Peace in the Middle East?

 

It’s becoming more and more obvious that no national government really gives a damn about the Palestinians.  Any student of history can also see that there will never be peace in the Middle East as long as a single religion is in charge of Jerusalem.  It is the religious ideologues that are funding the current crisis.   The obvious answer is to turn Jerusalem into a United Nations independent world city as proposed in the 1940’s.   With no likelihood of Israel agreeing to this, they may allow the City to become the headquarters of the UN.  By moving from New York City to Jerusalem the powerful, comfort seeking diplomats currently there could be replaced by diplomats that are highly motivated to find the solutions that will really work.

Our dollaracracy goes international

 

When I think of the millions of dollars, that the Mueller Report  specified,  that   Russia spent getting Trump elected, I can’t help but conclude that several other nations are spending prolifically as well. Ask yourself; Who benefits from dividing the Nation?  We’ve long put up with several US industries buying our Representatives because of the jobs they claim to create.  It’s time we put a stop to other countries buying them.  How delightful to Putin that we have no congressionally approved leadership in place in our Armed Services for just one example.  To drain a swamp, you have to get the liquidity out of it.  With the Supreme Court saying that money is speech, we have to amend the Constitution to get the money out of elections.  Might I suggest: “Notwithstanding the First Amendment all efforts to influence elections in the US shall be limited to those who can vote in said election.”  We currently have a dollaracracy.  Let’s get back to a real democracy.

Common Sense isn't Common Anymore

 

I wish we, as a people, would finally realize that the causes of the problems of this country are shared by all of us.  We want our educators to teach what to think rather than how to think.  Our politicians’ quest for power has led us to elect those who hurl the best insults and blame on their opposition.  We wish for simple solutions and ‘magic bullets’ for our problems and ignore the solutions that take time and many steps.

Some examples start with firearms.  The Constitution does not mention firearms, only arms.  The impossibility of “taking all the guns away” is never presented and the phrase is used to foment fear.  Firearm education in schools and licensing of gun owners, just like drivers, seems to be ignored, along with not increasing the number of weapons of war available to the public.  If we didn’t feel afraid we would not have the need to buy weapons.  We need to stop glorifying the nut cases by not publishing their names and sad biographies.

Would people walk hundreds of miles to enter the US if they knew they couldn’t get a job here?  The government’s E-verify program could be fixed and made a requirement for hiring. Heavy fines for hiring those without visas should also be instituted.  Allowing more visas for jobs we don’t want to do is needed as well.   We should also be hiring a large number of asylum judges to clear those cases.

Many Government regulations are overbearing and onerous and we need a change in approach.  We need to stop punishing shareholders and start to punish perpetrators.  Consent decrees allow businesses to continue with their bad leaders.

Social Security could be fixed with higher payroll taxes, later retirement dates or a combination of these.  Instead we blame the ‘other party’ for ignoring the problem.  Both parties are waiting to blame the other for the problems that could have been easily fixed years ago.

We must remember that the ‘virtual world’, that we are spending considerable time in, uses exaggerations, fear, outrage and downright lies to get us to see their ads.  These lead many of us to believe that those that are not like us and even our neighbors are awful people who want to do awful things to us.  We have to separate virtual from real, which can be hard to do when ‘reality’ shows are anything but.

We have a considerable number of people that criticize our government while demanding tax cuts.  How can we have competent people in government if we are unwilling to pay them competitively?   Each tax cut either requires a lessoning of government services, the raising of taxes by another governmental unit or having our grandchildren pay.  We even refuse to increase taxes on the perfect taxpayer: dead rich ones.  A politicians job is to tax, spend and compromise, not to grandstand with wild claims while holding all or nothing stances. 

As long as we allow our politicians to pander to our fears about things and people that we will never fully understand, we will not be a happy people.   We need to stop voting on single issues and fear mongering and start to vote based on honesty, ethics and a real desire to change things for the better.   Those who think that the Government is the problem should realize that we are the Government!

Failed 19th Century Economic Systems

 

The House GOP’s insistence on a vote to condemn “Socialism” is a great example of conservatives telling people what to think and not how to think.  While the socialism of Cuba, China, Venezuela, and Russia are indeed horrific, the socialism of Sweden, Norway and Denmark have much to say for themselves.

 It doesn’t take a great brain to see that the difference between these ‘socialisms’ isn’t their economic systems but their system of putting their leaders in power.  When power comes from the end of a gun you have horrors.  If power comes from the people you have an empowered citizenry.  The socialist creed is “to each according to their needs”, the capitalist one is “to each according to their ability”.  We have, in the past, been able to honor both these creeds.  If we stopped working against each other we could do much better serving both.

Peace Officers

 

Growing up in the 50’s there wasn’t a week that went by without me hearing the phrase “Sticks and stones can break my bones, but words can never hurt me”.  We now know that words can carry many powerful meanings that promote hate anger and hurt.  One word that has taken several meanings recently is POLICE.  If we can replace that word in our minds and mouths to ‘peace officer’ we may regain respect for this occupation.  This might help those dedicated to this career change their opinion of their duties from ‘warrior’ to peace maker.

Guns!

 

I can’t help but think the gun manufacturers are laughing all the way to the bank after reaching critical mass.  Those that buy handguns are acting out of fear or machismo.  Those that are acting out of fear may be off base, but have understandable feelings.  Those machismo buyers fall into two groups; those that think they will be a hero, (before getting shot by the police for having a weapon near a shooting), or in the desire to become famous all around the Country when the media publishes their name and biography.  These know that they are losers and have no other avenue to fame.  Then there are those that open carry, whose desire is to scare everyone they see and should be classified as terrorists.   The sportsmen that responsibly use firearms aren’t likely to buy many additional guns providing little profit growth to the gun manufacturers.