Tag / Politics

by Greg

Right Idea, But Still Scary

If you don’t have time to watch this whole thing, then watch the last 10 seconds or so. But be warned, out of context it will just be scary. Very scary. Very “Un-American”.

Problem is, if you watch the rest (minus a few other wacky moments) you’ll see again what I was talking about yesterday. What Obama wants to motivate people towards is good. The others-awareness that Jesus lived and that we are teaching our kids. The scary part is at the end where the actress says, “I pledge to be a servant to our president.” Um… ? I’m good with the “pledging” to serve other people, so as far as the president is a “people” that’s cool… but well, just watch the last 20 seconds. You’ll see what I’m squeamish about.

Also in the video you’ll notice that they mention usaservice.org. I checked out that URL and it just forwards to serve.gov. I think that’s a mistake. I know, it doesn’t really matter, but again, it’s either from the “ground up” or from the “top down” and if it is a .gov website, that’s from the “top down” (at least, in our current way of thinking regarding government). Should have stuck with the first URL.

One more line that stood out in this video that I don’t think a lot of people hold to was, “I pledge to commit to my own change before I ask others to change.” Another thing Jesus said was, “First get rid of the log in your own eye; then you will see well enough to deal with the speck in your friend’s eye.” (He’s a pretty smart fellow, Jesus…) Again, if we stick to this and work on getting our own lives focused on helping others (rather than making other people help others, or complaining that they don’t) then real good will be done.

So if we drop the crazy allegiance to a man – Barack Obama – or even the office of president, then we’re on the right track. In fact, I’m glad I know of usaservice.org (I’m going with that one) now. We know of plenty of opportunities to help out, but we’ll check on there too and see if there’s a place we Campbells can help out as a family, too.

It’s nice to be nice.

(It’s scary to pledge allegiance to a person. Just don’t do it people. All men (people) are created equal. Let’s try to live that.)

PS… I know this is not news, I just happened to stumble upon it today…

by Greg

Listen. Just Listen.

One last thing to say in the arena of politics today.

For a while now I have been really bothered by the way political discussions are so heavily slanted in one direction or another. The same issue can be discussed by either “side” of an issue using almost exactly the same terms but applied equally to either side. The “left” accuses the right of being “stupid”, “ignorant”, having “blind party allegiances”, and of course, misrepresenting the facts. The “right” is guilty of exactly the same broad-brush labeling.

I’ve said before on this blog that I am – if anything – libertarian. I suppose I would fall under the more socially conservative brand of such a label, but basically I believe both “sides of the aisle” are just in it for themselves and all are inflating our government to some monstrous entity it was never intended to be. Rights and responsibility belong squarely in the hands and on the shoulders of the people. Period.

Perhaps because I have no allegiance to any party I can see this more clearly? I’m not sure why it’s so hard to see, but the plain truth is…

No one is listening.

No one. No one is bothering to hear what any other opinions might be. No one seems to care to actually come at the issues or problems or whatever it is that supposedly are at the heart of any discourse from the perspective of the other person or “party”. I hear things said about “the right” that I know are not true. (Because I believe some of the things that are being “attacked”, and the reasons given by “left-leaning” folks that I believe them are nowhere near the truth. I fully assume the same is true in reverse.

If we would just bother to actually listen to each other, we’d find we’re not that different.

The approach, and even general philosophy of how to manage/govern a large group of people may differ, but the heart of the matter (what happens to our families, neighbors, communities, and even our country) is the same. We are the same.

I’m not sure our selfish nature will ever allow us to truly listen to one another. But if we ever did, the results would be astounding. True, others-oriented cooperation is at the heart of real community, isn’t it?

“Treat other people the way you would want to be treated.”

A paraphrase of the so-called “Golden Rule”. Words spoken by Jesus. Perhaps we should really listen to them.

by Greg

Is Barack Obama in the Right Place?

I mentioned in my previous post that one of my “qualities” is that I can truly give people the benefit of the doubt. I presume the best of intentions from everyone (perhaps because I know my heart, and I only have the best of intentions for everyone I know – and don’t know – around me) and that extends even to people whom I disagree with.

Like our current president, Barack Obama.

I really don’t agree with anything he is doing or wants to do with our government, but if you have time to listen to what he says (and, if you actually do listen to what he says) in the full version of the speech I mentioned previously, perhaps you’ll agree with me that perhaps Obama shouldn’t be in the office of President, but would be more suited as an “activist” or whatever you want to call such a person? Someone like Martin Luther King, Jr… who did not hold any political office, but was superb at championing the rights of people who were not being treated equally, as our Declaration of Independence declares that we do.

If you listen to his words… he’s right. America can be changed (for the good) from the ground up. There’s the key. And perhaps even he has missed it. (Which is one reason why I still have some reluctance to believe what he says…) The key is from the ground up. As president, he is trying to affect change from the top down. Making government policies to mobilize the citizenry to “community service” is more coercive than culture changing. Sure, good things may happen, but people aren’t responding to the “call to service” … they are responding the the authority of the government.

I really don’t think that funding such endeavors with people’s tax money (money that is required to be given) will ultimately affect the change he wants. (Also, I know that we do not HAVE the money he is wanting to invest in these programs. National debt is off-the-charts ridiculous, and the deficit (expenses vs income) is equally ridiculous, even though we the people are also ridiculously overtaxed in every way.)

I believe Barack Obama could be (maybe is?) a great leader of people from the ground up. But perhaps he would be more effective in doing that in a non-governmental role? He may get that chance in 2012 … I don’t think he’ll disappear from the public scene any time soon. Maybe if someone else were to take his place as president, he could affect the change in thinking that he seems to want to bring to America – a more involved, others-oriented way of doing life.

That would not be a bad thing. Let’s just not have the government mandate it.

Related Links:
United We Serve annoucement (whitehouse.gov)
Serve.gov (locate or post opportunities to serve near you)
Local Volunteer opportunities @ CraigsList (CraigsList.org)

(There are tons more… just Google “opportunities to serve” or “Volunteer opportunities” or check with your local Salvation Army. It is good to serve.)

by Greg

Obama’s Civilian National Security Force

I’ve heard this audio clip a few times, so I looked it up and found this YouTube clip. What is he talking about? Seriously? Isn’t our military the most well-funded in the world? First, where will he get the money to equal or best that funding for a “civilian national security force” (there are some sources given in the volokh.com link below), and, second… what in the world is that most-well-funded-security-force-in-the-world for? Why not just bolster military funding?

To me… this is a very troubling sound clip. I like to give people the benefit of the doubt, so perhaps the wording he chose was just, well, poorly chosen. From what I’ve found, he does just want to get people more involved in community service. But why call it a “national security force”? Again, it’s still troubling… but here are some more links for you to research for yourself.

UPDATE: After listening to the full-length speech below, it definitely does give more context. One thing is for sure about Barack Obama… he can definitely deliver a prepared speech. In context, in summary, his desire is to motivate each citizen of our country to give their time to helping other people, doing things that serve the community. Those two lines from the video above are a very poor choice of words (at least). I still do not agree with most of what the president has done (ridiculous “stimulus” package using money that doesn’t exist, managing/interfering with private industry (auto industry), and a tax-funded health care system – which is now apparently “on hold“) but I would say in the context of this one political speech, Obama’s remarks are less cause for concern.

Related links:
H.R. 675: Building Obama’s National Security Force (infowars.com)
Funding Barack Obama’s “civilian national security force.” (volokh.com)

(Unfortunately, I could not find the full transcript from any official site, including whitehouse.gov, but I did find the full version of the video.)

by Greg

The American Form of Governement [Video]

An interesting overview of various forms of government throughout history, focusing on what our nation’s founders created and what we have today.

A woman asked Benjamin Franklin what the writers of the constitution had given them to which he responded, “A republic, Ma’am, if you can keep it.” Current events may suggest that we are losing (or perhaps have already lost?) that form of government. Watch the video and see what you think.

Link credit goes to my dad, who is often passing along such videos and other web links. 🙂

by Greg

Obama’s Czars

Radio/TV talk show host, Glenn Beck, posted a list of the (currently) 32 czars that have been collected from “media reports from reputable sources that have identified the official in question as a czar.” It’s a fascinating list that I hope to read in more detail later today.

The reason I am posting it is that I am still so confused by two things. First, why is Obama hiring these people to lead various departments and task forces and such… don’t we elect people to do that? How can he use taxpayer money (some of these czars’ salaries are listed in the page linked above) to pay these people that only report to him, not to the American people? Where are the checks and balances?

Second… why would anyone want to use the word “CZAR“??? Only has negative connotations in my head! (Even crazier… read the “American” portion of that wikipedia link… these are not our first “czars”.)

So, check out the list and, well, pass it along. We are still “we the people”.

by Greg

Theodore Roosevelt: This Will Destroy America

The things that will destroy America are prosperity-at-any-price, peace-at-any-price, safety-first instead of duty-first, the love of soft living, and the get-rich-quick theory of life.
Theodore Roosevelt

Got that from my dad via email today, and I’d say it’s pretty spot on. Unfortunately, it also seems to describe our current culture in America.

I copied that quote from a website with lots of quotes. Including, more from Teddy Roosevelt.

by Greg

ParentalRights.org – Time To Stand Up

ParentalRights.orgI’m really not much of an activist. I’m really not an activist at all. I love the freedom that we have in the United States (or, at least, should have) to be diverse. To be different. I don’t need to convince you to see and do it “my way” in any area of life. We can discuss our opinions and beliefs, even passionately. But in the end, we all get to choose.

Today I was referred to a site representing a group that is trying to defend our rights in this country to parent our children best we know how. ParentalRights.org lays out the threats to that freedom, namely the UNCRC (The United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child) which the Obama administration is attempting to ratify. In short, ratification of this treaty would allow the government to decide what is “best” for a child, without any proof of wrong doing by the parents. It also would allow international law and UN policies to supersede the rights granted by the US Constitution and Bill of Rights.

Really? Really??

It’s getting ridiculous. We won’t be able to recover from the decades and decades of out of control spending by so many politicians in Washington. I can’t imagine how we won’t eventually succumb to our insane national debt. (And maybe sooner than later?) But, can’t we at least hold on to what makes us Americans?

We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness. — That to secure these rights, Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed, — That whenever any Form of Government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the Right of the People to alter or to abolish it, and to institute new Government, laying its foundation on such principles and organizing its powers in such form, as to them shall seem most likely to effect their Safety and Happiness.

The quote above is from the second paragraph of the Declaration of Independence. Independence declared from an oppressive government that had trampled on people’s liberty for too long. Theoretically, we still have a representative government that listens to the people. But perhaps it is time to once again do as Jefferson penned in that paragraph a few sentences later:

But when a long train of abuses and usurpations, pursuing invariably the same Object evinces a design to reduce them under absolute Despotism, it is their right, it is their duty, to throw off such Government, and to provide new Guards for their future security.

It’s pretty crazy times we are in, folks.

Click through to the website for more, but if you are so inclined, call the White House comments line at 202-456-1111 and leave a message there, voicing your opinion. There are a few other things mentioned at this recent news post.

Be heard.

NOTE: The White House comment line is apparently not a place you can leave a message. Their outgoing message says you can call anytime 9:00am ET till 5:00pm ET Monday through Friday.

by Greg

Aló Presidente! : The Hugo Chávez Show

I came across this documentary while browsing that category at Netflix. Having lived in Venezuela for three years as a kid, I do notice anything pertaining to that country, and this one intrigued me. I didn’t know much about Hugo Chávez, just that he doesn’t like America. This is still true (although he is buddies with his socialist friend, Obama – per his own comments) but this documentary showed a side of Chávez that I didn’t know. He kind of comes off as a bumbling fool … yet with just enough smarts to definitely play (read:manipulate) the system.

It’s a fascinating look at Venezuela (loved hearing the Venezuelan music and the people speaking, and seeing a view of Caracas that looked similar to the view I remember from our apartment building!) and the her history since Hugo Chávez has been involved.

(For example, did you know that years before he was elected, he was part of a military coup attempt … that failed miserably? Then that he was removed from the office of president (by the military) after he was elected … only to return two days later? Crazy stuff.)

Also, the title of the documentary (and title of this post) is from his weekly Sunday TV show (by the same title). Chávez does a live show from various locations around Venezuela (and of random durations) every week to connect with the people. Much like our own president Obama, he certainly knows the power of the media. He is very similarly a “information age” political leader.

I believe this documentary was produced by a media guy from Venezuela, and I thought it was well done. If you’re interested in such things, the video embedded above is the first segment. The entire documentary is available online here.