Today's Thoughts - Flogging A Herd Of Dead Horses

I'm really tired of writing some of what I'm about to write. However, I'll keep writing it until people start to get it. At some point, doesn't the truth have to smash through the haze of complacency we live in?

Appeasement = no change

The Jerusalem Post reports that an attempt to assassinate Jimmy Carter was thwarted during his trip to Gaza. This is why just speaking with people governed by religious ideology and hate won't do a bit of good. No matter how friendly you are, no matter how many concessions you call for, you're still a part of the group of people to be despised, hated and killed. Until we realise the extremists don't think like we do our pursuits will be futile.

The Power Grab Continues

While we're not paying much attention the groundwork is being laid for massive government control of the private sector and eventually private life. As an LA Times story details the administration's plans to increase its powers to grab companies whose failures would "jeopardize the financial system." Who would determine if the company was in that condition? The government of course.

The argument of course will be, "We'll only use it when necessary." That would probably be true at first because the public is watching. But eventually, just like all power in Washington, some will try to expand it and take it beyond these supposedly altruistic beginnings.

A New Era....Not

MSNBC reports that the Obama administration is continuing the Bush practice of not disclosing the list of visitors to the White House. I know that using "MSNBC" and "reports" in the same sentence is bordering on oxymoronic. However, for once, there is useful information here.

Remember the most ethical government ever? Remember the most transparent administration? Yeah, we didn't really mean any of that. Suckers. It's the same old, same old. Bush was wrong to hide some of his visitors and so is Obama. The only difference is that Bush didn't wax poetic about the transparency he would bring to Washington. Imagine that. Hypocrites in Washington, D.C. Shocking, isn't it?