I often wonder, being a student of history, what our fore fathers would say about the current state of the world. What would they say about us the American people?
Well I think that I could confidently state that Washington would be horrified by the polarization of our country via party politics. Washington would probably also be one of the biggest critics of our forgein policy. Not because he was adverse to violence but because he despised "entangling alliances" and interfereing in the affairs of other nations.
What about Jefferson? Well as for him he'd sob over the state of the all but extinct yeoman farmer. We know them as the honest Americans who used to make an honest living feeding the country until gigantic faceless corporations forced them into bankruptcy and co-opted there image to maintain billions of dollars in subsidies.
Benjamin Franklin would take a personal interest in the state of the media because in his day we had more independent news papers per person than we do today. By independent I mean not owned by Clear Channel, Time Warner or Rupert Murdoch.
Patrick Henry who famously said "give me liberty or give me death". Had he been living today he might have said, "please don't let them hurt me here take my liberty if it will protect me."
John Adams the puritan, a man who prided not only himself but his countrymen on there work ethic. Would he be proud of the fact that most of our economy is based on making money out of money?
The list can go on almost indefinitely. The point I am trying to make is that we are a unique country founded on ideals of equality and justice. Those ideals have been warped, no longer do we enshrine those things that our founding fathers fought for like the bill of rights and the constitution. (How many people do you know that can recite the first 10?) Instead we enshrine our flag and our anthem the pomp the circumstance and the fluff. If our Founding Fathers are in fact looking down at us, they deserve better than to watch the country they gave there lives to disintegrate.
Tuesday, September 25, 2012
Friday, September 14, 2012
Why We Hate Them
3 days ago an extremist group, affiliated with or influenced
by Al Qaeda, attacked our embassy in Benghazi Libya. In this attack,
our ambassador and three other US personnel were murdered. Countless
other innocent people were injured. While heinous and inexcusable, the actions
of these men are entirely explainable, and were to a large degree
preventable.
If you expect me to indulge in the republican talking point which claims that this attack could have been prevented if only we were more aggressive and diligent in our military/espionage operations, you are wrong.
If you believe I will indulge in the liberal talking point that this attack could be explained by pointing to a film that was created and shown portraying Allah in an undignified light, you too are also wrong
In fact almost every argument I have heard regarding this incident had been at the very least insulting, and at most dangerous. The only common thread I hear amidst the punditry is that these people must hate America.
Pardon my vulgarity, but "NO SHIT SHERLOCK!" The question no one seems sure of the answer to is "WHY?"
Lets knock a few "reasons" out of the running, shall we?
It's not because we are Free. We have been free for almost 250 years. Tell me if I am wrong, but I don't think the Persians ever lodged a formal complaint against Lincoln
It's not because we are Rich. If it was wealth they hated, they have plenty of oil rich targets much closer to home.
Its not because of religion, as convenient an excuse as that is. There are many examples throughout history which show Muslims, Christians and Jews living and prospering side by side; New York City, for example, has the largest Jewish and Muslim populations in America. Trust me: there is no holy war going on between the Kosher deli and the Falafal place down the block.
Now I bet you are scratching your heads at this point. "But Josh, If its not Freedom, Wealth or religion what can it possibly be? "
To answer your question I will pose a hypothetical situation and ask my own question at the end. (Feel free to answer in the comment section!)
The Year is 2050. America, bankrupt and struggling, is having trouble maintaining peace and stability in neighboring Mexico. Mexico has been embroiled in a bloody civil war between the drug lords and the government. The humanitarian situation has been compounded by the fact that in its economic desperation the United States has begun forcibly deporting its entire illegal population, most of which came across the Mexican border. On top of the suffering of these dispossessed people, Mexico's vast oil reserves are in danger and the global price of oil has skyrocketed.
In response to this crisis, China--along with a a coalition of other mostly Asian nations--decides to restore order, end the civil war and install a stable government which will insure a friendly environment for coalition resource development. Within a matter of months, Mexico (which for over three centuries had been firmly in the American sphere of influence) now has 500,000 Chinese troops in it with a sizable amount of them based on the U.S. Mexico border in order to prevent continued forcible deportations and any U.S. interference.
Fast forward a few decades. China has firmly established itself in Mexico and to a large degree Central America. While they have not yet interfered in U.S. politics yet, an opportunity arises.
The Hispanic peoples of the South Western United States (those who were not deported) want to rejoin their mother country Mexico. The Hispanic population begins to make overtures to the Mexican government, which relays their desires to Beijing. Unwilling to risk outright war with the United States, China begins to funnel aid, arms and intelligence through its client states in Central America in order to aid the rebels in the United States.
In the United States, it is becoming increasingly clear that China is assisting the Hispanic movement, but the United Stated is also unwilling and most likely unable to risk general war. They agree to a brokered division, eventually losing most of the South Western United States. This leaves a sizable minority of Native Caucasian Americans within the newly enlarged Mexico.
Having lost a sizable chunk of its territory, the United States economy begins to collapse. China, now firmly in the driver's seat, decided to leverage the United States further by using it's massive holding of United States Treasury Bills. Already defeated in spirit and financially bankrupt, the leading politicians see the writing on the wall. In an attempt to save their own skins (and perhaps fortunes) they accede to Chinese economic demands which include massive spending cuts, elimination of government programs, tax increases and the slashing of the military budget.
The American people, unwilling to lose their sovereignty to the Chinese, have become angry and radicalized. Some even form militias, hoarding food and weapons, and talk about attacks against the Chinese. Soon a militia group strikes. It's main target: a private compound in Oahu owned and occupied by Chinese Nationals. Despite American assurances that it was merely a rouge group, the Chinese people are outraged. In response, a naval flotilla and occupation force gets set to the Hawaiian Islands with the mission to protect Chinese citizens in the territory.
The American people become incensed at this direct infringement of American sovereignty and territory. Seeing that the government is incapable to do anything about it but launch an official protest, Americans begin to develop a deep hatred for China, the Chinese and all things Asian. The most radical amongst them declare a war of civilizations. They refuse to rest until the Western Hemisphere is rid of all Asian interference, The American South West is restored and the the United States and Hawaii are vacated by the Imperial Chinese Barbarians. With Chants of "Remember Pearl Harbor," the violence begins.
The Chinese meanwhile are oblivious as to why the Americans hate them so much. According to what they learned in history class, China did not invade Mexico but liberated it from its systemic violence and gave it order, peace and prosperity. Chinese troops risked their lives to end a humanitarian crisis which was only made worse by the selfish Americans.
When the Southwest United States wanted to leave the Union and join Mexico, China was only helping an oppressed minority rejoin the people and country they belonged to. When China came and demanded economic reform, they were merely assisting an impoverished nation by alleviating some of their debt and showing them how to get back on the road to fiscal responsibility. When these ungrateful Americans attacked a Chinese compound, China behave calmly and civilized only sending a small military force in order to protect its citizens and its interests. And when the Americans rose up, it was because of racial hatred and jealousy.
All
the while the average Chinese person is convinced through years of
schooling and media propaganda that it is Americans who harbor
irrational hatred for their culture and way of life.
My Question: Can you tell me why these Americans hate the Chinese?
If you expect me to indulge in the republican talking point which claims that this attack could have been prevented if only we were more aggressive and diligent in our military/espionage operations, you are wrong.
If you believe I will indulge in the liberal talking point that this attack could be explained by pointing to a film that was created and shown portraying Allah in an undignified light, you too are also wrong
In fact almost every argument I have heard regarding this incident had been at the very least insulting, and at most dangerous. The only common thread I hear amidst the punditry is that these people must hate America.
Pardon my vulgarity, but "NO SHIT SHERLOCK!" The question no one seems sure of the answer to is "WHY?"
Lets knock a few "reasons" out of the running, shall we?
It's not because we are Free. We have been free for almost 250 years. Tell me if I am wrong, but I don't think the Persians ever lodged a formal complaint against Lincoln
It's not because we are Rich. If it was wealth they hated, they have plenty of oil rich targets much closer to home.
Its not because of religion, as convenient an excuse as that is. There are many examples throughout history which show Muslims, Christians and Jews living and prospering side by side; New York City, for example, has the largest Jewish and Muslim populations in America. Trust me: there is no holy war going on between the Kosher deli and the Falafal place down the block.
Now I bet you are scratching your heads at this point. "But Josh, If its not Freedom, Wealth or religion what can it possibly be? "
To answer your question I will pose a hypothetical situation and ask my own question at the end. (Feel free to answer in the comment section!)
The Year is 2050. America, bankrupt and struggling, is having trouble maintaining peace and stability in neighboring Mexico. Mexico has been embroiled in a bloody civil war between the drug lords and the government. The humanitarian situation has been compounded by the fact that in its economic desperation the United States has begun forcibly deporting its entire illegal population, most of which came across the Mexican border. On top of the suffering of these dispossessed people, Mexico's vast oil reserves are in danger and the global price of oil has skyrocketed.
In response to this crisis, China--along with a a coalition of other mostly Asian nations--decides to restore order, end the civil war and install a stable government which will insure a friendly environment for coalition resource development. Within a matter of months, Mexico (which for over three centuries had been firmly in the American sphere of influence) now has 500,000 Chinese troops in it with a sizable amount of them based on the U.S. Mexico border in order to prevent continued forcible deportations and any U.S. interference.
Fast forward a few decades. China has firmly established itself in Mexico and to a large degree Central America. While they have not yet interfered in U.S. politics yet, an opportunity arises.
The Hispanic peoples of the South Western United States (those who were not deported) want to rejoin their mother country Mexico. The Hispanic population begins to make overtures to the Mexican government, which relays their desires to Beijing. Unwilling to risk outright war with the United States, China begins to funnel aid, arms and intelligence through its client states in Central America in order to aid the rebels in the United States.
In the United States, it is becoming increasingly clear that China is assisting the Hispanic movement, but the United Stated is also unwilling and most likely unable to risk general war. They agree to a brokered division, eventually losing most of the South Western United States. This leaves a sizable minority of Native Caucasian Americans within the newly enlarged Mexico.
Having lost a sizable chunk of its territory, the United States economy begins to collapse. China, now firmly in the driver's seat, decided to leverage the United States further by using it's massive holding of United States Treasury Bills. Already defeated in spirit and financially bankrupt, the leading politicians see the writing on the wall. In an attempt to save their own skins (and perhaps fortunes) they accede to Chinese economic demands which include massive spending cuts, elimination of government programs, tax increases and the slashing of the military budget.
The American people, unwilling to lose their sovereignty to the Chinese, have become angry and radicalized. Some even form militias, hoarding food and weapons, and talk about attacks against the Chinese. Soon a militia group strikes. It's main target: a private compound in Oahu owned and occupied by Chinese Nationals. Despite American assurances that it was merely a rouge group, the Chinese people are outraged. In response, a naval flotilla and occupation force gets set to the Hawaiian Islands with the mission to protect Chinese citizens in the territory.
The American people become incensed at this direct infringement of American sovereignty and territory. Seeing that the government is incapable to do anything about it but launch an official protest, Americans begin to develop a deep hatred for China, the Chinese and all things Asian. The most radical amongst them declare a war of civilizations. They refuse to rest until the Western Hemisphere is rid of all Asian interference, The American South West is restored and the the United States and Hawaii are vacated by the Imperial Chinese Barbarians. With Chants of "Remember Pearl Harbor," the violence begins.
The Chinese meanwhile are oblivious as to why the Americans hate them so much. According to what they learned in history class, China did not invade Mexico but liberated it from its systemic violence and gave it order, peace and prosperity. Chinese troops risked their lives to end a humanitarian crisis which was only made worse by the selfish Americans.
When the Southwest United States wanted to leave the Union and join Mexico, China was only helping an oppressed minority rejoin the people and country they belonged to. When China came and demanded economic reform, they were merely assisting an impoverished nation by alleviating some of their debt and showing them how to get back on the road to fiscal responsibility. When these ungrateful Americans attacked a Chinese compound, China behave calmly and civilized only sending a small military force in order to protect its citizens and its interests. And when the Americans rose up, it was because of racial hatred and jealousy.
My Question: Can you tell me why these Americans hate the Chinese?
Tuesday, September 4, 2012
Reclaiming the Republic
"Reclaiming the Republic." Show of hands: are you aware of the concept of separation of powers and/or the three branches of government? If you raised your hand, congratulations: you have been thoroughly misled for most likely your entire academic life. This is nothing to be ashamed of, since most people understand these concepts as a triangle consisting of the Congress, Presidency and the Supreme Court; this is understandable given the standard American History lesson most are taught in grade school. In reality, however, the Founding Fathers had a different diagram in mind. Their "triangle" consisted of: the People, the States and the federal government. With the powers of the federal government clearly defined, they devised a system designed to ensure that the federal government was kept in check. The most basic being the 9th and 10th amendments. These amendments state: "The enumeration in the Constitution, of certain rights, shall not be construed to deny or disparage others retained by the people." Also: "The powers not delegated to the United States by the Constitution, nor prohibited by it to the States, are reserved to the States respectively, or to the people." Combined with the nineteen enumerated powers of Congress, these guidelines were intended to be clear and unmistakable proof of the Founding Fathers' intent to limit the federal government. Along with those amendments to the Constitution, they designed within the constitution a government to protect the sovereignty of both the people and the states. They protected the rights of the people in two ways: First they ensured that all monetary bills would have to be introduced and passed by the house of representatives. Second, they made the state supreme in all matters of government, minus defense and foreign policy. By making states and their respective governments responsible, the Constitution and the Founding Fathers anticipated the greatest power going to those who are most directly responsible to the individual citizen. They protected the supremacy of the states by giving them a voice in the federal government. Prior to 1913 the Senate was chosen by the State Legislator of the various states. By changing this the states were knocked out of the checks-and-balances triangle, thus redefining the relationship between the federal government and the states. No longer were the Senators beholden to the States' interests; instead, they were part of the federal government branch. It is no surprise that the federal government only expanded as rapidly as it did AFTER 1913 since the prior check had been dismantled. If we restore the Founders vision of a Federal Republic of United States, it is the people who will benefit. I say give the power back to the people who most directly represent us instead of giving it to people who in some states represent 10-20 million.
Hello everyone. This blog is my attempt to enter the enormous discussion we as a nation are having about the size and scope of the federal government and the role that it should play in our everyday lives. I entitled the blog "The 21st Amendment" for a few reasons:
First, it is the only Amendment that has specifically repealed another (The 18th otherwise known as Prohibition), thus reducing the power and role of the Federal Government.
Second, to remind people that the Federal Government is not always right or perfect.
Third because I will most likely be following Ernest Hemingway's advice "write drunk edit sober."
I am sure that I will be promoting ideas that a great many of you disagree with. While I encourage lively debate and a free exchange of ideas I implore all readers and those who chose to comment to remain respectful and open minded.
That being said I fully expect and encourage those of you who do chose to read and comment to constantly challenge me and call me out if I have misrepresented any facts, quotes or opinions of others. "To err is human" and I expect that I might from time to time.
Thank you for reading this far. My first post will be entitled "Reclaiming the Republic" and will include Ideas and Methods that I feel are essential to restoring our country.
Sincerely,
Josh
First, it is the only Amendment that has specifically repealed another (The 18th otherwise known as Prohibition), thus reducing the power and role of the Federal Government.
Second, to remind people that the Federal Government is not always right or perfect.
Third because I will most likely be following Ernest Hemingway's advice "write drunk edit sober."
I am sure that I will be promoting ideas that a great many of you disagree with. While I encourage lively debate and a free exchange of ideas I implore all readers and those who chose to comment to remain respectful and open minded.
That being said I fully expect and encourage those of you who do chose to read and comment to constantly challenge me and call me out if I have misrepresented any facts, quotes or opinions of others. "To err is human" and I expect that I might from time to time.
Thank you for reading this far. My first post will be entitled "Reclaiming the Republic" and will include Ideas and Methods that I feel are essential to restoring our country.
Sincerely,
Josh
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