UKRAINE/ Russia the U.S. and EU

Name calling and finger pointing serve no useful purpose; The U.S., EU and Russia need to turn down the volume.  The Ukraine is and has been a" bankrupt" economy for 50+ years. In addition, as with many of the former Republics of the Soviet Union, there are serious ethnic divides. Economic issues cannot be reasonably addressed in absence of resolving ethnic divides.  The resolution of matters should be self evident to all but the politicians on both sides of the pond.

The U.S and EU via NATO were eager to divide Yugoslavia into many ethnic pieces recognizing each as an independent State and incorporating the same as part of the U.N. You would think a plebiscite/referendum within each ethnic region of the Ukraine would be welcome by all. Alas, geopolitics does not bode well for reasonable solutions to underlying and long simmering issues of ethnicity and ideology. Each region of what the West view as the Ukraine, should be entitled to  the right of self determination. Lines the circumscribe what we consider nation/states have been re-drawn many times within the past 100 years. Once the ethnic divides are resolved by the separate regions of the Ukraine, the boundary line can be re-drawn.

By re-drawing the boundary lines, both the U.S/EU and Russia will be able to determine economic commitments to resolving the "bankruptcy" of the region. For the purpose of illustration, should western Ukraine [ once part of the Austro-Hungarian Empire circa 1867-1918 ] determine to be independent; than the West/ US-EU would have to come to the financial rescue of approximately
22 million people and Russia would be burdened with dealing the remaining 26 or so million people of annexed or affiliate regions.

The bottom line, rhetoric aside, is how to divide, manage, reconstitute and fund the roughly 48 million folks within the present boundary of Ukraine. Without first resolving ethnic divides, "loans" US-EU largess , and the financial contributions of Russia remain unknown, and bloodshed will continue as it has for hundreds of years in the area.  The U.S.government has jumped into a cesspool with no measurable benefit to U.S. citizens and taxpayers.

ABORTION, GAY MARRIAGE, GUN CONTROL AND MORE

The U.S. Congress has been " asleep at the switch " for well over 100 years.  Instead of the 16th Amendment ( 1913 - Income Tax ) designed to line the pockets of politicians and give birth to BIG BROTHER, a Congress of statesmen, instead of politicians, would have amended the U.S. Constitution to provide a semblance of democracy by National Referendum. An Amendment providing for a National Referendum would have allowed the citizenry a say in issues and matters affecting the U.S. and their lives.

Had the Congress of the day acted responsibly and passed a National Referendum amendment, the current Congress would not be stalemated on issues like: gun control gay marriage, abortion, immigration, involvement in Iraq, Afghanistan, Syria, Iran, or the orderly succession of States no longer finding it beneficial to be part of the the U.S.

Congress does not want the citizenry to have any direct power or say in matters and affairs that affect the Nation, and the lives of the citizenry. The U.S. system vis-a-vis congress and a republican form of government, is broken, and a far, far cry from a democracy. Isn't it time for the U.S. citizenry to have a more direct say, and voice,  in government ? One small step to brake the stalemates of Congress would be to Amend the U.S. Constitution to provide for National Referendums; an Amendment providing for National Referendums would also be one small step in the direction of democracy, SMALL STEPS THE U.S. CONGRESS REFUSES TO TAKE.

Say Goodbye to the Euro - it's just a matter of time

HEADS, UP !!!

         Let's be frank, The EU ( European Union ) is the economic step-child of NATO ( North Atlantic Treaty Organization ), the U.S. concoction of nations aligned against the then U.S.S.R.. NATO is nothing short of political arbitrage, with the U.S. at the helm; the EU is an economic derivative without direct U.S. control, spawned from the 12 protocols of the Treaty of Rome, 1957. A neat idea at the time, 1957, and for a short time thereafter while then participant nations, lead by Germany, were experiencing unprecedented economic growth. The focus was on economic growth experienced by the core nations: Germany, France and Italy; Germany doing the heavy lifting. Things were humming along when U.S. Financial Institutions, the pied-pipers of greed, lead the world into a financial depression. The U.S. lead depression exposed the weakness and flaws of the Euro and left the 17 Euro subscriber states to flounder.

        Greece was the tip of the iceberg engendering chatter from the ECB ( European Central Bank ) resulting in leveraged support for European Banks holding sovereign debt, in short the bail-out of Greece. Portugal, Spain and Italy are on the short list, and next in line. Forget the economic pundits, media pundits and the like, simple population demographics reveals the fundamental flaw when 17 EU /Euro nations with disparate populations and productivity, subscribe to a single currency, the Euro.

         Aside from the gibberish of economists and bankers, it all boils down to population and demographics: how many working German's will be willing to support the life styles of 130 + million people in the non-productive nations of Greece, Portugal, Spain, Italy + 11 other Euro subscribers like Ireland. Perhaps it's to early to include Italy, but things are not well in Italy. So take Greece, Portugal and Spain with combined populations of around 70 million and compare it with the population of Germany 82 million, 26% under 18 and 21% who are over 65, leaving an estimated workforce of 44 million minus 5.7% unemployment or 41.5 million working German's to carry the load and support the lifestyles of 70 million Greek, Portuguese and Spanish, with 61 million Italians soon to follow. Okay, France, with an estimated workforce of 30 million but 10% unemployment, 27 mil net [ 72% of the French workforce is in Services, i.e., non-industrial ], may be of some help, but neither Germany or France can sustain the burden of 15 failing member state economies. Just how many people can one working man or woman [ mainly German ] carry on their shoulders: two (2), three (3), four (4); say goodbye to the Euro.

PHANTOM GDP

All eyes were on the U.S. , while the U.S. House, Senate and President Obama
jockeyed for position on raising the U.S. Debt Ceiling. The Dollars position, as the principal world trading currency, was at stake while those in Washington [D.C.], and in academic circles, squabbled over they way, means and impact of raising he debt ceiling. Drama aside, it was a forgone conclusion that a "deal" would be done and the
debt ceiling would be increased to accommodate U.S. deficit spending.

The side-bar to Washington's theatrics, economic growth [ measured in GDP ], was hinted at in the House passed [H.B. #2560] Cut, Cap and Balance bill, but never brought to the floor by Senator Harry Reid, for Senate vote. Gross Domestic Product, GDP,is the benchmark measure used internationally to snapshot a nations economic growth. The U.S. snapshots GDP on a quarterly, basis; and, during the quarter, when the debt ceiling drama was playing in Washington, the U.S. GDP had stalled at around 1%. Without growth, government revenue, remains stagnant, absent an increase in taxes, often masked as fees, to offset government spending.

The way GDP has traditionally been calculated [ all goods and services ] essentially is a miss-measure that overstates real economic growth by a factor equal to the amount of government costs and services included in the GDP computation. Since the miss-measure GDP computation has universal appeal, true economic growth remains phantom to the delight of Wall Street, London and world financial markets. The GDP miss-measure is a harbinger for future financial melt-downs.

Among the minority of others, China, appears recognize the GDP anomaly, by its recent downgrade of U.S. debt obligations. Others will likely realize the U.S. has been and will continue, for the foreseeable future, to experience negative GDP. This has ominous consequences for todays inter-connected world, and is one factor in the flight to gold and other precious metals. Absent an accurate measure of a nations economic growth, and a stable benchmark currency, the surplus capital necessary for economic growth, will be locked in gold and precious metals, and world economies will unravel.

This U.S. and U.S. dollar, can no longer serve as a benchmark currency. The failure of the U.S. to balance its budget, per the U.S. Balanced Budget Act of 1985, yes 1985, was the first signal to the world that new measures and new benchmarks would be necessary if sustainable, shared, economic growth were to be achieved on a world basis. The latest U.S. budget antics [yr. 2011, 26 years later ] are a signal that the U.S. is in a downward economic spiral and can no longer be viewed as a stabilizing force, and the U.S. dollar, a reliable currency.

The U.S., as a system of governance, has displayed it's inherent flaws; arrogance, fashion, feelings, and ego, trump reason. New measures and a new type of benchmark currency will be needed before financial stability can be achieved on a world basis; otherwise,one country will fail, followed by the next, and by the next; signs of which are appearing in Europe and with the Euro.

THE IRONY OF THE U.S. SPENDING BILLIONS FOR DEMOCRACY IN LIBYA

The U.S., is currently engaged in two wars of remarkable similarity. One in Washington, D.C., Senate Democrats vs. House Republicans over the debt limit, and one in Libya, under the guise of NATO.

The civil war in Libya is more traditional: guns, bombing, thousands of civilian casualties, costing U.S. Taxpayers Billions of dollars. The war in Washington is the "civilized" version of a civil war fought with rhetoric and falsifications. In Libya and in Washington, "high ground" is sought by each side. The irony is, the U.S./NATO war in Libya is ostensibly being fought so that the Libyan people will have a direct say in government, a true democracy. The war Washington is being fought absent any direct say from U.S. citizens. The U.S. is spending BILLIONS of U.S. Taxpayer dollars in hopes of establishing a true democracy in Libya, a democracy that does not exist in the U.S..

WORLD ON A PRECIPICE - THE GREEK ECONOMIC DEBACLE

Greece has become the "poster child" for a looming problem that faces every nation with debt. The root of Greece's problem, is the root problem for all nations: interest and it's relation to value. The concept of "interest" has long plagued the economic scholars, and debate on the issue continues to this day. "Interest", the price paid for capital, adds nothing to the true value of goods and services generated by society. Interest, as an economic function, is an enabler; it enables one access to and the use capital one does not have. The common form for "interest" is the "time payment" plan most consumers and citizens are familiar with. For reasons that are more academic then practical "interest", the cost of capital, has been added to, rather then deducted from "value" resulting in artificial values that exceed real value, and higher GDP rates. Such anomalous accounting has political import, but distorts a nations true ability to meet sovereign debt obligations. One begins to realize both the scope and magnitude of the problem when the Greek circumstance is considered. The problem is a world problem that all debtor nations face, the U.S. included. Financial markets are based on a contrived house of cards; credit extensions only aggravate fundamental structural problems. Immediate national financial problems, i.e., Greece, cannot be resolved without making fundamental structural changes to real world economic beliefs and policy.

All central banks including that of China, should enter into a binding compact
mandating and limiting "cost of funds" to a range between 4% to 6% ; this range would be fixed for ten (10) years; and, thereafter fixed, subject to range adjustment, for incremental periods of ten (10) years. Cost of funds would be deducted from adjusted GDP, with credit being limited to 25% of adjusted annual, calendar year based, GDP. Participating bank and institution accounting would be based on the calendar year. Extensions of credit would only be available to corporations and entities based on the calendar year, January 1 to December 31. The word economy must be in sync before national issues like Greece can be effectively addressed. The Greek problem is solvable but not by going in current directions. The world problem of mounting sovereign debt cannot be resolved by "theory" nor by extensions of existing credit by whatever semantic label that becomes the flavor of the day. The real challenge is for the nations of the world, is to abandon traditional alliances, ideological differences and thinking when it comes to economic order. The Greek situation is a test. If it fails, all will fail, and the world will enter a period of economic chaos and decline.

MIDDLE-EAST: Turmoil, protests, change

Matters have been brewing for years: the young are educated, traveled and aware of the outside world. They have no jobs or menial jobs far beneath their education or skills. The system, i.e., governmental structure, does not provide for mobility. This volatile mixture has exploded throughout the Middle-East:
Tunisia, Egypt, Libya, Syria, Yemen, Bahrain; it has essentially infected the entire region including Saudi Arabia and Iran. The lone exception is Israel. CNN, t.v., cell phones and the internet, allow the outside world to attest to the turmoil. The basics are simple: mass protests calling for change, and for those in power to step down. Technology has enabled mass protests to be assembled with relative ease. The problem is, there is no plug-and-play form of government available to replace existing potentates.

Egypt has managed to escape the perils of anarchy and chaos to date by the independence of it's military. Perhaps Egypt's military leaders are looking toward Turkey for direction. The Turkish military's allegiance is the Constitution and not to the, or a President, King or other potentate. Unfortunately, Turkey stands alone in it's military allegiance in the region, hence there is scant chance, except to the extent Egypt looks to Turkey as example, that the other Middle-East nations will escape the destruction and death associated with civil war. A U.S. General, now retired, once made statements to the affect that cities would be bombed back to the dark ages. The United States Civil War ( 1861-1865 ) set U.S. society and the economy back 75 years. Existing and future civil wars in the Middle-East will set things and living conditions back 75 to 100 years. Revolutionary transition is extremely costly. Iraq is a modern example: most civil structures, including power plants, water and sewer utilities, communications facilities, bridges, roadways, hospitals and the like, existing prior to 2002, have been damaged or destroyed. It will take billions and years to rebuild. Libya, Syria and other Middle-East nations in turmoil face the same prospect: billions and years to rebuild.

Israel has been facing the vacuous government dilemma for 50 years: who speaks for the Palestinian tribes and groups ? No monolithic Palestinian government has emerged; so who does Israel engage with to insure the security of it's people ? The current turmoil in the region presents the same issue. The protests and protesters have pro-offered no plug-and-play government structure to govern their respective nations or regions once the existing potentates are overthrown. Without an agreed and accepted monolithic government structure, policies, procedures and laws, anarchy and chaos rule. Anarchy and chaos are leaps backward rather then forward, as factions fight factions for control while civilian capital and social structures are being destroyed and thousands are killed in the process.

Matters, death and destruction, are made worse for the indigenous populations by outside military intervention. Outside military intervention dramatically escalates damage to the physical infrastructure of any nation or country , and the killing of civilian populations. Those in power, including the U.S., do not simply leave without a fight. There have been few rational transitions of power between disparate ideologies or leaders.; bloodshed is inevitable. The international community ( U.N. ) bares responsibility for the aggravation of conditions and turmoil in the Middle-East. Instead of having developed strategies, structures and teams to deal with leadership transitions, as was done to assist in the formation of Israel circa 1947-1950, the U.N. has chosen to use military force. This 17th century myopia is edging western society to the verge of collapse. The Middle -East was the cradle of Western civilization and it my well turn out to be the death of it.

Obama Care – A Paradigm for Revision

There is something fundamentally wrong when Congress passes a Bill, piece of legislation, that approaches or exceeds 3000 pages in length. No Congressmen, albeit Representative or Senator, would be willing to swear under oath and penalty of perjury, that he or she read each and every page, paragraph, sentence and word of such a Bill, yet Obama Care [ Affordable Health Care Act ]was just such a Bill. Obama Care is and was nothing short of a political power play complete with “earmarks” [ special strokes for a select few special interests ] that had and have little to do with health care.

Health care is a concern of very citizen. There are reasonable and rational ways of addressing the issue that are compatible with the expectations of main street-USA and not disruptive to the existing systems of health care delivery. Obama Care is neither; and, if ever fully implemented, Obama Care will destroy the existing standards of heath care now available in the U.S., add trillions in costs to the national debt, and destroy the quality care now available in the U.S.. Obama Care will result in increased medical care costs for middle-class citizens and an increase in individual income taxes for the middle-class. Rhetoric aside, Obama Cares principle objective was to provide free health care to those in the U.S., including non-citizens, who are below the Federal poverty line; in short, welfare legislation.

U.S. citizens are beginning to wake up to the reality that their elected Representatives and Senators don't actually write the Bills and legislation they vote on. Legislation, including Obama Care, is drafted and written by unelected, and invisible persons, many who are not government employee's. The more pages in a Bill the more cooks, or crooks, bake the cake that Congress and Presidents, foist on the U.S. population. Obama Care is not the answer to providing affordable health care and presents a paradigm for revision. Hopefully, some form of sanity will be restored by the 112th Congress, and serious dialog addressing the particulars of health care will begin.

Pointing a gun to the head of every U.S. citizen and forcing them to buy health insurance, is not the American way. Dictatorship is not acceptable to main-street. The carrot, not the stick, is the best approach. Individual and Company tax incentives are the better way. Let's be honest, individual taxpayers are going to pay for health care, be it Obama Care or an alternative. Obama Care means the burgeoning HHS bureaucracy in Washington D.C./Virginia, will eat up over 85% of Health Care dollars in administrative costs, giving the actual Health Care provider $0.15 cents on the dollar for individual health care. $0.85 cents of every dollar will go to pay the salaries, benefits and retirements of government HHS employees. Big government flourishes on inefficiency, but that gives the U.S. taxpayer, little bang for every buck. In addition to a “standard deduction” on Federal taxes, individual taxpayers should be allowed to establish, fully deductible, “personal health accounts” of up to 8% , or $12,000.00 per year, of adjusted gross income. Employers should be allowed to contribute to “personal health accounts”. The direct payment from PHA's for private health care insurance, HMOs', doctors, hospital and prescription drugs, would cut out the HHS middleman. This would be one approach to the health care dilemma that would preserve individual choice and avoid unnecessary bureaucratic administrative costs.

Congress and the President must abandon the “...pie in the sky...” health care for the world approach that is the centerpiece of Obama Care. Popular on the hill or not, Congress and the President must face economic reality. First and foremost, we must take care of our own, that means U.S. CITIZENS. Laws providing that emergency room care for anyone and everyone must be repealed. U.S. institutions providing “..free..” care to non-citizens, should be cut off and precluded from receiving Federal and/or State reimbursement funds. Obama Care provides for health care to non-citizens under the code word “resident”. “Resident” is the lawyer' s semantic slight-of- hand so that 30 million undocumented/illegal aliens and their of spring are provided health care at U.S. citizens and taxpayer expense. This inclusion in the current Obama Care legislation is one of the reasons why Obama Care is not economically sustainable and one of the many reasons why it should be repealed and/or replaced.

The Obama Administration has failed to recognize the unique and special needs of our military personnel. Currently, under Obama Care, the administration is in the process of integrating TriCare, a medical and health care program designed to address the special, unique and circumstantial needs of the U.S. military and retirees [ administered by the Department of Defense] into Obama Care. This callous disregard the unique service related needs of U.S. military personnel should not be allowed to go forward. Under the Obama Care law, wounded and maimed soldiers, would be treated no differently then a “ resident ”, i.e., undocumented/illegal alien. The fact is, that many, perhaps the majority, of those in Congress, and our current President, have never served in the U.S. military. Except for pretty words and speeches, most politicians think of U.S. military personnel as expendable, cannon fodder, who are not entitled to special consideration for their service. Congresses attitude to U.S. military personnel, retirees and veterans must change. What should change is VA health care; veterans health care should be integrated into TriCare and TriCare should stand alone as the health care provider for military personnel, military retirees, and military veterans.

Congress needs to recognize the significance and value of actuarial data. This is particularly true when it comes to pre-existing health issues. It is irresponsible, to provide coverage to virtually every “resident” for pre-existing conditions. The U.S. has virtually eradicated many diseases and conditions that remain prevalent in other countries; polio is one example. Is it fair or prudent for U.S. taxpayers to pay for imported diseases and conditions requiring hundreds of thousand of dollars a year to treat one individual ? Citizens, except for military personnel who should remain covered by TriCare, who have continuously resided within the U.S. for seven (7) consecutive years should be entitled to coverage regardless of pre-existing conditions, but subject to a per year dollar limitation on coverage. A sound and sustainable actuarial health care program will have yearly dollar caps, otherwise only a very select few individuals will eat the pie that could otherwise feed thousands. Congress needs to get real, U.S. CITIZENS ONLY.

Existing laws preventing individuals from the option to obtain prescription drugs from outside the U.S. , and laws preventing health care providers, employers and unions from forming drug purchasing collectives, need and should be repealed. Laws preventing companies, unions and other groups from forming collectives to bargain for health care services also need to be repealed. Congress has gifted the drug companies with a monopoly for furnishing prescription medications in the U.S. This pay-for-play is one of the primary reasons why health care costs in the U.S. have skyrocketed. The blame for high prescription drug costs should be placed where it is due, on Congress and the President. Obama Care is one of the worst offenders of pay-for-play when it comes to paying off drug companies. The drug companies profit handsomely from Obama Care.

One of the more difficult matters for Congress to face, is the reality of mortality. On average, the greatest health care expenditures are made during the last three months of a persons life. Spending money is not going to stop the inevitable. Here again, any sound actuarial health care program should address dollar limitations/caps on end of life health care services. Dying with dignity, should not be a dirty word in political circles, nor should criminal penalties exist for those who assist the terminally ill. Death is a fact of life. Politicians and Judges are not Gods.

The concerns outlined above highlight a few of the thousands of flaws contained in Obama Care. Thousands of flaws intentionally included to preclude individual discussion on a point-by-point basis. Obama Care is flawed beyond repair and unless repealed will reduce health care in the U.S. to that available in Third World countries. Reasonable, practical, and beneficial alternatives to Obama Care are available. The real question is: do Congress and the President have the integrity and political will to admit that there are viable alternatives to Obama Care; alternatives that would provide true improvements to the U.S. health care system and the delivery of quality and affordable care to U.S. citizens. The 112th Congress and President need to get to work and clean up the Obama Care mess.

ARIZONA REPRESENTATIVE SHOT - ISSUES OVERLOOKED

The media has jumped all over this tragic event, and, by innuendo suggest censorship is needed. Local power brokers, and many in Congress are hinting that censorship may be an answer. There used to be old, long forgotten, saying :

“ Sticks and stones will break my bones, but names will never hurt me.”

Sometime during the 1970's the Judiciary and Courts, jumped in and started giving relief to those claiming they were injured by “ names ”; thus changing the landscape of the U.S. forever by a back door compromise of the 1st Amendment. Vitriol ( name calling ) has been part of the U.S. landscape dating back to the days before the Declaration of Independence. Whether here in the U.S. or in other parts of the world, one unintended consequence has been bloodshed to one degree or another. Many governments suppress vitriol by force often resulting in the killing of many countrymen with opposing views. The founders of the U.S. were well aware of the consequences of adopting the 1st Amendment,but believed it a necessary price to pay for open government. Hopefully, today’s lesser minds in Congress and the Courts, will heed the wisdom of the founders of this nation, and not allow this isolated event to cloud their judgments.

There are second notes to the Arizona circumstance that the media and politicians have overlooked: the U.S. is not a democracy, it is a republic, where citizens have no direct say in the Federal government. In spite of the rhetoric by media, pundits, universities, politicians, including President's, main street U.S.A. and citizens have no U.S. Constitutional right of INITIATIVE, so are cut out of any direct way of enacting laws for their governance. Tough economic times, magnify this flaw in the U.S. Constitution, that is otherwise highlighted by the disconnect between Washington, D.C./Congress, and the people.

The media have also overlooked it's conduct in ascribing major national significance to what otherwise is a local matter. For the past 65 years the Federal Government of the U.S. has maintained a policy of killing the messenger. WWII: U.S. and Japan, President Truman, enamored with Winston Churchill’s concept of “ unconditional surrender ”, orders the atom bomb to be dropped on Hiroshima and Nagasaki, killing well over one-hundred thousand Japanese civilians. The U.S. has been at the forefront of first demonizing leaders and nations with opposing views, then classifying them as “ enemy ”, then attacking and killing: Iraq, Afghanistan, and the U.S. is working it's way to engage Iran and North Korea. Remember the “ trickle down” theory; it's application to economics is misplaced; does one even dare to suggest the Government's penchant for killing, just may have “ trickle down ” ramifications when it comes to the general public ?

The media, politicians and powers that be, need to take off the rose colored glasses, and take a good look in a mirror. Decades ago, Erich Fromm penned a book: “ The Sane Society ”. In society, the actions of individuals, reflect the inflictions of the whole.

U.S. DEFICIT REDUCTION – START WITH THE OBVIOUS

President Obama, and the leaders in Congress on both sides of the isle, recognize that the U.S. is in a BAD place. The U.S., like many individuals, has spent far beyond it's ability pay. Stripped of fancy rhetoric, the U.S. is BROKE. There are many obvious steps that can be taken to reduce U.S. debt; the real question is, does Congress have the will to confront the reality the USA is broke, and do something about it. Past Congresses and Administrations stuck there heads in the sand, raised the national debt limit, and have keep spending as if there were no tomorrow. The 112th Congress can no longer pass the buck by raising the national debt limit, now set at $14.3 TRILLION dollars.

The President as well as Congress have equal responsibilities to cut spending and reduce the debt. The Federal government is the largest employer in the U.S., if not the world. The President should require that ALL Federal employees who are eligible to retire, be required to retire NOW, or else loose all government benefits. This step, requiring all eligible Federal employees to retire now, would reduce the government workforce by 12% ( savings of roughly $37 billion ) and save the government billions in future costs.

Next on the President's list should be to close all military facilities the U.S. maintains in some 150 foreign countries. The U.S. Navy and Air Force are fully capable of deploying needed forces without shore based facilities. And remember, the most effective fighting tool today, is the predator drone, controlled from Nellis AFB, Nevada. This would yield a savings in the neighborhood of $220 billion, and save billions in future costs. Vacating Iraq and Afghanistan would save another $25+ billion in annual costs.

Undocumented and illegal immigrants cost the Federal government [ vis-a-vis reimbursed benefits to States ] around $30 billion a year. By eliminating all benefits to undocumented and illegal immigrants and their offspring, including health care, schooling, and welfare, this would save the Federal and State governments, collectively, another $40+ billion a year.

Foreign aid: it is absurd for the U.S. to borrow money, to give to foreign governments whose leaders pocket it, build private mansions in safe haven counties, and leave the U.S. holding an empty bag. You don't hear much about U.S. Foreign aide except for the occasional leak. The U.S. Government intentionally obfuscates foreign aid accounting and expenditures so both Congress and the U.S. Public have no concrete idea of how many taxpayers dollars are involved, but estimates range from $22 billion to $40 billion; lets go with $25 billion, which is likely an underestimate.

Then there are the “territories”: Puerto Rico, Guam, U.S. Virgin Islands, Am. Samoa and the Northern Marianas. These tiny islands are subsidized by the U.S. Taxpayer to the tune of $10 billion a year.

The budget is within the President's purview. The President/Executive Branch prepares it, and presents the budget to Congress. If one just adds the items outlined above: roughly $360 billion, it would be one small step in the right direction to get the U.S. back on a sustainable financial track. In the event the President does not have the guts to eliminate these needless expenditures and waste from the budget, Congress should bite the bullet, not authorize funding of the 2010-2011 budget, and, at a minimum, cut the above items and amounts from the Federal budget.

Obama, Mexico and the 2nd Amendment

U.S. President Obama, contrary to the 2nd Amendment of the U.S. Constitution and recent U.S. Supreme Court decisions affirming a citizens rights to keep and bear arms, has co-oped with Mexican President Calderon, to subvert the rights of U.S. Citizens. Obama has directed the ATF & Customs to adopt administrative rules and regulations that undermine the U.S. Constitution regarding the sale of firearms in the U.S., and has allowed Mexican President Calderon directive input in the formulation of U.S. laws, in affect, allowing Mexican President Calderon, equal status of a U.S. President.

Such misguided actions by Obama subordinate U.S. Sovereignty, and the rights of U.S. citizens to that of Mexico, and convert millions of U.S. taxpayer dollars for the direct benefit of Mexico. Under ordinary circumstances, a U.S. President would be impeached for such acts, but Emperor Obama, flanked by his minions in Congress, have no shame when it comes to selling out to foreign nations and disregarding the U.S. Constitution.

What can be done: the 112th Congress should put a stop to the flagrant violations of U.S. sovereignty, and U.S. Citizens rights, propounded by President Obama, by severely cutting the budget for administrative agencies. Congresses ability to restrain the unbridled actions of the President are limited; but Congress does have the power, authority and right pursuant to Article I, Section 8 of the Constitution, to determine how much the Executive Branch/President can spend. The President and Executive Branch, departments and agencies need to be put on a very limited “allowance”, no more in dollars than 15% of the total budget approved for the Executive Branch in 2010. The Department of Defense, should not be subject to such a limited “allowance” so long as the U.S. remains engaged in foreign conflicts; the DOD should be the only agency exempt from a strict diet.

Mexico is a special case, but representative of the trend President Obama and his administration have championed to subordinate the U.S. Constitution and U.S. Citizens rights to foreign powers. Mexico claims that the U.S. is totally responsible for the import of firearms/guns into Mexico ?
Has Mexico established a double picket line of its military along the the border with the U.S. and double checked each vehicle entering Mexico, the answer is obvious: NO ! Has Mexico established a double picket line of its military along the the border with the U.S. to mitigate human trafficking and the smuggling of drugs and persons into the U.S., the answer is obvious: NO ! Obama's message to Mexico, we, the U.S. take full responsibility for every adversity Mexico and Mexican President Calderon claim. Obama's message to Mexico, is his message to the rest of the world, U.S. Taxpayers and citizens will pay for every claim made by a foreign power.

Obama is a silver tongued president who will lead the U.S. ruin unless the 112th Congress develops backbone and retakes it's power and exercises it's duties under the Constitution.

Transition from REPUBLIC to DEMOCRACY

As it should well be known, the United States was formed as a Republic and NOT as a democracy. During the past 60 years, the term "democracy" as been erroneously tossed around and touted as equivalent to Republic. The distinction is more then a matter of semantics. It is time the citizenry of the United States recognize that we must take the next step toward "democracy", and amend the United States Constitution to provide for an "initiative-referendum" process common to many States. The "initiative" process gives registered voters the right to directly participate in the Federal Government and laws that affect every citizen regardless of your State of residency. The proposed Amendment that follows gives each U.S. citizen the right to participate in the Federal Government ( Washington, D.C. ), a right that no individual citizen or group of citizens has under existing provisions of the U.S. Constitution.

AMENDMENT #___ ( proposed ), to the Constitution of the United States:

SECTION 1. All political power is inherent in the citizenry.
Government is instituted for their protection, security, and benefit,
and they have the right to alter or reform it when the citizens
may require; further, prior provisions of this Constitution that are inconsistent herewith are specifically repealed and superseded hereby, including, but not limited to Article V of this Constitution of the United States.

SECTION 2. No person shall be deemed a citizen until they attain 18 years of age. Corporations and other artificial entities are not persons
and are not entitled to the privileges and immunities of citizens. Only persons who have attained 18 years of age, and are otherwise qualified to vote, shall be entitled to the privileges and immunities of citizens.

SECTION 3. Citizens who are qualified and duly registered to vote in any State of the United States inherently have and shall forever retain to power to directly change, modify, adopt, reject and/or repeal any statute, law of the United States or provision of or to this Constitution, or to adopt a new Constitution, by citizens initiative.

(a) An initiative measure may be proposed by presenting, to the
Speaker of the House of Representatives, a petition that sets forth the text of the proposed statute, law and/or amendment to this Constitution and is certified to have been signed by one hundred-thousand citizen registered voters whose signatures and citizenship are confirmed by the respective Governors of the State or States where such citizen voters are duly registered to vote.

(b) Once a citizens initiative petition has been lodged with the Speaker of the House of Representatives, without amendment, it may be voted on by the full House of Representatives, and if passed by 60% vote of the Representatives, it shall immediately become and be the law of the United States.

(c) In the event the House of Representatives fails to pass the citizens initiative, then in any such event, the initiative shall be placed on the ballot for the next general election, and if passed by 60% of the citizens who vote at the general election, it shall, within 30 days of such general election, become the law of the United States;provided further, each Representative who voted against said initiative in the House, shall be immediately terminated and removed as Representative for the respective Congressional District, and the vacancy thereby created shall be filled by appointment by the Governor of the respective State, for the remainder of the term of the Representative so terminated and removed.


SECTION 4. The House of Representatives shall have the power to submit any matter or issue directly for vote by citizen registered voters at a general election or special election. This shall be known as a referendum, to be voted on by the citizenry, to approve or reject statutes or parts of statutes that the House of Representatives may not agree on or be deadlocked on. The Senate shall not have the power or authority of referendum.

(a) A referendum measure may be proposed by 60% affirmative vote of the House of Representatives, after which affirmative vote the referendum shall be placed on the next general election ballot or on the ballot of a special election called for such purpose. Special Elections of referendum issues, shall only be called, if an emergency is declared by the President of the United States. Any Declaration of War, or for the deployment of troops on foreign soil, shall be submitted to the citizenry for vote, by referendum, at a special election called for such purpose.

(b) Referendum issues voted for by 60% of the citizens who vote at a general election, shall, within 30 days of such general election, become the law of the United States without further vote by the House of Representatives, Senate or signature of the President of the United States.

(c) Referendum issues voted for by 60 % of the citizens who vote at any special election, without further vote by the House of Representatives or Senate, shall become the law of the United States when signed by the President of the United States.

SECTION 5. No court, including the United States Supreme Court, tribunal or officer, shall have any power or authority to review, alter, suspend, enjoin or modify any law, statute or Constitutional provision or any part or parts thereof passed by vote of the citizenry by or through the initiative or referendum process.

IS IT RIGHT FOR ONE FEDERAL JUDGE TO NULLIFY MILLIONS OF CITIZEN VOTES - THE U.S. CONSTITUTION NEEDS TO BE AMENDED

The are many recent rulings by Federal Court judges that nullify millions of votes cast by individual citizens on issues of concern. This anomaly, finds its root in 1788, on the ratification of what is know recognized as Article III of the United States Constitution. A Constitution adopted for 13 colonies, with a total non-slave population of 2.4 million, framed by 17th century political views. This outdated document, contrary to popular notion, did not establish a Democracy. Times have changed, the population of the U.S. is estimated to top 350,000,000 million, 37 States with there own Constitutions, voting rights and Government structures have been added; and, all citizens regardless of sex, race, national origin, color or creed now have the RIGHT to vote, and their votes counted.

Enter Article III from 1788: Article III essentially nullifies the vote of every citizen of every State; further, Article III invalidates the process and orderly governance of every State. Article III gives one appointed Federal Judge the authority to invalidate any State law and the ten’s of millions of votes cast by citizens. Essentially, Article III creates the Kingdom of Federal Courts, with the sole authority to legislate how every citizen should live. Article III guarantee’s that the United States will never be a Democracy and that elections and votes are nothing but theater. Article III is an obstruction to Democracy and citizens voting rights.

Recently, by the use of modern technologies, it was discovered that the
July 4, 1776, Declaration of Independence, was penned with the word “subjects”and later changed to citizens. The truth was first written, all persons in the U.S.are mere “subjects” pursuant to Article III; subjects to Federal Judges, who in the likeness of Gods, are appointed for life, but who’s determinations extend far beyond the actual life of any Federal Judge.

It is time for the States and citizens to wake up to the fact that the United States is a dictatorship ruled by non-elected Federal Judges. The time has come for States and citizens to stand-up for and take back their rights, including the right to vote and have each vote be counted. The U.S. Constitution begs to be Amended and Article III be repealed. The following is one suggestion for a change that will bring the U.S. closer to a democracy, where citizens votes count.

“ AMENDMENT 28 :

Section 1. Article III, Judicial Branch, of the Constitution of 1788-9,
is specifically repealed, null and void. Neither the Supreme Court nor any inferior Federal Court, as my hereinafter be approved by vote of seventy-five (75%) of Congress,shall have any authority whatsoever to adjudicate any matter voted on and/or approved by the citizens of any State pursuant to State Constitutions. Article VI , General Provisions, of the Constitution of 1788-9 is amended as follows, Section 1 is repealed; the language of Section 2 is stricken and replaced by new Section 1 as follows: This Constitution, as amended, and the laws enacted pursuant hereto, to the extent that they are not inconsistent with the laws duly enacted by any State, shall be the general law of the land, and each State and all State officers shall have concurrent jurisdiction to enforce Federal laws, rules, regulations, directives or orders within the respective States. Article VI , Section 3 - Oath of office, is repealed and replaced with new Section 2 as follows: The President , Vice-President, Department or Agency Secretaries, all Federal officers and officials including all members of Congress shall swear on written oath that each shall fully read, and, by initial endorse each any every bill, rule, regulation, directive or order, before the passage or adoption of the same; and shall fully enforce all Federal and general laws; further, in the event any Federal officer or official violates their oath of office, that person, including the President, Vice-President, Department or Agency Secretary, shall automatically forfeit and resign from office, or be forcibly removed from office and imprisoned for a period of not less than the remainder of the term of said office.

Section 2. Federal Judicial Authority - The Judicial Authority of the Federal Government shall be limited to : a) matters in dispute between States; b) matters in dispute between citizens of different States; c) laws passed by Congress, and rules regulations, directives or orders of any Federal agency including the U.S. military; d)disputes between citizens and any Federal agency; e) franchised entities including corporations are not citizens but artificial entities and shall not have standing in Federal Courts except in limited matters where a Federal agency rule, regulation , directive or order is specifically addressed to a particular corporation or artificial entity; f) except as provided herein, no non-citizen or person shall have standing before any Federal Court; g) The Judicial authority shall not extend beyond internationally recognized territorial boundary of 12 nautical miles from U.S. States and extended seaward economic zone ( 200 miles ) and any person or entity violating U.S. or State laws, rules, regulations, directives or orders applicable within such territorial boundary or extended economic zone.

Section 3. Federal Judges. There shall be one Federal Supreme Court, known by the aforesaid title. The Federal Supreme Court shall consist of nine (9) non-appointed Judges selected by public blind draw lot to serve for a term of no more the six years (6). All other Federal Judges shall be non-appointed and selected by public blind draw lot to serve for a term of no more then four (4) years. No Federal Judge shall serve for more then one (1) term. Any natural born citizen of citizens of the United States or any State, who is at least thirty-five years of age and has at least a four year degree from a recognized college or university in any State of the United States; is a duly registered voter in a State of residence in the United States; has not been convicted of any felony criminal offense, or aggravated misdemeanor; is of good character and not a member of any recognized terrorist organization; may upon affidavit of credentials, have his or her name placed in the lot for blind public drawing to fill Federal Judgeship positions including Federal Supreme Court positions. Federal Supreme Court judges selected by lot shall, each year, vote for one of the lot to act as Chief Judge for one year of the selected judges six (6 ) year term. The Federal Supreme Court Chief judge shall have the authority to promulgate administrative rules to provide for the orderly administration of the Federal Courts, so long as said rules do not compromise due process, individual, civil and voting rights as otherwise provided for in the U.S. Constitution as amended.

Section 4. Federal Judges shall be personally and individually liable for violation the individual, Constitutional, civil, or voting rights of any citizen. ”

The above is an example of the type of Amendment to the U.S. Constitution that is needed to stop the dictatorship by Federal Judges, where a single Federal Judge can invalidate the votes of millions of citizen voters. Citizens are entitled to have their votes count.

THROW OFF the Shackles of Washington, D.C., and Declare Independence

Big, in-your-face, all controlling, government was the inception of the 28th President of the United States, Woodrow Wilson, a Democrat. Woody figured the by conning Congress into passing the Revenue Act of 1913 [Federal Income Tax ] and the 16th Amendment, he could strangle States and citizens into submission and fund an ever growing Washington bureaucracy. Woody's grand scheme did not stop with the U.S., he wanted a world government, controlled of course, by him, as the President of the U.S.. Woody fathered the League of Nations ( 1919 ) which, after WWII, morphed into the United Nations (1945) a collection of allied powers that had defeated Germany; and, the new world order, dominated by the U.S.. The U.S. urged and embraced the formation of the International Court of Justice [ ICJ ], as part of the new world order and U.N.. One of the primary functions of the ICJ is to determine the legitimacy of claims between nation states, and within nation states between groups seeking separate, nation state recognition.

Fast forward to the 21st Century, 2010. There was once a nation state known as Yugoslavia, but that was not a satisfactory state of affairs for many within Yugoslavia who wanted their own separate nation states. Thanks to the U.N., U.S. and allies, Yugoslavia was busted up into smaller pieces, each being given separate nation state status, each with land areas a fraction of the size of most U.S. States. So, via the U.N. and ICJ, and fully supported and embraced by the United States, Yugoslavia was initially broken into seven (7) separate nations: Albania; Bosnia/Herzegovina; Bulgaria; Croatia; Macedonia; Montenegro and Serbia.

There is a small area in Serbia, about the size Maricopa County, one of Arizona's many Counties, that was not happy. Using the mechanism that was initiated by the United States, and adopted by the U.N., Kosovo DECLARED INDEPENDENCE from Serbia and the International Court of Justice ( ICJ ) in July, 2010, held that it was legal and did not violate international law for Kosovo to declare independence and be recognized ( as the U.S. has done ) as a separate nation state. Not only has the U.S. recognized and embraced this small geographic area as a separate nation, but the Obama Administration is pouring hundreds of millions of U.S. taxpayer dollars in, to support the Kosovo regime.

The point of this little history lesson is, today, unlike in 1861 ( 1861-5, U.S. Civil War ) there is a recognized legal mechanism for State's of the United States to break the shackles Washington, D.C., has imposed upon them and their citizens. Arizona is being sued by BIG BROTHER OBAMA; Arizona should
follow Kosovo's lead and Declare Independence from the United States. Louisiana, Alabama, Mississippi, Florida and Texas should also consider doing the same. Washington, D.C., has done nothing to protect these States and their citizens, e.g., BP gulf oil disaster.

Media use of word " NEWS" is a bit of a Fraud

" Much to do about nothing " is an appropriate label for the media "clubs"[ CBS, NBC, ABC, CNN, MSNBC ] flap over the Shirley Sherrod situation. Every mainstream media outlet, edits speeches, and reduces the total presentation to a very short sound-bite, that illustrates the point and prejudice the t.v.station, "newspaper", magazine, talk-radio, etc. advocates. This "holier then thou" criticism over the Sherrod sound-bite of a "club" outsider, orchestrated by CNN, MSNBC, CBS, ABC, NBC and other media hypocrites, is nothing short of an organized attempt to censor other opinions, and diminish 1st Amendment Constitutional rights.

CNN, MSNBC, CBS, ABC, NBC and politically correct collaborators
are in love with the idea of BIG ALL CONTROLLING government, much like the U.S.S.R. used to be. The proliferation of the internet has provided those outside the "club"
with the opportunity to express opposing views and opinions, and the "club" does not like it - BOO HOO.

OPEN LETTER TO: President Obama re Crude Oil Gusher in Gulf of Mexico

Dear President Obama:

I am an over-the-hill, open heart surgery survivor, and senior citizen; but,I am no fool. Your smile and public words regarding the BP platform disaster, suggests to me, and probably many other citizens, that you and your Administration have no plan "B"should things continue to deteriorate and "leakage" becomes a "gusher".

What I fear we are witnessing is a environmental and economic catastrophe of biblical proportion. Although human lives will not be a stake, the economic life of all U.S. Gulf states will be devastated for years to come. The seafood industry will collapse, sport fisheries will be dead, tourism will die off, with a cascading affect leading to 4 million + workers being unemployed, businesses going bankrupt and unemployed homeowners having their homes foreclosed, and families being put out in the street. I have yet to hear one word from you on how your administration will address this crippling circumstance that will make the economic impact of "Katrina" look like child's play.

Be honest instead of political. From a physical and experience perspective, everyone: BP, U.S. Coast Guard, U.S. Military, engineers and experts are operating in uncharted territory. Territory where the well head pressures are in the range of 4,000 to 6,000 pounds per square inch; where there is a probability that the submersibles will not be able to stem the flow of oil, and where the chances causing a blow-out are great. One expert likened it to a "volcano" on the verge of eruption.

So what are your and your Administrations plans? Is your justice department working on having all BP assets and operations placed in a trust, to satisfy the claims the U.S., States, citizens and other persons, will have against BP ? What about Congress, where is the pot of money hidden to extend unemployment and other benefits to the 4 million + Gulf State residents who will lose their jobs as businesses go bankrupt? We are not taking about bail-out here, we are taking about survival, economic survival. The survival of Alabama, Florida, Louisiana and Texas, delta and coastline dependent industries, businesses, workers and residents. It is as if the largest nuclear bomb known, has gone off in our backyard. What are your administrations plans? What are you doing, and going to do ? When ?

You have pledged billions to help Haiti, rebuild Iraq and Afghanistan,billions to Pakistan, more billions to help, support and subsidize countless foreign nations; but what about us, the U.S., the country you where elected President. I am listening, Alabama, Florida, Louisiana and Texas are listening,and if the leakage becomes a "gusher”, the entire Southern and East Coast of the U.S. will be listening.

A concerned citizen,
http://www.villagevoice911.blogspot.com

WHAT THE NEW U.S. HEALTH CARE LAW SAYS & MEANS

Regardless of the political rhetoric an hype, the middle-class [ those with annual earnings between $35,000. and $88,000. ] as always, will shoulder the burden and pay the price for Health Care reform. The HC Bill does not prevent Health insurers from increasing premiums related to rising health and prescription drug costs, and mandates substantial new risks that insurers will translate into significant premium increases. Let's face reality, something Congress fails to do when passing legislation. The new law mandates that folks cannot be excluded because of preexisting conditions AND eliminates caps on payouts for care. Sounds great, but the reality is that Health Insurers are in business, a business for PROFIT, even through technically incorporated as a non-profit. The bottom line: premiums are going to SKYROCKET !!!

Congress says “...don't worry middle class and poor...” we have you covered; we will subsidize your health care premium costs, on a sliding scale, of course; less for the family making $88,000 annually, more for the family making $30,000 or less annually, by taxing the rich, defined as those making more then $200,000.00 annually. Sounds great, but Congress and most U.S. High School graduates are not good at math. Using government figures this translates into around 900,000 high earners who will be subject to a 3.8% tax generating at best $ 3 billion to 3.5 billion in added revenue. This new tax will be a drop in the bucket when the costs of adding 31 million now uninsured, plus an additional 12 million who will become uninsured ( as a result of the recession and unemployment ); 41 million NEW insureds. In the next two years ( 2012) there is a probability of immigration reform, that will add an additional 20 million to the subsidy roll. The realistic number of persons entitled to a government health subsidy( your taxpayer dollars ) by 2014, jumps to 63 million.

Under the new law, the average family of four ( 4 ) minimum monthly health insurance premium will be in the $1000.00 range; $12,000. 00 a year plus co-pays. 75% of the new 63 million enrollees' will be subsidized; 47million 250thousand ( 47, 250,000 ) x ( times ) a 50% subsidy means the government (you the taxpayer via Congress) will have to come up with a minimum of $2 trillion 835 billion dollars by 2014 to fund the program, and this does NOT INCLUDE the costs of medicare.

The other reality is that by 2012, according to U.S. Government figures, 23% of the U.S. Population ( estimated to be 350 million ) will be over 65 years of age and on medicare: 80 million 500 thousand medicare beneficiaries. Even by CUTTING MEDICARE payments to $6,000 per year per senior [ currently around $9900.00 a year per medicare senior is paid to Medicare Advantage providers ] and by REDUCING COVERAGE[to bare bones/guaranteeing early death ] the government will have to come up with an additional $ 483 billion dollars pushing the 2014 deficit to OVER $3,200,000,000,000.00 TRILLION FOR HEALTH CARE ALONE.

How about coverage: on PAPER everyone will have coverage; but try and find a M.D. who will accept the medicaid or medicare payment as total payment for his or her bill. Go on, go ask your doctor.

Crank up the presses, the dollar........ will it be worth 10 cents ? What is our banker ( China ) going to say ? Hello, … another bankrupt nation headed toward third world status.

BLIND AMBITION - The U.S. WAR Against Terrorism

www.villagevoice911.blogspot.com

Blind Ambition - The U.S. War Against Terrorism

Troops, weapons, technology, security - trillions of U.S. taxpayer dollars are being spent by Washington D.C. to combat the threat of terrorism around the world. The U.S. has been a warrior nation from it's very inception; the U.S. has always been about "FORCE". When the U.S. has run out of immediate foes, it has turned on itself, the Civil War 1860-1865. The mentality of Washington, and the U.S., is that every adversity can be overcome by the use of "force". This blind ambition of the U.S. regarding the current crusade, war, on "terrorism " is leading to the downfall of the U.S. and mass poverty of its citizens; it is a recipe for failure.

The "WARRIOR" mindset of the U.S. has promoted rather then abated the rise of "Terrorism". The primary tool for recruitment of future "Terrorists", those who will present problems for U.S. and Western allies for the next sixty ( 60 ) plus years, is the C.I.A./military, and political involvement in third world nations. The U.S. invasion of Iraq and Afghanistan has guaranteed that there will be a plentiful supply of "Terrorists" for the next five or more generations. When the U.S. and Western allies kill thousands of civilians ( media speak: "collateral damage" ) thousands of surviving children, the majority who are orphaned, do not care about U.S. and Ally motives. Thousands of these orphans will grow-up hating the U.S. and Allies, and they will be willing recruits for ideological radicalization targeting the U.S., U.S. Allies, and the citizens of the U.S. and Allies.

No County, know matter how powerful, can, for but limited period of time, impose its values on, or convert entire populations of peoples with different views and religions, to it's way of thinking or lifestyle. As long as you hold a "gun" to some ones head they will agree with you, the question is: How long can the U.S. afford to occupy the many regions of the Middle-East, Africa, Indonesia and Eurasia, that are or will become the breeding grounds for "Terrorists" ?

What Washington, the U.S. and Western Allies, do not appear to understand is that there are opposing ideological and religious forces involved. Guns, bullets and bombs will not wipe out ideological and religious convictions and beliefs. No matter how many " Terrorists " the U.S. and Allies kill, there will be countless others to take their places. Killing the " Messenger " DOES NOT KILL THE MESSAGE.

What is the " Message " that Washington and Western Allies simply do not get:
STAY OUT OF THE BUSINESS of regions of the world where you are not welcome by the masses of the population, by virtue of political, religious, lifestyle and economic differences. Stop supporting Kings, Emirs and Regimes that exist by virtue of U.S. aid and the aid of Western Allies. India is much better off now that it is out from under the thumb of the British... hello !

What the U.S. and Western Allies can and should do, is to tighten up respective borders and limit the entry of non-citizens. This is a major task in and of itself, but something that is within the capability of the U.S. and Western Allies. The elimination of "Terrorism " and "Terrorists" is simply not an achievable or realistic goal.

Afghanistan & Iraq: Things U.S. Government & Media Don't Want the Public to Know

The U.S. public has been shielded from real answers to the questions regarding the U.S. commitments to Iraq and Afghanistan. The U.S. Government and Media have shifted focus from real issues to those more acceptable to the U.S. public - military force and a WIN v. LOSE scenario. U.S. commitments to Iraq and Afghanistan will cost the U.S. taxpayer over $$$ TEN TRILLION U.S. Dollars by 2015. Ten Trillion borrowed funds, Ten Trillion that will not be spent on U.S. domestic infrastructure and social needs, Ten Trillion spent by a bankrupt nation that refuses to recognize reality and attend to it's domestic needs.

Afghanistan and Iraq are fictional creations of Western Europe and the U.S. government. Western governments, for their respective convenience, ignored indigenous populations, and arbitrarily drew lines on the geography, and assigned designations to areas within such lines as Countries: Afghanistan & Iraq. The indigenous people within these designations never had, and to this day have no NATIONAL IDENTITY. What the U.S. and Western European nations regard as Iraq, is in reality , three ( 3 ) separate populations each with their own religious identity. What the U.S. regards as Afghanistan, is in reality, twenty ( 20 ) separate populations with different tribal and religious loyalties.

Regardless of Washington rhetoric, the objective in Iraq was "regime" change, and securing continued access to approximately 15% of known oil reserves. The U.S. spent and will spend 4-5 Trillion ( 2001-2015 ) in order to provide the U.S. and Allies with oil. No cost accounting is being done on the cost in loss of life and disability of the 100's of thousands of U.S. military veterans adversely affected by their deployment to Iraq. One of the dark sides of "regime change"in Iraq, has been the establishment of an Islamic regime. Saddam Hessian tolerated and protected secular religious beliefs including "Christianity". The new , U.S. supported, Iraqi government has limited religious tolerance except for Islam, which is the de facto official religion of Iraq. Prior to the U.S. invasion of Iraq, there were upwards of 1,000,000 openly practicing "Christians"; today it is estimated that there are fewer then 5,000 "Christians" now in hiding. THE BENEFICIARIES of the U.S invasion of Iraq have been the Major Oil Companies and U.S. subcontractors the likes of Halliburton.

Afghanistan is another problem: with twenty ( 20 ) separate populations with different tribal loyalties; "Central Government", has never been nor will it be a sustainable reality. The Karzai government was and is totally financed, created and empowered by the U.S. supported by U.S and NATO troops . Once the U.S. stops financially supporting Karzai, the fictional entity , branded by the U.S. and allies as a "Central Government" will vanish. "Central Government" and National Identity, as far as Afghanistan is concerned, is a pipe dream of the U.S., costing U.S. taxpayers 4-5 Trillion 2001-2015. U.S. and NATO military involvement, regardless of the number of troops, supporting an Afghan "Central Government", will fail. WIN v LOSE has nothing to do with it; as long as the U.S. taxpayer continues to embrace the fiction of Afghan "Central Government", the U.S. taxpayer will pay and be in Afghanistan for the next 100 years. NO U.S. financial support, NO "Central Government" in Afghanistan.

Karzai "Central Government" means taxes, taxes on people who are among the poorest in the world. The way things are now working is the U.S. is "training", supplying and paying the salaries of a private Karzai army and police, who in-turn, go into tribal regions with the backing of the U.S. and NATO troops, and demand taxes from valley populations. It's improbable that demanding "taxes" from tribal and valley populations will win the "hearts and minds" of poverty populations. We Westerners' have the answer to everything, and as long as the U.S. is willing to pay, in dollars, and military lives, for the fiction of an Afghan "Central Government", the U.S. will remain mired in Afghanistan.

What is the "Taliban". In the West and U.S. , there are various "brands" of Christianity and Judaism. The same is true of Islam, what we refer to as Taliban is an ultra fundamentalist, Sunni "brand" of Islam. Washington and the media have thrown all Islam followers into the category "Taliban" meaning bad, evil, terrorists who are out to get the U.S. and Allies. The U.S. invasion of Afghanistan has contributed to the growth of the Taliban movement in Afghanistan, Pakistan and surrounds. One must remember that U.S. based Christian community has ultra fundamentalist sects who kill abortion providers who do not adhere to "their brand" of Christianity. Promoting the "Taliban" as the enemy, is essentially saying that the U.S. and NATO are at war with Islam; essentially, 21st Century Crusades. When the U.S. and NATO trample Islam, it drives moderate believers underground, and enhances support for radical "brands" of Islam to percolate to positions of authority.

The U.S. created and recognized Kosovo, a land area around the size of Manhattan Island, as an independent Nation. In order to satisfy the U.S. insistence for victory and success in Afghanistan, the immediate area surrounding Kabul, should be recognized as a separate Nation; and, the U.S. and NATO should abandoned Nation building in the remainder of the Afghan geography. Routing out “terrorists” is another matter entirely, one that requires accurate intelligence, surgical strikes and an invisible military presence.

Under the U.S. form of Federal Government, there is no provision like " initiative referendum" for the U.S. public to directly participate in how U.S. taxpayer dollars and troops will be used to pursue vainglory ambitions of those in power in Washington, D.C.. 30 years down the road when the U.S. population will be living at "third world" standards, the folly and arrogance of the U.S. Government and NATO allies will remain a burden on citizens who will only faintly remember Afghanistan and Iraq and why they have been committed to support these foreign lands.

Congress Disenfranchises 50 Million U.S. Senior Citizens

As is typical, Congress is again, conniving to make the most fragile of the U.S. Population, senior citizens 65+ in age, pay so that 20 million uninsured U.S. residents ( not limited to U.S. Citizens ) will be provided medical coverage under HEALTH CARE REFORM proposals now before Congress. All versions of Health Care Reform now muddling through Congress, both House and Senate, require cuts in Medicare benefits now provided to U.S. Seniors 65 years of age and over. We are talking about 50 million U.S. Seniors, the majority of whom now receive medical/health care coverage under Medicare Advantage programs. Medicare Advantage programs offer seniors medical and prescription drug benefits not provided by Medicare and no additional cost to the senior citizens. Basically, each senior, on a sliding income scale, pays at least $96.40 per month ( or more ), automatically deducted from each seniors Social Security benefits, for Medicare coverages. Private HMO's and Health Insurance Companies offer additional medical and prescription drug benefits to seniors ( at no additional cost to the seniors ) under the various Medicare Advantage programs available in all States. The Federal Government, in turn, pays the HMO'S and Health Insurance companies a medicare premium for each senior who signs up for a Medicare Advantage program through an HMO or Health Insurance Company. Pretty straight forward; the system is not perfect, but it has been and is working for tens of millions of U.S. Senior citizens 65+.

Now this is where Congress plays fast, loose and underhanded: how to fund, pay for, health care reform. Under every proposal in Congress, a significant part of the “funding” of Health Care Reform will be paid by cutting Medicare benefits to U.S. senior citizens; in short: no more medicare advantage programs, and fewer medicare benefits. Medicare premiums will be increased, i.e., monthly medicare deductions from Social Security benefits will be increased to a minimum of $125.00 per month or more. This is how Congress claims the Federal budget deficit will be reduced over the next 10 years.This is yet another congressional slight-of-hand to deceive and essentially defraud the U.S. voter and taxpayer. As a further fraud and subterfuge, Congress and the CBO ( Congressional Budget Office ) projections of Health Care Reform program costs are based on coverage of around 20 million U.S. residents who are now uninsured. By manipulating figures Congress and the CBO have radically understated the actual costs of Health Care Reform by trillions of dollars.

OK, now to the illegal alien/ immigration issue. The federal government admits to at least 12 million persons being illegally in the U.S. The real figure is more like 25-30 million illegals plus their “anchor” babies ( babies born in the U.S., at U.S. Taxpayer expense, from illegals ); realistically the combined number of illegals and kids could top 50 million - 15% of the U.S. Population. Congress is poised to
grant AMNESTY to these illegals. The Federal Government has already rescinded agreements and the authority for local law enforcement to arrest and detain illegal aliens; this action on the part of the Obama Administration, has virtually opened U.S. borders to all comers, and provided sanctuary and protection for the 30 plus million illegals already here. Congress has plans to grant amnesty to these illegals within the coming year or so; but, congress has intentionally postponed action because it does not want the public to know that 30 to 50 million persons will be added and receive medical and health care under all of the Health Care Reform bills now before Congress.

Let's redo the math: The current CBO cost projections, for the Baucus( Senate Bill ) Health Care Plan are based on adding around 20 million legal U.S. residents to be covered for health and medical benefits, at an estimated cost of $829 billion over 10 years. This figure does not take into account the 30-50 million illegals poise to be given AMNESTY . When you add the additional 30-50 million to the 20 million the CBO counted, we are realistically talking 70 million uninsured U.S. residents who will be covered by the Congressional and Presidents plans for Health Care Reform at a cost of well over $4 trillion dollars over the next 10 years. This will not be budget neutral without massive tax and medicare premium increases on the middle class. It will more then triple the Federal deficit resulting in a steep devaluation of the dollar.

The U.S. needs health care reform. U.S. industry needs health care reform in order to be competitive in world markets. 1000+ pages Congressional bills are hardly reform. All U.S. Health Insurance Companies and HMO's need to be made part of a risk pool, as is the case in many states with “assigned risk auto insurance”, and required to offer basic but limited health care coverage, pre-existing conditions included, for an initial monthly premium of $ 96.40, $250.00 a month for family of four, for U.S. citizens who have consecutively lived within the U.S. for 7 years. Medicare needs to employ auditors and prosecute providers when fraud is evident, and pay less attention to “coding” and paperwork regarding services and payments. Health Insurance Companies, HMO's and Individual Co-ops should be allowed to join and combine to negotiate with drug companies directly to reduce prescription drugs costs. Reform can be effectively accomplished in 50 pages or less of concisely drafted, readable, legislation.