Coronavirus (Covid-19)..A Reckoning

It’s been a long time coming. The pandemic occurring worldwide, and the imminent health care tsunami about to overwhelm the United States, is exposing all of the weaknesses of not just the health care system, but the economy as well. As our government flails to address the immediate crisis, the long term consequences of all of our shortcomings in society will be laid bare for all to see and understand.

Not to get too biblical here, but the reckoning that we are about to experience is not the “end of days.” It is not an apocalypse. However,, what it is, is the natural cycle of stopping over-indulgence and hedonism, and returning to the basics of human existence. In essence, a reckoning.

The way I see it, the Coronavirus pandemic will resolve in many phases. We are all in phase one right now, some disbelief, some panic, and some resignation to the life changes we will all be dealing with in the weeks, months, and possibly years to come. Estimates of over a million confirmed cases with a 1-2 % mortality rate worldwide are now coming to pass. Currently, New York City is the epicenter of the Coronavirus epidemic. But not for long. As of 3/28/2020, there is all kind of wild speculation about how to “flatten the curve.” But like most health crisis, the coronavirus must run its course. The very nature of how we live our lives has changed overnight, and will remain for a very long time. Congress has approved a $2 Trillion rescue package that will pay most Americans $1200, pay billions to bail out distressed corporations and small businesses, fund some hospital expansion and improvements, and give paid family leave and tax credits to individuals. But believe it or not $2 Trillion (or $6 Trillion counting a Federal Reserve pump of cash into the banking system), might just too little, too late!

Not since the Marshall Plan in the late 1940’s the plan championed by General George Marshall to rebuild war torn Western Europe in the face of the mounting Soviet threat. has such a fundamental investment plan become not just necessary, but vital to providing a path of survival in the rest of the 21st century. As the nation and the world transformed after both the Great Depression and the Second World War, a 21st century transformation of similar need must occur. One can only hope.

Later on, when the health crisis has abated, the financial crisis will emerge. This will be the second shase. As time wears on, as unemployment grows, and delinquencies on debt explode, a financial crisis at the level of the 2008 crisis will emerge. This is when the real bailout will begin. Again and again over the last few weeks, “experts” have opined that the economy will come roaring back once the health crisis has abated. I’m not so sure. America, and for that matter the world has been and is still being indoctrinated in the concept of “social distancing.” Gonna be hard to go back to the way it was after months of conditioning to stay at least 6 feet away from strangers. Ironically, the term “six feet under” comes to mind. People will be fearful of going to concerts, sporting events, restaurants, and other social events for a long while. Remember the trepidation after 9/11.

Hopefully, as retrospection occurs, the world will look for leaders to give some level of safeguards to prepare for the NEXT global crisis ( I believe an environmental 9/11 is on the horizon). Many of the same warnings about climate change, ring familiar with the current health crisis. One can only hope that the world will learn from this experience, and resolve the differences that have separated us for so many years.

Historically, there is not a lot new here. Since the end of World War 2, we have had numerous events that seemingly came out of nowhere, but had huge warning lights that simply were ignored.

In 1949-50, as the former Soviet Union dumped millions into the North Korean military, the United States let the military slip from 13 million to 1.6 million globally, with no US troops in South Korea. On June 25, 1950, 100,000 North Koreans, supported by a large force of Soviet-made tanks almost re-unified the Korean Peninsula under the most repressive and cruel regime imaginable. It took a unified United Nations force, led by the US to force a stalemate, but not before taking the world to the brink of nuclear conflict with China.

In 1962, the world again stared down the throat of nuclear destruction when Cuba. again with nuclear weapons supplied by the Soviet Union, forced the world to the brink of the unthinkable, even though warnings of a Soviet incursion into the western hemisphere was imminent.

In the mid 1990’s the US Commission on National Security, better know as the Hart-Rudman Report, concluded that an attack by terrorists on the American homeland was imminent, yet the nation was consumed with the Clinton-Monica Lewinsky scandal. And 500 votes in Florida in the 2000 Presidential election. Then along came 9/11/2001, and the world was shocked.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/U.S._Commission_on_National_Security/21st_Century

Fast forward to 2007, many economists predicted an economic collapse that would occur within a short time. And we all know what happened next. The term “derivatives”, or banks betting against themselves in the mortgage market, led to the Countrywide Mortgage collapse, that led to the Morgan Stanley collapse and Americans felt the consequences. The US and the world stared into the abyss of global depression, even though there was significant evidence such an event would occur.

But this event is unique. The enemy cannot be seen, has no mercy, political leanings, no preference toward race, gender, sexual preference, ethnicity, or social status. Fear and panic are as dangerous as the virus itself, IF we all let it overcome all of us.

Yes, this health crisis will pass, with due diligence and focus by our leaders, and by the American people. However, the long term effects of the coronavirus crisis will force all of us to change how we work, spend, consume, and save. For years now. we have heard the statistic that most working Americans have less than $400 in savings, would be in dire financial straits if the missed more than two paychecks, Because of this crisis, many of us will at the minimum see less working hours, temporary furloughs, or in many cases the permanent layoffs that will occur.

As I have heard over the last few weeks, I believe falsely, the fundamentals of the American economy are on solid ground. Back in 2007, at the beginning of the financial crisis, the fundamentals of the American economy were considered solid. Yet, because of irresponsible behavior by the financial sector, as well as over speculation in the stock market, and an overheated housing market, the perfect storm arrived.

Imagine now, six months where 10 million or so people lose their jobs, or at a minimum have reduced wages, and can’t pay the mortgage or the utility bills or the credit card bills? How long until the financial sector will begin to contract. In 2009, President Obama pushed through a financial stimulus package that tried to bridge the gap until a recovery could occur. However, in 2020, we are now in a much different position. The crush on Social Security, Medicare, and Medicaid for my generation is approaching its zenith, most Americans have no savings, many small and medium sized cities already are facing a crisis with a dwindling and aging population, dilapidated housing and infrastructure, a widening gap between the educated and the under educated. And now, a unprecedented crisis sits on the doorstep.

The weakness in the health care field will be exposed. The system is about to be overwhelmed. A little history now, in 1946 the Hill-Burton Act was passed in Congress. This bill was designed to modernize the hospital system in the United States. In the post war era, a perfect health care storm was brewing. Returning veterans who were injured in World War 2 would require continuous care, and as well, returning veterans would return to wives to begin families. Most hospitals were woefully unprepared, and the goal of Hill-Burton was to provide 4.5 hospital beds per 1000 people. Essentially that ratio still exists today, in fact it is much lower for the most rural areas. See this number of beds per 1000 people. We are 32nd in the world as of 2017.

32

United States

North America

2.89

2.83

2.80

2.77

−0.04

−1.42

64.0

29.3[13]

So, now you can see why so many healthcare professionals and local and state leaders are shouting from the rooftops about the impending health crisis. We have seen in recent years hospitals in rural areas either closing outright or consolidating due to high healthcare costs. This apathy towards maintaining a quality healthcare system in light of an aging population, growing medical conditions due to poor diet and lifestyle, and now a pandemic has brought the chickens home to roost.

What we need is a new Hill-Burton Act to modernize America’s hospital system, as well as a serious attempt at either Medicare for all or at least a public health care insurance option for the American people. The corona virus crisis is shining a beacon, a strobe light on the urgent need for this kind of reform.

Next, Americans need to begin to re-evaluate its value system. Since the 1980’s US citizens have morphed from a saving economy to a spending economy. It is common knowledge that well over 50 percent of the nation has less than $400 in savings. That most Americans live paycheck to paycheck. That most cannot survive without a paycheck. Yet, here we are, not learning again from the 2008 financial crisis when housing losses and bankruptcies reached epidemic proportions.

For people of my generation and older, a little trip down memory lane. When I was young, I can’t remember the number of times our family visited family and friends, and as the kids set off to play and explore, we would go into the basement and see shelves full of canned foods, mason jars of fruit preserves, and jugs of water. Our parents and grandparents were products of the Great Depression and the Nuclear threat. The Great Depression made grandparents and parents stock food and water because of the experience of not having money or food or a job.

Scary as it sounds, most Americans today do not even have $400 saved in case of an emergency. The American economy has become a spending economy, not a saving economy. And, in a lot of ways, priorities of the bottom 50% of the population is questionable at best. Spending a couple of hundred dollars on the latest phone, financing auto and home goods with loans way higher than they can afford, and a lack of setting aside money for emergencies are as much a threat to upward mobility for the 50% as lack of opportunity as well.

If it sounds harsh to criticize spending habits, there is in fact more blame to be placed on the predatory practices of the purveyors of the excessive materialism that has permeated our society. Corporations market products to those who can’t afford them, banks give loans to those who will struggle to pay them back, and an entire industry exists to market the products in the medial, both broadcast and online. Efforts were made to reform the financial sector after the 2008 financial crisis, and much of that has been dismantled over the last three years at the behest of corporate America and Wall Street. History is about to repeat itself.

As crazy as it sounds, the myopic nature of all of those who pull the strings is stunning. Any first year business student at a community college (of which I am one) learns in Economics 101 the curve of the American economy. What goes up, must come down.

As the last 9 years have been a long period of sustained economic growth, the red line on the chart has now arrived, accelerated by the health crisis we now face. The good employment numbers by the way are a lagging indicator of an economic recovery. In fact, employment may stay positive even though a downturn can begin at the same time. In short, most economists predicted an economic downturn in 2020 well before the onset of the Coronavirus pandemic. And usually the downturn starts when one sector of the economy slides or in the most serious cases collapses. This crisis has numerous sectors collapsing all at once. And will ultimately spread to the financial sector. The damage will take years to rectify, and will essentially change the way we all live and work.

Conclusions and Recommendations: 

Obviously, the first reforms have to be in the health care system. Experts with more knowledge and expertise than me need to convene a health care summit, a global organization much like the IPCC (International Panel on Climate Change) and present a protocol to expand all phases of health care, medical research, treatments, access to basic healthcare, wellness, and in the US universal health care insurance.

Although science cannot prevent or predict all potential health threats, the CDC (Centers for Disease Control), HHS (Health and Human Services), CMS (Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services), and FEMA (Federal Emergency Management) need to coordinate, much like the intelligence community after the 9/11 attacks. Medical intelligence and research must be well funded and listened to by our leadership.

With regards to the economy, a good start would be encouraging Americans to sign up for the US Savings bond payroll deduction program. It will ensure that savings will occur and not be subject to the whims of the stock market as 401k programs are (how much did you lose over the last month in your 401k?).

Finally, we must be prepared for the next health, environmental, or military crisis. I believe that an environmental 9/11 is on the horizon. All the warning signs are there. Inaction for 40 years will come home to roost very soon. Cutting carbon emissions is fine, renewable energy is fine, fuel efficient cars are fine. But I fear the damage is done. Not that in the next 10 years that surf will be up in Wheeling, WV, but more violent weather in the Southern United States, record fires in Australia, intentionally burning part of the Brazilian rain forest for profit, and choking pollution causing health issues in China and India, are wailing sirens trying to warn the world that calamity is possible.

Time for the world, most specifically the United States, to get their political heads out of their butts and acknowledge the science and change the world.

 

India, Pakistan, and the United States Tick..Tick..Tick..

 

February 27, 2019…India, Pakistan, Kashmir. Once again, I wrote this piece in 2012. during the Presidential campaign. With all the talk of withdrawing from Afghanistan, remember the situation in Pakistan and the need to keep a presence in the region if the two nuclear powers go to war. And now, the heat has been turned up again.

A lot of talk about a lot of things will happen next week in the first Presidential debate between President Barack Obama and Candidate Mitt Romney. And the second debate that happens a week later will focus on foreign policy.

Debating foreign policy may not be sexy or glitzy, and may cause many people’s eyes to glaze over, but it is as important as domestic policy when considering the global nature of our economic fortunes.

Side by side with foreign policy economic concerns is the focus on emerging threats in the world such as Iran’s move toward developing a nuclear weapon, the uncertain development of the Middle Eastern and North African independence movements. And as always, Russian and Chinese relations will be on the agenda. And of course, the war in Afghanistan will be discussed.

I would like to spend some time making the case for a long term presence in Afghanistan. A presence that is not only necessary, but vital perhaps to global security throughout this century.

Afghanistan itself will always have an uncertain future. The Afghans are warriors by nature, and will continue a feudal existence. The necessity of keeping United States forces is not based on Afghan instability, but of their worrisome neighbor, Pakistan. And their perpetual enemy, India.

Here is a link, thanks to Wikipedia, detailing the 65 year old hot button dispute between the two countries.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Indo-Pakistani_wars_and_conflicts

The fight between the two nuclear powers, and I emphasize “NUCLEAR” is over the Kashmir region between the two countries. In the 65 years since the end of British rule in 1947 there have been four wars and countless military skirmishes, as well as terrorist attacks, including the Mumbai attacks of 2008.

As one might suspect, religion, or the failure to partition the former British colony along religious lines led to what has been a continuous state of war between the two nations. Think of the situation as a Northern Ireland style conflict, with nukes.

Rarely brought up on American news, this is a conflict that can still explode at any time. Muslim versus Hindu, and enter in the potential of a destabilized Pakistan with nuclear weapons and absolutely no fear of using them against their most hated enemy. That is the nightmare scenario that faces the region, where a nuclear conflict leaves hundreds of thousands, perhaps millions, dead, destroys the world economy, draws in China, Russia, and the United States into both a strategic and humanitarian catastrophe unheard of in world history.

Events in Pakistan are at best tenuous. And no one is sure who or what will be in charge if a Muslim extremist group gains power. And India will have no qualms about retaliation if attacked.

So, this is why the United States needs to keep a presence in Afghanistan, especially in the Northwest provinces. If in fact a coup occurs in Pakistan, which has happened a few times in the last 30 years, the United States needs a force to enter Pakistan and secure all the nuclear weapons, and if possible remove them. This would be impossible without a presence nearby.

Is staying in Afghanistan risky, absolutely. But the bigger risk is the gamble of a destabilized Pakistan turning their new found nukes on one of the largest and most democratic nations on the earth. And for the cynics who would roll up the mat and isolate ourselves. Nothing happens in a vacuum in this world anymore. A nuclear conflict in that region of the world will threaten the very existence of the rest of the world. And for that reason, we, the United States have to been the last line of defense against such a turn of events.

So…consider this writing when the two candidates debate foreign policy in about two weeks.

The Tea Party, Ted Cruz, Debt Limit and The Articles of Confederation

UPDATE: Friday 10/11 5:00 pm: hints of a deal are emerging, the markets have finished the week quite strong. Maybe the exuberance of investors is ill founded. The weekend will tell the story. If the GOP and White House cannot reach a deal, watch out on Tuesday!!!!

I’m back!!! So….here we are again on the precipice of a major crisis. Government shutdown, default on the debt…cable gone wild with running clocks, talking heads, talking POINTS, and dire predictions.

I have heard more crap in the last 2 weeks from politicians and pundits than I may have ever heard. So time for a moment of truth.

First, though I hate to admit it, the Republicans (not the Toilet Paper party) have a point. These sort of manufactured crisis need conversation and some compromise. It is the art of leadership and governing. All the posturing aside, the two sides are not that far apart, Yet, because of the Tea Party intransigence, the nation, and in fact the world wanders closer to the abyss.

No one can say for sure what will happen if October 17 comes and goes and the United States does not act to raise the debt ceiling (for spending already incurred) , but does anyone who has their wits really want to find out? The country is slowly finding out about the government shutdown, real economic losses in dollars will roll in shortly. The estimates of total loss will easily top $1 BILLION!

But the Toilet Paper party, aptly described, wants to risk flushing the world economy down the john allegedly because of Obamacare. But really because of their abject hatred of the President. TP’ers have been called anarchistic, terrorists, McCarthyites, and evil incarnates, specifically Texas Senator Ted Cruz. This guy is a meglomaniac who preens and poses and fantasizes about being the savior of all “real Americans.” His vision is interchangeable with the TPARTY!!! But really what the TParty prescribes for their bizarre vision of democracy is de-evolution. The philosophy they espouse is really the re-emergence of the Articles of Confederation, the governing philosophy of the Second Continental Congress during the American Revolution. Read all about it:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Articles_of_Confederation

With that element of the GOP pushing the world closer and closer to calamity, the TP’ers think that little will happen to the US economy on October 18th. Cruz and the crazies are thinking like MacCarthur during the  Korean War, advocating dropping as many as 50 atomic bombs on China. Or the Pentagon generals during the Cuban missile crisis advocating bombing and invasion of Cuba, despite Cuba’s ability to launch nuclear missiles on US targets.

There will always be an element in our country that will advocate going over the edge, it is the sense and will of smarter and more responsible among us to stop them.

The next few weeks will be a seminal moment for the nation. Reasoned and rational statesmen and women must stop the insanity of a radical element of the far right from hi jacking the United States government.

Speaker of the House John Boenner knows this as instinct. My advice to him is to be a leader of the nations house and put the Toilet Paper party caucus into its proper perspective. They do not represent even 25% of the country’s ideology, yet threaten good men and women in the GOP with primary challenges and vicious media attacks.

Prediction time for me. When late Friday arrives, if no hint of a deal is being floated, Tuesday (10/15) will be known as Black Tuesday. The markets will drop, and panic will begin. That’s right, the deadline is not October 17th, but October 12th. How ironic that the day the Christopher Columbus discovered the new world in 1492, could be remembered as the day the Tea Party will be held responsible for trashing it.

The Tea Party wants to destroy our government and our system. Every time I hear one of the TP’ers screaming about their constitutional rights being violated, it makes me ill. They really are looking to turn the United States back into a loose confederation of individual entities.

Be warned America!!!

The George Zimmerman Trial And Beyond

So, I have avoided writing about the George Zimmerman murder trial, I watched some of the trial, and like much of America and the world saw the courtroom drama unfold live.

There is an old saying: “Opinions are like assholes…everyone’s got one.” And boy did we get opinions. Attorney experts knee jerk reacting to each days proceedings and pundits wringing their hands both on the left and right. I will offer an opinion on the trial later, but first I would like to give a broader view.

I have thought long and hard about the significance of the Trayvon Martin murder case, as it relates to race in America, and the socioeconomic and  perceptual divide between the races in America. The Trayvon Martin death has crystallized the race discussion with most Americans.

Whether you believe George Zimmerman acted in self defense or you believe Trayvon Martin was a victim of ill thought out vigilante justice, most of us, I believe that our opinions are based on our own anecdotal experience and contact with the opposite race.

Crime..as displayed nightly on your local news, is usually comprised of police mug shots of captured suspects, many of them black. In cities like mine in upstate New York, the black population has grown in the last 25 years, and much of that population increase is among the poorest of them. After all, upstate New York, especially the smaller ones, have devastated local economies to begin with and opportunities for employment are not good. In most of America this social experiment continues.

Perception. African Americans are very visible in most cities, whether by the media or walking down your main streets. Factor in poverty in some areas and it is easy to see how perception can soon become reality for some. Equally, the minority community sees some of white America as suspicious of them. Consider this, imagine being black and in an established white community, with the stereotypes and cliches that exist, wouldn’t you be a tad defensive and suspicious?

This is how much of America’s perception of this trial is being formed. It is a shame. Truth is, the incident itself is simply a manifestation of the fear that both whites and blacks have for each other. And those on either side of this case have had the fear of such events pounded into their head by anecdotal stories and myths.

So..the jury is at work. Soon they will decide George Zimmerman’s fate. But, in fact his fate has already been decided. Even if he is found not guilty, he most likely will face a wrongful death civil suit (does OJ Simpson and $32 million ring a bell), possibly federal civil rights violation charges, and even if he manages to run that gauntlet unscathed, he still will be hounded by the media, and whacked out nuts and groupies. He will face an uncertain future for employment, housing, and quality of life.

I am not sure that trying Zimmerman on 2nd degree murder charges was the smart thing to do, and I have serious doubts about the sincerity of the state’s attorney’s effort. Consider these events that did not occur: When it was revealed that George Zimmerman was working on a political campaign as a supporter, what was the candidates politics? Was he far right extreme? Wouldn’t that contribute to the mindset of Zimmerman?

Why wasn’t Sean Hannity subpoenaed and deposed? Didn’t Zimmermen give an interview to the right wing talk show host? There is an old saying in journalism, for every word spoken “on the record”, two are spoken “off the record.” Wouldn’t the conversations between Hannity and Zimmerman be relevant to the events of the night of the shooting? And remember, Zimmerman sought out Hannity because he thought he was a sympathetic person to his predicament.

But…the trial  is over. And soon Zimmerman’s fate will be determined. Some will say that if Zimmerman walks free, it will be carte blanche for vigilante justice, that wanna be cops will exercise justice on perceived threats without the benefit of due process. Maybe..but I would submit that maybe, even if Zimmerman gets released, the problems he will face might serve as a deterrent to future “Harry Callahan’s” who want to live out their video game fantasy lives.

OK…Zimmerman…hero or over fantasized punk? Probably the latter. But I would remind everyone that the world today has a support structure for punks to achieve a support structure that gives the feeling of kinship by the internet, talk radio and some of the far right blogs.

Clearly, for a moment, Zimmerman de evolved into a fantasy personna that night. In his mind, Zimmerman became “Dirty Harry,” “Batman,” and savior in the blink of an eye. But, this was a man who took mixed martial arts training and criminal justice courses. So, combine the elements, and add the mindset that night, it would appear that Zimmerman was percolating for quite some time.

If there is a lesson to be learned from all of this, it is simply to not let our fears and negative perceptions of each other overcome our better nature. Not every black person is a criminal, not even 1%. Just because people like different music, wear different clothes, speak different words, or walk different ways, does not make them a threat to us.

If we now know anything different from 3 weeks ago is that race relations in America are an open sore. Any irritation of that sore will reopen the wound. Tragically, very little of the discussion around this trial has addressed the perception issue. We still struggle as a nation to come to peace and reconciliation, we still struggle to trust each other, and most importantly, we still cannot understand each other.

Edward Snowden and The NSA Leak Story

Damn!!! I thought NSA meant “no strings attached.” OK…it means National Security Agency. So let’s talk Edward “Scissorhands” Snowden and his cadre of leaks. Wow!!!! It’s the 9/11 of the spy game. The Pearl Harbor of digital warfare. The new millenium version of the Zimmerman Note. Well…not so much.

In a truly myopic display of journalism, all levels of the media, and the grand standers in Congress have treated this “scandal” like a seminal issue to be hammered out by days of public debate and hand wringing. Yes…that’s right, and make sure you turn to CNN, FOX, and MSNBC for the latest claptrap about the morality and ethics of both leaking the classified documents and the existence of the program in the first place.\What crap!

First and foremost, no one with a brain thought that some level of intrusive surveillance was occurring since 9-11. And I don’t mean by the government. For over a decade now, since the widespread introduction of the internet and wireless technology, data was being captured by private entities, and yes even criminals, that led to the coining of the term “Identity Theft.” Google maps can zoom right in on the roof of your address, and scams both by phone and web, most from some very nasty foreign criminals to this day continue to pry money and data from Americans.

Oh wait…THE GOVERNMENT!!!! Well, they have had the capability to spy on those they choose since the 1960’s. Anyone remember J. Edgar Hoover? Since the 1980’s surveillance has moved from a cold war mentality to a anti terror posture. Truth is…living “off the grid” probably hasn’t existed since the 1950’s. But now!!!! Wow breaking news the government has the ability to monitor phone calls and e mails! Everybody cal;m down already.

Let’s talk about this a different way. Instead of trying to put the toothpaste back in the tube, let’s try to understand why we allowed such a dramatic sea change to occur. It seems to me that technology and innovation are always about 15-20 years ahead of any possible issues that may occur from them. When cell phones were introduced widespread in the mid 1990’s they were carried on analog signals, remember how if you had a scanner you could listen to the calls if they were close enough to you? So they changed to digital signals. Digital signals were easier to track (just watch any NCIS episode to see the abuses to privacy there!) and led to pinging towers to find criminals. Oh WI-FI!!! that made tracking even easier. These are essentially the tools the National Security Agency are engaged in sweeping.

So let’s re-frame the debate, how about when these products are introduced we have an open discussion BEFORE the products and technologies are garnered in a wide spread fashion on the American public. How about making sure the technologies and devices are able to protect the user? Naive? Probably. But my point is this: Corporate greed has led to questionable, sometimes sinister uses and abuses of technology.

Think about it this way, we had a hand wringing discussion about the use of embryonic stem cells in research (and rightly so) but no discussion about potential abuses of this kind of technology? The Food And Drug Administration, in an attempt to get wonder drugs on the market in the 1990’s reduced the time for FDA approval from 19 to 4 years. That kind of thinking gave us many wonder drugs, but also led to Vioxx and many other drugs that have been pulled from the shelves.But…hardly a peep when the FDA (and their pharmaceutical manufacturer supporters) rammed through what some now call reckless changes to a long standing drug approval process.

The bottom line here is that our elected leaders, and we as Americans ourselves have to understand that absolute privacy no longer exists for us. And…unless we can get the other perpetrators of privacy violations  such as China, Russia, Iran, and a lot of nasty crime organizations to follow the same rules, then well…that’s just the way it is!

Now…to Mr. Snowden. This guy ain’t Norma Rae, he ain’t Daniel Ellsburg, and he ain’t Tom Paine. No, we don’t know what Mr. Snowden IS yet, but we do know this, his thought process and execution of releasing these documents is a little suspicious. Let’s start with this. Mr. Snowden claimed that his salary was about $122,000 a year. Not bad, I’d take that. But he holed up in Honk Kong for at least a few weeks at a hotel? Must have done some serious brown bagging to save enough cash for that. Remember, since he announced he was the leak, he has since slipped on to the Chinese mainland, so…my point is that someone else is paying the rent.

And…the Guardian reporter Glenn Greenwald who “broke” this story, may be the conduit that funded Mr. Snowden ‘s holiday in the Far East. So what should happen to this guy? Not for me to say. Our laws are pretty clear on the leaking of classified data. If he is caught, I’m sure that the full weight of American, and possibly British law will fall on him. Make no mistake, Mr. Snowden is NOT a Hero! He is at best a pawn, someone who has been used by any number of entities to further their own agendas. He may stay in China, a bastion of freedom and liberty right? He may move to Russia, and experience some real surveillance. Or he may be apprehended as he tries to move somewhere else. Doesn’t matter, he will be a footnote to an espionage adventure.

What we as Americans should be thinking of is what the next level of intrusion is on the horizon in our society. We should all be more critical thinkers, question all motives by those who attempt to tell us that great innovations are on the horizon.

 

An Open Letter To Mika Brzezinski

Dear Mika;

Big fan of Morning Joe. Just wanted to give a little essay about an issue you hold dear: The obesity crisis in America. I too share your concern.

On March 7th of this year I began a weight loss program, I was moderately obese (about 245) and the added weight was wearing down both my knees and hips, as well as significant back strain. Walking up a flight of stairs was increasingly difficult and I realized that at my age (60) that a change had to made.

I chose a rather unorthodox method to lose weight. I decided to just eat 2000 calories or less a day, and increase exercise to 90 minutes a day. Today is the three month mark of this and I am now down to 210. To say that I am happy is understated, to say that I am continuing the fight is not. Although that sounds familiar as a weight loss plan, what made my approach different is that I really started to look around at the way food was being presented.

Losing weight is not hard. It simply requires the simple formula of eating less and exercising more. The problem is, and you of all know this, the options available for food are way out of balance. As I moved farther into the program I developed, I realized one very crucial point: For every healthy option for a meal, there are literally 50 that are not. Fruits and vegetables and healthy meals have to be discovered after wading through a maze of junk.

Food is both a necessity and an evil these days. Unlike cigarettes and alcohol or even drugs, food is necessary for life itself. Air, water, and food are the most basic of life’s necessities. Yet, food is also addictive, can lead to compulsive behavior and is the end product of much of the stresses of living in the world. The psycho social aspects of why we eat enter a myriad of theories and conjecture. But one truth remains, the pull of bad eating habits is all around, family, media, and imagery all contribute to the maelstrom of self image.

OK, I may be a zealous convert to this eating change, but isn’t it about time that the nation begins to  realize the dangers of gluttonous overindulgence which is fueled by the junk food industry?

In 1964, Surgeon General Luther Terry issued that now famous report warning the public of the dangers of smoking. A warning that started a drumbeat over anti-smoking efforts that continue today.

Fast forward to today, where is a similar report by Surgeon General Regina Benjamin? Most people don’t even know she is the Surgeon General! The time has come for a warning to the public about the dangers of obesity and junk food . There have been many studies done about obesity, and even statements and efforts by the First Lady to address this, but until the medical leaders in our government make a bold statement labeling junk food as a danger to society, much like the 1964 report, society will continue to nibble around the edges of a problem that will go on for decades, if not addressed now.

Consider this: The baby boomer generation was the first generation to have fast food as an integral part of the culture. Two more generations have been weened on a junk food culture. Much as cigarettes were in the second and third generations when that 1964 report was issued. Get it? Clinical evidence has emerged about both of them after about 50 years of use.

The obvious difference is that we need to food to live, and I believe that, through my own weight loss experience, that there is an addictive nature to junk food. Now is the time for the nation to understand that continuing down the fast food highway will not only affect public health, but also eventually bankrupt our government, lessen our ability to compete globally, and ultimately will lead to varying degrees of disintegration of our society as we know it today.

Obesity is already causing a startling rise in disability cases through the Social Security Administration. Obesity causes back injuries and strokes and cardiac illness, and much of that occurs in mid life, 40’s and 50’s. Everyone knows of someone who became disabled from those ailments and most came through obesity.

As the American workforce becomes more sedentary, health care costs rise for their treatment. Productivity suffers and the temptation to reduce staff or outsource becomes an option for corporate America. I must share this story. I worked for a healthcare organization here in New York and everyday a pharmaceutical salesman or woman would bring lunch to the sites. On the house, just to give their sales pitch to the doctors and nurses. Want to know what the common lunches were? Pizza, Chinese food, lasagna, and other high calorie and high fat foods. Not only that, but they would bring deserts such as big cookies and ice cream.

If a healthcare organization cannot realize the dangers of bringing junk food to its employees, how can they be expected to lead the charge for healthy eating?

Now, on your show Joe Scarborough and others lightly mock your vigilant stance about the alarming abuse of junk food, but what they fail to realize is that though, in a perfect world we would all make wise choices and show personal responsability in our eating choices, it cannot be achieved when healthy options outnumber the bad ones 50-1.

It is ironic that coming up on the 50th anniversary of the 1964 report, we have replaced one danger to the public health with another.

This is why the following should be considered immediately. An obesity tax of 10% on all foods designated as high fat, sugar, or salt by nutritional experts. The money generated from this tax would be apportioned to the CMS for use in Medicaid, Medicare and reimbursements to private insurers for treatment of obesity related illnesses.

In addition, some of the money that is received would be directed as inducements to those who receive public assistance to offset the costs of purchasing healthier foods. As well, some revenue would be directed to school districts to provide healthy menus for school lunches.

It was not until we realized that smoking behavior could not be changed by education alone, did we see real decreases in smoking. Same is true here. Until we provide incentives to eat healthier, and to apply punitive measures to bad eating habits, will any change occur.

This is not the “nanny” state rearing its ugly head. As a matter of fact this tax is a tax you DO NOT have to pay! Eat healthy, save money! Personal responsibility in life actually requires some personal responsibility! As long a fast food and junk food can flood the media with advertising and imagery, glamorizing food abuse, it is a losing battle to educate the public. How can everything be taken in moderation, when the ratio is 50-1?

It is sad that so little has been done about this. It is sad that many in this nation are literally eating themselves to death. And much like the cigarette commercials of the 1950’s, junk food is made to look safe and its consumers all smiling and happy.

Anyway, hope you read this Mika and good luck with the effort!

The Gosnell Verdict vs The IRS Scandal

Barely noticed during the perpetual pissing contest that is Washington politics is the conviction and sentencing to life of Kermit Gosnell, the Philadelphia abortion doctor (a slander to the word) who performed hideously illegal abortions for an extended period of time. Here is the link to the wikipedia  page about this individual.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kermit_Gosnell

As grisly as this case was, as disturbing a story as this, the verdict that sent this generation’s Dr. Mengele to prison for life barely got noticed by the all stripes of the media. In fact, it wasn’t so much the verdict of guilty, or the life sentence (mind you he is already in his 70’s and will die in prison) or even the crime itself that is the most alarming aspect of this case. When the news broke, almost exactly at the same time as all the “scandals” in Washington were being exposed, all media stripes dropped this story, leaving most of the information on the tip line at the bottom of the screen.

No…that’s right. Republicans on Capitol Hill preferred to posture and primp for the cameras over the IRS and AP debacles. Yeah, Mitch McConnell spent time on the Senate floor crying wolf about the IRS and how that pesky Obama administration was bring life as we know it to an end. Yet…not a word from the constipated one about a heinous crime and ultimate conviction that in many ways strengthens the argument for more legislation to stop the potential for the abhorrence of ending baby’s lives.

Yeah…where was Boehner or Cantor or Hatch or anybody from the right grabbing the podium and rightly showing outrage over this horrific abuse of the medical profession?

OK..time to come clean here. I am a Pro Life Progressive. Let me explain why I am, and all Progressives should be.

As basic as it gets..life is sacred, a gift from God. The imperative for all humankind is to preserve life and alleviate all human suffering. As a Progressive, I oppose the death penalty, I believe that defending human dignity has no borders, and that our MAIN goal on this planet, in this existence that we all share, is the pursuit of holding life sacred. And that justice must come to all who do not.

It is tragic that in the land of the free that the condemned to death in prison get more rights than the unborn. Simply put, It should be harder to end pregnancy than this. I understand this is a thorny issue, one that scholars and clergy have struggled with since Roe v. Wade became the law of  the land. Now is the time for all the parties to come together to come to a a safe ground that protects the rights of the unborn, while protecting women from returning to the back alley days that were resurrected during the Gosnell trial. Such a resolution can be reached without the arm of politics yanking left and right away from true solutions.  I think the distancing by the Republicans in the House and Senate when the Gosnell verdict was handed down is proof positive that they are only charlatans who will wet their collective thumbs to see which way the wind blows. True solutions to tragedies like the Gosnell case will not come from government, but from rational, serious, reasoned people from the intellectuals in and out of the religious community.

As a progressive, I would urge those on the left to respect the high morals of most in the religious community. These people are devout and have firmly held convictions, and those convictions need to be respected. As such, the right must understand that a return to the 1950’s style of abortion can never be allowed again. There can be some common ground here, and now is the time for all to come together and end this particular divider of our society.

Furthermore, it isn’t just about abortion anymore. The appalling loss of life in the slaughter that is Syria and the hand wringing of the Obama administration is contrary to all that Progressives should believe.

It all comes in one package. Human life, sacred, must be protected. Human suffering, must be alleviated by all our efforts.

Anyone who knows me knows my disgust with the “Tea Party.” The reason why is simple, the really are the “Me” Party. Progressives are really the “Us” Party. We stand for justice, equal rights, fairness for all, and improving the overall human condition.

The “Me” Party is all about dividing people, tearing away basic hard fought civil rights, ignoring the inequities of the past, just to reinstate separatist policies from a long gone era.

If this appears to be a digression from the original point of this post, it is not. The Gosness verdict re affirms the fact that the far right only feigns indignant attitudes when it serves their FOX News collaborators. The Gosnell case should have served as a rallying cry for real reform, but was dropped like hot potato when the irresistible scent of a Washington scandal, and the opportunity to stand in front of a microphone and trash the President presented itself.

But should we expect anymore from the “Me” Party?

Self Inflicted Wounds: IRS, AP, And Benghazi

Oh yeah baby…what a week for the Obama haters. Wow!!! It’s worse than Watergate!!! Impeach!!! Yeah right! It has been an orgasmic week at Fox News!

I’m reminded of the old saying: ” Sometimes you get the bear…and sometimes the bear gets you.” So, the IRS thing is a big deal. Not as big as the far right would have you believe. Remember, the “offended” parties have been railing against big government, specifically the IRS, since they first “appeared” on the national stage a few years back. The Tea Party “Patriots” have essentially called for the overthrow of our current form of government.The real crazies of the T Party have used strong racist overtones in an attempt to de-legitimize the Obama Presidency. They have called for seditious acts against all forms of the Federal government, from the military to the domestic programs that struggle to level an enormously stilted system that favors old, white, rich men.

Yep, the IRS “scandal”, is a scandal only because the government was investigating anarchistic right wing groups that are trying to disrupt our government. So…heads will roll, both at the IRS and probably in the White House. Unfortunately, that will never be enough for the Toilet Paper Party crowd, and their crowned leader, the dour, constipated leaders of the Senate and the House who won’t be happy until they see President Obama doing a perp walk in the Rose Garden. After all the bound up boys, McConnell and Boehner have never, EVER done anything ethically wrong, no pure as the driven snow.

I agree the IRS should not have been overtly targeting right wing political 501-c groups motives for asking for tax exempt status. Hell, even the Ku Klux Klan gets to have First Amendment protection. BTW, Tea Party, Klan, hmmm. Maybe instead of the IRS investigating the T Party, they should be investigated by the Southern Poverty Law Center. That, in fact, would be more appropriate in my view. Folks, what we are seeing is more of a lynching than a scandal.

Next up…the AP being monitored by the Department of Justice. Hmmmm…what a load of crap this is. The phony outrage by the media over this would have more credibility if the anger wasn’t covered in crap. Washington journalism is an oxymoron. Most of the Beltway scribes are gossip columnists more than real journalists. The story in question by the way, leaked information about a thwarted terrorist plot finding its way into the media was a process that has always been investigated, and when reporters do these stories that have even a remote chance of endangering innocent lives, they media should have the self restraint to not pant and publish.

Lastly Benghazi. This will add up to nothing, zip. This is just a misdirection ploy by Republicans to discredit Obama foreign policy. It will go nowhere.

It is tragic to see the nation dragged into a crapfest that will cover a month’s worth of news cycles. Yes, the “scandals” are self inflicted by the Obama Administration, to a point. But, the “outrage” on the right, is really a thinly veiled attempt to torpedo the President’s second term agenda. In fact, immigration reform is all but dead now. So is any meaningful gun reform, and forget about jobs. The GOP and the Tea Party could care less about that. They hold jobs, and think all the unemployed should just go away.

Remember, the Tea Party think 47% of the country are freeloaders, vermin, not “Real” Americans. We are their servants, a burden to them.

In the end, this week proves beyond a shadow of a doubt and delineates better than ever the difference between the left and the right. The left believes in fairness, and opportunity for all. They believe in justice and equality for all, no matter what color you are or what gender or who you love. The left wants to raise the debate and lift the least among us.

The right simply has selfish motives. Keep the money and keep the power. Keep those of color down. Discredit and discriminate against those who are most weak.

Keep that in mind as you hear the “scandal” crap that is coming.

 

Wayne LaPierre and the Mindbenders: A Groovy Kind Of Gun

Wayne and his lap dog politician friends are drawing a red line on any kind of gun reform. Did anyone expect differently?

Screw the NRA. Let’s talk about where gun reform really is. The NRA has backed themselves into a corner, have literally forced themselves to hold a position that is not only indefensible, but barely coherent. The NRA and the gun nuts have finally pushed themselves to a position that lends itself to a potential Waco or Ruby Ridge type standoff.

Fine. The ATF and FBI will have plenty to do this spring. Here’s a memo to the NRA and the gun nuts, you will not usurp the democratically passed laws of New York and Connecticut that strictly limit gun ownership and possession. Challenges to that law will be laughed out of court. And they will never see the United States Supreme Court, as exemplified by the recent refusal to the court to hear a case based on part of that law. Read it and weep Wayne!

http://www.nytimes.com/2013/04/16/us/politics/supreme-court-declines-gun-law-case.html?_r=0

So the nonsense that is the current NRA love fest in Houston is just for show. Fine. But just remember one thing: The next mass shooting will occur. Everybody knows it, and if you are the gun nuts (and that’s what you are) you better pray the guns were not purchased at a gun show or on line, or by a straw purchaser.

I would also submit for consideration that if the Newtown tragedy had happened somewhere in the deep south, say Alabama or Georgia, would the NRA, escpeically old Wayne be so bellicose and vitriolic about simple universal background checks? Something that the large majority of AMERICANS support.

Look, I will be the first to say I don’t trust the polls. 90 percent of this country can barely agree on anything, much less prioritize it. But, another incident, another massacre, will drive the discussion and force politicians to defend a stupid vote on universal background checks, that has no bearing on all you “Patriots” who feel the need to have an arsenal in your house.

Enough bitching. I want to introduce my own legislation to stop mass shootings.

1. Mandatory use of trigger locks on all guns, with the owner being the only one allowed to hold a key.

2. Also, keep all weapons in a locked cabinet. With the correct owner having the only access to the keys. Violations will be a felony. All guns sold will have to include trigger locks as part of the purchase.

3. A gun used in a crime that is traced back to a straw purchaser will result in a felony for the purchaser.

4. Gun shop owners will be held liable if a gun they sold is used in a crime, regardless of whether the gun was stolen from the original owner or not. Think there is no precedent for this? Bar owners can be held liable for serving someone who is legally intoxicated, then tries to operate a motor vehicle.

5. Mandatory video of all gun shop and gun show transactions. That means surveillance cameras in all shops and shows.

Think about this: if the gun locks and cabinets requirements were in place and enforced, would Adam Lanza have so easily got his hands on those weapons?

What is most disturbing about the NRA and their brown shirt followers is that they care little about anyone but themselves. And they reinforce the stupid notion that the evil government, the black horde, and the immigrant wave is coming for everybody. Let’s be clear about one thing. The NRA and the gun nuts are a racist bunch. They don’t like the fact of an African American President, they don’t like the idea that power is being rerouted from traditional white sources, and they don’t like the notion that whites will be a minority in a generation. This race hatred, as much as the “second amendment” argument is the driving force in the crazy, over the top rhetoric by the far righr.

I would like to congratulate old Wayne, he has convinced me that eventually we will have to really crack down on gun ownership. That in fact, the gun owners are the biggest threat to everyone’s freedom and safety. If I walk into a mall or restaurant or park and I have to worry that half the place is packing, don’t you think that eventually someone loses control and opens up on a crowd? Hell, I see road rage at least once a day! So spare me the crap that gun owners are reasoned, rational individuals who will only draw a weapon in dire need.

So Congress…hopefully some one will take my suggestions on trigger locks and gun cabinets. Hopefully the courts will never allow rampant conceal and carry laws to see the light of day, and hopefully everybody get their heads out of their asses and work together to stop gun violence!

The Boston Bombing, The Manhunt, and the Disgusting Behavior of the Media

Saturday 4/20: It is over for now. The Boston Bombing suspect is in custody. 

I must admit..this week has truly been an amazing week in the United States. The Boston Bombing, the Texas explosion, and now the massive manhunt for one of the Boston bombing suspects Dzhokhar A. Tsarnaev who is being hunted frantically by law enforcement. As I type, he has not been apprehended. But in true CNN breaking news, hit the air with no information, a reporter is stating he heard assault rifle fire on the scene. Maybe, this horrible event is coming to an end.

The subplots of this are straight out of Hollywood. IED’s, grenades, shootouts (which killed Tamerlan Tsarnaev, the older brother of the above named suspect, and the craziness of shutting down a major American city and the surrounding area. It goes without saying that law enforcement is dealing with a challenge of proportions only exceeded by the September 11th attacks in 2001. They are to be thanked and supported by all, they prove time and time again that public safety sometimes ends in the ultimate sacrifice. Massachusetts Institute of Technology law enforcement officer Sean Collier gave his life in the line of duty, and that must not be forgotten.

The danger of this situation in the Boston area cannot be minimized. This individual is armed and dangerous and probably will end up like his brother. However, the law enforcement effort must take its course. Justice will be served and the victims of all of this will hopefully have some measure of closure.

But…the media has been shameful in this whole horrific episode. This is a new low for the profession. CNN, MSNBC, and FOX have been guilty of spreading misinformation, wildly speculating about events, and in some cases establishing an atmosphere of fear and hatred for no real reason.

Some examples:

CNN’s butchering of the rumors of the “arrest of a suspect.” Not only was their reporter John King wrong, he claimed that the person arrested was of “dark skin…but didn’t want to say anything more.”  In an atmosphere where even the truth can be badly misinterpreted, King lit the fuse on a potential powder keg of potential racial incidents in reaction to his comment.

Not to be outdone, “Bush era Homeland Security expert” Fran Townsend kept chiming in about how an arrest was made, how her law enforcement “sources” were on the verge of a major breakthrough.

In addition, the “national security” experts on CNN, FOX and surprisingly MSNBC were spitting out conspiracy theories like watermelon seeds. My god, before they knew who, they had them tied to Al Qaeda, and the Taliban, and just about any wild scenario they could come up with. Shame on MSNBC for bringing in Bush era Homeland Security Director Tom Ridge to “analyze” the unfolding drama. Have you all forgot that Ridge was one of the architects of the Patriot Act, that he fanned the flames of fear post 9/11?

Most disturbing was the assertion that somehow 9/11 was a finite issue, I believe expressed by Ridge. Really? Tell that to the soldiers who still put their lives at risk 12 years after 9/11. Tell that to the families of the casualties of 9/11 and the military fatalities that have occurred since. Yet, according to Ridge, this was an “open-ended” situation with the Boston Bombings? There he is again, fanning the flames of paranoia and fear. Shame on MSNBC. Just to be fair to Tom Ridge, all three cable networks as well as ABC, NBC, and CBS, lined up “experts” with little to no real knowledge of this particular situation, wildly speculating about motives and methods. And all of the “experts” perspectives came from the narrow view of law enforcement. The notion of bringing Bush era “experts such as Ridge and Townsend, who still are trying to validate Bush anti terror policies is disturbing as most of the audience the last few days were not a knowledgeable about the inner workings of the political machine of the left and right. Both of them should have been subject to scrutiny on every theory they spoke of,

Let’s not forget the cowboys and cowgirls over at FOX. Hell, they were arranging the lynching for anyone who fit the description of a terrorist. The unbelievable lack of professionalism at FOX is no secret, but they are probably reaching a new low here. Consider the comments of FOX News Sunday host Chris Wallace, when giving analysis and self promoting at the same time. He plugged a discussion whether if Watertown residents were all armed if that would make a difference in the standoff. Again, the suspect has been captured, and without any vigilante justice.

Not only that, but now Yahoo is running an article questioning whether any immigration reform can be done in lieu of the two brothers who were naturalized immigrants.  Don’t get me started on that. Are we so desperate as a society to hate that we will direct our anger like an unguided missile?

But I saved the worst journalism for last. Chasing down the family members of the two bombers, literally as they were within the first 12 hours of knowing their relatives were the suspects in a heinous crime. What exactly did the media stand to gain from accosting family members? Law enforcement has a right to question and gain information from these people, the media does not. Especially considering that the families had not seen these two suspects for quite some time, had little to no knowledge of their radical ambitions, and had to deal with a cultural and language barrier with an aggressive media. It is reminiscent of those scenes from the 1980’s when local reporters chased down family members of accident victims.

The media coverage was so far over the top that literally there was five minutes of information and 20 minutes of “analysis.” They needed to fill air time with conjecture and speculation. And the language used by the law enforcement people and the hosts was something out of  a dialogue of NCIS. Terms like “flashbangs,” “eyes on the target,” and “pinging cell towers” were being tossed around like dialogue from a crime series. How about this: if anything happens like this again…have ten minutes of news and run an NCIS show afterward. We would roughly get the same information.

The media, especially cable media has become show business first, hysterical second, and dispensing acccurate information last. I can see Edward R. Murrow and Mike Wallace looking down and shaming the “news” organizations that has de- evolved into a voyeuristic exercise that bears little resemblance to the standards set by the giants of the print and broadcast media of years past.

The traveling road show that is laughingly what we call news, will move on to the next tragedy when the case is wrapped up. However, as I type here, the suspect on the loose, Dzhokhar A. Tsarnaevmay have slipped out of the gauntlet that seemingly had him trapped in the Boston area.

Now, with the capture of the suspect, the media is turning to psycho-analysis. Telling the story of his life and his Facebook and Twitter posts. No offense but most of this is completely irrelevant to the man’s capture. All this nonsense achieves is to strike fear into people, thinking that anyone foreign, even friendly foreigners, cannot be trusted.

You know what really pisses me off? We went through this same crap after 9/11. The media is playing lapdog to the “national security experts” Same as they did in 2001. Same as they did in the run up to the Iraq war.

These “experts” have a narrow view of the world, and although their expertise in tactics is relevant and informative, their opinions about motive and ideology play into the worst kind of prejudice. Before an name was announced, before a ph0to was posted, these “experts” were lining up links to Islamic terrorist groups, without a shred of evidence. I submit that a change needs to be made, “experts” have to be noted as paid or unpaid contributors to whatever network they appear on. The line between paid consultant and unpaid is a determining factor in whether the information you and I receive is without taint. If you know that Tom Ridge or John Bolton is collecting a salary by the network they are with before they dispense their opinion, the more perspective is given on the fairness of their analysis. And the “hosts” have to use more critical thinking in their dealings with these guests. Goodness, I heard so much wild speculation from these “experts” and yet hardly a peep about the veracity of their judgement. Same goes for the field reporters, every report was qualified by the “host” as being, “you have had so much experience in this field.,” or “your expertise is so relevant.” Then the reporter basically just repeated some casual comments from a cop who may have just walked by. Experts and field reporters need to keep a filter on their opinions and attitudes in order to give relevant information, not gossip and speculation. Especially the “experts.”

When these “experts” develop imaginary scenarios and what if’s they fuel fear and mistrust. The narrow, law enforcement view of these “experts” has not been counterbalanced enough with reasoned and rational analysis. Sound familiar? A lapdog media that is allowing conspiracy theory to run amok. No critical thinking or filter before information is released to the public. Ultimately, only bad things can result from wild conspiracy theories that have little basis in fact.

It is unfortunate that in times of crisis, when the country needs information, needs to be reassured, needs to be kept in the loop, but kept in perspective, our media has, and is still failing miserably. The shameful actions of the media must be taken to task once the frenzy has died down. Information is necessary, sensational irrelevant show business tactics are not.

Let me say again, the two brothers will be remembered as the heinous criminals that murdered innocent people. The victims who died will be memorialized.  The victims who are still with us will be left with rebuilding their lives. But…there is no excuse for the media creating potential collateral damage among the millions of legal immigrants in this country who just want to live life free and in peace.