Re: A missing word that is "absolutely" essential
Fred Goodman
3/7/2012 7:16:29 PM
Well Scott, you asked how my freedoms have been curtailed in the last three years, so here's a brief reply. No one ever asked me that before so this may be a bit of a ramble.
In the realm of healthcare alone my freedom has or is about to evaporate.
Healthcare is used by the government to justify all sorts of restrictions. You shouldn't smoke, drink, take foolish chances (don't play football or soccer and certainly don't skateboard), wear a helmet, clean your fingernails, wash your hands. Eat your veggies, no more happy meals at McDonalds. Oh and by the way, you have to pay for the medications of others whether they are needed for life-threatening diseases or optional procedures.
Then there's going green. Install a smart electric meter so we can monitor your usage, no more central air conditioning, use individual units in a few rooms, you can't install outdoor lighting if it isn't motion activated, water your lawn after 4 PM and only on Monday and Thursday, set your thermostat at 68 in the winter and 75 in the summer. Buy a Chevy Volt which uses coal for power and the government will give you some of my money as a kickback for doing so. Especially since some of the money used for its purchase is siphoned off by the current ownership of GM to support one political party.
I could go on, but you get the drift. All of these things are "good" for you so shut up and don't complain. And don't forget to reread 1984 and Animal Farm.
Oh yeah, don't drill in the gulf or build a pipeline so I can continue to lie to you by by accusing you of selfishly using 20% of the oil and having just 2% of the reserves. And be sure not to mention the fact that 5 million barrels of oil are used daily in the US to produce things that are sent abroad to help the rest of the world survive. Like medications, fibers, plastics and so on. Not to mention that we are net exporters of gasoline which should be subtracted from the 20% we are alledged to use.
Then while we're on the subject of lying, just today the Bureau of Labor Statistics revised its figures for Workers' Hourly Compensation from 1.7% annual growth to 2.5% annual growth, a 51% "adjustment."
They did this by changing the figures back to the first quarter of 2007 and in particular by changing the estimates for the last 7 quarters as follows: First they made five decreases -- -2%, -4%, -8%, -10%, -14% and then increased the last two quarters by 9% and 51%. Doesn't that make great reading as we get closer to the election. See how they helped us? They increased our take home pay by 50%.
Well I'm sure you get the gist, I'll agree to the ten commandments on the courthouse wall if you get them to leave me alone for a while.
Re: A missing word that is "absolutely" essential
Fred Goodman
3/7/2012 6:39:21 PM
Do your figures include current expenditures for wars in progress?
Do they include the expenditures for the the defense of other countries?
Do they include the benefits for veterans?
Before we make a blanket decision to reduce the defense budget I think these are questions that should be answered.
It has been shown historically that an important reason for being prepared is to avoid the need to go to war and to be unprepared often has invited war.
Re: A missing word that is "absolutely" essential
Scott Raynovich
3/7/2012 5:25:40 PM
Fred,
Not really understanding how your Freedom evaporated just in the last three years, and how it was caused by one particular administration. In fact, it's far worse, and it's been happening for much longer...
Freedom really evaporated in 2001 with the heinously named Patriot Act, a 10-year-old piece of legislation which was a Dick Cheney-driven document, approved by U.S. Congress, that gave the U.S. government the right to obtain large amounts of digital information about you without a search warrant.
Was this a Democrat or Republican-driven policy? Hard to say, as abominable as it is. Do I think voting for either party will get rid of it? No. That's because the system serves itself. Washington, in a collectie and bi-partisan way, created this Orwellian nightmare.
As Orwellian as they get in Washington, the more powerful they all get...
Re: A missing word that is "absolutely" essential
Scott Raynovich
3/7/2012 5:11:58 PM
Looking for more updated numbers but here is 2011 numbers
United STates spend $700B and China spent $119B
Re: A missing word that is "absolutely" essential
Scott Raynovich
3/7/2012 5:06:08 PM
So what are we going to do, nuke each other? Great, another cold war.
If China really wants to destroy us they can stop lending us money. And then we will stop buying their crap. It's mutually assured economic destruction.
Beyond that, they still have a lot of catching up to do. We spend 10X as much as China.
Here are the numbers from the U.S. Congressional Budget office -- share of total worldwide military spending:
Re: A missing word that is "absolutely" essential
Fred Goodman
3/7/2012 4:27:34 PM
Well Scott, I am pleased that we seem to have some agreement. With respect to the four points you made I am not sure I agree with number one since it was reported today that the Chinese have increased their military budget by 11% for the next fiscal period.
Numbers 2, 3 and 4 are important to me too, so I ask you to tell me which of the two parties professes to agree with us. For me there isn't the slightest doubt that the Republicans appear to be closer to our views, and I too am and have been a registered independent for more years than I care to admit to.
However, my most cherished right is the right to freedom and in my opinion I have lost more of it in the last 3 years than in the preceding 24 years. I am very concerned that I will lose freedom even faster unless we change administrations. I would be happy to give up that fear and welcome hearing an argument that will ease my mind.
contraception
AskAsa
3/7/2012 3:50:20 PM
Contraception was not even an issue until George Stephanopoulos to the surprise of all injected it into one of the early debates. At the time it made no sense.
Now its very clear that talk of `Obama's failed policies, the poor economy, his lack of ledership has been overshadowed by the price of prophalactics.
A brilliant strategy to divert everyone from thinking about the loser in the whitehouse.
Only the current crop of Republican idiots would have even fallen for that and bit at the contraception dog and pony show going on.
Re: A missing word that is "absolutely" essential
Scott Raynovich
3/7/2012 3:29:34 PM
Fred,
Well put. Can't say I disagree with anything you say. In fact your points about freedom are spot on.
To answer your question if I reject the Democrats as well, so far, yes. I honestly don't know who'd I'd vote for. There are hypocrisies on both sides. I was leaning toward Romney till he got on TV and spouted off the same partisan BS this AM.
I do know that the Democrats are completely unrealistic about the entitlement programs, but agree with them (as well as Ron Paul) that the military needs to be cut. Can't we cut both?
I guess I'll be waiting a while because there doesn't seem to be a politician honest enough to deal with reality and say what I want to hear:
1) The military has gotten way too big, we can't afford it anymore.
2) We can't afford social security and medicare anymore, they are too expensive. There needs to be reform. People have to make compromises.
3) We have to stop legislating every last thing and thinking that the government can solve all our problems.
4) Instead of telling people what they want to hear (you can have everything!) we have to tell them to take responsibility and work hard and make sacrifices to restore things. It's not going to get easier. There is a lot to do.
Re: A missing word that is "absolutely" essential
Fred Goodman
3/7/2012 1:23:46 PM
I have absolutely no interest in the use of religion to choose a leader for the country and am totally behind religious freedom. However, I would like to elimintate what I see as preferential treatement afforded to some at the exclusion of others. I am not a Catholic, but I see their rights trampled while others are protected.
With regard to morality, I see signs of its absence in the handling of Solyndra and MF Global that has nothing to do with religion and everything to do with our freedom. So, if it takes a bit of tolerance of the religious right (of which I am not a part) in order to eliminate the gross cupidity and amorality of those in power I consider it to be a small price to pay.
If you reject the Republican Party because there are some members with whom you disagree, do you then also reject the Democrat Party because there are some members with whom you disagree?
Certainly in such a diverse group their must be at least one faction you consider to be as noxious to you as is the "moral majority."
If there is any single force that I stand behind, it is freedom, and I see it being eliminated with every passing day. Now I see it in the feeding of our children in schools added to the type of car I drive, the type of lightbulbs I use and myriad other personal choices. I will personally accept the bad with the good if there is more good than bad and I think using the word "God" in the pledge of allegiance is a "bad" I can accept. I also think that today's hiring of a defender of terrorists to serve in the Department of Justice is a "bad" I cannot accept.
Re: A missing word that is "absolutely" essential
Scott Raynovich
3/7/2012 1:02:12 PM
Fred,
It seems to me that if you focus your campaign on religious statements with "Christian values" that you have a religious agenda to inject into government. There is no doubt in my mind that Santorum has done this.
One of the big problems I have with the Republican party is that though they espouse fiscal responsibility, conservatism, and personal freedom, which I embrace, they are also the party of the "moral majority," which is run by folks who have an Christian agenda and have trouble accepting the fact that many other religions are embraced in this country.
One of the truly great things about this country is freedom of religion and our large, diverse base which includes Buddhists, Christians, Muslims, Jews, and even atheists.
Are you denying that in Santorum's message there is an implied lack of understanding of religious diversity -- whether it is overt or not? He is clearly appealing to the more xenophobic elements of our nation.
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