Opinion Politico

My voice

2016-03-07T03:00:00.000-08:00

Approximately eight years ago, I was beginning to feel this cleansing in my spirit of Hope and a positive vibe about my country, The United States of America. People had done much introspection and were to a stage of wanting change. A change from the prior eight years of discomfort and discomfit of my person in this country that seemingly had lost its moral, ethical and religious values. We became involved in a war that was unnecessary and born of the insidious deception and lies at the expense of many Americans and certainly the tremendous loss of life and scorching of a country that had nothing to do with our 9/11. We stood helplessly watching the unscrupulous actions of large banks and Wall Street knowingly derailing the foundation of our economy. Then, came the election of our first black POTUS that was providing this country with newfound hopes and aspirations toward a new and vibrant America and the rest of the world was witnessing and also, seemingly, exuberant about this change. They were once again looking to us as leaders of the world toward a better future. Unfortunately, this was short-lived when the ugly head of vitriol and disingenuous representation by a Republican lead Congress became our Presidents worst nightmare. Republican congressmen began making disparaging comments toward our sitting President, sent letters to Irans leader in an attempt to disavow the negotiations, invited Israels, Netanyahu, to try to influence public support in the U.S. for the Iran Nuclear negotiations, both of these actions are treasonous. This congress has become obstructionist at every turn, surreptitiously trying to dismantle every effort by our President to correct the egregious wrongs from war, to debt, failings in deregulating and oversight of large corporations and banks which caused our economy to fall into an abysmal, seemingly insurmountable correction. Their continued defunding of many necessary social programs critical to the survival of those with the greatest needs while professing and promulgating the notion of a Christian America but sadly while disavowing and disenfranchising those wanting to practice a different religion or belief system which is afforded via The United States Constitution.

This Republican lead congress has continued to legislate and has been able to politically influence the Supreme Court in ruling against women’s rights, human rights, civil rights, etcetera. They are in continued rejection of scientific findings that our earth is in a critical state of ominous climate change, deny the dangerous effects of fracking and the direct relationship to a great increase in earthquakes and the continued contamination of rivers and lakes from companies that are lining their pockets with monetary influences for political favors. The ugliness of this insidious present governance legislative body of a Republican-led Congress is being manifested through the coterie of Republican candidates for the upcoming Presidential election which is and who are inciting fear, violence and the rest of the basest of human-kind through their voices with an un-Christian like platform of hate, bigotry, misogyny, racist vitriol and anger.

Through his leadership our President, Barack Obama, has allowed America to breathe once again with a sign of recovery in spite of the obstructionists. This upcoming election will once again test the America we love and once again take pride in, though, will require our involvement through fair and just voices and most importantly through the active participation of our VOTE.

* Please note that the name of this blog is, ‘Opinion Politico’. This is my personal
opinion and will entertain other opinions as long as they are not personal attacks

Recommended readings: Just Mercy by Bryan Stevenson; Being Mortal by Atul Gawande

My Friends

2012-11-21T08:48:00.001-08:00

Amidst the chaos of pain and travails,
tears of anguish, feelings that
one is alone, come the songs from
the choir of caring voices, the hand
of a stranger who lends it to raise
you up and shares with you the little
she has but in sharing, it is a lot

For those of you who have lost so much
by the angry hand of Nature,
unforgiving storm of life, when in the morning
there’s smiles of love, in the evening
strangled with distraught
you’re in the hearts of many
by those who have not much to give
and those who do cannot replace
your loss

I know there are those who will read this
who will be disdainful of just words
in the face of the reality of death,
the devastation of life’s labors lost
I beg for your patience that in
these words sometimes they're heard
by those who can assist with resources
and this might just be the
smallest of emotional impetus for money
needed and their hands

To those of you who hear my voice
and welcome the little that I offer
my thoughts of good intentions and
the slightest relief that may come from
our hearts and prayers being with you,
that soon you will be in the comfort
of your home and in the embraces
of your love ones

Con abierto brazos
Y Corazon

Debilitating Options

2012-02-08T12:15:00.000-08:00

We have come to another crossroad in the remaking of United States of America. Three years two months ago we came to a significant crossroad where we as citizens and voters, one must be synonymous of the other, decided to transition what had recently (eight years) been a deteriorating America. It was being tugged into a direction of misappropriation of America's founding characteristics of ethics, morals, economics and true freedoms and liberties.

In the ethics front;

Eight years had been aligned with those in leadership roles, The Republican Presidential Administration and Congress,  made many decisions for the U.S. based economy which directly affected global economies via individual selfish desires. Their methods pushed the legal boundaries through re-interpretation/manipulation and legislation to fit the new interpretation which benefited only a certain segment of the U.S.'s society, power holders i.e., wealthy, big business (banks, corporations,wall street, etc.) and right wing politicians.
Wars were started for personal gain without regard for human lives both here and in the country we condemned to Hell. The decision makers for going to war were closely aligned with large military institutions that profited from this evil pursuit. They used our citizens, fathers, mothers, brothers, sisters, sons and daughters, to attain their gains without regard to life and world view.

In the morals front, secular and fiscally based;

War in Iraq was started in a 'lie'. In this 'lie' (much like Vietnam), military leaders enabled conditions to be created whereby soldiers placed in untenable situations where their decision making processes, their individual psychological rationale were pre-determined by a 'dog-eat-dog' survivalist environment, inescapably, forcefully assimilated into the individual soldier's mindset. This irrational survivalist mindset creates a machine of wanton destruction and immoral human actions.
At the same time in this period of time the Attorney General employed autocratic, authoritarian powers suppressing the public right to information while attempting to contain the freedom of press by deploying surreptitious connotations that government unapproved information could be interpreted as
leaking military secrets. An environment of fear and conspiring curiosity toward who was or
wasn't American was determined by whether one's ideology ran in parallel with their position.

In the governance side of morality; our leaders were allowing the large corporations and financial institutions to run amok through a volitional decision of dismissive oversight while avoiding the implementations of regulations. The wealthy became very wealthy through amoral methods via unregulated financial lending institutions.  The economy and the educational system were allowed to deteriorate by redirecting monetary support, and our infrastructure was ignored. Companies were allowed to export jobs and whole businesses by not providing incentives to remain in the US. Reinvesting vs 'spending'as referred to by the Republican base in our infrastructure/education which would keep the jobs in the U.S. was not appropriated because we didn't have the money. Going from a national surplus to a deficit in the eight years of the Bush administration along with billions of dollars of debt to China who paid for the Iraq War.

In the religious moral front; this being the underlying impetus behind my wanting to write this opinion of how a negative fiber of hypocrisy runs through.
The Republican platform wants be known as a conservative based party both fiscally as well as religiously.
On the fiscal issues spent and indebted the US during the Bush years more thatn any prior Democrtatic administration. They, the present GOP candidates, are now regurgitating and espousing the same policies that put us in this economic abyss. Reduce the deficit by cutting social and educational programs while trying to recall the National health program already a law and showing signs of significant gains in it's efficacy to providing health care and foreseeable cost savings while  excluding military spending. Cuts without revenue increases via, doing away with the Bush tax cuts for the wealthy and forcing the one percent of the wealthiest Americans to pay their fair share of taxes. They want to deregulate industry further and do away with the EPA. I wish they would read Governor Jennifer Granholm's (Michigan '03-'11) book ' A Governor's Story:The Fight for Jobs and America's Economic Future'.

On the Religious conservative issues; Ironically the Republicans are proposing eliminating funding for Planned Parenthood on the bases that they hold a position of giving access to women on pro-choice alternatives.
Using Planned Parenthood as a political football through contributing organizations, example; the Susan G. Komen Foundation, to not fund them based on their assisting in contraception and personal pro-choice. They want to demonize organizations and individuals who exercise this right of choice. A war against a large majority of women. This of course has back fired.
They, Republicans, purport to be Christians yet, ironically in unchristian like acts, they judge and disavow and with some condemn non-Christian worshipers basing it on their interpretation of the U.S. Constitution stating the the US was Christian founded.
In this recent campaign they, the Republican candidates have been using fear mongering tactics/language to re-incite the emotions of those that hold inside that inherent racism and prejudice. They demonize Latinos on the immigration issue, Gays with the prop. 8 which has been recently been overturned by an appeals court, Muslims all are terrorists because of their Islam belief, the Chinese being the latest face of attack for stealing our jobs and unfair monetary practices even though it's our lack of investment and policy legislation, our homeless and poor threaten the fiber of our country according to one Florida Republican because they have a much higher proclivity of using drugs via the welfare checks on and then the latest unfortunate underlying patriarchal tactics of attacking issues that are most important to women, their health. These are the GOP's faces our debilitating options.

Although, those of us that were hoping for more non-compromizations on issues by President Obama, he has taken us from a potentially death defying national abyss to surviving and progressing toward recovery in spite of every effort by a Republican congress and party to create obstacles. They, the Republican congress members signed an oath to 'just say no' to any and all presented legislation at any cost to the country and individuals so as to counter any position presented by President Obama's for the sole purpose of having him viewed as failed in all his efforts. This has stagnated let alone halted all progress on any attempts at progressive legislation. They care little of the damaging affect to the country and those that don't hold their common belief or persuasion.
This effort by this Republican campaign has been an assault on defeating President Obama and those who stand by some of the issues he represents at 'all cost' despite what is 'good' for the country, our place in the world and their view of US.

Wake up America

Concerned

2011-03-24T18:29:00.000-07:00

Recently I saw on major television networks and youtube an advertisement by CAGW, Citizens Against Government Waste(http://www.cagw.org/) that portrays Asians, more specifically a Chinese audience, seemingly laughing at the United States of America because they now own our debt. These Asian faces are laughing, seemingly nefariously,,while a host, Asian also, in Chinese with subtitles is telling this audience how they now own the United States of America. This portrayal could easily create an animous between our US citizens and China. This commercial and portrayal was quite offensive to me. Being of hispanic origin, I have witnessed this ploy of using of a particular ethnic face, latino and black, in a stereotype malevolent way toward a self serving agenda. They, China, didn't steal our country's debt we asked them to pay for our War of choice, Iraq. We all know what administration and political party was responsible for this decision after the realization that the oil from Iraq was not going to be our source of payment as they had erroeously assumed. Now we find this organization, CAGW, attempting to associate this indebted condition to our present administration . The CAGW organization has many close affiliations with the GOP/Tea Party.and is once again, quite surreptitiously, attempting to deceive albeit at the expense of Asians and the citizenry of the United States of America.

Those of us aware of the various underhanded machinations being utilized by the right wing of the Republican Party or Tea Party in the manipulation of information in support of their party's agenda must be diligent about exposing their efforts. We must bring it to light to the voters, the citizens who are too busy with their daily struggles and don't have the time to sift through the bombardment of misinformation. This deployment method is of course just another way of manipulating the uninformed with the psychological methodology that if something false is repeated enough as being true then people will eventually think it to be true.

Take time to watch this video on YouTube (http://www.cagw.org/) and question if your sense of observation in the way this video is presented doesn't leave you with that feeling of being manipulated and worse with a sense of prejudice or bias against China or Asians.

Wake up, America!

Where Are We?

2011-03-22T11:24:00.000-07:00

The U.S. of America

Domestic Issues: Jobs, spending, economic growth and Education are the major domestic issues being considered as priorities by our legislative representatives and Obama Administration

A) Jobs seem to be evincing gradually in lieu of losses. This is due to a
   reinvesting in our infrastructure, our investment in those large institu-
     tions that provide domestic jobs, tax legislation credits and incentives
     to inspire Small Business growth and Entrepreneural chance taking,
     Housing market incentives through percentage reduction on loans
     and mortgages.
    * An issue of concern is the recent publication of the disparity in the
        hiring of men vs women for jobs available.
     * The House of Representatives was returned to the Republicans by
        voters on the issue of Jobs. They have spent all there time trying to re-
        call the Health Care Reform program, destroy the middle class through
       break up of unions, cut all programs that are for education, the poor,
        the voice of NPR, deregulate the EPA programs, etc. They, the GOP/Tea
        Party have expended their time in a destructive endeavor rather than to
       their campaign promises of introducing legislation for jobs building.

B) Spending is being tossed around in Congress with the unfortunate
     continued bipolar bias that that is being voted on strictly along poli-
     tical lines. Unfortuantely, many of the spending issues that are being
     considered for the 'cutting board' are those that are going to affect
     the common folk and the legislatures are voting based on a bottom
    line basis that affects their individual personal interests.
     * My personal injection is that congress members should be reedu-
        cated with a mandatory course on 'morals and ethics', on the
        nuances of our Democracy taught by Sam Harris, Philosopher/author
        or Amy Chua, Prof. of World Econ. and Political Sci.

C) Economic growth is a mindset of whether the Spending is an expendi-
     ture or an investment. Our 'free market' economy has been historically
     advanced with expansion or diminishment by way of a domestic mindset
    that incites more or less investment. The country, after six to eight years
     of downward growth, seems to finally be turning toward a positive mind-
     set of investment and job growth. This will 'snowball' in a free market
    economy. We must welcome new approaches, new ideas.
     * Our Republican and Tea Party friends(no difference) are attempting to
        dwell or highlight all the negatives possible to not allow the Obama admin-
        istration to seem successful in their efforts. After all, 'defeat the Obama
        administration at all costs, just say 'no' GOP politics is still in affect.

D) Education must be the number one issue our Country must address in regard
    to the growth of our Nation with the underlying impetus directed toward our
     children and people. Our societal priorities must be rearranged making edu-
     cation and all associated contributers, ie. teachers, buildings, class rooms,
    libraries, etc., the top investment by America. President Obama and his wife
    Michelle are very strong advocates and proponents of education being the
     foremost priority of this country and every community. They are both Phd.
    certified extremely erudite and published authors. This allows them the
     right and qualified to press the importance of education.
    * Education is key to growth of not only the individual but the community
       and the Nation.

International Issues: The Iraq, Afghanistan Wars, Trade Markets, Interna-
tional politics and now Libya

A) President Obama kept his promise to pull our 'fighting' soldiers out of Irag.
      Of course we still have round troops in the outskirts to oversee the transition
     ot Iraq's new construct. Their version of the integration of their political per-
      suasions, ie; Sunni, Shia, secular etc.
      * G.W. Bush's war of choice finally coming to an end.

B) Afghanistan was also started by President Bush for an appropriate reason,
     9/11, but later dropped the ball and chose to start a war with Iraq leaving
     our soldiers in Afghanistan in much greater harms way by pulling out Amer-
     ica's resources. We had the Taliban on the run if not almost defeated at least
    in their people's minds, we had al Qaeda hiding and also running scared yet
     the Bush administration; Cheney, Rumsfeld, Rice, wanted oil instead of cap-
     turing the head and tentacles of those responsible for 9/11.
    *This manifested very deceitful, ill-informed, incapable leadership.

C) International Trade and Market policies are being reintroduced into real dis-
     course and negotiations with the oil industrial nations, the dollar vs yuan valu-
     ation with China along with it's trade policies and the highlighting of the need
    to redevelop American made products and industry both domestically consum-
     ed and injected back into a very competitive international market. It raises the
    bar for quality produced products by our labor force and industry.

D) Libya, the most recent military action by the US has been action taken not
    without designated United Nations Charter. It will be strictly abided by and
    in accordance to Security Council Resolution 1973 of a 'No fly zone'. We
    will not invoke a ground troop mission without the approval of the United
     States Congress and in coordination with a United Nations direction. This is
    what President Obama has stated and continued with the reason for US mili-
     tary involvment is a humanitarian mission trying to keep pro Gadhafi forces
    from  massacring his own civilians by bombing them. The US was condemned
     for not assissting soon enough in Bosnia, Darfur, Rwanda. There is criticism on
    both sides of this action. "...Winging it" stated by Sec. of Def., Gates, conti-
     nues to cause debate of our or plan or lack of to extricate ourselves as the
     country in charge of this military action and whether President's Barack Obama
    over reached the Constitution's: Informed Consent.

We the people of the United States of America are in extremely precarious times domestically and certainly internationally. We must all become involved by writing our congressman or congresswoman and speaking out before the political and media pundits state their opinions saying that they speak for us 'the people'(an abused term to connote that they speak for us). We must be very cognizant and diligent so as not to allow these misrepresented voices to manipulate the truth as well as our voices consequentially resulting in undesireable political legislation by our Representatives.

GOP's Master Plan

2011-03-09T08:14:00.000-08:00

Democrats and Independents, we need to recognize the sureptitious impetus behind all that is being vociferously highlighted by the GOP's number one motivation which is to defeat President Barack Obama in the next election. I must give credit to the planning board of the GOP for how successful their plan and objectives through an insidious dissemination of misinformation to the masses without caring about whatever group this information may injure, has been implemented. The following are the individual major issues the Republican Party under the guise or mask of the right wing of their party, the bigeted, prejudiced xenophobes that use a historically liberating representative name to feign the cause it's name represents, The Tea Party, are putting forth.

1) The inception of  'The Tea Party' as a supposed independent group of the
    people

2) The Tea Party through their unscrupulous representations win The House
     of Representatives

3) Defeat all issues and causes of the Obama Administration at all cost regardless
   of it's benefit to the country and those most in need, 'Just say No'.

4) Attempt to recall the National Health bill voted by the people as law without
    regard to it's manifesting benefits and what group it will most negatively affect
   by:
     a) pressing to defund certain line items
     b) dissemination of misinformation of cost and eventual savings
     c) depicting it as a Socialist pursuit

5) Depicting the Obama Administration as the responsible party for bailing out
   big banks and companies when it was the GOP and President Bush, previous
   Republican Administration, who placed us under the historic deficit we're in,
    started Wars of choice placing our soldiers in harms way without appropriate
   battle gear and not paying for it or the war (where's the oil money they told us
   would pay for the war and where are the weapons of mass destruction that was
   the reason to send our soldiers to die?) but borrowing the money from China
   making us an 'indebted nation', etc.

6) Questioning President Barack Obama's citizenship (a xenophobic attempt)

7) Behind the motivations of individual states to implement harsher immigra-
    tion laws, ie Arizona's Governor Jan Brewer's instilling fear mongering tactics
   through Bill 1070, Indiana Representative Delph through Bill 590, by
    amendmending to Article 11 of Federal Immigration Bill 1070 with
    Article 8 section E: A law enforcement officer, without warrant, may arrest
   a person if the officer has probable reason to believe that the person has
   committed any public offense...This person may be stopped if found that
    reasonable suspicion exists that this person is an Alien* unlawfully present
   in the United States
* "Alien": what does one look like?

8) Attempt to take away bargaing rights from unions with the underlying motive
   of breaking up unions who were a major voting force behind President
    Obama's election. They are what historically has created our Middle Class
    (critical to the inherent nature of our Democracy and Capitalist system)

9) Pushing through partisan bills with the threat of shutting down the govern-
    ment if the Republican's don't have their deficit reduction request for this
    fiscal year: implementation would affect expenditure for the rights of women,
   planned parenthood, major environmental issues( ie mercury emissions
    upping ethanol percentage, mountain top mining, fertilizer pollutants runoffs
   into major waterways), job creation, aid for schools in nutrition programs,
   heating and housing programs for the poor

10) Most ominous is the pressing to withhold all funds from a voice that has
      been the epitome of a checks and balance segment of 'free' press, NPR.
      This in itself manifests the true motivations of those that wish to stymie
      the inherent nature of America's Free Democracy.

Democrats/Independents we must become active in turning this around by
exposing the Republican/Tea Party's surreptitious intentions and our 'Will" to
disseminate correct information. We must make sure that the middle class
survives and the poor get assistance. We cannot allow 'fear mongering',
denegrating and derrogatory demonizing methodologies to represent our
country's make up. This happens through voting and "Us" speaking out!!!

To be or Not, to be

2011-02-23T04:52:00.001-08:00

Begin this beginning wondering
are the souls hovering o’er their incarnate shells
lying in the streets of Bahrain
in the dessert of Libya
or sidewalks of Iran
make the cause worth the loss

As I watch from the comfort of my home
seeing of how the strong arm of autocracy
is squelched by the gathering of voices
of those oppressed

The strength of this revolution
comes from the strife and scars
of faces gathered who’ve made a choice
to fight with life for human dignity
so that their children will live
in self rule and liberty

We see the violence and lives lost
People in these countries fighting for a cause
Dictators suppressing the fight
through sectarian genocide

In my own back yard I feel a strife,
a strain upon my person.
My face is brown, my hair is black
when I now walk outside my door
I concern myself, always looking back

I’ve lived a citizen of this country
now for many years
placing my life in jeopardy in 1969
still I must walk amidst the question,
because my hair is black, my face brown
‘where are my papers?’, I’m now, forever bound

The oligarchic elite wish to keep the power
They hoard the money and jobs
Pass legislation maintaining privileges
for those whose face is white, the right

Right wing politicians legislate perfidy
Surreptitious and insidiously
they suppress today’s undesirable ethnicity
Their identity is masked as liberators
stealing the name from America’s history
‘ Tea Party’, of those that truly were

Unlike history, though, this Party believes in segregation,
excluding some religions, ideologies and race,
because of this there will always be interrogation
for those that look like me and you
　
　
　
　
　

"Egypt is Free"

2011-02-12T02:20:00.000-08:00

Congratulation! Celebrate! Remember the faces of those who's blood flows through the crevices of stone and grains of sand. The lamenting tears of Mothers, fathers, sisters, brothers, children, for those who've fallen for the cause. They and you have changed the land of Kings and Pharaohs, you've changed the world. This 'revolution' must now implement the changes that will give a new face, a new landscape. This will significantly affect all the Nations that surround. You, the children of this new Nation, must be careful that when you clench your new land in your hands it does not sieve through your fingers to once again fall back onto the hot and arrid landscape of before. You must till the sand, water it, turn it into soil where new growth shall evince for even in the desert new life can grow. Be mindful, children in the Land of Kings and Pharaohs, with this new beginning there's a transitional state of fragilility. Be cautious and curious with what changes may be taking place in your Land. Instability has a characteristic of isidiousness. Go home, bathe, eat, feed your children, rest with one eye open, then come back, symbolically, to Tahrir square and oversee the 'Democratic' transition.

A Nation can transition into what the indigenous people wish without the invasiveness of 'big brother' the U.S. . We didn't have to send our soldiers to die and kill. We didn't have to partake in another 'Nation building' scheme. This new revolutionary process has taken on a new method of proceeding. The utilitarian process of mass media, cyber linking, i.e., Google (Executive, Wael Ghoneim), Facebook, Twitter etc. has revolutionized the capacity for change to come about. It was a significant factor in our own landscape in voting in our first Black President. This medium captures the true nuances of the characters on stage. It has immediate impact and exposes consistencies and hypocricies.

Congrtulations, Egypt!

Egypt Reform

2011-02-05T05:33:00.000-08:00

President Hosni Mubarak of Egypt must consider the desire of the people of Egypt and step down. Any further attempts by his regime to surreptitiously inject his personal secret militia (made up of paid for thugs and police )  into the mix of the peaceful demonstrators will be highly evident. His initial attempt at cutting off all utility of telephones, facebook, twitter, etc. was visibly protested by the international community. At the same time releasing his 'thug mentality' police onto the otherwise peaceful demonstrators to thwart their demands of his immediate resignation was not successful. Fortunately, the international media was able to capture and report on Mubarak's regime attempts at forcefully squashing the protest before they too were being beaten and rounded up by civilian dressed police trying to prevent international exposure to their totalitarian methods. When this didn't work he then went ahead and approved to allow the usage of telephones, facebook and twitter but not until he sent once again his 'thugs' out to cause havoc into the demonstrators trying to demonstrably show that there would be chaos and uncontrollable violence in the streets of Egypt if he stepped down immediately. He, Hosni Mubarak, thought that the international community let alone his own people wouldn't see right through his manipulation, his signature, of this.

His appointment of a Vice President, Omar Suleiman previously head of Intel and security for the same regime, he thought would be a sufficient demonstration of his willing to transition his stepping down but on his own terms and time frame. This of course is unacceptable to the masses of Egypt. Nothing less than his and his regimes immediate departure from his office is acceptable according to a leader of the demonstrators,  Nobel Peace laureate Mohamed ElBaradei.

We, President Barack Obama and the United States of America, must demonstrate our support for the people of Egypt who wish to transition into a more democratic system. Not necessarily being the installer of our own type of Democracy but one that affords the basic human liberties and freedoms to the masses. This along with the acknowledgement and subsequent transition of providing and sharing the wealth of the nation with all the people and not the very few as has been the history of this autocratic regime.

It is critical that the US show support for the people of Egypt in this occasion so as to show that we are a nation that lives up to our professed and promotion of basic human rights to all of the peoples in this planet.
In that the reality is that the US has security concerns and investments in this area is known by all. We can work through Egypt's military structure, supported monetarily by the US for many years, in the interests of our and Israel's security required in this part of the world. This avenue would help install with the minimum of force a secure but temporary power structure with checks and balances in place as a vehicle to facilitate giving up it's athority once the people of Egypt vote in their choice of leaders. We, the U.S., must walk a careful path, though, so as not to be perceived as seemingly the sole nation toward this influence. We must solicit the international community and nations to support the need for stability in this part of the world. We must get the major powers of Russia, China, Britain, India and France as well as integral nations like Saudi Arabia, Syria and Iran to come together in this effort.

This is the time that the US political voices should pronounce our intent in a single voice. We must take a world leadership role hear and not let our own present domestic political transitions to manifest an unstable and bifurcated voice. We must show the world that we stand for what's 'right' and not for our personal interests.

State of the Union Address

2011-01-25T09:27:00.000-08:00

Why does it always take a tragedy like Representative Maggy Gifford's attempted assassination or 9/11 for the majority of the masses of the people in these United States of America to introspect, reassessing of our coming together for a common cause? Through this latest tragedy and travesty we call attention to our wanting to be more civil to each other in at least nominally through our public discourse. Our basic social foundation still flounders concerning our societies priorities and ideological/political positions. We being so polarized, through demonization of each other, have come to a level of degeneration where taking care of those most in need, ie; universal health care, social security, medicare, our infra-structure, the future of our planets eco system, JOBS, are the targets of political slings and economic cut backs. These, in lieu of the military's wanton unnecessary projects, nation building(unnecessary wars), bailing out institutions that do not produce a proletarian based industry, giving the elite and extreme wealthy their tax cuts as they finance the creation of an oligarchic state. What does this speak to by other observing nations of the world which ironically were the type of nations we, the America of old, would speak out against with great disdain and directly promote their demise. These are the issues that The State of the Union Address should highlight. It should reflect upon the direction of our inherent makeup. The foundation of 'morals and ethics', new found 'liberties, freedoms', support of the 'down trodden' and whether our open arms to those wanting to immigrate to a country where this foundation is manifest are now closed.

We have become a country that has forgotten the value of community in the nebulous approach toward 'individual rights' defending this at all cost. We have lost the spirit of pride and dignity in what our Constitution was intended that being; the morality of parity and equity for all whether it be politics or religion, the 'right' and 'freedom' to pursue whatever venture may contribute to indivdual or community success as long as it does not harm anyone through suppression in the process. Innovation and entrepreneurship in building and producing products for world consumption in lieu of being a country of only consumption should be our manifest destiny. This is hindered because of our nations lack of priority in 'investing' in our educational system.

Author of :India Calling: An Intimate Portrait of a Nation's Remaking" and columnist Anand Giridharadas, Indian by heritage born in Cleveland Ohio, best captured the threat that America faces in the near future in saying as a guest on the Jon Stewart Show "...we are so concerned over the threat of losing our leadership in the world to countries like India and China based on economics when we should be concerned over the underlying deterioration of our human infrastructure by way of denegrating, degradating each other, a destructive mindset vs building up our attitudes which is the mindset of Indian and Chinese societies toward their 'building' process".

Special note: We must be careful not to pursue an attitude presently being manifested by a consensus of the GOP who want to 'repeal'( for example the Universal health bill) what was legitimately passed as statute by the present electorate and may introduce a destructive mindset for newly elected administrations. Repealing in lieu of capturing the positives of specific issues in statutes and maybe revising the less desireable nuances.
An insidious trend seems to be quietly evincing where elections and counts, although the elected administrator is showing favorable progress, they are being recalled and governance is being undermined. This is damaging progress in an already deteriorating societal infrastructure.

Tucson/Rep. Gabrielle (Gabby) Gifford

2011-01-09T08:41:00.000-08:00

Are we all responsible in some way by contributing or allowing by not speaking out against the angry tone and atmosphere with vitriolic rhetoric. '...freedom of speach; peaceable assembly and a right to petition the Government for the redress of grievances', our first amendment allows anyone to speak up either for or against any issue. The question arises as to what level of expressing oneself do words, intentionally manipulated, are used to incite reaction go beyond the pale creating an environment of potential active violence.

The Sheriff of Pima County Clarence Dupnik, yesterday immediately after the tragic incident of the wanton shooting by Jared Loughner of Representative Gabrielle Gifford, Judge John Roll, nine year old Christina Greene, Gabe Zimmerman, Dorwin Stoddard, Dorothy Morris, Phyllis Scheck and fourteen others, emotionally, stated that Arizona because of the elavated rhetoric on Immigration issues has become the mecca, the capital of 'bigotry and prejudice'. He referenced the tone and inflamatory level integrated into the public discourse on the issues that involve people of different cultures and race as becoming extremely toxic.

With this, I want to say that rhetoric such like 'in cross hair' references as stated and supported by Sarah Palin, the Tea Party and other right wing zealots during the last mid term campaigns should be held accountable. This word and pictorial reference, specifically, was called attention to by the now victim, Representtative Gabrielle Gifford in an interview. Words do have their consequences expecially for the use of these type of inciteful references when words fall onto the ears of unstable individuals. " Words must be carefully chosen because once said they echo throughout, heard by both the connected and the unhinged" President Bill Clinton.

I used to travel to Arizona both on business and travel, Tempe, Scotsdale, Phoenix, Tucson, but with recent media coverage of the militaristic, 'Gestapo" tactics being employed, I decline to make this state an option to travel and visit with my family. This environment has been recently constructed by way of Arizona's Governor, Jan Brewer's seemingly right wing position on 'illegal immigrants' and Senator John MaCain's most recent expediant political transition, 'build that wall' (Sarah Palin's chant), in order to get reelected. This 'wind' has blown through out. I've been profiled both in Iowa while driving to visi my wife's parents in Omaha, Nebraska and in Indiana while driving to visit friends in Elkhart, Indiana. Yes, my ancestry and myself were born in Mexico yet to the disdain of those wishing to employ previously mentioned tactics, I am a Naturalized citizen and now must carry proof of it whenever traveling.

I do choose to reside in this country and am grateful for it's manifest freedoms and liberties, still developing as a young nation and still understanding it's founding Constitution. It has Provided me and my family, though presently temporarily baffled 'dream', the opportunity of becoming one's aspirations, one's dreams.

On a personal note: I become emotional when I write about issues that are most salient to me, specifically, issues about opportunities for all no matter what race, color or nationality. I will make a concerted effort at speaking or writing about issues with less inciteful emotional words and more focussed on suggesting opposing options to debate the issues vs spending time on writing with an accusational tone.

The Real GOP

2011-01-05T09:25:00.000-08:00

Today the Congressional House comes out with it's 'new' attire. What will it's face look like? Can it hide behind the make-up (words) it applied while rehearsing for the real performance? Will it be washed away and the real face evince?

They have vowed as their main focus not to address the problems that we as citizens request, require and for which we voted them into office, but to defeat Barrack Obama in the 2012 election. Their impetus is to do this with whatever means inspite of whether job creation programs are not being the focus, the Dream Act is dispelled as an amnesty bill, and worst of all their egregious attempt to repeal the Health Bill that is already proving of great benefit to the majority of all segments of our society. This effort is being relentlesstly pursued by the 'power hungry' old school 'right wing' Republicans and, unfortunately, many Tea Party constituents representatives, Republicans with make-up, for no other reason than to defeat all of President Obama's efforts. They do this in spite of the damage it would do to the United States of America.

Their 'true' face showed when they were attempting to forestall the bill that would provide funds for the 911 responders (now nine years later) who have aquired health issues and are slowly dying while their families are losing their homes because of the medical expenses. Their (Republican and Tea Party) patriostism for the US is questionable when they put their personal political aspirations in front of the needs of the country.

I am hoping that proponents of The Health Program that was voted by a majority of citizens will stand firm and fight with all their might in the battle with those that wish to repeal it.

Democrats and Independents who are attuned to the needs of the country must speak up resoundingly.
Assist those who are uninformed about the real facts of this countries needs and efforts being put forth by Democratic legislature so that misinformation being disseminated by the right wing of the Republiican Party, promoting their agenda through a negative approach of surreptitious and destructive methods, does not usurp the truth.

Write, email or call your Congressman to express your desired position on the various issues and demand they hold steadfast as your representative.

9/11 vs Republican Party

2010-12-18T03:09:00.000-08:00

As Jon Stewart, a stallworth advocate for 9/11 responders health assistance, so well put it; "...the party who used the symbol of 9/11 as a catch phrase" now are blocking the Zadroga Bill (7billion dollar health assistance to the first responders and families of 9/11who are now subsequently witnessing devastatin health issues) even to be debated. Republican Senator Kyle stated that he didn't know if they would have enough time to vote on this bill before Christmas break and even though they've been asked to work through Christmas by Senate Majority leader, Harry Reed, he Senator Kyle said he didn't want to disrespect the holiest of christian holidays. Four of the guests on the Jon Stewart show, a fireman, a policeman, a heavy equipment engineer and a medical rescueer all stated that they didn't take Christmas off when they went in to rescue or recover victims of 9/11. These four guests all suffer terminal health problems as a direct result of being down in the pit day after day in that rubish for many years. They have to now battle with their employers and insurance companies to not be forced out of their jobs for unexcusable reasons and coverage of insurance. This is why the passing of this bill is so critical and should be voted on by the very party who used the 9/11 tragedy as their personal catch word for being elected and going to war. Where are they now when they are truly needed as representatives of patriotism and sympathetic supporters of their fellow citizens who sacrificed their health as true lovers of their country?

Feign'd Bipartisanship

2010-12-01T11:12:00.000-08:00

To stall the passing of the extension of Tax cut for the middle class, the extension of unemployment benefits, Start Treaty, Don't ask Don't tell, Immigration Dream Passage, is based on the Republicans selfish political reasons of trying to force a vote on their priority to extend the Tax cut for the wealthiest. This shows the GOP's true nature and face. They're willing to allow those that are in 'dire' need for an unemployment check. To allow the Start Treaty who the Russians are asking immediate attention to not be addressed because they don't feel it's as important as voting on giving their wealthy friends more when they don't need it to feed their families, pay bills so they don't lose their homes or give a small gift to their children for the holidays. Ironically, just yesterday the Republican leaders had stated publically they're willing to compromise yet now they've turned their backs on the middle and lower class. Wake Up America to the hippocracy at the expense of those who are in most need of help, Are they truly this carelessly selfish?

People please call, write, tweet, email your congressman.

What's Going On?

2010-11-24T07:24:00.000-08:00

The Start Treaty is being stalled by the Republicans (GOP) for personal agenda motivations versus for the sake of the security of the United States of America. Once again their primary motivation is to oppose the Obama administration on every issue no matter how important it is for the citizenry of the United States of America.

The Russian country, the mutual beneficiary of the Start Treaty, is relying on the US to support this Treaty. Shouldn't this issue be 'above' politics and personal ideologies? Admiral Mike Mullen has reiterated the importance and 'criticality' of Congresses support for this legislation without stalling. Only one Republican Senator, Richard Lugar of Indiana, has spoken in favor of passing this legislation in spite of political pursuasion attempts by the GOP. As a resident of Indiana and someone that considers oneself 'middle of the road' on most issues and 'liberal' on others in this more or less conservative and repulican state, I'm proud to be represented by Senator Lugar in spite of the difference of position on some political issues. It's unfortunate there were at least ten other Republican Senators who during Republican administrations, the GOP platform in general prior to the Obama Administrations election, were staunch proponents of the Start Treaty. Now they have been convinced that the GOP's agenda of destabilizing this administration so that they will defeat it in 2012 is of the highest priority. They have once again taken a blind position of "NO" at every turn without regard of what's best for this country. Who is the non-patriot here?

With the recent volley by the North Koreans on the South Korean Island and the continued development both by them and Iran to shore up nuclear programs with questionable management and intentions, one would think that this was impetus enough to sway a majority consensus in the political arena for the 'Start Treaty' and it's potential wide spread effects on the political posturing on this issue by other nations.

Wake up, American citizens and open your eyes as to what is the real agenda of the GOP and it's true intentions.

Wake Up, America!

2010-11-17T08:48:00.000-08:00

I ask those of you who have different opinions from those that are 'yelling' that they are the paradyme of what America stands for in politics, morals, values and even to the level of absconding with the media (the most important element of what is inherent in American Democracy), to 'Speak Up'.

Yes, I'm speaking to those of you who are disappointed in the political transition the country has recently witnessed. Just because a particular legislative body has been 'boon doggled' by a 'squeeky wheel' does not mean that 'we' should lay down with a defeatest attitutude. We should not accept the voices that 'yell' with key words that seem to suggest their opinion is inclusive of all of us, or a majority, as a total collective body that is of a same mindset, Such as phrases like 'the people' are saying and feel or the suggestion and acceptance that the dissemination of 'negative' promotion wins over civil correctness and moral truths (I deem these to be synonomous).

We must understand, those of us with voices and the means to voice an opinion, that there is a great number of people in this 'democracy' that are subjugated by impoverishment, lack of means and those that want to keep it that way. There are those that wish to abuse this power over 'the least of us'(biblical reference) and will at every chance suggest that every time the 'government of the people' want to help those with least capabilities, it is sliding toward Communism or at minimum Socialism with the most pejorative connotation intended in referencing these systems. They use this method of imposing their power and control over others, through the manipulation of key words or phrases that will 'scare' the masses (fear mongering; another means of disseminating negativity) and sustaining their own personal gains in lieu of an altruistic choice of assisting those with little or nothing therefore maintaining an 'oligarchic state'.

Those of us with 'voices' that understand this new countrywide questionable momentum should 'Speak Up'. It will assist those with 'no voice' or 'less voice' through our expression and hopefully and subsequently motivate them to find means and avenues to also 'Speak Up'.

Speak Up, loudly about those issues that are important to us. We must not stay quiet or whisper when they are yelling, scratching, clawing and imposing their societal standards upon us. Our voices will give power and strength to those that do not or cannot speak to that which, I believe, is a higher standard of egalitarianism, parity and most important, a society worth living in for our children and their children's children.

Soldier's Quest

2010-11-10T09:30:00.000-08:00

Loud flashes of light above
reflecting off clouds ominously
Where once in youthful times
these sparkling lights meant celebration
but today they open up the skies
with loud explosive sounds

They shake the earth
awakening the demons underground
unlike when excitement, back home, filled the air
today they burst the silence
with redden fields and angry death

In a brief intermittent respit
when eardrum breaking blasts cease
although howling pain filled human cries
still fill the smoky air.

A still moment arises and my memories
of loved ones who wait for me
back where these flashing lights
and sky emptying cracking sounds
do not suck breath from life
but celebrate the joy of living,
I think of my heartfelt love'd ones,
their warm embraces and the kisses.

I reflect upon the freedoms,
the occasional abuse of liberties
we partake and are afforded us.
My mind fills in reverie of returning,
planting my garden with beans and tomatoes,
cutting my lawn, sitting in my back yard
with friends and loved ones,
grilling steaks and drinking beer,
listening to music on radio and singing childhood songs

Tears spew out from my eyes
but I do not have time to wipe them,
an explosion o’er my head
rattling my helmet and my brain
reawakening me to the reality
that my life and freedom lies before me
along side my buddy, my brother,
and inside my mind, belief that soon
the Truth of our quest will become victorious

Post Midterm Election

2010-11-05T06:52:00.000-07:00

The mid-term election results speak for themselves. They decided, whether for reasons of disenchantment with the pace of change or perceived lack of dramatic action toward correcting the direction of a faltering economic recovery. We will now see if the Republican held House of Representatives with John Boehner at the helm can execute legislation that was diminished in action when his minority party of 'No' had placed continuous obstacles toward compromizations with a Democratic Executive Office.

Some Major issues that the new Republican held Congress and the new majority leader, John Boenhner, will allow to be introduced for consideration:

The GOP platform ran on an issue of wanting to repeal the Universal Health Care Program voted into law by the Democratic held congress
The Bush Tax cuts to expire
Security and the new majority legislative body's interpretation of how to deal with 'illegal' aliens.
Expenditures i.e. Funding for military and Afghan War, economic stimulus programs,
Repeal of 'Don't ask, Don't tell'

With the Senate body still slightly held by a Democratic party it will be an interesting next couple of years in the Obama Administration. A main battle will be on the Republican leadership insisting that they are going to vote against funding with ultimate attempts at repealing the Health Care program voted into law. If every administration pursued repealing the previous administrations efforts the citizenry would never benefit from any legislation meant for the betterment of society.

Blogger's Opinion: It is dangerously 'sad' how people have easily succumb to the manipulations by a few with oligarchic manifesting characteristics. Their wanting to address our countries 'issues', needing to be ameliorated, by a way that is not only degenerative to the nations psyche but surreptitious in its intent through 'fear mongoring', 'negative' aggression and a Vietnam War era with a method by the intelligence organizations in the dissemination of misinformation as a way of inciting and controlling. They, 'the few'(Boehner, McConnell, Brownback, Palin, Bush, etc.) in the GOP leadership, assume that gullibility and ignorance of the Masses will prevail. This is their choice of approach toward Democratic political and social reform in lieu of a method of analysis and decisision making through academic acuity and relative applicability by way of a compromising resolve.

For those of you who voted, thank you for your service.

Tea Party

2010-10-30T06:51:00.000-07:00

Who is the 'Tea Party'?

It (Tea Party) seems to have been incepted as a direct result of the Republican Party being 'thrown out' of office in a seeming total disenchantment of them by the electorate. The Tea Party has embraced 90% of GOP's candidates and the balance of candidates that are being supported and have allowed Sarah Palin(extreme right-wing fringe of the Republican Party) to be their face, are running on the issues and political positions parallel to what the GOP platform is based. Major issues being; Pro Life, Tax and Spend cliche accusations of the Democratic (liberals) Party, which ironically the spending was most manifest in the G.W. Bush years which took the country into a portentous economic down turn; The Tea Party candidates are also running on the issue, in opposition, to the 'stimulus and 'bail out' of Banks and other major companies which is a program initiated by the Bush administration as one of it's last initiatives to try to correct the damage created during their (GOP's) 'watch' via the deregulation and lack of oversight. They now are pointing the finger at the Obama administration as if it was their conception. The Tea Party seems to be running on a platform that hinges them directly to the disgruntled loser, the GOP, but wearing a mask or disguise, after all it is the season for 'trickery'.

We must not forget the reasons why the electorate voted the previously presiding administration out of office (GOP) and the issues that created such disenchantment: The Iraq War was deceptively conjured; sole source contracts awarded to defense contractors conspicuously with a direct association to V.P. Chaney; Soldiers being sent to war without basic provisions for battle i.e. flack jackets, armament (Hummers not battle worthy) soldiers having to pay for own rations,etc; the economy going from a surplus to the worst deficit in it's history; home mortgage debacle (deregulation and lack of oversight); unemployment rising to unprecedented levels monthly; despairingly significant gap increase between the wealthy and the poor; deregulation of large industry causing grave increases in levels of destructive earth gases and overall degeneration of Earth's atmosphere; polarizations and bifurcation of ethnic and race related issues. Last but not least, let us not forget 'Katrina' which was the 'true gauge' and emulation in underlying nuances of our societal comportment during the GOP's watch, specifically the G.W.Bush administration, and its attitudinal manifestations, seemingly and sadly, unempathetic, unsympathetic, uncaring for the faces of 'the least of us'.

In spite of our disappointment that the economy has not recovered quickly enough from this devastating, almost abysmal, period imparted by the last administration, finally it is now showing signs of recovery in every sector of the economy, six months of GDP growth, significant diminished monthly lay-off figures with signs that businesses are hiring again, Banks have finally started lending to Small Businesses and new start ups, American battle troops have been pulled out of Iraq as promised, the universal health program has been passed (97 % of the GOP opposed), etc. Just as important, the worlds attitude toward America has slowly transitioned back to a more favorably respectful perception and a world leadership role. We must continue as an electorate to elect representatives that are in pursuit of this direction and not one that will throw us back into the 'abyss' and world perception of a country in total 'dysfunction'.

This is this Blogger's Opinion

Mid--term Elections and Politics

2010-10-30T00:33:00.000-07:00

Tuesday mid-term elections will determine whether the Obama administration will be placed in a position of being able to get his agenda passed or whether the GOP will continue to 'blockade' (the party of 'no' for the sake of politics and not for the sake of what's 'good' for the Country). Hopefully, all the political 'pundits' are incorrect in their projections of the House and Senate reconstruction as a result of Tuesday's elections.

The Obama administration needs to be given an opportunity to pass legislation that was determined as a possible dramatic change to the previous Republican administration by way of his election into office, a choice made by the people. He has been in office for only two years and the country was placed in this precarious situation, a deterioration of major economic and financial sectors, who's downward spiral was eight years in the making. The damage is so extensive, it will take more time to correct and recover. He needs legislative and judicial support to attempt an amelioration of this created malady.

We as a nation need to prove to ourselves as well as the rest of the world that we as a 'Democratic' nation will exercise the freedoms and liberties afforded us through voting. We must all be vigilant to the process and report any attempts at preventing our 'rights' as voters.

We must all 'vote' at the voting booth and not be influenced by a certain segment of our society, i.e. political party, media, that is attempting to put forth the agenda that in the absence of voting is a political statement in and of itself. We all must exercise our voice through participation in the voting process.

Please Vote!!!!!