Another new report – another obvious conclusion.  A government report released today paints a somewhat disconcerting new picture of an unstable America and reduced American influence as India and China continue to grow.

“Although the United States is likely to remain the single most powerful actor, the United States’ relative strength — even in the military realm — will decline and U.S. leverage will become more constrained,” says the report, which is the fourth in a series from the Intelligence Council.

Obviously, I don’t give the Intelligence Coucil a lot of weight, but I do believe that they’re on to something, noting that the the world will continue shrinking and natural resources will become increasingly scarce in the years to come. Their argument that the world is in the midst of an unprecedented “transfer of global weath and power” from west to east is sound and as we continue to transfer manufacturing, mining, and intelligence labor to other countries the United States will simply be a military force and holder of other people’s money.  It’s hard not to understand or see the logic in what we’re saying, and the reasons behind it, from this chair, are quite obvious.

httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kq25mt2M6yk

For a while I was so caught up in how stupid it would be for Alaskans to elect convicted felon Ted Stevens that I didn’t keep up on what this could have meant for Sarah Palin.  As I discussed in an earlier article, a win by Ted Stevens could have resulted in a special election after his getting kicked to the curb ousted by other party members.  Assuming that Alaskans were voting their ticket, the Republican Sarah Palin (with her fancy clothes) could very easily have assumed Ted Stevens seat in the senate.  What a nightmare that could have been.

The media is basically pointing out that Bill Clinton may be the roadblock to Hillary Clinton becoming Secretary of State.  I’m sure it’s a double-edged sword because he has the contacts that could make her beneficial while creating the conflict of interest that might eliminate her from consideration.  Either way it sounds like a lose/lose for Hillary.  Funny thing, though, it’s been eight years since Bill Clinton left office and in that time Hillary Clinton has more than proved her ability to stand away from her husband when it’s necessary.  Besides, if they can try to elect convicted felon, Ted Stevens to office in Alaska, why can’t an impeached president’s wife be Secretary of State?

httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1HpTBF6EfxY

I’m not Keith Olbermann’s biggest fan.  Honestly, even today I feel like his passion is sometimes misdirected, but his comments supporting same-sex-marriage [ no on Proposition 8 ] are spot-on, and he deserves accoldades for his passion, professionalism and journalism.  Take a minute to hear his word and try to explain how you could possibly justify voting to change the constitution to segregate a portion of the population based on their sexual preferences.

Ranter

Some things you just can’t make up…

The Jehovah’s Witnesses came to my door this morning and when my wife saw them through the screen door she started to head them off with a simple “we’re not interested, thank you,” but before she could get the whole sentence out the lady interrupted my wife to say, “we’re Jehovah’s Witnesses.  We have something we’d like to share with you.”

Not to be deterred my wife added, “I know who you are, we’re not interested.”

Without missing a beat the lady outside said, “oh, I didn’t want you to think we’re Mormons.”  And then she went on her way.

Shoring Up the Economy

Experts are predicting that there will be somewhere between 3 and 5 million foreclosures next year alone. These figures amount to somewhere between 8,000 and 14,000 people evicted from their home every day. This is obviously not a small problem and with the continued acceleration of foreclosures it is very unlikely that it’s going to get better any time soon.  Something has to be done; the situation has gone from bad to worse and the world economy is now free-falling into a global recession unlike anything imagined before.

I’ve already expressed that Henry Paulsen is not able to help the economy and I believe that time will show he prolonged and worsened the problems that he/Goldman Sachs helped create.  I’m hopeful about Barack Obama coming into office because I believe that the world needs change and hope to empower the average citizen to help with improving the economy – to help the consumer believe.  Unfortunately, I don’t think that Barack Obama will be enough and that’s where I believe the United States (and the world as an extension of the US) needs a bailout/stimulus plan that helps stabilize the markets while simultaneously improving consumer confidence.  Some components should include:

Deirdre Bourdet, left, and Leslie Caccamese spent Saturday with hundreds getting married in San Francisco, March 2004.

There are so many reasons that I’m proud to live in California, and a few that make my stomach turn.  I’ve used this blog to show my support for the rights of gay couples wanting to get married in California, and although I thought that I’d done my piece to help, seeing the press today brings tears of frustration to my eyes and renews the anger that I feel towards the majority of Californians that consider it acceptable to legislate discrimination.  Where is their conscience?

Right now my biggest hope is that I won’t have to explain to my daughters that we live in an environment that discriminates against people because of the color of their skin, where they go to church or their sexual orientation.  I hope that my daughters will know that all Americans share the same rights and privileges under law because we, as a country, have voted to maintain those rights.  Ultimately, I hope that our “don’t ask, don’t tell” military will continue to defend those rights so that someday it might be possible for all world citizens to share those same rights.  For now, I’ll tell them that how Connecticut does it is right and that California will catch up at some point in the future – hopefully sooner rather than later.

httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qnSS0dEv-RQ

Every time Sarah Palin opens her mouth I cringe and now looking back I am thankful that the masses of America made the decision to elect Barack Obama President of the United States.  What’s frightening to me, though, is how many Americans were willing to vote for a ticket that includes someone this unqualified, evangelical, and unable to articulate a cogent thought.  My hypothesis… Americans saw an attractive woman in a skirt and voted for the person they wanted to see on television.

Under their government conservatorship, Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, the largest US mortgage-finance companies, will adopt new programs to reduce foreclosures and speed the process of modifying loans.  Unfortunately, their plans will only help those most likely of losing their homes, leaving the average middle-class family struggling to maintain.

The target of this program is borrowers who are at least 90 days delinquent with high loan to income ratios (or just about anyone that has purchased a home in the last five years).  Neel Kashkari, the Treasury’s interim assistant secretary, said, “with such broad adoption, this new protocol will be a standard for the industry to quickly move homeowners into long- term sustainable mortgages.”  Unfortunately, what it seems to be missing is any sort of long-term vision, because as it stands right now this program is only applicable in households that are at least three payments behind.  For everyone else… there is no hope.

Proposition 8 passed in California, along with similar legislation in Arizona and Florida, preventing same-sex marriages in those states.  These propositions were supported and primarily funded by the Mormon and Catholic churches.  Unfortunately, it seems that the very people that succeeded getting Obama the presidency – African-Americans and Hispanic-Americans from lower/middle class families – are the ones that propped up this legislation.  Of course, these same families are predominantly Catholic and Christian likely to have voted Yes on Proposition 8.

One article I read quoted some idiot man saying, “God says marriage is supposed to be between a man and a woman.”  What?  Are you kidding?  Come on people – I don’t care what your religious convictions are, God didn’t write the bible and if he’s talking to you, I have a jacket I’d like you to put on.  Marriage, as we’re talking about it today, is a civil and judicial process, and accordingly it has nothing to do with church, God, or your beliefs.  Separation of Church and State, remember?