Month: May 2010

Religion–The Ship Of State?

Inkwell Institute

Professor’s Classroom

Subject:  Political Philosophy/Religion/Governance

Paper #14

Now here is a subject that gets the blood boiling, both pro and con……there could be a debate on this for decades and NO one would win the debate…..but I am not here to condemn or support the idea….I just want to point out what part it has played in the past…..both recent and long ago…..do not shoot the messenger…..

Since almost the beginning of what is called political philosophy there has been a debate on what part religion should play in the governance of society……

For instance, St. Augustine in the 5th century AD…..believe that since humans were volatile and irrational, then government must be a God given phenom…he believed that people MUST obey their government as they do their church…..then we come upon Machiavelli……he believed that christian morality was clearly inappropriate for a ruler to use in governance……John Locke…..thought that religious toleration was to be paramount in government, but he also thought there should a a “state” standardized form of religion….The along came Rousseau….who thought that the state should have a “civic religion’….there is a very short sampling of what was thought of religion as it pertained to the state or government or political authority….as you can see religion has played some part in the act of governing….

Most people think of religion because they are taught to think a certain way……does religion belong in the same office as government?……There are many ideas of what religion should do……But what do the different political players think of religion?

Liberals–religion is a private matter linked to individual choice and personal development.  Religious freedom is essential to civil liberty and can only be guaranteed by a strict division between religion and political activity and between church and state.

Conservative–religion is a valuable (possibly essential) source of stability and social cohesion.  Provides society with a set of shared values and the bedrock of a common society, and culture and church and state are inevitable and desirable.

Socialist–portray religion in negative terms, at best it is a diversion from political struggle and a t worst a form of ruling class ideology.  In other words, a way to keep the masses under control.

Anarchist–regard religion as an institutionalized source of oppression of the working class.  Church and state are invariably linked, with religion preaching obedience and submission to earthy rulers, while also prescribing a set of authoritative values that rob the individual of moral autonomy.

Fascist–Rejects religion on grounds that it serves as a rival source of allegiance or belief, and that it preaches decadent values such as compassion and sympathy.  Fascism seeks to function as a ‘political’ religion, embracing its terminology and internal structure, such as devotion, sacrifice, spirit, redemption and so forth

(Once again I thank Andrew Heywood and his book “Political Ideologies”)

In recent decades fundamentalism is becoming more entrenched in American politics,  they see the body of religion is essential, it dictates not only the personal conduct but also dictates the organization of social, economic and political life.  These people believe that religion cannot and should not be limited to private sphere, that its place is with the politics of the land.  They will impose their beliefs on everyone….personally, I do NOT want someone telling me what is right and wrong and passing laws with their personal beliefs…….

As you see the different “roles” that religion can play in the function of a government.  But is it a “Ship of State”?  IMO, it is NOT……religion is a personal thing that an individual makes and there should be NO room for it in government…I agree with the Anarchists in some ways and the Liberals in others…religion has No place in a modern government….laws should NOT be made from a religious point of view…no matter what one thinks the Founding Fathers had in mind…..

Thanx For Misleading Ads

Daily Agitator

Subject”  Marketing BS

Before the calls for my head start….I am NOT saying that Iran does NOT have devices that harm our troops….I am pointing out the lies and deception used to sell you a product or idea or whatever it is these liars use to influence…..

I recently saw an ad on the tube put on by Vote Vet…it is all about the explosive devices that the troops face in the ME and then they say the if oil goes up $1 then Iran gets another $1.5 billion to use on developing more explosives to use against out troops…..this is an ad to promote an alt energy plan for the US…..the problem I have with this is that the US gets NO direct oil from Iran and if we develop a program that we do not need ME oil it still will not make the troops safer…they will still get their money and they will still develop deadly devices to be used on our troops…..

Yes, there is more!

Another ad for the tube has doctors doing nimble gymnastics as they approach a patient and the voice over says that Doctors are the real heroes…..the problem I have with this one is that heroes are people to do a thing without thought of how it benefits them…..I have met NO doctors that fit into that category…..they became doctors for no reason only….THE MONEY!

I know it is just Marketing……but the point it is our whole lives we are lied to on every side…..politicians….salesmen…..media…..everyone lies to everyone…….this is the society that we have created……full of illusion and fecal matter…….

I know I am farting in the wind….but we all have to have something to bitch about….Happy Mother’s Day…..

What Is Your Vice?

We all have them….admit it or not…you to have a vice…whether it is smoking or chocolate or weed or coke or porn or….well I bet you get the idea….some of us will not admit to having a vice because it is illegal……the point of this post is that the government does not have the right to interfere with me chasing me vice if I am hurting NO one but myself ……..

Now for a little history….

The radical American individualist legal theorist and abolitionist Lysander Spooner (1808-1887) argues in a collection of essays on the prohibition of alcohol that all laws against “vice” were unjust, immoral, and counter-productive, and that practising a vice was no crime at all:

VICES are those acts by which a man harms himself or his property.

Crimes are those acts by which one man harms the person or property of another.

Vices are simply the errors which a man makes in his search after his own happiness. Unlike crimes, they imply no malice toward others, and no interference with their persons or property.

In vices, the very essence of crime—that is, the design to injure the person or property of another—is wanting.

It is a maxim of the law that there can be no crime without a criminal intent; that is, without the intent to invade the person or property of another. But no one ever practises a vice with any such criminal intent. He practises his vice for his own happiness solely, and not from any malice toward others.

Unless this clear distinction between vices and crimes be made and recognized by the laws, there can be on earth no such thing as individual right, liberty, or property; no such things as the right of one man to the control of his own person and property, and the corresponding and co-equal rights of another man to the control of his own person and property.

For a government to declare a vice to be a crime, and to punish it as such, is an attempt to falsify the very nature of things. It is as absurd as it would be to declare truth to be falsehood, or falsehood truth.

I agree with Spooner…..and sounds  a lot like some of the beliefs of Libertarians…….I believe that such programs as the War on Drugs is a waste of money for it can NEVER be won and that cash would better serve the American people than flushed down some third world toilet…….and anything that effects NO one but me….should not be a crime….I am have my vices but they only harm me and NO one else.

Oops! Our Bad!

You have heard all the noise about global warming/climate chane….the good the bad and the ugly……..all the scuttlebutt coming from the Right and the Left……the deniers have been pretty vocal in the last year or so…..and sadly, some of it has been promoted as truth….for instance those darn pesky emails from the climate scientist at East Anglia……

In case you were in ICU for the year……the media got hold of some emails from scientists at East Anglia that questioned the validity of the global warming debate…the emails were between scientists that showed that they were cooking the facts to make climate change more of a dire problem than it really was……the media jumped on this with both feet….it was the loudest on the Right wing, of course, they are the loudest deniers….but the so-called mainstream media was on the story just as hard as the conservs….I heard argument after argument that since the facts were being cooked how can the people be concerned with a cleaner environment…….it was an ugly debate at times and every pro climate change person was tried to dis qualify using the emails….

Why would I bring all this “ancient” history up now?   Good question!

An independent inquiry into the conduct of scientists at the Climatic Research Unit (CRU) of the University of East Anglia in Britain has found “absolutely no evidence of any impropriety whatsoever.”

The inquiry, led by Lord Oxburgh, former chair of the House of Lords science and technology select committee, was investigating allegations of scientific misconduct.

Public opinion was hugely manipulated in what is now inevitably termed “climate-gate”. Quotes were taken out of context from the emails that suggested that papers were being suppressed that were critical of the overwhelming scientific consensus that human-based emissions are responsible for increased global warming. An email that referred to a “trick” in how the data was presented was particularly singled out. Claims were made that data was being manipulated by ideologically motivated scientists.

That is why I bring up this issue now…….I have heard NOTHING in the media, Right or Left, telling the people that it was all a scam and those emails were not what they were reported to be……My question is, why did they spend so much time trying to discredit the scientists in the media and then refuse to report that they have been cleared of any wrong doing or lying to the public?

To me, it sounds like ALL media outlets wants to help KILL any clean environment initiative…….what happened to the old phrase, “Fair and balanced”……..The whole journalistic industry owes those scientists an apology for their lame attempt at discrediting them……I know….a pipe dream!

2010 Anal-Ocity #16

This oil spill is giving me lots of anal statements….it is the best subject so far this year…..much has been said by right wing wackos, Dems, Repubs, everybody has something to say just too damn bad they are just way too anal.

One of the best statements on the oil spill has come form Texas’ governor…you know the guy who keep spouting about session….but he has a unique take on the cause of the oil fire and then the spill….

“Nobody knows what happened, and I said that in my remarks, that there was a lot of speculation. It could have been an act of God, it could have been, you know, who knows?”

If true, why does God hate the Gulf Coast?  I mean it is homophobic, has bunches of guns, a right to work state, low abortion, ultra-conservative,  etc…..so why would God hate the Gulf Coast enough to give it Katrina and now a massive oil spill?

I wish to thank all those with a motor mouth….they help make it all too easy…..

The Tea Party: An Analysis

Inkwell Institute

2010/2012 Elections

I for one have been a bit of a critic of the whole Tea Party movement….not because of their agenda but rather some of their tactics…..to me, lies are just that LIES…it is not a political tactic….why?…if they lie about one thing, how can they be trusted to be truthful about the whole thing?

I recently observed a Tea Party thing on Tax Day…..if you have never been to one of these I suggest you give them a try……if for no other reason than the amusement……

I observed that their were two types or camps, if you will within the Tea Party movement……one part is the ones carry signs and spouting  mottoes, like Don’t tread on me or no taxation without representation or….well you have heard them as well…..the other “camp” is the ones that are truly fed up and are approaching it in an intellectual and logical way….these want limited government, end the Fed, etc……I guess if you subscribe to the “camp” theory then there is the Palin camp and the Paul camp……

Palin-ites are the neocons that embrace emotional issues like abortion, pray in school, morality, so forth, what has been called “traditional values”……Paul-ites are the ones that think government is doing too much, responsibility, limited taxation, and does not embrace a rigid set of social morals…..

The one common belief or issue or whatever you would like to call it is…ANGER!  Each faction expresses their anger differently……..but make no mistake…the American people are angry….but the question should be…how angry are they?  If you watch FOX news then you would be more likely to believe that they, the people, are close to storming the castle gates with pitch forks and torches…..personally, I do not think they are that angry, at least not at this time……the media, all the media, is covering the Hell out of anything the Tea Party does…….not because it is such a dynamic movement, but rather because they missed the boat a year ago when the protests first started…..they are trying to make up for their past oversight to the point that they are making the movement more important than it really is…

The best analysis of the Tea Party movement will come in the mid-term election this year….we will then see just how angry the American people are….we are told that the people have little faith in Washington and that the Congress sucks and the two parties have little confidence….if all that is true then the Tea Party should make a difference in the upcoming elections….personally, I think the American people will revert back to the old reliable,  Dems and Repubs…….Why?  Because they ARE angry just not with their politician……it is always the other guy that is at fault…..

Anal-Ocity #15

The oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico is bringing out the best and the worst in American press……and I thank them for they make the search for anal statements all that more easy….

Everyone has an opinion on what caused the spill and some are very good and then there are some that are just silly…this one falls into the later group and coming from a person who is well hated along the Gulf Coast,  Michael Brown of FEMA and Katrina fame….

“This is exactly what they want, because now he can pander to the environmentalists and say, ‘I’m gonna shut it down because it’s too dangerous,'” Brown told Fox’s Neil Cavuto. “This president has never supported Big Oil, he’s never supported offshore drilling, and now he has an excuse to shut it back down.”

At least this guy is listening to the Rush-ster and echoes the moron point of view….do any of these guys or gals know just how moronic they sound when they have oral leakage like this?

From The Fire Into Greece

Inkwell Institute

European Desk

World Economy/Economic Crisis

First of all, I am not the only person that sees the possibility of a total collapse of the economy in the future……we have been burned, economically and the fire is NOT out and it will be hotter the next time we get burned……

By now anyone interested in economics has heard or seen the reports on the problems in Greece….their economy is on the verge of collapse and if it does some of European will go with it……

For those interested:

Credit default swaps are insurance-like contracts that permit banks and hedge funds to place bets on whether or not a company, or even a country, will default on it debts. The nature of CDS trading, which is unregulated, is such that CDS speculators have an incentive to push companies or countries toward bankruptcy. According to one analyst, “Its like buying fire insurance on your neighbor’s house—you create an incentive to burn down the house.”

The role of CDS trading has been highlighted in relation to the financial crisis of the Greek state. Attracted to the highly indebted Greek economy like vultures to a decaying corpse, the CDS traders at major banks and hedge funds have moved in. According to the Depository Trust and Clearing Corporation, trading in credit default swaps linked to Greek debt has surged over the past year.

The overall amount of insurance on Greek debt hit $85 billion in February of this year. One year earlier, the same figure stood at $38 billion. The surge in such types of trading invariably drives up the cost of insuring Greek debt. The cost of insuring Greek bonds nearly doubled in February compared to early January. This, in turn, worsens the budgetary plight of the country and brings closer the specter of default—and a jackpot for CDS speculators.

The list of world players in derivatives and CDS trading is headed by the US banks JPMorgan Chase, Citibank, Bank of America and Goldman Sachs. According to the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency, United States banks held a total of $13 trillion in notional value of credit derivatives at the end of the third quarter of 2009.

US banks, however, are not alone in such trading. A number of Europe’s biggest banks, including Credit Suisse Group, UBS, Société Générale, BNP Paribas SA, and Deutsche Bank, are amongst the biggest buyers of swap insurance. Their activities on the derivatives market reflect their exposure to the Greek economy. The Bank for International Settlements reports that French banks hold $75.4 billion worth of Greek debt, followed by Swiss institutions, at $64 billion, and German banks, with an exposure of $43.2 billion.

Now Greece has had to make many concessions to the EU and the world, in an attempt to sure up the economy and try desperately to avoid a total collapse…….

It is increasingly doubtful, however, that Greece can obtain loans on American or Asian financial markets. The Daily Telegraph cited Simon Derrick of Bank of New York Mellon: “China is becoming concerned about Europe. Greece is going to struggle to find anybody to buy its debt. There is no road-show in Asia, and it may pull out of its show in the US.”

Moreover, financial commentators increasingly anticipate that Greece will be unable to repay its debts, even with European or IMF loans. While a joint European-IMF bailout of roughly €45 billion has been discussed, German central bank governor Axel Weber recently said that €80 billion might be needed. He told a closed-door meeting of German lawmakers that Greece’s position was worsening and “the numbers are changing all the time.”

In a Financial Times column, Wolfgang Münchau wrote: “Greece has a debt-to-gross domestic product ratio of 125 per cent. Greece needs to raise around €50 billion ($68 billion, £44 billion) in finance for each of the next five years to roll over existing debt and pay interest. That adds up to approximately €250 billion, or about 100 per cent of Greek annual GDP.” He concluded, “The best thing you can say about the rescue package is that it buys time to negotiate an orderly default.”

Greece has tried several things that involves the people making sacrifices but not the banks that have caused the problem…….

More than 10,000 civil servants and students marched to parliament, calling for cutbacks to be scrapped, beating drums and chanting: “No more illusions, war against the rich.”

Nurses, teachers, tax officials and dockers stopped work during the 24-hour strike, which paralyzed public services, while EU and IMF officials met in Athens for talks that could lead to a financial bailout for Greece.

Workers are protesting against public wage cuts, a pensions freeze and tax hikes imposed by the government to try to pull Greece out of a fiscal crisis that has shaken markets worldwide and driven Greece’s borrowing costs to a 12-year high.

You now know more about the problems in Greece and Europe than most of your elected officials….but you will no doubt ask……why?  Well sports fans you need to see what happens when a country’s economy collapses……why?  The way the US is going with its debt, in ten years this scenario could be playing out here and you will be warned…..but why would I say that?  Easy…NOTHING being done, by either party in Washington will control the risk of the CDS……since 2008, the banks have gone back to business as usual and the risk to the economy is STILL there waiting for the next glitch…..that will make them billions and drag the US economy down yet again……

UpDate:  Since I originally wrote this post there has been a further erosion of the Greek problem.  There bonds have been downgraded and are now JUNK!   And Greece has agree to more austerity programs and to raise taxes if they want the $145 billion carrot dangled in front of them…..now there is a novel idea….raise taxes to stem off any budgetary problems…..why did not someone think of that sooner (BTW that is called sarcasm)….BTW (again) it will be $8 billion of US taxpayer funds coming from the IMF……

2010 Anal-Ocity #14

Once again I can always depend on certain people to say the most anal things just to get their point over to the public….and as usual my man man Rush can ALWAYS be depended on the make my job a little easier…..

The most recent oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico is a devastating situation…politically, ecologically and economically……when it started I want to know how long it would take for someone to blame this situation on those darn pesky Lefties…NOT LONG!

“…lest we forget, the carbon tax bill — Cap and Trade — that was scheduled to be announced on Earth Day. Then it was postponed, a couple of days later… what better way to head off more oil drilling, nuclear plans, than by blowing up a rig? I’m just noting the timing, here.”

He spouted that piece of anal garbage on his radio show of 29 April 2010…..now just how many of the right wing wackos are going to believe this crap?  I would almost bet that the right wing blogs have this as their main writings of this week……

Recovery Well On Its Way!

Daily Agitator

May I see a show of hands from all those that see a clear path forward in the economic situation we are fighting these day?  If you raised your hand please write down why you feel the recovery is doing well…..

Gross domestic product, the broadest measure of economic activity, rose at a 3.2 percent annual rate in the first three months of the year, the government said Friday. That was the third straight quarter of increase, driven by a rise in spending by American consumers and increased business investment.

Good news, right?  Well yes and no…yes, it means that Americans are spending, but if they are spending they are not saving…..which is good if you want the economy to recovery…but then are they spending “real” money or their plastic?  If the later then a personal recovery is NOT going to happen and this could start yet another recession or at least feed it….to my mind this is “plastic” spending and in NO way shows that the rest of the economy is in good shape.

Unemployment remains steady at 9.7% or so and that is just those applying for benefits, nothing is said about the many that are gone from the rolls and may have stop looking for work……even this supposed “good news” economically if it stays kind of consent will mean only about a .5% drop in unemployment at the end of the year…

Once again the “good news” is for investors not those that actually work for a living……..

drags on the economy this year are residential and commercial real estate. In the first quarter, both declined, with residential investment falling at a 10.9 percent rate and investment in business structures dropping at a 14 percent rate.

As much as some do not want to admit…if it were not for the stim plan….we would be under a huge pile of crap…….the stim plan has done a lot to slow the recession, for without we would be standing in a soup line…..I know it is government spending…but if not them…then who?

There is only so much crap that they can spread on the economy and believe me….they lay it on thick!  Look into your wallet……is the recession getting better?  Is the recovery effecting you?