#5. Be able to think for himself/herself.

Continuing with "What should an Educated Citizen be Able to do?
#5. Be able to think for himself/herself.
When the Founding Fathers decided upon our form of government, they were looking at the educated, land owners, males, non-slaves, and no women. They wanted the decision-makers and the stake holders who had something to lose if their decisions went wrong. Things have definately changed in today's society, economically, socially, governmentally and decisive decision makers. The vote has been widened to qualified citizens over 18. When a person goes into the balloting stall he must have his decision made up on the people and issues, based on research, discussion, reasoned thought, personal feelings, etc. But, more importantly, the voter needs to think for him/herself.
You know, the ballot didn't used to be taken like it is today. Back at the turn of the 20th Century, voters voted at an open table infront of individuals. It was not a secret ballot. Many/most of the times, your boss, the mob boss, the union boss, the precinct captains were the ones that were on the other side of the table watching you make your marks. If you wanted to keep your job and your job supervisor was on the other side of the table, you had better vote the way he wanted you to vote, or you did not have a job the next day. There was enough abuse to have entire cities run by "Tammany Hall" in New York, or the "Daily Machine" in Chicago. This abuse came to Congress' ears and they changed the way the ballot was marked. The did their research and found what is known as the "Australian Ballot", or the secret ballot as it is done today. A person receives their ballot, goes to a closed stall where his votes can be marked in secret, without intimidation.
So, a person today does not have the fear of earlier ballots and is dependent upon his own research, intuitions, pressure received, feelings, whatever is the makeup in the person's Frame of Reference, and faith. When it comes down to it, you have to think for yourself, make up your own mind, live and defend your particular decision when challenged. You should realize you do not have to explain your vote to anyone. What goes on in the voting booth is completely secret, only you can let the cat out of the bag.

Obama considers Afganistan strategy

President Obama is considering his stategy for Afganistan. Since the retake of the Presidential election resulted in one of the two participants backing out, the country does not appear to have a stable government.
President Obama is correct in taking his time considering whether to move more troops into this country, or start the process of moving out.
Iraq, is different. It has a stable government, that is working towards helping its' citizenry. We have helped to settle down the war-like elements so the Iraqi troops can take over. That option does not appear available in Afganistan.
In the past few weeks, pundits and supporters, have indicated an area that seems to be overlooked. Where is the vital interest in Afganistan? It is very close to anarchy, terrorist filled, and its only major crop is opium poppies, that supply most of the world with heroin, their civilization is still living in the 13th century and it is a theocratic minded state. Where is the value for the United States in becoming involved with this "nation".
Do you have any solutions, comments?

Obama wins Nobel Peace Prize

President Barack Obama, after only 9 months in office, becomes only the third sitting President to win the prestigeous international award. He was shocked, and unaware that he had even been nominated. The Nobel Committee does not release reasons for the award for fifty years, but the feeling world-wide was because he offered the best chance at peace in the world. His foreign policy trips to other countries seemed to have turned heads.
Another news flash, it appears that the Health Care Reform Plan will be passed and signed before the turn of the new year. The Democrats have given every opportunity to allow the Republicans to help form the plan, however, their best efforts have been directed towards stopping the plan, scare tactics, shout-down tactics towards elected officials trying to gather their constituents input for the plan. The President has decided to move forward and have his majorities in the Congress speak for the 70% popular vote that elected him to get this plan passed and implemented.
War news. It appears that Mr. Obama's view on the Afganistan "war" is perhaps what should have been the first take on any war movement after 9/11. There is talk that our efforts are not going to be directed towards the Taliban, but towards Alquida. The Taliban is a local Afganistan problem, whereas the other group appears to only have approximately 100 members in country. It doesn't look like a complete pull-out, however, our money, time and people can be better directed to our homefront.

Put your viewpoint aside and work for the Greater Good

There has been a great deal of rhetoric going on this past month. Much of it damaging in some way to the health care reform program. President Obama has made a fixture of himself on TV trying to gain more strength to get the legislature passed. Unfortunately, his constant, urging is starting to turn the people and legislators off. One of the legislators made an analogy that fits, "If you throw a single rock in a pond you get many ripples on the pond, but if you throw many rocks in the pond at the same time, all you get is a bunch of waves." People have time to catch the ripples, but not the waves. Perhaps Obama's strategy of allowing Congress to formulate the bills has backfired.
One of the things I learned early in life was how to control a committee, if you are trying to get something passed. You know you have to allow them to make the decision, so they will support it. So, you structure three alternatives for the solution. By you doing this, you eliminate any other items for consideration. The first alternative sounds good, however it leaves out a major item for the solution. The second alternative sounds good and everything seems to work out, however, with investigation, there is a killing flaw. The third alternative sounds good, everything works out and there is nothing wrong, no major flaw, no killing flaw, and oh, by the way that is the alternative you want them to select. 10 out of 10 times the committee will select alternative three. They made the selection of their own free will and will stand behind it upon scrutiny.
Perhaps, if President Obama had followed this way of politicizing he would not be in the situation he is now, looking at a bill that may not pass!!Then what will happen to his Presidency?
A note aside: It seems like everyone in this debate sees the need for change, but they are not willing to give up their particular position --FOR THE GREATER GOOD. Legislators are not remembering what they are supposed to do--vote for items that are for the betterment of the PEOPLE, not themselves or their lobbyists.

Is America's "Democratic Republic" becoming too difficult for it's citizenry?

The Health Care Reform package has 4 bills currently up for consideration in the Congress. One of those bills has 1,038 pages. Does the average citizen have the time to read and comprehend all that material? NO. Part of citizenry is knowing when to allow your elected representative to make the decision. Yes, you can send him your opinion, after reading, discussing, etc., however, you are going to reach a point where you are going to have to allow your representative do the job you sent him to the legislature to accomplish.
That is why you have to establish people/newsgroups/TV news/discussion groups whom you value their opinion, whatever it takes to help you reach your opinion about the item. Remember, our form of government only allows you an opinion that you give your representative/senator and you have to be ready to support his decision and the congressional process after the vote. If you are not happy with the vote, you will get another chance to correct the situation, by working harder for your position!

Citizens come out to speak to Congressmen about Health Care

President Obama's Health Care initiative has sparked the citizenry to come out and fact find with their congressmen. Congressmen are on their summer break and will return in September, so they have been using the time to meet with their constituents and find out what they feel about Government Health Care for the Nation. There have been repeated shouting matches, organized people shouting down the other attendees, rude planned behavior to everyone, it is not a pretty thing. It appears there are many concerns that need to be explained, however, it is become difficult to get a word in edge-wise. To the benefit of congressmen at these meetings, for the most part, they have been courteous, and have tried to answer the questions from the electorate.
There are several areas that need to be touched on:
1. It does not appear most people have really read the documents involved, not even summaries, but some appear to have been coached with aids. There is nothing wrong with this, it is their first amendment right. If you are faced with such a situation, you need to be prepared to respond and learn from your experience.
2. It "appears" that the Republican Party has coached with instructions, handouts, placards, people to vent their emotions towards the congressperson and members of the audience. Tactics such as "Ramsey Clarke and his 'rent-a-mob' is using is staged and organized to disrupt. It is not being positive.
3. People appear to be worried about more than just health care. They are worried about where this country is headed, the lack of leadership, the high debt, it is a ground-swell of people that have always been in existence, but have not had the readily available venue and access to express themselves.
4. There does not seem to be a modicum of energy towards working together!! " It is my way or the highway" Health care for all citizens has been attempted for over 70 years. The lobbyists and the free enterprise system has arranged to win the battles. In the movie "Wall Street", Gordon Gecko, investor tells a board meeting, "Greed is good". This seems to be the theme throughout America's version of free enterprise, however, "Greed is NOT good. The only reason Greed appears to be good is because only a few can participate at the top. No one cares for the remaining population. Now is the time where this equation needs to be changed and people at the top are going to have to adjust.

4. Be able and willing to regularly engage in questioning

4. Be able and willing to regularly engage in questioning the forces, institutions, and belief systems that shaped not only his or her own values and beliefs, but those of teachers and classmate, the university and the larger community as well.
Questioning during "debate" is a very central portion of such a "debate". Shouldn't you question those entities within our society that helps form and shape daily activities and decisions? Yes, you should, however, you need to have a background in those areas that you question. Perhaps you have taken classes, or spent much discussion with peers, done research, had experiences that bring out those real life items that explain what you are trying to clarify. Experience usually includes, success, failure, partial failure and incomplete success.
To have your opinion counted in a "discussion", you need to make your point offering reasons for or a cause of your case. Usually people that have done prior research in the topic for the evening, say for a town council meeting, will be listened to more than those who do not know what they are talking about. Our democracy demands that people keep abreast of current, statewide, national and international events so we can understand the activities of our government and contact our representatives with information that may help them with the decision making process.
Representatives in a Democratic Republic such as ours are dependent on "public opinion" to help them vote. Citizens do not have a direct vote on these matters, only the representatives which interpretate what the citizenry wills.