Sarge

Credentials overpowering Credibility

Practical politics consists of ignoring facts. -- Henry Brooks Adams The greatest dangers to liberty lurk in insidious encroachment by men of zeal, well meaning, but without understanding. -- Louis D. Brandeis

Theater of the absurd

It has been the political career of this man to begin with hypocrisy, proceed with arrogance, and finish with contempt. -- Thomas Paine (1776) Politics, being the specific type of animal it is, attracts men (and women) of the above mentioned ilk. The advertisement is made describing a particular train of thought and that the person advertising is specifically cut from the whole cloth of truth. They’re patriotic. They’re steadfast. They live by principles and stand ready to sacrifice for the position.

Fallacy

Definition of (-cracy) Combined element forming nouns meaning “rule of the government by,” from Fr. -cratie or M.L. –cratia, from Gk. – kratia “power, might; rule, sway; power over; a power, authority, “from kratos “strength,” from PIE *kratus “power, strength” Barnhart Dictionary of Etymology 1995, Harper Collins The greatest fallacy of the ages is the mistaken belief that American people rule themselves. It just isn’t so, folks, because you can use most any word as a prefix with the suffix: -cracy. Democracy is, allegedly, government by the people. In general it’s not possible in America because we live with a process and organic governmental organization deciding our elected President. It’s called the Electoral College and removes true democracy from the people.

Managers & Stewards?

Definition of Economy: (n) (pre-1393 B.C.E) from the Greek oekonomia, from oekonomos – meaning manager or steward Barnhart Concise Dictionary of Etymology Harper- Collins (pub.) The funny thing about Congress is the number of allegedly intelligent, educated and reasonable people accumulated in one room at any particular time. But for all of the extended levels of education our legislators claim, they’re still some of the dumbest people on the planet. I point out the irony of the fact they can’t quote (for the most part) the definition just given by a layman (me). (If you don’t believe it, ask a “Lege” (legislator) where the word originated. It’ll prove enlightening and troubling.)

Hostage takers

All of this action being accomplished by the “public sector” union members in Wisconsin is a problem. In the effort to assure they have a voice in the manner teachers are paid and given benefits, the unions have come across as thugs and extortionists. They’re proving to be hostage takers in what they laughingly describe as a pursuit of the right to “negotiate”.

Representation

There’s been a great deal of angst concerning labor unions, government’s response to collective bargaining and whether or not it all has an impact on anybody, the economy or the taste of raspberry crème cupcakes. It affects everybody, punches holes in the economies of states and a nation and sours the taste of a raspberry crème cupcake. (Maybe not so much but I’m trying to see a funny in here somewhere.)

Cowardice

I belong to a group believing the Constitution is more than a series of Burma Shave signs on America’s historical highway. “We the people stomp and shout but when it’s needed the Constitution’s out” – Bummer Shave”. Tacky, I know but we’re living in the interesting times the Chinese Curse spoke about.

Protest

In California, a great debate was brought forth by Islamic Students. They feel wronged because they vocally and vehemently protested a speaker at their University of California – Irvine campus. They were commanded to desist and depart; they did. They were punished by their University’s disciplinary system in so far as the comportment of student organizations is concerned.

Vitriolic rhetoric

Vitriolic rhetoric is the topic of the day. Politicians are bandying the term about like they have some sort of lock on the terminology. It’s cliché already. Senator James Clyburn (D) (SC) used the term and looked as uncomfortable as to nearly pass a stone when he said it.

To express in words

I’ve been challenged by people occasionally and they start telling me off because of the way I write. “Man, I like what you write and what you have to say but every time I turn around I have to stop, get a dictionary and look up the word you used!”

Insurance, ensurance, assurance redux (cont,)

Insurance was always looked at by the public as a gamble on the part of the company issuing the policies. In response to accepting the risk, the company could dictate the insured behave in a manner ensuring there was a lessening of the risk executed or undertaken, or that the insured pay more for the coverage. For example, a man specializing in Bomb Disposal could be ordered to maintain certifications, training and protective equipment and its upkeep to cut the risk of him becoming fertilizer at the scene of a bomb disposal.

Insurance, ensurance, assurance redux

Definitions: Insurance (n): contract that guarantees compensation for theft, damages, etc., for a fee Ensure (v): to protect Assure (v): 1. a guarantee; 2.to confirm confidently; 3. (Brit.) insure Risk(n): hazard: a source of danger; a possibility of incurring loss or misfortune; 2 a venture undertaken with regard to possible loss or injury; 3. expose to a chance of loss or damage; 4. Gamble Source

Procedures

To whom it may concern at the Doctor’s Office, Having received your latest request for payment concerning your inestimable and appreciated professional services I must admit I may be suffering a lack of proper oxygen perfusion. There’s a recognizable lack of memory as to when I experienced fun during this. It’s my fear I’ve suffered an episode of Alzheimer’s or post-billing cycle hysterical amnesia.

The Double Helix

The Constitution is the keel of this ship of state we call America. And, it’s under attack (as always seems to be the case) by people thinking they’re so much more intelligent than the masters created it in the first place. These people work like wood borers, sticking their noses into every nook and cranny to exploit a perceived weakness that wouldn’t be there if they hadn’t started nosing around in the first place. These people gain strength and notoriety for their presence, and because they’re recognized as being there, they think they’re appreciated.

Public opinion?

It becomes a necessity that we understand where we stand in this country. “Out in the cold” comes to mind when it comes to our ability to practice good governance. From where I’m sitting it looks like there are more and more hyper-educated pundit wannabees in the media. For some reason or another we’re regularly told what we think. This is called POLLING. The numbers of positive responses to carefully selected questions are compared against the number of negative responses and after careful computation and interpretation they tell us what they want us to hear. This is called Statistical Analysis.

Follow the leader

In the Book of Genesis, there’s a story of the ancient people coming together after the Great Flood. They assembled in the Land of Shinar. They were the direct descendants of Noah. They spoke one language. But they were corrupt in God’s eyes. They decided to build a great tower allowing them ascension to heaven without needing to follow God’s law.

Potential

Each year, at Christmas, I find myself disappointed in what I see going on in the world. We’re still sending our young people into other nations with the hope we’ll win the hearts and minds of the indigenous culture at muzzle point. People from those nations send their young and sadly misinformed to our (and other) lands to force conversion of a different culture. They want to raise an awareness of their God’s mercy from the ashes and rubble of bombed out buildings and using, as a foundation, the graves of those killed to create converts.

Just thinkin’

Whenever I think about Christmas I find myself trying desperately, eyes crushed shut, while fighting to remember how it was when I was a child. The anticipation pushed me through snow and past slush. Expectation and hope for the one present I wanted Santa Claus to place beneath the tree propelled me. I try remembering the wonder of drifted snow awakened to after being cuddled downward into my blankets like a Snowshoe Rabbit. I try remembering my excitement as my feet hit the floor, working feverishly to gain traction as my sleeper encased feet slid on the bare hardwood floor leading to the magical Christmas tree.

Pruning the poisoned tree

In law there’s a metaphor referred to as “fruit of the poisoned tree”. It describes evidence gathered from information obtained illegally. The logic is that if the source of the evidence (the "tree") is tainted, then anything gained from it (the "fruit") is also tainted

The Poison Tree

The United States is a sovereign, autonomous and free nation. We accept NO outside law or legal system as above or beyond our own. Knowing this we can’t set aside our law because ANY leader finds it disadvantageous to enforce the law. This is his responsibility. ALL men are equal in holding human rights. But, nowhere does it say that they’re entitled to coverage by the Bill of Rights as Americans.