The Things You Learn When You Just Listen...

Nancy Pelosi's Irrational Rant

See, I've been a conservative since 4th grade.  That's when I became politically aware.  It was the year Ronald Reagan ran against Jimmy Carter for the presidency of the United States.  According to Nancy Pelosi, I have never really understood what I stand for.  This was almost a revelation to me!

Watching this, I felt a lot like I have in the past when I've read "literature" that claims to expose the dark side of the Mormon church.

I'm pretty sure I know every nook and cranny of the Mormons' doctrine and practices.  I've been pretty "high up" in the Mormon church.  Suffice it to say that I'm "in the know" on a lot of different things going on "inside" the organization.

So far, no dark side....

Likewise, I'm pretty sure I know the ins and outs of conservative political thought.  I've read Thomas Payne's "Common Sense"; I've read Glenn Beck's "Common Sense"; and I've read Mark Levin's conservative manifesto, "Liberty and Tyranny".

No dark side there, either.

I'm pretty sure I even understand a lot of "Tea Party's" frustrations out there.  I even went to a rally back in 2009.  And I'm confident that conservatives and "Tea Party" like clean air, clean water, safe food, old people and children.  They even like working people and birds.  Many of them at the rally had pets with them.  While I'm not a veterinarian, the animals looked healthy and well-cared for.  There were white people, black people and brown people at the rally (which is remarkable in our county where 98% of the population is "white", 2% are "native American", and the rounding error includes everyone else.

They were not fighting and they were not tearing things up.  They talked about ideas and, from what I heard, I'm pretty sure that their plan for American prosperity does not involve making sure poor people pay bank fees.

In fact, I'm pretty sure that Nancy Pelosi didn't get a single thing right in this little "town hall" meeting statement.

Really, guys, if you're a progressive person, do you REALLY think this is what's driving the conservative movement?  Museum quality art?  Taller masts (giggles in the background)?  Bank fees for poor people?  Taking away air from kids?

Get the story straight: either "Tea Party" is a rich guy swilling brandy on a yacht with Filipino servants and his trophy wife, or "Tea Party" is a redneck xenophobe shooting beer cans off the hood of a Buick while his pregnant-barefoot wife tends the kids and makes him nachos, or "Tea Party" is a frustrated middle-aged middle-manager in a middle-sized company in middle-America.  You can't have it all ways.  And if it IS all ways, maybe "Tea Party" has something there.

Please - and I'm serious in this plea - let's talk about IDEAS and stop throwing bombs at each other.  A jab every now and then is healthy (and even funny), but ridiculous accusations like Mrs. Pelosi makes here are beyond the pale.

A Little Civil Discourse...

I guess they didn't get the Obama memo on toning down rhetoric.

My biggest concern is that, rather than wage or encourage a "war of ideas" these people - congressmen - are really encouraging a war on people.  By branding some amorphous group called "Tea Party" as "racist" and simply lying about "Tea Party's" desire to bring back Jim Crow laws and hang black congressmen from trees, they really are whipping up fear and encouraging hatred of a whole group of people.  So, whenever one of these listeners sees someone they think is "Tea Party" they're supposed to be afraid, then be angry, then do something about it.

Why not simply encourage their constituents to engage in thoughtful discussion with their neighbors?  Why not encourage them to discuss common values and to seek solutions to common problems?  Why not simply ask them to peacefully lead those misguided souls they may think are "Tea Party" to the Truth and the Light of the Progressive Solution?

I've listened to more crazy excerpts from "Tea Party" speeches than I have from progressive speeches, and I've never heard anyone say we need to hang black people from trees or that we need to reinstate Jim Crow laws or that they're happy that black people are perpetually unemployed or any other thing.  I've never heard "Tea Party" say they want poor people to starve or old people to die.  I've never heard "Tea Party" say that liberals should "go to hell".

It's a sick, sick world out there in Progressive Land.  I wish that the people trapped in that place could see the truth of what conservatives are saying.  If they then decide they don't like the ideas, that's fine.  That's what America is about.

We're not about demagoguery, though.

A Double Standard in Our National Love Affair With The First Amendment...

As you undoubtedly recall, there was tremendous uproar from some people when the "Ground Zero Mosque" was proposed by a supposedly moderate cleric leading a supposedly moderate community outreach effort in New York City.

The people who opposed it (largely) did not say that no mosques should be built in America.  They did  not say that Islamic religion should not be allowed in America.  They simply said that they thought it was offensive that a mosque should be built so close to the site of a massacre carried out by Islamic terrorists in the name of Allah and Islam.  The idea was on its face repulsive, they argued.

The almost instant backlash sponsored by the popular press, the mayor of New York City, and the president of the United States branded those who opposed the mosque's location blocks from the World Trade Center as racists (as if "Muslim" is a race or ethnicity), haters, and deniers of religious freedom.

In the northern part of Phoenix, Arizona the Mormon church owns a 9 acre piece of land.  The land is in a residential area, and about half of the parcel is already occupied by a Mormon chapel.  The church wants to build a temple on the other half.

As soon as that desire was stated, groups of citizens - some neighbors, and others simply "concerned" - began legal action to block the construction of the temple.  It would be too bright, it would be too tall, it would bring too much traffic, it was not compatible with the neighboring community, it would damage home values, and on and on.

The local press (national media was not so anxious to pick up on this issue as they were the mosque) lampooned the church and sympathized with those working to stop construction.  In all the coverage, it was never implied by reporters that the real issue here was freedom of religion.  The vaunted First Amendment has never been raised.  And those who oppose this temple's construction have never been called haters or xenophobes or racists or anything but "concerned citizens".

I think it's interesting that our country still finds it acceptable to fear, despise and hate Mormons even after the (very literal) war of religious extermination (yes, "extermination" in the true sense of the word) the governments of the various states (Ohio, Missouri and Illinois specifically) - and the federal government itself (invading Utah in 1857) - waged against the Mormons in the mid-1800s.

Similar observations can be made about the way Jews are treated in our political discourse and in our media.

Neither Jewish nor Mormon leaders have ever declared a desire to destroy America.  Neither Jews nor Mormons have ever participated in any plot to harm Americans in the name of Judaism or Mormonism.  Only Islamic leaders have repeatedly called for the destruction of America (and thus the American Ideal).  And only Muslims have enlisted by the thousands and the tens of thousands in veritable armies acting out the terrible slaughter of "infidels" as Muslims call those of other faiths - Christians, Jews, Hindus, Buddhists, Animists.

And yet, Islam seems to be a "sacred cow" if you will forgive the metaphor.  Why does Islam enjoy First Amendment protection in the American media and the American political system, while Christianity is systematically erased from our national discourse and ignorants within and without government are allowed to persecute Mormons and Jews?

I'm not whining about it.  I'm just wondering....

Cake. And Eat It, Too...

The problem, here, is that Mr. Obama seems to say whatever is convenient with a reckless disregard for the truth.

Either adding debt $4 trillion at a time (over 8 years, as Bush 43 did; or over 2 years, as Obama Himself did) is unpatriotic or it's not.  And if it's not, but it's necessary, does that make it okay?

Which leads to a larger philosophical question.  If something is wrong, but it seems to be unavoidable, is it right to do it?

Constitutional Rights and Natural Consequences...

So, it seems that two girls who were then sophomores in high school, took advantage of the summer break in 2009 and posted lewd photos of themselves on their MySpace pages.  The principal of the school did not suspend them, but he did prohibit them from participating in school sports for one year.

The girls and their parents, aided by the ACLU, sued the school and the principal saying that the principal's action had violated the girls' civil rights under the First Amendment.

I don't agree with the assertion.  The exercise of any right or privilege is never free from consequences.

Let me try to draw an analogy.  We can try to stick with the First Amendment issue.

The supreme law of the land says that congress shall not make any law restricting the practice of religion.  Therefore, if I define my religion as one that includes - for the sake of keeping this tasteful - stealing a Snickers candy bar every Tuesday at 3pm, the law cannot keep me from practicing my religion.  However, practicing my religion will very likely yield a consequence that I cannot avoid.  I will probably be arrested  and convicted for shoplifting.  The idea that my religion holds shoplifting as one of its tenets does not change the natural consequences that will follow exercising my First Amendment right.  But has the state violated my civil rights?

Likewise, congress shall not make any law restricting the freedom of speech.  Therefore, if I choose to dress in Klan regalia and walk through Watts, California shouting racial slurs at 9 o' clock on a Friday night, there will likely be a consequence that follows exercising my right of expression.  Will my civil rights be violated, or will I simply prove Darwin's theory of natural selection?

Courts have interpreted this freedom or right to include art and symbols.  If I choose to post photos of myself smoking dope and burning an American flag while participating in a rally supporting the Communist Party of the USA, I am free under the Constitution to do that.  If a prospective employer who is a McCarthy-ite sees those photos while preparing to interview me for a job, I cannot control the consequences of my choices.  I will probably not be offered the job.  The result will not be a violation of my civil rights; it will be a natural consequence of that individual evaluating the quality of my personal judgement through the prism of his or her personal value system.

So, did this high school principal in Indiana violate the girls' civil rights in 2009?  NO!  That's a ridiculous assertion.

First of all, he did not restrict their freedom of expression.  Second of all, he did not prohibit them from coming back to his school to continue their publicly funded education.  And thirdly, he did not humiliate or demean the girls in any way - they did that all by themselves.  The principal did restrict them from participating in school sports for the year following their exhibition of poor judgement and low regard of self.  But there is no right, civil or otherwise, that any American has to participate in school sports.  If there were, schools across the country would find themselves afoul of the ACLU and the Supreme Court when they cut athletics programs in order to balance their budgets.

We have, as a people, allowed ourselves to become so "open minded" that our collective brain seems to have fallen out.

Here's A Chuckle For You...

The Colbert Report	Mon - Thurs 11:30pm / 10:30c
Yahweh or No Way? - Mormons & God's Poll Numbers
www.colbertnation.com
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My Letter To Speaker Boehner...

Mr. Boehner:

Congratulations on single-handedly leading Republicans into an ambush by "real market forces".  In addition to natural laws kicking our country's financial ---, Republicans look like the idiots who got us into this mess.  And maybe they are.

All of your political gamesmanship will not restore the wealth of our nation or the confidence of our peers in the world.

This outcome was entirely predictable and those close to you in the political process doubtless profited immensely by shorting the market prior to your "deal".

Next time, keep your hands out of the markets, open your ears and your mind to people with good ideas, and don't step on yourself like this again.  Economics is a pure, non-partisan science - avoid confusing it with statistics, propaganda or poli-sci.

May I suggest that your next course of action be: 1) Simplify the tax code - incomes of $0 - 50,000 pay 5% of gross; $50,001 - 150,000 pay 10%; and incomes above $150,000 pay 12.5%. No personal deductions.  Corporations pay 15%.  2) Cap government spending at 15% of the previous year's GDP.  3) Reduce the debt ceiling by $1 trillion per year for 10 years and limit debt in perpetuity to 33% of GDP.

Respectfully,

John N. Ellis
Prescott, Arizona

The President's Comments During Market Crash...

Today the DJIA fell more than 600 points - the 6th biggest drop in history.

In the middle of the fall, and appearing to spur the sell-off into a more frenzied pace, President Obama told the world that "in the coming weeks" he would present his own ideas for resolving the debt and deficit problems America has.

Where in the world has this idiot been for the last 6 months - let alone the last 3 years?  What in the world has this idiot been thinking about during that same period of time?  Why does this idiot need "the coming weeks" to put together his ideas?

This idiot is not a leader.  He has even lost his ability to be a community organizer (read "street agitator").  He is weak.  He is small.  He is irrelevant on the national and world stages.

And still we have craven Republican party "leaders" and shills negotiating and compromising with themselves in order to avoid the displeasure of a fraudulent administration and a complicit media complex.

Remember this in November 2012.  Throw the bums out.  Replace them with people of integrity who are committed to restoring individual liberty to American citizens.

A Letter I Sent To My Representative In The House...

Dr. Gosar: 


First, let me get this out of the way. I've been contacting your office from the beginning of your term in Congress. I am not a "member" of the "Tea Party" (whatever that means); nor am I a liberal, a moderate, or an extreme "right winger" (whatever that means). When I've contacted you, you've always been very courteous and prompt with your reply. I appreciate that immensely. That is one thing I liked about your predecessor, Ms. Kirkpatrick. 


I think I'm a reasonable person - not a crank, not a conspiracy theorist, not a nut job. And I think that I think pretty well. I can see patterns and predict outcomes - especially on a macro level, such as US or World History. 


When I asked you not to support the Boehner Compromise (whatever that means) it was not because I'd been drinking the Kool-Aid at the local Tea Party. It was because EVERY SINGLE TIME our government has sought to "rescue" our economy it's turned into a financial nightmare. Have your staff look at what the DJIA did after Stimulus I, TARP, Stimulus II. Have them look at what happened after every intervention during the Great Depression. The current market free-fall was predictable. 


And I suppose I'm not the only one smart enough to have seen it. If I'd been significantly invested in the market, I could have seen this coming and made a FORTUNE by taking a short position - essentially betting against the country. 


So, I need to know what possessed you to support the plan? 


I can only imagine the pressure Speaker Boehner can bring to bear on an individual.... 


But I digress. 


Please let me know why you supported the bill. 


Respectfully, 


John N. Ellis

A Little Financial Markets History...

I know I said I'd take a week off.  I got to thinking, though.  Here's where my little mental adventure took me.

On 13 Feb 2008, President G.W. Bush signed the Economic Stimulus Act of 2008.  At the beginning of the week the Dow Jones Industrial Average opened at 12,182; by the end of that week it had risen to 12,348.  On the day the bill was signed the DJIA opened at 12,552; it closed on the following trading day at 12,377.

On 3 Oct 2008, President G.W. Bush signed the Troubled Asset Rescue Plan.  At the beginning of the week the DJIA opened at 11,140; by the end of that week it had fallen to 10,325.  On the day the bill was signed the DJIA opened at 10,484; it closed two days later at 9,447.

On 13 Feb 2009, President B.H. Obama signed the Economic Stimulus Act of 2009.  At the beginning of the week the DJIA opened at 8,281; by the end of the week it had fallen to 7,850.  On the day the bill was signed the DJIA opened at 7,933; it closed on the following trading day at 7,553.  By 9 Mar 2009 the DJIA was at 6,547.

On 23 Dec 2009, the US Senate approved the Healthcare Reform Act commonly known as "Obamacare".  At the beginning of the week the DJIA opened at 10,330; by the end of the week it had risen to 10,547.  On the day the bill was passed by the Senate the DJIA opened at 10,464; it closed on the following trading day at 10,520.

On 2 Aug 2011, the US House approved the Debt Ceiling Increase Compromise commonly known as the "Boehner Plan".  At the beginning of the week the DJIA opened at 12,144.  On the day the bill was passed the DJIA opened at 12,130; it closed on 4 Aug 2011 at 11,896.

So, what is the history lesson?  It appears that the markets do not seem to mind when the rules are changed, as in healthcare reform, as long as there are rules.  However, when there are no rules, as when Congress or the President take upon themselves to dispense cash pell-mell, the markets react poorly.  Probably because there are either no rules, or the rules are so arbitrary and are likely to be enforced capriciously that it is impossible to predict the outcome of the game.

Remember the Bush Tax Refund?  It was ridiculous, but the rules were very clear.  The Dow did not like the fact it happened, as witnessed by the "day after" number, but it bounced back quickly.

Likewise, the rules of Obamacare are written so that there is some chance of certainty.  The Dow seems to be indifferent to it.

Every other time in recent history where our government has felt compelled to "rescue" our economy it has meant disaster for the financial markets.  And that means disaster for senior citizens living on earnings from their 401k or other retirement savings.  That means disaster for investors who look with a jaundiced eye toward the very likely prospect of an insolvent Social Security Administration and who are depending on their ability to amass wealth in preparation for retirement.  It even means disaster for young people saving for college and investing 529 plans, etc.

So, what do we do?  We remind each other and our representatives of these financial facts.  We ask them to learn from history so that they do not repeat it at our expense.

Turn, Turn, Turn...

To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven:  A time to be born, and a time to die; a time to plant, and a time to pluck up that which is planted;

A time to kill, and a time to heal; a time to break down, and a time to build up;

A time to weep, and a time to laugh; a time to mourn, and a time to dance;

A time to cast away stones, and a time to gather stones together; a time to embrace, and a time to refrain from embracing;

A time to get, and a time to lose; a time to keep and a time to cast away;

A time to rend, and a time to sew; a time to keep silence, and a time to speak;

 A time to love, and a time to hate; a time of war, and a time of peace.

(I swear it's not too late....)

The Twenty-Third Psalm...

The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want.  He maketh me to lie down in green pastures: he leadeth me beside the still waters.  He restoreth my soul: he leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his name's sake.

Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me.  Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies: thou anointest my head with oil; my cup runneth over.

Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life: and I will dwell in the house of the Lord for ever.

I Lost Focus...

In all the tumult and strife about the debt ceiling and the budget I've lost focus on what's important.  I've done all I can as a person to get the outcome I desire.  It is, apparently, not to be.  And in the meantime, I've lost focus.

I've lost focus on "peace that surpasseth all understanding".

I'm going to take this week off.  Not from work, mind you!  There's precious little of that going around and I'll take it when I can get it!

I'm going to take the week off from news, the internet, email, worry.

I hope that you can do the same....

I'm going to work on making my meditation and prayer more meaningful and deliberate.  I'm going to work on walking the peaceful path more regularly.  I'm going to work on regaining perspective.