The Illustration Sums It Up For The U.S.

Sorry I haven't been posting lately.  I've been getting a series of shots in my posterior trying to eliminate pain that has been nagging me for years then getting over the not too pleasant side effects.

It seems there are a whole lot of government people in Washington who could use some shots too. Like to the head.  Maybe they'd remember what America is about and what they should be doing in this time of world wide crisis. But I doubt it.  They've had more than enough time to coalesce for the country but would rather play blame games for their own lack of conviction among themselves.

Forget the President.  He either doesn't understand national interest or doesn't care or is a coward.  Take your pick but he has surrendered everything we were to the world in these few short years and is dragging the country down while he's at it.

I cannot nor will not make excuses for him; I do hold him in utter contempt.  Too bad it doesn't help.  I might add I don't blame him alone.  I blame a totally feckless Congress, both parties, for having lost touch with reality and the country they are supposed to be serving.  They are, every last one of them, a disgrace.  Too bad they seem to be able to live with it so well.  Perhaps that's why it's said ignorance is bliss.

So Sue Me

Most of the time I take the side of the LGBT community but not this time, not in the Arizona case where they want to be protected against those who don't want to do business with them.  I also have a problem with those who hide behind their religion as an excuse.

 First of all, as a society we sue too much over too little.  So perhaps someone can enlighten me.  For something as important and as memory making as a wedding, why would anyone want someone who doesn't like them for whatever reason, want to force them into doing business.

If a group of, say, Hells Angels came into my place of business with their tattoos and piercings and leathers, I'd not be interested in doing business with them either.  No matter what my business may be. I would also not expect to be sued. Neither would have a thing to do with my religion either since I basically don't have one.  It would be personal preference and I should be allowed that choice. Otherwise I'm the one being discriminated against. Bullied, actually.

Bakers, florists.  It's not like there is a shortage of them.  Find someone else who would be happy to work with you.  You'll get a better end result or will you also sue if the job isn't up to your expectations?

The current administration is slowly but surely bringing gay marriage around to the point of nationalizing the legality of it under the faulty guise of Constitutionality no matter what individual states and the people within want. If you want acceptance, which with these actions makes it hard to swallow as is, stop with the frivolous suits.

I'd like to see the day everyone feels free to be themselves no matter what orientation that might be, orientation including race, religion and politics too. I'd like to see the day your community blends in so well no one would think of asking, "Are you?" Is it really necessary to shout out "I'm gay! Accept me or else!"

Do you really think your orientation has more to do with your acceptance than how you handle it? If so, how sad. And if so, it's time to understand its a large part of why others want to steer clear.  

Hell Hath No Fury Like An Angered Populace

I cringe every time I hear that Homeland Security is still stockpiling ammunition.  Far more than needed to fight an entire war.  I cringe every time I hear about government abuses ranging from the IRS episode with 501c4 organizations to the amout of information gathering being done by the NSA.

I worry when a Justice of the Supreme Court thinks the second amendment should be changed and when high level officials lie to us without a blink of an eye.  I've formed opinions as to where all this might lead. I was stunned to hear it from others far more attuned to the political landscape than am I.

Consider the turmoil in every place from Syria to the Ukraine.  Egypt.  Iran.  Venezuela. And how many others?  The people are angry with  governments who have forgotten their place and overstepped their bounds.  The people.  The populace.  They found the only way to get the attention of insulated governments is to take to the streets, no matter how many sacrifices of life and limb are made.  They're mad as hell and they aren't going to take it any more.  I heard one young Ukrainian state he was beyond being scared. He and his compatriots just want their country back.

We watch this from across vast amounts of land and ocean feeling smugly safe within our own borders.  But are we?  When a host asked panel members if the actions of the citizenry overseas could portend things to come in this country, what stunned me was their answer.

Their answer, to a person, was it is definitely possible.  This was a panel made up of members of both parties though not office holders.  What they see is an intensification of anger.  And what worries them  is it's no longer directed at just Democrats or just Republicans or specific people like Reid or Boehner or Obama, but rather the government as a whole.   The anger is becoming palpable as we watch Washington playing their game - politics, while the rest of us are screaming for coherent policies.

We've seen inklings that  mass demonstrations could happen. Look at the numbers that have turned out when the tea party was just getting started or the pro life rallies.  It can happen.  Try changing the second amendment and see what happens.  Or some other topic that hits all of us - something connected with the ACA could well trigger demonstrations.

What would happen then?  Would the government rally the police to crack a few dozen heads or would they call out the military or National Guard or Homeland Security to maintain order?  Would Americans really fire upon their fellow Americans?

Not to worry.  It would never happen here.  But when non-partisan pundits are uncomfortable with the direction our anger is taking so am I. People can only be pushed so far before they say, "No more.  We're beyond being scared.  We just want our country back."

Its Time To Think Outside The Box

I was commenting, a couple of days ago, that time seemed to be passing me by this winter as I wait for some forward movement on the political front.

It still isn't happening and it has occurred to me that the Republicans had better be getting their act together before time passes them by too!

Instead the squeaky wheels are still bent on self-destruction as they cannibalize their own.  I wrote before how the republican leadership had to come forward with a vote they didn't want to make to keep Ted Cruz from posing another government shutdown.

Now I wouldn't mind his zeal if there was something behind it but as with many who speak loudly, he has no stick.  No ideas.  No strategy.  Just a litany of what we can't continue doing.  Spending.  Implementing Obamacare.

Oh, yes, the Republicans claim they do have an alternative plan.  And it's true. They have a lot of them put forth by as many people as there are plans.  What, at least a half dozen or so?  The problem is they can't get together and come up with one they can agree on.  As I've said before, they're as bad as the Democrats as far as being unwilling to compromise except they won't even do it within their own party.

Okay.  It's Friday.  Time for another Dogwalk solution to chew on over the weekend.  If those in Congress won't do it then why not those who would have their seats?  It doesn't have to apply to just health care either.  The more the better.  Energy.  Immigration.  Jobs.

In this day of instant communication, all the non-incumbent candidates need to put their heads together and come up with their own policies.  And run on them. Collectively.  That would shake up the insiders.  It might even get the attention of the voters.  That's the important part.  Run on it collectively.

They don't have a lot of time but most who plan on running have already put their names forward. Go for it. Even if you only get a core group to start with, go for it.  Others will jump on board when they understand the voters are looking for something fresh that they can grab hold of and push forward. Would they on this?  Give it a try and find out!

The FCC's Redder Than Red Flag

I've often commented on how many different periodicals I need to skim and news outlets I listen to to get a handle on the news.  They all come from different places depending on managements' points of view.  Somewhere among it all is the actuality of the news.

Now the FCC wants to send teams into broadcast and  newspaper newsrooms to determine just this and to see if what they deem important is being covered enough along with the sources they use. They can even pursue reporters and other staff off the clock to get the information they want. It's called the Critical Information Needs study.

This sounds an awful lot like what organizations seeking a 501c4 have gone through with the IRS where the questions have become personal, intrusive and impertinent to the subject at hand. Broadcasters may cave to this because of licensing requirements but the FCC has absolutely no jurisdiction over print journalism and they should give an emphatic and ground trembling no to such a request.  The last thing we need is this government inside our news sources.

I don't mind having to dig through information to find out what I want to know.  So far we still have a right to our opinion. If the government, however, gets a foothold next will come censorship.  You aren't covering enough of this or too much of that.  You aren't covering enough stories about racial injustice or political philosophies.  You don't have enough reporters of color to match the racial demographic of your listening or reading audience or you don't have enough stories relating to the liberal point of view or the far right point of view.

Next come fines or worse.  Criminal accusations. Remember when Justice went so far as to claim James Rosen of FOX news was a flight risk? In time it would trickle down to the local level.  How would they react to Huckleberries Online blog in the Spokesman Review, for example, where the political commentary on the local level is anything but neutral. If I don't like it I don't have to participate but I'll fight to the death the paper's right and the blog administrator's right to speak their minds.  It's called freedom of speech.  Freedom of the press.

Yesterday I was in the doldrums because everything was a fuzzy gray.  Not so today.  Everything is suddenly covered with the bright red flags of government over reach.  We should all be writing our Congresspeople and clamoring for a cease and desist order.  Now!  Don't let them get a foothold, even with their so called test case.

If the government wants to know what an outlets philosophy is and how it covers news all they need do is turn on their TV sets.  As for the reporters, if they're doing their job, their personal opinions would not be evident.  The commentators and pundits are preachers of opinion. We all know that. We accept it, digest it and form our own opinions.  We never, ever try to manipulate it and neither should the government! Just say NO!