Thus, i begin anew my string of musings on unpleasant issues facing the nation. It has been a while, yes, yet my opinions have only matured since my last post. Besides, there has been enough political failure in the past few months for me to stay happy for a long, long time (cynical happiness of course).
Today, I attended a presentation of sorts in school- two police officers spoke on issues the public school system deemed necessary to be addressed, while we, as good students (well most of us) listened. The two "resource officers" of the school brought three broad issues to our attention: bullying, cyberspace security, and sexting (sexual texting). While the first two issues were simple enough (even though I grumbled at the fact that my tax money was going to fund this program to raise awareness of issues i understood since i was five), the third topic, and what the Virginia Commonwealth government espoused in relation to the "problem" of sexting, shook me to my core.This part of the presentation was almost heinous; it infuriated and shocked me. I felt something i have not truly felt in respect to my nation in a while- I felt the icy grip of genuine fear in the bottom of my stomach.
One minute into the presentation, the officer in charge began discussing the two types of laws in our legal system. The first was dubbed "safety;" the officer explained that these laws were set down to protect the livelihood of all persons. Though initially i took issue with this claim (since i bet around half of these "safety" laws protect the livelihood of the government rather than that of its constituents), it was pushed from my mind as the second type of law sidled into view. It read "polite and proper;" these laws, as explained by the officer, were created to provide a polite, correct, inoffensive, mannered, and structured environment for all in the commonwealth. WHAT?! Last time I checked, the creation and maintaining of a "proper and inoffensive society" is nowhere in our government's job description.
The examples the officer then proceeded to provide showed me just how far we have collectively fallen. For it is not simply the government that has overstepped its boundaries- we as a society have not stepped up to the plate to demand increased freedom. We are content to stay static and apathetic to whatever the government does, behind closed doors or not, whether we agree with it or not. Our society has given free reign to ideologues, from the right and left, that have used the gears of our government to change our very society. The officer thus began speaking on the issue of "sexting" and how taking a photo of YOURSELF as a juvenile is already a felony. I will not go into detail as to what is a felony and what is not- that is for YOU to go and research- you may be unpleasantly surprised what is considered "violent sexual offense" in this state. If you are 17 years old and you have consensual sex with another 17 year old, not only is that racking up multiple felonies, but you get placed on a "violent sex offender WATCH LIST" open to the public.
However, what is even worse is the condescending attitude the government shows with all of this- they believe they are in the RIGHT. I WILL DO WHAT I WANT, WHEN I WANT, AND NO IGNOMINIOUS COLLABORATION OF MY TAXPAYER DOLLARS IS GOING TO STOP ME. What ever happened to the government being afraid of their constituents? It has become bold as brass, flinging the very freedoms this nation has been built upon back in our faces. It is thoroughly fallacious to blame anything solely on a party, corporation, or system without digging deeper to uncover the all-too-familiar stench of the government's ever-growing yet slowly-stagnating reach. One example is the BP leak in the Gulf- every news station blasts the corporation for their failure, except, few realize that it is the restrictive LEGISLATION AND REGULATION of the government that forced BP into taking unnecessary risk in drilling in such a precarious area. But no, we are content with whining and asking for a larger pension. Grow up America.
Good Day.
Thursday, June 3, 2010
Thursday, March 25, 2010
Circles 2- Anarchy in the USA
Every day, day by day, the American people on both sides of the fence disappoint me. It's quasi-governmental structure's only set rule is to do most of nothing that Americans want. However, in the past couple days after the passage of the Health Care Overhaul Bill in Congress, it is the right side of the fence that has appalled me enough to voice my opinions against those I once held communion with- the Republican party. In the last few days, the extraordinary outpouring of anarchy, lawlessness, and hate coming from the right defies logic; I did not think America capable of the acts beginning to manifest themselves.
Let me bring all of you up to speed- conservative and tea-bagger (the Tea Bagger anti-health care political movement begun as a generally right-winged passive resistance idea) leaders, including bloggers and some official Republican leaders have egged on a movement only well described as a revolt. The champions of supposed "freedom" and "security" have become the very perpetrators of terror and hate- leaders have posted addresses, phone numbers, names, and email addresses of Congressmen for the zealots to use in their rampage. Small sections of the right have basically risen up against the rest of the nation- moderates, liberals, the apathetic (even the moderate conservatives) are all at risk by these violent dissenters. Mobs of citizens are thronging against Democrats in office- they have started violent and racist mobs that are two steps up in intensity from before the passage of the bill. Shots were fired at a House Democrat's home today- numerous vandalism cases involving bricks through windows, smashed mailboxes, destroyed cars, etc. have multiplied. Coffins have showed up on Congressmen's lawns- shots were fired into a Congressional campaign office. Riots where the African-American Congressmen's photos were burned, spit upon, and racially slandered are becoming common. Our own Virginia House Democrat Tom Perriello was attacked when the natural gas line to his home was cut. Even Eric Cantor, the minority Conservative whip, seemed to have been targeted when a bullet came through his empty office's window. These crazed zealots for their party have terrorized Congressmen to the point of a national controversy. Their number grows by day, as does the resentment in the right over the shady political moves perpetrated by the Democrats to get the Health Care Overhaul Bill passed.
http://www.cnn.com/2010/POLITICS/03/25/congress.threats/index.html
I expected as much- the polarization of both party constituencies due partially to the first African-American President we've ever had and partially to the bill, creating two very polar-opposite groups rather than the medium we used to have. Don't listen to those that say (directly or indirectly) that it is the fault of one party or another. Certainly, these terrorist acts should be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law; however, I see this as people standing up where their government has failed. I mean FULLY, can you really blame them all the way? WHEN HAS OUR GOVERNMENT EVER OPERATED ON SIMPLE MAJORITY?! It is ridiculous that we have become a see-saw society that could not care less for moderation and compromise. WE ARE ALL CITIZENS OF THE UNITED STATES- when half of the population is seething as a result of having the door slammed in their face (mind you a little over one out of every TWO people did not agree with the bill), why WOULDN'T they get mad? The issue is that people no longer trust the government- for wonderful reason. They do not care for legal ways of fighting the bill, like Virginia's DEMOCRAT-MAJORITY State Congress is trying. They prefer to go the illegal route, and while it is disgusting and NOT what society should do, it reflects the under-handed tactics of passing a bill with less than half of a popular majority.
http://politicalticker.blogs.cnn.com/2010/03/24/virginia-governor-to-sign-law-firing-back-at-health-care-bill/?fbid=IUxfZrN2dYQ#more-96318
Both parties are at fault here- conservatives did not budge or compromise enough in this situation, while liberals just ran them (and 50% of the population) over in their quest for "what is right for all". No government should do that- I denounce the government as well.
Good Day.
Let me bring all of you up to speed- conservative and tea-bagger (the Tea Bagger anti-health care political movement begun as a generally right-winged passive resistance idea) leaders, including bloggers and some official Republican leaders have egged on a movement only well described as a revolt. The champions of supposed "freedom" and "security" have become the very perpetrators of terror and hate- leaders have posted addresses, phone numbers, names, and email addresses of Congressmen for the zealots to use in their rampage. Small sections of the right have basically risen up against the rest of the nation- moderates, liberals, the apathetic (even the moderate conservatives) are all at risk by these violent dissenters. Mobs of citizens are thronging against Democrats in office- they have started violent and racist mobs that are two steps up in intensity from before the passage of the bill. Shots were fired at a House Democrat's home today- numerous vandalism cases involving bricks through windows, smashed mailboxes, destroyed cars, etc. have multiplied. Coffins have showed up on Congressmen's lawns- shots were fired into a Congressional campaign office. Riots where the African-American Congressmen's photos were burned, spit upon, and racially slandered are becoming common. Our own Virginia House Democrat Tom Perriello was attacked when the natural gas line to his home was cut. Even Eric Cantor, the minority Conservative whip, seemed to have been targeted when a bullet came through his empty office's window. These crazed zealots for their party have terrorized Congressmen to the point of a national controversy. Their number grows by day, as does the resentment in the right over the shady political moves perpetrated by the Democrats to get the Health Care Overhaul Bill passed.
http://www.cnn.com/2010/POLITICS/03/25/congress.threats/index.html
I expected as much- the polarization of both party constituencies due partially to the first African-American President we've ever had and partially to the bill, creating two very polar-opposite groups rather than the medium we used to have. Don't listen to those that say (directly or indirectly) that it is the fault of one party or another. Certainly, these terrorist acts should be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law; however, I see this as people standing up where their government has failed. I mean FULLY, can you really blame them all the way? WHEN HAS OUR GOVERNMENT EVER OPERATED ON SIMPLE MAJORITY?! It is ridiculous that we have become a see-saw society that could not care less for moderation and compromise. WE ARE ALL CITIZENS OF THE UNITED STATES- when half of the population is seething as a result of having the door slammed in their face (mind you a little over one out of every TWO people did not agree with the bill), why WOULDN'T they get mad? The issue is that people no longer trust the government- for wonderful reason. They do not care for legal ways of fighting the bill, like Virginia's DEMOCRAT-MAJORITY State Congress is trying. They prefer to go the illegal route, and while it is disgusting and NOT what society should do, it reflects the under-handed tactics of passing a bill with less than half of a popular majority.
http://politicalticker.blogs.cnn.com/2010/03/24/virginia-governor-to-sign-law-firing-back-at-health-care-bill/?fbid=IUxfZrN2dYQ#more-96318
Both parties are at fault here- conservatives did not budge or compromise enough in this situation, while liberals just ran them (and 50% of the population) over in their quest for "what is right for all". No government should do that- I denounce the government as well.
Good Day.
Tuesday, March 23, 2010
Circles- The Healthcare Issue
So after coming full circle, I, the "champion" of individuality and freedom, have caved (once again) to societal pressure and created my first BLOG. Now, I am taking this as a place where I can muse on political actions and governmental issues of importance and how they make no sense whatsoever. Throw in a little snide societal commentary and voila, we have ourselves an editorial.
So, here's to nothing.
My first blog will no doubt be succinct, as it deals with the health care crisis. For i do still hold true that this is a crisis, more than it was before the bill was passed.
At 11:46 (I was watching), the House of Representative passed 219-212 bill H.R 3200, the (in)famous "health care overhaul bill" without a single Republican vote. Now, I left the Republican party a while ago for its 70% religious, southern, stupid base of which i was NOT going to stay a part of after the Sarah Palin fiasco; however, this seems a little ignominious, considering that the Republicans still hold the larger base in the United States, and that base did not approve of this bill. What was it, like, 54% (don't quote me on this, but I think it was a Gallup poll) of Americans disapproved of this bill? It SEEMS TO ME like, once again, in becoming SO zealous for "change", liberals did what they do best: overcompensate. It doesn't matter if the Republicans were immovable on this idea (I mean come on they're the minority, that's all minorities do is RESIST)- the fact remains that the majority of the American people did not want this bill to become law.
The Democrats, in their zeal for what they probably deem is "the greater good," opened up a can of worms for themselves and their beloved president in the backlash they already face with the bill. In basically hoodwinking the American people, they are pushing farther into the Bush-ism way of government that they themselves scorned in prior years. We have come full circle again, through "freedom" back to "what the government wants." "Don't ask, don't tell" does NOT work for government- Americans like me want our government to augment our freedoms, not take them away like the Bush-era Patroit Act and this new Health-Care Bill . I'm not saying the American populace is right in their disapproval of the bill- by all means, no (unfortunately, we see more and more that American society is intellectually failing; take one walk down a high school hallway and everything becomes as clear as day). However, the Americans that WANT AN ANSWER wonder why it is that our government does what it wants, apparently without consulting us.
In the coming months, much legal screaming and battle will be waged against and for this bill. As of today, 11 state Attorney Generals have filed lawsuits against the government on the subject of the new bill. 34 states already have legislation working in their state branches that challenge the "mandatory" clause of the bill. Here in Virginia, the bill is going to Governor Bob McDonnell's desk in a couple days- the backlash in America for the bill is enormous. MY issue with it is not what is in the bill; is the shady politics behind the maneuver and the simple fact that it is mandatory to now have health insurance. Many Democrats defend the bill with the reasoning that "the bill won't work if everyone doesn't pitch in: it must be mandatory to work." The rampant Congress' counter to the arguments of a majority of the American populace begs the question that all should keep in mind: "Should anything be mandatory?"
Good day.
So, here's to nothing.
My first blog will no doubt be succinct, as it deals with the health care crisis. For i do still hold true that this is a crisis, more than it was before the bill was passed.
At 11:46 (I was watching), the House of Representative passed 219-212 bill H.R 3200, the (in)famous "health care overhaul bill" without a single Republican vote. Now, I left the Republican party a while ago for its 70% religious, southern, stupid base of which i was NOT going to stay a part of after the Sarah Palin fiasco; however, this seems a little ignominious, considering that the Republicans still hold the larger base in the United States, and that base did not approve of this bill. What was it, like, 54% (don't quote me on this, but I think it was a Gallup poll) of Americans disapproved of this bill? It SEEMS TO ME like, once again, in becoming SO zealous for "change", liberals did what they do best: overcompensate. It doesn't matter if the Republicans were immovable on this idea (I mean come on they're the minority, that's all minorities do is RESIST)- the fact remains that the majority of the American people did not want this bill to become law.
The Democrats, in their zeal for what they probably deem is "the greater good," opened up a can of worms for themselves and their beloved president in the backlash they already face with the bill. In basically hoodwinking the American people, they are pushing farther into the Bush-ism way of government that they themselves scorned in prior years. We have come full circle again, through "freedom" back to "what the government wants." "Don't ask, don't tell" does NOT work for government- Americans like me want our government to augment our freedoms, not take them away like the Bush-era Patroit Act and this new Health-Care Bill . I'm not saying the American populace is right in their disapproval of the bill- by all means, no (unfortunately, we see more and more that American society is intellectually failing; take one walk down a high school hallway and everything becomes as clear as day). However, the Americans that WANT AN ANSWER wonder why it is that our government does what it wants, apparently without consulting us.
In the coming months, much legal screaming and battle will be waged against and for this bill. As of today, 11 state Attorney Generals have filed lawsuits against the government on the subject of the new bill. 34 states already have legislation working in their state branches that challenge the "mandatory" clause of the bill. Here in Virginia, the bill is going to Governor Bob McDonnell's desk in a couple days- the backlash in America for the bill is enormous. MY issue with it is not what is in the bill; is the shady politics behind the maneuver and the simple fact that it is mandatory to now have health insurance. Many Democrats defend the bill with the reasoning that "the bill won't work if everyone doesn't pitch in: it must be mandatory to work." The rampant Congress' counter to the arguments of a majority of the American populace begs the question that all should keep in mind: "Should anything be mandatory?"
Good day.
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