Category: Political

Posted in Political

Thank you, Mr. President……

Posted on by simplebender

Thank you, Mr. President, over the last two years of your unique, unconventional, administration there are many things to thank you for.

Only you, and you alone, could have propelled the interest in political activism as is now being shown by millennials, extremists, and minorities.  It is truly amazing.  This country hasn’t ever seen this level of extreme activism and division.  You’ve made political awareness something everyone wants to be a part of and mix it up; say anything, do anything, just as long as their side wins.  Thanks to your superior leadership and focus on our future, you ensured the 2018 Blue Tsunami yielded a balanced government with all the trappings of conflict and investigations.  No one really wanted the same old boring single party-controlled Congress, did they?  Knowing we all like a good witch hunt, to fan the flames of mistrust, we can now look forward to more misinformation and political spin.  Thank you for Making Congress Balanced Again.

You’ve been able to clearly define the differences between us as citizens of this country as no one ever has before; thank you.  It’s always good to drive wedges and build walls between families and neighbors.  To feed fears with anger, scapegoats, and name calling.  Unify the tribes and let the strongest, loudest, most bombastic one win.  Who needs healing, compassion, and unification that’s for the meek and the clergy.

Thank you, Mr. President, for clarifying the inscription on the Statue of Liberty; “Give me your tired, your poor, your huddled masses, yearning to breathe free, the wretched refuse of your teeming shore, send these, the homeless, tempest-tost to me, I lift my lamp beside the golden door”.  Just like in a contract there’s always fine print. You’ve made clear the fine print; this message only applies to European Judeo-Christian and not to Latin Americans or Muslims.  It would be unfortunate for the great American experiment of a representative republic and melting pot of cultures to be inappropriately and disproportionately contaminated with those who aren’t like us.

Thank you, Mr. President, for showing what good business, national and personal, it is to have close and cozy relations with Russia.  For showing how, after all these years, it’s really the war-mongering, wolves in sheep’s clothing socialistic liberals who are warier of our former foe than the peace and love, capital at any cost, right wing conservatives.  Without your guidance this reversal of historic paradigm would have continued to the detriment of national security and individual wealth.  Such misunderstood wisdom; keeping your friends close and your enemies closer.   NATO and our former European allies should take note and trust Putin and love of Kim as you do.

And finally, thank you, Mr. President, for demonstrating once and for all that words don’t matter.  As your counsel so clearly articulated, “truth isn’t truth”.  You have unshackled us from the painful and laborious effort of needing to be honest, forthcoming, and succinct in our written and spoken words.  We no longer must worry about those pesky facts, they just get in the way of a good crisis, and we never want to waste a good crisis.  We no longer must consider whose checking their fact checkers, because facts don’t matter.  You’ve liberated us from having to tell the truth about lies, lying about the truth, and lying about a lie, because if truth isn’t truth then lies aren’t lies.  Thank you for simplifying our lives, we no longer must decipher objective from subjective truth, or hard versus soft truth.  There is no inconvenient truth; it’s all a little white lie, or a little black truth

So many things to say thank you for Mr. President, please keep up the name calling and the tweets, even though they’re becoming boring, they make me feel like a kid again watching the playground.

#NeverFearTheDream

Posted in Current Events, Philosophy, Political

Who Represents the Folks in the Middle?

Posted on by simplebender

The mid-terms and the delayed State of the Union are over, and we really need to ask; is there no middle ground? The far left and right are controlling their party’s. Extremism, unrelenting and unwavering, has crippled a divided country and our legislative bodies.  There isn’t any effort to compromise for fear of alienating ‘the base’. Our discourse is based on misinformation and fear with little or no supporting facts.  They have become elevated shouting monologs.  Who represents the folks in the middle?

The inconvenient truth is:  It’s our own fault.  We’ve let it happen.  We’ve disenfranchised ourselves.  We surround ourselves with those who think, sound, and act like ourselves.  We are comfortable being with ourselves and very uncomfortable with being with someone different.  We like our tribe.  We have become voters who focus on singular issues and will support whoever promotes that special interest. Because of single issue extremism we now vote against, rather than for, someone.  It no longer matters there are no fact-based debates and ‘facts’ are made up and unchecked.  This type of support blinds us to all other aspects of the person.  It’s now acceptable to lie to the public on a wide range of issues, as long as the special interest is supported.  It’s alright to harass, bully, and ridicule people, publicly and privately, who don’t agree with you.  We have turned a blind eye to and given tacit approval for unacceptable behavior.  We now live by the standard: ‘the means justify the end’; it doesn’t matter whose hurt if we win.

We, the folks in the middle, want someone who understands that centralism is needed to govern.  We need representatives who understand and encourage differences of opinion and the calm civil debate of all those positions.  We must support civility, honesty, and disagreement.  We want statesmen rather than politicians.  People with whom we may honestly disagree with on some issues as well as agree on others; but on balance believe the person wants to make this country and state better for the whole not just the fringe.

We need leaders and representatives who build collaborative alliances, not defensive bastions, to advance solutions for the population at large.   Statesmen who believe in and practice principle centered leadership.  Who aren’t afraid of not being re-elected, but willing to do what’s right. They should stop encouraging public chastisement of people.  They should aggressively, and publicly, reject any and all forms of discrimination and ridicule.  All sides matter in these discussions of our future, not just the loud ones and/or the ones from their base.  They should listen and propose legislation which is balanced and for the common good.

We are diverse population and are stronger by embracing our diversity.  Growing because of our diversity, not in-spite it.  We in the middle understand change and respect are necessary to move forward, as individuals, as a state, as a nation.   We know you can’t move forward if you can’t let go of the past.  We are the majority and yet our voices are shouted down, and opinions summarily dismissed.  This representative republic can do better.  We must not sit idly by while the country is bisected.  We must do better if we want someone to represent us.  It’s up to us.  Let’s first represent ourselves better and stop condoning unacceptable behavior.  #NeverFearTheDream

 

 

Posted in Political

Below Average Performance

Posted on by simplebender

In the spirit of my last article…the new revelations concerning Facebook tracking texts, phone calls,  and emails has shown their performance is ‘below average’.

This will be my last post linked to via Facebook.  If you have enjoyed,  been challenged, or even vehemently disagreed with my comments and wish to continue to be so; please consider following me at https://simplebender.wordpress.com for future posts.  Please tell your friends…

Thanks…..

#NeverFearTheDream #deleteFacebook #dumbFacebook #WatchoutForTheCrazies #MakeItGreat

Posted in Political

Amerihypocrism…

Posted on by simplebender

amerihyp

The outrage, the unbelievable, the unimaginable;  a foreign nation interfering with another’s national elections and governmental process. The audacity of disclosing emails; the horror. Marshall the members of the Senate and the House.  Form special committees, investigate and retaliate… but, but, wait; take a deep breath….
Let’s look at ourselves in this process.  We, the United States, have sponsored, promoted, and engaged in overt and covert regime change actions as a standard practice.  Since the end of WWII Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty has been a, not so subtle, influencing tool we’ve employed to spread our version of the truth to destabilize the communist east.  We double downed and added Radio Free China and Radio Free Cuba, along with others as well.  We’ve spied upon and hacked our allies’ networks; as they no doubt have done to ours. We’ve participated in and sponsored ‘justified’ attempts at regime change, which were ‘in our country’s best interest’.  We were there in Chile ’73, Nicaragua ’82-’89, Panama ’89, Haiti ’91, Iraq ’94-’96,  Iran ’03 & ’05, Libya ’11,  and Syria ’05-’16.  
And now we’re incensed over the exposure of emails during our Presidential election.  We should be more incensed over the DNC favoritism and manipulation during the primaries.  More frustrated by the arrogance of candidates who put themselves above the law and common sense for convenience. More disappointed by the pandering and policy statements in private fund-raising and speaking engagements which were found to be in direct conflict with what was being declared publicly. 
Maybe it does matter how we found out about these travesties.  But maybe, just maybe, it matters more that they took place than were disclosed.  Whether it was Assange, Wikileaks, Russia, Putin, or that guy in Jersey, we found our system is not pure and clean.  Something we already knew, Bernie told us, but who listened? 
Before we get too carried away with our outrage let’s take a real hard look in the mirror and reassess our efforts in regime influencing and change.    This year, the choice between a bombastic, insulting chauvinist and an arrogant, deceitful elitist left us to wallow in a cesspool of our own making.  Our system works best with an educated, informed electorate and candidates who are willing to engage in thoughtful policy debate. The principles of our system are strong, but let’s recognize other nation’s will also do ‘what’s in the best interest of their country’ just as we have repeatedly done for ours, and will undoubtedly continue to do.
#NeverFearTheDream
Posted in Political

Electoral Sports

Posted on by simplebender

score

After this election, as many are thinking about dumping the Electoral College, we should reassess and change how the victor of our favorite sports are declared.  If we are willing to accept the nation’s highest office be determined by the major population centers, the states of New York and California, and a few counties in Florida; then we should be demanding a change in sports as well.

We shouldn’t accept football scores as the way to determine the winner.  The victor should be based on total yardage.  After all it’s more exciting to see a lot of offense, and who really cares about those few yards in the Red Zone.  Winners in basketball and hockey, well of course, should be based on shots on goal.  Counting if they made their mark is silly, just keep shooting that’s what’s fun.  Baseball, clearly should be based on the the number of hits.  After all, getting a hit is the hardest thing to do in sports.  Tennis, well surely, most hits on ball; because what the hell is a love game anyway? And my favorite, being a fiscal conservative social liberal; golf.  With the cost of green fees; without question, golf should be based on number of swings.  It’s silly to win with the lowest number of strokes.  After all, I get more swings per buck than anyone I know.  And my passion, triathlons; well, just finish, uninjured, and you’re a winner.

The presidential race, well, it wasn’t as close as it might seem.  Ok; one candidate, did get  more individual votes.  Maybe about 1% of all votes cast.  Let’s look a little deeper.  The ultimate winner won 31 states to 19; a 62% win margin.  On the Electoral College front, needing 270 votes, one received 306 the other 228; a 57% win margin.  Geographically, by county results, the winner took over 80%.  There aren’t many ways one can make the outcome any different and still be representative.

But hey, I’m gonna continue to lobby for my swings per buck trophy and just keep finishing those tri’s.

#NeverFeartheDream
Posted in Political

Stuck in a Jam….

Posted on by simplebender
traffic2I paused on an overpass viewing the highway traffic coming and going.  When I noticed a few on the right had made poor choices resulting in an unfortunate altercation.  The right lanes almost immediately came to a halt as their sudden loss of momentum caused subsequent accidents.  Backing up and in the ditch, the masses stymied and stopped by those decisions.  It’s hard to tell if it’s a major accident or a series of minor incidents, nevertheless traffic stacked up. 
But then, I noticed the left lanes beginning to slow and they too came to a virtual halt.  The left, not directly affected by the right, had become so absorbed with the events they too became slowed and bottlenecked.  Although uncertain to the magnitude of the right’s calamity became embroiled in their own mess, but by their own choosing.  The on and off-ramps completely stopped; so, no matter right or left, those wanting to leave or join the mainstream, in either direction, were trapped in the every growing morass.  The left began to express anger at those on the right, but they were stuck by their own actions. 
It seems that rather than accept the situation for what it is, and control our own actions, we are too quick to blame others for our own misfortune, real or imaginary.  The jam we are in, or might be in, if of our own making, is for us to resolve.  If, it is because we gawked in awe and disbelief, or curiosity, then we impeded ourselves; shame on us, not on them.  Stay focused, attentive, and true to your own course and everything will work out.  Treat the other drivers as your conscious dictates, but no less than you want to be treated. 
Now,  if we can only clear at least one lane on the right, maybe the left will stop gawking and honking.
#NeverFeartheDream
Posted in Political

Don’t Vote……

Posted on by simplebender

vote151 Every election, every opportunity to vote, is important.  The health of our representative republic is at risk with every election.  It isn’t your civic responsibility to vote, it’s a privilege and one which shouldn’t be abused.  Our country is based on the principle of an electorate selecting people who best represent their opinions and aspirations.  Those representatives are then empowered to make laws in concert with the majority of their constituents, while protecting the rights of the minority.

The burgeoning practice of ballot initiatives, while seeming more ‘democratic’, is actioned to circumvent the representative government and intentionally empower an uninformed, reactionary, electorate.  A democracy only works if the electorate are educated, involved, fully informed, and capable of weighing all options in making competent decisions.

Today, the ballots are argued in 30 second sound bites throughout all forms of media.  Salted with just enough truth to be plausible and ample emotion to stir the voters.   This yields a confused, uninformed, and misinformed voter population incapable of articulating the complex aspects of ballot measures.  The final result, the high probability of really bad law and long term, unforeseen, impacts.

Choosing to support and vote for your favorite candidate is one thing.  That vote can be corrected in the next election.  An uninformed vote on any ballot measure is an emotionally driven, ignorant vote.

Become involved and informed.  Don’t believe your friends and neighbors, and especially don’t believe the media broadcasts.  There’s no excuse for you not to do the research and become an informed voter.  But, if you don’t have all the facts, it’s your civic responsibility not to vote……..

 

#NeverFeartheDream

Posted in Political

Built by immigrants….

Posted on by simplebender

We are a world of immigrants, and definitely a county built upon the strength and diversity of immigrants and refugees.  Every generation has faced uncertainty and change associated with immigration.  The indigenous population is the first to have faced this, even if, with all due respect, they were immigrants too.  We have a rich history of skepticism, intolerance, discrimination, and isolation of every new wave of peoples coming to our borders.  However, with time we, as a communal society, found commonality and mutual benefit from the new cultures and beliefs.  This social ‘great melting pot’ absorbing and blending all of us into the continually changing primordial blend which makes us unique to the world.

We are now facing the two new waves of immigration which we must address with confidence and knowledge from the past.   One wave is coming to us because we remain the great hope to the north.  Economic poverty and abhorrent living conditions, to levels most of us can not comprehend, are driving fathers, mothers, and entire families to risk everything, including their lives, to cross our borders in pursuit of a better life.  The second wave is of refugees fleeing their home countries to avoid the travesties and horror of war and genocide.  This isn’t the first group to run to this country for safe haven and let’s hope it won’t be the last. These refugees are burdened with our predetermined preference to Judo-Christianity, as they are Islamic.  They are also burdened with the inconvenient truth, that all Muslims aren’t terrorists but all current terrorists are.  It is also disturbingly unfortunate that radical factions of Islam are using the mass national exodus as a means to spread terror throughout countries who are absorbing those escaping horror.

Whom among us can begrudge these immigrants and refugees the noble desire to seek a better life,safety, and freedom. They are willing to do work which, we know is essential but, would never consider doing ourselves, because it is ‘too demeaning’ for our pampered, ‘you owe me’ citizenry.  But not for them, it is the beginning they need and want, and far better than what they left.

We need an immigration system which protects our borders while embracing those who seek our safety and opportunities.  A system which is blind and indifferent to country of origin, religion, or orientation. A system which protects us against terrorism; but always know, those who choose to use terror and violence know no borders.  A system which aggressively removes those who came illegally and have committed crimes against us; but also, a system which has a clear path, for those who have not, to become one of us as our fellow citizens.   A system which can be held as the standard of fairness and thoroughness.  A system which allows us to form a Union of people, stronger and better because we are together and building upon our individual strengths rather than separated and divided by our differences.  This won’t be easy.  However, because of our diversity we are singularly the nation capable of finding a solution.

As a nation started and continually built upon by immigrants, we will find ways and means to embrace the current immigrations and those to come.  We are a country founded by those escaping tyranny and religious persecution.  There will always be fear and uncertainty of those we don’t know or understand.  We can not become a country which makes decisions promoting isolation, discrimination, or persecution.  We are a representative republic whose laws are based on majority rules and minority rights.  If we stand by this principle we shouldn’t be afraid to become apart of the minority.  If we don’t stand upon the premise, we will forever fear those who are ‘different’ for fear that someday they will be the majority and treat us as we have treated them.

 

 

Posted in Political

Loss of Civility

Posted on by simplebender

I’ve watched in dismay, and now disgust, how those running for our highest public office have fallen to civil lows not publicly seen in this process for a long time.  They’ve lost respect for their constituents and for each other and by doing so have diminished the value of the office and this country.

One might ask however, is it these candidates or are they simply a mirror of our society as a whole.  Today, any one can sign up and comment on any newspaper article completely anonymous and impugn anyone and anything without a shred of accountability.  When there is no accountability for words or actions there is no basis for fact or civility.  Unfiltered, unverified pontifications are only for the self gratification of the author.  When there is accountability civil discourse returns because, all the while you may disagree with the opinions expressed, you know exactly who is expressing them and who should be held accountable for false claims and incendiary hateful comments.

So, while the political process continues in our representative republic, maybe we are seeing a lot of ourselves in those trying to lead our country.  A little too self-centered, a little to egotistical, a lot to opinionated, a little myopic, and maybe a little too afraid of change to embrace the differences in the world and use those differences to make the World Great Again, not just our little protected piece of it……