The Sunday Evening Post: Censorship Edition

Internet Censorship Comes to the Western World

The Internet Is such a powerful tool for exposing those who do wrong, and everyone from the suburban mother to the Chinese government realizes that. Australia also seems to know that and is preparing a blacklist that that blocks a government accountability website, WikiLeaks. The reason for the block is that WikiLeaks exposes government website censorship lists, which in turn list out sites containing illegal porn. There is absolutely no reason to block WikiLeaks if their web filters work correctly, just because there’s a list somewhere of banned websites doesn’t give anyone inside Australia a magic key to get past their filter.

GOP Wants Execs to Keep Multimillion Bonuses

There’s been a huge firestorm over the million dollars bonuses executives and others associated with AIG have received. The Republicans have been steady lambasting Democrats, especially Chris Dodd, in an attempt to make them look like corporate cronies. But when it came to doing something about the reckless bonuses the majority of House Republicans voted to let AIG executives keep over $200 million of taxpayers money.

Obama Administration Really Understands Energy

Six people in the Obama administration don’t drive cars. Presumably they have the funds to acquire a vehicle but have decided that since DC has so many other great ways to get around (Metro, bicycle, walking, and even the dreaded bus) they don’t want a polluting and fattening automobile. It’s great to see that some of the people making energy policy decisions like Carol Browner, the Energy and Environment Czarina and Steven Chu, the Secretary of Energy understand that automobiles are a huge part of the global warming problem. Hat tip, CommuterPageBlog.

The American Dream Deferred

The American Dream Deferred

“America was established not to create wealth but to realize a vision, to realize an ideal - to discover and maintain liberty among men. “-Woodrow Wilson

It has been many years since the time of American Dreams realized. It would seem, since the birth of this great nation, that we the people have forgotten to realize the vision. A vision , that sculpted the mountain of the American way and made the U.S. the pinnacle of the World. Founded on the principles of liberty, freedom, and justice for all, we have throughout history contradicted the very principles that made us who we are. We as America have been the wind that has carried democracy, natural rights, and freedom throughout the valleys of the world, yet we deny many who are our fellow the natural right for well being.

Today’s America has matured from the days of slavery, denial of women’s rights, civil rights for all Americans, and public discriminatory racism to childish bickering of democrats versus republicans, conservatives versus liberals, and patriots and terrorism. When will the debauchery in America end. When will our greed and selfishness be replaced with Americanism and selflessness. People elect their representatives for irrational views than for the commonwealth of people and our nation. Our country bled the blood of countrymen for rights of freedom of religion but dictated politicians to the code of “Christianity”. Our spite of our fellow man and self interest blind our founding principles of the American way. The American dream.

Somehow we as a people have tarnished the glorious western light of liberty with pettiness and and foreign bullying. We arrogantly borrow from countries whose governmental ideologies differ from one another and then shove democracy in to nations whose culture and religion that conflicts with our concepts. The American Dream has evolved into the nightmare from the west, who dictates and forces our religion and democratic ideologies on the very difference that we cherish as America. How have we stray so far from home. Why do we roam for fear and force instead of exploration and innovation. We have allowed our fear to distort our vision of the world and manipulated Christianity to justify the cause.

It is that clouded judgment that has somehow made Christianity a qualification to be a real American. In a country founded on the bases of freedom of religion, we have become a nation that persecutes and isolate those whose religious preference differs from our own. In today’s world, we fight the crusade against Muslim nations and label it the war on terror so we can have a clear conscience. when we go to bed at night. Subsequently. we have become the very terrorist we despise and seek out. Not to point fingers but, it seems since Conservative Republicans took office eight years ago, hate, fear, and deception has been the fuel that drove our military into the heart of Muslim nations to wage war with and idea.

From observation of this nation’s past decade, one notion is true the American dream has been lost, abandoned for hate, diminished by fear and discouraged by deception. When will she return, when lady America grace American shores with her glory. It is not certain the time nor the hour, but merely determined by the minds and hearts of the American People who dream the dream of dreams.- William R. Gilbert, Jr.

Wake Up America

Why America? Why?

What are we fighting for in Iraq?

What are we trying to win?

What are we trying to accomplish?

What are we winning?

Where is the honor in fighting in Iraq when we invaded on false pretenses?

What is the mission we are trying to accomplish?

We used the names and the lives who were lost on 9/11 in vain to validate a dishonorable war in

Iraq.

What are We doing America?

Why have we lost sight of our true American Ways?

When will America act like America and have the unity that makes us the “United” States?

We all must be able to compromise on our views,feelings, and opinions in order to do good for the Whole.

“He who exercises government by means of his virtue may be compared to the north polar star, which keeps its place and all the stars turn towards it. “- Confucius

We as a Nation must grow together as one. Since the days of our founding fathers we have been

the light of the world’s horizon and to ensure that our light shines into the future collectively as

one we must resound the voices of liberty across the world.

Wake Up America.

- William Gilbert, Jr.

McCain’s Michigan Pullout a Tricky Manuever

[cross posted at Michigan Youth Political Alliance]

Just several hours before the vice presidential debate, McCain withdraws his campaign troops from Michigan to redeploy them in other battleground states such as Ohio, Florida, Virginia and Pennsylvania. Clever decision? This campaign tactic could be so much more than what it appears to be at the surface.

Aside from the obvious move to minimize the media attention on his decision by announcing his decision when the media spotlight was clearly focused on the vice presidential debate, there is a lot more suspicious activity behind the scenes. On the surface, McCain’s pullout appears as a sign of weakness for his campaign. Prior to his pullout, McCain began losing traction in the polls, ceding to Obama approximately a 7 point lead. Michigan was a state that had swung blue in the past 4 presidential elections. Obama was picking up support because of his stronger economic focus and more concrete economic policy proposals in comparison with McCain–a huge issues to a state dominated by economic hardship and seeking to escape it.

In his national and state campaign, McCain was inconsistent with his economic positions: declaring the fundamentals of the economy to be sound in one moment then halting his campaign to focus on the bailout crisis in the next. Obama capitalized on this inconsistency to weaken the legitimacy of McCain’s campaign platform. Even during the vice presidential debate, Palin found such inconsistency to be hard to defend, and Biden hit this point home.

However, Michigan was not lost for McCain. In the previous two elections, Michigan could have swayed to either side. Michigan is home to the historical Reagan Democrats, a voter bloc that could easily be captured by McCain. Michigan’s Republican Party is one of the less ideologically extreme conservative factions in the nation, attracting much support from a wide array of people. Obama’s campaign was strong among the youth in Michigan and people were unsatisfied by McCain’s economic solutions, but Michigan was still a battleground state. It could be swayed, perhaps, with more powerful backing from Mitt Romney and other political figures Michigan voters could identify themselves with. Michigan was still on the edge.

The most visible effects of this consists of two parts–McCain is turning away from a focus on the economy, and Michigan Republicans are going to be significantly hindered in their own fight for seats at the state Capitol. McCain’s withdrawal is a sign of dropping attention on Michigan’s sole issue, the economy, and that might even benefit McCain, considering his weak platform on the issue. However, for the most part, McCain is revealing his cowardice in trying to avoid the elephant in the room (as if voters can’t see it). If he can’t deal with economic issues (voter’s number one issue for this election), he won’t be able to win voters back with foreign policy experience, a reform agenda, or his other pluses.

Michigan GOP is going to face an uphill battle in upcoming races–especially the most critical ones for “Joe Knollenberg’s 9th District seat in Oakland County and Tim Walberg’s 7th District seat stretching from western Washtenaw County to Battle Creek.” Plenty of GOP voters could stay home because McCain’s move hurts party mobilization and support. And since turnout is key for the GOP to win the seats on those two Congressional races, McCain’s move will directly hinder party strength on the Capitol.

Now, let’s talk about the juicy material: what is going on McCain’s head? What is his real strategy? Democrats are absolutely justified in being skeptical about his move–considering it a feint to weaken Obama’s campaign in Michigan, a key swing state for this year. McCain is definitely trying a sneaky tactic. According to the Detroit News:

The Obama campaign source expressed surprise that McCain, who had been airing a massive TV ad campaign in Michigan, abruptly decided to pull back. But the source noted that the Republican National Committee was still airing roughly $1 million worth of ads in Michigan markets, and that the National Rifle Association and other independent groups are continuing to attack Obama with TV and mailed advertising.

There is a strong possibility that McCain will return to Michigan in the few days before the general election and pummel Michigan hard with money, advertisements, events, etc. when the Obama campaign least expects him to. Such a tactic could barely shift the polls in his favor, winning him Michigan’s 17 electoral votes. Thus, I highly doubt McCain has completely pulled out of Michigan. If he still has so much money here, it is unlikely his withdrawal of his campaign staff is a sign of weakness. By appearing weak in Michigan, however, McCain could and probably will pull off an “October surprise” to pick up its votes.

[cross posted at Michigan Youth Political Alliance]

Rep. Kucinich offers a Main Street recovery plan

Unless you’ve been living under a rock for the past several weeks, you will know that the United States economy has continued its decline. This September 15th, Wall Street suffered its greatest losses since the September 11th terrorist attacks, with the Dow Jones Industrial Average slipping down 500 points in one day. Since then, the Dow Jones has fluctuated in between losses as large as 450 points and gains of over 100 points, and other major aspects of the Stock Market have behaved similarly. These economic problems on Wall Street has sent our leaders and those others in power scrambling for a solution. The “economic recovery plan” put forth by the Bush Administration was one offering a $700 billion bail-out to corporations on Wall Street. This economic recovery plan will use the tax-dollars of those working on Main Street to bail out those speculating on Wall Street, and it, in my view, demonstrates that the dynamic of corporate engagement is strong in Washington. Though this number may be cut slightly by Democrats in Congress, it is very likely that hundreds of billions of dollars will still be spent to bail out Wall Street. In opposing such a Wall Street recovery plan, Democratic Representative Dennis Kucinich has been working on an alternative, comprehensive plan for a “Main Street economic recovery”, in which, it is stated, both the economy will be stimulated and a fair deal will be provided to the American people.

Read more

Repeal CAFE, Save the Auto Industry

[cross-posted at Michigan Youth Political Alliance]

I stumbled upon an interesting Wall Street Journal article, “How to Save Detroit and Save $50 Billion,” and not to indulge in nostalgia over the auto industry’s golden days as I would never do that without feeling repusive, but this article (along with others I found in my research), convinced me that CAFE or Corporate Average Fuel Economy is bunk for the most part and that scrapping it could salvage whatever dignity automakers still have left.

CAFE was a policy first established in 1975 to force auto makers to meet fuel-efficiency standards (e.g. so many miles per gallon) in light of the 1973 Arab oil embargo. It’s purpose was to ween ourselves off from foreign oil dependency, to create more fuel-efficient cars, and to satisfy the American consumers. Fast forward 33 years and auto makers are begging for $50 billion from Congress to help them cover the $100 billion in costs they need to pay to meet CAFE standards.

I never considered mileage standards to be at the root of the problem, but it is awfully close. In other nations, auto makers are not forced to meet mileage standards. Instead, they make fuel-efficient cars because it is profitable. In the market, consumers have a high demand for light, compact, fuel-efficient cars. However, making fuel-efficient cars in the United States have only recently become profitable with the high gas prices. Previously, the hottest cars on the market were the SUVS, pickup trucks and minivans. I’m not saying that their gas guzzling qualities are good, but if that’s what Americans want, then let them have it. By forcing auto makers to meet mileage standards, they had to divert billions of dollars worth of capital from designing, manufacturing, services, and the likes towards researching and developing fuel efficiency, an ultimately unprofitable area for the long term.

CAFE was instituted with auto safety and reducing consumption in mind. However, it has failed on both fronts. Mileage standards have forced auto makers to develop smaller, more lightweight cars that are more suspectible to crashes. The Heritage Foundation delivers some reliable and powerful data on this issue:

More than 25 years ago, research established that drivers of larger, heavier cars have lower risks in crashes than do drivers of smaller, lighter cars. 7 A 2000 study by Leonard Evans, now the president of the Science Serving Society in Michigan, found that adding a passenger to one of two identical cars involved in a two-car frontal crash reduces the driver fatality risk by 7.5 percent. 8 If the cars differ in mass by more than a passenger’s weight, adding a passenger to the lighter car will reduce total risk. 9

The Evans findings reinforce a 1989 study by economists Robert Crandall of the Brookings Institution and John Graham of the Harvard School of Public Health, who found that the weight of the average American automobile has been reduced 23 percent since 1974, much of this reduction a result of CAFE regulations. 10 Crandall and Graham stated that “the negative relationship between weight and occupant fatality risk is one of the most secure findings in the safety literature.” 11

On the issue of consumption, consumers have obviously not reduced their gas consumption in the last 33 years since CAFE was passed in Congress. By purchasing fuel-efficient cars, the consumer mindset is thinking that it is perfectly justifiable to drive those cars more than normal. Thus, extended driving leads to a ton more gas being burned. This is the case in most instances because of something called the “rebound effect,” something that makes sense with all technology. As things get easier to do, people want to do it more. The same Heritage article highlights this as well:

Advocates of higher CAFE standards argue that increasing miles per gallon will reduce gas consumption. What they fail to mention is the well-known “rebound effect”–greater energy efficiency leads to greater energy consumption. A recent article in The Wall Street Journal noted that in the 19th century, British economist Stanley Jevons found that coal consumption initially decreased by one-third after James Watt’s new, efficient steam engine began replacing older, more energy-hungry engines. 13 But in the ensuing years (1830 to 1863), consumption increased tenfold–the engines were cheaper to run and thus were used more often than the older, less efficient models. In short, greater efficiency produced more energy use, not less.

The same principle applies to CAFE standards. A more fuel-efficient vehicle costs less to drive per mile, so vehicle mileage increases. As the author of The Wall Street Journal article notes, “[s]ince 1970, the United States has made cars almost 50% more efficient; in that period of time, the average number of miles a person drives has doubled.” 14 This increase certainly offsets a portion of the gains made in fuel efficiency from government mandated standards.

In result, our dependency on foreign oil has grown, our own auto industry has declined to the point of near failure and our consumers are, well, not doing too badly. Well, except for the fact that their tax payers are going to be paying for the auto makers struggle to meet mileage mandates. We should seriously rethink how we can pull auto makers out of their pit of despair, and abolishing CAFE standards can be a start.

[cross-posted at Michigan Youth Political Alliance]

NoFX and My Sub Prime Mortgages Rant

This entry is cross-posted at my blog We’re Quite Hostile where my friend and I write mostly about music and politics.

I was just listening to one of my favorite songs by the punk band NoFX, “The Irrationality Of Rationality”, and apparently I haven’t listened to it in a year because I’m only just now realizing how perfectly it fits with the subprime mortgage crisis. It could be that NoFX traveled into the future, but I’d say it is more likely that history just repeats itself much quicker than we like to admit.

Here’s the song. Have a listen, but be warned, the lyrics could be considered explicit.

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=raSSuQt5alY[/youtube] Read more

The Conservatives Rosy View of the Economy

McCain’s most famous quote on economics probably appeared in the Wall Street Journal when he said “I know a lot less about economics than I do about military and foreign policy issues. I still need to be educated.” Apparently Wall Street knows a lot less too, at least if you believe this Reuters article declaring McCain as the “best choice” for the economy:

Republican presidential candidate John McCain’s tax policies have given him an edge as the better man for the economy, various Wall Street experts said at this week’s Reuters Investment Outlook Summit.

McCain plans to extend the Bush administration’s tax cuts, eliminate the Alternative Minimum Tax, and slash corporate taxes. Obama, who has derided the Arizona senator’s plans, has pledged to raise taxes on the wealthy and introduce a broad range of refundable tax credits.

The truth of the matter is Wall Street was better off during the Democratic presidency of Bill Clinton, then it has under the “pro-business” administration of George Bush. The simple reason why is because Bush’s economic plan doesn’t work - because consumers, the one’s powering the economy, aren’t very high up on Bush’s or McCain’s list.

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I Am An Angry Voter

I am an angry voter. I worry that a McCain or Clinton administration will continue the same Washington politics that are destroying our nation. Like politicians getting free vacations trips to tropical destinations for signing free trade deals at the request of lobbyists.

There are many blacks like me that share this same anger, and even bitterness.  Some blue collar workers might look at some blacks as lazy, destructive people on welfare and wonder why we’re surprised Wal-Mart won’t open and bring employment opportunities in black neighborhoods. And then some blacks might look at the white male factory worker as getting what he deserves, because for past generations he had a free “white male” card.

But in the end the white father and the black father are both angry when they find it hard to place food on the table. Whether as Americans, they scrape money from the grandparents or from the federal government, the shame of not being able to provide for your own family creates anger at the system.

But the media (which is funded by corporations) and selfish politicians are seeking to divide Americans that are affected by the same failed economic policies, so that they can rake in more money and profits. They’re creating “voter outrage” of Barack Obama’s “bitter” comments.

His statement was intended to help a group of elitist California fund raisers understand what the unemployed American feels. Every election cycle presidents and senators pose against shuttered factories and promise jobs. And the January after each election cycle we see more American jobs sent to places like Asia and South America.

The Washington and corporate establishment is scared that a candidate has finally called politicians on their economic BS. The establishment is worried that blue collar America and urban America might realize our economic issues are the same. If Americans are able to look past the small differences that separate us, and exercise our right to make America a better place, corrupt politicians and companies looking at short term and selfish gains will be forced to change or leave.

Bitter is not a bad word. I am “Marked by resentment or cynicism” as the dictionary says, when it comes to politics. When watching you, your family, your community, and your country slowly dieing because of irresponsible decision making, it is no shame to be a bitter voter.

Cross posted at my personal site.

Trade

Trade is an issue which, relative to more prominent issues, many do not feel strongly about. It is an issue upon which the mainstream candidates from each of the major parties agree, so it can not be used as an issue to inflame voters with partisanship and get them to go to the polls to vote against the opposition party. Trade is quite unlike the issues of abortion, or gay marriage, or the War in Iraq, in that respect. However, I believe that Trade is a very important issue which affects all of our lives here in the United States on a daily basis. Specifically, whether the United States assumes the policies of Free Trade or of Fair Trade.

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In support of the Fair Tax

There are two main progressive systems of taxation: an income tax (which is what we have now) and a sales tax. Some people, particularly presidential candidates, are discussing which tax system would be best for the United States. With the income tax, you’re taxed on what you earn; with the sales tax, you’re taxed on what you spend. To learn more about these tax systems and to decide for myself which one is better for America at this point in time, I decided to apply, to both tax systems, the three requirements that a tax system needs to ensure fairness: total transparency, no exceptions, and simplicity. Read more

No Word Yet on Who Will Pay for Iraq

The Democrats tried to find a way to fund the Iraq war, by creating a tax surcharge. Top Democrats, and Republicans as a whole blasted the idea. The idea reported by MarketWatch actually seemed simple and responsible:

The proposed legislation, offered by House Appropriations Committee Chairman David Obey, D-Wis., and Democratic Reps. John Murtha of Pennsylvania and Jim McGovern of Massachusetts, would require low- and middle-income taxpayers to add 2% to their federal taxes, according to news reports, while higher-income taxpayers would see a surcharge of 12% to 15%.

Obey said the measure would help draw a contrast between President Bush’s threat to veto several Democratic spending measures because they exceed his fiscal 2008 budget request by around $22 billion.

“Just as I have opposed the war from the outset, I am … opposed to a war surtax,” said Pelosi, D-Calif., according to the Associated Press.

Someone needs to pay for this war. Obviously the oil money we where promised would finance a war that would go no higher than $50 billion, has gone somewhere else. Probably in Bushes pocket. But my idea for war financing is even better, how about congressional districts that support the Iraq war - as determined by their representatives votes - would have to the tax burden.

This puts the Republicans where their mouth is. First it funds this “All so important war,” which everyday is looking more like a Bush/Vigilante setup (Bush gets to put oil money in his pocket, hateful conservatives gets to watch Blackwater shooting brown people). And besides money, Al-Qaida has warned that anyone who pays taxes, is as guilty as Bush for Iraq and Afghanistan. So why not have the people who support this war be the sole bearers of the blood and money?

What Happens When There’s No Affordable Housing?

What is the definition of homelessness? Not having a home. Affordable housing is about preventing homelessness, not about helping poor people spend less money on their home.

The effects of homelessness on a community can be huge. They can become prey for criminals, who then start expanding from the homeless to others. Homeless people can cause hygiene issues. And most important to conservatives, rampant homelessness lowers the quality of life for the entire community.

When the government assists the low income through housing incentives, they are preventing homelessness. When some conservatives here the words, they imagine helping low income citizens lower their housing budget. But it does far more than this, it helps improve the entire community, assuming it’s done right.

Building a fifteen story cement building with malfunctioning elevators is not the solution. By spending a little more money distributing affordable housing all over a city or county most issues can be completely avoided. For instance education is viewed as a way to earn a living. But when schools fail to provide a means for students to have successful career, many will look to criminal alternatives. When you can’t just look at a community, and say “There’s the poor section,” it becomes harder for someone else to say “Let’s not give the school over here the resources it needs.”

Revolutions are almost always started by the poor and disenfranchised. If a society can keep groups from being disenfranchised, by just giving a little of their resources to them, they help keep their way of life.

End Poverty, End Most of America’s Problems

Conservatives look at the moral issues of our time as the following: making abortions illegal, outlawing gay marriage, keeping capital punishment, and passing stricter laws that would forbid consensual underage sex. They don’t understand that there is a deeper root of the problem causing these issues. You have to look at the source of the problem, not just the problem itself. Read more

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