Michele Baa-achmann worries some folks. I'm not worried too much, but I am definitely disgusted. Although my worry is limited to thinking of her effect on mindless followers who will vote, and on the quality of political discourse in her wake, my disgust has no limits. She is a symbol more than an actual person. I've seen enough of what she symbolizes to last a lifetime and I have no interest in getting to know the actual person. Interested or not, I'll soon have my chance.
Can you believe it? I'm shocked, shocked I tell you: Michele Bachmann is coming out with a book! It almost makes one skeptical about the sincerity of her campaign from the start. Dare we be that cynical?? Although she has said God told her to run for president, it appears she's pulled another page right out of Sarah Palin's playbook and just staged a very long, well-financed, promotional tour for her memoir, or manifesto or whatever it will be. Knowing how deeply she holds her traditional family values, it will probably be a cookbook.
So, this will have all been about the money after all. There's another shock. This has become America's story theme (and probably has been since the days of the robber barons at the turn of the last century): It's All About the Money. We have no need of for a monarch, Cash is King. The likes of Donald Trump should be locked up for life, but instead they are celebrated. Can they dance, or sing? - nope, their talent is just being excessively greedy and crooked. These are the ones that warn against raising their taxes because it will cost jobs. I have a friend who takes that worn out argument one sarcastic step further by insisting we eliminate taxes on the rich altogether, so we can have full employment! That usually shuts them up in a debate.
Michele is all about smaller government, except the part that hands out farm subsidies. Her family farm has netted over a quarter million in handouts. She's against intrusive government, except the part that would police same sex partners wanting to marry. She's pro-constitution except the part of the 14th amendment that guarantees all citizens (it doesn't say... "straight"citizens...) equal protection under the law. She drapes herself regularly in the flag of this wonderful democracy but would actually rather we had a Christian theocracy. Pro-life 100%, all the way up to delivery at any stage of pregnancy, Michele would then say the child and family are on their own as they try to make it in a society she would strip of all health coverage and early childhood government programs.
Like everyone of her sad and noisy little flock, Michele wants everyone else's taxes raised and their programs cut, meanwhile she wants her tax-breaks retained and the highways and bridges she drives on to be well-maintained. She criticizes the media for their left-leaning bias and yet uses them recklessly to further her own divisive agenda and she would have them investigate her colleagues in congress to make sure they're patriotic enough.
We Minnesotans used to say the best thing to come out of Iowa was 35W, but if that's how Michele Bachmann came here, I say rip the road out of the ground - just after she leaves following her defeat in the next election.
Tuesday, August 30, 2011
O-baaaaa-ma (Ba-Ram-Ewe!)
You may remember a cute movie from the 90's called, "Babe", featuring a talking pig that turned out to be a really good sheep dog because she learned the secret code for getting sheep to obey: Ba-Ram-Ewe! These supposed secret words, previously only known to sheep, immediately turned them into cooperative, docile creatures. Our dear president apparently found similar secret code words to woo the electorate: Yes We Can! In 2012, will he be able to say, Yes We Did? Over half of popularity poll respondents these days might say, No We Didn't -or-We Really Should Have!
I really like Baa-rac O-baa-maa, and not just because I can use him name to further the sheep theme. What's not to like about a professor of Constitutional Law? What's not to like about a good speechifier? He tells a great story and that actually counts for a lot with voters. The story introduction, or rather, the cover on the book didn't seem to match up with the first few chapters we've read so far. The disillusionment so many of us felt when our dreams for real change faded is on us, not him. We held up the expectation for the man and the office and until a few fundamental things change, there is no one who can come into that office and make any real difference, beyond switching the decor.
The political process in Washington and in most states, is really messed up now - remember, you read it here first. It is so twisted that individual politicians who sincerely campaign on changing things and believe they will, now instead find their hands tied by rules, and find themselves gagged by wads of cash. Waiting in D.C. to greet each newly elected representative or senator is over a half-dozen of their very own lobbyists. Might as well slap the cuffs on right at the airport, and begin stuffing them with large, unmarked bills. Depending on which source you believe, there are some tens of thousands of registered lobbyists in Washington, and the Supremes have now laundered their money for them - so it's all good.
I'll reference another favorite animal story, Charlotte's Web, a book about a spider who can write words in her web. What's written on the web in Washington is just a whole lot of dollar signs. Those who get caught in it can't possibly free themselves until they're voted out. (Term limits? No, that's a solution for another problem perhaps, and that just ensures nobody will gain enough experience to effectively function, should the system ever get back on the rails.) The answer, as I've called for in an earlier post, is to get the money out of campaigns. Spare, public financing, period. No opting out. Declaring a six month window for campaigns with no TV commercials would be adding frosting to the cake.
How can a bunch of Sheep actually come together to take back some authority for the story of this country? I dare to imagine this is not a rhetorical question. There will be specific directions in future posts, so stay tuned. Until then, keep the faith, Baa-Ram-Ewe!
I really like Baa-rac O-baa-maa, and not just because I can use him name to further the sheep theme. What's not to like about a professor of Constitutional Law? What's not to like about a good speechifier? He tells a great story and that actually counts for a lot with voters. The story introduction, or rather, the cover on the book didn't seem to match up with the first few chapters we've read so far. The disillusionment so many of us felt when our dreams for real change faded is on us, not him. We held up the expectation for the man and the office and until a few fundamental things change, there is no one who can come into that office and make any real difference, beyond switching the decor.
The political process in Washington and in most states, is really messed up now - remember, you read it here first. It is so twisted that individual politicians who sincerely campaign on changing things and believe they will, now instead find their hands tied by rules, and find themselves gagged by wads of cash. Waiting in D.C. to greet each newly elected representative or senator is over a half-dozen of their very own lobbyists. Might as well slap the cuffs on right at the airport, and begin stuffing them with large, unmarked bills. Depending on which source you believe, there are some tens of thousands of registered lobbyists in Washington, and the Supremes have now laundered their money for them - so it's all good.
I'll reference another favorite animal story, Charlotte's Web, a book about a spider who can write words in her web. What's written on the web in Washington is just a whole lot of dollar signs. Those who get caught in it can't possibly free themselves until they're voted out. (Term limits? No, that's a solution for another problem perhaps, and that just ensures nobody will gain enough experience to effectively function, should the system ever get back on the rails.) The answer, as I've called for in an earlier post, is to get the money out of campaigns. Spare, public financing, period. No opting out. Declaring a six month window for campaigns with no TV commercials would be adding frosting to the cake.
How can a bunch of Sheep actually come together to take back some authority for the story of this country? I dare to imagine this is not a rhetorical question. There will be specific directions in future posts, so stay tuned. Until then, keep the faith, Baa-Ram-Ewe!
Monday, August 29, 2011
The Wolves are at the Door
Those who have made capitalism work extremely well in their favor could be considered like wolves in many respects. (Our citizenry is about 1% wolves and 94% sheep. 5% are other species.) The wolves have a pack and pack rules, including a pecking order. No point in speculating further about the inner workings of the pack; we'll never know firsthand and it makes no difference because whatever any one or all of them decide to do, it's going to hurt the rest of us. What puzzles me is those Sheep who have sold-out and now shill for the wolves, thinking that someday they, too, will get to be wolves. They've adopted their own label, the Tea Party, and they are absolutely the dumbest and the loudest of the Sheep.
Capitalism rewards greed and the greediest are best rewarded. To be fair, Socialism rewards laziness (and greed) and while the laziest get rewarded pretty well; the greedy still come out on top. In any case, aspects of our government (the public sector) are purely socialistic and in order to not let it go too far, checks and balances were built in to the Constitution. The same were authorized for applying to the private sector, and it has worked now and then, until the private sector finds ways to neutralize or remove those checks and balances - which they have. The table is set and mutton is on the menu.
Also 'need to mention in the interest of fairness that Capitalism can also reward initiative and creativity. Socialism can also reward cooperation and compassion - you see, things aren't all baa-a-a-ad! (You knew that lame one had to come out sooner or later)
The governing institutions and their regulations for business have been neutered by paid-off politicians. (Gosh, I hope that wasn't breaking news for you just now.) What we have now is not government for the people, or of or by the people. It is a really dysfunctional branch of business and large parts of it now only exist to shovel our money (and our children's and their children's, etc.) to wealthy contractors. Think of it as a contract clearing house, the locks were switched and now only the greediest have the keys to the door. Their howling sometimes keeps me up at night.
Capitalism rewards greed and the greediest are best rewarded. To be fair, Socialism rewards laziness (and greed) and while the laziest get rewarded pretty well; the greedy still come out on top. In any case, aspects of our government (the public sector) are purely socialistic and in order to not let it go too far, checks and balances were built in to the Constitution. The same were authorized for applying to the private sector, and it has worked now and then, until the private sector finds ways to neutralize or remove those checks and balances - which they have. The table is set and mutton is on the menu.
Also 'need to mention in the interest of fairness that Capitalism can also reward initiative and creativity. Socialism can also reward cooperation and compassion - you see, things aren't all baa-a-a-ad! (You knew that lame one had to come out sooner or later)
The governing institutions and their regulations for business have been neutered by paid-off politicians. (Gosh, I hope that wasn't breaking news for you just now.) What we have now is not government for the people, or of or by the people. It is a really dysfunctional branch of business and large parts of it now only exist to shovel our money (and our children's and their children's, etc.) to wealthy contractors. Think of it as a contract clearing house, the locks were switched and now only the greediest have the keys to the door. Their howling sometimes keeps me up at night.
Follow the Leader, Any Leader.
Sheep are skittish, but once they're reassured, they'll follow their leader anywhere without hesitation. It works pretty well for sheep, but not for citizens of a democracy. We need people to dare to think for themselves, as they were more likely to do before (and perhaps through the early years of) TV. (Ok, maybe up to the point of Gilligan's Island.)
We're told lots of stories on the news, about the economy, about candidates' polling results and other issues. It's likely that at one time or another in the past, we could actually trust the messenger - the newsroom of any major network. Why? Because they were not viewed as a revenue source but almost a type of public service. Money's deeply involved now and it's high stakes - in fact, there may be none higher.
The news is the news because it's unusual stuff in our everyday lives. If it wasn't peculiar, titillating or statistically small, it wouldn't be broadcast. It's good to remember that, just because a story is repeated often, it's not more prevalent in actual occurrence - only more apparent its perceived impact. If a media consumer is Sheep-like, this makes all the difference.
It can be justifiably assumed these days that just about any significant media message we hear has a big money push behind it and that someone will profit handsomely if we believe the story. A message that will have the effect of concentrating wealth upward will more likely find airtime these days (than those that don't, or than it might have had in earlier years).
A reminder now of the concept of triangulation: two (or more) reference points offer enough information to (interpret, infer, compute, calculate, etc.) a third place that's closer to the goal, in this case - a truthier place. "The Truth" itself is a whole 'nother blog.
Sheep do not triangulate, they ruminate. And then they blurt out something profound, like "Baaaaaa".
A term closely related to triangulation is "successive approximation", this is what scientists and artists and all other humans do all the time. Any perception can make its way to the point in the brain where it needs to be interpreted in comparison with other perceptions and then moves onto judgment of its significance in relation to the whole. Each repetition of this loop with new information gets one a little closer to goal of making sense out of all this - for one's self. This is each citizen's responsibility. Either we take this on, or we get out of the way and move to the back of the flock.
We're told lots of stories on the news, about the economy, about candidates' polling results and other issues. It's likely that at one time or another in the past, we could actually trust the messenger - the newsroom of any major network. Why? Because they were not viewed as a revenue source but almost a type of public service. Money's deeply involved now and it's high stakes - in fact, there may be none higher.
The news is the news because it's unusual stuff in our everyday lives. If it wasn't peculiar, titillating or statistically small, it wouldn't be broadcast. It's good to remember that, just because a story is repeated often, it's not more prevalent in actual occurrence - only more apparent its perceived impact. If a media consumer is Sheep-like, this makes all the difference.
It can be justifiably assumed these days that just about any significant media message we hear has a big money push behind it and that someone will profit handsomely if we believe the story. A message that will have the effect of concentrating wealth upward will more likely find airtime these days (than those that don't, or than it might have had in earlier years).
A reminder now of the concept of triangulation: two (or more) reference points offer enough information to (interpret, infer, compute, calculate, etc.) a third place that's closer to the goal, in this case - a truthier place. "The Truth" itself is a whole 'nother blog.
Sheep do not triangulate, they ruminate. And then they blurt out something profound, like "Baaaaaa".
A term closely related to triangulation is "successive approximation", this is what scientists and artists and all other humans do all the time. Any perception can make its way to the point in the brain where it needs to be interpreted in comparison with other perceptions and then moves onto judgment of its significance in relation to the whole. Each repetition of this loop with new information gets one a little closer to goal of making sense out of all this - for one's self. This is each citizen's responsibility. Either we take this on, or we get out of the way and move to the back of the flock.
First Member of Sheep Nation
I decided to avoid the rush and become the first follower of my own blog. It kind of makes sense, because I do have a vested interest in what I'm thinking - you can't ask me to remain objective about that, nor "fair and balanced". Often, when not in Sheeplike-mode, or when not thinking like the Master of all things Moronic, I actually have no problem buying into my own opinions. Still, I may be full of it, I'm going to reserve judgment and I think the first follower should set such a tone.
Sunday, August 28, 2011
Welcome Notes
Welcome to the philosophical/political corner of my brain - where the windows are open to let in light and fresh air, or at least a lot of wind. If we're not acquainted, these few posts so far will give you an idea of my take on things. I hope you will similarly put your ideas out here in response. This blog is probably the hundred and forty-two thousandth new blog created today, so one way or another, this one may not matter much. Time will tell. (Of course, to a ten billion year-old universe, no one's opinions -political or otherwise - matter at all. Still, there's no shortage of those who think their opinions are the sum and substance of the universe.)
What's with the name? In the movie with a similar name, the Horse Whisperer could somehow get horses motivated by, what, saying things that horses find motivating? Anyway, I have long thought that the land of the free and the home of brave actually is populated, not by fervently patriotic, live-free-or-die types, but by a malcontented and mostly apathetic herd of grazers. We don't think for ourselves enough. We mostly just amble along and chew our way through life, bleating now and then, more than a little skittish, and not really thinking at all. As long as words are here waiting to be used, they might as well be used to inspire some improvement in our situation. So, the Sheep Whisperer has a clear mission.
The point here is to bring forth some notions that might actually do good in the world of ideas. Ideas don't always lead to actions, but actions always come from ideas. There is need for much healing of many broken things in human experience, and lazy, grazing Sheep aren't much help with that. So let's get up on our hind legs and pull the wool back out of our eyes.
What's with the name? In the movie with a similar name, the Horse Whisperer could somehow get horses motivated by, what, saying things that horses find motivating? Anyway, I have long thought that the land of the free and the home of brave actually is populated, not by fervently patriotic, live-free-or-die types, but by a malcontented and mostly apathetic herd of grazers. We don't think for ourselves enough. We mostly just amble along and chew our way through life, bleating now and then, more than a little skittish, and not really thinking at all. As long as words are here waiting to be used, they might as well be used to inspire some improvement in our situation. So, the Sheep Whisperer has a clear mission.
The point here is to bring forth some notions that might actually do good in the world of ideas. Ideas don't always lead to actions, but actions always come from ideas. There is need for much healing of many broken things in human experience, and lazy, grazing Sheep aren't much help with that. So let's get up on our hind legs and pull the wool back out of our eyes.
Inauguration to the Nation (of Sheep)
I'll probably go with a capital "S" on Sheep, because I have a lot of respect for them. After all they are us. That is, we all - to some extent- act like sheep in the face of some experience. It's not really helpful at all when we do that and it sells short some pretty amazing tools that we're not using when we're acting Sheeplike. Humans could really get some serious things done if we used our minds and bodies for anything close to their potential. 'Don't have the answers to how to do that - other than to say, think, read and learn a whole lot, and stay active in some purpose bigger than yourself.
By the way, if this isn't the look of a blog worth following, 'sorry. Not that I didn't bother to give it a snappier look ('wouldn't know how to do that), but rather that you could miss some good content in your search for a better-looking blog.
I'll have to see what time allows for this indulgence. My goals for this are no more likely to be met than my goals for any other facet of a busy life.
My first post is about the politics of Sheep. How did we allow ourselves to come under assault by some of our own. Well, they weren't (aren't) 'our own', they're the wealthiest one or two percent and are very much like wolves wearing fleeces they took from trade unionists, public servants, migrant workers or any other of society's marginalized members.. (originally submitted for publication elsewhere, so some of you might have read it). Enjoy (?)
By the way, if this isn't the look of a blog worth following, 'sorry. Not that I didn't bother to give it a snappier look ('wouldn't know how to do that), but rather that you could miss some good content in your search for a better-looking blog.
I'll have to see what time allows for this indulgence. My goals for this are no more likely to be met than my goals for any other facet of a busy life.
My first post is about the politics of Sheep. How did we allow ourselves to come under assault by some of our own. Well, they weren't (aren't) 'our own', they're the wealthiest one or two percent and are very much like wolves wearing fleeces they took from trade unionists, public servants, migrant workers or any other of society's marginalized members.. (originally submitted for publication elsewhere, so some of you might have read it). Enjoy (?)
One thing seems to be common in current kitchen table political talk: frustration (i.e., a portion of dismay with a big dash of bewilderment). It doesn’t take too long before someone says, “I don’t know how things got this way.” Just where did we go wrong?
When something slips past our attention, it was either quick or very subtle.
In a very subtle and systematic fashion America has had its basic story stolen right out from under it’s nose. When you’re in a story you don’t recognize, you become disoriented and want to ask if you’re still in Kansas.
The theft was no slight of hand, it was accurately predicted by our outgoing president in 1960. Your jaw will drop if you take the chance to read Dwight Eisenhower’s farewell speech, that is, if your jaw is somehow still attached after all the disorienting, jaw-dropping events of recent years.
Another forward-thinker, Joseph Campbell, pointed out long ago that ours is a story-bound species. We are driven by and for a variety of theme-based narratives and for better and worse, it’s how we got to be where we find ourselves today. Within any society, those who write its story line also control its politics, economy and culture.
As predicted, the story of this country has been systematically co-opted by an elite group of industrialists who get ridiculously rich from “Defense” contracts. We have essentially become the Corporate States of America. Their unbalanced financial influence in the political process has stripped education, health care and the economy of vitality so that military “service” has become a great employment option. They need a materiel market and so we have perma-war instead of foreign policy. They just slipped their story sequel-fashion into that of our founding struggles. They debased actual heroics and noble causes of earlier generations by weaving them into a sales pitch for ongoing, invented aggression.
Over half of all our discretionary spending goes their way, but that’s not good enough. They’re putting out the word that our economic woes are due to entitlements and so good programs now sit in the crosshairs. We, the People, are under a full-fledged assault and (it wasn’t really theft) we bought the story, in serial chapters, that made it happen.
Ronald Reagan helped the corporate takeover by vilifying unions and by dividing us from our government, when he mouthed the words, “... the government has your money.” (The founding story has it that we are the government, and it is for us and by us, not PAC millions..) Bush Sr. (with help from Bill Clinton) staged the short sale of the country by pushing NAFTA, and the Supreme Court has all-but-signed the closing papers with the Citizens United ruling.
Neocons of recent memory want(ed) to run government more like a 'lean and mean' business and the dysfunction we have today is the result. Why? The story of America was about functioning in a balanced state, with checks and balances working throughout the private and public sectors. They each have different ends and means and the two worked together for a time, almost like co-authors.
A proud and moving story that was on the must-read list for the whole world is in real danger of becoming a dust-covered tragedy. A happier ending to our story will write itself if we but take one important step in the right direction: get big money out of politics. Like good editors, we’ve amended the Constitution many times before, and a 28th amendment for spare, public financing of campaigns would be a good first chapter in America, Part II.
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