This isn’t the post I’ve been working on

Posted on February 5, 2012 by Harold

but I wanted to share it.

I don’t know how many of you don’t get Bill Moyer on your local PBS station – we don’t – but he had Jonathan Haidt on to talk about how our political parties have become so polarized and why we can’t communicate with one another. I really want to thank Marilyn for forwarding this to me. After watching this, I wished that I’d heard of Manichaeism before I was ready to sign up for Medicare. To say that I am not well-versed in the humanities and social sciences would be a huge under-statement.

This is the link to the segment. It’s 47 minutes, but I found it to be illuminating, and I learned stuff, too. If you read my stuff, I’m certain that you’ll get something from this, too.

Posted in Morality/Ethics, Politics, Rationality | Leave a comment

Another Year, Another Post

Posted on December 10, 2011 by Harold
Today is my blogiversary – seven years off and on, here and there – and I want to mark that. I have things I could have written about; but I just don’t hold out a lot of hope that it would do much if anything to avert disaster, and that kind of takes the edge off for me. I don’t feel like saying “I told you so” anymore.
My most pressing concerns at the moment are political. I have a sense that this is the year we establish who we are as a nation. Are we the Pilgrims from the school pageant who embraced religious freedom and broke bread with our fellow man, or are we the Puritans who hanged Quakers, scalped Native Americans, and hunted witches?  This year we make that call, and I seriously believe we could fuck this up.
On a more local level, the prospect of being represented by Pat McHenry in 2013 has me seriously thinking about moving out of state. I’m still keeping my fingers crossed that the strategy will backfire on the Republicans, and Democrats will win both the 10th and 11th Districts. I do love Western North Carolina.
The other burr in my blanket has to do with the military-industrial establishment running amok.
Many of you  may recall that I served twenty years in the Navy; and I had my issues with Army, Air Force and VA medical centers returning sailors to duty who couldn’t get themselves aboard the ship, much less up and down ladders or through hatches and water-tight doors. Having said that, I think it’s time to reorganize the military under a unified command structure, and there’s a bunch of money to be saved.
I’ve noted before that the U.S. hasn’t won since the National Security Act of 1947. I’ve never had much use for the Air Force regarding them as a one-mission service: strategic bombing. Each branch retains its own tactical air support and missile capability. I didn’t say much when the Navy’s landing force got a seat on the Joint Chiefs, but now there’s talk of a seat for the National Guard? Really? What about the Coast Guard? (They’re a part-time quasi-military force, too.) Meantime, we’re spending a crap-load of money on departmental infrastructure for each service and the Department of Defense. Cut it out.
Anyway, I’ve got that out of my system now. I’m thinking I might try for some upbeat posts in 2012. I enjoy hiking these mountains, especially with one of the hounds from Brother Wolf Animal Rescue, and maybe I could share some of that.
Posted in Life, Military, Politics | 2 Comments

Public Comments on the Coffee Party’s Position Paper

Posted on October 24, 2011 by Harold

The Coffee Party has floated a draft of their position paper for public comment, and I’m going to share my comments here as well as with them.

The fourth paragraph of the Executive Summary reads: “The Citizens Intervention campaign will include the development of a grassroots Citizens Lobby based in Washington DC, promoting lobbying activities online and at the district-level.” Really? What the heck is “a grassroots Citizens Lobby,” and why would I put it on K Street? K Street lobbyists are a major part of the problem, and they have no part in the solution. I want my representatives to listen to me; not to anyone’s lobbyists.

The next paragraph identifies three primary legislative goals. Well, neither Party is going to lift a finger to reform campaign laws to limit fund raising from special interests, and money talks. Therefore, neither Party is going to seriously reform banking and Wall Street oversight laws; nor will they seriously transform the tax code. These folks are already on the hook and the hooks are deeply set.

Farther down, they list two steps on the “path to restoring democracy.” I’ve just said why I don’t give the first step much credence UNLESS we first and effectively take the second step. We need to change the existing culture and take personal responsibility for who we allow to represent us. Sifting through the misinformation from both Parties is a challenge, but clearly we can no longer depend on them.

We accept that neither Exxon nor BP will clean up the oil business, and that neither GM nor Ford will transform the auto industry, but we want to work with the Democratic and Republican Parties to transform politics? Really? Seems like a waste of time. It’s said that no man can serve two masters, and Party hacks are boring anyway.

We need to work on pushing for open primary elections. We need to support local candidates whose first allegiance is to their constituents, and to promote those who maintain that commitment throughout their tenure. Bernie Sanders is ideal, but I can live with Ron Paul or Heath Shuler or maybe even Joe Lieberman. (Besides, only Heath Shuler actually represents me… and I wasn’t serious about Joe Lieberman.)

We can be doing Occupy Wall Street demonstrations ten years from now, or we can start working the problem. If I’m going to invest my seventh decade in political activism, I’d rather we accomplish something.

Posted in Politics | 4 Comments

Updated thoughts about this whole Coffee thing

Posted on October 17, 2011 by Harold

First, I’m kind of liking this whole “Coffee Party”/”Occupy Wall Street” thing. I wrote a little about the nascent Coffee Party more than a year and a half ago, and thought it might be cute but not really practical. I’m still not sure where (if anywhere) it’s going, but at least it’s got people taking notice and talking. I’m less enamored of the Occupy Wall Street thing for reasons I’ll touch upon a little bit here; but, again, I like that ordinary people are becoming engaged in the process.

I think the sniping that the group or groups are unfocused are overblown. Environmentalists have been just saying “no” for years now, and who doesn’t love environmentalists. There will come a time – sooner rather than later I think – when they’ll have to put up or shut up, but I see nothing wrong with letting the pot simmer a little bit longer.

One idea I’ve had for awhile is that we need to not tax corporate earnings, and I have a couple of reasons for that. The biggest reason is that taxing corporate earnings is intellectually dishonest. Despite what the Supreme Court says, corporations aren’t human beings; they have a fiduciary duty to maximize share value to stockholders. When you tax corporate earnings the corporate managers simply adjust their prices to include expected taxes, and the consumers pay the tax.  Consumers always pay the taxes.  I think I’m probably missing something here, and I’d like for someone to tell me what that is.

The other thing is that having corporations pay taxes reinforces their argument for a seat at the table with politicians. This is America, and in America paying taxes means you have a right to representation (unless you’re an undocumented immigrant, but that’s another issue).

I am a little disappointed that I haven’t heard anything yet about developing alternative candidates for even local political offices. If there is an expectation that the status quo will be changed by either the Democratic or Republican Parties, then I believe a lot of people are wasting their time out there.  If the Democratic and the Republican Parties are not in fact corporations, they do a very good imitation; and neither gives a rat’s ass for anyone who can’t write a seven-digit contribution. We need some well-intentioned independents at all levels of government to deny either Party a majority.

Posted in Economy, Politics | 2 Comments

Regaining Perspective

Posted on September 25, 2011 by Harold

I needed to drive over to the Oconaluftee Visitors Center yesterday, and so had an opportunity to reflect on how blessed I have been to this point.

Before moving here, I had been to Western North Carolina twice to see the fall colors and had missed it both times. Now I live here, and, as I drove the Great Smoky Mountain Expressway, I could see hints of red and yellow in what had been a palette of mostly greens only days earlier. It occurred to me that I had fallen into the habit of interpreting the world from my hillside vantage in Asheville, and the things that I love about the mountains had gotten away from me a little bit.

When I was over in Eastern North Carolina for Hurricane Irene, I remember thinking that I missed my mountains. Hiking the Smokemont Loop on the 15th – even that two-mile uphill section that had me sucking wind – got me back in touch with the feel of what drew me here; but yesterday reminded me of the sense of what drew me here. Last week I was seeing and breathing the trees, but yesterday I was seeing the forest and the mountains.

Anyway, that freshened perspective started a cascade of appreciation for my situation. I had the opportunity to leave the cubicle, to move here, to hike these trails, and to do the volunteer work that I do; and so many people are trapped in their lives. I take no pride in this because my choices have been almost entirely selfish. I was blessed to have been born American, to have never borne the risk of losing a loved one to war, famine, or pestilence. I enlisted to avoid the draft (Bear with me; it made sense then.) and re-enlisted mostly to avoid having to re-integrate into 1969 America. I freely acknowledge that my choices haven’t always been good (Can I get an “Amen?”); but they all brought me to this place at this time, and this is a good place for me at this time.

It occurs to me that, after coming here, I have fallen back into mindless habits; going through the motions of daily life usually without engagement. I’ve begun taking most things for granted again. I’ve gotten away from my practice. I need to honor this opportunity.

Posted in Life | 1 Comment

Happy Birthday, Millie!

Posted on August 18, 2011 by Harold

Best wishes to Millie Garfield at My Mom’s Blog on her birthday today! If I’m still blogging in my 80′s, I still won’t be blogging as consistently as she does; nor will I be nearly as entertaining… and she’s multi-media!

Mazel tov, Millie!

Posted in Uncategorized | 2 Comments

Thoughts on the Debt Rating Process

Posted on August 6, 2011 by Harold

Maybe I understand what’s happening with our debt rating and maybe I don’t. It kind of sounds to me as though Standard & Poor’s, which I believe has benefited from our assistance in the not too distant past, has decided that we should now pay more interest on the money that others loan to us. To me this sounds manufactured; somewhat like the credit-worthiness of the derivatives that – at least in part – precipitated the recent financial meltdown. I kind of feel like the wizards on Wall Street are jacking us around more than a little bit.

I’ve had this feeling of a disconnect for awhile now. When jobs are too plentiful the markets are down. When jobs are too scarce markets are up.  Wall Street and I are looking at the same thing from two completely different perspectives and reaching opposite conclusions. Of course, now that corporations are not only people, but people who can clandestinely pour a crapload of money over their favorite politicians, their conclusions count for more than those of mere voters.

My “favorite” aphorism from Wall Street is that the continuing recession is largely our fault because we (consumers) aren’t spending more. Many of us have no  job and assistance is being cut left and right and debt is a huge issue, but we’re supposed to spend our way out of the recession. Seriously, are you kidding me? And now you want more vig for loaning the government the money to buy your cheaply (not inexpensively) made crap?

I am concerned for the republic, and for the world my grandson will grow up in.

P.S. I said earlier that the aim of the neo-conservative/neo-fascist movement was to erase everything after the Coolidge Administration. It was, of course, Coolidge who said in 1925 that “the chief business of the American people is Business.” He was  wrong then, and they are wrong now.

Posted in Economy, Politics, Rationality | 2 Comments

Thoughts on Balanced Budgets and National Debt

Posted on July 31, 2011 by Harold

Let me say up front that I am not trying to turn over a new leaf by posting more often. It’s just that I’ve been pondering (that was for you, Maggie) the noise coming out of Washington about the Debt Limit, and there are a lot of little things that set off alarm bells in my head.

I am mindful, for instance, that we had a balanced budget as recently as FY 2001. (Yes, those budgets were passed by a Republican-controlled Congress.) It was after that when “The Decider” decided to run his GWOT off-budget and lower taxes for the wealthy, etc. Then it was okay, but since January, 2009, we must play by the numbers?

Ironies abound when one considers “defense” spending. Conservatives and Liberals seem to agree that, although there is enormous waste in the system, no one wants a weapons system being developed in their district trimmed or a base in their district closed. That may explain why overseas bases are often mentioned as being extraneous.

By the way, has anyone else noticed that we haven’t won a war since Pres. Truman signed the National Security Act of 1947? We got a Defense Department, a Joint Chiefs of Staff, a United States Air Force, a Central Intelligence Agency and a National Security Council and have been stepping in crap ever since. I digress.

Wars, of course, need to be fought, which brings up the question of funding those. If we enact a Balanced Budget Amendment and an unplanned war breaks out (or becomes expedient), how is that going to work? We probably couldn’t legally sell War Bonds.

This morning I read this post at Reuters about the last time we eliminated the National Debt. I don’t think we could get away with dispossessing Native Americans again, but selling our National Parks could bring in some cash. (Not enough, obviously.)

Posted in Economy, Politics | 1 Comment

Thoughts on Gerrymandering (and Misrepresentation)

Posted on July 30, 2011 by Harold

I seriously never wanted to be one of those transplants who moves someplace and tries to make it like someplace else (and I certainly don’t want to see more of California in these mountains); but I’m having issues with politics as usual in North Carolina.  I’m talking about redistricting in this instance*; plucking the largest city in Western North Carolina out of Western North Carolina (the NC-11th District) and dropping it into the heavily Republican 10th Congressional District.

I’ve had my differences of opinion with Heath Shuler. I probably wouldn’t like him personally, and I’ve certainly disagreed with some of his votes in the House.  I wish he didn’t spend weeknights and eat breakfast in the C Street Center, but I respect that he comes home on weekends . I also respect that he/his staff responds to my e-mails with reasoned on-point responses.

Now I’m going to be “represented” by Patrick McHenry from over by Charlotte who has been a Republican Party hack ever since he graduated from that little fundamentalist liberal arts college a few years ago. His official biography boasts that he shares the most conservative record in Congress on family values, and that he’s a “Hero of the Taxpayer” according to Americans for Tax Reform.  That’s not who I am.

I like Western North Carolina and I like Asheville. I feel like I’m doing good work here. On the other hand, I’m not from around here, and I could do what I do anywhere. A friend has suggested that anywhere I move to is liable to experience the exact same thing, but that wouldn’t be until after the next census. There are people here about whom I care… and the mountains.

Okay, here’s what I’m thinking: I’ll give it until after the 2012 elections. I’ll continue to make a good faith effort here, but if this is how it’s going to be in spite of that… I can’t tell my grandson that Patrick McHenry represents me.

*I might have talked about the new 24-hour waiting period and counseling requirement before terminating a pregnancy, but I didn’t.

Posted in Life, Politics | 1 Comment

Memorial Day

Posted on May 30, 2011 by Harold

I am of an age to remember when Memorial Day was always observed on May 30th. Flags were raised to half-staff in the morning, there were services in some places and visits to local cemeteries. I seem to remember a parade at mid-day; and then, at Noon, flags were raised to the peak and the barbecues and picnics began.

It’s 2011 in America, and Memorial Day – always on a Monday to make a three-day weekend – is the unofficial kick-off to summer fun. If one happens to think of it, one is encouraged to take a moment at 3pm, local time, to remember those who died in service to their country. On their behalf – although I cannot speak for them – and especially for those who passed under my hands: You’re welcome.

Posted in Uncategorized | 3 Comments