Humility

I really liked this brief article about humility.  I've always preferred quiet strength to arrogance, thankfulness to entitlement, and graciousness to pride.  Seems to me there's far too little of those things around.

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Protests

I'm actually quite glad about the recent protests in Washington.  I assume this means I'll never again have to hear from The Right that protesting the government is "un-American"?  Excellent.  Thanks.

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On Torture And Paine

I think this great article sums up about everything I think need be said on the topic.

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A better approach

I thought Specter's approach was good.  Not sure if it (or anything) will be effective, though.


Man, I hope we don't have to wait another 16 years to fix health care.  Nothing has gotten better on the health insurance front after some of the most prosperous years in the country's history.  It seems obvious that the market is not working on this one.

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Bah, Pelosi

I can't say I know much about her, but I've not heard much I've liked.  And a few things now I haven't liked, like this.


I'm in favor of national health care, but I can't stand people throwing around terms like "un-American" and "unpatriotic" about opposition.  The worst I can say about anyone who disrespectfully disrupts a town hall meeting is that they're jerks.  I don't know if that's better or worse, but at least it's more accurate and doesn't come across as manipulative propaganda.

People should bring their concerns forward at those meetings -- respectfully -- so that they can be discussed and hopefully addressed.  If they're too ideological and hot under the collar to do it respectfully then maybe they need to be removed.  But there's nothing unpatriotic about even that.  That whole angle of applying "unpatriotic" to any political position at all sees disingenuous, and just plain annoying and to me.  When I hear it, it backfires and labels the accuser as manipulative.

Unless the accused is literally advocating treasonous activity.  Short of that, I believe we all want what's best for the country though we may not agree on what that is exactly.  Discourse over that is a good thing.

I don't think I like Pelosi very much.

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Confusion

So the health care issue has been thoroughly confused to the point of absurdity.  And that's a shame.


I have an aunt who recently became terrified that the upcoming changes to health care would make it impossible for her to get the knee replacement surgery that she was hoping for.  She has been living with significant knee pain, but was worried that once the government got involved in health care that she would not be able to get the surgery.  So she made sure she got it now.  I am glad to report that the surgery was a success.

And how was this surgery paid for?  How did she save herself from the sure abyss of public health care?  By using medicare.

You may think she was singularly confused, but this story was related to me without a hint of irony by other family members.  Someone has done a very poor job of informing the public, or a very good job of confusing them.

Some people who are terrified of public health care might accidentally admit that the public health care that military personnel receive, which is run by the US government, is better than what civilians get.  Such an embarrassing exchange took place the other day on The Daily Show between Stewart and the generally respectable conservative pundit Bill Kristol.  Listen to the confusion around 12 minutes in.

I am wary of the government.  I don't trust it.  I will always question what it is doing.  But that is fundamentally different from blindly assuming everything they do is bound to be an awful disaster.  That is simply not the case and the relative success of our great country is proof of that.  Believing everything the government does is wrong is no better than thinking everything they do is right.  Either mantra is simple minded and destructive to real progress.

I support a public option, and I'd really like to see single payer, though I've accepted that is out of the running.  But whatever happens, I think the national understanding and the debate has become a complete joke.

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You've got to tell us why

Obama and his team seem pretty much committed to the continued suspension of habeas corpus.  The latest news is that after review about 90 prisoners in Guantanamo cannot be charged or released.


Why?

Please, can someone involved explain how it is impossible to build a case against these people yet we are sure they are too dangerous to release?  If you can't convince me, a judge, or jury that they need to be imprisoned, then how are you so sure they need to be imprisoned?

Obama has done a very disappointing about-face on this.  It's my biggest disappointment with him so far.  If he learned something that made him completely change his mind on the matter, then explain it.  I believe it is my right to know why my country is violating its own human rights guidelines.  Explain to me why they can't be tried or released, otherwise I will continue to think you are full of it.

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Palin Foolishness

I heard the jokes and the explanation, and now I've read Palin's reaction.


For god's sake -- who in their right mind would think his joke about her daughter getting knocked up was referring to her underage daughter when Palin has a world famous adult daughter that is famous precisely because she already did get knocked up?  It's an absurd assumption and an even more absurd position to stand by after Letterman's relatively gracious explanation.  Heck, I didn't even remember she had a 14 year old daughter.  

And then she goes on to imply some weird link between Obama's pronouncements and Letterman's jokes?  As if there's perhaps a nationwide conspiracy to protect liberals and go after conservatives?  And by conservatives I mean Real (tm) conservatives... not those pansy reasonable conservatives like McCain.  God, paranoia is not attractive.

I've never thought Palin was smart enough or broadly educated enough to be VP, let alone president.  But I always figured she was probably a fine person.  Now I'm beginning to think she's a loon as well.  It'll be interesting to see her presidential bid in a few years.  If someone this foolish gets into office, god help us all.

This is about the least important thing going on right now, but one of the few I had clear thoughts about.  Everything else is a sort of a mush at the moment.

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No no no.

Mr. Obama, this is terrible.  I can't believe that someone so dangerous can't be convicted in a proper court.  Without a trial it puts far too much power in the hands of far too few.  The disappearing people act is one of the hallmarks of an terrible government.


I can understand some concessions, like allowing anti-terrorism laws to apply retroactively, or allowing evidence that may not meet the most stringent court requirements.  But if you can't convince a judge and jury that these detainees are dangerous enough for a conviction, then I don't trust your judgement on the matter.

Very, very disappointing.

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I might love Jesse Ventura

Not only is he smart, tough, and capable of delivering a devastating Body Breaker -- the man also speaks the truth.  And unlike so many who babble on this debate, he actually knows what he's talking about.  Seems like the vast, vast majority who've been through it are on the same side.


Maybe he ain't got time to bleed -- but he's got time to cut through the bullshit.

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Recent Comments

  • JBodine
    JBodine said:
    I agree the use of the term "un-american" gets used to causually. If one desires to use it, the obligation... read more
    on Protests
  • jfield
    jfield said:
    Thanks for the reply. I think we're on the same page as far as protest itself being an important freedom.As... read more
    on Protests
  • JBodine
    JBodine said:
    I read your links. The professors one did not want to load. No need, I get the drift of what... read more
    on Protests
  • jfield
    jfield said:
    And now, on a completely different topic, I must express my deep displeasure at the vox interface. Thanks to the... read more
    on Protests
  • jfield
    jfield said:
    Really?I feel I've had enough pseudo-conversations with you to know that no matter what I say you're going to find... read more
    on Protests

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