CIVICS

From  the Federalist Papers, 68 (link to complete document below)-  

"These most deadly adversaries of republican government might naturally have been expected to make their approaches from more than one querter, but chiefly from the desire in foreign powers to gain an improper ascendant in our councils."

2016 Interpretation, (by Me!):

Among others, one of the purposes for the establishment of the Electoral College was/is to keep foreign governments, (like, let's say Russia, for example), from influencin' our political process and installin' surrogates, (like, uhh... Donald Trump, perhaps), who are sympathetic and/or beholding to governments other than our own.

Go on- use the link below.  Give it a really good read.  (It's a couple hundred years old, so the language might seem a bit "flowery", some of the words archaic.  And it's Hamilton.)  

Now, consult various reliable sources- cross-reference usin' things like the Dictionary, current and past essays on the subject from people with some sense, and study current events relative to our most recent presidential election. (Again: reasonable, verifiable sources.  This obviously excludes extreme partisan digital rags and Interweb propaganda mills- think garbage like Alex Jones' "Infowars".  One of the best examples of Absolute Crap out there.)

Next, in your most reasonable, thoughtful, non-paranoid, intelligent capacity, ponder the Direction of our Country, the Futures of Your Family, Your Neighbors, Your Planet.  (Always good to include your Planet.  I know: should go without sayin', but...)  Spend a moment considerin' just who profits, not only from where our Government is now, but where it's headed in our Collective Immediate Futures.  Think about what entities might have somethin' to gain by influencin' our political process....

I realize this is a lot to ask.  Hell, it'd probably take anywhere from thirty minutes to as much as an hour or two, dependin' on how much time you want to spend on that last part, the "thinkin'" part.

Oh!  And just one more thing:

When you're searchin' for facts and references, try and not get distracted.  Remember: Obama didn't ban the word "Christmas", and Trump didn't keep Ford from closin' an assembly plant in Kentucky...

Fish~

http://avalon.law.yale.edu/18th_century/fed68.asp

CAPITAL DEATH

The followin' ramble, replete with thought-provokin' questions and comparisons, spun out of a short discussion I had recently with a long-time friend.  I have continued to turn the topic over in my head for for several weeks, which was probably a little too long.  

This is not an examination of Current Law, or our Judicial, Legal, or Prison Systems, but only a purely Philosophical Reflection.  

My apologies in advance- this one circles way, way out and back...

I expect most of us would agree that there are acts so horrific, so unconscionable, that they warrant death for the perpetrator.  Actions so heinous, that only with the Extermination of the Guilty can Justice truly be served. 

It also seems obvious that We have a  Moral Obligation to remove the Predatory Among Us in order to halt their victimization of others.  

But, I still feel somewhat conflicted when it comes to Society decidin' to serve up the Ultimate Punishment.  The Takin' of Life is still just that- the Takin' of Life, regardless of the Justification we apply.  

Not sure it's our place. 

(Wait!  Joe Walsh on the radio...)

"Pow!  Right between the eyes..."

Now, where was I...?

Right!  

So, please don't misinterpret or miss my point.  It's just that this seems like one of those things that doesn't quite fall within Our Scope of Responsibility.

Y'know how certain people, and certain groups of people, favor More Extreme Forms of Punishment in the Name of Justice (or, in the Name of X or Y...) more often, more zealously  than others?  You know 'em- the ones that are quickest to call for Blood, more the Old Testament types of thinkers when it comes to some things.  

I can't help but be curious about that thing, that mechanism, that drives this particular desire.  It can't be simple.  Surely it must be spun out when of a number of things come together: Nuanced, Learned Concepts such as Morality, Justice, Fairness, as well as more Inherent, Primal Concepts like Revenge, Compulsion, even Bloodlust.

At what point does Righteous Indignation turn into Self-Righteous Indignation? Are these two concepts similar, but separate?  Does a point of blending, an overlap, exist between the two?  Or, is there a specific definin' point, a Shared Border, so to speak, where Right and Wrong press solid against one another?  "The Greater Good", "the End justified by the Means", "the Lesser of Two Evils"- is this Gray Area the birthplace of these types of Ambiguous, Self-Serving, Pseudo-Moralistic Concepts?

And, if from a Moral Standpoint, the forfeiture of one's own life is considered at once both just and appropriate payment for the takin' of the life of another, then shouldn't it also be the Responsibility of a Civilized People to punish those who are found guilty of inflictin' Wholesale Injury upon large groups of others as a means to achieve Selfish Goals?  Logic would seem to rule in the affirmative.  

But, in this country, it would appear that we have allowed some kinda Bizarre System to be constructed.  A System in which individuals who intentionally destroy the Health, Livelihood, or even the Lives of Thousands as a result of their relentless, unscrupulous Quest for Personal Gain are all-but-immune from Prosecution, and are sometimes even rewarded for their Crimes, while We, The Masses, clamor incessantly to see the Hand of Justice applied to those Reckless of Action, the Murderous Scorned, the Pathological, and the Mentally and Emotionally Deficient.   A Separate Set of Rules for a Particular Caste of American Citizens.  And yet, we continue to hunger to add Executioner to our List of Duties when it comes to the Obviously Sociopathic.  Just so long as they're not wearin' gold cuff links or sportin' a Rolex.

I reckon we more easily identify with a single or small number of victims plucked from among the Innocent, rather than a group of thousands, or even tens of thousands, that may have fell victim to the Mega-Con of a Master Criminal Investment Banker or Super Villan CEO.  It's just so much more easily processed and personalized.  Easier to put a face on it.  

And we are all just human, and errors in judgement sometimes impact others unintentionally.  Should we develop an algorithm to quantify the impact an individual's misdeeds placed on Society as a Whole?  Should Emotional Distress be quantified, then included as a factor in such a decision?  Is this where we're goin'? Can we just turn victims into statistics?

And, who among us could be considered qualified to assume that responsibility?  Perhaps the same folks that are comfortable Flippin' the Switch, or Settin' the Needle.  Or Tyin' the Noose...?  

A Special Kinda Person, that...

I don't profess to have an answer.  But, if we could all stop for just minute, just a minute, and shut out all the Bullshit and think for ourselves, with minds clear of pre-conceived notions and bias, we might undergo a Change in Perception, and perhaps have a better understandin' of our responsibilities as the Children of Men and realize that with the takin' of Human Life, regardless of our rationale, we are venturin' into the Realm of Responsibility that belongs only to the God we claim  to follow, and have deemed ourselves worthy to make certain decisions in His stead.

Has a select group been designated?  Was there a Grand Decree?  Did I miss it?  In what part of the Book are we granted the Power to Judge, considered wise enough to pass the Ultimate Judgement?

In the World of Man that has spawned the ice-cold phrase "Collateral Damage", I think our Wisdom is wantin'.

Fish~

Misdirection of Outrage (Or, How I Lost My Freakin' Mind and Now Let Monsters Do My Thinkin')

You know, a buncha crazy shit happenin' in a hostile country is probably not the simplest thing to interpret, particularly early on.  And I would think any reasonable person would appreciate that for what it is.  

The events that took the lives of four Americans in Benghazi were trajic.  Sadly, instead of bein' allowed to mourn their deaths and stay focused on discoverin' who the murderers were and how we might bring them to Justice, it was turned into just the next in what seems to be an Unendin' Parade of Political Attacks on the President.  Ridiculously Obvious and Transparent.  Even with continuous Leaks, Lies, and Distortions, Shit slung rapid-fire in the hopes that somethin' sticks, the main accomplishment of this Freak Show has been the Extreme Waste of Time, Money, and Resources for something that has absolutely nothin' to do with Justice.  

Whoever was responsible for these deaths, you can bet they're laughin' their Collective Murderous Asses off as they watch what our elected officials are doin' to one another.  

They see us as a Joke.  A perception that, at this point, only an idiot would attempt to refute.

Who is keepin' so many of y'all so pumped up over this?  Are you as angry as They apparently are that the evidence so desperately searched for in the hopes of destroyin' our current President has simply failed to materialize, and that even a Deluge of Lies hasn't brought the desired results?

(If you hurt and discredit the President, the means used are inconsequential, right?  Any damage to our Country is simply a matter of course.  All that matters is accomplishin' the Objective, right?  Right?)

And, with those questions posed, let me ask ya a few more:

So, then how is it that so many of you passionate people don't appear to be even remotely pissed about thousands of American Soldiers dead, and tens of thousands of citizens dead in a country that we invaded for reasons that turned out to be not just Wrong, but Intentional, Intricate, Calculated Lies?  Oh, but wait, wait...!  These were not just Lies of the Garden-Variety.  These were Big, Dark, Dirty Lies, hatched and executed to reward their small group of Authors and Architects with a Windfall of Billions upon Billions of  Dollars, drenched in Blood and caked thick with the Screams of Mothers and Children.  

(That last bit?  Doesn't matter to the Ones doin' the "Reapin'".  Still spends.  Right, Dick?  Yeah, Buddy.  Good Stuff.)  

And, it was always The Plan- a Plan that had been in the works for many, many years.  

That doesn't piss off anybody but me?   Seriously? 

Okay.  Let's say, for the sake of this argument, that mistakes were made in Benghazi.  Let's say that people held onto the Truth for a while before they shared it, for reasons good or bad, which has yet to proven, and wouldn't matter now, anyway.  You know what didn't happen?  Let's see...  Oh!  Here's one thing:  Nobody cashed in on it, by which I mean nobody got stupid rich from it, or, hopefully, ever will. 

(Addendum:  One Lyin' Bastard spewed crap on a popular Sunday network "news" show, a network that turned out to be owned by the same corporation that would release this same Lyin' Bastard's Book of Bullshit, just two days after featurin' this Piece of Shit as their exclusive "Eyewitness".  That buncha Modern Day Alchemists almost succeeded in turnin' Deciet into Gold, but their Lies were exposed.  An apology?  No, not a real one.  The only thing they truly regretted was gettin' found out.)  

Nobody created a decade long nightmare scenario that destroyed families- some because their loved ones were killed, some because they were fortunate to only have their limbs blown off and heads split open, but still survived to live out the wondrous new lives they've been handed, with a government that will barely acknowledge them and their sacrifice.  

Have you all just been savin' up all your Outrage and Disgust, just waitin' for someone to tell you where you should direct it?  Were you stowin' it all in a box under the bed, only now allowin' someone to dictate where you spend your vitriol for some secret, private reason?  What is it, really?

Is it because this guy ain't white?  

"No!", you cry, indignantly...

What is it, then?  

I am the last one to discount the death of anyone, American or otherwise.  (Personally, I'm more of a mind to begin at Human when it comes to my sadness and disdain over Needless Death.)  But, for the freakin' life of me, I just cannot get my head around why so many people allow themselves to be ratcheted up by a buncha Talkin' Heads over the terrible deaths of four people, while simultaneously refusin' to acknowledge a Horrific Event of such Scope and Magnitude, that a relative four deaths is scarcely distinguishable against the backdrop of the War Profiteering that has gone on for more than ten years.  Where in the Livin' Hell y'all been?!  I would think the overused and misused "Support Our Troops" would at least include not supportin' a Manufactured Scheme to swap Blood for Money!  

Look here:  If you support the Cheney-orchestrated War in Iraq, then I clearly support our Troops more than you.  I support their right to not be used as Cannon Fodder- to not be treated as an Expendable Resource in a Corporate Scheme to Dupe and Fleece our Public.  I support the Right of Our Troops to only be put in Harm's Way when there is no other recourse.  When it is the Absolute Last Resort.  I support their Right to Live.

I apologize for the rant.  Sort of.  I find myself frustrated by this type of Skewed, Selective Logic.  I am confounded by the Intellectual Lethargy practiced by so many of my Fellow Citizens.  I would hope that my attempt to point out what's really takin' place might stir some to step back and try and see the Big Picture.  Maybe slow down- spend some time thinkin' for themselves, perhaps re-evaluate their own chosen position, to challenge the Pre-packaged Reality of which they've been served such a steady helpin' for so long. 

But, sadly, I expect that many of you will return to your televisions and choose with your remote control just who you will have show you who to blame, who to hate, all the while designating the latest targets for your outrage, so that you don't have to go to all the trouble of thinkin' too hard or lettin' it get too complicated.

I just don't get it...

~Fish