January 27, 2010 — Unfortunately I did not watch the President's State of the Union address on TV this evening. I have, however, poured over the full text of his speech and the text of the Republican response delivered by Gov. McDonnell of Virgina. In the days leading up to this speech I thought that it might become historical given the dire issues we face in this country...issues that have been there for some time. I have read nothing in the President's speech that makes me believe that it will have historical impact. That aside it is worth examining the points the President made and the Republican response.
The Economy
As expected the President made the economy his central theme and rightly so. Polls indicate it is of greatest concern to Americans. The points made about government bailout are not new. Was it necessary? I agree with the President that it was necessary although it has caused a one trillion dollar increase in the deficit. From everything I have read and heard, if the government had not acted as they did then we would have slid into a much more critical state and most likely a deep depression and that could yet happen. I support his administrations move to impose fees on major banks in the payback of the government support they have received especially those that continue to ignore the fact that they should not be giving outrageous bonuses to executives simply because they are CEO or other high officer of the bank. This should and must extend to all of corporate America. Reasonable bonuses are well and good if they are based on solid performance, but history shows this not to be the case. They are paying those bonuses with our (taxpayer) money and we deserve a payback.
Jobs (Recovery Act)
The only thing the President said here that made sense to me was the talk about money and tax incentives for small business that use those incentives to create more jobs. I believe this is help at the grass roots level. That help should not come with ever tightening strings of the government. The President clearly noted that the Congress needs to work in a partisan fashion to help create more jobs. An unemployment rate of 10% nationally is just not acceptable. But, as usual the Congress is reluctant to work in a partisan fashion for the good of the people. I see nothing that indicates to me that anything will be different here.
Education
For a long time the federal government has provided states with monies through various programs for use in their public schools. Often times there have been strings attached to that money. It should always be the right of the state and not the federal government to decide on matters relating to how their children are educated. But there in lies part of the problem. We often think that testing should be the sole measure of how well our children are learning. That is certainly the case in the state of Texas and it's Texas Assessment of Knowledge and Skills (TAKS). I have looked at text books used in this state and it is crammed full of how to take the TAKS relating to that subject instead of emphasizing what is really important to learn. Teachers have no choice because their jobs are on the line. That is unfortunate because it is the student that suffers. This must stop or our children will fall further behind in competition with their peers in the world.
I applaud the President's comments about stronger support for community colleges...the increased support in Pell grants and easing of loan requirements. I also agree that universities need to take action in reigning in the horrendous increase in the cost of a four year degree and advanced degrees. They need to take responsibility for turning this around. Did the University of Texas really need to expand their football stadium? Could the money there have been better spent in helping students obtain a good education? The answer to me is a simple YES! If we do not find answers to these education issues then it will not matter how many jobs are created in this country...there will not be enough educated people to fill those jobs.
Healthcare Reform
There was absolutely nothing in the President's speech that was new. It is the same old rhetoric that has been going on for months and it is sickening. He stated several times about stepping back and taking another look at "our" proposal. Well whose proposal? Is that his administrations, the House bill, or the Senate bill? It is as unclear as ever. The bipartisanship is rampant as ever and the Congress cares less about what the public wants. Real reform is a long way off in my opinion and we the American taxpayer will continue to suffer until we send people to Washington that are firmly committed through action and not word to working together in partnership with the taxpayer and the political parties. It is our (the taxpayer/voter) responsibility to make this change for the good of us all.
Government Spending and Transparency
It's a good call to put a freeze on frivolous spending starting in 2011. But why just three years? Isn't frivolous or unnecessary spending always a bad thing especially if it is heavily influenced by lobbyist. It is good that the freeze will not affect national security, medicare, medicaid, and social security.
How could the President talk about transparency in government with a straight face? Nothing could be further from the truth in his administration so far and the current Congress. There is no transparency and all one has to do to prove that is to look at what the Senate, House, and his administration's leaders, including himself, have done to try and reconcile differences in healthcare reform. The President and the Congressional leaders in the Democratic party are clearly talking out of two sides of their mouth when it comes to transparency in government.
Veterans and Public Trust
It is necessary that we send our men and women in the armed services into harms way especially in the fight against terrorism...unfortunate...but necessary. Yes we are finally developing a 21st Century Veterans Administration. I see it every time I walk into a VA facility. I also applaud that the President and Congress recognizes that we have to take care of the vets when they return home. They are also recognizing that the military family has needs and require special attention also. This is vitally important and I hope it continues and improves.
Any administration and Congress has the undeniable responsibility to gain and nurture the public trust. What has been going on recently does nothing to help them meet that responsibility. It is the publics responsibility to hold them accountable through our vote.
The Republican Response
Gov. McDonnell of Virginia delivered the Republican response to the President's address. It was totally uninspiring to me. Oh it's good that he owned up that there was agreement in this or that...a half-hearted stab at partisanship. But where is the beef! It's just a continuation of the same ol' political rhetoric and talking the talk and not walking the walk. The Republicans are just as a much a part of the problem as the Democrats and it is time we in this country realize that. It is time that we all realize that regardless of our political beliefs we must find common ground and move forward to find cures for our ills...it's what really matters!
Wednesday, January 27, 2010
Wednesday, January 20, 2010
What Is Wrong With This Picture?
January 20, 2010 — My most recent blog concerned the debate that is going on right now in the Texas State Board of Education concerning revisions to the social studies curriculum taught to our children. To briefly and generally summarize, the debate is centered on a push to have the curriculum take a more theocratic slant toward studying history. It is my view that the study of history needs to be based on fact regardless of whatever ideologies, environmental factors, or whatever have had influence. Keep in mind that revisions decided upon will have an affect for at least 10-years.
Yesterday, while substitute teaching for a 7th grade English teacher at a local middle school, I had cause for further concern about what is going with the state board of education and revisions to social studies curriculum. In every class I teach I take a few moments to give the students a brief overview of who I am. I figure it is important because here I am a stranger in their classroom and they have the right to know a little about me. This always includes that I am a 22+ year veteran of the U. S. Navy and that I am very proud of that fact. This always leads to some questions about my experiences while in the Navy and of course I like to talk about those experiences. So, yesterday came the question from one student in this form, "Were you at Pearl Harbor?" I literally stopped for a moment and then quickly answered back with a question of my own (is it fair to do that), "How old do you think I am?" This then led to me asking this student when Pearl Harbor took place. He did not know and guessed something like 1954. Two other students chimed in with responses not even close (one in the 60's and the other in the 70's).
So, what is wrong with this picture? Here we are talking about one of the major events of the 20th Century, an event that had and still has great meaning in the history of this country and of the world. These three students did not know when this world shaking event occurred. I asked further if they had studied about Pearl Harbor in school. The answer was yes. Well they must have not been paying attention that day in class (a distinct possibility) or possibly the curriculum is lacking in emphasis.
Here is my point: If even one student does not know when a significant event in the history of this country and the world occurred, then how can they understand how we have gotten to where we are today and where we need to go in the future...after all these students are the future of this country. Revisions to curriculum which should most definitely include a study of this event in our history should be dealing with the facts and not be influenced by any one particular viewpoint. We must remember that this is the future if this country we are dealing with here...it's what really matters!
Yesterday, while substitute teaching for a 7th grade English teacher at a local middle school, I had cause for further concern about what is going with the state board of education and revisions to social studies curriculum. In every class I teach I take a few moments to give the students a brief overview of who I am. I figure it is important because here I am a stranger in their classroom and they have the right to know a little about me. This always includes that I am a 22+ year veteran of the U. S. Navy and that I am very proud of that fact. This always leads to some questions about my experiences while in the Navy and of course I like to talk about those experiences. So, yesterday came the question from one student in this form, "Were you at Pearl Harbor?" I literally stopped for a moment and then quickly answered back with a question of my own (is it fair to do that), "How old do you think I am?" This then led to me asking this student when Pearl Harbor took place. He did not know and guessed something like 1954. Two other students chimed in with responses not even close (one in the 60's and the other in the 70's).
So, what is wrong with this picture? Here we are talking about one of the major events of the 20th Century, an event that had and still has great meaning in the history of this country and of the world. These three students did not know when this world shaking event occurred. I asked further if they had studied about Pearl Harbor in school. The answer was yes. Well they must have not been paying attention that day in class (a distinct possibility) or possibly the curriculum is lacking in emphasis.
Here is my point: If even one student does not know when a significant event in the history of this country and the world occurred, then how can they understand how we have gotten to where we are today and where we need to go in the future...after all these students are the future of this country. Revisions to curriculum which should most definitely include a study of this event in our history should be dealing with the facts and not be influenced by any one particular viewpoint. We must remember that this is the future if this country we are dealing with here...it's what really matters!
Thursday, January 14, 2010
Texas State Board of Education...I Guess
January 14, 2010 — The Texas State Board of Education is currently undergoing an examination of what revisions are to be made in social studies curriculum for Texas school children over the next 10 years. The board will take action on recommendations from a panel that the board appointed and will make final decisions by March. In an editorial by the Editorial Board of the Austin-American Statesman titled "Another trip down biblical lane thanks to State Board of Education" states that the panel has members that "...are pushing a theocratic view of American history, taking the line that the founders had a vision of a country based on biblical principles." The editorial board correctly points out that history is influenced by many factors and to ignore some of those facts over others is folly. I could not agree more. For those interested in the editorial boards piece it can be read here http://www.statesman.com/opinion/another-trip-down-biblical-lane-thanks-to-state-173977.html.
To deny our children a fair and unbiased reading of history (American or World) based on fact is just flat out wrong! Do we do this in English, math, science curriculum...I don't think so. It is this sort of biased and ultra-conservative thinking that is strangling the abilities of our children to understand the world around them. It is one reason why our kids have difficulty in competing with other children of the world. It risks the danger of causing long term problems when these children become adults and don't understand how a world war came about or how civil rights were enacted or what were the influences on heath care reform to name just a few.
Whatever happened to just the facts? The very good 50's/60's TV actor/producer Jack Webb seem to always included a line in the script of his TV series Dragnet where he would say to the little ol' lady "...the facts ma'am...just the facts." It matters not whether a historical event was influenced by a theology, the weather, someone making a wrong turn, someone stubbing their toe, or whatever...if it's factual then it should be included in a study of that event...it's what really matters!
To deny our children a fair and unbiased reading of history (American or World) based on fact is just flat out wrong! Do we do this in English, math, science curriculum...I don't think so. It is this sort of biased and ultra-conservative thinking that is strangling the abilities of our children to understand the world around them. It is one reason why our kids have difficulty in competing with other children of the world. It risks the danger of causing long term problems when these children become adults and don't understand how a world war came about or how civil rights were enacted or what were the influences on heath care reform to name just a few.
Whatever happened to just the facts? The very good 50's/60's TV actor/producer Jack Webb seem to always included a line in the script of his TV series Dragnet where he would say to the little ol' lady "...the facts ma'am...just the facts." It matters not whether a historical event was influenced by a theology, the weather, someone making a wrong turn, someone stubbing their toe, or whatever...if it's factual then it should be included in a study of that event...it's what really matters!
Sunday, January 10, 2010
The Magic of Flight
January 10, 2010 — This past November I was on trip with my niece through the south to visit some specific spots that interested us both. One such place was the Naval Aviation Museum at Naval Air Station Pensacola, Florida. NAS Pensacola is the home of naval aviation and home to the Navy's Flight Demonstration Team known as the Blue Angels. I of course had to purchase a Blue Angels "hoodie" which I love to wear and along with it came a DVD set titled The Magic of Flight.
This video was produced for the museum by Macgillivray Freeman Films for exhibition in the museum's IMAX theater. The film is wonderfully narrated by Tom Selleck. I did not view the Windows Media version of this film until last night and after doing so I wondered why it had taken me so long to do so. It is simply...terrific!
The film chronicles what we have known for some time...that their is magic in flying. Mankind has observed the flight of birds since the beginning of time on earth and history is full of the attempts of how man pursued that which a bird could do and we could not. The camera work is spectacular and the documentation of birds in flight and how they accomplish this miracle is done so simply and accurately. Then comes man's pursuit of flight...the most notable attempts of Samuel P. Langley in 1903 and his failures followed quickly by the success of the Wright Brothers at Kitty Hawk, North Carolina. I did not realize until viewing this film that the Wright Brothers actually made four flights that day in December 1903..the longest lasting 59 seconds. They had finally solved some of the mystery of flight and we began to slip "...the surly bonds of earth¹."
All of the film of course is then tied to the Blue Angels. Since 1946 they have thrilled millions of spectators with their precision aerobatics...the taking of a high performance aircraft and demonstrating its capabilities and the abilities of its pilot to perform what are really basic maneuvers. The U.S. Air Force has its flight demonstration team known as the Thunderbirds an equally capable team and there are also international flight demonstration teams.
Well by the 21st Century we have moved far in our fascination with flight. We fly farther and faster it seems everyday. In the 1970's we went to and landed on the surface of the moon and then returned safely. Space shuttle operational flights began in 1982. We continue to look to the stars and know that we can one day travel to distant planets. Our technology continues to advance and man keeps pace with it all. Captain Chesley "Sully" Sullenberger, the hero of USAirays Flt 1549 on January 15, 2009 that ditched in New York's Hudson River, wrote in his book Highest Duty that "Even when the controls are being manipulated through automation, pilots have to back up the computer systems with their own mental math." (Highest Duty, pg. 18). Why should we continue this fascination and exploration of flight...one only need reflect on our countries exploration of the western frontier and of Lewis and Clark and their Corps of Discovery to find the answer.
I have always been fascinated with flying. My first flight was long ago from a small private airfield near my Mom's house in Abilene, Texas. I was probably eight or nine years old at the time. I flew with a man just going up for flight time in a Piper Cub type aircraft. He saw my interest in flying as I was always hanging around that small airfield. I was thrilled beyond words and memories of that day are still vivid in my memory. There was my brother-in-law Ed Robbins...a navy fighter pilot that I simply idolized. He took me under his wing and stoked my desire and dreams of flying. He once told me about the thrill it was to take an aircraft and soar through a hole in the clouds and the blue sky beyond. They were words that have forever been etched in my memory. I was fortunate enough to spend my 22-year naval career as a Naval Aircrewman and I learned what Ed Robbins really meant about the thrill he felt.
So every time I see a film such as The Magic of Flight or even Hollywood's Top Gun or read a book that has flying as its central theme I am completely taken by the moment. John Gillespie Magee, Jr., a young American flying for the Royal Canadian Air Force in Great Britain in 1941 found inspiration for and penned his poem High flight after completing a high altitude test flight in a new version of the British Spitfire. After returning from the test flight he wrote his parents and included the poem on the back of the envelope. The poem is included below. Anyone that has flown and enjoyed the thrill of flying has felt what Magee expressed so long ago...it's what really matters.
¹ High Flight
Oh! I have slipped the surly bonds of Earth
And danced the skies on laughter-silvered wings;
Sunward I've climbed, and joined the tumbling mirth
Of sun-split clouds, — and done a hundred things
You have not dreamed of — wheeled and soared and swung
High in the sunlit silence. Hov'ring there,
I've chased the shouting wind along, and flung
My eager craft through footless halls of air. . . .
Up, up the long, delirious burning blue
I've topped the wind-swept heights with easy grace
Where never lark, or ever eagle flew —
And, while with silent, lifting mind I've trod
The high untrespassed sanctity of space,
Put out my hand, and touched the face of God.
— John Gillespie Magee, Jr.
This video was produced for the museum by Macgillivray Freeman Films for exhibition in the museum's IMAX theater. The film is wonderfully narrated by Tom Selleck. I did not view the Windows Media version of this film until last night and after doing so I wondered why it had taken me so long to do so. It is simply...terrific!
The film chronicles what we have known for some time...that their is magic in flying. Mankind has observed the flight of birds since the beginning of time on earth and history is full of the attempts of how man pursued that which a bird could do and we could not. The camera work is spectacular and the documentation of birds in flight and how they accomplish this miracle is done so simply and accurately. Then comes man's pursuit of flight...the most notable attempts of Samuel P. Langley in 1903 and his failures followed quickly by the success of the Wright Brothers at Kitty Hawk, North Carolina. I did not realize until viewing this film that the Wright Brothers actually made four flights that day in December 1903..the longest lasting 59 seconds. They had finally solved some of the mystery of flight and we began to slip "...the surly bonds of earth¹."
All of the film of course is then tied to the Blue Angels. Since 1946 they have thrilled millions of spectators with their precision aerobatics...the taking of a high performance aircraft and demonstrating its capabilities and the abilities of its pilot to perform what are really basic maneuvers. The U.S. Air Force has its flight demonstration team known as the Thunderbirds an equally capable team and there are also international flight demonstration teams.
Well by the 21st Century we have moved far in our fascination with flight. We fly farther and faster it seems everyday. In the 1970's we went to and landed on the surface of the moon and then returned safely. Space shuttle operational flights began in 1982. We continue to look to the stars and know that we can one day travel to distant planets. Our technology continues to advance and man keeps pace with it all. Captain Chesley "Sully" Sullenberger, the hero of USAirays Flt 1549 on January 15, 2009 that ditched in New York's Hudson River, wrote in his book Highest Duty that "Even when the controls are being manipulated through automation, pilots have to back up the computer systems with their own mental math." (Highest Duty, pg. 18). Why should we continue this fascination and exploration of flight...one only need reflect on our countries exploration of the western frontier and of Lewis and Clark and their Corps of Discovery to find the answer.
I have always been fascinated with flying. My first flight was long ago from a small private airfield near my Mom's house in Abilene, Texas. I was probably eight or nine years old at the time. I flew with a man just going up for flight time in a Piper Cub type aircraft. He saw my interest in flying as I was always hanging around that small airfield. I was thrilled beyond words and memories of that day are still vivid in my memory. There was my brother-in-law Ed Robbins...a navy fighter pilot that I simply idolized. He took me under his wing and stoked my desire and dreams of flying. He once told me about the thrill it was to take an aircraft and soar through a hole in the clouds and the blue sky beyond. They were words that have forever been etched in my memory. I was fortunate enough to spend my 22-year naval career as a Naval Aircrewman and I learned what Ed Robbins really meant about the thrill he felt.
So every time I see a film such as The Magic of Flight or even Hollywood's Top Gun or read a book that has flying as its central theme I am completely taken by the moment. John Gillespie Magee, Jr., a young American flying for the Royal Canadian Air Force in Great Britain in 1941 found inspiration for and penned his poem High flight after completing a high altitude test flight in a new version of the British Spitfire. After returning from the test flight he wrote his parents and included the poem on the back of the envelope. The poem is included below. Anyone that has flown and enjoyed the thrill of flying has felt what Magee expressed so long ago...it's what really matters.
¹ High Flight
Oh! I have slipped the surly bonds of Earth
And danced the skies on laughter-silvered wings;
Sunward I've climbed, and joined the tumbling mirth
Of sun-split clouds, — and done a hundred things
You have not dreamed of — wheeled and soared and swung
High in the sunlit silence. Hov'ring there,
I've chased the shouting wind along, and flung
My eager craft through footless halls of air. . . .
Up, up the long, delirious burning blue
I've topped the wind-swept heights with easy grace
Where never lark, or ever eagle flew —
And, while with silent, lifting mind I've trod
The high untrespassed sanctity of space,
Put out my hand, and touched the face of God.
— John Gillespie Magee, Jr.
Tuesday, January 5, 2010
Wake Up America
January 5, 2010 — I just don't get it. The leaders in the Congress and the Obama administration are taking advantage of us because of their power and we are letting them get away with it. This story http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/34692080/ns/health-health_care/ indicates that the Democratic leaders of both houses of Congress intend to prevent any Republicans from being on a committee to work out the differences between the House and Senate versions of health care legislation. The article states, "Democratic aides said the final compromise talks would essentially be a three-way negotiation involving top Democrats in the House and Senate and the White House, a structure that gives unusual latitude to Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid of Navada and Speaker Nancy Pelosi of California." Now that is a narrow minded bunch that will resolve reportedly hundreds of differences between the two pieces of legislation. Apparently the purpose of this is so that a reform bill can be signed by the President before his State of the Union address in early February. Oh ya, let's just keep rushing through what is probably the most significant piece of legislation since the enactment of the Civil Rights Act of 1964.
I am not arguing here the good and the bad of this reform. There is good and bad in both the House and the Senate legislation. The final outcome will undoubtedly hurt some and benefit others. My hope is that the hurt does not come upon the children and the elderly in this country.
What I am arguing about is the lack of cooperation in both political parties and the lack of transparency in how all of this is being handled. The article reports this, "...officials said there are no plans to appoint a formal House-Senate conference committee, the method Congress most often uses to reconcile differing bills. Under that customary format, a committee chairman is appointed to preside, and other senior lawmakers from both parties and houses participate in typically perfunctory public meetings while the meaningful negotiations occur behind closed doors."
"In this case, the plan is to skip the formal meetings, reach an agreement, then have the two houses vote as quickly as possible. A 60-vote Senate majority would be required in advance of final passage."
What's wrong with that picture you might ask? Well, several things: (1) it is totally partisan politics with little care shown for the all of the citizens of this country, and (2) the way negotiations will be conducted, i.e., behind closed doors! I'm not at all sure that anything would be different even if Republicans were included as the article states that such a committee would conduct "typically perfunctory public meetings" while the real stuff is done behind closed doors. In case you are wondering, and I mean no insult here to anyone's intelligence, one definition of perfunctory means "lacking interest, care, or enthusiasm; indifferent or apathetic." And we let them get away with this sort of stuff. Shame on us!
It's time we wake up in America, take our government and our democracy back and again make it one that our founding fathers intended it to be and one so clearly articulated by Abraham Lincoln..."Democracy is the government of the people, by the people, for the people." It's what really matters!
I am not arguing here the good and the bad of this reform. There is good and bad in both the House and the Senate legislation. The final outcome will undoubtedly hurt some and benefit others. My hope is that the hurt does not come upon the children and the elderly in this country.
What I am arguing about is the lack of cooperation in both political parties and the lack of transparency in how all of this is being handled. The article reports this, "...officials said there are no plans to appoint a formal House-Senate conference committee, the method Congress most often uses to reconcile differing bills. Under that customary format, a committee chairman is appointed to preside, and other senior lawmakers from both parties and houses participate in typically perfunctory public meetings while the meaningful negotiations occur behind closed doors."
"In this case, the plan is to skip the formal meetings, reach an agreement, then have the two houses vote as quickly as possible. A 60-vote Senate majority would be required in advance of final passage."
What's wrong with that picture you might ask? Well, several things: (1) it is totally partisan politics with little care shown for the all of the citizens of this country, and (2) the way negotiations will be conducted, i.e., behind closed doors! I'm not at all sure that anything would be different even if Republicans were included as the article states that such a committee would conduct "typically perfunctory public meetings" while the real stuff is done behind closed doors. In case you are wondering, and I mean no insult here to anyone's intelligence, one definition of perfunctory means "lacking interest, care, or enthusiasm; indifferent or apathetic." And we let them get away with this sort of stuff. Shame on us!
It's time we wake up in America, take our government and our democracy back and again make it one that our founding fathers intended it to be and one so clearly articulated by Abraham Lincoln..."Democracy is the government of the people, by the people, for the people." It's what really matters!
Friday, January 1, 2010
Sometimes We Are Our Own Worst Enemy
Jnauray 1, 2010 — This is not the best way to start out this blog in the new year, but I just cannot let this story of the intelligence failures concerning the Nigerian who tried to blow up the Delta flight from Amsterdam to Detroit on Christmas Day pass.
The President has called this "human and systemic failures" and that those failures led up to this terrorist attempt to kill innocent people. Gee, no kidding Mr. President. What that really means is someone didn't do their job and the system they work in does not readily support them in doing their job. This story (http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/34637190/ns/politics-the_new_york_times/) from MSNBC.com and first reported in the New York Times readily points out some of those human and systemic failures and brings to light what always happens and that's the finger pointing that goes on in our government. Little Johnny saying..."I didn't do it, he did!" Please, give me a break.
If it is known that there were "humans" that had responsibility for knowing that this Nigerian was a terrorist threat and that the information should have been shared, then those people should be immediately and without question fired! End of story on the human part of it, but there is still a larger problem to be fixed and that's the system.
There is no doubt in my mind that this country possesses the greatest capability in the world to collect human, electronic, photographic, and communications intelligence. And yet we can't get out of our own way. This is not a new systemic problem Mr. President...it has been there, I am betting, since the collection of intelligence data began. I don't pretend to know the ends and outs of our intelligence gathering activities and all the agencies that do this work. It has, however, been pointed out in the not to distant past that those agencies do not readily share their information. It's like my friend Little Johnny telling me..."I know something you don't know, nah, nah!" There have been attempts in the past to fix this systemic failure, but obviously only band-aids were applied and no real fix was employed.
As long as we continue to allow one intelligence agency or another to hold their secrets, then we are going to continue to have the potential for another disaster to occur such as the one attempted on Christmas Day. The system must be fixed and it is we the people that have the power to do that. We must demand that it be fixed. Islamic terrorist are not going to cease what they are doing and we have to have a system of whatever in place that functions to meet the threat of terrorism at every turn. To do otherwise is to run the risk of the contiuned slaughter of innocent people.
Let me state this again. We the people have the power to fix this system. It's not just the Obama administration or the Congress that will get this done, but each and everyone of us caring about our freedoms and the right to exist in a world with little or no fears...it's what really matters!
The President has called this "human and systemic failures" and that those failures led up to this terrorist attempt to kill innocent people. Gee, no kidding Mr. President. What that really means is someone didn't do their job and the system they work in does not readily support them in doing their job. This story (http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/34637190/ns/politics-the_new_york_times/) from MSNBC.com and first reported in the New York Times readily points out some of those human and systemic failures and brings to light what always happens and that's the finger pointing that goes on in our government. Little Johnny saying..."I didn't do it, he did!" Please, give me a break.
If it is known that there were "humans" that had responsibility for knowing that this Nigerian was a terrorist threat and that the information should have been shared, then those people should be immediately and without question fired! End of story on the human part of it, but there is still a larger problem to be fixed and that's the system.
There is no doubt in my mind that this country possesses the greatest capability in the world to collect human, electronic, photographic, and communications intelligence. And yet we can't get out of our own way. This is not a new systemic problem Mr. President...it has been there, I am betting, since the collection of intelligence data began. I don't pretend to know the ends and outs of our intelligence gathering activities and all the agencies that do this work. It has, however, been pointed out in the not to distant past that those agencies do not readily share their information. It's like my friend Little Johnny telling me..."I know something you don't know, nah, nah!" There have been attempts in the past to fix this systemic failure, but obviously only band-aids were applied and no real fix was employed.
As long as we continue to allow one intelligence agency or another to hold their secrets, then we are going to continue to have the potential for another disaster to occur such as the one attempted on Christmas Day. The system must be fixed and it is we the people that have the power to do that. We must demand that it be fixed. Islamic terrorist are not going to cease what they are doing and we have to have a system of whatever in place that functions to meet the threat of terrorism at every turn. To do otherwise is to run the risk of the contiuned slaughter of innocent people.
Let me state this again. We the people have the power to fix this system. It's not just the Obama administration or the Congress that will get this done, but each and everyone of us caring about our freedoms and the right to exist in a world with little or no fears...it's what really matters!
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