I've spent the last couple days working in an emergency call center for victims of the recent ice storm. People are calling in to report damage and needs, and we are collecting the information. I've received lots of calls from folks in need of assistance, and it breaks my heart to hear their stories. Crews are working around the clock to restore power and clear roads, but there are still some people stranded.
What sickens me is the volume of calls coming in that sound something like this:
"When I lost power, I had to throw out the food in my fridge. When am I going to get reimbursed for that?"
Or....
"I had to get a chainsaw and spend 4 hours clearing the road. Who's gonna pay for my time?"
They don't ask if they will get paid, or if there is some way they can help others. Just an open palm and a sense of entitlement. This does not include anyone in genuine need, I understand that some people need help and they should get it. But hey, sometimes bad stuff happens. Just move on and be thankful you're not homeless, and quit asking for someone else to cover every penny you'd rather spend on beer or cable TV.
This is related to a town-hall meeting Obama had in Ft. Myers the other day. Some guy in the audience was complaining because unemployment doesn't pay 100% of his usual salary, and he wanted Obama to fix it. When did we become a nation of slobs, where so much of our energy goes to seeking a redress of grievances, or someone to blame for our sorrow?
Do we really want to be vassals of the state, dependent on them for everything? What happened to individual drive and determination? I submit to you that this is precisely what the Democrats want. Rahm Emanuel said this crisis is a terrible thing to waste. I can see the glitter in his eyes at the thought of rendering us all to the level of dependency this deadbeat in Florida so proudly embodies.
12 February 2009
04 February 2009
Distorting the American Dream
It amazes me when I see that our nation seems uninterested as to the reason for corruption in our government. I have spoken with many of my peers, from all walks of life, and lately we all seem to be a bit turned off by the ongoing circus up in Washington. No one likes to see our "For the people" government more concerned with being re-elected than accurately representing us. That was, at one time, the purpose of having a Senate and such: to represent the people. I'm sure we can all remember times when we have looked with disgust upon our State, local, or Federal government for the level of corruption therein.
In recent months, there has been little actual investigation into the corruption surrounding our new President, as pointed out by Falkenhayn in his last post. Also, the steam-rolling new stimulus bill continues on its path, unchecked in its disastrous rhythm. There is more "pork" in that bill than in the entire state of Alabama. When one examines the nature of all the earmarks, which I would point out were not supposed to exist by promise of Obama in the first place, it doesn't take long to see that they are "payoffs." Corruption, it seems, is a very lucrative practice. Most of us are not surprised, and most of the people I talk with can see through this like we all saw through O.J. Simpson--it doesn't take a genius.
What bothers me most is the greed in all of this. Behind all of the motivations of all the little government entities and committees, behind all the financial gymnastics, and under all the smiles and press conferences--there is greed. You take a look at the current financial "crisis", and you can call greed the culprit. Take the current economy for instance. We all know that giving American jobs away, whether to illegal immigrants inside our border or foreigners across an ocean, is not a practice that ensures our economic strength. Companies have been greedy, and they found a way to make some quick cash. Quality went down the drain, but someone got rich today. And now we are enjoying the fruits of decades of selfish behavior. This is just one example, but I can assure you that greed has been a cause of many of the problems we now face as a nation. Somewhere along the line, people started believing that getting rich was the American Dream realized. This is simply not true. Getting rich may be the dream of many people in America, but that was hardly the sum of the dream of those who came here in search of freedom. The opportunity for success certainly has its place in American history, but to for a nation to forsake itself in the name of riches is not what our Founding Fathers had in mind. Let's not go on believing that having a fat bank account is what it means to be an American.
In recent months, there has been little actual investigation into the corruption surrounding our new President, as pointed out by Falkenhayn in his last post. Also, the steam-rolling new stimulus bill continues on its path, unchecked in its disastrous rhythm. There is more "pork" in that bill than in the entire state of Alabama. When one examines the nature of all the earmarks, which I would point out were not supposed to exist by promise of Obama in the first place, it doesn't take long to see that they are "payoffs." Corruption, it seems, is a very lucrative practice. Most of us are not surprised, and most of the people I talk with can see through this like we all saw through O.J. Simpson--it doesn't take a genius.
What bothers me most is the greed in all of this. Behind all of the motivations of all the little government entities and committees, behind all the financial gymnastics, and under all the smiles and press conferences--there is greed. You take a look at the current financial "crisis", and you can call greed the culprit. Take the current economy for instance. We all know that giving American jobs away, whether to illegal immigrants inside our border or foreigners across an ocean, is not a practice that ensures our economic strength. Companies have been greedy, and they found a way to make some quick cash. Quality went down the drain, but someone got rich today. And now we are enjoying the fruits of decades of selfish behavior. This is just one example, but I can assure you that greed has been a cause of many of the problems we now face as a nation. Somewhere along the line, people started believing that getting rich was the American Dream realized. This is simply not true. Getting rich may be the dream of many people in America, but that was hardly the sum of the dream of those who came here in search of freedom. The opportunity for success certainly has its place in American history, but to for a nation to forsake itself in the name of riches is not what our Founding Fathers had in mind. Let's not go on believing that having a fat bank account is what it means to be an American.
03 February 2009
Blagojevich: Guilty Scapegoat
Sure, Blagojevich deserved to be impeached. He was a rotten, corrupt politician based on the evidence presented. You don't have to trust me, the Illinois Congress and the FBI decided that. I think it's beyond doubt that he had nefarious intentions, not just with Obama's vacant Senate seat, but with other campaign functions as well.
However, I contend that Blagojevich is not unique, and that he is conveniently being used as a dumping ground by his own party. Perhaps, if they project on to him every conceivable vice and act of corruption, then they will look white as snow in comparison. Or, since he started to sink anyway, why not load him up and send him to the depths, neatly cutting all ties that we should believe never existed in the first place.
What Blagojevich did was despicable, but I think it is a window into a world that remains hidden, rather than some isolated incident which is unrelated to the other machinations of government.
Ask anyone who has ever tried to win a business contract in New Orleans or New York about all the pocket lining and padding that goes on behind the scenes. Or all the compliance with under-the-table union money that must be passed out before they can do anything in "their city." And Chicago has not been a stranger to these happenings. It has long been a place of rampant corruption.
Perhaps Blago's pitfall was that he was trying to cut deals without including other politicians, and they won't stand for that. More likely, it's that he was trying to sell a Senate seat that once belonged to Barack Obama, and in order to keep Obama clean, Blagojevich had to go.
David Axelrod (Obama aide and spokesperson) told the press, before the fecal matter hit the fan, that of course Obama was consulting with Blagojevich on who his replacement would be. That's what a caring guy Obama is! Then, two weeks later, Axelrod goes out and says that never, at any point, did Obama have any discussions with Blagojevich. Obama had an internal, closed door investigation of his staff to see if there was any wrong doing by any of his people. Amazingly, they declared themselves clear!
Barack helped structure Blagojevich's campaign for Governor. David Axelrod, now advisor to Obama, used to be an advisor to Blagojevich. Rahm Emanuel, Obama's new Chief of Staff, used to work for Blagojevich. Tony Rezko was a fundraiser for both men. There are all kinds of connections. And even if there weren't, are we supposed to believe that Obama never spoke to Blagojevich on the minor and completely inconsequential matter of who would inhereit his Senate seat? Right.
My point is not that Obama is up to his neck in this, though he may well be. The point is that Blagojevich is being crucified in the hope that he will absorb all the elements of corruption in the public's mind. Like a sponge, he will soak up all the bad stuff, and everyone else can go along their merry way. I don't buy it, and you shouldn't either.
However, I contend that Blagojevich is not unique, and that he is conveniently being used as a dumping ground by his own party. Perhaps, if they project on to him every conceivable vice and act of corruption, then they will look white as snow in comparison. Or, since he started to sink anyway, why not load him up and send him to the depths, neatly cutting all ties that we should believe never existed in the first place.
What Blagojevich did was despicable, but I think it is a window into a world that remains hidden, rather than some isolated incident which is unrelated to the other machinations of government.
Ask anyone who has ever tried to win a business contract in New Orleans or New York about all the pocket lining and padding that goes on behind the scenes. Or all the compliance with under-the-table union money that must be passed out before they can do anything in "their city." And Chicago has not been a stranger to these happenings. It has long been a place of rampant corruption.
Perhaps Blago's pitfall was that he was trying to cut deals without including other politicians, and they won't stand for that. More likely, it's that he was trying to sell a Senate seat that once belonged to Barack Obama, and in order to keep Obama clean, Blagojevich had to go.
David Axelrod (Obama aide and spokesperson) told the press, before the fecal matter hit the fan, that of course Obama was consulting with Blagojevich on who his replacement would be. That's what a caring guy Obama is! Then, two weeks later, Axelrod goes out and says that never, at any point, did Obama have any discussions with Blagojevich. Obama had an internal, closed door investigation of his staff to see if there was any wrong doing by any of his people. Amazingly, they declared themselves clear!
Barack helped structure Blagojevich's campaign for Governor. David Axelrod, now advisor to Obama, used to be an advisor to Blagojevich. Rahm Emanuel, Obama's new Chief of Staff, used to work for Blagojevich. Tony Rezko was a fundraiser for both men. There are all kinds of connections. And even if there weren't, are we supposed to believe that Obama never spoke to Blagojevich on the minor and completely inconsequential matter of who would inhereit his Senate seat? Right.
My point is not that Obama is up to his neck in this, though he may well be. The point is that Blagojevich is being crucified in the hope that he will absorb all the elements of corruption in the public's mind. Like a sponge, he will soak up all the bad stuff, and everyone else can go along their merry way. I don't buy it, and you shouldn't either.
02 February 2009
Igorant Electorate
I think we are standing on the brink of something terrible, based on the election that just took place. My fear/anger/frustration lies much less with the man that got elected than with the people who voted for him. He was just being himself, while it was the millions who voted that handed us this debacle.
How can I say that, when his Presidency is just a couple weeks old? Because the debacle is the manner in which he was elected (or should I say, selected) and this portends much harm for the United States. Obama genuinely seems like a good father and a stand up guy. I'd love to buy him a beer or shoot some hoops together. But we've got a sitting President who got elected because he talks pretty, has a nice smile, and is a minority.
Deny it all you want, but his election was based solely on emotional decisions and reactions, and this is the central problem. We have an ignorant electorate. So many people my age have no understanding of history, economics, or civics. And I don't claim to be an expert, but I know a great deal more than most of you Obama supporters. Even the ones who are well versed in the above subjects must have willingly suspended understanding and discernment in order to make cast such a vote.
It is the process by which millions of Americans arrived at that decision that irks me, not the recipient of their loyalty, devotion, and adoration. A simple proof is in the reaction of any Obama supporter I have yet questioned. Raise one objection, a single criticism, and you get a truckload of emotion-based, spring loaded reaction. It's like they are so wrapped up in the persona they and the media created that he must be perfect and flawless. Nothing less is tolerated. I can't even have a 10 second discussion of his economic policies and the theory behind them before said supporter says something like, "Why can't we all just come together? Why do you have to be divisive?"
That's scary. No questioning of the Almighty Obama is allowed. Zero. Complete fealty or you will be cast out. What does this mean? It means that the sacred opportunity and freedom to vote for our leaders has been hijacked by emotion and ignorance. Rush Limbaugh says often that most people's historical reference begins with the day they were born. I tend to agree. There doesn't seem to be a sense among young people that voting is anything special, that having this awesome freedom and privilege is anything out of the ordinary in human history.
Sad, really sad. What's worse, the underlying developments that brought us to this point are even farther from their grasp. Even if they understood that America was really a special, unique place, I doubt whether they could say why or how.
If you don't even know how this country was founded, and what the framework of the rest of human history is, how can you even begin to question Obama when he says that gov't is the only way to save us? What reference do you have to question the notion that other private citizens ought to have more of their income confiscated by the gov't and given back to you in the form of some program?
When Obama says we have to make college more affordable, and all he offers is more Federal loans, the people that voted for him cheer without even realizing that this proposal does nothing to the actual price of tuition, it simply puts more control in the hands of the gov't to decide what special subgroup gets money and what doesn't. In fact, they never even give thought to the actual mechanics. All that matters is that Obama said college needs to be cheaper, and their loyalty is won.
Can we see the danger is this blind acceptance of symbolism and personality? Outright lies are not questioned, such as the idea that this is the worst economy since the Great Depression. That is factually incorrect. One day it may be the worst, but it's not yet. GDP rose 1.8% for all of 2008. The last thing I'm claiming is that we are on solid footing. I am trying to demonstrate the lack of investigation into anything this man says, and the lack of knowledge behind it.
The sooner we can get off this emotional train and actually think for ourselves, the better. But I am afraid for us after seeing this election take place right before my eyes. It was a very successful marketing campaign. I suppose that's all it takes to win/buy some people's votes these days.
How can I say that, when his Presidency is just a couple weeks old? Because the debacle is the manner in which he was elected (or should I say, selected) and this portends much harm for the United States. Obama genuinely seems like a good father and a stand up guy. I'd love to buy him a beer or shoot some hoops together. But we've got a sitting President who got elected because he talks pretty, has a nice smile, and is a minority.
Deny it all you want, but his election was based solely on emotional decisions and reactions, and this is the central problem. We have an ignorant electorate. So many people my age have no understanding of history, economics, or civics. And I don't claim to be an expert, but I know a great deal more than most of you Obama supporters. Even the ones who are well versed in the above subjects must have willingly suspended understanding and discernment in order to make cast such a vote.
It is the process by which millions of Americans arrived at that decision that irks me, not the recipient of their loyalty, devotion, and adoration. A simple proof is in the reaction of any Obama supporter I have yet questioned. Raise one objection, a single criticism, and you get a truckload of emotion-based, spring loaded reaction. It's like they are so wrapped up in the persona they and the media created that he must be perfect and flawless. Nothing less is tolerated. I can't even have a 10 second discussion of his economic policies and the theory behind them before said supporter says something like, "Why can't we all just come together? Why do you have to be divisive?"
That's scary. No questioning of the Almighty Obama is allowed. Zero. Complete fealty or you will be cast out. What does this mean? It means that the sacred opportunity and freedom to vote for our leaders has been hijacked by emotion and ignorance. Rush Limbaugh says often that most people's historical reference begins with the day they were born. I tend to agree. There doesn't seem to be a sense among young people that voting is anything special, that having this awesome freedom and privilege is anything out of the ordinary in human history.
Sad, really sad. What's worse, the underlying developments that brought us to this point are even farther from their grasp. Even if they understood that America was really a special, unique place, I doubt whether they could say why or how.
If you don't even know how this country was founded, and what the framework of the rest of human history is, how can you even begin to question Obama when he says that gov't is the only way to save us? What reference do you have to question the notion that other private citizens ought to have more of their income confiscated by the gov't and given back to you in the form of some program?
When Obama says we have to make college more affordable, and all he offers is more Federal loans, the people that voted for him cheer without even realizing that this proposal does nothing to the actual price of tuition, it simply puts more control in the hands of the gov't to decide what special subgroup gets money and what doesn't. In fact, they never even give thought to the actual mechanics. All that matters is that Obama said college needs to be cheaper, and their loyalty is won.
Can we see the danger is this blind acceptance of symbolism and personality? Outright lies are not questioned, such as the idea that this is the worst economy since the Great Depression. That is factually incorrect. One day it may be the worst, but it's not yet. GDP rose 1.8% for all of 2008. The last thing I'm claiming is that we are on solid footing. I am trying to demonstrate the lack of investigation into anything this man says, and the lack of knowledge behind it.
The sooner we can get off this emotional train and actually think for ourselves, the better. But I am afraid for us after seeing this election take place right before my eyes. It was a very successful marketing campaign. I suppose that's all it takes to win/buy some people's votes these days.
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