Thinkpacs - you think, you blog

Now, the day is almost done.

Early in the day, Judy and I went to Rainbow. On the way back, we passed three sheriff busses lined up, and about 15 riot-gear-equipped storm troopers getting ready. Of course it was for the peace rally, what else? Judy wanted me to be careful, and to be sure to run from the storm troopers if they started any trouble.

Later I rode my bike into the rally, about 11:15. I had to pass through a phalynx of police, with riot gear and billy clubs. They had the entire rally surrounded. Above, three helicopters hovered. The CHP helicoper circled us like prey.

The rally itself was great. The weather was awesome again. Some of the speakers were good, but several went flat. I particularly liked the Green Party candidate running against Diane Feinstein. No one in the rally cheered for Diane, and this is her home town.

During the march, police with riot gear followed us. Police cars on every corner. Each of the four rallies has been peaceful, why is the city paying all this double-time pay to watch over a peace rally? Gavin, you have some explaining to do.

America was the land of the free, home of the brave?

American know-how and ingenuity were our trademarks?

America was the great experiment in democracy?

America fought for good in the world?

Now, we give up liberties and hide from terrorists.

Now, we can’t even discuss stopping the destruction of our ecosystem because it is too hard for us.

Now, we think the best thing is to lie, never take responsibility and blame others.

And the worse part? There is about 30%-40% of our population that are beyond understanding, that are being manipulated by the administration, and have been convinced they are “right” and we are “wrong”. Not only are we wrong, we are now becoming the enemy. If we are the “enemy”, then who are “they”?

Does anyone doubt the change in the wind?

I guess we now know the answer to Ben Franklin’s original “A Republic if you can keep it.” statement. Who else to know the difficulties that lay ahead for us than those that had just had a revolt and risked everything, and yet we let it slip away.

It didn’t happen quickly, but slowly as we forgot. The value of customs, things that we lack here, I suppose, helped make it so easy. But, perhaps, other cycles are at work here.

For instance, why did the US population become so complacent to begin with? Did we not have enough enemies to keep us busy? Perhaps too many enemies to keep track of? Perhaps not knowing who the enemies are?

I’m blogging that a simple feedback cycle was created that caused the complacency, and that the other part of the cycle is rooted in our economy. Not the economy that existed in the 18th century, but the economy that developed over the past 50 years.

The economy today is based on the fact that people don’t know simple things any longer, and have to rely on the State and/or Big Business to keep them alive. Not so in the 1700s, but today how many of us even know how to make bread, the most basic of foods? How many have actually picked fresh fruit? Made clothes? Walked or rode a bike to get somewhere, and not just for fun?

The question remains: which started first? Did someone decide that complacency was required in order to destroy our liberties so Big Business could take over? Or did Big Business just get too greedy and not see that they were causing Americans to just become little consumers, at the expense of everything else, and that this would result in a Constitutional Crisis?

I know that a lot of others are covering the obvious issues with the latest budget. Some are concerned with the cuts to education and health, others with the increases to the military’s budget, now the largest in history. So I won’t bother going into that.
Instead, I wanted to focus on a little talked-about provision apparently snuck in at the last moment. The provision is hard to find, and is under the title “Make Bush the Richest Man in the World” somewhere in the appendix. Basically, it calls for a simple use fee (tax) added to all goods that come from Venezuela, including their oil! If you calculate it all out, Bush would be worth about $1T in 10 years!

From a press conference, Bush gave as his reason for the provision: “Of course the money is not for me. I’m a religious man, but my wife, she told me to go for it. I’m agona use all the money to help the good people of Americans. It is simply not true that I’ll be starting my own private army.”

Luckily for Bush, in the provision is an escape clause. Called the Rove clause, it says: “If the provision is canceled for any reason Bush immediately gets $500B”. I wonder who put that in there?

I don’t know, it seems to be a bad precedent.

As we head into this new year, it’s time to get prepared, so don’t go into 2006 with the lobbyist you have, be sure to get the lobbyist you need at the DC LSwap Meet. As with preceeding years, the mall will be pretty packed, so come early.

It’s time to say goodbye to that guy that got you that great land deal in Colorado, now it’s time to think of development, like mining. Or a highend resort maybe? It’s all up to what your lobbyist can get you, so choose wisely! All deals final. Starts at 10AM on Saturday.