Sunday, January 30, 2011

Progressives vs. Regressives

The world is not static. If you're not going forward, you're going backwards. Progressives favor progress, positive change, and improvements. Regressives want to undo progress, move backwards and return to the past.

In American politics, progressives and moderates want to maintain the rights and standard of living of the average America and the middle class. By doing this they seek to maintain and improve the strength of America.

Regressives, conservatives, and Tea Partiers want to roll back America to the way it was a century ago. Whether their motives be ignorance and stupidity, or arrogance and greed, this is just plain crazy.

The realities of the world: the global nature of economics, communication and technology simply make this policy and vision for America a surefire way to turn America into a Third World cesspool. You see, the rest of the world is not going to regress with us.

It is very important to remember that the policies of the New Conservatives got us into the situation that we are in and it is insane to think those same policies can get us out. Remember, both Reagan and Bush ignored fiscal responsibility, personal freedoms, and indulged in international adventurism. The spending of the Obama Administration was necessary to "stop the bleeding" and bolster American over the long run.

I don't work in an academic environment, so my information comes from reading and viewing a broad spectrum of media, as well as meeting and talking to people. With our manufacturing base, all but gone, a significant portion of American business is targeting wealth that was created generations ago when America had strong manufacturing, unions and pensions; wealth that will never be replaced. Since manufacturing is gone, and America cannot continue to act like a snake eating its own tail for much longer, it is imperative that we develop a "new manufacturing", by encouraging ideas, technology, innovative services, and engineering breakthroughs; things that can be exported; and, at the same time, discourage endeavors that extrapolate wealth from the past and the future; wealth that doesn't exist. This approach coupled with a rebuilding of our infrastructures and the institution of alternative energy sources may save our country.

Finally, there is a saying from Sun Tzu, "Know Your Enemy". I have been trying to understand the New Conservatives for over a decade. Initially, years ago, I thought the ideology was based on Social Darwinism; you know, "pull yourself up by your bootstraps." But upon continued observation over the years, I believe even Ayn Rand wouldn't approve of the fraud and theft and exploitation that occurred during the Bush years. And where does Christianity fit into all of this? Can anyone help me understand?

Sunday, January 16, 2011

Rights, Responsibilities, and Red Herrings

One day, early in my adulthood, my father took me outside into the woods behind our home in rural Connecticut. He brought with him an antique over-under Remington rifle. He fired a shot at a red oak about 30 yards away, handed me the rifle, and told me to shoot at the mark. After I fired, he took the rifle back from me, and we walked back to the house.

I am sharing this story to convey to you that I am not opposed to mentally competent citizens owning firearms for the purpose of hunting, sport, or even self-protection. I am opposed to a misconstrued interpretation of the Second Amendment for the purpose of 'arming' the masses, with weaponry that goes beyond hunting, sport and self-protection, for the purpose of creating a red herring of chaos and fear.

The Second Amendment grants the right of a well regulated militia. Implicit in this statement is the notion that the right to bear arms requires responsibility. The right of ordinary citizens to bear arms is for the purpose of forming a well regulated militia should it become necessary to do so. And the purpose of the militia is to provide emergency law enforcement, to protect a community, its territory, and laws. The Second Amendment does not give ordinary citizens and crackpots the right to bear arms for the purpose of committing acts of terror and sedition.

Currently, gun laws are regulated, often not so well, by individual states within the framework of existing federal firearms laws. Since no one, including Palin, Huckabee, and McConnell, wants to violate the Constitution, and put weaponry in the hands of crackpots and anti-government individuals, let's set up a militia, similar to the ROTC, in each state. In order for an individual to exercise his right to bear arms, he or she must serve in a WELL REGULATED militia. In these times of economic woe, I'm sure all states will welcome the voluntary services of these American patriots.

Sunday, January 9, 2011

"These Are the Times that Try Men's Souls."

What is going on in our country right now is unique in the history of our country. Our democracy is being attacked by an thug, ersatz "grassroots" movement that is being orchestrated and funded by the super rich and global corporations. For the first time in our history we have a "news" station, professing to be fair and balanced that, in actuality, is a propaganda machine for this movement. I'm sure that the Third Reich would be in awe of their tactics.

In our history, from the many protests and acts of civil disobedience to the American Civil War, never has there been a movement whose motives and objectives have been so obscured and hidden. I have to admit that the assault on our democracy on two fronts is ingenious.

As I stated in the last post, I believe people are becoming aware of what's going on, on some level, and a backlash is beginning.

Saturday, January 8, 2011

The Terror Within

Upon arriving home from work, the headline on my MSN homepage informed me that Congresswoman Gabby Giffords, a moderate, and members of her staff, along with a federal judge, were shot during a "Congress on Your Corner" meeting in Tucson, Arizona. My first reaction was to pen a vituperous rant blaming the lunatic fringe of the Republican Party. Fox News stated that an examination of the gunman's Twitter and Facebook sites reveled ramblings that expressed discontent with ratification and interpretation of the Constitution as well as the fact that US currency is no longer backed by gold or silver. Sounds like Beck and Palin. I threw the draft in the wastebasket.

Today's tragedy is an example of the price we pay for our democracy. Hopefully this action will end, once and for all, Palin's political aspirations, dissuade the most intelligent minions of Beck,  and accelerate the Revolution of Sanity in America. My prayers and condolences go out to the families and friends of these casualties of our noble struggle.