Kinkikali

Pak it in

Earlier this summer, the US  Secretary of State Hillary R Clinton tripped over to Pakistan.  She came loaded down with gifts for Pakistan.  These gifts, worth hundreds of millions, are to keep Pakistan in line and on our side.  Much of it was and is for “water projects”.  Given the arid state of Pakistan, “water projects” have a useful ring to it.  But just this week, the weather turned rough and the rains came.  Pakistan now sits in deep flood.  It is kind of interesting that one day “water projects” are announced and then within an omen’s twist “water projects” are all down stream, all under the bridge.

The Four Fems

No matter what your viewpoint is of the political process, the November 2010 Mid-term elections should be a hoot and a holler, with hopefully a minimum of gunfire.  Here in NH, there are plenty of races worth watching.

And I think NH will soon have an all female delegation…

Below are my predictions, with the usual mushy commentary…

House 1:  I give Carol-Shea another term.  Her original campaign was the original tea-party type–fired up about Hurricane Katrina and party underdog.  She has made no big whoops.  And she has made getting veterans local health care her flagship cause.  Any Republican/Conservative picking a fight with her will have to put up or shut up on supporting our dear suffering veterans.

House 2:  With an open seat this will be like  playing hockey and basketball on the same field. Katrina Swett will put up a feisty and smart campaign.  She will face Jennifer Horn who will beat Charlie Bass.  Not that she strays beyond the talking points, but because she is newer and fresh.  Charlie has had too much time in congress to get another chance.  Katrina v. Jennifer ought to full of fury and foam.  Jennifer will win by having never set foot in DC.

Senior Senator: I know Jeanne Shaheen is not up for re-election, but she will have a split delegation—all filled with strong willed women.  Tragically will alone does not bring back Happy Times.  I hope she can bring unity because unity comes in awful handy in awful times.

Junior Senator: Paul Hodes will be the sacrificial goat for the sins of Obama.  Meanwhile Kelly Ayotte will beat her male opponents after a bruising, hurting, and wearing race. But she will be the “establishment” pick with an anti-establishment mandate.  She will have the courage to blow the whistle on her fellow Republicans/Conservatives when they engage or had engaged in the same behavior they complain about.  She will resign within a year saying (about Congress) “They no longer do the people’s business, but business’s business…and they have lobbyists for that”

November Revolution

Since 2001, national politics has become progressively more contentious and complex.  The coming mid-term elections are already described in “line in the sand” terms.  Unfortunately there is no national consensus—just groups of hell for leather and bunker mentality interests.  Trust exists only within “the tribe”.

And there is zero patience.  So the Democrats get the proverbial boot.  Republicans take over, but then what?  Will they stand by their promises or will hopes be burst like plenty of recent bubbles.

Voters will stew knowing nothing has changed in the positive direction.  There are vague alternatives–but again can bravado translate to practical solutions.  Our troubles, especially financial, are too deep and widespread.  It has taken decades to degrade the low and middle class.  They are stripped of all but defiance and anger.

This leads to long term questions about democracy competency. 

Unfortunately institutions in America are pretty well sullied and younger generations are none to pleased with current and especially future state of affairs.  There are some ok folks running for office, but the prospects don’t look good.  Many candidates are so virulently “anti-government” that one wonders why they are running for something they hate.

Since severe financial disruptions has left so much in the air, now would be the time to deep think how to re-arrange the things we once considered permanent, before they are thrust upon us by those who find elections no longer enough to sustain democracy.

Firestarters

The recent healthcare debate was fiery.  There was a vocal conservative side of politics that kept calling for stopping the democratic monster at “any and all costs”.  Media commentaters fed off the this and added fuel to the flames.  Then the “masses” got involved stoking politicans and commentaters.  Pretty soon the firestorm built—feeding off each other in frenzy.

Now there is a lull.

Some are calling for “pulling back from radicalism”.  But I have heard few of the commenataters step back and APOLOGIZE for encouraging “any cost”.  It is nice to be impassioned, committed to one’s cause.  But commentaters have RESPONSIBILITIES (Bulldog and Jack).

Back in 2001 the conservative movement was all out for blood “to avenge” Chandra Levy.  All summer that was the focus.  Then while the Republicans were setting the grill up for Congressman Condit a few dozen Arabs decided the friendly sky.  What was worse than witchhunting for the people’s visit was how quickly Chandra Levy was dropped as Golden Victim on 9/12.

Wars start because of emotions run wild.  Genocides are perpetrated because moderate thought gets left in the gutter–dead.  Word has it that the Rwanda genocides were in a large part because of local media firebranding.

“At all costs”, political revenge, holier than thou attitude…nice paved highways to hell folks.  It just seems the two sides of political aisle are raising the stakes—at great cost to country and dignity.  Meanwhile the masses simmer in their discontent. Slippery slopes people.  If you hate your fellow Americans than you hate your “enemies” than we all fall down.

United States of Semitica

The Middle East is a part of the world with a violent rap sheet ages long–lots of boiling oil to fight over.  And then there is the land. Nothing is straightforward in this land of milk and honey.  The main conflict is described as Jews versus Arabs.  Of course the Jews are a religious group and the Arabs are a linguistic group—apples and oranges and reason enough there is no feng shui balance.

Taking the old patriarch route let the Solomon method, sort things out.  Divide the disputed Holy Land into two “states”.  That way each can claim ownership as land title seems more important than eternal peace.  Jerusalem will be under International control.  The new entity will be called United States of Semitica.  “Semitica” or rather the Semitic language family is what unites these quarreling cousins.  And the idea is to find unity, not wanton apartheid.  Each state will be self governing.  A ruling council of thirds (Arabs, Hebrews, and Internationals) will handle larger national and international affairs.  From them, one of each group will be part of a three person ruling junta (President, Prime Minister, Foreign Minister).  All three thirds will of course have their own sub political divisions, left to right—so the choice will be, from top to bottom, cooperate or collapse.

Getting peace out of 4,000 year old desert spat will take extreme courage and lots of bullet biting.  But otherwise what value is peace when peace is not valued?

China Cash-out

2011, the Hiroshima Hilton.  Obama, Clinton, Boenher, and retired Judd Gregg sit mournfully at the table. Oriental decor abounds.  The group has just returned from the Gulf where the oil states has just painfully extracted from the US delegation precious monies as part of payment on demand loans America so breezly accumulated.  The process was bitter, painful, and yet some what muted by towel headed dsicretion.

But not now.  This event was clear and transparent. On the wall was a giant map of the Pacific.  The Chinese marched in.

China announced it wanted to collect, all, everything. Protests erupted. China rolled out a simple “compromise”.  China will not ask for more than 50% of the total loans.  And China will “forgive” the rest of the debt FOR…

And then they rolled out some names  Midway, Outer Hawaiian Islands, Palmyra Island, Howland Island, Wake Island…most of America’s Pacific territories (and their zones of control) AND most of the Aleutian Islands–also to be transferred in perpetuity to the People’s Republic—OR the transference of 95% of the US Fleet including all but small coastal vessels and rescue and research vessels.  It was a tough no-win call.  Loss of US territory was bad, but in the Aleutians!.

So we signed.  Our debt and debt services burden lowered.  But overnight the Chinese were all over the Pacific.  And the Chinese ruled the waves.  Anti-Chinese sentiment rose to rabid heights.

Mitt to Haiti

Mitt Romney, former contender in the 2008 Presidential Olympiad, is known as Mr. Fixit.  He rescued companies, states, and Olympic games.  Despite his crippling good looks and bloated personal wealth, Mitt has himself a golden opportunity to set himself up for the next presidential race.

Haiti, a disaster with a disaster, is just about as bad as it gets.  Perfect for a go to guy with chin and muscle.  Bring your family.  Their fashionable good looks would beautify by mere presence.  But the Romneys bring more impressive ivories.  They have family teamwork and solid Christian values.

And then there is the money.  Not that it won’t end up in some foundation anyway.  Why not cut loose a slab of millions.  Show your mettle Mitt.  If you rescue Haiti think of accolades—Mitt the Messiah of Haiti.

People, the voting public, would be sold on your boldness and executive nerve—-you would be unbeatable.  But you need to get going.  Time and opportunity are wasting (as well as scores of human lives).

1% Success

Since 2001 the United States has been involved in two major wars as part of a world wide of nebulous nature. Despite pouring immense amount of treasure, among other resources tangible and intangible, we have not been able to link effort to long term success.

Looking back historically the wars we won came from full effort or “total war”. Despite one third for, one third against, and one third apathetic, we won the Revolution after 8 long years,  The War of 1812 was won in part because our war was part of a wider war—and even then many Americans and parts of America sat out the war.

The Indians Wars were uneven.  Despite this it took three bouts to make the Seminoles cry uncle.  The Apaches and Sioux were long term headaches.  The Spanish-American War and Philippine Insurrection were more uneven conflicts—yet costs, mostly financial, were easily burdened.

Both the World Wars were “total war” affairs.  America went full bore.  And even in the most complex Second World War, America made short order of the duece and a half threats.

Korea was a stalemate and Vietnam was a checkmate.  In both cases America took a more comfortable tact towards the wars faced.  And if the military was retarded in Vietnam, the Home Front never got out of the easy chair.

As I said above, we are coming on the decade anniversary of this war.  I would be curious to compare our expenditures to our enemies.  Not only do I suspect our body count ratios look bad, but our financials must be far much worse.

Despite our efforts the wars are being fought by less than 1% of the US population.  Are we doing it right? Are we placing technology, the darling of the last two decades, on such a “never fail” pedestal that we are losing wars.  Is it too late to harness the best of America’s resources, human and otherwise, to go all out and get the job done.

Technology has brought much, but it is no end all panacea for this complex war.  Nor does money solve matters.  We may be able to hold any line, except the bottom line.

The Twin Towers were a symbol of All Conquering Capitalism.  Unfortunately that same decade the captains of commerce not only destroyed lives worldwide, but they came close to destroying the very capitalism that brought them to the position of high and mighty.  Tyco, Enron, Madoff…were not commies with AK-47s.  Yet they did not lay patriotism ahead of profits.

Are we going to repeat ourselves? We had three rounds with the Seminoles.  Will we have to do Iraq Take 3?  1% seems awfully small of effort for the job at hand. Playing the percentages—is a very dangerous margin to bet on.

Deadlock Deadlock

America can ill afford more silliness from its egotistical “leaders”.  Know your history you of short sight and low bearing. Smug belligerency, schoolyard ethics, and blind complacency are ingredients for a very p.o.’d public.  Play games with our destinies at your own peril.  Common sense goes with common courtesy.  And if raising the ante is all that matters then I ache for future generations, should they be lucky enough to have some some sort of one.  Show some backbone and maturity—for yourselves if not for others.

Comeback Coalition

Back in the early 1990’s when the US economy was plugged like a backed-up toilet, there was in NH an organization known as the Comeback Coalition.  They were led by businesses that urged we consumers to purchase our way out of recession.  Like a flock of spasy cheerleaders they played the positive card game.  I’d love a job with them–if they are hiring.  Odds are they are not.  Nope even now “good news” comes coated with dumpster drippings.  Less bad is good. Speculative minutia becomes the trend.  And wishful vocalizing become “honest to God” truth.  Come on back Comeback Coalition.  You are desperately needed, if not cordially unwanted.