Abuse of Power

Workers in our defense industry are directed to lie to protect classified data; lie to friends, family and even to the press. But Rove and Libby, and maybe Cheney and Bush, have twisted that direction into lying to protect "important" people (ie their friends). They have abused their power and position. They've violated instructions they signed and acknowledged, to protect classified information. They have lied and used that classified information to try and discredit or punish a political opponent. If any worker in our defense industry released protected information like Rove and Libby have done they would be in jail right now, but these people are abusing their position and they're using their position and power to protect themselves and their friends.

We shouldn't have a double standard for the rich and powerful.

Capitalism?

Does Capitalism have to be greed based? Is there some way to encourage entraprenurial behavior and encourage profit but also encourage community involvement and support and discourage greed and selfishness?

It seems like our system rewards greed and selfishness too much, or maybe reward is a bad word maybe encourages is a better word. It just seems like there is huge incentive for corporations and executives to try and maximize profits at all cost, and no incentive to give back to the community or planet?

Does it have to be that way? Couldn't we somehow encourage both profit and good business sense and also community awareness and responsibility, or is it inherent in a free market system that to survive in the market you must always win and to win you must maximize profits?

If we had a trickle up based tax and government susbsidy structure instead of trickle down? Instead of rewarding corporations with tax breaks that are trickled down to employees, maybe we should have a trickle up system. Give the people the tax breaks and let them designate them to the corporations they want. There would still be motivation for corporations to be a good business and make a profit, but there would also be rewards for community support? It may break down into a media or advertising mess where corporations would spend large amounts of capital to manipulate the public to get the designated tax break?

Choice is the Key

Choice is the key

and we really don't have any choice in the current system. The dems and reps really aren't that much different and since the system is controlled by corporate money which ever party gets in things aren't going to change much.
Another problem with a two party system is that regardless of who wins or loses, there's one winner and the other group is a loser. So the winner claims that they have a "mandate" to implement their ideas regardless of how slim their margin of victory was.

IF there was a multi party system then political parties would be forced to work together, form alliances, cooperate and compromise to get things done, and the result would probably be more to the liking of more people.
The current system is broken and doesn't work. The main point is that decisions and choices need to be made based on what is the right thing to do and what is the best choice for the long term and NOT what is going to make the most people the most profit the soonest

Obviously, I'm bitter and jaded. It bothers me that it appears that my only viable options are to turn off, tune out, and drop out. It feels like giving up.

We should try to be positive and just bitching isn't accomplishing much, on the other hand it all does seem a bit hopeless, big money is very entrenched in the current system and they like it and they make a lot of money from it, so they are going to be very very opposed to ever letting the system be changed.

I think we do need stay positive and be productive, I just don't believe that voting or being involved in government or politics falls into that category.
I believe we need to concentrate on local communities and ignore government when and where we can. I'm not advocating anarchy in any way, what I believe we need is community and not government.

Some interesting Web sites

Josh Simpson Glass Art; very cool blown glass art, I especially like the "planets"!


Megalithic UK, very cool site with lots of information and maps about ancient sites all around the UK; standing stones, stone circles, barrows, etc.

William Gibson - Pattern Recognition
http://www.williamgibsonbooks.com/books/pattern.asp

Supreme Court Justice?

Does it make any sense to have a Supreme Court Justice who has NEVER ever worked or served as a judge?

Defense Industry workers

If anyone working in the American defense industry, who has a clearance or has signed documents promising to protect data and information and acknowledging the penalties and consequences of any disclosure of that information, did what Karl Rove did they would be in jail. Why do governement officials or bureaucrats believe they are above the rules and the laws?