"The most significant threat to our national security is our debt," Admiral Michael Mullen, Chairman, Joint Chiefs of Staff, August 27, 2010


Wednesday, February 25, 2015

The unspeakable conflict

Mr. Obama has decided to speak to us with a self imposed mantle of infallibility on religious matters.  This is similar to the pope speaking to Roman Catholics on matters of faith.  Infallible meaning – you, me, we, us, all together must see it his way.

Recently our great leader has amped up his propaganda effort to enhance his rather unique position that Islam is a religion of peace.  Therefore anyone acting badly in Islam’s name is not an Islamist, by Mr. Obama’s own masterful and infallible decree (logic?)  We, as have others, have also noted that Mr. Obama does not grant this infallible immunity to other religions, other races, other than his that is – if someone of any other something behaves badly then that behavior or act can indeed and should indeed be bestowed upon the entirety of the badly behaving individual.  Okay.  This is the price we pay for electing a fool, albeit an infallible fool, to our presidency but we did it and so be it.
Is this then the unspeakable conflict?  Our great leader’s infallible pronouncements in the face of obvious Islamic brutality, atrocities, terrorism and, in growing cases their democratic choice of such behavior over other alternatives (remember the Islamic country of Egypt elected the Muslim brotherhood and this gang is not getting high marks for tolerance.)  Is this the unspeakable conflict – this one guy’s twisted logic (?) of a real conflict by whitewashing an obvious deadly threat to our survival?
No, his pronouncements are not that big a deal – it is just more Obama nonsense and by the end of his term his nonsense will be obvious to perhaps even a few of his diehard supporters which does provide an interesting environment for his chosen gal – his harridan to take over.  Will she follow in his footsteps with more of this nonsense?
We are not answering that question today.  We are here to address the real unspeakable conflict.  Read on, please.
Remember in Obama’s view (now the view of the entire democrat party) of our American dream everyone should have free medical care unless you choose to work in which case your dream includes paying for your own medical care as well as the care of those who don’t work.  Do you also remember that in his view of the American dream the gals get free birth control and free abortions?  Yes, we are sure you do.  And do you remember the birth rate of Muslim gals versus the birth rate for Christian gals?  Here or anywhere?  Well it’s about double, a ratio of about 2 – 1.  Muslim gals offer two times as many little Muslims as Christian gals drop little Christians.  Apparently the Muslim gals are not as receptive to Obama’s dream as are the Christian gals.
Do you remember Mr. Obama addressing the need for Christian gals to up the birth rate lest the Americans lose the demographic conflict to the Muslims?  Did he speak to this outcome?
He did not.  Instead he cloaked his nonsense in some faux war on women while training his harridan to take over this war against women which is actually a not so subtle war against Christians.  Some say this conflict will end this century – regardless of who speaks to it or doesn’t.  We doubt that it will end that soon but it will not take too many more generations here at home led by Barack, his harridan and their progeny to accomplish the conflicts obvious outcome.  And remember these few words – this only too certain mathematical outcome – we are paying for it – we are funding our own demise.
This is Darwinism at work.   The fight for survival never ends.  If you are an American Christian you have, apparently, conceded and the outcome is inevitable.  You are a loser in this conflict and you are either too ashamed to speak to it or just in denial.  If you are a winner in this conflict you are smart enough to know better than to address it.   That’s why Obama does not speak to it.  It is the unspeakable conflict.  With a very certain outcome.

Monday, February 23, 2015

Contracts in perpetuity

We offer two competing constitutional clauses for your consideration –

Clause #1:  Membership in any pension or retirement system of the State, any unit of local
government or school district, or any agency or instrumentality thereof, shall be an
enforceable contractual relationship, the benefits of which shall not be diminished or
impaired.  Source:  Illinois constitution.  Section 5.  (This clause is the legal basis for refusal
to permit any changes to existing pension contracts with Illinois public employees.)

Clause #2:  The United States shall guarantee to every State in this Union a Republican Form of Government…  Article IV, Section 4 – US Constitution.  (FYI – this clause is referred to as the “guarantee clause” because it dictates that the all laws must be subject to the consent of the governed, or so it seems.)
Now there is one other pertinent clause that also should be mentioned.  It is in the US Constitution and is referred to as the “supremacy clause.”  Here it is:  “This Constitution, and the Laws of the United States which shall be made in pursuance thereof; and all treaties made, or which shall be made, under the authority of the United States, shall be the supreme law of the land; and the judges in every state shall be bound thereby, anything in the constitution or laws of any state to the contrary notwithstanding.”  (Clause speaks for itself – states cannot nullify federal law – it reigns supreme.”)
In our democracy, everyone gets to vote as long as you are a citizen and 18 years old.  All states must abide because it too is in the US Constitution – Amendment XXVI:
Section 1. The right of citizens of the United States, who are eighteen years of age or older, to vote shall not be denied or abridged by the United States or by any State on account of age.
Section 2. The Congress shall have the power to enforce this article by appropriate legislation.

So let’s say you were born in 1997 in the state of Illinois.  This year you reach the age of 18 and you want to vote to do away with the states pension’s contracts or just modify them in a form that “diminishes or impairs” their benefits.  You can’t.  You are precluded by the Illinois constitution from so doing.  Even though the federal constitution which reigns supreme guarantees you the right to so do.

Prima facie – on its face – the clause in the Illinois constitution is unconstitutional because no law can be passed in perpetuity nor can any contract exist in perpetuity.  It never made sense for such to be the case.  Sure, cleveristas (public employee unions) in Illinois got the clause in the constitution and the people passed it.  Such has always been the case – there is always a smarty pants who can pull off stunts like this for a brief period.  And this is why we have courts which are supposed to finally get around to eliminating the stunts.   America is way past due on fixing this one.

Thursday, February 19, 2015

Liberalism’s fatal flaw

Perhaps the most baffling aspect of our American liberal/progressive/Democrat movement of the past 60 years – what we would call the Kennedy/Bush (2)/Clinton/Obama decline – is its almost absolute inability to question or even verbally doubt its ideology.  It is simply incapable of introspection.

We would liken it to a religious belief in nonsense – say those who once derided, even shunned, anyone questioning the shape of the earth on which they lived.  Or the cause of a disease or ailment.  Or an eclipse of the sun – the moon.
You get the idea.  Their game is their belief system – not the process of learning, observation and renewal.  Yes, we sometimes question the apparent self serving nature of this group because we sometimes think they are too smart to not see the errors of their way so therefore we wonder – hey, they must be doing this to survive and sustain – think the Clinton foundation or the Obama library or some other monument to mediocrity or lower.
Here is a link to an article that asks the same question – why are the voices silent when they need to be anything but?  It’s worth reading.  Please go to:  http://www.theatlantic.com/politics/archive/2015/02/why-obama-wont-talk-about-islamic-terrorism/385539/
Liberalism likens itself to the top of the Maslow pyramid.  Enlightenment, etc.  Until it starts to vigorously question itself – a very, very unlikely happening, it is just one more illustration of Santayana’s ever so true observation – “Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it.
History constantly teaches us that those who cannot question themselves fail.  Even though they accumulate a lot of material crap and vanity pandering along the way.

Wednesday, February 18, 2015

The Greco American model

Greece is a country of 11 million people.  It may be the world’s longest surviving democracy.  Greece is actually known as – the cradle of democracy.  Cradle suggesting that the concept of the people, the citizenry, running their government rather than being run by the government had its very birth and infancy in this Mediterranean paradise.  Wonderful concept isn’t it?  Humans running their own affairs – not some king or queen or military doofus or junta or dictator or religious nutcase.  Just the regular, hard working folk.

Can you imagine?  Just 11 million people surrounded by the very beginnings of human advancement from the trees to the stars.  Lots of fresh water – lots of good arable growing land – lots of lambs for the tasty grilling – lots of grain and olives and cow and sheep milk.  The garden of paradise.  Lots of marble for lasting construction projects.  Lots of good looking guys and drop dead gorgeous women for future generations.  What could possibly go wrong in this garden of Eden?
Today Greece belongs to the European union – a gathering of 28 European countries who joined together in a loose political union but with a single currency – the euro.  Sound familiar?  From many, one?  E Pluribus Unum?
In order to make this union work, the union set up some ground rules.  Mostly about the individual responsibilities of the 28 member countries.  Things like – balance your budget; keep debt under control as in limit it to a percent of your GDP; contribute to the mutual defense of the union.  Really just be a good neighbor, pick up your fair share of the load; don’t do stupid things like spend too much/borrow too much/tax too little.  If you ignore the rules and guidelines, then what?  Well, so far, not too much.  Maybe the union will loan you some money but harsher rules and guidelines will attach – things like get your financial/fiscal house in order.  Pay down debt.  Collect taxes.  Get back in the fold and behave the way the other 27 countries are behaving!
So what do the citizens of Greece do when faced with some bailout loans from the central European government?  Well they go to the polls – remember, this is the cradle of democracy and they vote in a government of kids who have said to the central European governing rulers – up yours.  We don’t like your rules and your guidelines and your debt repayments/austerity plans and programs (sound like anyone here at home?  In America?)
Now, revisit our title please – the Greco American model.
In America the central government does not bother with rules or guidelines.  It borrows and creates more debt – it prints currency and distributes it to the states and the people – it has not even a clue about how much it owes in total – what all the promises and commitments for social security and its thousands of other social programs will cost – it has no clue what its medical commitments for Medicare and Medicaid will cost – it does not know what its own pension and salary and government employee benefits will cost – and it never demands that any of the 50 states match their spending to their tax collection by limiting the growing amount of debt that the states themselves are issuing.  Or as its great leader would say – “We don’t need no stinkin’ rules.  I’ve got a pen and a phone!”
But there is an even bigger difference in this otherwise almost perfect model.  The American model consists of 320 million people.  Remember the Greece model is 11 million – less than 4% the size of the American model.  Which brings to mind one other fundamental we have never mentioned on these pages:
The bigger they are, the harder they fall. 

Wednesday, February 11, 2015

From his mouth to God’s ear

Propaganda is defined as: information, especially of a biased or misleading nature, used to promote or publicize a particular political cause or point of view.

We are surrounded by; inundated by; overwhelmed by, propaganda.   The entire advertising industry in America is based on – propaganda.  Our political parties distribute endless messaging that embrace the full meaning of – propaganda.  Our media outlets – every single one of them – from the tiniest freely distributed local services promoter and coupon guide to the massive bureaucracies controlled by Disney/ABC/ESPN; NBC/Comcast and PBS and Fox as well as News Corp., Gannett, Tribune Publishing and the NYTimes Company.  They are fulltime, 24/7 propagandists. Distributing information of a biased or misleading nature to promote their causes and viewpoints as well as those who support them financially, socially and culturally.
And at the top of this list of well funded propagandists are three with particular noteworthiness:
1.    The public employee union movement that now absorbs large portions of tax payer funds that were collected for the purpose of very specific funding of needed public services and products.  Not for salaries, benefits and pensions for government employees – not even for a second was that the purpose of taxes.  The money collected was for the sole purpose of providing a public service or goods or product or needed activity that could only be accomplished by the mandatory taking of private monies to accomplish the task.  Think a bridge – a highway – an army – a school – a welfare fund – a public restroom or warming house or hospital.  The employees who would work in those facilities were not the reason the facility was built – it was the service or product or need in the public facility or entity that was the reason for the creation.

2.    The small group of propagandists who sell their skills; their services; their very souls to manage the message – distribute the misinformation to bring about a specific outcome even though said outcome could not be accomplished if accurate information about its nature were distributed.

3.    Governments. Politicians. Bureaucrats.  All full time propagandists now.  Totally corrupted by years of speaking misinformation.  Today, any politician running for office who will not state clearly his/her focus; objectives; and time period for accomplishment are simply – propagandists.  And their cause or view is – themselves.
America is in decline – overwhelmed by known and unknown debt that can never be repaid – can only be passed on to our children and to the unborn.
To this decline history of our last 50 years we now add the final destination of propaganda.   Outright lies – coming directly from our president.  Not just misinformation.  Or distortions and deceptions.  No.  Blatant lies about the situations we face – the home grown social, financial and cultural issues of our own making – and the plans and activities of our foreign enemies as well as historical mistruths.  He simply lies about the situation; the history and the facts.   We can think of no greater crime save treason for a president to commit than to lie to the very people who trusted him. Lying destroys trust – and it is a lasting insult to those to whom it is delivered.

Wednesday, February 4, 2015

On political correctness

For as long as this essayist can remember, the very concept of political correctness (PC) is a safe refuge for those who have an agenda and the truth or a reasonable facsimile thereof is not helpful to that agenda.  Others far more wise and eloquent that we have characterized PC as follows:

“The two pillars of political correctness are:
1.    Willful ignorance, and
2.    A steadfast refusal to face the truth.”  George MacDonald
In case you are not familiar with Mr. MacDonald, let us also provide you with this, one of our favorites, quote of his – “It is not in the nature of politics that the best men should be elected.  The best men do not want to govern their fellowmen.”
Back to PC quotes:
I believe that political correctness can be a form of linguistic fascism, and it sends shivers down the spine of my generation who went to war against fascism.  P. D. James

"The fundamental cause of trouble in the world is that the stupid are cocksure while the intelligent are full of doubt."  Bertrand Russell
 

"Only two things are infinite, the universe and human stupidity, and I'm not sure about the former."  Albert Einstein 

"Nothing in the world is more dangerous than sincere ignorance and conscientious stupidity."   Martin Luther King Jr. 

"The power of accurate observation is frequently called cynicism by those who don't have it."   And, "It is dangerous to be sincere unless you are also stupid." George Bernard Shaw 

"When ideas fail, words come in very handy."  Goethe 

"Facts are the enemy of truth."  Don Quixote 

As you ponder Mr. Quixote’s observation, we would like to leave you with our recollection of the late William F. Buckley, Jr.’s statement about political correctness – “It’s boring.”
 
 
So, to our friends in the Hollywood media, we dedicate this brief capture of the weakness of men, mostly men, and a handful of women, mostly politicians in both cases, who live by deception, distortion and distraction. 

Closing comments from a few others: 

"It is far better to grasp the Universe as it really is than to persist in delusion, however satisfying and reassuring."  Carl Sagan 

"Knowledge speaks, but wisdom listens."  Jimi Hendrix 

"Human history becomes more and more a race between education and catastrophe."  H. G. Wells 

"Once you eliminate the impossible, whatever remains, no matter how improbable, must be the truth."  Arthur Conan Doyle speaking through Sherlock Holmes. 

Here is one thing we know for sure (we think.)  You will never find any of these quotes in a David Axelrod (AKPD media/message management company) pitch for business.