A New Political Platform

Free time and imagination can be the spark of something wonderful or something dangerous:

I imagine a country...

• where any one is free to do what ever they want to, that does not infringe on the rights of others
• where personal religious beliefs or lack of belief has nothing to do with politics, other than to inform your personal values
• where difference of opinion is beneficial to discussion and finding a solution, rather than a reason to call people names
• where money is not the most important thing in life
• where believing war is the last possible option is one of the best ways to support the troops
• where being poor is not all your fault - nor all someone else's
• where our surplus food gets to those who do not have enough
• where we don't treat environmentalism as polar opposite to business
• where we have the freedom of speech, but have the respect and decency not to say some things
• where everyone has access to those things that can advance their quality of life and that of their children
• where we treat all people around the world with respect, decency, and patience; even if in some cases they may not show the same
• where we learn to cooperate with other nations of the world rather than always ensuring that we are #1
• where education is not treated as some terminal disease with no hope of a cure
• where all citizens are given the same rights to vote, elect their officials, and govern their local areas; and where businesses don't have unlimited means to only champion their cause
• where politicians believe again in doing things for the greater good, not for continued employment or for future talking fees
• where no one feels the need to refer to someone as Hitler
• where the wealthier members of society can see the greater benefit of social programs which assist those who are poorer

Earth Day 2012

Happy post-Earth Day!

Yes - Earth Day.

It was yesterday.

1 Billion people participated...or if you were on the National Mall, 40 people.

Granted it was cold and pouring. And I am sure there were thousands watching the live stream from the comfort of their homes. But it was somehow telling of the stalling out of the environmental movement that 10 years ago seemed to have no limit.

Now Earth Day celebrations are enjoyed from people in their central heated homes, high speed internet connections and electric coffee makers. And I don't mean to imply that I am above it.  I would have rather have been inside all things considered.  I only wanted to attend to see a short film that I had made which was played during the lineup.

In a society which is somehow finding itself believing LESS in human-contributed global warming (People Press Global Warming link) and LESS in evolution (Nat Geo Evolution Link) it feels like there is a conscious backslide in scientific based facts and more upon political-influenced beliefs.

And even Earth Day feel somehow seems a little more muted than ever before.

It shouldn't even come down to a case of faith that it might be wise to take steps to preserve parts of our world. If God put it here, we should preserve it for His sake. If it is all a wonderful miracle of nature then it should be preserved so that it is not wiped out.

In any case, the environment and the things in it are something we all share. We all want to live in comfort and we want to provide for our children.  These things do not need to be mutually exclusive.  If everyone were to change one or two habits, our world could be a little nicer place.  Even God would approve of that.

Catfight Fever

Let me just start with the fact that I am not in agreement with Ted Nugent.  I also find his way of voicing his opinions to be disgusting and ignorant.

But, seriously, why do liberals care what he says?  Why did they whine about Hank Williams, Jr's comments about President Obama?  He seriously lost his job because of those comments?  I personally think he is wrong, but really?

Or to flip the coin, the recent comments by Hilary Rosen, who only by hearing from the blowback is apparently a Democratic pundit.  She said that Ann Romney has never done a day of work in her life.  To which everyone lost their ever living mind.

Is this really the point that we have gotten to in this country where outrage needs to be thrown around at every comment whether it is actually controversial or not.  Hilary Rosen's point was not even that controversial, but a little spin and it seems like she is saying that moms never do any work.  But she herself is a mom!

This bickering is not a real thing.  Please understand this.  It is pumped up fodder on the parts of all news networks, no matter their political bent.  Its like the gossipers in high school who conflate offhand comments in the hope of a fight breaking out.  Are you not entertained?

How is any of this news - or noteworthy at all.  Conservatives don't like Obama.  Liberals don't like Romney.  Yup.  That's great.

Can we have the election already?

Or maybe try to figure out some of the problems we face today.  Yelling about Obamacare as being bad, does not address the issue of...what do you do with our awful state of healthcare.  Repealing the Department of Education...ok...now what?  How does this help or hurt education?

Does anyone actually have a plan out there other than tax breaks or raises on the wealthy?  Because that seems to be the central issue somehow, which to me is WAY low on my priority list.

So maybe instead of seizing on juicy words of irrelevant people (or even the relevant ones) maybe we just actually ask (and hold them to) questions about how one candidate or another actually intends to make this country better.