Thursday, March 24, 2011

Concerned

Recently I saw on major television networks and youtube an advertisement by CAGW, Citizens Against Government Waste(http://www.cagw.org/) that portrays Asians, more specifically a Chinese audience, seemingly laughing at the United States of America because they now own our debt. These Asian faces are laughing, seemingly nefariously,,while a host, Asian also, in Chinese with subtitles is telling this audience how they now own the United States of America. This portrayal could easily create an animous between our US citizens and China. This commercial and portrayal was quite offensive to me. Being of hispanic origin, I have witnessed this ploy of using of a particular ethnic face, latino and black, in a stereotype malevolent way toward a self serving agenda. They, China, didn't steal our country's debt we asked them to pay for our War of choice, Iraq. We all know what administration and political party was responsible for this decision after the realization that the oil from Iraq was not going to be our source of payment as they had erroeously assumed. Now we find this organization, CAGW, attempting to associate this indebted condition to our present administration . The CAGW organization has many close affiliations with the GOP/Tea Party.and is once again, quite surreptitiously, attempting to deceive albeit at the expense of Asians and the citizenry of the United States of America.

Those of us aware of the various underhanded machinations being utilized by the right wing of the Republican Party or Tea Party in the manipulation of information in support of their party's agenda must be diligent about exposing their efforts. We must bring it to light to the voters, the citizens who are too busy with their daily struggles and don't have the time to sift through the bombardment of misinformation. This deployment method is of course just another way of manipulating the uninformed with the psychological methodology that if something false is repeated enough as being true then people will eventually think it to be true. 

Take time to watch this video on YouTube (http://www.cagw.org/) and question if your sense of observation in the way this video is presented doesn't leave you with that feeling of being manipulated and worse with a sense of prejudice or bias against China or Asians.

Wake up, America!

Tuesday, March 22, 2011

Where Are We?

The U.S. of America

Domestic Issues: Jobs, spending, economic growth and Education are the major domestic issues being considered as priorities by our legislative representatives and Obama Administration

A) Jobs seem to be evincing gradually in lieu of losses. This is due to a
     reinvesting in our infrastructure, our investment in those large institu-
     tions that provide domestic jobs, tax legislation credits and incentives
     to inspire Small Business growth and Entrepreneural chance taking,
     Housing market incentives through percentage reduction on loans
     and mortgages.
     * An issue of concern is the recent publication of the disparity in the
        hiring of men vs women for jobs available.
     * The House of Representatives was returned to the Republicans by
        voters on the issue of Jobs. They have spent all there time trying to re-
        call the Health Care Reform program, destroy the middle class through
        break up of unions, cut all programs that are for education, the poor,
        the voice of NPR, deregulate the EPA programs, etc. They, the GOP/Tea
        Party have expended their time in a destructive endeavor rather than to
        their campaign promises of introducing legislation for jobs building.

B) Spending is being tossed around in Congress with the unfortunate
     continued bipolar bias that that is being voted on strictly along poli-
     tical lines. Unfortuantely, many of the spending issues that are being
     considered for the 'cutting board' are those that are going to affect
     the common folk and the legislatures are voting based on a bottom
     line basis that affects their individual personal interests.
     * My personal injection is that congress members should be reedu-
        cated with a mandatory course on 'morals and ethics', on the
        nuances of our Democracy taught by Sam Harris, Philosopher/author
        or Amy Chua, Prof. of World Econ. and Political Sci.

C) Economic growth is a mindset of whether the Spending is an expendi-
     ture or an investment. Our 'free market' economy has been historically
     advanced with expansion or diminishment by way of a domestic mindset
     that incites more or less investment. The country, after six to eight years
     of downward growth, seems to finally be turning toward a positive mind-
     set of investment and job growth. This will 'snowball' in a free market
     economy. We must welcome new approaches, new ideas.
     * Our Republican and Tea Party friends(no difference) are attempting to
        dwell or highlight all the negatives possible to not allow the Obama admin-
        istration to seem successful in their efforts. After all, 'defeat the Obama
        administration at all costs, just say 'no' GOP politics is still in affect.

D) Education must be the number one issue our Country must address in regard
     to the growth of our Nation with the underlying impetus directed toward our
     children and people. Our societal priorities must be rearranged making edu-
     cation and all associated contributers, ie. teachers, buildings, class rooms,
     libraries, etc.,  the top investment by America. President Obama and his wife
     Michelle are very strong advocates and proponents of education being the
     foremost priority of this country and every community. They are both Phd.
     certified extremely erudite and published authors. This allows them the
     right and qualified to press the importance of education.
    * Education is key to growth of not only the individual but the community
       and the Nation.

International Issues: The Iraq, Afghanistan Wars, Trade Markets, Interna-
tional politics and now Libya

 A) President Obama kept his promise to pull our 'fighting' soldiers out of Irag.
      Of course we still have round troops in the outskirts to oversee the transition
      ot Iraq's new construct. Their version of the integration of their political per-
      suasions, ie; Sunni, Shia, secular etc.
      * G.W. Bush's war of choice finally coming to an end.

B) Afghanistan was also started by President Bush for an appropriate reason,
     9/11, but later dropped the ball and chose to start a war with Iraq leaving
     our soldiers in Afghanistan in much greater harms way by pulling out Amer-
     ica's resources. We had the Taliban on the run if not almost defeated at least
     in their people's minds, we had al Qaeda hiding and also running scared yet
     the Bush administration; Cheney, Rumsfeld, Rice, wanted oil instead of cap-
     turing the head and tentacles of those responsible for 9/11.
    *This manifested very deceitful, ill-informed, incapable leadership.

C) International Trade and Market policies are being reintroduced into real dis-
     course and negotiations with the oil industrial nations, the dollar vs yuan valu-
     ation with China along with it's trade policies and the highlighting of the need
     to redevelop American made products and industry both domestically consum-
     ed and injected back into a very competitive international market. It raises the
     bar for quality produced products by our labor force and industry.

D) Libya, the most recent military action by the US has been action taken not
     without designated United Nations Charter. It will be strictly abided by and
     in accordance to Security Council Resolution 1973 of a 'No fly zone'. We
     will not invoke a ground troop mission without the approval of the United
     States Congress and in coordination with a United Nations direction. This is
     what President Obama has stated and continued with the reason for US mili-
     tary involvment is a humanitarian mission trying to keep pro Gadhafi forces
     from  massacring his own civilians by bombing them. The US was condemned
     for not assissting soon enough in Bosnia, Darfur, Rwanda. There is criticism on
     both sides of this action. "...Winging it" stated by Sec. of Def., Gates, conti-
     nues to cause debate of our or plan or lack of to extricate ourselves as the
     country in charge of this military action and whether President's Barack Obama
     over reached the Constitution's: Informed Consent.

We the people of the United States of America are in extremely precarious times domestically and certainly internationally. We must all become involved by writing our congressman or congresswoman and speaking out before the political and media pundits state their opinions saying that they speak for us 'the people'(an abused term to connote that they speak for us). We must be very cognizant and diligent so as not to allow these misrepresented voices to manipulate the truth as well as our voices consequentially resulting in undesireable political legislation by our Representatives.

Wednesday, March 9, 2011

GOP's Master Plan

Democrats and Independents, we need to recognize the sureptitious impetus behind all that is being vociferously highlighted by the GOP's number one motivation which is to defeat President Barack Obama in the next election. I must give credit to the planning board of the GOP for how successful their plan and objectives through an insidious dissemination of misinformation to the masses without caring about whatever group this information may injure, has been implemented. The following are the individual major issues the Republican Party under the guise or mask of the right wing of their party, the bigeted, prejudiced xenophobes that use a historically liberating representative name to feign the cause it's name represents, The Tea Party, are putting forth.

1) The inception of  'The Tea Party' as a supposed independent group of the
     people

2) The Tea Party through their unscrupulous representations win The House
     of Representatives

3) Defeat all issues and causes of the Obama Administration at all cost regardless
    of it's benefit to the country and those most in need, 'Just say No'.

4) Attempt to recall the National Health bill voted by the people as law without
    regard to it's manifesting benefits and what group it will most negatively affect
    by:
     a) pressing to defund certain line items
     b) dissemination of misinformation of cost and eventual savings
     c) depicting it as a Socialist pursuit

5) Depicting the Obama Administration as the responsible party for bailing out
    big banks and companies when it was the GOP and President Bush, previous
    Republican Administration, who placed us under the historic deficit we're in,
    started Wars of choice placing our soldiers in harms way without appropriate
    battle gear and not paying for it or the war (where's the oil money they told us
    would pay for the war and where are the weapons of mass destruction that was
    the reason to send our soldiers to die?) but borrowing the money from China
    making us an 'indebted nation', etc.

6) Questioning President Barack Obama's citizenship (a xenophobic attempt)

7) Behind the motivations of individual states to implement harsher immigra-
    tion laws, ie Arizona's Governor Jan Brewer's instilling fear mongering tactics
    through Bill 1070, Indiana Representative Delph through Bill 590, by
    amendmending to Article 11 of Federal Immigration Bill 1070 with
    Article 8 section E:  A law enforcement officer, without warrant, may arrest
    a person if the officer has probable reason to believe that the person has
    committed any public offense...This person may be stopped if found that
    reasonable suspicion exists that this person is an Alien* unlawfully present
    in the United States
* "Alien": what does one look like?

8) Attempt to take away bargaing rights from unions with the underlying motive
    of breaking up unions who were a major voting force behind President
    Obama's election. They are what historically has created our Middle Class
    (critical to the inherent nature of our Democracy and Capitalist system)

9) Pushing through partisan bills with the threat of shutting down the govern-
    ment if the Republican's don't have their deficit reduction request for this
    fiscal year: implementation would affect expenditure for the rights of women,
    planned parenthood, major environmental issues( ie mercury emissions
    upping ethanol percentage, mountain top mining, fertilizer pollutants runoffs
    into major waterways), job creation, aid for schools in nutrition programs,
    heating and housing programs for the poor

10) Most ominous is the pressing to withhold all funds from a voice that has
      been the epitome of a checks and balance segment of  'free' press, NPR.
      This in itself manifests the true motivations of those that wish to stymie
      the inherent nature of America's Free Democracy.

Democrats/Independents we must become active in turning this around by
exposing the Republican/Tea Party's surreptitious intentions and our 'Will" to
disseminate correct information. We must make sure that the middle class
survives and the poor get assistance. We cannot allow 'fear mongering',
denegrating and derrogatory demonizing methodologies to represent our
country's make up. This happens through voting and "Us" speaking out!!!

Wednesday, February 23, 2011

To be or Not, to be

Begin this beginning wondering
are the souls hovering o’er their incarnate shells
lying in the streets of Bahrain
in the dessert of Libya
or sidewalks of Iran
make the cause worth the loss


As I watch from the comfort of my home
seeing of how the strong arm of autocracy
is squelched by the gathering of voices
of those oppressed


The strength of this revolution
comes from the strife and scars
of faces gathered who’ve made a choice
to fight with life for human dignity
so that their children will live
in self rule and liberty

We see the violence and lives lost
People in these countries fighting for a cause
Dictators suppressing the fight
through sectarian genocide

In my own back yard I feel a strife,
a strain upon my person.
My face is brown, my hair is black
when I now walk outside my door
I concern myself, always looking back

I’ve lived a citizen of this country
now for many years
placing my life in jeopardy in 1969
still I must walk amidst the question,
because my hair is black, my face brown
‘where are my papers?’, I’m now, forever bound

The oligarchic elite wish to keep the power
They hoard the money and jobs
Pass legislation maintaining privileges
for those whose face is white, the right

Right wing politicians legislate perfidy
Surreptitious and insidiously
they suppress today’s undesirable ethnicity
Their identity is masked as liberators
stealing the name from America’s history
‘ Tea Party’, of those that truly were

Unlike history, though, this Party believes in segregation,
excluding some religions, ideologies and race,
because of this there will always be interrogation
for those that look like me and you
 
 
 
 
 

Saturday, February 12, 2011

"Egypt is Free"

Congratulation! Celebrate! Remember the faces of those who's blood flows through the crevices of stone and grains of sand. The lamenting tears of Mothers, fathers, sisters, brothers, children, for those who've fallen for the cause. They and you have changed the land of Kings and Pharaohs, you've changed the world. This 'revolution' must now implement the changes that will give a new face, a new landscape. This will significantly affect all the Nations that surround. You, the children of this new Nation, must be careful that when you clench your new land in your hands it does not sieve through your fingers to once again fall back onto the hot and arrid landscape of before. You must till the sand, water it, turn it into soil where new growth shall evince for even in the desert new life can grow. Be mindful, children in the Land of Kings and Pharaohs, with this new beginning there's a transitional state of fragilility. Be cautious and curious with what changes may be taking place in your Land. Instability has a characteristic of isidiousness. Go home, bathe, eat, feed your children, rest with one eye open, then come back, symbolically, to Tahrir square and oversee the 'Democratic' transition.

A Nation can transition into what the indigenous people wish without the invasiveness of 'big brother' the U.S. . We didn't have to send our soldiers to die and kill. We didn't have to partake in another 'Nation building' scheme. This new revolutionary process has taken on a new method of proceeding. The utilitarian process of mass media, cyber linking, i.e., Google (Executive, Wael Ghoneim), Facebook, Twitter etc. has revolutionized the capacity for change to come about. It was a significant factor in our own landscape in voting in our first Black President. This medium captures the true nuances of the characters on stage. It has immediate impact and exposes consistencies and hypocricies.

Congrtulations, Egypt!

Saturday, February 5, 2011

Egypt Reform

President Hosni Mubarak of Egypt must consider the desire of the people of Egypt and step down. Any further attempts by his regime to surreptitiously inject his personal secret militia (made up of paid for thugs and police )  into the mix of the peaceful demonstrators will be highly evident. His initial attempt at cutting off all utility of telephones, facebook, twitter, etc. was visibly protested by the international community. At the same time releasing his 'thug mentality' police onto the otherwise peaceful demonstrators to thwart their demands of his immediate resignation was not successful. Fortunately, the international media was able to capture and report on Mubarak's regime attempts at forcefully squashing the protest before they too were being beaten and rounded up by civilian dressed police trying to prevent international exposure to their totalitarian methods. When this didn't work he then went ahead and approved to allow the usage of telephones, facebook and twitter but not until he sent once again his 'thugs' out to cause havoc into the demonstrators trying to demonstrably show that there would be chaos and uncontrollable violence in the streets of Egypt if he stepped down immediately. He, Hosni Mubarak, thought that the international community let alone his own people wouldn't see right through his manipulation, his signature, of this.

His appointment of a Vice President, Omar Suleiman previously head of Intel and security for the same regime, he thought would be a sufficient demonstration of his willing to transition his stepping down but on his own terms and time frame. This of course is unacceptable to the masses of Egypt. Nothing less than his and his regimes immediate departure from his office is acceptable according to a leader of the demonstrators,  Nobel Peace laureate Mohamed ElBaradei.

We, President Barack Obama and the United States of America, must demonstrate our support for the people of Egypt who wish to transition into a more democratic system. Not necessarily being the installer of our own type of Democracy but one that affords the basic human liberties and freedoms to the masses. This along with the acknowledgement and subsequent transition of providing and sharing the wealth of the nation with all the people and not the very few as has been the history of this autocratic regime.

It is critical that the US show support for the people of Egypt in this occasion so as to show that we are a nation that lives up to our professed and promotion of basic human rights to all of the peoples in this planet.
In that the reality is that the US has security concerns and investments in this area is known by all. We can work through Egypt's military structure, supported monetarily by the US for many years, in the interests of our and Israel's security required in this part of the world. This avenue would help install with the minimum of force a secure but temporary power structure with checks and balances in place as a vehicle to facilitate giving up it's athority once  the people of Egypt vote in their choice of leaders. We, the U.S., must walk a careful path, though, so as not to be perceived as seemingly the sole nation toward this influence. We must solicit the international community and nations to support the need for stability in this part of the world. We must get the major powers of Russia, China, Britain, India and France as well as integral nations like Saudi Arabia, Syria and Iran to come together in this effort.

This is the time that the US political voices should pronounce our intent in a single voice. We must take a world leadership role hear and not let our own present domestic political transitions to manifest an unstable and bifurcated voice. We must show the world that we stand for what's 'right' and not for our personal interests.  

Tuesday, January 25, 2011

State of the Union Address

Why does it always take a tragedy like Representative Maggy Gifford's attempted assassination or 9/11 for the majority of the masses of the people in these United States of America to introspect, reassessing of our coming together for a common cause? Through this latest tragedy and travesty we call attention to our wanting to be more civil to each other in at least nominally through our public discourse. Our basic social foundation still flounders concerning our societies priorities and ideological/political positions. We being so polarized, through demonization of each other, have come to a level of degeneration where taking care of those most in need, ie; universal health care, social security, medicare, our infra-structure, the future of our planets eco system, JOBS, are the targets of political slings and economic cut backs. These, in lieu of the military's wanton unnecessary projects, nation building(unnecessary wars), bailing out institutions that do not produce a proletarian based industry, giving the elite and extreme wealthy their tax cuts as they finance the creation of an oligarchic state. What does this speak to by other observing nations of the world which ironically were the type of nations we, the America of old, would speak out against with great disdain and directly promote their demise. These are the issues that The State of the Union Address should highlight. It should reflect upon the direction of our inherent makeup. The foundation of 'morals and ethics', new found 'liberties, freedoms', support of the 'down trodden' and whether our open arms to those wanting to immigrate to a country where this foundation is manifest are now closed.

We have become a country that has forgotten the value of community in the nebulous approach toward 'individual rights' defending this at all cost. We have lost the spirit of pride and dignity in what our Constitution was intended that being; the morality of parity and equity for all whether it be politics or religion, the 'right' and 'freedom' to pursue whatever venture may contribute to indivdual or community success as long as it does not harm anyone through suppression in the process. Innovation and entrepreneurship in building and producing products for world consumption in lieu of being a country of only consumption should be our manifest destiny. This is hindered because of our nations lack of priority in 'investing' in our educational system.

Author of :India Calling: An Intimate Portrait of a Nation's Remaking" and columnist Anand Giridharadas, Indian by heritage born in Cleveland Ohio, best captured the threat that America faces in the near future in saying as a guest on the Jon Stewart Show "...we are so concerned over the threat of losing our leadership in the world to countries like India and China based on economics when we should be concerned over the underlying deterioration of our human infrastructure by way of denegrating, degradating each other, a destructive mindset vs building up our attitudes which is the mindset of Indian and Chinese societies toward their 'building' process".

Special note: We must be careful not to pursue an attitude presently being manifested by a consensus of the GOP who want to 'repeal'( for example the Universal health bill) what was legitimately passed as statute by the present electorate and may introduce a destructive mindset for newly elected administrations. Repealing in lieu of capturing the positives of specific issues in statutes and maybe revising the less desireable nuances.
An insidious trend seems to be quietly evincing where elections and counts, although the elected administrator is showing favorable progress, they are being recalled and governance is being undermined. This is damaging progress in an already deteriorating societal infrastructure.

Sunday, January 9, 2011

Tucson/Rep. Gabrielle (Gabby) Gifford

Are we all responsible in some way by contributing or allowing by not speaking out against the angry tone and atmosphere with vitriolic rhetoric. '...freedom of speach; peaceable assembly and a right to petition the Government for the redress of grievances', our first amendment allows anyone to speak up either for or against any issue. The question arises as to what level of expressing oneself do words, intentionally manipulated, are used to incite reaction go beyond the pale creating an environment of potential active violence.

The Sheriff of Pima County Clarence Dupnik, yesterday immediately after the tragic incident of the wanton shooting by Jared Loughner of Representative Gabrielle Gifford, Judge John Roll, nine year old Christina Greene, Gabe Zimmerman, Dorwin Stoddard, Dorothy Morris, Phyllis Scheck and fourteen others, emotionally, stated that Arizona because of the elavated rhetoric on Immigration issues has become the mecca, the capital of 'bigotry and prejudice'. He referenced the tone and inflamatory level integrated into the public discourse on the issues that involve people of different cultures and race as becoming extremely toxic.

With this, I want to say that rhetoric such like 'in cross hair' references as stated and supported by Sarah Palin, the Tea Party and other right wing zealots during the last mid term campaigns should be held accountable. This word and pictorial reference, specifically, was called attention to by the now victim, Representtative Gabrielle Gifford in an interview. Words do have their consequences expecially for the use of these type of inciteful references when words fall onto the ears of unstable individuals.  " Words must be carefully chosen because once said they echo throughout, heard by both the connected and the unhinged" President Bill Clinton.

I used to travel to Arizona both on business and travel, Tempe, Scotsdale, Phoenix, Tucson, but with recent media coverage of the militaristic, 'Gestapo" tactics being employed, I decline to make this state an option to travel and visit with my family. This environment has been recently constructed by way of  Arizona's Governor, Jan Brewer's seemingly right wing position on 'illegal immigrants' and Senator John MaCain's most recent expediant political transition, 'build that wall' (Sarah Palin's chant), in order to get reelected. This 'wind' has blown through out. I've been profiled both in Iowa while driving to visi my wife's parents in Omaha, Nebraska and in Indiana while driving to visit friends in Elkhart, Indiana. Yes, my ancestry and myself were born in Mexico yet to the disdain of those wishing to employ previously mentioned tactics, I am a Naturalized citizen and now must carry proof of it whenever traveling.

I do choose to reside in this country and am grateful for it's manifest freedoms and liberties, still developing as a young nation and still understanding it's founding Constitution. It has Provided me and my family, though presently temporarily baffled 'dream', the opportunity of becoming one's aspirations, one's dreams.

On a personal note: I become emotional when I write about issues that are most salient to me, specifically, issues about opportunities for all no matter what race, color or nationality. I will make a concerted effort at speaking or writing about issues with less inciteful emotional words and more focussed on suggesting opposing options to debate the issues vs spending time on writing with an accusational tone.

Wednesday, January 5, 2011

The Real GOP

Today the Congressional House comes out with it's 'new' attire. What will it's face look like? Can it hide behind the make-up (words) it applied while rehearsing for the real performance? Will it be washed away and the real face evince?

They have vowed as their main focus not to address the problems that we as citizens request, require and for which we voted them into office, but to defeat Barrack Obama in the 2012 election. Their impetus is to do this with whatever means inspite of whether job creation programs are not being the focus, the Dream Act is dispelled as an amnesty bill, and worst of all their egregious attempt to repeal the Health Bill that is already proving of great benefit to the majority of all segments of our society. This effort is being relentlesstly pursued by the 'power hungry' old school 'right wing' Republicans and, unfortunately, many Tea Party constituents representatives, Republicans with make-up,  for no other reason than to defeat all of President Obama's efforts. They do this in spite of the damage it would do to the United States of America.

Their 'true' face showed when they were attempting to forestall the bill that would provide funds for the 911 responders (now nine years later) who have aquired health issues and are slowly dying while their families are losing their homes because of the medical expenses. Their (Republican and Tea Party) patriostism for the US is questionable when they put their personal political aspirations in front of the needs of the country.

I am hoping that proponents of The Health Program that was voted by a majority of citizens will stand firm and fight with all their might in the battle with  those that wish to repeal it.

Democrats and Independents who are attuned to the needs of the country must speak up resoundingly.
Assist those who are uninformed about the real facts of this countries needs and efforts being put forth by Democratic legislature so that misinformation being disseminated by the right wing of the Republiican Party, promoting their agenda through a negative approach of surreptitious and destructive methods, does not usurp the truth.

Write, email or call your Congressman to express your desired position on the various issues and demand they hold steadfast as your representative.