I Wonder

A few things make me wonder.

Republicans run on a platform of high moral ground, fiscally conservative, better military and being on the right side of contrived Xian issues( Abortion and Gay marriage).

In my opinion high moral ground does not include lying. GW is either totally kept in the dark, overly optimistic about Iraq or is just plain lying. That means that he is stupid( kept in the dark), told what to say ( overly optimistic), or as President knows what is going on and CHOOSES to lie. All have been said about him, but the first two do make make sense for someone who is President. As leader and chief representative of his party, hih moral ground is not where he stands.

The Republicans have total control of the representative branches of government and are changing the judicial branch. Is there a spending bill that they do not like? They have changed the laws so that big business can make excessive profits. What bills have the Republican congress passed that have helped all Americans? Reduction of taxes with mounting deficits is worse than having your credit cards maxed out and having bill collectors calling for payment.

Our military is broken. Worn out equipment and personnel do not equal a military that is the best in the world. Republican solution? Stay the course!

Abortion rates are higher in the Xian right wing conservative states than in the blue states. Sounds to me that they are trying to legistrate controls on themselves because they do not have enough self control. God is not helping them, so they need the government to make it illegal. ( Like that is going to help?)

Who cares about gay marriage? People who are not sure of their own sexual orientation? Someone who is confused? Sounds to me like a church going fundamentalist. Those who go to church are looking to belong to something. How to be better and more associated in a group than to persecute another group.

These are the issues that are the core of Republicanism. It is clear to me that campaign rhetoric does not meet reality.

How can a Xian fundy throw out what he is taught to be his core values and vote only on the fringe subject issues of Abortion and Gay rights?

Fake Indignation

Is not the news interesting?
We see 5 days after the story broke, about the government secrectly monitoring bank transfers, Bush and and his monkey Cheney crying about the leak of this pogram to the American people. Did it take 5 days for someone to explain what was written in the newspapers to these two?
Did it take 5 days for Rove to come up with a response to help Bush in the polls?
Did it take 5 days for the right wing media to be briefed so that all the indignation could be focused?
What is really interesting is the right wing person on Hardball, who wants charges of treason to be brought against the newspapers, saying that anyone with a brain could figure out that this was happening. Does this mean that Bush and his monkey Cheney do not have a brain?
All of the experts on the show said that this monitoring program is all but obsolete because the terrorists know it exists and have changed their methods to avoid detection. In fact it was suggested that this program has been of limited use for some time( 1 to 2 years).
It was also reported that once the administration knew it was going to be reported they tried to leak it to other newspapers.
I believe that this indignation is false. It is bad politics. I also believe that America is catching on to this ruse. The rest of the world has caught on but the administrations hold on the media here has slowed the flow of information to the American people.

Tax Cuts

Conservatives continue to tell us and pass laws that tax cuts are in the best interest of the USA.
I disagree. They did not work in the 80's and we can look forward to tax increases from the next three presidents to turn the tide on runaway deficits. ( to many recent tax cuts)
What interested me was a report on the Philippines. Not to long ago it was the second richest nation in SE Asia, right behind Japan. It is now one of the poorest. How did this happen? The tax rate was at 17% and is now 12%. There is not enough government income to take care of Government buildings or to keep the gutters clean of garbage. Obviously there is not enough money to provide the services that we expect. Conservatives have argued that by lowering taxes economies would grow and tax revenue would increase. The Philippines shows that arguement is incorrect. ( Where is all the new businesses? Somewhere where government is effective.)
Many people in the Philippines do not pay their taxes at all and there is corruption in the tax system. With the new tax cuts in the USA many rich people no longer have to pay taxes and only the rich can use and abuse the tax loopholes that are provided for their benefit.
Conservatives feel that taxes is their money spent unwisely on others. They would like to have all of their taxes returned to them and to hell with the government and everyone else. That is of course unless they are on the public dole. Then they only want programs cut that do not affect them. This leads me to believe that the rise of Conservatism coincided with the "me" generation.
At some point in time responsible citizens grow up and realize that they are not alone here in this country and providing needed services improves the life of all. (Even those that never collect a nickel).

What is the Truth?

5/30/2006
Our Republican President has told us that the economy is going great. New jobs are being created, interest rates are still low, the stock was approaching 12,000 and all is well.

5/28/2006 The Chicago Tribune a conservative Republican paper on its front page posted " Mortage Defaults on Rise." Why? Increasing debt, interest rates and job losses.

It would be easy for me to stop right here, but I will not. In this country is a debate on Illegal immigration and the effect it has had on American jobs, not just the loss of jobs but the declining pay for jobs as employers seek out and find illegals to work for less than the normal wage. What is not factored in to the rosy economy is those that are not working and have used up their unemployment benefits and are no longer counted as " Unemployed." How about those that have lost their jobs and have found work at a substantial decrease in earnings and are working multiple jobs to try and live a decent lifestyle. These people are also not in the rosy economic portrait that the Republicans portay.

It may be true that those people are always not counted but it is from my experience that those numbers are higher now than they have been in the past. Why have charge card companies raised there minmum payments?? Because of laws passed by this Republican congress. Is this a good thing? Not if you are on the edge of defaulting on your bills.

Could Dick Cheney's secretive meeting with " energy " corporation heads have been a precusor to our high gasoline bills? Bush and Cheney are both oilmen, and all know that Bush's family is tied to mideast oil. Could the Iraq war been undertaken to cause unease in the oil markets? The problem went out of control when Muslims took the call to come to Iraq and kill Americans. Iraq still does not produce as much oil as Saddam did under an Embargo! More troops from the beginning to protect Iraq's only asset not only makes sense, but would be a prudent course of action if your stated belief is to have the Iraq oil production finance the war, as was spoused by Bush cabinet members.

Bush's tax cuts. The rich get richer and the middle class loses. Our federal taxes have gone down slightly ( my case I counted $3 a week) but my local taxes have gone up and the state I live in has a huge deficit that limits outlays on critical programs. All of this while the federal government balloons with deficits the size that have never been seen before skyrocket.

But smile and chuckle Mr. president as jobs are lost to China and India as you continue to spout that our economy is going great.

What Went Wrong?

5/28/2006
Madeline Albright was on TV the other night promoting her new Book. What interested me the most was her answer to a question "What is the result of our actions in Iraq?" Her answer "that other countries have realized that if they do not want to get invaded by the USA they have to have Nuclear weapons."

Someone might say that Libya might be a contrast to that statement but I would disagree. Libya has been under sanctions since Ronald Reagan. Finally, Libya realized the benefits of rejoining the international community.

Some Republicans think we are safer because we have attacked the terrorists where they live. In Afghanistan, that would have been true if we had finished the job. In Iraq, I think otherwise. We have created more terrorists (walk a couple of miles and kill Americans) and now more radical countries that we cannot attack (Iran) are going after nuclear weapons to prevent themselves from being attacked by the USA. This has not made us more safe!

Bush is finally realizing that his cowboy words and attitudes do not work in international relations. Diplomacy and reason, not shoot first and ask questions later, is the way to make change in the world.

This may prove the case that first appearances cannot be reversed. With Bush's declining popularity at home, other countries mistrust of Bush's intentions, Condoleeza's involvement with the doctoring of information taking us to war, the USA's foreign policy will leave the USA in flux until a different administration takes over. If that administration is seen as a continuation of this one then I see nothing but more problems dealing with the radical portions of the international communities.

A major shakeup of the Bush administration, Rice and Rumsfeld gone, would be seen as a change for the better and real progress could be made from then on in international relations. But Bush is stubborn and nothing will be done. He thinks that Gawd is on his side and he cannot make a mistake. It is a shame that he cannot realize that the Constitution said separation of Church and State actually has a deeper meaning. I hope that out next President is not just an astute politician but an intelligent astute politician.

Liberal or Conservative?

Democrat or Republican?
Liberal or Conservative?
Tax and Spend or Spend and Spend?
Balance the budget and have surpluses or tax cuts and growing deficits?
For Social Security or Against Social Security?
Use facts to go to war or Only use the right facts to go to war?
Evolution or Creationism?
Follow the law or break the law?
Right to choose or absolute control?
Live and let live or Biblical control?

Bush is still sinking (31%) now. Why one must ask? When Bush ran as a man of principles and honesty as a platform little did we know that it is only a lie if he says it is a lie.
Illegal wire tapping is like illegal immigrant, it is illegal. Bush does not get it. A supposed man of principles that carelessly breaks the law has no credibility. Bush being the champion of the Republican conservative right makes me proud to be called a liberal, hippie, socialist, communist or any other such labels that republicans throw out to try and win their case when facts and common sense do not work.

Bush's record of fighting terrorists is abysmal. He is not fighting them on their soil, he is creating more of them whose only objective is to kill the infidels. Afghanistan is slinking back into turmoil( did not all the Taliban get killed?), Iraq is on the verge of civil war, and Iran wants to be a superpower whose intent is to destroy the West. Without support from his own people, without afore mentioned credibility Bush is powerless to deal with any problem. As a nation we can only hope that our next President has the respect, honesty and dignity to lead our nation thru these problems. Those qualities will be necessary to lead the world to acceptable, comprehensive solutions.

Letter to Senator Kennedy Concerning Education

4/23/2006

Mr. Kennedy:

I saw your appearance on Meet the Press.

I have the answer to the question on how to fund a college education for a majority of young Americans.

My oldest son dropped out of High school at the end of his sophomore year. That summer he started at the local Junior college( Joliet Junior College, JJC).

The next year his brother (1 year younger) dropped out of High school in January of his sophomore year.

Several weeks later my daughter dropped out of 8^th grade. My wife made sure that they were both ready to take the English entrance exam at JJC. My son passed the Math and English entrance exams and my daughter only the English exam. They both entered JJC that summer. My daughter took College Biology during the summer, a 6 week course, and received a “B” grade.

All of my children graduated from JJC. Because my daughter was so far ahead she decided to take three years instead of the normal two.

My daughter wants to be a professional trumpet player. She took one year off of school and applied and was accepted at The Curtis School of Music. After graduating from there she was accepted and will graduate this year from Yale University with a Masters in Music degree.

My point is that High Schools teach College courses. Math courses above Geometry, Biology , Chemistry and Physics, Accounting, History, Social Science and English are all College courses. If these courses were taught as college courses in HS, college credit would be given for them. Every young American who spent their time in High School would leave with a minimum of an Associate Degree.

What would the cost be? In our area the cost to educate a student in High School for one year starts at about $7,000. The cost to attend JJC with books for two semesters is about $3,000. The overcrowding of high schools could be eliminated by having students attend school all day long, just like college. They could even go all year long, just like college. They could take a course and fail it, without penalty just like college.

The smart students could finish early and attend college for the $7,000 that is paid now for their HS education, if they went to State Colleges.

Drawbacks?? Not every student is ready or has the parental support to accomplish the tasks ahead of them. This can be said now with the current system. In Illinois they would have to eliminate Gym from the curriculum. I also believe that you would receive much resistance from the teachers unions. As a Democrat are you willing to go against a major supporter?

This is my program in a nutshell.

If you wish to further discuss this with me feel free to contact me.

If you wish to have a face to face meeting, tell me when and where and I will be there. This is something that I believe will work and I will use vacation and gas money if needed to try and explain and promote this idea.

Thanks for your time,

XXX X XXXXXX