“1984” Is Just a Matter of Time

“1984” was a fiction written by George Orwell in 1948 and published in 1949.  It is about a man living in a distorted world in the future where government knows everything and controls everything.  Televisions not only bring you pictures but have cameras that are watching every action you take.  Those televisions are everywhere.  The population only knows what is dispersed by the government media.  Wars in far away countries are only reported by the government.

 

When you go to the bank and your deposit or withdrawal is greater than $5,000 it is reported to the government.  To control what you eat trans-fats are now banned.  In all of South Los Angeles no new fast food restaurants will be permitted.  Your television and computer are updated with the latest operations information and controls but you do not know that this has happened.  The operators of the cable systems and computer networks know what you are doing on your computer and what programs you are watching on television.  The telephone company knows who you have been calling and who has called you.  The IRS knows how much you earned last year and by what means even if you did not file a 1040 form.

 

What part of the first paragraph and the second paragraph are accurate?  The first paragraph is only about the book “1984.”  Or is that correct?  The second paragraph is real facts in the United States in 2008.  Is that correct?

 

Was George Orwell only wrong about the dates?  Winston Smith was confused but I am not. Wait a minute. Was the first paragraph really all fiction? Is the telephone company really monitoring all calls? How did the social security office know who my wife is and when she was born? Am I dreaming? Why are there bars on my windows? Where am I, WHERE AM I?

An Incompetent Government

Republicans always told us that those Democrats are only going to devastate America by spending too much money, creating too much bureaucracy, and destroying the American way of life.  So George W. Bush was elected president.

 

What did we get in return?                                                                                          

• The highest debt in America’s history (there was a surplus in the year 2000 but now the debt has grown by $5trillion).
• We have a war that most Americans now believe needs to be ended but the president and his men/women (including John McCain) want an undefined victory before withdrawing.             
• The city of New Orleans was devastated by Hurricane Katrina but no aid was sent to its victims (the president sat in a meeting where he was advised of the coming storm but did nothing).                                                                                                                           
• A year after the worst U.S. bridge collapse occurred and no work has been done to check or reinforce any other bridges throughout the country.
• One of the worst financial disasters in history has impacted our nation (bank closures and home foreclosures have impacted many Americans).
• Inflation for 2008 to date is 4.28%.  It was 3.38% for all of the year 2000.
• Gasoline has now has reached a new high this year and there is no indication that $3.00 a gallon fuel will ever return.
• Limits on stem cell research.
• Unlimited entry of illegal aliens.
• High cost of medical care.

How many more items can you add to this list?

 

John McCain wants us to believe that his “Country First” theme will address any of these issues.  Take just one issue, healthcare, and you quickly understand that he has no clue about paying for the cost and obtaining reliable coverage.  This one statement from his web site says it better than I

John McCain Will Reform The Tax Code To Offer More Choices Beyond Employer-Based Health Insurance Coverage. While still having the option of employer-based coverage, every family will receive a direct refundable tax credit – effectively cash – of $2,500 for individuals and $5,000 for families to offset the cost of insurance. Families will be able to choose the insurance provider that suits them best and the money would be sent directly to the insurance provider. Those obtaining innovative insurance that costs less than the credit can deposit the remainder in expanded Health Savings Accounts.

 

Barack Obama has many fine ideas but he unrealistically believes that the lobbyists will all bow to his wishes.  Whether it is health insurance, reducing the unbelievably high debt or the myriad of other issues, the many interest groups will block most of his well intentioned plans.

Socialism For The Rich, Free Markets For The Poor

These are not my words.  They were the words of Adrian Woodridge of The Economist on “Fareed Zakaria GPS”, broadcast on CNN.  John Médaille has written a similar post on his blog < http://distributism.blogspot.com/2007/08/socialism-for-rich-capitalism-for-rest.html>. There was a commentary in a Los Angles Time blog and another at alternet.org. <http://www.alternet.org/story/92426/the_u.s._economy_is_socialism_for_the_rich/>They are so very true.

 

The George W. Bush administration has done an outstanding job of giving breaks to the rich at the expense of the rest. 

 

The most glaring example is the income taxes paid by the wealthy of Wall Street (or wherever they live).  These people receive their pay in the form of capital gains <

http://whippersnapper.wordpress.com/2008/05/11/capital-gains-facts/ >.  Capital gains are taxed at 15%.  The consequence is that a couple earning $100,000 per year as the result of wages pays taxes at the 25% rate.  That same couple earning their income from capital gains pays 15%.

 

From the Citizens for Tax Justice:

• In 2005, the wealthiest 1 percent of Americans received almost 70 percent of all long-term capital gains—and paid 72 percent of the tax on these capital gains.

 

• The wealthiest 10 percent of taxpayers enjoyed 90 percent of the capital gains eligible for this special tax break.

 

• The poorest sixty percent of Americans, by contrast, collectively received just 2 percent of the capital gains eligible for the lower capital gains rates.

 

This situation is nothing compared to the bail out of big corporations.  Bear Sterns is the best example of an action by the government to protect all of us less fortunate.  Freddie Mac and Fannie Mae might well be saved by the government buying stock in those companies.  In all three of these instances it was the Federal Reserve and the Treasury Department contending that they are saving home owners and other small investors from a crisis that will make their actions seem well worthwhile.  There has been talk of saving General Motors and/or Ford if the U.S. government finds it necessary.

 

Then there are the federal subsidies.  The U.S, government subsidizes many industries.  Farming is one of the oldest.  The government subsidizes corporate farmers as well family farms. There are subsidies going to oil companies for adding ethanol to gasoline and the latest are the subsidies for renewable energy.  I once worked for a company that manufactured solar panels and they received a federal subsidy.

 

The answer is a new kind of federal government that really does concern itself with the rest of us.  The problem is that most Americans believe in their government.  They believe the U.S. government can do no wrong.  That is probably the reason that John McCain will be elected president.  He seems like one of us.  He seems like a good guy.   He has government experience too.

Barack Obama’s Presumptuous Speech

Mr. Obama’s speech in Berlin was, to use on his own wording, audacious.  I would use the word chutzpa.  I like the man because he is so well spoken.  John McCain will never be as adept as Barack Obama in delivering a speech.  My problem with him is that he told us that on his trip to Iraq, the Middle East, and Europe he would be listening.  Giving a political speech in Berlin was inappropriate for an American presidential candidate.

 

Yes, he did speak in Israel but it was for the purpose of reassuring Israelis that he would support that nation.  The speech in Berlin was similar to many of the rousing campaign speeches he has presented throughout his race to obtain the Democratic Party nomination.  Do Berliners care?  They were probably curious about his views and he has taken on a star quality and they wanted to hear him and perhaps obtain a picture.  It’s as if he might appear on German television in their version of Access Hollywood.

 

Barack Obama needs to return to the United States and focus on the economy.  He needs to tell us details of his plans to restore the jobs and wealth that many American have lost during the past eight years.  He needs to tell us precisely how he will deal with the growing energy crises and the world environmental crises.  That means no vague “yes we can” mottos.     

The Gangs of Los Angeles

The problem of gangs in Los Angeles has reached a point that it has finally received the attention it should have received decades ago. Black Street Gangs in Los Angeles: A History is a new book being written by Alex Alonso, PhD Candidate, describes gangs in 1940. Why has it taken so long? I believe there are three reasons. First we have constant coverage of the news on television. Second the internet is an opportunity to spread the word of everything happening. Third the middle class public has become upset enough to voice its concern to the city council.

We have had the benefit of many studies in just the past few years that have yielded no action by the city. The most well publicized studies were by Connie Rice, a civil rights attorney and a second report complied by Laura Chick, city controller.

The mayor, who was a gang member himself in his teen years, certainly knows what gangs are all about. He has appointed a “gang czar”, who also has gang fighting experience to head the city’s new effort. Considering this is a problem that is over 60 years old this anti-gang effort will be long and hard.

Tessa Charnofsky, a dedicated social worker in the mayor’s office and part of the gang reduction program, wrote this to me about gangs.

The Gang Reduction, Youth Development program will address the core causes of gangs. In fact, the largest portion of these dollars will go towards prevention programming at parks, schools, and community centers, and will include parenting programs. There will also be dollars for gang intervention and re-entry programming.
What is new about these dollars is that they are targeting the areas hardest hit by gang activity and so services will be more intense in those areas. Outcomes and results will also be closely tracked.

I cannot comment on the parcel tax except to say that existing dollars do not nearly cover the need in this city. Where I live, for instance, there are tagging crews, poverty, and lots of kids roaming about with not much to do. But there has not been a shooting in many years. So, there is no funding for prevention programs.

It would make sense to have programming throughout the city to effectively prevent these kids from getting drawn in.

The city wants to add a $36 parcel tax to fight gangs. It will be on the November ballot. Should I vote for this?

Political Parties Matter

On July 14, 1933, Adolf Hitler’s Nazi Party officially declared itself the only political party in Germany and outlawed the formation of any other parties.  Hitler had already become Chancellor of Germany and the Reichstag building, home of the German parliament, had burned. Everyone in the world should have known that something very terrible was evolving.

 

Throughout America’s history we have had many different political parties that have provided our nation with a wide range of opinion.  From the Federalists and Anti-Federalist to today’s Democratic and Republican parties that variation of opinion has made our country safe and strong.

 

Despite our differences the nation has evolved.  Founders of this country could not foresee the 21^st century any more than we can know the future of our world even 50 years from now.

Our differences of opinion make us a stronger nation.  A friend who says he won’t vote in the next election is incorrect in that decision.  It is our participation that makes this country strong. Blogging is our 21^st century way of making this country a real democracy.

What’s Wrong with the Middle?

Please go to my commentary on the Huffington Post.  I view this posting on a major BLOG to be a milestome in my blogging. 

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/don-evans/moving-uphill-to-the-midd_b_112764.html

Your interest and comments are appreciated.

Reverend Jesse Jackson And The Past

View the movies “Gentleman’s Agreement” or “To Kill a Mocking Bird” and you understand the attitude of many White Christian Americans in the 1960s and earlier times.  I myself, as a Jew born in 1939, experienced discrimination as early as the age of 10 and heard negative remarks as late as the 1980s.

 

Jesse Jackson came from that time of hatred and fear.  He and Louis Farrakhan are both from that same era.  Both of them are foolish old men that really do not understand how much the world has changed.  I know that I have trouble accepting this new world.  I know that poor Latinos and Blacks are still hating and killing each other but the people involved are diminishing in numbers quite rapidly.

 

Barack Obama is part of this new society that really does live up to the dreams of Reverend Martin Luther King Jr.  Obama’s lectures to Blacks about taking responsibility is correct.  Obama is not running for president as the Black candidate.  He is running as the change candidate.  He keeps saying he is running as president for all Americans.  I believe him.  That does not mean I am voting for him.  I will judge him based upon his qualifications and his views on the affairs effecting America. Everyone reading this should do the same.  

Selecting the Next President of the U.S.A.

I take this very seriously.  The world is filled with so many challenges.  The next president must be wise enough to bring this nation around many obstacles.  Just because John McCain was a committed soldier and showed extraordinary bravery does not necessarily qualify him to be our President.  Likewise, Barack Obama’s opposition to the Iraq War or his support for change in government is not specific reasons to select him to be President. 

 

Those two leading candidates need to address real issues and offer specific solutions.  The issues are many but to date their ideas have been vague.

 

I want answers to these questions listed below but I fear that neither of these men will give me the specifics that I and most Americans want to hear.  The questions are grouped from international issues to domestic issues but are in no particular order except perhaps in the order of what I am most concerned about.

 

• How will you end the Iraq War and bring home all of our troops?
• How will you deal with the Islamic terrorist threats?
• How will you stop nuclear proliferation and specifically Iran’s apparent effort to obtain atomic weapons and ensure that North Korea doesn’t re-start their programs?
• What are you plans regarding global warning?
• What is your plan to address the energy crises?
• What is your plan to address the lack of health care in America?
• What are your plans to address the economic challenges facing most Americans?
• What do you intend to do to correct the obvious imbalances in our income tax code?
• What are your plans for social security and medicare?
• What is your plan to rebuild America’s deteriorating infrastructure?
• How will you save American jobs?
• How will you address the issue of illegal immigration?
• What is your position on abortion?
• What is your position on polygamy?
• What is your position on protecting the Bill of Rights?

No Blogging on July 4

As you read these blog entries you might reach the conclusion that I have nothing else to do.  That would be an incorrect conclusion.  Being semi-retired has taken me out of the daily business environment that I lived on for over 40 years.  I do miss those staff meetings and the thrill of a job well done.  I now have a less than successful business as a legal document assistant.

 

 

I am active in local politics, square dance at least once a week, tutor in computer use weekly, do some of the work around the house that was neglected for years, and travel to interesting places both local and long distant.

 

 

Yesterday was no exception.  My wife and I traveled with a seniors group to Long Beach and Newport Beach Balboa Island (the island is actually a peninsula) http://www.balboapavilion.com/ .  The twenty some crowd was very large, probably in the thousands.  They were walking, skate boarding, and bicycling everywhere.  The Ferris wheel and merry-go-round were very busy.  The old ferry, it takes two cars across the bay, is still operating.

 

 

We rode the in the Catalina Flyer around the bay and returned home at 1:30 a.m.  The traffic leaving was worse than getting there.  It took two hours to leave that small town.

 

 

The fireworks display (seen from the Catalina Flyer) was as good as you could imagine and the people on the trip were interesting.

 

Now if I could just get the Balboa Pavilion Today web site to appear here.  Who can tell me how to do that? 

 

 

Balboa Pavilion Today