Rhetoric of the campaign season

It does appear now that Gov. Romney will secure the Republican nominee for President of the United States and President Obama will be the Democratic nominee. Before the media starts spinning things and before Super PAC's start running their ads for or against a candidate let's get some definition's out there that we can all agree on. Here is a short list:

Democrat - A member of the Democratic Party.

Republican - A member of the Republican Party.

Socialism - A theory or system of social reform which contemplates a complete reconstruction of society, with a more just and equitable distribution of property and labor.

Capitalism - An economic system based on predominately private (individual or corporate) investment in and ownership of the means of production, distribution, and exchange of goods and wealth.

Fascism - An authoritarian system of government under absolute control of a single dictator, allowing no political opposition, forcibly suppressing dissent, and rigidly controlling most industrial and economic activities.

Communism - A scheme of equalizing the social conditions of life; specifically, a scheme which contemplates the abolition of inequalities in the possession of property, as by distributing all wealth equally to all, or by holding all wealth in common for the equal use and advantage of all.

Republic - A state in which the sovereign power resides in the whole body of the people, and is exercised by representatives elected by them.

Democracy - Government by popular representation; a form of government in which the supreme power is reatined by the people, but is indirectly execercised through a system of representation and delegated authority periodically renewed.

Liberalism - An economic theory advocating free competition and a self-regulating market and the gold standard.

Progressive - Disposed toward adopting a new methods in government or education, holding tolerant and liberal ideas, and generally favoring improvement in the civic life.

Conservative - One who desires to maintain existing institutions and customs; also, one who holds moderate opinions in politics.

All these definitions are taken from www.webster-dictionary.org. It is interesting to see the root definitions of these words. I think for an accurate debate and character to develop we need this common ground. Now, if others feel Webster has it wrong then let's redefine them so we are all on the same page going forward.

Occupy Wall Street - So what's the real deal?

For the past week a group of people have come together to "Occupy Wall Street" and several other similar groups have sprung up around the United States. Interesting enough when a group of people, not to many years ago, started a ground swell of protests to the overspending and raising debt by our Government they were tagged as racists. The current group is not touted in a similar method. So, what is it that these "occupiers" want? A list of demands has materialized on the website for "Occupy Wall Street" so let's take a look(http://occupywallst.org/forum/proposed-list-of-demands-for-occupy-wall-st-moveme/):

Demand one: Restoration of the living wage. This demand can only be met by ending "Freetrade" by re-imposing trade tariffs on all imported goods entering the American market to level the playing field for domestic family farming and domestic manufacturing as most nations that are dumping cheap products onto the American market have radical wage and environmental regulation advantages. Another policy that must be instituted is raise the minimum wage to twenty dollars an hr.

How does "re-imposing trade tariffs" level the playing field while raising the minimum wage to $20? Ironically this demand sort of contradicts a demand made later in the list.

Demand two: Institute a universal single payer healthcare system. To do this all private insurers must be banned from the healthcare market as their only effect on the health of patients is to take money away from doctors, nurses and hospitals preventing them from doing their jobs and hand that money to wall st. investors.

How does the private insurer prevent health care operatives from doing their business? Isn't Medicare and Medicaid that are dictating to these same health care operatives how much they will be reimbursed?

Demand three: Guaranteed living wage income regardless of employment.

Is the guaranteed living wage $20 hr? What happens when the cost of goods go up with the increase in the minimum wage?

Demand four: Free college education.

If we are guaranteeing a living wage why do we need college education? Not to mention we have lost our manufacturing base and skilled jobs. How will a liberal arts degree help us reclaim those jobs?

Demand five: Begin a fast track process to bring the fossil fuel economy to an end while at the same bringing the alternative energy economy up to energy demand.

I agree that we need to bring alternative energy to the forefront but we cannot ignore the short term solution to job creation is through fossil fuel. Right now alternative energy does not produce enough for the cost required - plus it is a net job loss notion - See the Spanish report that came out three years back.

Demand six: One trillion dollars in infrastructure (Water, Sewer, Rail, Roads and Bridges and Electrical Grid) spending now.

Now this is the role of government. To ensure our means of transporting of goods and services are capable to met demand. The question comes as to how do we pay for it? We have already mortgage the futures of our grandchildren to fund entitlement programs and current spending in the United States.

Demand seven: One trillion dollars in ecological restoration planting forests, reestablishing wetlands and the natural flow of river systems and decommissioning of all of America's nuclear power plants.

Does this gentleman believe that companies that rely on timber for their livelihood are not replanting trees for those being harvested? Also, we need a certain amount of harvesting otherwise the undergrowth from dead trees and plant life created a tinder box waiting for Mother Nature to strike. I find it interesting that he'd want to decommission all Nuclear Power plants since much of the rest of the world rely more on this type of energy then fossil fuels.

Demand eight: Racial and gender equal rights amendment.

We already have this in place. It is through continued legislation that we have blurred this line and created second class citizens.

Demand nine: Open borders migration. anyone can travel anywhere to work and live.

Okay, here is one that goes against Demand One. If we have free flowing borders how do we ensure all goods and services coming into the United States are having the correct amount of tariffs levied against them? Also, will these migrant workers file IRS tax forms, will they contribute to our tax base so we can spend one trillion dollars on infrastructure since they will be using our roads, rails and waterways.

Demand ten: Bring American elections up to international standards of a paper ballot precinct counted and recounted in front of an independent and party observers system.

Now I agree that we election reform - but this doesn't do it. We need to eliminate all campaign donations and reduce the amount of time in our campaign season. I am reading a book on the election of Lincoln and one thing that strikes me odd is that candidate Lincoln did no campaigning and didn't even talk to his Vice Presidential running mate until after the election.

Demand eleven: Immediate across the board debt forgiveness for all. Debt forgiveness of sovereign debt, commercial loans, home mortgages, home equity loans, credit card debt, student loans and personal loans now! All debt must be stricken from the "Books." World Bank Loans to all Nations, Bank to Bank Debt and all Bonds and Margin Call Debt in the stock market including all Derivatives or Credit Default Swaps, all 65 trillion dollars of them must also be stricken from the "Books." And I don't mean debt that is in default, I mean all debt on the entire planet period.

If we forgive all debt then how will we pay for entitlements? What happens to all those retirement plans?

Demand twelve: Outlaw all credit reporting agencies.

Really? So we go back to buyer beware then? When one invests or goes for a loan, how will the person lending the money out have a standard of comparison?

Demand thirteen: Allow all workers to sign a ballot at any time during a union organizing campaign or at any time that represents their yeah or nay to having a union represent them in collective bargaining or to form a union.

Okay, I trust that this process will work in the opposite direction as well. If a group of people do not want to have a union they can simply sign a ballot and be done with it?

Reparations

Earlier this week on Facebook a friend of mine, Von Jackson, posted an article titled "Malcolm X's legacy ignored 45 years after his murder" spurred some interesting conversation. The conversation started about the role that Malcolm X played during the struggle for Civil Rights but it quickly morphed into generation wealth and reparations due the black community for the slave trade. I had asserted that Malcolm X and the Nation of Islam used violence, at times, to make their point. To which I was told, "Chris, please LEARN and STUDY Malcolm X before you comment. Its obvious from you statement you know little to nothing about him except what you've seen on tv or read in white slanted literature." Now I respect the person that wrote this comment a lot and he and I have had several intense conversations on race. I asked him to "enlighten me" to what I should read as I admit I do not know Malcolm X like I do other historical figures.

To which my very good friend pointed out a biography and the Spike Lee movie. Well I have already seen the movie and have added The Autobiography of Malcolm X authored by Malcolm X and Alex Haley. We then went on to discuss the last time the Nation of Islam used violence. To which I pointed out that D.C. Sniper John Muhammad was a member when the rampage took place. While no direct line has ever been established between Muhammad and the Nation of Islam (NOI), neither has the leaders of the NOI distance themselves from the actions taken my Muhammad. But I did agree with my friend that we were digressing from the original intent of his article.

At this point in our conversation another friend of Von's chimed in with "Wow Chris, slavery is what made this country so rich, and is what keeps this country strong, by enslaving people all over the world, and stealing their natural resources…" and ended with "I would like you to explain to me how capitalism ended slavery..this should be interesting…(Please note I call bullshyt an awful lot, I debate on Fox News all the time, and shut them up, never losing an argument…so please make sure you have your facts straight when talk to me..)" As many of you already know I love a good challenge. Before I could retort, it was pointed out by my friend that "it was because of CAPITALISM that slavery was introduced to and flourished in this country for over 400 years…" I pointed out, "In short capitalism allows anyone to change their status in life. Capitalism is a two way street as the rich can become poor and the poor can become rich. That is how capitalism is not enslavement. Now mercantilism is what built this country at the start. The freedoms of our Constitution launched us into class movement that greases the wheels of capitalism. Thus no longer enslaving us. Now government intrusion to limit free market forces has lead to enslavement and add in entitlements."

I was told my assessment was wrong and "we are living under a system that is more akin to a Plutocracy, you are allowed to get rich in this country, as long as the already rich see that your wealth in no way henders their cause…" After which further conversation took place on conspiracy theories of 13 families controlling the world. After which the slavery angle reappeared and that it was on the backs of evil slave owners that worked their slaves to build this country. After discussing Aetna(http://www.aetna.com/news/2002/slavery_reparations_issue.html) and Wachovia Banks (http://money.cnn.com/2005/06/02/news/fortune500/wachovia_slavery/ ) role in building their business through slavery to which we found out that Aetna wrote policies on slaves and Wachovia's ties to slavery is through two acquisitions made after slave ownership took place and did not exist at time of acquisition. From that point we moved on to reparations.

I asked Corey, one of the other men participating, "Why is your anger focused on those just in America and not toward those that sold your ancestors into slavery?" I never did get a direct answer to this question; rather I got more deflection. Finally I asked, "We can either live in the past or look to a brighter future. Which one do you want to live in Corey?" Finally Corey gave a laundry list for reparations. Corey's list was:

1. 1 trillion dollars in gold, and precious metals
   
2. Whites relinquish all powers they have on Africa
   
3. At least half of the nuclear weapons in the USA
   
4. The release of all nonviolent blacks from jail
   
5. 100 billion dollars for machinery to fix the lands of Africa
   
6. Free transportation, back to Africa, for those that want to go
   
7. An apology for slavery, and to change the history books to reflect the truth
   
8. No sanctions on any nations of color
   
9. Just basically stay out of our way, once we get what is owed to us
   

Is Corey asking for anything outrageous? Should America agree to the terms above for the sins of slavery? Does the list of reparations above move us to a post-racial America?

Who's Next to be Nationalized

Today President Obama announced that GM will be entering into bankruptcy. 25,000 plus jobs will be cut and numerous plants will either be closed or moth-balled. The Government will own 60% of GM, not much different then the bank plan, while only 10% will be owned by the bondholders that staked GM.

President Obama says he does not want "run GM" but it is necessary that Government intervene. Nothing that I ever read in books about Capitalism or Civic duties of government included national government ownership; temporary or not. Why hasn't President Obama presented a plan to exactly what the Government will do to ensure GM's socialistic regime is short lived?

The lack of the plan indicates that President Obama is looking to socialize all aspects of our economy. Banks were the first and now Automotive. With Chrysler and GM under the thumb of the Federal Government, where does it leave Ford? How can the American Government not play favorites and balance their competing interests? With the taxpayer on the hook for the success of Chrysler and GM, how does President Obama plan to devise incentives to repay to taxpayer while not violating anti-trust laws. The simple answer is he cannot.

So the next move will be to force Ford into the same railroad job and spin it to the American public that its in the best interest of the American economy. A lot of rhetoric coming from President Obama eerily parallels speeches given by Adolf Hitler on the importance of rebuilding Germany. Post WWI left Germany in a deep recession with galloping inflation. Soon we will be experiencing the same inflation as the Federal Reserve Bank prints more and more money to pay off the Trillion of dollar debt that President Obama and Democrats in Congress has saddled us with. All in the name of "It's best for our Economy".

The Free Market and Capitalism are phoenix's. If one company fails, no matter the size, another will spring up to pick up the slack. Now where the Government can assist the Economic models that has given many Americans their wealth is to ensure, through limited regulation, that greed, deception, and corruption is kept in check. The role of government in a free society is not to own business or commerce; ownership of business is only seen in Socialistic societies where liberties and freedoms are restricted.

If Americans do not wake up soon and vote in a more fiscally responsible Congress our free society will be no longer.

Economic woe root cause: Socialism

The following words of mine were published in the Star Tribune on 11-28-08.

So the Federal Reserve is going take over debt from the failed dealings of Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac all in an effort to ensure economic stability. The approach is suppose to help "Main Street" as well because it will allow the credit card companies and banks to free up cash to make loans at low-interest rates and increase one's line of credit. Is this not how America started down the road to economic ruin? What types of controls are being placed on lending institutions to ensure another collapse does not occur in five or 10 years?
Owning a home is not a right that all Americans are guaranteed. The direction the Democratic Party has America going is right behind the changes that took place in the final days of Rome. Congress wisely asked the Big Three for a recovery plan before it will give any bailout, or rather, loan. Why is Congress not doing the same for the financial realm? Could it be because leading Democrats are in bed with those who benefit from the bailout? Yes!
Sen. Barack Obama is going to bring "change" to America; the "change" will be in the form of a penny that used to be a $20 bill.

http://www.startribune.com/opinion/letters/35267544.html?page=3&c=y

The same people that are trying to fix our Economy are the same that felt Freddie Mac and Fannie Mae were solvent. President Obama’s administration is using Socialism to right the ship instead of identifying the root cause for America’s economical woes. America’s economical woes root cause is the Socialistic view that everyone has the right to own a home. Simply put, it is not a right to own a home.

Government backed Freddie Mac and Fannie Mae mortgage programs enabled the financial industry to package the “toxic” asset trade by guaranteeing mortgages. Armed with the backing of the Federal Government, mortgage companies proceeded to push the socialistic ideal of homeownership through ARM’s, interest only, and no money down loans.

In 2002 a number of concerned legislators warned the Judiciary Committee about the future insolvency of Freddie Mac and Fannie Mae. The warnings fell on deaf ears as Democrat Barney Frank stated over and over that nothing in the balance sheet or any projections supported the charge of insolvency. Why might this be?

Had Barney Frank heeded the warnings it would have meant a halt, most likely temporary, to the Democrats Socialistic agenda. Thus turning the average citizen into hedge fund managers as many that entered into mortgages they knew was going to break them in three or four years. Instead of holding homeowners accountable for their actions and the Government crafted the notion of predatory lending.

The topic of predatory lending opened the door for Socialism to thrive through a collapsing American economy and the partial nationalization of the financial industry. The House of Representatives even treaded on the U.S. Constitution by passing a bill of attainder to recoup bonuses paid to executives of TARP fund recipients. Now Secretary Geitner is asking for Congress to expand his powers to control of potentially failing companies that are vital to our economy. Barney Frank has proposed a bill that will allow the Government to establish wages for companies that take bailout money. The kicker to Barney Frank’s bill is that it will allow it to be retroactive.

On the surface the additional powers may make sense for those accepting money from the Government but that is only being short sighted. The shell game is Democrats attempt to entrench Socialism while removing Capitalism. Government has failed us by not identifying the root causes and using Socialism to attempt to right the ship. When will America wake up and realize that our freedoms are being stripped away?