BEFORE ANYONE ASKS, HERE IS WHAT I POSTED LAST WEEK ON THE SYRIA SITUATION (Read the Addendum coming separately to learn more!)
“Mind Your Own Business” on News from Syria–For Now“Mind your own business,” was the advice I got from my mother while growing up. If it’s not your fight, stay out of it, unless its very clear which side is right and which is wrong—and even then, it’s wise to stay out of it unless it gets “really bad.” Maybe the policy should be “Mind Your Own Business on News from Syria–For Now.”Clearly, IF Assad actually did use chemical weapons (as it seems), then that passes to the “really bad” test. The problem is that we also don’t know if the rebels aren’t “really bad” too. There were rumors that they had also used chemical weapons, and that the rebel group has many al Qaeda members in it.One thing is clear—in the Middle East and a lot of Africa, nothing is clear. Culturally they are so different from Americans that we have proven to be terrible judges of “right & wrong” in terms of their internal, cultural conflicts.America may have done some good by getting rid of the vicious dictator Muammar Gaddafi and his sons in Libya, but we still are not sure how much better the regime we supported will turn out to be. The US government clearly fumbled and bumbled the situation in Egypt. It’s still in disarray, and it’s not clear whom we should support even now—or why.The conditions in much of central Africa are so unstable, and often so corrupt and brutal, that there are new factions, uprisings, slaughters and acts of genocide reported regularly. Charitable help seldom even gets to those it was meant for, either.Worst of all, the USA has plenty of clearly defined enemies to worry about, work on, and deal with, without supporting groups of rebels that may be infested with al Qaeda, Hezbollah, Taliban, the Muslim Brotherhood, and a raft of others who are “near, if not clear, enemies!”If we learned nothing else from the decade long, futile, poorly managed and hugely wasteful war in Afghanistan, it is that our uncertainty in who to support often results in weapons that we furnished later being aimed at or used on us—our forces!We know we have enemies in the governmental leaders of Iran and North Korea. That is clear. We don’t quite know what to do about them, but their Nukes, plus the ones in Pakistan (none too friendly to the USA either) are big concerns that do rise to the level of “our business.”We believe China has a hunger to claim power over Taiwan (who we have pledged to protect), and over the South China Sea. At the rate it is stealing our secrets, it can duplicate many of our weapons systems within this decade–and then the Chinese will “tell us what to do—or else.” China also holds almost $1 trillion (7.5%) of our debt, and will keep buying the US a piece at a time. That’s “our business” too.Our southern border situation is an embarrassment and a huge security problem too. Drug lords rule the Mexican side. Illegals only quit flooding across when the US job situation is weak (The one thing Barack Obama has done successfully to reduce illegal immigration: he killed US job growth!) We can’t even solve these problems right next to us.Our country is financially “broke,” and our government is hopelessly gridlocked—often about how much further to raise our debt ceiling. We simply don’t “get“ why the Muslim world doesn’t accept our form of democracy and let us impose it on them! DUH? They live largely by the brutal and primitive rules of the eighth-century tribal nomads, and we are still struggling to figure out what rules apply for the 21st century! No wonder we disagree.The foregoing should illustrate why the US leaders might consider heeding my mother’s advice to me, and “mind your own business.”Should America be the world’s hegemon, its policeman and moral compass? You might think I’m channeling Ron Paul when I say, “No, not everywhere, and certainly not all the time.” Only when it is in our best interest—in other words, “your business.”Even if the USA wants (it does) to intercede in Syria, (the chemical weapons evil certainly merits some action) how would we do it? And with what (worthy) faction would we align our efforts? Have we learned nothing from our repeated mistakes? Will doing nothing damage the US reputation more than an ill-fated, poorly conceived, or ineffective act of reprisal?Should we “take out Assad?” How? Can we identify who was behind the heinous acts? How? And if we do, can we isolate that individual or group for retribution? And once we do that, can we walk away? Or will we become embroiled in another lengthy, expensive and frustrating war where there is no such thing as victory.Should we blow up President Assad; where he is? If so, where is he? Should his wife and children also be collateral damage as a result of his warped, evil behavior? How many more innocent Syrians might die as a result of US intervention? Are there any of the rebel factions we would even feel remotely comfortable allying with?Unless someone, some group, has a good idea about what to do, which doesn’t make things in Syria worse, and also can state clearly what it will accomplish, maybe it is time to just ”Mind Your Own Business” on News from Syria–For Now
As Congress debates how to intervene militarily, I am torn between two different thoughts.
1) It is admirable to stand up against the inhumane actions of a tyrant.
2) It is only advisable if/when the actions you take will help improve or remedy the situation.
Where does that leave America?
If we knew what to do, and how to do it, and that it would accomplish our purpose, then action is both advisable and desirable. When we do not, it becomes questionable and/or inadvisable.
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HYPOCRISY & HUBRIS COMBINED & HONESTY FROM AN UNEXPECTED SOURCE--LEADER WHO REFUSES TO LEAD; DOESN'T WANT TO KNOW WHAT HE DOESN'T KNOW…
Make no mistake, I typically can't stand Chris Matthews. I disagree with his core ideology across the board--until now. This lip is from a May, 2013 appearance Matthews made on Morning Joe (Scarborough's morning show. In this case Matthews nails it! As compelling as Matthew's indictment of Barack Obama's unwillingness/inability to govern is, equally interesting is the stunned expression on the faces of the MSNBC talking heads shown in multi-screen shots.
PLEASE: Share this You Tube video with everyone you know, but especially with your liberal or moderate Democratic friends! We have a president who doesn't know how to lead, manage or govern, and doesn't want to know about things that turn out badly--so he campaign, blames, and equivocates.
http://m.youtube.com/watch?v=S_XCZqDOgd4&desktop_uri=/watch?v=S_XCZqDOgd4
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HONESTY--IS WELCOME, WHEREVER IT COMES FROM
When a newsman, albeit fictional, tells it honestly like it is... Jeff Daniels portrays anchorman Will McAvoy who is disgusted at what America has become, blurts out a long, honest answer to a student's question: Why is America the greatest country on earth? In the show, now in its second season McAvoy plays a major news anchor, ostensibly a Republican. (However the show was created and is often written by Alan Sorkin, a noted liberal Democrat).
Since this great opening, it has used scripts based real news events and politics and quality has varied from impactful drama, to soap opera cliche filled episodes. Sorkin manages to work his liberal philosophy into the show, often playing it as the GOP moderate anchor's criticisms of current events. None-the-less, this is 3 minutes of must watch TV, that is painfully close to the real truth. Go watch it now, then come back and finish reading THE ENTERPRISE,
http://safeshare.tv/w/UAGOcLSuLX
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HILLARY'S "WHAT DIFFERENCE DOES IT MAKE?"--CAN YOU EVER TRUST THIS WOMAN? (NO!)
In a future edition, which I will label "R rated", I can cite a series of Hillary Clinton statements that reveal the true character of this driven, devious and mean-spirited woman. But that's for another time. For now, just consider this on.
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SOME HONESTY FROM A FRIEND
Since you are asking for feedback, I have some ideas that I believe would make The Enterprise better. As it is, the Enterprise clearly presents the “right of center” view of things……those who are “left of center” might even call it a “right wing rant” (I have “left of center” friends who have said this when I’ve forwarded it to them). I don’t mind your presentation at all as my views are similar to yours but I think that you are doing what a lot of other pundits are doing….i.e. playing to “your” audience. I would bet that the vast majority of your current readership has a similar world view as yours and mine. However, as The Enterprise has become so clearly “anti-Obama Democrats”, I am guessing that those who are “left of center” that initially read your stuff have migrated away as it has become so clearly “one sided”. While you do excoriate the “right wing Republicans” every now and again, the current “tone” is clearly more one of bashing the “left wing Democrats” and you sound more like one of the “far right nuts” than I think you want to.
While it may be more work, I think you would set yourself apart if you also included pieces showing the viewpoint of the “other side” and then you could comment on where you find fault with their argument. This might make The Enterprise more “inclusive” and bring a sense of “balance” that I think is somewhat lacking right now. I think you should also highlight good things that are being done by more centrist Democrats (rather than just bashing the left wing Democrats) in order to reinforce this balanced approach.
I firmly believe that the right way forward is to move America “to the center” which means forgetting about “Republican” and “Democrat” and becoming “Centrists”. I know you believe this too but the current “tone” of The Enterprise does not really convey this message. I currently forward some editions of The Enterprise to friends of mine that I know are “right of center”. I no longer send it to my “left of center” friends as they usually got “pissed off” by it and accused me of becoming one of those “right wing nuts”……for them I will only forward select pieces of what you have included that I think are particularly poignant.
I send this in the spirit of continuous improvement and hope it feels that way to you. I appreciate your efforts to mobilize and inform a population that is often apathetic. I hope you are doing well and that we’ll run into each other sometime in the not-too-distant future.
A note to readers:
Please help me by bringing to my attention any "good things being done by centrist Democrats," that you can find…or even any good things being done by any Democrats.
You see, I actually like a few parts of Barack Obama's grand bargain (although it's mostly a warmed over tax & spend program to make government larger). I think certain spending, even in our deficit situation, would be OK—if limited to private sector infrastructure projects. Those would provide real jobs and true economic growth, while fixing something in America that needs fixing. But, knowing Obama, he will require all the construction jobs to be "union jobs," which will dramatically raise costs and exclude many qualified contractors from even bidding.
I actually also concur with a few of Obama's tax reforms--the part about lowering the corporate rate and offering a lower rate to repatriate US corporate profits held in foreign countries. Where Obama messes up both of them is trying to sneak in more of his job-killing, budget busting tax increases and layer in more government bureaucracy funding, connected to with the infrastructure idea.
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A BURST OF BRUTAL HONESTY--COMMUNICATED TO A GROUP OF MY FELLOW BLOGGERS--AND NOW SHARED WITH YOU…
This was an email I wrote to a group of my "colleagues." It deals with the question one of them posed: "What can we do about it?" referring to the Obama presidency and the Democrat induced demise of America. I have not yet heard from them, so I don't know how they even took it!
Here it is: …I want to add some thoughts on WHAT, that some of you might find distasteful or troubling. There is an important lesson we can learn from Barack Obama. He campaigns and talks like a moderate. In doing so he sucks in a lot of people who are later surprised at (or don't even notice) how liberal he is at heart! It works! He fooled enough people to get elected--twice!
All politics and governing involves some degree of "vagueness or deception" (but not outright dishonesty) and success (at politics) in our system of government requires a healthy dose of compromise--sometimes much more than is comfortable. The Republican Party CANNOT remained divided ideologically. America needs unity of the Republican Party-- if America is to survive as we want it to be--a free people--free in speech, in Constitutional rights, in its free enterprise economy, and in every other way, The alternative is the Obama government-controlled country.
No matter how "right" either "side" of the GOP might be ideologically, that is irrelevant unless the party factions compromise, AND set aside differences, focusing on opposing Obama and the Democrats--and in doing so choose "acceptably moderate" candidates and campaign on that kind of platform -- to retake the Senate in 2014 and then the White House in 2016. To do any less than find unity, likely leads to failure in the 2014 Senate races, and in the 2016 presidential race.
(America remains a "center right" country, but the rapidly growing dependency class of voters is dragging it leftward, fast! What became of the "Blue Dog Democrats?" Gone!)
We must "come together," and find as many common, (relatively moderate) positions as possible. This does not mean abandoning ideologically more conservative beliefs, or hopes and plans. It means simply modifying or tabling them, until in a position of enough political power to govern. Then we can debate the details of issues on which members of our party disagree, and find the best compromises--but from positions of strength, not weakness.
What WE can do is start spreading this kind of message in what we do, say, write, and share with everyone we can influence. Channel the emotions of all factions of the GOP into this unification effort. The time is NOW, and WE CAN START THIS moving! That's my pitch on this summer night. I hope you all take it in the spirit in which it is offered.
OR WOULD IT?
BEST, JOHN
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A BURST OF BRUTAL HONESTY--COMMUNICATED TO A GROUP OF MY FELLOW BLOGGERS--AND NOW SHARED WITH YOU…
This was an email I wrote to a group of my "colleagues." It deals with the question one of them posed: "What can we do about it?" referring to the Obama presidency and the Democrat induced demise of America. I have not yet heard from them, so I don't know how they even took it!
Here it is: …I want to add some thoughts on WHAT, that some of you might find distasteful or troubling. There is an important lesson we can learn from Barack Obama. He campaigns and talks like a moderate. In doing so he sucks in a lot of people who are later surprised at (or don't even notice) how liberal he is at heart! It works! He fooled enough people to get elected--twice!
All politics and governing involves some degree of "vagueness or deception" (but not outright dishonesty) and success (at politics) in our system of government requires a healthy dose of compromise--sometimes much more than is comfortable. The Republican Party CANNOT remained divided ideologically. America needs unity of the Republican Party-- if America is to survive as we want it to be--a free people--free in speech, in Constitutional rights, in its free enterprise economy, and in every other way, The alternative is the Obama government-controlled country.
No matter how "right" either "side" of the GOP might be ideologically, that is irrelevant unless the party factions compromise, AND set aside differences, focusing on opposing Obama and the Democrats--and in doing so choose "acceptably moderate" candidates and campaign on that kind of platform -- to retake the Senate in 2014 and then the White House in 2016. To do any less than find unity, likely leads to failure in the 2014 Senate races, and in the 2016 presidential race.
(America remains a "center right" country, but the rapidly growing dependency class of voters is dragging it leftward, fast! What became of the "Blue Dog Democrats?" Gone!)
We must "come together," and find as many common, (relatively moderate) positions as possible. This does not mean abandoning ideologically more conservative beliefs, or hopes and plans. It means simply modifying or tabling them, until in a position of enough political power to govern. Then we can debate the details of issues on which members of our party disagree, and find the best compromises--but from positions of strength, not weakness.
What WE can do is start spreading this kind of message in what we do, say, write, and share with everyone we can influence. Channel the emotions of all factions of the GOP into this unification effort. The time is NOW, and WE CAN START THIS moving! That's my pitch on this summer night. I hope you all take it in the spirit in which it is offered.
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IS THAT ENOUGH HYPOCRISY, HUBRIS AND HONESTY FOR ONE EDITION…OR SHOULD I CARRY THE "SUBJECT" OVER FOR A PART II?
OR MAYBE I SHOULD HAVE ADDED "HUMOR"
IS THAT ENOUGH HYPOCRISY, HUBRIS AND HONESTY FOR ONE EDITION…OR SHOULD I CARRY THE "SUBJECT" OVER FOR A PART II?
OR MAYBE I SHOULD HAVE ADDED "HUMOR"
The United States is 3rd in Murders throughout the World.But if you take out Chicago, Detroit, Washington DC , and New Orleans, the United States is 4th from the Bottom for Murders.These 4 Cities also have the toughest Gun Control Laws in the United States .All 4 Cities are controlled by Democrats.It would be absurd to draw any conclusions from this data.
OR WOULD IT?
BEST, JOHN
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