Oh man!  I hate that I can’t post about something I found on the internet yesterday but my daughter won’t let me.  It would have been too easy and Courtney suggested that she expected more of me.  Damn, I hate when that happens. 

            The Supreme Court heard arguments made by twelve states and a coalition of environmental groups seeking to force the Bush Administration to issue regulations limiting carbon emissions from cars and power plants.  President Bush had promised on the campaign trail in 2000 that he would seek an agreement to cap carbon emissions but broke that promise because of pressures from Republican Senators from energy-producing states and auto industry lobbyists.  The question before the court involved the requirements of the Federal Clean Air Act which requires the EPA to regulate any vehicle or power plant pollutants that could possibly endanger public health or welfare.  The law includes any pollutants that affect weather and climate.

            At issue is the question of whether carbon dioxide is a pollutant or not.  The administration, the auto industry and the energy industry claim it isn't.  Environmentalists stated that the science of predicting harm before it is too late is seldom absolute.  Industry needs regulations to protect our children and their children. Some energy companies have sided with environmental groups in the case against global warming for precisely that reason. The U.S. is responsible for 25 percent of the world's greenhouse-gas emissions. The Bush administration is expected to focus much of its argument not on the merits of the case, but on the question of whether the courts can examine this issue at all.

            The states contend that they are suffering significant damage because of the EPA's failure to act. They claim they are losing shoreline because of melting ice and rising oceans, floods and storms are more severe, and that controlling smog is getting more difficult. And the Western states say their snow pack is melting, jeopardizing their water supply.  Further evidence of global warming:  The spring ice thaw in the Northern Hemisphere occurs 9 days earlier than it did 150 years ago, and the fall freeze now typically starts 10 days later. The 1990s was the warmest decade since records have been kept. The 5 hottest years recorded have been in the recent past: 1998, 2002, 2003, 2001, and 1997.  Let’s not forget how many record temperatures we saw in the summer of 2006.  Those statistics will not be included until year end.  The multinational Arctic Climate Impact Assessment (ACIA) report recently concluded that in Alaska, western Canada, and eastern Russia, average temperatures have increased as much as 4 to 7 degrees Fahrenheit (3 to 4 degrees Celsius) in the past 50 years.

            The number of leading scientists warning us about global warming is irrefutable.  Yet somehow the Bush Administration seems to want to believe Rush Limbaugh and three scientists employed by Exxon/Mobile who claim global warming is a myth.  The EPA has failed to enforce the law and that is why they are in court.  Bush has broken his promise to act on global warming and that may have a lot to do with why nobody likes him anymore.  Regulations must be put in place and the EPA must enforce them because the health of our planet is not a political issue; it is a life issue.  We are talking about the very habitability of the planet for our children and grandchildren.  The saddest thing about the Bush Administration’s position is that they are willing to risk the entire planet for short term profits.  It is important to slow the warming as much as possible. This means using less fossil fuel, eliminating CFCs altogether, and slowing down deforestation.  This can be achieved best through energy conservation, including better use of public transport and cleaner, more efficient cars; and energy efficiency by greater use of gas which produces less CO2 than coal and oil, and through renewable energy such as solar power. We need to stop destroying rain forests (deforestation) and start replanting trees to soak up carbon dioxide.

             I don’t know why we have to fight so hard to get people to do the right thing these days.  Even if the science of all of this was reversed; if 99% of the world experts said there is no such thing as global warming and 1% said there was, wouldn’t it make sense to not take a chance with our families’ futures?

 

            A little gem was flying around the internet today; forwarded by giddy little malcontent demagogs who are frantically learning to deal with the loss of their fleeting authority.  Desperation has unexpectedly gripped the American oligarchy as they slip further and further into the unfamiliar challenges of their minority status.  There is an American revolution spreading across the land that is begging for the first populist candidate who demonstrates a proclivity for national defense to lead America back to global prominence.  Middle aged white males of the corporate world will have little say in the outcome of this liberating denouement.  The following email came to my inbox with a challenge that I would not print it in its entirety.  I am happy to do so but notice how it masquerades as humor in a nefarious attempt to distract less observant and complacent minds into succumbing to basal fears that have been fabricated to maintain a repressive status quo.

 

Preliminary Agenda for the Democratic National Convention -- 2008

7:00 P.M. Opening flag burning

7:15 P.M. Pledge of allegiance to U.N

7:30 P.M. Ted Kennedy proposes a toast

7:30 till 8:00 P.M. Non-religious prayer and worship. Jessie Jackson and Al Sharpton.

8:00 P.M. Ted Kennedy proposes a toast.

8:05 P.M. Ceremonial tree hugging.

8:15- 8:30 P.M Gay Wedding-- Barney Frank Presiding.

8:30 P.M. Ted Kennedy proposes a toast.

8:35 P.M. Free Saddam Rally. Cindy Sheehan-- Susan Sarandon.

9:00 P.M. Keynote speech. The proper etiquette for surrender--French President Jacques Chirac

9:15 P.M. Ted Kennedy proposes a toast.

9:20 P.M. Collection to benefit Osama Bin Laden kidney transplant fund

9:30 P.M. Unveiling of plan to free freedom fighters from Guantanamo Bay. Sean Penn 9:40 P.M. Why I hate the Military, A short talk by William Jefferson Clinton

9:45 P.M. Ted Kennedy proposes a toast

9:50 P.M. Dan Rather presented Truth in Broadcasting award, presented by Michael Moore

9:55 P.M., Ted Kennedy proposes a toast

10:00 P.M. How George Bush and Donald Rumsfeld brought down the World Trade Center Towers-- Howard Dean

10:30 P.M. Nomination of Hillary Rodham Clinton by Mahmud Ahmadinejad.

11:00 P.M. Ted Kennedy proposes a toast

11:05 P.M. Al Gore reinvents Internet

11:10 P.M. Hillary accepts her new Muslim name - Seldom Bin Laid

11:15 P.M. Our Troops are War criminals-- John Kerry

11:30 P.M. Coronation of Mrs. Rodham Clinton 12:00 A.M. Ted Kennedy proposes a toast

12:05 A.M. Bill asks Ted to drive Hillary home.

 

            Since we are doing lists on the Red Hog Diary today let me submit one of my own.  You will notice that there is no disrespect, no preying on the fears of the electorate, and no distorted misrepresentations of characters or events.  We are liberals!  We answer to a higher calling.

 

Agenda for the first 100 hours under the Democratically controlled House of Representatives.

Day One: Put new rules in place to "break the link between lobbyists and legislation."

Day Two: Enact all the recommendations made by the commission that investigated the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11, 2001.

Day Three: Raise the minimum wage to $7.25 an hour, maybe in one step. Cut the interest rate on student loans in half. Allow the government to negotiate directly with the pharmaceutical companies for lower drug prices for Medicare patients.

Day Four: Broaden the types of stem cell research allowed with federal funds.

Remaining 4 Hours: Establish "Pay as you go," meaning no increasing the deficit, whether the issue is middle class tax relief, health care or some other priority.

 

I was listening to Sean Hannity’s radio broadcast on my way home from work today.  I hadn’t intentionally tuned into his program.  I had been listening to the Jim Rome Show on my lunch hour and my radio was still tuned into the local FOX affiliate.  You just know I had to put a disclaimer in to let you know I had not sought out the unfair and unbalanced diatribes of the frustrated cake eater.  A caller, after making a big production out of wishing the air jock a Merry Christmas, wanted to know Sean’s spin on a recent report that teens are having babies at younger and younger ages.  This in spite of the news that “The teen birth rate in the United States fell to its lowest level ever in 2005, according to the latest birth statistics for the nation, released Nov. 24th by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention” 

            The caller embodied the mischaracterization of blue state ignorance and gullibility that is so often ridiculed by the equally mischaracterized liberal elite.  At first I thought that quite possibly Sean Hannity had been transformed and was willing to apply a little objectivity to his all spin all the time infatuation with everything Neo-Con but in the end he let me down.  He began by calmly telling his caller that he didn’t mind wishing others a “Happy Holiday” if they celebrate something other than Christmas.  It was as if he realized that there never really was a “war on Christmas” other than what was created by his FOX network friend Bill O’Reilly.  Then Sean went into what was a rather beautiful description of mans more noble nature of knowing what it is to love others more than oneself.  He spoke of parenthood and compassion for fellow man and I almost drove my car into the ditch out of sheer flabbergastery. 

            In light of hopes of bipartisan cooperation in the 110^th Congress many liberals have been elated and longing for opportunities to reach across political divides in an attempt to focus policy back on citizens and less on seemingly irreconcilable ideologies.  Sean was doing so well that my mind switched gears and I started to try to identify which issues really exist that would not have a solution that is amicable to both the Democratic and Republican Party’s.  And then Hannity closed his remarks with the idiot caller by claiming that self sacrifice out of a love for others is something that John Kerry and liberals will never understand.  He said John Kerry could never understand what it was that motivated our soldiers, out of a sense of duty, honor and selflessness to join our military.  That comment was about the most unintelligent and asinine comment I have ever heard uttered by any of the fluff and petty talking heads that pollute our airwaves.   Once again flabbergastery reared its ugly head and I found myself fighting for control of my vehicle. 

            And then it hit me!  When people on the right make blatantly inaccurate assumptions of what Liberals want and what they believe in and then smear those assumptions globally as a white washing of all liberals it makes me want to lash out.  What is particularly infuriating about being lied about is that the tactic is documented as a best practice by leaders in the Republican Party.  When you combine those tactics of deception with the manipulation of the media you have to admit that the GOP is damn good at what they do.  (Assuming it is proper to refer to mastering debauchery as good)  The media manipulation has been described by GOP activists as “working the refs” and if you doubt my claim you need only do a little research on your own.  And there lies the rub.  Talk radio and main stream media have become all about sound bites and ratings and any reflection of what was once considered journalism is a scarce commodity in this day and age.  Media is a business.  Journalism is dead. 

            To be fair, Sean Hannity has never claimed to be a journalist as far as I know.  But the bloated Australian, Rupert Murdoch, owner of FOX, touts his propaganda machine as news and in an even further distortion mockingly adopted “fair and balanced” as his network motto.   I’m trying hard to believe that we will find a tonic to treat the very real bi-polar illness that infects the political climate in America today.  Until we can all learn to employ the tools of reason, logic, clarity, dissent, civility and debate that Richard Dreyfuss spoke of we will continue to wallow in parochial pettiness that benefits none of us.  If only those ignorant, selfish, racist, hypocrites, Nazi, NASCAR loving freaks; the Republic-Cons would meet us half-way we could begin to heal.

 

            Partisan par-ti-san /pɑr tə zən, -sən; an adherent or supporter of a person, group, party, or cause, esp. a person who shows a biased, emotional allegiance.  Source. 

 

            Liberal – “someone who looks ahead and not behind, someone who welcomes new ideas without rigid reactions, someone who cares about the welfare of the people -- their health, their housing, their schools, their jobs, their civil rights, and their civil liberties -- someone who believes we can break through the stalemate and suspicions that grip us in our policies abroad.”  John F. Kennedy.

 

            Yep, I am a liberal partisan.  In spite of the news that is coming out of Washington I still have hope for America in the two remaining years of the Bush Administration.  I have to admit, however, that the partisanship that is gripping our nation’s capital is disheartening.  One of the dominant themes of the past election was a frustration with partisan politics.  It doesn’t seem that either party is taking that to heart as preparations are made to swear in the 110^th Congress.  The reality of the November 7^th election is that the Congress is more divided than ever.  Many of the Republicans who lost their positions were moderates and the hard liners remaining are committed to returning to their Conservative roots.  I don’t think anybody has a problem with the GOP returning to their traditional values but with that they will inevitably employ the tactics of their less noble recent history as they fight to retain some hold of the power they recently lost.  The Democratic party lacks the numbers to overcome filibusters and already many of the GOP have indicated that they will resort to that tool to keep progressive legislation from receiving votes.

            Washington partisanship has gotten to the point where anyone who is not totally in agreement with another’s side or anyone who does not unquestioningly approve of everything another does has to be an enemy.  That mentality just doesn’t work anymore.  You might be thinking I’m guilty of a pot-kettle faux pas making that statement.  Not really.  The purpose of my writings here are to provoke thought, discussion and advocacy for the issues that I feel strongly about.  When it comes time to making policy I expect my legislators from either party to seek resolution and be willing to compromise in an effort to serve the people who sent them to office.             

            Arnold Schwarzenegger recently won a landslide election as a Republican in a Democratic state during a Democratic swing vote.  How did he do it?  He appeared on Meet the Press Sunday and said the key to his success was to forget about Republicans and Democrats and go about doing the peoples work.  The “Governator” did what the people wanted him to do. It doesn’t matter what party you come from.  People appreciated knowing that he provided the leadership that brought both parties together and got things done.  You gotta like a guy like that and you wonder if the people we have sent to Capital Hill can learn a few civics lessons from the immigrant that lives in California. 

 

            I thought the furor over the Spanish translation of the Star Spangled Banner was over but I received an email extolling the virtues of living in a free society.  The email basically said we should all be offended by the Mexicans trying to steal “our song.”  If you weren’t offended you should take advantage of one of the virtues of living in this free society; the freedom to leave.  The email went on to point out that America was founded on Christian principles and thus it is certainly appropriate to display “it” on the walls of our schools.  “If God offends you, then I suggest you consider another part of the world as your new home.” Because God would want it that way they suggested. 

            The first time I heard the news that the Star Spangled Banner had been translated to Spanish I felt honored that immigrants, new to our land and culture, would attempt to embrace the beauty of the song and that which it represents.  It made sense to me that a logical way to gain a better understanding of the song would be to sing it joyfully in their more comprehendible native tongue.  That is why I do not understand why people get angry and are threatened when others sing the National Anthem in their native tongue.  There seems to be no end to what people will get worked up about out of faux patriotism.  Nobody ever seems to mind that the Bible was translated out of Arabic and later from Latin. 

            The whole idea of bitterly refuting the validity of separation of church and state as a valuable component of the constitution seems ironic to me.  In the first place, telling someone to “love it or leave it” reflects a very myopic comprehension of what it means to be American.  In the second place, how does inviting someone to leave because they don’t share your brand of religion fit with the Christian call to “share the good news?”  You have to win their hearts and minds people!  Would not a more desirable example of patriotism and Christianity involve holding our own lives up for emulation as protectors of liberty and angels of mercy? 

            “Blessed are the peacemakers for they shall be called the sons of God.”

 

            Richard Dreyfuss was recently a guest on the Bill Maher show and gave an eloquent oration that should serve as a wakeup call to all Americans.  The thing is this; it matters not if you are liberal or conservative to have a love and appreciation for the principles and ideals of this country.  The lesson was Civics.  In the video Bill Maher asks directly, “What is Civics?”  Dreyfuss responded, “Civics is the learning of the tools of maintaining of republican democracy as opposed to democracy.”  The United States is a representational democracy and a strict democracy, a mob-ocracy, is at odds with what the framers of our constitution had in mind.  In a representative democracy the people are sovereign but Dreyfuss went on to ask “who teaches the sovereign?  Currently in this country it is Rupert Murdoch, Viacom and ABC.  With well over fifty percent of all major media controlled by that significantly small segment of society it falls upon the shoulders of all Americans to educate themselves and maintain control of their government.

            We have to relearn to use the non-partisan tools that will protect our way of life.  Dreyfuss said, “Unless society stands against certain things they will have endorsed certain things, like torture, like leaving the Geneva Convention, and lying to the congress about the reasons for war.”  It is the duty of all citizens’ to demand that the other branches of government are doing their duty: as our representatives and as a means of checks and balances against tyranny.  It is all of our duty and the issue is non-partisan and it protects us all from passing along corruptible power.  No one ever turns away power and regardless of your political ideology you must know that those in power will not always share your ideology.  It is our duty to ask questions and question authority.  When we get to a point where we lie to justify torture or where our patriotism is questioned for dissent we have big problems.

            And then came the cool part from Dreyfuss, “Learn to ask questions.  We owe it to ourselves and the future of the U.S. that we will pass off to our children the tools of reason, logic, clarity, dissent, civility and debate.  These are the non-partisan tools of democracy. We must get it back; we lost it while we weren’t paying attention.  Unless we teach it it will go away we will lose it to fundamentalists, stupidity, and to darkness.  We represent a tiny twinkle of light in a history of oppression, darkness and cruelty.  The ideas of America are opportunity, mobility, freedom of thought and assembly and we have to fight for that or it will go away.  Once we lose our voice we will no longer ask “What am I responsible for” but rather utter, in defeat, “Tell us what to do.”  The idea of being responsible for your own government is short lived or we will instinctively react as we have for 10,000 years; looking to those in power to tell us what to do and we will chuck our liberties the moment the next terrorist horror happens.”  (sic)  The full version of Dryfuss talk is available on my "Things I like" page.  And there is more reading here about the reliability of the press in the United States.

 

            Hey, what are you doing sitting around surfing the internet.  You should be out shopping!  I trust most of you enjoyed your Thanksgiving Day.  Mine was a little bit hung-over which really is a rarity in my advanced age.  It wasn’t my fault.  On Tuesday I received unexpected emails from two old high school friends that I hadn’t seen in perhaps dozens of years.  One of the friends is a keyboardist extraordinaire and he mentioned that his band would be playing at a local favorite gathering spot, Toads, on Thanksgiving eve.  The other, a friend I had worked with “back in the day” and who currently shares my affection for Harley’s, indicated he would be heading to Cedar Falls this weekend from his home in Des Moines. That was all I needed to hear so I called my sister, Cat Woman, and told the family we would be heading to Cedar Falls a day early.  Sometimes I am just brilliant and the trip to Cedar Falls was one of those times.  There are nothing like the holidays to hook up with old friends.  I was able to catch up with seven or eight friends I had not seen in a long while and for that I was able to add another of the many things that I am thankful for.  This whole last year has been a one of reconnections with family and friends.  If you get right down to it there is little else as fulfilling as the shared experiences we have with our friends and families. 

            My post was a little late today.  If you are one of the earlier readers I apologize.  I was out the door at 4:30 this morning to be first in line at Best Buy and Wal-Mart so I could take advantage of the spectacular sales that officially kick off the Christmas shopping season.  NOT!  I am proud of those of you who were immediately suspicious when you read that I even hinted at enthusiasm for shopping.  The tardiness of my posting is more related to the turkey coma that had hold of me yesterday.  I tried suggesting to my kids; in an attempt to focus on the true spirit of the Holiday, that we downsize our Christmas gift giving this year.  My kids are compassionate and well grounded but I think I was really pushing their limits on that suggestion.  Eventually I will need to bravely venture into world of retail shopping hell but this weekend isn’t going to be the weekend. 

            I learned long ago not to wait until the last minute to do my shopping.  The worst I ever did was early in my marriage when we lived in Sioux City, Iowa.  I still recall with trepidation the anxiety I felt as I sped back and forth across town at midnight December 23^rd looking for an all night retail establishment.  Snow was blowing and drifting over icy roads and the town seemed abandoned save a few morons like me who had procrastinated their inevitable duties for the impending gift exchanges.  My retail outlet selections were limited to the cheesy gift racks at convenience stores, a Dollar Store and a picked-over and ransacked Shopko store that was staffed by dazed and beaten-down associates. 

            The whole experience was a little frightening as the few of us navigating the roads, which were under a winter storm warning, could all be described in one of two ways.  Most, like me, were braving the night unkempt and harried with a very recognizable look of panic in our darting eyes.  In the event that I were to come across any merchandise even remotely resembling an acceptable gift I was fully prepared to do battle and use any means necessary to secure the limited item in my cart.  I would take an unsuspecting shopper to the floor if needed.  The other group of shoppers was somewhat more pathetic as if that were possible.  The best way I could describe them, as they shuffled through the aisles, would be zombie-esque as they methodically labored down the aisles ready to eat the flesh of any who got in their way.  I wasn’t afraid of them.  I was on a mission.  I was fully prepared to do what ever was required to achieve my ends. Such was the distortion of Christmas Spirit that I had resigned myself to. 

            As unpalatable as that shopping experience was; if I had to choose between venturing out to the shrines of mass consumer good distribution on this day or take my chances with having another experience as I did so many years ago, I would choose the latter.  No amount of prodding could convince me that the competitive shopping that is rampaging the country today is a place that I would want to be.  The problems with shopping on a day like today begin in the parking lot as soccer mom’s and Grandmothers will be willing to drive their mini-vans on two wheels to get that last parking spot even as you have already committed to pulling in.  Upon finding a place to park two miles from the store entrance all of the cart banging, aisle blocking and shoulder to shoulder navigation that is reminiscent of cattle forced into a chute for slaughter is too much for me.  So for those of you who braved or will brave the competitive sport that is shopping for Christmas on the day after Thanksgiving in America; I salute you.  Just don’t hurt anybody.

 

 

The people in our lives are what make life worth living. For some it is easy to connect with people, for others it can be a difficult thing. There were several reports this year that Americans, overall, have become more isolated as we become more familiar with on-line communities, virtual reality and the like. In just the last 15 years most Americans list half as many people as worthy of being described as “close friends” or someone they would be comfortable confiding in. Experts claim technology is to blame and use terms like “the loss of social capital” in describing our withdrawal from conventional gatherings. A recent study suggested that one quarter of all Americans reported that they had nobody with whom they could discuss personal problems. That percentage was double of what it had been in 1985.

You would think that with all of the great technological advances in communications we would become more connected but the opposite is true. Perhaps we become too dependant on our electronic gadgetry and begin to substitute those phone calls while stuck in traffic and the forwarding of cute emails with shaking a hand, offering a hug or a shoulder to lean on. Whether we consider ourselves as being of the sort who connects easily with other people or find it difficult it is beneficial and really our duty, as our brother’s keepers, to take a chance and reach out to those around us. The win-win philosophy of “pay it forward” or random acts of kindness enrich our own lives as much as those with whom we have contact. You never know what can happen, as this internet story confirms:

One day, when I was a freshman in high school, I saw a kid from my class walking home from school. His name was Kyle. It looked like he was carrying all of his books. I thought to myself, "Why would anyone bring home all his books on a Friday? He must really be a nerd."

I had quite a weekend planned (parties and a football game with friend’s tomorrow afternoon), so I shrugged my shoulders and went on.

As I was walking, I saw a bunch of kids running toward him. They ran at him, knocking all his books out of his arms and tripping him so he landed in the dirt. His glasses went flying, and I saw them land in the grass about ten feet from him. He looked up and I saw this terrible sadness in his eyes. My heart went out to him. I jogged over to him and saw him crawling around looking for his glasses. I saw a tear in his eye. As I handed him his glasses, I said, "Hey, Those guys are jerks. They really should get lives." He looked at me and said, "Hey thanks!" There was a big smile on his face. It was one of those smiles that showed real gratitude. I helped him pick up his books, and asked him where he lived. As it turned out, he lived near me, so I asked him why I had never seen him before. He said he had gone to private school before now.

I had have never hung out with a private school kid before. We talked all the way home, and I carried some of his books. He turned out to be a pretty cool kid. I asked him if he wanted to play a little football with my friends. He said yes. We hung out all weekend and the more I got to know Kyle, the more I liked him, and my friends thought the same of him. Monday morning came, and there was Kyle with the huge stack of books again. I stopped him and said, "Boy, you are gonna really build some serious muscles with this pile of books everyday!" He just laughed and handed me half the books.

Over the next four years, Kyle and I became best friends. When we were seniors, we began to think about college. Kyle decided on Georgetown, and I was going to Duke. I knew that we would always be friends, that the miles would never be a problem. He was going to be a doctor, and I was going for business on a football scholarship.

Kyle was valedictorian of our class. I teased him all the time about being a nerd. He had to prepare a speech for graduation. I was so glad it wasn't me having to get up there and speak Graduation day, I saw Kyle. He looked great. He was one of those guys that really found himself during high school. He filled out and actually looked good in glasses. He had more dates than I had and all the girls loved him. Boy, sometimes I was jealous. Today was one of those days. I could see that he was nervous about his speech. So, I smacked him on the back and said, "Hey, big guy, you'll be great!" He looked at me with one of those looks (the really grateful one) and smiled. "Thanks," he said. As he started his speech, he cleared his throat, and began “Graduation is a time to thank those who helped you make it through those tough years. Your parents, your teachers, your siblings, maybe a coach...but mostly your friends... I am here to tell you that being a friend to someone is the best gift you can give. I am going to tell you a story..."

I just looked at my friend with disbelief as he told the story of the first day we met. He had planned to kill himself over the weekend. He talked of how he had cleaned out his locker and was carrying his stuff home so his Mom wouldn't have to do it later. He looked hard at me and gave me a little smile. "Thankfully, I was saved. My friend saved me from doing the unspeakable." I heard a gasp go through the crowd as this handsome, popular boy told us all about his weakest moment. I saw his Mom and dad looking at me and smiling that same grateful smile. Not until that moment did I realize its depth. Never underestimate the power of your actions. With one small gesture you can change a person's life for better or for worse.

Any of our actions can impact someone’s life forever. Reach out and make someone thankful that you are in their lives today and that will be good for everyone. Happy Thanksgiving.

 

            When I arrived at work today a couple of gentlemen were giggling in the corner as they stage whispered my name while they made reference to a front page Wall Street Journal article that they had found alarming.  It seems those “damn libs” were planning on turning our country socialist as soon as they took control of the Congress in January.  I love when Neo-Cons get all riled up and start spouting off about raising their taxes so that the Democrats can start their tax and spend modus operandi of evil.  Their arguments seem so articulate to me when we look back at the record deficits of the Reagan, Bush and Bush Light administrations and compare them with the balanced budget and budget surplus of Bill Clinton. 

            One thing lead to another and discussion soon turned to the disparity of wealth accumulation.  Very few of the ardent Republicans I know even come close to a net benefit from the Bush tax cuts that they so ferociously defend.  I suggested that one the biggest problems I see with the extreme consolidation of wealth we have seen under the Bush administration is that it has been funded on the backs of a shrinking middle and expanding poverty class in America.  My first peeve with the Bush tax cuts are that capital gains are taxed at a lower rate than earned income.  What kind of sense does that make?  At the very least earned income and capital gains should be taxed at an equal rate.  The preferential treatment to the investment class is a reward for sitting on their proverbial pampered backsides. 

            I find it ironic that investment income is held sacred while the biggest criticism of transfer payments is that the less fortunate who receive them are not earning them.  Wouldn’t it be better to reward people for working, for earning income and contributing to the gross national product?  We should be expanding the middle class and then that richest one percent, the people who own the stores and service centers would still expand their coiffeurs through the increased purchasing power of the masses.  I see a similarity in transfer payments and dividend income in that both examples simply require going to the mail box to collect your check.

            Then we discussed my favorite topic; the estate tax.  The strongest proponents of the repeal of the estate tax will never have to pay one.  You have to have an estate in excess of two million dollars before your estate is subject to tax in this country.  In 2008 that exemption will be raised to $3.5.  I can appreciate that we work hard all of our lives in the hopes that we may one day be able to leave some wealth for our children.  What I do not understand is what part of transferring your wealth to someone who did not earn it disqualifies it as income to the recipient? How does the claim that an estate tax is double taxation differ from using your income to pay for the goods or services from any employee who turns around and pays income on their earnings?  Income is defined as money received.  Where it comes from does not change the fact that it has been received.  Double taxation would only be an honest argument if the deceased were the one who paid the taxes.  The last time I checked no dead man has ever complained about paying taxes once the ultimate event occurs.

            People also complain about the inherent unfairness of a progressive tax table and I don’t have a problem with that either.  Things like airport terminals, highways, sporting arenas and concert halls are all built with tax dollars.  The poverty class of America doesn’t really get to utilize that infrastructure with the same frequency of the more well to do.  The more money you have the more able you are to take advantage of the expenditures of government.  Our military stands to protect our homeland.  If you have more assets then the next guy the argument could be made that you are receiving more value from that protection.  If your income is earned in part from the education you earned at a state university, guess what?  I don’t have a problem with progressive taxes.  If you get more you should pay more. 

            Democrats don’t want to raise every body’s taxes.  Democrats want an equitable tax structure that is fair to all Americans.  You and I fit into the category of “all Americans.”  The Republican agenda of fear has brainwashed much of the middle class by claiming that the Democrats are going to be coming after their hard earned wages with higher taxes.  The last six years should have taught us all about what it means to be fiscally conservative.  We can’t afford it anymore.  If you don't love the land we live in and are unwilling to pay for the benefits of living here maybe you should go somewhere else. 

 

            OH OH!  While the reasons for “the thumping” are as varied as the agendas of the pundits reporting on it there is no denying that Congressional corruption had a significant role in the minds of the electorate.  Now it seems that my would-be Democratic heroes are having a problem deciding how far to go with the ethics reform they promised on the campaign trail.  I find that about as pleasantly surprising as the time I stabbed myself in the ass with a screw driver and then sat in a bowl of gin.  I hated when that happened. 

            There has been lip service to the idea that the new majority would like to come to an agreement to present their legislation when they convene in January.  To be meaningful, at a minimum, the reform would need to include provisions including: prohibition from accepting meals, gifts or travel from lobbyists and require full disclosure of any and all contact between all lobbyists and Congress members.  I’m not going to hold my breath.  Earmarks need to be restricted and not allowed without identification of the legislator who attaches them. It would be essential to block lawmakers from requesting earmarks that would benefit any company, group or lobbying firm that employed a member of the lawmaker’s family or a former member of the lawmaker’s staff.  And, can we finally get some campaign finance reform that will give us confidence that our representatives are not beholding to any small group of people who finance their campaigns?  Any reform needs an enforcement agency, independent of the lobbyists and Congress to oversee compliance with the law

            At a bare minimum Congress needs to put some enforcement behind the original McCain-Feingold bill of 2002 and close the loopholes that relaxed restrictions on campaign donations and spending.  In particular we would all benefit with the elimination of those 527 groups that were responsible for the record number of annoying negative campaign ads of this most recent election.             

            When we consider the record (literal criminal record) of the current Congress there is no question that the people we send to Washington to govern us can not govern themselves.  Republican Randy Cunningham is already in jail, Republican Bob Ney is on his way, the former House majority leader, Tom Delay has been indicted and the investigation of Jack Abramoff is sure to result in additional arrests.  Democrat William Jefferson of Louisiana is facing bribery charges.  What a class act these entrusted civil servants have ended up to be. 

            There has never been a better opportunity to pass needed reform laws in Congress.  We have fresh examples of abuse and a new Congress that should want to distinguish itself as being ethical and responsive in the eyes of the electorate.  News reports claim that more than half of the new legislators and nearly 70 incumbents have signed a pledge supporting some form of public financing in an attempt to reduce dependence on campaign donors.  Of course there will be great resistance to any reform.  Members of Congress who sit on powerful appropriation committees will be loathe seeing their power diminished by restrictions on earmarks yet that practice is responsible for a majority of the prosecutions and investigations that are currently under way.  Entrenched incumbents have their power structure in place and will resist attempts to even the flow of money in future.  The fact that Washington has done business a certain way will make it difficult to pass legislation because many legislators have former staffers and family members in the lobbying business.  For many years that has been a perk of power that won’t be given up lightly.

            .  “Some people say that I’m a dreamer but I’m not the only one.”  You know what to do, here are the websites:  Find your Senator here.  Find your Congressional Representative here.

 

            Scary news was all around over the weekend.  I am trying to understand what the hell is going on in this country when we witness things like the tazzering an Iranian-American UCLA student for objecting to being profiled for an id check in the UCLA library.  Or, when we see helpless women janitors trampled by jack-booted police mounted on horseback in Houston because they were demonstrating for higher wages.  These two horrid examples of police brutality on top the administrations plans to push their warrantless wiretapping agenda through the lame duck congress make me fearful that we are sliding the slippery slope to living in a police state.  How did we get to a point where our government will result to physical violence as a means of moving people out of sight that are peacefully expressing that they feel oppressed?

            These were not situations where people were belligerently threatening or causing real or potential harm to anybody.  In the first example, the student at UCLA objected to a random request to show his student ID to “Community Service Officers” (CSO) because he was singled out for his Middle Eastern appearance.  The second example involves Service Employees International Workers (SEIU) in Houston that were beginning to sit down peacefully for a non-violent act of civil disobedience. 

           The University student was sitting in the library finishing up an assignment which was due this coming Wednesday.  He objected to being requested to present his student ID while the numerous white students around him were not approached.  The CSO’s left and later returned with police officers.  When they arrived the student had already packed his computer and was heading out of the library.  The police officers grabbed him by the arm and the student, already disturbed that he had been racially profiled, demanded that the police get their hands off of him.  When a second officer approached the student fell limply to the ground as an act of civil disobedience.  He was then tazzered five separate times as the police attempted to remove him from the library.  It is highly probable, from watching the video, that the young man was incapacitated by the initial tazer shock and unable to leave the library. 

            Tom Balanoff, the Houston janitors’ chief contract negotiator reported, “The Houston Police Department was contacted prior to today’s demonstration to explain their plan and reasons for demonstrating in order to ensure that exactly this type of incident would be avoided.”   What happened was the women workers were violently charged into by mounted police officers in an attempt to disassemble their protest.  The Janitors who make $20 a day with no health insurance were risking arrest in order to better provide for their families.  Workers report they were stepped on by horses leaving an unknown number of protestors with bruises and other injuries.  An 83 year-old janitor from New York City, was rushed to Ben Taub Hospital for an injury sustained on her arm.

            While examples of excessive force are not new in America these particular examples are a glaring reminder that we have not evolved as much as we may have imagined.  The lessons of Rodney King and Robert Davis, the retired school teacher in New Orleans, have had little effect on police training across the land.  You would think at a minimum the police would be aware that no matter where they go there is a great chance that video will record the event.  What is particularly cause for alarm at this point in history is that we are witnessing these events while there are plans for our Congress to pass legislation which will diminish our Fourth Amendment Rights.  In the most extreme example it is frightening to imagine that the police would have the power to collect information on you with no oversight and then inflict punishment on you without the protections afforded by our Bill of Rights. 

            Proponents of warrantless spying on Americans living inside the United States claim the President needs authority to conduct warrantless surveillance to counter threats directed at the country from abroad.  Opponent’s claim that the absence of congressional checks and balances have led to intelligence powers turning from foreign foes toward domestic political opponents, from real enemies of the nation onto those whose views the executive branch disdains.

            Provision is already in place to protect our national security as provided in the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act of 1978. (FISA)  Under the provisions of FISA the President may authorize, through the Attorney General, electronic surveillance without a court order for the period of one year provided it is only for foreign intelligence information.  The act also provides for the interception of communications between foreign nationals and American citizens but probable cause must be demonstrated and a warrant must be acquired.  In practice the reality is that the requirement of a warrant has not been a hindrance in gathering intelligence.  Between the years of 1979 and 1999 FISC courts granted 11,833 warrants and rejected none.  Furthermore there is no obstruction to the gathering of such information because the intelligence agency, with probable cause, can put their surveillance in place and has up to 30 days to obtain the warrant to make the surveillance admissible. 

            The idea that the government needs an ability to circumvent the Fourth Amendment and deny our protection of unreasonable searches and seizures in light of an increasing occurrence of strong armed police actions should be alarming to every citizen in America.  Current laws give the government all of the resources they need to protect us from terrorism.  The only possible justification for warrantless spying on Americans would be the prohibition of dissention.  The widely misappropriated quote to Thomas Jefferson, “Dissent is the highest form of patriotism” seems antiquated and irrelevant to those who subscribe to the propaganda distributed from the White House.  The notion of patriotism has been distorted to deflect criticism and mislead the nation.  There are many who would say they do not mind if the government listens to their phone calls because they need to in order to protect us.  Others justify their loss of rights by stating that they aren’t doing anything wrong so they have nothing to worry about.  Perhaps Benjamin Franklin was ahead of his time when he said, “Those who would give up essential liberty, to purchase a little temporary safety, deserve neither liberty nor safety”

 

            Sunday and all is well on the home front considering my beloved Iowa Hawkeyes fell to a six and six record that is a deceiving reflection their actual 2-5 record in conference play.  Most painful to me was the manner in which they accumulated that abysmal record by losing 5 conference match ups in a row.  I suppose I should keep in context that football is only a game and as a fan I have little invested in the success or failure of the team other than my imagination.  The time dedicated to titillation or frustration associated with the results of the home team could be better spent on more meaningful endeavors but the luxury of inane distractions go a long way in keeping us from going “postal” in our 9-5 lives. 

            Thanksgiving looms prominent in the plans for the upcoming week.