Hands off Presidency
George Bush2 presidency is well on the way of becoming the most successful ever. The coterie that sponsored and promoted him has already racked up the most spectacular achievements.
Reagan, the original hands off President had spawned a genre of die hard idealists steeped in the cold war philosophy of making US, a military power of shock and awe proportions and a strict belief in trickled down economy. Among them were Cheney, Rumsfeld. They chaffed in back rooms of conservative think tanks set up by interested big corporations when GB1 and Bill Clinton dashed their hopes. They were looking for other hands off President and they found one in fledgling GB2.
And what a string of successes have they racked up.
Iraq war will feed the hand that fed them for many decades to come. This war will spark other wars and the arms will be needed everywhere
They have put US on the fast road to catch up with the rest of world to make the politics the last refuge of scoundrels, circumcise the individual freedoms, turn majority rule to an oligarchy and brand any dissent as traitor ship.
The welfare state was always an anathema to GB2 and the promoters. They have accumulated enough debt that will gnaw at the social security, healthcare and the programs designed to help the trickling of burgeoning economic prosperity for a long time to come.
The legacy assured , the hands off Presidency GB2 will be long gone but the US will continue to reel from the most successful presidency ever.
Monday, December 05, 2005
Tuesday, November 29, 2005
Where are we Going
The Bush Presidency will go down in the history for having generated deep international antipathy to USA and fomenting internal disarray which will take generations to overcome.
Islamic fundamentalism was dying in the caves of Afghanistan. The Muslim youth were clamoring to join the mainstream and were enamored with western lifestyles. War in Iraq gave them with a training camp in and a fresh lease of life.
Wedded to a predetermined course of action based on ideology configured in the backrooms of conservative think tanks it repeatedly misrepresented to the American people. The variety of positions adopted for a rationale to invade Iraq which went from 9/11 to WMD’s to Saddam and to spread of democracy is an example.
US were a democracy where personal freedom and preservation of the social safety network were prime objectives. We imported the discredited democratic practices like gerrymandering, misuse of office and money to buy elections, use of church, divide and rule and playing to the emotions of the electorate by demagoguery.
The Bush era will also be remembered for subverting the Geneva Convention and maltreatment of prisoners, impoverishing American middle class and seniors and building huge deficits.
The separation of state and church has been fudged and the great advancements in biotechnology, women rights, education and healthcare have been slowed.
More than 100000 (Americans and Iraqis) killed without any cogent reason will form a prominent part of Bush era history.
Islamic fundamentalism was dying in the caves of Afghanistan. The Muslim youth were clamoring to join the mainstream and were enamored with western lifestyles. War in Iraq gave them with a training camp in and a fresh lease of life.
Wedded to a predetermined course of action based on ideology configured in the backrooms of conservative think tanks it repeatedly misrepresented to the American people. The variety of positions adopted for a rationale to invade Iraq which went from 9/11 to WMD’s to Saddam and to spread of democracy is an example.
US were a democracy where personal freedom and preservation of the social safety network were prime objectives. We imported the discredited democratic practices like gerrymandering, misuse of office and money to buy elections, use of church, divide and rule and playing to the emotions of the electorate by demagoguery.
The Bush era will also be remembered for subverting the Geneva Convention and maltreatment of prisoners, impoverishing American middle class and seniors and building huge deficits.
The separation of state and church has been fudged and the great advancements in biotechnology, women rights, education and healthcare have been slowed.
More than 100000 (Americans and Iraqis) killed without any cogent reason will form a prominent part of Bush era history.
Saturday, November 26, 2005
De cluttering Healthcare
Confusion is the keyword when it comes to the US healthcare policy. It is astounding that how successful have the public policy makers have been in clouding the minds of electorate and got away with it repeatedly.
A quarter of US continues to be uninsured or under insured. This may also be consequence of the national obsession to spread the freedom around the world.
The war battered veterans who have lost limbs and psychological trauma; get shoved into a grossly inefficient veteran healthcare system or almost non existent mental healthcare outlets.
The mega drug companies control the healthcare agenda and drug prices. The cost of research and development has been extremely unfair to the current consumers of healthcare at the expense of future ones.
For decades we have been squabbling on abortion or right to die. The religious leaders have blurred the debate further with dogma. Like it or not the final decisions on abortion or death and dying will continue to rest with individuals and the policy makers will only play a fringe roles in the media.
We should stop getting fooled by social issues like spread of freedom, abortion and social security. Healthcare has to item number one in all elections. All future agendas must contain:
Design healthcare for now and living and not for the unborn and illegal.
Provide incentives for non smoking, drug free and healthy.
Parity for physical and mental health
Rein in the runaway cost of research and development by removing the tax havens for drug companies.
A quarter of US continues to be uninsured or under insured. This may also be consequence of the national obsession to spread the freedom around the world.
The war battered veterans who have lost limbs and psychological trauma; get shoved into a grossly inefficient veteran healthcare system or almost non existent mental healthcare outlets.
The mega drug companies control the healthcare agenda and drug prices. The cost of research and development has been extremely unfair to the current consumers of healthcare at the expense of future ones.
For decades we have been squabbling on abortion or right to die. The religious leaders have blurred the debate further with dogma. Like it or not the final decisions on abortion or death and dying will continue to rest with individuals and the policy makers will only play a fringe roles in the media.
We should stop getting fooled by social issues like spread of freedom, abortion and social security. Healthcare has to item number one in all elections. All future agendas must contain:
Design healthcare for now and living and not for the unborn and illegal.
Provide incentives for non smoking, drug free and healthy.
Parity for physical and mental health
Rein in the runaway cost of research and development by removing the tax havens for drug companies.
Friday, November 25, 2005
Why are we touting Democracy ?
Last two presidential elections have highlighted many weaknesses of our democratic institutions.
When a majority leader with less than 51% of the vote deems it to be an endorsement of war and a divine mandate to meddle in overhauling society, it is undemocratic.
When more than 90% of incumbents are elected repeatedly, the winning parties indulge in gerrymandering and the politics is the domain of the rich and dynastic, it reflects a serious deterioration of our democratic institutions.
When leaders become dogmatic and wedded to social engineering and are allergic to a public discourse citing national security, the democracy is headed downhill.
When incumbents spend most of their time in preparing for the next election, it is a serious malfunction of democracy.
Despite serious dilution, US still remains a model democracy to the rest of the world. We will strengthen our democracy if we rethink our relationships with the rest of the world by:
Not touting a brand of democracy germinated at la Da Vinci Code style think tanks, some of which are as sinister as Al Qaida and Hamas in pushing their own agenda.
Practicing and reforming our own democracy and not run to the foreign shores brandishing the flag of democracy and capitalism.
Strengthen middle class by stopping the war hysteria and funding small business incubators which have been the building block of this nation.
Ask every citizen of the United States to contribute $ 100 to set up a fund to make our borders and immigration process pilfer free and safe. Safe borders are the ultimate protection we can afford to our increasingly fragile democracy.
When a majority leader with less than 51% of the vote deems it to be an endorsement of war and a divine mandate to meddle in overhauling society, it is undemocratic.
When more than 90% of incumbents are elected repeatedly, the winning parties indulge in gerrymandering and the politics is the domain of the rich and dynastic, it reflects a serious deterioration of our democratic institutions.
When leaders become dogmatic and wedded to social engineering and are allergic to a public discourse citing national security, the democracy is headed downhill.
When incumbents spend most of their time in preparing for the next election, it is a serious malfunction of democracy.
Despite serious dilution, US still remains a model democracy to the rest of the world. We will strengthen our democracy if we rethink our relationships with the rest of the world by:
Not touting a brand of democracy germinated at la Da Vinci Code style think tanks, some of which are as sinister as Al Qaida and Hamas in pushing their own agenda.
Practicing and reforming our own democracy and not run to the foreign shores brandishing the flag of democracy and capitalism.
Strengthen middle class by stopping the war hysteria and funding small business incubators which have been the building block of this nation.
Ask every citizen of the United States to contribute $ 100 to set up a fund to make our borders and immigration process pilfer free and safe. Safe borders are the ultimate protection we can afford to our increasingly fragile democracy.
God Meets his Cabinet
In his opening remarks at a cabinet meeting the Almighty God expressed surprise at the American government’s claim that they are spreading freedom in the world. He had created all men free. The cabinet which included Jesus, Mohammed, Buddha, Moses and Lord Krishna among others was also baffled by attempts by the heads of banana republics and pot bellied dictators to play God. In an unprecedented move God released the transcript of the meeting to press.
A calm Jesus advocated patience and said that love will win in the end. He expressed displeasure at the attempt of Rush Limbaugh, Sean Hannity and pundits who claim a direct link to him.
Moses said that freedom is good for the human soul. God interjected and said the march to freedom will have to be halted because he will not open the sea again with so many nuclear warheads and weapons of mass destruction.
Mohammed was the most vocal cabinet member. He was visibly shaken when he talked of the killing of innocents by suicide bombings and rejected the claim of Osama Bin Laden and his henchmen that they have his ear.
Buddha and Lord Krishna were incensed by the indiscriminate destruction of environment.
No solutions were discussed at this meeting. The God Almighty proposed that one of the Messiah’s should make another trip to the world to help the world overcome the great crisis. All of them cited prior engagements and said that the problems are very complex and it will take more than a Messiah to fix it.
A calm Jesus advocated patience and said that love will win in the end. He expressed displeasure at the attempt of Rush Limbaugh, Sean Hannity and pundits who claim a direct link to him.
Moses said that freedom is good for the human soul. God interjected and said the march to freedom will have to be halted because he will not open the sea again with so many nuclear warheads and weapons of mass destruction.
Mohammed was the most vocal cabinet member. He was visibly shaken when he talked of the killing of innocents by suicide bombings and rejected the claim of Osama Bin Laden and his henchmen that they have his ear.
Buddha and Lord Krishna were incensed by the indiscriminate destruction of environment.
No solutions were discussed at this meeting. The God Almighty proposed that one of the Messiah’s should make another trip to the world to help the world overcome the great crisis. All of them cited prior engagements and said that the problems are very complex and it will take more than a Messiah to fix it.
Monday, February 28, 2005
Hail 2006
Hail 2006
A bruised 2005 showed the scars of tsunami, hurricanes, earthquakes and wars was keen to exit. 2006 gave me a preview:
We will moan and groan and be out of Iraq by the year end. Iraq will lapse into a low grade civil war. Rumsfeld will become the sacrificial goat...
On the eve of 2006 elections, US will claim that Bin Laden is killed or dead. With politicians running for cover, Jon Stewart, Rush Limbaugh and ilk will have a field day. In the end, Democrats will gain the Senate. House will stay Republican. Spitzer will be the New York Governor.
We will have dramatic legislative skirmishes on healthcare, immigration, fixing 9/11 mess, cutting taxes, Alito, Karl Rove, and gerrymandering. Alito will get through but rest will be business as usual.
The North Korean clown will continue his tango; Iranians will use US as a bait to insulate itself against poverty and joblessness. Pakistan will stay as the biggest threat to civilization as largest breeder of terrorists... Africa will still be the forgotten world. India and China will wean more jobs and manufacturers from US
The unending misery of 2005 had driven me to religion. But, when I went to the church and kneeled with my osteoarthritis ridden knees to plead with the Almighty for a break from hurricanes, earthquakes and tsunamis, I heard nothing. I hallucinated and shuddered[KS1] . What if 2005 was a pre emptive strike by God? [KS2]
The Americans are the most hardworking people on the earth and their eternal optimism is bound to make 2006 a Great New Year.
[KS1]
[KS2]
A bruised 2005 showed the scars of tsunami, hurricanes, earthquakes and wars was keen to exit. 2006 gave me a preview:
We will moan and groan and be out of Iraq by the year end. Iraq will lapse into a low grade civil war. Rumsfeld will become the sacrificial goat...
On the eve of 2006 elections, US will claim that Bin Laden is killed or dead. With politicians running for cover, Jon Stewart, Rush Limbaugh and ilk will have a field day. In the end, Democrats will gain the Senate. House will stay Republican. Spitzer will be the New York Governor.
We will have dramatic legislative skirmishes on healthcare, immigration, fixing 9/11 mess, cutting taxes, Alito, Karl Rove, and gerrymandering. Alito will get through but rest will be business as usual.
The North Korean clown will continue his tango; Iranians will use US as a bait to insulate itself against poverty and joblessness. Pakistan will stay as the biggest threat to civilization as largest breeder of terrorists... Africa will still be the forgotten world. India and China will wean more jobs and manufacturers from US
The unending misery of 2005 had driven me to religion. But, when I went to the church and kneeled with my osteoarthritis ridden knees to plead with the Almighty for a break from hurricanes, earthquakes and tsunamis, I heard nothing. I hallucinated and shuddered[KS1] . What if 2005 was a pre emptive strike by God? [KS2]
The Americans are the most hardworking people on the earth and their eternal optimism is bound to make 2006 a Great New Year.
[KS1]
[KS2]
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