Newlyweds Anni Hindocha
and Shrien Dewani were
honeymooning in South
Africa when a carjacking
went horribly wrong and cut
short her life on 13
November 2010. Anni was
shot in the neck while
Shrien was thrown out of
the car unscathed.
And the question that is
perplexing most South
African observers is why
Shrien was allowed to walk
away from the hijacking so
easily especially when he
could identify the hijackers
to the police. In most
hijacking cases, the couple
are beaten up badly and
robbed and the woman is
abused in front of the
husband. If fortunate, the
victims are left by the
roadside while the unlucky
victims are killed and their
vehicle set on fire to
eliminate all evidence.
But in the Anni Hindocha
murder case, everything was
done differently.
Fairytale wedding cut short
abruptly
They had married two
weeks earlier in Mumbai,
India in a lavish Hindu
ceremony that was attended
by relatives and close
friends. Anni was to move in
with Shrien when they
returned back to the United
Kingdom from a four-day
safari in the Kruger National
Park and a relaxing stay in
the five-star comforts of the
Cape Grace hotel in Cape
Town.
According to Shrien, on 13
November 2010, Anni and
he wanted to experience
the ‘real South Africa’ and
requested their tax driver to
take them to Gugulethu, a
massive shantytown in the
suburbs of Cape Town.
When their car had stopped
at a traffic light, it was
hijacked by two gunmen
who robbed and dumped
him out of the car and shot
dead his new bride.
The brutal murder of Anni
Hindocha shocked South
Africa and as the news
spread abroad, everyone
expressed sympathy for
Shrien at the tragic loss of
his wife.
However, as the South
African police started their
investigations into the
murder mystery, a different
picture started to emerge.
Taxi driver alleges Shrien
wanted his wife dead
The taxi driver arrested for
the murder, in his Court
testimony, alleged that
Shrien Dewani was the
mastermind behind Anni’s
murder and had paid him
money to arrange it to look
like a robbery gone horribly
wrong.
Denying the allegation,
Shrien said he handed over
his £2,000 Rado watch,
digital camera, £500 in cash,
mobile phone and his wife’s
jewelry that included her
engagement ring to the
hijackers. While trying to
save his sobbing wife, he
was thrown out of the car
along with the driver
uninjured. He adds that he
banged on nearby shanties
to raise an alarm but
nobody came to help him.
When leaving South Africa
for the UK, Shrien said that
the idea of visiting
Gugulethu was his wife’s as
she wanted to see the ‘real
South Africa’ and he had no
idea that a mere visit to the
shantytown would kill his
wife.
South African police
investigations have shown
that the brutal murder
shooting was not just a
random case and it was a
planned hit. The driver has
become a state witness and
the South African authorities
want to question Shrien
about his alleged
involvement in his wife’s
murder. As he has refused
to voluntarily go back to
South Africa, the South
African police have
requested the UK court to
extradite him and help them
solve the murder mystery of
Anni Hindocha.
It remains to be seen if the
Court extradites Shrien to
South Africa and help the
local authorities solve the
murder mystery of Anni and
deliver justice to her
shocked and grieving family
and friends.
An online petition
requesting Shrien’s
extradition has been started,
click here to sign it.
Saturday 5 November 2011
The Lathes Of Giants -James B. Longacre
As part of a continuing
series to familiarize the
public with great artists of
heroic persona, the men
who designed our national
coinage, I will periodically
feature short biographies of
the creators of our splendid
US coins.
Our first entry is James B.
Longacre (1794-1869);
appointed Fourth Chief
Engraver of the United
States Mint in 1844. Already
an portraitist and designer
of some renown ,
Longacre’s early career is
curiously reminiscent of
another American legend,
Benjamin Franklin. Born
impoverished in rural
Pennsylvania, Longacre, as
did young Franklin, left
home for Philadelphia at the
age of 12, became
apprenticed to an engraver,
and spent the next years
perfecting his skills which
included specie design and
engraving and portraiture,
for which he opened his
own enterprise in 1819. His
self-made-man persona fits
well with the American
character of independence,
self-reliance, ingenuity and
sacrifice. The young artist’s
meticulous attention to
detail, his superb eye for
forms and shapes, his
master craftsmanship and his
work ethic were all honed
by his early apprenticeship,
in a peculiar way as was
Franklin’s.
The young Longacre also
exhibited adroit political
connections. His National
Portrait Gallery of
Distinguished Americans,
established around 1830,
enabled him to meet with
and exploit connections
with the American upper-
crust. Portraits of Daniel
Boone and other well-
known contemporaries
earned the portraitist fame
in the 1830s-40s. Famous
South Carolina Senator John
C. Calhoun was one of
Longacre’s many influential
friends, and it was he who
helped ease the way for his
appointment to the Chief
Engraver’s job, in 1844, on
the death of then-head
Christian Gobrecht.
Longacres’s long tenure at
the mint was marked by
conflict. Entrenched
interests, politically
connected, had long taken
residence there. Political
corruption, illegal side-
vending, graft of all sorts
existed in the office at that
time, and these entrenched
interests worked hard to
minimize the oversight and
supervision role of the Chief
Engraver.
That James B. Longacre
fought these forces arrayed
against him and, in large
part, was able to clean up
the political corruption at
the Mint, and at the same
time produce an array of
some of the most beautiful
US coins, either gold coins
or silver coins, is a
testament both to his
courage and his talent, both
as a designer and as an
administrator. That he was
able to prosper during the
most divisive years of the
American Republic, and
survive through nine (Tyler
Polk Taylor Fillmore Pierce
Buchanan Lincoln Johnson
Grant) presidential
administrations give further
heft to his accomplishments.
Some of Longacre’s most
famous US coin designs,
renowned even today for
their beauty, craftsmanship
and durability, are the
twenty dollar gold piece
(1849-1907), the Indian
Head cent (1859-1909), the
Flying Eagle cent
(1856-1858 – based on an
original Gobrecht design),
and the Shield Nickel,
1866-1883. Many more
coins, commemoratives,
gold coins, test designs,
silver coins, experimental
dies, patterns and tools, etc.
were the product of his
imagination and tools. In a
1928 retrospective honoring
the 100 Greatest American
Engravers , the prestigious
New York Public Library
included a retrospective of
his work, ensuring that he
would be included in the
pantheon of famous
American designers.
NEXT UP: William Barber –
Boring and Predictable? Or
Strong and Durable?
series to familiarize the
public with great artists of
heroic persona, the men
who designed our national
coinage, I will periodically
feature short biographies of
the creators of our splendid
US coins.
Our first entry is James B.
Longacre (1794-1869);
appointed Fourth Chief
Engraver of the United
States Mint in 1844. Already
an portraitist and designer
of some renown ,
Longacre’s early career is
curiously reminiscent of
another American legend,
Benjamin Franklin. Born
impoverished in rural
Pennsylvania, Longacre, as
did young Franklin, left
home for Philadelphia at the
age of 12, became
apprenticed to an engraver,
and spent the next years
perfecting his skills which
included specie design and
engraving and portraiture,
for which he opened his
own enterprise in 1819. His
self-made-man persona fits
well with the American
character of independence,
self-reliance, ingenuity and
sacrifice. The young artist’s
meticulous attention to
detail, his superb eye for
forms and shapes, his
master craftsmanship and his
work ethic were all honed
by his early apprenticeship,
in a peculiar way as was
Franklin’s.
The young Longacre also
exhibited adroit political
connections. His National
Portrait Gallery of
Distinguished Americans,
established around 1830,
enabled him to meet with
and exploit connections
with the American upper-
crust. Portraits of Daniel
Boone and other well-
known contemporaries
earned the portraitist fame
in the 1830s-40s. Famous
South Carolina Senator John
C. Calhoun was one of
Longacre’s many influential
friends, and it was he who
helped ease the way for his
appointment to the Chief
Engraver’s job, in 1844, on
the death of then-head
Christian Gobrecht.
Longacres’s long tenure at
the mint was marked by
conflict. Entrenched
interests, politically
connected, had long taken
residence there. Political
corruption, illegal side-
vending, graft of all sorts
existed in the office at that
time, and these entrenched
interests worked hard to
minimize the oversight and
supervision role of the Chief
Engraver.
That James B. Longacre
fought these forces arrayed
against him and, in large
part, was able to clean up
the political corruption at
the Mint, and at the same
time produce an array of
some of the most beautiful
US coins, either gold coins
or silver coins, is a
testament both to his
courage and his talent, both
as a designer and as an
administrator. That he was
able to prosper during the
most divisive years of the
American Republic, and
survive through nine (Tyler
Polk Taylor Fillmore Pierce
Buchanan Lincoln Johnson
Grant) presidential
administrations give further
heft to his accomplishments.
Some of Longacre’s most
famous US coin designs,
renowned even today for
their beauty, craftsmanship
and durability, are the
twenty dollar gold piece
(1849-1907), the Indian
Head cent (1859-1909), the
Flying Eagle cent
(1856-1858 – based on an
original Gobrecht design),
and the Shield Nickel,
1866-1883. Many more
coins, commemoratives,
gold coins, test designs,
silver coins, experimental
dies, patterns and tools, etc.
were the product of his
imagination and tools. In a
1928 retrospective honoring
the 100 Greatest American
Engravers , the prestigious
New York Public Library
included a retrospective of
his work, ensuring that he
would be included in the
pantheon of famous
American designers.
NEXT UP: William Barber –
Boring and Predictable? Or
Strong and Durable?
Top Secret
In July, 1947 a UFO crashed
in Roswell, New Mexico, and
the government tried to
cover it up by saying that it
was not a flying saucer but
an experimental high-
altitude surveillance balloon
belonging to a classified
program named, "Mogul."
However, many proponents
of the UFO theory claim that
a crashed alien aircraft and
bodies were recovered and
that the military staged an
elaborate cover-up because
it was a threat to national
security. Now, 64 years
later, the debate is still
going on and the
government is no more
cooperative about revealing
the details than it was then.
Throughout the years, it has
been shown time and again
that information that was
originally classified as
confidential because it was
a threat to national security,
remained classified many
decades later even though
the crisis had long since
passed and no threat
remained. It has also been
seen that anytime the
government needed an
excuse for anything, they
only had to say that the
information was classified.
In the United States we
have run into this kind of
obfuscation time and again
so when President Obama
announced to the world that
we were going to have
transparency in government,
I was overjoyed. It meant
that we were finally going to
see what went on behind
the scenes with Congress. It
meant that we could turn on
C-SPAN and be privy to the
wheeling and dealing of our
legislators as they bargained
for earmarks.
This has had a so-so effect.
Not much has changed.
Enter WikiLeaks. At first I
was thrilled at the prospect
that what I've wanted for
years was finally happening.
Hundreds of thousands of
confidential papers were
being aired publicly. The
bad guys were being
excoriated in the press and
the good guys were going
to win the war of public
opinion and maybe even
bring about some good
governments. But it isn't
turning out that way. There
are no clear-cut winners
and losers and the head of
WikiLeaks has had problems
within his own ranks as well
as being in trouble with the
law of several countries,
ours included.
Understandably, the guys
who have committed the
worst offenses want him out
of the way and everyone is
taking guesses as to how
long he will remain alive
before someone kills him.
The people in OpenLeaks is
doing this a little differently;
they are leaking the
information to the media in
bits and pieces and letting
them take the blame for the
leaks, hence, presumably,
no one's life is on the line
while this classified
information reaches the
public in a safer form of
whistle-blowing.
I'm one of the people who
has been in favor of what
WikiLeaks and OpenLeaks
are trying to do. I'm tired of
all this secrecy and I do
want it to stop. And if that
was all there was to it, I'd
hitch my wagon to it and
ride out the storm of
controversy.
But now it has taken a much
more sinister turn. It is no
longer about public officials
misusing and abusing power
and corrupt and ruthless
governments toppling; now
it has come to the doorstep
of the people; it has come
into the lives of all of us.
Hackers, in their rallying cry
for transparency and no
more secrets, has taken to
hacking into the files of
banks and financial
institutions. Millions of
depositors have had their
personal information, their
identities, and their lives
stolen out from under them.
People who stood behind
the precepts of WikiLeaks
and OpenLeaks are now
their victims. It's still not
clearly understood whether
these hackers are part of
WikiLeaks and OpenLeaks or
are just hanging onto their
coattails and operating on
their own. It doesn't matter
at this point whether they
are independent agents or
working in unison with
WikiLeaks or OpenLeaks. All
that matters is that these
people who have had their
personal information
hijacked, had nothing to do
with the secrecy in
government nor the
corruption that ensued as a
result.
These hackers have taken it
a step too far and it's time
for them to reassess their
objectives and find a better
way to attain them without
causing the rest of the
world to come toppling
down around them . . .
Unless, of course, that is
their intent.
in Roswell, New Mexico, and
the government tried to
cover it up by saying that it
was not a flying saucer but
an experimental high-
altitude surveillance balloon
belonging to a classified
program named, "Mogul."
However, many proponents
of the UFO theory claim that
a crashed alien aircraft and
bodies were recovered and
that the military staged an
elaborate cover-up because
it was a threat to national
security. Now, 64 years
later, the debate is still
going on and the
government is no more
cooperative about revealing
the details than it was then.
Throughout the years, it has
been shown time and again
that information that was
originally classified as
confidential because it was
a threat to national security,
remained classified many
decades later even though
the crisis had long since
passed and no threat
remained. It has also been
seen that anytime the
government needed an
excuse for anything, they
only had to say that the
information was classified.
In the United States we
have run into this kind of
obfuscation time and again
so when President Obama
announced to the world that
we were going to have
transparency in government,
I was overjoyed. It meant
that we were finally going to
see what went on behind
the scenes with Congress. It
meant that we could turn on
C-SPAN and be privy to the
wheeling and dealing of our
legislators as they bargained
for earmarks.
This has had a so-so effect.
Not much has changed.
Enter WikiLeaks. At first I
was thrilled at the prospect
that what I've wanted for
years was finally happening.
Hundreds of thousands of
confidential papers were
being aired publicly. The
bad guys were being
excoriated in the press and
the good guys were going
to win the war of public
opinion and maybe even
bring about some good
governments. But it isn't
turning out that way. There
are no clear-cut winners
and losers and the head of
WikiLeaks has had problems
within his own ranks as well
as being in trouble with the
law of several countries,
ours included.
Understandably, the guys
who have committed the
worst offenses want him out
of the way and everyone is
taking guesses as to how
long he will remain alive
before someone kills him.
The people in OpenLeaks is
doing this a little differently;
they are leaking the
information to the media in
bits and pieces and letting
them take the blame for the
leaks, hence, presumably,
no one's life is on the line
while this classified
information reaches the
public in a safer form of
whistle-blowing.
I'm one of the people who
has been in favor of what
WikiLeaks and OpenLeaks
are trying to do. I'm tired of
all this secrecy and I do
want it to stop. And if that
was all there was to it, I'd
hitch my wagon to it and
ride out the storm of
controversy.
But now it has taken a much
more sinister turn. It is no
longer about public officials
misusing and abusing power
and corrupt and ruthless
governments toppling; now
it has come to the doorstep
of the people; it has come
into the lives of all of us.
Hackers, in their rallying cry
for transparency and no
more secrets, has taken to
hacking into the files of
banks and financial
institutions. Millions of
depositors have had their
personal information, their
identities, and their lives
stolen out from under them.
People who stood behind
the precepts of WikiLeaks
and OpenLeaks are now
their victims. It's still not
clearly understood whether
these hackers are part of
WikiLeaks and OpenLeaks or
are just hanging onto their
coattails and operating on
their own. It doesn't matter
at this point whether they
are independent agents or
working in unison with
WikiLeaks or OpenLeaks. All
that matters is that these
people who have had their
personal information
hijacked, had nothing to do
with the secrecy in
government nor the
corruption that ensued as a
result.
These hackers have taken it
a step too far and it's time
for them to reassess their
objectives and find a better
way to attain them without
causing the rest of the
world to come toppling
down around them . . .
Unless, of course, that is
their intent.
The Lathes of Giants -William Barber
As part of a continuing
series to familiarize the
public with great artists of
heroic persona, the men
who worked the gold and
silver of our national
coinage, I will periodically
feature short biographies of
the creators of our splendid
US coins.
Today’s entry is William
Barber, British by birth,
American by choice, he
came to our shores in 1852,
family in tow. Himself the
son of an engraver, William
(1807-1879) was
apprenticed to his father in
his early years and gained
wide experience in such
varied arts as typesetting for
cards and labels, and fine
silver engraving.
After settling in Boston in
September of 1852, he
continued his craft,
designing a host of patterns
(prototypes for coins for
possible circulation), trade
medals, commemoratives,
etc. His employer of long
standing in Boston, Gorham
& Co, manufactured silver
and gold jewelry, and had a
reputation similar to famous
contemporaries as Tiffany &
Co.
With such long exposure to
and experience in the trades
of gold and silver and
precious metals fabrication,
die making and pattern
design, it is no surprise that
William Barber eventually
came to the attention of US
Mint officials, specifically
James B. Longacre. The
Chief Engraver hired him as
an assistant engraver just as
the civil war was winding
down in 1865. Moving to
Philadelphia, Barber set to
work designing patterns and
medals.
Upon the death of Longacre
in 1869, William Barber was
named Fifth Chief Engraver
of the United States Mint, at
a salary of $3,000 per year.
This position he held until
his death on August 31,
1879. In a sign of the
clichéd patronage at the
Mint that Longacre had tried
to eradicate, Barber
immediately hired his
untested son Charles as an
assistant engraver.
Primarily renowned for his
work in pattern coins,
Barber was also responsible
for production of a variety
of fine medals. The dies and
prototypes for these coins
and medals were repeated,
improved upon, slightly
modified, etc., over many
iterations. Two of the
prototypical examples of
William Barber’s work,,
would be the silver wreath
seated liberty design,
example shown here: http://
uspatterns.com/1870
barberset1.html
and the Amazonian seated
liberty quarter.
Although William Barber’s
body of work has been
considered inconsistent and
uninspired by some, there is
no doubt that he was one
of the most influential and
prolific pattern designers in
the history of the US Mint.
In addition, his fame may
have only been increased
by some of his poorer
productions. For example,
the newly-created twenty-
cent piece Barber designed
(1875-1878) was
immediately unpopular, due
to it’s similarity in design
and size to the Liberty
Seated quarter then in
circulation. After a large run
in the coin’s first year,
production dropped to
practically nothing; only
extremely rare proofs from
the mintage of 1877 and
1878 are extant. In addition,
many of the coins that were
minted were melted down at
the Carson City or
Philadelphia mints due to
the lack of public interest.
This curiosity factor,
combined with the rarity of
this specimen, makes the
Liberty Seated quarter highly
popular among
numismatists, ensuring that
his name and the fine
examples of his work will be
discussed for many years to
come.
NEXT UP: Keeping it in the
Family: Son Charles takes
the reins
series to familiarize the
public with great artists of
heroic persona, the men
who worked the gold and
silver of our national
coinage, I will periodically
feature short biographies of
the creators of our splendid
US coins.
Today’s entry is William
Barber, British by birth,
American by choice, he
came to our shores in 1852,
family in tow. Himself the
son of an engraver, William
(1807-1879) was
apprenticed to his father in
his early years and gained
wide experience in such
varied arts as typesetting for
cards and labels, and fine
silver engraving.
After settling in Boston in
September of 1852, he
continued his craft,
designing a host of patterns
(prototypes for coins for
possible circulation), trade
medals, commemoratives,
etc. His employer of long
standing in Boston, Gorham
& Co, manufactured silver
and gold jewelry, and had a
reputation similar to famous
contemporaries as Tiffany &
Co.
With such long exposure to
and experience in the trades
of gold and silver and
precious metals fabrication,
die making and pattern
design, it is no surprise that
William Barber eventually
came to the attention of US
Mint officials, specifically
James B. Longacre. The
Chief Engraver hired him as
an assistant engraver just as
the civil war was winding
down in 1865. Moving to
Philadelphia, Barber set to
work designing patterns and
medals.
Upon the death of Longacre
in 1869, William Barber was
named Fifth Chief Engraver
of the United States Mint, at
a salary of $3,000 per year.
This position he held until
his death on August 31,
1879. In a sign of the
clichéd patronage at the
Mint that Longacre had tried
to eradicate, Barber
immediately hired his
untested son Charles as an
assistant engraver.
Primarily renowned for his
work in pattern coins,
Barber was also responsible
for production of a variety
of fine medals. The dies and
prototypes for these coins
and medals were repeated,
improved upon, slightly
modified, etc., over many
iterations. Two of the
prototypical examples of
William Barber’s work,,
would be the silver wreath
seated liberty design,
example shown here: http://
uspatterns.com/1870
barberset1.html
and the Amazonian seated
liberty quarter.
Although William Barber’s
body of work has been
considered inconsistent and
uninspired by some, there is
no doubt that he was one
of the most influential and
prolific pattern designers in
the history of the US Mint.
In addition, his fame may
have only been increased
by some of his poorer
productions. For example,
the newly-created twenty-
cent piece Barber designed
(1875-1878) was
immediately unpopular, due
to it’s similarity in design
and size to the Liberty
Seated quarter then in
circulation. After a large run
in the coin’s first year,
production dropped to
practically nothing; only
extremely rare proofs from
the mintage of 1877 and
1878 are extant. In addition,
many of the coins that were
minted were melted down at
the Carson City or
Philadelphia mints due to
the lack of public interest.
This curiosity factor,
combined with the rarity of
this specimen, makes the
Liberty Seated quarter highly
popular among
numismatists, ensuring that
his name and the fine
examples of his work will be
discussed for many years to
come.
NEXT UP: Keeping it in the
Family: Son Charles takes
the reins
The Lathes Of Giants -James B. Longacre
As part of a continuing
series to familiarize the
public with great artists of
heroic persona, the men
who designed our national
coinage, I will periodically
feature short biographies of
the creators of our splendid
US coins.
Our first entry is James B.
Longacre (1794-1869);
appointed Fourth Chief
Engraver of the United
States Mint in 1844. Already
an portraitist and designer
of some renown ,
Longacre’s early career is
curiously reminiscent of
another American legend,
Benjamin Franklin. Born
impoverished in rural
Pennsylvania, Longacre, as
did young Franklin, left
home for Philadelphia at the
age of 12, became
apprenticed to an engraver,
and spent the next years
perfecting his skills which
included specie design and
engraving and portraiture,
for which he opened his
own enterprise in 1819. His
self-made-man persona fits
well with the American
character of independence,
self-reliance, ingenuity and
sacrifice. The young artist’s
meticulous attention to
detail, his superb eye for
forms and shapes, his
master craftsmanship and his
work ethic were all honed
by his early apprenticeship,
in a peculiar way as was
Franklin’s.
The young Longacre also
exhibited adroit political
connections. His National
Portrait Gallery of
Distinguished Americans,
established around 1830,
enabled him to meet with
and exploit connections
with the American upper-
crust. Portraits of Daniel
Boone and other well-
known contemporaries
earned the portraitist fame
in the 1830s-40s. Famous
South Carolina Senator John
C. Calhoun was one of
Longacre’s many influential
friends, and it was he who
helped ease the way for his
appointment to the Chief
Engraver’s job, in 1844, on
the death of then-head
Christian Gobrecht.
Longacres’s long tenure at
the mint was marked by
conflict. Entrenched
interests, politically
connected, had long taken
residence there. Political
corruption, illegal side-
vending, graft of all sorts
existed in the office at that
time, and these entrenched
interests worked hard to
minimize the oversight and
supervision role of the Chief
Engraver.
That James B. Longacre
fought these forces arrayed
against him and, in large
part, was able to clean up
the political corruption at
the Mint, and at the same
time produce an array of
some of the most beautiful
US coins, either gold coins
or silver coins, is a
testament both to his
courage and his talent, both
as a designer and as an
administrator. That he was
able to prosper during the
most divisive years of the
American Republic, and
survive through nine (Tyler
Polk Taylor Fillmore Pierce
Buchanan Lincoln Johnson
Grant) presidential
administrations give further
heft to his accomplishments.
Some of Longacre’s most
famous US coin designs,
renowned even today for
their beauty, craftsmanship
and durability, are the
twenty dollar gold piece
(1849-1907), the Indian
Head cent (1859-1909), the
Flying Eagle cent
(1856-1858 – based on an
original Gobrecht design),
and the Shield Nickel,
1866-1883. Many more
coins, commemoratives,
gold coins, test designs,
silver coins, experimental
dies, patterns and tools, etc.
were the product of his
imagination and tools. In a
1928 retrospective honoring
the 100 Greatest American
Engravers , the prestigious
New York Public Library
included a retrospective of
his work, ensuring that he
would be included in the
pantheon of famous
American designers.
NEXT UP: William Barber –
Boring and Predictable? Or
Strong and Durable?
series to familiarize the
public with great artists of
heroic persona, the men
who designed our national
coinage, I will periodically
feature short biographies of
the creators of our splendid
US coins.
Our first entry is James B.
Longacre (1794-1869);
appointed Fourth Chief
Engraver of the United
States Mint in 1844. Already
an portraitist and designer
of some renown ,
Longacre’s early career is
curiously reminiscent of
another American legend,
Benjamin Franklin. Born
impoverished in rural
Pennsylvania, Longacre, as
did young Franklin, left
home for Philadelphia at the
age of 12, became
apprenticed to an engraver,
and spent the next years
perfecting his skills which
included specie design and
engraving and portraiture,
for which he opened his
own enterprise in 1819. His
self-made-man persona fits
well with the American
character of independence,
self-reliance, ingenuity and
sacrifice. The young artist’s
meticulous attention to
detail, his superb eye for
forms and shapes, his
master craftsmanship and his
work ethic were all honed
by his early apprenticeship,
in a peculiar way as was
Franklin’s.
The young Longacre also
exhibited adroit political
connections. His National
Portrait Gallery of
Distinguished Americans,
established around 1830,
enabled him to meet with
and exploit connections
with the American upper-
crust. Portraits of Daniel
Boone and other well-
known contemporaries
earned the portraitist fame
in the 1830s-40s. Famous
South Carolina Senator John
C. Calhoun was one of
Longacre’s many influential
friends, and it was he who
helped ease the way for his
appointment to the Chief
Engraver’s job, in 1844, on
the death of then-head
Christian Gobrecht.
Longacres’s long tenure at
the mint was marked by
conflict. Entrenched
interests, politically
connected, had long taken
residence there. Political
corruption, illegal side-
vending, graft of all sorts
existed in the office at that
time, and these entrenched
interests worked hard to
minimize the oversight and
supervision role of the Chief
Engraver.
That James B. Longacre
fought these forces arrayed
against him and, in large
part, was able to clean up
the political corruption at
the Mint, and at the same
time produce an array of
some of the most beautiful
US coins, either gold coins
or silver coins, is a
testament both to his
courage and his talent, both
as a designer and as an
administrator. That he was
able to prosper during the
most divisive years of the
American Republic, and
survive through nine (Tyler
Polk Taylor Fillmore Pierce
Buchanan Lincoln Johnson
Grant) presidential
administrations give further
heft to his accomplishments.
Some of Longacre’s most
famous US coin designs,
renowned even today for
their beauty, craftsmanship
and durability, are the
twenty dollar gold piece
(1849-1907), the Indian
Head cent (1859-1909), the
Flying Eagle cent
(1856-1858 – based on an
original Gobrecht design),
and the Shield Nickel,
1866-1883. Many more
coins, commemoratives,
gold coins, test designs,
silver coins, experimental
dies, patterns and tools, etc.
were the product of his
imagination and tools. In a
1928 retrospective honoring
the 100 Greatest American
Engravers , the prestigious
New York Public Library
included a retrospective of
his work, ensuring that he
would be included in the
pantheon of famous
American designers.
NEXT UP: William Barber –
Boring and Predictable? Or
Strong and Durable?
The Bitch and The Big Society!
Well Darlings,
If you scan through the
recent news headlines, you
could easily become
depressed. Wars and civil
disturbances are raging in
many parts of the world,
with other huge areas
battling unrelenting freak
weather conditions, while at
home in the UK massive pay
rises and bonuses for many
of our big bosses are
seeing the rich-poor divide
continue to widen, and
despite its screening efforts,
our health service reports
cases of breast cancer are
increasing alarmingly. And
as if that wasn't enough bad
news, we now hear that in
the bastion of all things
cultural, Liverpool, any
hopes of David Cameron's
'Big Society' have hit the dirt
with a resounding bang.
From those that
volunteered, four local
authorities were chosen to
take part in Big Society pilot
schemes, with the aim of
giving community groups
and volunteers more control
over the local budgets and
services. Picked were:
Liverpool, the Eden Valley in
Cumbria, Windsor and
Maidenhead in Berkshire,
and Sutton and Cheam in
south-west London. A Big
Society Bank, with assets of
£400 million drawn on
dormant bank and building
society accounts, was set up
to help them achieve
David's dream society -
however all does not
appear to be going well.
The way I see it, one man's
dream is many other men's
nightmare! For decades now
councils have striven to take
over and control everything
they could possibly get their
hands on, in an ever-
expanding authoritarian
society. It is what has seen
our councils grow at an
alarming rate, and cost us
an absolute fortune. The
vast 'army' of controllers we
now possess will not give
up their powers (and jobs)
easily. They will fight tooth
and nail to defend their
powerful positions, telling us
they are vital, and we can
expect a lot of muck-
spreading.
In an age when headlines
seem to mean everything, I
have a fear that David
Cameron may not achieve
his Big Society. People are
already shrinking away from
the idea in huge numbers.
Bombarded daily in the
press by job-loss fearing
councils' screams, the public
see and hear of only the
cuts being made, and do
not realise the lack of local
initiative being shown,
where in many cases, for a
fraction of the costs
involved, the affected
services might be
maintained and sometimes
improved.
David's idea of a Big Society
has created a stand-off
where, like so often with the
unions when they have a
grievance, it is the public
that gets hurt. He may need
to think again, and while
what he might come up with
could prove costly in the
short-term, I believe it
would still be worthwhile. If
something like crack teams
with red tape-cutting powers
could be employed to tour
the country, becoming
involved with local
communities and helping
them in setting up workable
schemes, the freedoms the
people would regain and
enjoy would overshadow
any cost imaginable, and
pay off in the longer term.
For decades ordinary
people, and small
businesses, have been
choked by an ever-
tightening noose of red tape
and unnecessary regulation,
as local authorities have
taken control over just
about everything. Cut that
away and we really could
have the community centres
we need and deserve. For a
fraction of the price we pay
today, we could cater for
the old and young, house
the libraries, post offices, tea
rooms, social, OAP, and
youth clubs, and everything
else the people might want,
in many cases all under one
cost-saving roof, and all run
by local people, community
people who really
understand the local needs.
It would take time to rebuild
our communities, but Homo
sapiens is a sociable beast
(it is the one asset we had
over Neanderthal man, and
it saved us from extinction!),
so eventually it would
happen. Do we really need
whole government
departments overseeing
everyone, with untold paid
staff ticking boxes on forms
in offices with expensive
lighting and heating bills,
just to ensure old Bert gets
to his day centre when he,
or his carer, only has to ask
Fred to pick him up? People
look after each other in a
community, in the
overwhelming majority they
care about each other
(unlike today!), so old Bill's
needs would never be
forgotten. I grew up in such
a society, and believe me: I
know it was far better than
the box-ticking, regulatory,
unlistening and uncaring, at
arm's length one we suffer
now.
Admitting society has taken
a wrong turn is hard for
some people, especially
those in unnecessary but
self-important jobs. They will
tell you we shouldn't go
back, it could never be the
same, and that is probably
true. Things are rarely the
same the second time
around, particularly for the
people who remember the
first time, but they could still
be a whole lot better than
what we have now, and I
can't think of a better
starting point from which to
strive for improvement.
Only as individuals with
responsibilities can we ever
truly hope to improve
society, and our lot. It
cannot be done by authority
imposing its will on what it
considers its minions - that
is simply the cart leading the
horse; it is the will of the
people that should matter
the most. It may be hard to
accept, but when harnessed
like that (with apologies to
Acts 9:5) the people will
always kick against the
pricks!
The Bitch!
If you scan through the
recent news headlines, you
could easily become
depressed. Wars and civil
disturbances are raging in
many parts of the world,
with other huge areas
battling unrelenting freak
weather conditions, while at
home in the UK massive pay
rises and bonuses for many
of our big bosses are
seeing the rich-poor divide
continue to widen, and
despite its screening efforts,
our health service reports
cases of breast cancer are
increasing alarmingly. And
as if that wasn't enough bad
news, we now hear that in
the bastion of all things
cultural, Liverpool, any
hopes of David Cameron's
'Big Society' have hit the dirt
with a resounding bang.
From those that
volunteered, four local
authorities were chosen to
take part in Big Society pilot
schemes, with the aim of
giving community groups
and volunteers more control
over the local budgets and
services. Picked were:
Liverpool, the Eden Valley in
Cumbria, Windsor and
Maidenhead in Berkshire,
and Sutton and Cheam in
south-west London. A Big
Society Bank, with assets of
£400 million drawn on
dormant bank and building
society accounts, was set up
to help them achieve
David's dream society -
however all does not
appear to be going well.
The way I see it, one man's
dream is many other men's
nightmare! For decades now
councils have striven to take
over and control everything
they could possibly get their
hands on, in an ever-
expanding authoritarian
society. It is what has seen
our councils grow at an
alarming rate, and cost us
an absolute fortune. The
vast 'army' of controllers we
now possess will not give
up their powers (and jobs)
easily. They will fight tooth
and nail to defend their
powerful positions, telling us
they are vital, and we can
expect a lot of muck-
spreading.
In an age when headlines
seem to mean everything, I
have a fear that David
Cameron may not achieve
his Big Society. People are
already shrinking away from
the idea in huge numbers.
Bombarded daily in the
press by job-loss fearing
councils' screams, the public
see and hear of only the
cuts being made, and do
not realise the lack of local
initiative being shown,
where in many cases, for a
fraction of the costs
involved, the affected
services might be
maintained and sometimes
improved.
David's idea of a Big Society
has created a stand-off
where, like so often with the
unions when they have a
grievance, it is the public
that gets hurt. He may need
to think again, and while
what he might come up with
could prove costly in the
short-term, I believe it
would still be worthwhile. If
something like crack teams
with red tape-cutting powers
could be employed to tour
the country, becoming
involved with local
communities and helping
them in setting up workable
schemes, the freedoms the
people would regain and
enjoy would overshadow
any cost imaginable, and
pay off in the longer term.
For decades ordinary
people, and small
businesses, have been
choked by an ever-
tightening noose of red tape
and unnecessary regulation,
as local authorities have
taken control over just
about everything. Cut that
away and we really could
have the community centres
we need and deserve. For a
fraction of the price we pay
today, we could cater for
the old and young, house
the libraries, post offices, tea
rooms, social, OAP, and
youth clubs, and everything
else the people might want,
in many cases all under one
cost-saving roof, and all run
by local people, community
people who really
understand the local needs.
It would take time to rebuild
our communities, but Homo
sapiens is a sociable beast
(it is the one asset we had
over Neanderthal man, and
it saved us from extinction!),
so eventually it would
happen. Do we really need
whole government
departments overseeing
everyone, with untold paid
staff ticking boxes on forms
in offices with expensive
lighting and heating bills,
just to ensure old Bert gets
to his day centre when he,
or his carer, only has to ask
Fred to pick him up? People
look after each other in a
community, in the
overwhelming majority they
care about each other
(unlike today!), so old Bill's
needs would never be
forgotten. I grew up in such
a society, and believe me: I
know it was far better than
the box-ticking, regulatory,
unlistening and uncaring, at
arm's length one we suffer
now.
Admitting society has taken
a wrong turn is hard for
some people, especially
those in unnecessary but
self-important jobs. They will
tell you we shouldn't go
back, it could never be the
same, and that is probably
true. Things are rarely the
same the second time
around, particularly for the
people who remember the
first time, but they could still
be a whole lot better than
what we have now, and I
can't think of a better
starting point from which to
strive for improvement.
Only as individuals with
responsibilities can we ever
truly hope to improve
society, and our lot. It
cannot be done by authority
imposing its will on what it
considers its minions - that
is simply the cart leading the
horse; it is the will of the
people that should matter
the most. It may be hard to
accept, but when harnessed
like that (with apologies to
Acts 9:5) the people will
always kick against the
pricks!
The Bitch!
Friday 4 November 2011
Making Government and The Political Class Subservient to Freedom Again
The following is based on a email that has been zipping around the email word recently. The email laid out some interesting changes some Americans would like to see made to the broken political and governmental processes we currently have in this country.
Before getting into the detail's of the proposed changes, consider what can be done when ordinary people get passionate and involved in making a better world. According to the email, the 26th amendment (granting the right to vote for 18 year-olds) took only three months eight days to be ratified. This was before email, personal computers, smart phones, Twitter, Facebook, and other modern ways to communicate. Furthermore, according to the email, of the twenty seven amendments to the Constitution, seven took one year or less to become the law of the land...all because of public pressure.
So, let's call this movement the "Congressional Reform Act of 2011," an act that would include the following components:
1. Term Limits. This is consistent with the old adage: "If you are not part of the solution then you must be part of the problem." Many, many of our politicians have been around for decades. If they have not solved any of our major problems in that time, there is no reason to keep them around in the vain hope that they might eventually figure things out.
2. No Tenure / No Pension. A Congressman collects a salary while in office and receives no pay when they are out of office.
3. Congress (past, present and future) participates in Social Security. All funds in the Congressional retirement fund move to the Social Security system immediately. All future funds flow into the Social Security system, and Congress participates with the American people.
4. Congress can purchase their own retirement plan, just as all Americans do. Most Americans no longer have any chance of receiving a traditional pension. Politicians, whose pensions are paid by the very people who no longer can get a pension, should not be entitled to something most Americans can not receive.
5. Congress will no longer vote themselves a pay raise. Congressional pay will rise by the lower of CPI or 3% but only if the voters agree that they are doing a good job. This approach requires that the political class actually be successful in their job before getting rewarded, much like the plight of most working Americans.
6. Congress loses their current health care system and participates in the same health care system as the American people. No argument on this one.
7. Congress must equally abide by all laws they impose on the American people. No argument here either.
8. All contracts with past and present Congressional members are void effective 1/1/11. In agreement but there might be some legal issues here, i.e. can you renege on past agreements? If you can, then great. If not, then at least start with future generations of politicians.
9. Allow only individual Americans to contribute to election campaigns. No corporate donations, no PAC donations, no union donations, no fancy sounding front group donations, just individual Americans exercising their freedom of expression by sending directly to a politician's campaign fund.
The American people did not make this contract with Congressional members. They made all these contracts for themselves. Serving in Congress is an honor, not a career. The Founding Fathers envisioned citizen legislators, so ours should serve their term(s), then go home and back to work.
Before closing, lets go back to term limits one more time. It is any easy concept to grasp but when you start thinking about what this would actually look like, the permutations can make you crazy. Thus, we would like you to vote on one of the four options when it comes to term limits:
- Option A - Senators get a maximum of twelve years via two six year terms and House members get a maximum of twelve years via six two year terms. Presidents get a maximum of eight years via two four year terms.
- Option B - Senators get a maximum one six year term and House members get a maximum of six years via three two year terms. Presidents get a maximum of eight years via two four year terms.
- Option C - Senators get a maximum of one five year term and House members get a maximum of three years via one three year term. The President gets a maximum of six years via one six year term.
- Option D - term limits are not a good idea, no changes.
It should be pointed out there is a huge benefit of Option C. It is my belief that much of the perversions of the political process occurs when incumbents sell their souls for votes and campaign donations, subjugating the best interest of the country for the best interests of their political careers. If a politician has no chance at re-election, a lot of this problem goes away and they are free to make the right decisions for the country and are not burdened with the need to raise re-election funds. Just a thought.
To vote, please drop a short email with your choice of option A, B, C, or D as your preferred approach along with your home state to the email address listed in the Author's box below.
The need to be subservient to the political class does not have to be. According to the original email, if each person reading this contacts a minimum of twenty people then it will only take three days for most people (in the U.S. ) to receive the message. I do not know if the math is right but the concept of reforming Congress is right. Maybe it is time...
Before getting into the detail's of the proposed changes, consider what can be done when ordinary people get passionate and involved in making a better world. According to the email, the 26th amendment (granting the right to vote for 18 year-olds) took only three months eight days to be ratified. This was before email, personal computers, smart phones, Twitter, Facebook, and other modern ways to communicate. Furthermore, according to the email, of the twenty seven amendments to the Constitution, seven took one year or less to become the law of the land...all because of public pressure.
So, let's call this movement the "Congressional Reform Act of 2011," an act that would include the following components:
1. Term Limits. This is consistent with the old adage: "If you are not part of the solution then you must be part of the problem." Many, many of our politicians have been around for decades. If they have not solved any of our major problems in that time, there is no reason to keep them around in the vain hope that they might eventually figure things out.
2. No Tenure / No Pension. A Congressman collects a salary while in office and receives no pay when they are out of office.
3. Congress (past, present and future) participates in Social Security. All funds in the Congressional retirement fund move to the Social Security system immediately. All future funds flow into the Social Security system, and Congress participates with the American people.
4. Congress can purchase their own retirement plan, just as all Americans do. Most Americans no longer have any chance of receiving a traditional pension. Politicians, whose pensions are paid by the very people who no longer can get a pension, should not be entitled to something most Americans can not receive.
5. Congress will no longer vote themselves a pay raise. Congressional pay will rise by the lower of CPI or 3% but only if the voters agree that they are doing a good job. This approach requires that the political class actually be successful in their job before getting rewarded, much like the plight of most working Americans.
6. Congress loses their current health care system and participates in the same health care system as the American people. No argument on this one.
7. Congress must equally abide by all laws they impose on the American people. No argument here either.
8. All contracts with past and present Congressional members are void effective 1/1/11. In agreement but there might be some legal issues here, i.e. can you renege on past agreements? If you can, then great. If not, then at least start with future generations of politicians.
9. Allow only individual Americans to contribute to election campaigns. No corporate donations, no PAC donations, no union donations, no fancy sounding front group donations, just individual Americans exercising their freedom of expression by sending directly to a politician's campaign fund.
The American people did not make this contract with Congressional members. They made all these contracts for themselves. Serving in Congress is an honor, not a career. The Founding Fathers envisioned citizen legislators, so ours should serve their term(s), then go home and back to work.
Before closing, lets go back to term limits one more time. It is any easy concept to grasp but when you start thinking about what this would actually look like, the permutations can make you crazy. Thus, we would like you to vote on one of the four options when it comes to term limits:
- Option A - Senators get a maximum of twelve years via two six year terms and House members get a maximum of twelve years via six two year terms. Presidents get a maximum of eight years via two four year terms.
- Option B - Senators get a maximum one six year term and House members get a maximum of six years via three two year terms. Presidents get a maximum of eight years via two four year terms.
- Option C - Senators get a maximum of one five year term and House members get a maximum of three years via one three year term. The President gets a maximum of six years via one six year term.
- Option D - term limits are not a good idea, no changes.
It should be pointed out there is a huge benefit of Option C. It is my belief that much of the perversions of the political process occurs when incumbents sell their souls for votes and campaign donations, subjugating the best interest of the country for the best interests of their political careers. If a politician has no chance at re-election, a lot of this problem goes away and they are free to make the right decisions for the country and are not burdened with the need to raise re-election funds. Just a thought.
To vote, please drop a short email with your choice of option A, B, C, or D as your preferred approach along with your home state to the email address listed in the Author's box below.
The need to be subservient to the political class does not have to be. According to the original email, if each person reading this contacts a minimum of twenty people then it will only take three days for most people (in the U.S. ) to receive the message. I do not know if the math is right but the concept of reforming Congress is right. Maybe it is time...
Democracy Watch, 2011 - Issue 2
Ukrainians take to the streets: celebrating unity on the day of national independence and demonstrating intentions to protect their economic rights. Meanwhile the government is implementing hasty administrative reform, without having settled on its foreign-policy strategy.
What direction does the foreign policy of Viktor Yanukovych take?
In just one month Viktor Yanukovych will celebrate his first year in the office of the President of Ukraine. During this time the approach to national foreign policy has changed dramatically. From being overtly pro-western and Euro-Atlantic during the term of president Yuschenko it appears to now to focus on Russia. With new legislation coming into force Ukraine also declared insulation from any blocks and unions as well as cancelled the provisions for integration into NATO. Various political steps suit Russia exclusively: Russian businesses were incorporated in to privatisation tenders allowing the take-over of Ukrainian companies, particularly in strategically important sectors of economy; The agreement with the Russian Naval Base included a long term extension, in exchange for a short term gas discount. Thus even though Yanukovych tries to demonstrate that he intends to preserve friendship with president Dmitriy Medvedev Russia is gradually increasing its pressure on Ukraine. This will result in the Head of Ukraine either yielding to Moscow’s economic influence entirely, or a hasty political rapprochement with the West to balance the Russian influence.
Although the first official visit by Yanukovych as President of Ukraine was to Brussels, at present the relations with the European Union are increasingly troubled by concerns over the Ukrainian authorities restricting the democratic rights and freedoms of Ukrainian people. The latest visits of European Commissioners to Kyiv proved that the intentions of the EU's policy makers are to prevent the establishment of Belorussian-esque regime in Ukraine. Viktor Yanukovych should personally value the support of the European Union as it will allow him to not only balance relations with Russia but also enjoy his trips to the EU, communicate with European leaders and be welcomed as a member of the European elite. To achieve these goals he should terminate the establishment of the Russia model of control over society irrespective of its successes in Russia and resume dialogue with the people. Otherwise we face not only sanctions from the EU and the USA, but an increased dependence on Russia and the potential for a social explosion of similar magnitude to that of the "Orange Revolution" and equally unexpected as was the case in Egypt.
People First Comment:
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs have stated that the policy of this government will be to express the independence of Ukraine. There would be no dependence on Russia but there would be close economic ties. There would be no dependence on the EU although Ukraine would follow a path of economic and later political integration with Europe. There would be no formal engagement with NATO but they would continue to participate in the partnership for peace programme. One year on the picture is very different and the country is now looking more isolated than independent.
Relations with Russia are at best cool, the EU is becoming outspoken in its criticism whilst the military, starved of funds is becoming less and less effective to a point where joint NATO exercises serve little purpose. The political parallels with Belarus have not gone unnoticed. What has happened as a result of current policy is that Ukraine is now no longer a hindrance to Russian-EU relations as both recognise that the country has backed it’s self into a corner and can now be virtually ignored in real East-West relations. Ukraine has become a problem for both the EU and the USA as the economic and social conditions deteriorate and so rather than expressing Ukrainian independence all that seems to have been achieved is an expression of Ukraine’s ineptitude.
Isolationism is not a policy; it is a result of a lack of real policy. Ukraine needs a strong economic and political relationship with both Russia and the EU. Ukraine needs to demonstrate that it has real direction, that it is serious about partnerships, that, importantly, it fully understands European and western values and that the Ukrainian culture and heritage has something of real value to the world. The present policy can only reduce Ukraine to a disruptive international problem that the world does not need.
Ukraine remains separated on the day the country declared its sovereignty
The true depth of Ukraine’s social and political disruption was illustrated recently by public action on the day of symbolic national reunion of the western and eastern regions. The authorities confined themselves to typical protocol: an on-screen presidential greeting, a concert for top officials and provocative warning by the Minister of the Interior concerning possible "bloodshed" by the opposition. The still divided opposition celebrated the Day of Independence separately. The majority, including "Batkivshchyna" of Yulia Tymoshenko, All-Ukrainian Union "Svoboda" and "Narodna Samooborona" gathered at the historical Sophievska square, where they denounced the Kharkiv Agreements with Russia, called for the resignation of the government and stressed the importance of alliance between all patriotic forces. This political meeting gathered between 20-40 thousand people. Other parties, who have declared themselves as oppositional to the government, such as "Front Zmin" led by Arseniy Yatsenyuk, held their own meeting on Kontraktova square. Some party fellows of the former president Viktor Yuschenko joined this meeting alongside several thousand citizens.
In contrast Ukrainian citizens, especially young people, demonstrated more aspiration for a political reunion of Ukraine than that described by politicians. Ukrainians in all major cities including Kyiv came out in celebration of unity by joining hands and creating ‘live chains’. In Kyiv young people connected the two banks of the Dnieper river with a symbolic ‘live chain’, proving that Ukrainians feel united, despite attempts by politicians to instil a sense of separation in the country. Such a burst of spontaneous patriotic activity inspires hope for the development of civil society in Ukraine. It also illustrates the vast and widening gap between the attitudes of the people, and their authorities that have chosen to ignore the citizens of Ukraine on the Day of Independence. Thus due to an indifferent government and separation within the opposition, hopes for civil society become the most powerful factor of the development of democracy in Ukraine and marginally raise its potential to become a successful European state.
People First Comment:
Is it any wonder that the good people of Ukraine are not prepared to demonstrate their enthusiasm for the nation when the political parties have singularly failed to deliver anything but more suffering on the nation. In 1991 when Ukraine broke away from the Soviet Union the nation had suffered from a lack of real investment for something like 20 years. The people had watched their standard of living slowly deteriorate as the lack of investment in industry, schools, hospitals, housing, roads and infrastructure really began to bite. Today the GDP of Ukraine is 30% lower than at independence in 1991.
With the declaration of independence the nation believed, and the politicians promised that democracy and freedom would create a new Ukrainian utopia. The reality has been somewhat different. Initially nationalist sentiment ruled and the authorities wasted valuable time on matters of national pride and ignored national priorities. The international community invested millions in promoting market economics but virtually nothing on democracy education and institution building and in this area Ukraine was left to fend for its self. As a result the authorities and the opposition began to bend the rules of democracy and democratic good practice under the weight of corruption. Money has become the deciding factor to a point where today the national philosophy has disappeared in a fog of self interest.
The political parties have become little more than money making personality cults. None have parliamentarians that have been locally elected from grass root support therefore it is little wonder that the people feel disenfranchised. None have presented well thought out and fully budgeted manifestos preferring the creation of policy on the hoof. The people have little to believe in and little faith that any politicians will work in their interests, therefore nobody should be surprised if they prefer to celebrate the Day of National Unity away from the limelight of political rallies.
False start of administrative reform
The Ukrainian authorities have decided to spread reforms onto the administrative sector. By the Presidential Decree titled "On Optimisation of Central Executive Authorities System" Viktor Yanukovych has attempted to reform the state machine, as well as middle and top-ranking state officials, in accordance with the challenges that Ukraine faces today. There are currently around 350,000 state officials in Ukraine. The declared first step of the reform involves the removal of around 100,000 officials from various levels. Moreover, the number of top-ranking officers has been reduced leaving each minister with just two deputies. Central executive authorities are divided into six types in accordance with European practices: ministries, services, inspections, agencies, independent regulatory bodies and authorities with special status. A positive outcome of the reform also includes the reduction of expenditures on the maintenance of state officials from national budget and a small restriction on the opportunities for corruption.
At the same time the authorities claim that in order to implement similar reforms in other spheres of Ukraine it is necessary to not only reduce staff in state departments but also to increase their efficiency; The IMF offers the same solutions in its official recommendations. The reforms appear to have got of to a false start prove to be poorly thought through. The majority of the reduced ministers will receive equivalent positions in extended government services preserving an old and ineffective management approach. The number of central executive authorities does not be reduced but will in fact increases from 45 to 56. There is no clear concept for these reforms leaving the government's new approach unexplained to its people. One clear effect of these reforms is the assistance to Viktor Yanukovych in further centralising power to his hands through the right to personally appoint the heads of all the central executive authorities. Due to the fact that the administrative reform was developed without requesting recommendations from the EU, thus the functions of the executive authorities will have to be reviewed once the Association Agreement enters into force. Besides, the reform fails to address the issue of self-governance which is one of the key requirements of the European Union. As a result of undue haste this latest attempt of the Ukrainian authorities to implement administrative reform in Ukraine may eventuate in failure.
People First Comment:
Playing the numbers game with the civil service is in reality a deception. The question should not be ‘how many do we really need’ but ‘what do they actually contribute to the management, development and growth of the nation’. It may well be that the country needs 350,000 bureaucrats working efficiently to ensure that the nation is consistently running at peak capacity. Cutting the numbers may well reduce the options for corruption but it does not guarantee that the nation will be run any more effectively.
The Ukrainian civil service of today is virtually identical to that of the former Soviet Union, little or nothing has been done to stream line systems as reducing the bureaucracy would in many cases hurt the revenue streams set up to maximise the opportunity for corruption. In reality the civil service has done an excellent job in protecting its own back but this relatively untrained and undisciplined civil service may well be the President’s Achilles heel. For the President to achieve the targets he promised in his election campaign he needs a civil service that not only understands what has to be done but also has the will to make it happen.
Cutting the numbers may go some way to streamlining decision making and drawing the civil service into some sort of order but unless there is fundamental reform of the systems of public administration, in reality little may change. If the President where to combine the streamlining of the civil service with a programme of incentivized targets then this would be a radical change as it would break the back of the corruption that is currently strangling many aspects of the governmental machine. The reforms are a step in the right direction but in reality may not be a step far enough.
Conflict between the authorities and entrepreneurs in Ukraine may lead to another revolution
After giving protestants' demands token consideration the Ukrainian authorities adopted a new version of Tax Code which demonstrates a somewhat nonchalant attitude towards the interests of entrepreneurs. Thus, the government led by the Party of Regions chose to safeguard the interests of business heavyweights and mark small and medium sized businesses as a primary source of taxation, without considering the hostile environment menacing the SME sector. One of the provisions of the new Tax Code provides the tax administration with the right to freeze any ‘offender's’ bank accounts but fails to present a procedure for unblocking such accounts.
The administrative pressure on entrepreneurs participating in the protests at the end of 2010 was indicative of an aggressive attitude among the authorities. In Kyiv and other regions of Ukraine there have been reports of the authorities purposefully shutting down the trade places of those entrepreneurs who participated in protests. Substantial increases in the number of inspections and interrogations by the militia have become common indicators of pressure.
Thus the population engaged in small and medium sized business - the bulk of the middle class and a fundamental of civil society in Europe - has begun to mobilise itself. As a result, fresh protest actions against the government have already been planned for February 2011. The schedule of demonstrations was recently confirmed by Igor Gurnyak, head of the Coordination Council of the Assembly of non-governmental organisations of small and medium-sized businesses in Ukraine. New protests will voice such demands as the cancellation of the new Tax Code, resignations from the Cabinet of Ministers, pre-term elections for the Verkhovna Rada and the cancellation of a new Labour Code that jeopardises the social security of hired workers. The ongoing battle between entrepreneurs and the policy of the Party of Regions demonstrates a shift away from the typical apathetic population, as segments of the population band together to protect their rights. If the government proves incapable of accommodating the demands of its people, instability in the socio-political and economic fields may get significantly worse before the end of the year.
People First Comment:
What is interesting about the recent public out cries in Tunisia Jordan, Yemen and Egypt is that these revolts are characterised by cries for democracy, jobs, lower food prices, an end to corruption and political reform. This public reaction to social injustice has not been by a radicalised few but by the middle class and ordinary people who simply want a better standard of living. Recent national research carried by the People First Foundation has found that the average middle and working class Ukrainian family’s primary concerns are: jobs, food prices, education, medical care, corruption, representation in government and the rule of law.
Successive governments have ignored job creation, in fact now we see the opposite as the tax police, enforcing the new tax code, force thousands of small and medium sized enterprises to the wall. Food prices continue to rise not simply because of world pricing but also because of the cartels that have been allowed to develop unopposed in the food and food supply industry. Education and healthcare bare the brunt of budget cuts. Corruption is costing the country literally billions in illegal offshore transactions, VAT scams and over pricing, democracy is under direct attack and the majority of Ukrainians now believe that justice is a tradable commodity.
The parallels between the social conditions in North Africa and Ukraine are uncannily similar particularly with the authoritarian clamp down and the middle class tax revolt. The only difference being that in Ukraine the opposition is even less likely to solve the problems as they are cast from the same die. The authorities had better rethink their policies lest Ukrainians learn from the North African and Middle Eastern examples and follow suite.
Historical quote of the week:
It is high time for me to put an end to your sitting in this place, which you have dishonoured by your contempt of all virtue, and defiled by your practice of every vice; ye are a factious crew, and enemies to all good government; ye are a pack of mercenary wretches, and would like Esau sell your country for a mess of potage, and like Judas betray your God for a few pieces of money; is there a single virtue now remaining amongst you? Is there one vice you do not possess? Ye have no more religion than my horse; gold is your God; which of you have not barter'd your conscience for bribes? Is there a man amongst you that has the least care for the good of the Commonwealth? Ye sordid prostitutes have you not defil'd this sacred place, and turn'd the Lord's temple into a den of thieves, by your immoral principles and wicked practices? Ye are grown intolerably odious to the whole nation; you were deputed here by the people to get grievances redress'd, are yourselves become the greatest grievance. Your country therefore calls upon me to cleanse this Augean stable, by putting a final period to your iniquitous proceedings in this House; and which by God's help, and the strength he has given me, I am now come to do; I command ye therefore, upon the peril of your lives, to depart immediately out of this place; go, get you out! Make haste! Ye venal slaves be gone! Go! Take away that shining bauble there, and lock up the doors. In the name of God, go!
Oliver Cromwell, Lord Protector of England, 20 April 1653
What direction does the foreign policy of Viktor Yanukovych take?
In just one month Viktor Yanukovych will celebrate his first year in the office of the President of Ukraine. During this time the approach to national foreign policy has changed dramatically. From being overtly pro-western and Euro-Atlantic during the term of president Yuschenko it appears to now to focus on Russia. With new legislation coming into force Ukraine also declared insulation from any blocks and unions as well as cancelled the provisions for integration into NATO. Various political steps suit Russia exclusively: Russian businesses were incorporated in to privatisation tenders allowing the take-over of Ukrainian companies, particularly in strategically important sectors of economy; The agreement with the Russian Naval Base included a long term extension, in exchange for a short term gas discount. Thus even though Yanukovych tries to demonstrate that he intends to preserve friendship with president Dmitriy Medvedev Russia is gradually increasing its pressure on Ukraine. This will result in the Head of Ukraine either yielding to Moscow’s economic influence entirely, or a hasty political rapprochement with the West to balance the Russian influence.
Although the first official visit by Yanukovych as President of Ukraine was to Brussels, at present the relations with the European Union are increasingly troubled by concerns over the Ukrainian authorities restricting the democratic rights and freedoms of Ukrainian people. The latest visits of European Commissioners to Kyiv proved that the intentions of the EU's policy makers are to prevent the establishment of Belorussian-esque regime in Ukraine. Viktor Yanukovych should personally value the support of the European Union as it will allow him to not only balance relations with Russia but also enjoy his trips to the EU, communicate with European leaders and be welcomed as a member of the European elite. To achieve these goals he should terminate the establishment of the Russia model of control over society irrespective of its successes in Russia and resume dialogue with the people. Otherwise we face not only sanctions from the EU and the USA, but an increased dependence on Russia and the potential for a social explosion of similar magnitude to that of the "Orange Revolution" and equally unexpected as was the case in Egypt.
People First Comment:
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs have stated that the policy of this government will be to express the independence of Ukraine. There would be no dependence on Russia but there would be close economic ties. There would be no dependence on the EU although Ukraine would follow a path of economic and later political integration with Europe. There would be no formal engagement with NATO but they would continue to participate in the partnership for peace programme. One year on the picture is very different and the country is now looking more isolated than independent.
Relations with Russia are at best cool, the EU is becoming outspoken in its criticism whilst the military, starved of funds is becoming less and less effective to a point where joint NATO exercises serve little purpose. The political parallels with Belarus have not gone unnoticed. What has happened as a result of current policy is that Ukraine is now no longer a hindrance to Russian-EU relations as both recognise that the country has backed it’s self into a corner and can now be virtually ignored in real East-West relations. Ukraine has become a problem for both the EU and the USA as the economic and social conditions deteriorate and so rather than expressing Ukrainian independence all that seems to have been achieved is an expression of Ukraine’s ineptitude.
Isolationism is not a policy; it is a result of a lack of real policy. Ukraine needs a strong economic and political relationship with both Russia and the EU. Ukraine needs to demonstrate that it has real direction, that it is serious about partnerships, that, importantly, it fully understands European and western values and that the Ukrainian culture and heritage has something of real value to the world. The present policy can only reduce Ukraine to a disruptive international problem that the world does not need.
Ukraine remains separated on the day the country declared its sovereignty
The true depth of Ukraine’s social and political disruption was illustrated recently by public action on the day of symbolic national reunion of the western and eastern regions. The authorities confined themselves to typical protocol: an on-screen presidential greeting, a concert for top officials and provocative warning by the Minister of the Interior concerning possible "bloodshed" by the opposition. The still divided opposition celebrated the Day of Independence separately. The majority, including "Batkivshchyna" of Yulia Tymoshenko, All-Ukrainian Union "Svoboda" and "Narodna Samooborona" gathered at the historical Sophievska square, where they denounced the Kharkiv Agreements with Russia, called for the resignation of the government and stressed the importance of alliance between all patriotic forces. This political meeting gathered between 20-40 thousand people. Other parties, who have declared themselves as oppositional to the government, such as "Front Zmin" led by Arseniy Yatsenyuk, held their own meeting on Kontraktova square. Some party fellows of the former president Viktor Yuschenko joined this meeting alongside several thousand citizens.
In contrast Ukrainian citizens, especially young people, demonstrated more aspiration for a political reunion of Ukraine than that described by politicians. Ukrainians in all major cities including Kyiv came out in celebration of unity by joining hands and creating ‘live chains’. In Kyiv young people connected the two banks of the Dnieper river with a symbolic ‘live chain’, proving that Ukrainians feel united, despite attempts by politicians to instil a sense of separation in the country. Such a burst of spontaneous patriotic activity inspires hope for the development of civil society in Ukraine. It also illustrates the vast and widening gap between the attitudes of the people, and their authorities that have chosen to ignore the citizens of Ukraine on the Day of Independence. Thus due to an indifferent government and separation within the opposition, hopes for civil society become the most powerful factor of the development of democracy in Ukraine and marginally raise its potential to become a successful European state.
People First Comment:
Is it any wonder that the good people of Ukraine are not prepared to demonstrate their enthusiasm for the nation when the political parties have singularly failed to deliver anything but more suffering on the nation. In 1991 when Ukraine broke away from the Soviet Union the nation had suffered from a lack of real investment for something like 20 years. The people had watched their standard of living slowly deteriorate as the lack of investment in industry, schools, hospitals, housing, roads and infrastructure really began to bite. Today the GDP of Ukraine is 30% lower than at independence in 1991.
With the declaration of independence the nation believed, and the politicians promised that democracy and freedom would create a new Ukrainian utopia. The reality has been somewhat different. Initially nationalist sentiment ruled and the authorities wasted valuable time on matters of national pride and ignored national priorities. The international community invested millions in promoting market economics but virtually nothing on democracy education and institution building and in this area Ukraine was left to fend for its self. As a result the authorities and the opposition began to bend the rules of democracy and democratic good practice under the weight of corruption. Money has become the deciding factor to a point where today the national philosophy has disappeared in a fog of self interest.
The political parties have become little more than money making personality cults. None have parliamentarians that have been locally elected from grass root support therefore it is little wonder that the people feel disenfranchised. None have presented well thought out and fully budgeted manifestos preferring the creation of policy on the hoof. The people have little to believe in and little faith that any politicians will work in their interests, therefore nobody should be surprised if they prefer to celebrate the Day of National Unity away from the limelight of political rallies.
False start of administrative reform
The Ukrainian authorities have decided to spread reforms onto the administrative sector. By the Presidential Decree titled "On Optimisation of Central Executive Authorities System" Viktor Yanukovych has attempted to reform the state machine, as well as middle and top-ranking state officials, in accordance with the challenges that Ukraine faces today. There are currently around 350,000 state officials in Ukraine. The declared first step of the reform involves the removal of around 100,000 officials from various levels. Moreover, the number of top-ranking officers has been reduced leaving each minister with just two deputies. Central executive authorities are divided into six types in accordance with European practices: ministries, services, inspections, agencies, independent regulatory bodies and authorities with special status. A positive outcome of the reform also includes the reduction of expenditures on the maintenance of state officials from national budget and a small restriction on the opportunities for corruption.
At the same time the authorities claim that in order to implement similar reforms in other spheres of Ukraine it is necessary to not only reduce staff in state departments but also to increase their efficiency; The IMF offers the same solutions in its official recommendations. The reforms appear to have got of to a false start prove to be poorly thought through. The majority of the reduced ministers will receive equivalent positions in extended government services preserving an old and ineffective management approach. The number of central executive authorities does not be reduced but will in fact increases from 45 to 56. There is no clear concept for these reforms leaving the government's new approach unexplained to its people. One clear effect of these reforms is the assistance to Viktor Yanukovych in further centralising power to his hands through the right to personally appoint the heads of all the central executive authorities. Due to the fact that the administrative reform was developed without requesting recommendations from the EU, thus the functions of the executive authorities will have to be reviewed once the Association Agreement enters into force. Besides, the reform fails to address the issue of self-governance which is one of the key requirements of the European Union. As a result of undue haste this latest attempt of the Ukrainian authorities to implement administrative reform in Ukraine may eventuate in failure.
People First Comment:
Playing the numbers game with the civil service is in reality a deception. The question should not be ‘how many do we really need’ but ‘what do they actually contribute to the management, development and growth of the nation’. It may well be that the country needs 350,000 bureaucrats working efficiently to ensure that the nation is consistently running at peak capacity. Cutting the numbers may well reduce the options for corruption but it does not guarantee that the nation will be run any more effectively.
The Ukrainian civil service of today is virtually identical to that of the former Soviet Union, little or nothing has been done to stream line systems as reducing the bureaucracy would in many cases hurt the revenue streams set up to maximise the opportunity for corruption. In reality the civil service has done an excellent job in protecting its own back but this relatively untrained and undisciplined civil service may well be the President’s Achilles heel. For the President to achieve the targets he promised in his election campaign he needs a civil service that not only understands what has to be done but also has the will to make it happen.
Cutting the numbers may go some way to streamlining decision making and drawing the civil service into some sort of order but unless there is fundamental reform of the systems of public administration, in reality little may change. If the President where to combine the streamlining of the civil service with a programme of incentivized targets then this would be a radical change as it would break the back of the corruption that is currently strangling many aspects of the governmental machine. The reforms are a step in the right direction but in reality may not be a step far enough.
Conflict between the authorities and entrepreneurs in Ukraine may lead to another revolution
After giving protestants' demands token consideration the Ukrainian authorities adopted a new version of Tax Code which demonstrates a somewhat nonchalant attitude towards the interests of entrepreneurs. Thus, the government led by the Party of Regions chose to safeguard the interests of business heavyweights and mark small and medium sized businesses as a primary source of taxation, without considering the hostile environment menacing the SME sector. One of the provisions of the new Tax Code provides the tax administration with the right to freeze any ‘offender's’ bank accounts but fails to present a procedure for unblocking such accounts.
The administrative pressure on entrepreneurs participating in the protests at the end of 2010 was indicative of an aggressive attitude among the authorities. In Kyiv and other regions of Ukraine there have been reports of the authorities purposefully shutting down the trade places of those entrepreneurs who participated in protests. Substantial increases in the number of inspections and interrogations by the militia have become common indicators of pressure.
Thus the population engaged in small and medium sized business - the bulk of the middle class and a fundamental of civil society in Europe - has begun to mobilise itself. As a result, fresh protest actions against the government have already been planned for February 2011. The schedule of demonstrations was recently confirmed by Igor Gurnyak, head of the Coordination Council of the Assembly of non-governmental organisations of small and medium-sized businesses in Ukraine. New protests will voice such demands as the cancellation of the new Tax Code, resignations from the Cabinet of Ministers, pre-term elections for the Verkhovna Rada and the cancellation of a new Labour Code that jeopardises the social security of hired workers. The ongoing battle between entrepreneurs and the policy of the Party of Regions demonstrates a shift away from the typical apathetic population, as segments of the population band together to protect their rights. If the government proves incapable of accommodating the demands of its people, instability in the socio-political and economic fields may get significantly worse before the end of the year.
People First Comment:
What is interesting about the recent public out cries in Tunisia Jordan, Yemen and Egypt is that these revolts are characterised by cries for democracy, jobs, lower food prices, an end to corruption and political reform. This public reaction to social injustice has not been by a radicalised few but by the middle class and ordinary people who simply want a better standard of living. Recent national research carried by the People First Foundation has found that the average middle and working class Ukrainian family’s primary concerns are: jobs, food prices, education, medical care, corruption, representation in government and the rule of law.
Successive governments have ignored job creation, in fact now we see the opposite as the tax police, enforcing the new tax code, force thousands of small and medium sized enterprises to the wall. Food prices continue to rise not simply because of world pricing but also because of the cartels that have been allowed to develop unopposed in the food and food supply industry. Education and healthcare bare the brunt of budget cuts. Corruption is costing the country literally billions in illegal offshore transactions, VAT scams and over pricing, democracy is under direct attack and the majority of Ukrainians now believe that justice is a tradable commodity.
The parallels between the social conditions in North Africa and Ukraine are uncannily similar particularly with the authoritarian clamp down and the middle class tax revolt. The only difference being that in Ukraine the opposition is even less likely to solve the problems as they are cast from the same die. The authorities had better rethink their policies lest Ukrainians learn from the North African and Middle Eastern examples and follow suite.
Historical quote of the week:
It is high time for me to put an end to your sitting in this place, which you have dishonoured by your contempt of all virtue, and defiled by your practice of every vice; ye are a factious crew, and enemies to all good government; ye are a pack of mercenary wretches, and would like Esau sell your country for a mess of potage, and like Judas betray your God for a few pieces of money; is there a single virtue now remaining amongst you? Is there one vice you do not possess? Ye have no more religion than my horse; gold is your God; which of you have not barter'd your conscience for bribes? Is there a man amongst you that has the least care for the good of the Commonwealth? Ye sordid prostitutes have you not defil'd this sacred place, and turn'd the Lord's temple into a den of thieves, by your immoral principles and wicked practices? Ye are grown intolerably odious to the whole nation; you were deputed here by the people to get grievances redress'd, are yourselves become the greatest grievance. Your country therefore calls upon me to cleanse this Augean stable, by putting a final period to your iniquitous proceedings in this House; and which by God's help, and the strength he has given me, I am now come to do; I command ye therefore, upon the peril of your lives, to depart immediately out of this place; go, get you out! Make haste! Ye venal slaves be gone! Go! Take away that shining bauble there, and lock up the doors. In the name of God, go!
Oliver Cromwell, Lord Protector of England, 20 April 1653
Mid Eastern Muslim Brotherhood
It is claimed that the Arab Muslim Brotherhood is deliberately holding back on its religious message for the moment, in the middle of a people-driven revolt that is purportedly not being determined by either Islam or politics.
The organization proclaimed its support for opposition leader and Nobel Peace Prize laureate, Mohamed ElBaradei, a secularist with Western democratic principles, as a transitional president, if the Mubarak government was put out of office.
Esam Shosha, a movement member said "The revolution does not belong to any one group. We are one country. It's not just about the Brotherhood, at least not now; it's about all Egyptians."
"They don't want to appear as if they're using this revolt to seize power. What they want is free and fair elections to allow them to take power transparently," an analyst at the Al Ahram Center for Political and Strategic Studies in Cairo, Wahid Abdul Magid, said.
The Muslim Brotherhood is the world's most influential Islamist movement and the oldest and largest Islamic political group. Their goal however, is to also penetrate and take over other Muslim organizations in order to unite all Muslims to the general aims of the brotherhood.
The organization's beliefs are moderate when compared with many of the world's more militant Muslim organizations. However, it rejects the idea that a woman, or a Christian could be president of a Muslim country and would lean the nation's laws toward more rigorous Islamic codes. It would certainly ban alcohol and topless beaches at the resort of Sharm el Sheik. The organization also prohibits dancing and other such pastimes.
Hassan al-Banna, Islamic scholar and Sufi schoolteacher, who believed in reclaiming Islam's manifest destiny, an empire stretching from Spain to Indonesia, founded the organization in 1928.
The organization's goal is to instill the Sunnah and Quarn as the 'sole reference point for ordering the life of the Muslim family, individual and community and state'. It generally opposes violence to achieve its aims, though division has been created within the group, through its stance on no violence.
The Egyptian government accused the group of a campaign of killings in Egypt after World War II, as the organization strongly opposed Western colonialism. The Muslim Brotherhood was banned in Egypt, with members being arrested, in spite of the membership being kept a secret. The brotherhood was involved in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and assisted in the overthrow of secular Ba'athist dictators in Syria.
Al Qaeda has censored the brotherhood and charged them with 'betraying the cause of Islam and abandoning the 'jihad' in preference to forming political parties and supporting modern state institutions'. While studying at university, Osama bin Laden claimed he was influenced by the religious and political beliefs of many professors, who had strong connections to the Muslim Brotherhood.
The organization proclaimed its support for opposition leader and Nobel Peace Prize laureate, Mohamed ElBaradei, a secularist with Western democratic principles, as a transitional president, if the Mubarak government was put out of office.
Esam Shosha, a movement member said "The revolution does not belong to any one group. We are one country. It's not just about the Brotherhood, at least not now; it's about all Egyptians."
"They don't want to appear as if they're using this revolt to seize power. What they want is free and fair elections to allow them to take power transparently," an analyst at the Al Ahram Center for Political and Strategic Studies in Cairo, Wahid Abdul Magid, said.
The Muslim Brotherhood is the world's most influential Islamist movement and the oldest and largest Islamic political group. Their goal however, is to also penetrate and take over other Muslim organizations in order to unite all Muslims to the general aims of the brotherhood.
The organization's beliefs are moderate when compared with many of the world's more militant Muslim organizations. However, it rejects the idea that a woman, or a Christian could be president of a Muslim country and would lean the nation's laws toward more rigorous Islamic codes. It would certainly ban alcohol and topless beaches at the resort of Sharm el Sheik. The organization also prohibits dancing and other such pastimes.
Hassan al-Banna, Islamic scholar and Sufi schoolteacher, who believed in reclaiming Islam's manifest destiny, an empire stretching from Spain to Indonesia, founded the organization in 1928.
The organization's goal is to instill the Sunnah and Quarn as the 'sole reference point for ordering the life of the Muslim family, individual and community and state'. It generally opposes violence to achieve its aims, though division has been created within the group, through its stance on no violence.
The Egyptian government accused the group of a campaign of killings in Egypt after World War II, as the organization strongly opposed Western colonialism. The Muslim Brotherhood was banned in Egypt, with members being arrested, in spite of the membership being kept a secret. The brotherhood was involved in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and assisted in the overthrow of secular Ba'athist dictators in Syria.
Al Qaeda has censored the brotherhood and charged them with 'betraying the cause of Islam and abandoning the 'jihad' in preference to forming political parties and supporting modern state institutions'. While studying at university, Osama bin Laden claimed he was influenced by the religious and political beliefs of many professors, who had strong connections to the Muslim Brotherhood.
Peter Orszag’s Stance And Understanding On The US Budget
Different economists have varying perspectives of how to tackle the budget, and Peter Orszag was no different in his role as the Director of the Office for Budget and Management until July 2010 – one of the pivotal roles in deciding how US money is spent. His perspectives and economic values greatly influenced the direction that the Obama administration and America took as a whole in allocating Government expenditure, and Orszag believed that greater analysis was vital to ensuring a successful outcome. In this article, we are going to show Orszag’s stance on dealing with certain aspects of the budget while in office.
As Obama’s legacy of a healthcare reform was developing through Congress, Orszag believed that the increased spending on health in the nation’s budget needed to be carefully assessed, otherwise it had the risk to worsen the problems of the nation fiscally over the longer term. Because of this, he ensured that his office invested into greater resources to analyze the implications of the new policies which were coming in, phasing in programs which were not using finances effectively under the previous government. Because of the extensive budget deficit, Obama believed that there was a mandate to begin acting even before he began office on January 20, 2009, by appointing Orszag and even holding press conferences in 2008 after the result had been announced.
It seems that the President-elect at the time realized the pressure he was under to address America’s economic woes before they worsened, instead of waiting until he assumed office to address the problems, which could have developed into a severe crisis by that time.
This was why Orszag’s discerning eye was employed so early on in the process, in pre-Presidential policies that were the most radical since Franklin. Upon assuming the provisional role, Peter Orszag proceeded to forego his old position of managing the Congressional Budget Office, in which he coordinated as many as 230 on critiquing economical issues, and the policies which were being pushed through the processes of government.
Peter Orszag’s stance could be attributed to his inspirations as an economist, and the people who he studied under in his previous years and while at the London School of Economics. For example, some of his mentors included Alan Blinder, Joseph Stiglitz and Robert Rubin as he developed as an economist in later life.
As Obama’s legacy of a healthcare reform was developing through Congress, Orszag believed that the increased spending on health in the nation’s budget needed to be carefully assessed, otherwise it had the risk to worsen the problems of the nation fiscally over the longer term. Because of this, he ensured that his office invested into greater resources to analyze the implications of the new policies which were coming in, phasing in programs which were not using finances effectively under the previous government. Because of the extensive budget deficit, Obama believed that there was a mandate to begin acting even before he began office on January 20, 2009, by appointing Orszag and even holding press conferences in 2008 after the result had been announced.
It seems that the President-elect at the time realized the pressure he was under to address America’s economic woes before they worsened, instead of waiting until he assumed office to address the problems, which could have developed into a severe crisis by that time.
This was why Orszag’s discerning eye was employed so early on in the process, in pre-Presidential policies that were the most radical since Franklin. Upon assuming the provisional role, Peter Orszag proceeded to forego his old position of managing the Congressional Budget Office, in which he coordinated as many as 230 on critiquing economical issues, and the policies which were being pushed through the processes of government.
Peter Orszag’s stance could be attributed to his inspirations as an economist, and the people who he studied under in his previous years and while at the London School of Economics. For example, some of his mentors included Alan Blinder, Joseph Stiglitz and Robert Rubin as he developed as an economist in later life.
Zadroga Bill 101
The federally sponsored medical insurance long promised to the brave workers who sacrificed their safety and wellbeing to help those stuck in the rubble of the World Trade Center on September 11th is finally here. The medical insurance intended for the workers and their families is part of the just passed Zadroga bill, named for WTC police officer James Zadroga.
If eligible for benefits, 9/11 workers and their surviving family members will be entitled to all medically necessary treatment for their condition. Many questions about this medical insurance remain for Ground Zero workers suffering from serious medical conditions as a result of their bravery.
1. Who is covered by the Zadroga Bill?
If you or a family member worked at the World Trade Center, Pentagon or Shanksville, Pennsylvania crash site on or after 9/11 you may be eligible for these new healthcare benefits if: • You are currently being monitored for a 9/11-related disease or condition; • You have health issues because you worked at the WTC, Pentagon or Shanksville crash site and you meet certain eligibility requirements; • You are the family member of a deceased 9/11 worker and you meet the eligibility requirements.
The numerous qualification prerequisites for healthcare under the Zadroga bill can be bewildering. Make sure you get all the benefits you deserve by speaking with an experienced New York workers' compensation attorney about whether or not you are eligible.
2. What types of injuries are covered by the Zadroga Bill?
The Zadroga bill covers an assortment of respiratory, gastrointestinal, mental health and various other disorders. These include: • Lung diseases; • Chronic respiratory disorders; • Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD); • Chronic cough syndrome; • Asthma; • Upper airway hyperreactivity; • Chronic rhinosinusitis; • Chronic nasopharyngitis; • Chronis laryngitis; • Gastroesophageal reflux disorder (GERD) • Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) • Major depressive disorder; • Panic or anxiety disorders; • Depression; • Acute stress disorder; • Substance abuse.
There are additional disorders that will be covered, and some, like lower back pain and carpal tunnel syndrome, are covered if the worker received treatment prior to September 11, 2003. With eligibility difficult to determine on your own, consulting with a lawyer versed in assisting 9/11 workers obtain benefits could be extremely helpful.
3. What benefits does the Zadroga bill provide?
Workers meeting eligibility requirements are entitled to all treatment that is medically necessary to address their 9/11 related disorder. Family members of deceased 9/11 workers eligible for coverage can get a health evaluation to determine the appropriate follow-up treatment.
In New York, medical services will be provided by Clinical Centers of Excellence chosen by the bill's Program Administrator. The Program Administrators have also chosen a national network of providers who will provide treatment for those individuals who live outside of New York.
If eligible for benefits, 9/11 workers and their surviving family members will be entitled to all medically necessary treatment for their condition. Many questions about this medical insurance remain for Ground Zero workers suffering from serious medical conditions as a result of their bravery.
1. Who is covered by the Zadroga Bill?
If you or a family member worked at the World Trade Center, Pentagon or Shanksville, Pennsylvania crash site on or after 9/11 you may be eligible for these new healthcare benefits if: • You are currently being monitored for a 9/11-related disease or condition; • You have health issues because you worked at the WTC, Pentagon or Shanksville crash site and you meet certain eligibility requirements; • You are the family member of a deceased 9/11 worker and you meet the eligibility requirements.
The numerous qualification prerequisites for healthcare under the Zadroga bill can be bewildering. Make sure you get all the benefits you deserve by speaking with an experienced New York workers' compensation attorney about whether or not you are eligible.
2. What types of injuries are covered by the Zadroga Bill?
The Zadroga bill covers an assortment of respiratory, gastrointestinal, mental health and various other disorders. These include: • Lung diseases; • Chronic respiratory disorders; • Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD); • Chronic cough syndrome; • Asthma; • Upper airway hyperreactivity; • Chronic rhinosinusitis; • Chronic nasopharyngitis; • Chronis laryngitis; • Gastroesophageal reflux disorder (GERD) • Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) • Major depressive disorder; • Panic or anxiety disorders; • Depression; • Acute stress disorder; • Substance abuse.
There are additional disorders that will be covered, and some, like lower back pain and carpal tunnel syndrome, are covered if the worker received treatment prior to September 11, 2003. With eligibility difficult to determine on your own, consulting with a lawyer versed in assisting 9/11 workers obtain benefits could be extremely helpful.
3. What benefits does the Zadroga bill provide?
Workers meeting eligibility requirements are entitled to all treatment that is medically necessary to address their 9/11 related disorder. Family members of deceased 9/11 workers eligible for coverage can get a health evaluation to determine the appropriate follow-up treatment.
In New York, medical services will be provided by Clinical Centers of Excellence chosen by the bill's Program Administrator. The Program Administrators have also chosen a national network of providers who will provide treatment for those individuals who live outside of New York.
It's Time for a Budget Surplus Again
A showdown is looming in Washington. And it's all about debt.
Just to put this into perspective, our national debt stands at about $14 trillion. According to the national debt clock on brilling.com, the debt is $14,107,455,627,940.78, and the estimated population of the United States is 309,976,811. So each citizen's share of this debt is $45,511.33. The national debt is increasing by approximately $4.16 billion per day.
To put this simply, the federal government spends more money than it takes in. That's called a deficit. When you do this year after year, it creates a large amount of national debt. Did you know that since about 1970, we've run federal deficits every year except 1998, 1999, 2000 and 2001? The politicians in Washington sure like spending our money.
The federal government also has what's called debt ceiling. The Congress votes on and sets a national debt ceiling, the total amount of money the federal government can go into debt. In recent years, this debt ceiling gets raised almost every year. Sometimes more than once per year. Last year, the democratically controlled Congress raised the debt ceiling to $14.3 trillion, a political decision to push the next increase after the 2010 elections. We are expected to reach this ceiling within the next month or two.
The CBO (Congressional Budget Office) recently reported that we are likely to set a new record this year with almost a $1.5 trillion federal deficit. Studying our federal deficits over the last 25 years, it's been clear that we've run through several groups in control of Congress with various fiscal priorities.
Fiscal Conservatives
In 1994, Newt Gingrich lead the Republican Revolution, and voters elected fiscal conservatives into Congress, taking control of both the House and the Senate for the first time in many years.
First let's look at budget deficits before the 1994 election. These numbers have all been adjusted for inflation.
1986: $429.128 billion deficit
1987: $279.939 billion deficit
1988: $277.808 billion deficit
1989: $260.775 billion deficit
1990: $358.344 billion deficit
1991: $420.108 billion deficit
1992: $438.504 billion deficit
1993: $374.997 billion deficit
1994: $290.576 billion deficit
Keep in mind that by the time the new Congress was in place in January, 1995, the budget was already in place for the '95 fiscal year from the '94 Congress.
So what happened with deficits during the time that fiscal conservatives controlled Congress? They became surpluses for the first time since 1969.
1995: $227.96 billion deficit
1996: $145.125 billion deficit
1997: $29.04 billion deficit
1998: $89.96 billion SURPLUS
1999: $159.512 billion SURPLUS
2000: $290.772 billion SURPLUS
Fiscal Moderates
By 2000, moderates and liberals had made significant gains into Congress. While the House and Senate were still controlled by Republicans, they were now controlled by moderate Republicans instead of fiscal conservatives. These moderate Republicans controlled Congress be small margins through 2006. And by 2002, we returned to budget deficits instead of budget surpluses.
2001: $152.76 billion SURPLUS
2002: $186.204 billion deficit
2003: $430.1 billion deficit
2004: $462.56 billion deficit
2005: $347.71 billion deficit
2006: $260.4 billion deficit
Fiscal Liberals
In the 2006 election, Democrats finally wrestled away control of Congress from the Republicans. Here are the federal deficits we've run during the last few years with Democrats in control. Keep in mind, that like the example above, the 2007 budget was already in place by the time Democrats came into office in January of '07.
2007: $165.24 billion deficit
2008: $455 billion deficit
2009: $1.416 trillion deficit
2010: $1.294 trillion deficit
2011: Projected $1.5 trillion deficit
It will be interesting to see what happens over the next few years. Fiscal conservatives now have control over the House, but Democrats continue to control the Senate and the White House.
Do you want to know what President Obama had to say about our increasing national debt? He called it a "sign of leadership failure". But at the time, he was Senator Obama, and the year was 2006. And Senator Barrack Obama voted against raising the debt ceiling. Back then the national debt was only about $8 trillion. Since then, our national debt has increase by about 75%. That was only five years ago.
On this one, I agree with Barrack Obama completely. Our current level of national debt is certainly a failure of leadership.
Just to put this into perspective, our national debt stands at about $14 trillion. According to the national debt clock on brilling.com, the debt is $14,107,455,627,940.78, and the estimated population of the United States is 309,976,811. So each citizen's share of this debt is $45,511.33. The national debt is increasing by approximately $4.16 billion per day.
To put this simply, the federal government spends more money than it takes in. That's called a deficit. When you do this year after year, it creates a large amount of national debt. Did you know that since about 1970, we've run federal deficits every year except 1998, 1999, 2000 and 2001? The politicians in Washington sure like spending our money.
The federal government also has what's called debt ceiling. The Congress votes on and sets a national debt ceiling, the total amount of money the federal government can go into debt. In recent years, this debt ceiling gets raised almost every year. Sometimes more than once per year. Last year, the democratically controlled Congress raised the debt ceiling to $14.3 trillion, a political decision to push the next increase after the 2010 elections. We are expected to reach this ceiling within the next month or two.
The CBO (Congressional Budget Office) recently reported that we are likely to set a new record this year with almost a $1.5 trillion federal deficit. Studying our federal deficits over the last 25 years, it's been clear that we've run through several groups in control of Congress with various fiscal priorities.
Fiscal Conservatives
In 1994, Newt Gingrich lead the Republican Revolution, and voters elected fiscal conservatives into Congress, taking control of both the House and the Senate for the first time in many years.
First let's look at budget deficits before the 1994 election. These numbers have all been adjusted for inflation.
1986: $429.128 billion deficit
1987: $279.939 billion deficit
1988: $277.808 billion deficit
1989: $260.775 billion deficit
1990: $358.344 billion deficit
1991: $420.108 billion deficit
1992: $438.504 billion deficit
1993: $374.997 billion deficit
1994: $290.576 billion deficit
Keep in mind that by the time the new Congress was in place in January, 1995, the budget was already in place for the '95 fiscal year from the '94 Congress.
So what happened with deficits during the time that fiscal conservatives controlled Congress? They became surpluses for the first time since 1969.
1995: $227.96 billion deficit
1996: $145.125 billion deficit
1997: $29.04 billion deficit
1998: $89.96 billion SURPLUS
1999: $159.512 billion SURPLUS
2000: $290.772 billion SURPLUS
Fiscal Moderates
By 2000, moderates and liberals had made significant gains into Congress. While the House and Senate were still controlled by Republicans, they were now controlled by moderate Republicans instead of fiscal conservatives. These moderate Republicans controlled Congress be small margins through 2006. And by 2002, we returned to budget deficits instead of budget surpluses.
2001: $152.76 billion SURPLUS
2002: $186.204 billion deficit
2003: $430.1 billion deficit
2004: $462.56 billion deficit
2005: $347.71 billion deficit
2006: $260.4 billion deficit
Fiscal Liberals
In the 2006 election, Democrats finally wrestled away control of Congress from the Republicans. Here are the federal deficits we've run during the last few years with Democrats in control. Keep in mind, that like the example above, the 2007 budget was already in place by the time Democrats came into office in January of '07.
2007: $165.24 billion deficit
2008: $455 billion deficit
2009: $1.416 trillion deficit
2010: $1.294 trillion deficit
2011: Projected $1.5 trillion deficit
It will be interesting to see what happens over the next few years. Fiscal conservatives now have control over the House, but Democrats continue to control the Senate and the White House.
Do you want to know what President Obama had to say about our increasing national debt? He called it a "sign of leadership failure". But at the time, he was Senator Obama, and the year was 2006. And Senator Barrack Obama voted against raising the debt ceiling. Back then the national debt was only about $8 trillion. Since then, our national debt has increase by about 75%. That was only five years ago.
On this one, I agree with Barrack Obama completely. Our current level of national debt is certainly a failure of leadership.
It's Time for a Balanced Budget Amendment
I've long made a joke that credit cards are evil. But that's not true. When a person who is responsible with their money uses a credit card responsibly, credit cards are not evil at all. Try renting a car or making a hotel reservation without a credit card. Credit cards also offer a level of protection when you make purchases. For instance, if you buy something online, and you're unhappy with it, or it's never delivered to you, you have the option of disputing the charges on your credit card. It can protect you from many of the possible dangers of purchasing something from an unknown company.
The problem is that many of us do not use credit cards responsibly. When my wife went back to school to finish her degree, we were making very little money. We were basically living off student loans and credit cards. By the time she got out of school, we had racked up thousands in credit card debt. We were buried with it and finding it difficult to dig our way out. We considered bankruptcy.
We went to a credit counseling service, chopped up our cards, and made monthly payments until we were out of debt. It's a liberating feeling to make that final payment on your credit cards. We haven't looked back. We no longer use credit cards. If we can't afford it, we don't buy it. We have learned the hard way that we're better off without credit cards. It doesn't make them evil. It just means that we're not responsible enough to use them responsibly. Because of our access to "money" on our credit cards, we were spending more money than we were making. We were running a budget deficit every year.
Does this remind you of our federal government at all?
Since the early 1960s, our federal government has run budget deficits every year except 1998, 1999, 2000 and 2001. They spend more money every year than they receive in tax revenues.
Many have brought up the idea of a balanced budget amendment. This would force the federal government to balance their budget every year, and eliminate budget deficits.
In theory, I disagree with this approach. But in reality, it needs to be considered.
Why? It's kind of like credit cards. In theory, credit cards are useful and offer purchasing protections for consumers. But in reality, many consumers use them to buy products they cannot afford.
In theory I oppose a balance budget amendment. In times like these when our country is in a recession, or is coming out of a recession, tax revenues to the federal government are down. A balanced budget amendment would force the federal government to reduce services during a time we need them the most.
But reality shows us a different picture. If the federal government ran budget surpluses during the good times, we could trust them to make good decisions and allow them to run budget deficits during the bad times. The problem is that our government does NOT run budget surpluses, even during the good times. They just continue to increase spending in good times and bad.
They are not responsible with our money, and they need to chop up their credit cards. It's time for a balanced budget amendment. It would be good for our country, and ultimately, good for our economy.
The problem is that many of us do not use credit cards responsibly. When my wife went back to school to finish her degree, we were making very little money. We were basically living off student loans and credit cards. By the time she got out of school, we had racked up thousands in credit card debt. We were buried with it and finding it difficult to dig our way out. We considered bankruptcy.
We went to a credit counseling service, chopped up our cards, and made monthly payments until we were out of debt. It's a liberating feeling to make that final payment on your credit cards. We haven't looked back. We no longer use credit cards. If we can't afford it, we don't buy it. We have learned the hard way that we're better off without credit cards. It doesn't make them evil. It just means that we're not responsible enough to use them responsibly. Because of our access to "money" on our credit cards, we were spending more money than we were making. We were running a budget deficit every year.
Does this remind you of our federal government at all?
Since the early 1960s, our federal government has run budget deficits every year except 1998, 1999, 2000 and 2001. They spend more money every year than they receive in tax revenues.
Many have brought up the idea of a balanced budget amendment. This would force the federal government to balance their budget every year, and eliminate budget deficits.
In theory, I disagree with this approach. But in reality, it needs to be considered.
Why? It's kind of like credit cards. In theory, credit cards are useful and offer purchasing protections for consumers. But in reality, many consumers use them to buy products they cannot afford.
In theory I oppose a balance budget amendment. In times like these when our country is in a recession, or is coming out of a recession, tax revenues to the federal government are down. A balanced budget amendment would force the federal government to reduce services during a time we need them the most.
But reality shows us a different picture. If the federal government ran budget surpluses during the good times, we could trust them to make good decisions and allow them to run budget deficits during the bad times. The problem is that our government does NOT run budget surpluses, even during the good times. They just continue to increase spending in good times and bad.
They are not responsible with our money, and they need to chop up their credit cards. It's time for a balanced budget amendment. It would be good for our country, and ultimately, good for our economy.
"Genuine Democracy" - What Would Obama Do If Tahrir Happened On The Mall In D.C.?
As most of now know, after more than two weeks of street demonstrations in and around Tahrir Square in Cairo, Hosni Mubarak has stepped down as the leader of Egypt and that a temporary, military-based government will step and rule in until democratic elections can be arranged. We should all offer congratulations to the people of both Egypt and Tunisia who have stood up for the cause of freedom in their respective countries despite the high potential of harm to themselves and their families. They are to be applauded for their courage and we wish them the best of luck. May they find happiness and liberty the way eastern Europe did after the collapse of the Iron Curtain and avoid the fate of the Iranian people, who never got a chance at freedom after the Shah was toppled in Iran. Interesting times.
This whole episode in freedom gets one thinking about a hypothetical situation: what if a similar uprising or outpouring of emotion in the pursuit of freedom happened in the United States and Americans gathered for days on end on the Mall in D.C., similar to what the brave souls did at Egypt's Tahrir Square? President Obama recently spoke to the issue saying that "the Egyptian government must put forward a credible, concrete and unequivocal path toward genuine democracy, and they have not yet seized that opportunity." (note: this statement was put out before Mubarak stepped down).
But what if Americans decided they also wanted a "genuine democracy," that the form of government they were living under today was not a genuine democracy because:
1) The government and the political class controlled the major portion of each American's retirement funds via Social Security and the government and the political class controlled the major portion of each American's retirement medical care and fate via Medicare?
2) The government and the political class controlled the major portion of each American's pre-retirement medical care and fate via Obama Care?
3) The government and the political class confiscated over 40% of each American's earnings every year via taxes and fees, leaving each American far less flexibility and freedom to manage how their kids are educated, to start or expand a business, to save for retirement, to contribute to their favorite charity, or to just spend the fruits of their labor any way they wanted?
4) The government and the political class had absolutely no financial discipline when it came to managing the nation's finances, burdening each of today's Americans and future generations of Americans with tens of thousands of dollars of debt burden?
5) The government and political class has rigged nearly every election process, from gerrymandering Congressional districts to using taxpayer money on earmarks, that are only thinly disguised campaign fund raising vehicles for incumbents, to allowing unions, PACs, corporations and the such to overwhelm our election processes and the will of American citizens with billions of dollars, etc.
6) The government and the political class waged a highly expensive and highly ineffective "War on Drugs" campaign that failed to contain the flow of illegal drugs into and around the country, failed to provide an effective drug addiction treatment network, caused a violent, near narco state to develop just south of our borders , infringed on our freedom via illegal or semi-legal searches of our homes and cars, and infringed on the rights of Americans to do what they want to their own body?
7) The government and the political class spent far more money on education than any other country in the world but succeeded only in turning out mediocre students, when measured against the education quality of students from around the world, wasting generations of brain power that could have been developed in American kids.
8) The government and the political class has shown no ability to respond to natural and man made disasters despite incredible amounts of taxpayer dollars spent to run government departments and agencies, disasters that have ranged from Hurricane Katrina to the BP oil rig disaster.
9) The government and the political class have erected huge bureaucratic processes that discourage business formation and innovation and benefit no one but the bureaucrats in charge of the useless processes and red tape.
10) The government and the political class tried to control the press by either trying to control the message via the obnoxious and anti-liberty "Fairness Doctrine" principle or through the outright banning of media outlets holding contrarian views.
11) The government and the political class viewed American citizens as not free people whose contrary opinions were not to be belittled but respected and celebrated but as votes to be controlled, bargained for, and discarded once the election was over.
12) The government and the political class think that the Patriot Act, Gitmo, and holding people in custody forever without a trial are consistent with freedom.
Unfortunately, these "dirty dozen," anti-freedom behaviors are not theoretical today, they are the reality of America under the current political class. We ourselves do not live in a "genuine democracy" that President Obama desires for the Egyptians. I would make the case, as I do in the fifty steps in "Love My Country, Loathe My Government," that we are not living in a genuine democracy in this country. Maybe the President should worry more about fixing our democracy than in telling others how to live freely.
However, the chances of that happening are slim relative to the dirty dozen items listed above:
1) Obama's rejection of the Social Security and Medicare recommendations from his OWN Debt Reduction Commission does nothing to prevent the coming insolvency of these two programs.
2) His health care overhaul legislation accounts for the control of Americans' pre-retirement medical care in negative ways that are just becoming apparent.
3) He fought the continuation of the Bush tax cuts and has shown no propensity to reduce taxes for ALL Americans or making government more efficient so that not as much taxes are needed to run it.
4) Government spending deficits have skyrocketed during his administration to terrifying heights, usually exceeding a TRILLION dollars a year.
5) Political campaign spending in the recent midterm elections was in the billions of dollars, with no indication from Congress or the President that they have the will and desire to return voting power to the common, individual American and to take the power away from the moneyed interests.
6) The War on Drugs - over four decades after it started, still a lost cause.
Recent testing of high school students from all over the world showed that in reading science, and math, there were at least 17 nations in each category educating their kids better than our government and political class were doing with public education in this country.
7) U.S. kids do not come close to competing on education quality in any cagtegory.
8) BP Oil Spill - has the government and political class learned nothing as it applies to contingency planning since Katrina?
9) The number of Federal employees has grown by untold thousands since President Obama was elected, worsening an already slow moving, immobile government structure.
10) Numerous members of the President's party and himself, have made accusations against Fox News and tried to isolate the news outlet in many different ways, all for having a difference of opinion with the administration, basically trying to suppress freedom of speech and freedom of the press.
11) Rather than respecting and celebrating diversity of opinion, and essential part of any genuine democracy, the President has remained silent while his henchmen have called those that oppose Obama's policies un-American (Nancy Pelosi), knuckle dragging Neanderthals (Alan Grayson), racists (Charles Rangel and Howard Dean), members of the Ku Klux Klan (Sheila Jordan Lee and Grayson), and gerbils (a Congressman whose name escapes now). Senate majority Leader Harry Reid actually stated in public that Americans visiting D.C. in the summer time physically smelled. When citizens are held in such contempt by the ruling class, you do not live in a free, genuine democracy. One of the few times the President spoke up when discussing those Americans who had an honest and rightful disagreement with his policies, he spoke of the need to "punish" his "enemies." How sad, a sitting President feeling that those citizens he is supposed to serve were his enemies and were in need of punishment. Hardly a democratic viewpoint.
12) Patriot Act and Gitmo - enough said.
It would certainly be interesting to transpose the Egyptians in Tahrir Square into Americans on the Mall in D.C.but keep the demands the same: free citizens living in an economically sound environment with a true voice in determining how they are governed. That is all the Egyptians want, that is all Americans want. Would President Obama be so supportive and forthright in his praise and desire for "genuine democracy" in America as he is for "genuine democracy" in Egypt? Unfortunately, his actions in office so far indicate he would not.
This whole episode in freedom gets one thinking about a hypothetical situation: what if a similar uprising or outpouring of emotion in the pursuit of freedom happened in the United States and Americans gathered for days on end on the Mall in D.C., similar to what the brave souls did at Egypt's Tahrir Square? President Obama recently spoke to the issue saying that "the Egyptian government must put forward a credible, concrete and unequivocal path toward genuine democracy, and they have not yet seized that opportunity." (note: this statement was put out before Mubarak stepped down).
But what if Americans decided they also wanted a "genuine democracy," that the form of government they were living under today was not a genuine democracy because:
1) The government and the political class controlled the major portion of each American's retirement funds via Social Security and the government and the political class controlled the major portion of each American's retirement medical care and fate via Medicare?
2) The government and the political class controlled the major portion of each American's pre-retirement medical care and fate via Obama Care?
3) The government and the political class confiscated over 40% of each American's earnings every year via taxes and fees, leaving each American far less flexibility and freedom to manage how their kids are educated, to start or expand a business, to save for retirement, to contribute to their favorite charity, or to just spend the fruits of their labor any way they wanted?
4) The government and the political class had absolutely no financial discipline when it came to managing the nation's finances, burdening each of today's Americans and future generations of Americans with tens of thousands of dollars of debt burden?
5) The government and political class has rigged nearly every election process, from gerrymandering Congressional districts to using taxpayer money on earmarks, that are only thinly disguised campaign fund raising vehicles for incumbents, to allowing unions, PACs, corporations and the such to overwhelm our election processes and the will of American citizens with billions of dollars, etc.
6) The government and the political class waged a highly expensive and highly ineffective "War on Drugs" campaign that failed to contain the flow of illegal drugs into and around the country, failed to provide an effective drug addiction treatment network, caused a violent, near narco state to develop just south of our borders , infringed on our freedom via illegal or semi-legal searches of our homes and cars, and infringed on the rights of Americans to do what they want to their own body?
7) The government and the political class spent far more money on education than any other country in the world but succeeded only in turning out mediocre students, when measured against the education quality of students from around the world, wasting generations of brain power that could have been developed in American kids.
8) The government and the political class has shown no ability to respond to natural and man made disasters despite incredible amounts of taxpayer dollars spent to run government departments and agencies, disasters that have ranged from Hurricane Katrina to the BP oil rig disaster.
9) The government and the political class have erected huge bureaucratic processes that discourage business formation and innovation and benefit no one but the bureaucrats in charge of the useless processes and red tape.
10) The government and the political class tried to control the press by either trying to control the message via the obnoxious and anti-liberty "Fairness Doctrine" principle or through the outright banning of media outlets holding contrarian views.
11) The government and the political class viewed American citizens as not free people whose contrary opinions were not to be belittled but respected and celebrated but as votes to be controlled, bargained for, and discarded once the election was over.
12) The government and the political class think that the Patriot Act, Gitmo, and holding people in custody forever without a trial are consistent with freedom.
Unfortunately, these "dirty dozen," anti-freedom behaviors are not theoretical today, they are the reality of America under the current political class. We ourselves do not live in a "genuine democracy" that President Obama desires for the Egyptians. I would make the case, as I do in the fifty steps in "Love My Country, Loathe My Government," that we are not living in a genuine democracy in this country. Maybe the President should worry more about fixing our democracy than in telling others how to live freely.
However, the chances of that happening are slim relative to the dirty dozen items listed above:
1) Obama's rejection of the Social Security and Medicare recommendations from his OWN Debt Reduction Commission does nothing to prevent the coming insolvency of these two programs.
2) His health care overhaul legislation accounts for the control of Americans' pre-retirement medical care in negative ways that are just becoming apparent.
3) He fought the continuation of the Bush tax cuts and has shown no propensity to reduce taxes for ALL Americans or making government more efficient so that not as much taxes are needed to run it.
4) Government spending deficits have skyrocketed during his administration to terrifying heights, usually exceeding a TRILLION dollars a year.
5) Political campaign spending in the recent midterm elections was in the billions of dollars, with no indication from Congress or the President that they have the will and desire to return voting power to the common, individual American and to take the power away from the moneyed interests.
6) The War on Drugs - over four decades after it started, still a lost cause.
Recent testing of high school students from all over the world showed that in reading science, and math, there were at least 17 nations in each category educating their kids better than our government and political class were doing with public education in this country.
7) U.S. kids do not come close to competing on education quality in any cagtegory.
8) BP Oil Spill - has the government and political class learned nothing as it applies to contingency planning since Katrina?
9) The number of Federal employees has grown by untold thousands since President Obama was elected, worsening an already slow moving, immobile government structure.
10) Numerous members of the President's party and himself, have made accusations against Fox News and tried to isolate the news outlet in many different ways, all for having a difference of opinion with the administration, basically trying to suppress freedom of speech and freedom of the press.
11) Rather than respecting and celebrating diversity of opinion, and essential part of any genuine democracy, the President has remained silent while his henchmen have called those that oppose Obama's policies un-American (Nancy Pelosi), knuckle dragging Neanderthals (Alan Grayson), racists (Charles Rangel and Howard Dean), members of the Ku Klux Klan (Sheila Jordan Lee and Grayson), and gerbils (a Congressman whose name escapes now). Senate majority Leader Harry Reid actually stated in public that Americans visiting D.C. in the summer time physically smelled. When citizens are held in such contempt by the ruling class, you do not live in a free, genuine democracy. One of the few times the President spoke up when discussing those Americans who had an honest and rightful disagreement with his policies, he spoke of the need to "punish" his "enemies." How sad, a sitting President feeling that those citizens he is supposed to serve were his enemies and were in need of punishment. Hardly a democratic viewpoint.
12) Patriot Act and Gitmo - enough said.
It would certainly be interesting to transpose the Egyptians in Tahrir Square into Americans on the Mall in D.C.but keep the demands the same: free citizens living in an economically sound environment with a true voice in determining how they are governed. That is all the Egyptians want, that is all Americans want. Would President Obama be so supportive and forthright in his praise and desire for "genuine democracy" in America as he is for "genuine democracy" in Egypt? Unfortunately, his actions in office so far indicate he would not.
Top 10 Good Bills in Congress
There are some things that the House of Representatives are trying accomplish that should be supported in my opinion. Here is a hotlist of good legislation that is on the books.
These are not the only good things that could be done, and new legislation may be introduced periodically throughout the session, but these are those most promising:
10.H.R. 106 -- Public Official Accountability Act
This bill provides for an extra two year penalty for any public elected or appointed official convicted of bribery, fraud, extortion, or theft of public funds greater than $10,000, not a mandatory, just an extra tool available to the judge.
9.H.R. 61 -- Coach Act of 2011
This bill is to amend title 5 of the United States Code, to require Federal employees to use coach-class air travel in the United States except in limited circumstances.
8. H.R. 54 -- Stand by your Oil Pollution Act or the STOP Act.
To amend the Oil Pollution Act of 1990 to extend liability to corporations, partnerships, and other persons having ownership interests in responsible parties, make the corporations pay.
7. H.R. 47 -- Classified Information Accountability Act of 2011 or CIA Act.
This is legislation to provide a civil penalty for certain misrepresentations made to Congress by a person employed by the intelligence community, a $10,000 fine to be exact.
6.H.R. 109 -- To establish a national commission on presidential war powers and civil liberties.
This is a commission to investigate the broad range of executive branch national security policies undertaken since the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001, such as torture, wiretaps, etc, etc.
5. H.R.35 -- Teacher Tax Reduction Act of 2011
Allows teachers to take a $500 larger deduction for material they buy for their classrooms, the language is not very specific, it only says the deduction is for “certain expenses of elementary and secondary school teachers”, but it’s a good start.
I would like to see it expanded to upper level education too, but for now this is pretty advantageous.
(FULL DISCLOSURE: My wife is a community college teacher and so we value education and teachers a lot here, I may be biased in liking this legislation.)
4. H.R.29 -- To provide for the withdrawal of the United States from the North American Free Trade Agreement.
This one is pretty self-explanatory, if you haven’t hard about the negative effects of NAFTA, you should have. Facts like in the US alone, more than 765,000 jobs have disappeared as a result of NAFTA. When these laid off workers find new jobs, they earn 23 percent less on average than at their previous employment, NAFTA hurts everyone.
3. H.R.32 -- Homeless Children and Youth Act of 2011
This bill is too amend the McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act to include youths and children…not sure why the Regan era legislators left them out.
2. HR 111: Breast Cancer Patient Protection Act of 2011
This bill is to require a minimum standard of care by insurance companies for all persons with breast cancer, including extending the hospital stay to up to 48 hours if a doctor deems its needed and other benefits.
1. H.R. 36 -- Eating Disorders Awareness, Prevention, and Education Act of 2011.
This bill is to raise awareness of eating disorders and to create educational programs in schools to help students learn and avoid these devastating diseases. This is not the first time that the bills sponsor, Congresswoman Judy Biggert, has done some good things with her power, as this story shows.
And one that deserves an honorable mention, and all good internet users should look up is...
H.R. 96 -- Internet Freedom Act
This is to keep the FCC from further regulating the Internet.
So there it is, a summary of some of the most promising legislation in the House of Representatives. --♣
These are not the only good things that could be done, and new legislation may be introduced periodically throughout the session, but these are those most promising:
10.H.R. 106 -- Public Official Accountability Act
This bill provides for an extra two year penalty for any public elected or appointed official convicted of bribery, fraud, extortion, or theft of public funds greater than $10,000, not a mandatory, just an extra tool available to the judge.
9.H.R. 61 -- Coach Act of 2011
This bill is to amend title 5 of the United States Code, to require Federal employees to use coach-class air travel in the United States except in limited circumstances.
8. H.R. 54 -- Stand by your Oil Pollution Act or the STOP Act.
To amend the Oil Pollution Act of 1990 to extend liability to corporations, partnerships, and other persons having ownership interests in responsible parties, make the corporations pay.
7. H.R. 47 -- Classified Information Accountability Act of 2011 or CIA Act.
This is legislation to provide a civil penalty for certain misrepresentations made to Congress by a person employed by the intelligence community, a $10,000 fine to be exact.
6.H.R. 109 -- To establish a national commission on presidential war powers and civil liberties.
This is a commission to investigate the broad range of executive branch national security policies undertaken since the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001, such as torture, wiretaps, etc, etc.
5. H.R.35 -- Teacher Tax Reduction Act of 2011
Allows teachers to take a $500 larger deduction for material they buy for their classrooms, the language is not very specific, it only says the deduction is for “certain expenses of elementary and secondary school teachers”, but it’s a good start.
I would like to see it expanded to upper level education too, but for now this is pretty advantageous.
(FULL DISCLOSURE: My wife is a community college teacher and so we value education and teachers a lot here, I may be biased in liking this legislation.)
4. H.R.29 -- To provide for the withdrawal of the United States from the North American Free Trade Agreement.
This one is pretty self-explanatory, if you haven’t hard about the negative effects of NAFTA, you should have. Facts like in the US alone, more than 765,000 jobs have disappeared as a result of NAFTA. When these laid off workers find new jobs, they earn 23 percent less on average than at their previous employment, NAFTA hurts everyone.
3. H.R.32 -- Homeless Children and Youth Act of 2011
This bill is too amend the McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act to include youths and children…not sure why the Regan era legislators left them out.
2. HR 111: Breast Cancer Patient Protection Act of 2011
This bill is to require a minimum standard of care by insurance companies for all persons with breast cancer, including extending the hospital stay to up to 48 hours if a doctor deems its needed and other benefits.
1. H.R. 36 -- Eating Disorders Awareness, Prevention, and Education Act of 2011.
This bill is to raise awareness of eating disorders and to create educational programs in schools to help students learn and avoid these devastating diseases. This is not the first time that the bills sponsor, Congresswoman Judy Biggert, has done some good things with her power, as this story shows.
And one that deserves an honorable mention, and all good internet users should look up is...
H.R. 96 -- Internet Freedom Act
This is to keep the FCC from further regulating the Internet.
So there it is, a summary of some of the most promising legislation in the House of Representatives. --♣
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