West Virginia - PGEastern Panhandle Blog
About the Author
Thoughts and ideas from a concerned citizen and Democratic party member in the Eastern Panhandle of West Virginia
Here's another idea for change the new Democratic administration should consider embracing - Climate change and energy security involve two areas of vital national interest. Combining them both into a reorganized U.S. Department of Energy & Climate Protection may be a key step the Obama administration should seriously consider pursuing. The two areas are interrelated and by combining the two in a single department, the tendency for industry lobbyists to dominate one priority over the other will be off set. Further, the time to elevate climate and environmental protection has now come. It is interesting to note that other countries in Europe and elsewhere have started to move forward with similar proposals.
I was curious about Governor Palin, and was hoping to find out more about her over the coming weeks. I read this morning that she was a long time Pentacostal and then also saw this article that may, unfortunately, raise some uncomfortable issues -
The Alaska governor addressed parishioners at Wasilla's Assembly of God Church in June and likened the war to a messianic mission.
Ed Kalnins - the church's senior pastor since 1999 - has preached that critics of President Bush will go directly to hell. Although the church took its Web site down yesterday, Kalnins' sermons are widely available on Google video.
During the 2004 election, Kalnins - who originally hails from New Jersey - praised Bush, and offered this message:
"I'm not going tell you who to vote for, but if you vote for [John Kerry], I question your salvation. I'm sorry."
In another eyebrow-raising development, voter records revealed that Palin's husband, Todd, twice registered as a member of the Alaskan Independence Party, a fierce state's-rights group that has advocated for secession from the nation.
New York Post â€" 9/6/2008
http://www.nypost.com/seven/09032008/news/nationalnews/church_prayer_for_iraq_war_127206.htm
The Alaska governor addressed parishioners at Wasilla's Assembly of God Church in June and likened the war to a messianic mission.
Ed Kalnins - the church's senior pastor since 1999 - has preached that critics of President Bush will go directly to hell. Although the church took its Web site down yesterday, Kalnins' sermons are widely available on Google video.
During the 2004 election, Kalnins - who originally hails from New Jersey - praised Bush, and offered this message:
"I'm not going tell you who to vote for, but if you vote for [John Kerry], I question your salvation. I'm sorry."
In another eyebrow-raising development, voter records revealed that Palin's husband, Todd, twice registered as a member of the Alaskan Independence Party, a fierce state's-rights group that has advocated for secession from the nation.
New York Post â€" 9/6/2008
http://www.nypost.com/seven/09032008/news/nationalnews/church_prayer_for_iraq_war_127206.htm
Ever since 9/11, the news media and our politicians have been telling us we need to be fearful, that we should be scared, frightened, … Everything is a crisis and we are told that people are afraid. I’m really starting to resent that. I look around and my neighbors, friends, family, co-workers are not cringing in fear as the news and politicians would have you believe. We’re fine. We’re a bit ticked off at bad policies, disturbed by the challenges of this new century, mad at the widespread greed and corruption within many of our large corporations. But if left unchecked, eventually we will start to believe the fear mongering. We will become a nation of scared rabbits. Enough is enough. Let’s stop telling everyone they should be fearful and choose our words more carefully. Sure we should weigh risks, be cautious when necessary, but are we scared? Absolutely not! It is time to regain our pride. It’s time to be bold. Time to speak up and let the news media and our leaders know that we are not a bunch of scared rabbits �" we’re Americans. When corporate leaders think short term, pay themselves embarrassingly large salaries, and then commit fraud and destroy the company that was entrusted to them �" arrest them, hold them accountable, and punish them as you would any criminal. If news anchors and writers insist on using words carelessly, insult us and constantly tell us we are a weak, frightened people, let’s speak out and use our words against them. When our politicians tell us we should shake in our boots and be afraid of the many potential threats out there, let’s vote them out and elect politicians that will inspire and lead us forward, drawing out the strength and power of the people. America is not, and never was, a nation of scared rabbits!! Don’t let anyone ever tell you that again. It is time for a change.
There was an interesting article in the Chrsitan Today news site about universal healthcare in England. It is working and continues to be a model that deserves real consideration in America. http://www.christiantoday.com/article/nhs.marks.60th.birthday/20150.htm
Depending on which major studies you read, at least 44,000 people, and perhaps as many as 200,000 people, die as inpatients in hospitals each year as a result of medical errors that could have been prevented. In addition to the cost in terms of human lives, medical errors have been estimated to result in total costs between $17 billion and $29 billion per year in hospitals nationwide. It was also estimated in a JAMA article that there were 199,000 deaths from medical errors in outpatient care alone, and there could be upwards of 424,000 annual deaths per year in the American medical system, which would make the existing system itself one of the leading causes of death in the United States.
Thankfully, the Democratic party is not ignoring the problem and is moving towards a national solution. It is the right thing to do, it is the moral thing to do. This is not an issue to be left solely to the marketplace. It's not about maximizing profits for healthcare industry companies. It's about caring for our people and putting them first.
Depending on which major studies you read, at least 44,000 people, and perhaps as many as 200,000 people, die as inpatients in hospitals each year as a result of medical errors that could have been prevented. In addition to the cost in terms of human lives, medical errors have been estimated to result in total costs between $17 billion and $29 billion per year in hospitals nationwide. It was also estimated in a JAMA article that there were 199,000 deaths from medical errors in outpatient care alone, and there could be upwards of 424,000 annual deaths per year in the American medical system, which would make the existing system itself one of the leading causes of death in the United States.
Thankfully, the Democratic party is not ignoring the problem and is moving towards a national solution. It is the right thing to do, it is the moral thing to do. This is not an issue to be left solely to the marketplace. It's not about maximizing profits for healthcare industry companies. It's about caring for our people and putting them first.
The general U.S. news media continues to report on the number of U.S. casualties - over 4000 dead and more than 30,000 wounded, not to mention coalition and contractor casualties. While this alone is disturbing, the news media should also report on the total number of Iraqi dead and casualties - several hundred thousand dead and about a million wounded to date. That's about 5% of their population. Thats like us having 15 million casualties. Thats pretty shocking. Reporting those numbers allows us to better judge the impact and 'success' of our war.
The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees found that more than 2.2 million people have been displaced inside the country, while a further 2.2 million have fled to neighbouring countries, thats almost 20% of the countrys population. That's like 60 million American being forced to leave our homes or our country.
Are we really winning? What does that term really mean to George Bush and John McCain? I haven't even mentioned the hundreds of billions of our U.S. tax dollars spent on this venture. What is the real cost of this war? Lets take another look at the numbers, all the numbers. Its time to get out.
The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees found that more than 2.2 million people have been displaced inside the country, while a further 2.2 million have fled to neighbouring countries, thats almost 20% of the countrys population. That's like 60 million American being forced to leave our homes or our country.
Are we really winning? What does that term really mean to George Bush and John McCain? I haven't even mentioned the hundreds of billions of our U.S. tax dollars spent on this venture. What is the real cost of this war? Lets take another look at the numbers, all the numbers. Its time to get out.
Iraq, the economy AND healthcare are key issues in the campaign for the Presidency. Here's why healthcare needs to be addressed.
Depending on which major studies you read, at least 44,000 people, and perhaps as many as 200,000 people, die as inpatients in hospitals each year as a result of medical errors that could have been prevented. In addition to the cost in terms of human lives, medical errors have been estimated to result in total costs between $17 billion and $29 billion per year in hospitals nationwide.
It was also estimated in a Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) article that there were 199,000 deaths from medical errors in outpatient care alone. There could be upwards of 424,000 annual deaths per year in the American medical system, which would make the system itself the one of the leading causes of death in the United States.
The National Council for Patient Information and Education reported that an additional 125,000 deaths occur annually due to adverse reactions to drugs that the physician never should have prescribed.
To put this into perspective, this is the equivalent of a World Trade Center disaster every week for over a year and a half, or the crash of two fully loaded 747 aircrafts every day of the year.
We spent a trillion dollars reacting to the terrorist attacks on the World Trade Center and started a never ending war in Iraq. Let's put things in perspective and also recognize the importance of resolving some of our healthcare issues.
Depending on which major studies you read, at least 44,000 people, and perhaps as many as 200,000 people, die as inpatients in hospitals each year as a result of medical errors that could have been prevented. In addition to the cost in terms of human lives, medical errors have been estimated to result in total costs between $17 billion and $29 billion per year in hospitals nationwide.
It was also estimated in a Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) article that there were 199,000 deaths from medical errors in outpatient care alone. There could be upwards of 424,000 annual deaths per year in the American medical system, which would make the system itself the one of the leading causes of death in the United States.
The National Council for Patient Information and Education reported that an additional 125,000 deaths occur annually due to adverse reactions to drugs that the physician never should have prescribed.
To put this into perspective, this is the equivalent of a World Trade Center disaster every week for over a year and a half, or the crash of two fully loaded 747 aircrafts every day of the year.
We spent a trillion dollars reacting to the terrorist attacks on the World Trade Center and started a never ending war in Iraq. Let's put things in perspective and also recognize the importance of resolving some of our healthcare issues.
People are waking up to the facts. Democrats may better represent the true social values and action that should reflect Christian beliefs. Take a quick read of this excerpt from an article from the Family News Network -
Recent surveys have found that younger evangelicals are less tied to the GOP than their parents have been, even while remaining deeply opposed to abortion. They are especially concerned about environmental protection, leading many conservative Christians to reassess their views on the issue. A group of Southern Baptist leaders issued a statement March 10 saying the denomination had been "too timid" on environmental issues and has a biblical duty to stop global warming.
"Lots of people feel that the evangelical label has been taken captive by a very narrow political program," said the Rev. Rich Nathan, senior pastor at The Vineyard Church of Columbus, which is hosting 'a Christian social justice' revival. "Folks don't feel that that represents them. Many of the so-called evangelical leaders are saying, we didn't elect these people, they don't represent us. How did they become our spokespeople? How did this narrow agenda become our agenda?"
By our words and actions let us continue to be the party of true Christian social justice and values. People are waking up to this truth.
Recent surveys have found that younger evangelicals are less tied to the GOP than their parents have been, even while remaining deeply opposed to abortion. They are especially concerned about environmental protection, leading many conservative Christians to reassess their views on the issue. A group of Southern Baptist leaders issued a statement March 10 saying the denomination had been "too timid" on environmental issues and has a biblical duty to stop global warming.
"Lots of people feel that the evangelical label has been taken captive by a very narrow political program," said the Rev. Rich Nathan, senior pastor at The Vineyard Church of Columbus, which is hosting 'a Christian social justice' revival. "Folks don't feel that that represents them. Many of the so-called evangelical leaders are saying, we didn't elect these people, they don't represent us. How did they become our spokespeople? How did this narrow agenda become our agenda?"
By our words and actions let us continue to be the party of true Christian social justice and values. People are waking up to this truth.
Take a moment to read this. Republican Pastors/Leaders have been saying similar things as Obama's pastor for years.
Excerpt from an article by Art Moore in WorldNetDaily - March 2008
The anti-America rhetoric of Barack Obama's Chicago pastor is mild in comparison to pronouncements made by Francis Schaffer in the 1970s and 1980s, charges the late evangelical thinker's son. Frank Schaeffer, who has written a book distancing himself from his evangelical roots, asserts in a newspaper column that Obama has been unfairly "smeared" by his association with Rev. Jeremiah Wright Jr., the Illinois senator's self-described spiritual mentor and moral compass.
Schaeffer, writing in the Baltimore Community Times, charges "the far-right Republicans and the stop-at-nothing Clintons are using the 'scandal' of Obama's preacher to undermine the first black American candidate with a serious shot at the presidency."
"Every Sunday thousands of right-wing white preachers (following in my father's footsteps) rail against America's sins from tens of thousands of pulpits," Schaeffer writes. "They tell us that America is complicit in the 'murder of the unborn,' has become 'Sodom' by coddling gays, and that our public schools are sinful places full of evolutionists and sex educators hell-bent on corrupting children."
Obama, after what he called a "firestorm" sparked by the airing of sermon videos that captured inflammatory pronouncements by Wright, gave a speech Tuesday in which he denounced his pastor's remarks but refused to "disown" him.
In his column, Frank Schaeffer, argued "right-wing preachers" say, "as my dad often did, that we are, 'under the judgment of God.' They call America evil and warn of imminent destruction. By comparison Obama's minister's shouted 'controversial' comments were mild.
"All [Wright] said was that God should damn America for our racism and violence and that no one had ever used the N-word about Hillary Clinton," says Schaeffer, a convert to the Eastern Orthodox Church in 1990.
He argues that "while Dad and I crisscrossed America denouncing our nation's sins, instead of getting in trouble we became darlings of the Republican Party." "We were rewarded for our 'stand' by people such as Congressman Jack Kemp, the Fords, Reagan and the Bush family," Schaeffer writes. "The top Republican leadership depended on preachers and agitators like us to energize their rank and file. No one called us un-American."
Excerpt from an article by Art Moore in WorldNetDaily - March 2008
The anti-America rhetoric of Barack Obama's Chicago pastor is mild in comparison to pronouncements made by Francis Schaffer in the 1970s and 1980s, charges the late evangelical thinker's son. Frank Schaeffer, who has written a book distancing himself from his evangelical roots, asserts in a newspaper column that Obama has been unfairly "smeared" by his association with Rev. Jeremiah Wright Jr., the Illinois senator's self-described spiritual mentor and moral compass.
Schaeffer, writing in the Baltimore Community Times, charges "the far-right Republicans and the stop-at-nothing Clintons are using the 'scandal' of Obama's preacher to undermine the first black American candidate with a serious shot at the presidency."
"Every Sunday thousands of right-wing white preachers (following in my father's footsteps) rail against America's sins from tens of thousands of pulpits," Schaeffer writes. "They tell us that America is complicit in the 'murder of the unborn,' has become 'Sodom' by coddling gays, and that our public schools are sinful places full of evolutionists and sex educators hell-bent on corrupting children."
Obama, after what he called a "firestorm" sparked by the airing of sermon videos that captured inflammatory pronouncements by Wright, gave a speech Tuesday in which he denounced his pastor's remarks but refused to "disown" him.
In his column, Frank Schaeffer, argued "right-wing preachers" say, "as my dad often did, that we are, 'under the judgment of God.' They call America evil and warn of imminent destruction. By comparison Obama's minister's shouted 'controversial' comments were mild.
"All [Wright] said was that God should damn America for our racism and violence and that no one had ever used the N-word about Hillary Clinton," says Schaeffer, a convert to the Eastern Orthodox Church in 1990.
He argues that "while Dad and I crisscrossed America denouncing our nation's sins, instead of getting in trouble we became darlings of the Republican Party." "We were rewarded for our 'stand' by people such as Congressman Jack Kemp, the Fords, Reagan and the Bush family," Schaeffer writes. "The top Republican leadership depended on preachers and agitators like us to energize their rank and file. No one called us un-American."
I read this very good article by Bradley Burston about the type of Christian candidate we want. It touches on key points.
"This is what I want from my candidate: Emulate Jesus. Heal. Be a true christian. Act to heal a country which is wounded and cleft to its core.
But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you. (Matthew 5:44)
The message of loving one's enemies is not weakness, but wisdom. It says, do all you can to talk before opening fire. If forced to open fire, be judicious in its application. Explore every opportunity to reopen talks while fighting, and to resolve hostilities through agreement.
If someone strikes you on the right cheek, turn to him the other also (Matthew 5:39)
Emulate Jesus. Know the difference between self-defense and vengeance.
The message of the turned cheek is not appeasement. It is resoluteness in the face of provocation. It is to consider one's actions with care, to consider the consequences of one's planned reactions as seriously as the depth of the injury which prompted them.
Beloved, never avenge yourselves, but leave it to the wrath of God, for it is written, 'Vengeance is mine, I will repay, says the Lord. To the contrary, if your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him something to drink; for by so doing you will heap burning coals on his head.' Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good. (Romans 12:19-21)
"Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth, where moth and rust doth corrupt, and where thieves break through and steal. (Matthew 6:19)
Emulate Jesus. Heal. Reconsider the sanctity of material wealth. Reconsider the concentration of treasure in the hands of the very few. Reconsider the anointment of oil, and how that has come back only to ruin the nation, the economy, the world, how it has fueled and lubricated terrorism, how it has enriched despots. Enshrine not tax cuts and shelters only for those whose treasures are already beyond mortal use.
Disdain not nor dismiss the poor among you, the immigrant, the ghetto child, the ill and infirm and aging for whom health care is beyond reach, for Jesus and those he ministered to, were those as well.
For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, 36I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.' (Matthew 25:35-6)
Emulate Jesus. Place the good of humanity and the world above the good of one's standing on the Forbes 400. Hear Jesus' message: "He speaks more about the poor than about prayer," says Pastor Mel Williams of Durham, North Carolina. "Jesus tells us in Matthew 25 that we will be judged not by our piety, but by how we treat the poor."
A christian should not equate insensitivity, rigidity, voraciousness, profligacy, resort to violence, conspicuous consumption, or the cult of firearms, with true manhood, nor with love of country, nor with sense of self.
If you would be pro-life, fight the death penalty and the right to keep handguns within the grasp of children, with the same fervor with which you fight abortion.
If you would be pro-life, promote public education, employment opportunity, and support for single parenting with that same fervor.
Do you really believe that if Jesus were alive today, he would concern himself with constitutional bans on gay marriage and tenacious defense of the right to own assault weapons?
Someday, America may truly be able to call itself a christian country. But only if it pays more attention to the words and the works of Jesus, and less to those who speak with anger, bitterness, vengeance, and exclusionism, in his name."
"This is what I want from my candidate: Emulate Jesus. Heal. Be a true christian. Act to heal a country which is wounded and cleft to its core.
But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you. (Matthew 5:44)
The message of loving one's enemies is not weakness, but wisdom. It says, do all you can to talk before opening fire. If forced to open fire, be judicious in its application. Explore every opportunity to reopen talks while fighting, and to resolve hostilities through agreement.
If someone strikes you on the right cheek, turn to him the other also (Matthew 5:39)
Emulate Jesus. Know the difference between self-defense and vengeance.
The message of the turned cheek is not appeasement. It is resoluteness in the face of provocation. It is to consider one's actions with care, to consider the consequences of one's planned reactions as seriously as the depth of the injury which prompted them.
Beloved, never avenge yourselves, but leave it to the wrath of God, for it is written, 'Vengeance is mine, I will repay, says the Lord. To the contrary, if your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him something to drink; for by so doing you will heap burning coals on his head.' Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good. (Romans 12:19-21)
"Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth, where moth and rust doth corrupt, and where thieves break through and steal. (Matthew 6:19)
Emulate Jesus. Heal. Reconsider the sanctity of material wealth. Reconsider the concentration of treasure in the hands of the very few. Reconsider the anointment of oil, and how that has come back only to ruin the nation, the economy, the world, how it has fueled and lubricated terrorism, how it has enriched despots. Enshrine not tax cuts and shelters only for those whose treasures are already beyond mortal use.
Disdain not nor dismiss the poor among you, the immigrant, the ghetto child, the ill and infirm and aging for whom health care is beyond reach, for Jesus and those he ministered to, were those as well.
For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, 36I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.' (Matthew 25:35-6)
Emulate Jesus. Place the good of humanity and the world above the good of one's standing on the Forbes 400. Hear Jesus' message: "He speaks more about the poor than about prayer," says Pastor Mel Williams of Durham, North Carolina. "Jesus tells us in Matthew 25 that we will be judged not by our piety, but by how we treat the poor."
A christian should not equate insensitivity, rigidity, voraciousness, profligacy, resort to violence, conspicuous consumption, or the cult of firearms, with true manhood, nor with love of country, nor with sense of self.
If you would be pro-life, fight the death penalty and the right to keep handguns within the grasp of children, with the same fervor with which you fight abortion.
If you would be pro-life, promote public education, employment opportunity, and support for single parenting with that same fervor.
Do you really believe that if Jesus were alive today, he would concern himself with constitutional bans on gay marriage and tenacious defense of the right to own assault weapons?
Someday, America may truly be able to call itself a christian country. But only if it pays more attention to the words and the works of Jesus, and less to those who speak with anger, bitterness, vengeance, and exclusionism, in his name."
The general U.S. news media continues to report almost daily on the number of U.S. casualties - over 3800 dead and more than 28,000 wounded, not to mention coalition and contractor casualties. While this is disturbing, they should also report daily on the total number of Iraqi dead and casualties - several hundred thousand dead and about a million wounded to date. That's about 5% of their population. That�s like us having 15 million casualties. This type of more balanced factual reporting would help us to better judge the situation there.
According to a new report from Oxfam and a coalition of Iraqi Non-Government Organizations (NGO), it suggests that 70% of Iraq's 26.5 million population are without adequate water supplies. Only 20% have access to effective sanitation. Nearly 30% of children are malnourished, a sharp increase on the situation four years ago. Some 15% of Iraqis regularly cannot afford to eat. The report also said 92% of Iraq's children suffered from learning problems. Meanwhile, the US agency overseeing reconstruction in Iraq said economic mismanagement and corruption were equivalent to "a second insurgency".
The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees found that more than 2.2 million people have been displaced inside the country, while a further 2.2 million have fled to neighbouring countries �" almost 20% of the country�s population. That's like 60 million American being forced to leave our homes or our country.
Are we continuing to have real success and progress in Iraq? Should we stay or leave. These are ethical decisions that we need to weigh in on and discuss openly. We should focus on making more facts available and maybe use a little less political spin. The facts really do speak for themselves. Staying in Iraq and continuing the same course is wrong. Church leaders that back President Bush and the Republican Party are wrong. Christians need to speak out no matter how uncomfortable it may be. The church cannot remain silent on this matter.
According to a new report from Oxfam and a coalition of Iraqi Non-Government Organizations (NGO), it suggests that 70% of Iraq's 26.5 million population are without adequate water supplies. Only 20% have access to effective sanitation. Nearly 30% of children are malnourished, a sharp increase on the situation four years ago. Some 15% of Iraqis regularly cannot afford to eat. The report also said 92% of Iraq's children suffered from learning problems. Meanwhile, the US agency overseeing reconstruction in Iraq said economic mismanagement and corruption were equivalent to "a second insurgency".
The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees found that more than 2.2 million people have been displaced inside the country, while a further 2.2 million have fled to neighbouring countries �" almost 20% of the country�s population. That's like 60 million American being forced to leave our homes or our country.
Are we continuing to have real success and progress in Iraq? Should we stay or leave. These are ethical decisions that we need to weigh in on and discuss openly. We should focus on making more facts available and maybe use a little less political spin. The facts really do speak for themselves. Staying in Iraq and continuing the same course is wrong. Church leaders that back President Bush and the Republican Party are wrong. Christians need to speak out no matter how uncomfortable it may be. The church cannot remain silent on this matter.
The general U.S. news media continues to report almost daily on the number of U.S. casualties - over 3500 dead and more than 25,000 wounded. While this is disturbing, they should also report daily on the total number of Iraqi dead and casualties - several hundred thousand dead and about a million wounded to date. That's about 5% of their population - like us having $15 million casualties. This type of more balanced factual reporting would help us to better judge the situation there.
According to a new report from Oxfam and a coalition of Iraqi Non-Government Organizations (NGO), it suggests that 70% of Iraq's 26.5 million population are without adequate water supplies. Only 20% have access to effective sanitation. Nearly 30% of children are malnourished, a sharp increase on the situation four years ago. Some 15% of Iraqis regularly cannot afford to eat. The report also said 92% of Iraq's children suffered from learning problems. It found that more than two million people have been displaced inside the country, while a further two million have fled to neighbouring countries - that's like 30 million American being forced to leave our country. Meanwhile, the US agency overseeing reconstruction in Iraq said economic mismanagement and corruption were equivalent to "a second insurgency".
Are we continuing to have real success and progress in Iraq? Should we stay or leave. These are ethical decisions that we need to weigh in on and discuss openly. We should focus on making more facts available and maybe use a little less political spin. The facts really do speak for themselves.
According to a new report from Oxfam and a coalition of Iraqi Non-Government Organizations (NGO), it suggests that 70% of Iraq's 26.5 million population are without adequate water supplies. Only 20% have access to effective sanitation. Nearly 30% of children are malnourished, a sharp increase on the situation four years ago. Some 15% of Iraqis regularly cannot afford to eat. The report also said 92% of Iraq's children suffered from learning problems. It found that more than two million people have been displaced inside the country, while a further two million have fled to neighbouring countries - that's like 30 million American being forced to leave our country. Meanwhile, the US agency overseeing reconstruction in Iraq said economic mismanagement and corruption were equivalent to "a second insurgency".
Are we continuing to have real success and progress in Iraq? Should we stay or leave. These are ethical decisions that we need to weigh in on and discuss openly. We should focus on making more facts available and maybe use a little less political spin. The facts really do speak for themselves.
�We the People of the United States, in Order to form a more perfect Union, establish Justice, insure domestic Tranquility, provide for the common defense, promote the general Welfare, and secure the Blessings of Liberty to ourselves and our Posterity, do ordain and establish this Constitution for the United States of America.�
We the People of the United States have proven time and again that we have a tremendous capacity to do good and accomplish great things. Time and again our people have stepped forward to help others and do what is right. Unfortunately, today we find many of our nation�s business and government leaders falling far short of doing good, accomplishing great things, helping others, and doing what is right. Many of our leaders have lost sight of what is best for the people of the United States and the future of our nation.
Itâ��s hard to know where to start. So let me begin with the issues of misplaced priorities, short term thinking, and government leaders. This country is about We the People of the United States. It seems the interests of our countryâ��s leaders and big business have now become the highest priority over the interests of the people. The people did not come first when massive tax breaks were passed a few years back. While the average person got their $300 or $600 tax rebate, the average millionaires got hundreds of thousands if not millions of dollars in return. Think about it! In exchange for $300 or $600 the average working person is now facing the probability that they may not receive Social Security retirement checks or Medicare benefits in the future worth tens of thousands of dollars. The money people paid into the system has been given away. In addition, we now have massive budget deficits as a result of the wonderful tax cuts that will affect many other benefits people were expecting. Bottom line â�" misplaced priorities, short term thinking, and greed characterize the actions of our business and government leaders.
Letâ��s move on and talk a little about outsourcing jobs, short term thinking, and corporate greed. Iâ��m not an economist, but I vaguely recall hearing that for every dollar earned in the United States and paid to our people, it gets turned over seven times or is the equivalent of putting seven dollars into the economy. You take your salary dollars and buy goods produced by other workers who are paid based on the salary dollars you spend. I admit to being half asleep in the Economics 101 class, but this lesson stuck with me. Whatâ��s happening, though, is we are outsourcing more and more good manufacturing and high tech jobs overseas. Over the short term, that means businesses can save operating dollars and we can purchase lower cost goods produced by cheaper foreign laborers. However, over the long term, as we are shifting good jobs overseas and slowly raising the wages of foreign workers we are simultaneously replacing these jobs with lower paying service industry positions. We are also making ourselves dependent on goods produced by other countries. I wonâ��t even go into lack of enforcement of immigration laws and hiring of illegal aliens by corporations in order to keep wages low. Bottom line â�" We are selling out our souls and our country for short term savings and corporate profits. In the meantime, these corporate leaders are reaping tremendous undeserved rewards â�" salaries and bonuses totaling tens of millions of dollars a year.
Finally, letâ��s touch on business and government leaders as they trample on justice, defense, and liberty. The â��Scooterâ�� Libby situation, Cheney and Halliburton contracts, oil industry lobbyists crafting energy policy, tax breaks to oil companies even as they make record profits, a questionable and costly war, thousands of contract security forces fighting in Iraq in place of citizen soldiers, war profiteering, the failures to respond adequately after Hurricane Katrina, not implementing many of the homeland security recommendations of the 9/11 Commission, interjecting politics into the Justice Department, and the list goes on and on. Arrogance, corporate greed, short term thinking, and hunger for power have resulted in the government and business leaders forgetting their primary responsibility is to We the People of the United States. Workers are putting in more hours and losing leave and healthcare benefits, veterans are being ignored and abused in the job market and receipt of other earned benefits, our healthcare system is too costly and not what it should be, the cost of a college education is overwhelming, our Justice system is being abused, business leaders and major corporations are ignoring the law, Social Security and Medicare benefits are in danger. Bottom line â�" justice, national defense, and our general welfare and liberties are being abused by these leaders. We expect, and should demand, better of them.
To conclude, this country should be about We the People who created this country in order to â��â�¦establish Justice, insure domestic Tranquility, provide for the common defense, promote the general Welfare, and secure the Blessings of Liberty to ourselves and our Posterityâ��. Our government and business leaders have forgotten that they should put the needs of the people first. Their focus is on short term personal needs and corporate greed. They need to focus on the future and our long term posterity. They have forgotten that they work for us â�" American citizens and stockholders. Unfortunately, we also have to face the fact that We the People are responsible for the situation we have gotten ourselves into and its up to us to take action to correct matters. We need to speak out forcefully. We need to exercise our right to assemble, march, vote, strike, and withhold our support, no matter what the personal cost. Our leaders no longer fear the people, they do not fear the Lord. This is true of too many of our government and business leaders, whether they be Republicans or Democrats.
We the People of the United States have proven time and again that we have a tremendous capacity to do good and accomplish great things. Time and again our people have stepped forward to help others and do what is right. Unfortunately, today we find many of our nation�s business and government leaders falling far short of doing good, accomplishing great things, helping others, and doing what is right. Many of our leaders have lost sight of what is best for the people of the United States and the future of our nation.
Itâ��s hard to know where to start. So let me begin with the issues of misplaced priorities, short term thinking, and government leaders. This country is about We the People of the United States. It seems the interests of our countryâ��s leaders and big business have now become the highest priority over the interests of the people. The people did not come first when massive tax breaks were passed a few years back. While the average person got their $300 or $600 tax rebate, the average millionaires got hundreds of thousands if not millions of dollars in return. Think about it! In exchange for $300 or $600 the average working person is now facing the probability that they may not receive Social Security retirement checks or Medicare benefits in the future worth tens of thousands of dollars. The money people paid into the system has been given away. In addition, we now have massive budget deficits as a result of the wonderful tax cuts that will affect many other benefits people were expecting. Bottom line â�" misplaced priorities, short term thinking, and greed characterize the actions of our business and government leaders.
Letâ��s move on and talk a little about outsourcing jobs, short term thinking, and corporate greed. Iâ��m not an economist, but I vaguely recall hearing that for every dollar earned in the United States and paid to our people, it gets turned over seven times or is the equivalent of putting seven dollars into the economy. You take your salary dollars and buy goods produced by other workers who are paid based on the salary dollars you spend. I admit to being half asleep in the Economics 101 class, but this lesson stuck with me. Whatâ��s happening, though, is we are outsourcing more and more good manufacturing and high tech jobs overseas. Over the short term, that means businesses can save operating dollars and we can purchase lower cost goods produced by cheaper foreign laborers. However, over the long term, as we are shifting good jobs overseas and slowly raising the wages of foreign workers we are simultaneously replacing these jobs with lower paying service industry positions. We are also making ourselves dependent on goods produced by other countries. I wonâ��t even go into lack of enforcement of immigration laws and hiring of illegal aliens by corporations in order to keep wages low. Bottom line â�" We are selling out our souls and our country for short term savings and corporate profits. In the meantime, these corporate leaders are reaping tremendous undeserved rewards â�" salaries and bonuses totaling tens of millions of dollars a year.
Finally, letâ��s touch on business and government leaders as they trample on justice, defense, and liberty. The â��Scooterâ�� Libby situation, Cheney and Halliburton contracts, oil industry lobbyists crafting energy policy, tax breaks to oil companies even as they make record profits, a questionable and costly war, thousands of contract security forces fighting in Iraq in place of citizen soldiers, war profiteering, the failures to respond adequately after Hurricane Katrina, not implementing many of the homeland security recommendations of the 9/11 Commission, interjecting politics into the Justice Department, and the list goes on and on. Arrogance, corporate greed, short term thinking, and hunger for power have resulted in the government and business leaders forgetting their primary responsibility is to We the People of the United States. Workers are putting in more hours and losing leave and healthcare benefits, veterans are being ignored and abused in the job market and receipt of other earned benefits, our healthcare system is too costly and not what it should be, the cost of a college education is overwhelming, our Justice system is being abused, business leaders and major corporations are ignoring the law, Social Security and Medicare benefits are in danger. Bottom line â�" justice, national defense, and our general welfare and liberties are being abused by these leaders. We expect, and should demand, better of them.
To conclude, this country should be about We the People who created this country in order to â��â�¦establish Justice, insure domestic Tranquility, provide for the common defense, promote the general Welfare, and secure the Blessings of Liberty to ourselves and our Posterityâ��. Our government and business leaders have forgotten that they should put the needs of the people first. Their focus is on short term personal needs and corporate greed. They need to focus on the future and our long term posterity. They have forgotten that they work for us â�" American citizens and stockholders. Unfortunately, we also have to face the fact that We the People are responsible for the situation we have gotten ourselves into and its up to us to take action to correct matters. We need to speak out forcefully. We need to exercise our right to assemble, march, vote, strike, and withhold our support, no matter what the personal cost. Our leaders no longer fear the people, they do not fear the Lord. This is true of too many of our government and business leaders, whether they be Republicans or Democrats.
Here are some quotes from the Bible that I pulled. It ties back to Bush's misuse of scripture to form his strategy after 9/11. He took a verse from Matthew, specifically ignoring the other two slightly different interpretations of the same event by Mark and Luke which dramatically alter the point being made. I was surprised that no one, especially church leaders, ever publically mentioned and challenged this. I am a born again Christian with strong fundamentalist beliefs, and this has bothered me for a while.
Matthew 12:30. He that is not with me is against me, and he that gathereth not with me scattereth.
Mark 9:40. For he that is not against us is for us.
Luke 9:50. Jesus said, "for whoever is not against you is for you."
In the end, Democrats seem to have missed the boat in understanding they better represent Christian values than the Republicans. Republicans have truly harmed the Social Security and Medicare systems with thei massive tax cuts and this will adversely affect millions of poor and middle class folks. Tax breaks to oil companies, poor stewardship of government funds, a n apparent bent towards being warlike, lies, corruption, and on and on seem to characterize the leaders of the Republican party. They push the hot buttons of abortion and gay marriage, but truly do not reflect Christian beliefs in an overwhelming number of other areas.
Matthew 12:30. He that is not with me is against me, and he that gathereth not with me scattereth.
Mark 9:40. For he that is not against us is for us.
Luke 9:50. Jesus said, "for whoever is not against you is for you."
In the end, Democrats seem to have missed the boat in understanding they better represent Christian values than the Republicans. Republicans have truly harmed the Social Security and Medicare systems with thei massive tax cuts and this will adversely affect millions of poor and middle class folks. Tax breaks to oil companies, poor stewardship of government funds, a n apparent bent towards being warlike, lies, corruption, and on and on seem to characterize the leaders of the Republican party. They push the hot buttons of abortion and gay marriage, but truly do not reflect Christian beliefs in an overwhelming number of other areas.
Everyone has probably heard the FDR statement about "We have nothing to fear but fear itself." With President Bush and the news media today, we are being told to be fearful. We should be afraid of being attacked anywhere, anytime, by anybody. We need to be scared of terrorists, illegal aliens, IRAN, IRAQ, Korea, and a host of other things. I noticed that out in Charles Town, WV, and some of the surrounding town, we now have guards at all the courthouses, guards at hosipitals, guards being hired everywhere in case terrorists come out to our little towns. All of this costs money, is a reflection that the merssage of fear is being sold to the politicians, and now tax dollars are being diverted to protect everything against anybody. Come on!
Am I strange? I really am not fearful of these things. Bothered, but not fearful. I am actually resenting that the news says we are all scared, should be fearful, etc. I don't think Americans in general are really scared. I don't think we're a bunch of fearful rabbits. What happened to the home of the brave? I think its still here and I resent the President, the Republicans, and the news media telling us we should be scared. Why it's downright un-American, if you ask me.
I know we are all concerned about criminals, evil, terrorism, etc. But are you scared out of your wits? Are you living your daily life in fear? Let me know I'm not on my own out here thinking its all a bunch of bush-wa.
Am I strange? I really am not fearful of these things. Bothered, but not fearful. I am actually resenting that the news says we are all scared, should be fearful, etc. I don't think Americans in general are really scared. I don't think we're a bunch of fearful rabbits. What happened to the home of the brave? I think its still here and I resent the President, the Republicans, and the news media telling us we should be scared. Why it's downright un-American, if you ask me.
I know we are all concerned about criminals, evil, terrorism, etc. But are you scared out of your wits? Are you living your daily life in fear? Let me know I'm not on my own out here thinking its all a bunch of bush-wa.
In many of the President's speeches and in the news coverage, there is constant reference to the War. That because we are at war, extraodinary measures are being taken to wiretap, restrict liberties, accuse naysayers of treasonous behavior, etc. I understand we are fighting against terrorism around the world, a fight against evil that has been going on for hundreds of years. I know we invaded Iraq and are now fighting insurgents. But are we really legally at war? I thought the Congress had to officially approve going to war, after which certain extraordinary measures could be taken. Are we legally at war? I remember when I served in Vietnam many decade ago, the same question finally was asked and had to be ruled on by the Supreme Court. Are we legally at war?
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