810 Billion $ Quote

"The American Republic will endure until the day Congress discovers that it can bribe the public with the public's money." - Toq.

2008 Proposed Federal Budget

I was hoping when I started this blogging experiment to focus more on technology and less on the soft sciences and emotionally charged issues such as politics. However, it seems the things that I am most interested in are defining where I stand on a lot of macro issues. While this is probably an effect of listening to too much national media, I'm still going to jot down my points of view for you.

This link:
http://www.thebudgetgraph.com/site/index.php?main_page=product_info&products_id=1

is a tool to examine the proposed federal budget for 2008. It outlines that 67% of our national spending (1055 Trillion $) is requested to go to national defense and security. In the society I want to live in, the military is funded at a maximum of 25% of the total national budget. Other services should make up the bulk of a balanced budget.

Were I in charge, I'd reduce federal spending on defense slowly until we reached the 25% level. The reduction would lead to a balanced budget and a surplus which could then be used to both reduce the tax burden of the poorest citizens and pay for social services such as schools, tax collection, welfare, prisons, legal system, social security, unemployment, and universal health care.

Crime Analysis

This article made me sad. The cause and effect cycle of politics, media, fear, uncertainty, and doubt described in this article have strengthened my liberal resolve.

Thoughts

Frank Zappa, Conservative - Everything that Republicans have done since Reagan has been moving us toward a Fascist Theocracy.

Sheriff Lee Baca is a corrupt official and must be removed from office.

Reagan

9-11 was Reagan's legacy to the American people.

Politics

What is this?

Political Competition

I wonder if there is a competition between Republican Presidents to determine how many soldiers they can bury in Arlington National Cemetary.

Evangelical Christians against Torture

http://www.guardian.co.uk/usa/story/0,,2032616,00.html

About fucking time. I have been baffled by the Republican Christian support of torture ever since the stories first aired. Torture is definitely very unchristian.

Coulter && 'Faggot'

I honestly haven't been following this story at all. What has come into my peripheral has been from the business side - businesses are pulling their ads from her, and the intelligencia that maintain blogs on money (who also happen to be gay).

From a conservative man in the audience that day:
"It was an ugly atmosphere, designed to make any gay man or woman in the room feel marginalized and despised. To put it simply, either conservatism is happy to be associated with that atmosphere, or it isn't. I think the response so far suggests that the conservative elites don't want to go there, but the base has already been there for a very long time."

I agree with this sentiment. I have always attributed negativity and hate with the right side of the political spectrum. Democrats are more supportive and accepting of people who are different.

Dear Senator,

This Citizen's Privacy Law is a law that will benefit myself and all of your other constituents. I feel strongly about having this become law.

best,

Dave

A crumbling empire

A Crumbling Empire

An interesting read.

Letter to My Representatives

Dear Representative,

I'm writing to let you know what might annoy me in the actions by the new Congress.

1) I don't want the US debt to increase.
2) I don't want to be part of the Iraq conflict.
3) I don't want any American to antagonize Iran. I'm not interested in a conflict with Iran or its people.
4) I don't want to lose my right to Habeus Corpus. Or any other right guaranteed to me by the intent of the founding fathers of America.
5) I don't want to infringe these rights of other people anywhere in the world.
6) I don't want religious people to be treated more favorably than athiests.

Please, do your best to pay attention to these options when doing your job on my behalf.

Genocide Retribution

Having just watched Hotel Rwanda, an excellent movie, It strikes me odd that the trials of the offenders of genocide take a very long time to conclude. For example, Mengistu Haile Mariam's trial lasted 12 years. What happened in the intervening times? Did the evil leader get to live freely? Did he enjoy his last 12 years of freedom? I would like the trials of crimes against humanity to be sped up. I would like the guilty to begin their punishments as soon as possible within the laws of justice. Not that I have any political influence.

Step 1: Identify the Problem: Perpetrators of Crimes may not receive punishments in a timely manner, thus enjoying the larger portion of their lives.

Step 2: Discuss the Problem: See above.

Step 3: Propose one or more workable solutions.

Step 4: Implement a workable solution.