What am I thankful for?
America, what are you thankful for?
I'm sure numerous blogs have been posted, speeches given at dinner, and cards exchanged; all of which elude to the idea that we should be thankful for each other and what we have in this world. Yet tonight I'm feeling a bit cynical.
The world is a mess. Poverty is at an all time high. AIDS is running rampant in other countries and growing in our own. Our economy is crumbling. Terrorists, drunk with ignorance and fundamentalism, are plotting to kill people every day. The prisons are crowded. The streets are unsafe. The list goes on and on, who knows what's going to happen tomorrow. Anything is possible in this shitty world...but...maybe I'm thankful for all of that.
We've been presented with a unique opportunity, one which hasn't been an option to the younger demographic since the 60s, and do you know what it is: It's the power to give a damn and do something about it.
I look around every day and I see young people intensely interested in politics. I know kids who stay up at night drinking beer and watching Anderson Cooper, getting hammered while debating issues. I see activists who won't take "no" for an answer. I've read columns proudly proclaiming: "I'm mad as hell and I'm not going to take it anymore!" I've seen charity. I've seen understanding. I've seen hate, and I've seen hate create immense love.
In the span of a week all these things have presented themselves to me and if it wasn't for the fucked up state of the world, I don't know if I would have seen it.
Our race possesses the unique ability to pull together when the chips are down and I don't have to tell you that the chips are far from down, they already hit the floor. Still I can't help but feel optimistic. Things are going to get worse, but they will also get better. We have an opportunity to make things right for everyone in this country, not just the upper crust or middle class. We have been given the chance to set into motion a long term vision for prosperity, and we have to hold our politicians to it. No more need to point fingers; we know why things got so bad. But it's because they got so bad that we can now take action.
We may live in one hell of a depressing place, but I'm thankful that I'm alive to see a time which is bringing the best out of people. There are a great many evils out there, but there is a lot of good too. Tomorrow is truly a new day if you wish it to be. I'm ready. Are you?
Showing posts with label politics. Show all posts
Showing posts with label politics. Show all posts
27 November, 2008
29 September, 2008
Third Party Rising
As the government attempts to pass a $700 billion dollar bailout of Wall Street through Congress, some independents are surely looking back on the last eight years and asking themselves why we don't have stronger third parties in this country. Spanning even beyond the G.W. Bush presidency, it isn't outlandish to state that both Republicans and Democrats have failed us multiple times since the passage of Reagan's absurd "trickle-down" economic plan, and yet those on the outer fringes of the political spectrum are still waiting for more citizens to take up the third party cause. Why?
One reason could be the fact that many of our fellow citizens are baby-boomers, thus products of not only their parents opinions due to the first Red Scare, but a cold war that brainwashed them into thinking that any non-mainstream party might be made up of Soviet agents hell bent on destroying the American way of life. These same baby-boomers had children, whom they raised in a manner that undoubtedly attributed to their political leanings, and as a result the wicked cycle of misunderstanding continued with the donkeys and elephants of politics gaining a firmer hold on Congress at the expense of dissident parties. Another reason for the lack of third party participation may merely be public consent. Controversial journalist Arianna Huffington hit the nail on the head in her 2000 book How To Overthrow The Government when she said that:
Voters across the nation are starting to ask more difficult questions of their candidates, seeking answers to problems that differ from the standard Democrat/Republican response. Questions about the economy, protection of jobs, state funded education, and universal health care are taking precedence in this election. Presidential nominees and Congress are quickly realizing that the American public are starting to look for a departure from mainstream Washington and if they don't change their image, they could see new faces on the Senate floor.
In addition, Libertarian Bob Barr and radical Republican Ron Paul have both enjoyed a surprising amount of support in this years presidential election, with the latter being particularly popular amongst college students. Given both candidates libertarian stances, their success can be seen as further proof that the public is slowly shifting away from mainstream political thought and the endless woes that accompany it. This news should be greeted with satisfaction and excitement by third party voters who have longed to see a greater representation of ideas in Congress, but many will feel that it's too late with the damage done by lobby-influenced, big-money politics being too great to overcome. Thankfully though it appears many young Americans feel it doesn't have to be this way.
This is because regardless of what happens in this election, the young electorates of this nation realize they are going to take part in a unique opportunity over the next four years to begin exploring new political avenues. We see it's quite evident that the current path is damaged and one way we are going to find brighter skies is to look beyond this election and continue to consider the value of third parties in dealing with future problems. From talking to fellow citizens I see that interest in ideas of Barr and Paul won’t stop after November 4th. A quick trip around the web shows that more people will still be asking new questions after someone is voted into the White House, knowing that just because change is being promised doesn’t mean it’s going to happen. This all means that finally a further willingness to move past the stereo-types and misconceptions of what third parties represent is becoming evident.
As the questions asked of our government get more complex, those offering different solutions will continue to grow and though one may not always agree with what they say, that doesn't mean they can't help point this country in the right direction. If it keeps up only good can come from it, as this nation will soon become fully comfortable with “other” political ideas that can help to create the real democratic, multi-party process we crave.
One reason could be the fact that many of our fellow citizens are baby-boomers, thus products of not only their parents opinions due to the first Red Scare, but a cold war that brainwashed them into thinking that any non-mainstream party might be made up of Soviet agents hell bent on destroying the American way of life. These same baby-boomers had children, whom they raised in a manner that undoubtedly attributed to their political leanings, and as a result the wicked cycle of misunderstanding continued with the donkeys and elephants of politics gaining a firmer hold on Congress at the expense of dissident parties. Another reason for the lack of third party participation may merely be public consent. Controversial journalist Arianna Huffington hit the nail on the head in her 2000 book How To Overthrow The Government when she said that:
Who reading the above statement would not agree with this assessment to some degree? We all know someone who doesn't care about politics, no matter how negatively it affects them. Still the last eight years have shown that the tide of apathy is changing, and just how we realized taking cover under a desk wouldn't save us from a nuclear attack, many citizens are finally starting to see the potential third parties possess.
"Our political landscape is so littered with duplicity and deceit, we've actually come to expect our leaders to lie. What once would have shocked us now barely registers. We've become inured to wrongdoing. So politicians mangle the truth--call it "spin"--and the public lets it slide, too numb to care."
Voters across the nation are starting to ask more difficult questions of their candidates, seeking answers to problems that differ from the standard Democrat/Republican response. Questions about the economy, protection of jobs, state funded education, and universal health care are taking precedence in this election. Presidential nominees and Congress are quickly realizing that the American public are starting to look for a departure from mainstream Washington and if they don't change their image, they could see new faces on the Senate floor.
In addition, Libertarian Bob Barr and radical Republican Ron Paul have both enjoyed a surprising amount of support in this years presidential election, with the latter being particularly popular amongst college students. Given both candidates libertarian stances, their success can be seen as further proof that the public is slowly shifting away from mainstream political thought and the endless woes that accompany it. This news should be greeted with satisfaction and excitement by third party voters who have longed to see a greater representation of ideas in Congress, but many will feel that it's too late with the damage done by lobby-influenced, big-money politics being too great to overcome. Thankfully though it appears many young Americans feel it doesn't have to be this way.
This is because regardless of what happens in this election, the young electorates of this nation realize they are going to take part in a unique opportunity over the next four years to begin exploring new political avenues. We see it's quite evident that the current path is damaged and one way we are going to find brighter skies is to look beyond this election and continue to consider the value of third parties in dealing with future problems. From talking to fellow citizens I see that interest in ideas of Barr and Paul won’t stop after November 4th. A quick trip around the web shows that more people will still be asking new questions after someone is voted into the White House, knowing that just because change is being promised doesn’t mean it’s going to happen. This all means that finally a further willingness to move past the stereo-types and misconceptions of what third parties represent is becoming evident.
As the questions asked of our government get more complex, those offering different solutions will continue to grow and though one may not always agree with what they say, that doesn't mean they can't help point this country in the right direction. If it keeps up only good can come from it, as this nation will soon become fully comfortable with “other” political ideas that can help to create the real democratic, multi-party process we crave.
28 September, 2008
Shalom Israel
Israel's history as a full blown, UN recognized, nation has been short and filled with conflict. Officially recognized in 1948, Israel did not have long to enjoy its new found independence before it was attacked by Egypt, Jordan, Iraq, Lebanon, and Syria. Though the Arab-Israeli War (and the later Six-Day War of 1967) seemed like climatic moments resulting from years of conflict between Jews and Arabs, the world has still yet to see a cooling off of tensions in the region, with many nations coming in and out of the fray of controversy over what is to be done in the highly disputed area.
Over the last 25 years it is reasonable to say no other nation has supported Israel more than the United States. Our government has lead the way by supporting Israel on multiple fronts such as the military, economy, and foreign policy. For example, according to a 2007 New York Times report, Israel will receive towards $30 billion dollars in military aid from the U.S. between 2008 and 2017. The U.S. also supplies Israel with almost all of its yearly economic aid, with half of the government's external economic debt owed to the U.S. Given these two facts it's unsurprising that current presidential candidates have also pledged support for the Jewish state, despite the fact that the current geopolitical situation makes such blind support dangerous to the nation.
Thankfully Hilary Clinton won't be president any time soon, but regardless any reasonably minded citizen has to be concerned with the comments made by the three mainstream presidential candidates.
The notion that we would obliterate anyone let alone Iran, just for attacking another country, is a frightful idea that should have be itself prevented people from voting for Clinton. If she would attack Iran for attacking Israel, who else would she attack and for what other reasons? Obama speaks of a "unique defense relationship" between our nations, and yet what is he talking about? As far as I know, our relationship with Israel consists of us providing them with weapons, money, and global support while they provide us with yet another reason for Middle Eastern countries and terrorists to despise us. Finally as far as Johnny Mac is concerned, I find it hard to believe that any attack on Israel could be mentioned in the same breath as Hitler's coordinated rounding-up and calculated extermination of the Jewish population of Europe. In fact it's pretty clear that they only thing our relationship with Israel gives us is a foothold within the troubled region in which it lies, but is that enough to justify a possible war with Iran? No. No it isn't. The U.S. government already has a foothold in the Middle East via Kuwait, we don't need another one, especially one that causes more trouble than it's worth.
Should we maintain a friendship with Israel? Absolutely. We should also be friendly with every nation be it Israel, Iran, China, Russia, Germany, or North Korea. The key to reestablishing the U.S. internationally is to realize that in this globalized world you can't just cut people out and ignore them because doing so will only create hatred, ill-will, and resentment towards our nation that may come back to haunt us later. We need to start building positive relationships with all nations and if we have a friendship that hurts us, it needs to be restructured so it does not. Long ago we've reached this point with Israel and there is nothing but dark days ahead unless we alter our friendship into a positive one.
That being said I want to close by reminding readers that when individuals reach a certain age they are told to grow up, take care of themselves, and solve their own problems. Israel has already proven at a young age it can fend for itself and it's time for them to cut the child leash crap and stand on their own. As for the U.S., the first step to correcting a problem is to identify what's wrong and fix it. If we want to ease tensions in the Middle East and build relationships with the nations that reside within the region, the first thing we have to do is say "Shalom" to Israel, cut back on our blind support, and start acting as a friendly mediator instead of a big brother with a hidden agenda. Israel, it's time for a new deal.
Over the last 25 years it is reasonable to say no other nation has supported Israel more than the United States. Our government has lead the way by supporting Israel on multiple fronts such as the military, economy, and foreign policy. For example, according to a 2007 New York Times report, Israel will receive towards $30 billion dollars in military aid from the U.S. between 2008 and 2017. The U.S. also supplies Israel with almost all of its yearly economic aid, with half of the government's external economic debt owed to the U.S. Given these two facts it's unsurprising that current presidential candidates have also pledged support for the Jewish state, despite the fact that the current geopolitical situation makes such blind support dangerous to the nation.
"In the next 10 years, during which they might foolishly consider launching an attack on Israel, we would be able to totally obliterate them...I want the Iranians to know that if I'm the president, we will attack Iran." --Hilary Clinton, 2008
"We must preserve our total commitment to our unique defense relationship with Israel by fully funding military assistance and continuing work on the Arrow and related missile defense programs. This would help Israel maintain its military edge and deter and repel attacks from as far as Tehran and as close as Gaza." -- Barack Obama, 2006
"The United States of America has committed itself to never allowing another Holocaust." --John McCain, 2008
Thankfully Hilary Clinton won't be president any time soon, but regardless any reasonably minded citizen has to be concerned with the comments made by the three mainstream presidential candidates.
The notion that we would obliterate anyone let alone Iran, just for attacking another country, is a frightful idea that should have be itself prevented people from voting for Clinton. If she would attack Iran for attacking Israel, who else would she attack and for what other reasons? Obama speaks of a "unique defense relationship" between our nations, and yet what is he talking about? As far as I know, our relationship with Israel consists of us providing them with weapons, money, and global support while they provide us with yet another reason for Middle Eastern countries and terrorists to despise us. Finally as far as Johnny Mac is concerned, I find it hard to believe that any attack on Israel could be mentioned in the same breath as Hitler's coordinated rounding-up and calculated extermination of the Jewish population of Europe. In fact it's pretty clear that they only thing our relationship with Israel gives us is a foothold within the troubled region in which it lies, but is that enough to justify a possible war with Iran? No. No it isn't. The U.S. government already has a foothold in the Middle East via Kuwait, we don't need another one, especially one that causes more trouble than it's worth.
Should we maintain a friendship with Israel? Absolutely. We should also be friendly with every nation be it Israel, Iran, China, Russia, Germany, or North Korea. The key to reestablishing the U.S. internationally is to realize that in this globalized world you can't just cut people out and ignore them because doing so will only create hatred, ill-will, and resentment towards our nation that may come back to haunt us later. We need to start building positive relationships with all nations and if we have a friendship that hurts us, it needs to be restructured so it does not. Long ago we've reached this point with Israel and there is nothing but dark days ahead unless we alter our friendship into a positive one.
That being said I want to close by reminding readers that when individuals reach a certain age they are told to grow up, take care of themselves, and solve their own problems. Israel has already proven at a young age it can fend for itself and it's time for them to cut the child leash crap and stand on their own. As for the U.S., the first step to correcting a problem is to identify what's wrong and fix it. If we want to ease tensions in the Middle East and build relationships with the nations that reside within the region, the first thing we have to do is say "Shalom" to Israel, cut back on our blind support, and start acting as a friendly mediator instead of a big brother with a hidden agenda. Israel, it's time for a new deal.
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