Violence In The Classroom And At The Court (April 23, 2007)

Posted in Guns on April 23, 2007 by e-commentary.org

Making sense of the slaughter at Virginia Tech is trying.  There simply are too many nuts who have access to guns.  Those who oppose efforts to control guns are single issue personalities.  The gun is the iron penis.  Any suggestion that there could be restrictions even on others who could cause harm triggers a primal response.  The unconscious fear of castration and emasculation trumps all other issues and concerns.  The Democrats cannot touch the issue except perhaps to require more reporting of mental health determinations.  However, when the criminals shoot the sheriff and the deputy, the cops and mayors may take action.  Another day on the streets.

Bumper sticker of the week:

Guns Kill People
People With Guns Kill People

Leave a comment »

Outrages Du Jour (April 16, 2007)

Posted in Race, Society on April 16, 2007 by e-commentary.org

Is Don Imus a racist?  Al Sharpton?  Jesse Jackson?  Some members of the Duke faculty?  Some editors and writers with the The New York Times?  The Washington Post?  The National Review?  Are the opinion shapers in America more racist and hypocritical than the general populace?

The “Duke Lacrosse Scandal” should go down in history as the “North Carolina District Attorney’s Office Scandal” or “Mediagate.”  Bad behavior that is not illegal is only bad behavior.  Victim’s names should be confidential; liar’s names should be made public.  The legal system only determines guilt or a lack of guilt; the statement by the North Carolina District Attorney that the kids are “innocent” is appropriate and courageous under the circumstances.  The Durham District Attorney, Nifong, should be disbarred and put behind bars, but he is white and a lawyer so he will get off with a scolding.  And if the three kids had been Black?  They likely would have joined tens of thousands of other Black males who have been sent to prison because they might have done something marginally distasteful to someone in power.  The prosecutors and police are often as dangerous as the alleged perps.  That is why there is a Bill of Rights.  It’s all so black and white.

Imus apologized.  This week should see apologies from the others.

And the War Against Women continues unabated.

McCain proved beyond a reasonable doubt that a United States Senator can walk furtively in the Green Zone in Baghdad if he is escorted by a hundred heavily-armed U.S. troops, dozens of Humvees and a covey of Apache helicopters circling overhead.  Some real military strategists such as Joseph Heller and Kurt Vonnegut should be consulted on the issue.

Wolfowitz causes trouble everywhere he goes.  Wolfowitz used his position at the World Bank to get his girlfriend a generous pay package.  It’s time to go.

Lost e-mails?  More lies from the Bush Administration.  The technology may trap them.  Even the 18 minutes deleted by Rosemary Woods has been recovered. Bush will pardon Libby before Libby is sent to prison and anyone else subject to any criminal charges just before Bush flees the White House.  Criminal investigations should be developed now and no charges filed until after Bush leaves office.  Rove and his boys are cunning enough to anticipate the indictments. Bush could issue a blanket pardon to anyone and everyone who ever worked or now works in his White House.  Nothing is inconceivable.

The Supreme Court recently held, in another 5 – 4 decision, that the Environmental Protection Agency must protect the environment.  The health of the environment turns in part on the health of a Jerry Ford appointee, John Paul Stevens, who turns 87 on Friday.

[Kurt Vonnegut – “We are what we pretend to be, so we must be careful what we pretend to be.”  He pretended to be himself.]

Bumper sticker of the week:

Never lose your sense of outrage

Leave a comment »

Walk The Walk, Talk The Talk (April 9, 2007)

Posted in Gay Politics, Language on April 9, 2007 by e-commentary.org

The Iraqi Study Group notes:  “All of our efforts in Iaw, military and civilian, are handicapped by Americans’ lack of knowledge and cultural understanding.  Our embassy of 1,000 has 33 Arabic speakers, just six of whom are at the level of fluency.  In a conflict that demands effective and efficient communication with Iraqis, we are often at a disadvantage.”  Lay off (or retrain) 600 staff members at the embassy and hire 60 Arabic speakers.  The Arabic speakers don’t exist.  They don’t exist because Bush does not want them to exist.

The military discharges individuals who could save fellow soldiers and the Republic.  The policy is billed as “Don’t ask, don’t tell.”  The Don’t Think policy.  That seems to be the policy of the entire Bush administration.  The military should encourage and promote those individuals who can tell the American story in Arabic and understand the language and culture and history of Arabic countries.

The government should build its own army of interpreters.  The Marshall Plan meets Sputnik meets Berlitz. Those who express an interest in Arabic or Farsi or Mandarin or _________ (any language) should be given substantial stipends.  (Hybrid) cars, (healthy?) pizza and, yes, beer money.  There should be $100,000 signing bonuses.  If you talk the (Arabic) talk, you get to walk the walk.

Bumper sticker of the week:

Honk if parts are falling off

Leave a comment »

Put me in coach (April 2, 2007)

Posted in Language, Society on April 2, 2007 by e-commentary.org

“Put me in coach.”  Not the game.  The game of life.  A coach can win and satisfy his (or her) shareholders (the athletic department/division and ‘lums) and still educate the kids.  Direct, encourage, cajole and harass the kids at every opportunity to get into the classroom and take advantage of the opportunity given to them to learn.  Conduct practices once a week in Spanish and French (Arabic, Farsi, Mandarin?). Conduct soccer practices in both English and Spanish.  (“Centro, centro”, “otra vez”, “pelota”)  Someone who can motivate them to play on the court/field/pitch can motivate them to attend class.  Playing in the PTA is more important in the long run than playing in the NBA.  Infect them with ideas.

“The young man walks by himself, fast but not fast enough, far but not far enough (faces slide out of sight, talk trails into tattered scraps, footsteps tap faster in alleys); he must catch the last subway, the streetcar, the bus, run up the gangplanks of all the steamboats, register at all the hotels, work in the cities, answer the want ads, learn the trades, take up the jobs, live in all the boardinghouses, sleep in all the beds.  One bed is not enough, one job is not enough, one life is not enough …”  John Dos Passos.

There is some inconsequential game on tv tonight.  The real game is going on outside the coliseum.

Bumper sticker of the week:

Life happens while you’re making plans

Leave a comment »

Who Is Your Big Bad Bogeyman? (March 26, 2007)

Posted in Book Reference, Political Parties, Politics on March 26, 2007 by e-commentary.org

In general, at a young age, individuals select, consciously or unconsciously, a Big Bad Bogeyman, either Big Government or Big Business.  All political views emanate from that fundamental decision.  Nock, Van Hayek, M. Friedman and their ilk don’t realize or acknowledge that Big Business can oppress as efficiently and mercilessly as Big Government.  Galbraith, Nader and their ilk don’t realize or acknowledge that Big Government can oppress as efficiently and mercilessly as Big Business.  For all but a few individuals, acknowledging two Big Bogeymen is intellectually and emotionally overwhelming.  F. Scott Fitzgerald is said to have said:  “The test of a first-rate intelligence is the ability to hold two opposed ideas in the mind at the same time, and still retain the ability to function.”  In politics, the few first rate intellects must challenge and confront the two Big Bogeymen who are equally dangerous.  John Dos Passos could handle it.

Bumper sticker of the week:

Question Authority, But Ask The Right Questions

Leave a comment »

World War III Turns Four; How Wars Are Fought; Most Victories Are Pyrrhic Defeats (March 19, 2007)

Posted in Military on March 19, 2007 by e-commentary.org

(Today is the four-year anniversary of Bush’s decision to trigger World War III.)

The soldiers in both trenches are invariably brave.  They cover for their companions and their comrades which advances the agenda and careers of their leaders.  The situation is akin to the “invisible hand” in economic theory.  Each individual in a squad pursues his self-interest which is keeping himself and his buddies alive while completing the mission, usually forlorn.  The individual actions aggregate to promote whatever passes for the mission, be it taking the hill or defending the position or increasing the body count. The soldiers are given grades (E-) such as E-3 or E-5.  These soldiers with mettle wear stars (Ag and Cu9Sn1) on their chests and experience combat far more profoundly than those who sport stars on their epaulettes.

Those who have rank (O-) call the shots and decide who gets shot.  The generals (O-7, O-8, etc.) on both sides of the trenches are often either incompetent or unable to control the events, exigencies and other developments that arise.  Those who succeed often succeed because the generals across the field fail even more abjectly.  [See the e-ssay dated March 7, 2005.]  Factories are admittedly a big factor. Civilization has been fortunate that the good guys have had more efficient factories in the last hundred years; America is losing factories daily.  However, in recent military quagmires (Vietnam, World War III/Iraq/Iran/Syria/etc.), the miliary was and is tasked with a hopeless mission.  The mission is not accomplished, it is impossible.  In the Iraq theater, even the generals never had a bloody chance.

The civilian leaders failed and are failing.  The civilian leaders who prosecuted and are prosecuting World War III will never be prosecuted for their ineptitude or their war crimes.  The civilian leaders used the threat of “WeMaD” (Weapons of Mass Destruction) and fooled the general public and the generals into war.  The lies continue unabated.  Bush amassed a cabal of cowards, wimps, draft dodgers, geeks, and chicken hawks and proclaimed them his National Security Team.  These “neo-confidence men” are known generally as “neo-cons.”  Bush sheds them when they disagree.  He stuck his head in a hornet’s nest and does not understand what is going on all around him.  Now he has stuck his head in the sand.

Mix brave soldiers, overwhelmed generals and incompetent civilian leaders, bring the mixture to a boil, and simmer.  The result is not surprising. The notion of a Pyrrhic victory derives from the Greek king Pyrrhus, who, after suffering heavy losses in defeating the Romans in 279 B.C., said to those sent to congratulate him, “Another such victory over the Romans and we are undone.”  America cannot afford another Pyrrhic Defeat.

Bumper sticker of the week:

Land Of The Free Because Of The Brave (despite the civilian leadership)

Leave a comment »

Investigate, Impeach and Indict? (March 12, 2007)

Posted in Bush, Politics on March 12, 2007 by e-commentary.org

The I. Lewis “Scooter” Libby trial and conviction for lying and obstruction of justice provided a glimpse into the corruption and dishonesty in Washington.  The denouement–Bush will pardon him.  Congress should continue investigating the goings-on over the last seven years.  The statements regarding the firing and hiring of U.S. Attorneys are at least unethical if not illegal.  U.S. Attorneys are senior partners of the world’s largest and most powerful law firm and can inflict great violence and grief on the public.  In addition, the U.S. Attorney’s Office is an “on deck circle” if not the “batter’s box” for federal judgeships.  Capture the Offices and control the Judiciary.

Now may be the time for the House of Representatives to consider holding hearings regarding the impeachment of Bush and Cheney.  A prosecutor (or independent prosecutor) should investigate and consider indicting Bush, Cheney, Rove, Gonzalez and others.  Lying is perjury.  Lying to obstruct justice is obstruction of justice.  [See the e-ssay dated February 20, 2006 entitled “Perjury, the American Way”].  Using the passive voice (“Mistake were made.”) is usually an admission that one is actively involved in creating the mistakes.  Enough is enough; more than enough is enough.  Nixon should have been held accountable for Watergate; Reagan should have been accountable for Iran-Contra.  The situation in the world will get worse over the next 22 months under the best of circumstances.  However, the rate of deterioration can be slowed by purposeful action.  Cleaning house now is critical.

Halliburton, Cheney’s old company, is now fleeing the ship, the good ship United States.  The company is cutting and running and will be able to avoid paying what few taxes it is currently paying.  In addition, the company can hide assets and dodge any recoupment efforts for its overbilling of and fraud upon the United States taxpayer.  [See the e-ssay dated April 11, 2005 entitled “The ‘Ownership State’ and ‘Bush, Inc.'”].

Bumper stickers of the week:

Blind Faith In Bad Leaders
Is Not Patriotism

I Never Thought I’d Miss John Mitchell

Leave a comment »

Congress Should Increase Congressional and Judicial Pay; Shareholders Should Reduce CEO/CFO/COO Pay (March 5, 2007)

Posted in Market Solutions, Spending on March 5, 2007 by e-commentary.org

Supreme Court Justice Kennedy recently testified that the salaries of federal judges should be increased to provide some competition with the private sector.  He points to the substantial signing bonuses paid to former Supreme Court judicial law clerks when they go to work with wealthy law firms.  Many young law students plan to retire on the federal bench.  The power and prestige are the most significant draws. However, the pay must be competitive or only the wealth will apply.  Raise their salaries consistent with his request.

Congressional salaries should also be raised.  The public is better off if the hired help is paid by the people rather than by the lobbyists.  Fifty thousand a year is a cheap and prudent investment.

Arguing that Congressional salaries should be increased is never popular.  After passage of a pay raise, every candidate running against an incumbent makes a stink.  To provide political cover, a commission should be established and the findings adopted by voice vote.  Commissions provide cover.

CEOs, CFOs, COOs and their colleagues are paid salaries and bonuses far out of proportion to their contribution to their companies and shareholders.  The contention that the companies must pay big money to attract talent is a chimera because there is no thriving market for the positions.  A small select group simply pays more to their management which provides an excuse for their colleagues/competitors to pay more and thereby to provide an excuse for other companies to pay themselves even more.  When the company makes money, for whatever reason, management issues huge bonuses.  When the company loses money, management continues to draw inflated salaries and/or parachutes out with a bucket of loot. The market is broken beyond redemption.

The government is not the player to challenges the salaries.  Large shareholder groups should simply dictate the pay.  The various state PERSs (Public Employees Retirement Systems) programs in particular should state that they will sell shares and not buy shares unless management sets salaries within a defined range.  All shareholders should vote on all executive compensation at every annual meeting.

Bumper sticker of the week:

We all live downstream

Leave a comment »

Looking Back. With Regret. And Respect. (February 26, 2007)

Posted in China, Race on February 26, 2007 by e-commentary.org

Another positive resolution.  Assembling on the grounds of the former Confederate Capitol, the Virginia General Assembly voted unanimously this past Saturday to express “profound regret” for the state’s role in slavery and for the exploitation of Native Americans.  The resolution states that government-sanctioned slavery “ranks as the most horrendous of all depredations of human rights and violations of our founding ideals in our nation’s history, and the abolition of slavery was followed by systematic discrimination, enforced segregation, and other insidious institutions and practices toward Americans of African descent that were rooted in racism, racial bias, and racial misunderstanding.”  Not an apology, yet a major step forward.

Many Saturday’s ago in February 1972, President Richard Nixon, National Security Adviser Henry Kissinger and Chinese leader Mao Zedong met in Beijing.  To talk.  Nixon aggressively sought out the meeting with an adversary.  The anti-communist met with one of the uber-communists.  Nixon took off without knowing whether the Chinese FAA (Federal Aviation Administration) would clear Air Force 1 to land.  Nixon engaged what was then the 800(0) lb. panda.  The United States had been in regular communication with the 800(0) lb. bruin, the former Soviet Union, the CCCP (Union of Soviet Socialist Republics). Courageous and prescient, “Tricky Dick” worked some magic that week.

Bumper sticker of the week:

I Never Thought I’d Miss Nixon

Leave a comment »

Bush’s Valentine’s Day Message: “I’m Invading Iran. With Love” (February 19, 2007)

Posted in Bush, Iraq on February 19, 2007 by e-commentary.org

Bush’s recent Valentine’s Day press conference did not show much love.  Bush sees red again.  He is looking for a pretext to invade or bomb another country.  Iran.  The wellspring of opposition may not stop him.

The House was able to pass a resolution on Friday that contains language challenging the escalation surge:

(1)  Congress and the American people will continue to support and protect the members of the United States Armed Forces who are serving or who have served bravely and honorably in Iraq; and

(2)  Congress disapproves of the decision of President George W. Bush announced on January 10, 2007, to deploy more than 20,000 additional United States combat troops to Iraq.

Non-binding according to its terms but pivotal in light of the fierce opposition from Republicans.  The Senate Republicans would not even allow a debate on a similar resolution.  Congress needs some resolve.

Congress should introduce a resolution to condemn and oppose any invasion or bombing of Iran.

Congress also should introduce a resolution to withdraw the 2002 Resolution Bush used to excuse his invasion of Iraq because it was based on lies and no longer serves any national interest.

The Inspector General of the Pentagon found that Doug Feith, a former Undersecretary of Defense, and his office manipulated pre-war intelligence to heighten fear of a connection between Iraq and al Qaeda.

Australian Prime Minister John Howard said that Barack Obama’s proposal to remove U.S. combat forces from Iraq by March 31, 2008 would create disaster in  the Mideast.  “If I were running al Qaeda in Iraq,” he whined, “I would put a circle around March 2008 and be praying as many times as possible for a victory, not only for Obama but also for the Democrats.”  American timetables are irrelevant to the Iraqis.  The Australians as a people are just exactly, precisely like Americans, except that they are smarter, better looking and far more laid back.  And they share a common problem with Americans.  Wankers in power. Howard has spent too much time in the sun.  Let him run al Qaeda.  He is out of his league even in Canberra.

The agreement with North Korea is a promising start.  Talk.  With no conditions.  Keep talking.

Abraham Lincoln is reputed to have said:  “You can fool some of the people all of the time, and all of the people some of the time, but you cannot fool all of the people all of the time.”

“We won’t get fooled again.”  From the song “Won’t Get Fooled Again” by The Who.

We might get fooled again.

Bumper stickers of the week:

Give War A(nother) Chance–Bush

Laissez les bons temps rouler!

Leave a comment »

« Older Entries
Newer Entries »