DECISIONS, DECISIONS!

Hey...

Got somethin' for y'all:

Followin' each of the acceptance speeches of both major party nominees, NPR posted the full texts, complete with fact-check annotations.  Havin' only watched around half of Hilary's speech last night and only around fifteen minutes or so of the Donald's speech, this gave me a chance to not only go over both in their entirety, but also be enlightened in regard to the validity of the points that each stated as Fact.  (I found a couple modest surprises among what both had to say.)

Let's face it: this is American Politics and both sides (we effectively have only two choices) are attemptin' to sell you their particular Bill of Goods.  

Like so many other things in Life, for one to truly make somethin' as close to an "informed decision" as possible, we owe it to ourselves to, no matter how unpalatable we may find it, we owe it to ourselves to take a hard look at all (both...) choices and give thoughtful consideration to what we are presented with.  

I found the contrast between the content and the pitches to be pretty damn interestin'.

I have included links to the respective speeches and the fact-checkin' below, and I'd like to invite you to do as I've done;   Set aside the time to go over the points these folks have chosen to frame their particular cases, as well as the style in which they approached them.

It's the smart thing to do...

Thanks, Y'all,

Fish~ 

http://www.npr.org/2016/07/21/486883610/fact-check-donald-trumps-republican-convention-speech-annotated

http://www.npr.org/2016/07/28/487817725/fact-check-hillary-clintons-speech-to-the-democratic-convention-annotated

NOT YOUR JOB

A few days ago, while speakin' before the Southern Legislative Conference in Lexington, made up of legislators from fifteen southern states, Republican Governor Matt Bevin urged attendees to "be shepherds, not sheep."  He also used the word "agnostic" and "apathetic" while referrin' to "our mores, our values, our principles, our convictions, our love of liberty."

Simple Definition of agnostic

: a person who does not have a definite belief about whether God exists or not

: a person who does not believe or is unsure of something

Simple Definition of apathetic

: not having or showing much emotion or interest

Okay.  The use of these two words, particularly the word "agnostic", appear to be a passive aggressive attempt by Bevin to question the Faith and Conviction of his audience, or at least foster guilt.  This is further bolstered by his use of "shepherds, not sheep", another thinly-veiled  allusion to Faith and Scripture.

Here's why I take issue with this language:

First, he, and everyone he's speakin' to, are politicians, officials elected to their posts to further the Will of their given Electorate.  They are not Spiritual Guides. They do not represent an arm of the Clergy.  In fact, in relation to our Constitution, their elected positions dictate that they operate without regard to Religion. 

Stop!  

I know what some of you are thinkin': 

"So, what's wrong with approachin' your duties as an Elected Representative of the People in a Just and Moral fashion?  

My answer... Nothin'.  There is absolutely nothin' wrong with our Elected Officials approachin' their job in a Just and Moral fashion.  

However, Christianity, nor any Religion for that matter, holds Exclusive Rights to the Concepts of Justice, Compassion, Morality, or a number of other generally accepted Admirable Social Conventions.  Bein' a Decent Human Being ain't some kinda club comprised of Strictly Christian Members.  It's just not the way things are, or have ever been.  In fact, there are people among all Religions who, through their Intolerance, their Narrowmindedness, their Ignorance, act in ways contrary to the teachings they profess to embrace.

Now, why is that?  

Easy:  

They're Human.  

Imperfect, Fallible Human Beings. 

We all are.

And I damn sure don't look to Elected Officials when I feel the need for Spiritual Guidance.  In fact, that is probably the absolute last place in the World I would look.  In our current Governmental Framework, these folks are put in place to represent us, not to "guide" us, or "show us the way" as they would see fit.  Not their job.  Not even close.  This concept of "Political Shepherds" stands absolutely to the contrary of the intended position for these people.  And, any attempt to elevate politicians to such a position represents the Extremes of Self-importance and Conceit.

If someone's Faith helps them to live a life that embraces Tolerance, Empathy, Understanding, and Charity, then it has served them well.  But by no means does that imbue them with the right to insist that all others adopt their chosen position, their particular interpretation of a life philosophy.  To do so is to distort and do a grave disservice to the very ideals they profess to embrace.

Jesus and Muhammed ain't on the ballot.

Fish~

DON'T QUOTE ME ON THAT...

Waitin' for an offsite meeting to wrap up so that I can break down some data equipment.  A speaker just finished up with a quote that he attributed to Winston Churchill, complete with a presentation graphic displayed on the colossal screen behind him.  It was a particularly simple, but eloquent, statement, and I pulled out my phone so that I could copy it down.  Before I could finish, the slide was taken down.  I turned to the Interweb to make sure I had transcribed it correctly- found multiple references immediately.

Funny thing:  This particular quote is often attributed to Churchill, but there is nothin' to prove that he actually said it or wrote it.  No letters.  No speech transcripts.  Nothin'.  Several sites displayin' it as a quote, none givin' reference to anything.

These were good words, placed in a certain order with appropriate punctuation, that expressed a fine sentiment.  But somehow, at some point, someone felt it necessary to attach a famous name to these words in what I can only assume was an effort to give the statement some sort of heightened (inflated?) legitimacy/validity.

So, someone took a perfectly good, even above average, expression of thought and hung a chunk of Bullshit at the end of it.

This was unnecessary, and may well only serve to reduce the impact of a set of good words.  The statement, with the misattribution attached, has become nothin' more than a lie.  Some Bullshit.

Think of how often we're exposed to things like this every day and we never even know it.  The Politicians and the Spin Doctors and the For-Profit Media have figured out just how gullible a huge portion of our citizenry actually is.  And they know that practically anything can be said, no matter how false and absurd, and a large percentage of those that hear it will take it as Absolute Truth.  It can be refuted and proven wrong over and over again, but a great number will still hold on to it and take it as Gospel, especially if it happened to be somethin' that they wanted to believe to begin with.

Disregard for Honesty?  Self-delusion?  Intellectual Sloth or Plain Ol' Stupidity?  Couldn't tell you.  But I would imagine it to be a combination of many, many things, includin' those I've mentioned.

Perhaps, some day, we'll grow bored and embarrassed by our own ignorance and decide to start engagin' our brains enough to cut through the Fog of Lies and Distortions.

But I wouldn't hold my breath if I were you.  I've heard that can actually turn you into an atheist...

Fish~

The Ramble Fish: THE NEW AMERICA

The Ramble Fish: THE NEW AMERICA: The New America- Home to the Temple of the Modified Christ, the New Myopic Brotherhood, the Church of the Sociopathic and the Criminally Ins...

SANCTUARY BLUES (with apologies to Neil Young)

On the way to work the other mornin', and I happened to hear Neil Young's 'Revolution Blues'.  Alway's been a favorite of mine- the music's a little spooky, some dark, ominous lyrics.  My kinda stuff.  It's from his album 'On the Beach', I'm thinkin' 1972, maybe.  It brought back a vague idea that had been bouncin' around inside my head for several months...

So, after a week or so of hackin' around, I wound up with this thing here.  A little bit of a warnin', though:  some folks may find parts of this offensive.  I did...

SANCTUARY BLUES 

(with apologies to Neil Young)

Well, we’re the New Revolutionists, we’re revolutionary fools

We boast of dedication to our Constitution's rules

We're determined to stand our ground, on our Nation's public lands

And refuse to go back home until the Feds meet our demands

It’s so beautiful out here, with all my white like-minded brothers

It all just feels so right, not givin’ a fuck about the others

 

We tore down a little piece of fence, in a grand symbolic move

And the boss man said that we'd do more, if we had somethin’ else to prove

And with that nigger in the Whitehouse, that’s where we’ll lay all blame

It’s all in the name of God, I’m almost certain that’s his name 

We’re serious contenders, you’d best make no mistake

With Stars and Stripes and Stars and Bars, and that one that has the snake

My boots are caked with mud and dung, it's cold and rainy here

And our reasons and the goal, somehow, don't seem exactly clear

But the boss said we'll be heroes, or famous, at the least

If we only hold the line against the Bloated Government Beast

So I’ll pretend I'm General Washington, drawin' my battle sword

As I pose atop my pickup with a nail pushed through a board

We're Soldiers of Fortune in our Army surplus gear

But we're runnin' outta soda, and we've long been outta beer

The Post Office stopped deliveries, they've shut off water and power

Now I can't charge up my Android, and I'd kill to take a shower

And I ain’t holdin’ many shells, 'cause I never got much cash

And I just didn’t have the heart to raid my Armageddon stash

The boss man got arrested on a mission into town

His unit slipped on outta camp when the Sherriff weren't around

He had a patty melt at Shoney's, and then crashed City Hall

But the reception that he got wasn't what he'd hoped at all

The Board told him to go on home, they didn't want us here

They didn't need the chaos, intimidation, and the fear

Cut up my shirts for toilet paper, need me some jerky and dry shoes

Think my trigger finger's frozen, ain't much'a nothin' but bad news

But we're in it for the long haul, my fellow patriots and me

And we'll make damn sure the outcome is what it's s'posed to be

We'll line the overpasses, and risk our very lives

As we draw a bead on Guardsmen while we hide behind our wives

Sittin' on this powder keg, too Goddamn scared to light the fuse

I got myself some blues

Some disenchanted camper's blues

I got them dirty lowdown Sanctuary Blues

Them Oregon Wildlife Sanctuary Blues

I got them Oregon Wildlife Sanctuary Blues...

Fish~

 

THE NEW AMERICA

The New America- Home to the Temple of the Modified Christ, the New Myopic Brotherhood, the Church of the Sociopathic and the Criminally Insane.  The birthplace of Death for Dollars, White Collar Supercriminals, Government for Hire, Injustice in the Name of Elohim, where the concepts of Compassion, Understanding, and Empathy are now Dirty Words, where we hold ourselves deserving enough to pray for a fellow parishioner's safe vacation flight as a child starves to death across town.

The New America- Improved.  Efficient.  Cold.  Where Anti-Intellectualism and Absence of Civility are celebrated as Examples of Strong and Enviable Character, where Hatred of Others is displayed openly and proudly, a New Badge of Honor, where Mockery and the Villification of Our Downtrodden supplant Baseball as the National Pasttime.  Where our very planet has been reduced to nothing more than a Commodity, a Revenue Source, rather than a precious and revered place to stand for a moment, perhaps catch our Breath.  Where Sensless Death has become passé, looked upon with disregard.  A Simple Fact of Life.  

The New America- Harder.  Leaner.  The place where the Unprovable trumps the Obvious, and Thoughtful Consideration of Fact is looked upon as an Act of Deficiency and Weakness.  Where Common Sense is held Hostage in a cage with no door, a cage constructed of axe handles and rifle barrels.  Where Pleas for Reasonable Discourse are met with the eye-rolling and sneers of Mouth-Breathers as they vomit Insult and Accusation.

A place of Great Wisdom without Mercy.  Wickedness without Consequence.  Where Nothing is Fair.  Where Meanness of Spirit is a Great Shroud that defeats the Sun, and Love is no more than a drop of blood in the dust.  Wasted.  Useless.  Forgotten.

Fish~

I DID NOT AGREE TO THIS SHIT!

The TPP.  The Trans Pacific Partnership.  

Our President, along with most of Congress are for it.  Hilary Clinton claims to not favor it.  Bernie Sanders feels it is utter bullshit.  The fully loaded clown car of Republican Presidential Nominees Hopefulls?  I could care less what their opinions are- they're all friggin' nuts.  

Me?  I think it's just another raw deal for everyone but Big Corporations and their Wealthiest Stockholders.

It's being negotiated in secret.  The little we do know has only come to light through leaks.  And judgin' by the previews, it's on track to be yet another Corporate Protectionism Plan implemented across National Boundaries.  

A couple of the larger points- the TPP seeks to expand and extend protections on Intellectual Property, which, in turn, stifles competition, which then results in higher prices for consumers.  (But bigger bonuses for CEOs and other corporate officers.) This will be of particular benefit to Big Pharma, as well as Big Ag. 

Another primary tenant of the agreement will allow Corporations to sue National Governments where they operate for any legislation enacted that impacts, or even might impact, profits or projected profits.  This would place sovereign authority in a position where they could be held responsible for any legislation, let's say somethin' like anti-pollution laws, for instance, if a Corporation can prove that such laws reduce their profit margins.  And the Corporations won't have to prove that they lost money, only that they might lose money.  And Taxpayers, here and abroad, will be the ones on The Hook.

Historically, free trade agreements have little or nothin' to do with free trade or creatin' or protectin' jobs.  These "agreements" are constructed by Big Business, in secret, with the primary goals of squelchin' competition and ensurin' the continued profits of the organizations that use their great wealth to strongarm 'em in place.  (Incidentally, TPP ain't the only trade agreement slitherin' around boardrooms and law offices right now...)

 

We can look back at the failed promises of NAFTA, (which, incidently and ironically, was supported by President Bill Clinton), particularly the broken promise of more American jobs, and with the benefit of hindsight, see the real reasons it was championed by Politicians and Corporations.  Strictly Greed.  

The Rich get richer, while the rest of us just get poorer.  

Unfettered and Unregulated Capitalism ultimately destroys the Consumer-based Economy that it relies on for its Profits by reducin' or even doin' away with the capacity of the Middle Class to participate through their ability to purchase goods and services.  (The Poor and Unfortunate?  They never really even get to play.)

The Money-Grubbin' Über Rich have created a system that is both untenable and unsustainable.  Like a snake eatin' it's own tail...

Fish~