WAR

Iron.  Chariots.  Bows.   Armor.   Shields.  Formations.  Guns.  Trenches.  Aircraft.   Bombs.  Whatever the age, wars are never fought the same way twice.  But whatever the war, some things never change.  Alexander the Great surrounded his enemies during battle.  Stonewall Jackson flanked and surprise attacked them.  They won their battles, often outnumbered, due to superior strategies.  They knew where the enemy was and could attack when and where they wanted.  The brutality of Hitler led others to crush him and new technology that released the power of the atom demolished the resilience of the Japanese.

Float like a butterfly, sting like a bee.  That’s Cassius Clay but that’s also a fair description of guerilla warfare.  Guerilla warfare is how the Vietnamese made the USA retreat and how Fidel Castro and Che Guevara defeated Batista.  Sucker punch after sucker punch until theres an opening for the knockout.  Guerilla warfare thrives on conventional warfare.  Tanks are great against other tanks but they’re not so hot against some guerilla who can hear the tank coming and just run to fight another day.  The only way to defeat guerilla warfare is to remove the resources that give it power.

A sympathetic population is perhaps the strongest resource guerillas have in a war.  Not only are they potentially more troops but provide intelligence and protection.  If not outright spies, they are the very least scouts for the insurgents.  There is no way to win for a conventional army if they are fighting against Robin Hood.  Whichever side provides more of basic services to the population like food, water, housing, jobs, will automatically be asked for security aswell.  In conventional warfare boots on the ground are important, but in a guerrila war a bigger counter-insurgency effort can cause the civilian population to become uneasy.  Occupation with weapons will always lead to resentment because nobody likes to be intimidated.  Sure weapons make the people carrying them feel safe, but when someone is unarmed and surrounded by strangers carrying AK47’s or M-16’s it’s hard not to feel threatened.  Thriving communities are guerilla-proof.  People will protect themselves if they feel they have something to protect.

Even if excessive boots on the ground had no negative consequences, it still isn’t the most efficient strategy.  Just like most battles, information is the key to winning.  With advanced technolgoy like spy satellites, thermal cameras, and whatever other gadgets are out there that can track movement, combined with ground-information gained from undercover operatives and informants, there is no reason why quick-strike aircraft or some type of special forces shouldn’t be able to use guerilla warfare tactics against guerillas.  Conventional warfare is for conventional warfare and guerilla warfare is for guerilla warfare.  There’s no doubt the USA can win any old-fashioned war, but in order to win a modern war the counter-insurgency efforts must beat guerilla warriors at their own game, more mobile, more hidden, and most of all more population-friendly.

The Equality of Stupidity

You Elepehants aren’t supposed to forget but you don’t know the first thing about economics or history. 

Come on, you Donkeys are complete jackasses and wouldn’t know good political or social policy if it bit you.

Since when did “I’m rubber you’re glue – whatever you say bounces off me and sticks to you” become the common way to express our opinions on matters that affect our well-being.  Everyone is equally stupid and that’s the reason moderates, independants, and bipartisanship is so cherished within the country.  Both politcal parties are equally stupid in this country.  Don’t believe me?  Well check this out about a 1/3rd of Republicans think Barack Obama was born in Kenya, and about 1/3 of Democrats think George W. Bush had advanced knowledge of 9-11.  I guess the assumption is that ‘craziness’ is as equally bipartisan as ’stupidity’ but that’s a conclusion I think one can take.  People who think their political party’s policy is right 100% of the time are detrimental to democracy.  Party loyalists are aligning themselves with lobbyists and with that all the corruption that Washington D.C. is known for.  The answer to fix Corporate D.C. is for our representatives to be moderates who vote in the best interest of their constituents, rather than along party lines.  There is a massive amount of campaign contributions for any politician that is a solid Democrat or solid Republican.  That means a better chance for winning but at the expense of aligning with corruption.  As things get worse off for society people rally, but the rallying-points are at the center of each political party and that’s exactly where the lobbyists are most powerful.  Everyone is blaming the other side for what’s wrong and as that continues to happen people gather at opposite ends of the political spectrum.  As long as people are voting along party lines they’re supporting corruption.  We need politicians to vote in our best interest and for that to happen we need to support moderate candidates who are answerable to an open-minded population instead of a loyal population.  As things continue to be worse off than they should be, everyone is continuing to do the most stupid thing possible.

Review of Alex Jones’ The Fall of the Republic

Alex Jones inspires many to continue thinking outside-the-box with his newest film The Fall of the Republic.  It builds on the premise of his previous films that a New World Order is coming with plans to destroy the very freedoms we hold so dear.  With excellent editting and a variety of topics the documentary either enlightens or reinforces beliefs that society is being controlled.  The film calls for the people to unite to protect ourselves or fall as the powers-that-be divide and conquer.  According to the film the real decision makers are the bankers who loan money to governments.  The end-game is total control of the population by eliminating the middle-class and using the media to shift public opinion.  With an initial bipartisan feel, the movie eventually loses universal appeal as it attacks democratic ideals like universal healthcare, environmental protection, and financial regulation.  Partisanship leaks through on topics such as blaming Clinton and democrats for the repeal of the market-protections in the Glass-Steagull Act of 1933.  One of the experts in the film claims the repeal of this act lead to more power for banking firms which is absolutely true.  However the law that gave banks this power, the Gramm-Leach-Bliley Act, was introduced by three Republicans, had only 6 Republican members of Congress vote against it(Ron Paul didnt vote), had 58 Democratic members vote against it, was pushed through by a Republican-controlled Congress, and had so many votes Clinton couldn’t have vetoed it even if he wanted to.  But apparently this was still democrats fault according to the film.  Another attempt to make democrats look ugly is by quoting a petition signed by 32,000 which states global warming is a fraud.   What information the InfoWars film fails to mention is that the organization that released the survey was sponsored by ExxonMobile with half a million dollars, apparent signatures included those of the Spice Girls and Michael J. Fox, and actually polling of scientists lists 97% of climatologists, 67% of meteorologists, and 47% of petroleum geologists think human play a significant role in climate change [httpp://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/01/090119210532.htm].

There are plenty of inconsistencies such as claiming deregulation gave power to the banks, but that regulation will give even more power to the banks.  The pot calls the kettle black when Alex Jones makes the claim that the media and movies persuade public opinion by providing half-truths and outright lies.    There are many good points in the film but hypocricy, inconsistencies, and subtle partisan attacks takes away from the overall message of the film.  No doubt Americans need to get more involved in politics and unite together against the corporations that attempt to control the government, but there’s too many controversial and easily rebuttable parts of the film to truly unite the masses.  Note to Alex Jones: Interviewing yourself in your own film is tacky

Tort Reform – The Truth

Tort reform will cause a government take over of civil lawsuits.  It will lead to a rationing of attorneys to defend families.  It will create death panels that will put a pricetag on people’s lives.  It will give immigrants the same amount of rights as citizens.  I’m an American and if you don’t agree with me get the fuck out! (so.. how does it feel??)

Republicans Flip Flop on Healthcare and President Obama supports status quo

The Healthy Americans Act was first introduced in 2007 with one of the sponsors being Robert Bennet a Republican from Utah.  Those who also co-sponsored this bill were Lamar Alexander(R-TN), Norm Coleman(R-MN),  Bob Barker(R-TN), Mike Crapo(R-ID),  Chuck Grassley(R-IA), Judd Greg(R-NH), Trent Lott(R-MS), and Gordon Smith(R-OR),  including 7 Democrats plus Arlen Specter.  Are you ready for the shocker?  This bill provides Universal Healthcare Coverage to Americans.  In 2009, the bill has lost support of three of the Republicans still in office but has gained the support of Lindsey Graham(R-SC).  President Obama says he doesn’t support the Healthy Americans Act because it would totally scrap our current employer-based healthcare system and restructuring it would apparently require too much change.  The employer-based system actually became popular during war-time when wages were capped and employees demanded extra benefits.  Well workers got healthcare but then the war ended but we still kept the system and now we’re firmly in this mess.  There’s no doubt that the current system favors those with good jobs and good pay.  With prices going up it’s putting the double squeeze on businesses and individuals.  Simple tax-credits to help pay for the increasing prices, like that proposed by candidate McCain, won’t help because it will just indirectly subsidize the insurance companies and won’t lower costs.  A public option, by my understanding, could just be a dumping ground for the middle-to-low income and those with expensive treatments, while the insurance companies keep the healthiest people who have the lowest marginal-cost.  Regulations regarding pre-existing conditions are great except that they haven’t been around and the insurance corporations already have the best of the bunch customers in terms of profit.  Those who want tort-reform fail to realize that a bureaucrat law-maker will be deciding how much an arm or a leg is going to cost instead of a jury.  If we keep spending what we spend on healthcare and go to a universal system we will have twice the dollars to spend per person than Canada does.  92% of Canadians are happy with their healthcare, and how many more would be happier if there was twice as much money being spent on them?  We’re currently spending money to have the best healthcare system in the world but we’re not spending the money wisely.  The current employer-based system is not efficient or fair and needs to be scrapped sooner or later.  I say right now because there’s currently four Republicans on record co-sponsoring a universal health care bill.

Xenophobia – Change We Don’t Believe In

Everybody is xenophobic to some degree.  Whether we are able to acknowledge it or not has a great affect on our beliefs and worldview.  Kids are often nervous on the first day of school, why? It’s because of xenophobia – the fear of something different.

Routines are a great thing for a man to have because they provide stability and comfort.  If some random event causes a routine to be interupted then a normal person would adjust and adapt accordingly.  However some people, like those with OCD, can have immense emotional distress over minor bumps in a routine.  Elderly people are a prime example of people who benefit from routine.  If you know any older folks who have a system of doing things then you know that any variation is usually out of the question.  Xenophobia plays a roll in everybodies life and sometimes it can even lead us to resist changes that are for the better.

Imagine a person who is extremely xenophobic.  How much emotional distress do you think this person would have over America electing the first black President?  Well it depends.  If they were a black democrat I doubt they would have much stress at all.  However, if they were a white republican I would expect them to be extremely emotionally stressed.  Different situations bring out xenophobia in people.  Everybody is xenophobic but not every situation is equally scary to everybody.  If I lived in Adamsville I would be more inclinded to lock my car doors in Johnsville.  However someone from Johnsville would be more inclined to lock their car doors while in Adamsville.

If you look up symptoms of somebody suffering a panic attack  you will see that one of them is an overwhelming sense of fear that isn’t at all proportionate to the actual situation.  This symptom of panic attack seems awfully similiar to the definition of xenophobia.  When somebody is showing signs of xenophobia or panic disorders the best way to counteract it isn’t with reassurance that they shouldn’t be worried, but instead show them why they’re worried in the first place.

Why Healthcare Reform is the Christian Way

As a pro-life Democrat I often see myself at odds with my own party.  The Progressive Movement is all about standing up for those with no voice.  That includes promotion to an end of slavery, pushing for the rights of women to vote, and protecting children from unfair labor.  I don’t understand how modern progressives seem to think that protecting unborn babies shouldn’t be part of their mantra.  Democrats lose credibility in terms of their sympathy when they refuse to see abortion as a matter of equal civil rights.  Just like it would be an abhorrent arguement that a slave owner’s rights are more important than a slaves, it is equally contemptible that a mother’s rights are more important than an unborn babies.  Democrats hope that republicans will trust them in reshaping our healthcare system, but with a lack of compassionate credibility the democrats don’t stand a chance of receiving bipartisanship.

On the flip side a lot of Republicans tend to downplay tough questions about abortion like is it ok in instances of rape or incest.  People shy away from and tend to ignore decisions that are hard to make.  People don’t want to answer tough questions especially when there is no good answer.  Dr. Ezekiel Emanuel has received a lot of criticism recently for being a man who analyzes some of these tough questions.  In one of his many papers, Dr. Emanuel examines the way that scarce medical resources like organs are distributed among patients.  Medical professionals are inbetween a rock and a hard place when there is one liver and ten people who need it.  For describing such a system, which includes a combination of all current forms of medical decision-making,  that will give a scarce resource to the person that needs it most Dr. Emanuel, and the Obama Administration for being associated with him, have received staunch criticism including claims of eugenics.  Dr.  Emanuel’s attempts to analyze a tough question that has no ‘good answer’ has led to a fueling of the fire to the idea that democrats lack compassionate credibility.

As I have differing views of my party in terms of abortion I suspect there are Republicans out there who believe healthcare reform is important. Luke 9:11 But when the multitudes knew it, they followed Him; and He received them and spoke to them about the kingdom of God, and healed those who had need of healing.  There are currently over 25,000,000 American citizens who do not have any help in paying for healthcare.  On top of that over 3,000,000 American citizens are expected to lose their health insurance in 2009 alone.  Without insurance it costs a patient on average $250 to fill one cavity.  A broken arm costs $12,000.  There are many American citizens who simply do not have the financial resources to cover the price of care.  Free-clinics aren’t available in every town.  There is a growing need for financial help in terms of medical care and people who need healing.

The story of Elisha is very fitting for todays debate over healthcare.  Naaman was a leper who needed curing of his disease.  When Elisha told him all he had to do was travel down to the two rivers of Damascus and wash his wounds away,  Naaman grew angry.  He thought that Elisha would pray and invoke the name of Lord to heal the wounds and surely it wasn’t as simple as washing in the two rivers of Damascus.  One of Naaman’s servants then said “My father, if the prophet had told you to do some great thing, would you not have done it?  Then why not do it, when he says, ‘Wash and be clean’?”  After following Elisha’s advice, Naaman went down, washed, and was cured. 

A lesson we can take from Elisha and Naaman is that we tend to think that the solutions to our problems are more complicated than they really are.  I’m not saying healthcare isn’t a complicated subject, I’m just saying the solution could be what the President has proposed.

Mathew 10:08 “Heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse those who have leprosy, drive out demons.  Freely you have received, freely give.”  A lot of American’s work long and hard at their jobs, putting in 60 hours a week and still only getting around the medium income for our nation.  If it wasn’t for America though we wouldn’t even have the opportunity of getting $50,000 a year.  With all that we already pay in taxes, and all of the waste apparent in government, it’s hard to swallow that we should give up even more regardless of how noble the cause.  We all see the excess of government waste but the President has said that he identified much waste and will shift this towards helping to pay for healthcare reform.  Surely there is a way to eliminate even more waste and help pay entirely for the health and wellbeing of our society. 

Whether the Hyde Amendment, which outlaws federal dollars to be spent on abortions, will apply towards this healthcare reform has been debated much.  Some things that we can all agree on is that there needs to be better consumer protections with those with health insurance, more choices for citizens to pick from, protections for doctors and patients that they can get the care they need, access to health care for every citizen, state-of-the-art technologies to assist in proper diagnosis and treatment, affordability in all levels of care, and top-notch service for infant and elderly alike.  We have the ability to put a man on the moon, surely if we work together we can provide the best care for American citizen that every American citizen deserves.

Healthcareless Reform

The number 2 recipient of campaign contributions from the health insurance industries is Senator Grassley, one of the Republicans leading the charge against healthcare reform.  The number 1 recipient of campaign contributions from health insurance industries is Senator Baucus, the man- according to President Obama- leading the fight for health care reform.  Of course this seems like a giant conflict of interest and it’s no surprise that neither Senator supports a public option, but why would the President put the man in the pockets the most of the insurance companies in charge of leading his health care reform?  Perhaps Senator Baucus has some influence on these big businesses and that is why healthcare providers, pharmaceuticals, and the AMA have agreed to support some type of reform.  However the possibility that these powerful groups may have even more influence on Senator Baucus than he has on them can be seen in the public option being taken off the table.  Also today I find out Senator Baucus supports plans in which consumers will still have to pay 35% of their medical bills with no limit on out-of-pocket expenses.  The 35% figure could be fair as long as consumer expenses have a limit on what the total annual payment is.  Despite whatever bill finally gets pushed through I don’t think we will have the best option available.  Not when the top two politicians receiving insurance campaign contributions are working both sides of the aisle.

America Divided II

Why is there such a publicized high-octane debate going on right now over healthcare reform?  I blame the media.  Every single day on MSNBC and FOXNEWS there is condescension towards people of the other party.  Americans who watch these networks get instilled day-in and day-out with an eventual loathing of those with opposing views.  It’s no surprise that people are going out to protest, not actually for or against ideas, but in spite of the opposing side.  I don’t think healthcare actually has much to do with these protests, it just gives them a reason to protest.  Both sides have their points on this most recent hot-topic for example America spends more than any country on healthcare but still only ranks 42nd in life-expectancy or  government-run health insurance would jeopardize the free-market and put more people out of work.  The thing is though, these protesters aren’t saying these facts to try to change the oppositions view, these protesters are saying these facts to feel better and more noble in their protesting.  The media is supplying ammo for people to go out and fight each other.  It increases their ratings and brings in profit.

Just like financial experts did poorly at their job and brought our country to near catastrophe, the media isn’t doing it’s job of providing non-bias journalistic integrity information.  Our country is going to have to pay the price of these reporters not doing their jobs, only this time instead of it affecting our bank accounts we’re going to have to pay the price socially.  America’s phrase is “United We Stand Divided We Fall.”  When are we going to start standing with each other again to get things right instead of repeatedly knocking each other down?

America Divided

Ola! It wasn’t so many years ago that President Bush was being burnt in efigy.  President Bush was being called a fascist.  The Patriot Act was eroding American rights and our country was going down the wrong path.  Fast forward to this month and all of a sudden President Obama is being burnt in efigy.  President Obama is being called a socialist.  Health Insurance reform is eroding American rights and our country is still going down the wrong path.  The way conservatives used to view these anti-war protesting liberals is the same way liberals are viewing these anti-healthcare reform protesting conservatives. 

The Super Bowl was the most watched program on TV then and it’s still the most watched program on TV now.  Why is that relevant? Well because Americans like competition!  We love rooting for “our team” whether it’s the Cardinals or Steelers, democrats or republicans.  I find it kind of irresponsible though that we allow our modern Roman coliseum mindset to penetrate our discussions over politics.

If there are riots over something as petty as soccer(football) matches then I shutter to think of what will eventually happen, if we continue with this us vs them mentality, over something as important as war and healthcare.