Monday, February 28, 2011
It's time to seriously consider an end to prohibition
The Seattle Times printed this Editorial recently: The Washington Legislature should legalize marijuana. I am surprised to see a common sense / radical approach coming from the Times. Prohibition doesn't work. the statistics in this article are pretty incredible. I don't do any drugs and haven't since around the time my kids were born. I don't want my kids or the kids I know and love to do them either. But I don't want my governement wasting resources here. Amazing statistics, well reasoned article. It's time for common sense on the topic.
Saturday, November 01, 2008
Each must find his own path
The election is just days from now.
I wish for decisions motivated by
Hope and not fear.
Fact and not rumor.
Truth and not fiction..
Concern for humanity over concern for power.
I have concerns and fears about either choice. The one I support wants some things that I do not. But he makes me hopeful that the good can outweigh the bad. I haven't seen a lot of choices I respect from the other. He was more of a maverick once. But desire to win has changed him.
I've tired of black and white arguments, good and bad. There are millions of variations of color in our spectrum. I hope that leaders can learn that. I hope our country can learn to weigh decisions based on which choices are better for them and not a sound bite argument about what's right and what's wrong.
Each must find his own path. I'm hopeful that our paths can cross and that we will not be enemies. I hope that our paths can diverge, but we can learn from the journey of the other paths. I hope that we can avoid blame and finger pointing at those who take divergent paths from our own. It's time for discovery, growth and hope.
It's time for change. It's time for belief. But most importantly, it's time for respect. I may not understand your decisions or beliefs, but I hope that you believe I can respect them.
Each must choose his or her own path. Choose wisely, but choose respect for humanity above all.
I wish for decisions motivated by
Hope and not fear.
Fact and not rumor.
Truth and not fiction..
Concern for humanity over concern for power.
I have concerns and fears about either choice. The one I support wants some things that I do not. But he makes me hopeful that the good can outweigh the bad. I haven't seen a lot of choices I respect from the other. He was more of a maverick once. But desire to win has changed him.
I've tired of black and white arguments, good and bad. There are millions of variations of color in our spectrum. I hope that leaders can learn that. I hope our country can learn to weigh decisions based on which choices are better for them and not a sound bite argument about what's right and what's wrong.
Each must find his own path. I'm hopeful that our paths can cross and that we will not be enemies. I hope that our paths can diverge, but we can learn from the journey of the other paths. I hope that we can avoid blame and finger pointing at those who take divergent paths from our own. It's time for discovery, growth and hope.
It's time for change. It's time for belief. But most importantly, it's time for respect. I may not understand your decisions or beliefs, but I hope that you believe I can respect them.
Each must choose his or her own path. Choose wisely, but choose respect for humanity above all.
Friday, October 10, 2008
Cookware for President?
In the latest example of pots calling kettles names, Obama is being called into question for a relationship with a '60's "radical". What should define unamerican? Is supporting secession, encouraging an organization that seeks to encourage a state to withdraw from the United States "American?"
To me, this goes against everything a candidate for high office in America should stand for. Thanks to David Talbot for Salon.com for the article that called this to my attention.
Updated; also tipping the hat to Microsoft Live Labs Political Streams for helping me find the article.
To me, this goes against everything a candidate for high office in America should stand for. Thanks to David Talbot for Salon.com for the article that called this to my attention.
Updated; also tipping the hat to Microsoft Live Labs Political Streams for helping me find the article.
Thursday, October 02, 2008
Wednesday, September 17, 2008
Fundamentally Sound or Broken?
John McCain recently declared that "the fundamentals of our economy are strong". What news has he been following?
Our government is currently using a "bastardized" socialist model, taking ownership of some of the largest financial institutinos in the world because "they're too big to fail," but what about the taxpayer? So far, we haven't seen what they're doing with that power that will help the taxpayer. Shouldn't they use Fannie and Freddie to declare a moratorium on foreclosures? Most likely, the end result will be the breakup and re-sale to the "free market".
I listened to Naomi Klein today on KUOW. She described the "Shock Doctrine" that has been in use since the 50's to break down many of the social gains of the New Deal. Many don't know that when FDR was campaigning, he had no plan for the New Deal but it was the pressure that "the people" put on him during his campaign and immediately after his victory that led him to make this kind of change. In fact, one of his quotes from his campaign was "immediate and drastic reductions of all public expenditures," "abolishing useless commissions and offices, consolidating bureaus and eliminating extravagances".
I don't know the solution, but I do know I need to read that book, and we need to demand more from our leadership. Now.
Our government is currently using a "bastardized" socialist model, taking ownership of some of the largest financial institutinos in the world because "they're too big to fail," but what about the taxpayer? So far, we haven't seen what they're doing with that power that will help the taxpayer. Shouldn't they use Fannie and Freddie to declare a moratorium on foreclosures? Most likely, the end result will be the breakup and re-sale to the "free market".
I listened to Naomi Klein today on KUOW. She described the "Shock Doctrine" that has been in use since the 50's to break down many of the social gains of the New Deal. Many don't know that when FDR was campaigning, he had no plan for the New Deal but it was the pressure that "the people" put on him during his campaign and immediately after his victory that led him to make this kind of change. In fact, one of his quotes from his campaign was "immediate and drastic reductions of all public expenditures," "abolishing useless commissions and offices, consolidating bureaus and eliminating extravagances".I don't know the solution, but I do know I need to read that book, and we need to demand more from our leadership. Now.
Thursday, September 11, 2008
Barack Obama: A mosaic of people
I'm always amazed by the talents and passions of people I run across. This is a mosaic of pictures submitted to flickr by member BarakObamaDotcom, combined by member tsevis. Stunning work.
Wednesday, September 10, 2008
The stupidest day in political history
Newsweek: The politics of stupidity.
Did the "lipstick" debate mark the stupidest
day in political history?
you2gov.com - Wednesday, September 10 2008
Did the "lipstick" debate mark the stupidest
day in political history?
you2gov.com - Wednesday, September 10 2008
Yes!
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