a nation like we used to do on the frontier, and supply-demand will work in this industry like it does elsewhere. All of the money these insurance companies get is money we pay to them, then they give a little bit of it back to us in the form of permission to get some medical service, and the rest goes for their own profit, to their rich CEOs and to buy off our senators and representatives. Let's get rid of ALL health insurance companies and let the citizens of the United States collectively provide for our own general welfare.
Thursday, September 10, 2009
Joe Wilson and Hitler
South Carolina congressman Joe Wilson pointed his finger at President Obama, while the president was delivering a message to the American people, and shouted loudly “You lie!”. Wilson later apologized and said he was sorry. He acted “spontaneously”, he said. I couldn’t help but wonder if he would have shot at the president had he brought his gun.
Wilson’s attempt to disgrace the office of the President of the United States, cast immeasurably more contempt upon the Congress itself, and the house in which he acted. Meanwhile, before the Wilson outburst, the Republican part of the chamber occasionally resembled a snake pit, with the sound of hissing coming from there. There were occasional boos heard also. Some of the Republican representatives had placards, one wore a sign around his neck, others waved pieces of paper in the air. Apparently the Republican leaders felt all this was all part of a civil discourse, even though the only thing they have told the American people for the past seven months is the word "No!".
The Republican Party is beginning to look more and more as if they have been remade into a different political party, with the Hallway Hooligans of Miami as their Founding Fathers. Their new symbol is the belligerent shout and pointed finger, the threat, the talking points screamed again over and over - even though they contain no truth. Talk about Hitler? His real trademark was not his pathetic mustache, it was The Big Lie. That has become the New Republican marching banner. The Screamed Big Lie.
Nontheless Wilson may have really accomplished something of worth - something that President Obama couldn’t do on his own: the unification of the Democratic Party.
Wilson’s attempt to disgrace the office of the President of the United States, cast immeasurably more contempt upon the Congress itself, and the house in which he acted. Meanwhile, before the Wilson outburst, the Republican part of the chamber occasionally resembled a snake pit, with the sound of hissing coming from there. There were occasional boos heard also. Some of the Republican representatives had placards, one wore a sign around his neck, others waved pieces of paper in the air. Apparently the Republican leaders felt all this was all part of a civil discourse, even though the only thing they have told the American people for the past seven months is the word "No!".
The Republican Party is beginning to look more and more as if they have been remade into a different political party, with the Hallway Hooligans of Miami as their Founding Fathers. Their new symbol is the belligerent shout and pointed finger, the threat, the talking points screamed again over and over - even though they contain no truth. Talk about Hitler? His real trademark was not his pathetic mustache, it was The Big Lie. That has become the New Republican marching banner. The Screamed Big Lie.
Nontheless Wilson may have really accomplished something of worth - something that President Obama couldn’t do on his own: the unification of the Democratic Party.
Friday, September 04, 2009
The New American Imprint
It wasn't really the fault of the “No Child Left Behind” act, but the law was new and available, and particularly after the attacks of 9-11 it worked. Here's how.
In order to implement that program a series of procedures and tests were developed and added to the practice of education in the United States. This included a cascading series of program measures and performance standards implementing several new and different methods of teaching and providing measurement of the effectiveness of all teaching. New standardized tests were designed so any qualified manager or administrator, including those with no knowledge of the profession of teaching, could evaluate the work of the teaching professionals and these controls were fed back into the schools. Teachers and administrators who trained their students to score well on those tests were rewarded and those whose students did poorly on the standardized tests were sometimes remediated, demoted or even eliminated. Retention of teachers began to depend upon their students’ scores.
One of the results of this program is that an increasing number of students are now being taught answers rather than processes. Instead of learning to observe, analyze, test, question, evaluate, make decisions and then express their conclusions in writing, they are learning that the finding and identification of answers is the ultimate objective and goal of the education process. Too many of our children now go through school, taking tests, passing them, graduate and go on into the workforce still looking for answers without ever having ever learned how to ask important questions or to explore unfamiliar circumstances.
Now come issues into their lives. Health care for example. Not having been truly educated, they quickly look for answers. And answers are always available. News programs appear before them. Some provide an overview of applicable events with discussion and analysis, others provide authoritative answers that are often attributed into or authorized by religious, cultural or regional belief systems which also provide only answers, and which also prohibit any observation, analysis or questioning.
Now, once you know the answer (THE answer) to an issue, any counter claim is clearly specious. If people attempt to develop counter-observations, it would have to be because they don’t know the right answer. If they continue after they have been told the right answer, their purpose is deemed false, insulting and pernicious, and often tied into alien religions, cultural, regional or even racial prejudices. Scientific theories fall under the power of religious "knowledge", progress into new technologies are regulated by laws and understandings of the late 1700s, economic conquest of the free market system is OK because it is good to be selfish - economically, that is.
Thus the groundwork has been set to develop and nurture a generation of young adults who appear smart, act confident and seem knowledgeable. Yet they are also unable to function in a political, economic and social environment that is or has been filled with confusion and uncertainty. Their training leads them to provide answers, or to look for them. Under these conditions, a SMALL GROUP OF INDIVIDUALS in any country can begin to insert their intentions into a stable order. An issue is made to become contentious. An assembly of the people is called, then interrupted by demonstrations, discussion by screaming and shouting. Claims are advanced and connections are shown to traditional religious, ethnic, cultural or regional beliefs. Under conditions such as these, particularly when people have been properly imprinted during their learning years, fascism and totalitarianism can appear to be friendly, familiar, comfortable and intelligent alternatives. Here is where the answers are provided after all, and the instructions can not be far behind.
In order to implement that program a series of procedures and tests were developed and added to the practice of education in the United States. This included a cascading series of program measures and performance standards implementing several new and different methods of teaching and providing measurement of the effectiveness of all teaching. New standardized tests were designed so any qualified manager or administrator, including those with no knowledge of the profession of teaching, could evaluate the work of the teaching professionals and these controls were fed back into the schools. Teachers and administrators who trained their students to score well on those tests were rewarded and those whose students did poorly on the standardized tests were sometimes remediated, demoted or even eliminated. Retention of teachers began to depend upon their students’ scores.
One of the results of this program is that an increasing number of students are now being taught answers rather than processes. Instead of learning to observe, analyze, test, question, evaluate, make decisions and then express their conclusions in writing, they are learning that the finding and identification of answers is the ultimate objective and goal of the education process. Too many of our children now go through school, taking tests, passing them, graduate and go on into the workforce still looking for answers without ever having ever learned how to ask important questions or to explore unfamiliar circumstances.
Now come issues into their lives. Health care for example. Not having been truly educated, they quickly look for answers. And answers are always available. News programs appear before them. Some provide an overview of applicable events with discussion and analysis, others provide authoritative answers that are often attributed into or authorized by religious, cultural or regional belief systems which also provide only answers, and which also prohibit any observation, analysis or questioning.
Now, once you know the answer (THE answer) to an issue, any counter claim is clearly specious. If people attempt to develop counter-observations, it would have to be because they don’t know the right answer. If they continue after they have been told the right answer, their purpose is deemed false, insulting and pernicious, and often tied into alien religions, cultural, regional or even racial prejudices. Scientific theories fall under the power of religious "knowledge", progress into new technologies are regulated by laws and understandings of the late 1700s, economic conquest of the free market system is OK because it is good to be selfish - economically, that is.
Thus the groundwork has been set to develop and nurture a generation of young adults who appear smart, act confident and seem knowledgeable. Yet they are also unable to function in a political, economic and social environment that is or has been filled with confusion and uncertainty. Their training leads them to provide answers, or to look for them. Under these conditions, a SMALL GROUP OF INDIVIDUALS in any country can begin to insert their intentions into a stable order. An issue is made to become contentious. An assembly of the people is called, then interrupted by demonstrations, discussion by screaming and shouting. Claims are advanced and connections are shown to traditional religious, ethnic, cultural or regional beliefs. Under conditions such as these, particularly when people have been properly imprinted during their learning years, fascism and totalitarianism can appear to be friendly, familiar, comfortable and intelligent alternatives. Here is where the answers are provided after all, and the instructions can not be far behind.
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