Jack's Opinions

Try Other Options Against Iran

2012-02-11T10:07:00.000-08:00

There are many who are calling for military confrontation and even attacks on Iran
The lessons of Vietnam and Iraq have been forgotten. Military attacks only lead to loss of lives, resources, and self-respect.
Why don’t we use the new, modern methods of dealing with an opponent?
We should engage in economic and cyber-warfare. International trade and travel should be banned; electronic and electrical power systems would be disrupted; funds that have been deposited in other countries should be seized; and communication systems should be degraded.
Military attacks will unite the people of Iran around the present regime. Disruption and crisis by confusion will undermine the regime.

gens Americius

2012-01-06T14:00:00.000-08:00

gens Americius: the clan-family-race-tribe of the American people.

An invented or created ethnicity, the Americii share the same goals and values though differ as to how to maintain, protect, or project those goals and values.

The same can be said of their having a common leadership – whether they support or oppose someone in a leadership position, they agree on the legitimacy of the office itself.

In religious matters, the prevailing beliefs and values, though not always the practices, of the Abrahamic religions predominate.

Most Americii reside within the United States of America, some being descendants of the same patrilineal line (the Founding Fathers), others being adopted into the gens.

gens Americius by Jack Cormode is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 3.0 Unported License.
Permissions beyond the scope of this license may be available at jackcormode@gmail.com.

Who is Serving?

2012-01-05T20:46:00.000-08:00

The situation in Iraq is deteriorating as is that in Afghanistan. Iran is also a problem area. Many, especially politicians, are calling for a more active role for the U.S. military to “fix” these cases.
When I read or hear of anyone calling for greater military activity in Iraq, Afghanistan, or Iran, I will contact that person and ask: “Who in your family is serving over there?”
Too many people are willing to risk the lives and wellbeing of others, as long as it does not involve them.

China is Corporatist Not Communist

2011-12-22T21:26:00.000-08:00

Many writers still refer to China’s 'Communist political system.' Actually, China has a Corporatist system. It is not classless socialism, instead using corporate business as its method for ruling their country.
The corporate state (Fascism) is totalitarian, not only telling its people what not to do (authoritarianism) but also what to think, do and say.
China is having difficulty maintaining total control over all aspects of society, trying to stay ahead of global changes in information technology. It is a deteriorating totalitarian state, yet still formidable.

If any ruling class is capable of adapting to challenges and maintaining control, it is the Chinese. They have proven themselves to be a particularly pragmatic people that have survived and even grown through the millennia.

The 'Haves' should Serve

2011-11-12T18:30:00.000-08:00

In World War II, everyone in America was involved – rich and poor; the racial majority and the minorities; men, women and children. There was rationing, the draft and high taxes, and everyone shared the burdens of war.
The Korean War had much less involvement and less sacrifice for the average American.
The Vietnam War was mainly fought by those from the bottom half of our economy – the ‘have-nots’.
Now with the Volunteer Army, we no longer pretend that the ‘haves’ are serving. Those that have the least to defend are protecting those who have everything and are not serving the country. Who cares if the ‘little people’ get hurt in a military adventure?
We will be much more reluctant to go to war when the ‘children of privilege’ are on the front lines.
Maybe we should bring back the draft.

The 'have-nots' either do not have college degrees or else have them from affordable schools. They do not have large family wealth with expectations of comfortable inheritances. They do not have enough money or the connections to have access to the power structure, in other words, they cannot buy their way into the system and they cannot afford to buy a politician.
We veterans are proud of our service just like those presently serving, but it is time for all of America to put it on the line and take the risk.

Rick Perry for President of Forgetfulness

2011-11-12T18:29:00.000-08:00

Those who are against nuclear war should try really hard to get
Rick Perry elected President - in a moment of military crisis,
he won't remember the launch code numbers.

Freedom is Hard Work

2011-10-19T22:25:00.000-07:00

Most political commentators are noting that our modern world, especially with its globalization and high tech, is full of opportunities to improve people’s lives.
With so much available to us, we should be able to make our lives the freest ever.
But even with so many tools of knowledge at our command, nothing will be better if we don’t work at it.
Everyone must quit accepting labels and sound bites. We all must educate ourselves and engage in critical thinking. Rather than accepting glib statements from political pundits who cater to our prejudices, we must examine their statements and find their lack of logic and facts.
When we hear something that is not what we want to hear, stop and listen, find something worthwhile about it.
Most of all, spend more time informing yourself. Our nation needs an educated public.
All of this is necessary if we are to be a free people.
Freedom is Hard Work.

Republic or Democracy?

2011-09-24T13:19:00.000-07:00

“This is a republic, not a democracy” – a seeming truism, but actually a false definitional difference. “Republic” and “Democracy” are not antithetical terms.
A Republic is a structure of governance. A Democracy is a system of governance.
Consider the American government as analogous to a desktop PC. The organizational form is the Republic brand of personal computer. Within that, it runs on the Democracy operating system. Neither works without the other.

2011-09-24T13:16:00.000-07:00

The deficit reduction committee sounds much like the Base Closure Committee system that we used many years ago.
Under the BRC, California took most of the hits in job losses, while many of the red states weren’t hit to any significant degree.
Check out the numbers that show how many dollars each state sends to Washington and how many dollars they get back. California loses heavily in the transfer of wealth. Again, the red states usually come out ahead. The deficit reduction plan should take into account this anomaly.

Inheritances and Service to America

2011-09-24T13:12:00.000-07:00

The debt ceiling crisis has been averted for now, but it leaves the rich still luxuriating in their lifestyle without any responsibility to the rest of us.
We should have a limit on how much in total any one person can inherit (e.g., $450,000) in their lifetime UNLESS the serve two or three years in the U.S. Armed Services.
That way the children of privilege can do something for the country that has treated them so well, instead of becoming inheritance drones.

Funding and the Balanced Budget Amendment

2011-09-24T13:10:00.000-07:00

Any State or Congressional district whose U.S. Senator or Representative or State Legislature votes for the Balanced Budget Amendment is to be placed on a ‘no-funds’ list. The State or District in question should not ask for or receive any federal funds for natural disasters and they should not request or accept any pork-barrel funding.
To do so otherwise would be hypocrisy, and we wouldn’t want them to make hypocrites of themselves, would we?

Voter ID and Challenges

2011-09-24T13:06:00.000-07:00

Voter ID at the polling place will be subject to many court challenges.
There is another problem that crops up in certain areas – where self-appointed (usually right-wing) political bluenoses challenge certain voters on their right to vote. This challenge is usually against minorities and is used as a technique to intimidate them and drive them from the polls.
Has anyone ever challenged a voter challenger? If someone is going to question another person’s eligibility to vote, shouldn’t that person have to prove that they have citizenship standing to make the challenge?
The original challenger should have to produce a photo ID with their name and address on it and such information should be duly noted by the person challenged.
After that, let the chips fall where they may.

Arab Uprising and the Russian Revolution

2011-09-24T13:02:00.000-07:00

The regime changes and instability in Egypt, Tunisia, Yemen and elsewhere in the Arab world may have been foreshadowed by the Russian Revolution.
When the Tsar was overthrown, there was no significant opposition group to replace his autocratic regime. In the ensuing chaos, a small but organized band of zealots, the Bolsheviks, was able to seize power and impose their ideology (Communism).
The only organized bands of ‘true believers’ in the Middle East at this time are the Islamic militants.
We cannot do much about this. The U.S. has no credibility or influence in the Middle East because of our support for rightwing autocrats. Our long term interest would have been to help and protect the people of these countries.

Written: January 30, 2011

Inheritance and Military Service

2011-01-29T10:46:00.000-08:00

It is generally agreed that receiving money without working for it is bad for a person. This is usually said about welfare, but could also be noted about inheritances.
At the same time, we also should be aware that many of those who have the greatest wealth in this country never will serve to protect it, always letting someone else take the risk.
There should be a limit (e.g., $500,000) or major tax set on the amount of wealth any individual can inherit unless that person has served at least two years in the U.S. military.
After all, we don’t want the Children of Privilege to be the drones of our society.

On E-Books

2010-08-16T15:46:00.000-07:00

E-Books are to Reading what Fast Food is to Nutrition.

Prop. 13 as Redistribution of Wealth

2010-07-15T14:11:00.000-07:00

There is a claim that a parcel tax is redistribution of wealth.
In California, a far greater redistribution is caused by Proposition13 and its very great disparity in taxation rates. Those who are paying very little are still receiving full benefits and services at the local level. They are not paying their fair share, yet keep on demanding that others provide them with government services and benefits. This is happening even though the recipients are often better off financially than those who are paying the unfair and unequal taxation.

Cutting Back on Earmarks

2010-07-03T15:51:00.000-07:00

To cut back on congressional earmarks, special funding requests should be allowed for only those States and congressional districts that send more money to Washington than they receive.

Freedom Vs. Security

2010-07-03T15:47:00.000-07:00

On our great patriotic holiday, the 4^th of July, we shall hear fervent oratory about the sacrifices made in the War of Independence. The heroes of Valley Forge, with their privations and ultimate sacrifice, will be cited for how they gave everything so that we might have liberty.

After the fireworks, we shall return to our everyday practice of trading our constitutional freedoms for ‘security’. Perceived outside threats will cause us to capitulate to fear. The real threat is internal, as we sacrifice our freedom and selfhood.

In the end, those who wish to harm us will have won. We will have destroyed ourselves.

Big Brother and the National ID Card

2010-05-07T22:21:00.000-07:00

Americans once again are ready to sacrifice their personal freedom and constitutional rights, this time to the perceived threats of religious radicalism and illegal immigration.

One of the ideas that will be promoted will be to have a National Identity Card. But there is a practical question that must be answered first.

When Big Brother demands our ID number, will we answer “Slave Number XXXX” or “Prisoner Number XXXX”?

Prop. 13 Property Tax Rate Index

2010-04-27T15:31:00.000-07:00

There is an easy way to find out if a homeowner is being helped by or hurt by
Proposition 13.
Go to www.zillow.com. Type in your own address, then click on “Go”.
This will bring up the basic information with a map in the background.
Click on “See home info”. Note the current estimate of your property’s value.
Scroll down to “2008 Property Tax”.
Divide the tax amount by the current value. This will give you a number that will represent your tax rate index. (Example: if the resulting number is 0.004502…,then you have a 0.45% tax rate index.)
Now compare your index number with those of your family, friends, and neighbors.
If you generally have an index number higher than the others, then you are paying their taxes.
If your number is generally lower than the others, you owe them a big “thank you” for paying your share of taxes.

Tea Party Constitutional Questionnaire

2010-04-27T14:00:00.000-07:00

The Independence Caucus, part of the Tea Party movement, has produced 80 constitutional questions as part of its vetting process. To get the endorsement of the Tea Partyers, a potential candidate must have at least 70% ‘correct’ answers.
So that the general voting public can know how each endorsed candidate stands on the Constitution, the newspapers and other media should obtain and publish the questionnaire and the answers that are given. To save print space, this could be done on the internet.
While you are at it, why not publish all such surveyed answers by candidates? This way we would know what the politicians are promising to get support from special interests.

Arizona - Identification Requirement for Tourists

2010-04-27T13:52:00.000-07:00

Arizona has passed a law about illegal immigration. Every law enforcement officer in that State will be required to verify the residency status of everyone they come in contact with.
If you are traveling to Arizona for business or tourism, make sure you have with you a notarized copy of your birth certificate.
The Arizona Department of Tourism should include this requirement in all of their advertising.

Decolonization 50 Years After

2009-12-30T10:28:00.000-08:00

We are beginning a new decade, the 2010s.

This means that it has been a half century since the 1960s.

The latter decade witnessed the greatest period of decolonization in history. The disintegration of empires was on a global basis.

In the ensuing 50 years, the newly emancipated peoples of the world have generally not made appropriate advancements in economic, social, and political matters. They are not materially or spiritually better off.

It is time for a reassessment of what progress has been achieved and what remains to be done. Let us hope that this will then result in a global rededication of effort and resources to the advancement of human civilization.

Bill of Rights Day 2009

2009-12-19T17:44:00.000-08:00

Letter to San Jose Mercury News December 15, 2009

Editor:
Today (Dec. 15) was Bill of Rights Day, the 218th anniversary of the ratification of the first 10 amendments to the Constitution.
Were there articles or opinion pieces in the media? Did our political leaders stop and call attention to this most important date?
Did anyone notice? Did anyone care?
The Bill of Rights is the most important part of the Constitution. It guarantees our rights and our ability to hold on to our freedoms.
Of course, there are more important things to occupy our attention…What we will be getting or giving for Christmas, the latest foibles of celebrities, the scary headlines in the papers and on television, how are the local sports teams doing?
Do you ever wonder how America has survived for over two centuries? Beats me.

The San Jose Mercury News chose not to print this.

2009-09-27T18:20:00.000-07:00

BENCHMARK SYSTEM
FOR AFGHANISTAN

In 2001, following the 9/11 attacks on the United States, al-Qaeda and the Taliban were driven out of Kabul and into Pakistan.
At that time, as part of our effort to eliminate the religious fanatics and to gain the support of the Afghani people, we promised that we would remain for as long as it took to establish a government of freedom with Afghani sovereignty.
This is the same promise we made to the Afghanis when we wanted them to accept our aid in fighting the Soviet Union occupation in the 1970s.
Our promises in the Middle East and Islamic areas have mostly resulted in broken promises. It is therefore no wonder that we have so little credibility in matters involving Islam.
The following plan is proposed:
We establish a set of benchmarks that the Afghani government would have to meet, such as:
1. Poppy production will decrease 10% per year.
2. Draft and train a new Afghani Army division (10-12,000 men) every month. Military pay is to be guaranteed to all troops.
3. Corruption is to end immediately. Anyone taking a bribe or getting paid for services or materiel not delivered will be drafted into the Army. This will include those taking kickbacks from the first-line bribetakers.
4. Warlordism will cease immediately. Any leader not following the Rule of Law will be imprisoned or executed, depending on the severity of the violation.

Karzai and the warlords will reluctantly agree to the benchmarks and then do everything to ignore the agreements.
Upon enforcement by U.S. and allied troops of the benchmark agreements, Karzai and the warlords will demand that U.S. and allied troops pull back to support roles. In the extreme, they will demand that we leave within two years.
The U.S. will continue to train troops at an accelerated rate. Offensive actions will mainly be by drone or other indirect means.
The Karzai government will continue to negotiate with moderate Taliban and tribal leaders. Once Karzai et al. feel secure in their respective areas, they will either ask us to leave or interfere so much that we will leave on our own.
Afghanistan will partition itself according to ‘alliances of the moment.’

Estate Taxes and Estate Drones

2009-09-26T13:43:00.000-07:00

When Welfare Reform was being debated during the Clinton Administration, many Conservatives argued, and most Liberals agreed, that giving people money without having them do anything to earn it was bad for their character and therefore bad for our society.
The calls to repeal the Estate Tax overlook this same effect on a person’s character.
If we allow people to inherit so much money that they will not have to be productive, is this good for America? Creating an entire class of estate drones is not good for anyone.
Don’t take it from me. Warren Buffett has argued the same thing.

Obama and the Rejectionists

2009-09-26T13:40:00.000-07:00

There are a number of racists among the Obama rejectionists, but they are not the main part of the movement.
Imagine that Justice Clarence Thomas, a black Conservative, had been elected President. The racists would still not accept him. The rest of the rejectionists would accept him though probably not as enthusiastically.
On the matter of issues, the rejectionists main complaint is “We have lost control”.
Add to it that ‘Change’ is everywhere. A person, unlike all his 43 predecessors, very visibly reminds the rejectionists of that change and of what they have lost.
Frustration, coming from loss of power, combined with the fear of change results in the irrational behavior we are seeing – rejectionism.

Religious Groups and Healthcare Reform

2009-09-09T11:29:00.000-07:00

The tenets of the Judaic, Christian and Islamic faiths require that we look after the poor, the afflicted and the suffering.
Universal healthcare would provide coverage and relief for all three of the latter groups.
So where are the leaders of these religions in the struggle for healthcare reform? Why are they not in the forefront of the movement to ensure that everyone, no matter what their station in life, has access to good medical coverage?

Nabatean Water Project

2009-09-04T15:54:00.000-07:00

THE NABATEAN WATER PROJECT

Nabatean Water Project: a plan to restore the Negev Desert to agricultural and pastoral productivity. The areas brought back into production, as in ancient times, would serve as a resettlement area for the excess of immigrants in Israel and allow the native people (the Bedouins) to maintain their preferred way of living.

The first step is to establish a desalination plant of 300,000,000 cubic meters per year of water at Ashdod or nearby. The plant would be funded by Saudi Arabia and maintained under their auspices. Costs of production would be underwritten by the Saudis as their contribution to peace in the Middle East.
An aqueduct would take the water to the southern Negev Desert with a branch channel to the Gaza Strip.

Most of the water would go to areas that are now marginally arable or even non-arable, as long as there is the probability that water will bring productivity. A smaller but significant amount of water would go to those areas that cannot be tilled but could reasonably become pastoral lands. The pastoral lands would include areas that could have been agricultural production for private but not commercial use. These areas would be for the Bedouins and would be perpetual and inviolable.

The branch channel to the Gaza Strip would become the main source of water for Gaza.

The Gaza Strip presently overdraws its aquifer by a substantial amount and this cannot be maintained. A new, reliable source would allow the Gaza Strip inhabitants to improve their home, sanitation, and food stock situations.

The key will be to have the inhabitants of Gaza be reliant upon this new source. If anything threatens the new source, they will act as a self-policing entity.
Any threat against the desalination plant or the delivery system will result in a stoppage of water flow.

Israel will be entitled to stop the water upon any attack from forces antagonistic to its (Israel’s) existence, launched anywhere. A missile attack or suicide bomber will thus have serious consequences for the Gaza Strip.

All aspects of this project plan will be negotiated under the auspices of the United Nations. All agreements will be in writing and public.

Once the viability of the new arable lands is established, then it will be possible to relocate those people presently in the West Bank settlements. (No new settlers will be allowed into the West Bank as of the date the project agreement is signed.) All West Bank settlements must be evacuated by the Israelis unless there is prior written agreement among the cognizant authorities.

Israel and Palestine

2009-06-10T16:49:00.000-07:00

We will have no peace in the Middle East until Israel and the Palestinians reach an accommodation.
Israel says that it will not recognize a Palestinian state until Israel is no longer being attacked by the Palestinians. Hamas in the Gaza Strip helps the Israeli hardliners by continuing the attacks.
But there are no attacks coming from the West Bank where Fatah is in charge. If Israel were true to its word, it would recognize the West Bank government and respect it as a separate state.
The one thing that the West Bank/Fatah government must have is for Israel to remove those Israelis who have colonized the West Bank. These are not settlements, because the colonies are wholly dependent on the mother country, Israel, for all aspects of their existence.
Once Israel has shown good faith with the West Bank, then Hamas in Gaza will be revealed as the international outlaw that it is, as it will continue attacking Israel rather than make peace.
The United States should guide the Israelis along this plan for peace. As a friend, the U.S. must not allow Israel to continue this perpetual practice of harming itself.

User Fees

2009-02-21T20:37:00.000-08:00

A local citizen wrote that a proposed field use fee would be a “tax on our youth” rather than a use fee.
He arrives at this conclusion because he is a taxpayer and a father of a youth baseball player.
Somehow the logic of this escapes me.
We all pay taxes and they go for the common good; police, fire, the library, recreation areas – services and facilities that are available to all.
When a special interest group, such as youth baseball, wishes to use a service or facility just for their specific purposes and to the exclusion of the rest of the public, there should be a cost assessment.
There are two ways to recover costs for special interests: You assess a user’s fee or you establish a special district with taxing capability, as we do with our school system.
If you are excluding the general population, you should not be expecting the rest of us to pay for your special interest.

The Global Economic Meltdown and War

2009-01-25T22:59:00.000-08:00

As we go deeper into a global economic meltdown, we should heed the lessons of the Great Depression as applied on an international scale.
As countries suffer greater financial problems, they become more competitive in trade and in the quest for cheap resources - leading to imperialism and armed conflict.
As a country's rulers are pressed by their people, who are in dire need, the rulers will try to distract the people by claiming they are under foreign attack. (This is one version of 'wag the dog.') They then become aggressive and engage in preemptive wars.
These two factors can lead to another World War, just as they did in the 1930s.

Get FISA Right - Now!

2009-01-15T11:43:00.000-08:00

There are a small number of us in America that feel that the Constitution, with its Bill of Rights, is the most important issue on the political agenda.
There is a demand that the (new) President and Congress take up the matter of the FISA Act once again and fix it - that is to say - make it constitutional.
Fixing the FISA Act will be a major first step in returning this country to Constitutional Rule of Law.

Affirmative Action is Not a Quota System

2008-09-24T03:37:00.000-07:00

Senator McCain has announced he is against Affirmative Action, equating it with quotas.
I did Personnel work in two agencies of the Federal Government from 1970 to 1989. In that time I prepared Affirmative Action plans. At no time did I ever include quotas in those plans. The plans I wrote up and were sent to my management only had goals based on trying to achieve a workforce that was representative of the population at large.
In all that time in Personnel work, the only instance of selecting a person for a job based on race, that I know of, was when President George H.W. Bush selected Clarence Thomas for the U.S. Supreme Court. The criteria for selection was that the nominee be conservative and black.
Incidentally, the persons who mainly benefit from Affirmative Action are not minorities, but women. Females represent over half of our population but generally have not achieved 50% representation in the most sought after jobs. Shouldn't that be our goal?

China is the New Nazi Germany

2008-09-24T03:33:00.000-07:00

Those who do not see the similarity between Beijing 2008 and Berlin 1936 should look at history.
Nazi Germany was a totalitarian dictatorship (corporate state), as is China (a communist state that has transformed itself into a corporate state). There is no freedom for the individual.
Germany was genocidal (Jews, Slavs). China is genocidal (Tibetans, Uighurs).
Germany expanded its territorial area beyond its ethnic borders by threats and violence (Czechoslovakia, Poland). China has expansion plans beyond its historic Han Chinese borders (Tibet, Xinjiang, Taiwan).
China is the new Nazi Germany.

Appeasement II

2008-08-15T21:52:00.000-07:00

History may not repeat itself but it does cyclically resemble itself.
At the close of World War I, the two major foes of the West, Germany and Austria-Hungary, had been defeated in their aim of European domination.
Within 20 years, two (totalitarian) corporate states had arisen – Germany and Italy.
During this time, one of those dictatorships, Italy, invaded a militarily inferior opponent and conquered it, while the free world condemned the action. The League of Nations passed toothless sanctions and otherwise did nothing.
Eventually, the weakness and temporizing of the West led to World War II.
After the Second World War, we had the Cold War.
At the end of the (First) Cold War, the two major foes of the West, the Soviet Union and the People’s Republic of China, had been defeated in their aim of world domination.
Within 20 years, two corporate states had arisen – Russia and China.
At this time, one of those dictatorships, Russia, has invaded a militarily inferior opponent and is attempting to subjugate it, while the free world condemns this. The United Nations will pass an ineffectual resolution and otherwise do nothing.
Eventually, the weakness and temporizing will lead to an all-out Cold War II, or will it be World War III?

Airlines and the Deregulation Mess

2008-08-07T17:05:00.001-07:00

The Airlines and the Deregulation Mess

[As you might guess, the following was written while waiting between flights on an airplane trip that was the most miserable of my life. Please understand that parts of this may be incomprehensible due to discomfort, disorientation, fatigue, and missed meals.
This is written as a speech that could be given by a Presidential candidate.]

How many of you have recently enjoyed the ‘joy’ of air travel? No matter what airline you traveled on, or what airline you went on – unless you paid First Class, there was no joy in your travel. I doubt if one in 10 could say they enjoyed the trip, especially in light of how much you had to pay for the privilege of traveling by air.
The biggest problem is the original push for deregulation. Just as in cable and broadcast TV, the utilities, and , the airline industry has given us nowhere near the service we were led to expect from deregulation. In fact, we have been regressing. Services are more expensive and less dependable.
There is an underlying myth of deregulation. Everyone claims that competition will create a higher level of service and production. There is no myth in this – it is the truth. The underlying myth is that deregulation will lead to greater competition.
Think of where you had the largest amount of regulation in the past. It was in those areas where you needed or simply had a franchise – a single entrepreneurial body. When you allowed a utility to provide its service in your area, they did so with the guarantee of having the local or State government helping them obtain rights-of-way and permits. They didn’t have to worry about cutting corners in order to beat the competition. They could plan and build for the long run, not the short run.
In turn, local and State authorities were supposed to establish clear guidelines and procedures. They even set rates. Though there was often unhappiness and grumbling, in general this system worked.
The airlines have been deregulated. They went to the ‘hub-and-spoke- system of coordinating flights, a system based on idea that there will never be a problem in flight scheduling.
Guess what – there are problems in flight scheduling.
There are other issues – the number of airline docks, the changes in rates, the rules and fees that are added on and administered willy-nilly.
The less the competition, the less the service. In fact, smaller cities with smaller airports often have lost their scheduled airlines altogether.
We need to go back to the old system that provided service to everyone in the country, at an affordable price, at reasonable time with scheduling stability, with reasonable comfort – this last is something all of you will appreciate.
Presidential candidates have special privileges when it comes to travel. We get special air travel for security reasons. This removes us from knowing about the pain the rest of you feel.
But my staff, my supporters, my constituents – have been letting me know what you are going through. And through them I am feeling your pain.

[Postscript: The staff I have encountered have been as helpful as they can be under the circumstances. They are swimming upstream against poor management decision making.
Overseas outsourcing has its limitations and actually is a cost/benefit negative in the long run. Airline management ought to be forced to fly coach class at least once a month. JC]

10 Reasons Not to Vote for Obama

2008-06-30T16:46:00.000-07:00

10 Reasons Not to Vote for Obama

The Old Americans for Freedom (the YAF two generations later) are not going to vote for Barack Obama no matter what and don’t want to be made to feel uncomfortable about it.
Since Obama has been campaigning on the basis of unity and Americans helping one another even when we have our differences, then it is incumbent on us to help the OAF types out of their dilemma.

So here are…

10 Excuses for Not Voting for Barack Obama Without Feeling Bad About Yourself.

1. Barack Obama never wears a baseball cap.
Even that nice Tiger Woods wears baseball caps – and he turns them around the right way.
2. Barack Obama has never been seen in a hardware store.
What kind of guy doesn’t visit the hardware store every chance he gets?
3. Barack Obama uses big words – and pretends he knows what they mean.
He says things like Audacity, Opportunity, Education, Constitution, Nuclear.
4. Barack Obama talks about Hope and Dreams.
What kind of guy talks about Hope and Dreams? A “sensitive” guy? Why doesn’t he just go to California where sensitive guys belong.
5. Obama thinks we should rebuild New Orleans.
Let’s write off New Orleans and move the Saints to LA which needs an NFL team.
6. Obama’s face is too narrow.
How many Presidents have we had with narrow faces? Only a couple. So the odds are against him.
7. Obama’s middle name is Hussein.
A real American politician would have changed his name to Hank or Hummer, something that would get him votes.
8. Obama does not know how to bowl.
How can anyone live in Chicago and not know how to bowl? Playing basketball does not count as a substitute, it requires you to work up a sweat. And you can’t drink beer while you are playing out on the court.
9. Barack Obama has taught Constitutional Law.
Since when does the President of the United States need to know anything about the Constitution? We have been doing very well with someone who doesn’t know one end of the Constitution from the other.
10. Barack Obama has been to college and doesn’t try to hide it.
An American politician who acts like he is educated? We need someone who is happy in his ignorance, like the rest of us.
11. Barack Obama’s ears stick out too much.
Obama’s ears stick out more than George W. Bush’s. ‘Nuff said.

An Alternative in Gun Control

2008-06-30T16:43:00.000-07:00

The Second Amendment has the term “keep and bear arms.” It does not say ‘own’ arms.
This is entirely within the traditional view that the Amendment is primarily to prohibit the federal government from disestablishing or taking over the State militia.
When an individual was inducted into a government militia, he were expected to bring his own weapon or would be issued one. That weapon was his responsibility, whether kept at home or at the militia arsenal.
In modern times, State militias, commonly thought of as the National Guard, have issued weapons and do not allow private weaponry. But the National Guard is not really a State militia since it can be easily federalized.
The answer is for each State and each jurisdiction within the State to have the right and power to form a militia. Anyone wanting to ‘keep and bear arms’ would have to ‘enlist’ in that militia. Then the militia would be able to decide what weapons it will allow and refuse to induct those individuals who would be potential threats to a ‘well-ordered society.’ At the same time, there would be no requirement for a jurisdiction to have a militia or to require enlistment if it so chose.
This may seem to be convoluted and bureaucratic. But it is an American solution to the gun control/militia problem. It is both practical and obedient to the Constitution.

Too Late to Impeach Bush

2008-06-10T13:54:00.000-07:00

There are only 224 days left in the Bush Administration. Time enough for him to do some damage but not enough to go through with an impeachment.
If the impeachment process were begun, then Bush would use it as an excuse for not getting anything done, rather than it being very plain that he is incapable of getting things done while he is unencumbered by any distractions. Right now he is vulnerable, there are no excuses for non-accomplishment.
“Do something about Iraq?”, “Try to get gas prices down?”, “Help homeowners facing foreclosure?” – Bush would say “I can’t do anything because my political enemies are attacking me.” He would become a sympathetic person in the eyes of the public. That is the lesson of the Clinton impeachment which the Republicans never did understand.
Far better would be to open investigations into all the wrongdoing. Have hearings about the criminal mismanagement of the Iraq War, plus the war profiteering. Reopen the ‘CIA outing’ case, now that Scott McClellan has told the truth. Where is Federal Prosecutor Fitzpatrick?
Once all of these cases are opened, notify everyone in the Administration that they cannot destroy files or any other records, since that will be evidence. Promise them prosecution if they go ahead and destroy the evidence, and follow through as of January 20, 2009.

New Direction in Iraq?

2008-06-03T11:07:00.000-07:00

In May 2008, America had 19 military deaths, a record low number. Even more importantly, we have only lost eight of our military since May 12, 2008.
On that date, BG Qassem Soleimani, head of the Qods (Special Operations) Force of Iran, met with Pres. Nouri al-Maliki of Iraq. They finalized a deal whereby Iran will cut back on its armament support for insurgents and bring Muqtada al-Sadr and his Mahdi Army to heel. In return, Iraq will give Iran precedence over the U.S. in policy and diplomatic affairs.
America has secretly agreed to pull back from military operations in Iraq, let Iran have its way, and will either force its proxy anti-Iran force (Mujahideen-e Khalq) to leave Iraq or disband it altogether.
Our sole remaining mission in Iraq is to provide arms and payroll to the Sons of Iraq tribal forces.
Given this new direction, and the destabilization and dispersion of al-Qaeda in Mosul, the U.S. can now start some serious withdrawals.

Constitutionism - Secular Belief, Passionate Practice

2008-05-29T11:40:00.000-07:00

Constitutionism - Secular Belief, Passionate Practice (Short Version)
For those who strongly believe in the Constitution and wish to defend it against ideologues and political hacks, there should be a proud label – ‘Constitutionist.’
Constitutionism is commonly defined as ‘adhering to the Constitution.’ But there should be a fervor, a semi-religious feeling towards the Constitution.
Constitutionism is to be defined as “to adhere to, defend, support and promote the Constitution.”
This could start in four (4) ways:
1. Help high school Civics teachers by ensuring that each student has a copy of the Constitution and sees it as a sign that they are now an adult.
2. Show everyone in America how they have lost monetarily and politically by illicit political activities and violations of the Constitution.
3. Demand that each political candidate answer specific questions about obedience
to the Constitution.
4. Create an “Enemies of the Constitution” list, including a “10 Worst” list.

America needs the Constitutionist Movement and it needs it now.

Constitutionism – Secular Belief, Passionate Practice (Long Version)

There are debates in the academic community as to the meaning and application of Constitutionalism and Constitutionism.
Much of these debates seem to an outsider to be the equivalent of ‘how many angels can sit on the head of a pin?”
For those of us who are committed to the Constitution, why not a new definition that would encompass our feelings for the founding documents and let it serve as our rallying point? While others may be stirred by the flag, or give their lives over to a political party or cause, we would be the militia for the Constitution, called upon to defend it from every attack.
The most common definition of a ‘constitutionist’ is ‘one who adheres to a constitution.’ Therefore, constitutionism would be ‘adherence to a constitution.’
But this is too passive, almost lifeless. A constitutionist should be someone who adheres to, defends, supports and promotes a constitution. And, since we are in America, a Constitutionist would be for the U.S. Constitution.
This may seem to be pedantic to all of you, but there is an essential point here. Those of us who believe in the Constitution and have it as our primary political cause, must become zealots in working for the Constitution, we must be evangelizers and promoters.
In fact, I am proposing that Constitutionism be a conversion akin to a religious zeal.
There is a category of beliefs that is called ‘secular religion.’ In most cases the term is applied to such ‘isms’ as Communism and Fascism, and there’s always patriotism for one’s country. These beliefs mimic religions in that they have an orthodoxy (ideology), idols and icons, and have an organization with ideological interpreters and cadres (equivalent to theologians, priests, and deacons).
In this case, the Constitutionists would have the same level of commitment, but would maintain themselves in accordance with the principles and essence of our Constitution. They would work within the constitutional democracy, respecting the rights and beliefs of others, obeying the law, and always acting with a Code of Ethics.
There are a few institutions that provide information and educational materials about the Constitution (U.S. Constitution Center, Bill of Rights Institute) that are relatively value-free. But these are dispassionate, non-evangelizing, and do not promote themselves.
There are plenty of web pages and organizations touting the Constitution, usually with a particular point of view.
What is needed is an organization that will go out and promote the study of the Constitution – make it prominent so that people begin to value the Constitution and think what it means as they apply it every day. Each time an American thinks about politics or issues, they should be measuring it against the Constitution and the Bill of Rights.
If we had this level of consciousness, it would be a lot harder for those in Washington to take away our freedom, for certain religions to impose their beliefs on everyone else, and for the Courts to be filled with political backs and ideologues rather than true Constitutionalists.
What can we do to get attention for the Constitution?
Lacking monetary resources, our direct actions are limited, but there are still things we can do.
1. Work with the local high school Civics teachers to determine which Seniors would want to receive a copy of the Constitution. It should be seen as a symbol of the rite of passage – “Now you are an adult with all the rights of a citizen.”
Local patriotic/citizenship organizations – American Legion, Veterans of Foreign Wars, League of Women Voters – would be asked to fund this activity.
2. When regime change occurs next January, start uncovering all the wrong doing for
the past eight years – not just the deprivation of rights or the illicit electoral activities (election stealing), but the many cases where criminal prosecutions were made or not made dependent on political reasons, or contracts were not won based on lack of political connections. The cases of malfeasance will be overwhelming.
Then seek out those who were hurt by these actions and inform them how they were harmed. Tell them they need to demand political reform and that they can best protect themselves by knowing what is in the Constitution.
3. Whenever there is a political campaign, ask/demand of each candidate – “What have
you done, what are you doing and what will you do for political reform and to ensure that the Constitution is obeyed. (Give specifics.)”
We must put the pressure on each candidate to put words into action, and for those that will not promise or give false promises – call them out to the point of calling them liars, hypocrites and “Enemy of the Constitution.”
4. There must be a list of those who are “Enemies of the Constitution.” This would be
headed by a “10 Worst Enemies of the Constitution.” Right now, of course, it would
be extremely hard to determine who the 10 Worst are because there are so many
candidates, but some form of voting should derive a final number.

China is the new Nazi Germany

2008-05-21T15:44:00.000-07:00

Those who do not see the similarity between Beijing 2008 and Berlin 1936 (Olympics) should look at history.
Nazi Germany was a totalitarian dictatorship (corporate state), as is China (a communist state that has transformed itself into a corporate state). There is no freedom for the individual.
Germany was genocidal (Jews, Slavs). China is genocidal (Tibetans, Uighurs).
Germany expanded its territorial area beyond its ethnic borders by threats and violence (Czechoslovakia, Poland). China has expansion plans beyond its historic Han Chinese borders (Tibet, Xinjiang, Taiwan).
China is the new Nazi Germany.

Cold War II

2008-01-24T14:06:00.000-08:00

COLD WAR II HAS BEGUN

RUSSIA AND EUROPE

Many people are questioning if another Cold War is going to occur. Some people are pointing to causes, events and activities which may inevitably lead to such a threatening situation if we pursue certain courses.
They are wrong. Cold War II began on June 12, 1999 (California time) when the Russian troops drove into Pristina, Kosovo ahead of the NATO forces. In that one secret, decisive stroke, the Russian military began the slow and inconsistent rebuilding of the Russian Empire. Everything in Russia up to that point had been a holding action or a political game of musical chairs. But the old drive to create or re-create a Greater Russia remains as the core of the Russian national character. They must 'find their place in the Sun' and we will never have peace until they do.
So the question remains not "when Cold War II will start" but how we will deal with it, what will we do? What will be the strategies and tactics we must employ to manage this evolving threat? Just as the first Cold War is over and done, so must we also realize that the policies and practices used in that war are no longer necessarily valid. We must develop new methods of dealing with the threats of the Cold War in the Twenty-First Century.
Russia is still emerging from the chaos that followed the demise of the Soviet Union. The Russians now are in a third-world status, and more importantly, realize that others see them as a third world country. With no distinct identity, no national unity, a floundering military, anomie in the national consciousness, and governmental authorities which are not respected because they deserve no respect, the Russians are a blundering, weakened, paranoid colossus, the most dangerous of states they could be in.
The Russia of today is like the Weimar Republic. It does not have to become another totalitarian regime but will do so if the Western world does not use tact, firmness, intelligence, empathy, and common sense in engaging with those who were once so powerful. [Note: The armistice period between World War I and World War II should be regarded as a Proto-Cold War, with its attendant 'lessons not-learned'.]
To develop a plan for dealing with the Russians in the new Cold War, we must understand certain basic traits of the Russian national character. It must also be remembered that, like the Weimar Germans, the Russians have no actual experience with democracy. Even during Kerensky's time there was no viable form of rule by popular mandate. The closest Russians have ever come to democratic rule was in the Gorbachev/Yeltsin years. But with chaos and revolutionary change, a survival mentality, hunger, disease, crime and a barter economy, democracy was at best an empty framework, and a shaky one at that. As we learned in our own Great Depression, the real feelings of freedom by the people can only exist if Freedom from Fear and Freedom from Want are also fully manifest.
In times of turmoil and threat, the Russians look for a strong leader. The stronger and more ruthless, the better they like him (or 'she' in one instance). In the infrequent times of stability and peace, the Russians are only manageable if they can look to a strong national leader. Even a façade of despotism is fine with them. There may be incompetence behind the image, such as Brezhnev, but the Russians mainly are looking for someone to believe in.
There has been little in the last twenty years for the Russians to show as proof that they are still a global superpower. Client states have defected or have been unsupportable, the war in Afghanistan was an exercise in military ineffectuality and the first Chechnyan war was worse, the space program and other scientific programs had to be propped up by free world charity, international athletic competition was no longer an arena to be dominated, and the Warsaw Pact dissolved with many of its former members clamoring to join NATO. Even Russia sought to have some form of association with NATO or at least have a tacit veto about the growing membership. All of these events led to greater Russian paranoia.
Going back to the earlier allusion to the Weimar Republic, we can follow the logical consequences up to the point of Hitler's first military action which had international consequences and implications. It was not the Austrian anschluss, but rather the Occupation of the Rhineland. Although unnoticed by the general population of Europe and North America, then and now, historians recognize this event as the first that led to World War II. It is also recognized that, at each step from the Rhineland to Austria to the Sudetenland and Czechoslovakia, if at any time the international community or any of the major powers had objected and stood firm, Hitler would have had to back down, his momentum would have been stalled and, more importantly, he would have lost face, and then he would have lost his mandate. He would have been seen as just another blustering politician who could not deliver.
As it is now, President Vladimir Putin is in much the same position as Josef Stalin was in the 1920s after the death of Lenin, in a central position of power but not having absolutist power. Stalin still had to deal with other politicians and factions in order to maintain himself in power and then consolidate that power.
Putin by himself does not have much authority in the sense of having the power of enforcement. But in the Russia of today, he may be seen as the only alternative to chaos and anarchy. If he were not occupying the Presidency, then the non-entity who would be in that position would be seen as another Yeltsin. Not only would this be a blow to the Russian psyche but it would reverse the progress of creating a viable Russian governmental entity.
It might be noted that much of the progress attributed to Putin should have quotation marks around it or be labeled "so-called" as the actual progress is very insubstantial in measurable terms.
Crime and crooked business deals are still common if not prevalent. The military establishment on the whole is powerless and floundering, though able to mount an admirable and highly competent operation for a very specific objectives such as going into Pristina. The economy is kept afloat by legerdemain and selling the national natural resources and the taxation revenue sources for the government are a third-world con game. The borders of Russia are currently secure only because the immediately adjacent states are in even worse shape than Mother Russia. The Ukraine, Byelorussia, Moldava, and the corridor of former forced allies on Russia's western border are weak and only pose a threat to Russia by serving as examples of economic progress that is possible by adopting Western economic systems. They are generally poverty-stricken but less so than those states which did not transition to a different economic model.
In the military sense, these corridor states present a form of liability to NATO whereby affiliation with them creates a requirement for mutual defense. These states do not have a military capability with which they could fulfill their obligations either to their own people or to their new allies.
Vladimir Putin does not have the power or resources to run a cohesive, progressive government. He has a government that is like a currency in a monetary system. It is only viable and of worth as long as the users consider it to be viable and of worth. If anything undermines confidence in Putin, the government will not necessarily fall, it may simply sit there as a dead hulk. Should this occur, Russia will be pushed even faster into anarchy or despotism. If anarchy is the result, then the military will take over, take the resources it needs in order to function, and become the despotic power. In the end, this is the same result.
The important thing is to realize that the Free World is now faced with a Problem, either to bring progress and freedom to Russia or let it become anarchic/despotic. Anarchy or Despotism means that Russia will drag the rest of the world into a quagmire of much the same kind.
The current US Presidency has taken several steps which show America to be isolationist, arrogant and unilateral in its relations with others. Nothing could suit the Russian cause better. While they flounder and try to come up with policies and goals that can be achieved within their limited capabilities, the US is offering no alternative. If anything we are driving our allies into being former allies who will now accept Russian actions without condemning them. Chechnya, freedom of the press, international arms dealing and environmental issues are just the most prominent issues where Russia is moving against the best interests of the world, yet seem benign compared to what we are doing.
The Kyoto Treaty, Star Wars II, world population growth, exploitation of the environment - these are matched by Russian culpability in different issues. But in the eyes of the world, Russia cannot help itself and many do not want to offend the Russians because it might make them worse. (Neville Chamberlain is still with us.) The same cannot be said about America.
The US has a functioning, continuous government. We have the strongest economy and military ever. We have been a leader in professing the benefits of democracy and trying to force other governments to free up their political processes and their markets. We say they must pay attention to the needs of the people, both here and abroad.
Yet right now our government policies are not that of a modern progressive world leader, but rather an insular, immature bully that is living in the past. Our policies are reminiscent of the post-World War II anti-communism of the Eisenhower era, though at that time we were not as isolationist as we are now.
Since their action in Kosovo, the Russians have embarked on several transnational ventures, but are still not sure of themselves and have not thought them out very well. The Second Chechnyan War is the most prominent of these activities. It is very much like the Transcaucasian conquests of Imperial Russia or the invasion of Czechoslovakia in 1968. But this has been a military disaster for Russia, as they are now bogged down by a tenacious, nationalist guerilla movement. With some planning and foresight, the Russians could have used 'divide and conquer' techniques and had some allied Chechnyan proxy forces do most of their fighting for them.
This failure is counterbalanced by the Russian success of neo-panslavism, uniting with the Serbians and supporting the Macedonians, including the use of Ukrainian forces. Byelorussia and Moldava are client states, and the Ukraine is being drawn or forced back into the Russian orbit. Because of Soviet Russia's oppression and betrayal for nearly 50 years, Middle Europe, from the Baltic to the Danube will be in opposition to Russia for many years to come, but they also know that American isolationism and unsteady support means that they cannot count on our country when the pressure is on.
The age-old enemy, Turkey, has been neutralized and even shows signs of allying itself with Russia, one low-grade power conspiring with another. The nation-states along the southern border of Russia, the Transcaucasians and the "-stans" are having to overcome their antipathy to Russia or face an even worse fate at the hands of the Taliban and similar fanatics. No one else is ready to help in any way.
Russia is trying to reach an accommodation with Europe, in its foreign relations and how it is viewed domestically. Chechnya aside, the Russians are not looking for any more military adventures. They will not press too hard on the free press or the other standard measures of how much freedom there is in a country. They will be content to maintain a slow, relentless pressure, undermining any institutions that have the potential of opposing the New Russian State.
Europeans, on the other hand, do not want to become too involved in any foreign affairs outside of Western and Middle Europe. The Europeans see themselves as having many of the same potential problems and do not want to become involved. Only in foreign crises such as Kosovo or economic instability will they become concerned. This is the current form of Realpolitik. The Europeans want nothing that will disturb the stability of their present systems, and they do not want to have to spend any military or humanitarian resources on hotspots in any part of Europe.
If we recognize that the Second Cold War has already begun then we must then accept that the policies and practices of the present administration are exactly the opposite of what should be done. We should be working with our European allies as equals, going from Pax Americana to Pax Euro-Americana. We should be providing leadership by intelligence, wisdom and character, not direction, as we help every country throughout the world as each one moves towards peace, stability, and democracy. We should take responsibility for other changes we cause in the environment and global economy. We must not take unilateral action in national defense that will lead to a new arms race and militarism. Our actions and those of our European allies must be coordinated with those of Russia, wherever feasible. A paranoid, disrespected Russia is volatile and ultimately will have the resources to be the worst of enemies rather than the best of friends.
One way to get the Russians on our side would be to engage in co-operative ventures with them. We already are exploiting the natural resources of Siberia, why not more work with environmental consciousness? Why not a Marshall Plan for Chechnya, where those Chechnyans who will work with us will be those in charge during the rebuilding and in the united, pacified state that follows.
We need to convince President Putin that it is in the best interests of Russia and, therefore, himself to let democracy live. Although the Russians will not embrace full democracy in the near future, even a limited form of democracy would still leave Russia with enough freedom to keep that nation from becoming a new totalitarian power.
America must again co-operate internationally in the areas of environment and anti-missile defense. We not only have a moral obligation to honor our agreements and contracts, but there are our own self-interests of taking care of future generations, here and abroad. We must work with the Europeans and the Russians in finding mutually acceptable and practical solutions to any problems we face. Inclusiveness will mitigate, if not negate, the forces driving Russia into a resurrection of the Cold War.

CHINA

No matter what we do, we will not have China as a true ally. The Chinese have always thought of their country as the "Middle Kingdom". They have thought this in the past, they think so now, they will think so as long as their civilization endures. We must base our foreign and trade policies on this precept. Whatever the Chinese do, it is Sino-centric, without regard to whatever regime rules wherever their capital is. Even a reversion to warlordship in the provinces would not alter what we must do.
As it is now, the Chinese are constantly maintaining our largest trade imbalance. Yet we react to their policies, rather than enforcing the international rules of civilized behavior on them.
We say we are against genocide, totalitarian rule, and imperialism. China is guilty of all three - in Tibet; in its dictatorial central government; and in its actions towards Taiwan, India, and other border regions. We do nothing to stop them because we believe it would inhibit or stop us from exporting our goods to them, and because we do not know how to deal with such a single-minded opponent.
The history of trade with China is that it is a sinkhole. Everyone thinks they will make it big in the China market, but no one ever does. They will keep promising us access, property protection, and the world's biggest market. What we will get is more of our dollars going overseas. In the computer areas, for instance, they will let our companies believe that they can fairly enter the markets. We may sell increasing amounts of hardware and software, but when it appears that we have reached critical mass, the Chinese will create their own (unlicensed) clones, create software by reverse engineering ours, and keep their production work and money at home.
The other part of it is that we never have known how to deal with the Chinese. We probably never will know how to deal with the Chinese because they are more Realpolitik than the Europeans are. Our usual response to Realpolitik is to condemn it then try to play the same game, thus managing to both sell out our ideals and do it incompetently at the same time.
In dealing with the Chinese we must learn to not make public demands on them as they will never comply since they believe they can never show weakness or compromise. Better to make mild pronouncements indicating what we would prefer to happen. Then privately lay it on the line. We will cut off trade with China, meaning a loss of $6 Billion a month in hard American dollars that would vanish from their economy. We can back Taiwan, isolate the Chinese internationally, undermine their debt servicing, and delay their development projects. But we must stand up to them and let them know that our ideals and resolve are not to be compromised.
China is not presently a participant in the Second Cold War. China is a separate entity internationally and does not fit in with other third-world countries. They must be dealt with separately, which is not to their advantage. The Chinese have done very well because we have never understood them. We have either classified them as a Third-World country or described them as "inscrutable". Neither categorization leads to an effective, coherent policy.
There are indications that Russia and China are getting together and are signing an agreement of mutual understanding. This will be of no consequence substantively but symbolically is important and could lead to a more definitive and substantial relationship between the two. This is not to be taken lightly, but must be treated with respect and deference. It is also something that should lead to a well-thought out strategy by the Western powers whereby they would bring Russia back into the Western camp and leave China as a solitary power to be dealt with individually.

John Cormode, B.A., M.A., Political Science
© John Cormode 2001
(Amended but not updated in 2009)

An Alternative Policy in the Middle East

2007-08-04T18:16:00.000-07:00

Victor Davis Hanson has written about our Middle East foreign policy debacles for every President since Jimmy Carter. He implies that George W. Bush has been no worse than his predecessors and concludes that we should continue with our present policy of occupation and Americanization.
Because we have had such a dismal and inept series of military adventures in the Middle East, it would be more logical to conclude that the U.S. would be better off (and so would the people of the Middle East) if we would quit trying to run their affairs.
A more thoughtful set of policy principles for the U.S. might be:
1. As much as possible, let those in the Middle East settle their own affairs and quit taking sides.
2. We will only get involved in their affairs to prevent genocide, imperialism or invasions.
3. Our only real concern about the Middle East is oil. As long as the Middle East provides it, then we should not be involved in the internal affairs of those countries, nor should they be involved in ours. Export embargoes on oil by religious ruling parties would only be a temporary threat. The people of the Middle East depend on oil to pay for their importation of food and other necessities.
4. We will get directly involved when attacked. When the Taliban harbored the al-Qaida international outlaws, they made Afghanistan a target for our military forces. We had a reason, a duty and a mission to go in there and should have taken care of
that business before starting an unnecessary war in Iraq.
The above may sound self-interested. But it is realistic and does have pragmatic principles.

Leaving the Republican Party

2007-07-06T21:20:00.000-07:00

Over forty years ago, I registered to vote, and it was as a Republican. It is now time for me to change my party affiliation, as the Republican Party no longer has any values or principles worth supporting.
The Republican Party, as manifested in the present Administration, has betrayed the Constitution and perverted the rule of law. The Party does not protect our freedom but insidiously seeks to destroy it.
The Republican Party has allied itself with sectarian fundamentalism and has desecrated the principle of separation of church and state.
The Party has led us into an unjust and unjustifiable war in Iraq, even though the Party leaders and their families have personally avoided military service.
Courtesy of the Republicans, our country is rapidly becoming a corporate state with our health and economy subservient to Big Business.
The final straw has come from the CIA leak case. Leaders, advisers, and fellow travelers of the Party were involved in a serious breach of our defenses when they released information critical to our national security.
Instead of dire punishment of the perpetrators of this criminal activity, we find them still in positions of power and influence, and protected from punishment.
There is too much ethical and political corruption in the Republican Party.
As of July 4, 2007 I am no longer a registered Republican.

Rights of Gay Veterans

2007-07-06T21:14:00.000-07:00

Dal Miranda, Leonard Malkovich and other gays are Vietnam War veterans, but they do not have the right to marry the person they choose.
George W. Bush, Richard Cheney and Karl Rove contrived to avoid the Vietnam War, yet have the right to marry who they choose.
Why do draft-dodgers have more rights than Veterans?

Wag the Bushie Dog

2007-06-02T22:53:00.001-07:00

It is only a matter of time until George W. Bush, Leader of the Free World, usurps the Constitution, seizes the Federal Government, and declares Martial Law. The great mystery is when and under what pretext.
So here is your chance to be a part of history in the making – just fill out the following survey and see how your ideas stack up against other unpatriotic evildoers (people who don’t agree with ‘W’).

1. What excuse will George W. Bush use to take over the U.S. of A.?
A. Al-Qaeda is about to attack.
B. Al-Qaeda has already attacked.
C. The Liberals/Democrats are about to win the next election.
D. All sorts of evildoers have infiltrated America and are going to do bad
things.
E. Satan has taken over the churches (that don’t support him).
F. Too many people have been criticizing Texas.
G. ‘I need a drink and all the bars are closed.’
H. Other reason__________________________

2. In 25 words or less, tell us how ‘W’ will overthrow the government.

__________________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________________

3. When “W” denies that he has any intention of staging a coup,
will you believe him? No [ ]

4. Are you prepared to stand up to George W. Bush and stop the overthrow?
A. Yes
B. No
C. Well, sorta.
D. It depends. What’s on TV tonight?
E. What’ll it cost me?
F. What will you pay me?

5. Concentration Camp Preference:
A. Less than 200 miles from home (only 1 meal per day)
B. Greater than 200 miles from home (2 meals per day)
C. In a warm, sunny climate (2 beatings per day)
D. Blue State
E. Red State (less crowded)

What should be the prize for coming up with the best response to Question 2?
A. You will be ‘rendered’ – tortured, hauled down to the border in a duffel
bag, and without shoes, money, or ID, tossed over the fence into Tiajuana.
B. You will be given the place of honor in front of a firing squad.
C. You will be sent to Guantanamo Bay for agressive interrogation.
D. You will be sent to Abu-Ghraib Prison for pictures and recreation.

Iraq and "The Charge of the Light Brigade"

2007-04-29T00:06:00.000-07:00

Our military misadventure in Iraq reminds me of “The Charge of the Light Brigade.”
Our soldiers and Marines are performing heroically against all odds. They are able to inflict losses on the enemy even when burdened with an impossible mission and with incompetent (political) leadership.
Our military personnel are “volley’d and thunder’d” from right and left, from front and rear, and still they carry on, while “All the world wondered.”
And it is all because “Someone had blunder’d.”
There is one part of this analogy we can change. “Their’s not to reason why, Their’s but to do and die” – this does not have to be. We must demand that it end. We must reverse the expansion of the war and bring them home now.

Different Classes of Americans

2007-03-10T17:08:00.000-08:00

One of the basic American ideals is that we are all equal and nothing, not even money, can put one citizen ahead of another.
We also believe that an individual’s rights, including those of selfhood and privacy, are inviolate.
Now with the fast-pass traveler’s card we are creating a class of citizens who put down their money and surrender their personal identity just for the sake of getting through a security checkpoint quicker, ahead of the rest of us. The only complaint is that the cardholder applicants cannot complete the transaction fast enough.
The American dreams and ideals are once more sold out.

This is but one example of how we are selling out ourselves and our heritage of freedom and equality. This also extends to other examples of American life, such of special toll roads for those who will pay, special tax categories and preferences, corporate welfare, etc.

Equal Opportunity Recruitment

2007-03-10T16:47:00.000-08:00

It has been quite noticeable during the Iraq War that an inordinate number of those killed have Hispanic surnames. Now we have the report that rural and small town America is overrepresented in the KIA.
It is also obvious that an inordinate number of those who die in Iraq have different names from their mothers. This indicates that too many are the children of divorce and of single mothers.
How about a military recruitment plan to staff the Army and Marines from White/Anglo, middle-class, traditional families? Then we can all share the sacrifice.

Religious Leadership and the War in Iraq

2007-01-02T12:56:00.000-08:00

At a vigil to memorialize the loss of 3,000 American military in Iraq, I began to wonder how many pastors, priests and rabbis were present. Most likely the answer was 'none'.
Where are the religious leaders to remind us that this is an unjust war that has now cost us more Americans killed than in the evil events of 9/11?

Delays and Death in Iraq

2006-12-14T17:48:00.000-08:00

A decision on changing our strategy in Iraq has now
been put off until after the holidays.
But how many more GIs will die while Pres. Ira Q.
Quagmire dithers and delays?

Army Recruitment Source

2006-11-12T20:03:00.000-08:00

Army and Marine recruiters have an untapped resource from which they can find new enlistees.
They should look at the donor lists for those who have contributed to Pres. Bush and other Iraq-war supporters.
Then the recruiters can contact those donors and ask for the names of family members who can be recruited.
Those who want the war should be more than willing to support it.

Interrogation for Congressmen

2006-09-21T21:35:00.000-07:00

For those Congressmen who still want to allow
torture for military prisoners, how about
undergoing a 72-hour 'intensive interrogation'
by a CIA contractor?

Four Challenges for Veterans

2006-09-15T22:44:00.000-07:00

VETERANS!
Four Challenges for Veterans:

1. Secretary of Defense Rumsfeld Must Resign
At the U.S. Army or Corps level, Civil Affairs/Military Government (G5) has the mission of, among other things, administering the military occupation when enemy territory has been overrun.
This means that the G5 Office is to ensure no insurgency or to minimize insurgency in the occupied territory. The importance of this activity for the Army is attested to by its being part of the General Staff, the same as Personnel, Intelligence, Operations and Logistics.
The lack of planning for the occupation of Iraq has led to the insurgency having its present strength, killing over 2500 U. S. military personnel.
According to retiring Brigadier General Mark Scheid, Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld specifically forbade any postwar planning for Iraq, threatening to fire anyone who even discussed such planning.
Secretary Rumsfeld has the major responsibility for over 2500 American fatalities. He must resign.
Challenge: Demand that your Congressman tell the Administration that Secretary Rumsfeld must resign.

2. Traumatic Brain Injury Research Must be Fully Funded
For Fiscal Year 2006, Federal funds for Traumatic Brain Injury research was $14,000,000. The proposed amount for FY2007 was $19,000,000. This is in keeping with the increase of TBI cases arising from the Iraq War.
The Bush Administration is pushing to reduce TBI research funding to $7,000,000 – half of this year’s budget.
Traumatic Brain Injury is the ‘signature wound’ of the Iraq War. We are still learning how to recognize it – yet the funding is to be cut!
Challenge: Demand that your Congressman support Traumatic Brain Injury research funding be at least $19,000,000 in FY2007.

3. An Exit Plan for the Iraq War
The Bush Administration led us into the Iraq War without any plans.
Now they refuse to tell us how they plan to get us out. Our troops are over there without any idea of what we are doing or for how long.
Challenge: Demand that your Congressman vote to require the Bush Administration to prepare and announce an exit plan.

4. Observe the Geneva Convention and End Torture
The Bush Administration insists it has the right to ignore the Geneva Convention and to use illicit methods, including torture, to maintain the national security.
Military professionals adamantly oppose disregarding the Geneva Convention protocols, saying it puts our uniformed personnel at risk and undermines our moral authority as a nation.
Challenge: Demand that your Congressman either vote for adherence to the Geneva Convention or undergo a 72-hour ‘intensive interrogation’ by a CIA contractor.

Rumsfeld and the Lack of Planning in Iraq

2006-09-13T23:12:00.000-07:00

At the U.S. Army or Corps level, Civil Affairs/Military Government (G5) has the mission of, among other things, administering the military occupation when enemy territory has been overrun. This means that the G5 Office is to ensure or minimize insurgency in the occupied territory. The importance of this activity for the Army is attested to by its being part of the General Staff, the same as Personnel, Intelligence, Operations and Logistics.
The lack of planning for the occupation of Iraq has led to the insurgency having its present strength, killing over 2500 U. S. military personnel.
According to retiring Brigadier General Mark Scheid, Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld specifically forbade any postwar planning for Iraq, threatening to fire anyone who even discussed such planning.
Secretary Rumsfeld has the major responsibility for over 2500 American fatalities. He must resign.

An Exit Plan for Iraq

2006-09-11T20:29:00.000-07:00

The Bush Administration has been unwilling or unable
to issue an exit plan for the U.S. forces in Iraq.
This uncertainty of planning is undercutting our
mission and our military performance in-country.
To force the issue, Congress should place a
requirement into the FY2007 budget. They should
require the Bush Administration either to issue an
exit plan (through the Department of Defense) or to
institute a military draft no later than March 31,
2007.

American Deaths in Iraq

2006-08-15T22:33:00.000-07:00

Date: August 9, 2006
On September 11, 2001, Osama bin-Laden directed attacks that led to
the deaths of 2,738 Americans.
On March 19, 2003, George W. Bush directed attacks that have since led
to the deaths of 2,738 Americans.
2,595 military personnel
133 contractors
4 government employees
6 journalists

End Terrorism in Israel/Palestine/Lebanon

2006-07-31T22:47:00.000-07:00

We all believe that violence is wrong, even evil, and would like to put an end to it everywhere. Right now, most of us are concerned about the Israel/Palestine/Lebanon regional conflict.
Terrorism is not a political belief or movement. Terrorism is a method for creating fear, doubt, and instability; it is a means to an end, not an end unto itself. Terrorism is violence aimed at anyone and everyone, but especially innocent civilians. It is random, deadly, and is a crime against humanity.
Right now, each of the major forces in the I/P/L region, the State of Israel, Hamas, and Hezbullah (and sometimes al-Fatah), are using terrorism to get their way or, at least as they see it, for keeping their perceived enemies/opponents from achieving their goals.
Through NATO or the UN, we must demand and enforce the demand for the cessation of terrorism.

• No more killing of innocent civilians.
• No more rockets launched against non-military targets.
• No more suicide bombings.
• No more bombing of civilian infrastructure such as bridges, civil airports,
fuel tanks, roads, schools, hospitals, and communication facilities.
• No more collective punishment.

Any state that engages in or supports such activities will be excluded from the United Nations. Any group which engages in or supports such activities will be boycotted by UN members. No such group will be allowed to act as a conduit of aid package distribution or serve as a provider of any other form of governmental relief or function.

The Flag Burning Amendment and its Supporters

2006-07-22T23:23:00.000-07:00

Here are a couple of notes about the "Flag Desecration Amendment" and those who support it. This is from a Californian who served during the Vietnam War Era (but not in Vietnam) and is a registered Republican.

Those who would protect the flag by desecrating the Bill of Rights should have a consistent record of such protective behavior.
Those who have shirked their duty earlier cannot now claim a patriotic role. Of the 20 Republican Congresspersons from California, 12 faced the draft during the Vietnam Era. Only three served. That means that nine did not go. Those nine (Herger, Lundgren, Doolittle, Gallegly, Dreier, Royce, Calvert, Rohrbacher and Cox) should have been called out and told not to vote. They did not serve the flag when it counted. They should not have played the superpatriot now.
The same thing goes in the Senate, starting with the Majority Leader.

In the Senate, there are 19 male Republicans born from 1943 through 1953 (prime draft material). Only one (Hagel – NE) served in the regular military (Army, served in Vietnam ’67-’68).
Three were in the National Guard – Isakson – GA, Craig – ID, and Enzi – WY. One, Sessions – AL, was in the Army Reserves. It would be interesting to know how they got into the Guard/Reserves.
All the rest somehow missed out on military service. The most interesting names on the List of the Missing are Bill Frist and Saxby Chambliss.

The Proposed Impeachment of George W. Bush

2006-07-22T23:16:00.000-07:00

There is a movement among some political activists to try to impeach President George W. Bush. I am against such a move because I believe that an impeachment effort would actually help Bush and the Radical Republicans.
President Bush's policies and programs are generally unpopular, as shown by his polling numbers. There is also a growing realization that his competency is to be questioned. But these aspects do not overcome the political reality that George W. Bush remains personally popular with a majority of the people in this country.
Impeachment can only have a degree of success where the President is unpopular (e.g., Andrew Johnson or Nixon). Consideration of or actual impeachment has serious repercussions for those promoting it where a President is popular (Reagan or Clinton).
In my estimation, George W. Bush (read Karl Rove) would actually welcome an impeachment move. He would make a big thing about having people undercutting him
while he was fighting terrorism. Then he would announce, "A vote for a Democrat is a vote to impeachme."
Those middle-America voters who have been leaning towards voting Democratic candidates will be pushed back towards the Republicans. And the Republican Party would retain control of Congress.
For Reform Republicans, impeachment would end any hope of bringing the GOP into the 20th century. It would be the latest litmus test and push all reformers into a corner or out of the party. Rational debate on policies and principles would be overwhelmed by (party) loyalty tests.
I yield to no one in my dislike for George W. Bush and his ilk. But I will oppose any measure that would help rather than hinder him.

The "Under God" Dilemma

2006-07-22T23:14:00.000-07:00

The “Under God” Dilemma

The constitutional issue of requiring people to say “under God” in the Pledge of Allegiance can easily be resolved by looking to legal precedent.
In the ‘Gobitis’ (1940) and ‘Barnette’ (1943) cases, the U.S. Supreme Court held that you could not force schoolchildren to say the Pledge nor punish them for not saying it. These cases were brought on behalf of Jehovah’s Witnesses whose consciences would not allow them to pledge to anything outside of their religious beliefs.
Applying that same principle, a child could be instructed by his or her family not to say “under God” if it is contrary to their religious or political beliefs.

Thomas Friedman and Iraq

2006-04-05T21:49:00.000-07:00

Thomas Friedman’s article (“Iraq on precipice of an irreversible sectarian calamity”) is a well-written statement of what we are facing in Iraq. But there are two points where he injected his own judgmental terms instead of remaining an impartial observer.
Friedman states that “Sunni Islamo-nihilists” are pursuing a goal of insecurity in Iraq. The term sounds like “Islamo-fascists” as used by some Conservative commentators. It would be more correct to note that both Sunni and Shiite forces (militias, army, police, tribes and religious groups) are pushing for sectarian nationalism, with each and all of them trying to create and impose a new Iraq according to their own beliefs.
Mr. Friedman also refers to our efforts to build a “Western-style, democratizing society.” Even an astute and knowledgeable observer such as Mr. Friedman still does not understand that we cannot impose our own values and organizational structures on Iraq or any other place in the Middle East. They must be allowed to develop their own governance systems and institutions.

President Bush and the Constitution

2005-12-20T14:05:00.000-08:00

President Bush continues to violate the rights of Americans by authorizing invasions of privacy. The latest instance is the NSA listening to our phone calls.
This is a clear violation of the 4th Amendment to the Bill of Rights, which requires that “no Warrants shall issue, but upon probably cause, supported by Oath or affirmation, and particularly describing the place to be searched….”
[The phrase referred to has since be determined not to meet professional journalistic standards for substantiation and therefore has been removed. I regret the error.]

[This was published as a 'Letter to the Editor' in the San Jose Mercury News on
December 20, 2005, but with the last phrase changed deleting the quotation marks
and the blasphemous phrase.]

Jesus and the Death Penalty

2005-12-13T23:34:00.000-08:00

The next time you sign an execution warrant, Gov. Schwarzenegger,
ask yourself, "What Would Jesus Do?".

Tragic Numbers of Iraq

2005-08-31T21:08:00.000-07:00

We are well past 1850 dead American GIs in Iraq and may hit 2000 in a month or two. When our losses reached 1000 dead in September 2004, it made an impression on the American psyche, though people in general are slow to admit a change of mind.
Once we get to 2000 though, it will not be just another milestone, it will become a specter haunting the Administration and hanging over them like a cloud of doom.
After you reach 2000, it is normal human nature to look at the next major milestone – and that is 3000 dead. Why is 3000 such a major occurrence? – Because of 9/11. On September 11, 2001, there were 2,986 lives lost (according to Wikipedia). And 2986 is just that much less than 3,000 such that everyone will know that the tragic lie of the Iraq War has borne fatal fruit.
Pres. George W. Bush told America and the rest of the world that we had to attack Iraq because of terrorism. He mixed in 9/11 and Afghanistan with Iraq so that anyone trying to stop the invasion of Iraq was ‘protecting the terrorists’. Just as we had invaded Afghanistan and overthrown the Taliban, we had to attack Iraq and overthrow Saddam Hussein. In the end, all of us must admit that much of what Americans wanted to do was exact vengeance on the perpetrators of 9/11. In carrying over this emotional rationale to Iraq, we are still exacting vengeance. But what kind of revenge is it when the price of exacting vengeance is higher than the original atrocity? You actually encourage your enemies because they will know that all your victories are Pyrrhic.
Soon everyone will start ‘counting down’ to 2,986, that is to say, we will all keep track as the difference becomes smaller and the body count grows larger. The Bush Administration will begin to look for a quick way out, making the situation worse. Panic drills lead to greater mistakes and losses, not less.

Radical Republicans and Military Service

2005-08-31T21:01:00.000-07:00

Radical Republicans and Military Service
Right now we are faced with the Republican Party on Capitol Hill, dominated by the Radical Right, trying to push through an Amendment to the Constitution to ban flag desecration. This is part of their effort to impose their form of patriotism.
But how much were they willing to sacrifice for the flag? The answer is “Not very much.”
Of the 20 Republican Congresspersons from California, only four are veterans. Nine of these Republicans were faced with the draft in the Vietnam War Era and did not serve.
In the Senate, there are 19 members who faced the draft at that time. Only one, Sen. Hagel of Nebraska, served in the regular military, and he pulled a tour in Vietnam as a Staff Sergeant.
Three Senators (Isakson – GA, Craig – ID, and Enzi – WY) served in National Guard units, and one (Sessions – AL) served in the Army Reserve. It would be interesting to know how they secured their slots in the non-Active Duty service.
This means that 14 Senators did not answer the call when it counted. (The most notable of these are Bill Frist and Saxby Chambliss.) Now most of them try to prove what great patriots they are by desecrating the Bill of Rights.
If this was the only case, it might not be so bad. But the Republicans have consistently acted detrimentally to the interests of veterans, retired military, and active duty personnel.
They have also promoted the War in Iraq and pushed their hawkish agenda. But they never have put it on the line.

Note 1: I consider any male born from 1943 through 1953 to have been Vietnam War Era draft bait.
Note 2: I have been a registered Republican since I was first eligible to vote – at age 21.

Volunteering for Iraq

2005-06-26T16:39:00.000-07:00

Dear President Bush,
I understand that recruitment is down and you are having trouble filling up the ranks.
As a former infantryman and a member of the V Corps G5 Office (Civil Affairs/Military Government), I am willing to serve again if you want to call me up.
For the most part, I am in good shape and will be ready to go. I walk the dog 30 minutes every day, but have to admit that my running days are over – bum knees.
I try to do some exercises every day. A few pushup that probably don’t meet Army standards – but it’s the thought that counts. Some partial sit-ups – partial because of my bad back.
Don’t worry about my bad back. I have a homemade support belt that I can wear. If they will just issue me a regulation Army truss (desert camo style), I am sure that I will be right as rain.
Speaking of walking, you should know that I will have to have special orthotics for my boots, otherwise my heel bone spurs will come back. And my feet have been flattening out in the last few years, so falling arches might be a problem.
As for my feet and the rest of the body that is attached to them, every morning I have to put on various and sundry medicinal applications, from a selection of six creams, two ointments, one powder, a solution and a tincture. This, of course, takes some extra time, so I may have a hard time making reveille, but I am sure that the 1st Sergeant will understand.
There is one special accommodation that I would ask for. Because I had melanoma cancer a number of years ago, I have to stay out of the sun and heat. I still have regular skin cancers pop up once in a while. Could you arrange for me to have an assignment in Iraq that is cool and in the shade, preferably air conditioned?
Another thing is that because of the melanoma, I had to have the lymph nodes removed from my left armpit, so I cannot have any shots in my left arm. Would it be all right if I only got the shots that are for the right arm?
Other than these few minor issues, I am in pretty good health. I take a vitamin pill every day, and an allergy pill every other day. There is a bit of a beer gut, but that is manageable. I have to admit to having outgrown all my old Army outfits, so new uniforms will have to be issued.
By the way, since I am now 60 years old, do you think that I can get a Senior Citizens Discount at the movie theaters and restaurants in Baghdad?
As I said, I am ready to go, and will gladly fall in right behind all the volunteers made up of those who voted for you last November.

(c) jcormode attribution-no derivative works 2005

Liability for Lying

2005-05-20T21:56:00.000-07:00

Pres. Bill Clinton lied about a tawdry little backroom affair where no one got hurt.
Pres. George W. Bush lied to get us into a war in Iraq, a war that has cost over 1600 American lives.
Those who supported the impeachment of Pres. Clinton must now demand the impeachment of Pres. George W. Bush. To do otherwise is to belittle the sacrifice of our soldiers' lives in Iraq.

As to the argument that we will never get a less-than-honorable Republican majority in the House to actually look into impeachment – with that I must agree.
But there is an alternative to bring some justice into the situation.
Pres. Bush’s lying has directly led to the deaths of over 1600 military personnel. He is both culpable and liable.
If any family members of those deceased want to pursue a civil case for wrongful death, then they have cause for action. They could begin discovery proceedings, using subpoenas and depositions, and start uncovering the truth.
This is the conjecture of a non-lawyer, but there appears to be precedent for this approach.

The Triempirate

2005-04-04T16:21:00.000-07:00

THE TRIEMPIRATE

In the 1930s, Italy (Fascist) and Germany (Nazi) joined forces in alliance and called themselves the Axis powers. Later, they included Japan (Unitary state imperialism) and created a three-point Axis. All of them were totalitarian and were ready to carve up the world in a three-way split.
After World War II, when the Axis powers had been defeated, there arose a different power-sharing détente – courtesy of the Cold War.
The United States led one faction, based on North America and Western Europe, and it was called the ‘Free World’. Mostly it was based on Market economics. There were elements of Corporate Statism, but it was generally under control, and for the most part its constituents could justifiably refer to themselves as democratic and free. Many elements in Europe were more like welfare states, but still had free enterprise systems.
The Union of Soviet Socialist Republics led the main opposition to the Western world, mainly through Stalinist Communism. This was a totalitarian, centrally controlled command economy, with little freedom for anyone, even the rulers. Although begun by Lenin and continued by Stalin, this was nationalist Communism, Russian variant.
The non-aligned nations that ostensibly did not take sides, were often known as the ‘Third World’. For the most part, these were countries that were poverty-stricken, had authoritarian government, often were emerging from colonialism, and almost all at best had showcase democracy. Their economies were dysfunctional and they were not able to take care of their people. The only reason they existed was that many of them had strategic natural resources, and were geopolitically vulnerable so that the first two powers engaged in a zero-sum contest that usually resulted in a neutral balance of power.
There was a fourth area, a Third Power, which people seldom recognized as powerful and able to wield its influence. This was Communist China, as begun by Mao Tse-Tung and later continued by a series of party loyalist functionaries, a self-perpetuating group who were and are, in the end, pragmatists. This was the same as the post-Stalinist USSR had been. Preaching their own brand of Communism, the Chinese autocrats actually were simply another variant of authoritarian/totalitarian rule based on and in the Middle Kingdom.
Since the fall of Soviet Communism in the early 1990s, there has been an ostensible realignment of powers. But this has only been either a cosmetic or structural change, not an essential one.
The Soviet Union has downsized to less than the area of the old Russia, geographically not as large as the Tsar’s Russian Empire. Yet it still controls a vast area, one of the world’s largest populations, and includes many nationalities and non-Russian territory. Its economy has staggered but not collapsed, is recovering and it still has vast natural resources not yet exploited. The central authority under Pres. Vladimir Putin grows stronger after each crisis, as the Russian people look for a strong father figure.
The Chinese are Communist in official ideology only. They have unleashed the entrepreneurial spirit of the Chinese people and have become one of the world’s biggest economies. Their technological and military strengths are growing every day. Yet they are doing this with a controlled economy. In the end, all economic efforts must be for the benefit of the state, not the people. Chinese influence throughout Asia is stronger than ever, and imperialism in one form or another is a major government program.
The United States has reverted back socio-politically to the Age of the Moguls, where corporate powers held rights equal to or greater than individual Americans. And in the Ark of Empire motif, young men die on foreign soil to benefit business interests and family honor, pretexts for war provided upon request.
The current Triempirate differs only from the earlier versions in that the three powers share a common fundamental ideology – Corporate Statism.

Is this reading too much into history?
If the Triempirate theory is true, why is there a ‘Rule of Three’?
Is the United States of Europe not to be counted because it is not acting as a traditional imperialist power?
Copyright JCormode 2008

A Constitutional Coup and Countermeasures

2005-03-16T11:28:00.000-08:00

A COUP AGAINST THE CONSTITUTION
There is talk of the Republican leadership in the Senate using the ‘nuclear option’. This would entail having Vice President Cheney, as President of the Senate, rule that the ‘advice and consent’ authorities in the Constitution only allow and require a vote ‘yea’ or ‘nay’ on such issues. Filibustering or any other parliamentary maneuver to obstruct the vote would be ruled out.
With that ruling, the Senate would then proceed to vote based on majority rule and the Republican leadership would prevail.
This would be a constitutional crisis.
The Constitution states that “Each House may determine the Rules of its Proceedings…” But those rules are about procedures and structural organization. They do not allow for infringing on the rights of the people or the representatives of the people even though they are in the minority. A majority of Senators cannot pass a rule the defines the meaning or application of the Constitution.
The Constitution does not allow for one person, either the President of the Senate or the Senate Majority Leader to abrogate or interpret the Constitution. Interpretation of the Constitution may be the responsibility of every American, but the Supreme Court is the only body to have the authority to interpret the Constitution.
If the any party leadership is allowed to declare what the Constitution says and enforce it by majority rule, then all the Constitution is at risk.
This is a constitutional crisis.

COUNTERING THE ANTI-CONSTITUTIONAL COUP

All emphasis should be placed on establishing the entire issue as an abuse of the Constitution, to the point of overthrowing it.

1. At every university, each Political Science faculty, each History faculty, and each School of Law faculty must pass a resolution that the proposed interpretation of the Constitution is incorrect in content, is against precedent and historical fact, and is a gross perversion of the Constitution.
Any faculty that does not do so will be put on record as being academically inferior and should lose its accreditation.
Any School of Law that has produced a Senator that accepts the ‘nuclear option’ must immediately notify that Senator that he/she has brought that School into disrepute by voting against the Constitution and that the School no longer will admit to having produced that Senator.

2. Each Senator must be addressed and put to the test – Will he/she vote for the Constitution or for party politics.

3. The Republican Senators who are considered possible upholders of the Constitution must be given all possible support. Putting the issue in terms of the Constitution will give them a stronger position from which to fight the radical Republicans.

4. Quit attacking ‘Republicans’. The ones who are creating this crisis are the right-wingers, better known as ‘radical Republicans’. The radicals are infamous in history and can be fought on that basis.
Those who are trying to stop this action, usually calling themselves “Progressives”, need to reach out to moderate and liberal Republicans and make common cause with them.

5. Look for alliances. Although the different groups that are presently fighting the Bush Administration do not seem to have a common thread, they are in a fight. Urge the senior citizens, and the veterans and the military to keep pushing for their cause. All of us acting at the same time will create a synergy.

6. Begin preparations for a federal law suit, challenging the ‘nuclear option’, and let it be known that such a suit will be filed immediately. The Supreme Court is not going to want to review such a case, and will signal its reluctance. But the Court cannot allow the Senate or any other body to declare themselves above the law and Constitution.

A Test of Faith

2005-03-16T11:24:00.000-08:00

A court has ruled that marriage in California is for all couples, not just heterosexual ones.
This will undoubtedly cause another round of angry denunciations by people claiming to be Christians.
But Jesus of Nazareth told us to love and be tolerant of one another, to be peaceful in our souls, and to help those who are oppressed, but not to pass judgment.
This is a test of faith. True Christians will now support those who are persecuted because they are different in their loving relationships.

A Constitutional Coup?

2005-02-25T20:31:00.000-08:00

There is a proposal by the Republican leadership of the U.S. Senate to interpret the Constitution in a new way. They propose to only allow voting on candidates nominated by the President, there will be no filibustering or delaying in committee. This will be comparable to a coup in that it will give total power to whoever has a partisan majority in the Senate. There will be no respect for the minority in the Senate, no matter how much of the U.S. population they represent.

The 2000 Census for the United States counted 281,849,906 persons. Ranking the States by population order, I found that the 26th through 50th States had 45,869,407 people. Then I added one half of the 25th State, Kentucky, and came up with 47,890,292. This represents 17% of the population.
Under the proposed rule, the Senators of the smallest 25 States in population plus one more (again, 17% of the population) will be able to approve judicial nominees and others that we will all have to live with.

Considering that it only takes 50% plus one vote to win an election, then only 9% of the population could win control of the Senate. Because of the constitutional requirement and empowerment for consent or refusal for certain high government positions, then the entire political process of the U.S. government would be in the hands of only 9% of the people.
This could be called the ‘novempercentumvirate.’

Gun Owners Enlist

2005-02-23T16:47:00.000-08:00

If the present Administration gets us into another war (Iran, Syria, North Korea, whatever) while we are occupied in Iraq, we will need combat troops in a hurry with hardly any time to train them.
There is an answer to this dilemma, as long as you accept certain premises:
1. Gun owners know how to use their weapons.
2. Gun owners are orderly and disciplined, since these traits are prerequisites for proper gun usage.
3. Gun owners are very patriotic and are always ready to defend America and freedom.
So a logical conclusion would be that if we have a call for volunteers and/or a draft,
then gun owners should be the first to enlist. Basic and Advanced Infantry Training would be minimized. Many of the gun owners missed the chance to serve during the Vietnam War, so will be doubly motivated to serve their country.

Which First - Attack Iran or Start the Draft?

2005-02-23T16:44:00.000-08:00

There is a story out about our latest military foray. Not content to put (stealth) boots on the ground in Iran, it seems that we are now overflying them. Ostensibly, this is to cause the Iranians to turn on their radar so that we can establish our targets for later on. (If the Iranians shoot at our planes, then this will give us a pretext for our next war - my comment.)
At the same time, the neo-cons at the Project for a New American Century have sent a letter to Sens. Frist and Reid and Reps. Hastert and Pelosi, noting that our military needs a quick boost in manpower and urging a big move on the issue. Most people are reading this as a push for a new draft.
So the question is: Which will come first, attacking Iran or starting the draft?

Warmonger Bush

2005-02-22T18:05:00.000-08:00

Did You Vote for
George Walker Bush

or

George Warmonger Bush?

The New Draft

2005-02-22T17:47:00.000-08:00

Some time soon there is going to be a crisis requiring new military action. Whether this crisis is real or manufactured is irrelevant. The crisis will be the basis for implementing the military draft.
But we don’t need to start drafting young people just quite yet. The current call up of veterans who are of Vietnam War vintage shows that age is no barrier. Rather than take those who served their country honorably when called to do so, why not take those who somehow missed the opportunity earlier, especially those who are flagwaving superpatriots and who would be glad to go. Many stayed out of the draft by way of political favors (such as Pres. George W. Bush and Dan Quayle), having better things to do (VP Dick Cheney), fraudulent draft deferments (John Ashcroft), playing possum (Karl Rove), or phony medical excuses (Rush Limbaugh). Now is their chance to show what they are really made of.
As for Congress, as a registered Republican, I am quite happy to volunteer all the GOP Senators and Representatives who did not serve earlier. We could make up a whole company of infantry just from them alone.
We could leave the Supreme Court alone. The Army doesn’t need any more barracks lawyers.
There is a great benefit to having the war-minded politicians and their likeminded followers serving in the military. They could learn from the experience and know what it is like to be sent off to an ill-defined war without proper preparation or equipment.
The ones who would benefit most from military service would be the neoconservatives who are in our war-planning offices. Up to this time their knowledge of military operations apparently comes from reading old “Sgt. Rock” comic books.
Just one more thing. Right now our ground troops are overextended and the ranks need filling up. A group of Gulf War vets has suggested that those who voted for George W. Bush and claim to back his war should enlist now and help out. This would truly be the best show of support for our troops.

Moral Obligation about the Draft

2004-10-28T14:02:00.001-07:00

All students (and their families) who are concerned about the draft should immediately start polling other students to find out which ones are voting for Pres. Bush or have immediate family members who are voting for Bush.
As soon as the military draft is instituted, the concerned students should approach the Pres. Bush supporters and inform them that they (the Pro-Pres. voters) have an moral obligation to volunteer for the draft.
Those that are voting for a candidate who creates the conditions and situations that cause a draft, should be the first to go in the draft.

Reading About Iraq and the War

2004-10-26T17:12:00.000-07:00

If you want to know how we came to have a war with Iraq, why it is a failed military adventure, and how our
Middle East policy actually is counterproductive, then here is some reading for you.

Anonymous, "Imperial Hubris"
Bamford, James, "A Pretext for War"
Clarke, Richard A., "Against All Enemies"
Johnson, Chalmers, "Blowback"
Lawrence, T.E., "Seven Pillars of Wisdom"
Record, Jeffrey, "Bounding the Global War on Terrorism", U.S. Army War College monograph
Suskind, Ron, (with Paul O'Neill), "The Price of Loyalty"

The Electoral College and Democracy

2004-10-24T21:11:00.001-07:00

Having the Electoral College means that we don't really have a Democracy,
so from now on we should only refer to the "d" word.

Pres. Bush and the Pope

2004-10-24T21:11:00.000-07:00

President Bush says he got the word from God to attack Iraq, which can only mean that the Pope,
who opposed the war, is not in touch with God.

When Uncle Sam Calls - Military Service and the Draft

2004-10-19T22:58:00.000-07:00

When Uncle Sam Calls, You Go!
A Personal Opinion:
This is my take on the matter of military service and the draft. My opinion only. If you disagree, that’s fine.

I am a Vietnam-Era Veteran who was lucky enough to spend my overseas tour in Germany. Three of the soldiers I knew in the Army died in Vietnam.

Of my high school class, as far as I know, over half of the guys went into one of the military services, many courtesy of the draft. Where I come from and for that period, it was expected that a male would serve, usually because of being drafted. You put in your two years or so and then you got out and got on with your life. It was simply a matter of culture and environment. You might get a deferment, but that was only a temporary thing. One of my classmates died in ‘Nam.

Of the guys I knew of in my college class, only one other served. He probably got drafted. I know he was in Vietnam.

So you have a difference, quite common in those days, between those who were high school types and those who went to college. The better educated, usually better off, did not serve. That’s the way it was. My problem is with how they went about not serving.

About Draft Dodging:
I define a draft dodger as someone who took extraordinary means (or had them taken for him) and will not say so. It’s not being open and honest about it that bothers me.
If a guy wants to brag about how he dodged the draft or if he simply used the legal and ethical steps allowed to stay out, I don’t care. More power to them. Just don’t be two-faced about it, hiding your past, while at the same time telling everyone how great a patriot you are. Doing that is what you call being a chickenhawk, someone who wouldn’t take the risk but is ready to have the other guy go and die for your cause. Someone who legitimately got out of serving can be just as much a patriot, but I have never observed one of them proclaiming how great a superpatriot they are.

Beyond the ethical considerations, there are a couple of practical issues I have with draft dodgers.

First of all, those who dodge the draft often later become flagwaving superpatriots, to ‘make up’ for what they had (not) done and/or to divert attention away from themselves and their dereliction of duty.
This kind of mindset also means that a draft dodger will question the motives and loyalty of anyone who doesn’t agree with them or do as they want. They will be in the vanguard of any witch hunt.

The second reason to fear the draft dodgers is that they are more inclined to advocate or initiate military adventures. They do not really understand how the military works or the military life. They do not value a military person’s life as much as would someone who knows the costs of war. A draft dodger gets his military ‘knowledge’ from John Wayne war movies and reading comic books. They believe that it is a military person’s duty and expectation to die for his or her country.
A case in point is the Iraq War. Look at all of the politicians and commentators who promoted the war against Iraq. Every male who would have faced the draft during the Vietnam War era did not go. I have only found one exception to this, and he was a secondary figure.
Is one of their reasons for going to war to make up for having dodged their own war? Are they getting a vicarious thrill of war? Are they overcompensating and thinking they are macho because they sent others off to fight and die? Whatever reasons they have are not good enough.
If you ducked the fight earlier, either admit it or keep quiet.

One thing that has bothered me over the years is how many of our politicians at the national level are draft dodgers (using my definition).
They pass laws and budgets affecting the military, they participate in patriotic parades and ceremonies, they piously talk of sacrifice – but they never went. When the chips were down, they took a powder on us. This is particularly true of those who should have served during the Vietnam era.
So why haven’t the veterans organizations, always on the alert for unpatriotic activity, done anything about this? It doesn’t take much to figure out who should have served and then question them on it.
The American Legion, the Veterans of Foreign Wars and other veterans’ groups should check the background of every candidate running for an office in Washington, D.C. It is not too late for this year’s elections.
Of course, they will probably not want to do this, since the draft dodgers are such good flag wavers. So it will be up to the rest of us to challenge the candidates.

Neo-Cons and the Iraq War

2004-10-19T20:29:00.001-07:00

The occupation of Iraq has been a chaotic and counterproductive and among its many consequences has been the deaths of over 600 American military personnel.
The planning for the occupation was incompetently done.
Many Pentagon officers have complained that the planning was not done through the normal channels. Career military officers and other knowledgeable analysts have informed us that the actual planning was done by the Pentagon�s Office of Special Plans. The OSP is staffed by Neo-Conservative ideologists under the aegis of Deputy Secretary of Defense Paul Wolfowitz.
Given how badly the occupation of Iraq has gone, the question of performance must be raised.
How many staff members of the Office of Special Plans have been fired and how many have been given �Unsatisfactory� performance appraisals?