Historical Deja Vu

  "If you only like Democracy when it goes your way, you don't actually like Democracy."

We are living in interesting times, as the saying goes and there are plenty of references to prove it, so I’ll let them speak to the dangerous direction our government is going.

“First they came for the socialists, and I did not speak out— because I was not a socialist. Then they came for the trade unionists, and I did not speak out—because I was not a trade unionist. Then they came for the Jews, and I did not speak out—because I was not a Jew. Then they came for me—and there was no one left to speak for me.” Martin Niemöller, a Lutheran minister and national conservative, initially supported Adolf Hitler as a self-identified antisemite. As one of the founders of the Confessing Church, which opposed the Nazification of German Protestant churches, he was imprisoned in Sachsenhausen and Dachau concentration camps in 1938 and narrowly escaped execution. He later expressed deep regret at not having done enough to help victims of the Nazis.

 

“Mark my word, if and when these preachers get control of the [Republican] party, and they're sure trying to do so, it's going to be a terrible damn problem. Frankly, these people frighten me. Politics and governing demand compromise. But these Christians believe they are acting in the name of God, so they can't and won't compromise. I know, I've tried to deal with them.” -Barry Goldwater.

“When information which properly belongs to the public is systematically withheld by those in power, the people soon become ignorant of their own affairs, distrustful of those who manage them and—eventually—incapable of determining their own destinies.” —Richard Nixon.

“We now live in a nation where doctors destroy health, lawyers destroy justice, universities destroy knowledge, governments destroy freedom, the press destroys information, religion destroys morals, and our banks destroy the economy.” --Chris Hedges.

“If you can convince the lowest white man that he’s better than the best colored man, he won’t notice you’re picking his pocket. Hell, give him somebody to look down on, and he’ll even empty his pockets for you.” --Lyndon Johnson.

“[American democracy will fail ] if it is going to use this power to force the world into color prejudice and race antagonism; if it is going to use it to manufacture millionaires, increase the rule of wealth, and break down democratic government everywhere; if it is going increasingly to stand for reaction, fascism, white supremacy and imperialism; if it is going to promote war and not peace; then America will go the way of the Roman Empire.” --W.E.B. DuBois.

“The smart way to keep people passive and obedient is to strictly limit the spectrum of acceptable opinion, but allow lively debate within that spectrum”--Noam Chomsky.

Your Yearbook May be Used Against You in the Future

     I am appalled by the current PC fashion to dig up something stupid someone did decades ago and use it vilify and oust them from office. We all did something stupid, insensitive, possibly illgeal or downright embarrassing in our past. I'm not buying into this "off with their heads" mentally. Instead of bowing to unforgiving Political Correctness, point out said offense was dumb and in the past. Promise to make honest amends and let's move on.
   The mock outrage is not really about what they did long ago, it's just an excuse to get rid of someone purely for political reasons.
    Trent Lott was in Congress for decades when all of a sudden it was revealed that he had supported Sturm Thurmond, who had been in Congress forever, was a known racist. Gasp, yawn, no surprise. Lott was not a nice guy but for very different reasons.What really happend was he pissed off the real powers so they got rid of him with some handy ammunition.
   The media knows and plays along with this bullshit because it's good for ratings and riling up people. A glance behind the curtain exposes the subtefuge. 
   Remember the Gulf War and George Bush Sr. claims of Iraqis terrorizing Kuwait? Babies being ripped from incubators and all that hyperbole? It   sounded like a PR campaign. When "the war" was over and we were done cheering the troops "60 Minutes" did a story about -- guess what? How Bush hired a PR firm to sell the war to the public. Right, the media knew it all along but why ruin good ratings with the truth. The Pentagon even shamelessly admitted they led the press around by the nose and it was greeted with a collective shrug.
   The current president and media have replaced democracy and governing this country with a reality show like "The Apprentice" where we are merely contestants. People get "fired" for ratings and distraction, not for some real public threat.
   Issues like climate change, widespread corruption and rising nationalism can be easily drowned out with gossipy scandal and endless prattling by talking heads.
   I say it's time to cancel this show because the viral delusion it spreads is the real threat to humanity.

Yes All Women and Men Can

Most phenomenon have a tipping point. The current news stories about the o going cultural/political war against women all seemed tame and harmless until a nut job recently took out his immature frustration out on seven people-- especially women. It got men and women talking to each other about the rampant misogyny in our society and it's about time.

I expect the usual sound bites from the media when there is yet another mass shooting but this one got my attention with some rather astute observations from surprising voices. Men. A certified nerd zeros in on the myth pushed by Hollywood that nerdy guys will always get the hot chick. A persistent and irritating plot line that I always found offensive and wildly unrealistic.

Bishop Ken Robinson in his Daily Beast article put his finger on something known all too well by women:
" It is difficult for those who are not subject to discrimination and denigration to believe that it’s happening right under their noses, especially if they belong to the group that is perpetrating societal bullying. White people are shocked to learn that African-Americans are routinely followed around stores while they shop because of the color of their skin and their perceived likelihood of being thieves. Able-bodied people rarely notice the barriers that riddle the world which keep the disabled from participating in society. The threat of violence against women, because they are women, goes unnoticed by most men."

This conversation needs to happen everywhere, In India where the national sport of gang raping/ murdering of women occurs on a regular basis. In Afghanistan where young women  attempt suicide rather than  be forced to marry some shriveled up old man. In China where female infratricide is still the norm where males are more precious and if they can't find a women locally they buy them.

Women are fed up being treated as cattle, sex toys or prizes for the male ego. Men have to recognize the value of the other half of humanity if the species is to evolve. 

Let's keep talking.

Time For a New Congress

The following is being passed around the internet, which means it won’t be taken seriously by the real powers that be. With the government shutdown perhaps we should take matters into our own hands and see how far the country can be run without government interference.

However noble and reasonable this idea, Congress would never vote on a measure that reduces it’s own benefits. Maybe the courts or a presidential act might do it. A general public vote would definately work. It is time to enact some restraint of  runaway power.

Congressional Reform Act of 2013 1. No Tenure / No Pension. A Congressman/woman collects a salary while in office and receives no pay when they're out of office. 2. Congress (past, present & future) participates in Social Security. All funds in the Congressional retirement fund move to the Social Security system immediately. All future funds flow into the Social Security system, and Congress participates with the American people. It may not be used for any other purpose. 3. Congress can purchase their own retirement plan, just as all Americans do. 4. Congress will no longer vote themselves a pay raise.Congressional pay will rise by the lower of CPI or 3%. 5. Congress loses their current health care system and participates in the same health care system as the American people. 6. Congress must equally abide by all laws they impose on the American people. 7. All contracts with past and present Congressmen/women are void effective 12/31/13. 

The American people did not make this contract with Congress. Congress made all these contracts for themselves. Being elected into Congress means serving the people and should be regarded as an honor and a civic duty not as a career for personal lifelong entitlement. George Washington served the county as General and President then quietly retired to his farm in Virginia without special treatment or pension. 

Reddit Explains Healthcare

Start with this link at Reddit and I'll add my observation on the whole "GOP hates Obamacare " debate. 

As the top comment mentions, ". . .It makes it so insurance companies have to spend a certain percent of their revenue on actual health care, which essentially caps their profits at a certain percent." 

This is the crux of the resistant from the insurance companies who have been conspicuously silence during this debate. As a recent Time article pointed out the health care business is making tons of money and don,t want to see The Affordable Healthcare Act become law. Americans pay far more for health care than many other countries but get less for it. Why? Because no one is controlling the costs. Free market and all but health care is not a commodity to sell on the open market like cars or produce. 

The fact is most countries have some form of national health care that more or less works. There are flaws but some flaws are better than someone dying because they couldn't afford to seek medical help. Like you and me.