Some interesting facts I stumbled across. Apparently there is a huge crime epidemic in Chicago... one that is so bad, that we might say we have an insurgency in the city. I say this because there has been more murders in Chicago's war zone, greater then our casualties in Iraq this year.
So far this year we have lost 266 soldiers in Iraq. While every soldiers life is precious, and valuable, this number is surprisingly low for a country that supposedly is rife with conflict and terrorism. Over this same time in Chicago, we have lost 291 people to murder. This is staggering, seeing that Chicago is a much smaller area, and has a much smaller population then Iraq does.
Some of the surprising things about how our media treats the war in Iraq, is that we actually have seen a decrease in soldier deaths since we went to Iraq. Our accidental death rate in training exercises actually tended to be higher then our casualty rate in Iraq. Yet... it was made a huge deal.
Does our media not remember World War 2, where we lost tens of thousands of soldiers each year... sometimes even more? And it was rarely reported in tallies of the dead. Iraq has been a war with few casualties for us. Surprisingly low for an area that is supposedly filled with people bent on killing our soldiers.
The two sites I quote my numbers from are linked below... just so you can check my facts.
http://chicagoist.com/2008/08/07/chicagos_murder_rate_up.php
http://icasualties.org/oif/
Friday, September 26, 2008
Wednesday, September 24, 2008
Taxation...
The system of taxation we have in the US is insane. On my paycheck, I have 6 different lines for taxes. Social security, federal and state income tax, disability "insurance" and I have no idea really what the others are for... but there they are, eating away at what I earn.
The sad part about it really is as you make more money, a larger percentage of your earnings get eaten up by taxes. They scale up the percentages until in the higher tax brackets, you are paying more in taxes then you get to keep. Where is the justice in that?
I have heard people tell me, that people who make more... should pay more. And honestly... I agree with that. They should... but they should pay the same percentages. In a percentage based system, the more you make... the more you pay... in a much more fair way.
Another thing you have to look at is the stupidity of taxing the higher income earners at a higher rate... because... it is the people in the top brackets that create a majority of the jobs in this country. And typically, the more money they have, the more money they invest in either their own business, or in businesses of others. So by taxing them more... you are actually taking jobs away from people, and giving that money to the government. And I am sorry, but the government is extremely wasteful with it's money.
So... we need to really look at our tax system and reform it... to let people keep more of their own money, especially the higher tax brackets. Let them create more jobs in the US.
The sad part about it really is as you make more money, a larger percentage of your earnings get eaten up by taxes. They scale up the percentages until in the higher tax brackets, you are paying more in taxes then you get to keep. Where is the justice in that?
I have heard people tell me, that people who make more... should pay more. And honestly... I agree with that. They should... but they should pay the same percentages. In a percentage based system, the more you make... the more you pay... in a much more fair way.
Another thing you have to look at is the stupidity of taxing the higher income earners at a higher rate... because... it is the people in the top brackets that create a majority of the jobs in this country. And typically, the more money they have, the more money they invest in either their own business, or in businesses of others. So by taxing them more... you are actually taking jobs away from people, and giving that money to the government. And I am sorry, but the government is extremely wasteful with it's money.
So... we need to really look at our tax system and reform it... to let people keep more of their own money, especially the higher tax brackets. Let them create more jobs in the US.
Change! Change! Change!
It is the mantra of both campaigns it seems... We need change! But really, what is the change we REALLY need?
It is quite simple really... we need less government. A lot less. Right now, we have so much government bureaucracy that it is stifling. We have so many departments that are bloated and huge, that I am surprised anything can get done in Washington.
It used to be that the Republican party stood for smaller government... trim the fat, downsize the unnecessary parts of the federal state. But now, the Republican party just stands for more "responsible" government. They pretty much want the same departments, the same sorts of regulatory power, and the growth in government that the Democrats want... but... lets make it more "responsible."
Get back to your roots Republicans. The purpose of government is to protect your people. It isn't to provide for them. I remember the day when the Republicans were for getting rid of the welfare state, getting rid of most of the departments in Washington, and cutting down the budget of the federal government. We don't need a huge centralized government in this country.
Cut the departments, cut spending, cut earmarks, cut welfare, cut the department of education, cut the EPA, cut the IRS, cut cut cut.... That should be the mantra of the Republican party...
It is quite simple really... we need less government. A lot less. Right now, we have so much government bureaucracy that it is stifling. We have so many departments that are bloated and huge, that I am surprised anything can get done in Washington.
It used to be that the Republican party stood for smaller government... trim the fat, downsize the unnecessary parts of the federal state. But now, the Republican party just stands for more "responsible" government. They pretty much want the same departments, the same sorts of regulatory power, and the growth in government that the Democrats want... but... lets make it more "responsible."
Get back to your roots Republicans. The purpose of government is to protect your people. It isn't to provide for them. I remember the day when the Republicans were for getting rid of the welfare state, getting rid of most of the departments in Washington, and cutting down the budget of the federal government. We don't need a huge centralized government in this country.
Cut the departments, cut spending, cut earmarks, cut welfare, cut the department of education, cut the EPA, cut the IRS, cut cut cut.... That should be the mantra of the Republican party...
Monday, September 22, 2008
Racism?
I heard about this poll on the radio today, and it was quite funny. So I thought I would comment on it.
http://news-service.stanford.edu/news/2008/september24/poll-092408.html
The poll basically comes up with the assumption that 1/3 of Democrats won't vote for a black man, ie. Barrack Obama. Which I find quite funny.
Long has the democrat party accused Republicans and conservatives as being the party filled with bigots, hatemongers, and race baiters... yet... this poll suggests that a full third of the Democrat party is exactly that.
The Democrat party for YEARS has been classifying and segregating people based on anything you can think of. Woman and Men. Black or White. Handicapped or Fit... They fit everyone into a little box, and go after that "demographic."
Conservatives for the most part view things as ideas. Are your Philosophies sound? Are you qualified for the job? Are you able to accomplish the task with the proper tools? Who cares what you are... can you get it done?
While I think the poll is a bit screwed up, and not entirely true... it does tend to show a bit about human nature, and how conservatives and liberals look at others.
http://news-service.stanford.edu/news/2008/september24/poll-092408.html
The poll basically comes up with the assumption that 1/3 of Democrats won't vote for a black man, ie. Barrack Obama. Which I find quite funny.
Long has the democrat party accused Republicans and conservatives as being the party filled with bigots, hatemongers, and race baiters... yet... this poll suggests that a full third of the Democrat party is exactly that.
The Democrat party for YEARS has been classifying and segregating people based on anything you can think of. Woman and Men. Black or White. Handicapped or Fit... They fit everyone into a little box, and go after that "demographic."
Conservatives for the most part view things as ideas. Are your Philosophies sound? Are you qualified for the job? Are you able to accomplish the task with the proper tools? Who cares what you are... can you get it done?
While I think the poll is a bit screwed up, and not entirely true... it does tend to show a bit about human nature, and how conservatives and liberals look at others.
Personal Responsibility
I look around and see all the problems that are facing our nation today, and it is surprisingly evident that we no longer have a nation that takes personal responsibility for anything we do.
You can start at looking at personal behavior. There was a time where ADHD was just defined as a child with a stubborn streak, that... if the proper discipline and structure was applied would turn out just fine. Now... it is a disease that needs drugs. "Oh... he is just like that... " and pop more drugs. Terets Syndrome? Just a kid who never got disciplined when he said outrageous things, and some doctor just came up with some drugs that seemed to control the odd behavior. I personal knew a kid that had this, and after one episode in which he cussed out another friend very loudly in his face, was soundly punched in the stomach. He never did it again. We like to blame everything on everyone else... and treat it with drugs, diet, or... just live with it, instead of taking responsibility for our actions and being corrected.
Lets take the financial mess we are in. We have people out there who are going into foreclosure. They insist that they are the victims... they didn't understand what they were doing. I am sorry, but if you don't understand it, why did you do it? And now... why is it my fault? If you can't afford a mortgage, you shouldn't get one. And if you can't keep up with your payments, you need to live with the consequences.
Just like those people who murder someone, then claim they were temporarily insane. True... some things that we come up against seem to overwhelm us, but if you really can't control that, and start hurting people? Why should you get away with it?
One thing our founding fathers really understood very well... With Freedom comes responsibility. Just because we have the freedom to do something, we have the responsibility to do the right thing, and the obligation to take the punishment if we make the wrong choice.
Our government has been making a lot of wrong choices lately. They encouraged banks to give loans to people who didn't deserve them. Then a quasi-government agency wanted to make itself continue to look good, so bought bad loans for real cheap, to give the impression that they were in a period of sustained growth. People got rich, and then when the house of cards was ready to fall, the government plays the hero and bails them out.
Down this path, we will face a lot of hardships. The government is attempting to bail out our whole financial system. So far they claim to need 700 billion dollars. That is almost $3,000 dollars per man, woman, and child in the United States. I dunno about you, but I can't afford that. Hard times may come, but we need to let these institutions take the hits. Investment banks, insurance companies, savings and loans... they have fallen in the past without killing our economy. The government bails out companies that use poor business practices, and the result we get are bad businesses that continue to exist, and no longer have responsibility.
My challenge to you... when you screw up, take responsibility for it. Don't pass the buck, don't find someone else to blame. It will make the world a better place. Sure... if the AIG does this it may lead to a bit of a hard time for some... but we will survive. And we will be stronger for it.
You can start at looking at personal behavior. There was a time where ADHD was just defined as a child with a stubborn streak, that... if the proper discipline and structure was applied would turn out just fine. Now... it is a disease that needs drugs. "Oh... he is just like that... " and pop more drugs. Terets Syndrome? Just a kid who never got disciplined when he said outrageous things, and some doctor just came up with some drugs that seemed to control the odd behavior. I personal knew a kid that had this, and after one episode in which he cussed out another friend very loudly in his face, was soundly punched in the stomach. He never did it again. We like to blame everything on everyone else... and treat it with drugs, diet, or... just live with it, instead of taking responsibility for our actions and being corrected.
Lets take the financial mess we are in. We have people out there who are going into foreclosure. They insist that they are the victims... they didn't understand what they were doing. I am sorry, but if you don't understand it, why did you do it? And now... why is it my fault? If you can't afford a mortgage, you shouldn't get one. And if you can't keep up with your payments, you need to live with the consequences.
Just like those people who murder someone, then claim they were temporarily insane. True... some things that we come up against seem to overwhelm us, but if you really can't control that, and start hurting people? Why should you get away with it?
One thing our founding fathers really understood very well... With Freedom comes responsibility. Just because we have the freedom to do something, we have the responsibility to do the right thing, and the obligation to take the punishment if we make the wrong choice.
Our government has been making a lot of wrong choices lately. They encouraged banks to give loans to people who didn't deserve them. Then a quasi-government agency wanted to make itself continue to look good, so bought bad loans for real cheap, to give the impression that they were in a period of sustained growth. People got rich, and then when the house of cards was ready to fall, the government plays the hero and bails them out.
Down this path, we will face a lot of hardships. The government is attempting to bail out our whole financial system. So far they claim to need 700 billion dollars. That is almost $3,000 dollars per man, woman, and child in the United States. I dunno about you, but I can't afford that. Hard times may come, but we need to let these institutions take the hits. Investment banks, insurance companies, savings and loans... they have fallen in the past without killing our economy. The government bails out companies that use poor business practices, and the result we get are bad businesses that continue to exist, and no longer have responsibility.
My challenge to you... when you screw up, take responsibility for it. Don't pass the buck, don't find someone else to blame. It will make the world a better place. Sure... if the AIG does this it may lead to a bit of a hard time for some... but we will survive. And we will be stronger for it.
Friday, September 19, 2008
The Politics of Personal Destruction
Long have politicians been trying to win elections any way they can. Here locally, two people are running for a seat in the House of Representatives. Both of them run radio and TV ads, but rather then tell you the positions they stand for, they attempt to attack the personal character of their opponent. One candidate rips on the other, claiming he is a carpet bagger from Los Angeles, only running for political expediency. The other fires back with an ad, trashing his opponent for participating in an anti-war protest.
Take the national election. Sarah Palin, a relative unknown when she was picked to be McCain's running mate, has been attacked on very personal issues, such as her pregnant daughter, and some stance her church may or may not have. Hannity has been extremely critical of friends Obama has, and has attempted to pin the beliefs of Jeremiah Wright, Father Flager, and Louis Farrakhan to Obama.
Elections are supposed to be about ideals, ideas, and the direction you want to take the country. When did we leave this behind? Why can't we just look at the facts of where each candidate would take us and vote for them based on that.
I will praise the McCain campaign for one thing. Obama has mentioned several times that he believes the Republicans would use his skin color against him. I think that Obama has a warped view of most of the American people if he truly thinks that a race campaign would score McCain some points. So... Kudos to McCain.
My reasons to vote for or against someone is based on the issues. National Security, Right to Life, size of the Government, and the philosophy of each candidate on the role of government in our personal lives and in the market place.
So... candidates... show us your positions, not how good you can destroy your opponent.
Take the national election. Sarah Palin, a relative unknown when she was picked to be McCain's running mate, has been attacked on very personal issues, such as her pregnant daughter, and some stance her church may or may not have. Hannity has been extremely critical of friends Obama has, and has attempted to pin the beliefs of Jeremiah Wright, Father Flager, and Louis Farrakhan to Obama.
Elections are supposed to be about ideals, ideas, and the direction you want to take the country. When did we leave this behind? Why can't we just look at the facts of where each candidate would take us and vote for them based on that.
I will praise the McCain campaign for one thing. Obama has mentioned several times that he believes the Republicans would use his skin color against him. I think that Obama has a warped view of most of the American people if he truly thinks that a race campaign would score McCain some points. So... Kudos to McCain.
My reasons to vote for or against someone is based on the issues. National Security, Right to Life, size of the Government, and the philosophy of each candidate on the role of government in our personal lives and in the market place.
So... candidates... show us your positions, not how good you can destroy your opponent.
Thursday, September 18, 2008
My influences
It is kind of important to me to share some of my influences in my political thought.
I have always been fairly independant minded, with a very huge conservative slant. But there are a few out there who I enjoy listening to and reading.
Whenever my job permits me, I listen to radio talk shows during the day. Most commonly I listen to Rush, Hannity, and Micheal Savage. I tend to split my views between Rush and Savage... with a somewhat distaste lately with how Hannity has been covering the election.
I went to a private Christian College, where I earned a Bachlors in History, and minored in Political Science. (I would have majored in Poly Sci, but... my school didn't have that major.) My Political Science teachers really challenged me to develop my own thoughts, my own beliefs, and my own opinions on all aspects of politics, life, and religion.
My parents also were very conservative, but largely didn't discuss politics much. They left it up to me to bring up subjects that interested me, and we had some fun debates.
But anyways... that is a little about my background, and where I come from.
I have always been fairly independant minded, with a very huge conservative slant. But there are a few out there who I enjoy listening to and reading.
Whenever my job permits me, I listen to radio talk shows during the day. Most commonly I listen to Rush, Hannity, and Micheal Savage. I tend to split my views between Rush and Savage... with a somewhat distaste lately with how Hannity has been covering the election.
I went to a private Christian College, where I earned a Bachlors in History, and minored in Political Science. (I would have majored in Poly Sci, but... my school didn't have that major.) My Political Science teachers really challenged me to develop my own thoughts, my own beliefs, and my own opinions on all aspects of politics, life, and religion.
My parents also were very conservative, but largely didn't discuss politics much. They left it up to me to bring up subjects that interested me, and we had some fun debates.
But anyways... that is a little about my background, and where I come from.
Our economic mess
With the economic times of today, it is becoming more and more clear that we are no where near the bottom of the fall. First we have the collapse of Bear Sterns, then Fanny Maye and Freddy Mack. Now AIG has been bailed out.
Does our government not realize this is not the way a free market is supposed to operate? Do they not see the spiraling hole they are digging for our country?
It is normal for free economies of the world to have times of prosperity, then times of slight decline. It is normal, and necessary. But in this day and age, we have tried to manufacture a constant climate of prosperity in our economy. The only problem is... the longer you delay a decline, the harder that decline is. The correction MUST come, there is no way around it.
This correction should have occurred years ago.... but Alan Greenspan decided to lower interest rates so low, and pump so much extra cash into our markets... that well... we had plenty of cash to spend. Top this off with the way they re indexed the way we viewed inflation in the US, and BAM... it looked like we were continuing our economic prosperity.
Now we have reached a climax where we no longer have the capital to spend... we have so much debt, that we cannot repay it, and no assets to show for it. There was one way to let our economy fall without destroying the whole thing... and that was to let the weakest of the economic institutions to fold. Let Bear Sterns fail... Let Freddy and Fanny fail... let AIG fail.
Would it hurt? Yes. But we can recover from it. But instead, the government took on the responsibility. Took over the debt. How are we going to pay for this? Higher taxes? Taxes will destroy what is left of our economy. Without more of our own money in the system, there isn't much left to build back up the system. What the government takes, it doesn't do well at pumping it back into the private sector.
The only road it seems we are going down now... is the road of a complete Socialization of our country. Where the government takes over all major industry and banking. Where the government continues to rape the rich, and feed itself... all while claiming to care for the poor, elderly, and the children.
Where will it stop? We shall see... but I fear it will not be good.
Does our government not realize this is not the way a free market is supposed to operate? Do they not see the spiraling hole they are digging for our country?
It is normal for free economies of the world to have times of prosperity, then times of slight decline. It is normal, and necessary. But in this day and age, we have tried to manufacture a constant climate of prosperity in our economy. The only problem is... the longer you delay a decline, the harder that decline is. The correction MUST come, there is no way around it.
This correction should have occurred years ago.... but Alan Greenspan decided to lower interest rates so low, and pump so much extra cash into our markets... that well... we had plenty of cash to spend. Top this off with the way they re indexed the way we viewed inflation in the US, and BAM... it looked like we were continuing our economic prosperity.
Now we have reached a climax where we no longer have the capital to spend... we have so much debt, that we cannot repay it, and no assets to show for it. There was one way to let our economy fall without destroying the whole thing... and that was to let the weakest of the economic institutions to fold. Let Bear Sterns fail... Let Freddy and Fanny fail... let AIG fail.
Would it hurt? Yes. But we can recover from it. But instead, the government took on the responsibility. Took over the debt. How are we going to pay for this? Higher taxes? Taxes will destroy what is left of our economy. Without more of our own money in the system, there isn't much left to build back up the system. What the government takes, it doesn't do well at pumping it back into the private sector.
The only road it seems we are going down now... is the road of a complete Socialization of our country. Where the government takes over all major industry and banking. Where the government continues to rape the rich, and feed itself... all while claiming to care for the poor, elderly, and the children.
Where will it stop? We shall see... but I fear it will not be good.
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