This could solve some problems, page 1

I guess the reason I won't give up on this is because i think we are heading for something equivalent to a civil war in the not too distant future. I am not sure how the distinctions will be drawn (who sides with whom) but there is an increasing polarization in this country. We simply do not hear cogent arguments in the press. We hear certain angles to the stories. We do not get the big picture. I have felt increaingly disenfranchised and mal-informed. My civics courses seemed to imply continuous improvement as time wore on, but I feel a sense of betrayal. However, I do not feel I should excuse myself from the debate. It keeps me energized. I am very disturbed about our foreign affairs in the middle east. We are heading to a war to distract us from the stealing of our liberties. It would seem to be common sense to have a domestic firm doing this work. Instead they are just increasing the level of anxiety here. Chertoff is turning into a bumbling howdy doody.

There have always been special interests trying to gain favor at the royal court. And there have always been influence peddlers near the seats of power. I accept all that although I think it has become extraordinarily overdone. To give you an example, lobbyists have increased in the DC area somewhere between 5 and 10 fold in the last 20 years. Now, even major universities use them to pen legislation so they get earmarked projects attached to funding appropriations. The President speaks against the system but he is a part of it. Congress will never change that. McCain is trying but I give him almost no hope. It is not in a legislator's interest to cut off the hand that feeds him. Abramoff was a middle man for much of this kind of activity. I hope the trial comes to something but now that the chief democrat, Harry Reid has been tainted, it has gotten very quiet.

When the major growth in government is the shadow government of contractors and their subs, lawyers, and lobbyists, and the civil service is left in many cases to process the il--gotten procurements that reflect the earmarks, there is something quite wrong. I know that the NASA budget which is about 16 billion a year has over a half billion in earmarks for projects that just steal away from the core program objectives. Shuttle safety, major satellite missions, research on global warming etc are all compromised. Furthermore, much of the core work is directed through language rather than specific earmarks. Program content is defined by political contributions. It is no accident that we are going to the Moon and Mars in our vision. That was to make Texas and Florida well for the next 30 years. Bush country. There will be 20000 people getting paid to do almost nothing for 3 years between mothballing one vehicle and test flying a replacement. But I should be quiet. The MD senator has bought into the plan so long as it does not impact her constituents here.

So we are all part of the matrix. I hate the drive to work every day. So I point fingers at the obvious follies. It is an outlet. Thanks for your indulgence.

I have thought a great deal about a third party. The existing two parties are stale. They sold out a long time ago. We need something new to set an example. Similar to what happened in Palestine recently. They got rid of the old order by winning the people over through grass roots work with the poor and unfortunate. I am not condoning the military end of their group. But we need a Mr. Clean party to put the other two on notice.

[edit on 27-3-2006 by NoGrinia]