Michele Kearney's Snuffysmith's Blog

Wednesday, August 29, 2012

Reader’s view: Both presidential campaigns have it wrong on energy

President Obama’s emphasis on impractical, low-density, renewable-energy farms and his plan to dismantle the Yucca Mountain spent nuclear fuel storage facility are mistakes the new Romney energy plan could have exploited. Instead, the Romney plan is mostly a rehash of Newt Gingrich’s “drill, baby, drill” scheme for our oceans and public lands, to produce expensive oil that we don’t need today. http://www.duluthnewstribune.com/event/article/id/241298/group/Business/

Tuesday, August 28, 2012

Meaningless Words in Politics: Ron Paul

Congressman Ron Paul 14th District of Texas

http://paul.house.gov/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=2007:meaningless-words-in-politics&catid=64:2012-texas-straight-talk&Itemid=69

Meaningless Words in Politics

As we enter the fall political season, we will hear a great deal of rhetoric from both major political parties and their many candidates for office. It’s important for us to remember, however, that words can be made meaningless by misuse or overuse. And when we as citizens allow politicians to obscure the truth by distorting words, we diminish ourselves and our nation.

For example, we’ve all heard politicians use the words “democracy” and “freedom” countless times. They are used interchangeably in modern political discourse, yet their true meanings are very different. They have become what George Orwell termed “meaningless words”. Words like “freedom,” “democracy,” and “justice,” Orwell explained, have been abused for so long that their original meanings have been eviscerated. In Orwell’s view, such words were “often used in a consciously dishonest way.”

Without precise meanings behind words, politicians and elites can obscure reality and condition people to reflexively associate certain words with positive or negative perceptions. In other words, unpleasant facts can be hidden behind purposely meaningless language. As just one example, Americans have been conditioned to accept the word “democracy” as a synonym for freedom. Thus we are conditioned to believe that democracy is always and everywhere benevolent.

The problem is that democracy is not freedom. Democracy is simply majoritarianism, which is inherently incompatible with freedom. While our Constitution certainly features certain democratic mechanisms, it also features inherently undemocratic mechanisms like the First Amendment and the Electoral College. American is a constitutional republic, not a democracy. Yet we’ve been bombarded with the meaningless word “democracy” for so long that few Americans understand the difference.

If we intend to use the word freedom in an honest way, we should have the simple integrity to give it real meaning: Freedom is living without government coercion. So when a politician talks about freedom or liberty--regardless of the issue being discussed-- ask yourself whether he is advocating more government force or less.

The words “liberal” and “conservative” have also been abused. “Liberalism,” which once stood for civil, political, and economic liberties, has become a synonym for omnipotent coercive government. Liberalism has been redefined to mean liberation from material wants, always via a large and benevolent government that exists to create equality on earth.

“Conservatism,” meanwhile, once meant respect for tradition and distrust of active government. But in recent decades conservatism has been redefined as support for big-government grandiosity via military adventurism, corporatism, and inflationary monetary policy. The modern political right has redefined conservatism into support for an all-powerful central state, provided that the state furthers supposedly conservative goals.

Orwell certainly was right about the use of meaningless words in politics. Our task, therefore, is to reclaim our language and reclaim our liberties. If we hope to remain free, we must cut through the fog and attach concrete meanings to the words politicians use to deceive us.

America is waiting

As Congress and the White House dawdle, the worst recovery since the Great Depression plods onhttp://www.chicagotribune.com/news/opinion/editorials/ct-edit-waiting-20120828,0,476139.story

When firms pay CEOs more than Uncle Sam, the tax system is broken

Corporations lobbied hard for their tax breaks and loopholes — which they enjoy at other taxpayers' expense. It's time for reforms. http://www.latimes.com/business/la-fi-lazarus-20120828,0,6977864,full.column

The Case for Jumping Off the Fiscal Cliff (Even if We Fall Into Recession)

Are we wrong to fear the fiscal cliff?
The Congressional Budget Office promises short-term pain if the country hurtles over the fiscal cliff -- a term for an automatic set of tax increases and spending cuts that will take effect at the end of the year as a result of last year's budget standoff. But pundits and policymakers are ignoring the fact that it also promises a strong medium-term recovery, writes James Kwak. That suggests that doing nothing might be better than trying to bolt together a hasty compromise, Kwak argues. "There is an answer to our deficit problems staring us in the face. The real question is why both parties are trying so hard not to see it," he writes. TheAtlantic.comhttp://www.theatlantic.com/business/archive/2012/08/the-case-for-jumping-off-the-fiscal-cliff-even-if-we-fall-into-recession/261555/

FAS In-Depth: August 28, 2012 Crisis in Syria

FAS In-Depth: August 28, 2012

Crisis in Syria

Escalating Crisis in Syria

Syria has one of the most sophisticated chemical weapons programs in the world and is suspected to have an active biological weapons program. Additionally, there are reports that Syrian rebels have acquired MANPADS, which are surface-to-air missiles fired by an individual or a small team.
In a new video for the FAS series "A Conversation with an Expert," Mr. Charles Blair, Senior Fellow on State and Non-State Threats, and Mr. Matt Schroeder, Director of the Arms Sales Monitoring Project, discuss the crisis in Syria and the implications of rebels acquiring and using chemical weapons and MANPADS.
Your support helps the Federation of American Scientists make a difference. As a valued FAS member, you're able to view this video before it is released to the general public.
You can view the video here.
For more information on the crisis in Syria, check out these FAS resources and much more on our website.

FAS Projects and Blogs:
Strategic Security Blog
Arms Sales Monitoring Project

Weapons:
Syria Special Weapons
Black Market Prices for Man- portable Air Defense Systems

Syrian Nuclear Science Bibliography: Open Literature Citations

Review of Syria's Missile Strategy

Syria: Most Advanced in Arab World in Chemical Weapons

Terrorist Intelligence Operations

Publications and News Articles: Aug 24: Al Jazeera, "Russia Says No Chemical Weapons Use in Syria"
Aug 24: Agence France Presse, "U.S. Weighs Dire Scenarios to Secure Syria's WMD"
Aug 24: Politico - Morning Defense, "The Chemical Weapons Conundrum"
Aug 22: Los Angeles Times, "U.S. Has Plans in Place to Secure Syria Chemical Arms"
Aug 17: New York Times, "Watching Syria's War"
July 27, Foreign Policy - Passport: "What's Up With Syria's MANPADS?"
July 26, New York Times - At War Blog: "The 3-Step Method to Analyzing Videos from Syria"
July 19: NPR, "As Fighting in Syria Intensifies, U.S. Worries About Chemical Weapons"
July 17: Christian Science Monitor, "Syria's Top Defector Says Assad Not Afraid to Use Chemical Weapons"
July 17: Discovery News, "Why a Chemical Threat in Syria is Terrifying"
July 16: Foreign Policy, "Just How Deadly is Assad's Arsenal?"
July 16: The Atlantic, "Deadly Uncertainty: The Reason Syria's Chemical Weapons Are So Dangerous"
July 13: National Journal, "Syria's Chemical Weapons: A Perfect Storm?"
June 26: Christian Science Monitor, "Syria's Chemical Weapons: How Secure Are They?"
March 1: Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists, "Fearful of a Nuclear Iran? The Real WMD Nightmare is Syria"
February 15, Associated Press: "U.S. Watching Syrian Chemical Weapons 'Closely'"

Suspects Arrested: Murder, Weapons, Presidential Assassination and Government Overthrow Plot

Suspects Arrested: Murder, Weapons, Presidential Assassination and Government
Overthrow Plot
http://www.darkgovernment.com/news/suspects-arrested-murder-weapons-presidential-assassination-and-government-overthrow-plot/

Update (4:51 p.m.): Isaac Aguigui, the alleged leader of the anarchist militia
group, bears a striking resemblance to one "Isaac Aguigui" identified as a 2008
Republican National Convention page by Reuters, as Gawker's John Cook points
out. View the side-by-side comparison of his current mug shot and 2008 RNC
photo here.

Arianna Huffington: Shadow Conventions 2012: What They Will Not Be Talking About in Tampa and Charlotte

Arianna Huffington: HuffPost Live is bringing you Shadow Conventions 2012 with the goal of sparking a national conversation on three issues that neither party is seriously addressing: the corrupting influence of money on our politics, the persistence of poverty in America, and the disastrous war on drugs. Our new streaming network will devote a day during each of the national conventions to focusing on one of those three issues. Today, HuffPost Live's team of host/producers will be joined by a broad range of politicians, thought leaders, activists, and celebrities for in-depth interviews and panel discussions on various aspects of the drug war. And we want you to be a central part of these discussions. That's what HuffPost Live is all about -- sparking real conversations about issues that impact our lives. The Shadow Conventions are your conventions. Join us and be part of a convention that's unscripted, surprising, and a lot more interesting than the over-produced political commercials in Tampa and Charlotte.

‘Guardian Angels’ won’t fix a flawed Afghan war policy

james carroll

THIS STORY APPEARED IN

August 27, 2012
http://articles.boston.com/2012-08-27/opinion/33400323_1_nato-soldiers-members-of-afghan-security-coalition-troops

Call Israel’s Bluff

by Ivan Eland, August 24, 2012

http://original.antiwar.com/eland/2012/08/23/call-israels-bluff/

The Israeli government, like other special interests prowling in Washington, is playing the American election to get what it wants. Ultimately, the Israelis want a promise that the United States will attack Iran over its nuclear program.

Five Myths About Paul Ryan's Budget

by Council on Foreign Relations

Peter Orszag contends that Representative Paul Ryan's budget plan is not a serious proposal for solving America's long-term fiscal problems.http://www.cfr.org/economics/five-myths-paul-ryans-budget/p28875?cid=rss-fullfeed-five_myths_about_paul_ryan_s_b-082712&utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+cfr_main+%28CFR.org+-+Main+Site+Feed%29&utm_content=Google+Reader

Romney's Energy Strategy, August 2012

by Council on Foreign Relations

Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney released this August 2012 energy white paper that details a 'goal of North American energy independence by 2020'.http://www.cfr.org/us-election-2012/romneys-energy-strategy-august-2012/p28874?cid=rss-fullfeed-romney_s_energy_strategy%2C_augu-082212&utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+cfr_main+%28CFR.org+-+Main+Site+Feed%29&utm_content=Google+Reader

Israel, Iran, and the Military Option

by Council on Foreign Relations

While a nuclear-armed Iran presents "a terrible outcome strategically," a U.S. or Israeli military attack carries unforeseeable risks, says CFR President Richard Haass.http://www.cfr.org/middle-east/israel-iran-military-option/p28879?cid=rss-fullfeed-israel%2C_iran%2C_and_the_military-082812&utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+cfr_main+%28CFR.org+-+Main+Site+Feed%29&utm_content=Google+Reader

Pepe Escobar: Tehran NAM Summit Unites the Real International Community

by Editor

Iran has opened the doors to delegates of the 16th gathering of the self-described non-aligned states - the largest international summit to have ever been hosted by the Islamic Republic.http://www.foreignpolicyjournal.com/2012/08/28/pepe-escobar-tehran-nam-summit-unites-the-real-international-community/