"Dr. Bob" Flower

The Tragedy of Ft. Hood

I think we were all deeply affected by the Ft. Hood shootings. The Gilchrist Institute, which I direct, issued the following press release addressing the causes of the incident.

Fort Hood Tragedy: Fatal Failure of Information Systems Structure
Gilchrist Institute Finds Fault with the Top-Down Model

Bronxville, NY, November 19, 2009 -- The Fort Hood tragedy is an example of how critical information can be disregarded or overlooked. “Individuals within the military and the FBI had information that Major Nidal Hasan was flirting with radical Islam,” claims Dr. Robert J. Flower, Director of The Gilchrist Institute for the Achievement Sciences, an economic and political think tank. “But the structure of the information-gathering and decision-making systems prevented anyone from acting on this information effectively.”

Government investigators now show that the shooter was checked out by a Department of Defense investigator last year who found discussions with his Imam were of a “scholarly” nature.  Yet, in response to the event and the shooter, the Imam stated, “He is a hero!”

“Clearly, something was overlooked: a fatal flaw in comprehension is evident,” says Dr. Flower. “It is the lack of objective, impartial focusing and insight that consistently enables disasters of this type to occur in America and Europe. While Government agencies are notoriously reactive to events, they are weak in proactive application.” 

Dr. Flower continues, “We don’t need to entirely restructure the system; we need to better enable decision makers and promote principles for improving leadership and decision making.” The Gilchrist Institute has developed an organizational methodology called “Center Focusing” that facilitates information flow and provides a modified hierarchical totally involved model for decision making. “Basically, Center Focusing places the issue at the center of an Action Wheel that can incorporate both objective and subjective data sets,” says Dr. Flower. “In the example of Ft. Hood, it was not enough to cross Maj. Hasan off the list after a cursory look at the Imam. Center Focusing looks beyond the immediate details to include the broader picture – the potential downside of being wrong. When the possibility is some sort of terrorism, the issue needs to stay current and watched carefully.”

The Gilchrist Institute promotes Natural Intelligence, a system of multiple intelligences applicable to behavior, comprehension and the development of human potential.  This powerful system was presented twice at the U.N. by Dr. Flower over 17 years ago and is recognized and applied all over the world.

ABOUT DR. ROBERT FLOWER
For 29 years, the Gilchrist Institute, under the direction of Dr. Robert J. Flower, has been conducting research and development on the Science of Achievement.  Dr. Flower has authored three popular books on Natural Thinking and Intelligence and the Science of Achievement, published by The Gilchrist Institute: Decoding Potential, A Revolution in Understanding and Your Exceptional Mind.  He also hosts a local television show, “The Public Advocate” and a weekly internet feature “The Master Pattern Report” featuring investment, economic and political analysis.

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For more information, call Marilyn Hall at (914) 779-6299 or email mara.hall@gilchristforum.com

The Debate Continues

Bob Watson continued last weeks discussion:

What is the first (and consuming) interest of a newly elected senator or
representative? Not his/her constituency's issues/problems/opportunities.
Not the order of business on the floor. No, it's to get re-elected. And
he/she will kiss anyone's ass and take unashamedly from anyone who will
help achieve that goal.

As I see it, the only way out of this mess that we have in DC and have had
for the past 40 years that I can relate to, is term limits and very tight
restrictions on campaign donations.

Mr. Garfunkel has it correct in that both parties share considerable blame
for where we are now. Although, I believe a preponderence of Americans
feel that Mr. Obama, who Garfunkel charaterizes as "more mainstream than
most" (assume he means communists rather than Presidents), is not leading
us in a direction that a majority of Americans would support. It is a
mystery to me why intelligent people like Mr. Garfunkel do not see what is
clearly a firm Federal hand behind our forced migration to a more European
style of government and society. One that is sure to bankrupt this country
unless the people put an end to this steamrolling spending in D.C. Again,
the problem is not where we have been as long as we understand clearly how
we got here. It's what we do about it now. And while we all would love to
throw the bums out, Garfunkel has it right. It has to be a systematic
process of voting them out over time. Once they get the message that
"We're mad as hell, and we're not going to take it anymore," I think those
that remain will have to address how they can better listen to we the
people.

Feel free to pass this along.

Strategy for America's Survival

The following has been circulating around the net, so I passed it on to a few of my friends – not realizing I would be hitting a hornet’s nest with a stick. (I’m not sure who originated it – but he has my vote.)

“Strategy for America’s Survival

All I ask is that you consider the suggestion I'm making.

The entire Congress of the United States is corrupt. And I mean both Houses and I mean both major parties. I realize that a few Members of each House are Independents and at least one is a declared Socialist but, as a group of people, they are absolutely the most corrupt bunch to ever disgrace our Nation.

In November of 2010 the entire House of Representatives will have to stand for re-election; all 435 of them. One third of the Senate, a total of 33 of them, will also stand for re-election. Vote every incumbent out. And I mean every damned one of them. No matter their Party affiliation. Let's start all over in the House of Representatives with 435 people who have absolutely no experience in running that body, with no political favors owed to anyone but their own constituents. Let's make them understand that they work for us. They are answerable to us and they simply have to run that body with some common sense.

Two years later, in 2012, vote the next third of the incumbents in the Senate out. You'll know who they are because their names will be on the ballot and, in most cases, will be shown as the Incumbent. If yo u don't know who your Senators are, (there are only two for each State) find out. And then vote them out, too! We can do the same thing in 2014 and, by that time we will have put all new people in that body as well.

We, the People, have got to take this Country back and we HAVE to do it peacefully. That's what the Framers of our Constitution envisioned. Please, if you love this Country, send this (as I have done) to absolutely everyone whose email address appears in your address book. This thing can permeate this Country in no time. Let's make it happen.”


Here are a few of the responses I’ve received:

From Richard Garfunkel, radio host of The Public Advocate:
“I hate to say, but this opinion is beyond ridiculous. If it happened, which it could obviously not, the country would be lead by a group of novitiates who had not a clue about anything. They would be replaced by people representing the other side. In other words if all the Democrats were defeated and they hold 60% of the House, the new majority would be 60% Republican. Conversely if all the GOP members were defeated, all 40%, they would be replaced by Democrats. Well that theory is patently idiotic because those districts are normally Democratic or Republican dominated. In fact they have been gerrymandered by both parties over the years to favor their own demographics. But even in the swing districts, some years they are between 5-15% of the seats, the momentum would be with the present incumbent’s party. In other words his statement is farcical, and it is only self-serving to the minority party that was voted out in 2006 and 2008 for good reason. Where was he in 2006 when the GOP controlled Congress and authored most of the problems we have today? I’ll tell you he was happy with how things were being run. These sophomoric solutions insult the intelligence of any thinking person. The bottom line is this, if you don’t like what is going on work to dump your own Congressman and Senator when they stand for election. We’ve had nominal conservative government since Reagan with alliances between the Dixiecrats, the Blue Dog Democrats and the GOP. Where have we gotten to? Expensive elections dictated by the conservative US Supreme Court, lobbyists controlling both parties, (3300 healthcare lobbies spent $300+ million fighting against health care reform since January 1, 2009) and two unfunded wars. Along with that a huge homeland security department, and a GOP sponsored and unfunded Medicare drug plan as a give away to industry, with no relenting in price inflation, we have had bigger government than any Democrat proposed. Just remember, Medicare and Social Security are funded separately by payroll tax, not the operating budget, and Social Security has run surpluses for years which has been borrowed mostly for the general fund by GOP presidents, in fact, to the tune of $2 trillion. Stop believing the myths of socialism and start to realize that increased savings rate is inhibiting our recovery. Why you ask? Because 80% of our GDNP is consumer spending as Wall Street exported jobs overseas!

To which I replied:
NO, folks,he's not a communist,just an advocate of a misinformed concept! the premise put forth was not a republican or conservative one-no it was as non political as it gets! Throw them ALL out!
btw,if you want to talk about corruption and malfeasance in govt,look at the: post office,veterans hospital,social security,medicare, dept of energy, dept of agriculture,etc etc---- it should be obvious by this time in history ,"we dont need govt help!" Demographics,swing districts like political parties, are distortions of the basic constitutional principals of america and mean nothing when it comes time to measure good govt

And Richard Garfunkel came back with:
Dream on McDuff- I am sure not a communist, ran a manufacturing business for 25 years, and have been in business for 40+, but for sure Bob is talking more like an anarchist with no real solution to engrained world-wide problems that reflect human nature. Control greed, improve education and raise our standards. Maybe tighter controls on electoral spending and an 18-24 term limit!  Throw who out? It’s the Dems in the majority! Where was he in 2005

My daughter, Deborah added:
When hasn't it been totally corrupt? As long as there is greed + everyone looking out for their own best interest this is the society we will have. The people "in charge" aren't the people in charge. The "banks", pharmaceutical companies as well as a few others are all in bed with the politicians. Im not saying theres no hope I'm just saying that replacing those people with anyone else isn't going to stop the greed & therefore isn't going to change this situation. It is truly a sad state of affairs that this planet is in...”

My response:
YOU NEED TO INCLUDE EVERY SOCIETY INTO THAT EQUATION...NOT JUST AMERICA,
BTW, I HAVE ALWAYS FOUND IT TO BE TO MY ADVANTAGE DEALING WITH GREEDY PEOPLE-THERE'RE BLINDED BY IT WHICH MAKES IT EASIER TO BLINDSIDE THEM!!!!

This came from Steve Beller, President of National Health Care Data Systems:

“Bob - This was sent to me this morning and I quoted it verbatim, but much of it does stir the emotions! Anyway, I have no qualms about replacing “take care of us” with having the government “establish socio-economic and psychosocial systems enabling each of us to achieve our positive potential,” or at least preventing those systems from blocking individuals from achieving their positive potential. I see this reflecting the dichotomy between entitlement and endowment: Making people dependent on entitlements inhibits realization of their potential, while foster positive expression of the abilities with which we are endowed promotes realization of our potential.
 
The real culprit, imo, is the negative side of human nature (e.g., excessive greed, self-centeredness, lack of empathy and compassion) coupled with the great restrictors of positive development (ego, ignorance, fear and self-deception). This has led to the creation of a perverse form of capitalism in which many business strategies focus on providing lower value to the consumer (lesser quality at higher cost) in order to yield greater profits for the producer/provider who then uses that money to buy political favors resulting in policies that place constraints on the potential of those with fewer financial resources and economic power, while giving the well-politically-connected a distinct competitive advantage.
 
What we need is a government and society whose primary focus includes achieving the goals of promoting greater:
1.      Self-Discipline
2.      Personal Responsibility
3.      Empathy and Compassion for the least advantaged (Social Responsibility)
4.      Public Accountability (Transparency).
In addition, there are at least 8 objectives that relate to those achieving those goals; and a proposal can be judged by how likely they are to achieve these objectives:
1.      Balance Investment & Spending
2.      Balance Savings & Borrowing
3.      Balance Conservation & Consumption
4.      Balance Endowments & Entitlements
5.      Connect Ends & Means (Resource Availability)
6.      Connect Should/Must Dos & Can Dos (Priorities)
7.      Preserve Security/Protection
8.      Preserve Rights/Freedoms (Opportunity & Liberty).
I discuss this on my Curing Healthcare blog at the following links:
http://curinghealthcare.blogspot.com/2009/09/criteria-for-sustainable-health-system.html
http://curinghealthcare.blogspot.com/2009/09/personal-responsibility-thorny-issue-in.html



And another friend added:
“rj,
Wow, this clearly is something that's struck a chord for there to be so many responses. 
Richard, while I appreciate that this is a monumental task, it is not un-doable.  The fact is that any time in our history we have attempted to 'reset', it's been a real struggle.
It seems to me, everything in evidence points to the fact that the United States is in desperate need of a third party.
I am neither a supporter nor one who vilifies G.W.  I did not support Bill or his attempted impeachment. And I am not middle of the road. I am opinionated on most subjects and my opinions cannot be comprehensively categorized as liberal or conservative.
My thought is: What exactly is the difference between the candidates. Sure you can say “this woman is clueless”, “this guy's an idiot”, or “have you heard what he said today?”
I get that. Invariably though, the person making one of these comments has an ax to grind or a position to further, which ostensibly is illustrated using one of these comments. There certainly are philosophical differences between democrats, republicans, libertarians, neo-cons, and new democrats.
However, I think that voting loyal to a party's or candidate's philosophical belief does nothing constructive. It in fact has gotten us to the point we are today – polarized and paralyzed.
The two parties that exist today in Washington, and to a large degree every state house in the nation, are held to the bizarre set of rules we have set forth:
    * Do not offend
    * Tell them what they want to hear
    * Do not reach too far to one side
    * Always be politically correct
    * Reduce to the least common denominator
    * Support your party
    * Defend the indefensible
    * Attack the other side
      and if you need to
    * Take shots at your party
The net result from this, is providing cover to each party to continue to do nothing – hence both sides can argue, with some degree of credibility, that it's the other side's fault. We trumpet the party lines while turning a blind eye to the incredibly stupid things our side does.
Not only does this make no sense, but it has reshaped our precious two party system. Yup, we have two parties alright: the incumbents and the non-incumbents.
Candidates and parties carefully craft their message, using the above rules, so they can they tell us what we want to hear. We're narcissistic enough to believe they are saying it because they really believe it. In reality, they want (or do not want to relinquish) power.
Our narcissism, in turn, supports their narcissistic behavior. We give lots of money to people who have no genuine interest in us – beyond what size check we're addressing to their reelection.
Except (and this is an important exception), the larger the check, the more interesting we are to them. This self serving interestingness equates to access and influence.”

Somewhere in the middle of all this someone forwarded this:

“The Populist Party Declaration

When in the Course of human events it becomes necessary for one people to dissolve the political bands (Republican and Democratic Parties) which have connected them with another (Corporate Greed) and to assume among the powers of the earth, the separate and equal station to which the Laws of Nature and of Nature's God entitle them, a decent respect to the opinions of mankind requires that they should declare the causes which impel them to the separation (become Populists).  Therefore, we hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, and that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, and that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness. — That to secure these rights, Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed (we the people), — That whenever any Form of Government becomes destructive (Congress taking money from everyone that wants influence) of these ends, it is the Right of the People to alter or to abolish it, and to institute new Government (force term limits and eliminate fee for service at the congressional level of government), laying its foundation on such principles and organizing its powers in such form, as to them shall seem most likely to ensure their Safety and Happiness. Prudence, indeed, will dictate that Representative Governments long established should not be changed for light and transient causes; and accordingly all experience hath shown that mankind are more disposed to suffer, while evils are sufferable (sick care quality, denial of coverage, bankruptcy due to sick care costs, etc.) then to right themselves by abolishing the forms to which they are accustomed (insurance and sick care as we know them today). But when a long train of abuses and usurpations (high cost and poor quality, death due to errors and omissions, etc.), pursuing invariably the same Object evinces a design to reduce them under absolute Corporate Greed, it is their right, it is their duty, to throw off such Government (Corporate Greed), and to provide new Guards (The Populist Movement) for their future security. — Such has been the patient sufferance of these Colonies (Average Americans); and such is now the necessity which constrains them to alter their former Systems of Government (Eliminate the strangle hold of the corporation on Congress).  Therefore, we the People of the United States, in Order to form a more perfect Union, establish Justice, insure domestic Tranquility, provide for the common defense, promote the general Welfare, and secure the Blessings of Liberty to ourselves and our Posterity, do ordain and establish this Populist Constitution for the United States of America as a basic right.”

Which of course prompted the Richard Garfunkel to reply:
“Nice words, but not applicable to the real world of today. What we need is better tighter regulations on gifting and the revolving door of government-lobby and business. The cost of elections is the greatest corrupting influence on anyone’s ideals and therefore we are constantly challenged and compromised from both sides each election. How could anyone believe that any new group would be less affected by temptation and the desire to be re-elected. We need real solutions not pie-in-the-sky anti gravity speculation and pipe dreams!”


All-in-all, a thought-provoking exchange! Although I may disagree with some of these opinions, I applaud anyone who believes in open discourse and continues to seek solutions to the problems we all perceive. Thanks all -- 

People's Convention to Reform New York

I recently received a letter from NY State Assembly Minority Leader Brian M. Kolb. He has introduced bi-partisan legislation that would empower voters to decide whether we should convene a People's Convention to Reform New York in 2011.

The legislation calls for a People's Convention to address much-needed reforms like a state spending and property tax cap; debt reform; banning backdoor borrowing; requiring a 2/3 "Super Majority" for tax increases; recall of state elected officials; initiative and referendum; term limits for State legislative Leaders and non-partisan redistricting reform.

Most importantly, he has publicly called for elected officials and lobbyists NOT to run as delegates for or serve in the People's Convention to Reform New York.

For more information and to sign the petition, go to reformny.org

Justice vs. Social Justice

I have spent 29 years discovering the pattern underlying human endeavor and achievement. There are Natural Laws that underlies every aspect of existence. The Law of Potential concerns the energy of potential which can be fined as "something that does not yet exist, but can be imagined." Potential contains three qualities:

1. The ability to create.
2. Organizational ability.
3. The ability to manifest of function.

In Natural Law there is no preference.
-    Justice is a virtue; it has nothing to do with fairness;
-    There is confusion between the individual and societal definitions;
-    Passion and ambition must not prevail.

In order for societal justice to take effect, it must pass the test of individual’s justice. But they must both be in harmony with each other.

“He is greedy, therefore unjust.” vs. “He has nothing and seeks benefits from others.” = THE SAME.

The difference between the two is: the first has the ability to attain, which is a good, but abuses that ability while the second does not have, or use, that ability and then seeks restitution from the first to make up for his lacking.

There is no benefit to the second! While there is some to the first!

Here is when character enters. Character develops in the situation when the first utilizes his ability but does not abuse it – that’s his character! It also develops when the second seeks to learn this ability. Both are developing their potential.

However, if the first does not abuse his ability, but seeks to limit the ability, or learning, of the second – he is without character.

Another concept that emerges here is the notion of “leveling the playing field.” This notion works two ways. The first is the taking from the top and giving to the bottom. The second is the bottom generating the ability to use to the top.

The first is a violation of the Law of Potential while the second is in compliance with that Law.

Any time we restrict growth, development, achievement, we violate the Law of Potential.

The Secret Government Plan

It has become painfully obvious to me after much research that our government, in conjunction with other world governments, financial leaders and powers of the world such as George Soros and ancient notable families from all over Europe, is considering a complete teardown of the monetary structure worldwide as we know it. This will be replaced by a new system that will enable the governments to not only maintain power and further control over the peons of the world, but to satisfy the humongous debt owed to various investors throughout the world.

What I believe they’re attempting to do is establish a new type of currency that would be a combination of the American dollar, the Euro and, to some degree, the Asian currencies. This new monetary unit will be issued in place of the existing Dollar (in the case of America) at a much weaker ratio: for instance for every $10 in American money you will then be receiving one of the new dollars. When this is done universally, it is not necessarily that tremendous of a decline, however it is the emotional factors that cause consternation.

Since they would need to raise the price of gold to $50,000 per oz. to satisfy the existing level of debt, this move would be necessary. Further, hard assets would need to be escalated in value such as gold – but not anywhere near the level necessary to back debt.

The Reality of Universal Healthcare - Part II

As a General Systems Specialist, one of my fortes is innovation. And how about this idea for innovation: as we know, statistically 80% of healthcare costs generally occur within the last 2 years of a person's life. Therefore, I would propose that there would be some sort of mandate from the government that enables citizens – and it should be from age 10, 12, whatever year they can start a life insurance policy until whatever age they want (35 or 40) – to take out a life/health insurance policy. This would be nothing more than a normal, typical, whole life policy, but it would be for big numbers, lets say for argument’s sake -- $200,000.

Now at a young age, a $200,000 whole life policy is not a lot of money. It may run between $200 to $275 a month. The beauty of it is you don’t pay for it forever. You pay for it for a relatively short period of time – 10, 11, 12 years – and then it has accumulated enough to pay for itself. Someone at age 30, paying $275 would not have to pay anything further after 10 to 12 years. By the time that person is 90 years of age, that policy has grown to over $1 million. It can now be used, in the last 2 years of life only, to pay for health related issues, when one knows or realizes that terminal care needs to be addressed. The cash value of the policy should be more than adequate -- in addition to which there are loans that can be taken against the face value of the policy which will not devastate the patient since there’s only 1, 2 or tops 3 years remaining. That is not a big sacrifice – it is not really hard for people to do.

And incidentally, that policy would become the property of whatever hospitals, doctors or pharmaceuticals  the patient wishes to make them to, to grant them to – or even donated into an overall health insurance pot supported by the government. This would go a long, long way in reducing the costs of healthcare. There are other innovative concepts which we will share with you from time to time, but this is something that needs to be addressed and should be addressed. Not a complete overhaul where a government agency or individual tells us what we can and cannot do for our healthcare.

Letter to our Government

The following letter, read on Glenn Beck's show, is rapidly circulating around the country. Americans everywhere identify with this 53-year-old woman. She has given us a voice. Once you read this, you will want to forward it to all of your friends...

GLENN BECK: I got a letter from a woman in Arizona . She writes an open letter to our nation's leadership:

I'm a home grown American citizen, 53, registered Democrat all my life. Before the last presidential election I registered as a Republican because I no longer felt the Democratic Party represents my views or works to pursue issues important to me. Now I no longer feel the Republican Party represents my views or works to pursue issues important to me. The fact is I no longer feel any political party or representative in  Washington  represents my views or works to pursue the issues important to me. There must be someone. Please tell me who you are. Please stand up and tell me that you are there and that you're willing to fight for our Constitution as it was written. Please stand up now. You might ask yourself what my views and issues a re that I would horribly feel so disenfranchised by both major political parties. What kind of nut job am I? Will you please tell me?

Well, these are briefly my views and issues for which I seek representation:

One, illegal immigration. I want you to stop coddling illegal immigrants and secure our borders. Close the underground tunnels. Stop the violence and the trafficking in drugs and people. No amnesty, not again. Been there, done that, no resolution. P.S., I'm not a racist. This isn't to be confused with legal immigration.

Two, the TARP bill, I want it repealed and I want no further funding supplied to it. We told you no, but you did it anyway. I want the remaining unfunded 95% repealed. Freeze, repeal.

Three: Czars, I want the circumvention of our checks and balances stopped immediately. Fire the czars. No more czars. Government officials answer to the process, not to the president. Stop trampling on our Constitution and honor it.

Four, cap and trade. The debate on global warming is not over. There is more to say.

Five, universal healthcare. I will not be rushed into another expensive decision. Don't you dare try to pass this in the middle of the night and then go on break. Slow down!

Six, growing government control. I want states rights and sovereignty fully restored. I want less government in my life, not more. Shrink it down. Mind your own business. You have enough to take care of with your real obligations. Why don't you start there.

Seven, ACORN. I do not want ACORN and its affiliates in charge of our 2010 census. I want them investigated. I also do not want mandatory escrow fees contributed to them every time on every real estate deal that closes. Stop the funding to ACORN and its affiliates pending impartial audits and investigations. I do not trust them with taking the census over with our taxpayer money. I don't trust them with our taxpayer money. Face up to the allegations against them and get it resolved before taxpayers get any more involved with them. If it walks like a duck and talks like a duck, hello. Stop protecting your political buddies. You work for us, the people. Investigate.

Eight, redistribution of wealth. No, no, no. I work for my money. It is mine. I have always worked for people with more money than I have because they gave me jobs. That is the only redistribution of wealth that I will support. I never got a job from a poor person. Why do you want me to hate my employers? Why -- what do you have against shareholders making a profit?

Nine, charitable contributions. Although I never got a job from a poor person, I have helped many in need. Charity belongs in our local communities, where we know our needs best and can use our local talent and our local resources. Butt out, please. We want to do it ourselves.

Ten, corporate bailouts. Knock it off. Sink or swim like the rest of us. If there are hard times ahead, we'll be better off just getting into it and letting the strong survive. Quick and painful. Have you ever ripped off a Band-Aid? We will pull together. Great things happen in America under great hardship. Give us the chance to innovate. We cannot disappoint you more than you have disappointed us.

Eleven, transparency and accountability. How about it? No, really, how about it? Let's have it. Let's say we give the buzzwords a rest and have some straight honest talk. Please try -- please stop manipulating and trying to appease me with clever wording. I am not the idiot you obviously take me for. Stop sneaking around and meeting in back rooms making deals with your friends. It will only be a prelude to your criminal investigation. Stop hiding things from me.

Twelve, unprecedented quick spending. Stop it now.

Take a breath. Listen to the people. Let's just slow down and get some input from some nonpoliticians on the subject. Stop making everything an emergency. Stop speed reading our bills into law. I am not an activist. I am not a community organizer. Nor am I a terrorist, a militant or a violent person. I am a parent and a grandparent. I work. I'm busy. I'm busy. I am busy, and I am tired. I thought we elected competent people to take care of the business s of government so that we could work, raise our families, pay our bills, have a little recreation, complain about taxes, endure our hardships, pursue our personal goals, cut our lawn, wash our cars on the weekends and be responsible contributing members of society and teach our children to be the same all while living in the home of the free and land of the brave.

I entrusted you with upholding the Constitution. I believed in the checks and balances to keep from getting far off course. What happened? You are very far off course. Do you really think I find humor in the hiring of a speed reader to unintelligently ramble all through a bill that you signed into law without knowing what it contained? I do not. It is a mockery of the responsibility I have entrusted to you. It is a slap in the face. I am not laughing at your arrogance. Why is it that I feel as if you would not trust me to make a single decision about my own life and how I would live it but you should expect that I should trust you with the debt that you have laid on all of us and our children. We did not want the TARP bill. We said no. We would repeal it if we could. I am sure that we still cannot. There is such urgency and recklessness in all of the recent spending.

From my perspective, it seems that all of you have gone insane. I also know that I am far from alone in these feelings. Do you honestly feel that your current pursuits have merit to patriotic Americans? We want it to stop. We want to put the brakes on everything that is being rushed by us and forced upon us. We want our voice back. You have forced us to put our lives on hold to straighten out the mess that you are making. We will have to give up our vacations, our time spent with our children, any relaxation time we may have had and money we cannot afford to spend on you to bring our concerns to Washington . Our president often knows all the right buzzword is unsustainable. Well, no kidding. How many tens of thousands of dollars did the focus group cost to come up with that word? We don't want your overpriced words. Stop treating us like we're morons.

We want all of you to stop focusing on your reelection and do the job we want done, not the job you want done or the job your party wants done. You work for us and at this rate I guarantee you not for long because we are coming. We will be heard and we will be represented. You think we're so busy with our lives that we will never come for you? We are the formerly silent majority, all of us who quietly work , pay taxes, obey the law, vote, save money, keep our noses to the grindstone and we are now looking up at you. You have awakened us, the patriotic spirit so strong and so powerful that it had been sleeping too long. You have pushed us too far. Our numbers are great. They may surprise you. For every one of us who will be there, there will be hundreds more that could not come. Unlike you, we have their trust. We will represent them honestly, rest assured. They will be at the polls on voting day to usher you out of office. We have cancelled vacations. We will use our last few dollars saved. We will find the representation among us and a grassroots campaign will flourish. We didn't ask for this fight. But the gloves are coming off. We do not come in violence, but we are angry. You will represent us or you will be replaced with someone who will. There are candidates among us when he will rise like a Phoenix from the ashes that you have made of our constitution.

Democrat, Republican, independent, libertarian. Understand this. We don't care. Political parties are meaningless to us. Patriotic Americans are willing to do right by us and our Constitution and that is all that matters to us now. We are going to fire all of you who abuse power and seek more. It is not your power. It is ours and we want it back. We entrusted you with it and you abused it. You are dishonorable. You are dishonest. As Americans we are ashamed of you. You have brought shame to us. If you are not representing the wants and needs of your constituency loudly and consistently, in spite of the objections of your party, you will be fired. Did you hear? We no longer care about your political parties. You need to be loyal to us, not to them. Because we will get you fired and they will not save you. If you do or can represent me, my issues, my views, please stand up. Make your identity known. You need to make some noise about it. Speak up. I need to know who you are. If you do not speak up, you will be herded out with the rest of the sheep and we will replace the whole damn congress if need be one by one. We are coming. Are we coming for you? Who do you represent? What do you represent? Listen. Because we are coming. We the people are coming. ms

The Reality of Universal Healthcare - Part I

Think about this: what is it that our Moms and Dads, those before 1964, did in order to survive medical costs? My Mom and Dad certainly didn’t have any health plans; and I know hundreds and hundreds of my colleagues and friends who are seniors or middle-aged -- neither did their parents. It wasn’t until the historic declaration of universal health care (socialized medicine) came about by Lyndon Johnson in 1964. Another flaming moron who had complete control of the Congress and used it to push through what eventually is becoming socialized medicine.

I can remember watching television: a member of the AMA was stating that, if this legislation goes through, you’re going to see health care costs go through the roof. And, of course, voila, here we are. Over the years, we’re certainly at the roof, if not through it. The whole notion of getting something for nothing is one of the oldest political ploys in the book. This is not something that we should be considering as a nation with the type of Constitution that our nation enjoys. Whatever happened to objectives like Manifest Destiny: the notion that built this country, developed it, and made it great? This certainly isn’t where we’re at today.

I don’t care whether you talk about Medicare or you’re talking about a new plan, a new universal plan or all-government plan. There is no government plan throughout the world that has everything. It’s free!.. you have no restrictions!.. you have no time waits! .. it’s good medicine! No there’s something that you’re going to give up -- because of the whole notion of something for nothing. And then when you tie it to only 5% of the people paying for it, it’s absolutely ludicrous.

There can never be a successful healthcare plan for any duration without all parties giving a bit. There not only has to be some sort of limits placed on hospitals, doctors and pharmaceuticals, there has to be a limit on what you’re not paying as a health care patient. Unless you have a very rare individual who complains about the high price of things even though they’re not paying for it, your prices are going to go higher and higher and higher one way or another  -- or else your services are going to go lower and lower and lower. That’s the way it is. People need to be responsible. In this fashion, every user becomes a fiscal watchdog.

We need to have situations where it’s not for free, where there is 10 or 15 or 25 percent of the bill being paid by the citizen. This way, that citizen will watch and they will interact to make sure that costs are more in line –- not some government agency who really doesn’t care except that they’re going to listen to the wheel that squeaks the loudest, the minority who complains the most and the citizen who claims to be the victim. We need to have a system with greater ingenuity as well. Not only should we make citizens responsible for some of the costs of health, but we need to have new ways of looking at the problems. Throwing out the entire existing system is not going to work. We know what’s going to happen: business -- small business and big business -- is going to pay a large part of this. Seniors are going to pay, in the sense that eventually the quality of their health care and medicines are going to be put to weak status or nonexistent.

Identifying Insincere Politics - Part II

My last post described the effects of the political party structure and election law on voter choice. The next area is of course, the elected official. The biggest problem that we have with elected officials is that they really can’t be trusted, in this sense: They make promises that many times they knowingly or unknowingly can’t keep. We’ve seen that time after time. And of course, since we do not have a measure for berating them except for waiting two, or even four years, before they can be voted out, the damage is done and it’s all forgotten and gone by the wayside.

So the whole notion there, once again, of a free people, is deranged. In some communities, in some states, there are such things as petitions which are relatively simple to put on the ballot. Arizona is one of the prime examples. In this case, they’ll put dozens of propositions that the people want addressed on ballots, and everyone can vote on them. So that you not only have a representative form of government, but you have a direct democracy format. Of course, Switzerland is famous for this as being the only county that operates in this fashion.

Worse than that, we have the circumstances of political officials who not only because of election, political law prevent partitions such as the New York State and many other cities and towns around New York State, but they are in the position to change whatever laws are set forth or mandated through some sort of public petition.

The classic case at point is Mayor Mike Bloomberg. A popular and effective leader for eight years, he saw fit to give himself an extra four years along with a few of the other people on the council extending term limits to 12 years. And all they needed to do was simply pass a resolution in order to do that. This after many millions of dollars and thousands of hours of citizens voting for term limits and voting to maintain term limits.

Now the right thing to do, of course, would have been to put it on the ballot. Should we or should we not have a waiving of the two term limit rather than have the politicos pass a law. But this didn’t happen. These favorite projects of the politicians don’t get done in a way that the majority of the people are heard. This is killing our democratic republic. Representative government is no longer working. That is very clear. The next form, seemingly, is direct government or a combination such as what we see in Arizona, whereby not only are officials elected, but petitions are regularly used to alter laws, change laws and make laws. It seems to me that this is a much more logical and meaningful path to pursue as free Americans.