and yet another week goes by
So much has happened in the past week, but nothing seems to have changed. The threat of a terrorist attack made the news briefly, when the head of Homeland Security noted a 'gut feeling' on his part that we were at increased risk. There was a flurry of obfuscation in the papers, the 'net and the TV networks and then the story disappeared. No use worrying the masses when you can't do much about it anyway....
The dog and pony show known as the presidential pre-primary race may have seen its first recognizable fatality. John McCain seems to be all but out of money. I have not been a McCain supporter, but I will say that I believe that he is the candidate with the most credibility and substance. When he backs the surge I Iraq, I have to listen, when he backs the Immigration Reform act, I have to listen. I mean, all the candidates of any party are a great deal of fun if you see them as cocktail party commentators, but McCain has some serious thinking behind his positions, and while I dislike some of his sucking up to the power centers of his party, and I really don't care for some of his conclusions, he was the man that could give some credibility to the GOP as something besides the "God Bless the rich and f*ck the rest of the World" party. I hope he can dig his way out, if for no other reason than to keep Hillary honest.
In the mean time, our old buddy, Russia, is out to complicate our lives by pulling away from a treaty known as CFE. They are bound and determined to capitalize on our somewhat tense situation, (ironic use of the term, say what?), vis a vis Iran and its weapons program and our effort to spend a gazillion dollars defending the Europeans from it. I guess the Russians believe that a radar system that doesn't move and is permanenetly pointed at the Persian Gulf is a threat to their forces in Northern Europe and Finland, so, we now have another set of asses to kick or kiss.
It just keeps getting better....
The dog and pony show known as the presidential pre-primary race may have seen its first recognizable fatality. John McCain seems to be all but out of money. I have not been a McCain supporter, but I will say that I believe that he is the candidate with the most credibility and substance. When he backs the surge I Iraq, I have to listen, when he backs the Immigration Reform act, I have to listen. I mean, all the candidates of any party are a great deal of fun if you see them as cocktail party commentators, but McCain has some serious thinking behind his positions, and while I dislike some of his sucking up to the power centers of his party, and I really don't care for some of his conclusions, he was the man that could give some credibility to the GOP as something besides the "God Bless the rich and f*ck the rest of the World" party. I hope he can dig his way out, if for no other reason than to keep Hillary honest.
In the mean time, our old buddy, Russia, is out to complicate our lives by pulling away from a treaty known as CFE. They are bound and determined to capitalize on our somewhat tense situation, (ironic use of the term, say what?), vis a vis Iran and its weapons program and our effort to spend a gazillion dollars defending the Europeans from it. I guess the Russians believe that a radar system that doesn't move and is permanenetly pointed at the Persian Gulf is a threat to their forces in Northern Europe and Finland, so, we now have another set of asses to kick or kiss.
It just keeps getting better....
posted by eccentric recluse at 8:19 AM
3 Comments:
I consider myself a Republican. I rub elbows with Republican. I married a Republican. My parents were Republicans.
I can't remember any of us saying ***k the rest of the world, let alone bless the rich (none of us are, by the way).
Brutally revealing of you, this blog. Honest Democrats are ideological foes of mine, and I can respect their positions, albeit disagree. Honest Republicans don't want to screw anyone. I think history has shown us, that the Democratic party has been more harmful (certainly less helpful) to the working poor than the Republican party. Republicans want everyone to prosper. Democrats need poor people, else they're as pointless as their policies.
well, I have always considered myself to be fairly conservative in thought and action, but I have to say that in many instances, (and this is a matter of perspective), I see the GOP as the radical of the two major parties.
If I had to categorize my thinking, it is to try to counterbalance an abundance of power on either end of the spectrum. In the sixties and early seventies, I tended to support the GOP just to keep the far left from pulling the whole see-saw off-balance. Today, I see the right as not only pulling the thing off center, they are dismantling the works and cutting the other side off at the pivot point. If they succeed, they will harm not just the perceived ideological 'enemy', but bury themselves as well.
The times that we live in have changed, the nation that forged our points of view has all but vanished. There is still a nation here, but it is as of yet undefined. If we don't stake our claim to our own future, (and that does mean some radical changes in socio-economic-political thought), somebody else will, and they probably have addresses overseas.
Next year, I am for a change of direction, and not just a small one. Ron Paul has some good ideas, but very little momentum. if against all odds he were elected, his leadership credentials would have the influence of an oar trying to change the direction of an aircraft carrier. Hillary? There is more there than meets the eye, and if one can avoid being pissed off at her, and filter out the media vitriol based on that unique quality she has, then she might have some influence. McCain? If he can stay viable and independent, well, like I said, I may not agree with the man but I have to give him credence.
The rest are wild cards right now.
Yes indeed, the times have changed. My dad said that, and I'm sure his did too. To you and I, the last decade or so probably seems to have endured the most significant change.. and our kids will say the same, when they're our age.
I remember how horrid I thought things were looking, as the liberal revolution apexed (liberalized public education, abortion on demand, familes taxed to the point that it took two incomes to get by (total tax burden per income, in 1990, was double what it was in 1960)), but I see now how over-reactive I was. The changes now seem dramatic, too... but they're really just part of the cycle. A few decades from now, liberals will talk about the awful 40 years of conservative revolt... just like I talk about the effects of 40 years of liberalism.
At the foundation though, nothing really changes. Anybody who wants to work hard enough can becaome wealthy... anyone who takes the easy route, won't be left to starve. The only thing at stake (tangible and noticeable) is what entity controls most of the wealth... people individualy, or government. History has shown that the tax-dollars keep rolling in, no matter the tax-rates. It's just a matter of where they come from (either by taxing high enough to get it up front, or letting the private sector grow the tax-base).
If we have to err on one side of that equation, I'll go with people (yeah, rich people who pay almost all the taxes and provide all the jobs). If were gonna go out of our way to give the edge to an entity, I'll go with corporations over government.
Worry not... even the rich need the the equilibrium. There's no value in wealth, until you spend it... and we're surely all better off when people(and corporations spend) than when government does.
Post a Comment
<< Home