Matt's Blog

Our Country is Fundamentally Flawed

Matt — Thu, 18 Sep 2008 10:49:13 EDT

The concept that Capitalism and Democracy is the ideal combination is a flawed idea. It assumes that the wealthy are benevolent and the government represents people not dollars.

The last 8 year has proven that this is not sound thinking. At the same time our good paying jobs are being exported to India and manufacturing to China we seek to import cheap labor to allow enterprising aliens to start their own businesses and put our entrepreneurs to work at WalMart.

What ever happened to a government for the people. Is it for our people? I think not. We started a war in Iraq to secure oil while our enemy was in Afghanistan. Now the Taliban is coming back due to our half hearted effort there and Al Quaeda is strong in Iraq due to our misbegotten presence there. In the only job creation program by the Bush administration the employees (our soldiers) are just as likely to die or be maimed as they are to receive a paycheck.

In every category we are marginalizing our citizens and bolstering our wealthy. Dick Cheney put Haliburton in Iraq and directly benefits from their presence yet this is not a conflict of interest???????

Both Bush and Cheney earn their living from oil and we started a war with an oil rich country while avoiding the prosecution of justice in a country where our antagonist resides because they don't have oil?????????????????????????????????????????????

Where is the justice? Not only do we need change but these people need to be incarcerated and we, THE PEOPLE, need to take our government back. A slight change to the left is not enough ... we need a revolution just like we did in 1776 when King George imposed his will and made demands for his own personal gain without giving back anything but taxes. This George gives us minimal tax breaks but is taking away our capability to earn a living at an alarming pace. Which is worse?

Change would be good but no one is talking about change on the scale that it is needed.

John McCain ... The Anti-Choice

Matt — Sat, 30 Aug 2008 21:19:59 EDT

OK so you want to vote and you have to vote democrat or republican. Why in god's name would you vote for John McCain?

Because he wants to be president?

He was tortured for 6 years at the Hanoi Hilton yet he advocates war and torture. Where was he when Caesar needed a successor. He could have spared us from Caligula and Nero ... or would he have been worse than Caligula and Nero.

The Roman Empire is dead and so are we if we continue to follow Bush doctrine.

A vote for Lassie would be better than a vote for mean McCain. Defense is one thing but bringing our anger to the rest of the world has resulted in Israeli, Russian, and Pakistani aggression. Because we are the only superpower everyone else thinks they can get away with their own "war on terrorism". Even if they are responsible for the hostilities.

Our troops in WWII helped bring peace to the world and we have forgotten our place and responsibilities. McCain will bring more hostility not less. And Bush doctrine has worked to destabilize the world in the pursuit of wealth. Democracy and capitalism are not the same.

Vote Obama.

Winning and Losing

Matt — Thu, 22 May 2008 22:36:59 EDT

Life is not always as we envision it to be. The best laid plans sometimes fall short and we realize that there is another force at work besides our own will. In fact, as individuals we are pretty insignificant in the whole scheme of things.

To be able to connect with other living things allows us to be more powerful. But it is not a power emitted by us it is a power channeled through by all that we connect with. To feel and focus the energy lets us accomplish things we might never believe possible.

Humans are not perfect. Even when it seems everything should work the way you see it, surprises happen. People live and people die every day. Usually death is not in anyone's plan but it's unavoidable. And losing, or one's perception of what losing is, usually isn't part of the plan either.

I played competitive team sports for more than half of my life. Football, hockey, baseball. I've also played individual sports ... tennis, golf. Sometimes it's more personal to lose an individual sport but, in my experience, it's almost always more disappointing to lose at a team sport.

I've thought about it and have a theory as to why that is. When you lose an individual sport, you are solely responsible. The other person was just better than you and it is impossible to hide from. But at the end of the match you gave your best, assuming you did, and lost so it's clear and you have to accept it. Some complain and blame the line judge or a bad bounce but most leave the courts accepting the outcome.

With a team sport it's a little different though. You only play one position, no matter how visible or not, there are other people you have to rely on and they have to rely on you. It's a much different dynamic that requires accountability to people besides yourself. If you drop the pass in the end zone you have not only let yourself down but also the other 10 people on your team and the quarterback who threw the pass is going to think twice about relying on you on the next play. It means everyone on the team must work together and concentrate on their particular role and execute the best they can.

I'm not going to speculate on who will win and who will lose, it's fruitless in my opinion. But to live in the moment and do your best right now in order to achieve victory as you perceive it then you will have done all you can. Give it your best and leave it all on the field as they say. All we can do is our best and if we spend our energy trying to trip our opponents up we will lose focus of what we need to do right now. The idea, after all is to win and "not losing" is not the same thing.

All I know is that if I don't do what I can then it's possible another neo-con Republican might be our next president and I would feel very bad about my performance if I hadn't put in a full effort and my candidate lost. Even though I'm an independent I am committed to the idea of putting a Democrat in office come November and which one is less important.

Too Concerned With Hype, Not Enough Reason

Matt — Thu, 22 May 2008 09:37:39 EDT

If our next President forgets to put their flag pin on I can live with that as long as they are a good president.

Another Flag Pin Caper

Matt — Thu, 22 May 2008 09:34:12 EDT

And look who else doesn't always wear a flag pin:

The Great Flag Pin Caper

Matt — Thu, 22 May 2008 09:17:44 EDT

Look who else isn't wearing one:

McCain's Positions

Matt — Wed, 21 May 2008 09:52:47 EDT

On War:

Returning from his eighth trip to Iraq, McCain didn't back down on his promise to see the war through despite yesterday's tragic milestone of 4,000 deaths. "We're succeeding. I don't care what anybody says. I've seen the facts on the ground," the Arizona senator insisted a day after a roadside bomb in Baghdad killed four U.S. soldiers and rockets pounded the U.S.-protected Green Zone there, and a wave of attacks left at least 61 Iraqis dead nationwide.

On The Economy:

McCain wants to cut government spending and make the tax cuts for the wealthy permanent and eliminate the estate tax. I ask you, where are we going to get the money to pay for the $2-billion per week war we're fighting, pay for VA benefits, bail out homeowners to avoid foreclosures, and give Americans the Social Security funds they've worked hard for and paid for? It sounds like a bunch of smoke and mirrors to me. You can't reduce revenue and increase costs then expect to have all the money needed for the social programs we have in place.
Who'll lose out ... not the rich.

His voting record on abortion:

Supports repealing Roe v. Wade. (May 2007)Voted YES on defining unborn child as eligible for SCHIP.(Mar 2008)Voted YES on barring HHS grants to organizations that perform abortions. (Oct 2007)Voted YES on expanding research to more embryonic stem cell lines. (Apr 2007) oted YES on notifying parents of minors who get out-of-state abortions. (Jul 2006)Voted NO on $100M to reduce teen pregnancy by education & contraceptives. (Mar 2005)Voted YES on criminal penalty for harming unborn fetus during other crime. (Mar 2004)Voted YES on banning partial birth abortions except for maternal life. (Mar 2003)Voted YES on maintaining ban on Military Base Abortions. (Jun 2000) Voted YES on banning partial birth abortions. (Oct 1999)Voted YES on banning human cloning. (Feb 1998)Rated 0% by NARAL, indicating a pro-life voting record. (Dec 2003)Expand embryonic stem cell research. (Jun 2004)Rated 75% by the NRLC, indicating a mixed record on abortion. (Dec 2006)

Homeland Security:

Keep “Don’t ask, don’t tell” policy - it works. (Jan 2000)Voted NO on limiting soldiers' deployment to 12 months. (Jul 2007Voted NO on preserving habeas corpus for Guantanamo detainees. (Sep 2006)Voted NO on requiring CIA reports on detainees & interrogation methods. (Sep 2006)Voted YES on reauthorizing the PATRIOT Act. (Mar 2006)Voted YES on extending the PATRIOT Act's wiretap provision. (Dec 2005)Voted NO on restricting business with entities linked to terrorism. (Jul 2005)Voted NO on restoring $565M for states' and ports' first responders. (Mar 2005).

On Iran:

Strategic bombing of Iran OK only if imminent threat. (Dec 2007Congress can only declare war; not micromanage wars. (Dec 2007Keep military option open against Iran, even if no nukes. (Dec 2007No direct talk with Iran; talk is over-rated. (Dec 2007)Iran & Syria must not get nukes; they'll exterminate Israel. (Nov 2007)Iran is state sponsor of terrorism; no more evidence needed. (Nov 2007)Congressional consultation before attacking Iran's nukes. (Oct 2007Sanctions to prevent Iranian nukes; but don't count on UN. (Sep 2007Iran is sponsor of terrorism; US strike if they get nukes. (May 2007)

For those of you who can identify with the above issues you belong in the McCain camp. If he is elected this is what we'll get.

Bush Bin Laden - The truth about Iraq

Matt — Tue, 20 May 2008 21:36:18 EDT

The truth will set you free (this is really funny and really sad at the same time):

Link

More on Bush Bin Laden

Matt — Tue, 20 May 2008 21:13:48 EDT

A conversation you might not have heard:

Link

The Bush Bin Laden Connection

Matt — Tue, 20 May 2008 18:32:47 EDT

Too many coincidences:

Link

Whose Behind the Iraq War

Matt — Tue, 20 May 2008 17:50:24 EDT

It isn't about nation building, democracy, wmd or anything but this:

Link

Presidential Race

Matt — Tue, 20 May 2008 17:17:21 EDT

The Musical:

Link

On the flip side

Matt — Tue, 20 May 2008 12:35:16 EDT

The Clinton Campaign Headquarters

Matt — Tue, 20 May 2008 11:43:54 EDT

Not giving up by a long shot. Fighting until the end.

Link

Trolls abound

Matt — Mon, 19 May 2008 18:51:32 EDT

Make sure you know whose post you're responding to before getting upset. There's a lot of writers here just looking to stir the pot up. Neither candidate is immune.

Whose Going To End It

Matt — Mon, 19 May 2008 15:33:47 EDT

Take a look at what life in a refugee war zone is like Link. Fighting tanks with rocks, who are the good guys and who are the terrorists?

Where Do "Terrorists" Come From

Matt — Mon, 19 May 2008 15:14:15 EDT

If there is peace and tranquility then people are not as prone to violence. Groups like Hamas, Hezbollah, Islamic Jihad, and others have arisen for one reason and one reason only. The land that used to belong to Palestine was taken to form Israel in 1948.

Following the holocaust I don't know any rational person who can say the European Jews shouldn't have had a safe refuge and the same right to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness that we all hope for.

But at what cost.

The answer is that, rather than negotiate a mutually acceptable agreement, millions of Palestinians were told to leave their home and never return. Their only option was to flee to refugee camps in Southern Lebanon. Understandably, many were beyond upset and began a wave of retaliatory violence that continues to today.

It is by not negotiating and through continuing expansion of Israel that Hamas and other organizations have taken such root and gained such widespread support throughout the middle east. Never in my lifetime has there been an honest and sincere effort to draw up negotiated borders and really craft a two state solution.

Bush's reaction to 9/11 and our invasion of Iraq has emboldened the right-wing Likud government to embark on their own "CRUSADE" against Muslims ... not just Palestinians.

In fact, Sharon's invasion into Southern Lebanon in 1973 was widely recognized as unjust and the Hague sought to prosecute him as a war criminal for the massacres he was responsible for.

My point ... terrorism can only come about through a LACK of acceptance for others different than yourself. People are usually not prompted to violence unless they have no other option. There is a line from Jesus Christ Superstar that says "To conquer death you only have to die". Google Gaza or the West Bank and look at how the average Palestinian lives and you will understand why there is such outrage in the Arab world toward Israel and toward US. We, who proclaim to be an honest peace broker, are nothing of the sort. For 60 years we have said there needs to be a two state solution yet Israel continues to expand and Palestinians are relegated to unemployment, lack of education, malnourishment, and military occupation. At the same time a wall is being erected to prevent movement from one area to another.

And the people we call terrorists act out of desperation. I've heard Bush call suicide bombers cowards. While I think they're homocidal maniacs who have lost touch with reality it is hard to imagine circumstances that would cause me to blow myself up and kill others. I don't think they're cowards I think they're trying to conquer death because life has become a living hell for them.

Let's put an end to negotiations.

Matt — Mon, 19 May 2008 14:10:50 EDT

They're time consuming and you've got to talk with people you don't like and who are, obviously, inferior in all ways. That means, since we're the 500 pound gorilla on the street, we can do what we want. Since we only speak gorilla we can't communicate with anyone who speaks arabic or farsi so to hell with them. They're inferior anyway.

I'm all in favor of the McCain approach. Let's bomb Iran into submission. That won't endanger the troops in Iraq that much and it will feel really good to bomb a country that's not done anything to us YET into submission. Big craters and body parts all over the place. Boy I can't wait to film it.

Then we should move on to Syria. Since we bombed Iran, one of Iraqs neighbors, we might as well bomb another neighbor while the military is in the area. Who cares if we lose a few soldiers, that will lower the military payroll.

If this sounds good to you then you're probably a redneck. Go mow your lawn and you'll probably find a car too.

Americans for Fair Taxation

Matt — Mon, 19 May 2008 11:14:57 EDT

Why is it that we accept paying taxes that go to services which provide no benefit for most of us. We are being taxed without being represented just as surely as we were in 1775. It's time to revize the tax system.

I like the idea of a consumption or sales tax rather than an income tax. Why take money out of the pockets of people who need it most and give tax breaks to the rich. If we change to tax people based on what they use, sales tax on products, property tax on property, utility tax on utilities, then people will only pay for what they use.

The IRS would be in place as a shell of its current self and people would have more disposable income. I've formed a group to cover this topic here and encourage all to join and give their perspective.

A Tax Based Health Insurance System

Matt — Mon, 19 May 2008 10:29:23 EDT

If we can afford to pay $2-billion a week for an unjust war in Iraq we can certainly afford to pay for health insurance for all our citizens using tax dollars. We let people go uninsured or force them to pay for private insurance that is cost prohibitive to many people. We pay for government and we should make it work for us.

I've started a new group called "A Tax Based Health Insurance System" that is geared toward this end. We can put the negotiating power of 300 million Americans to good use in dealing with pharmaceutical companies and healthcare providers (doctors and hospitals).

Here is a Link to the group if you are interested in this topic.