CapitalistMarks

Karzai has crossed the line.

Posted on 06. Apr, 2010 by scott.

I have been absorbed by the NCAA Final Four the past few days.  It has been great too.  Close games with great plays and even better sportsmanship.  I am though, deeply disappointed that Butler did not win it all, too.  I think most Americans living outside of North Carolina were for this amazing ‘underdog’ — aren’t we usually that way?

Like we all want to root for Afghanistan to rise up out of the poverty and religious intolerance that has made it one of the poorest nations in the world . . . war torn for decades, rife with uneducated Mullahs (except in their perverted view of the Qu’ran) who poison the minds and wills of generations of young people, destroyed by Russia’s arrogance, and now occupied by America and it’s allies in a seemingly perpetual war against terrorism and Al Quieda.

Our government has tens of thousands of troops in this God-forbidden, mountain bound’ land-locked and insular land.  We have spent hundreds of billions of $$ trying to rid the country of wicked and ignorant men and women who care nothing for the ‘nation’ we are trying to create for them.  Our efforts to educate the people (mostly the young) have met with resistance and killing.  Attempts to free women from the bondage of poorly interpreted religious traditions resulted in further hatred and even torture.

And yet, our government (with support of a majority of citizens) has labored on.  Like other battles for the ‘underdog’ Americans stand willing to sacrifice for the ‘greater good.’

The blood of hundreds of our young men and women has been spilt on the dusty plains and rocky ranges of the faraway country.  Enormous amounts of equipment, supplies, food, and other necessities have been shipped there.

And why?

We think we know and so struggle on, but . . . Karzai?

Karzai has assumed that it has all been for him and his ill-conceived, and even more ill-functioning government.  Bribery is a way of life there.  Fraud and abuse of the $$billions we send there result in little being dribbled down to the people as corruption at the highest, and all, levels are commonplace.

Karzai and his cronies line their pockets and play at governing but the Afghan people see no improvement.  In fact most reports say they  either fear or hate the bureaucrats and police.  There are even rumors of government alliances, both political and financial, with some of the Taliban.

This of course has been hard to stomach.  I have not trusted Hamid Karzai from the first day I saw him on TV costumed in his pretentious green robes and sillywool ‘crown.’  There was something inherently dishonest in the was he spoke . . .  the droll of his pleas for peace and money.  I have been a pretty good judge of character in my life . . . it has helped a lot . . . and I judged him bad from day one.

The stated strategy has been that we must support the ‘nation building’ of a country that has rejected a central government for generations.  All so that the nooks and crannies within its borders will not become hiding places for terrorists bent on destroying all western and Christian forms of life.  The process has been harrowing and dangerous.  Some of our allies have packed up and left . . . deeming the goal to be unachievable.

Yet, America presses on under the leadership of our own new President.  Hoping that eventually Afghanistan will thrive under a legitimate and self-sustaining democratic government.  I can only say dream on.

Both President Bush and President Obama have voiced support for the ‘elected’ leader of the land:  Hamid Karzai.  I say ‘elected’ because the most recent elections were so rife with fraud that no President should have been elected.  Yet Karzai prevailed . . . and Obama has said that ‘the people’ of Afghanistan have spoken.

Let me tell it like it is:  Karzai is in power in Afganistan only because America allows him to be.  Perhaps this administration considers him the lesser of two evils (or three or four for that matter).  But, this support is misguided and wrong.

Karzai is not in control of his nation.  He is even less in power. The United States military, along with our few remaining allies, is in control and has the power, such as it is.

Yet this administration continues the charade of Karzai’s puppet government.  We allow him to parade around the world as if he was a genuine leader worthy of international acclaim.  He is the titular head of a ragtag army and national police force . . . yet those very forces are trained and funded with our tax dollars.  There is no real government in Afghanistan.

Talk about a balanced budget– heck Afghanistan’s government has revenues of only $1 billion and spends over $3 billion.  About the same as a mid-sized city in Montana.  Are you kidding me?  Karzai has been bad for his own people and he has been bad for us . . . more so every day it seems.

Now, Karzai has really crossed the line.

Last week he complained of ‘international’ interference in the most recent election (international can only mean U.S. since we dominate the foreign presence there).  The White House took that with unexpected resilience that came across as far too understanding.

Then, a few days later, in a final strike at the hand that feeds him, Karzai said that if foreign interference continued the Taliban would be legitimized and he might even join them.  What the heck would he do without ‘foreign’ interference?  He would be nothing but another penniless  ’foreigner’ strolling along Paris streets.  Is this guy crazy?  A Quisling?  Traitor, enemy, crook?

The audacity of this idiot is incredible.

And it must not be allowed to continue.

It is time for Obama to follow the lessons learned after WWII in Germany and Japan.  Our military must take over the entire government process until the people of the country are distanced enough from Karzai’s puppet and illegitimate rule to see that self-governance can and will work.

This will take years.  But we must do it.  We simply cannot allow Afghanistan to collapse again like it did when the Russkies abandoned it.

America and our allies must be in control of everything that goes on in Afghanistan.  We have to control the police, the army, the bureaucrats, transportation, licensing . . . the entire government.  We have to be there to manage our $$Billions and save our soldiers lives.  We can’t leave any decision that involves the Afghans or our soldiers to be left up to others — especially not someone like Karzai who only came to Afghanistan after the successful ‘invasion.’  We have to make sure the people in every city and throughout the country have peace, freedom, education, roads, dams, schools, hospitals, and everything else it takes them to enter, at least, the 20th century.

It is clear that this will never happen with Karzai or anyone else like him.  Leadership can’t just be assumed.  It has to be learned and earned and America must be the teacher here.  Perhaps there is a young man (or woman) somewhere in Afghanistan who can, someday,  rise to leadership . . . and we must provide the avenue for him (or her) to do so.

It will be a huge commitment (perhaps along the lines of post-war Germany or Japan, maybe even South Korea) and it will take years, not months.  Forget the pretense of Karzai’s leadership and take control.  Out of the existing mess, one day,  pride and greatness can rise. jJust not now.  Just not Karzai.

That much is as clear as anything in this troubled world.

I call on President Obama to recognize that Karzai is NOT a legitimate leader and has neither the qualifications nor the honor to function as President of Afghanistan.  Appoint an interim ‘Governor’ and assume complete leadership.

Give the Afghan people a chance–and some time.

thanks to flickr’s blatantnews.com for the photo

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Barack Marx? The incredible leftward lean.

Posted on 01. Apr, 2010 by scott.

I had high hopes that Barack Obama would live up to his potential and all the hype of the campaign.  I have even tried to be realistic about his performance in the all-important first year of his term.

With patience and hope, I have watched his ‘rookie’ mistakes:  wavering and waiting on Afghanistan as more Americans perished at the hands of the ‘talibummers’, ignoring our dependence on foreign oil (what about natural gas dude?), passively accepting the ‘gotchas’ by the Chinese, Russian and even Brazilian leaders, staying in the background as congress pussy-footed around until health care reform became a 2,000 page mess, waiting (still) as unemployment soared to completely unmanageable highs (can’t wait for the #’s that come out tomorrow — I look for a gain of 100,000 or so but don’t give much credit to Obama), and . . . well you get the idea.

But sadly I now come down hard on the side of those who believe that obama is the ‘anti-capitalist’, the American Socialist of the 21st century, one mighty big government, income transferring danger to everyone who believe in free markets and freedom of choice.

President Obama right now is a socialist, tried, true and red as can be.

Here is what pushed me over the precipice:  the health care bill . .  and the ’stealth’ student loan provisions that were hidden inside that 2,000 page horror and passed without a whisper from the right.

I am far from alone.  Steve Forbes (April 12 issue of FORBES), “Health insurers will eventually be private in name only, as the details of their policies will be dictated by governmental decrees.  About the only thing companies will have any autonomy over–perhaps–will be their corporate logo.”  And, “President Obama wants higher education in this country to be free of charge, which is why his admin is pushing for a government takeover of student lending.”

This absolutely could lead to complete government control of higher education (think of North Korea here to get the full impact of such an awful thought).

Others are even more condemnatory and I will not repeat the rantings of such as O’Rielly or Beck.  Those guys make Obama seem like a total Boy Scout (with all the merit badges of course).

Oh, how I fear for our country when the left manages (and micro-manages) with no debate with the right.  But, the right is motionless as republicans cower behind an agenda-less fury.  Oh, the dread of democrats in control as President Obama ignores the right.

At his peril, we can only hope.

This is what is happening.  Obama pushed health care reform through with NO republican support.  The victory seems to have made him into the ‘Teflon’ President.  Forget that he has opened more areas to off-shore drilling — with the same sweep of his left-wing pen he also denied drilling in other areas with great potential.

Consider that No, None, Nada, Zip, Zero, government programs have ever come in at or below the original estimates.  Name me one!  You can’t.  Oh, dread the thought.

If Obama gets his way now, those who have worked hard, paid their debts and mortgages, saved, invested and benefited from American opportunities are now going to have to finance the mistakes of the lazy, the indolent, the illegals, and the entitled.  Those who pay are most of you reading this because the others never have to worry about the facts–they get everything they need from the government or MTV!

Have a huge mortgage on you McMansion?  Don’t worry Obama will pay off enough of it to make you whole–with our money.

Got no health insurance?  No problemo Obama will take our money and pay your premiums or your health care costs.

Can’t afford a car or a toaster?  Heck, Obama has a few hundred to $8,000 just to get you in the driver’s seat.  With our money.

Own a big bank that is busted?  Shoot, Obama has $trillions to back your risky bets right or wrong.  Again our money.

Crap — I can’t stand to go on.

Bottom line today?

Obama is a socialist, through and through.

Doesn’t look like he is going to live up to the hype (unless you are a rich hollywood star or a tort lawyer).

There are some of us out there ready to do something about it.  Not those you might think.

Conservative values are not those of the whacky right that think Obama is the ‘Anti-Christ’ or not even born in America.  Conservative values are the exact same values that directed President Lincoln to same the Nation, that made Apple a house-hold name, that developed amazing drugs to help the sick, that put a man on the MOON for crying out loud.  Real people, real work, real hope, real patriotism, real values.

Obama is a good man, I am convinced of that (would love to take him on one-on-one for a few of my political and economic agendas), but he really does have this whole government and economics/social  thing wrong.

We (the good guys above — you know who pay taxes and stuff) have got to start a real movement to get our country back.  No silly ‘tea-party’  or ‘coffee-party’ , we need a genuine ‘Founders Party’ to get us back to where the Constitution, common sense, and a high school education take us.

DO NOT VOTE FOR ANY INCUMBENT!  NEVER!  EVER!  NOT OF ANY STRIPE!

America by and for Americans.  Sounds good (maybe that should be the name of our new party)

‘America for Americans’ — and God Bless Our Great Nation!

thanks to flickr’s doratagold for the photo

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Aren’t we all?

Posted on 28. Mar, 2010 by scott.

A friend sent me this yesterday.  I don’t agree with everything but most of it is sadly true and an accurate reflection of American ‘government.’  Please read, if it makes you mad then good.  If it makes you want to vote out ALL incumbents, then even better.

“I’m 63 and I’m Tired” 

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Health care reform at a glance. Not pretty.

Posted on 25. Mar, 2010 by scott.

Enough time has not passed for me to consider the recently passed Health Care Reform bill.  All of the Rhetoric has given way to kinder and gentler vitriolic and threatening words from both sides of the aisle in the ‘hollowed’ halls of Congress.

The Repubs are guaranteeing to make this the #1 issue in this year’s midterm elections.  Some are even proposing to repeal the bill.  Of course, Obama, has struck back with ‘bring it on’ which is scary since weren’t those the exact (or very close) words Bush used when referring to Osama Bin Laden and his rag-tag crew a few years ago?

But at least we, the people, are now getting a chance to look at the bill (several web sites including  Whitehouse.g0v link to copies).

Politics aside this bill is clearly better (at least for 30 million Americans) than nothing . . . and there are some real advantages to what has been passed: no lifetime limits for coverage of serious illness (like the cancer that has struck both the mother and father of a great family we know), and no arbitrary exclusion of coverage for pre-existing conditions.

Great.  And of course as the only developed nation in the world that doesn’t offer health care as a ‘right’ we have just added those 30 million mentioned above to the system so we are a bit closer to the health equity of all other rich nations.

And this is probably a good thing.

Yesterday I was driving home from a doctor’s appointment with my wife when we heard a discussion about that very point on the radio.  She turned to me and said something I had never heard from her before–and believe you me it pressed home the point.

“I remember my Dad telling my Mom with real astonishment a few months after we had emigrated here from Germany, ‘I had no idea that you get no health care in America — you have to pay for it all yourself, either with insurance or out of your own pocket.  The government does nothing.’  They were both worried and the result was that while I grew up my brothers and I  hardly ever saw dentists or doctors because we couldn’t afford to.”

Boy that struck home.  If my 4 kids had not had good insurance while growing up then none of them (nor I) would be around today.

Of course from a social justice point (and to heck with that airhead Glen Beck for ridiculing that term) America should provide health care to those who need it.  How can we have ‘life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness’ without good health?

BUT . . . on the other hand.  How do we (and believe me it is you and I that will) pay for it??

Big issue and one that the Obama plan practically ignores.

I took a survey and extended it from the one person I polled to the entire nation.  Here is what I found out.

Most Americans would like to see the government provide health care to all . . . they just don’t want to pay for it with more taxes.  What they DO want is to lower the out-of-control inflation of health care costs and the crazy increases in insurance premiums.  Did you know that if health insurance premiums continue at the rate of the last decade then in another decade or two all of our paychecks will go to health insurance?  True.  And that is a scary thought.

Government always over-extends social benefits–and not just the democrats.

Social Security?  The standard employee withholding in 1950 was 0.2% (the amount the government takes out of your wages for you to contribute to S.S.) and today it is 6.2% or a 3100% increase!  Further S.S. is the most expensive government program in the world and America’s biggest federal budget expenditure all while being essentially bankrupt.

Medicare?  Medicaid?  Same kind of thing with even worse funding and cost problems down the raod.  Do your own search but I assure you that what you read will be scary.  And now we add another program that is almost just as bad and will certainly bet worse?

What is going to happen with this new reform?  We know that, at least, in the next ten years it is going to cost about $1 trillion and as our government gets into it and as entitlements increase the costs are going to soar just like other entitlement programs in the past.  That seems to be inevitable human and political nature.

This reform does very little to deal with the most critical issue on the health care horizon:  costs.

America has to find a way to lower cost inflation in health care.  Actual costs have to be lowered while still providing reasonable service.  The bill is silent on the issue.  No interstate competition for insurers (Adam Smith assured us that competition would always drive prices lower), no effort to deal with Tort Reform and limit frivolous law suits (that enrich greedy lawyers who then run for Congress, yech), no legislation that deals with incredible RX costs (ours are much higher than most nations even though a majority of new drugs are developed by U.S. companies), and there are other ways to cut costs too — but Obama failed to address them.

Seems like tax and spend, or spend and tax, all over again.

How the heck are we going to pay for this thing 10 years down the road.  Will the 4% surtax on the wealthy be increased by 3100% and extended to everyone like Social Security funding?  My math shows that is not even possible but the thought is scary enough.

We can’t afford  to have another Social Security system or another Medicare/Medicaid system.  Not without giving up defense programs, the war on terror, and many other federal programs.

Maybe, and it pains me to admit this, the repubs have it right and they should try to repeal this bill and start over by taking health care issues one at a time and do each of them methodically and  right.  I do know that as it stands we surely have moved one step to the left and are closer to European socialism than we have ever been before.

For a free market, true democracy, freedom of choice guy like me this bill smells bad.  Something is rotten in Denmark Washington D.C. and in a few years our Treasury is going to need open heart surgery and a full financial-resucitation all at once!!

Sorry folks, but the truth hurts.

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Iran’s leaders are nuts!

Posted on 22. Mar, 2010 by scott.

I fully intended to write about the health care bill today.

However, reading in The Economist this morning I found out that the ‘authorities’ in Iran had sentenced six people to death.  These six took part in the opposition demonstrations in December as a result of the fraudulent -re-election of President Ahmadenijad.

I don’t know how it is even possible to consider Iran a democracy of any sorts when their leaders sanction such irresponsible and lunatic behavior.  Killing people because they oppose the current  ’nuclear seeking’ regime?  Where is the voice of reason in Iran?

What disturbs me even more is that the sentence is to be carried out for ‘waging war on God.’

That makes me physically sick.

Don’t these Iranian leaders — the supreme of which is also the religious leader Ayotallah Kahmenei — realize that no one accepts them as legitimate?  Outside their tightknit and religiously insane military cabal anyway.  These are the hypocrites  who preach the supremacy of the Qur’an and the teachings of their great prophet Muhammad.  They clearly don’t read their own scriptures or live the prophet’s teachings.

Islam is particularly clear on the issue discussed here.  Let me quote from Surah 2 verse 256 —  ”There is no compulsion in religion.”

How clear is that?

As a bell you bearded nut cases in the fancy houses on the outskirts of Teheran.  You condemn Jews though you know none nor have never studied their history — one that is so closely linked to your own.  You call America the ‘Great Satan’ though you have never visited nor studied our history of religious freedom nor our truly democratic ways.

Having read the Qur’an several times, and in several different translations from the doctrinal Arabic, I realize that there is much therein contained that is easy to misinterpret.  But that one verse partially quoted above is as clear as glass.  No possibility of misinterpreting that.

Yet, Iran’s crazy leaders have publicly stated that they want to wipe Israel off the map, kill all Jews and destroy America (and all the western world to boot).

Let me give you another quote to further indicate how wicked these Iranian leaders are (even within the understanding of their own religion).  This comes from Surah 29 verse 46 (from the official King Fahd edition published in Madina K.S.A. in case you are interested) “argue not with the people of the Scripture (Jews and Christians) unless it be in a way that is with good words and in good manner . . . except him such of them that do wrong.”

Finally Surah 9 verse 115 “And Allan will never lead a people astray after he has guided them until he makes clear to them as to what they should avoid.”

Pretty simple stuff.  What to avoid?  Forcing ‘Gods’ word or arguing with Jews and Christians.

Right from their Book folks.

These ‘heavies’ in Iran are flat out of their mind.  Certifiable.  Ready for the Psych ward.

So, we have to understand that Iran’s leaders are evil ‘men’ (they have little or no respect for women) with evil intent . . . especially according to their own written scripture and faith.

Can they be trusted.

Not just no, but heck no!

Yet every day they are pushing Iran closer toward nuclear arms.

What does the current administration do?

Nothing that bothers Iran’s leaders in the least.

Oh, sure,  Obama and his motley crew occasionally offer a few words of chastisement but nothing more.

What happened to the vaunted deadline of December 31, 2009 for Iran to ‘come clean’ on their nuclear ambitions?

Nothing.  Dangit.

China and Russia don’t care.  They love to see Iran’s intimidation of the ‘great satan’ and they will never (think of Putin and Wen Jiabao) willingly oppose any nation that creates havoc for Americans.

We are going to have to do something unilaterally (well with some help from a few Europeans and of course Israel).  I don’t think we have a choice . . . though I am not sure exactly what.

From what I do know the majority of Iranians (or Persians as they have been known for millenia) are good people, they want freedom, they want to be part of the 21st century and they don’t want crazy and evil leaders who brazenly kill the opposition to get their own way.

And it can’t be any worse than the fact that they do it in the name of their ‘God.’

I guess I’m ranting now but I hope you are getting this picture.  It ain’t pretty or encouraging folks.

Scary as all get out.

Now that health care is out of the way, I sure hope President Obama turns to Iran (along with unemployment of course).

I hope to have my views on the health care issue solidified in a day or two.  Stay logged on.

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China — foe or faux?

Posted on 13. Mar, 2010 by scott.

I was quite surprised to hear President Obama talk so realistically about China on Thursday.  To be frank, I should have expected it since the speech was in front of the Export/Import Bank and he was preaching to the choir.

The reasons for his approach are clear.  The imbalance in our trade with China is huge ($266 billion deficit in 2008) and the total trade with China has grown from $5 billion in 1980 to about $410 billion in 2008 — that’s 8000% growth.

President Obama recognizes that this kind of trade imbalance and expansion can’t continue.  Every year China gets the gift of a few hundred billion $$ to do with as they please . . . and they please to put more and more into their military budget and expansion of influence around the world.

China holds about $700 billion of U.S. debt and Obama made it clear that he doesn’t like owing China that kind of money–especially when the markets that create the debt are so lop-sided.  Still, China insists on keeping the value of their currency unrealistically low, which distorts (to their advantage) their real capacity to manufacture and export.

It is so easy a cave man could do it, because the Chinese leaders have a ‘command economy’ (they control everything about their economy) and we have a ‘market economy’ (the will of the masses directs economic results).  It comes down to the fact that  the Chinese have about a fifty point lead at the beginning of each year’s game (forgive the basketball analogy but it works).  America has no chance to make up the difference.

Obama started his first year in a conciliatory mode . . . expecting countries like Brazil, Russia, India and China (the so-called BRIC’s) to change from a tight-fisted acceptance of American leadership to an arms wide open welcome.  To give him credit it has worked a bit–but not with China.  They have taken this as a sign of weakness and followed-on with strident, aggressive and bitter language and actions.

Obama should have known better, his advisors didn’t do their jobs.  Heck I grew up in the orient and I could have told him that orientals have a vastly different view of the world.  To them respect is earned with strength, earnestness and real credibility.  Obama failed in all three cases.

China saw this as an opportunity to act.  They are planning to send a man to the moon (with US $$) and build aircraft carriers to extend the range of their military influence (with US $$).    But more importantly they are  ’purchasing’  loyalty from leaders in Africa and South America where the abundant natural resources will, in the future,  fill the voracious demand of Chinese manufacturing and the energy/fuel needs of a huge and rapidly growing middle-class.  Again with the American $$ they earn from the unlevel field of our mutual trade.  (note: to be fair the Eruo-zone nations are suffering the same ignominious treatment)

Back to the Obama speech on Thursday.  He spoke of a need for China to improve their human rights dealings.  He spoke of a need for them to let their currency float on international markets so that trade will be more balanced.  He spoke of leveling the playing field.  And his words were not very conciliatory, for the first time that I know of.

So, perhaps this marks the end of his effort to win friendship with hugs and kisses.  Perhaps now the Obama administration will put realistic diplomacy at the forefront of our international relations.  Perhaps this new effort will particularly include China–our 2nd largest trading partner, our 3rd largest export market (after Canada and Mexico) and our largest importing market.

I hope so because I am sick and tired of China running rough shod over America.  I am tired of their political and diplomatic hypocrisy.

They willingly broadcast their friendship with those who hate America such as the leaders of Venezuela, Cuba, and Iran–its like kicking sand in our faces.  But, shoot, when Obama meets with a revered international religious leader like the Dalai Lama, the Chinese leaders have an ickky fit.  They gripe and moan at our selling or sending defensive weapons to tiny little Taiwan whose entire population is not even equal to that of Shanghai.  Heck let tham ‘claim’ that Taiwan is a part of China but don’t ever let them pretend to be afraid of that miniscule little nation of free and entrepreneurial people.  More people are born in China every year than live in Taiwan.  Get real.

I don’t want our relationship with China to be adversarial but it sure as heck can’t be apathetic.

We have to recognize that they are a potential foe and recognize that today they are at best a faux friend.

President Obama and Secretary Clinton need to deal with the Chinese leaders as equals and do so without giving anything away.  The 1.3 billion people in China love western (read American) things but they also revere their own history and culture.    Wow, and 300 million American’s love Chinese things (almost everything we buy at Walmart or Best Buy) but we also revere our history and culture.

We can get along.  We have far too much mutual benefit at stake to do otherwise.  And besides I don’t think the people on the streets of either country want enmity . . . they want to be tourists of each country.  Every time I visited China the Chinese people I met wanted to be friends, to sit and talk, to spend a few hours doing Kareoke . . . and I have to tell you that they must have been sincere since listening to my rendition of anything is a chore.

We need to become real friends with China and use the relationship to benefit both nations people.  But we have to do it in a way that is fair to everyone.

Keep the pressure on Mr. President.  Until our relationship with China is fair and balanced.

thanks to flickr’s exfordy for the photo

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Poverty — try it sometime.

Posted on 09. Mar, 2010 by scott.

To start, let me explain that I have why I am so concerned about today’s subject.  Here is the scoop.  I have seen poverty up close and real–a bunch of times.

When I was a junior in high-school my dad moved us to a country that was still recovering from war.  Poverty was something I saw everyday for two years.  I had heard rumors of people throwing themselves in front of diplomatic trains and cars — so they (or their families if they were killed) could collect compensation for the ‘accident.’  It wasn’t more than a few months before I saw it myself.  I won’t go into the details but let me tell you I was shook up.

I took marshal arts classes ‘off base’ from a local.  He lived better than most but it sure wasn’t good.  Then in my business travels years later I saw poverty in a number of other countries.  Kids starving and begging, adults so skinny their clothes wouldn’t hang on them.  Lots of stuff you just can’t describe adequately — something you have to see to believe.

More importantly I traveled back to that country I grew up in (if you count the last two years of high-school as growing up–and I do).  Thanks to huge infusions of capital from America that country had changed.  Now it is one of the most developed and ‘wired’ nations in the world.  The people there are proud, educated and well-off.  It is a beautiful country with wonderful people.

But, there are far too many more countries that need the same kind of help (Africa, Mid-east, Asia mostly).

The lesson;.

Ever since those experiences I have felt like we Americans have a lot more than we think, a lot of ‘things’ that make our lives more enjoyable, more food than we can eat . . . I always get frustrated at the food restaurants throw out.  We take it all for granted– but the food a singe family leaves on their plates after dinner one night could feed a family in some countries for a months.  Believe it.

We have a responsibility to help others.  And we do–it is in our blood so to speak.  Americans give more individually than any other nation on earth.  But I think if we all knew how bad it is ‘out there’ that we would give even more.

So I was glad to read about a local  program to help us understand . . . and maybe change the way we think about the third world.

Though it was the first I had ever heard about it, apparently Brigham Young University (50 miles south) held their 20th Annual Hunger Banquet last week.  It was hosted by the David M. Kennedy Center for International Studies and Students for International Development — whew, that’s some long names.

I didn’t get all the details but the banquet apparently works like this:  a bunch of folks (hundreds) pay some money and go to the banquet.  When they get there they are sent (randomly) to different areas representing the main classes of development and wealth in the world.

Seventy percent have to sit on the floor on cardboard.  They are fed small servings of rice, beans and tortillas.  All they get to drink is a small plastic bag of water.  Twenty percent get to sit on chairs around the walls of the room and get to eat a hot dog and chips with soft drinks.  The other 10 percent sit at decked out tables and eat off of nice plates with fancy glasses and silverware.  They are served a wonderful dinner with delicious dessert.  Way more than they can eat and far too much was prepared for them (just in case?).

That’s not all.  While the meal is going on ’scuzzy’ people are wandering the room trying to sell the leftovers from the rich’s banquet for a whole lot more than the scraps are worth.  There are also ‘tourists’ wandering around the ‘poor’ sections taking pictures and mumbling about how bad the poor folk have it.

I will leave it up to you to figure out the consequences . . . it shouldn’t take too long.  I think this program should be held once a year at every University in the country.  Maybe high-schools too.

I hope this description strikes home.

Just remember that every time you throw anything out, at home or at a restaurant, the 70% of the world that go hungry would shout for joy if you gave them those scraps.

We sit at home watching TV and ‘notchin’ chips and Dr. Pepper and never give a second thought to those 70%.

Health care reform?

Jeez Louise, that seems pretty inconsequential when enough kids to fill California have one set of dirty clothes and ribs that show through their stretched skin.

Can we do more?

You bet.

Will we?

Well that is up to you and me . . . and 306 million just like us.

Thank God we live in this great country.

Count your blessings and then share a few.

thanks to flickr’s ralphrepo for the photo

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Obama on healthcare — an acrid summit.

Posted on 25. Feb, 2010 by scott.

When I could, today, I watched live, the Obama healthcare summit.

Surprisingly there were many good ideas bounced around–none of them new.  Not so surprisingly, there was a lot of acrimony on both sides of the aisle.  Obama had the repubs sitting on his left and the dems on his right, in what I guess was a weird attempt to moderate ideologues.

It didn’t work.  Tort reform was mentioned but the dems effectively took it off the table (how many of them were/are trial lawyers?).  Open insurance competition was also mentioned but didn’t seem to move anyone from their talking points.  And, cost reforms?  Not a chance.  Too difficult for our multi-term elected officials.

If this summit is any evidence of progress or change then we need to start looking for ‘offshore’ medical care.  Even a hospital ship would be better than what might be coming.

The closing statement by Nancy Pelosi was strident and critical of her opponents on the right.  She didn’t even bother to smile while jabbing her California liberal knife right in their conservative chests.

However, I think the real assessment of the summit came from President Obama himself.  In what can only be termed a threat to republican intransigence, Obama made it clear what his plan is.  If no bipartisan work is advanced on the existing healthcare bills in the Senate and the House within 4-6 weeks, then the dems were going to act by getting the House to accept the Senate bill and just allow passage with no amendments.

I suppose the President believes that some kind of bill, no matter how flawed, is better than nothing.

I guess I would have to agree.  The status quo is just not acceptable.  But this??

Was this summit wasted time then?  We will know in a week or two, not the 4-6 the President allowed for.  Either the repubs will provide some concrete suggestion immediately (they already know what they are) and the dems will accept them (negotiations possible). . .  or else.  That will be clear in the next two weeks.

Great television, courageous on the part of Obama (I can’t imagine Bush even thinking about hanging himself out like this), exposed the public (those willing to listen or watch) to the realities of the issues involved.  Thats about it.

I guess I had better start saving now because I am sure my ‘individual’ insurance plan premiums are going to increase shortly–and I am dang sure I won’t like the increase.  More and more of us working Americans are going to be in the same place as time goes on because it is becoming far to expensive for small to medium sized businesses (or any except the big banks) to offer health insurance as a benefit.

Frankly, my biggest worry is that this whole politicized exercise just might end up costing more of us our insurance coverage.  Then we can expect healthcare to be the main issue for the upcoming 2010 and 2012 elections.

Did I tell you NOT to vote (ever) for incumbents?

Thought so.

thanks to flickr’s simminch for the photo

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A 41 to 59 majority?

Posted on 10. Feb, 2010 by scott.

After the STN (state of the union) address it seems that Washington D.C. has come to a standstill.  Kind of like the circus has folded its tents and vanished . . . is no news good news?  Not when there is so much to do.

Health care?  Say what?

Jobs? Huh?

Debt management?  Oh come on, we are talking about  Washington.

I heard someone jokingly mention the above headline as if it were real.  Yikes.

There is a lot to do in order to move our nation along.  The democratic majority has been demoralized by a single special election.  Who are these smidgeons anyway?

Reid?  Gone fishin.  Pelosi? Hiding under a basket of wash.

No leadership from the White House either.  Appears Obama is already out on the campaign trail for 2012.  Flying here and there with an upbeat message . . . but not even  focusing on getting the things done that he promised on the ‘last’ campaign trail.

We still need universal health care–something that works for everyone and costs less. Hey, dems, swallow your dangburn pride and take another look at the repubs suggestions on tort reform (I don’t care how many of your are lawyers — you are working for the people now).  Then sit down and give serious thought to making health insurance available nation wide on the same networks available regionally or statewide now.  Finally, spend all the money the health care lobbyists gave you on watching Avatar a few hundred time, because then you can forget them and do something about helping to stop the rising costs of prescription medicines.

And you knucklehead republicans can forget saying ‘no’ to everything.  We, the people, see through your tawdry machinations.  Heck, in the past year you have even fought against things you originally proposed . . . just to make the party on the other side of the aisle look helpless.

And, voters, I remind you that the real control is in our hands.  So, stop the Washington mishmash and force our elected officials to take real action.  Vote ALL incumbents out of office and let them know now so that they will stop legislating for themselves  and think about us.

I love America . . . it has been great to me, and I thank my great-great-grandfather for leaving a freeheld farm in Norway to come here with not much more that the clothes on his back.  I wonder how many of us could do something like that today.

We have a lot going for us but we have got to make our voices heard.

I hope Obama, Reid, Pelosi and everyone else in D.C. come to the realization that the time for change in the way government practices their once honorable profession is now.

God Bless America and full speed ahead!!!  The race has just begun.

Thanks to flickr’s mcamcamca for the photo

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The Tigernomics recession.

Posted on 30. Dec, 2009 by scott.

Are we to believe anything about Tiger Woods?  I don’t know . . . the social media has grabbed the story of his infidelity and tried to turn it into the biggest of 2009.  Perhaps they are right –  but one thing is for sure.

Tiger’s folly has had a very real economic impact.

While I don’t trust much on the news (especially the paparrazi type) I do trust the recent careful and educated analysis of Tiger’s downfall on the stocks of companies he endorsed.

Two economists at the University of California did a careful analysis of stocks of such companies since the announcement of his ‘accident’,  ‘confession’ and disappearance.  They took into consideration all pertinent factors such as the relative value of the S&P 500 since the bust and also compared the changing valuations of the sponsor’s closest competitors. Their study determined the stock losses for the first 13 trading days thereafter.

The result:  shareholders lost about $12 billion as a result of the golf star’s philandering ways (so far more than a dozen women have admitted — and quite publicly in some cases — to adulterous relations with Tiger). Three of those companies (Electronic Arts, Nike and Gatorade) are responsible for about $6 billion of that loss.

To refresh you memory, I wrote about this earlier (see Tiger) and said that I would never buy or use products from any company supporting Tiger.  Guess I wasn’t the only one.  The boycott of those of us enraged enough to show our displeasure at the checkout counter has worked.

I am glad that the lies Tiger has been living and telling us has had significant consequences for Tiger (at least one terminated Tiger) and ‘those’ companies.  About time that dishonesty is proving to be both wrong and costly.

As for the Tiger recession?

I hope it continues.  One of my son’s, a fellow golfer, carefully chose my Christmas presents to avoid any products from Tiger’s sponsors (whew!).

It really is sad.

I am sorry for the shareholders loss, but the companies themselves should have done more due diligence before forking out more than $100,000,000 a year for a guy who has proven to be more disappointing that he ever was talented.

Go Phil Mickelson, Ernie Els and Jim Furyk and Padraig Harrington!!

Honesty, loyalty and commitment should have its rewards!

It is us big-slicing weekend golfers who are the real victims here (with appropriate apologies to Elin and the two children)

thanks to flickr’s bradlypjohnson for the photo

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