It's happened in England. It's happened in Canada. It's happened in every country which nationalized their health care.
But of course it won't happen HERE!
Sunday, July 19, 2009
Saturday, July 04, 2009
On this 4th, trying to define the problems (and suggest possible solutions)
If the founding fathers could see the American people today, they'd be angered and disappointed. We've squandered our birthright for breads and circuses.
It's not everyone. But enough. Too many for certain. And for far too long.
People who see the way the country is going -- government run health care, government takeover of the auto industry, bailouts, stimulus and running up trillions of dollars of debt -- shake their heads and wonder if the country will be able to turn itself around after four years of Obama.
But this began long before Obama. Even before FDR decided that the "pursuit of happiness" should be supplanted by the "right to happiness" and believed the Federal government had a duty to level the playing field at the expense of our liberties and right to self-determination.
I don't want to make this blog overly long by going into the books and blogs I've read and the incidences others have cited as first steps away from the Republic envisioned by the Founding Fathers.
But I realized, thinking about the state of the country this Fourth of July, I shouldn't be blaming Obama, or Pelosi or Rahm Emanuel or any of the Kennedys great and small.
If I do that, I'm doing the same thing I accuse the liberals, the socialists, the statists of doing. I'm taking too much blame away from those on whose shoulders it should sit.
I'm talking about us. You and me. We the People. This is our mess. It's our apathy, our ignorance, our willingness to give up our autonomy for security. Our willingness to give up maturity for perpetual childhood. Not all of us, and not all to the same degree. There are voices crying out warnings. There are a few actively trying to steer us back on course.
And a percentage of US citizens aren't operating through ignorance or apathy: those liberals, statists, socialists who are actively working to "fix" the Constitution and alter our system of government.
So I am blaming Obama, et al too. But as citizens, not as the leaders who have bullied their way into power. Obama's presidency is a symptom, not the disease. Barney Frank's reelection term after term after term is a symptom.
What's the disease? Diseases.
Voter apathy. The 43.2% who couldn't be bothered to vote last November. Are they right? Is it futile because their candidate didn't make it to the final two, or they didn't like any of the candidates from the beginning? Or because all politicians are crooks so what does it matter?
Or those voters who did turn out and voted for McCain because he was the lesser of two evils? If their candidate was forced to drop out before they got a chance to vote for him or her in their primary, I can understand their frustration. I've felt it myself.
Perhaps the way primaries are conducted need to be changed? Maybe people need to come up with ideas on how to make it fairer, petition their Representatives and the changes could be formally written up, voted upon, implemented.
Or not. Yeah, whatever.
Let's skip over those voters who voted for Obama because they understood and agreed with his plans for this country. They're a problem, but they'd be a much smaller problem if so many of the rest of us weren't apathetic.
Or ignorant.
And those are the other diseases: ignorance and stupidity.
Ignorant people who didn't know Obama's platform and didn't care. We were making history and many of us didn't want to know what he stood for if that meant we wouldn't want to vote for him. Who heard the pretty words and let themselves be lulled into thinking "how bad could it be?"
Stupidity. People who did know what Obama stood for, didn't agree with it, still wanted to make history. Or thought this was the opportunity to right the wrongs of slavery and oppression. Who thought we needed to prove to the world that we have overcome our crass and prejudiced past.
This is the same world, by the way, which still contains numerous dictatorships, autocracies, fascist and communist regimes, socialist experiments which strangle their own people's autonomy in the name of fair distribution of resources. This is a world where most of the countries condoned or participated in slavery in their past also. And where slavery still continues in parts of Africa, the Middle East and Asia.
So what's the answer? Are more of us finally noticing our ship of state is sailing into an iceberg? This is a big ship; it can't pivot on a dime. If we're to avoid disaster, we have to start turning now.
How do we turn?
They say recognizing there's a problem is the first step.
The second step? Get involved. Not on the national level. Most of us don't have the clout to affect change at that level.
How about getting involved with local politics? Find out what your city candidates stand for so you're not just filling out the little ovals next to a stranger with a cute name. Or voting for someone who's been the incumbent for so long you shrug and figure he must know what he's doing.
Your state's been blue for so long the populace has passed out and been passed over long ago? You figure what use is it to vote Republican? Or Libertarian? Or Independent?
Try it anyway. If enough habitual non-voters got out and used their votes to register their displeasure, even if the status stayed quo this time, it would send a message.
And speaking of Independent, why not change your affiliation? Since, let's face it, too many in the Republican Party don't stand for the ideals they claim to, a massive number of voters leaving the party would alarm them. Even the Democrats, their contempt for the public notwithstanding, they know who pays their salaries. Or rather, they know whose apathy and blind following gives them a license to steal everything that isn't nailed down.
What would it say to the politicians of both parties if, starting this Monday, people started registered as Independents? If the rolls of registered Democrats and Republicans began dropping? And continued to drop till next November?
Most politicians are pragmatists. Most of the true socialist fanatics don't run; they work behind the scenes, influencing politicians, picking candidates who both believe as they do and have the charisma and best combination of qualities to put themselves over with the electorate.
So, if we can panic the politicians, it may be a beginning.
That, and taking more action, increasing our knowledge of local and state candidates. Even presidential candidates were local politicians once.
We have to begin somewhere. We get the government we deserve. It's up to you. And me.
It's not everyone. But enough. Too many for certain. And for far too long.
People who see the way the country is going -- government run health care, government takeover of the auto industry, bailouts, stimulus and running up trillions of dollars of debt -- shake their heads and wonder if the country will be able to turn itself around after four years of Obama.
But this began long before Obama. Even before FDR decided that the "pursuit of happiness" should be supplanted by the "right to happiness" and believed the Federal government had a duty to level the playing field at the expense of our liberties and right to self-determination.
I don't want to make this blog overly long by going into the books and blogs I've read and the incidences others have cited as first steps away from the Republic envisioned by the Founding Fathers.
But I realized, thinking about the state of the country this Fourth of July, I shouldn't be blaming Obama, or Pelosi or Rahm Emanuel or any of the Kennedys great and small.
If I do that, I'm doing the same thing I accuse the liberals, the socialists, the statists of doing. I'm taking too much blame away from those on whose shoulders it should sit.
I'm talking about us. You and me. We the People. This is our mess. It's our apathy, our ignorance, our willingness to give up our autonomy for security. Our willingness to give up maturity for perpetual childhood. Not all of us, and not all to the same degree. There are voices crying out warnings. There are a few actively trying to steer us back on course.
And a percentage of US citizens aren't operating through ignorance or apathy: those liberals, statists, socialists who are actively working to "fix" the Constitution and alter our system of government.
So I am blaming Obama, et al too. But as citizens, not as the leaders who have bullied their way into power. Obama's presidency is a symptom, not the disease. Barney Frank's reelection term after term after term is a symptom.
What's the disease? Diseases.
Voter apathy. The 43.2% who couldn't be bothered to vote last November. Are they right? Is it futile because their candidate didn't make it to the final two, or they didn't like any of the candidates from the beginning? Or because all politicians are crooks so what does it matter?
Or those voters who did turn out and voted for McCain because he was the lesser of two evils? If their candidate was forced to drop out before they got a chance to vote for him or her in their primary, I can understand their frustration. I've felt it myself.
Perhaps the way primaries are conducted need to be changed? Maybe people need to come up with ideas on how to make it fairer, petition their Representatives and the changes could be formally written up, voted upon, implemented.
Or not. Yeah, whatever.
Let's skip over those voters who voted for Obama because they understood and agreed with his plans for this country. They're a problem, but they'd be a much smaller problem if so many of the rest of us weren't apathetic.
Or ignorant.
And those are the other diseases: ignorance and stupidity.
Ignorant people who didn't know Obama's platform and didn't care. We were making history and many of us didn't want to know what he stood for if that meant we wouldn't want to vote for him. Who heard the pretty words and let themselves be lulled into thinking "how bad could it be?"
Stupidity. People who did know what Obama stood for, didn't agree with it, still wanted to make history. Or thought this was the opportunity to right the wrongs of slavery and oppression. Who thought we needed to prove to the world that we have overcome our crass and prejudiced past.
This is the same world, by the way, which still contains numerous dictatorships, autocracies, fascist and communist regimes, socialist experiments which strangle their own people's autonomy in the name of fair distribution of resources. This is a world where most of the countries condoned or participated in slavery in their past also. And where slavery still continues in parts of Africa, the Middle East and Asia.
So what's the answer? Are more of us finally noticing our ship of state is sailing into an iceberg? This is a big ship; it can't pivot on a dime. If we're to avoid disaster, we have to start turning now.
How do we turn?
They say recognizing there's a problem is the first step.
The second step? Get involved. Not on the national level. Most of us don't have the clout to affect change at that level.
How about getting involved with local politics? Find out what your city candidates stand for so you're not just filling out the little ovals next to a stranger with a cute name. Or voting for someone who's been the incumbent for so long you shrug and figure he must know what he's doing.
Your state's been blue for so long the populace has passed out and been passed over long ago? You figure what use is it to vote Republican? Or Libertarian? Or Independent?
Try it anyway. If enough habitual non-voters got out and used their votes to register their displeasure, even if the status stayed quo this time, it would send a message.
And speaking of Independent, why not change your affiliation? Since, let's face it, too many in the Republican Party don't stand for the ideals they claim to, a massive number of voters leaving the party would alarm them. Even the Democrats, their contempt for the public notwithstanding, they know who pays their salaries. Or rather, they know whose apathy and blind following gives them a license to steal everything that isn't nailed down.
What would it say to the politicians of both parties if, starting this Monday, people started registered as Independents? If the rolls of registered Democrats and Republicans began dropping? And continued to drop till next November?
Most politicians are pragmatists. Most of the true socialist fanatics don't run; they work behind the scenes, influencing politicians, picking candidates who both believe as they do and have the charisma and best combination of qualities to put themselves over with the electorate.
So, if we can panic the politicians, it may be a beginning.
That, and taking more action, increasing our knowledge of local and state candidates. Even presidential candidates were local politicians once.
We have to begin somewhere. We get the government we deserve. It's up to you. And me.
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