A Yule Season Rant

I’m putting together yet another post on current affairs and I wanted to do that without rehashing the subjects that have polarized this country for some time. Unfortunately, I don’t know how to do that.

The Monroe Doctrine gone awry. It basically was a document that espoused the idea that our interests lay beyond our shores and we should protect those interests both diplomatically and with force; if necessary. It came out at a time of great change in the Caribbean and both North and South America. Countries were freeing themselves from colonial rule and we nobly supported them. Unfortunately, every time some third world country expressed an interest in Democracy, off our country went. We became the world’s democratic police force. The watershed moment for the American public was the Viet Nam conflict and the internal strife that it caused. Personally, I think our presence in Afghanistan has little or nothing to do with supporting democratic intentions. We can continue to wield our sword worldwide, alienating more and more of the world’s population, or find an alternative. Even if we were to eliminate the Al Qaeda presence there; what do you think a bunch of tribesmen are going to do then? I’d sure like to know what our future plans are. Most folks I talk to generally agree with me and it looks like we are again going to exit a conflict with our tail between our legs. All the men and women who fought so valiantly and bravely deserve better.

He said she said. I have no idea who Susan Rice is other than she is the Ambassador to the United Nations. After the Benghazi attack she was dispatched to make the Sunday morning talk show circuit to enlighten everyone as to what the United States thought had happened. I have contended from the moment that I heard of the attack that it was a terrorist strike. The CIA says that that was their analysis to and that was in the message given to the State Department. The State Department says otherwise and neither one can seem to figure out how it could have been omitted from Susan’s briefing before going on air. Senators and Representatives alike are directing their anger over what was said (or not said) both by Susan Rice and the President in regards to Benghazi. No one seems to be concentrating on finding out what actually occurred there. Susan is also the hand selected successor to Hillary Clinton for the position of Secretary of State. Because of this faux pas, that is now in doubt. To me this is a classic diversion of time and effort from what we should be concentrating on. Does anyone think we’ll ever know what happened in Benghazi?

Someone is trying to get our elected representatives off of their collective asses and make them do something about the fiscal nightmare that is our national budget. Both the House and the Senate agreed to forced cuts (now known as the “fiscal cliff”) in order to agree to disagree over the current budget. The Democrats are inflexible when it comes to entitlements such as Social Security and Welfare. The Republicans don’t want taxation messed with; especially when it comes to the wealthy. Both sides are talking; but remain unwilling to compromise. I say let’s think outside the box and try a flat tax for a year or two.

Here are some final thoughts. Our national power grid is cobbled together with worn out and outdated equipment. Our infrastructure is rapidly deteriorating. We have little protection and no uniform immigration policy on our borders. The result is a melting pot of people unwilling to assimilate and a polarized electorate. We seem unable to confront the ravages of drug abuse in this country and continue to waste resources trying to stem the tide. Unemployment is rampant and our state and national budgets are in disarray. Those that are brilliant enough to pose solutions find themselves stymied by arcane laws and an unyielding bureaucracy. We have more than enough on our plate to keep ourselves busy without expending our blood and treasure overseas.