10 QUESTIONS TO MY PRESIDENT - by Mm

Dear Mr President, help us understand:

1. Why in your Nobel Prize for Peace acceptance speech, you used the term “WAR"(and related terminology) about three times as much as the term “PEACE” ?

2. Why did you accept the Nobel Price for Peace 9 days after you sent in 30,000 additional soldiers to fight in Afghanistan?

3. Why did you condemn, in various speeches during the Wall Street crash, the corruption and greed of unscrupulous executives, but then go ahead and appoint rich ex Wall Street executives to your cabinet?

4. Why did you recently condemn violence in the recent Arizona shooting saying in essence that violence is never the answer, but you authorize occupation and killing in Afghanistan?

5. Why did you approve the largest military budget in US history while the Country was in an economic crisis and people were losing jobs, homes and hope?

6. Why does your government continue to send military aid to the Israeli military forces, while at the same time you denounce genocide and apartheid?

7. Why did you condemn only recently the actions of the dictator of Tunisia while you knew well before that the US sold military arms/supplies to him, prior to his ousting?

8. Why do you demonize and isolate certain countries who produce nuclear power when you know quite well that in the US we are very diligently and busily creating nuclear power as well?

9. Why, if we really have health reform for all, as it’s been publicized to the rest of the world… my 85 yr old father, a veteran on a limited income, must still buy his own supplemental health insurance to ensure adequate coverage?

And…please tell us:

10. Why in June of 2009 in Cairo you said : “those who stand for justice will always be on the right side of history”, but instead your government continues to keep private Bradley Manning in solitary confinement when he is in fact standing up for justice by divulging war crimes?

We voted for you: we want to know!

An Unsustainable Path: lessons from Meg, Steve and Ben

Today's news of the current California electoral races, provide  simple little lessons to me(which I always appreciate) and simply make me wonder how sustainable this way of life is: 

1. Meg Whitman, a billionaire ex CEO is running for governor after spending megamillions (of her own pocket) on her campaign.

2. Mr Steve Poizner too spent 25 million dollars of his own money on his campaign. (Note that he is the current State Insurance Commissioner!... That's right... )

These are but two examples, and while we could cite many other ostentatious examples, to me, these are obscene, unjustifiable figures, even if the economy were booming...which is not... and I continue to wonder...

I wonder what could be done if every rich politician running for office (which applies to most), would pool their excess millions targeted for self-promotion, for a collectively useful National cause.(No, not the war!...)

I wonder if it will ever be possible for people to be elected based on the simple, unsanitized record of their merits and not on the size of their fortunes and sanitized resumes.

I wonder how this wallet driven system has really helped the poor of this Nation.

I wonder how this culture of greed has helped the elderly and hard working people who are now poor retirees

I wonder how this wealth club has helped provide no cost, accessible universal health care for all its citizens

I wonder how this "greed-is-good" mantra has helped our literacy and our overall Education system

I wonder how all this wealth and trillions spent in the war complex has created a more peaceful, more safe, more harmonious world that sees America as a benevolent nation among nations and not an aggressive nation who believes is above nations.

I wonder why, with so much wealth concentrated in those who either govern us or influence those who govern us, we have to borrow quadrillions from China (who will soon be raising prices and we will not be able to do anything about it)

I wonder why with so much concentration of wealth in high places, Ben Bernanke said today:

"the federal budget appears to be on an unsustainable path"

What he meant but was afraid to say is :
America is on an "unsustainable path"...