“we”

The word “we”; such a simple word, yet probably the most misused and misunderstood word in the English language. It is an inclusive word, and, at the same time, a very limiting, elitist word.

I just did a quick read of my new issue of Foreign Policy Magazine, and the word “we” started jumping off the page at me. I sat back and contemplated how the public, in general, has come to accept this word in our common vernacular. It dawned on me that American’s acceptance of usage has become a problem not only here at home, but also abroad.

At home and abroad, “we” is used to boost someone’s self-image while attempting to include themselves in important issues, or decisions; this is most evident with our news media outlets. The oft heard phrases “we need to know more”, or “we have to see how this all plays out” is simply one person trying to elevate themselves into the company of those who really do need to know more, or see how things play out.

I wonder who “they” are talking about when “they” ask and/or tell me:

v we just have to do something about poverty

v we can win this election

v we need to know what Occupy Wall Street really means

v we can’t make a move, until we find out more on who’s in charge in Libya

v we have to something about the Iranian situation

The list goes on, and on.

I’m still wondering who the Hell “we” are.

I’m still wondering why the Hell “we” need to know all this stuff.

I’m still wonder what “we” would do if “we” came up the answers.

I’m still wondering why “we” need to be involved in all these situations. Why do “we” need to constantly be a the beck and call of the rest of the World to solve everyone else’s problems? I think “we” need to reconsider the use of “we” and return it to its proper place in our use of the English language.

The next throw down in Congress

Well, here we go again. We’re coming up on another “Debt Ceiling” throw down in Congress. Yes, that’s right. We are now closing in on those 14.5 Trillion dollars. I swear this one number is going to the hole in the ship we can’t repair. Unfortunately, we’ve run out of folks to call who in the past have picked up the tab on a large chunk of our National debt.

Somewhere along the line, this has to end. Either we stop spending, or we go into default. Neither option is anything we would normally sign up for, but we simply don’t have any other peaceful means of solving this situation. Notice the word “peaceful”.

The wonderful folks down in Washington, D.C. have an uncanny way of forgetting the past, so they can blindly and gleefully repeat it. The fact that we’ve been fighting and shooting at someone for the last seventy years, I suppose the third, uncontainable scenario will inevitably play out. No, we aren’t going to start World War III. Our Government will find a way to deplete the vast stocks of weaponry and ammunition in order to justify replacing both categories. This, in turn, guarantees a sizeable increase in the manufacturing of our implements of war.

Note to Young folk:   Learn how to make something, anything, with your own two hands. Design Engineers and Machinists are going to at a premium with more weight going to the Machinists.

I don’t believe that President Obama would go that route. I do believe a dyed-in-the-wool Conservative Republican would. To be sure, Little Richard Cheeney will be behind our next march into insanity. If you value your life, and the lives of your Countrymen, this is one man who will stop at nothing to take your life, or the lives of your Countrymen.

This thing we do every four years, a Presidential Election, is upon us this year and there is obviously a lot at stake. Every Government Program we have come to love, or hate, is going to be on the table and open to change and/or abolition. There may even be some sort of referendum concerning another amendment to the Constitution of the United States. The mere fact that corporations are now “people”, with all the same rights and entitlements, is sure to make this Election very interesting.

Whether you vote for the winning Presidential candidate, or not, is not going to make a big difference. It will be the “behind the scenes” deals and shenanigans that you need to keep an eye on. Of course, you may not be able to keep an eye on these things, as they happen out of the Public’s view, and become common knowledge only if the powers that be deem them worthy of our feeble minds.

Probably, the one best thing any of us can do is to pay attention. I realize that most of us are so broke we can’t pay attention, but somehow we have to try. I’m going to attempt to use the logical left side of my alleged brain, not the emotional right side, when casting my vote. Looks like this year your vote really is going to count!

Get the money out of politics 101:

So, you want to get the money out of Politics?

Almost everyone in the Country has a unique take on this subject and some of them will actually contribute to the “Cause”. There is a way of doing this that not too many folks have been talking about.

Imagine, if you would, a campaign season that lasted a maximum of six months. (The Brits do it in six weeks.) How about a Constitutional Amendment that would have all this mud-slinging over and done in one third the time time it takes now? The “big money” might not have enough time to envelope the selection process. Certainly, the Lobbyists would be limited in the time they could spend trying to sow their seeds.

While we’re at it, why don’t we put a low, but reasonable, dollar amount on all elected positions. Form the President down to the local Dog Catcher we could set limits that force the candidates to interact with their constituency instead of hiding behind all the glossy advertisements. With the garrauntee of a short and sweet time frame, the Public would be more inclined to get involved, and some of the current cynisim would flow out of our veins.

Of course, this means overturning the Supreme Court decision on Corporate and Foreign funding of campaigns (the “Citizens United” case). No small feat, you say? This will be accomplished by the “Occupy” movement; after all, look at what they have done to date, and they could use some firm direction to keep the fires burning.

One and a half years is entirely too much time to spend on “getting to know you” Political campaigns. That time frame openly invites money and corruption. It may only take changes in Federal, State, and Local Election Laws. If this is the case, the whole process can be finished over night. We do need the Politicians with the correct body parts to get the job done. I think we either have some already, or can easily find some.