How often have you seen some lawyer show (Movie or TV series), where the lawyer stands up and asks a question, that even the novice knows should not have been asked? The opposing lawyer will jump up and object, the judge will sustain the objection then direct the jury to disregard the question. We all know the shyster lawyer got his point across, and no matter who is on the jury, or what they are told, they will keep that tidbit of information to themselves and wonder. Not only that but, what about the parade of witnesses who not only have to be kept waiting for their opportunity to testify, but, after a long drawn out harassment of the lawyers present asking and restating their questions, objecting and pointing out their objections the jury is left wondering if what they had to say was pertinent to begin with. Sometimes after a witness has given his testimony, we find out through cross examination that it was all bogus perjury to begin with. Now, once again we are directed by the judge to disregard his statements. In the worst scenario our defendant sits through the trial and realizes he hasn't a foot to stand on, after several weeks he caves in changes his plea, and the jury has been forced to witness their time wasted, without the satisfaction of passing a verdict forward. You might ask, what else could we do, to make it more streamlined?
I propose that the entire trial be recorded, and edited prior to seating of the jury. Obviously this would not be every case, but the big ones, and many of the medium sized ones, perhaps one day all of them could be done that way. It starts out, with depositions; Depositions become the actual testimonies that would be aired. Any objections made would be aired and once the Judge has ruled on the objection, one of two things would happen 1) the Judge over rules the objection and the tape would be edited of the lawyer making the objection, or 2) the Judge sustains the objection and the both the objection and the substance of the objection is edited out of the testimony, as if it never happened. Perjured witnesses would be edited out completely. Pertinent witnesses and their testimonies would be allowed to remain, but, after review the Judge could decide if their presence was even relative. Any Courtroom dramatics could be edited out and re taped to prevent improper exposure to the jury. Any mistrials could be corrected by editing of the improper evidence or acts (saving the taxpayer the money necessary to stage another trial). The tapes could be used for appeals as well.
After the trial, and the tapes have been reviewed for content (removing what should have been removed) the Jury is seated. Review of the tapes will be able to inform juries how long they will be needed. No need for juries to be sequestered for extended periods during recesses, so lawyers can gather witnesses who didn't show up on time on were needed at an inappropriate time. When the Jury is seated, there will be the Judge, the opposing Lawyers (no need for large teams), the Defendant, the Bailiff or two, and court stenographer (perhaps with the video taping that would be a formality that can be eliminated saving more money). The video would run any and all evidences be shown and passed about. The jury would then deliberate and make their verdict known.
At that time the jury would be thanked and let go. Unless they were needed for capital crimes and determine if capital measures were needed for punishment.
Monday, March 8, 2010
Sunday, February 28, 2010
Another Response to Interest Price Fixing
After this I shall resume posting on what I feel is "The Way It Should Be". As I review the input from various persons, who emailed me concerning price controls on the price of money, I begin to think some of you have the right idea. People are responsible for their own situations in most cases. Banks and credit card companies should be able to set their own interest rates. Retailers should be able to set their own prices on their products. So I put forth to you that it comes down to personal responsibility. This can be carried over to almost every facet of society. My original posting which brought on this controversy was over Bankruptcy. So let's look at this aspect. Should we be able to file bankruptcy at all? Why should we be able to erase our debts at all? In ancient days, if you were unable to pay your debts you were sold into slavery, and that could have included members of your immediate family as well. Should we bring back that practice? We can scoff at price controls all we want, but, when you come right down to it; there are a lot of things society has price controlled, body organs come to mind. What business of it is mine if you want to sell your spare kidney to the highest bidder? It's your kidney. Why not? If you die, why can't your family sell your heart, spleen, kidneys, lungs, or anything else for that matter? The Government has set down price controls on those items.... The government says they must be a gift, you are not allowed to sell them or have anyone bid on them in auction. Ticket scalpers, they are purchasing a product for resale, why then shouldn't they be able to sell those tickets for whatever price the market is willing to bear? When a hurricane hits a community or any other natural disaster, why can't people purchase water at a dollar a bottle and sell it at $10.00 or more? Plywood? Generators? The list goes on. When it comes to personal responsibility why stop at economics? Libertarians profess an attitude that they should be able to do anything they please as long as it doesn't interfere with (or could interfere with) the rights of others. So speeding would be illegal if you are endangering others. Driving drunk would be illegal since you are exposing others to a hazardous situation. Libertarians would also advocate the use of what are now illegal drugs, since you are only harming yourself and not others. Again it would boil down to personal freedom. If I want to charge you $20 for borrowing $5, as long as you don't have a problem with it, what does it matter? If you want to smoke dope in your own home, and as long as you keep it contained and not in your car going 120 mph stoned, what concern of it is mine? Now if we take on this attitude, what restrictions must we implement to keep us from destroying society? First of all, if you get all liquored up and ruin your liver, don't ask anyone to pay for its replacement, that should be you and your family responsibility (would the insurance company be able to place a clause in your insurance agreement stating that if you were responsible for your condition they would be exempt from paying out on your bills?. The Federal government already refuses to pay off a service member’s SGLI (Servicemen’s Group Life Insurance) if the service member dies in an accident where they are not wearing seat belts (or in the case of a motorcycle accident not wearing a helmet). So where does this all lead you may ask. My Blog is "The Way It Should Be” In a perfect world there would be no need to limit companies on how much interest they lend out, they would do the right thing. In a perfect world we would all adopt the proper attitude when it came down to how we conduct our business and our lives. There would be no loan sharks waiting for the easy mark, ready to break your legs when you don’t pay up. If we had no limits on interest and the deal was the open door, Loan Sharks would be upstanding citizens offering a commodity to those in need. Is Citibank a legal Loan Shark? That, without restrictions is able to raise your interest rates as long as they give you a 30 day notice? Don’t they metaphorically break your economic legs when you are behind? It is right to garnish your wages for a credit card debt, to ensure they get paid before your Mortgage Company, utility company, or grocer? You may think this treatise is socialistic, but I think it is more Conservative in nature. By allowing people to grow more economically on their own, you open up a real economy based on product and demand for that product. When people have more to spend, they spend it. If we reduce the amount they can spend on products, because they have to pay off interest on stuff they have already bought, then no amount of stimulus money will be able to correct a turn in the economy. Money is not a commodity; it is the means in which commodities are exchanged for labor. Interest cheapens the value of labor, by reducing what can be purchased with it. When you create more products, with a wider Marketplace, Society becomes stronger. Perhaps credit cards should be traded in for debit cards and products sold for their value. Would you spend $360,000 for a $125,000 house? People do that every day, and oh yes that price just up to $400,000 because you don’t have a good credit history. I am just saying that interest rates are too high and the people who can afford to pay them, don’t have to, where is the equality? Again in a perfect world we would not need to limit what we do, because we would just naturally do it.
Saturday, February 27, 2010
A Response Concerning Price Controls On Interest Rates
I received an Email expressing concern that I was advocating price controls when I stated that interest rates should be capped at 10%. I was. I have no reservations over the federal government when they take steps to “provide for the common good” as is directed by the preamble of our constitution. I also look to the oath of office sworn by our presidents and senators to defend against all enemies both foreign and domestic. Let me outline the reasons I have against usury (the practice of lending money at astronomically high rates).
Let us first look at the religious reasons
1) Jews are forbidden to lend at interest to one another. Exodus 22:25; Deuteronomy 23:19-20, Leviticus 25:35-37.
2) The Prophet Ezekiel includes usury in a list of “abominable things,” along with rape, murder, robbery and idolatry. Ezekiel 18:19-13.
3) Medieval Canon Law Usury is punishable by ex-communication
4) 1306-1321 Dante pens “The Inferno,” in which he places usurers at the lowest ledge in the seventh circle of hell – lower than murderers. “to live without labor was denounced as unnatural, and so Dante put usurers in the same circle of hell as the inhabitants of Sodom and other practices of unnatural vice”
5) 1483-1547 Martin Luther compared the taking of usury with theft and murder, as does the Scriptures.
But, let's go in another direction. How about our own history
1) Early 18th Century American colonies adopt usury laws, setting the interest cap at 8%.
2) After 1776 all of the States in the Union adopt a general usury. Most states set the interest limit at 6%.
So apparently our forefathers had no qualms about price controls when it came to interest rates and what would be considered usury. As we became more liberal with the concept of loaning money it soon caused our society to make money more available by making it more attractive for the banks to lend out, Thus allowing the banks to make more money off of our money that was sitting in their vaults.
1) Early 1900's a move to deregulation causes 11 states to eliminate their usury laws. Nine more states raise the usury cap to 10% or 12%. Banks are not making personal loans. “Salary Lenders” fill the need by “purchasing” a worker’s future wages in exchange for a high fee – equal to a lending rate of 10% - 33%.
2) 1916 A Uniform Small Loan Law allows specially-licensed lenders to charge higher interest rates—up to 36%—in return for adhering to strict standards of lending.
Obviously these practices help set the stage for the great depression loans were made at high rates, and the money used to buy stocks that when the paper tower collapsed, worthless stocks became as worthless as the paper loans used to purchase them. People ended up upside down with no way of paying off their debts. You would have thought we would have learned our lesson, but, no the great depression was alleviated by of all things World War 2. And when that was over......
1) 1945 - 1979 All states adopt special loan laws that cap interest at higher than the general usury rate—at 36%—but cap it nevertheless.
2) 1978 The US Supreme Court decides that national banks may export the state interest rate law of their home state into any state where they do business. In response, South Dakota eliminates its interest rate caps. Several credit card issuing banks move to South Dakota and operate nationally with no interest rate cap.
3) 1980 Congress preempts state interest rate controls on all first lien mortgages. This enables predatory mortgage lenders to make seemingly affordable loans, like adjustable rate and interest-only loans that lead to foreclosure for many.
4) 1994 Congress adopts the Home Ownership and Equity Protection Act of 1994, which provides some substantive protections to home mortgage borrowers with interest rates or points that are extraordinarily expensive, but sets no limits on what can be charged for these loans.
5) 1994 -2005 Many states and cities try to protect their citizens by adopting state statutes and local ordinances to curb predatory lending, but preemption claims by the federal government impede their efforts. Numerous bills are introduced in Congress to protect consumers in a wide range of transactions, including rent-to-own, credit cards, payday lending, and predatory mortgage lending, but none of these bills makes it to a hearing.
6) 2001 - 2007 Predatory and mainly subprime lenders make home loans to people who cannot afford them, boosting their own profits in the short term. Many of these loans are packaged and sold to Wall Street.
7) 2005 after extensive pressure from the industry, the federal government changes bankruptcy laws, making it harder for consumers to discharge debts and get a clean start in bankruptcy.
8) 2006 Congress passes the “Talent Amendment” which to caps interest on loans made to active military personnel and their families at 36%, reacting to findings that high-cost payday lenders had been targeting the military.
9) 2007 Foreclosure rates begin to increase dramatically as a result of predatory mortgage lending. The launch of Americans for Fairness in Lending (AFFIL), a national multi-organization collaborative message and action campaign designed to raise public awareness and generate outrage about predatory lending.
10) 2008 Unpaid mortgages cause mortgage-backed securities on Wall Street to continue to "go bad," triggering widespread economic downturn in both the United States and around the world. Some commercial and investment banks go bankrupt, and some are the object of government "bailouts."
So how can we stand by and watch the financial system wreck havoc on our economy. Think of this when loans were at rates of 12 -16% Banks paid us 5-6% interest on our savings. As loan rates have climbed what has happened to our return rate? How much do you get paid on money sitting in your savings account? Your Money Market account? Or your CD's?
Price controls on banks? Maybe if they lent their money more responsibly..... They wouldn't need it. Maybe if we look deeper into who owns the banks...... we will see more politicians and lawyers. Just think our forefathers thought 6% interest was too much, now we have 36% and more.... Remember Income tax was originally set at 3% and how much do you pay now? Maybe we should set price controls.
Let us first look at the religious reasons
1) Jews are forbidden to lend at interest to one another. Exodus 22:25; Deuteronomy 23:19-20, Leviticus 25:35-37.
2) The Prophet Ezekiel includes usury in a list of “abominable things,” along with rape, murder, robbery and idolatry. Ezekiel 18:19-13.
3) Medieval Canon Law Usury is punishable by ex-communication
4) 1306-1321 Dante pens “The Inferno,” in which he places usurers at the lowest ledge in the seventh circle of hell – lower than murderers. “to live without labor was denounced as unnatural, and so Dante put usurers in the same circle of hell as the inhabitants of Sodom and other practices of unnatural vice”
5) 1483-1547 Martin Luther compared the taking of usury with theft and murder, as does the Scriptures.
But, let's go in another direction. How about our own history
1) Early 18th Century American colonies adopt usury laws, setting the interest cap at 8%.
2) After 1776 all of the States in the Union adopt a general usury. Most states set the interest limit at 6%.
So apparently our forefathers had no qualms about price controls when it came to interest rates and what would be considered usury. As we became more liberal with the concept of loaning money it soon caused our society to make money more available by making it more attractive for the banks to lend out, Thus allowing the banks to make more money off of our money that was sitting in their vaults.
1) Early 1900's a move to deregulation causes 11 states to eliminate their usury laws. Nine more states raise the usury cap to 10% or 12%. Banks are not making personal loans. “Salary Lenders” fill the need by “purchasing” a worker’s future wages in exchange for a high fee – equal to a lending rate of 10% - 33%.
2) 1916 A Uniform Small Loan Law allows specially-licensed lenders to charge higher interest rates—up to 36%—in return for adhering to strict standards of lending.
Obviously these practices help set the stage for the great depression loans were made at high rates, and the money used to buy stocks that when the paper tower collapsed, worthless stocks became as worthless as the paper loans used to purchase them. People ended up upside down with no way of paying off their debts. You would have thought we would have learned our lesson, but, no the great depression was alleviated by of all things World War 2. And when that was over......
1) 1945 - 1979 All states adopt special loan laws that cap interest at higher than the general usury rate—at 36%—but cap it nevertheless.
2) 1978 The US Supreme Court decides that national banks may export the state interest rate law of their home state into any state where they do business. In response, South Dakota eliminates its interest rate caps. Several credit card issuing banks move to South Dakota and operate nationally with no interest rate cap.
3) 1980 Congress preempts state interest rate controls on all first lien mortgages. This enables predatory mortgage lenders to make seemingly affordable loans, like adjustable rate and interest-only loans that lead to foreclosure for many.
4) 1994 Congress adopts the Home Ownership and Equity Protection Act of 1994, which provides some substantive protections to home mortgage borrowers with interest rates or points that are extraordinarily expensive, but sets no limits on what can be charged for these loans.
5) 1994 -2005 Many states and cities try to protect their citizens by adopting state statutes and local ordinances to curb predatory lending, but preemption claims by the federal government impede their efforts. Numerous bills are introduced in Congress to protect consumers in a wide range of transactions, including rent-to-own, credit cards, payday lending, and predatory mortgage lending, but none of these bills makes it to a hearing.
6) 2001 - 2007 Predatory and mainly subprime lenders make home loans to people who cannot afford them, boosting their own profits in the short term. Many of these loans are packaged and sold to Wall Street.
7) 2005 after extensive pressure from the industry, the federal government changes bankruptcy laws, making it harder for consumers to discharge debts and get a clean start in bankruptcy.
8) 2006 Congress passes the “Talent Amendment” which to caps interest on loans made to active military personnel and their families at 36%, reacting to findings that high-cost payday lenders had been targeting the military.
9) 2007 Foreclosure rates begin to increase dramatically as a result of predatory mortgage lending. The launch of Americans for Fairness in Lending (AFFIL), a national multi-organization collaborative message and action campaign designed to raise public awareness and generate outrage about predatory lending.
10) 2008 Unpaid mortgages cause mortgage-backed securities on Wall Street to continue to "go bad," triggering widespread economic downturn in both the United States and around the world. Some commercial and investment banks go bankrupt, and some are the object of government "bailouts."
So how can we stand by and watch the financial system wreck havoc on our economy. Think of this when loans were at rates of 12 -16% Banks paid us 5-6% interest on our savings. As loan rates have climbed what has happened to our return rate? How much do you get paid on money sitting in your savings account? Your Money Market account? Or your CD's?
Price controls on banks? Maybe if they lent their money more responsibly..... They wouldn't need it. Maybe if we look deeper into who owns the banks...... we will see more politicians and lawyers. Just think our forefathers thought 6% interest was too much, now we have 36% and more.... Remember Income tax was originally set at 3% and how much do you pay now? Maybe we should set price controls.
Friday, February 26, 2010
Bankruptcy
The bitter truth is more Americans consider bankruptcy every day. One of the main culprits, are the banks. The banks and credit card companies have raised interest rates through the roof as our law makers sit idly by watching with little or no concern for the welfare of the nation. What should we do to correct these issues?
1) Congress must pass legislation regulating the maximum interest rate chargeable (usury laws are state laws that specify the maximum legal interest rate at which loans can be made. Congress has opted not to regulate interest rates on purely private transactions, although it arguably has the power to do so under the interstate commerce clause of Article I of the Constitution. Congress has opted to put a federal criminal limit on interest rates by the RICO definitions of "unlawful debt" which make it a federal felony to lend money at an interest rate more than two times the local state usury rate and then try to collect that "unlawful debt". It is a federal offense to use violence or threats to collect usurious interest. Such activity is referred to as loan sharking, although that term is also applied to non-coercive usurious lending, or even to the practice of making consumer loans without a license in jurisdictions that require licenses). I would purpose that an interest rate greater than 12% (1% per month) would be a reasonable rate.
2) There should be 3 levels of Bankruptcy.
A) when the Bankruptcy Judge deems that debts are spiraling out of control, yet the person or persons filing are by their own actions responsible for their condition (i.e. Not as under natural disasters such as earthquakes, floods, or other regional disasters also known as an act of God, or personal disaster such as catastrophic illness, criminal victimization of person or family member or any other situation deemed by the judge as pertaining to the issue of debts). When so deemed all interest rates are suspended and payments made only upon the principle. During the time frame set out by the judge, payments will be constructed to pay off those debts by the end of that said time (i.e. if the debtor owes $12000 in outstanding debts and the judge rules the bankruptcy duration as one year the debtor shall pay to the court $1000 per month; exceptions for payoffs may be imposed by the judge to include mortgages). Level A, bankruptcies may be universally applied to areas affected as National Disaster Areas so designated by the President, without the payoff clause enacted. Thus minimum payments must be made; again all payments during this time would be interest free. Under Level A bankruptcies new debts may be incurred, however, these debts will be exempt from the no interest clause with the exception of new medical debts or recovery loans (loans made to recover from natural disasters). Level A bankruptcies may not be carried on the debtor’s credit report past the payoff date.
B) When the Bankruptcy Judge deems that debts are spiraling out of control, and the person or persons are responsible for their condition. The Judge will review the debts, and be charged with determining whether such debts may be released or restructured. Any debts which are released and having assets will at the discretion of the Judge be dissolved by surrender of said assets to the creditor. The Judge will then assign a recovery fee to be collected by the court and disbursed to creditors. The recovery fee shall be made over a period of time not to exceed 7 years and no less than 1 year, where the debtor shall make payments according to the terms put down by the Judge. Under Level B Bankruptcies, no new debts may be incurred without appeal to the court until said time that the recovery fee is satisfied. Any windfall assets received by the debtor must be reported to the court and assessed by the judge, pending determination of the new conditions which may at the Judge’s discretion give grounds to restructuring or dissolution. Level B bankruptcies may only remain on the debtor’s credit report for no more than 3 years past the recovery fee payoff.
C) When the Judge determines that the situation is beyond control and the condition is his or her responsibility. He may dissolve all debts and order collection of all assets (exemptions of a primary home valued no greater than the National Median price and a single vehicle also valued no greater than the National Median price). At said time, this Bankruptcy shall bear full impact and may remain on the debtor’s credit report for a full 10 years. Any windfall assets received within the 10 year period may be confiscated by the court to be disbursed to creditors...
3) Unlawful or unfair collection of debt shall be addressed by the courts. In these proceedings, should the court find fault with the collection agency or the creditor, said debts may be forgiven, reduced, or restructured (assigned a lower interest rate).
1) Congress must pass legislation regulating the maximum interest rate chargeable (usury laws are state laws that specify the maximum legal interest rate at which loans can be made. Congress has opted not to regulate interest rates on purely private transactions, although it arguably has the power to do so under the interstate commerce clause of Article I of the Constitution. Congress has opted to put a federal criminal limit on interest rates by the RICO definitions of "unlawful debt" which make it a federal felony to lend money at an interest rate more than two times the local state usury rate and then try to collect that "unlawful debt". It is a federal offense to use violence or threats to collect usurious interest. Such activity is referred to as loan sharking, although that term is also applied to non-coercive usurious lending, or even to the practice of making consumer loans without a license in jurisdictions that require licenses). I would purpose that an interest rate greater than 12% (1% per month) would be a reasonable rate.
2) There should be 3 levels of Bankruptcy.
A) when the Bankruptcy Judge deems that debts are spiraling out of control, yet the person or persons filing are by their own actions responsible for their condition (i.e. Not as under natural disasters such as earthquakes, floods, or other regional disasters also known as an act of God, or personal disaster such as catastrophic illness, criminal victimization of person or family member or any other situation deemed by the judge as pertaining to the issue of debts). When so deemed all interest rates are suspended and payments made only upon the principle. During the time frame set out by the judge, payments will be constructed to pay off those debts by the end of that said time (i.e. if the debtor owes $12000 in outstanding debts and the judge rules the bankruptcy duration as one year the debtor shall pay to the court $1000 per month; exceptions for payoffs may be imposed by the judge to include mortgages). Level A, bankruptcies may be universally applied to areas affected as National Disaster Areas so designated by the President, without the payoff clause enacted. Thus minimum payments must be made; again all payments during this time would be interest free. Under Level A bankruptcies new debts may be incurred, however, these debts will be exempt from the no interest clause with the exception of new medical debts or recovery loans (loans made to recover from natural disasters). Level A bankruptcies may not be carried on the debtor’s credit report past the payoff date.
B) When the Bankruptcy Judge deems that debts are spiraling out of control, and the person or persons are responsible for their condition. The Judge will review the debts, and be charged with determining whether such debts may be released or restructured. Any debts which are released and having assets will at the discretion of the Judge be dissolved by surrender of said assets to the creditor. The Judge will then assign a recovery fee to be collected by the court and disbursed to creditors. The recovery fee shall be made over a period of time not to exceed 7 years and no less than 1 year, where the debtor shall make payments according to the terms put down by the Judge. Under Level B Bankruptcies, no new debts may be incurred without appeal to the court until said time that the recovery fee is satisfied. Any windfall assets received by the debtor must be reported to the court and assessed by the judge, pending determination of the new conditions which may at the Judge’s discretion give grounds to restructuring or dissolution. Level B bankruptcies may only remain on the debtor’s credit report for no more than 3 years past the recovery fee payoff.
C) When the Judge determines that the situation is beyond control and the condition is his or her responsibility. He may dissolve all debts and order collection of all assets (exemptions of a primary home valued no greater than the National Median price and a single vehicle also valued no greater than the National Median price). At said time, this Bankruptcy shall bear full impact and may remain on the debtor’s credit report for a full 10 years. Any windfall assets received within the 10 year period may be confiscated by the court to be disbursed to creditors...
3) Unlawful or unfair collection of debt shall be addressed by the courts. In these proceedings, should the court find fault with the collection agency or the creditor, said debts may be forgiven, reduced, or restructured (assigned a lower interest rate).
Monday, February 22, 2010
Putting America Back To Work: The Rebirth of the Works Progress Administration
In the 1930's President Roosevelt created the National Recovery Act (NRA), which included the Works Progress Administration (WPA). This was originally was designed to put unemployed Americans back to work. What came out of it was the single largest Infrastructure project this nation had ever seen. Through the Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA), rural America was given cheap electricity in a time where they would have waited years before the large electrical providers would have ever considered giving them service. These work projects included highways, dams, navigable waterways, buildings, and parks. Originally set up as busy work, the WPA, was funded by Americans to benefit Americans. Now, we are 70 to 80 years past the onset of these projects and little has been done to keep them going. Many Dams in the Tennessee valley are long over due for improvements, or renovation, sooner or later, we will suffer from this lack of substantial care. Many states are not capable or willing to expend the necessary funding to properly care for them. The private sector has all but priced government out of the picture. It is time to take an organization such as the Army Corps of Engineers, and develop it into a National Corps of Engineering. This Corps would take over public works projects, administer and maintain them. The Corps would be made up not only of administrators, but engineers and construction workers. This would provide a workable force, who would not only regulate, but do the actual work, and would not be susceptible to the fluctuations in market price. Thus preventing private contractors the opportunity to get rich on bureaucratic delays and cost over rides. Since the federal government would be handling Interstate highway and bridge construction, like they do on dredging projects on America's waterways. Dams, would also fall under these considerations, and perhaps the generation of power and distribution of same should fall under these constraints, making power generation a business of America, along with sewage and water distribution, relaxing the need of individual monopolies in our neighborhoods and cities. Another advantage of this would be electrical rates would be leveled out and everyone would be paying a fair price (as long as we keep an eye on the government to ensure they don't rip us off.....).
Saturday, February 20, 2010
Take Away Their 15 Minutes Of Fame
One of the saddest commentaries on American Society is who we remember. John Wilkes Booth, I don't need to tell you was Lincoln's assassin. Lee Harvey Oswald, was John F. Kennedy's assassin. Strangely enough we even know their middle names..... Can anyone tell me General Custer's full name (George Armstrong Custer)? We remember people like Adolf Hitler, Josef Stalin, Mao Tse Tung, Ho Chi Minh, Jeffery Dalmer, John Wayne Gacey, Do the names Theodore Bundy, Charles Manson Ring a bell? But, let me ask a more poignant question.... Should they? Why do we dwell on the infamous? Perhaps we should ignore them. Obviously, we shouldn't ignore the deeds of evil, but, why do we need to know Dylan Klebold and Eric Harris ran amok at columbine high? Instead we should know that two distraught youths ran amok and maimed and murdered their class mates, and now are now doomed to eternal anonymity. History books should read Abraham Lincoln was shot at Ford's theatre by a southern sympathizer. Let the memory of John Wilkes Booth be forgotten, forever. The same should be true of any other murderer or truly evil person. We should not give them their 15 minutes of fame... That should be reserved for; Chelsey B. Sullenberger III (pilot of US Airways Flight 1549), William Rodriguez (World Trade Center Maintenance worker who saved 15 people on 9-11), William David "Dave" Sanders (died helping over 100 students escape from Columbine High School), Lance Corporal Joe C Paul (Died after placing himself between the enemy and his wounded comrades in Viet Nam), and Etc... Etc... Etc... on down to the Mother who lifts a car off of her baby. These are the people who deserve their 15 minutes of fame....
My solution The newspapers don't need to publish the names of the demons and monsters, who run amok through society, stealing, killing, raping and generally abusing society; It serves no purpose. Delete their names from memory, don't burn them into the collective conscientiousness of society. Erase their names from their tombstones, let the good people who are left behind in their families suffer in quiet pain and away from the limelight of the media vampires who will suck the blood from them and the victims of their relatives actions. Again it serves no purpose to give them their 15 minutes of fame. Perhaps by taking that away from them, others will not see the opportunity for infamy.
My solution The newspapers don't need to publish the names of the demons and monsters, who run amok through society, stealing, killing, raping and generally abusing society; It serves no purpose. Delete their names from memory, don't burn them into the collective conscientiousness of society. Erase their names from their tombstones, let the good people who are left behind in their families suffer in quiet pain and away from the limelight of the media vampires who will suck the blood from them and the victims of their relatives actions. Again it serves no purpose to give them their 15 minutes of fame. Perhaps by taking that away from them, others will not see the opportunity for infamy.
Wednesday, February 17, 2010
How To Stop The Press From Picking Our President
The sad thing has been since the Election of 1960, the press has been picking our presidents; in particular the National Television Media. Had television, been around during the 1860 election it would have been inconceivable that a homely, lanky backwoods lawyer such as Abraham Lincoln would have ever been elected. We have to look at that first televised debate between Kennedy and Nixon, and really ponder weather Kennedy could have won without it. The closeness of that election was tilted in Kennedy’s favor when the Nation was able to see Kennedy and Nixon together. Due to unfavorable lighting and a lack of make-up, Nixon stood there looking more like a dock worker than a man wanting to be the next president. He had what appeared to be a 5 o’clock shadow, plus it was obvious that Kennedy towered over him (A fact that Nixon took into consideration in 1968 when he ran against Hubert Humphrey and won). Now we have leveled back out as far as they are, able to as our candidates now run their campaigns in the same popularity contests found in high schools. The other side of the Media tilt happens on each Primary, as they occur. Local and National affiliates play the poll games, asking people who they are behind, or as when they are exiting from the voting precincts, who they voted for. This creates a situation where people who vote in the early primaries are literally influencing those who vote in the later primaries (since many people want to vote for a winner). Not to mention those who don’t do well in the early primaries wind up dropping out before the big ones since they ran out of funds (no one will donate to the man who can’t win early on). So you are undoubtedly asking right now, “How do we correct this?”
Step 1) Change the dates of all the primaries to one day.
Step 2) Add a secondary where the top 2 candidates from each party have a run off (thereby making Conventions unnecessary).
Step 3) Take away the Rich factor. Level the playing field. Every Candidate should be allotted so many commercial spots to be aired nationwide as PSA’s (Public Service Announcements). Same would be true of mailings.
Step 4) National debates would occur on a regional and national basis, with full coverage. During the Primaries and Secondaries, All qualified candidates would be allowed to participate in their party’s debate.
Step 5) all candidates will submit a full disclosure to the National Election Committee, where qualifications would be reviewed, and eligibility confirmed. The FBI will also conduct a full background check, to determine if there are any discrepancies or irregularities which might bring on any legal issues. Once completed these dossiers’ would be available to all persons concerned (i.e. The American Public).
Step 6) all candidates would present their platforms to the American public, so each and every American will know where their candidate stands on the issues in a format which will allow each American to compare candidates across the board side by side with each other.
Step 7) Public appearances will be done at first party by party with all the candidates able to give speeches at each appearance until the two candidates have been chosen for the national election then at that time the candidates will be able to campaign without the other, as they see fit.
Step 8) since they will be elected as described in an earlier post (see my post titled Return To The Original Selection Process) there will be no need to select a running mate.
Step 9) Limit the donations to only those made by private citizens and not to exceed $200.00, and all unused funds will be redirected to the Party’s general fund.
Step 10) any unsolicited ads made by private citizens will be allowed but, must adhere to strict ethical standards or the person paying for the ad could be held responsible for any libelous or slanderous content. And such ads will be scrutinized by the National Election Committee, to determine their content. No ads can be aired during the last 5 days of the election if they haven’t been submitted at least 20 days prior to the election for review.
Step 11) News Stories, should be News, not commentary The Press will be restricted to the presentation of News stories only when reporting on the candidates during News programs. Any other format is fine as long as they don’t try and pass off commentaries as the News.
Step 1) Change the dates of all the primaries to one day.
Step 2) Add a secondary where the top 2 candidates from each party have a run off (thereby making Conventions unnecessary).
Step 3) Take away the Rich factor. Level the playing field. Every Candidate should be allotted so many commercial spots to be aired nationwide as PSA’s (Public Service Announcements). Same would be true of mailings.
Step 4) National debates would occur on a regional and national basis, with full coverage. During the Primaries and Secondaries, All qualified candidates would be allowed to participate in their party’s debate.
Step 5) all candidates will submit a full disclosure to the National Election Committee, where qualifications would be reviewed, and eligibility confirmed. The FBI will also conduct a full background check, to determine if there are any discrepancies or irregularities which might bring on any legal issues. Once completed these dossiers’ would be available to all persons concerned (i.e. The American Public).
Step 6) all candidates would present their platforms to the American public, so each and every American will know where their candidate stands on the issues in a format which will allow each American to compare candidates across the board side by side with each other.
Step 7) Public appearances will be done at first party by party with all the candidates able to give speeches at each appearance until the two candidates have been chosen for the national election then at that time the candidates will be able to campaign without the other, as they see fit.
Step 8) since they will be elected as described in an earlier post (see my post titled Return To The Original Selection Process) there will be no need to select a running mate.
Step 9) Limit the donations to only those made by private citizens and not to exceed $200.00, and all unused funds will be redirected to the Party’s general fund.
Step 10) any unsolicited ads made by private citizens will be allowed but, must adhere to strict ethical standards or the person paying for the ad could be held responsible for any libelous or slanderous content. And such ads will be scrutinized by the National Election Committee, to determine their content. No ads can be aired during the last 5 days of the election if they haven’t been submitted at least 20 days prior to the election for review.
Step 11) News Stories, should be News, not commentary The Press will be restricted to the presentation of News stories only when reporting on the candidates during News programs. Any other format is fine as long as they don’t try and pass off commentaries as the News.
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