Saturday, October 5, 2013
Thursday, October 3, 2013
The Retaliatory, Modus Operandi of Barack Obama
Obama has never let me down. First some housekeeping flavored with a little personal history.
From the time when my memories begin, my siblings and I were raised and encouraged to seek and form opinions. We garner our opinions through intelligence and experience. Reading, listening, and looking at history to see what works and what doesn't. That was the fertile soil of my youth. So most often and quite predictably, my beliefs and opinions about life are the direct result of my observations, experiences, and education.
This is the place where I share them. You are never required to agree.
A few weeks ago, I asked my girlfriend why some people seem so highly offended when confronted with opinionated people. I have never, ever, viewed someone else's opinion as something I had to believe nor does someone's opinion really bother me with a few exceptions. However, I have learned some of what I know because people were willing to share an opinion with me. I have spent my life absolutely perplexed by people who get pissed off at opinionated people. So it was, I asked my insightful girlfriend why people get angry when others state their opinions. Here is what she said. This of course, is also an opinion.
She stated that fragile people dislike opinionated people because they lack confidence and self esteem but also- they hear opinions as preaching. They see opinionated people as folks who are telling them how to think, act, or behave and sometimes they feel threatened. As I mulled that answer over, bounced from my experience of people who dislike my opinions, I believe the insight was valid and correct.
Often I see passive aggressive statements or comments directed at me for that very reason(s). When I see those reactions, I immediately know who and what I am dealing with. So I have two absolute steadfast rules for opinions.
Everyone is entitled to their opinions but you damn well better be able to defend them. If you are out there spewing false propaganda, you better be prepared to defend yourself. So it is- that rule number one is that you are entitled to your own opinion- but you are not entitled to your own set of facts.
Rule number two. Quit taking everything personally. If you feel threatened by opinions, that has more to do with you than anyone uttering an opinion. Agreement number 2, which I use on a daily basis, is quit taking everything personally. People are just living their lives. They are not out there trying to victimize you. They are simply uttering their version of the truth which we universally accept as something we all do. So with that bit of housecleaning out of the way...
Onto President Obama- who I had pegged correctly, just mere weeks into his first term. This is how my opinion of Obama evolved and why.
Each of us have an operating system installed in us as a result of our education and experiences. In the world of criminality, we refer to an individual's operating system or way of doing things as a "modus operandi" or MO. After a lifetime of sifting through reactions based on any given set of circumstances- I began to form opinions on how and why people behave the way that they do. Behavior is always purposeful and it is also very useful in predicting future behavior. You just have to pay attention.
In early June of 2009, President Obama fired Gerald Walpin. Walpin was an Inspector General or IG assigned to protect taxpayer dollars. Walpin's position as an IG was supposed to be beyond the reach of politics or a President. In other words, Walpin was supposed to be free to go about his job without fear of reprisal. The short version of this story is- is that President Obama canned Walpin for doing his job. That was not as significant as the method and tactics which Obama employed to get rid of Walpin. Obama went well beyond established boundaries to terminate Walpin. If you care to refresh yourself, here is the story from the Wall St. Journal. http://online.wsj.com/article/SB124511811033017539.html
This retaliatory theme was something that grabbed my attention. I always kind of suspected it, especially because Obama went to such great lengths to make himself appear as this noble, non retaliatory victor- offering his vanquished opponent, Hillary Clinton, the Secretary of State job.
Shortly after the Walpin episode, as the Obama administration took over automaker GM and began to shutter GM dealerships, a large number of Republican owned dealerships found themselves on the chopping block. At first I thought this was just paranoia on the part of angry dealership owners. Like most of America, I didn't think Obama would stoop to such levels. The honeymoon was still on. As it turns out, Obama probably did target Republican owned dealerships for closure. There is plenty of evidence to support that allegation including the lack of transparency or just how the administration determined which dealerships would close and which would stay open. It has never been thoroughly investigated. http://www.examiner.com/article/were-republican-owned-gm-dealerships-targeted-for-closure-2010
Then there was the Gibson guitar case. Gibson was raided twice by Federal agents for using illegal "wood." The charges were never proved and the case was dismissed. Of course Gibson had to endure all that bad press, loss of revenue, and the costs of defending itself against a bully government who in theory can bring billions of dollars to any prosecution. Did they do this because Gibson was a top GOP donor? In light of the allegations of the IRS targeting Tea Party groups, probably. http://foxnewsinsider.com/2013/05/28/judge-napolitano-gibson-guitars-raid-and-government-targeting-republican-groups
Obama canned a couple of Generals too. These are valuable men, men who did nothing wrong really- except get on the wrong side of Uncle Sugar. http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/washington/2010/06/mcchrystal-rolling-stone-interview-obama-afghanistan.html
While all of this was happening, Obama cabinet officials began to depart without ever disclosing why. Not that such non disclosures are uncommon- it's just that everyone leaving the administration did so rather quickly while keeping their mouths shut. I suppose by this time, everyone figured out that Obama's MO was to retaliate and personally attack anyone he saw as an opponent. Clearly, Obama has demonstrated the will to destroy any given career or livelihood should a perceived adversary find themselves on the wrong side of the tracks.
Most of the vanquished were doing nothing immoral, unethical, or illegal. Most if not all, were simply disagreeing with Obama's politics or his policies. That's most likely why staffers quietly fled Obama and why Shrillary was so ungawdly careful not to publicly offend Obama. She knows the punishment for anything less than blind obedience. She has another presidential bid to protect.
So I was not particularly surprised to see Obama publicly attack his GOP detractors during this government shutdown week. It did not raise my eyebrows to watch as Obama tried to close the WW2 Memorial which is situated in a 24 hour, admission free- park type venue. Administration leaks had Obama mulling how he could stop the Army-Navy game. In a speech yesterday, Obama all but asked Wall Street to sell off. This in an effort to spook investors and force the House to end the government shutdown and pass the budget resolution.
So that's my opinion. A conclusion based on a set of well documented incidents. Obama is a petty dictator who punishes his perceived enemies. He takes everything personally. You see, Obamacare is personal. That is his signature and singular accomplishment. You cannot take a man like Obama and strong arm him. He makes you bend or suffer the consequences, that's part of his MO. You don't think those Gop'ers know that? You can safely bet your ass they do. That's why things are at loggerheads. The Affordable Care Act is neither affordable nor caring. In the same horrible fashion that it was conceived, passed without reading, and stuck up our asses with plenty of trickery and deals- the GOP is employing the same type of horrible means to get rid of it. Somehow all of that seems fair to me.
Sorry Barack, but you just aren't somebody who is going to garner a lot of sympathy from me. The great writer Hunter Thompson had Nixon to rely on- and all this mediocre writer has- is you.
You haven't let me down yet.
From the time when my memories begin, my siblings and I were raised and encouraged to seek and form opinions. We garner our opinions through intelligence and experience. Reading, listening, and looking at history to see what works and what doesn't. That was the fertile soil of my youth. So most often and quite predictably, my beliefs and opinions about life are the direct result of my observations, experiences, and education.
This is the place where I share them. You are never required to agree.
A few weeks ago, I asked my girlfriend why some people seem so highly offended when confronted with opinionated people. I have never, ever, viewed someone else's opinion as something I had to believe nor does someone's opinion really bother me with a few exceptions. However, I have learned some of what I know because people were willing to share an opinion with me. I have spent my life absolutely perplexed by people who get pissed off at opinionated people. So it was, I asked my insightful girlfriend why people get angry when others state their opinions. Here is what she said. This of course, is also an opinion.
She stated that fragile people dislike opinionated people because they lack confidence and self esteem but also- they hear opinions as preaching. They see opinionated people as folks who are telling them how to think, act, or behave and sometimes they feel threatened. As I mulled that answer over, bounced from my experience of people who dislike my opinions, I believe the insight was valid and correct.
Often I see passive aggressive statements or comments directed at me for that very reason(s). When I see those reactions, I immediately know who and what I am dealing with. So I have two absolute steadfast rules for opinions.
Everyone is entitled to their opinions but you damn well better be able to defend them. If you are out there spewing false propaganda, you better be prepared to defend yourself. So it is- that rule number one is that you are entitled to your own opinion- but you are not entitled to your own set of facts.
Rule number two. Quit taking everything personally. If you feel threatened by opinions, that has more to do with you than anyone uttering an opinion. Agreement number 2, which I use on a daily basis, is quit taking everything personally. People are just living their lives. They are not out there trying to victimize you. They are simply uttering their version of the truth which we universally accept as something we all do. So with that bit of housecleaning out of the way...
Onto President Obama- who I had pegged correctly, just mere weeks into his first term. This is how my opinion of Obama evolved and why.
Each of us have an operating system installed in us as a result of our education and experiences. In the world of criminality, we refer to an individual's operating system or way of doing things as a "modus operandi" or MO. After a lifetime of sifting through reactions based on any given set of circumstances- I began to form opinions on how and why people behave the way that they do. Behavior is always purposeful and it is also very useful in predicting future behavior. You just have to pay attention.
In early June of 2009, President Obama fired Gerald Walpin. Walpin was an Inspector General or IG assigned to protect taxpayer dollars. Walpin's position as an IG was supposed to be beyond the reach of politics or a President. In other words, Walpin was supposed to be free to go about his job without fear of reprisal. The short version of this story is- is that President Obama canned Walpin for doing his job. That was not as significant as the method and tactics which Obama employed to get rid of Walpin. Obama went well beyond established boundaries to terminate Walpin. If you care to refresh yourself, here is the story from the Wall St. Journal. http://online.wsj.com/article/SB124511811033017539.html
This retaliatory theme was something that grabbed my attention. I always kind of suspected it, especially because Obama went to such great lengths to make himself appear as this noble, non retaliatory victor- offering his vanquished opponent, Hillary Clinton, the Secretary of State job.
Shortly after the Walpin episode, as the Obama administration took over automaker GM and began to shutter GM dealerships, a large number of Republican owned dealerships found themselves on the chopping block. At first I thought this was just paranoia on the part of angry dealership owners. Like most of America, I didn't think Obama would stoop to such levels. The honeymoon was still on. As it turns out, Obama probably did target Republican owned dealerships for closure. There is plenty of evidence to support that allegation including the lack of transparency or just how the administration determined which dealerships would close and which would stay open. It has never been thoroughly investigated. http://www.examiner.com/article/were-republican-owned-gm-dealerships-targeted-for-closure-2010
Then there was the Gibson guitar case. Gibson was raided twice by Federal agents for using illegal "wood." The charges were never proved and the case was dismissed. Of course Gibson had to endure all that bad press, loss of revenue, and the costs of defending itself against a bully government who in theory can bring billions of dollars to any prosecution. Did they do this because Gibson was a top GOP donor? In light of the allegations of the IRS targeting Tea Party groups, probably. http://foxnewsinsider.com/2013/05/28/judge-napolitano-gibson-guitars-raid-and-government-targeting-republican-groups
Obama canned a couple of Generals too. These are valuable men, men who did nothing wrong really- except get on the wrong side of Uncle Sugar. http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/washington/2010/06/mcchrystal-rolling-stone-interview-obama-afghanistan.html
While all of this was happening, Obama cabinet officials began to depart without ever disclosing why. Not that such non disclosures are uncommon- it's just that everyone leaving the administration did so rather quickly while keeping their mouths shut. I suppose by this time, everyone figured out that Obama's MO was to retaliate and personally attack anyone he saw as an opponent. Clearly, Obama has demonstrated the will to destroy any given career or livelihood should a perceived adversary find themselves on the wrong side of the tracks.
Most of the vanquished were doing nothing immoral, unethical, or illegal. Most if not all, were simply disagreeing with Obama's politics or his policies. That's most likely why staffers quietly fled Obama and why Shrillary was so ungawdly careful not to publicly offend Obama. She knows the punishment for anything less than blind obedience. She has another presidential bid to protect.
So I was not particularly surprised to see Obama publicly attack his GOP detractors during this government shutdown week. It did not raise my eyebrows to watch as Obama tried to close the WW2 Memorial which is situated in a 24 hour, admission free- park type venue. Administration leaks had Obama mulling how he could stop the Army-Navy game. In a speech yesterday, Obama all but asked Wall Street to sell off. This in an effort to spook investors and force the House to end the government shutdown and pass the budget resolution.
So that's my opinion. A conclusion based on a set of well documented incidents. Obama is a petty dictator who punishes his perceived enemies. He takes everything personally. You see, Obamacare is personal. That is his signature and singular accomplishment. You cannot take a man like Obama and strong arm him. He makes you bend or suffer the consequences, that's part of his MO. You don't think those Gop'ers know that? You can safely bet your ass they do. That's why things are at loggerheads. The Affordable Care Act is neither affordable nor caring. In the same horrible fashion that it was conceived, passed without reading, and stuck up our asses with plenty of trickery and deals- the GOP is employing the same type of horrible means to get rid of it. Somehow all of that seems fair to me.
Sorry Barack, but you just aren't somebody who is going to garner a lot of sympathy from me. The great writer Hunter Thompson had Nixon to rely on- and all this mediocre writer has- is you.
You haven't let me down yet.
Tuesday, October 1, 2013
Drink Yourself Sober!
This is how we do it in America.
If Raising the Debt Ceiling and Issuing More Debt Was the Way To Preserve America’s Credit Rating, that Means…
August 20, 2011 by Dan Mitchell
Aren't We (The U.S.) About Due for Another Credit Downgrade?
In Aug. of 2011, Standard and Poors did something they had never done. They downgraded U.S. debt from AAA to AA+.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_federal_government_credit-rating_downgrade
Egan Jones downgraded the U.S. even further and for their efforts the United States Government dba as the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) decided to initiate an action against Egan Jones.
Two weeks after the April, 2012 Egan-Jones second downgrade to AA, SEC voted to bring administrative action against that firm regarding years-old activity. Mr. Egan said, "We are not going to be intimidated by anybody from issuing timely, accurate ratings."[34]
Then the United States Government also filed a 5 billion dollar lawsuit against Standard and Poors- coincidentally after they downgraded government debt also. http://www.reuters.com/article/2013/02/05/us-mcgrawhill-sandp-civilcharges-idUSBRE9130U120130205
This is the type of retaliatory and bullying behavior that our government now routinely engages in whenever they find something they don't like. Kind of like the IRS targeting Tea Party groups- a scandal which was conveniently covered up and swept away. Had the IRS been targeting black people or women let's say- it's highly unlikely the scandal would have disappeared so easily.
Retaliatory behavior is a hallmark of this administration and started with Inspector Walpin. Obama is a ruthless adversary- the kind of guy who smiles while quietly twisting a knife in your back.
In Aug. of 2011, US debt levels stood at 14.3 trillion. That was 2.7 trillion ago. Currently we are barely under 17 trillion. http://www.usdebtclock.org/ Now with debt levels at 17 trillion- Congress is set for another battle to raise the debt ceiling again in mid October.
We burned through nearly 3 trillion in a little over two years. How is that possible? Aren't deficits declining rapidly? Well, sort of- that's what the CBO tells us.
As near as I can tell, not only do they (government wonks who underestimate deficits and over estimate revenue) play with the numbers- but I'm not sure anyone accounts for interest expense.
Here's fiscal 2012. 1.1 trillion. http://www.cbo.gov/publication/43697
Here's fiscal 2013. It is estimated at 642 billion, a dramatic improvement. So if we had deficits totaling 1.742 trillion for the past two years- where did that extra 1.2 trillion come from?
Interest expense.
If Congress raises the debt ceiling to 19.9 trillion in October (they'll never round it to 20, that's just bad marketing) that would add another 5.6 trillion to the deficit since 2011.
It's interesting to see annual deficits go down yet interest payments must continually rise- we aren't even close to a cash surplus nor are we paying any of the principal down.
The annual interest expense on 1 trillion is 20 billion. (2%) On 10 trillion it is 200 billion. On 20 trillion- our interest expense will be 400 billion a year. Every 1% rise in interest rates will be equal to 200 billion in interest expense. If rates rise 3%- our interest expense will be one trillion a year.
A thousand billion a year in interest. Obviously if the Fed can't hold rates down- this shit gets out of control quickly. That's why the FED can never raise interest rates- not until such time that we are running a surplus and eliminating debt. I don't expect that to happen in the next ten years.
That's why our government absolutely must manipulate everything from inflation figures to the price of gold. If either of those things were to rise appreciably- the interest rate genie would soon be out of the bottle. I laugh when people are frustrated by manipulated markets. It's not a matter of "if" so much as a matter of "how long." As government crushes the will of investors who front run those markets- it stops investors from fleeing dollars and plunging them unto gold. Common sense tells me that the government must absolutely manipulate those things just as they are manipulating and monetizing zero interest rates, (ZIRP) manipulating unemployment and inflation figures, and buying 85 billion dollars a month in mortgages and treasuries to create artificial demand.
If you thought a "pick a pay" mortgage where you only made interest payments was a sucker mortgage- know this. Your government sold us into debt and tax slavery. That's all they can do with your tax money. Pay interest and add to annual deficits. They aren't even close to paying this principal. If ever.
It begs the question. With no plan and no principal payments, when will the next credit downgrade come? Or has the United States Government intimidated the credit rating agencies with it's bullying and gestapo tactics?
With no plan in place and every significant economic number now being massaged- I expect the credit rating agencies to downgrade US debt again over the next 6 months. It will be interesting to see if the credit rating agencies are going to do their jobs or be intimidated by our bully government.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_federal_government_credit-rating_downgrade
Egan Jones downgraded the U.S. even further and for their efforts the United States Government dba as the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) decided to initiate an action against Egan Jones.
Two weeks after the April, 2012 Egan-Jones second downgrade to AA, SEC voted to bring administrative action against that firm regarding years-old activity. Mr. Egan said, "We are not going to be intimidated by anybody from issuing timely, accurate ratings."[34]
Then the United States Government also filed a 5 billion dollar lawsuit against Standard and Poors- coincidentally after they downgraded government debt also. http://www.reuters.com/article/2013/02/05/us-mcgrawhill-sandp-civilcharges-idUSBRE9130U120130205
This is the type of retaliatory and bullying behavior that our government now routinely engages in whenever they find something they don't like. Kind of like the IRS targeting Tea Party groups- a scandal which was conveniently covered up and swept away. Had the IRS been targeting black people or women let's say- it's highly unlikely the scandal would have disappeared so easily.
Retaliatory behavior is a hallmark of this administration and started with Inspector Walpin. Obama is a ruthless adversary- the kind of guy who smiles while quietly twisting a knife in your back.
In Aug. of 2011, US debt levels stood at 14.3 trillion. That was 2.7 trillion ago. Currently we are barely under 17 trillion. http://www.usdebtclock.org/ Now with debt levels at 17 trillion- Congress is set for another battle to raise the debt ceiling again in mid October.
We burned through nearly 3 trillion in a little over two years. How is that possible? Aren't deficits declining rapidly? Well, sort of- that's what the CBO tells us.
As near as I can tell, not only do they (government wonks who underestimate deficits and over estimate revenue) play with the numbers- but I'm not sure anyone accounts for interest expense.
Here's fiscal 2012. 1.1 trillion. http://www.cbo.gov/publication/43697
Here's fiscal 2013. It is estimated at 642 billion, a dramatic improvement. So if we had deficits totaling 1.742 trillion for the past two years- where did that extra 1.2 trillion come from?
Interest expense.
If Congress raises the debt ceiling to 19.9 trillion in October (they'll never round it to 20, that's just bad marketing) that would add another 5.6 trillion to the deficit since 2011.
It's interesting to see annual deficits go down yet interest payments must continually rise- we aren't even close to a cash surplus nor are we paying any of the principal down.
The annual interest expense on 1 trillion is 20 billion. (2%) On 10 trillion it is 200 billion. On 20 trillion- our interest expense will be 400 billion a year. Every 1% rise in interest rates will be equal to 200 billion in interest expense. If rates rise 3%- our interest expense will be one trillion a year.
A thousand billion a year in interest. Obviously if the Fed can't hold rates down- this shit gets out of control quickly. That's why the FED can never raise interest rates- not until such time that we are running a surplus and eliminating debt. I don't expect that to happen in the next ten years.
That's why our government absolutely must manipulate everything from inflation figures to the price of gold. If either of those things were to rise appreciably- the interest rate genie would soon be out of the bottle. I laugh when people are frustrated by manipulated markets. It's not a matter of "if" so much as a matter of "how long." As government crushes the will of investors who front run those markets- it stops investors from fleeing dollars and plunging them unto gold. Common sense tells me that the government must absolutely manipulate those things just as they are manipulating and monetizing zero interest rates, (ZIRP) manipulating unemployment and inflation figures, and buying 85 billion dollars a month in mortgages and treasuries to create artificial demand.
If you thought a "pick a pay" mortgage where you only made interest payments was a sucker mortgage- know this. Your government sold us into debt and tax slavery. That's all they can do with your tax money. Pay interest and add to annual deficits. They aren't even close to paying this principal. If ever.
It begs the question. With no plan and no principal payments, when will the next credit downgrade come? Or has the United States Government intimidated the credit rating agencies with it's bullying and gestapo tactics?
With no plan in place and every significant economic number now being massaged- I expect the credit rating agencies to downgrade US debt again over the next 6 months. It will be interesting to see if the credit rating agencies are going to do their jobs or be intimidated by our bully government.
Monday, September 30, 2013
CNBC Quickly Becoming the First Tabloid Network
When exactly did the media lose it's objectivity?
Today I had to take a little drive up into the mountains and I spent the entire trip listening to the commentators at CNBC on satellite radio.
The entire hour and a half that I listened to CNBC- they devoted to criticizing the House Republicans. Any guest that CNBC brought on the show, who even remotely suggested that the Democrats were partially responsible for the pending government shutdown, were promptly interrupted and verbally assaulted.
There was even a guest or two that suggested a government shutdown would be good for the stock market and that a sell off would present a buying opportunity.
At no time in the one and a half hours I listened, did any CNBC commentator take the side of the House.
I am not kidding. Listening to this network is like reading Huffington Post. Any professionalism or class has long since been removed. CNBC is still minority owned by GE with CEO Jeffrey Immelt, Obama's business czar.
Obama bought himself a network when he appointed Immelt. That's how all of these bastards climb in one big bed together.
AT 1502 PM my time, the great orator and habitually late Barack Obama, gave us his 15 minutes of vitriol which was delivered late as usual. He does this out of consideration for everyone else. Obama refers to Tea Party adherents as the extreme right wing of the GOP.
Supporting the Constitution gets you mocked and labeled by this President. Your money is not yours, it's his. And he has no problem telling you what you are going to spend it on.
That's what it has become. One giant communistic, Marxist government ruled by elites with a majority of poor folks begging for scraps. I'd be ok with that if the ruling elites paid for the poor- but after buying every politician and the best tax code money could conceive- the elite dumped the entire burden of debt, Obamacare, and every other tax squarely in the laps of the middle class.
And because we don't want to pay it- they say "tough we're taking your money anyway."
Freedom, Obama style. The best President money could buy.
I will never, ever, tune into CNBC again. I don't buy the National Enquirer at the grocery store and I sure as hell don't need to listen to it on my radio.
Today I had to take a little drive up into the mountains and I spent the entire trip listening to the commentators at CNBC on satellite radio.
The entire hour and a half that I listened to CNBC- they devoted to criticizing the House Republicans. Any guest that CNBC brought on the show, who even remotely suggested that the Democrats were partially responsible for the pending government shutdown, were promptly interrupted and verbally assaulted.
There was even a guest or two that suggested a government shutdown would be good for the stock market and that a sell off would present a buying opportunity.
At no time in the one and a half hours I listened, did any CNBC commentator take the side of the House.
I am not kidding. Listening to this network is like reading Huffington Post. Any professionalism or class has long since been removed. CNBC is still minority owned by GE with CEO Jeffrey Immelt, Obama's business czar.
Obama bought himself a network when he appointed Immelt. That's how all of these bastards climb in one big bed together.
AT 1502 PM my time, the great orator and habitually late Barack Obama, gave us his 15 minutes of vitriol which was delivered late as usual. He does this out of consideration for everyone else. Obama refers to Tea Party adherents as the extreme right wing of the GOP.
Supporting the Constitution gets you mocked and labeled by this President. Your money is not yours, it's his. And he has no problem telling you what you are going to spend it on.
That's what it has become. One giant communistic, Marxist government ruled by elites with a majority of poor folks begging for scraps. I'd be ok with that if the ruling elites paid for the poor- but after buying every politician and the best tax code money could conceive- the elite dumped the entire burden of debt, Obamacare, and every other tax squarely in the laps of the middle class.
And because we don't want to pay it- they say "tough we're taking your money anyway."
Freedom, Obama style. The best President money could buy.
I will never, ever, tune into CNBC again. I don't buy the National Enquirer at the grocery store and I sure as hell don't need to listen to it on my radio.
You Must Be a Democrat....
clipped from CNN...
A woman in a hot air balloon realized she was lost. She lowered altitude and spotted a man in a boat below.
She shouted to him, "Excuse me, can you help me? I promised a friend I would meet him an hour ago, but I don't know where I am!"
The man consulted his portable GPS and replied, "You're in a hot air balloon approximately 30 feet above sea level. You are 31 degrees, 14.97 minutes north latitude and 100 degrees, 49.09 minutes west longitude."
She rolled her eyes and said, "You must be a Republican." "I am," replied the man. "How did you guess?" "Well," answered the balloonist, "everything you told me is technically correct, but I have no idea what to make of your information, and I'm still lost. Frankly, you've not been much help to me."
The man smiled and responded, "You must be a Democrat." "I am," replied the balloonist. "How did you know?" "Well" said the man, "You don't know where you are or where you're going. You've risen to where you are due to a large quantity of hot air. You've made a promise that you have no idea how to keep, and you expect ME to solve
your problem.
your problem.
You're in EXACTLY the same position you were in before we met, but somehow, now it's MY fault.
Thursday, September 26, 2013
How To Cure Our National Depression- Part Deux*Updated
For many years, as I mulled over what was wrong with our country, I have always tended to buy into the standard themes. These are the theories that characterize Americans as stupid, lazy, and apathetic. If those themes were true, how then does the rest of the world measure up? Do they have superior intelligence and robot like work ethics? Do they participate in their government to some degree beyond that which we are inclined to? No, clearly they don't. In fact, many European countries have jobs that offer months, not weeks, of vacation time. I can't imagine European people being any smarter or more educated than our people- although I have tried to find a credible and comparative resource to prove my suspicions. Very generally speaking, I don't think that other countries take a more active role in their government nor are they less apathetic about it than Americans. All in all, I think that the standard judgements that we use to describe Americans must be inaccurate or simply wrong.
If we can't blame our national malaise on stupid, lazy, and apathetic Americans- what then is the problem? Maybe there is something else that is the root cause. Perhaps there is some practice that we all engage in daily because we have found it to be the most expedient choice as we go about our daily lives.
Brace yourself.
Maybe we simply engage in dishonest conduct. Perhaps we are emotionally dishonest with ourselves, dishonest in a lot of our dealings, at our work, and with our families. Does dishonesty create emotional distress in us? That's the case I am making here. We don't like dishonesty but we have been taught that it is some necessary evil. So I thought I'd touch on three giant areas of dishonesty. The workplace, relationships, and our world in general.
I don't care whether you work on a car lot, as a lawyer overcharging people, as a banker sitting on your ass all day charging folks ridiculous interest rates, or a doctor over prescribing tests not because they are necessary- but because you are trying to bolster your defense for a potential malpractice suit. We live in a very dishonest world where dishonest conduct is seen as good- so long as we can justify engaging in it and it provides a measurable positive result for the entity we work for and in turn, ourselves. I like to think of it as capitalism on steroids- with only outrageous and provable misconduct as a boundary.
I want you to stop and think. How many dishonest activities does your employer ask you to engage in?
I have a good friend who is an insurance adjuster. His sole purpose in life is to be the front man for the fine print. That dishonest and undisclosed fine print that comes to light only after you file a damage claim with an insurance company. The adjuster's key role is to reduce the company's liabilities by whatever means is marginally legal. Translated that means- you are going to get the worst settlement conceivable. Adjusters don't go to any length to tell you that their findings are arbitrary and appeal able- in fact they go to great lengths to make you believe that their offer is exactly the opposite- non negotiable.
Now I could go on and on about workplace dishonesty- but I'd be wasting time. Nobody knows workplace dishonesty better than than the people engaging in it. So let's move on to something else. Let's touch on emotional dishonesty.
Nowhere in my life have I personally been more dishonest about my feelings- than when it comes to relationships. Intimate relationships are extremely fertile ground for dishonest feelings or non disclosed feelings, particularly in matters revolving around sex. In fact very often, I like to think of intimate relationships as the "Miracle Gro" for dishonesty. My relationships, intimate and otherwise, are very often predicated on my willingness not to disclose how I am actually feeling. Millions upon millions of people do this. In fact, we probably all do this. People might tell the truth about how they are feeling if they thought some solution was possible. However, with no solution on the horizon, people see no reason to discuss their feelings when the only likely outcome is more grief or that the problem actually gets worse. So non disclosure becomes a very common form of dishonesty.
We are bombarded by dishonesty everywhere. From the non stop marketing by corporate America selling us cars and insurance, to diet pills and larger penis pills, or 4 hour erections. You ever wonder how many people actually experience a four hour erection? Have you? Marketing and advertising is all predicated on dishonesty.
The last bastion of dishonesty I want to touch on is our country and government. Nobody engages in more lies and deception than the government of the United States. To understand this, all you have to do is read. The more you read and educate yourself, the worse it gets. I have written nearly 1800 blogs detailing it quite nicely. Let's just say if you are shopping for role models for honest behavior- don't stop at the government store.
So I've extended my premise to you that dishonesty in virtually all facets of our lives- greatly contributes to our national depression.
La Conclusion
How could any person short of a sociopath, engage in the levels of dishonest behavior that this country does without getting frustrated, cynical, and angry?
People aren't stupid, lazy, or apathetic. In fact, they are simply responding to the world as they see it. If they are not required to think- they won't. If they are not required to work- they won't. If they see no reason to vote because one vote will not make a difference- they won't. That doesn't mean that they can't do those things- but that they have simply chosen not to.
That is an opportunity cost. Given no superior choice, people have no reason to believe that anything they engage in will make any kind of positive difference. So they don't.
Our national depression has been brought about by decades of dishonest behavior. Dishonest behavior is not diminished simply because we refuse to acknowledge it. It does not fail to exist merely because we say so. Dishonest behavior is not something we can tolerate or engage in and then go home at night and feel good about ourselves. I know I can't. In fact, I won't take a job where I am exploiting others or engaging in dishonest practices. I want to sleep well and that doesn't include 4 or 5 drinks to erase whatever recurring thoughts I am having brought about by any given day's events.
Years ago, I worked for ITT Financial Services in Las Vegas. Our lowest interest rate on a small consumer loan was 39% per year. We were prohibited by policy from disclosing that truth. When potential customers called and asked what the interest rate on a loan was we were instructed to say, "It depends on the size and the length of the loan." This dishonest behavior was so rigidly enforced that it was a termination offense to violate that policy. So one day, a caller called and asked about our interest rates and I told him the truth. I guess I had a case of the "f**k its." The branch manager heard me tell the guy 39% and he very nearly had a stroke. The tongue lashing I received in front of my co-workers was embarrassing. Secretly, I wanted to kick his ass.
We as a country, are simply saturated with dishonest, misleading, and disingenuous behavior at all levels and we know it. We also know it's wrong. We also know that we can't possibly hope to control or change the world as it bombards us with all that dishonesty. The good news is- we don't have to.
Remember in the beginning of this piece when I quoted Gandhi? That part about truth and love always winning out over tyrants and despair?
I have seen people do all kinds of selfless acts. I have seen people drown trying to save a family pet or even strangers from drowning. That is love. People want to be good, they just don't know where to begin. I believe that and I also believe that people are not always fully conscious of what ails them.
Our soldiers don't feel good about themselves either. They question the morality or the honesty of killing people and watching their own get maimed and killed. Most of us have been taught from day one that it is ok to defend ourselves and that it's not ok to attack others. There is an internal conflict in all of us when we begin to question the integrity of trying to distinguish whether or not we are attackers or defenders. And where there is no bright line, there is confusion and depression.
I am not surprised by rising suicide rates among our returning soldiers. I am pissed off that our government so cavalierly and dishonestly uses our soldiers like cattle and then wonders why they can't cope with life when they get back home. I think I get angry because these are kids. Kids who were taught the difference between right and wrong. Kids who find out in some nasty way that their potential sacrifices were for naught. There are no victories, no ticker tape parades, no public accolades. Instead they are asked to come home and act like nothing happened. That dishonest behavior once again.
I can't change any of that. But...
I can accept the world at it is. I accept all of the dishonesty that the world rains down on me but I refuse to engage in it. I am also aware that all of that dishonesty contributes to my frustration and depression. I am fully aware of the negative effects of all of that and I am going to make a conscious decision not to participate, contribute, or support it. I am going to minimize the negative effects of dishonesty.
If we engage in esteemable acts then perhaps by extension, we will all gain higher levels of self esteem. When we feel good about our conduct and ourselves- then there is no need for us to change the way we feel when we arrive home at night. We have not deluded, cheated, mis represented, or lied to anyone including ourselves. We may actually feel good about ourselves. When we feel good, there's no reason to change the way we feel. No reason to drink or drug ourselves to sleep, no reason to commit suicide.
When this nation once again begins to act responsibly and honestly, like we once did, then I think that our national depression will lift. Opportunity and hope will return. I am not going to try to forecast which way it will turn or whether I will live to see it or not, but that's just the optimist in me.
Until then, we all get to pick what kind of people we are going to be. Choose wisely.
*This evening while reading about Seymour Hersh, I stumbled into this gem. Hersh believes everything is a lie right now. Pretty interesting observation. However, I disagree that Bin Laden wasn't killed when and where our government stated. Too much at stake- too many witnesses on both sides.
http://www.paulcraigroberts.org/2013/09/27/seymour-hersh-says-killing-bin-laden-one-big-lie/
If we can't blame our national malaise on stupid, lazy, and apathetic Americans- what then is the problem? Maybe there is something else that is the root cause. Perhaps there is some practice that we all engage in daily because we have found it to be the most expedient choice as we go about our daily lives.
Brace yourself.
Maybe we simply engage in dishonest conduct. Perhaps we are emotionally dishonest with ourselves, dishonest in a lot of our dealings, at our work, and with our families. Does dishonesty create emotional distress in us? That's the case I am making here. We don't like dishonesty but we have been taught that it is some necessary evil. So I thought I'd touch on three giant areas of dishonesty. The workplace, relationships, and our world in general.
I don't care whether you work on a car lot, as a lawyer overcharging people, as a banker sitting on your ass all day charging folks ridiculous interest rates, or a doctor over prescribing tests not because they are necessary- but because you are trying to bolster your defense for a potential malpractice suit. We live in a very dishonest world where dishonest conduct is seen as good- so long as we can justify engaging in it and it provides a measurable positive result for the entity we work for and in turn, ourselves. I like to think of it as capitalism on steroids- with only outrageous and provable misconduct as a boundary.
I want you to stop and think. How many dishonest activities does your employer ask you to engage in?
I have a good friend who is an insurance adjuster. His sole purpose in life is to be the front man for the fine print. That dishonest and undisclosed fine print that comes to light only after you file a damage claim with an insurance company. The adjuster's key role is to reduce the company's liabilities by whatever means is marginally legal. Translated that means- you are going to get the worst settlement conceivable. Adjusters don't go to any length to tell you that their findings are arbitrary and appeal able- in fact they go to great lengths to make you believe that their offer is exactly the opposite- non negotiable.
Now I could go on and on about workplace dishonesty- but I'd be wasting time. Nobody knows workplace dishonesty better than than the people engaging in it. So let's move on to something else. Let's touch on emotional dishonesty.
Nowhere in my life have I personally been more dishonest about my feelings- than when it comes to relationships. Intimate relationships are extremely fertile ground for dishonest feelings or non disclosed feelings, particularly in matters revolving around sex. In fact very often, I like to think of intimate relationships as the "Miracle Gro" for dishonesty. My relationships, intimate and otherwise, are very often predicated on my willingness not to disclose how I am actually feeling. Millions upon millions of people do this. In fact, we probably all do this. People might tell the truth about how they are feeling if they thought some solution was possible. However, with no solution on the horizon, people see no reason to discuss their feelings when the only likely outcome is more grief or that the problem actually gets worse. So non disclosure becomes a very common form of dishonesty.
We are bombarded by dishonesty everywhere. From the non stop marketing by corporate America selling us cars and insurance, to diet pills and larger penis pills, or 4 hour erections. You ever wonder how many people actually experience a four hour erection? Have you? Marketing and advertising is all predicated on dishonesty.
The last bastion of dishonesty I want to touch on is our country and government. Nobody engages in more lies and deception than the government of the United States. To understand this, all you have to do is read. The more you read and educate yourself, the worse it gets. I have written nearly 1800 blogs detailing it quite nicely. Let's just say if you are shopping for role models for honest behavior- don't stop at the government store.
So I've extended my premise to you that dishonesty in virtually all facets of our lives- greatly contributes to our national depression.
La Conclusion
How could any person short of a sociopath, engage in the levels of dishonest behavior that this country does without getting frustrated, cynical, and angry?
People aren't stupid, lazy, or apathetic. In fact, they are simply responding to the world as they see it. If they are not required to think- they won't. If they are not required to work- they won't. If they see no reason to vote because one vote will not make a difference- they won't. That doesn't mean that they can't do those things- but that they have simply chosen not to.
That is an opportunity cost. Given no superior choice, people have no reason to believe that anything they engage in will make any kind of positive difference. So they don't.
Our national depression has been brought about by decades of dishonest behavior. Dishonest behavior is not diminished simply because we refuse to acknowledge it. It does not fail to exist merely because we say so. Dishonest behavior is not something we can tolerate or engage in and then go home at night and feel good about ourselves. I know I can't. In fact, I won't take a job where I am exploiting others or engaging in dishonest practices. I want to sleep well and that doesn't include 4 or 5 drinks to erase whatever recurring thoughts I am having brought about by any given day's events.
Years ago, I worked for ITT Financial Services in Las Vegas. Our lowest interest rate on a small consumer loan was 39% per year. We were prohibited by policy from disclosing that truth. When potential customers called and asked what the interest rate on a loan was we were instructed to say, "It depends on the size and the length of the loan." This dishonest behavior was so rigidly enforced that it was a termination offense to violate that policy. So one day, a caller called and asked about our interest rates and I told him the truth. I guess I had a case of the "f**k its." The branch manager heard me tell the guy 39% and he very nearly had a stroke. The tongue lashing I received in front of my co-workers was embarrassing. Secretly, I wanted to kick his ass.
We as a country, are simply saturated with dishonest, misleading, and disingenuous behavior at all levels and we know it. We also know it's wrong. We also know that we can't possibly hope to control or change the world as it bombards us with all that dishonesty. The good news is- we don't have to.
Remember in the beginning of this piece when I quoted Gandhi? That part about truth and love always winning out over tyrants and despair?
I have seen people do all kinds of selfless acts. I have seen people drown trying to save a family pet or even strangers from drowning. That is love. People want to be good, they just don't know where to begin. I believe that and I also believe that people are not always fully conscious of what ails them.
Our soldiers don't feel good about themselves either. They question the morality or the honesty of killing people and watching their own get maimed and killed. Most of us have been taught from day one that it is ok to defend ourselves and that it's not ok to attack others. There is an internal conflict in all of us when we begin to question the integrity of trying to distinguish whether or not we are attackers or defenders. And where there is no bright line, there is confusion and depression.
I am not surprised by rising suicide rates among our returning soldiers. I am pissed off that our government so cavalierly and dishonestly uses our soldiers like cattle and then wonders why they can't cope with life when they get back home. I think I get angry because these are kids. Kids who were taught the difference between right and wrong. Kids who find out in some nasty way that their potential sacrifices were for naught. There are no victories, no ticker tape parades, no public accolades. Instead they are asked to come home and act like nothing happened. That dishonest behavior once again.
I can't change any of that. But...
I can accept the world at it is. I accept all of the dishonesty that the world rains down on me but I refuse to engage in it. I am also aware that all of that dishonesty contributes to my frustration and depression. I am fully aware of the negative effects of all of that and I am going to make a conscious decision not to participate, contribute, or support it. I am going to minimize the negative effects of dishonesty.
If we engage in esteemable acts then perhaps by extension, we will all gain higher levels of self esteem. When we feel good about our conduct and ourselves- then there is no need for us to change the way we feel when we arrive home at night. We have not deluded, cheated, mis represented, or lied to anyone including ourselves. We may actually feel good about ourselves. When we feel good, there's no reason to change the way we feel. No reason to drink or drug ourselves to sleep, no reason to commit suicide.
When this nation once again begins to act responsibly and honestly, like we once did, then I think that our national depression will lift. Opportunity and hope will return. I am not going to try to forecast which way it will turn or whether I will live to see it or not, but that's just the optimist in me.
Until then, we all get to pick what kind of people we are going to be. Choose wisely.
*This evening while reading about Seymour Hersh, I stumbled into this gem. Hersh believes everything is a lie right now. Pretty interesting observation. However, I disagree that Bin Laden wasn't killed when and where our government stated. Too much at stake- too many witnesses on both sides.
http://www.paulcraigroberts.org/2013/09/27/seymour-hersh-says-killing-bin-laden-one-big-lie/
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