The Outraged Citizen

Back to Business as Usual

2011-01-19T07:24:00.000-08:00

In the next few hours the party formerly known as the Party of No, will have its first "political victory" and fulfill one its first promises to the American people. The newly Republican House of Representative is on the verge of repealing the Health Care Reform bill of 2010. Keep in mind that this reversal will not change anything because the Senate is Democratically controlled and the President would certainly veto this act if this miraculously passed the Senate (trust me, it won't).

I certainly agree that the Health Care Bill did not do everything that was promised and needed to solve. A lot of matters were sacrificed in the matter of compromise and while this was landmark legislation, it is just a start to correcting the health care issues of our nation that was years in the making. A majority of the Americans have a problem with this law for one reason or another and it is by no means perfect, but with 309 million people what is. Some say it doesn't do enough while other state that it intrudes too much. I will just say that this is like everything else in Washington, political posturing to an audience, to the people at home that I gave an half-assed effort to fix health care without promoting new ideas or solutions. People unfortunately, the Party of No is back to business as usual. Their sole goal is 2012, long term aspirations at the sacrifice of the short term help for millions that are plagued with access to good and basic health care for them and their families. I seriously hope that in eve of all that has happened this month that Congress can actually solve problems, but then again hope was so 2008.

I'm Back With More To Say

2011-01-16T19:12:00.000-08:00

I'm back and there is still a lot to be outraged about. While it is hopeful that on the eve of the Tucson tragedy that the pundits, the cable television networks, and the blogoshere (myself included) turn the heated rhetoric of 2010 that does not mean that there could not have and continue to have spirited debate. I believe and have always believed that public discourse is the responsibility of all as long as it is based on accurate information.

Before I begin the next chapter of the Outraged Citizen, I must state what this blog is and what it is not. The Outraged Citizen began as a person unhappy at the political bickering, the wasteful spending of our government, the scaling decline of morals, the love and obsession of celebrity and reality television along with the complete dismissal of common sense. There were way too many distorted truths from cable television and thought that I may not be the only person that wanted something more real, more intelligent and I know while my sarcasm and political affiliation may swing more left than right, I thought that I could be more honest the other things out there. My idea is and was not to promote hate or violence but to add a bit of satire, some humor, and to give a different take compared to what is found elsewhere.

For purposes of full disclosure, I started this blog angry at what our country had become mainly in 2008 and 2009. When corporations like the one I worked for greedily constantly forecast to raise its gross revenue percentage to double digit growth year after year. In this process they made bad decisions, made bad loans to people who didn't know any better and make huge profits. Instead of accepting the consequences of making these bad loans they along their competitors who did the same thing were rewarded with a public-backed bailout. In turn those same people what nearly sent these companies to bankruptcy were not received company bonuses back by the public that they wronged. I was dismissed from my company which I will call the stagecoach after I made a decision not to make deceptive sales. I chose not to commit the same actions of countless others that cared less about the consequences of their actions --of not only themselves but consumers who believed in them, who thought that their best interest were paramount --to increase their own paychecks. I did see some who tried to live above their means but the majority were wronged. The wrong people were bailed out and most of those were the victims are still being wronged today.

We arrived at this place because of greed and that is what I was outraged with about the most. I have seen money be the evil of people for over ten years and I am not surprised to see people continue to profit from other's pain. Speaking of pain isn't it amazing that we only become human after something painful. Why does it take a 9/11 or a massacre to notice that fact? It is also sad that once that pain fades everything goes back to normal.

I'm back and maybe not as outraged, but the title is staying. Thanks for reading!!

A Nation Divided, Uniting

2011-01-14T07:27:00.000-08:00

On the eve of the violence, loss of life, and wounding in Tucson our nation is uniting once again. It is sobering that this happens mostly in a sense of tragedy. Politicians suddenly become human again and for some time the us versus them game is paused. The arguments and the political backbiting has stalled on red states versus blue states and I am reminded and at the same time distantly hopeful that this is the way our politics should work. We can have spirited and calm conversation. We should have the ability to disagree that all should be able to state their ideas and their opinions without threat or reprisal. It is the very essence of our country. I just hope that we don't go back to yesterday and the bickering of 2010.

We have had this opportunity many times before. I vividly remember September 12, 2001. As I took the train that morning, people were human as they somberly walked to their destinations. Strangers said hello with friendly glances and gone was some of the road rage that plagued the streets and highways. We stood together united and some weeks later that unity began to break apart and we went back to business as usual. There is an opportunity for us to try again and we must all take a part.

I'm Still Here...

2010-08-22T13:08:00.000-07:00

Just wanted to let you know that I am still here. A nice new colorful page. Some quick things, yes President Obama is a US Citizen and a Christian. Case Closed! Dr. Laura should be ashamed and yes she knows better. California doesn't have a budget and probably will not have one anytime soon and speaking of that why is Meg Whitman spending over $100 million dollars to be Governor? She can't even spend her own money wisely. Just a few ramblings, will be back soon!

The OC.

A Nation Once United, Divided...The Perils of Health Care Reform and Broken Politics

2010-03-24T16:58:00.000-07:00

Yesterday, President Obama signed Health Care Reform into law. It was feat that dates back nearly a century since President Roosevelt, (Teddy not Franklin) in 1912. Over 30 million Americans will have health care and one would think that celebration would and should have spread across our nation. Unfortunately, Health Care or probably more accurately stated Health Insurance Reform is the latest lighting rod that is not only dividing our country and our politics, it is becoming the catalyst for us to become downright uncivil.

The First Amendment states: "Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances."

I cite this because of what I am going to say next is true but not the most politically correct, but it is my right to express.

After 100 years of trying, we have Health Care (Insurance) Reform from the first African American President and the Party of Just Say No has become the Party of Hell No and they have launched their Tea Parties and their puppet commentators to stop and repeal this law without any fair effort to see if it can work. We are seeing the elements of fear rise again. You have seen this before when people speak without fact, when they turn to insults, to racism, to confusion, to anger and unfounded outrage. They confuse socialism and say the President of the United States is a Socialist while they want to say other things that I will not say, but you know where I am going.

What ever happened to seeing if something works? What ever happened to being proven wrong? What if the problem with the person that is providing the reform and his difference in appearance to his predecessors? For all of you out there, yes race is a part of this problem and it a part of the puzzle that we find ourselves in. If you think not read on.

What has happened in the first 15 months of the Obama Presidency:

The President disrespected in an emotional outburst while delivering an Address to a Joint Session of Congress and the American people last September.
The "Birthers" tried unsuccessfully to prove that the President was not a US Citizen at birth, (which would have disqualified him from being President) a feat that has never happened before and despite clearly dispelling these rumors, some media still spread this misinformation.
Members of Congress has been harassed and some have received threats, some even death threats.
Every trick in the book has and is being used from the Party of Hell No to stop this President from succeeding at anything while saying that it is not about him.
The opposing party has given close to 0 votes on the critical issues that are plaguing the country.
There are many others as well...

Finally, those out there are infuriated about the cost of Health Care reform, I have another number for you $3 TRILLION! Yes with a T!!! That is the total projected cost of the Iraq War to the United States economy from a country that did not attack us. This is only the cost of the economy the other cost in lives, broken families, and those who returned worse than they left. Speaking of 9/11, we are far from the days of 9/11 and the days afterward when we rediscovered our unity; when we were at our most united, it is now a mere afterthought. It appears that the next cold war will be with ourselves, our neighbors and our enemies will revel in our division. All of this at a time where we have the most information at our fingertips why are we acting the most ignorant...ever. We are at a crossroads and going down a road that will take a long time to return from if ever.

2009: What We Have Learned

2010-01-01T07:30:00.000-08:00

I have been thinking of a way to summarize the year of the things that we (should) have learned. As the year started with a terrible recession where some are say its over (it's not) and the triumphs of hope are fading. Allow me in both an outraged and controlled way highlight some important truths.

We are going to need a lot more than hope to "fix" the things that are broken. The Audacity of Hope has turned into many things, like the audacity of nope, maybe, and lessons unlearned like Wall Street triumphing over Main Street. For 2010 add an extra helping of faith to that hope. The too big to fail banks are bigger and with most of them repaying their TARP loans the insanity begins again. Here's hoping that Timothy Geithner either grows some teeth (and a pair) or is fired and replaced with the more capable and knowledgeable Elizabeth Warren.
The Real Political Party Civil War was the one with the Democrats. In November 2008, the American people rallied behind the Democratic Party to bring change that we believed in. Yes, I said that in past tense. The Democrats managed to implode on itself and we saw that fragments and not the whole party. With health care reform, the Democrats began to look like a three ring circus with Pelosi and Reid being ringleaders. And yes Roland Burris somehow survived.
The real leaders of the Republican Party are not in Congress. Rush, Cheney, Beck, and O'Reilly has more of a pulse with their party than any elected member of Congress with the exception of a former Governor who went rogue, wait I thought she went rogue last year. All the real leaders of the Republican Party did was to derail most of what our new President wanted to do. I call it the Just Say No way of governance. No votes on the stimulus package or health care (short one fearless vote in the House), and not really contributing to the solutions of the problems that they had a large role in creating.
The Banks and Wall Street were saved to the doom of everyone else. The largest banks that were saved which include my former employer (for disclosure purposes) are now finding new ways to generate money--out of us. They are sidestepping a new law that is supposed to limit credit card fees and most of you may notice interest fee hikes before February 22, 2010 when the new law is to take effect. They are still charging unbelievable overdraft fees while their CEO's (retired and un-retired) are making more than ever. That's a huge that's for the "low interest loans" that we gave them. Foreclosures are still happening even though most grew heart choosing not to foreclose on people during the holidays. I say break them up AT&T style and don't allow them to slowly merge back together.
The price of fame and fame-seeking are too high. From the newly jailed parents of ballon boy, Jon and Kate, Lindsay Lohan, Michael Jackson's death, Tiger Woods, The Kardashian Sisters, are all the result of a tabloid media keeping presses and internet pages alive. Some like MJ's death were tragic, but I didn't need the marathon of coverage. We are obsessed with celebrity, gossip, and scandal. The sad thing is that it is only getting worse.
Sore Losers will say anything to keep up their unjust and unfound causes. Tea Parties and birthers flocked to television and rallies protesting how our tax dollars are spent. Most of these people were really just upset with the election of President Obama and doing all things to discredit him. The last administration spent all of the money, committed us to two wars, one just and another unjust. Other chose to question a birth certificate which is real and declared it fake regardless of the information just to keep the story alike. It's 2010, Obama is President, get over it!
We are violent, afraid, and things like that happen everywhere. Stop the denial, we are a violent nation where murder, rape, kidnapping, many other heinous and unspeakable acts happen. Policemen are shot, pregnant women are a in a high danger demographic, children are murdered and harmed in horrible fashion while countless witnesses and onlookers stand and do nothing. We are still obsessed with reactionary steps to prevent terrorism. We still live in the reaction of events after the fact instead of prevention. The truth is on Christmas we were shown that even with the information and intelligence, incompetence and the lack of execution are still a danger to national security. During this last event we should have learned we are still the victims of our own fear and money alone cannot protect us.
We are nowhere close to a post-racial society. The Professor Gates controversy with a Cambridge police officer was a reminder that we still prejudge. A cold beer can do a lot but there is still work to do. There are still mistreatment of citizens from police. There are still terrible stories of racial profiling and it only the birth of YouTube and online media that brings this to the forefront. It has been a year since Oscar Grant was murdered by a BART police officer. The election of Barack Obama as President brought us one step closer to racial harmony, but the road is still long, uncertain and cannot be taken for granted.
Ignorance is STILL Bliss. The best way to kill a great idea like a public option for Health Care reform is to dumb it down and confuse people. Congress write bills long enough (in the thousands of pages) that it takes half a day to read them during a legislative session. Playing stupid is still unfornately one of the worst tricks in the book not only in the aisles of Congress but everywhere else. As Chris Rock once said (paraphrasing) "Agreeing or disagreeing about a bill or policy solely based on whether you are a Democrat or a Republican makes you an idiot." I am amazed how our politics resembles high school or really bad reality television.

I hope that some of you take deep a thought or two about this while drinking large quantities of alcohol or getting over hangovers. Happy New Year everyone and it's twenty-ten, not two thousand ten.

The Outraged Citizen

Happy Holidays

2009-12-13T08:31:00.000-08:00

Happy Holidays to all. Enjoy the holiday season for those who choose to celebrate it. This is a time where the complaining can stop and action can begin. Go out and help someone in need. Volunteer some where and be thankful for what you have. Until next year, or month I should say unless something is truly outrage worthy.

Ready, Fire, Aim

2009-11-23T12:32:00.000-08:00

I have a question for all of us: When did we stop thinking? Perhaps the question should be when will we start thinking again. In various situations criminal, political, and tabloid alike there is a tendency not to think our actions through. The long term effects (mainly consequences) are not considered which could be an embarrassing moment to the cataclysmic loss of life. More and more I believe (and outraged) that we acting more and thinking less.

Here in the Bay Area, we have another subway transit controversy. A man who is allegedly mentally disturbed was forced of a subway train by a transit cop and forced into a window that broke while he was being arrested. The man allegedly was disruptive and was trying to pick a fight with other riders. Fortunately this was also captured on You Tube just like the shooting that happened on New Year's Day of Oscar Grant.

Speaking of police and crime I have always wondered why police shoot to kill in situations other than when they have been fired upon FIRST. I thought once that ever since police are expert (or supposed be) marksmen (and women) that they should be able to disable a suspect without killing them in most cases. I thought that they would want to question suspects to find out why they do the things that they do. I thought that they like to solve cases and not create new ones.

Unfortunately, as I said this is more universal than just crime and a worse example of ready, fire, aim exists in Washington, DC too. Remember the Patriot Act, the one that was passed in the middle of the the night. The law that no member of Congress read. Everyone in the Congress knew that something had to be done in the wake of 9/11 and haste overreaction and fear caused us to roll back civil rights 30 years. Even TARP which is now equally owned by Bush and Obama was and is still being handled too hastily. Where were the Congressional hearings and the debates like the ones that we are now having on health care? Where were the accountants, CPA's, and financial experts if there were a such thing? Add to that the wars, the deficit, and the economy.

Tragically, what should be the least important is what we ironically talk about most. Today is the last episode of Jon and Kate + Eight (smile). I know that the tabloids will be sad as this alone has sold enough as revenue for the year alone there is also the Michael Jackson saga and his parents who want more and countless other stories what waste even more time that I will not mention. The lengths that are gone for the exclusive usually results in inaccurate information.

There is plenty more that I could mention, but I believe that I have proved my point. Here is to aiming at bit more often and stopping talking about the misfires.

Gone Postal

2009-11-17T11:36:00.000-08:00

Let me first say that this is NOT about Sarah Palin's book Going Rogue (not entirely). While we as a nation continually hunger for all of the tidbits that is Ms. Palin from her introduction to the national stage to the Katie Couric interview to her issues with the McCain campaign; there are things that are more important and should matter more that the time that we (and I) have wasted and will continue to waste on all that is Sarah Palin.

My fellow citizens we have a problem much worse than the book Going Rogue, we as a nation have gone postal! You know what going postal is, someone who gets uncontrollably angry, becomes violent, and either harm, shoots, or kills people. People who think little about those that they are harming and the long term effects that they will leave behind. These people, at least most of them have now kill themselves, robbing the rest of us the reasons why or the ability to look them face to face. The sad thing is that the news is getting worse and each horrible crime is somehow worse than the story that became before it.

Just this weekend, in Berkeley, CA, the same city where I attended college, a man (allegedly) killed his girlfriend and possibly her eighteen month old son. This same man was convicted and served time for killing the son of a girlfriend over 15 years ago. A doctor in Oklahoma is accused of killing his nine year-old son. A woman in North Carolina is accused of not only killing her five year old daughter but there is the possibility that she was abused.

Add to this the killings at Fort Hood, the man who went to his former job in Florida that killed one and injured five others, and the countless other crimes, rapes, assaults and the national conversation that we are having today is the force-feeding of a woman that the majority of the country would not elect Vice-President, no less President. Along with the circus of loons she brought with her including Levi Johnston, we have been distracted from the things that should matter most. This is the same woman that contributed to health care by talking about death panels and who quit as the Governor of Alaska near the third year of her first term in office.

Anyway, these are the signs of where our priorities lie. We are occupied with Palin, Prejean (and her sex tape), a boy on a ballon whose parents succeeded in gaining the fame that they desperately wanted, and 2012, the movie that made $225 million worldwide this past weekend. A movie that fuels the obsession of the (rumored and unproven) end of the world by terrible and disastrous means.

There need not be floods, fires, earthquakes, and other specials effects that masquerade as national disasters, we are killing ourselves without these things. We are treating each other worse by the day (hour). I don't know if it is the water or if it is global warming, but "going postal" is becoming the new normal. That makes me terribly sad and it should make you sad too!

Can We Resurrect Common Sense? (Fall Edition)

2009-11-12T08:17:00.000-08:00

One of my favorite postings so far has been about my suggestions of the rebirth of common sense. I know that this is a hard lesson to learn so I thought that I would give it another shot. There are so many ways that we let go of our analytical thoughts and go to the ideas of free, sex, stupidity, nudity, and scandal. In my continuing effort to revive common sense, here are some new suggestions:

The Outraged Citizen's Rules of Common Sense: Fall 2009 Edition

Walk before you leap and think out your actions fully. (Thanks President Obama for throughly thinking about sending more of our troops in harm's way and even more for wanting a plan to get them out.)

Be careful before making a sex tape. (If Carrie Prejean won the Miss USA pageant, it would have taken all but five minutes when her "sex tape" became public.) That goes double for anyone who is employed or has aspirations for political office or just want to be seen as a professional in the workplace. Also, don't go on a talk show if you don't want to talk and answer questions.

Political victory in 2009 in two states, (if that) does not mean a political resurgence in your national party. Just Say No all you have done this was was that said no to a lot of the stuff that the President has pushed forward. All you have done was give birth to a sore loser tea party attitude.

Just as important, a political victory in 2008 will not last forever. The Yes We Can crowd needs to take action. Mr. President, you need to deliver on the items that you campaigned on if you want 2012 to be like 2008 at the polls.

Speaking of being careful, be careful before posting your photos to social networking sites. (Just this morning I saw a story of a school teacher that was fired for posting photos on her "private" Facebook profile of her drinking on vacation.) She wasn't drunk but had photos with her holding a beer and another holding a glass of wine. She is now suing the school district and good luck to her.

(Updated) Which brings me to this truth: Nothing on the Internet is private. A Google search now ruins careers, relationships, and just about everything else that you believe is private. Just pretend that privacy is dead. Wait a minute, it is.

Think out your publicity stunt and get your story straight with your family before going forward with it. Today the parents of the ballon boy Richard and Mayumi Heene will plead guilty for their falsified claims that their son was on a ballon that travelled miles and gave the American public and world alike unnecessary concern. Also just became your son's name is Falcon doesn't mean that he is destined to fly.

For the holidays, find out who made that fruitcake before you eat it. Matter of fact, in the age of food allergies and nutrition in general, find out what is in what you are eating. In California, restaurants are now beginning to post the nutritional contents of their dishes. My sister was devastated to discover how loaded in calories her favorite cheesecake was.

And finally if you happen to see a crime or something that is just wrong, call 911 and report it. I am not asking that you put your life in danger or anything or to play hero but a discrete call can make a world of difference.

I have a feeling that my work here is far from done and I will be planning the Winter/Spring 2010 edition. I am open to ideas for new rules so leave a comment. I know that I can't do this job alone.

C'Mon Man: An Open Letter to the Republican Party

2009-11-09T06:08:00.000-08:00

Dear Mr. Steele Limbaugh,

This letter is addressed to your whole party minus one (Rep. Joseph Chao of Louisiana) and I know that you must sign off before your party gets behind it. The first step of many to bring the reality of health care to more Americans happened this past Saturday (November 7). The members of your party couldn't get to a microphone or to a television camera quick enough to discuss their (or maybe your) disgust with the passage of health care reform in the House of Representatives this past Saturday. Your members complained its large price tag, naming it Pelosi-care, and said that it will be the downfall of our economy and our country.

Wait a minute, you guys and ladies don't have any problems writing large checks for the things that you want like that unnecessary war in Iraq, yeah that one. The one that we are still in, the one where the WMD's were supposed to be, the one where our Secretary of State went before the UN with "evidence" and claims that they were there. You used the fear card then too, just like you are doing now. You are injecting fear that we will go to death panels and people's care may be taken away. You tell them that there will be someone else in the room with them and their doctor. Hello, there is already someone else is the room who is running the conversation, the HMO's. You know those guys because they have spent millions a day to stop health care reform, yeah the ones paying YOU!

Every time everyone else wants to talk about health care you want to count how many illegal immigrants are in the country. I wonder why, but I know you know. You want to talk about the malpractice suits and how those in their twenties don't want health care. You induce fear in seniors that Medicare will not be there them. I don't mean to recite talking points from one of your tea parties or anything but you guys are talking about the problems, fabricated problems. The last time I checked you were elected to propose and create solutions and not the $61 billion health care bill you proposed last Saturday night to appear that you tried instead of just saying no completely.

I remember that you worked for ESPN for about two months and I could go into the reasons for your firing but one there is no time and two I need not deviate from my point. ESPN has this segment on their football coverage called c'mon man. This is the segment that highlights the unusual, the stupid, and the boneheaded plays of the week in the National Football League. I know you can guess what is coming and yes, for the 176 Republicans and the "going rogue" 39 Democrats that you influence, I say C'mon Man! This is only the first step to the process and I know (and I hope those who are reading know) that this thing is not done by a long shot. This will not be the final say of how health care will happen. There will be further debate in the Senate and eventually in a committee to get Health Care Reform truly done.

So c'mon man and get with the program. Stop confusing of the American people with your cool-aid and stand up for something right good. Misinformation should be above you, because I would hope that you would want the President to succeed. I forgot, you want the President to fail and I know I am asking for a lot from you and I have no check to give you (or your party), but it worked for the President, he listened. Wait a minute, they (the Just Say No folks) only listen to you. Well I tried and I hope that you don't use this as toilet paper.

Regards,
The Outraged Citizen

Hysteria: The Problem with Reporting on Breaking News

2009-11-06T06:20:00.000-08:00

Hysteria is defined as a psychological disorder whose symptoms include conversion of psychological stress into physical symptoms, selective amnesia, shallow volatile emotions, and overdramatic or attention-seeking behavior. After reading this and thinking it over, this sounds a lot like the breaking news reports of cable news networks.

As I am typing now we have the next tragic news story. Let me first say that the events in Fort Hood, Texas are terrible and shocking but further investigation is needed. There will be some conclusions that will be rushed for the sake of breaking news. There will and have been experts that will use words to shock and sensationalize. There have already been questions on motive based on the suspect's last name and religion. There are some who are already bringing up the possible motive of this being a "terrorist attack." No one has asked if this was a workplace violence case or someone who snapped because he was being sent to a war that he either agrees or disagrees with.

It is a huge coincidence that I am writing about this on this morning because this was going to be about the jump to judgement of past news stories. We have had the false alarm with military boats firing shots near the Pentagon on 9/11 of this year near President Obama (see a previous post on that subject). The nation was riveted about a boy on a balloon which was later proven to be a "show" produced by the boy's family to gather attention and sole purpose to gain celebrity. I admit that these are two completely different subjects but the latter expresses the problem more than the former because the parents knew that the story they created would give them the exact attention that they were seeking.

There have been some worthy and important news stories that needed to be told but there have been many others that creates and multiplies this hysteria. Let's admit that we are a nation on eggshells. Each breaking news story shock and galvanize more that ones reported before. There is the search for why this has happened and what will happen next. The blame game is next asked and the question of whether we should be more afraid for today and tomorrow than we were yesterday. I will just say that danger is everywhere, for we do not know everything that is going on with everyone. True fear is the unknown and just as how much we know or don't know the motive of the most recent tragedy, let's not rush to judgement and create more unnecessary fear.

An Outraged Note:

I would just ask that the cable news networks and the news media in general to check their sources before making their breaking news reports and their exclusives. I know that I speak for many that say don't get the story quickly, just get the story right because there are consequences for getting it wrong. Breaking news is usually first page or first segment news, however retractions and corrections are placed elsewhere where many will never know.

All In: An Open Letter to President Obama

2009-11-04T08:05:00.000-08:00

Dear Mr. President:

I first confess that I know very little about poker, but what I do know is that the poker stare you have had is getting old and you need to go all in with your agenda to bring hope and recovery to our nation. Yesterday, you (your party) were given some bad hands and now the Just Say No party has a bit of momentum. The pundits will link you to the failures of those defeated in New Jersey and Virginia. There will be lots of approval surveys that will relayed by your aides. There will still be questions of what to do next in Afghanistan and fears that the unemployment will reach 10%. Your leaders in Congress fear that Health Care with a public option will not be passed this year. There will still be others that fear is rising again and that the spirit of hope that you brought is beginning to fade.

Today you wake up the same man that you were on yesterday, the President of the United States and short of some unwanted election results and a lot on your plate you still embody the hope of a nation. Health care is closer than it has ever been and there are signs that the worst is over for our economy. What I am asking from you now is the boldness to carry on, fight the Just Say No crowd and just remember that last year that you won, and you won big. I want to see some fight in you and not for you to be in the timid I want to please everyone crowd. The Just Say No (Republicans for those who are new to the blog) crew will not like your initiatives because they playing to the audience and have future aspirations and a few may want to unseat you as President in a few years.

I am reminded of a Latin proverb, "Fortes fortuna adiuvat" which you may be familiar with. The translation is "Fortune Favors the Bold." It is time that you remind those who cry "liar" in the Capital and all of the others who want to marginalize you and your Presidency to stand and declare that last November that we the people elected you as President and that your responsibility that you lead us with a commanding voice and vision.

Finally, don't confuse craziness and ignorance with outrage. Those tea parties and birthers are not outraged, they are just angry that you won and were not on your side to start with. The give disrespect to the very word of outrage just as they disrespect your Presidency. Keep in mind that your approval rating today mirrors your election results last year. You will not please everyone and there will be those against you just because. There are many who want to see you fail and I know that there are many multitudes that want and need you to succeed because for most of us you are not just the embodiment of hope you are possibly our last hope.

Thanks for what you have already done and thanks for what you are going to do.

Regards,
The Outraged Citizen

When People Do Nothing

2009-11-02T06:15:00.000-08:00

It has been a long time since my last post and it is time to stop talking about the ill things that are happening in Washington DC. It's time to look other things, things closer to home. The most recent news item of note on my outrage meter is the vicious gang rape, robbery, and beating of a 15 year old girl in Richmond, CA during a homecoming dance at Richmond High School. The story links here.

Richmond is less than 15 miles from my hometown of Oakland, CA and the tragic story has reached national headlines because of the fact that there were up to 10 alleged perpetuators and many more witnesses that stood there and did nothing. No one called 911, no one broke up this terrible attack that lasted over two hours, and in those moments no one appeared to care or at least didn't care enough to help this young girl who seemingly was targeted by predators.

Over a week later, the blame game is being played. While we can talk about the police/security or the lack of them or the fact that there were people outside of the dance were hanging out and not in parity in age to the high school attendees of the party. I blame the witnesses that stood and did nothing. I blame them for allowing this to continue.

This story, this crime is tragic in so many ways. It is another reminder of the escalating brutality of crime and also the fall of common decency and morality. I don't know this young woman but it hurts as if I did. I say this as a brother to my sister and as a son to my mother, and I would hope if it was my sister or mother, someone would have had the courage and common decency to have stopped it. I am not sure if we all are being isolated by computers and social networks, or video games, or that the beliefs between right and wrong have been buried so far that we have stopped caring.

I don't know what is happening to our young men either. I know that they have examples like Chris Brown to look at and see that there is little punishment for a man to put his hands on a woman. The fact that in this crime that these men and boys took and pictures and sent text messages makes this even worse. The nonchalant attitude was taken that what they were doing was okay with no sense of what they were doing was wrong, horribly wrong. The fact that this crowd was organized and grew in just a matter of minutes with no thought of the consequences of this young woman. Now she faces a lifetime of memories and pain that I cannot imagine or even try to put into words.

Then again, there has been a chain of tragedies and way too many to count and list here. Countless crimes, mostly murders have happened while onlookers haven't lifted a finger. Teens in Chicago are being killed and a high rate due to gang activity just walking to and from school. These things are happening in large cities and in small towns and I am not sure if the reporting is getting better or if the criminals and the crimes are getting worse. The news now is more sickening more than ever. Is this the new normal that all we care about is ourselves that we (most of us) are willing to stand and do nothing I am not asking for overwhelming bravery but an anonymous phone call to the police or something.

All of this brings me to a quote by Edmund Burke, a British philosopher, "All that is necessary for the triumph of evil is that good men do nothing." Burke's words are over 200 years old but are still relevant and perhaps even more important today. What has happened to good people? What has happened to us? These horrific actions only happen when others (we) fail to stand. The shaking heads of disgust are no longer enough. The people, the good people, you and me must stand and do something.

I am looking forward to these predators day in court and hope that they all find themselves beneath prison walls. It also wouldn't hurt if they got a taste of their own medicine. It is only said that their punishment will not undo the pain that they have done.

America's Pre-Existing Condition: Fear

2009-09-11T11:07:00.000-07:00

I turned on my television this morning to CNN thinking that the unthinkable has happened again. Once more the life of a US President and its citizens was potentially in danger. A United States Coast Guard boat was on the Potomac River preventing a boat from entering a security zone near the Pentagon and that shots were fired, where President Obama was commemorating the events of 9/11. This was later proven to be more conjecture, simple overreaction, and another rush to bring "breaking news." Shots were NOT fired for those who were wondering.

Before this story my thoughts were to take the day off and maybe follow up on "Joe the Liar" but he, the entire debate on health care reform, the Obama Presidency, the war in Afghanistan, the economy, and the news media all have a common bond. During and since 9/11 we have allowed our fear to consume our nation and make decisions based on fear and reaction. Town hall outbursts, birthers, tea parties, and the all the naysayers of progress have used and are using these elements of fear to keep the status quo.

If no network journalist, radio personality, political commentator or analyst says what needs to be said, I will: the "fear card" has been used to try (and mostly succeed) to stop most of what is and has been proposed on the subject of the economy, health care, and just about everything else. This usually happens usually in this order. Ideas are usually misconstrued, taken out of context, and made into something else. Misinformation usually and eventually turns into fear and once people become afraid we act (and react) from that fear. For a long, long time either from television news to the previous administration and those in between from both parties, this fear was used to allow things like the Patriot Act to pass and be renewed, to allow torture, to go to war with the wrong country, to prejudge an entire group of people based on their religion for the actions of a few, and an excuse for the rest of us to dumb down in the name of being safe.

Last year, the fear of the economy, the financial crisis and the mortgage meltdown cause another quick reaction. Under duress we (you and I) bailed out the banks who still have not done all they could to help average Americans with the foreclosure market. A bank even had the nerve to foreclose on a house and insert one of its executives into it-and live in it! Really, here's the link to it.
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2009/09/11/wells-fargo-exec-in-charg_n_283031.html
They are still those who say that Wall Street is still working out of insanity: doing the same thing over and over and expecting a different result.

This fear is eight years in the making and maybe this is why there was a Representative shouting out to the President during Congressional Addresses, or why town hall meetings are becoming hostile, or why there are suddenly Tea Parties for those concerned about government spending. Maybe it is our fear that is erupting coupled with the many false alarms that our national media delivers to us for the sake of "breaking news." Thanks a lot CNN for adding fuel to the fire!!!

Finally to so many of those whose lives were changed eight years ago and the rest of use who watched in horror, I ask that we remember and honor those who we lost but we no longer fear the past and more importantly fear our future.

Saying "Liar" in a Crowded Captial: The Conjecture Continues

2009-09-10T15:43:00.000-07:00

I have been gone for a while tired and drained of writing about the frustration the terrible news of the world and the state of how things are. From murder suicides happening across the country, a 18 year kidnapping in California where the victim bore the children of the (alleged) kidnapper, school shootings, the War in Afghanistan, and all of the negative news; what has risen to the top of my outrage list is one man, Representative Joe Wilson (Joe the Liar) of South Carolina calling the President of the United States a liar on the floor of the United States Capital, making a major address to the Congress and to our nation.

I am not sure if the American public has been "dumb-downed" by episodes of Jerry Springer or Maury Povich to find this type of disrespect acceptable. I don't know if it was just me but I couldn't tell the congressional town hall meetings and these tea parties apart from scripted daytime television. Did Rep. Wilson of South Carolina misread his invitation or daily agenda yesterday and though he was going to a town hall meeting where heckling the United States President was permissible.

What has happened to this country, we can't even disagree anymore amicably. Health care is a moral issue. No one should have to make the choice of who lives or dies based on money. I have always found it interest on what we choose to spend money on and what not. I remember learning in economics the principle of "Needs vs. Wants" in high school. We spend money on wars and prisons but not enough on schools and believe the price of health care is too much. I wonder if the House and Senate didn't have their public option-yes that's right each member of Congress has publicly funded health care for all 535 of them (included the one who cried "liar" in a crowded theater (the US Capital) -how quickly this would pass.

An Outraged Thought:

Finally, addressing those "outraged" people who did attend and support the tea parties, the town halls antics, and those who thought that the President was going to corrupt the youth and school students please, please, don't say you are outraged, because you bring total disrespect to the words and its meaning. I ask that you speak to what you know of which is stupidity, absurdity, and conjecture.

Remembering the "Other" April 29th

2009-04-30T07:44:00.000-07:00

I am sure that when most people think of April 29, they will think about 2009 and the end of the first 100 days of Barrack Obama's presidency. Some will speak of the calm that he has provided, others will say that he actually answers questions and is seen as very humorous and leveled. Others will criticize every small detail that the President has done but I think that we can hope for better days in our country just like we did on this same day in 1992.

You all remember April 29, 1992, right? The day of the verdict of the Rodney King trial in Los Angeles where police officers were filmed on tape beating a black suspect. The (white) police officers were acquitted of the crimes and the outrage spread like wildfire. A mob was born and as with most mobs senseless violence and rioting happened. It was once of the worst days for our country, the miscarriage of justice, and one of the first times that I felt outrage and frustration that this could happen in America.

We have turned the page in some sense, but I am not making a racial argument as much as I am a change in perspective. One thing that I can admire everyone on (The Parties of Yes we Can, Just Say No, and I am an Independent but Not Really) is that we are not having the trivial conversation that Obama is the Black President. For the most part we are talking issues seen and unforeseen (Pirates, Pandemic Flu, Torture, Iraq, Iran, Israel, North Korea, Banks, Cars, Newspapers, Health Care and so much more) I am sure that this may be more subjective than in 1992 but there is no obvious presence that he is doing a great job because he is black or he is doing terrible.

Of course there are the partisan pundits but some of you must realize that most of these baseless arguments that they make are nothing other than to make news and for them to remain important and paid. I was surprised during the Chicago Tea Party a few weeks ago that a CNN reporter was bashing Fox News and later found out that she was rejected when she applied to work there. Look how much the people who criticize the politicians get paid. MSNBC pays Keith Olbermann (former ESPN Anchor) an estimated $7.5 million per year. The leader of the Party of No, Rush Limbaugh has a $400 million contract through 2016 for his radio program. There are others that I can mention, as CNN "grades" the President and government, the spectators, the pundits, and the networks are profiting. Did you notice that none of the networks with their 100 day coverage didn't even mention the Rodney King trial or the Los Angeles Riots of 17 years ago? I wonder why? (and you should too!)

It is a great comparison and brings a fundamental question of our "progress." In my humble opinion, the Presidency of Barrack Obama has not ended racism and prejudice, it has just ended one chapter and started a new one. Just like the first 100 days, it is just the beginning and like many beginnings, it is just the start. There will be many 100 days for this President. The honest and fair grade for our new President is an I for incomplete because he will be judged more for his last 100 days than his first. Finally we can all say that on April 29th, something good happened but we can still remember the history of 1992 so we don't repeat it.

Sour Grapes and Misinformed Tea Parties

2009-04-14T00:01:00.000-07:00

I don't know what else can be possibly done to the continuing attempt to discredit the President of the United States. As we approach Day 85 of Mr. Obama's Presidency, the Party of No along with others have been unsuccessfully attempting nicely and not so nicely to discredit Mr. Obama. So far these attempts have included:

Attacking Mr. Obama's citizenship which has been clearly proven. Yes, there is a birth certificate but these just say no guys and gals and their political commentator friends keep this baseless story alive.
Making the continuing claim that Mr. Obama is trying to raise taxes. Taxes are actually down and most do not go into effect until 2011.
Been attacked by the former Vice President Cheney that he is making our country less safe.
Has been deemed not qualified for receiving an honorary degree (he's the President of the United States.) He should use Arizona State degree when he does it as target practice.
Not receiving a single Republican vote on his recovery act, the budget, and besides smiling for the camera, no visible support from those no people.
Oh, I forgot, he's been called a Socialist, an elitist, and been deemed the guy that want to take the gun lover's guns away. Have you seen the news recently, people and guns don't go well together?

There are plenty of things to be outraged about here so I will skip my line this once. President Obama has inherited the worst economy in the past 75 years, two wars, threats from North Korea and Iran, and now he has to deal with pirates of all things. The sense of the spirit that was in Washington DC of hope and the the new renaissance of the Government and our country just 85 days ago is slowing fading away because many on the right is making sour grapes of their own failures of the past eight years.

Speaking of sour grapes it is now April and there is still one United States Senator missing from the party in Minnesota. Al Franken has been declared the winner (again) in the Senate race that should have out-seated Norm Coleman. It has been reported that he will likely appeal the results (again) and the Party of No has continually stated that they will block any attempts to seat the should be Senator Franken. Talk about sore losers, but that wasn't the talk when Al Gore was the loser despite that fact that he did win the popular vote. The Party of No back then told Gore to think about his country and he graciously bowed out to the one of the most legendary thefts in our history.

And now in the not so good spirit of the Boston Tea party with the help of what rhymes with Box News is this tea party-like protest of President Obama and his 85 day old policies. I call it desperation and just like the banks, the auto industry, and the newspapers. Is this all that the Party of No has left? They too have sacrificed long term success for short terms gains. In the short 12 years (1995-2007) of their dominance in Congress and the eight years (2001-2008) in the White House, like Citibank, GM, Chrysler, and the New York Times, the Party of Just Say No has not created a blueprint for the future of their party. They have no plan, no idea, and no identity. Their base is slowly dying off and as more of the country are waking up and separating their personal and social views from the practice of how our government should work.

The Party of No and their agents (Rush, Hannity and Glenn Beck) the unofficial leaders of this group. They argue of how much money Mr. Obama has spent and how he is going to raise taxes and why he didn't adopt his daughters' dog from a shelter. They nicely criticize his decisions and resort to lies, smoke and mirrors. Sound like anyone else you know? Wall Street? Is this a return to yellow journalism? Fox News will be "reporting" from the events of these tea parties on April 15 and will continue their operation to misinform, confuse, and distract their audience from rational thought in a "balanced" attempt to report the news.

This is a tell-tell sign that the Party of Just Say No's ship is sinking and fast. I just hope that they can take out the Pirates on their way down.

Can We Resurrect Common Sense?

2009-04-11T15:00:00.000-07:00

I can't pinpoint exactly when common sense died, ceased to exist, or whether it has been in hibernation, but it is a fact that its absence has had a profound effect on us all. The category of the utterly stupid, mundane, and moronic things that people shouldn't do is growing at an alarming rate. Common sense would have eradicated most of this and it is time for Common Sense to make a comeback.

Nothing outrages me more when smart people avoid their natural instincts and do very stupid things. It's even worse when people have the ability to profit from their dumb exploits by filing lawsuits to make it someone else's fault. Remember the lady that put the very hot coffee between her legs, burned herself, and has the audacity to sue and win a lawsuit against McDonald's? The original damages amounted to $2.86 million but that was later reduced to less than $640,000. Read the full story here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Liebeck_v._McDonald%27s_Restaurants

How about the man that sued a cleaners for $54 million dollars for his lost pants? This saga has lasted for nearly 4 years (May 2005) and the man who sued was a former judge. He should have known from all people that this was groundless. Then again he tried to abuse the system. This story is at http://www.cnn.com/2008/CRIME/12/18/pants.lawsuit/index.html.

Add this to the countless internet e-mail scams that just don't sound right like finding true love in Nigeria, Russia, or other parts unknown. How about shipping goods across the world and expecting to profit and then surprised to know that you just conspired in the possession of stolen property. How about that click online with the promise of something free. There are many other embarrassing ones that we would not confess to anyone.

My parents (who are not so outraged) taught me the important tool of common sense and not to say I have not been tricked or lied to, my odds were just improved. I don't take too many free lunches or reply to my spam mail and trust anyone just because they know my name. I also don't trust everyone in a business suit with a smile. After 11 years in the financial services industry, please don't. Remember these folks played a large role in the financial crisis which brings me to some of my suggestions of the new rules of common sense.

The Outraged Citizen's rules of Common Sense

Here a just a few tips that could be useful:

Buy only what you can afford and I'm not talking about your credit card limit.
Free isn't always free, i.e. lunch, contest, giveaways. You are paying for it somehow and you just don't know it.
No one has your best interest in mind no more than you do. That means that most people don't what you to do things for you, they want you to do things for THEM.
Congress read bills before voting on them. Actually this goes for everyone. Read contracts and agreements before you sign them, especially if you were not the one who wrote it.
Be mindful when reading your e-mail inbox. That virus you have on your computer maybe because of the latest naked celeb picture your "friend" e-mailed you.
Be sure who your "friends" are. In the world of Myspace and Facebook your friends should be people that you actually and physically know. There are clear differences between a friend and an acquaintance. This will be clear when you are faced with obstacles later.

As with all things, this is just a start. Use the valuable lessons taught by your parents who are wise elders (or should be). We will all be a lot better off and a lot smarter.

Looking Into A Mirror, Darkly

2009-04-08T11:38:00.000-07:00

Amongst all of the murders, kidnappings, and other gruesome crimes that happens each day in our country we continue to say that we Americans still hold the high moral ground of the world. Our obsession with violence is manifested in most of our television shows, our movies, and our video games which has successfully de-stigmatized our nation and our children. In the past month alone the "Breaking News" has been:

Two police shootings where four police officers died in California and three died in Pennsylvania with shooters with weapons that no average citizen need. Update: The Pennsylvania shooter claimed that he was afraid that his gun rights would be taken away.
A man kills 13 people and then himself in New York, because he is not liked and recently lost his job. Update #2: He shot 98 rounds in a minute!
A man in Washington kills his five children and then himself because his wife is leaving him for another man.
A young girl in California is kidnapped, killed, and God knows what else.

What makes all of this worse is all of the violence that has not made national news and while all of this is happening the Party of Just Say No is doing just that when it comes to gun control. I must also say that the party of Yes We Can hasn't said or done much either. Oh, I forgot to mention that these weapons were not bought in the ghettos on street corners. These weapons were bought legally in gun shops. By the way for the uninformed, gun sales are up, way up because there are some who fear that the Obama Administration is going to take their guns away and they have decided to stock up.

Last week, the Afghan Government approved a law that made it legal for men to rape their wives and the outrage came from all who heard it. I saw the political pundits and the international community alike say that this was heinously wrong which cause its President to re-look at this this law. This week when President Obama visited Turkey and address is legislature and spoke positive thoughts of Islam, a CNN/Opinion Research Corporation Poll was released stating that only 51% of US citizens trust our Muslim country allies and 48% say that they trust our Muslim allies less than our other allies. What troubles me is what if the men who committed the murders of these police officers or the shooting in New York was Middle Eastern would we have called these events "terrorist attacks?"

I am outraged that we don't see our country as it truly is...a crazed violent nation!

We Americans give so much of our opinion on international matters. We state how the crimes and genocide in Darfur are terrible, how the human slavery rate is the at the highest rate in human history, how terrible crimes are happening through out the world (which they are and I will say are awful). The problem is we somehow think and convince ourselves that everywhere else in the world these crimes are somehow savage or pictured as somehow worse because they occur outside the United States.

Remember during Hurricane Katrina some of the news media used the term "refugees" to identify American citizens who experienced and are continuing to experience a terrible ordeal that our government still has not responded to adequately. This was somehow used to make these citizens less than what they were CITIZENS of the United States of AMERICA. I am sure you have seen countless crimes in the heartland, in the suburbs, and in small towns where you can always see some eyewitness or neighbor say the oh so cliche comment, "Things like this don't happen here." The Pittsburgh police chief said it this past Saturday (or words to that effect) at a press conference comparing his city to my hometown of Oakland, CA in the disbelief that a man killed three of his officers. I interpreted it that we here are somehow savages and that other areas of the country have a more moral sensibility.

I have news of all of you. We are not the nation that should condemn or preach to the world about or use OUR religion(s) that we are somehow the moral country of the world. Here is a wake up call, we have more people in prison (2.3 million or 1 per 100 people) than the second ranked country China (yeah the country with the human rights violations we all complain about) with 1.5 million while China has FOUR times the population. Oh, I forgot to mention that when you account for people on probation and parole that number goes up to 7.2 million as of 2007.

An Outraged Thought:

How about we take a break from criticizing the rest of the world and take a very long look in the mirror. How about we take the AK-47 and the other automatic weapons our of that hands of citizens that turn to violence and handle our own house. We need to remind ourselves that the Second Amendment is the right to bear arms, that was a rifle in 1776. I cannot think that the founding fathers intended for everyone to own a weapon like an AK-47 that shoots multiple rounds like a rate of 600 rounds a minute: check for yourself, it's on Wikipedia. We need to take a look in the mirror and take care of our own business before we start preaching to the world again.

Failure is Good...Isn't It?

2009-03-31T00:01:00.000-07:00

One of the greatest lessons I learned in college was from a hard-nosed Belgium professor. Back then my goal was to become an attorney and this was my first legal studies course. This professor was hard nosed, stubborn, and didn't waste time explaining things. He hated the Latin language and did not allow anyone to speak Latin-based words. He cared very little of how his students felt and after a midterm where he failed most of the class, he said something that I have remembered clearly for the past ten years. "Failure is good...you Americans are all concerned about your grades, concerned about going to law school, and concerned about being successful. You argue too hard for your 'A' grades, well sometimes you just need to fail, because failure is good!" By the way I got a D in that class, but it was still one of the best lessons that I learned.

I watched the President's remarks yesterday while he explained his reasons for still giving GM and Chrysler a life line to survive until they come up with their next plans to rise out of the ashes. I thought about my Professor and knew exactly what he would have thought. His wrath would not only have been to the auto industry but to the banks, the newspapers, and everyone else. Let them fail.

I am outraged that failure is no longer acceptable

Failure is the basis of which success is built on. The best ideas have risen from the fundamental failures that have come before. Failure is the great test of whether one should try again. Failure presents the opportunity to rethink, to innovate, to envision. This opportunity is being taken away like phrases like "too big to fail." Failure allows us to take in the lessons learned and simply put not to repeat ourselves. A banker I knew in upper management once told me that, "the definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results." This was also about ten years ago, when we allowed failing companies to guess what...fail!!!

Our country has spent countless millions on saving our capitalist system in a not so capitalistic way. The billions that were spent could have been better spend. What did we really pay for: remodeling offices, purchasing corporate jets, giving "retention bonuses" to people who were not retained. We have been rewarding failure instead of penalizing and punishing it. The penalty for failure used to be that your company was out of business and someone would create something better. We have become a country of old ideas. Old is just old, just look at Congress. I can firmly see why things don't work there because the same old people have their same old ideas regardless of what party is in power.

What about the business models of banks or the car industry or newspapers? Did they ever have a blueprint to evolve? What genius thought of making those same gas guzzling cars, trucks, and minivans? Could the newspaper industry see their subscriptions decline and see the rise of craigslist, blogs, and the rise of internet usage to view the news? What about banks and the idea that refinancing the same house 7 times was still a good idea? Someone had to see all of this coming or were we all just marveled by the thing that was formerly called success. Where did all of the new ideas go? Remember the exact same thing happened to AOL years ago when they had over 45 million customers on dial-up. They didn't plan far enough ahead with to introduce broadband, got behind, and is now dying a slow death.

An Outraged Idea: Let's stop with the fear mongering and say good bye to one of these banks and automobile companies. Let's give some unknown genius the opportunity to create something that can start the next great economy. Let's take this old system off life support, let it die, and allow it to be reborn. Let us allow failure to be the beginning of our next economic boom.

Is Meghan McCain the New Maverick?

2009-03-24T09:06:00.000-07:00

Ok, hear me out! I have been following the latest media blitz of Meghan McCain and have found her, next to Ron Paul as the Republican that has made the most sense recently. I watched her on Larry King Live and missing were those witch hunting Republican talking points, the criticism that President Obama and his administration are trying to do too much too quickly, and rebirth of the out of context use of Nancy Reagan's "Just Say No" policy that the Republicans have been using recently, and instead saw something fresh and new.

Just look at Meghan McCain's critics. Anytime some is vilified over something personal (like weight, which the OC disagrees with) you know that they are getting their message across. The OC thinks of it this way. The enemy of your enemy may just be your friend. Think about it in your daily office politics and life in general. Remember World War II and the alliance of the United States, China, and Russia? That was clearly the enemy of your enemy is your friend.

The Republican Party has been looking for its leaders in all the wrong places. It is not the talking radio piece with the drug problem or Michael Steele (the RNC Chairman) aka the Obama clone or Sarah the folksy-talking governor from Alaska and definitely not Louisiana Governor Bobby Jindal either--or is he the guy from 30 Rock. Sometimes the most obvious things are right in front of us. Meghan McCain can talk issues, give honest answers, keen at bipartisanship, and can put her personal differences aside and be proud of and willing to work with our President from another party. She has her own beliefs but still understands that we don't have to legislate them and demonize those who beliefs are different from our own.

This isn't new and we have found leaders in the most unlikely of places, remember Bill Clinton, or President Obama and who have thought that W. would have been President--of the United States? Their rise to prominence wasn't predicted either. Meghan, your Dad was this nine years ago when he first ran for President, long before he compromised himself to his party. He set out to change the Republican Party and in turn it changed him. He put on attacks against then Senator Obama, that G.W. Bush did to your family in 2000. He was once a Maverick, but now he is just the sidekick to the old-new Republican Party slogan, "Just Say No!" (It didn't work for drugs and it's not going to work here either.)

So Meghan, take it from the OC, you have a future in politics and have the chance to finish the work that your Dad started in making the Republican Party respectable and a source of substantiate debate. I would just advise that you avoid those talking points that they like to hand out and you stay away from the Republican Kool-Aid that they have been serving recently. Stay true to your Maverick roots and don't let anyone bully you or change who you are. Maybe we can kill the outrage and get some serious work done.

Tell US No (More) Lies

2009-03-23T00:01:00.000-07:00

Nothing makes me more outraged than blatant liars who are supposed to have our best interest at heart. These liars are in the most important roles in our government and businesses. I concede that the little white lies are more convenient and easier than the hard truth, but I am not responsible for the monitoring and accountability of national security or our financial system. I am not the CEO of a failed company that needed bailout money to survive. I didn't pay out bonuses to people who didn’t deserve them. The American people can tell the difference between little white lies and heinous lies, or can we. The 42nd President of the United States (Clinton) lied about an affair that he had. Some would not agree with his actions but nonetheless would understand why he did it. The 43rd President (Bush) lied to us about WMD’s and sent us to a war that we are still fighting, costing us billions of dollars, thousands of lives, and thousands more soldiers returning home injured for life who may not receive the proper care they deserve. Of these two Presidents, remember which one got impeached? Yes, that should outrage you too!

Imagine former President Bill Clinton. If I was him, I would have spoken to the masses about this fact. I would have gone on a media blitz to all that would have listened; but this simply shows us the true difference between Democrats and Republicans. If Al Gore was President, I have no doubt he would have been impeached after the events of 9/11 and those yet to be found WMD’s. Republicans would have screamed how incompetent the Gore Administration was (like what they are doing now with Geithner and the Treasury Department of the Obama Administration). There would have been REAL investigations on who knew what, when, why, and how they let this happen on their watch. Someone would have gone to jail or worse. People would have been charged with treason. One thing that I will give Republicans is that they know how to fight but that’s only limited to grandstanding in Washington D.C. and on television.

I do have an thought and a fact that should make you outraged. It is something that you have probably thought about the past few months with all the money we have spent, printed, and wasted. What is one of the biggest lies that our government tells us? The answer: The fact that we don't have enough money! It depends, because they can't figure out the difference between needs and wants.

I am outraged: over the lies of what we can and CAN’T afford!

Honestly right now, we can't really afford too much of anything, but we are still spending. The spending between the bailout and the two wars we are fighting is a lot of what we can't afford, but we are told that these things are necessary evils. It seems like we need to waste money and want to save money on what is needed the most. An oxymoron if one was really needed.

Here are just a few of the things what (yes) we CAN afford:

Yes, we can the afford cost of the Iraq and Afghanistan wars, but not education, health care, and transportation improvements here in the United States.

Yes, we can afford to rebuild Baghdad, but not New Orleans. Too money has been wasted in both and each may never be the same again.

Yes, we can afford NASA and the space program, but some of our citizens are homeless, foreclosed upon, and can’t make it across town rather than across the stars and to Mars.

Yes, we can afford the prison system and its perks like three meals a day, a bed, workout privileges, access to health care and education--oh that's only for convicted criminals. Its admittance policy requires that you cause harm to someone else first. Your admission must be approved by a council of twelve people (a jury) and signed off by the administrator (the judge). Of course we can afford this but not a college education, or better yet a decent high school education. Another example of being good to people who are acting badly and being rewarded for it!!

It seems to me that all of our priorities are wrong. We can afford all that is destructive and nothing that is constructive!

An Outraged Idea: Let one of these banks go broke just to show some tough love and make an example. I remember tough love...my parents gave it to me and it made me a better person. Let’s face it we reward failure and reward it big time. The too big to fail is a bad policy and it is a sign that a company is fact too big. The only bailout these companies deserve are for these executives to be bailed out of their expensive offices, homes, and cars and spend some time in a prison cell where there is no stimulus plan for the frauds that they have committed. Bernie Madoff needs some company and there are more than enough of these blatant liars to overcrowd some desolate prisons and throw away the key. How about some new and fresh leadership? Now that’s a new idea to solve our financial crisis.

An Outraged Note: Let’s try this policy: Give us no promises and tell us no lies. Now that a promise that we can all keep!

One Outraged Citizen

2009-03-21T11:05:00.000-07:00

I have news for all of you, I am outraged and guess what YOU should be too! If you look at the newspapers (the ones that have are still in business), television, or just walk through your city, there is plenty to be outraged about. Before I unleash my rage of all that I find inherently stupid, mundane, and all things simply lacking common sense let me first say a few things about myself (the particulars):

I worked in the banking industry for over 10 years and was a personal witness to the greed, deception, favoritism, and politics while I was employed there. (You should have figured out my stand on TARP, the bailouts, and cooperate greed by now.)
I received my college education from UC Berkeley (I guess that makes me a liberal nut, we'll see about that)
I live in a city with absolutely no commerce, failing schools, terrible roads, a high murder rate, a transportation system that kills unarmed men, and no sense of government leadership. (Oakland, CA for those who don't know).

That's enough for now. It is my intention not only for you to share my outrage but to find yours and do something about it. We are being screwed royally on a daily basis over greed, waste, and general incompetence by corporations and the government and guess what we take it! This leads me to the first thing that I am outraged about.

I AM OUTRAGED BY... : the Democratic Congress (AKA the 111th Congress)

Didn't you think on November 4, 2008, that we were about to enter the great renaissance of our country? Didn't you have hope that a Democratic President and a Democratic-controlled Congress would figure this all out? The reality is that the Democrats in Congress collapse first chance that they get. News flash: YOU WON!!! Remember!! We didn't vote for "bi-partisanship" well, I didn't. I voted for change and I thought you Democrats would have grown a pair by now. Stop asking for permission and get to work before we decide to fire you and bring back the other guys and gals.

And Democrats, why are you so afraid of the Republicans filibustering legislation? I actually think that I would be an amazing sight. I can't remember the last time a Senator had the nerve to filibuster a bill on the Senate floor. Senate Leader Reid, here's an idea, let them filibuster a bill and keep the Senate in debate until the late hours of night and early morning on the Senate floor. Let them say whatever, read whatever it takes to talk down the much needed legislation that is important to millions of Americans. This madness should be shown on C-SPAN and the news networks so we can see these Senators for the idiots that they are. Who would really want to talk down education, universal health care, jobs, and transportation improvements especially when over 51 senators would vote for it? I want to see them do this so we can know their names.

You Democrats need to show some fight, some teeth, and some raw nerve. You need to display some true leadership and believe that the American people will see the truth. Stop playing up to the media and quit the staged anger that you apparently show to try to connect with American people. The latest example is the AIG bonuses when you already knew about days and weeks ago. Your "sideshow" the other day was great grilling Liddy in House testimony. I have been outraged for a long time and I know true outrage when I see it! This insults my intelligence and it should insult yours out there too. This is what happens when you vote for a bill without reading it first. Remember the Patriot Act?

Finally, don't let these Republicans or anyone call our President, a socialist, a communist, or a non-citizen which is truly outrageous. He is the President of the United States and they are just upset that their guy lost and lost miserably.

An Outraged Note: Republicans get over it! If you want to be the party of the opposition SUGGEST SOMETHING and quit your whining that you lost your place at the table. News flash: you lost you place to talk first at the table in November. Stop acting like sore losers and get over it!