Integrity matters?

This morning on the way to work all of the conversation on the radio was of Ted Kennedy and of his death from brain cancer at age 77. Now I know that we live in a world of cynicism and a world where people really feel like nothing is off limits to poke fun at. It made me wonder if someones death makes them off limits because in the half hour long drive I only heard one mention of Chappaquiddick.

It isn't that I feel like one incident from 40 some years ago transcends all the good that a person has done. It just highlights the double standard in America. Had there been any other driver, other then say a Rockefeller or another rich person, that driver would have spent some time in jail for manslaughter at least. But, in the case of Ted Kennedy he experienced none of that. This to me shows, much like what happened in the OJ trial,what being rich allows you to get away with in America.

Now, do not get me wrong I am not advocating punishing the rich. Though it does bother me when the children of the rich are allowed to live a life with out the consequences that the rest of us face on a dauly basis. I do not begrudge their parents wealth because often they worked hard by either stealing it, crime is hard work, or just by doing working like regular folks to gain their wealth.

I just realized that I am rambling a bit and I do not realize where I am going to go. I think I was intending to talk about term limits in Congress and how Kennedy had been in office since 1962. I know there are flaws with term limits and people say that we lose a lot of experience with the turnover that happens. But, I wonder if that is such a bad thing when some of these politicians are in office for so long.

I think that there are politicians on both sides of the aisle who are there to make themselves rich not there to do what is best for the country. I think that even limiting the terms to 10 years would make a big difference. But, until then it is going to be left to the voters to vote people out of office and people like Kennedy and Biden and some Republicans whose names escape me I do not see that happening anytime soon.

Well I guess it is time for me to ramble on. I apologize for the scattershot nature of todays writing.

Runaway Train

"Runaway train, never goin back" Bonus points if anyone can tell me what line that song is from.

I am just sitting in the station waiting for the train to move. The sky is cloudy today and there was some drizzle this morning. As I looked outside before I left the house I thought should I grab an umbrella? Then I thought ah I have a rain coat in the trunk. I am an Oregonian I do not need a stinking umbrella. Well I made it to the train and the raincoat is still in the trunk. I am also wearing shorts.

I find it interesting how the body and people react to weather. Most of the time in my case I never think twice about a rain coat or an umbrella. I just never need them. Or, I should say that I might need them I just never take them. In fact the only thing I might do is to wear pants on an extremely cold day. But, I mean really cold like Oregon ice storm cold. If it was left up to me I would wear shorts all year round. But, those of you who know me know that due to my freakishly short legs and my long torso the shorts I wear go down below my knees. So with shoes and socks on there is a only a small expanse of shin exposed.

Oh how naughty my bare skin out there for the world to see! Sometimes on the train I will cross my legs and my exposed shin will wink at the lady commuters. I know they like it. Sure, they avert their eyes and coyly giggle. But, then they smile and fan themselves with their fancy fans. I can tell what they are thinking. Look at that saucy young lad, daring to expose his shin to the world! Oh to have such freedom in my life!!

It is true! I encourage all to join me in the freedom that I find exposing my shins to the air. You will not regret it I promise you. Stop being a slave to the pant. Instead bare you legs free them from the confines of the fascist trouser. Society be damned!! I will rise up the desires of the Secret Society of Pants!! Oh yes they exist!! I will rise above their desires. I will bare my legs and risk all and in so doing I will win all!!

So, stand with me!! Stand tall men and raise those pant legs!! We will all be the better for it!!

Gun Control is Using Both Hands??

I had an interesting debate yesterday with a gentleman about guns. Not whether or not guns were needed or not needed. But, whether it was appropriate to carry guns to a political townhall meeting.. Undrstand me. I am not anti gun. My wife and I own three guns, one shotgun, and two pistols. So I o wn guns I have fired guns and I understand why people enjoy guns.

I totally understand that people were will within their rights to bring their guns. New Hampshire is an open carry state and it is perfectly legal to carry a gun exposed on your person. I also believe Arizona is as well. But for me the question is what were the reasons behind the gun show. Were they carried as an example of the freedoms that (arguably) the constitution gives us? Was it an example of states rights vs federal control? Or was it just a form of non verbal intimidation?

The person I was debating with was contending that upwards of thirty shots a night are fired in places like New York and St Louis and other major cities. Because of that it is appropriate for people to walk around armed. I do not have that much of a problem with that my problem is the need to carry a gun to a political event. Even more so an event that the President of the United States is at. I am not sure that I would have brought my gun even if I was well within my rights to do so. I am not saying I would forbid someone to bring theirs I just think that it was a poor choice,

I think it was done more out of an attempt to intimidate then to have or cause a reasonable conversation about the health care issue. Thoughts? Lets talk about it. But, please leave your guns with the bartender. I am at the table by the piano player.

Flo"Train"tion Device

It was an interesting drive this morning. Normally I drive along listening to NPR and trying to not get forced off the road by the cars around me. But, today I decided to listen to KNRK as I was driving. They do a morning show that is mostly music and that works for me. It does not consist of Skippy the Incontinent Boy and Dr Heckle. Which works for me.

But, it was odd today I almost found my self just kind of sailing along in the car. Almost stuck in a bubble of calm. Stuck is not the right word because I did not mind being there. I was just there. A car would come up on me to fast and I would hit my blinker and move over. There would be a merging lane and I would hit my blinker and move back to let that person in. About halfway through the drive a motorcycle cop came cruising up to the left of me and I did not even realize he was there until he was almost past me.

It wasn't that I was unaware of the things going on around me because in my car the road noise make you aware of things around you. But, it was like my brain or psyche was processing the things that I should be aware of and disregarding the things that did not matter. All that seemed to matter was the trip itself and the music that was playing. Though, the only song I can remember them playing was a Beck song and I can not even remember the name of it.

It was almost a zen like sense of calm or emptiness within me that is odd for me because anyone who knows me will tell you that I am always thinking of something. Lately what has been on my mind is the Health Care debate and the incredible (to me) anger that people are showing at the town hall meetings. Now, I am not here to defend the idea of Government run health care. That is not the point I am trying to make.

I am just shocked at how people are treating each other. I guess I shouldn't be surprised by it. People are mean and often dehumanize each other so that they can feel free to pick on them. Though the person doing the picking would of course deny that they are dehumanizing the other one. I think what blows my mind is that people on both sides of this issue and numerous other issues both want what (they believe) is the best for the country. But, we get so caught up in the emotion of the issue and begin to throw around heavily weighted words like Socialism, Communism, and Nazism that we lose touch of peoples basic humanity.

hmmm, I did not intend to climb upon the soap box. This blog took an odd turn today but I doubt that is a surprise to those who read me regularly since I tend to touch on many subjects that in no way relate to each other. Maybe that is what my subconscious was doing on the drive. It was processing what was bothering me about the behaviors of fellow Americans at these town hall meetings.

My way, or the highway! What if I choose neither? What if I choose not to choose? Have I still made a choice? Do I have to choose? Must I pick a hill and stand upon it live or die? Must I fight to the death for my ideals, the ideals that are really just a construct of my upbringing and society around me. phewwww

International Train Trip

I heard something interesting on the radio this morning as I was driving to the train station in Wilsonville. It seems that Amtrak has added another train up the I-5 to Vancouver BC. I am pretty excited about this. One reason is that I would like to take a trip on the train to Vancouver but the other is that the Winter Olympics are in 2010. I am hoping that my wife and I can make it to just one thing up there.

I remember as a child in the early 80's when the Olympics were in Los Angles and running around that summer wth my brother and two friend reenacting the events. The torch actually came through Salem and one of my friends who was the Boy and Girls Club boy of the year actually got to carry the torch for a short distance. I rode my bike along with him for awhile. In the days of pre 9-11 security was pretty lax.

I rarely dwell on the past. It has happened it is over and we are living in the present. Sure there are things to remember and it is good to know why things were done the way they were. But, it is nice at times to think back about those summers and the bike rides and the crawdad hunts.

I think I led a pretty idealic life style spending a fair amount of time alone reading and riding my bike to the library to devour the latest book. I still read a fair amount to this day. I had been reading beyond my grade level for several years and I really begin to love fiction and Sci-fi and Fantasy. Along with that I also really enjoyed Louis La'mour westerns. I have read and reread many of his books over the years my favorite being the Sackett Chronciles. I just really enjoy those books.

Which is another reason for me to enjoy the train. In the mornings I blog and share my thought with my glorius five readers and thank you for your support by the way. But in the afternoon on my way home I read. I really like the time of just reading and not having to worry about traffic or anything else. The chair is comfortable and the temp is nice. I just hope it continues for awhile.

Today is a first I have been writing steadliy all the way into Tualitin. This is the first time I have ever done that. There are less people in Tualitin today. I think only three people got on. Last night on the was home there were about 60 people on the train. So that was kind of neat. It really seems like the ridership is picking up. I am hoping I can ride it during the winter time.

Trainspotting

The weather talk has already begun. It is supposed to be in the high 90's today. Since I have been riding the train and the air conditioning has been fixed in my car I do not worry to much about the weather. I am able to relax and feel the cold air blow upon and that is really all I need.

Today there is a new person sitting in one of the regulars seats. He is youngish probably early twenties or late teens. He is wearing mustard color cargo shorts with a pair of white adidas and a black black zip up top. What I am finding amusing is that I do not know him. I have never seen him before and I probably will never see him again. But, he has a Boston Redsox hat on and I want to punch him in the face for wearing it.

Is that so wrong? Should I be so upset about someones choice of clothing? He may not even be a baseball fan. If he were wearing a Yankees hat I would not be as upset. In fact it isn't the team that bothers me. I think it is the people in Boston. The strange thing is that I have never met anyone from Boston. My only impression of them is from movies and televison and I really liked "Cheers". That was set in Boston wasn't it? Oh! Maybe it is due to "Good Will Hunting"?

I hated that movie. The sad thing is I like Matt Damon but I dislike Ben Affleck. Again for no reason. But since I feel that way and nothing that I do is irrational in fact I do everything based on logic and reason. There must be good valid reason for my dislike of Boston I have just not discovered it.

I mean those who know me know that I am a calm and rational person not controlled by my emotion. In fact I control my emotion. I am truly a being of logic and reason. I am Spock like in my rigid self control

I am like a leaf on the wind.
Watch how I fly.

I still think people from Boston and the city of Boston are dumb!! How bout them apples!!

All TerRAIN Vehicle

Bear with me gentle readers because I am feeling pretty foggy today. It was a pretty mild weekend I played some games with good friends on Friday night and worked on Saturday and part of Sunday. I also managed to find some time in there to read and to play a little X-box. But I probably should have slept more. I went to bed last night around 10 pm but that seems to have not been enough sleep.

While the drive up was uneventful it was not without its little annoyances that is for sure. My first annoyance was the grey 15 seat passenger van that blew by me doing about 75. It is will within there rights to go 75 but all I could see in my mind was the van tipping over and sliding into a ditch. The next annoyance came just after the rest area before Wilsonville as a lady decided that she needed to drive 50 in a 65 and the traffic begun to stack up around her because she was in the middle lane. These two events and a few minor ones all make me realize how much I enjoy riding the train.

I am sitting her typing this and listening to the hum of the rails. The low murmur of the passengers around me serve to as almost a hypnotic device. A sonar sleep machine. I feel the calm sweep over me as I look at the countryside. The evergreens all green the rolling brown hills dotted here and there with houses and powerlines. There are different industries that we pass and we roll along. I am unable to describe them because I am not sure what they do. Nevertheless I do find them interesting.

There are ponds that we pass and some almost swampy areas. All in all it makes for a relaxing morning. Our first stop is Tualatin and more of the regulars get on. But, there is a twist today because a new girl is sitting in one the regulars normal seats. I am looking forward to the regulars double take as they enter the train. It will be interesting to see if they stutter step or if they smoothly move to a new seat. Here we go...............Oh will the regulars are not here!! I hate when I am surprised. But that is the way it goes sometimes.

Maybe tomorrow there will be some excitement. I can only hope.

Two Tracks.
Multiple Stops.
Various Destinations.
Forward we roll. Ever onward.

sTRAINing to be heard!!

Good morning again my loyal readers. It is my Friday and I am glad to be on the train to be moving away from yesterdays topic. It is a very pretty morning. The sun is shining and the sky is blue there are some white puffy clouds in the sky and I am looking forward to seeing some ducks and other wildlife as I travel along.

I had lunch yesterday, as gentlemen do, with a good friend from high school days. Actually farther back then that as this particular friend and I have known each other since grade school. It was nice to see him and to talk a little bit about what we both are doing now. It is nice to sit and converse like adults with people. It is nice to be able to share ideas in a civil manner and even if you disagree to be able to disagree like adults,

That seems to be getting lost in America. It seems like more and more as I look at people like Keith Olberman and Glenn Beck and Rachel Maddow and Bill O'rReilly, that it is about abusing and poking fun at the other person and not about the sharing of ideas. I wonder at times what the founding fathers would have thought if they were trying to put things together now but they had to contend with these people having daily colummns in the papers of the day.

I know that Ben Franklin wrote letters under a psuedonym. Maybe, he was an early blogger of his day. I just wish we could move back to a time or maybe forward to a time where we can communicate in such a way that we can reach a common ground with people. Where we can use our humanity to join us together. Oh well. Now where is my bong?

Crazy

I need to take a step back today from chronicling the adventures of a gentleman on a train and mention something that is starting to drive me a little crazy.

That is the whole idea that President Obama was/is somehow not a natural born American citizen. This idea that he is actually Kenyan with a fake birth certificate just blows my mind. I am all for a good conspiracy theory. There are several websites that I go to that I really enjoy who speculate about conspiracy's all of the time.

But this one seems so far out side of the realm of even possible truth. I am amazed that people are even considering it in the slightest. This is just one quote that I feel really hits the nail on the head for me.
"In any event, even if you were of a mind to indulge the Kenyan-birth fantasy, stop, count to ten, and think: Hillary Clinton. Is there any chance on God’s green earth that, if Obama were not qualified to be president, the Clinton machine would have failed to get that information out?"
-Andrew McCarthy (Thanks to Word Around The Net)

To me that makes sense I also can not imagine that the McCain/Palin machine would have allowed this to pass under the radar. I know people are upset about President Obama and worried that he is turning us into a socialist nation. But in reality we are going to be nothing like Sweden or any other socialist nation. Government in America has grown bigger and bigger under each successive president since Roosevelt and Obama is doing what each president has done before him. Either conservative or liberal. It is fine to be upset. It is fine to protest and to Tea Bag and to write letters. But to indulge in the type of conspiricy fantasy that the birthers are doing is just silly. I think it demeans the Presidincy as well as the people doing the contemplating. It just makes them look foolish.

John Col"Trane"

The sky is grey this morning. I like it. I am able to see my computer screen better. Is that sad? Should I be mourning the loss of the Sun today? I am sure the Sun will return and it will most likely return later this morning. I can see some blue sky peaking out over the horizon to the east so I am sure it will make an appearance.

I like a cold morning. I like a cold grey morning actually with a slight breeze. To me this says morning, this says that the weather cooled down last night and is starting fresh. I absolutly hate waking up to the same tempreture as it was when i went to bed. There is nothing refreshing about that to me. I would sleep with the window open year round if I could. I should say all winter if I could. In the summer I would rather have the air conditioning running.

Two winters ago I was in Vancouver B.C. for a model united nations conference. The conference itself was particularly uneventful other then the fact that we were there in Jan and that there was still snow on the ground in Vancouver. I was sharing the room with two fellas and I requested to sleep in front of the sliding glass door. Well sure that was fine with them.

But, the joke was on them. I slid open the door and slept blissfully in the freezing breeze that blew through the door. At one point I woke up and looked over at the fellow in the next bed. He was sleeping in a full sweatsuit with his hood tied up around his head. Haha It was one of the best sleeps I had ever had.

I love the cold.

Train?

Well I had a bit of a surprise this morning as I showed up for the train. There were some mechanical problems and every third train was a bus. I decided to just wait for the train after that because I had no desire to sit in a bus on I-5 and highway 217. I am glad that work is flexible about arrival time.

I drove down to Eugene last night for my meeting for work. The more I actually drive through Eugene as opposed to sailing past it on the freeway. I realize it is a pretty little town. It seems to be spaced out nicely and there are some cool stores that Salem doesn't have. But boy is it a crappy drive down there. Long, and straight and slow. Traffic wasn't horrible but it is just blah.

Not much to talk about today. Just the typical case of the Mondays. HaHa! I love "Office Space"

ConsTrained

Ahhh I am back on the train. I had to drive yesterday because I had some running around to do after work and I really missed the train. I missed being able to relax as well as being able to write for a little bit. So, I am glad to be back sitting on the train and blogging about my feelings.

Today is going to be a little different. It is cloudy outside and they have the lights on in the train. They may have had them on before but it was so sunny I didn't really notice. I am noticing today. It is bright in here. The heat also seems to be on which is new as well. The lights and the heat and the wireless all just add credence to my opinion that only ladies and gentleman ride the train.

How and why would anyone other then a gentleman or a lady choose to relax in such splendor. In fact the only way to make this be a more gentlemanly experience would be for there to be a domed smoking car. Or perhaps a car with a rooftop deck so that we could shoot buffalo as we sailed down the tracks. Ahh the fading pleasures of a more civilized time.

I can picture my self standing atop the train car sipping my scotch and soda and smoking my pipe as my man servant loads my springfield. "Thank you Chesterfield." I say as I take my weapon of choice from him and brace myself for the shot. I sway slightly feeling the motion of the car and take that into account as one must when shooting from atop a train car. There is a slight pressure on my shoulder as I tighten my grip and begun to squeaze the trigger *snick* the springfield bucks as the bufallo in my sights falls. "Ah, another falls before me." With a grin I hand Chesterfield my rifle and head down to the dining car as the other gentleman around me congratulate me on my amazing shot. "It was nothing."

That my friends that is how a gentleman lives.

"Tea stRAINed"

I mentioned yesterday that I have been drinking green tea with lemon. Do not get me wrong. I still love coffee. The smell of the beans in the grocery store is enough to give me goosebumps. But, the heat wave last week made it impossible for me to have coffee in the mornings. It was just to hot. So I moved to a instant green tea with lemon that I could drink cold.

I have found in very refreshing. I now start the day with a cup of black tea and then continue with green tea for the rest of the day. I do not know if there are any health benefits other then the antioxidants that the hated Tea lobby insists are contained with in. All I know is that I enjoy the taste and so far I haven't had the head aches that I used to have when I tried to get off of coffee. Now I know that there is caffeine in tea it is just far less then in coffee. So hopefully this monkey will soon be off of my back.

Maybe I can trade the addiction in for one of apples or grapes. Why is it that I am not dependent upon somthing healthy for me? Though since I started this job I have been eating one or two apples a day. I am enjoying that. I feel healthier but that may be just because I am not sitting at home in front of the x-box but out moving around.

The windows clear
Fields brown and burned
Sun gives life and takes it as well.

Res"Train"ed

Well it is Monday morning and a good morning to mt faithful readers. I believe there may be as many as three of you who read this regularly. I hope that I am able to keep you interested for a little while each day as I ramble on about what ever seems interesting to me at the time.

Traffic was odd today as I cruised up the I-5. It was busy as usual but people seemed to be more aggressive then normal. Now I am not sure perhaps I was feeling less aggressive today and therefore I was just noticing it more then usual. I do not think I have made a change in my driving style other then that I move over, if possible, when I see that a policemen has pulled someone over. Today there was a motorcycle policemen who had a pickup pulled over. Not a pleasant way to start the day to be sure.

But I made it safely to my destination and now I sit and wait. Soon the train will begin to move and I will be carried gracefully to my destination as a gentlemen should be. No fuss and no muss. Just rolling along the tracks like in my carriage. Now some of you may ask what make you a gentleman Lance? Well, isn't it obvious ? I ride the train to work therefor I am a gentleman. Why, a mere common man could no more sail along the rails as he could fly in the air in some great winged metallic beast. Mere common man are forced to move along rubber wheels surrounded by a cage made of metal as others of their ilk sail all around them. Not for me I tell you!

I will continue to roll along the rails as benefits one such as myself. Sipping my iced green tea and lemon and reflecting upon life and the loftier pursuits.

Re"Train"

It is nice here inside the train car. The air conditioning is working and the sky is blue outside. I know people say that nature is meant to be enjoyed out of doors but as far as I am concerned I would rather be in a air conditioned car or house looking out at it when it is this hot. On this trip I usually see some deer out and a few other animals. There is a surprising amount of empty land between Wilsonville and Tualatin. But when the heat is like this it seems like the deer are even hiding.

I love the countryside in Oregon especially in this part of Oregon. I love that the trees are green and there seems to be always running water some place. On the train trip I pass by a couple of water features and when I get to final Beaverton stop there is another water area that always has dicks swimming in it. I usually stop on the bridge and look at them.

So far I am the only one on the train. I like it, the quite is nice and relaxing. I am sure that the usual crew will begin to show up and the murmur of conversation will begin. The hum of conversation along with the rhythmic noises of the train is almost soothing as we roll along. Sure there some annoyances here and there but most of the time I really enjoy it.

Power Train Warrenty

Hot today. It seems almost silly to complain about the weather. It's not like I can control it. Maybe that is human nature to complain about things that we have no control over. Why is it so important for humans to feel in control? Is it a horrible thing to just accept that some things are beyond our level of authority?

I used to and still do now and then get fired up about politics and about the perceived slights that the big G government was doing to me. At some point I realized that it wasn't beneficial for me to invest so much energy in being angry about things that I had no control over. It is the same with riding that train each morning. The one thing that I have any control over is my drive to Wilsonville. Other then that I am at the mercy of the train company. I just have to trust that the train will leave when advertised and will get me to the stop I need to get to.

What I find interesting is that I have no worries about the train doing just that. Though I am hearing that yesterday one of the trains just stopped on the tracks. haha. That is what I get for putting my faith in man made devices, CURSES!!

"Train" in Vain

It is Monday on what is supposed to be the hottest day of the year. I am thankful that the air conditioning seems to be working in the train. There are some new faces this morning. A youngish Hispanic gentleman in a blue pinstripe suit. He is wearing matching blue and black striped socks. I wish I had a camera to show you. I am finding it almost impossible to describe. It isn't that he looks bad it is just pretty wild.

The doors have closed and off we go with a toot toot from the horn. It is funny but the noise brings a smile to my face. I wonder if I am feeling like a kid again I do not think I was fascinated with trains or anything but this whole trip is something that I enjoy. The conversation around me is bouncing from the heat to who had the tightest shorts in highschool in the 70's the boys basketball team or the girls volleyball team.

Oooh a switch to the idea of socks and sandals and whether or not Birkenstocks are worth the money. The lady that I talk to usually is now giving the train man her cell phone so he can call her if the train is delayed. There is some concern it seems about if the heat will make the switches stick.

Today is the beginning of the campaign and circulaters should hit the streets by Tuesday. I am looking forward to seeing this process and I hope that we are successful in getting this to the voters. It is interesting for me in that I understand the cost and the stress that special elections like this cost. I think this process is what makes Oregon special. We were the first state to choose this method and I think it works for us. Only time will tell if this is going to translate into a career for me but I hope that it does.

"Training" Day

I sit on/in the train facing south as I wait for us to move. I like the train. I like the peace of mind it brings me as I roll along. I am able to relax. I do not need to think about traffic or worry about what is going on around me. The conductor walks past. He seems like a nice fellow and I have chatted with him a few times. The usual lady sits diagonally across from me. She always has a notepad that she writes in as we travel. Perhaps she is blogging in an old fashioned manner.

There is a smattering of small talk around me. It is all the usual "Hot today, cold today". In some ways this is almost comforting to me. It is a sign that the world rolls on. That despite my frustration with politics or world events. That in my world things continue to move forward. The train keeps rolling and people keep being people.

A man in jeans shorts and sandals enters the train. He looks to be a computer guy of some sort. I have no idea really but that is my thought. He has the ubiquitous coffee travel mug as nearly 75% of all travelers do. Myself included to be honest though mine is left in the car today.

I will make coffee when I get to the office. Then my day will begin. It seems though that while I enjoy work what I enjoy most is the train. I will ride home in the afternoon with a new set of faces to look at and wonder about. I look forward to it.

On-Line and on the train

As I write this I am sitting in the train car in Wilsonville. I have been riding the train from Wilsonville to Beaverton everyday for work since last Monday. I really have started to enjoy the process. It takes me about a half an hour to get to Beaverton transit center and then I catch a MAX train to the office which is one stop away. The train also has wireless which is just amazing for me to think a bout.

I do not have really a case or a point to make about mass transit vs cars or anything like that. It is just that for me it is saving me a little bit of money and allowing me to relax and not be stressed out by highway 217. I just wish the train would end up going all the way down to Salem one day. If you live in Salem and commute to Portland daily I would encourage you to check the train out. It is a nice trip.

North Korean Nukes!!

Well, well, well like the world isn't an interesting enough place right now with the all of the chaos happening in Iran. In typical fashion up pops North Korea like the proverbial jack in the box to shout "Hey look at me!!"

It is amazing to me that China lets North Korea continue to act as if they have no control over them. I wonder if North Korea really does not care what the rest of the world thinks about them. They seem unconcerned about the latest round of UN sanctions. But, that is not really a surprise to me because if the US does not choose to enforce those sanctions then there are really no teeth to them.

That is where the dilemma because if the US decides to intercept the North Korean ship that may or may not be carrying weapons. North Korea has said that they will retaliate in a nuclear fashion. This blows my mind that the threat of nuclear activity is still being used. I grew up during the Cold War and that was always a distant threat and it seemed to loom over most everything in one form of another. I remember the whole concept of "Mutually Assured Destruction" being a matter of some stress to me as a youngster.

But with North Korea this is not mutually assured this would be them firing one missile or bomb and the US wiping the floor with them. I wonder do they not even grasp that concept. Maybe I am just being silly and to even worry about this happening is pointless. I agree that it is pointless to some degree since I am unable to control this one way or the other. But, that is not the point. I am just amazed that this is going on. I knew that someone would test the new president. I just did not anticipate it being this kind of a test.

I wonder what the end result of this is going to be. Does anyone out there have any thoughts?

Iranian Unrest!!

I have been reading with interest the different new stories that are coming out of Iran since the election. I find it interesting because my initial thought upon hearing that an election was coming up in Iran was to dismiss the validity of the election. Not dismiss it because of all the unrest that seems to be happening post election but dismiss it out of hand. I figured that there would be 100% voter turnout and Ahmadinejad would win by a resounding margin.

Well it turns out I was mistaken, or as Gomer Pyle would say "Surprise, Surprise, Surprise!" I always figured on a corrupt election but this was way beyond the usual nature of the corruption. It seems like Iranians actually voted and actually believed that their votes counted for something. I am not sure what to make of this. On the one hand it is pretty cool and peoples votes should count for something. But it makes me wonder about all of the previous elections in Iran. Where they fruadulent or not? Because I do not recall these massive protestes following the other elections. If they did happen please inform me.

It also seems that Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei called for an investigation into accusations of ballot fraud in Friday's elections. Which just makes my head spin. Because while I always knew that there was a Supreme Leader in Iran it always seems like Ahmadinejed does and says whatever he wants. I had always assumed that he was just doing and saying what he was told and that he had basicall been appointed by the Iranian Supreme Leader but I guess I was wrong.

I have no idea what the end result will be of all of this but I have to say that I am finding it interesting to watch develop.

Graduation Day!

I am graduating today. I am not sure how I feel about it. I know that there are people who are proud of me. I know that a few years ago I felt like I would never finish college and I did not feel like I needed to. I had a job that let me cruise along at the lowest level of effort and still get paid. I did not need to think I could just exist. But, then I met HER and everything changed.

It was not enough to cruise along at the lowest level of effort. It became more important to get the degree done and to move forward in life. To move forward to that next level. The funny thing is I am not fully sure of what that next level is. I am glad to be done with school, the bachelors part of it, anyway. But I wonder what is next. Should I go to graduate school? Should I start trying to network and to hustle so that I can find a job that allows me to put my degree to use. Not that a Political Science degree is the most useful degree out there. But, I really enjoyed my studies and found the degree path to be most useful for me.

I like Politics, History, and Philosophy, and Political Science at times touched on all of those subjects and I loved it.

Just some random thoughts from my brain today as I get ready to go walk with 600 + other graduates. I am nervous as to what the future brings but I hope that I am able to move to that next level.

The Supreme Court!

As we move past President Obamas 100th day of office it looks like the next thing on the horizon likely to cause a ruckus is going to be who Obama decides to nominate as his Supreme Court justice to replace Justice Souter. Now the majority of conservatives feel that while Souter was appointed by Bush the first he in the end was more of a liberal then a conservative and is often thought of as a mistake when people look at Bush's appointments.

I would argue that while the world changed around him. That as the popular definition of liberal and conservative shifted over the years since he was appointed. Justice Souter continued to be consistent in the way he voted and the way that he looked at the law. To me this doesn't highlight a problem with Justice Souter but it highlights a problem with the Supreme Court in general.

For a country that claims to be a democracy I think it is a travesty that the highest court in the land is made up of life time presidential appointed positions. Now while theoretically this is supposed to protect them from the pressures of running for office and to stop them from looking for money or being at risk of undue influence. When in reality due to the nature of the position the Justice is under the influence of whatever President appointed them.

This is the problem with the Supreme Court it should not be made up of lifetime appointees who are then expected to rule based upon a political position as opposed to how the law reads. That is what the ultimate litmus test should be not the political administration that appointed said Justice but what the law reads that they are ruling on.

With this as the criteria it makes it a little easier to look at the Justices and they way that they rule and under these conditions I think Justice Souter did the job he was hired to do. I just hope President Obama picks a Justice that will respect the law in the same way and not one who they must rule based on the political position of the office that appointed them.

The Tea Has Steeped!!

So, the Tea Parties are over. What is next? Has everyone gotten it out of their system and now they will go back to burying their head in the sand and pretending that it is all ok? What happens if somehow against all expectations Obama is right and the economy stabilizes?

I really believe that Obama was elected as a response to the policy's of Bush. I also believe that unless something really changes there will be a new president in four years as a response to Obama and his policys. With the way that the system is their appears to be no other choice but to vote out the old and bring in the new. The problem rises when the new is really just a slight variant of the old and as long as we have a two party system this will never change. But, I do not need to rant again about the problems of the two party system.

My question for the people that are on fire about the Tea Party is what is next? Are you wanting to run your own candidates like the Green Party and some of the others? Are you wanting to start another political party that has as it's core fiscal responsibility and constitutional limits? What is next?

DEMOCRACY

"The whole dream of democracy is to raise the proletarian to the level of stupidity attained by the bourgeois" - Gustave Flaubert

Right on the money brother, right on the money!!

Political Pictures

I stumbled across some pictures as I was surfing around and I really thought they were neat. I do not have the money to buy painting but if I did these two would be ones that I would pick up. I really like the way that he painted the different Presidents both Republican and Democrat. They were painted by an artist named Andy Thomas whose site appears to be down right now but here are the pictures.

Obama and his budget

So in the wake the purposed budget that President Obama has purposed. I was wondering if people had any thoughts on the pros and cons for say a Value Added Tax or a Flat Tax versus the system that is in place now. I tend to flip flop about these because I am just not sure of the overall benefit.

I like the, and I could be wrong, potential for fairness of the Value Added Tax in that the more expensive an item is the greater the tax rate on it. That seem pretty simple to me because if you do not want to pay the higher tax then you do not buy the item. I also see in some way the benefit of the Flat Tax in that if it is 10% it is always going to be 10% and it might take some of the confusion out of paying your taxes each year.

Now I am well aware that perhaps I am just not understanding what these various tax types do and the effect on them. So if that is the case please feel free to enlighten me. I await with interest your responses.

This looks like trouble!!

Now anyone who knows me also knows that I am not shy about my desire for some form of Socialism here in America. But this does not mean that I am unaware of the problems of Socialism when it is implemented by a corrupt or selfish individual. In this case word has just come out (by way of the Associated Press) that Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez has just won a referendum to eliminate term limits. So what this means (the actual article is linked above please read it) is that after ruling the country for a decade there will be another election in 2012 and Chavez has already said that he intends to run again.

This genuinely concerns me because I do not think Hugo Chavez is good for the citizens of Venezuela. He has installed most of his family in positions of influence within the country as well as just making all there lives ones of affluence. Now I do not want to get into a debate here about the obvious problems of Socialism. I would and will gladly do that an another day. I think Chavez is a thug and a criminal and would be bad for the people of any country under any system of government. The fact is that with him in charge there will be no equality and to believe any other way is I feel to be naive in the face of overwhelming evidence.

I have said my piece and any readers that would like to join in pro or con please feel free to do so.

US envoy predicts 'direct diplomacy' with Iran

"UNITED NATIONS – President Barack Obama's administration will engage in "direct diplomacy" with Iran, the newly installed U.S. ambassador to the United Nations said Monday."

My response to this is that it is about time. I strongly feel that the only way to accomplish things diplomatically in this world is to directly interact with the states involved. Now this does not mean agreeing with everything that state does or giving in to every desire of the state. But, it means keeping the paths of communication open so that states can have access to each other to discuss issues that affect both them and the world. Even during the Cold War both the Soviet Union and the USA kept in contact. The cutting off of all official communication that the USA did with Iran in 1979 only served to make a bad problem worse. I would argue that relations with Iran are worse now then in 1979 when there revolution happened. Had we stayed connected with them in one legitimate form or another who knows what might have happened. As far as what this means for the future it is hard to say but I think this is a good step for President Obamas administration and I hope they continue to pursue diplomatic channels when there becomes a need to pressure some of these states.

INAUGURATION DAY

Today the 44th President of these United States of America was sworn into office. I think that, personal politics aside, it was a touching and important event. My hope is that the high level of esteem that President Obama is being held to does not come back and hurt him and America eventually. I am doing my best to not be cynical about this process and about the political process in America. So I am being sincere when I say that I hope Obamas presidency is different then the presidencies that that have come before. I hope for transparency and accountability. I hope that Obama is being honest in his stated desires for the office of the President as well as his desires for America. At this point all one can do is wait and see what happens and I hope what Obama brings us is actual change and growth.

Please, if you agree or disagree feel free to chime in. Let me know how you feel and why you feel that Obama is good or bad for the country and the world. Let me know your hopes for the future and if Obama can meet those or not. Lets keep the conversation going.

Riots in the streets of Oakland?

According to NPR "

Bay Area Police Officer Shoots Unarmed Man

Audio for this story will be available at approx. 6:00 p.m. ET

Talk of the Nation, January 8, 2009 · A BART (Bay Area Rapid Transit) officer shot and killed an unarmed man on Jan. 1. After a peaceful protest at the BART station, the crowd turned violent and took to the streets of Oakland.

Demian Bulwa, a staff writer for the San Francisco Chronicle, was at the riot. He reports police arrested at least 105 rioters for assault, vandalism, looting and arson."

While this is a grainy video its impact is not lessened but according to press reports and that of eye witness's it shows Oakland Bay Area Rapid Transit (BART) Police shooting an unarmed man as he was being held down on the floor of the train station. As I write this there has been no response from either Oakland police or the BART authority. This is a horrible thing even more so because it appears to have not been a justifiable shooting. What the death led to was a protest that involved protesters destroying cars and vandalizing other things the majority of them being owned by private citizens with no connection to the people behind the shooting. The question for me is why attack and destroy things that have no connection to the incident that caused the riot or protest in the first place? I would understand attacking BART head quarters or a police station that would at least show some sense. But what good does random violence do? If you have been involved in a protest that turned ugly could you share some thoughts with me on the reasons why or if you just have a theory please feel free to join the discussion.

A Modest Proposal

I have a thought, a modest proposal if you will. No not the one put forth by Jonathan Swift in 1729 that the Irish should eat their children. But as we move further into the recession the nutritional benefits of the young might be well worth looking into.

But my modest proposal is this one. What if working in Congress was done much like jury duty in this country? Your name is drawn and if you are able to meet the requirements then you do your stint and go back to your other life the one where you are not a public servant. What would the result be? Would they get more done because they would not be life long politicians but rather citizens who are doing their civic duty? Just a thought I had about something that I discussed with a friend when this whole Illinois Blagojevich scandal started. What do you think?

Mugabe must go?

Well it seems that the world is united against Robert Mugabe the embattled head of Zimbabwe. It seems to me that this is really about time. I wonder though as world opinion builds against him if Obama will move to force him out in a military manner or will he wait for the United Nations to make a move? It appears to me that diplomacy has not worked in the past and the power sharing idea seems to be falling apart because of his actions. It will be interesting to see how this all plays out and if the USA moves to "democratize" Zimbabwe?

The Bear is Waking up!!

I addressed this on a different post but I thought that I should give it its own section. Not one day after Barack Obama was elected President of the U. S. A. the Russian bear decided to let out a growl. The question is......Is this just normal diplomatic posturing that goes on when a new administration takes over? Or is this a sign of a distinct lack of respect or even understanding of what the U. S. is capable of with Obama in charge? Furthermore, does the Bush administration just lay back and let Russia bellow given that they will be out of office in 74 days, I believe, either way like my friend Van says, "The next few years are going to be very active?" So those are my question..........Lets get this conversation started please feel free to join in.

Did I just feel a Draft in here?

With the press and many people feeling that Barrack Obama is going to be our next President. There has been some talk of the Democratic parties desire to renew a draft. By and large such talk draws contempt and disgust at the idea of such a thing. The sheer audacity of such a thing is enough to raise the blood pressure of any self respecting Libertarian and most Republicans as well.

But, hold on, I say lets consider this idea. What about rather then a military draft. Instead tacked on to the end of ones high school experience. There is a 2 year or 4 year, depending on the program, contract that either involves going to trade or university. Or volunteering in some other form or manner in a way that would benefit America. Then when the time is up you are free to do as you like, but ideally and it would not be the case for some. These people might find that they enjoy what they are doing and they will have learned a useful job skill at the same time.

As well as being able to give back to this America that has provided them with schooling and safety and allowed them to live in a world where frankly we are very lucky to be living in. Would it be to much to ask for a person of a certain age to give back to the system. To help support the system in which they grew up? I do not think so. I, in fact, would argue that the eventual result would be one of more patriotism then exists now along with a greater understanding of what is needed to provide the services that most of us take for granted.

I do not claim to have all the answers and often what I write is an experiment to allow me to dialogue with others who think the same or even those who think differently then me. So please add your thoughts and help me to refine mine because with out discussion nothing can be achieved.

Less then a month!!

With less then a month to go until the Presidential elections things are beginning to look interesting. It appears that more then a few pundits are predicting an Obama victory and one wonders if that will be the case or not. I am refraining from a prediction because I am just not sure how the American people will vote. I live in Oregon and the state tends to go Democratic so I do think Obama will win here. But we are a small electoral total state so it does not really mean a whole lot to win Oregon. Does anbody have any thoughts or predictions out there about the eventual outcome?

RIP AMERICA 1776-2008

I received this email, soon after the American government chose to bail out Wall St and passed a bill that was packed with more pork then my Grandma at Easter dinner. It is a little rough in spots but there are some interesting ideas to be gleaned from it. Please let me know what you think about the ideas. Now be forewarned there is a fair amount of crazy mixed in here as well as some oddly anti-religious talk but some of the concepts and thoughts are pretty interesting. So check it out, just some food for thought.

"Dear friends:

On 3 October 2008, the first experiment in democracy since the days
of ancient Athens came to an end.

The Grand Experiment of Government of, by and for the People ended
on
the floor of the House of so-called "Representatives. " After over
eight years of blatant contempt for the working people of this
country, those who swore an oath to defend its highest laws gave us
all the biggest and most obvious "F**K YOU" in modern history.

Wall Street - whose executives' unbridled, unregulated greed and
reckless gambling has brought the world to the brink of financial
ruin, whose fortunes have increased to obscene levels on the backs
of
starving people, whose behavior is destroying the planet - was "too
big to fail."

Those of us who work for a living, making the machinery run, do our
best to contribute to society, take care of our families, cannot
access health care and wind up becoming debt slaves for the rest of
our lives because korporate profits for a privileged few on that
which rightfully belongs to ALL OF US together and NONE OF US alone
are more important than life itself - we were "too small to matter."

I called and visited the offices of my so-called "Representative" ,
Mr. Brian Baird, REPEATEDLY. I BEGGED HIM to vote NO on this
welfare
check for billionaires. I SHOWED HIS STAFFERS an appropriate "New
Deal" that would bring about REAL, BOTTOM UP CHANGE and ultmately
allow EVERYONE to share in this nation's prosperity - not just the
400 individuals at the "top" that control as much wealth as the 150
million at the "bottom."

I pointed out that Reagan's "trickle-down" economic theory DOES NOT
WORK, HAS NOT WORKED IN THIRTY YEARS, and WILL NOT WORK NOW.

I may as well have been jerking off.

Like the other cowards in Congress who have been threatened and
bribed by lobbyists able to purchase their own "democracy," Mr.
Baird
decided he was more afraid of his korporate overlords than his
constituents, believed the lies and propaganda filth spewed out by
FOX, ABC, CBS and NBC, and voted to hand 800 billion dollars over
to
the SAME PEOPLE who CAUSED THE DAMAGE in the FIRST PLACE!! (They
wouldn't even add a mere one-quarter of one percent tax to all
stock
market transactions - which would have gone a long way toward
making
these parasites pay for cleaning up their own mess.)

Of course, Mr. Baird and his fellow cowards will argue that this
welfare check comes with benefits for "Main Street" - but if you
look
carefully at the language, you'll see that
it "reccomends, " "encourages, " and "advises."

NOWHERE DOES IT REQUIRE ANYTHING!!

Our "Representatives" have continually handed the hateful little
boy
king George W everything he wanted - and now, all of us have
another
$4000 in debt to deal with (while Wall Street will continue to reap
the benefits).

Let's see what all that money would have done for We The People,
shall we?

It would have provided UNIVERSAL, SINGLE-PAYER HEALTH CARE to EVERY
MAN, WOMAN and CHILD in the country.

It would have PAID OFF the mortgages for those who are struggling.

It would have provided a FULLY-PAID COLLEGE EDUCATION for EVERY
STUDENT (something that Denmark already does).

The Reagan Revolution is over, and has succeeded brilliantly.
Ronald
Reagan believed in "orders and classes," ruled over by an elite
oligarchy.

Today, our "Representatives" in "CON"-gress gave the Reaganists
everything they've been working toward for thirty years.

On the 3rd of October, 2008, the United States of America died of
cancer, aged 232 years and three months. Oh, no doubt the heart
will
continue beating for some time...we will have an election in about
a
month, which will most likely be stolen again and given to McCain
and
Palin - meaning that by this time next year, we will be well on our
way to an Orwellian nightmare world that is 1984 meets the
Handmaiden's Tale.

But for all practical purposes, the nation we embraced and in which
we grew up - a nation that was once the greatest in the world, that
HAD IT ALL and PISSED IT AWAY FOR THE BENEFIT OF ECONOMIC
ROYALISTS -
is as dead as a proverbial door nail.

Yes I am angry. Yes, I CURSE those whores in Congress who sold us
out, their korporate pimps, their offspring and their descendants
for
the next 20 generations (which is about how long it will take to
dig
out from under this).

But in the end, that's just beating one's head against the wall.
There is no Universal justice, no God that cares for any but the
wealthy and the powerful (and unborn fetuses, apparently), no real
Balance in the Cosmos - and nothing we mere mortals can do is going
to change that.

So...what to do now?

The USA is as dead as the Soviet Union, yet another greedy,
grasping
Empire that overreached itself and finally came apart. As dead as
Yugoslavia, now split into Serbia, Kosovo, Montenegro and Bosnia.
As
dead as the Iraq it murdered - which I predict is fated to split
into a Sunni, a Shia and a Kurdish state (and probably should).

Since the korporate coup d'etat that placed King George W on the
throne in December of 2000, similar fissures have begun appearing
in
North America.

Vermont and Texas, both independent nations before they VOLUNTARILY
joined the USA, have significant separatist movements.

Hawaii, a sovereign kingdom before forcefully and illegally being
taken over by the USA on behalf of korporate interests now has its
own groups agitating for the haole to leave their islands.

In Alaska, we heard a good friend of Sarah Palin express his hatred
for the Amerikan government - and her own husband is himself an
Alaska Native with ties to an Alaskan Independence movement.

This past February, there was a meeting in Memphis, Tennessee in
which resurrection of the old Confederacy was seriously discussed.

The Mormons in Utah have long dreamed about having their own
theocratic Kingdom of Deseret.

In Idaho, there are neo-nazis who still want their own "Aryan
Nation."

The Lakota Sioux have already declared their independence, and have
contacted governments in South America regarding diplomatic
recognition.

Do I agree with Mormons and so-called Aryans? Absolutley NOT! Do I
think they should have the right to have their own societies,
living
their own beliefs regardless of how warped and abhorrent I
personally
may find them?

As long as they keep to themselves and don't insist on imposing
their
beliefs on others, YES!

For you see...NOTHING is as warped as the NeoConservative Reaganist
agenda of Korporate Rule and debt slavery, and imposing that on the
entire world, using the vengeful God of Abraham - a god they
themselves do not necessarily believe in - to justify it.

Opposition to global korporate fascism makes for odd bedfellows.

Like the Lakota, the Aryans and the Mormons, I too have a vision
that
has long been shared by others - people here in the Pacific
Northwest.

That vision is "CASCADIA."

UNLIKE the Aryans and the Mormons, the Republic of Cascadia that we
envision is a society in which diversity is embraced and
treasured... a society which recognizes the fundamental RIGHTS of
ALL
humans regardless of skin color, personal spiritual beliefs or
mating
inclinations, to:

- FREE education and healthcare
- nutritious, unadulterated food
- decent housing
- a healthful and decent standard of living
- the legal protections of family structures that are NOT narrowly
defined according to an antiquated theology
- the benefits of technology
- a CLEAN environment with CLEAN WATER and CLEAN air
- free access and enjoyment of the natual environment (as well as
responsibility for its stewardship)
- self government without the interference and undue influence of
global korporate interests
- protection of our native industries through a system of tariffs

Have I missed anything?

It has been clearly demonstrated over the past eight years -
culminating in the fiasco of 3 October 2008 - that these CASCADIAN
values are NOT shared by those in Washington DC, and in fact are
ANTITHETICAL to the values of the United States government - a
governement that consistently acts with CONTEMPT for Labor while
kneeling to administer the tenderest fellatio to Kapital.

Does anyone remember the real issues behind the revolt of England's
North American colonies in 1775?

In a nutshell, the British Parliament at that time was bending over
backwards to please the big global korporate Wal-Mart of its time,
the British East India Company - while economically raping the
small
business owners in the colonies.

And now it happens again. Do not be misled; we are once again taxed
without our consent, without representation.

We are once again subject to economic rape for the benefit of
global
korporations.

It's 1775, all over again.

Thomas Jefferson said, "The tree of liberty must from time to time
must be refreshed with the blood of tyrants and patriots."

Nonetheless, bloodshed and violence is also antithetical to
Cascadian
values. After all, it is what Washington DC and its korporate
overlords stand for and what we are resisting. As much as my
primitive urge is to grab some korporatist neo-con by the throat
and
pound his smirking face into a pulp, I must rise above my reptilian
impulses and acknowledge that ultimately, such violence is the last
refuge of the incompetent.

India achieved its independence without bloodshed. It took 31
years,
but it was achieved. Serbia also was initially able to break with
Tito's old empire without bloodshed. Poland's non-violent Solidairy
Movement resulted in the overthrow of Communist Fascism in that
country.

The time has come for the Free Republic of Cascadia to do the same -

and to set an example for the rest of the world that the USA had
done
at one time.

My allegiance to what was left of the USA died along with the
pretense of Amerikan democracy on 3 October 2008. I am henceforth a
Cascadian. When this body of mine wears out and gives up to ghost,
it
will be wrapped in the Doug Flag and cremated in the shadows of
Tahoma on the shores of the Salish Sea, or on the Banks of
Enchewanna
beneath the glaciers of Wy'eest.

I call upon my fellow Cascadians in the former states of Washington
and Oregon (and the province of British Columbia - interestingly,
the
last province to join Canada - if they would join us, being as
Stephen Harper is nothing more than King George W's catamite) at
this
point to simply CONSIDER - not necessarily to take action, but to
start READING and CONSIDERING the idea of a free and independent
Cascadia. Go to:

http://groups. yahoo.com/ group/Cascadian_ Bioregionalism/

There is a discussion group there as well as a great many resources
(including a sound file and sheet music for the new Cascadian
Anthem,
Kwanesum Chinuk Illahi [Cascadia Forever], written and composed by
yours truly).

Also, download the free e-book, Nonviolent Struggle: 50 Crucial
Points at:

http://www.canvasop edia.org/ content/special/ nvstruggle. htm

Start reading. Learn how we can make change simply by our mass,
unified refusal to grant korporate tryants the obedience they
demand.


The Government of the late, great United States no longer
represents
our interests, and no longer even pretends to do so. We are NOTHING
to them except as a source of slave labor and materiel to feed the
insatiable greed of their korporate whoremasters. The only thing
that matters to Washington DC is big korporate money - obscene
wealth
and power.

Let the Evergreen Revolution start NOW.

KWANSUM CHINUK ILLAHI!

In solidarity,

Skukum Tamanawis

P.S. While you're at it, visit http://www.cayoosh. net/hiyu/ and
start
learning something about Chinook Jargon. Ikt chinuk wawa is likely
to
be one of the official languages of Cascadia (Chinuk Illahi) along
with English and Spanish.

Is the IRS an immoral agency?

I have been having an interesting debate over on my friend Christopher's blog http://networdblog.blogspot.com/ But since I do not want to hijack his blog I had hoped to move the debate over here.

The debate has taken several turns and I expect it to continue but right now we are discussing the idea of taxes and the IRS. The crux of the debate appears to me to be the idea that what the IRS does, since if you do not pay tax's you get arrested. Me opponent feels that the threat of arrest means that you are being forced to pay these and therefor it is an immoral and criminal action on their part.

My basic position and one I am trying to flesh out is the feeling that since I receive services in return for the money I pay in tax's it is not theft. If I did not receive services in return for the tax's I pay then yes I would feel that it was theft. I suppose if their was a way to not pay tax's and in some way opt out of receiving these services then I might be inclined to consider the possibility. But for me part of living in a society is paying for and receiving these services, that is part of being in a society.

I would love for any and all of you to come and join in the debate, and once we solve this issue :) perhaps we will move to an easy one like why we should continue to fund the United Nations.

It is all about Perspective

I found this interesting. I am not saying it is all true it is just thought provoking. Comments?

The Spin

Black teen pregnancies? A 'crisis' in black America.
White teen pregnancies? A 'blessed event.'

If you grow up in Hawaii you're 'exotic.'
Grow up in Alaska eating mooseburgers, you're the quintessential 'American story.'

Similarly, if you name your kid Barack you're 'unpatriotic.'
Name your kids Trig and Track, you're 'colorful.'

If you're a Democrat and you make a VP pick without fully vetting the individual you're 'reckless.'
A Republican who doesn't fully vet is a 'maverick.'

If you spend 3 years as a community organizer growing your organization from a staff of 1 to 13 and your budget from $70,000 to $400,000, then become the first black President of the Harvard Law Review,create a voter regstration drive that registers 150,000 new African Amerian voters, spend 12 years as a Constitutional Law professor,then spend nearly 8 more years as a State Senator representing a district with over 750,000 people, becoming chairman of the state Senate's Health and Human Services committee, then spend nearly 4 years in the United States Senate representing a state of nearly 13 million people, sponsoring 131 bills and serving on the Foreign Affairs, Environment and Public Works and Veteran's Affairs committees, you are woefully inexperienced.
If you spend 4 years on the city council and 6 years as the mayor of a town with less than 7,000 people, then spend 20 months as the governor of a state with 650,000 people, you've got the most executive experience of anyone on either ticket, are the Commander in Chief of the Alaska military and are well qualified to lead the nation should you be called upon to do so because your state is the closest state to Russia.

If you are a Demoratic male candidate who is popular with millions of people you are an 'arrogant celebrity'.
If you are a popular Republican female candidate you are 'energizing the base'.

If you are a younger male candidate who thinks for himself and makes his own decisions you are 'presumptuous'.
If you are an older male candidate who makes last minute decisions you refuse to explain, you are a 'shoot from the hip' maverick.

If you are a candidate with a Harvard law degree you are 'an elitist 'out of touch' with the real America.
If you are a legacy (dad and granddad were admirals) graduate of Annapolis, with multiple disciplinary infractions you are a hero.

If you manage a multi-million dollar nationwide campaign, you are an 'empty suit'.
If you are a part time mayor of a town of 7000 people, you are an 'experienced executive'.

If you go to a south side Chicago church, your beliefs are 'extremist'.
If you believe in creationism and don't believe gobal warming is man made, you are 'strongly principled'.

If you cheated on your first wife with a rich heiress, and left your disfigured wife and married the heiress the next month, you're a Christian.
If you have been married to the same woman for 19 years with whom you are raising two beautiful daughters you're 'risky'.

If you're a black single mother of 4 who waits for 22 hours after her water breaks to seek medical attention, you're an irresponsible parent, endangering the life of your unborn child.
But if you're a white married mother who waits 22 hours, you're spunky.

If you're a 13-year-old Chelsea Clinton, the right-wing press calls you 'First dog.'
If you're a 17-year old pregnant unwed daughter of a Republican, the right-wing press calls you 'beautiful' and 'courageous.'

If you kill an endangered species, you're an excellent hunter.
If you have an abortion you're not a christian, you're a murderer ( forget about if it happened while being date raped)

If you teach abstinence only in sex education, you get teen parents.
If you teach responsible age appropriate sex education, including the proper use of birth control, you are eroding the fiber of society.is interesting. I am not saying that it is all true just that I found it interesting.

Is $700 Billion worth it?

The last time I checked, America was not a Socialist nation. But, if we are not Socialist, then why is the federal government moving forward with a plan to bail out the financial market. Such a move amounts to nothing more then corporate socialism.

I am not here to blame President Bush for this nor am I here to make excuses for the presentt administration. I think that this problem is coming from years and years of bad financial policy and criminal behavior by the banks and corporations that are now in trouble. So the problem does not lie just with him. It lies with the American government as a whole and people who insist on taking loans out to buy things that they can't afford and do not need.

The action that is being planned by the government goes completley against what America was founded on and will do nothing but reinforce continued bad behavior by the parties involved. I do not have a solution except for to live within my means and try to work my way out of the school debt and life debt that I am in right now.

I just hope that this does not spell the start of another actual depression for us all.

How Do You Tell When A Politician Is Lying?

Simple answer: There lips are moving. It is sad to me that it really does not seem to matter to politician's if what they are repeating or even what they are talking about is the truth or not. They conveniently forget what they have said in previous speeches or interviews and depending upon who they think their audience is they will say something completely the opposite of what they have said before. Then when they are caught in the lie. They just put the deny machine in motion, knowing that the American people will soon forget or get caught up in the latest reality tv craze.

It does not seem to matter either which party the candidate is from either. The goal appears to get elected and the cost to ones soul is not an issue. The link in the title is an article about McCain and all the hoopla surrounding Obama's "Pig in lipstick" comment about Sarah Palin. The phrase is one that gets used alot and is not a sexist remark. But as per usual the opposing side will run with it trying to get all the traction they can to get themselves a few extra soundbites on the tv.

Everything is so corrupted right now it makes the bile rise and makes me want to wash my hands of the whole process.

The List: McCain’s 10 Worst Ideas

This is part II of the Foreign Policy magazines article on McCain and Obamma's 10 worst ideas.

"Creating a League of Democracies

What he said:“We have to strengthen our global alliances as the core of a new global compact—a League of Democracies—that can harness the vast influence of the more than one hundred democratic nations around the world to advance our values and defend our shared interests.” —Speech at the Los Angeles World Affairs Council, March 26, 2008

Why it’s a bad idea: As Thomas Carothers argues in the July/August issue of FP, “[T]he idea that democracies naturally align is only half right and risks being a dangerous oversimplification.” Carothers and other critics have noted that such a league might further weaken the United Nations. For the most part, world leaders have been cool to the idea, and rightfully so. A previous iteration, the little-known Community of Democracies, founded in 2000, has stumbled into irrelevance."

For me this just highlights how out of touch McCain appears to be when it comes to foreign affairs. And really how out of touch most Americans are when it comes to things like the United Nations and what it is that they do. It isn't that the United Nations is without flaws because we all know that, that just isn't the case. The United Nations is rife with scandal and abuses but if we as the USA one of the founding member of the group do not stay involved and work to fix these problems then the United Nations will become far more of a problem for us then they are now. I do not think the answer should ever be throw your hands up in the air and walk away.

So that is it for me, please read article or parts of it and let me know your thoughts.

The List: Obama’s 10 Worst Ideas

I read pretty regularly a magazine called "FP: Foreign Policy". I find it very interesting and since I am a political science major and am involved in Model United Nations at school it often has information that I find useful for papers and other things. Along those line they just published a list of Obama's 10 worst ideas and McCain's 10 worst and I hoping to highlight both lists in no particular order and am hoping that some of my readers will share their thoughts on it as well.

"Renegotiating the North American Free Trade Agreement

What he said: “I will make sure that we renegotiate. … I think we should use the hammer of a potential opt-out as leverage to ensure that we actually get labor and environmental standards that are enforced.” —Democratic primary debate in Cleveland, Feb. 26, 2008

Why it’s a bad idea: Trade agreements take years to negotiate, and Mexico and Canada would almost certainly seek new concessions of their own in a new round. Obama is right to argue that more economic development in Mexico will lower illegal immigration; he’s wrong to think that bashing NAFTA is the right way to address the Rust Belt’s economic woes. Happily, since the Ohio primary, Obama has backed off his harshest criticisms of the agreement."

I agree with this assessment to a certain point but I feel that NAFTA has not benefited America as much as it has benefitied Mexico and Canada. I am also in favor of the idea that to help control and limit illegal immigration the goal needs to be to help Mexico build its infrastructure and use its boundless mineral resources rather then just continue to have a government that is completly corrupt and unwilling to help themselvs.

Please follow the link and read the rest of the 10 and let me know what you think.

On to Part II and McCain's 10 worst.

McCain picks Palin as his VP?

I just do not get it. Obama picks a life time politician as his VP choice and McCain turns around and in a seeming attempt to one up Obama in the ''Hey, look everybody I can make a bad choice to" category. Picks the Governor of Alaska--Sarah Palin for his VP. What......WHAT.......WHAT is going on?

Is this what politics has become in America? Candidates picking VP options based on behind the scenes maneuvering and political gamesmanship. How honestly do either of these VP options benefit either their parties or America in general? I would love for a conservative to help me answer this.

It is not that I have a problem with her being a woman. That is really a non issue for me. My problem is a lot the same problem that I have with Obama. A distinct lack of experience. What has she done?

Lets see--- She is 44, has a BS from the University of Idaho.......(Thats it). Has held a grand total of three public offices she was elected to the city council of Wasilla, Alaska and held that from 1992 to 1996. Then she was elected Mayor of the same city from 1996 to 2002. Then she was elected Governor of Alaska in 2006.

That is it folks. That is the sum total of her experience in public office.

Could someone please explain to me why she is the choice?

Obama picks Biden for VP

I just do not get it. Obama has been positioning himself as the new Democrat the new politician and a new type of leader. He has been pretty successful at portraying that image to the American public.

So why turn around and pick for your VP a man who has been sucking at the political teat of America since he was 29 years old. Joe Biden is 65 years old and in one move Obama has opened himself up to the same criticisms that his party has been making of Bush.

Namely that Bush, by bringing Cheney along as his Vice President, was just continuing to run things the same way that they had been run, which is exactly what happened. Then he also grabbed Rumsfeld, both of whom had worked for President Ford. Funnily enough it was during the Ford/Nixon administrations that Biden was first elected.

I just frankly do not understand the point of Obama's picking Biden for the ticket. It is as if nothing has changed and we are once again going to go back to businness as usual despite the obvious desire of people on both sides of the political isle for a change.

I guess I shouldn't be surprised. It is just like the WHO said "Meet the new boss, same as the old boss."

Typical Politician

This is so typical of the people who run for office in this country. I wasn't a fan of the man to begin with but this does not surprise me at all.

Thursday, July 17, 2008

McCain gets $1,930 a month from 'broken' Social Security system

San Francisco Business Times

Republican presidential candidate John McCain cashes his monthly Social Security checks despite calling the federal program "a disgrace," the Associated Press reports.

"I'm receiving benefits," McCain told campaign reporters, but added, "the system is broken."

In 2007, he received benefits of $23,157 from Social Security, approximately $1,930 a month. The maximum monthly benefit under Social Security is $2,185. Social Security benefits are determined by age at retirement.

McCain, who is 71, has received benefits since he was 65.

Last week, McCain told observers at a town-hall meeting in Portsmouth, Ohio, "Americans have got to understand that we are paying present-day retirees with the taxes paid by young workers ... and that's a disgrace."

B.J. Jarrett from the Social Security Administration said that individuals can refuse retirement benefits.

In 2006, McCain's wife Cindy earned $6 million, and has a net worth of approximately $100 million.

Confused

"Pockets of lucidity" appear here and there throughout profane history, as the divine light is prolonged through time. In hindsight, an "Arc of Salvation" becomes recognizable, a sort of rolling horizontal revelation to go along with the vertical. In this regard, we can indeed trace a continuous line -- or wave -- of light, say, from the Hebrew prophets -- and the ancient Greek philosophers -- to America's founders. Looking down, I see these waves lapping at my feet as I type this. The water is both warm and transparent."

The paragraph from up above comes from a blog called http://onecosmos.blogspot.com/ I really enjoy it quite a bit and while I do not often agree with his mix of eastern mysticism and western religion I do feel that he often has some valid points to make. But this last section there about "Pockets of lucidity" and running a vertical path of enlightenment from Hebrew Prophets all the way up to America's founders. I just do not get. I am not even sure how one can justify the concept. I guess for me it has always seemed like America came out of a need for a few people to not want to pay taxes and a desire to not be controlled by the institutional Church of England. Not that they were after freedom of religion, of all religions, just the freedom of their religion and I really do not see how one gets from that origin to the idea that the founding fathers were somehow touched by God. When a fair amount of them were Diest and would have thought the idea that God was giving them a direct current to knowledge preposterous. I just am interested as to what others think of this.

The Future of Federalism?

So the question for my class this week is what do I think the future of Federalism looks like for America? I think that is an interesting question given that over the last decade the world has seen several federal republics fall apart. One reason for this is when you look at William Riker and his conditions for a federal republic to form. These are the military condition and the expansion condition and these must work together to shape the formation of the state. I would argue that the need for protection from a larger state has faded that colonialism is not an issue in the world so the military condition is not as important as it used to be. Which is a major reason why Yugoslavia has fallen apart. Now that the Soviet Union is no more Yugoslavia was able to revert back to its natural order and become smaller countries based on their separate religious and ethnic origins. I would love to hear anyone else's thoughts on the subject.

"ON LIBERTY"

John Stuart Mill in his ON LIBERTY raises some interesting points about what is freedom and what is society's role in protecting freedom as well as protecting the individual from being hurt by others. Is it morally relevant to limit an action that only affects others? Where do you draw that line for when a society can intervene? Is it the responsibility of society to prevent harm from being done to others? Should people be allowed to hurt themselves as long as it isn't hurting others? Who decides where the line is drawn for appropriate societal behavior? Is it the Church or Government? Should people just be left alone and should we let the world sort itself out? These are all questions that I am pondering at the moment and anyone who wants to join the discussion please feel free.

Supreme Court as a centralizer?

Today in class we talked about the role of the Supreme Court in centralizing the power of the Federal Government. It was an interesting discussion the main point of the lecture being that over the years pretty much regardless of the political makeup of the court. They tended to move to rule on cases in such a way to give legitimacy to Congress and the office of the President. They most often showed this when they would rule on cases where states made attempts to limit federal power with most of this involving Constitutional state law. An example the Professor gave was Brown vs the Board of Education. He contended that really what the Supreme Court is doing is to rule in such a way that it often drags more reluctant states along so that their laws become more consistent with the rest of the Nations laws and the laws of other states. As always I am open to anyone thoughts?

Heating up!

Well thanks to my little debacle with Van I have noticed more people visiting but no one is saying hello. I will try to post more of my political thoughts just for the sake of dialog if nothing else. But that is a two way street so I hope some people join in to the discussion. Lets see what to bring up? Today in Federalism we talked about the power of the Presidency as a unifying force for nationalism. One of the interesting things was that even when a President has campaigned on a platform of smaller government. They still have enlarged the system by giving either their enemies or friends a stake in the system. Sometimes the stake comes in trying to work within the system to fight a President often when people try to amend the Constitution. I just found this to be an interesting process.

IOWA CAUCUSES

Obama and Huckabee win their respective caucuses in Iowa and the results raise some interesting questions. What does this mean for Clinton she finished third? What does this mean for Romney as I believe this was a surprise for him? This adds up to making New Hampshire more interesting for both Romney and Clinton. I think Fred Thompson has to be happy with his finish. The upcoming race should be very interesting.

Should We Still Fear Iran?

The Economist thinks we should. When I first heard the news about the latest intelligence report concerning Iran I was a little surprised by a couple of things. First, I was surprised that the Bush administration let the word get out. Two, at the response of both Mr. Bush and the American Press. The article that I refer to contends that while Iran may have dialed back their nuclear plans it does not mean that the capability is not there. I think that is a key point. Iran is fully able to transport a warhead as far as they need to. They have figured out the hard part of the equation. As long as Iran continues to run uranium through Natanz's centrifuges the closer they get to weapons grade. The danger isn't over but this may be a chance for America to practice some rare diplomacy.

1st day of school!

Today was the first day of my second year at Western Oregon University. I am glad to be back, last year was a good and interesting one. I was in the Model United Nations club and really enjoyed it. I am involved again this year and was elected president of the club. I really like the process of diplomacy and working within the context of a rules system to achieve goals. While it is true that there are some flaws within the United Nations and some people are using the system to help themselves. The intentions of the UN are both honorable and just and if followed will only help the world to be a better place. I urge people to look into it.

The High Cost of Smoking

The above link will take you to a blog that has an anti measure 50 commercial on it. The ad wants us to vote no on 50 because it changes our state constitution. I myself could care less if it affects our state constitution. The reality is that smoking is a horrible habit and one that leads to the smokers death and often the death of those around the smoker whether or not they smoke. Anything that is that destructive should be done away with. But what about free will then. Fine don't outlaw just put the smokers on smoker reservation. Then the non-smoker will not be forced to smell and breath the foul stink of the burning carcinogenic agent.

Oregon State Fair

I have been working at the state fair. Now I am not a carny. First of all I have all my teeth and I don't have little fingers. Though I do have a penchant for underage girls. But that is beside the point. I up until tomorrow will have worked 20 days in a row. It was a pretty amazing run and one that almost led to my collapse but I think the skills I learned have been worth it. I now know how to drive a forklift and a front loader so those should come in handy in the future. The job itself doesn't pay much and isn't really very rewarding but it is interesting to see the fair come together. If you are reading this and live in Oregon I would encourage you to check it out.

What is Evil?

What does evil mean? Labeling an act evil is a dangerous thing. Peoples perception's of good and evil are different all over the world. The majority of Americans saw 9-11 as a "evil" act but there are entire countries that would disagree with us. People say murdering a child is evil but the same people might think that abortion is ok. Many, if not all, people would say that Hitler was evil but had Germany won the war all of our perceptions would change. It seems that in America we as a country need a "evil" enemy to justify our military and our imperialistic actions. We first called England "evil" during the revolutionary war and then the Axis countries in WW I and II. Then communism and now Muslim extremists and terrorists. Evil is a subjective term and used as a blanket to cover up all kinds of American wrongs. Think about that? I am not saying that only America acts that way worldwide all countries seem to have a flexible grasp on "evil" depending on what they are trying to accomplish. Perhaps I shouldn't say countries but empires. Because (and make no mistake here) America is an empire it is just up to us wether or not we become an "evil" one or not.

America! What is it good for?

This is a defination of Government-- "A social institution whose purpose is to resolve conflict and provide us with Life, Liberty and Happiness." I ask you is that what our Government is doing? I don't think it is. The bottom line is if you are not rich then tough luck. What is the point of living in a society, and that is what I assume we are calling America these days, when the average person can't get health care, can't afford to put gas in the car and can't even feed the family in some cases. My American Government teacher says to not give up. He, in point of fact, told me in front of the entire class not to give up. That if I dont continue to bang my head against the wall there will be no change. He says I need to support and believe in the SYSTEM! But the SYSTEM isnt my system! I have not voted for a winner in the last 4 elections. It seems that the system is geared to the rich and to the lining of ones pockets and for the looking out for number one!!!! Why not look out for each other? Why not make basic health care a right? How about everyone being able to afford to go to college? (I know those are crazy ideas Lance and how could we possibly implement them.) I would be better off I guess just keeping my head buried in the sand and not worrying about it. DONT GIVE UP!!!!! Easy for him to say and I hope it is something I can do. I want there to be change and I hope to help us move in that direction. Look out world!!!! Big Lance is off the wagon and back on the warpath again!!!!

Past Thought (Valid still)

Am I post modern? What does that mean? I know that I hate the corperate baby boomer church. I know that they have taken all that is orthodox and liturgical and sucked it out of the service leaving a lifeless feeling less box that the avg unthinking evangalical can shove God in. Does this mean I should abandon it completely or should I work for change from within? Should I run and hide from these thoughts? Is it better to sit and mindlessly accept everything the religious establishment feeds me? I dont think I should. God gave me free will and a brain to use. I am gonna choose to use them and to use them in the margins of the church and society where mainstream religion seems to avoid.