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Odds & Ends
Note: At the request of our Policy Board, this post is being provided to our Members and Visitors.
When it comes to chug-a-lugging the “crazy booze” during these past few days, the GOP’s roster of candidates for the Oval Office, have been working overtime, especially with the public pronouncements. And of course, we’re not privy to any private comments.
1. Mitt Romney wants to privatize veterans’ benefits.
2. Michelle Bachmann thinks that America should be less socialist and more communist like China since China doesn’t have a food stamps program.
3. Herman Cain thinks “water-boarding” isn’t “torture” but is an “enhanced interrogation technique” and thusly would make it available to all-both to the military and the civilian contractors. He—Cain cannot bring himself to understand that as a government policy, “torture techniques” were opposed and done in order to protect our men and women in uniform. And sadly, Republican audiences applauded his “positioning” while Cain is searching for more votes.
4. And to be outdone and “outgunned” politically speaking, Michelle Bachmann has this to say: “If I were president, I would be willing to use water-boarding. I think it was very effective. It gained information for our country. And I also would like to say that today, under Barack Obama, he is allowing the A.C.L.U. to run the C.I.A.”
5. Both Jon Huntsman and Ron Paul are in opposition, given their principled and non-traditional stand, but they are no longer germane to this entire endeavor.
6. Darrell Issa (R-California) has attached a “rider” to the annual Congressional Appropriations Bill that would grant the municipality of Washington DC, to have a greater autonomy in its budgeting behavior, but there is a “catch” in this rider and which would impose an “abortion ban” in the District.
7. In the GOP’s foreign policy debate, with the exception of Huntsman and Ryan, all are embracing “torture.”
8. In Arizona, several former politicians are supporting a change to elections and in which the top two contenders would vie for public office. Thus, Party support and affiliation will be deemed irrelevant. Sadly, these former politicians were allied with both the major parties, but since having left office, are now identified as “independents.” Of course, these “formers” no longer have the cojones to support their former affiliations, and won’t support the formal establishment of “third parties.” So, I have to chuckle, given that these “formers” realize that “racial and ethnics” will eventually own and manage the two major parties in the coming years.
9. Newt Gingrich’s financial largesse from Freddie Mac has now increased from $300,000 to upwards of $1.6 million, for being a “historian.” And Gingrich is now backing away from this “historical” effort. But he’s not a “lobbyist” or so he says. Obviously, being a member of Congress is now being viewed as a “minor league” and the next step up on this economic ladder is for becoming a “lobbyist” and this notional is coming forward into the public’s consciousness. Obviously, Gingrich’s “non-ideas” have considerable value.
10. TransCanada’s Keystone Pipeline will traverse Nebraska and to the Texas-based oil refineries. And what’s lacking in this “focus”? The oil will be sold into the international markets and with no salience of a benefit for the United States.
11. The Blue Dogs in the House have endorsed that balanced budget. Their numbers were reduced considerably last year and in next year’s election, the same is expected.
12. David Frum, former President Bush’s speechwriter has come forward and admitted that the war in Iraq was a mistake. That makes two from the Fourth Estate to admit to their errors in refusing to accept the then “unassailable” Facts.
13. In the weekend foreign policy debate, Mitt Romney was indeed reckless for saying, “If we re-elect Barack Obama, Iran will have a nuclear weapon…If you elect me as the next president, they will not have a nuclear weapon.” And no one on stage “called out” Romney for his criminal stupidity.
14. In attempting to make a silly argument, Fox News points to Article 28 of the Constitution. Of course, there is no Article 28 in the Constitution.
15. And thankfully, the week is almost over.
Posted on November 23, 2011
The Military Vet's Public Call for the SCOTUS Resignations
Earlier today, the United States Supreme Court rendered its decision on Arizona’s version of the Clean Elections Campaign law, and thusly overturned a federal appeals court, and done via an ideological/ political decision in which the richer candidates for elective office trumps the lesser-funded candidates, as well as the desires and wants of the general public in Arizona relative to including a panorama of worthwhile "Ideas" into our public discourse and eventually into our Rule of Law.
Consequently, Arizona’s public referendum and taken affirmatively at the ballot box, amply demonstrates that the SCOTUS decision is far more than just a mere reactionary's ‘overreach’ and it’s for this reason that we are calling for the public resignations of Chief Justice Roberts and his colleagues, Associate Justices Alito, Scalia, Thomas, and Kennedy. Thus, the decision’s focus on the cavalier dismissal toward Arizona's majority voters is deemed “contemptible” and which is an understatement when viewed from our perspective and from that of our peers.
To use an apt sports metaphor, the first strike occurred with Citizens United, followed by the second strike and that being their decision on Wal-Mart. And reversing the Clean Elections Campaign law of Arizonans is their third strike. To wit, “You’re out of here!”
Chicano Veterans Organization
Phoenix, Arizona
June 27, 2011
The Census Bureau and the Attendant Analytics
With the latest release of data from the Census Bureau, and as it pertains to Arizona, the majority of everyone under the age of 17, are Chicanos. This is the good news.
And even better good news is that the parents have not raised the sons and daughters, as well as their grandkids, to be either bigots or racists, or both.
Of course, our Tip of the Hat goes out to these Arizona parents for having the tenacity and fortitude for having demonstrated their good parenting skills over all these years..
And starting next year, these young adults will be voting for the first time in a presidential election. Now, comes the easier part and that's to mount an effective voter registration campaign.
And in equally good news is that in four years, Senator John McCain's senate seat will become vacant. Consequently, an African American, a Native American, or a Chicano, will be able to commence a serious and viable campaign for this presumptive vacant seat in the United States Senate.
Posted on March 11, 2011
Two "Unassailable" Facts and a Security Tax
When a military vet understands that Social Security taxes represent 42% of the budget receipts and that 39% of budget expenditures are for Social Security, Medicare and Medicaid, the obvious assesstment calls for a "security tax". Thusly, a Security Tax levied to pay for all those Pentagon corporate welfare programs, would point the citizenry to the real sources for waste and corruption.
And for these past twenty years, a latest and privately-funded educational assessment found that of all youngsters entering a public high school, only an approximate 50% ever graduate. In contrast, of students attending a 'private' high school, these students do gratuate at over 90 percent. And since this disparity has been ongoing for these past twenty years, add on another twenty years, and any adult--for not having attended a private high school--will be scrambling for a job that pays, at best, a minimum wage.
Given the demographic trends and the attendant 'hard' science, at some indeterimant point in time, the majority of our fellow citizens will be non-high school graduates. So, what will become the ultimate in the public policy response for addressing this future?
As best as I can determine, the major political parties will not likely respond appropriately until the rank and file within both political parties adopts the mantra for "toss the bums out" will anything change. Consequently, it's for this reason that the Chicano Veterans Organization continues to advocate for "empowering the Individual" and in keeping with our mantra for an "Academic-Military Draft".
From our Policy Board
An Academic-Military Draft
Over at the Atlantic Monthly Magazine, Stephen Burd is the author of “The Subprime Student Loan Racket” and he has an excellent recap of private educational institutions and their impact on the economically disadvantaged students and whom are attempting the achieve their respective American Dream. This Dream, obviously, no longer exists. Regardless, I encourage you to read Burd’s article since it is an eye-opener. This article is in the latest issue of the Atlantic Monthly and is easily found on the Internet.
However, we, here at the Chicano Veterans Organization, have a much better approach to achieving the American Dream, given our historical and successful experiences and ongoing efforts. Thus, we offer this solution in the form of an Academic-Military Draft.
And by way of background, in a discussion on academic standards and the potentiality of a serious devolution or a lessening of these ‘standards’, the economically disadvantaged comprise only 2.5% of the overall student population in our colleges and universities, and thusly, if this devolution were to in fact occur, others in the majority would be doing this “devolution”. Therefore, having to defend institutions of higher learning can become a bitch, if the opponents and whom favor less use of governmental taxpayer monies for education, can be beaten back, then, the notional for the “fiscal scold” is just that, a propagandistic delusion, since a lessening of educational spending improves the viability of even more tax cuts as perpetuated and personified by the political operatives residing on our national political spectrum, and known as the Right.
Consequently, lost in all the political bluster and blather relative to “empowering the individual” and for looking at education as an investment for the economic development imperative, is easily dismissed, but not by us in the Spanish-speaking community. And we, whom have demonstrated our experience for political sophistication for all these many years, our vision of the American Dream, will eventually make it into public policy, given our rapidly expanding demographics in the years to come. Equally important, is that reality informs and teaches that the respective Community of Chicanos, Native Americans, and African Americans, and taken together, we are from communities that are inherently progressive in Philosophy as well as in Thought and Action. Long story short, being “regressive” is for dummies.
And how will this “individualized empowerment” take place?
In any event, a high school drop out or a high school graduate can enlist for a three-year period. During this time frame, the enlistee will spend 50% of the time on the military mission and the remaining 50% of time will be spent on the academic mission. Thus, at the completion of this time frame, the enlistee will have completed the GED, if necessary, and go on to complete a two-year course of study and leading to an Associate of Arts Degree in General Studies.
Upon separation and with an honorable discharge in hand, the now former enlistee can walk down to any financial institution and borrow the requisite monies to complete his or her third and fourth year of academics at any college or university in America.
Now, what are the tangible and intangible benefits that will accrue to our national community? Consider the following:
1. At the completion of this military enlistment, there is no financial burden that has to be carried forward from having completed the enlistment as well as the Associate of Arts Degree.
2. Parents do not have to contend with the added pressure that comes from having to scrimp and save over many years in order to send a son or daughter to college.
3. The institutional dilemma for matriculation into a qualitative college or university is easily mitigated or overcome by the respective former enlistee due his or her having created a three-year history for the actualization of self-discipline and leading to many successes. And more so, since there is no “test” that exists in America and which can effectively measure “ambition.”
4. And for those enlistees desiring to make a career in the armed forces, each will be on the receiving end of an opportunity to attend our military academies. Consequently, our Elected and Appointed Officials will not have the need to intrude with their Letters of Support. As such, there is no continuing institutional legacy perpetuate as is now found in the current status quo, of the political sort.
5. Traditional programs for loans, grants, and scholarships, will be directed to the students attempting to acquire their third and fourth year of academics. And with the availability of more monies, graduation rates will increase, unsurprisingly.
6. Student services will become better focused on “unmet needs” than on perceived needs.
7. Of course, State Legislatures will face a two-pronged dilemma. A reduction in spending patterns for first and second year students will have to be addressed. And the follow-on choice will be to ‘target’ the expansion of public spending on the graduate schools of our public colleges and universities.
8. Given that our ongoing Schematic for Community Colleges has been a boon to the business community, this low-level technical training is not going to disappear, notwithstanding or despite the many and loud voices to the contrary.
In closing, we can easily envision that the two-fold objectives of the Schema for Community Colleges—matriculation to a four-year institution, and providing for the requisite low-level technical training, requires that the Community College and the attendant decision-makers, consider expanding this low-level training component where necessary to meet the needs found in our respective communities. However, a greater effort is going to be required to solve the drop out rate--ongoing efforts will not solve this dilemma or even come close to any achievable succes from the macro-perspective-- and the overall successes when it comes to increased graduation rates. To date, the usual and assorted decision-makers are neither addressing nor achieving our “unmet needs” in the Spanish-speaking communities all across America relative to our public policies. And this Academic-Military Draft does address our needs, effectively and efficiently when it comes to 'empowering the individual'.
From Our Policy Board
Universal Health Care: Four "options" Available To You
Whe it comes to separating the 'wheat from the chaff' I am sure that you have reached the following conclusions that I have, and if not, I will be unpleasantly surprised. To wit, the following:
1. Status Quo: This is the existing schematic for Corporate America's medical insurance policy. Currently, the 40 Republicans in the Senate are unwavering in their support for this existing paradigm and will NOT support anything else.
2. "Public Option": This is the "reform" schematic that a few 'centrist' Democrats are seeking in their misguided quest for a non-existing bipartisanship in the Senate. Again, the 40 Republican Senators have voiced their opposition to any 'public option' under the political cover for "bipartisanship" and which is being made available by these Democrats. Thus, instituting 'reform' will destroy competition.
3. "single-payer": This 'option' has been taken off the political table for obvious reasons, but in the House, a leading Democrat, John Conyers of Michigan, and the large swath of members residing in the Progressive Caucus, are undeterred while moving forward to round-up the requisite number of votes, and now have legislation available that the full House will be required to consider and decide, and which puts the Democratic Sentors in a tough spot relative to their constituency and voters, or for siding with Corporate America. Despite the traditional opposition expected by the Republican members, the House's Blue Dogs, will have to decide, either their fealty to all the Democratic Members in the House or instead, to Corporate America and with the implicit campaign contributions that can be expected or may have already arrived.
4. "expanding the VA's medical and hospital schematic": Here at the CVO and a few dogmatic Democrats and who continue to see "value" in Equality and Egalitarianism, hold strongly to our perspective and advocacy. However, no one, either in the Senate or the House, will advocate for our position. Thus, the Moral Mountain is too high too climb for the members of Congress.
And thusly, we are left with the notional that we are NOT victims of their disinterest or their abject neglect, but we are fortified in our belief that white America achieved its Era of Insanity and which has lasted now for over seven years or since 9-11. And we compare this "7 years" of time to a similar manner in which it will take white America to realize that achieving Equality and Egalitarianism via Universal Health Care, can only be done by expanding the VA's medical and hospital systemic and where the sole purpose of this overall effort of our's is premised on "medical care delivered."
At the end of the political day, and after counting your voice at the ballot box in 2010, you will be the decision-maker, provided your Elected Representative(s) is not participating in the notional that is our current and existing reality for "The best money in America can buy our Congress." In short, should you determine that your "needs" and "wants" must be contrasted with your self-interest, then, do do. If so, the large industries of insurance, big pharma and the medical doctors, will be incapable of convincing you to reject your unassailable self-interest.
Jaango
Lobbying Effort
The Chicano Veterans Organization will be establishing a "lobbying" effort in our nation's capitol. And should you have the desire to participate as well as contribute financially to this overall effort, please contact us. And keep in mind, all financial contrbutions will not be tax-exempt. Upon receipt of your email and the level of the financial contribution, we will contact you on a private basis, explain what is contemplated, and thusly, your opportunity to discuss in detail your area(s) of concern to be addressed. We look forward to hearing from you.
Jaango.