We must cease this senseless war on marijuana and this unconscionable undermining of marriage law. The opposition (primarily) comes from the religious sector who attempts to make the morality argument. In both cases the proposal set forth is that both activities are moral evils and as such any measure to prevent (including willful law breaking not civil disobedience) them is considered heroic. The fault lies in that the arguments are based on appeals to emotion and authority, not logically rational discussion. Indeed on these issues it would appear that there are gross gaps and severe lacking of any rational reason for prohibition and mountains of impartial evidence on why both activities, under the social contract theory law is based on, should be permitted. It is the willingness of the populace to buy into the fallacies of the prohibitionists and the willful blindness of the consequences inherent in allowing those arguments to hold sway at the ballot box. We must, to progress socially and individually, see past these scam arguments to the facts and reason and carry that into the voting booth. Thoughts or comments?
Category Archives: Obama
For Discussion:
Here is a recent article and the discussion I contributed. I would love to hear everyone’s thoughts (insightful and intelligent discussion please):
James Bianco ·
The military offers themselves in defense of their country as patriots and they are well compensated for it. My family is composed of nothing but veterans and anyone who serves this country expecting laud, or special treatment or for any reason other than a humble desire to protect freedom is not a patriot, just a mercenary who doesn’t deserve to wear the uniform. Sailors who quibble because they couldn’t get into a club and then demand additional freebies because of it are no different than the mafia offering protection for a price. True patriots fight because America and her freedoms are worth fighting for, not for glory and gold. Thank you for those who don’t need fleet week, only their conviction. To the rest, please learn real service or get out. I doubt General Washington, General Lee, General Grant or even General Eisenhower cared about fleet week or any bar turning them down.
An aside, Dress Blues are only appropriate in certain situations, this being one of them, and currently the formal tuxedo and ball gown are the highest form of dress according to civilian etiquette viz Emily Post. The bouncer was in the wrong but the sailor’s cousin was even more so. Dishonoring the uniform with a petty squabble trumps a guy doing his job who was simply misinformed.
As to the navy officer suing, under what area would she sue? She was not discriminated against, it was a universal dress code. Hurt feelings don’t fall under tort. And there is no precedence or statute entitling the military to get into any civilian establishment without permission, there’s even an amendment prohibiting quartering. It was just a misunderstanding that if the bouncer were fired or suspended for HE could sue for wrongful termination. Get over it, the hotel has already done more than it should have. An apology would have sufficed. Serve to protect, expecting praise is serving only yourself. To those who truly serve out of dedication, I am eternally grateful. I will not thank extortionates or their apparently abundant supporters.
Feel free to call me the names I anticipate, though I would rather hear well thought arguments if you disagree. After all, intelligent discourse is the only way I can evaluate and correct my ideas as necessary.
Biff S.-
The sailor probably had to wear the uniform for fleet week – it’s a big PR thing for the Navy – believe me, most don’t like having to wear their uniforms in public outside of duty as the uniforms get dirty easily, especially the whites and they aren’t that easy to properly maintain -I don’t think they wanted freebies, they just wanted to go where any other civilian could go – I don’t think most military members except special treatment, they just want equal treatment, they don’t want to be penalized by the Country they serve for wearing the uniform – there are those who only signed up for the education benefits, etc, but usually those people drop out when they find out they have to be deployed to a war zone – you don’t know how many people popped positive on drug tests once a deployment was announced – As far as true patriots of the past – if we had lived during those times, it would be different – Grant was called a butcher of his own men and was accused of being a drunk, a subaltern, and worse – Lee owned Slaves as did Washington -in fact he used teeth from his slaves to construct his dentures (he tried ivory, and many other things) – Eisenhower had a mistress during the war and was never a combat soldier, he was always a desk jockey – but time makes heroes, saints and patriots of many. But you do make a point about true patriotism vs self interest. As a retired military member myself, sometimes I fall into the trap of being bitter about the chronic unemployment and homelessness of vets while at the same time, many of the same people who deny entry to a military person in uniform or refuse to hire veterans will still self righteously say “thank you for your service” That is the kind of thing I am against – but well meaning people that say it is fine – I should have made that more clear.
Reply · Unlike · 1 · 19 hours ago
Jake W. High School Student
jimmie – AND how Well do you think that our military members are Compensated?
Research the Top Pay for a Top Admiral or General.
James Bianco ·
Biff S. Excellent points and this incident probably did not initially involve self-interest, but due to its escalation and the posting of this article it shows a demand for more than what was due and will inspire less scrupulous members of the forces to take advantage of a uniform that should symbolize patriotism but will become a tool of capitalism at its worst. You are correct about both the arrogant self-righteousness of those who can’t appreciate sacrifice and duty but claim to know what service was really provided as well as the horrible way we treat our vets. That change must come from the people but too few of them know or care (when I research an article it can take me days to find sufficient info on vets and previous engagements that were not popular, just to write and try to raise awareness and educate on how many people are living in squalor and who gave decades of their life in service), and even less active duty know or care because they are young and are not thinking of the future. I think we are on the same page for the most part, though I know this story will only serve to divide and no real conversation will come of it. Though many things have changed over the centuries, one truth remains- avarice will reign until real conversation and real action happens. I pray it doesn’t happen to my parents, but my father was a Senior Master Sergeant in the Air Force and he was an Aircraft Mechanic-it is still difficult to find a job. You’d think 30yrs of service would mean something at least in education and experience. Again, change has to come from the citizenry. My concern is that this one escalation will divide people even more and self-interest will override patriotism. Thank you for your points, it’s nice to hear a good argument that is well-thought out and not just some bigot assuming I hate America!
James Bianco ·
Just a reminder to everyone, Memorial Day does NOT remember active duty, it only commemorates those who died while in service. Please quit using Memorial Day as a reason for any action, good or bad, at, from, towards, or near those who are still alive and currently serving. We honor them to honor them, not because it’s Memorial Day.
Andy P. University of Florida Professor
James, that is by far the best first paragraph I have ever read in any comment section.
The “humble desire to protect freedom” is honor enough in itself. Thank you.
I am sooo tired of the fake patriotism (thank you for your service) tossed like cheap confetti at airports.
If you’re so thankful, go volunteer at the local VA or homeless shelter.
James Bianco ·
Jake W. I have, and when one adds in exchange discounts, value of Tricare compared to market insurance, access to facilities and the cost of similar access for a private citizen, value of retirement, quality of actual healthcare available versus quality of average citizen healthcare, educational opportunities, death benefits to families, availability of base housing, training, etc. you can come up with a real compensation value (compensation is the value of average pay plus the value of any and all benefits both actual and in-kind). Compared to a police officer or national guard member (the DOL’s comparative occupations) the compensation of most NCOs is far above. Take in to consideration the current average compensation of the citizens the military is designed to protect and even a private looks comparatively wealthy. That is not to say they are but at least a private can live on their salary, someone who works even overtime on minimum wage can not. Ultimately it boils down to members of the military volunteer to serve to protect freedom, the compensation should reflect the danger they are put in relative to the degree of danger (and based on need) others experience (physical, psychological, and social). It should also reflect the public’s perception of their value. FYI pay for any member of the military will vary by allowances, special skills, hardship, combat pay, and any number of other factors. The only “military” (he’s a civilian) pay that is set is the Commander-in-Chief who receives roughly $569,000 directly from the tax coffers, he is not the highest paid, as you requested.
So the short answer is, given all known factors, the average pay and benefits of the military is a reflection of the public’s value, can sustain a family during service, provides more than comparable occupations, and is more than the public’s value on itself. Active duty is well compensated for the task of being a patriot, poorly for a mercenary, and the question misses the point of the entire conversation. The sarcasm was nicely done though.
James Bianco ·
Spot on Andy, personally I like Habitat for Humanity as my volunteering of choice. We see a lot of young vets struggling to make it but with that military grit to never say die. I am always impressed with how they keep their heads up despite circumstances that would crush the rest of us.
PLEASE COMMENT:
The Good, The Bad, & The Ugly
These past few weeks have been rather eventful though hardly novel. A quick review of the best and worst moments might add a little perspective to the pulse of the United States and the world.
The Good: Not unexpectedly the good comes from a change to once dearly treasured (though not backed by solid research) traditions. Oregon, that great trail of a state (sorry, couldn’t resist the old game reference), has elected a bisexual woman to the highest office of the state, Governor. Though the election has long since past, this woman is preparing to enter her first term as the Honorable Governor of the State of Oregon. Whether this is her only term is debatable, but one thing is sure, she is the first person to open up to the press about this highly personal issue (odd how heterosexual people don’t have to justify their qualifications for office with detailed descriptions of their bedroom activities) and to stand behind her clear beliefs (her platform is well-defined, somewhat partisan though no more than anyone else, and was well enumerated to the people prior to the election on numerous occasions). She is the first lawfully elected Governor that has stated she is bisexual and unabashedly stands behind it. (Before I get a note, here is an addendum: Though she was elected as Secretary of State, she assumes her office lawfully and can thus be considered to be elected to the position of Governor, should the Governor resign, die, etc. as part of the Constitution of Oregon which the people retain.)
Why it’s good: In the LGBTQIQ (Political correctness for the recognized orientations- Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer, Intersexed, and Questioning- Intersex includes things like hermaphroditism, gender dysphoria, and other conditions in which the “parts” as it were are not matching up to the gender a person identifies with. The 2 “Q’s” are best left to the experts(PFLAG) to explain.) bisexualism is seen as the “black sheep” as it were of the community. Gays typically view them as closeted homosexuals and heterosexuals view them as simply promiscuous. A cursory search of the social networks can easily confirm this. Currently the United States seems to vacillate between approving and disapproving of these classifications, but that has nothing to do with the good here. The good is that, for once, the system worked precisely as it should: a candidate expressed her viewpoints and plan of action clearly and concisely during the campaign and started her term as Governor with what appears to be an honest and open administration, the people elected her and soon she will assume office, despite the hemming and hawing of the Right wingers across the nation whose argument against her is only her bisexuality (her platform would have been an easier target since it does all the things they don’t want done, but hey, I’m not their strategist). Her being bisexual is something that shows promise for that state, not because of the orientation issue, but because she was honest about her life (as far as is possible for us to know) and was willing to run with a label that has never been widely approved of attached to her. She did not run away, hide an affair (Gay Governor of New Jersey resigned for this), or try to make it look like anything more than what it is nor did she apologize for her being her. This is the good, hope that politicians might see this and take heed, and that we have a Governor willing to run as she is.
The Bad: The bad is probably readily apparent, but with all the terrible things going on it may have gotten lost in the woodwork: Obama’s War Powers Proposal and Congress’s Response. Essentially it seems that the only way Congress will cross Party boundaries is with their desire to do absolutely nothing. The whole story amazed me but can be broken down quite simply: Boehner and other Hawks in Congress requested Obama do something about ISIS (because using their ability to declare war would require work and would inch them closer to the Constitutional powers they are given). Obama, in a bid to have a moderate strategy came up with a vague but more potent version of 2001’s war powers. Republicans and Hawk Democrats complained it was too mild. Democrats and Dove republicans claimed it was too strong. Both agreed to decline the powers and did NOTHING more. They are the only branch that can declare war but for 14 years they have relied on Executive Orders authorizing military action (the Executive’s version of war-in essence it’s all the death of war, but doesn’t pay our soldiers wartime pay, which is substantially larger than current pay and can be roughly equated to hazardous duty pay or overtime, albeit VERY roughly, and as a bonus it doesn’t require Congress to do their job or put their own necks on the chopping block as it were) and the good old-fashioned, tried and true method of “blame someone else so I can get elected again”.
Why it’s bad: Why its bad should be a little evident already and requires little explanation: 1)Congress declares war and there’s a reason for that- the people are represented in Congress (ideally) and since military action of any kind involves ALL of America, the people should at least be consulted prior to sending their sons and daughters to die. 2)War pays more both in the life and death of a soldier as is commensurate with the dangers and risks inherent in war (or ANY military action beyond EXTREMELY limited engagements-2 weeks tops) and the trauma to entire communities when they lose loved ones. It also provides more supplies to our troops and comes with international restrictions like the Hague Conventions and the Geneva Convention that protect our troops and engender world support (and that we are not currently observing). 3)MILITARY ENGAGEMENTS ARE WAR- excepting in certain circumstances (limited engagements that limit exposure). A famous line from Shakespeare says it all, “A rose by any other name would smell as sweet,” or my version, “You can call a turd a life-vest but if you do, I’m never sailing with you!” Take your pick. finally 4)The three branches of government should all work together, checked by their equals through the Constitution, NOT bickering like children, NOT expanding their own powers beyond what they are lawfully or even ethically entitled to, and NOT IGNORING THE AMERICAN PEOPLE! It amazes me how Congress didn’t think to go back to their districts, ask the voters what they want (war or not war) and then return to Washington to REPRESENT their constituents. They didn’t even look at the polls, just their own desires. Tho I will not argue it here in full, if a government (which governs by consent of the governed) is ignoring the very people it is duty-bound to protect, it loses its authority to govern.
AND NOW THE UGLY:
The Ugly is a picture everyone should be familiar with, and ashamed of. Vote by your convictions, not Red/Blue, Dems/Reps, N/S or any other reason.
How far we’ve come or “Welcome Back McCarthy”
A little background information: John McCain on CodePink
First a little background information (for those of you who passed 5th grade civics class I apologize for the review; it’s more for our illustrious representatives): The opening to the founding document and the highest law in the land begins with “We the People,” includes numerations of rights assured to the people (including Freedom of Speech and Expression), and has been interpreted by one of our greatest Presidents as meaning a nation, “for the People, by the People, and of the People.” Even our Declaration of Independence describes the fundamental principles on which liberty is founded and includes, in part, a description of legitimate government as being, “Government by consent of the governed,” and assures us of the right to alter or abolish any unjust government that has become so oppressive as to be tyrannical in nature and practice. Above all though, these documents make it clear that the entire purpose of the legislature (state and/or federal) is to listen to the constituency and act according to what the people want (while protecting the minority from abuse).
Now the current way things work: The legislature is elected by infusing commercials with misinformation and relying on the comparatively tiny amount of voters that participate. Once in office, the majority of them rely on “Campaign Contributions” from special interest groups while conveniently ignoring the pleas of their people (or at least the ones without money).
All of this leads me to the group CodePink, a women’s anti-war group that frequents congressional hearings (their right as citizens) and are routinely thrown out for “disruptions” no different than Republican disruptions in a Democratic congress and vice versa. A good deal of them are Mr. McCain’s constituents, yet because of their unpopular opinion, he calls them scum. Sen. Feinstein (D) threw them out of a CIA confirmation hearing because of less than audible disruptions: Audio of Hearing and no Congress or Executive has given credence to this large movement (a very poignant fallback to the difficulties of the Suffragettes).
If the problem is not evident by now, let me spell it out. While I may agree with CodePink and what they are trying to do, that point is irrelevant. I disagree with Westboro Baptist Church, the KKK, and many other bigoted groups, but they still have the right to express their opinions (so long as they do not interfere with others self-same rights) and should be heard in the context of their overall populace representation. That is what Freedom of Speech means! I may not like what you say (or I may support it on different levels) but everyone has the right to be heard. Government employees at every level are duty bound to hear and give credence to their citizenry. If they feel it is interrupting their important “business” (you know, bilking the public and so forth), their responsibility would be to offer truly public hearings that would allow those voters to express themselves and give the legislature (Executives and Justices as well) the full picture, regardless of personal opinions.
So let CodePink speak, at the very least, with equal opportunity as the wealthy special interest groups. Their message is sound and agreed with by 66% of American (27% Approve): American Current War Support. And their message is not in least bit unsound: CodePink. Yet the opinions of the citizens (unless they pander and flatter to those with money and/or power) are ignored even though Congress works far less than anyone in any country (not counting their “vacation” which come out of your taxes). To verify, follow this link (the blue days are work days and Congress is paid even when they don’t work): Congress work days and what they spent their time on (bear in mind some activities overlap and were done at the same Time: Congressional Breakdown. This is the President’s priorities (golf is more important than poverty apparently): Presidential time. Finally, the Supreme Court works 5 hours per day(End of October to beginning of June, excluding federal holidays, can choose which cases to accept, recesses frequently and takes an enormous amount of time to be even heard and thus works a maximum of 143 days or 715 total hours: Work days Supreme Court Calculator. The point being that no elected official works enough to even logically say they can’t listen to their constituency.
CodePink deserves to be heard and McCain’s comments are indicative of how Congress feels and by extension how the government feels about our populace. They are so disconnected sitting in their golden mansions an deaf ears that they use the guise of democracy (which we have none nor are we headed towards it again) and placate the people with plenty of gadgets, games, and make sure no one notices the clear violations of the social contract (for example, several wars that are killing our young people in droves but few efforts are being made to change things because as long as we have “Candy Crush” we can ignore our attempt to occupy the world and keep our populace ignorant by reducing education, science, etc.). If we were to educate our young and old people we might understand CodePink, and at least have rational debates on the many viewpoints out there.
I fear, however, that we have past this point. The income divide is too great and the people too indolent to make the changes necessary. I encourage CodePink and any of those who share the beliefs of a free, peaceful, and united nation to join together in arms to set up and defend a nation founded and sealed on truth, justice, liberty, equality, and brotherhood (sisterhood, etc.). We have been oppressed and insulted by the wealthy rulers long enough, We must join together and exercise our right to revolt: Declaration of Independence. If a new and better nation that listens and addresses your complaints, concerns, ideas, etc. sounds like a place you would want to be a part of, feel free to contact me. If you believe we can save this current United States, please contact me for a rational discourse. I am always looking for new ways of looking at things.
Foundational Documents:
The Bare Minimum
What is the job of the state? Ultimately it breaks down to (according to social contract theory) a responsibility to protect and provide for its citizens what they either can not provide for themselves or are in need of protection from. The job of capitalism is to make the most money with the least cost. Usually this eventually leads to paying the employee the least amount they have to pay. Without the intervention of the state, this amount will gradually approach 0. The state is needed to protect the worker from abuses that are inherent in a free market system. All of this is, of course, very basic but appears to be a concept that we have forgotten. Currently the federal minimum wage is $7.25 per hour. Let us assume that the rare miracle of a full time job pops up (a quick aside, when employers can’t decrease pay they will invariably decrease hours). Let us also assume that taxes will only decrease that wage by $0.25 per hour. Now we have a person that has the following income monthly: $1,120, which turns out to be $13,440 per year. Bear in mind that this person will pay on average $949 in rent alone per month (http://www.myapartmentmap.com/rental_data/) amd thus really makes around $200 per month for food, clothing, car affairs (gas, tax, registration, maintenance, etc.), and all the other trappings of life.
For some strange reason, no one has a problem with this. Those that do, manage only to increase the wage in their state to a few pennies more. Meanwhile, our paymasters in congress, the Supreme Court, and the executive are sitting on large salaries, multiple perks (pool, spa, vacations, only work about half a year but still get housing, etc.), and a complete disconnect from the plight of those who can’t even afford to see D.C. much less have a voice there. All of this is acceptable to the American Public it would seem. While those who work their fingers to the bone can barely survive, those who can’t even be bothered to lay aside their own wants for others unless its a press shoot, relax comfortably in their expensive offices, grumble at the “help”, and get drunk on the misery and misfortune they don’t even acknowledge exists.
What is the point of all this? Our government has been tasked with ensuring justice and liberty for all. It has failed. For over a decade now the people have cried out for an increase in wages to make ends meet. The government has shown it is deaf to those cries. Though it has the means and knowledge of how much is required to live with dignity, it has deliberately failed to put that to any use. We must choose to either accept things as they are and allow the injustice to continue, or claim our right to a government that cares and rise up against those who are apparently trying to starve their own citizens. Unfortunately the pleas of the people and the current system has failed to produce results. It is our duty, therefor, to get a living wage for all, whatever the means.
Senate Intelligence Committee Report On Torture or Nuremberg Denied
The recently released report from the Senate Intelligence Committee on the CIA’s activities is by no means a surprise, at least not to anyone who had any common sense about what goes on at secret jails, and at Gitmo. It is, of course, a very disturbing account but from the record appears to rely very heavily on the CIA’s own documentation and records of what happened (and presumably what continues to happen according to Brennan’s testimony and media clips, but more on that later) and lends little room for doubt on the truthfulness of the report. It is also not surprising that Brennan avoids the use of the word “torture” like the plague, evades questions on his confirmation hearing, and accuses the Democrats on the committee of exaggerating what happened (bear in mind he offers no details on their side of the story, he just says the Committee failed to interview them. This is of course the sentiment shared by Fox”News” but they appear to be so adamantly against Democrats, independents, and essentially anyone who isn’t a bigoted and hypocritical WASP that it would be remiss for them not to enjoy torturing the nation with their broadcasts), after all if he admitted it he and his associates would be guilty of a host of war crimes and self-preservation does not cease at the basic needs level; he undoubtedly enjoys his enormous paycheck and luxurious lifestyle and would be willing to lie to the nation and he world on what is going on. The CIA is, by nature, an organization of deceptions and could not exist without them. It is not even surprising that the CIA, Republicans, and conservatives in general have accused the Democrats of drawing attention away from important issues like Obamacare (just to keep up torture falls below a flawed healthcare bill on the scale of importance of things to address in any substantial way according to this logic. And for the record, half of the committee were Republicans so…) and have rationalized what they did as being necessary to the war on terror, simply invoking the name 9/11 for a rationale while failing to provide proof of the validity of the argument, after all if they cooperated then they wouldn’t continue to get paid for doing nothing, and providing real proof for magnifying exponentially a comparatively minor event is hard work. It is even not surprising (though paradoxically so) that our current president has only offered an “apology” if it could even be called that, for the actions Brennan denies, Cheney admits, and Congress has provided ample proof of, after all the Nazis did not willingly come to Nuremberg. What is surprising is this:
1) The American people don’t seem to really care about any of this and in the last election sided with its perpetrators because of their heavy use of 9/11 as a beacon for the moronic voters who seem to believe that this event is new (Following 1776 the British repeatedly invaded America, killing many more true patriots and innocent people on any given day than 9/11. Any of the battles of the Mexican-American War, Spanish-American War, Texas War of Independence, Civil War, etc. killed more people, had more relevant context, and overall were far more important.), important, or even something we had never experienced before (Pearl Harbor-Kamikaze pilots we were not at war with attacked American soil and thrust us into a war that we managed with less technology, fewer troops, and less international aid to wrap up in less than half the time of our current “wars” and with the bonus of a boom afterwards. Or how about the Oklahoma City bombing, or even the previous attack on the Twin Towers?)
2) Congress seems decidedly partisan on this issue, which for some reason seems ok with the tiny portion of voters that turn out to any election (~28%). It turns out how you differentiate between torture and “Enhanced Interrogation” is whether you are a Democrat or Republican.
And finally:
3) Despite every nation but France, including the entirety of the United Nations, finding the report and response reprehensible, and despite every nation on the face of the earth just generally disliking America and its administration, we still think the system works on any level and will likely pass on the consequences to our kids. Apparently no one has thought of the one thing we need; it is the same thing we needed over 200 years ago under a different kind (but same substance) of despot: Revolution.
Feel free to engage in thoughtful discussion of this topic, only ignorant harassment will be moderated.
Background:
Republican Response to Senate Report
Politicians Responses to Report
US Casualties of Wars/Engagements
Psychologists Who Created US Torture Tactics
Going away
I will be headed to Mexico in the next few days and seeing the real story about what the “pharmacies” sell. look forward to a full report with pictures!!
James Bianco, Valeyard
Guess who’s back
After a couple of injuries and a bout with the flu, I am glad to be back. Rather than leave off where we did, I am going to lay some foundations. The previous Executive structure was only really understood as a necessity by a few. To show this necessity, I want to show HOW the current system has failed with a few examples and hopefully some discussion.
As it is pertinent to me I will discuss our current entitlement programs (social programs especially Social Security Disability). We, in America, believe to some extent that we have a responsibility to care for those in our society who cannot care for themselves. Our belief in this however, is expressed in the creation of an agency that exists not to facilitate this (even when it has already been paid for by the claimant as is the case that happens when a person claims after years of work) but rather exists to hinder this. The initial evaluations of Social Security are made by PhD’s with no medical experience and who make recommendations of work a claimant either can not perform or can never find. Multiple impairments are not considered until the Administrative Law Judge Stage which can and often does take years to get to. In the meantime, those who can claim and try to receive benefits are unable to work but often have ever mounting medical and other bills that exhaust the finances of the claimant and (if they are fortunate enough to have them) family/friends.
This, it would seem, is the opposite of the original goal society expressed. Yet it is not just Social Security, our care of the poor, elderly, and disabled is designed not to help, but rather it would seem to hinder and keep people in the neverending cycle of, at best, debt; and in the worst case (especially disability) progressively worsening health and possibly death.
Does this not seem a failure of our system and a failure of our representatives/senators to exercise our goals and desires? On the social scale is this what we want? Comments?
James Bianco, Valeyard
Welcome Back! Part 1 of “The Ideal Government”
I apologize for the delay but I have been contemplating a solution to the problems inherent in our government. At the moment our government is inefficient, overpaid, not listening to their constituency, spying on their own people as well as their own allies, and has on numerous occasions threatened the very existence of our Union. In the Senate they have misused the power of unlimited debate to simply block the passage of laws that the people desire (Filibuster). In the House they have refused to use their power to remove elected and/or appointed officials who have transgressed the public trust (Impeachment). The laws passed rarely reflect the desire of the people and those elected are rarely qualified to do what a public SERVANT should do. Our elected officials are wealthy and indulgent while the average American is middle class and quickly losing all they own to the wealthy. Those in power have made sure that power is retained by the wealthy and prohibit those who represent the interests of the middle class from possibly winning an election (winning an election is directly related to the amount of money put into a campaign, rather than platform or qualifications). Watching Congressional Hearings and speeches is a cavalcade of idiocy. Congress refuses to do what we pay them handsomely for with most speeches given to an empty house and debates are nearly non-existent. Congress does not alone share in this damnable indictment. Our President ignores and acts directly opposite to the people, delegates authority to his bureaucracy who creates law (regulations carry the force of law) not based on true science, but on those they pay to create the conclusions they wish. The Department of Defense, the IRS, INS, CIA, FBI, US Marshalls, NSA, FDA, and most importantly the DEA all infringe on liberty unnecessarily, harass the populace continually, and refuse to listen to science, unless it involves groups like the MPAA (who rely on obscure and unwritten rules. Literally, they just watch a movie and make an arbitrary decision) or special interests who pay to have their “science” justify a particular regulation. The President has become a neutered dog and parrots whatever sound bite sounds good. Rather than lead our nation, he allows ignorant and bloated morons whose pay and benefits are NOT commensurate with their qualifications and who rely on inaccurate data to lead us to fear everything from Marijuana to trans fats (Its amazing how both have been around forever and never caused massive problems until Bloomberg (Sieg Heil Bloomberg!) banned them and now just looking at trans fats can cause a heart attack)(Also, just to clarify, neither trans fats that are in even soda pop and marijuana, which the AMA and numerous other truly scientific agencies have approved in its smoked form as a medicine and is SUBSTANTIALLY less dangerous than the legal drug Alcohol).
Finally, the Judiciary has overstepped its bounds in that they have claimed the right of judicial review without any good reason (read Marbury v Madison) and without approval of the people. They have created and vetoed laws which is not their right. They have ignored the Court of the People, prohibited representation to attorneys which only they can license even when representation by a non lawyer is desired. They have prohibited private criminal prosecution despite it working in every other civilised country and exists now only in despotic regimes. They make access to the court and records expensive and difficult to obtain for all but the wealthy. Judges are corrupt, preferring to stay with the old boys club where they listen and give deference to anyone with a JD, even when the other party has a valid case. Judges do not understand or know the law and attorneys bend the rules and are allowed to. Any question of a judge or attorney will place someone in contempt. Judges are bloated, ignorant, incapable, overpowered, overpaid, and refuse to apply the law equally, even to the point of discrimination.
This is a short indictment of our system and so through the next few weeks I will show you how to fix this. Perhaps with any luck we can call a Constitutional Convention and fix this system that is slowly but surely destroying this nation I love. Let me know what you think would be part of a better government!
The Valeyard 