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Name: EARL THINKS...
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K.I.S.S.: JUST A THOUGHT ON THE MIDDLE EAST

           Perhaps this is a "too simple" analogy of foreign relations, but sometimes, NO, most of the time we need to K.I.S.S. My thoughts aren't usually as clear on foreign policies as they are to domestic, but once again, "To stay the course or leave" is going to clutter the dialog and further disrupt priorities the government should/could be addressing. Granted, this may be over simplified, but I can chew on this analogy in regards to the situation in the Middle East.
           Let's take a Lounge/Club that one likes. They pour a good drink, have very friendly and competent servers and nice music both live and a DJ.
           There is a small group of people that come in every week-end and all they seem to do is create havoc. They are loud and rude, hassle the servers, heckle the band and the DJ and demonstrate total disregard for the other patrons in the establishment. The owners are reluctant to reprimand them for their behavior because they are somewhat imposing and do spend a lot of money there on the week-end. You and your crew come to this establishment three or four times a month, for whatever reason and wonder why ownership endures these people regardless of how much money they put in the register. They don't tip particularly well and tend to drive people out after they have had a few.
           You and your friends have had enough of these people and you get yourselves together, grab them one by one and throw them out. As they hit the pavement, you stand over them and say, "And don't ever come back"!! You return to your booth or stool in the lounge to the back slaps of the staff and other patrons, with all the, "At a boys!" and "Way to GO"! Except from the owner. He's worried that they will indeed return and with a vengeance. He can't afford to hire bouncers. How does this mandate that "you" and your crew asserted gets enforced? YOU and your crew must now be there EVERY WEEK-END to see that these people don't return, and if they do, be prepared to throw them out again.
          Our history demonstrates that whether we are protecting or nation building, i.e. trying to secure a "democracy", the United States NEVER leaves ANYWHERE. We are still in Europe, the Far East as a result of WW II, South Korea and WILL be in Iraq and Afghanistan. Europe has been a relatively easy establishment. For the most part, we are allies and WW II was Europe against Europe that eventually spread. The Middle East is another proposition all together. There are economic imperatives tied to the resources there, as well as our allegiance to Israel that are in the mix in regards to Iraq and Afghanistan. Not necessarily "in" those countries, but in the region and we need to have some position of relativity, geographically, to protect those interests. 
          Hezbollah and the Taliban have these "lounges" under their thumbs, for whatever reason. They may be rude to the "customers" and the "wait staff" and even scoff at the "owners",but if "we" think that we can "throw them out onto the curb", and NOT be there "every week-end", it would be a height of arrogance that could result in a very painful  fall. It's nice to build a castle in the sky, but a fool's mission to try to live in it. Whether our intents in entering the region were contrived or justified, we are there and we don't have a history of leaving ANYWHERE. So belly on up to the bar. This may take a while.
Just a thought.....
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THE NEW USE OF THE "RACE CARD"

        One of the late Richard Pryor's stand-up routines included how arguments with White people evolved. He said the argument would go back and forth and then the White person would say, "N****",and it would through him "off balance. Now I have to defend 'THAT'".
        Just when it seemed that America was able to relax the shackles of a prejudicial history against Black people, the age old "fall back position" that was once the sole possession of the Jessie Jackson's, NAACP and so on, NOW the White folks have taken share if the position. Jimmy Carter, not the most glowing of people having a role in our history, has thrown it out there. It sounded like an Al Campanis, former Dodger GM moment. Carter said these people don't believe that Blacks have the capacity to lead a country as great as the United States, much like Campanis said that Blacks didn't have the capacity to run a team on the field or any executive position in an organization. 
        History and time have proved Campanis wrong in three of the major sports in this country from the field level to the executive level. Perhaps it's Jimmy Carter himself that questions the ability of a Black man to run this country. After all, he is a Democrat and a Liberal (well...Progressive), but seems to have a problem "closing the deal" on his Health Care objectives. He got the other stuff through in a rush, but now is getting a little bit more scrutiny on Health Care, which the American people are, not only having and taking time to examine, but seeing the results of the "rush jobs" he has already gotten pass everyone.
        Whenever people didn't agree with Liberal ideas and notions, the excuse was, "We're not getting our message out". Or, "It's the Conservative Talk Radio and Rush Limbaugh that's corrupting our message". Now, with the "Tea Party" protests, especially the one in Washington, the conclusion "has to be" that the people reject the plan because Barak Obama is Black. Can't POSSIBLY be that they just have a problem with the concept of reform he and the Congress are presenting. He's Black.
         Like the story that Richard Pryor told, this is a claim or statement that is a distraction. Black "leaders" used it for 40 years. With a Black president, White Liberals, Progressives and Democrats now have the licence to apply it.
        Guess Obama's pledge of "bring people together" is working half way. The new "Hope" is that it is enough of a distraction and can stir enough "guilt" to run thorough yet another agenda for all the wrong reasons.
Just a thought..... 
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THICKENING CLOUDS OF DISSENSION: TIME TO MAKE THEM LISTEN

        House Republican Representative, Joe Wilson yelled out, “You lie!!!’ in the chambers during the address last Wednesday. He, and probably rightfully apologized the President Obama and Vice-President Joe Biden. They accepted and agreed to “move forward” in the “debate”. Interesting word, “debate”. Throughout his campaign and throughout the 8 months serving, President Obama has consistently “said”, he is will and welcomes legitimate debate on the various issues on the table. Yet, even in his 29th speech on the “Health Care” issue, making that assertion, he qualifies it with not being willing to address political ideology or rhetoric. To his credit, he did offer some lip service to medical malpractice and the Public Option as a “small part” of the reform. I’m still wondering when, where and with who is he “willing” to have this “legitimate debate”. Naturally, the partisanship and political ideologies are allowed to be asserted by Democrats. They are “legitimate” and germane to the issue. It seems, however, that opposition in general to those assertions aren’t legitimate and are mere ideological retorts. Even Town Hall events where citizens express their concerns about this issue and the mounting expenses being generated by the administration are being scoffed at and reduced to the ranting of ideology, anti-progress, status quo, doubters of his legitimacy to the office, and my absolute favorite, racists. It could “never” be that there are people, some who even supported him and voted for him, just don’t think the ideas stink and believe that there is a more efficient way to correct the Medical Insurance problem.

          The one thing that all seem to agree with, and it has been agreed for decades, is that Health Care is a problem. It was/is well intentioned, but, like Marxism, works well in theory and not so well in practice. Like most ideas and programs government run, the “incidental” of how to pay for it becomes the rub, or in this case, a third rail. Magnifying the heart felt intent and establishing some moral imperative to fulfillment, like trying to establish fairness, always produces an “un”fairness SOMEWHERE as, what is now becoming an accepted condition, unintended consequences. These unintended consequences are becoming excusable in favor of the “intent”. Well that’s easy enough. It’s not the legislature’s money being provided to fulfill these “moral imperatives”. This is where the administration, the Democrat majority in the legislature and special interest groups who have taken up residence in the White House and Congress Chambers have given a brand new meaning to “fuzzy math”.

          The thickening clouds of protest have been initialized. It was one thing when it was just Republicans and Conservatives stirring the air. It is rapidly becoming a non-left, non right, non Republican and non Democrat objection to what is been injected into process. It is turning out that the administration, the congress and the compliant media spins gears are locking. What once worked as reasoning and response to objections, such as race, ideology and political agendas are losing traction and a little “common sense” is finding its way into the discussion. They shouldn’t have toyed with Mathematics. Unlike “them”, it “is” consistent.  Numbers can’t lie. President Obama did, has and is. Where it was pointed out may have some protocols attached to the process that doesn’t allow it being said to his face, but none the less is true.

          More on this later, but here is a suggestion to the Republicans in the House and Senate. If they try to pressure Joe Wilson into a floor apology, collectively WALK OUT of the Chambers. Issue a statement saying that unless there is the real legitimate debate touted by the President, they will not attend anymore assemblies. They are threatening to circumvent the process with an abstract interpretation of the voting process to secure their intentions with the Nuclear Option/ Reconciliation anyway. Get on a plane and return to your constituents and your offices in your respective States and make it known that you will not return until there is clear that there will be legitimate debate over the issues on the plate of congress.
Just a thought....   

 

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