The Love Chronicles

Jim, you ask me what I would call the new position I described in our “new” political party. The Boss, works for me, but hey , I don’t know. The President is an impotent position except for his veto power. But other than that all he can do is rant and rave. He is only as powerful as his backing from his own party. He wields no power on his own to pass legislation. His power is in waging war, or at least fomenting one, and his access to the public forum of print and broadcast media is a plus in trying to direct public opinion. In every other way all he tends to be is a giant target and great cartoon character. The guy you blame when shit hits the fan. It is why I was giving the job away, I would never want it. We need people willing to forget the two party system. Who the hell put them in charge anyway? We have to look at taking care of our own. Forget giving 68 billion dollars to an Egyptian because he pretends to be friendly to our interests. I don’t care if it gives us a free pass to the Suez, or if it helps Israel. I have already stated what I think we should do about terrorism. I think instead of propping up governments like Afghanistan, Pakistan, Egypt, Iraq, and on and on, we should make sure no children are hungry, everyone is getting a great education at home in a safe environment, the same medical services are available to everyone, and I could go on forever. Gangs, crime, dope, immigration, secure borders, all of these things could be had or at least vastly improved if the money we use to prop up foreign powers was used to prop up ourselves. We stay strong, treat the rest of the planet and countries with respect, but stomp on them hard if they support terrorism or harm an American. I know, isolationism, so what! If you make it profitable to deal with us, they will. Money talks and bullshit, is just that, bullshit! We need to make sure we are #1 in education, not second to last. We need to use our resources to stay in the forefront of technology. We need to lead the world in trade innovation, not just following the trend. You know who best fits that criteria right now? Well it’s China, and in another 20 years we will not even be in the top ten of dominate nations on the planet. If I knew how to bring about the change, hey I would not keep it a secret, but alas I am as impotent as the President in this regard. I guess the best we can do is keep talking and staying engaged, just in case the opportunity arises to be some small part of the solution.

Your Brother,

John L.

John.love@live.com
https://johnlove63.wordpress.com/

January 6, 2011

Dear California State Senators;

I am writing to remind you that there is a large voting block of baby boomers out there who have some very serious concerns, I am one of the afore mentioned boomers. It is true that we are all coming of an age to draw on Social Security. It is also true that you, yes both of you, have gone along with the standard response that because of that fact, funding may have to be curtailed. You also state that Social Security will run out of funds altogether in the near future. Well, that is true as far as it goes, but is the same as a lie when you only tell half the truth, which is all those statements are. You need to also admit, publicly, that the same swell of baby boomers ageing into the Social Security system is the same swell of taxpayers that have been paying into it and creating a huge surplus in the fund. A surplus, and then some, that was borrowed by the federal government by issuing bonds payable to the fund. It is those bonds that are coming due that the government cannot afford to pay back. We the people, the very ones you represent, do not want to be the ones to pay for the mismanagement of the fund by our previous so called representatives. We expect you, who are duly sworn to represent us, the people, not your party, not your backers, but what we the people want. It is your job, the only one you are supposed to be doing. I am not saying you are not, but I would like to hear one politician stand up and report the whole story, not the one your cronies or your party want. I need my Social Security. I have been paying into it since I was around 14, and I have been working ever since. We could not live on Social Security alone, what I will receive would not pay rent in So. Cal., never mind food, insurance, drugs, utilities, clothes, and all of the rest of the cost of living. Even so, if my wife and I do not die at exactly the same time, the other one is in dire trouble. I know you do not think so, but most of your constituency is in the same boat. We did not save enough, we lived from pay check to pay check our whole lives. I worked as a mechanic/foreman for the same entity for 30 years, but there was no insurance, no 401k, or anything else besides a basic wage. I did manage to put some away, I was not a complete idiot, but it will go quickly. Most of it already was used to make sure my daughter, who is now a teacher was able to get her Masters. So now, I depend on you to look out for what is left of my life.

Point number two. A lot of us think that our representatives need to find a way to make it unconstitutional for the federal govt. to spend more money than they take in. The debt has gone ballistic, and will be a sore spot for possibly generations. The first thing on the block is Social Security and Medicare, because they cost the most. I do not think you should allow us to die before our time from lack of medical care or basic living conditions. In short, I do not think you should kill Americans by curtailing our services so that you can afford to kill foreigners you don’t like. Sticky wicket you say, of course it is. You have to find a way to go after and defeat terrorists, I get that. I think we are going to have to do it without trying to tame whole countries however. We are going to have to train a military force that is very well trained technically and equipped to perform surgical strikes against terrorists regardless of where they are, and we are going to have to do it in places where we are not going to get the cooperation or permission from the country we find them in. Both the country we have just fought a war in, and the country we are now concentrating on will backslide as soon as we leave. A waste of money and resources. We will have to prop them up forever, using the money and resources needed to house, feed, and care for people right here. I know I am not telling you anything you don’t know. What I am saying is that you need to get in touch with who we really are. We are not as well off as you might think, and a visit once or twice a year to make it look like you care, but still spouting the same half truths will not get it anymore. I hear a lot of talk about just voting out incumbents as a matter course until someone starts to get the message that you do not represent a political party or any certain groups of individuals. You cannot just do what perpetrates you and your party’s continued existence, as hard as that is.

You will have to figure out a way to tax the rich and the poor, fairly. I don’t think certain oil companies need to make billions in profits per reporting period. You can do it if your honest about what needs to be done without worrying about anyone but we the people or who you are going to alienate in the process. Just my humble opinion.

Sincerely,

John Love

Hi everyone, I could have written another blog, but only Jim would have read it, so I am going to inflict myself on you by email and the blog. The politicians are messing with servicemen and social security again. They are planning to reduce retirement benefits for both. Not touching theirs, by the way! The baby boomers are here and drawing out a lot more money from social security right now, but we were also here for the last 65 odd years paying into the social security fund in the same larger numbers. It has nothing to with baby boomers. When all the boomers were of working age and paying into the fund it had a trillion dollar surplus, yeah, I said trillion!  The feds took from the fund to get the post office out of the red, more than once. They “borrowed” money from it to pay down the national debt just before an election year, more than once, and even more robberies, fraud, and theft by the federal government took place! None of which it paid back! Social Security did not go broke, it is the victim of theft and fraud by the very politicians who now want to steal from us again. If I had all the money I have put into it, plus interest, I would be a multi-millionaire and so would you. The feds reaped all the benefits, now that it’s time to pay the piper, they are putting on the masks and hoods and will rob us again if we let them! Actually they issued special Treasury bonds as collateral, which are due to  be paid back to Social Security starting in 2018, which they now can’t afford to do!  Of course they are not telling you that,  they just keep talking about the baby boomers.  Social Security has generated a surplus of over 1.5 Trillion Dollars, all of which has been “borrowed”  by the federal govt. Write your congressman, tell them what you think!

Medicare is also on the chopping block because it is a huge chunk of the federal budget. I can’t make the claim that it is money owed us that we have paid in, so harder to defend. I just know that you wind up living on a fixed income about the same time your body starts demanding some attention. Doctors and drugs cost way more than most of us can afford to pay, even with medical insurance. Insurance we will not be able to afford on the pittance they pay even now, forget about reduced benefits. I am a former Marine, so I support servicemen 100%. What I can’t support is two wars if it means I have to live in the streets and die early because they need my monthly income to pay down the huge debt they are building up. Both Afghanistan and Iraq will revert to type in a year, two tops, after we pull out. Sorry, but that is a most likely scenario. I think we have to quit fighting wars for other countries, and just fight terrorism itself. I know, I know, your going to say that we have to get rid of the regimes that support the terrorists. That is true, but since everyone hates us anyway, I say quit fighting wars we can’t win in the long run, at least without a presence in those countries for at least two generations! Go for the terrorists wherever they are, I mean in force in whatever countries, cave ,or luxory resort we think they are hanging out in. I mean we don’t ask permission, we go wherever we know them to be and kill or arrest them. Might have to play a different tune in countries who can kick our behinds with a few well placed nukes, (Thinking of Russia, not North Korea), but after they see how effective we can be against terrorism I think they will join the cause, once we stop pretending that some countries are our allies who are not. I mean come on, Pakistan actively gives support and lodging to a multitude of terrorist. Meanwhile they accept huge amounts of money from us to help combat terrorism, smiling at us like little children as they pass it on to, guess who?

I know there are lots of holes in this theory, but at least it would free up money at home. We have our own starving and homeless children. We have gangs that control parts of our largest cities, elderly living on scraps, people dying unnecessarily from either medical abuse at the hands of accountants, or no medical treatment at all. We should be ashamed that any of this happens in America. Treat gangs as terrorists and make it a national priority.  Social Security has been pre-paid by most Americans, it is money owed us that we are already not being paid back at an equitable rate! Politicians keep claiming that we are running out of money to fund it because of us baby boomers. As I pointed out, we also paid into it at the same increased rate. Now if you want to support legislation that gives Americans the same health care as politicians have given themselves, or taking away  pensions for as little as one term in office, paid out in their fifties, unlike what they want for us, I can and will support that! They want us to wait until we are 69 before we can draw Social Security. This is a bill already in consideration and favored by the soon to be new congress. It will likely be passed. It reduces benefits and makes you wait until a week before you die to apply. We boomers are still out there in large numbers, politicians need to know their career is over if they do not put a stop to this fraud! Write, call, complain, be pro-active, or don’t complain when you lose whats yours!

If this offends you, or you think I am wrong, well you know where to reach me. If you would prefer I did not bother you with such drivel, just say so in a return email and I will remove you from my email list. If you want to disagree or add to anything, feel free. I normally vent in a blog, but I know from experience that most will not bother to access it, so I decided I needed an audience of baby boomers, you got nominated!

Your friend,

John Love

The Forgotten Terrorists

We have foreign based terrorists which we spend billions trying to identify and eradicate, a necessary if unfortunate use of our nation’s time and resources. Next we have domestic terrorists which we also have expended a tremendous amount of energy and resource to locate and eradicate before they can do harm, or capture after the fact if that is the unfortunate circumstance. We have, in my opinion, left out a major group of terrorists, and for an unforgivable reason. That reason as unthinkable as it might be is because 99% of their terrorism is directed at a segment of American society we do not care about, so do not attach any importance to it as a nation, but leave local law enforcement to deal with it, a force hampered by scarce manpower, available resources, and restricted by laws designed to protect the average citizen and not to combat terrorism. These groups of terrorists are commonly known as gangs. They are prevalent throughout the world, but thrive in a country which is supposed to be the champion of the oppressed. So why is a huge and organized group of individuals who murder, bomb, kill innocents to intimidate rivals or law enforcement, and who support these activities with gun and drug smuggling, kidnapping and slave trade, the slave trade which consists mainly of young girls sold for sex, not classified as terrorists by the federal government? A group who has killed more innocent people in the U.S. than the most successful of terrorists! Who smuggle in more arms and drugs into this country every day than any labeled terrorist cell or organization so that their reign of terror can be continued unabated. Some gangs are organized nationwide, they run our prisons from within, and control large areas of our cities through bribes, intimidation, murder, drug addiction, prostitution, and all out war to attain their objectives. Yet we nationally do nothing except to offer up empty promises prior to reelection campaigns! Why, because these atrocities are primarily aimed at a segment of our population we do not care about, people who have no advocates, no resources to fight back. Our attitude seems to be, let them kill each other off, than there will be less for us to have to worry about. Shame on you, shame on me!
     Gangs in America are and should be classified as domestic terrorists. Federal backing and the FBI should be out in full force backing up local law enforcement to crack down on these terrorist cells in every city in our country. The laws that have been changed to allow us to more effectively combat terrorism should automatically be applied to any gang member. Troops should be employed to stop any gang war, track down and capture any known gang members. It should be made clear that becoming a member of a gang or participating in gang activities automatically makes you a domestic terrorist and a fugitive from federal justice. As I said, gangs murder more people, smuggle in more drugs and illegal weaponry than the most prolific of recognized domestic terrorists! Huge segments of American populations are subjected to living in fear and hopelessness, much the same as people living in Afghanistan, who were and still are to a large degree terrorized by the Taliban. We champion their cause, so why do we leave huge segments of our own society at the mercy of groups of individuals who fit perfectly into the mold of terrorists? Apathy and a concerted effort by most of us to forget these populations ever existed is most probable. The unforgiveable truth is that the poor do not get the same protections as the affluent in America. Politicians only care long enough to garner votes, then a thin pretense of caring, but no time or energy spared for a group that cannot contribute to the coffers of their continued success as a politician. Politicians only represent themselves and the party that supports them, no one else unless they have a lobbyist who is backed by a lot of available revenue! So the most prolific terrorists on the planet are ignored by state and federal politicians because their targets are people who have little effect on whether or not they are successful, and for all the reasons listed in this article, a shameful yet true fact about America. All gangs, in all cities, big or small, should be labeled terrorist by the federal government and be targeted as intensely as any terrorist organization on the planet. The fact that we have not already done so points out that we are not the America we purport to be, we are actually supporting a terrorist organization by allowing it to thrive within our borders, one of the largest and most prolific domestic terrorist organizations to ever exist! We are not the only governments guilty of such a crime, and for exactly the same reasons. Until we get politicians who are asked to represent the people instead of themselves, their party, and large lobbying entities, we are doomed as a country. We will never solve poverty, hunger, inner city crime, or terrorism. The gap between the privileged and the underprivileged will get larger and larger until we will not be able to describe ourselves as a democracy. I think the advent of ignored terrorism is the best example that what I say is fact. We have to vote anyone out of office that twists facts, is not transparent, who takes anything from lobbyists, who wheels and deals in the backrooms of congress, who in short is disconnected from the population he or she is supposed to represent. The politicians need to know these are the reasons we are not voting for them. We the people still outnumber the rich and powerful as a voting block, even though they are the only ones actually being represented by our politicians. We have to get rid of the electoral vote; in this day and age its only value is for its ability to remove the power of our votes. It was initially instituted because huge segments of the population were illiterate, isolated, and uninformed. In this day and age with everyone who can walk and talk having or owning a worldwide communication device, the need for the electoral vote does not exist. When this is abolished only those individuals who we actually vote for can come to office. We then need to act as one and steadfastly remove from office those that represent any entity except we the people. I guaranty you that gangs will then be addressed as a major threat to national security and the security of its citizens, as it will be those citizens in control of their representatives in an actual true democracy. It is all up to us, we can’t wait for someone else to do it. We also need candidates willing to run on such a platform, and stand by it after elected, so we can show our support for such an individual, even though they might only have enough money for one commercial at election time, we need to look at the record and vote accordingly, not be swayed by lies, twisted truths, and outright misrepresentations of the facts in use by all political ads televised or in print in our modern society! In other words we cannot be lazy voters; our citizenship has to be the most important product of our American life. If not, we get just what we deserve, which is what we are getting now!
Written by John Love
Former Marine and Viet Nam Vet with two Tours of Duty
John.love@live.com   I fought for it, still haven’t got it, don’t want to say that about our boys serving today!

I am writing this blog in response to an ABC program hosted by Christiane Amanpour on the subject , along with a discussion of the placement of the Mosque in New York City 2 ½ blocks from ground zero.

She had a panel made up of sensible people to her left, and a group of extremists purporting to represent Christianity and the American way on her right.  Good thing she had the sense to know which was which and keep them separated, or they would have come to blows!  Of course anytime you mention any person who believes implicitly in any form of religion, you can automatically assume you are talking to an extremist.

          Ok, here is may take on the subject. I am an Earthling, no better or worse than any other Earthling, and that is my religion. I have a Bible; it is printed on a post-it note. Its message and complete doctrine are contained there. It is as follows: Treat everyone in all scenarios exactly in the manner that you yourself want to be treated, period!  It is worded a little differently in the Bible, but as most of you are packing a King James version, be aware, Jesus did not talk like that, semi ancient Englishmen did. So now you’re thinking too short, to simple. It is exactly why it is the only thing that will ever work. As soon as you add anything else, someone will disagree, and being human, will eventually try to convert you to their opinion, or kill you off if they can’t. 

          Do Islamic extremists exist, of course they do, and practically everyone in the civilized world witnessed the absolute proof of that!  Are there other groups of extremists out there? You bet, I can even tell you by what name a few of them go by.  One of the biggest extremists of the Christian faith is none other than the Reverend Franklin Graham, the son of Billy, a man, who it just so happens, I have met briefly twice in my youth. Mr. Billy Graham was a little wiser than his son.  An accurate comparison might be, oh say, Einstein and a really smart chimpanzee! He condemned every religion; actually he condemned every human on the planet to eternal damnation if they did not believe exactly as he did.  Is that not the exact description of the Islamic extremist’s message? Yes, it is, exactly!!

          What exactly did you think the crusades or the Inquisition would be called if they had happened in more modern times? Both were carried out in the name of the Christian faith, so let’s say, oh yeah, extremists carrying out a Christian jihad!  Absolutely no difference, they just used a guillotine or Knights with swords instead of aircraft, the modern weapons of their time. We will not even go into the genocide the Christian controlled military from multiple countries perpetrated on the peoples of the Americas. I dare you to find an existing Inca civilization, the largest to ever exist in pre Columbian America, or an Aztec empire, who, after they destroyed their entire civilization, built Mexico City on top of the rubble of the old capital.  This was done by a country still controlled by one of the most powerful sects of Christianity ever to exist, whose name I won’t print, but whose identity you all know!   

So is everyone going to convert to calling themselves Earthlings with its very simple Bible? Nope, not unless I force them or kill off the ones I can’t force! See the problem? We just need to use common sense. The Moslems are going to have to quit teaching an extreme form of their religion. They are going to have to quit teaching the next generation of their youth that the west is evil and has to be conquered by any means necessary.  We have to do the same, because Christian faith for example, preaches the exact same doctrine to our youth. You accept Christ and follow his teachings as written down by a bunch of old English dudes who thought the Earth was the center of the universe, and flat as a pancake to boot, or burn in hell for eternity. And just like Islamic extremists, have condemned the entire population of the planet to damnation if they don’t believe exactly  as they do!

          Do I believe that they should build a Mosque so near the site of the Trade Center attack? I think it might be in poor taste, but if we are to honor the tenants of our constitution and what America is supposed to stand for, then we have to fight for their right to express themselves whenever and wherever they want.  An even better idea, make it even bigger, and call it a multicultural religious center, dedicated to the cooperation of all faiths, with all of the various religions represented under one roof. It would then be, in my opinion, perfectly placed as close to the 911 site as possible!

In conclusion, you have to have an educated world that is plugged into each other. You have to combat poverty, hunger, and the lack of schools, hospitals, educators, and doctors. You have to do this in an atmosphere of peace. So have we got our work cut out for us? You can bet your —, well you know!  I think the only way to start this work is to first start thinking of ourselves as Earthlings as I said before. As long as we isolate ourselves by culture and religion, we will never be able to solve this planet’s problems. And look, you are already thinking like an extremist. You’re going to tell me that I have to believe in God and Jesus, or Jehovah, or Allah, or Buddha, or whatever, or I am going to some place dark and dank, or bright and on fire, forever.  I personally don’t subscribe to any of the religions currently at my disposal. I am not agnostic, I am still asking questions, making up my mind, but in the meantime, I take the Ten Commandments seriously.  I do not believe, because I believe differently than you, that that condemns me or you, and why, no matter what we believe, the Earthling concept cannot be part and parcel to what we have decided is our belief system. For if we are not forcing ourselves on each other, than the worst that can happen is to feel sorry for those that do not believe as you do because they will not go to whatever heaven you believe in. So you can have a healthy debate about it, try and win over as many converts as you can, as long as you remember you are talking to an Earthling who you are going to treat exactly  as you want to be treated while this debate is going on. If we cannot get over the notion that we have to force everyone to believe as we do, we really are doomed. I believe we will eventually grow up, and out of this foolish pride and selfishness. It just bothers me that people who have run for president in the past, and will run in the future, believe as Reverend Graham does, and thinks they need to force people to conform to their way of thinking. All that does is kill people, so I hope that we grow up and mature quickly! I am really tired of educated, but unintelligent people making decisions that affect the lives of all Earthlings! See how that works?

Written by

John Love (Earthling)