August 31 marks the end of our combat role in Iraq---Hooray? But 50,000 troops remain behind to "assist in training" the Iraq army and constabulary. It will undoubtedly be necessary for them to engage in combat operations because AL QUEDA and the Taliban will be holding our troops hostage to their desire to bleed and humiliate us. We are assisting them by weakening our fighting capability in the Iraqi theatre. Only a complete withdrawal from Iraq will free
us of that cancer. Iraq must stand on its own feet as a sovereign nation at some point. Playing perpetual cop and nursemaid to them will delay that forever
at enormous cost to us.
In Afghanistan we offer the Taliban a perfect assist. We provide a continuing supply of our valiant troops to be killed and maimed, at little cost to the Taliban. Their
fighters value death more than life so our counter attacks do nothing to dissuade them from continuing the fight. When we leave, Karzai the thief, and his Mafia will
also leave to enjoy their loot from our aid packages. The Taliban will take control
as if our interlude had never happened. That has been and will be the way of it in
that part of the world. Outside conquerors end up as the conquered.
Tuesday, August 31, 2010
Tuesday, August 24, 2010
Where art thou JFK?
Throughout history public sentiment about the state of affairs of our nation has
fluctuated between optimism and pessimism---feeling good/feeling bad. These moods
have sometime led the rest of the developed world's demeanor, and at other times followed.
At few periods in our history was our economy in danger because of a deep
decline elsewhere. Usually we were the bell sheep that led the others. When we
went into recession others eventually followed. So it was with recoveries. Our
current recession seems to be different. It is deeper, longer, wider and more
damaging than conditions in the other developed nations.
In trying to understand it certain factors come to mind:
We have taken on the role of policeman to the world. As such we must
maintain a military establishment larger than the rest of the world
combined, at home and in many foreign lands. This diverts resources from
more productive pursuits.
Our citizens have developed a sense of entitlement to government
services without a commensurate obligation to pay for them in the form
of taxes.
We have accepted living beyond our means as a normal life style, both
as individuals and as a society.
Our sense of common purpose and concern for the general welfare has eroded
and been replaced by "anything goes in pursuit of a buck".
The recipe for recovery is, in each of the above factors, to return to the way things were before, to the status quo ante. Perhaps it should begin in Washington
with politicians who place the general welfare above their own self interest.
Who will say "we ask not what our country can do for us, but what we can do for our country". Imagine what would happen if all of us did that!
Lets get to it!
fluctuated between optimism and pessimism---feeling good/feeling bad. These moods
have sometime led the rest of the developed world's demeanor, and at other times followed.
At few periods in our history was our economy in danger because of a deep
decline elsewhere. Usually we were the bell sheep that led the others. When we
went into recession others eventually followed. So it was with recoveries. Our
current recession seems to be different. It is deeper, longer, wider and more
damaging than conditions in the other developed nations.
In trying to understand it certain factors come to mind:
We have taken on the role of policeman to the world. As such we must
maintain a military establishment larger than the rest of the world
combined, at home and in many foreign lands. This diverts resources from
more productive pursuits.
Our citizens have developed a sense of entitlement to government
services without a commensurate obligation to pay for them in the form
of taxes.
We have accepted living beyond our means as a normal life style, both
as individuals and as a society.
Our sense of common purpose and concern for the general welfare has eroded
and been replaced by "anything goes in pursuit of a buck".
The recipe for recovery is, in each of the above factors, to return to the way things were before, to the status quo ante. Perhaps it should begin in Washington
with politicians who place the general welfare above their own self interest.
Who will say "we ask not what our country can do for us, but what we can do for our country". Imagine what would happen if all of us did that!
Lets get to it!
Sunday, August 22, 2010
Setting the record straight
There seems to be some confusion about my stand in the Mosque at Ground Zero
controversy. I accept the blame for not clearly distinguishing between the
Mosque siting, and the Caliphate agenda of militant Islam.
Establishing a Mosque on any site in the U. S. that conforms with zoning laws
is a constitutional right. The public relations impact is a separate matter and
must be considered by the congregation---it is not an acceptable ground for others
to try to bar the edifice. That would be censorship of the right to practice whatever
religion you choose. There are limits, for example human or animal sacrifice.
Islam is a proselyting religion. That is not unique. There is a significant segment within it who believe it is a divine order to convert or conquer non-believers, infidels, by whatever means---force, intimidation, deception, persuasion. There exist wide schisms within militant Islam which play out in murderous Muslim on
Muslim violence. The West becomes an enemy of some sect if it shows support for
another. The friend of my enemy is my enemy.
One of the most militant, regressive sects are the Wahhabi's, centered in Saudi Arabia. Their goal is to reestablish the Caliphate which dominated large parts
ot the world in the 8th to 10th centuries. It is that sect and that country which
are subverting Europe, and want to do the same here. That is what I caution against.
All religions are welcome and protected in our country. None is welcome to alter
our culture for theocratic purposes.
controversy. I accept the blame for not clearly distinguishing between the
Mosque siting, and the Caliphate agenda of militant Islam.
Establishing a Mosque on any site in the U. S. that conforms with zoning laws
is a constitutional right. The public relations impact is a separate matter and
must be considered by the congregation---it is not an acceptable ground for others
to try to bar the edifice. That would be censorship of the right to practice whatever
religion you choose. There are limits, for example human or animal sacrifice.
Islam is a proselyting religion. That is not unique. There is a significant segment within it who believe it is a divine order to convert or conquer non-believers, infidels, by whatever means---force, intimidation, deception, persuasion. There exist wide schisms within militant Islam which play out in murderous Muslim on
Muslim violence. The West becomes an enemy of some sect if it shows support for
another. The friend of my enemy is my enemy.
One of the most militant, regressive sects are the Wahhabi's, centered in Saudi Arabia. Their goal is to reestablish the Caliphate which dominated large parts
ot the world in the 8th to 10th centuries. It is that sect and that country which
are subverting Europe, and want to do the same here. That is what I caution against.
All religions are welcome and protected in our country. None is welcome to alter
our culture for theocratic purposes.
Friday, August 20, 2010
Dupe a dope a day.
Many people believe that if it appears in the media it must be true. Countless examples have shown that assumption to be false--the Sherrod case and Muslims praying on the streets of N. Y. C. are examples. Most people are too busy or disinterested to take time to check the veracity. Or the item may conform to their prejudices or biases and they accept it at face value.
This "credibility" factor has been carried over to the Internet, which offers fertile ground for demagogues and scam artists. They can enter your home uninvited, without knocking, and plant propaganda disguised as information. Their nefarious purposes are to get your support for their drive for power, to part you from your money, or to create animosity against their opponents.
When the deception involves forgeries or doctored pictures and captions they
are a danger to the social contract among the people, and between the people and their government. That contract depends on trust, and respect for the rights of others to be different.
Please, my friends and colleagues, when you receive inflammatory Emails, ask why.
What is the agenda of the senders? Check it out on "snopes.com". Don't become an
accesory to a fraud by passing it on without filtering it through a truth test.
This "credibility" factor has been carried over to the Internet, which offers fertile ground for demagogues and scam artists. They can enter your home uninvited, without knocking, and plant propaganda disguised as information. Their nefarious purposes are to get your support for their drive for power, to part you from your money, or to create animosity against their opponents.
When the deception involves forgeries or doctored pictures and captions they
are a danger to the social contract among the people, and between the people and their government. That contract depends on trust, and respect for the rights of others to be different.
Please, my friends and colleagues, when you receive inflammatory Emails, ask why.
What is the agenda of the senders? Check it out on "snopes.com". Don't become an
accesory to a fraud by passing it on without filtering it through a truth test.
Wednesday, August 18, 2010
The persistence of Illusion
In the 20th century the United States was supreme among nations. We had the greatest
prosperity, the largest economy, the most powerful military and the most
free populace in the world. Now, in the 21st century, that status is gone, but
many of us will not, or cannot accept the new reality;
we are no longer the world's mover and shaker. As a result, when things go amiss here or anywhere it is
Obama's doing, or a failing of the U. S.
The rest of the world has moved on. China is now the number two world economy and is breathing down our neck to reach number one. Our vaunted military is being defeated in the Mid East by rag-tag bands of
rebels who fight unconventionally and are not intimidated by a modern military colossus. The dollar which has been for a century the international medium of exchange is now in danger of losing that status.
To use a metaphor, the U. S. has a head cold, which if not treated could turn into pneumonia. The measures that would cure the cold are unpleasant---they would require all of us to make sacrifices. But the altruism and patriotism required for that seems to have emigrated elsewhere. We are caught in a class war, and the middle class is losing. No country can prosper without a middle class!
The solution is not, as conservatives believe, unbridled capitalism coupled with
low taxation and absence of sensible governmental regulation .We tried that under George and got the worst recession on record. Nor is it a tightly controlled
economy and extreme austerity. The solution will be in a compromise between
lessaiz faire and stifling controls and taxation. There is the rub. Compromise is now
the N word in politics. So the class war continues, and so does our decline!
prosperity, the largest economy, the most powerful military and the most
free populace in the world. Now, in the 21st century, that status is gone, but
many of us will not, or cannot accept the new reality;
we are no longer the world's mover and shaker. As a result, when things go amiss here or anywhere it is
Obama's doing, or a failing of the U. S.
The rest of the world has moved on. China is now the number two world economy and is breathing down our neck to reach number one. Our vaunted military is being defeated in the Mid East by rag-tag bands of
rebels who fight unconventionally and are not intimidated by a modern military colossus. The dollar which has been for a century the international medium of exchange is now in danger of losing that status.
To use a metaphor, the U. S. has a head cold, which if not treated could turn into pneumonia. The measures that would cure the cold are unpleasant---they would require all of us to make sacrifices. But the altruism and patriotism required for that seems to have emigrated elsewhere. We are caught in a class war, and the middle class is losing. No country can prosper without a middle class!
The solution is not, as conservatives believe, unbridled capitalism coupled with
low taxation and absence of sensible governmental regulation .We tried that under George and got the worst recession on record. Nor is it a tightly controlled
economy and extreme austerity. The solution will be in a compromise between
lessaiz faire and stifling controls and taxation. There is the rub. Compromise is now
the N word in politics. So the class war continues, and so does our decline!
Tuesday, August 10, 2010
Money Talks......
......but does it make sense? The sums of money spent on lobbying for the extension of the income tax reductions for the wealthy, if laid end to end, would still not
justify the lost government revenue for a program with no proven economic value to
the overall economy. The theory that reduced taxes lead to greater investments in
the private sector economy, thus producing higher employment has had ten years in
which to prove itself, and it has FAILED. What did occur was a mass export of jobs, a speculative inflation in property values beyond rational boundaries, and the creation of paper assets which turned out not to be worth the paper they were written on. Along the way some unscrupulous snake oil salespeople in the banking and investment fields
became obscenely wealthy, at the expense of vast numbers of savers, pensioners, home owners and individual investors. The wealthy prospered while the middle class majority was taken to the cleaners.
The irony is that the wealthy are now allowing the impoverishment of the
middle class to become a structural feature of our economy, thus not amenable to government action. This is balm to the anti government, anti welfare state constituency. It will also serve to restrain wage increases, and increase profits.
But who and what will sustain our consumer based economy? Prosperity for the middle
class means prosperity for commerce and industry. Mass unemployment and wage stagnation will result in a falling standard of living and a shrinking economy.
We need a new "Age of Enlightenment" to re-energize our people and banish ideological
devotion to selfish, class driven behavior. And we need it now!
justify the lost government revenue for a program with no proven economic value to
the overall economy. The theory that reduced taxes lead to greater investments in
the private sector economy, thus producing higher employment has had ten years in
which to prove itself, and it has FAILED. What did occur was a mass export of jobs, a speculative inflation in property values beyond rational boundaries, and the creation of paper assets which turned out not to be worth the paper they were written on. Along the way some unscrupulous snake oil salespeople in the banking and investment fields
became obscenely wealthy, at the expense of vast numbers of savers, pensioners, home owners and individual investors. The wealthy prospered while the middle class majority was taken to the cleaners.
The irony is that the wealthy are now allowing the impoverishment of the
middle class to become a structural feature of our economy, thus not amenable to government action. This is balm to the anti government, anti welfare state constituency. It will also serve to restrain wage increases, and increase profits.
But who and what will sustain our consumer based economy? Prosperity for the middle
class means prosperity for commerce and industry. Mass unemployment and wage stagnation will result in a falling standard of living and a shrinking economy.
We need a new "Age of Enlightenment" to re-energize our people and banish ideological
devotion to selfish, class driven behavior. And we need it now!
Wednesday, August 4, 2010
The impossible dream.
When a nation takes on a project as deadly dangerous as waging a war, that undertaking must be grounded on an objective which is worthy, attainable at acceptable cost, and with the prospect that victory will serve the nation's essential interests. Do our Iraq and Afghanistan wars fit those parameters?
The stated objectives in both were primarily to change the controlling regimes.
Our interests were to be served by replacing autocratic rulers with some
form of democracy in each country. The hope was based on the assumption that democracies practice peaceful foreign relations. Little attention was payed to the qualifying conditions: worthiness, acceptable attainability, and the best interests of the United States.
We have arrived at the denouement of our war efforts as total
failure. The internal political and social structures in both those countries are
tribal, infertile ground in which to plant democracy. No surge, no expenditure of lives and treasure, can change those facts. Only evolution offers a possibility,
and evolution occurs over eons, beyond the life spans of our crusading politicians.
How many more of our heroes must be killed or maimed, how much more of our shrinking
treasure must be wasted, before our legislators recognize the futility of our efforts? There are some objectives which even the mighty United States cannot attain.
Can't we come to grips with that and stop these tragic foreign adventures?
The stated objectives in both were primarily to change the controlling regimes.
Our interests were to be served by replacing autocratic rulers with some
form of democracy in each country. The hope was based on the assumption that democracies practice peaceful foreign relations. Little attention was payed to the qualifying conditions: worthiness, acceptable attainability, and the best interests of the United States.
We have arrived at the denouement of our war efforts as total
failure. The internal political and social structures in both those countries are
tribal, infertile ground in which to plant democracy. No surge, no expenditure of lives and treasure, can change those facts. Only evolution offers a possibility,
and evolution occurs over eons, beyond the life spans of our crusading politicians.
How many more of our heroes must be killed or maimed, how much more of our shrinking
treasure must be wasted, before our legislators recognize the futility of our efforts? There are some objectives which even the mighty United States cannot attain.
Can't we come to grips with that and stop these tragic foreign adventures?
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