Thinking about the last 2-3 weeks nobody can complain that there were no excitements. Not even near. The media is literary swamped with major news every next worst than the previous one. … American largest banks sold for a dollar per share, the largest insurance went belly-up, the largest savings holder almost seamlessly went down, credit system is about to crush, the largest bailout package is prepared in emergency mode for a few days, most of the political leaders are trying to ‘sell’ the bailout, large chunk of the taxpayers don’t want to save anybody but themselves… One may argue that there is nothing better for the media, but it appears all these news start taking their toll. The news pieces are so important that they require really high pitch announcements. Unfortunately the ‘volume control’ is already on max. And, yes…, we have a presidential election in the mean time. So, it seems the general public is getting numb very fast.
Numb enough to miss as ‘nothing to talk about’ 140 billions dollars. Wow! There is even a tone of relief in the media – ‘finally it passed…’ Perhaps it should be relief, perhaps the package is very important and absolutely necessary right now. However, I wonder why if it was so critical it did not pass the first time. Right... I almost forgot. There were less items protecting the taxpayer. The republicans in the congress were so concerned about their constituencies that they allow themselves to vote ‘Yes’ only after the bill was loaded with another 140 billions. Obviously, 700 billions was not round enough number…
I guess, I always was an optimist, who use to believe that the people a generally smart enough at least to protect their own interests. Lately, however, I am more and more amazed with consistently wrong choice made by significant number of Americans.
Aren't you tired of the pathetic attempt of media and political campaigns to portrait a presidential or vice presidential candidate as a 'regular guy' or a 'hockey mom'? C'mon guys! Do you really believe that any 'regular guy' can rule this country? What is wrong with you?! We are not electing a 'buddy' to have a beer. We are electing president to rule our country and to represent us in front of the world. Of course, he cannot be a 'regular guy'! We had a 'buddy' president… eight long years. Isn't it enough for you?
The whole world laughed at our choice - election 2000 and 2004. It turns out that it was not a laughing matter for us. For eight years Bush-Cheney and company brought the country to the edge of catastrophe in every aspect. Economically though we are pass this edge already.
Now, at election 2008, the same people are saying 'the change is coming' they are claiming 'we know how to fix thing and we will'. Well, the obvious question that is coming in mind is 'If you knew how to handle things all along, why we have to fix them now?' The answer is more than clear - of course McCain and his republican company have no clue how to deal with the catastrophic situation in which they dragged us on a first place. Of course, it is ridiculous to believe (believe is the right word - nobody is thinking lately) that the guys who messed up everything will fix it. It is also fairly understandable why these guys are talking nonsense and trying to do anything to stay in power - it is good for them. What I don't understand is, why so many people, who actually have to carry the punishment for the stupidity and arrogance of a few selected, continue to support them. There is something fundamentally wrong here. People who are receiving less and less pay for their work, people who have to pay ridiculous amounts for health insurance, people who are loosing their homes and jobs, people who cannot afford dissent education for their kids, people who's kinds are dying in a meaningless war… these people are essentially saying 'we want more of the same'… Wow! Is this some form of mass-masochism? Or, is it a matter of gigantic amount of ignorance? Or, is it simply dangerous irresponsibility on our behalf?
Let us take a close look what happened globally for the last eight years. We lost most of our allies or at least we worsen our relations with them. Bush and company made stronger virtually every single adversary that they named enemy. They dragged us in totally meaningless war in Iraq and they were arrogant enough to claim 'mission accomplished'. What mission? What was the threat that Iraq was posing to United States? Saddam was a bad guy. Nobody can argue that, but he was Mr. Nobody on the global political arena. Should we start a war just because someone is a bad guy or big mouth? Do we really believe that we can 'put on his place' every bad guy in the world? Don't you think that such a thought is rather arrogant and plain stupid? No country has such power, which is not too bad after all.
Every country and every side in war loose! No exceptions! Certain group of people that is starting the war may win big money. However, that has noting to do with the wellbeing of the whole country. The country is loosing in almost all aspects. Loosing money, loosing power, loosing young lives! Young lives that can do way better for this country instead of dying in a meaningless war. More than four thousand of them!
The other night on Larry King Live a republican strategist - Georgette Mosbacher - talking about the lost lives in Iraq replied spontaneously 'They all volunteered. We have volunteer army…' What an ugly thought! What an arrogance! What an atrocity! They did not volunteer to die meaninglessly, lady! They all volunteered to protect our country and that is very different compared to the war in Iraq! The fact that they are volunteers does not give rights to dumb politicians to send them to die for noting.
What we are hearing these days about that? McCain and Palin are yelling 'Surge is working', 'We are winning'… or from 'strategists' like Mosbacher - 'as a proud American, I refuse to accept the fact that we are losers…' Well, lady, unfortunately, when you are talking about facts, your acceptance or denial doesn't change the reality. What is the thing that we are winning? Perhaps, it would be clearer if we all know what win they have in mind. Money? We are loosing every hour incomprehensible amount of it. Power? We are loosing it every single day since we got involved in this war. International status? It is most likely worst than ever. Lives? We are loosing them every day! What is that we are winning? Perhaps, McCain and Palin have in mind that we are loosing fewer lives compared to 6-8 moths ago? Well, yes, but isn't it too cynical to call this wining? All four thousand of them could have been very much alive and productive for the country if they were not sent there in a first place.
Ok, I understand, Iraq is far away, many people don't know were exactly it is even less what is going on there. It is not easy to have clear idea for place and people you have never been in contact with. How about looking a bit closer? Like, at home for example. What about our healthcare? On the previous republican convention Dick Cheney stated 'We have the best healthcare system in the world' and the crowd reward him with applauses. What were ovations for - the best healthcare system for him or for the one of the worst for us? I find difficult to believe that there so many disoriented people.
As the union's leader, Rose Ann DeMoro said, 'there is no health care system in America. There's a health care industry that's major objective is profit-making, which means not providing the patient all of the care that they need…' Is there anybody left who do not understand this? Is this the best healthcare system in the world? If Cheney was served by the same healthcare system that is serving American people he would be most likely dead by now.
McCain is trying to scare us with 'bureaucrats' in the healthcare system. Let us imagine on the same place a businessman whose profit depends on your bad health… Well, we don't have to try very hard to imagine it. We experience that type of healthcare daily. So, what is the new thing in McCain's proposal? Noting. It will be exactly the same. Oh, I forgot… he is planning to 'give every American' a couple hundred dollars to help with health insurance payments. And this is a solution? Even if somehow this money gets to the Americans, they will be lost without a trace in the maze of the current healthcare system. And what is worst, without any positive effect. All this money will create some additional profit to the insurances, which are enjoying immorally large profits even now. The whole healthcare system is wrong and it should be reset correctly. We don't need to look too far in order to see a better system. Take a look at Canada… or Australia if you like… The healthcare system cannot be an industry, it is fundamentally wrong!
The other big nonsense that republicans keep repeating over and over again is the lie about the taxes. Palin is crying 'Obama wants to raise your taxes… he wants to raise taxes for small businesses…' Is there somebody left that still believes in that lie? When I hear to the 'boous' of the brainwashed crowd in response to McCain's and Palin's lies, I wonder how many of these deeply disoriented people are receiving more that 250 thousands a year. How many small businesses owners of small neighborhood stores or shops can afford to pay themselves such salary? Who they are kidding? Most of the small businesses are happy to have 250 thousands a year sales. Their taxable income is way less.
What McCain want to say is that his friends may see increase in their taxes. Perhaps, this is true, but I don't see why regular Jane and Joe should be bothered by this. McCain is not their friend. They don't make that kind of money. So, they are safe with taxes. Bush and company 'saved' the taxes on several millions Americans so far, by simply arranging for them to loose their jobs. No income, no taxes… problem solved. I can easily imagine that McCain, whit his 'deep understanding of economy', can continue to 'save' taxes this way to even more of us.
If there is someone with less than 250 thousands income yearly and who is still for the McCain-Palin ticket, this someone needs to see a psychiatrist. Unfortunately, under current healthcare system it will not be an easy thing to afford.
When we vote, we become volunteers. Be careful guys! Think what we are volunteering for.
JuiceTorrent is a new social web technology giving site owners and bloggers the opportunity to keep their content clean and right on topics while at the same time receive monetary support. Stated like this it does not sounds like something very new. There are many blogs that are displaying ads and perhaps earning some revenue.
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The idea is very straightforward and well known in the offline life. It sounds like this - someone is doing the right thing others appreciate his/her actions and support the good cause by making donations. JuiceTorrent enables exactly this relation. JT frees bloggers to concentrate on the cultural impact of their writing and as a side effect to receive some monetary support. If a blog connects culturally with other people and they really like it, they may decide to support it. So, in a sense JuiceTorrent defines the real target - the quality of blogs.
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George Carlin - Comedian, Writer, Freethinker, Non-Conformist, Icon of Free Speech and one of the funniest and most influential American comics of the 20th century who truly cared about the sanity of this country.
Carlin was and is a national treasure and will be remembered by far more than only ‘The Seven Words You Can't Use On Television’.
Posted in How are you today? on Jun 27, 2008... modified on Jun 27, 2008
Jakhara, while I’m absolutely sure that he gas prices are high for different reasons and certainly not those discussed on main stream media, I honestly hope that you are wrong and our votes really count. In any case they will count if the number is large enough.
As for Obama, I do believe that he has a chance to win and I hope I am right. Otherwise, another four years under republicans will prove fatal for the deeply shaken American economy. Not to mention endless continuation of totally meaningless war that cannot be won on a first place.
The world lost an intellectual giant!
