Monday, February 22, 2010

Honest Office Holders?

I doubt it. But then, how can we expect them to be honest when the process as it stands today means that we elect who ever can come across as the latest political rock star. If you can give the sounds bites, if you have perfect hair and teeth, and all the skeletons are locked tightly away in your closet, you have a shot. You don't even need a platform, take your pick, go with what is popular.

We as the American people need to stop this vicious cycle. If we continue to allow the TV be our benchmark for candidates, we are lost. We need to question them, look into their eyes, see what kind of man or woman they are. If they have skeletons in the closet, that's ok. People are allowed to make mistakes, it's how they acknowledge them, learn from them and move on that really defines the measure of their character. Show me somebody without skeletons in their closet, and I'll show you somebody who just hasn't gotten caught.

Sunday, February 7, 2010

Sarah Palin

I'm a conservative and am sick with of the establishment of the Republican party. But I don't believe Sarah Palin is the answer. She's dogma in a bra. She's cute to look at, and would fetch a good price for a playboy spread, but she is not smart enough to run the country, much less a state. She needs to become the standard for all that's wrong with the republican party and fade away.

Still seeking for the Leader to inspire a new conservative movement

What is the future?

Now I'm pissed.

The Obama administration has come up with a policy that is short-sighted and just plain stupid. They have killed funding for the Nasa plans for a moon-base. Now on the surface it doesn't sound like a bad idea. Let's save the money for social programs and pumping up the economy. But let's take a look at this. If we take the money and spend it on social programs such as welfare and health care, that money supports the lowest levels of our society. The plain fact of the matter is when the government injects money into the economy, the money filters downward with a predictable savings rate. For instance, if a welfare mother gets $100 she will likely spend that money on groceries and rent. Nothing wrong there, but the money multiplier effect means that money doesn't gain any velocity as it filters through the economy.

If we inject that money at the top end of the economy, such as with high tech investments, that money goes from high tech company to high tech company supporting high value job after high value job. This multiplies the money and improves the country.

Welfare doesn't help a country. It increases the suck. It's a drag on the economy and society. It eventually leads to a society where it's ok to live off of the government. I have a serious problem with that. I work hard for my money, and I spend and save as I see fit. I want to live in a society of people who want to work and want to improve not only their own social stance, but society in general. You do not improve society by throwing money at it. You have to work at it.

So the Obama administration is pulling money from high value efforts to propping up the bottom of the economy. This is not a policy that will improve the country as a whole, but is a policy that guarantees it's decay.

Sunday, January 24, 2010

Newt Gingrich

I've received several phone calls from people representing Newt Gingrich. I'm sorry Newt is old news. He was establishment 20 years ago and he is establishment now. Anybody who had ties to the Washington machine is invalidated as a player for the new decade.

Newt, retire and let somebody else lead, and lead in a new way without the ties to the establishment or the feed trough of lobbyist money.

Sunday, January 17, 2010

Compromise

Right now the political debate is waged between one ideology and another. There is no middle ground, there is no attempt to find middle ground. It's vicious, bloodthirsty, and complete destructive to what America needs.

To solve the problems, we need to find that middle ground, and agree and move on to the next problem. The solution to problems needs to be fair and equitable for all of America. Compromise is not withholding a vote until special money is allocated for a certain state or district. Compromise is not sacrificing your conscience to be on the next golf outing in Asia.

Political Compromise is the art of finding a solution to common problems in such a way that all sides see the benefit, and are willing to sacrifice a point, or something else to move the legislation forward.

For example, the current congress is divided along party lines for the most part. Almost all representatives do what the party leadership say to do. Which means, it's not 525 congressmen, or 100 senators that make the decisions, it's 10 to 12 people at most. They are given this great power because our representatives are afraid to break with party rhetoric to vote their conscience. This is the base reason our government is broken.

A Citizen and Voter

This post is a little different. I wanted to explicitly state what each and every citizen should expect of government and society when it comes to the political scene.

1) Each citizen should vote. If you don't vote, you don't get to complain.
2) Each citizen will research his choices for voting. This is not something to take lightly, each time you punch a button or connect a line, you are giving somebody the power to make decisions for you.
3) Each citizen will let his representatives know if they are doing good or bad. Write letters, it works.
4) Each citizen makes up his or her own mind, don't let your neighbor, co-worker, a daytime talk host, news anchor, preacher, parent, or graffiti on the street make up your mind. Make up your own mind, be your own person.
5) The press is there to provide information and to ensure that there is transparency in government. They are not there to be popular. They are not there to try to shape the debate of society. They provide a service, and to be honest, they need to do a better job.
6) There is only one special interest, me. There is the common good, and the need to have an honest and fair government, but what affects me first is what I base most of my decisions on. I occasionally give money to the heart association, the united way, or the NRA. I do this to help them work within society, not to wine and dine representatives in order to sway their vote.
7) My representative is a leader, not a follower.
8) The government works for me.
9) My hard work, and contributions to society make it a better place, I expect my government to respect that and build on it, not use it for target practice, literally, or legislatively.
10) Compromise is key to solving problems. More on that in another post
11) This country is for citizens, don't spend my tax money, or make laws that encourage or inspire illegal immigration
12) Safety of this country and freedom of it's citizens are paramount.

How is that for a good even dozen?

What America Needs

is strong, principled leadership. We have leadership, it's not strong, and it's not principled. Don't get me wrong, there are probably a number of fine individuals in congress and in the Senate, but they have consciously or unconsciously become puppets to special interests or the party pedagogy. When I voted for a representative, I voted for the best person I could. I didn't vote for a party, I didn't vote for special interests, I wanted a person who saw the world about the same way I do, and I expect him to vote his conscience, not what is dictated to him by party leadership, or the special interests that funnel re-election money toward the representative.

This country is in trouble on many fronts: 1) Out of control deficits, 2) Illegal Immigration, 3) Two wars, 4) and complacency.

I can't affect the deficits directly, I can only report illegal immigrants when I see them, I support our troops, and feel proud every time I see a young man or woman in the airport wearing BDU's. As for complacency, that I can address. I can speak my mind and let my voice be heard.