Month: June 2011

Defense Secretary Robert Gates’ Comment On Diplomacy And Its Relationship To The Anthony Weiner Scandal!

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Secretary of Defense Robert Gates, in his last testimony before the Senate Foreign Relations Committee before his retirement, made a very interesting statement yesterday regarding international relations and diplomacy.

With a big smile, he said that it was clear that all governments lie to each other, and that is par for the course!

What an interesting public admission, and it also applies to relations between people in any field of work, that diplomacy requires tact and a certain amount of deception called “artful lying”, whereby those on the other side do not realize they are being lied to.

It is a fact that all people and institutions are engaged in lying to help promote their individual or group cause. It is a question of being effective, and NOT being caught in the lie that is the magic of success!

This is brought up because of the outrage many have about Anthony Weiner, who lied about his private obsessions and compulsions.

It is not that we should approve of his behavior, but the question remains why is there a double standard as to who stays in office and who leaves after private misbehavior!

Under pressure from Democratic leaders and even President Obama, Anthony Weiner resigned today, even though his constituents showed their support of him in public opinion polls.

Anthony Weiner was a great spokesman for his beliefs, and really cared for the middle class and the poor, and his resignation is a loss to the nation at large.

A special election in a heavily Democratic district will now have to be scheduled, and it is a fact that IF Anthony Weiner chose to run for his vacated seat and his constituents chose to reelect him, that would be perfectly justified and should end the issue of him being a political liability. Democracy should rule, and it is now up to Anthony Weiner to decide if he wishes to pursue this strategy!

Obama Still At 49 Percent In Public Opinion Polls Despite Pessimism About Economy: Why Is That So?

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President Barack Obama remains popular in the nation, despite the high unemployment rate and the gloomy prognosis about the economic future.

In the latest poll, he stands at 49 percent, a high rating considering the economic situation, and never really has been lower than 47 percent, while his predecessors in office often rated much lower, particularly when economic times were tough.

The question is why this is so!

Part of it is the simple fact that the American people like the President and believe he cares about them.

But also, when the American public looks at the choices offered by the Republican opposition in the Presidential race, they are not enthusiastic, as who is there to be excited about?

There are no thrilling, dynamic candidates who inspire people, and most of the candidates are seen as extreme in their views, and the American people as a whole do not like extremes.

So even with a poor economy, Obama is in good stead as the Presidential battle of the GOP develops for 2012!

Barack Obama, Libya, And The War Powers Act

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A bitter debate has developed over President Obama’s decision to intervene in Libya, in unison with NATO, to protect the lives of Libyan citizens and remove Moammar Gaddafi from power.

Unfortunately, it is now three months since that intervention, and Gaddafi is still in power.

But no Americans are on the ground in Libya, and to call what we are doing a real military intervention, is false!

The reality is that Libya will soon be liberated, and the War Powers Act, which is basically a “paper tiger” anyway, does not come into play, since there are no combat troops in Libya.

Ironic that the Republican opposition is making such a stink about Libya, and yet most want us to stay in Afghanistan, and some want us bombing and intervening in many other Muslim lands!

In the long run, intervention in Libya will be seen as a good move, even though right now, there is great impatience that the overthrow of Gaddafi is taking longer than expected.

Obama is correct that the War Powers Act does not apply in this intervention, since it is NOT a war engagement in the pure sense! It is more like the intervention in Kosovo against the Serbians in 1999 by President Bill Clinton!

The Medicaid Cuts Affecting Children And Adults With Disabilities: The Safety Net Full Of Holes!

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It has been shown that children and adults with disabilities often cannot find medical doctors who will see them, and that seeing a specialist who is willing to accept Medicaid is a long drawn out process, even for those with severe health issues.

And state after state is cutting Medicaid access to more disabled people in the name of cost controls, and therefore sending a message that disabled people, supposedly covered under the Americans With Disabilities Act of 1990, a proud moment in the administration of President George H. W. Bush, no longer matter in the name of tax cuts for the rich and the corporations!

What could be more obscene and disgraceful than to show lack of concern for the health of those among us who are basically being blamed for their disabilities!

What could be worse than to say that their lives do not matter, as long as the almighty dollar stands in the way!

The quality of life of disabled people is something those of us fortunate to have no such disabilities do not experience.

But there is a high level of immorality and indecency in allowing the abuse of those who wish they had no disabilities, and are being told they do not matter, and turning our eyes away!

Two decades after the ADA, we are seeing a major deterioration, with little conscience displayed by America’s governors and state legislatures. This says a lot about the concept of America as a special land better than anywhere else, a total lie if we can choose to victimize the helpless and justify it!

Split In The Republican Party On Foreign Interventions! Mitt Romney And Jon Huntsman Open A Debate!

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The Republican Party has been a warlike, hawkish party for the past two decades since the Gulf War, with Congressman Ron Paul of Texas being a rare critic.

When Paul was competing for the GOP Presidential nomination in 2008, he was ridiculed in debates by Rudy Guiliani and other GOP candidates as loony and unrealistic about America’s role in the world.

But as we near ten years in Afghanistan and soon withdraw our forces from Iraq and wonder about the Libyan intervention, nearing three months with no resolution, we are starting to see chinks in the armor of the war wing of the Republican Party.

Senators John McCain of Arizona and Lindsey Graham of South Carolina are always looking to bomb and intervene in another Muslim country, and most Republicans in Congress have refused up to now to realize the heavy financial cost of constant military intervention, particularly at a time of record deficits and the growing dispute over raising the debt limit.

But now, at least two Presidential candidates, the two most likely to go all the way to the nomination, are expressing doubts about continuation of the war in Afghanistan, and the need to reconsider military spending in some form. Mitt Romney and Jon Huntsman have taken a courageous stand in this regard, but this has led at least Lindsey Graham to call Mitt Romney another Jimmy Carter, of all things!

IF either Romney or Huntsman become the GOP nominee against Barack Obama next year, there could be an opening for Obama to start moving to end the involvement in Afghanistan.

And if real discussion of defense and military cuts could move forward, it would change the economic outlook dramatically, and allow some relief on such issues as education, health care, and the environment taking all the hits in spending cuts!

The Growing Movement Against School Homework: A Major Mistake!

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At a time when school achievement is declining rapidly, and America’s schoolchildren are demonstrating less and less general knowledge of all areas of learning at all grade levels, a movement is on to cut back, and in many cases, end school homework, and that is a major mistake!

Of course, children do not like homework, anymore than most people love going to work daily. But that is not the point to be considered!

Homework assists learning, and with the school day and year as short as it is, and so much time wasted in school as it is, homework becomes even more important to teach work habits, and to promote basic skills and acquisition of general knowledge.

It is all good and fine that parents assist children in sports, music, and other social activities outside of school.

It is also good that children should have some time for themselves and to do what they want in their spare time.

But in order to promote deeper thought and analysis skills, a substantial commitment to homework, but challenging work that requires real involvement in use of computer research, is essential.

Children must learn that computers and technology are not just for social media and playing video games, but also for real acquisition of general knowledge in all areas of the curriculum to create a work ethic for adulthood!

The Republican Lies About The Obama Economic Record!

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The Republican Presidential debate in New Hampshire last night demonstrated the GOP ability to lie and deceive gullible voters!

You would think that Barack Obama walked into the Presidency in good economic times, and that George W. Bush left him a positive legacy!

Of course, George W. Bush left the worst economy to his successor of any President since Herbert Hoover left the Great Depression to Franklin D. Roosevelt!

The facts are as follows:

1. The economy has come out of the depths it was in in 2009, although the level of economic growth has slowed up in recent months.
2. Over 2 million private sector jobs have been added in the past 15 months, not enough certainly, but compared to the 750,000 jobs a month being lost at the end of the Bush Presidency and the early months of the Obama Presidency, it is certainly a good sign.
3. The stock market has improved, whereby half of the lost household wealth has been regained.
4. The auto industry has revived from its low point, when we almost lost the entire domestic auto market, which would have led to far worse conditions in the Midwest and South, where most of the auto factories are located.
5. Housing is the big area of lack of improvement, with home prices and home construction still declining. Of course, the nation’s leading banks are major culprits in this regard, refusing to give mortgage loans and trying to foreclose illegally on many properties!

The point is that there is no magic potion by government and the private sector to restore the economy quickly, and the Republicans have come up with no strategy or plan to create jobs or revive the economy, deciding that just attacking President Obama is enough.

And cutting taxes and spending is just the old Herbert Hoover concept, which only made the Great Depression worse!

Do we really want to go back to Herbert Hoover, as Tim Pawlenty proposes, and to believe that miraculously there will be five percent growth annually for the next decade?

It is time to put up or shut up, meaning that the GOP leadership in Congress must stop talking and attacking, and start producing results in cooperation with President Obama, instead of just working to undermine him and making the economy worse!

Two Judicial Decisions: Opposite Results On Gay Rights And Labor Rights!

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Just in the past few hours, two judicial decisions have been announced that transform America in major ways.

In California, a Federal District Judge upheld a decision of a gay state judge which threw out the ban on gay marriage in the Golden State. This is a major victory for gay rights and gay marriage returning to California, although it is being appealed to the Federal Circuit Courts, and eventually will end up, in all likelihood, in the Supreme Court.

At the same time, the state Supreme Court in Wisconsin has upheld the state law taking away the right of collective bargaining for public workers in that state, which had been the leader in labor rights a century ago. The long fought battle by progressive and labor forces against the abusive legislation promoted by the Republican Party and Governor Scott Walker has been lost, and there are moves in other states to strip public workers similarly of hard earned rights to bargain collectively, and protect their benefits.

Many observers see this development in Wisconsin as the beginning of the total demise of the labor movement, while the event in California is seen as the promotion of human rights, but in a tentative way, as the critics will fight tooth and nail to preserve traditional marriage.

Human rights is a constant battle with wins and losses, but no final victory, but that is the story of American history, so the struggle for gay Americans and American workers must continue without any letup!

Ignorance Of American History Pervasive Among American Students! But The Same In World Civilizations and Science!

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A new national study demonstrates what has long been known: America’s students are terribly ignorant and clueless about American history–its personalities, principles, accomplishments, and failures! This was demonstrated by the National Assessment of Educational Progress, called America’s Report Card.

22 percent of fourth graders, 18 percent of eighth graders, and 13 percent of high school seniors showed real understanding of the concepts and the important facts and principles of our nation’s historical tradition.

But it is not just American history, but also understanding of world civilizations and foreign lands that is a problem.

Also, the knowledge of science is abysmal, with many students having no understanding of the physical and biological sciences, with religion having a greater hold and acceptance than the realities of science, so that there are millions of young Americans who have no understanding of evolution or the natural sciences and climate change.

Very small percentages go into the sciences or engineering or technology fields, forcing American companies to recruit students from India, China and elsewhere to fill their needs for trained scientists.

With the emphasis on basic reading, writing, and math skills, but without very good returns even on those subjects, America’s children are being cheated out of what is MOST important: a broad General Knowledge base by the time they have left high school in America!

40th Anniversary Of Pentagon Papers!

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Yesterday marked the 40th Anniversary of the release of the Pentagon Papers, secret documents stolen by Daniel Ellsberg, and released to the NY Times and Washington Post.

The administration of Richard Nixon tried to stop the release, but lost in the Supreme Court, and this enraged Nixon, and started him down the road of illegality, leading to the Watergate scandal a year later.

Ellsberg, still alive and kicking, remains a symbol for those who believe that Vietnam was an illegal war, wrongly prosecuted, and it started to turn the country against the war on a larger scale than ever before.

The revelation of government manipulation and deceit under various administrations also had the deleterious effect of undermining faith in our government, a cynicism which remains prevalent today!