Contact: Alex.Karoub@gmail.com
This post is a brief overview of the Automotive Industry which describes some of the fundamental problems that are rarely spoken of. In addition, you will learn of a few of my personal experiences growing up, an environment where I was surrounded by the industry; you will learn of a few perspectives that are shocking and that even only a few within the industry know of. At the end of the post, you will better understand what happened to American Manufacturing and where it stands. The Auto Industry is at the heart of all of American Manufacturing. It is an industry that laid the groundwork for many other types of industries to follow, deemed at one point in history to be the highest of successes. But now, it sheds light on what can become warning signs for other businesses that mistakenly try to imitate it.This months hot topic is whether to bailout/rescue the regressing American Auto Industry. The original owners and their successors abandoned that industry long ago. The auto industry was ravaged and plundered by the wealthiest Americans a half century ago and has been in decline ever since. Shortsighted greed from one generation to the next has been the culprit. Since autos were first mass-produced and America monopolized the world, it was only natural that the American percentage/share of the market would eventually be reduced. However, total growth was enormous and total size of the market continues to grow even through today. Therefore, American growth of exports should have continued to grow, but does not significantly due to pillage and poorly planted roots. In simpler terms, we originally owned the entire pie. The pie was split up. Since the entire pie has grown dramatically, our piece should have grown too. However, the Big 4, 3, 2, … have been loosing market dominance and lead since the end of World War Two. Here we are years later in crisis, and the real question remains whether or not to rescue the real victims of the auto industry, the workers. People were not retrained or re-educated; most were never afforded real education's to start. People are now in despair and hopelessness. From my vantage point now living in Colorado for the last two decades, I have seen the high tech industry follow the auto industry, but at a learned and accelerated rate. Other industries are also copying the auto industry and are laying similar foundations also headed for disaster. Going back to a brief history, the misguided roots show how the decay started and why it spread.Although I did not grow-up during the inception of the Auto Industry, its roots surrounded me. I spoke with a few who were there in the earliest days, and spoke with many who were of the following generation. I absorbed its history by studying it while attending school in Motown (Motor Town), by natural osmosis, and in my earliest career dealing with the car makers.Growing up as a kid I lived less than a mile from Henry Ford's first moving assembly line factory, with GM’s World Headquarters’ just three miles away, and with Chryslers World Headquarters at the end of our street. The first Ford plant (in Highland Park, a city now surrounded by Detroit) and the first of GM's plants were built on the importation of the next generation of former black slaves and white share crop workers from the south (whites similar to former slaves whose white necks were red from working in the sunny fields, hence the mean spirited term 'Redneck'). The joke that Henry Ford must have laughed at and that went around town was "each worker would get paid enough to buy a Ford" (Of course using infamous 'Ford Credit' which was a primary direct withdrawal from their pay checks.) Henry manipulated a built-in guaranteed customer base and tapped double profits, being profits on the cars and the profitable bonded interest. Those were scams that he copied from sharecropping. The remains of their wages were so low that they had to live in shacks; but after all Henry felt, they came from shacks near the fields in the south. So much bigotry and repeated methods from sharecrop economic slavery. Instead of updating and rebuilding the original plants and without regard for the people who were the workers, the emerging auto giants left to go further to the suburbs. So, as they moved and grew they imported shipload after shipload of immigrant economic slaves from Poland (to Hamtramck, MI) and more economic slaves from the Middle East (to Dearborn, MI). There were other minorities imported as well, also imported for economic servitude to supporting industries such as mining, iron works, steel fabrication, glass works, textile, …. Astonishing how easily the game of 'divide and conquer' worked upon the variety of minorities; a game of keeping the workers pitted against each other using race and ethnicity; all to hold back the power of the people from truly uniting. WW2 caused the Automakers not only to retool but also to reevaluate their future directions.Soon, after the victory of WW2, came the Auto Giants grand visions for economically conquering the world via expansion outside the U.S. They quietly boasted that that would leave mainly world headquarters executives, designers, and engineers in the U.S. with the prestigious white-collar jobs. It was felt then (and these are not my bigoted opinions, not from me, yikes) that after all even 'the weaker sex' could do factory labor jobs as seen during WW2 (i.e. Rosie the Riveter). So why not have the 'stupid foreign workers' do the labor outside the U.S. What also gave way to the idea that manufacturing could succeed outside the U.S. was Mexico; since Mexican workers were also imported, but only temporarily during WW2. (By the way, the temporary Mexican workers were never fully paid back as promised during WW2.) A tremendous wave of pride about white-collar jobs became very popular in Detroit and in other automotive communities during the 50's. That vision sat poised on the back burner, but a pre-planted seed was already in place, which was Canada (Windsor) just across the Detroit River. Canada was a much-desired orchestrated precedence for the automakers; it set the stage for grace given by the government as an easily set up protocol for off-shoring jobs. Soon after, the automakers made a migration south to other states, then further south to Mexico, and finally overseas and on to economic slavery in China.Today we see the results of the destructive path the industry has taken. Layoffs, instead of being temporary situations reserved for pauses during new model changeovers, eventually became the mark of permanent labor plant closures. Obvious abandonment of people soon became the name of the automakers game. Along the swathed trail are - Highland Park, Detroit, Pontiac, Flint, Marquette, Gary Indiana, Pittsburgh, Toledo, Cleveland, …, which became known in the early 80’s as 'The Rust Bowl’. Sort of a rape, pillage, and burn mentality, which continues to today. Amazing how well the reasoning of "that's the way it's always been" persists and grows from one generation to the next. Excuse after excuse gave temporary reasoning to incremental geographic movements for global conquer. Temporary excuses ranged from the need to originally amass large workforces, to the hindrance of union pressures, to American workers are lazy, to 'over' government regulation, to …, all straw obstacles as to why the auto industry needed to move as it did. No! Greed is not good. We see how those at the top of the industry have each come in, grabbed with their greed, and left. Now today, we see how greed has caused "what once was, no longer is". So in short, now we see the results of greed, poorly planted roots, and disregard, taking its toll on America. Equally, is the toll on the myriad of unrelated businesses, old and new, that have adopted the auto industries infectious habits of having little to no regard for individual people that make up the American workforce. People.While being raised in the center of Detroit, I experienced many situations involving the Auto Industry; the following although early was not my earliest, and is an actual example. Around 1963, when I was 11 years old, I remember George Romney visiting our house to exchange political favors. Our 23-room house was a rundown relic of a past era, but it cleaned up well as a phony front for wealth and pretentious power. I remember we kids had to pretend that we were Christian Protestants for the visiting Governor (former Chairman of AMC) who was doing his Christian Mormon tradition of visiting the homes of his new legislators. How ostentatious they both were with fraudulent humility of how they rose from their humble beginnings. But more to the point, I remember Romney sitting at our dinning room table and saying "The Big Four Automakers don't have to worry about giving the Unions what they want, as long as the benefits will not be due for decades. By that time the labor plants will be outside the U.S." That shocked my brother Jimmy and I, as we listened playing in the sunroom just off the dinning room. Later we were once again physically punished (beaten-up), this time for listening to adult talk. Jimmy a year older than I, and intellectually gifted, soon became a Page at the State Capital. The accounts he returned with were shocking as well. Growing up as we did would make your head spin and open your eyes to disgust. We continued living in those surroundings until we grew out of our teens. Then we moved on to make our own adult lives, creating better environments much different from what we were born and raised in.Recalling back to my teens, I realized back then the Detroit riots were not only about race, but was also about economic oppression. It was the minorities who were oppressed the worst, most especially African-Americans. Bad however you measure it is bad. (For a better understanding of the decline of Detroit and to better understand the riots, take a look at my other post: “DETROIT RIOTS OF 1967, A RECOLLECTION OF THE TRUTH.” You will also better understand how very close we came to seeing a nationwide repeat of the riots in the coming Spring of 2009.)Unions, workers, man-hours, laborers, …, are not people, they are burdens to be minimized and eliminated. While watching Lee Iacocca being interviewed on Charley Rose last year, I noticed Iacocca admit that he new all the way back during negotiations with the unions, in the early 80’s, that Chrysler would never have to pay off in full on long term commitments to the unions. As Iacocca danced around the issue he said "now the unions will have to face reality". And, as Rose went on to discuss it more, Iacocca was getting more uncomfortable, and eventually managed to change the subject away from discussing past union negotiations. Iacocca was a bit slicker than George Romney was, since Iacocca was on national TV. It made me ashamed that Chrysler World Headquarters was at the end of our street when I was a kid. And, that as a young adult I had so proudly in my early career returned while working for a couple of electronics companies to Chrysler's World Headquarters R&D operations. I thought it an honor to have paid Iacocca's in-house barbershop to cut my hair, even his same barber. Some honor.Following Chrysler, I moved up to deal with GM, and was puzzled. I listened to upper executives at GM complain that they constantly had to bribe Mexican government officials and border guards for GM plants. I guess they also assumed I already new and accepted that the plants in the late 70's had already begun their exodus to Mexico and other countries. I have always looked at bribery as disgusting and wrong, it was not for me or those who I dealt with, that's among the many good things that a mentor named Jack Bazzy taught me as a young kid. By becoming acquainted with other mentors as an adult, I learned to seek out highly reputable employers and quality knowledgeable friends. I learned how to educate myself, and moved up very high in the scientific and technical industries, all of which I enjoyed.Although I grew up in Highland Park / Detroit, that was not anywhere near my top focus in choosing Obama. But, it is a simple history for me to recall, amazing how many more details I can give, but the main points have been brought forward. In addition, from being a mutt of sorts myself, to being a self made man, be that what it may, I have no illusions of being great. What I do mean here is that I quickly recognize many of Obama's unique insights, although mine are different but a bit similar in nature. Like many Obama supporters, I have personal experiences on most issues Obama has raised. So, above is just one of many examples that I can personally give.To better understand manufacturing in America, you can read my other blog: WHAT SCREWED UP MANUFACTURING FOR AMERICA
Blog members can reply here, anyone is welcome to email me at: Alex.Karoub@gmail.com
I've been a bit busy so have not been listening to much NPR. I was heading out to a meeting at my kids school and flipped it on about half way through the story. I missed the context of this group getting together and initially it was not a political discussion.
When this text message was related I started to tear up. Then cry. Then bawl. I've shared it with others and we all have the same reaction. Here is the quote and the link to the NPR story.
"Rosa sat so Martin could walk. Martin walked, so Obama could run. Obama is running so our children can fly."http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=96215190
Barack's supporters have not been asked to make the sacrifices of arrest or physical harm as others before him had to. We've been asked to reach out to fellow Americans, hope for a better future and VOTE. We've come a long, long way.
We have a chance to create a new world. Now is the time to be the change we wish to see in the world.
Here is a wonderful quote from Barak to remind us the thoughtful patriot we have an opportunity in office. Share with others with the encouragement to vote!
"No one is ProAbortion.... Democracy demands that the religiously motivated translate their concerns into universal, rather than religion-specific, values. It requires that their proposals be subject to argument, and amenable to reason. I may be opposed to abortion for religious reasons, but if I seek to pass a law banning the practice, I cannot simply point to the teachings of my church or evoke God's will. I have to explain why abortion violates some principle that is accessible to people of all faiths, including those with no faith at all . . . Politics depends on our ability to persuade each other of common aims based on a common reality. It involves the compromise, the art of what's possible. At some fundamental level, religion does not allow for compromise. It's the art of the impossible. If God has spoken, then followers are expected to live up to God's edicts, regardless of the consequences. To base one's life on such uncompromising commitments may be sublime, but to base our policy making on such commitments would be a dangerous thing."
I just heard this excellent, though accidental quote on the set of a toy commercial today. My crew was all fired up about politics, and in between takes, people were jumping onto their laptops to check the latest in news, polls, etc.
In between one of the takes, the director teased one of the production assistants, an 18-year-old, that he was gonna vote McCain because his parents told him too. My crew immediately jumped on him... "How could you vote McCain?!!" It was very cute... He got all blushy in his 18-year-old undecided-voter way and started defending himself...
We all laughed and poked fun at him... until our client pointed out that we should move on and get the next shot. That's when our director said it.... "Let's keep the political chatter down, and... ACTION!"
How appropriate :)
"If you focus on results, you will never change. If you focus on change, you will get results." - Jack Dixon
The above quote could not be more true when it comes to the current situation. American decides who will be the next president. One man has been focusing on his plan for change and the other has been focusing on how to get votes. One man shows he is a leader and the other is showing he is no longer the 'maverick' he claims to be. Quite the dilemma here, huh? This is a time for change. We need to go with someone that is sharing his ideas for change, not someone that decides to only focus only on the past and picking an unlikely running mate to get publicity. Real change is a different idea, not continuing already failed policies of a failed presidency. Focus on change. Focus on the greater good. Focus only on the American dream.WE. NEED. CHANGE.
OBAMA-BIDEN 2008!
The Right is Wrong
By: Cyrus Martin
August 21, 2008
Conservative: As defined by Merridian-Webster
Main Entry: 2conservative
Function: noun
Date: 1831
1 a: an adherent or advocate of political conservatism bcapitalized : a member or supporter of a conservative political party2 a: one who adheres to traditional methods or views b: a cautious or discreet person
There are really only three major distinctions that a politically minded person inside The United States can claim as their own: Liberal, Moderate or Conservative. Some people choose to avoid these distinctions entirely because while each possesses a range of positive attributes, there are also stark negatives that come along for the ride. None the less, these are the columns into which all politicos will fall. In the following essay, I will attempt to outline what I believe to be the worst of these and why I have arrived at this conclusion. I will shed new light on the group that has brought the most suffering upon the people of this country and continues to distort its own image as the “Right” party. Of the three, clearly the worst are the Conservatives.
Before you dismiss this essay as a partisan, slanted, spun, twisted, distorted or prejudiced report, please give me the opportunity to explain my perspective on this topic. I have not arrived at this conclusion without much discussion and debate. This is not something I choose to believe out of convenience or because it suits some interpretation that benefits me the most. Indeed I was once someone that claimed the label of “Conservative” proudly and without hesitation. I did so in full certainty that I was correct in this choice and without any real consideration that I could be wrong. It would take many many years before I would challenge this assumption… but when I did… I found it increasingly difficult to justify my belief and nearly impossible to rationalize to anyone I attempted to convert to my way of thinking. There are many reasons for this and I will explain them in detail throughout the course of this essay.
If you are someone that constantly challenges your beliefs and searches for truth in your life then I have aimed this document directly at you. I think that I am a fairly reasonable person but I know that I have closed my mind to certain issues from time to time. Each time that I rethought something that I had chosen to dismiss without diligent consideration, I found that I could learn more about myself and the world than I ever expected. As a Christian, this has been extremely interesting. Often we associate Conservatives with Christians and I had always assumed this label… however this may not be the truth. These kinds of paradoxes are present throughout this discussion. Please join me now as I explain my belief that the Conservative movement is (at best) a confusion of beliefs and morality and (at worst) a deliberate deception used by and against Americans that want to be good… or at least claim to.
Article 1: Economic Conservatism
The principle of Economic Conservatism can be defined as a system of economics that restrains spending and encourages fiscal responsibility. Another definition might be: an economic system that limits taxes and spending on behalf of The Government. Either of these definitions would be considered correct by a Conservative however both of them are in fact lies. The problem with Economic Conservatism is that this principle is considered to be tied to Moral Conservatism and therefore correct… but this is a contradiction. To be more specific, Economic Conservatism is a self centered, Darwinian process of controlling wealth. These are heavy charges though so please weigh the following and decide for yourself.
An Economic Conservative is someone who seeks to control their own assets with as little outside interference as possible. The idea is to maintain in-flow while reducing out-flow at every opportunity. This alone would be acceptable and even desirable if it were not done at the expense of the community. Economic Conservatives place their own individual interest and finances above all other interests. Profits, losses and expenses remain focused on the individual. This process is considered ideal to build wealth even if it is done at the cost of sustaining the resources used to perpetuate it.
The problem with viewing a singularity as an island is that no one exists autonomously. We are all dependent on one another even if we think we are not. Companies require workers, workers require an employer, money is needed to buy goods and resources, roads are needed for transportation, sewers remove waste, police keep us safe, our military stands guard and we all breathe clean American air. None of this is free but all are required. Economic Conservatism (if implemented fully) would destroy most of these because of the primary function of all Fiscally Conservative entities: Maximize profits and limit expenditures to only the necessary costs and only if the benefit outweighs the cost of the expenditure.
Who would provide Government services if there was no government? One major argument by Economic Conservatives is that the private sector can perform all tasks better than the government. From a profit oriented perspective, this makes no sense. Privatizing services such as The Police and Fire Departments would alter the services to such an extent that their primary function would be impossible to maintain. In order to generate a profit, your local Emergency Services would be forced to focus on concepts and processes that generate the most money. All other services would become lower priority or even ignored. Imagine the reality of restricted gear, coverage areas, techniques, facilities and personnel based on profitability. Fiscal Conservatism would change the focus from saving lives to making a buck. How is this moral?
Taxes are bad right? Nobody likes to pay for anything and an Economic Conservative generally views taxes as an unnecessary expenditure. Taxes are evil and wrong and need to be stopped. The only problem with this is that an Economic Conservative has no problem benefiting from the resources and services provided by taxes. Imagine for a moment that everything was controlled by private corporations. How much would you pay to use the road in front of your house? What daily fee would be reasonable for a new bridge down town? How about a fee for the soldiers in the army or for keeping your police department from relocating to a more profitable neighborhood? If you pay for all of these services then you are paying taxes. The difference between these services being public vs. private is the focus of their existence and who they answer to. No taxes would mean no government services and that would mean that privately owned businesses would dictate the safety and functionality of your family at every level.
Darwin believed in Natural Selection. Economic Conservatives also believe in this principle though they may not believe that they do. In fact, the entire argument that is made to justify a system of fiscal conservatism is “Survival of The Fittest”. An economic system based around the idea of natural selection seems to exist in contradiction of the basic premise that this is founded in morality. Surely a moral system would take into account factors such as claiming responsibility for not only profits but also for the costs of doing business in a community. Surely a moral system would recognize “National Loyalty” as more than just a slogan to be used to generate profits. Surely a “conservative” system would seek to protect the traditions and culture of the people it employs and serves rather than weigh their value over their cost.
Economic Darwinism such as this does not recognize the benefit of using tax funds for projects that do not directly benefit the individuals that pay the largest portion of taxes. The elderly, the poor, undereducated, unfortunate, the abandoned and the minority will never share the same basic interests as the wealthy. Their realities are polar opposites to those of the rich. No matter how hard these groups may work or how driven they are, the odds will be stacked against their success. Without the support of organizations with the power to improve schools, roads, infrastructures and a hand up in hard times… many are doomed to continued poverty and hardship. The organization in the best position to provide this help is our government. While success has not always been achieved in hard times (such as during Hurricane Catrina) and there is constantly the need for revision in policy and implementation… our government is designed to provide social services while answering to the voting public regardless of their economic standing.
Economic Conservatism is in fact a lie. This is merely a designation used as an excuse to take advantage of every factor that benefits an individual or business while ignoring the responsibilities of that entity to the community and environment in order to maximize personal profit under the guise of moral authority. This is a barn painted to look like a house. It can be called a house… decorated like one… praised as the best house ever built… but it is what it is. The need to disguise this lie with labels like “moral” or “Christian” is disturbing once the actual system is analyzed. Recognizing such obfuscation is crucial if our economy is to ever become truly responsible to all of the people and not just to the few that have manipulated us to worship their brands and products.
Article 2: Moral Conservatism
A Moral Conservative is a person that lives life according to moral guidelines that are limited to what is viewed to be correct and good. A Moral Conservative generally holds these morals as part of a religion or faith which is integrated into every aspect of their world view. In America, these are generally people that would consider them selves to be “Christians” although the designation of Moral Conservative is not limited specifically to any one belief system. It is not what is believed specifically that identifies a Moral Conservative. It is the conviction of self righteousness.
Some in this category would view themselves as living a “right” life while viewing others that do not share their morality as being “wrong”. This is not a prerequisite however it is fairly common. Some Moral Conservatives do not look down on others because they have simplified their world view to encompass only their own personal belief system and have dismissed the views of others rather than compare them. While this could be considered arrogant by some or irrational by others, it is none the less real to those that make this choice. Because these individuals choose to view themselves as “right” then they are unable to consider other perspectives and are handicapped against the concept of acquired knowledge. This exists to varying degrees among Moral Conservatives but should not be viewed as an absolute requirement.
Are all Christians Moral Conservatives? No. In fact, an argument could be made that any true Christian is NOT a Moral Conservative. An explanation of this can be found in The Bible. By researching the actions of Jesus, a Christian would discover that he was in fact a revolutionary in his day. He challenged many of the old beliefs and traditions that were accepted as “Right”. His primary concern was for his fellow man and for educating all of us as to the need to save one another. While his teachings provided specific laws that we all should follow, he often chastised those that viewed themselves to be above others. “Judge not lest ye be judged”
By the same token, a Christian’s concern was specifically outlined by Jesus. He warned all of us against building up our treasures on this planet rather than in the kingdom of God. He often sought out charity and praised those that gave of themselves without thinking of their own benefit… or whether or not a donation was tax deductable. Jesus taught us to be open to new ideas and to always seek the truth even if it was not convenient or traditional. All of these principles seem to contradict a Moral or Economic Conservative’s view of life and priorities. This would seem problematic for someone claiming to be a “Conservative Christian”.
Article 3: Cultural Conservatism
Just like mom used to make… right? We all have memories from our childhood that we reflect on from time to time that put a smile on our collective face. Many of the old traditions and attitudes we know from our pasts have helped shape us into the people we are today. Some of this is good and some of it is not… for example… the views our parents or their parents held on issues such as class or race. Cultural Conservatism can be a double edged sword.
Having conservative traditions is not a bad thing. We all have family traditions that we love. My grandmother used to make Christmas candy and although she has passed on and I have no interest in making candy myself… I still remember when she did with great affection. We get together on Birthdays and Christmas every year to celebrate and exchange gifts. These are very good traditions and help us all maintain a bond of unity and shared prosperity. Just because it is a conservative tradition that does not make it wrong… however we must be careful when we label our traditions as conservative.
A conservative tradition is one that does not change or at least does not change much. Not all traditions should be labeled as conservative though. If your family traditionally goes to church on Easter then this is clearly conservative and there is absolutely nothing wrong with that. If your family traditionally throws eggs at cars on Halloween though then I doubt many people would consider this conservative. Also, just because the tradition is conservative that does not make it right.
A common conservative tradition in The South is to not associate with poor people. This is clearly against the teachings of Jesus though and therefore not a correct one. Perhaps your family sets off fireworks every 4th of July even if there is a drought. That would be bad as well. Maybe your conservative traditions dictate that you will not date outside of your race. There are many conservative traditions that are not good for us and cause us to either make unnecessary mistakes or force us to miss out on many of the best opportunities life has in store.
It is valuable to live life with conservative traditions but I would not recommend that anyone live their life as a Cultural Conservative. If you define yourself by traditions that are mostly or completely conservative then you will undeniably suffer for it. We should all value our family beliefs and customs but we should also have the courage and conviction to evaluate the traditions of the past so that we can decide if change is required. After all, even though traditions are of value… the world is always moving forward.
Article 4: Conservatism vs. Liberalism
For some, the choice seems to be A or B. You are either a Conservative or a Liberal. Conservatives are like dogs and cats. These two designations tend to view one another in very black and white terms. This is a good way to identify a member of either affiliation. Conservatives typically view Liberals as Communists with “bleeding hearts” whereas Liberals will sometimes refer to Conservatives as Fascists or hypocrites. Neither observation is correct… but these do give us an important insight into the mindset of each side.
Are Conservatives fascists? No. Of course not. A Conservative is an American and most of them believe in Democracy. The problem is that typically they have a warped view of what that means. A Conservative is primarily concerned with his own wealth and rights and usually feels defensive as though he or she is being threatened with the prospect of change. A Conservative seeks to “conserve” their world. This is great as long as it does not impose hardship on the rest of us… which all too often… is an unfortunate consequence of the self centered philosophy they prescribe to.
Are Liberals “Bleeding Heart Communists”? Some probably are… but the vast majority of Liberals are socially conscious and have a philosophy that views America as a whole and not simply as a bunch of individuals seeking to better themselves at the expense of one another. The Liberal mindset is to try new things… to seek new information and to feel free to make mistakes along the way. They are not perfect or correct on all issues… but caring about the poor and about being responsible does not equate to Communism.
The biggest disagreements between Conservatives and Liberals seem to come from the issues that are viewed in completely opposite ways on either side. Issues such as Abortion tend to raise the most eyebrows for both groups and the debates often become heated and passionate. Conservatives center their arguments on belief and morality as do Liberals. The individual interpretation of what that morality is will cause explosive tensions. Cats and Dogs…indeed…
Article 5: Assessment and Conclusion
Why are Conservatives worse than Liberals? The answer to this is simple. Conservatives claim the right to associate themselves with Christianity, morality and social correctness. As outlines above though… this is clearly not true. Conservatives are no better than Liberals. In fact, because they claim superiority through lies and distortions then I am forced to conclude the only reasonable truth… that Conservatives may be the “Right” party but this does not make them right. A self righteous claim of moral, cultural, religious, economic and social authority with so much evidence to the contrary can only be called what it is… hypocrisy. It is for this reason that Conservatism is in fact the greater of two evils… and shame on them for saying otherwise.
Call yourself what you want but you have no right to claim superiority to anyone else. Being religious is not the same as being a Christian… even if you attend a Christian church. Being conservative in the same way is not tantamount to being righteous. We have different perspectives and we all have a right to them unless we are hurting our fellow Americans. Ask yourself if you are right and why you feel it is so important to be right. You might find that you aren’t as “conservative” as you used to think you were. You might even be surprised at what you actually believe.
God is omnipotent. God is all knowing. God is righteous. You are not God. You may believe in God and believe that you are good… but you have no right to place yourself above anyone else… especially if you claim moral superiority. Assuming you are a Christian, please take a moment to read The Bible before you lay claim to it. We all have a lot to learn from each other.
Matthew 7:4 - American Standard Version Or how wilt thou say to thy brother, Let me cast out the mote out of thine eye; and lo, the beam is in thine own eye?
I came across this quote about HOPE from Barack and felt goosepimples as I read it:
"Hope is not blind optimism. Its not ignoring the enormity of the task ahead or the roadblocks that stand in our path. Its not sitting on the sidelines or shirking from a fight. Hope is that thing inside us that insists, despite all the evidence to the contrary, that something better awaits us if we have the courage to reach for it, and to work for it, and to fight for it....Hope is the bedrock of this nation--the belief that our destiny will not be written for us, but by us. By all those men and women who are not content to settle for the world as it is--who have the courage to remake the world as it should be. Together, ordinary people can do extraordinary things." Barack Obama
It is so uplifting and motivating, not least for the last sentence, Together, ordinary people can do extraordinary things. Amen to that!
I recently stumbled upon this RFK quote that I found especially relevant today:
"Our answer is the world's hope; it is to rely on youth. The cruelties and the obstacles of this swiftly changing planet will not yield to obsolete dogmas and outworn slogans. It cannot be moved by those who cling to a present which is already dying, who prefer the illusion of security to the excitement and danger which comes with even the most peaceful progress. This world demands the qualities of youth: not a time of life but a state of mind, a temper of the will, a quality of the imagination, a predominance of courage over timidity, of the appetite for adventure over the love of ease.""Day of Affirmation" speech, University of Capetown, South AfricaJune 6th, 1966
"Our answer is the world's hope; it is to rely on youth. The cruelties and the obstacles of this swiftly changing planet will not yield to obsolete dogmas and outworn slogans. It cannot be moved by those who cling to a present which is already dying, who prefer the illusion of security to the excitement and danger which comes with even the most peaceful progress. This world demands the qualities of youth: not a time of life but a state of mind, a temper of the will, a quality of the imagination, a predominance of courage over timidity, of the appetite for adventure over the love of ease."
"Day of Affirmation" speech, University of Capetown, South Africa
June 6th, 1966
Something to keep in mind these days.
One of my favorite activies is solving Puzzabilty dot com's "Say What" puzzles. Often wish they posted a new one daily, not just once on Sunday. Last weeks quote was:
Winston Churchill said: Courage is what it takes to stand up and speak. Courage is also what it takes to sit down and listen.
Another of my web activites is reading Obama '08 member's blog posts on the community page. I think that quote applies to many. To listen more and talk less. I say that because it seems like many members are unaware of elements of this long primary campaign. An example might be when someone DEMANDS that Senator Obama do something, when he already did so.
Demanding he name a VP when he said it was too eary to do so, seemed rude to me. I wonder, if the posters were "listening" would they "talk less" in their demading. As a reader it is disheartening. I tend to assume everyone knows about Senator Clinton's special interest lies, for instance. Do not they know, I think, that Senator and Bill Clinton have been telling their voters for months now that McCain is better than Obama.
Strange to me is the posts that keep suggesting VP's who did not endorse Senator Obama and endorse him quickly in the campaign. Even on the day it was announced that Senator Kennedy has a brain tumor, there was a post saying he needs to be Obama's VP. It was announced that Caroline (nee: Kennedy) is on Obama's committee to "vet" candidates, yet, I read posts here still suggesting she would be a great VP.
One of the reasons I choose to vote for Obama in my state's primary is that he traveled his state talking to citizens. He listens first. But he also had the courage to speech out about something that mattered even though it may have cost him his election in Illinois that year. That he did win, shows me that he is in touch with citizens and what they want from government. Listening to us being one of those things.
hillary clinton has shown her true colors to all those who gave her the benefit of the doubt.today, she used the tragic assination of robert kennedy as some sort of justification for her staying in the primary race. it was obvious to everyone, even her supporters, that she was waiting for a late-moment surprise to vault her past barack. is this what was on her mind? is this the reference point that keeps her driven?
for a woman who claims to be a smart lawyer, she can sure say some very stupid things. and then to try to make up for it, she just throws out a "...i deeply regret what i said", as if that makes it all ok. the damage gets done, but she then claims ignorance after-the-fact.
i don't know how well barack obama saying something horrible ike this would go over with hillary clinton's enablers. but thankfully, he's way too decent to even think such things. proof of the ethics training from harvard vs. yale, i suppose.
read on:
From NBC's Mark Murray and Domenico MontanaroThis might not help the Hillary-for-veep chatter... The New York Post writes, "Hillary Clinton today brought up the assassination of Sen. Robert Kennedy while defending her decision to stay in the race against Barack Obama. 'My husband did not wrap up the nomination in 1992 until he won the California primary somewhere in the middle of June, right? We all remember Bobby Kennedy was assassinated in June in California. I don't understand it,' she said, dismissing calls to drop out."
I usually wait until the week is over before posting quotes I have solved in Puzzabilty's Say What games. This one made me feel better about this political campaign.
H.L.Mencken said: "A national political campaign is better than the best circus ever heard of, with a mass baptism and a couple of hangings thrown in."
Despite Senator Obama's desire and best efforts to run a clean campaign, even users of the blogs he made available for his supporter's use, refuse to let him do so. The odd thing about that is, some community members blast other Obama bloggers for suggesting we follow his lead. That is sad. After almost a year of being bashed by his major opponent, her husband, their followers, and the media; to be bashed by Obama's suppossed supporters and campaign team members shows little hope for raising the bar a notch.
"I believe that imagination is stronger than knowledge -- myth is more potent than history -- dreams are more powerful than facts -- hope always triumphs over experience -- laughter is the cure for grief -- love is stronger than death." ~ Robert Fulghum
When I packed everything that would fit in the old Honda with 195,000 miles on it, to drive 3,000 miles away from home, you know I was living on hope. Hope that old Betsy would hold up; hope that I would make the trip without any blowouts on a busy highway; hope that the muffler would not fall off; that the car would not overheat and bust a hose...
...or something like that. I mentally imaged every possible dire thing that could happen. Based on past experiences. Survived that; knew how to do an emergency fix on that; drove through sleet and snow and freezing rain...pea soup thick fog and zero visibilty. What could possibly happen that I could not handle?
Ah, but would I find a job once I got to my destination?
I did a lot of Bon Jovi singing enroute: "oh, oh,...1/2 way their, oh, oh, living on a prayer" or something like that. So was my prior driving experiences or hope that got me safe and sound to my destination?
"Hope is like a bird that senses dawn and carefully starts to sing while it is still dark." ~ Author Unknown
or "In the depth of winter, I finally learned that within me there lay an invincible summer." ~ Albert Camus
"I'm stuck like a dope on a thing called hope..." is a lyric from the musical "South Pacific". If memory serves me the song title was "Cock Eyed Optimist". I am not big on musicals, but listened to the sound track from that movie many times. Today, I am stuck on hope...
"Hope is like a road in the country; there was never a road, but when many people walk on it, the road comes into existence." ~ Lin Yutang
The first time I heard Senator Obama's name was due to a flap over a Salon dot com title. Like a speeding bullet the offending title was changed by the time I heard about it and checked out the article. A blogger had quickly saved the original title and perhaps it is still floating around online. After reading the article, I thought, this is the type of president I want: a young, upstart.
That is not a new thought for me. I am often frustrated by leaders who keep doing things the same way leaders before them did things. I do not want someone heading the country who follows a path, but who goes where there is no path and leaves a trail. (author of that concept unknown) Someone who thinks outside the box.
As candidates thew their hats in the ring, I was set to vote for Russ Feingold, who withdrew as soon as he entered the contest. He did likewise when he introduced legislation to censure Bush which was the first step towards impeachment. My only criteria for a hasty "I will vote for him".
Except for that Salon dot com article, Obama was a stranger to me. Likewise most all of the others. After much study, I found that, yes, he is, the leader I have been looking for many years. A young upstart who gets things done. The right things. His campaign started like that country road: on hope. It is a pleasure to have so many US citizens forging this new road with Obama and myself.
Born on January 17, 1964, Michelle Robinson was raised in a one-bedroom apartment on Chicago's South Shore. She shared space in the living room with her brother separated with a divider to serve as their bedrooms. Both Michelle and her older brother, Craig Robinson, will marvel that, from such humble beginnings, they have been thrust in the global spotlight as Barack has become front runner in the Democrat election '08 primary contest.
She also said: “My parents told us time and time again, ‘Don’t tell us what you can’t do, and don’t worry about what can go wrong.’ ”
Michelle learned about the power of hopes, dreams and optimism as a child. Look it where it got her!
