Todd's Blog

It's time to seriously consider an end to prohibition

2011-02-28T08:54:00.000-08:00

The Seattle Times printed this Editorial recently: The Washington Legislature should legalize marijuana. I am surprised to see a common sense / radical approach coming from the Times. Prohibition doesn't work. the statistics in this article are pretty incredible. I don't do any drugs and haven't since around the time my kids were born. I don't want my kids or the kids I know and love to do them either. But I don't want my governement wasting resources here. Amazing statistics, well reasoned article. It's time for common sense on the topic.

Each must find his own path

2008-11-01T02:44:00.001-07:00

Each must find his own path
Originally uploaded by Todd.Schiele

The election is just days from now.
I wish for decisions motivated by

Hope and not fear.

Fact and not rumor.

Truth and not fiction..

Concern for humanity over concern for power.

I have concerns and fears about either choice. The one I support wants some things that I do not. But he makes me hopeful that the good can outweigh the bad. I haven't seen a lot of choices I respect from the other. He was more of a maverick once. But desire to win has changed him.

I've tired of black and white arguments, good and bad. There are millions of variations of color in our spectrum. I hope that leaders can learn that. I hope our country can learn to weigh decisions based on which choices are better for them and not a sound bite argument about what's right and what's wrong.

Each must find his own path. I'm hopeful that our paths can cross and that we will not be enemies. I hope that our paths can diverge, but we can learn from the journey of the other paths. I hope that we can avoid blame and finger pointing at those who take divergent paths from our own. It's time for discovery, growth and hope.

It's time for change. It's time for belief. But most importantly, it's time for respect. I may not understand your decisions or beliefs, but I hope that you believe I can respect them.

Each must choose his or her own path. Choose wisely, but choose respect for humanity above all.

Cookware for President?

2008-10-10T16:35:00.000-07:00

In the latest example of pots calling kettles names, Obama is being called into question for a relationship with a '60's "radical". What should define unamerican? Is supporting secession, encouraging an organization that seeks to encourage a state to withdraw from the United States "American?"

To me, this goes against everything a candidate for high office in America should stand for. Thanks to David Talbot for Salon.com for the article that called this to my attention.

Updated; also tipping the hat to Microsoft Live Labs Political Streams for helping me find the article.

Hope for a new Era

2008-10-02T11:23:00.000-07:00

Fundamentally Sound or Broken?

2008-09-17T08:00:00.000-07:00

John McCain recently declared that "the fundamentals of our economy are strong". What news has he been following?

Our government is currently using a "bastardized" socialist model, taking ownership of some of the largest financial institutinos in the world because "they're too big to fail," but what about the taxpayer? So far, we haven't seen what they're doing with that power that will help the taxpayer. Shouldn't they use Fannie and Freddie to declare a moratorium on foreclosures? Most likely, the end result will be the breakup and re-sale to the "free market".

I listened to Naomi Klein today on KUOW. She described the "Shock Doctrine" that has been in use since the 50's to break down many of the social gains of the New Deal. Many don't know that when FDR was campaigning, he had no plan for the New Deal but it was the pressure that "the people" put on him during his campaign and immediately after his victory that led him to make this kind of change. In fact, one of his quotes from his campaign was "immediate and drastic reductions of all public expenditures," "abolishing useless commissions and offices, consolidating bureaus and eliminating extravagances".

I don't know the solution, but I do know I need to read that book, and we need to demand more from our leadership. Now.

Barack Obama: A mosaic of people

2008-09-11T16:41:00.001-07:00

Barack Obama: A mosaic of people
Originally uploaded by tsevis

I'm always amazed by the talents and passions of people I run across. This is a mosaic of pictures submitted to flickr by member BarakObamaDotcom, combined by member tsevis. Stunning work.

The stupidest day in political history

2008-09-10T15:03:00.000-07:00

Newsweek: The politics of stupidity.
Did the "lipstick" debate mark the stupidest
day in political history?
you2gov.com - Wednesday, September 10 2008

Yes!

When Lipstick made pigs fly

2008-09-10T09:30:00.000-07:00

Obama accuses McCain campaign of 'lies'
you2gov.com - Wednesday, September 10 2008

In response to the Republican Convention, and the attempt to transform our image of the ruling party of the last eight years into a party of change; Obama said: "You can put lipstick on a pig. It's still a pig. You can wrap an old fish in a piece of paper called change. It's still going to stink after eight years."

He's right about the last eight years stinking. I believe he's also right that McCain is more of the same...on issues of women, health, and children McCain voted with Bush 90% of the time in his career, according to Planned Parenthood president Cecile Richards (daughter of former Democratic Texas Governor Ann Richards). But, McCain immediately saw an opportunity to get more attention focused on fundamentalist conservatives newfound love for Sarah Palin, rather than his attempt to steal the Democratic ticket's promises and campaign tactics. Feigning offense on behalf of Sarah Palin (as if she needs people jumping to her defense), he drops the "sexism" card.

Obama has to respond, but he has to be careful about taking on the debate. If the Republicans goal is to distract from the issues, engaging them in this pointless conversation is likely to just exacerbate the situation.

I find myself wondering how low political "onelinery" will take us before we can start talking about the issues, instead of what is sure to be an upcoming frenzied volley of accusations and headline grabbers.

Let's get into details about how to fix our healthcare system, and better protect our low and middle class from the quickly rising costs and the rapidly falling number of jobs with reasonable medical coverage.

Let's talk about energy policy. Alternative energy. Let's even talk about drilling and the true costs of dependence on oil.

Let's put aside the fake outrage and attention grabbing "news" and make an effort to communicate the real plans of both parties. Let's help America make dreams soar, whether with or without lipstick.

Boeing, YOU told us you HAD to outsource

2008-03-07T20:56:00.000-08:00

Boeing has complained and outsourced and lobbied our government to compete in the "free market".

Our politicians have told us we have to enable the global economy while the best jobs have slowly drained away.

We voters have ourselves to blame.

I'm from the Northwest, and the Boeing fuel tanker loss will hurt our region, but they've practically demanded this world.

Ken Schram had part of it right.

There's an article on the Washington Post: "Boeing: One of the biggest corporate whiners in all of D.C." Well, there's a link to it from www.crosscut.com, but the link's not working for me.

Well done to all of us. Keep electing politicians who let corporations contract out jobs, and tell the government that they have to treat our allies as if they were Americans when it comes to contract awards.

Cancer Society takes on insurance industry

2007-09-24T21:43:00.000-07:00

Cheers to the American Cancer Society. I heard the story in this podcast on NPR last week, and haven't felt so proud of a huge non-profit organization in my memory.

Finally, the issue of Americans living without Health Insurance, or with far too little insurance is starting to gain recognition as a critical issue. American Cancer Society's CEO John Seffrin basically pointed out that most forms of cancer or preventable, curable, or can be significantly combated...but no one can really afford to take it on as it needs to be done.

I don't know what the solutions are, but I definitely believe putting the might and attention of the ACS behind the effort is critical. The un(der)-insured are dying because they put off possibly life-saving care and expensive procedures. Many of my friends face these decisions for all types of health concerns on a regular basis. Americans should NEVER go into debt because they can't afford health care.

It's unbelievable to me that while businesses have been cutting back insurance benefits for almost all working families, and the number of uninsured has reached its highest levels in our history...nothing is really being done to address the problem. Visit the new American Cancer Society's Cancer Action Network to get involved and help try to make a lasting and meaningful difference in our society.

Share your story about your experiences with insurance here

Sign the petition to the presidential candidates here.

2006-10-26T00:14:00.000-07:00

This is amazing, feel like you don't measure up to all those folks on billboards and ads?