I am an old fart, 75 going on 76. Fifteen years ago I managed to get caught-up in the healthcare mill, having suffered a half dozen (more than that) major illness’s, most of which are on standby and will die with me. The keyboard is seen through a mist, typos are frequent, and posting here remains a mystery. Having spent several afternoons fumbling with the links the Daily Kos has put out, I managed to post twice.
Generally I do not react to the politics of the day. My training and career has given me an insight into trends, so, my politics are all about where we have been and where we appear to be going. Statistical inference reveals many things. During the last general election I was fascinated by Nate Silver and his approach to forecasting. He did what most people fail to understand, he changed the data base by relying on the vast sampling of local polls taken by hundreds of legitimate pollsters. During my career many moons ago, I used a similar formula to forecast government revenues. Bravo to Nate!
Having lived through World War II, served in military intelligence just before Vietnam, owned my own business, changed careers to local government; trends seem to be so obvious. Very few see this. An old management principle says, “First we must identify the problem, then the problem is half solved.” The federal government doesn’t do that any longer. Government has become reactionary. Or, if you like, the political doings of government is all about what the latest poll says.
Yes, I know the House of Representatives became entrenched in ideology and did little for the general public. These events reflect the districts and the view towards re-election. That is okay until you realize the effects of gerrymandering and schemes to suppress minority voting. There was little concern for the “general public”. So I ask, where is the out front leadership? Harry Reid seems timid. Pelosi barks. Where is the President who stands up before America and says, we are going to the Moon within a decade? Where is the President who gets on a train and rides through America giving speeches on what is at stake? Where is the unity among voters? Apathy rules. America is virtually ignorant of the motivations of everyday politics and the mainstream news is filled with puff stories.
All right, so what? Here is what: this nation is headed towards of form of fascism, corporate interests rule – although they are “people” they do not suffer the penalties of law, yet, if you run a stop sign be prepared for a series of enemas because you flexed your ass. Yes, I am an old hippy from the SF Bay Area. I still believe in peace, not imperialism, not war of any type, and an invasion of my privacy will not reveal any sort of terrorism. (For the NSA reader- go fuck yourself). My posts have been about trends, yes, but there was very little response. I worry for America. I worry about the cancer of Tea Partyism. I worry about the incessant and untrue propaganda we see. I worry about the corruption I see, mostly in the name of PACs and campaign contributions. I worry about the national wealth distribution.
I shoulda run for President. I was much too busy searching for freedom on a Harley after my time in the military barrel..
Kootie J