Fools! They think we are all fools ,and they may be right !

What a lie that Social Security is in trouble. This program has had and will have a surplus from 2003 to 2016. During this time Congress has borrowed or spent well over  3 trillion of this surplus to pay for two wars and give wealthy citizens big tax brakes. The Congress was to pay back that money so the system so it can stay solvent for another 40-45 yrs. In order to do this Congress must let the tax cuts expire on the wealthy and cut Defense spending. The dirty little truth is they would rather then lie to people and tell them that cuts must be made in Social Security then do what is right. Today every Republican running for President is asking to increase the  retirement age. It's easier to fool the American public with scary stories about the debt then just pay the money they took back. They would rather stiff you ,the public, then tax the wealthy or cut Defense projects we really don't need. Wake up America,you are being sold a bill of goods.  The truth is that in another 30-40 years the Baby Boomers will have moved through the system and we won't need as much money to pay for benifits. THEY JUST DONOT WANT TO PAY OFF THEIR DEBT TO THE S.S.TRUST FUND.  That's all this whole mess is about. Ignore facts and believe your party because you think they are pro life. That's another lie that I will explore later.

USPS is # 1

USPS !

The United States Post Office (USPO) was created in Philadelphia under Benjamin Franklin. It was affirmed under the Postal Clause in in the U.S. Constitution Article One, Section 8 Powers granted to Congress. This empowered Congress "To establish post offices and post roads". It became the Post Office Department (USPOD) in 1792. Until 1971, it was part of the Presidenti­al cabinet and the Postmaster General was the last person in the United States presidenti­al line of succession­."

I've heard of conservati­ves saying that the postal office should be privatized­.

How come the constituti­on is literal when it's for something conservatives want, but the things they do not like, that are clearly spelled out in the constituti­on, are ignored ?

I don't know why people complain about the post office so much? I find it is cheaper and faster than UPS. Federal express is faster when you do the overnight services, but it is also more expensive. What do people want, to pay $20-40 to federal express all their mail? Americans should move to another country to see how effective their postal services are, before they criticize the USPS. I think our post office is the best in the world. Our Health Care, now that's another story.


There are reasons that the USPS has cost overruns.

1. USPS delivers mail all over the USA and makes sure everybody gets served equally.
2. USPS delivers mail to military bases all over the world  at domestic prices. UPS and FedEx don't.
3. USPS has traditiona­lly been giving job-prefer­ence to combat veterans, disregardi­ng qualificat­ions and effectiven­ess.
4.  USPS is required to pre-fund for both pension and health care retirement funds  by 100%, which accumulate­­s to $5 billion a year. No other agency is required to do this. 
5. USPS does not have the right to set its own fees and price schedule, like UPS and FedEX have.

So, we can't really compare the Postal Service to Fedex, as long as these situations exist.
If we want the same great USPS that we have had for years we will just have to pay a little more either in an increase in fees or have our taxes pay for cost overruns. Believe me that UPS or FEDEX will charge a hell of a lot more and provide poorer service.

Veterans Day and My Old Resentments

Some people are self-serving while some serve others. It is not hard to determine who these people are. One day before Veterans Day I would like to discuss and explain my position on the military draft during the Viet Nam War.

 

The war was very unpopular on College Campuses during the late 60’s and early 70’s. Many young people demonstrated against America’s involvement in that conflict.

I was drafted in 1966 and joined the Air Force for four years. I spent time in Texas for basic training than a year in Keesler A.F.B., in Biloxi Mississippi, for electronic training and then heavy duty radar repair. I went to school for 6 hrs.every day and study hall each afternoon for two hours. We were not allowed to remove any books because they were classified as Top Secret.

Upon graduation I was assigned to two coastal radar station in Northern California. I spent a lot of time in San Francisco and was in the middle of the anti-war movement. During this time of observation my opinions were formed on the subject of the war and the opposition to it.

I drew a couple of conclusions from my experience. I detest draft dodgers who used school deferments to escape their duties. In my mind these students were just self-serving individuals. I considered many National Guard members also draft dodgers. The Viet Nam Conflict drew its men from a draft and unlike today did not require the use of State National Guardsman in most cases. The National Guard numbers swelled as people of influence tried to find a safe haven for their sons to escape doing their duty. I believe Bush 41 used his influence for his son, Bush 43 to serve in a unit. Records indicate he did not even complete his duty for the required years by not showing up for his final assignment.

A school deferments was used by Bill Clinton to avoid a low draft number. He graduated and received a Rhodes scholarship, to Oxford, to study in England. He promised his draft board, in writing, that upon his return he would join the R.O.T.C. to complete his duty and serve if required. He lied. In fact, he did not even get his degree form Oxford as he returned home early for Law School. I believe they stopped the draft lottery by then. I hate deferments because children of means could use college as an excuse for not serving. I had to quit college for over a year to work on a loading dock in order to purchase reliable transportation and pay for an apartment. I then finished school.

This may surprise some but I do not consider young men who demonstrated their opposition to the war as draft dodgers. If they were willing to burn their draft card and accept the consequences then they earned my respect. They, at least, took a stand for something they believed in. In many ways they helped bring an end to this war. The men who ran to Canada I would say "shame on you". I resent President Carter for giving them amnesty. In my mind they are self-serving cowards. I saved Dick Chaney for last. Not only did he use numerous deferments but actually said he had no time to spend or had no use for this conflict. COWARD!

To the men who did not have the chance to serve, because of health issues or age, I would like to ask you to please stop thanking me for my service. It was just something I did and it's over. I reserve this day to honor wounded service people and their families along with those killed or departed. These are the ones to honor tomorrow so hang your flag and please light it at night or take it down.

Times are about to change and I din't like it.

Just a thought !

 Social Darwinism,  is a belief common among elites in the late 19th century created by Herbert Spencer. Spencer believed that the "rich and powerful were better adapted to the social and economic climate of the time" and so deserved to be in the elite.

Taken to its extreme, Social Darwinism also says that it is "morally incorrect to assist those weaker than oneself, since that would be promoting the survival and possible reproducti­on of someone who was fundamenta­lly unfit."

The hard right Tea Party conservati­ves appear to hold the same views. Any public assistance or government program designed to help the less fortunate violates the tenets of Social Darwinism, and "the strongest or fittest should survive and flourish in society, while the weak and unfit should be allowed to die."

What makes this sad is the fact that a large part of Tea Party members fit into this weaker class.  They also say that they are true believers in Christian Principles.  They seem like a slow witted pawns being mover around the chess board by Royality or are they blinged by bigotry for Blacks and Mexicans that the can't see the forest for the trees.

Do people really want to learn ?

We are living in a time of tremendous religious awareness when both believers and nonbelievers are engaged by their different religion and traditions.  People are seeking to understand the violence perpetrated in the name of God. 

Being a spiritual person, raised in the Catholic faith, I find myself asking some of the same questions. I decided to read a book by Diarmaid MacCulloch, the son of an Anglican clergyman. He writes with deep faith and feeling. His last book “The Reformation “won many awards.

I decided to read his new book “Christianity” in order to learn how the message of Jesus’ spread and how the New Testament was formed.  This book seeks to fill in all the blanks many Christians have about their religion.

It fills in often neglected accounts of conversations and confrontations in both Africa and Asia.  It explains how the message of Jesus spread to and through Europe and the United States. It covers the roots of the evangelical movement, the Crusades,heritics, among other historical and religion facts. It explains how books of the bible, were selected and by who, and why they were selected to be put into the New Testament while others were not.

It is 1000 pages plus  book that seek to teach and enlighten a true Christian believer. It is not an anti-Christian book and was written to bring believers out of the dark and impart an educated understanding of their faith.

Yet when I posted some facts and explanations on Facebook I lost many of my Christian friends. They seemed offended by the history and facts about their own religion. This confused me to no end. Why would so many want to live in ignorance and fear?  Sometimes I worry about my fellow man.” Seek and the answers will appear. Stick your head in the sand and the truth will pass you by" Gary Andres.

Heart to Heart

There is a new CAT Scan in our local hospital. I read about it in a story last week.  This machine is so precise that it will take a 3D image of your heart in 10 sec. The article said that the images are so detailed that this test would eliminate the need of a heart catheterization. 

I went to see my Doctor last week and asked him about this test. He told me that Insurance companies would not pay for it. It would cost me $1,500 cash to get it done. I asked why.  He told me that most people were scared to have a heart catheterization and would only consent to one if they were in medical trouble.  He said that if people were worried about their heart they would flock to get this new test done lowering the profit margin of Ins. Companies. He also said that if a blockage was found then it would require a heart catheterization to insert a stent. This would cost INS companies even more money.

What it boils down to is money. There is a test that is cheap, fast, and noninvasive and could save many lives but is not available to Americans because it cuts into the profits of corporations.  Best health care in the world my ass.

SINGLY PAYER NON PROFIT HEALTH CARE!

Three Gods?

The doctrines of Christianity, Islam and Judaism all basically agree on the same definition of God. Each believes that God is a Supreme Being conceived as the perfect, omnipotent, omniscient originator and ruler of the universe; the principal object of faith and worship. In addition, all three doctrines also believe that Moses was a prophet of their respective religions. Do we then worship the same God?

So some would say that Yes, in basic premise all three major western forms of faith, Christianity, Judaism, and Islam, worship the same God; the God of Abraham. This God was known as Yahweh (Jehovah in English); although all three faiths currently only refer to the entity by his title of "God" (Allah translated into English is "God" and a title, not a proper name). Christendom started worshipping a Trinity incorporating the entities of God, Jesus Christ, and the Holy Spirit into a single triune god-head in the fourth century. All three faiths claim their faith and practices are the only acceptable form of faith to God.

Some would say no because it would appear that Christianity, Islam and Judaism have one major diverging doctrine with respect to who God is.

 
1.   Muslims believe that Allah is the one and only God without partners.  2.  Christians believe that the "Holy Trinity" is a key doctrine that presents Christ as the true God.
3. Jews believe that the idea of God as a duality or trinity is heretical.

Logically, the above statements separate Christianity from both Islam and Judaism.

Yes there are other minor differences that would fill a book if I would attempt to list them.  I just find it sad that three religions that worship one God would be at odds with each other since 600 AD.  During this Easter Season attention will be drawn to the spiritual home of all three monotheistic religions, Jerusalem.  Isn’t it sad that three religions that have peace, love, and forgiveness at their core are still at odds with each other all these years later?  When will they grow and bring the world together? Until they do they are not a source of comfort to man.  That is in my opinion.