The Real Conversation America Needs

 

Social commentators tell us the conversation America desperately needs but is afraid to have is about race.  There is no question that racists still exist in America.  Haters exist in every society and always will.  It is human nature for some people to not accept others for any number of reasons, most often irrational reasons.  But as a society, the vast majority of Americans no longer see color of skin when associating with friends, neighbors and co-workers.  America is no longer a racist country and hasn't been for more than five decades.  The Civil Rights Act of 1964 and other legislation of that era would never have passed if it was.  Nor would we have an African-American president and qualified, competent black people in the top jobs in every field of endeavor.

The conversation America needs to have is about men and women.  Men are constantly accused of sexual harassment and rape if they so much as glance or smile at a woman.  If a female accuses a male of doing anything she thinks is sexually motivated he can lose his job, be kicked out of school, or go to jail.  There is never any assumption of innocence until proven guilty.  Media generated public opinion, educational institution administrators, and the courts always assume the female is telling the truth and the man is guilty.  Why is that?  That's the conversation America needs to have.

 

Of course no means no.  If a man makes physical contact with a woman after she has told him not to, then he should be arrested and punished.  But having second thoughts the next day or claiming advantage was taken because of alcohol does not constitute a viable claim of assault or rape.  If mean girls are capable of making up lies about their rivals, they are certainly capable of making up lies about men.  Unfortunately, bogus claims are often made against men, yet the man is still held accountable and subject to prosecution.  That is just plain wrong.

 

To take all that a step further, it is very confusing that a book, and now a movie (Fifty Shades of Grey), about sexual domination and submission can become a record setting best seller among women at the same time many women in real life react to the attention of men by subjecting them to punishment for criminal intent.  It is very confusing that the clothes women wear are an attempt to look as sexy as possible, but men are accused of being perverts if they notice.  It is very confusing when nearly every television show popular among women is about sex, but men are the ones considered to have nothing but sex on their minds.  It is very confusing that it is perfectly acceptable for guys like Bill Clinton to be known sexual predators and yet worshipped by most women.   It is also very confusing today as to what actually constitutes sexual harassment?  What used to be innocent comments can today get men in big trouble.

Apparently a lot of women spend a significant amount of time thinking about sex, but think nothing of condemning men for having the same thoughts.  In politically correct America these double standards are the norm.  Personally, I am inclined to believe more often than not the female probably has some justification for her allegation.  There are a lot of degenerate men in the world, just like there are a lot of female teasers.  But men are not always the perpetrators of the crime.  Unless there is incriminating evidence other than a woman's word, innocent men will be among the punished.  It would be nice if society would acknowledge that there are two sides to every accusation of sexual harassment.

Anger Management

I don't need anger management!  I need Obama to stop pissing me off!

"At this moment - with a growing economy, shrinking deficits, bustling industry, and booming energy production - we have risen from recession."  Barack Obama, State of the Union address, January 20, 2015

The only response to Obama's SOTU speech Tuesday night is "what planet does he live on?"  Growing economy? Economic growth in America averaged 3.3% over the sixty years from 1948 through 2008, and often double that rate following recessions.  Since Obama became president the economy has grown at a rate of 1.4%.  Even ignoring his first year in office the economy has grown only 2.2% over the last five years.  That is by far the slowest rate of growth ever following a recession.  I wouldn't be bragging about economic growth if I was this president.

Shrinking deficits?  The federal deficit estimate for 2014 is $483.0 billion.  Congratulations, Barack.  That is down from $679.5 billion in 2013.  Unfortunately, the $483.0 billion is still higher than any annual deficit in our history before he became president.  The record before Obama was $412.7 billion in 2004.  During the six years he has been president the total outstanding debt of the federal government has ballooned 78% to nearly $18 trillion from $10 trillion when George W. Bush left office.  Obama claiming fiscal prudence is like the Islamic State claiming to be the nice guys next door.

Bustling industry?  Healthy industrial activity would translate into increasing jobs and rising standards of living.  The labor force participation rate is now 62.7% compared to 66% when Obama took office.  Demographics account for a little bit of that decline, but mostly it is due to people dropping out of the work force since they can't find jobs.  If the same percentage of adults were still in the work force as in 2008, today's unemployment rate would be over 10%.  But the most telling number is average household income, which today is still 4% below where it was when Obama became president.  Bustling industry my ass.

Booming energy production?  He is actually right about that.  But it has come about due to private efforts to unleash hydraulic fracturing (fracking) and horizontal drilling to produce massive amounts of oil and gas from properties that were previously considered unproductive.  Obama and his environmentalist cohorts have fought it every step of the way.

There has never been a head of state or any enterprise that has owned so many pigs and used as much lipstick as Barack Obama.

The following is a paragraph from Slugzilla post 'State of the Union?' on January 25, 2012 -

The president continues to blame all of America's woes on George Bush and the Republicans in Congress, conveniently ignoring the fact his party controlled both houses of Congress his first two years and the Senate last year. He is trying to convince the nation that our economic sluggishness couldn't possibly be due to his enlightened vision of progressive leadership. Fortunately for him, capitalism has an inherent propensity to generate growth even when shackled with the burdens of unnecessary regulations and restraints. But too many of those restraints keep the economy from growing at a rate strong enough to maintain a society's standard of living. That is where this president's leadership now has us trapped. But of course he will never admit his ideology does not work. 

Nothing much has really changed in the last three years, including the fact that some people still apparently believe his bullshit. A recent poll indicated that just under half of Americans are giving Obama credit for whatever small amount of improvement the economy may be experiencing.  Jonathan Gruber, the ObamaCare designer, was right.  Americans are stupid.  But only just under half of them.

Besides claiming credit for things that are not happening or that he had nothing to do with, Obama has discovered the middle class.  Obama said he plans to provide more relief for those folks through more tax credits and deductions.  Unfortunately, he has proposed strange ways to do that.  He apparently believes that only the top one percent own stocks and bonds since his primary approach to accomplishing his objective is to raise taxes on capital gains.  Increasing tax rates on capital gains is a direct attack on capitalism, with the biggest victims being those who are trying to save money for retirement and/or financial contingencies, i.e., the middle class.

He must also believe no one in the middle class owns a business since he also proposes changing inheritance tax laws to extort money for the government when a family business is passed on.  Both raising taxes on capital gains and increasing inheritance taxes are a win-win for him.  Confiscating Americans savings and the product of their hard work in building family farms and small businesses helps him achieve his ultimate goal - making every American totally dependent on the government.

Mr. Obama says he wants to give students free tuition to attend community colleges.  I can imagine the conversation now.  Child says, "I want to go to community college.  It's free."  Adult says, "That's just another excuse to not get a job."  Child says, "I could get a degree."  Adult says, "In what?"  Child says, "Community organizing."  Adult says, "That's a worthless degree.  You would never get a real job."  Child says, "I could be president."

Obama also talked about raising tax rates on the wealthy and helping the middle class by handing out more freebies.  I have no problems with raising marginal tax rates on those making over $250,000 a year.  Interestingly, most folks I know who are wealthy don't either.  They are not going to go broke or change their life style if their marginal tax rate is raised a few percent.  But handing out more freebies to special interests is just more of the unfair, inefficient, unaffordable, bureaucracy bloating and counterproductive crap that creates and expands the problems rather than solves them.

People say the devil is always in the details.  That's right, so get rid of the details.  Eliminate all tax preferences and lower tax rates.  Narrowly targeted tax deductions and credits should be terminated immediately.  All others should be phased out over time, with perhaps the mortgage interest deduction the longest phase out.  That simplifies the tax system and removes unfair 'details' for special interests.  While we're at levelling the playing field, eliminate all government subsidies.  Trust private enterprise and free markets to generate broad based economic growth while enhancing enforcement of rational regulatory laws that maintain a competitive economic environment.

Anyone who still supports Barack Obama and progressive political policies needs to ask themselves some questions.  Under his Administration -

1.  Has tax reform that simplifies the process and increases fairness been implemented?

2.  Has the budget been balanced or reduced?

3.  Has the education system improved and prepared students for life as an adult?

4.  Do American businesses have a more favorable operating environment?

5.  Has economic expansion been strong enough to improve living standards?

6.  Has income for the average American family gone up?

7.  Has income disparity narrowed?

8.  Are meaningful, desirable, productive jobs available for those who want them?

9.  Has racial harmony improved?

10.  Is America stronger and more secure?

11.  Do Americans feel safer from crime or foreign aggression?

12.  Does America have more allies and fewer adversaries?

13.  Has the cost of education or health care gone down?

14.  Have individual liberty, justice and opportunity to succeed been sustained?

15.  Has terrorism and genocide around the world subsided?

The answer to every one of those questions is no.  For six years, until this month, his party has had control of the Senate.  Blaming the failures on Republicans is absurd.  One has to wonder, what has gotten better in America during his presidency?  The answer is nothing but his golf score.

The best way to stifle economic growth is for government to impose more rules and regulations on business enterprises, high taxes on consumers, costly unproductive labor laws, trade protectionism, and subsidies to politically correct boondoggles.  These are all things the Obama Democrats have done, and the reason why economic activity has been so sluggish and unemployment so high under his administration.

The biggest problem on planet earth, which is at the heart of every problem Western Civilization faces, is Progressivism and its demands for universal compliance with their Politically Correct rules of order.  Progressives prevent recognition of the truth that Islam as a subversive religion where the moderate members that may exist either will not or cannot control the radical, barbaric terrorists among them. Progressives ideologically directed meddling in free markets and infliction of unwarranted regulations on private enterprise prevent economic growth from lifting the living standards of poor people around the world.  Progressives prevent intervention in conflicts in war torn countries where genocide is out of control.  Progressives demand that authoritarian politicians impose their opinions and policies on others.  And Progressives promote the polarization of societies by creating false claims of racism that do nothing but reignite racism, condemn intolerance for gays that no longer exists, and lecture on the oppression of women that never did exist in America.

Perhaps Obama needs to spend less time on the golf course, less time manipulating the media from the White House, and less time on Air Force One traveling to the homes of billionaires for extravagant celebrity studded fund raisers, and more time out in the real world.  His State of the Union speech was more of the same claims of credit for an improving economy that isn't and a strong foreign policy that does not exist, and pandering to voters with free government handouts and no plans to pay for them.  He has accomplished nothing beneficial for the American people, still blaming the Republicans for his failures.  He does nothing but punch Americans in the face, tell them that someone else did it, and then punch them again.  The world would be a much better place if he just slithered back to some hole in the ground, never to be seen or heard from again.

American Exceptionalism

America has its warts.  In the past we have had our experiences of barbarism, persecution and oppression.  I challenge anyone to name a major country in the world that hasn't.

The Warts -

1.  The genocide and brutal oppression inflicted on Native American Indians in our imperialistic westward expansion across the North American continent.  The Indians have never recovered.

2.  The acceptance of slavery in the United States from the founding through the 1863 Emancipation Proclamation.  Racist attitudes continued in much of America, particularly the South, for the next one hundred years through the Civil Rights Act of 1964.  In the half century since 1964, for all practical purposes, racism has been eliminated in America.  The fact that black Americans today occupy leadership positions in every profession proves it.

3.  Imperialist aggression in the late 19th and early 20th centuries during and following the Spanish-American War.  The war resulted in the American annexation of Puerto Rico, Guam and the Philippines, directly resulting in the bloody Philippine-American War.

4.  Various meddling in the affairs of foreign countries over the years by the CIA, particularly in the Middle East.  (Given the history of Islam and its goals of global domination perhaps we didn't meddle enough).

The Exceptionalism -

1.  Engine of growth for economic development around the globe

2.  Provider of aid and support to underdeveloped nations

3.  Provider of aid and support around the globe to countries experiencing natural disasters

Furthermore, throughout our history prior to this president and his administration the United States displayed global leadership and exceptionalism in many more fields of social and economic development that benefitted all mankind.

1.   Liberty / Freedom / Individual Rights

2.   Justice

3.   Democracy

4.   Property rights

5.   Capitalism's generation of unprecedented economic growth and national wealth

6.   Global defender of democracy, liberty and justice around the world

7.   Integration and opportunity for immigrants who assimilate into society

8.   Leading educational institutions

9.   Leadership in technological revolution

10. Exploration of Space / Men on the moon

Unfortunately, now our commitment to these ideas and goals is diminishing thanks to the Progressives and their ideological, megalomaniac agent of change in the White House.  That means we are becoming unexceptional as those folks intend.

The real question is why do Democrats want to convince people that we are history's bad guys?  Why do they want to change what has worked to create the most successful, most powerful, most generous, most benevolent, most free nation in history.  Why do they impose policies that destroy that progress?  Recognizing that liberal economic, social and national security policies are self-destructive should be a no-brainer.

People cannot begin to understand the progressive wing of the Democratic Party personified by Barack Obama until they understand that they reject everything America stands for, including the basic principles that form the foundation of our country.  They reject liberty for all, as everyone must conform to their approved politically correct thought processes and proper behavior.  They reject justice for all, as they continually seek to buy the votes of those they can exploit at the expense of those whose votes they can't buy, and therefore must be punished.  They reject free speech, as they continue to censor conservative opinions and publications in educational institutions and progressive controlled states.  They reject free markets by piling more regulations on every business and interjecting government industrial policy to over-ride supply and demand.  They reject private enterprise by imposing control over health care, financial services, energy production, labor markets, and dictating what people can and cannot buy.  Worst of all, they maintain that America is an evil country that is responsible for every war occurring around the globe (every adversary and terrorist has justifiable grievances against America), the oppression of foreign countries (economic imperialism), and destruction of the planet (fossil fuel production and consumption).

They also contend America is still racist.  In a sense, that is true.  True racism is when one believes a particular minority is inferior and needs public assistance in achieving equality.  It implies certain groups are not capable of gaining equality by themselves without the help of some superior intellectual beings deciding what is best for them.  Clearly the racists in America are the Democrats.

Many black Americans today do continue to have to deal with injustice - inferior schools, fatherless families, inadequate jobs and low wages, substandard housing in violent neighborhoods, incarceration.  But those situations are not caused by ingrained racism.  They are caused by liberal policies that have created that environment and promote dependency and irresponsibility.

American society today is also dealing with women's issues and gay rights.  They are the result of a major revolution over the last half century as society has changed dramatically as women enter the work force and gays come out of the closet.  Throughout history, women were subservient and gays were not tolerated.  Total equality cannot be created overnight from such momentous changes.  It took a while.  But no matter what anyone's personal opinion, it is indisputable that as of the end of 2014 women and gays have won.

As far as civil rights are concerned, whether they involve minorities, labor, women, or gays, America has taken a lot of shit when we actually have been among the world leaders in recognizing those rights.  What kind of world would we have today without the USA?  Do the Progressives ever think about that?

A friend of mine said his political position is a rabid centrist, even though I am pretty sure he leans a bit left.  Regardless, I like that term.  I will adopt it as well.  After all, I'm economically conservative in the sense that government should balance its budget and encourage private enterprise, free markets, and fair competition, not control and dominate a nation's economy; a defense hawk that believes in maintaining tactical, strategic, and technological military superiority while limiting bloated bureaucracy; religiously and environmentally agnostic; and generally socially liberal, although that depends on the issue.

The problem is that everyone describes the center differently.  For example, the media describes Obamacrats as centrists when in fact they are the most far left big government Orwellian dictators America has ever had.  This government ignores the Constitution and mandates laws from the Executive Branch the majority of Americans oppose and could not pass Congress.  They use the power of government agencies to illegally harass citizens, impose restraints on freedom, and reward their financial supporters (IRS, EPA, NLRB).  Those are not actions of the political center.  Obviously whoever controls the media can declare where the political center is.

The problem is that logic, truth, facts and historical experience do not count for much to many people.  Most don't know enough to be able to tell the truth from the lies.  People get their information from a multitude of different sources.  For example, some only listen to social agitators, others to liberal news organizations, and others more conservative sources.  Some people believe the agitators, others believe in evaluating known facts and evidence.  Many just don't give a damn about being informed.  A recent Associated Press - GfK poll revealed that only 37% of Americans think it is important to be informed on current news and public issues, well below past results.  In fact, 20% don't give a shit at all and feel no obligation to know anything.

The interesting thing about politics is that generally everybody wants the same thing - the enjoyment of prosperity, justice and security for all.  The problem is the violent disagreement on how to get there.  The only thing for sure is that the liberal policies of the last 50 years have not worked.

Obama and the Progressives tell us the United States is and has always been a mean and evil oppressive, imperialistic country.  Does anyone truly believe Western Europe, North America and the rest of the free world would not be living under the oppressive thumbs of dictatorial tyrants if the US had not entered both World Wars on the side of the Allies?  After each war did we remain in Europe and impose our government on those nations we defeated or our allies?  Does anyone ever consider what kind of world we would be living in under the threat of total nuclear war if Ronald Reagan had not forced the Soviet Union to capitulate in the Cold War?  Apparently not.  Evidently some cannot comprehend that the United State of America is the world's indispensable nation.

Finally, everyone in the world is certainly entitled to their own opinion.  But it is a really huge mistake when the first job one ever has where reality can prove those opinions wrong is President of the United States.  Academia and community organizing are not jobs where decisions have real consequences.  As this president is proving, it is absolutely disastrous when the person in charge is an ideologically driven megalomaniac who cannot accept the abundantly clear evidence that his preconceived ideas and opinions are disastrously wrong.

Injustice, Misfortune or Ignorance

Income inequality is perhaps the biggest domestic political issue in America today.  It should be.  Unfortunately, Elizabeth Warren can argue until she is blue in the face, and she does make some good points, but income can never be equal in a prosperous society.  Life will never be fair.  Government cannot legislate equality.  People are not automatons.  Some people are just more productive than others.  We all have different personalities and character.  We all enter life under different circumstances, and we all encounter different obstacles and opportunities.  That's just the way it is.  Deal with it.

Injustice certainly exists.  It happens to nearly all of us in some way or another.  Nearly all of us have been discriminated against when job hunting, trying to make a sports team, applying for college, and when raises are handed out.  But when it comes to being rich or poor in America, the gap is based more on misfortune than injustice.  Some people are likely to be born to the right parents, be in the right place at the right time, or endowed with greater intelligence, physical skills, occupational skills, social skills, creative skills, or higher energy than others.  That has nothing to do with justice.

Of course there is a small segment of the population who have gotten mega-rich that don't deserve it - such as hedge fund, leveraged buyout, private equity, and other financial services managers, as well as product liability and ambulance chasing lawyers.  On the flip side there are many more people who are homeless, poverty-stricken and destitute through no fault if their own, and they are the ones who deserve public support.  But cultural influences, political restraints on commerce and industry, and government created dependency are what hold the majority of the underclass back, not discrimination.

The fortunate do not have a legal obligation to provide for equality, but they do have a moral one to support the less fortunate to ensure they have basic human rights.  Those who have experienced more fortunate circumstances cannot ignore the plight of the less fortunate.  No one in America should be homeless, hungry, unclothed, uneducated, and not have access to basic health care or the opportunity to support themselves.  On the other hand, this support must not be so generous that it destroys personal responsibility and encourages dependency.  Support should not be provided without reasonable expectations of the recipient earning it or using it to become self-supporting.

Sufficient progressive marginal tax rates must be levied to provide for the legitimate basic support that is required of a civilized country.  That is not too much to ask in an affluent society.  That support must be designed in a manner that is fair to both those taxed and those who receive it.  It must help the helpless, but not allow anyone to game or take advantage of the system by getting something for nothing.  And public support should never encourage dependency or tolerate indolence, substance abuse, or criminal activity.

No one should ever be allowed to take advantage of the less fortunate.  Private scams should be subject to severe punishment.  But public programs that irrationally punish the poor are even more unconscionable.  Poor people should not suffer the consequences of destructive political policies created by government officials.  Public servants must be held accountable for their misguided and self-serving actions.  If anyone should be suffering the consequences of failed government policies, it should be the Barney Frank's and his Democratic colleagues who create these programs of mass destruction, such as encouraging the lending of mortgage money to people who could not pay it back and then blaming the devastation it caused on someone else.  Democrats are good at that.

There is also culturally ingrained ignorance, indoctrinated into the brains of some Americans by the pandering of one political party.  It is noteworthy that ethnic groups that reward hard work, law abidance, and educational excellence (Asian) tend to prosper in America.  Ones that disdain and even punish those attributes (African-American) don't.  It is difficult to escape the inner cities when neighborhood gangs ostracize and physically assault the ones who try to improve themselves.  Those attitudes must be changed and criminal acts stopped for anyone of any race to participate in the opportunities available to all Americans.  Not all will achieve the same results due to many different factors, but we can all live the good life.  The only thing holding anyone back is personal choices, the peer pressure of cultural experience, and politically induced dependence on government.  It is this culture of dependency that breeds poverty and hatred, not lack of opportunity.  Place the blame where it belongs, on the Democrats.

Gridlock

The reason for the breakdown in the ability to compromise in Congress is simple.  It is because of one word that Barack Obama emphasized when he ran for president in 2008.  That word is 'Change'.  Before Obama became president there certainly were policy differences between the two dominant political parties, but they were generally on the same page regarding the basic American principles of capitalism, democracy and social culture.  That is no longer the case.  Today's Democrats are intent on changing everything.  They advocate big government, socialism, income redistribution, sexual revolution, educational indoctrination, and politically correct behavior.  They use junk science 'studies' and fabricated polls to back their agenda. They impose their mandates by ignoring Constitutional law and controlling the sources of information.

Democrats are intentionally polarizing the country because they hate traditional America.  They tell us that the United States is mean, evil, and the cause of all the world's problems rather than the defender of freedom and engine of global economic growth we have been for more than a century.  Something has gone very wrong in America's information distribution and educational systems.  It is almost as if the nation's most bizarre lunatics have become the media producers and editors, college professors, educational institution administrators, and designers of high school and college curriculums.

America does not need to change our basic principles.  We have continued to evolve for 235 years to deal with and solve the problems of social injustice and economic imbalances that every country on earth faces.  We have succeeded in eliminating the underlying foundations of social injustice as much as humanly possible, even though the critics refuse to believe it.  The vast majority of Americans today are color blind.  No society can ever totally eliminate ethnic antipathies, unless it conducts brainwashing mind control or extermination.  But that is unnecessary because the intolerant can be ignored.

We do still have a long way to go regarding economic issues, and the only way to succeed is through the fundamental principles of capitalism - private enterprise, free markets and limited government interference.  Trashing capitalism in our educational system, income redistribution, big government interference in commerce and industry, and socializing major sectors of the economy will kill any hope of generating widespread prosperity for all.  It will leave us with wealth concentrated in the authoritarian few at the top of the financial, academic, and political food chain.

In reality, the progress of the last fifty years has been phenomenal.  America is full of women and members of ethnic minorities at the top of every profession, corporate enterprise, educational institution and government organization, as well as throughout the mid-levels of each occupation on their way to the top.  Discrimination in hiring no longer exists for minorities.  All one needs is the credentials.  Color of skin has nothing to do with gaining meaningful employment, except for the federally legislated discrimination against white men in seeking many job opportunities.

The percentage of women and minorities near the top of every endeavor is generally not yet equivalent to their percentage of the population, but it is closing fast.  The reason it is not yet there is because white men did have a head start.  Society cannot snap its fingers and get to where it wants to be overnight.  In another generation there will be near equivalency of men, women and minorities in positions of responsibility and compensation packages.  Society needs to chill out and let evolution run its course.  Political gridlock and demands for change will lead to nothing but intensified cultural polarization, ethnic animosity, societal turmoil, and eventually devolution from the social integration and economic prosperity created by the century of American success.

The Law of the Jungle

Just what point are the people protesting the results of investigations where grand juries do not indict police officers trying to prove?  That they know more about the evidence in these cases than the grand juries do; that police should not do their jobs of arresting criminals; that law enforcement officers should ignore crime in high crime neighborhoods; that police shouldn't use force in arresting people who resist arrest; that police departments should be disbanded; that chaos and anarchy is preferable to law and order.  Are they trying to promote a full blown race war?  Seriously, what the hell is their point?

The result of these protests, particularly if they are successful in bringing unwarranted prosecution of law enforcement officers, will be that no one in their right mind will want to be a police officer.  Why would anyone want a job where you can easily end up either doomed or dead?  Police officers today trying to do their jobs are damned if they do and damned if they don't.  At the very least they will be uncertain about performing their duty because doing so may result in exposing themselves to undeserved prosecution or even rabid lynch mobs.

The rational response to the insanity of the protests is obvious.  Guns.  Lots and lots of guns.  People will have to provide for their own self-protection.  If anyone wants to protect themselves and their family in America they had better buy more guns and lots of ammunition.  Is that what the protestors want - mob rule; survival of the most heavily armed; the law of the jungle?  Wouldn't it be better for people to tell their children, relatives and friends to not resist arrest by assaulting police officers?  If they are innocent of any wrongdoing, they will live to be exonerated.

No one denies that there are incidents where law enforcement officers are belligerent and use excessive force.  White people experience those situations too.  The cause is not racism.  Being a law enforcement officer is a tough, hazardous job.  They must sometimes make life and death decisions in split seconds.  Often they make the wrong one.  150 policemen are killed in the line of duty on average in America every year.  The reason incidents that end in death occur most frequently in black neighborhoods is because that is where the violent crime is.  That is just a fact, not a condemnation. 

If people feel they must register their objections to unwarranted treatment from the police, at the very least they should select examples that prove the point, not ones where police action was clearly justified.  Maybe they should look at the facts of the case before marching in the streets and burning down neighborhoods.  How many protestors would be willing to put there lives on the line every day to provide security in dangerous neighborhoods?  If they're not, then they should shut the hell up.  If they can't control themselves from being stupid, then they should move to a country where real police brutality, political oppression and injustice is the norm, and see what happens when they protest there.

Yes, of course bias, prejudice and racism exists in America.  They exist everywhere else in the world as well.  They always have and always will.  It is human nature for people to take precautions around those who are different than they are.  That applies whether the difference is religion, nationality, ethnicity, sexual preference, political inclination, and color of skin.  But for all practical purposes, those differences today are irrelevant.  The United States has become more united regarding race, religion and gender than could have been imagined a half century ago.

Other than the views of professional pundits and some Hollywood celebrities, the only people whose biases one can ever really know are those of their friends and workplace associates.  Out of the dozens of people I know well enough to be aware of their opinions, only one could be considered a racist.  And you know what, he is entitled to his opinion whether anyone else likes it or not.  The only thing I have found that the vast majority of my acquaintances are biased against are hard core, intolerant liberals - and most of them are white.  We detest their unmerited self-proclaimed moral and intellectual superiority; their obscene arrogance in presuming to tell Americans what is wrong with us; their imperious imposition of illogical and unsound policies that always fail; and their condescending audacity in defining what is politically correct behavior.  Politics is what polarizes America, not race.

Never-the-less, Barack Obama, many members of Congress, and legions of frenzied social commentators suggest we need a discussion on race in America.  Fine.  Let's have one.  But no matter what is said it is unlikely anyone will change anyone else's mind.  In fact, it is like to only aggravate the situation as the professional agitators are always the loudest voices heard to spew the lies and misinformation that provoke and inflame the clueless crowds that either are not exposed to the facts or simply do not want to hear the truth.

Does anyone really think these protests are doing anything but polarizing the country even more than it already is?  The basic problem is that the politically correct liberal interest groups that control the dissemination of information in America continually promote the idea that racism permeates American society.  Half a century of lies and misinformation from these people have done nothing for society except encourage a certain segment of the African-American minority to believe it is OK to murder people of their own race, steal from their neighbors, live in drug induced delusion, and defy law enforcement authorities.  Unfortunately, the only people they hurt are the law abiding members of their own communities, who need protection from these thugs more than anyone else.  This is what liberal policies have wrought.  Fifty years of misguided policies creating dysfunctional families and dependency have not helped African-American communities, they have crippled them.

Oh, and the public displays of support by professional athletes for crime committing 'brothers' who get themselves killed by resisting arrest is another example that proves one can get rich even though they are brain dead.  Any athlete or celebrity who publicly supports the criminals against the public servants who are trying to protect African-American neighborhoods is clearly part of the problem, not part of the solution.  Someone should tell them they are embarrassing themselves, their families, and the people who overpay them.

A Party in Need of Reality Training

Why is it that the media is so willing to publish with attention grabbing incendiary headlines anything that is proclaimed by Democratic Party politicians?  Why would anyone believe them?  Liberal politicians have no credibility whatsoever since they are known to intentionally lie and distort the facts about everything on their agenda, particularly when attempting to portray conservatives as greedy, racist, child eating, predatory monsters.  Ever since the Clinton Administration that has been their standard operating procedure.

Regarding their claims about CIA techniques of interrogating terrorists, no one should be surprised if the CIA did indeed use some of the methods stated in the report, although that may deserve some skepticism given the Demorats history.  But no one should believe for a minute those techniques did not provide critical information that saved American lives.  Every CIA Director and responsible member of Congress sitting on the intelligence committees during the period in question says that they did, including the Directors appointed by the Democrats.  The original report was over 6000 pages while the Democrats published just under a heavily redacted 600.  What is in the other 5400 pages?  Would it be a surprise if the Demorats are suppressing important information and just doing what they always do - lying?

The published report claims that one terrorist died of hypothermia in detention, but was not clear whether that was under CIA or Pakistani supervision.  One death.  That has to be a first in the history of human conflict.  Can't you just see the Islamic terrorist groups, the Russians, the Chinese and every other autocratic regime around the world laughing their asses off about the torture conducted by the CIA.  They would be calling the CIA pantywaist girliemen amateurs.

Americans need to understand that in order to win wars it is necessary to make the enemy fear you, not laugh at you.  The enemy must understand that whatever you do to them will be much worse than what they do to you.  That is the only way to stop aggression.  The last war America won was an all out affair that used every means possible to kill as many enemy personnel as possible, including civilians, until their leadership was eliminated and those still left knew they could not win, resulting in unconditional surrender.  No country can survive for long if their enemies do not fear them.  Sorry for telling the sensitive liberal types the brutal truth, but that's just the way it is.  They always recommend sensitivity training for those of us who don't get with the political correctness program.  Maybe the liberal establishment needs some reality training.

Finally, did anyone see anywhere in the published reports that all but one of the Republican members on the committee (Maine Senator Susan Collins, a RINO who often votes with Democrats on key legislation) wrote a 167 page rebuttal strongly objecting to the Democratic majority's report, particularly the part about the interrogations not revealing information that saved American lives?  No?  Me neither.  Every article appearing in the Dallas Morning News regarding the report was from the New York Times, the Washington Post, and the Associated Press - the Triumvirate heading the Syndicate comprising the Progressives Media Indoctrination Machine.  Does anyone still think there is not a Democrat - Media conspiracy to brainwash the American people?  It sounds absurd, but the evidence is overwhelming.

By the way, we didn't start this.  These assholes the liberals are weeping over did, on September 11, 2001.  In case they forgot, that was the day these cold-blooded murderers killed nearly 3,000 innocent people inside our homeland who were just going about their daily lives and threatening no one.

And one more thing.  Why is it OK for King Barry to personally decide who dies in drone attacks, with no regard for the many civilian casualties that have been collateral damage, but the CIA is demonized for giving a few terrorists a bad day?

Ferguson

Why is it that black people think they are the only ones to ever get stopped by the police?  Why do black people think they are the only ones who get nervous every time they see a police car following them?  Why do black people think they are the only ones who have ever been falsely arrested, assumed guilty and mistreated by the cop, and treated like dirt at the police station?  I personally know white people that has happened to.  I expect many other white people do too.

Black people complain that some places they go in America they are harassed by the police and white people.  That is probably true.  What is also true is that there are places in every metropolitan area in America white people can't go or they will likely be murdered.  I am sure most folks would agree that being harassed is a better experience than being murdered.

Perhaps what is most surreal about the Ferguson, Missouri situation is that no doubt there are a lot of incidents around the country where the police have used excessive force resulting in injury and death that are unjustified and should be prosecuted.  The bizarre thing is that this case is clearly not one of them.  The fact is the professional agitators and pliable protestors picked the wrong incident to go ballistic on in Ferguson, Missouri.  But this is what community organizers do.  They have organized protests claiming racism regarding this incident in cities across the nation.  Is this the ultimate result of having the Community Organizer in Chief in the oval office?

America appears to be headed toward anarchy.  At some point there will be no police protection for any citizen in America because no one will want the job.  Who in their right mind would want to be a police officer in America today?  It is hard to believe that the New York Times published Darrell Wilson's home address.  Their editors should be arrested.

One has to conclude that the primary problem behind the anarchy is the information people are getting.  Rational people tend to be amazed at how some people respond to incidents like this.  The facts and evidence in the Ferguson situation are about as clear as they ever can be.  Unless the protestors are completely insane, the only thing that makes any sense is that they are misinformed.  For example, one has to be seriously misinformed to say something like "I'm numbed, but I'm also saddened.  First it was Trayvon, now it's Michael Brown.  And it's sad that killing of black males is justified and legal."  That was a senior pastor of a United Methodist Church in Dallas.  That church is in a predominately black part of town, but a church leader should not be making such incendiary comments without being better informed.  At some point people are going to have to acknowledge the evidence, the facts and the truth instead of believing anything that comes out of Al Sharpton's mouth.

As Alan West said Monday night, how can the media and black leaders focus on this incident while totally ignoring the often more horrific murders that blacks perpetrate on whites.  He went on and described in detail a number of such incidents.  Ben Carson mentioned how can the country blow this incident way out of proportion while ignoring the epidemic of black on black murders?  Excellent questions, and just in case anyone is unfamiliar with Alan West and Ben Carson, they are both African-American.

Freedom of speech is necessary in a free society, but it has an extremely dark side.  Unfortunately, free speech allows anyone to lie and misrepresent the facts in order to manipulate the easily influenced.  It would be a dangerous step to take, but maybe it is time to prosecute media sources that deliberately lie and publish or broadcast any biased misinformation that disrespects the law and incites lawlessness.  Differences of opinion are one thing, but intentional provocation of criminal behavior is something else entirely - irresponsible at best and seditious at worst.

What The Hell Is Going On?

Barack Obama campaigned on Hope and Change.  After nearly six years in office, the Hope has turned into ethnic and class conflict and the Change has been disastrous.  So, the blame for the failures must be due to victimization and injustice, and Ferguson, Missouri seems to have provided the perfect opportunity to exploit that bullshit.

There certainly is a lot of injustice going on in this country today, but it is not aimed only at black America.  Injustice is bailing out and rewarding rich bankers and politicians who caused the financial and economic collapse while punishing the middle and lower classes with economic policies that destroy jobs.  Injustice (and corruption) is awarding government contracts to wealthy political benefactors for government boondoggles.  Injustice is affirmative action using quota's to deny qualified people an opportunity to pursue their dreams.  Injustice is using government agencies to target, harass and obstruct people and organizations who oppose the political party in power.  And yes, injustice is police hassling people for being young or black.  It happens.

But what happened in Ferguson was not injustice.  It was an all too typical event of a young black thug letting his attitude get him killed.  All the evidence indicates Michael Brown was not a peaceful, law abiding citizen in this incident, yet Democrats and the media are portraying him as an innocent angel and calling for a lynch mob for the white policeman doing his job.  Why is it being sensationalized as a racist event?  Even more incomprehensible, what the hell is going on in America?

In the last 5 years nearly 700 law enforcement officers have been killed in the line of duty, many of them black.  Do Jesse Jackson and Al Sharpton show up for those funerals?  Does the media generate dozens of stories a day for weeks on end for those incidents?  Are their funerals broadcast to the country on live television?  Media pundits and black activists claim the fact that Michael Brown was shot six times is evidence of excessive force.  Do any of these people know how many shots it may take to stop a 300 pound man intent on harming a person?  Soldiers will tell you it often takes multiple bullets to bring down an average sized terrorist.

Although it is almost unthinkable, it is not that outrageously paranoid to observe what the Obama government and its' captive media are doing in America today and conclude that a leftist conspiracy is underway to turn America from a liberal democracy into an autocratic dictatorship, with white people being blamed as the villains.  Barack Obama said his goal was to fundamentally transform America.  He is certainly doing his best to accomplish that.  I don't remember him saying why it needed to be transformed and what he was transforming it to, but apparently we are finding out.

It is not unreasonable to argue that Barack Obama is intentionally presiding over the destruction of the United States of America.  Why else would he proclaim the country needed to be fundamentally changed?  He has deeply divided the country into dangerous economic and social polarization.  He is encouraging the deterioration of moral and ethical values.  He is openly defying our Constitution.  He is depriving Americans of their individual rights.  Is that what Americans want?  Do we really want to turn the US into an African or Middle Eastern country?

What conclusion can we draw from what is going on in Ferguson, Missouri?  Maybe it is that every white person in America better have a gun and know how to use it.  God, I hope not.  But it is becoming a rational question to ask if a war on white people has been declared by the Democratic Party and the majority of major media networks.  What else logically explains the media coverage of the death of Michael Brown?  This can't really be happening in America, can it?