open_eyed_liberal's Blog

I have heard many people considering universal healthcare to be just another liberal spending idea. I have seen the information about appointment waiting periods as the main reason, but I have not heard anyone mention why the waits may be longer (really, it is only longer in Canada). Could the wait perhapts be because the people who are sick are seeing a doctor? Could it be that people are seeking help for their illnesses? No, that can't be it. Only those who are in the US and can afford insurance can get sick. Only those who are not making min wage can get ill. What ever happened to the statement in the Preamble "to provide for the general welfare...?" It seems as though those against universal healthcare are only concerned with making the liberals look bad rather than worrying about the people. I think the word "compassionate" should be removed before "conservative." I think the fiscal conservatives should see past their wallets to the world around them. The people are living, breathing, and suffering. They are not pieces of paper in a bank. The entire animal kingdom is capible of living without money. With the brains humans have, we should find a way as well.

I have also heard that it is the government that will muck it up. If that is such a concern, we should vote on the people who are to work in the healthcare area, rather than let the government appoint them (and here is a thought: remove them if they are associating with lobbyists). The solutions are not hard to find, and they do not begin with a for-profit healthcare system that would rather sit on a fat wallet than sign for a surgery. What happened to "all people are created equal?"

~80 cities in the US have (literally) voted in favor of impeachment. More to join them. TO THE POLLS!!!

To start with, lets look at what recent diplomacy has done:
*North Korea shuts down nuclear reactor
*Iran allowing UN inspectors in
*Aids in the feeding of starving people worldwide
*Aids in healthcare worldwide
*Works to teach poorer countries how to be autonimous

War, on the other hand, has
*Brought Al Queda to a region it previously had little influence
*Cost the lives of 60-70 thousand people
*Caused the world to turn their backs on the US
*Nearly began another arms race with Russia

Reasons:
*Rather than fighting Al Queda in Afganistan and the other areas they recide, the US invades Iraq and they follow
*No WMD's found; Memo reports intelligence probably made up (Downing Street Memo)
*Bio-weapons previously used by Iraq were given to them by the US, as were Al Queda's weapons
*Neither party seem to have closely observed the intelligence report before war vote
*Neither party seem to have intelligence (ok, that one I came up with)
*After Katrina, the US refused aid from some other countries for political reasons
*Iraqi PM states the US is no longer needed in their country; Bush refuses withdrawal plans
*After receiving memo while on vacation, Bush does not take 9/11 attack seriously; After attack, he appears to have post-tramatic stress disorder
*The US gov't seems to have ignored the Darfur genocides
*The US gov't seems to play off pollution as non-existant; Reguardless of your global warming beliefs, pollution has been linked to different diseases
*Bush wishes to set up a missle system right next to Russia
*Term "Islamo-fascism, while gramatically incorrect, also promotes discrimination and also removes from the fact that the School of the Americas has trained some of the worst terrorists in Latin America (based in Fort Bening, Ga.)

Other Tidbits:
*Establishment of a Christian nation seems to have lead to discrimination of other religions and is doing the same thing in the US that the US accuses Islam of doing in the Middle East
*Patriot act allows gov't to spy on anyone (I myself have heard the "click" while on the phone)
*There is NO law outlawing interception of microwaves (these are the waves cell phones use), but there is a law that says that "while children may purchase shotguns in Kansas City, they are not allowed to buy toy cap guns (http://www.floydpinkerton.net/fun/laws.html)"
*Hillary Clinton & John Edwards voted in favor of Iraq war; Both are in lead in Dem pres race based on their anti-war stance (along with Obama, but he voted against)
*Also based on bad intelligence: Bill Clinton sends troops to Iraq and blows up an asprin factory
*Bush senior ceased the first Iraq war while Kurds were stranded on a mountain being slaughtered by Sadam's forces
*The number wishing to see Bush's impeachment rises daily, as does the number against the war

That seems like enough, I think my point has been made: Vote Third Party (liberal)!!!

Copied from Wikipedia (and cross-referenced with some books I have and other site):

"In 1921, Cossack army officer Reza Khan (known as Reza Shah after assuming the throne) staged a coup against the weakened Qajar Dynasty. An autocrat and supporter of modernization, Reza Shah initiated the development of modern industry, railroads, and establishment of a national education system. Reza Shah sought to balance the influence of Russia and Britain by seeking out assistance and technology from European powers traditionally not involved in Iranian affairs, but when World War II started his closeness to Germany alarmed allied powers Russia and Britain, Germany's enemies."

Why was Britain concerned Iran would side with the Axis?

"Persia suffered several wars with Imperial Russia during the Qajar era, resulting in Persia losing almost half of its territories to Imperial Russia and the British Empire via the treaties of Gulista, Turkmenchay, and Akhal.

With the rise of modernization and encroachment of stronger Western powers in the late nineteenth century came the Persian Constitutional revolution of 1905–1911. Reformers hoped the constitution would strengthen Iran against Imperial Russia and Britain by centralizing and modernizing it. Ultimately the constitution became law, but its provisions were seldom followed during most of its history.

In summer of 1941 Britain and the USSR invaded Iran to prevent Iran from allying with the Axis powers. The Allies occupied Iran, securing a supply line to Russia, Iran's petroleum infrastructure, and forced the Shah to abdicate in favor of his son, Mohammad Reza Pahlavi."

But wait! Iran had a parliament government, with elections by the people. What happened to it?

In 1951, a nationalist politician, Dr. Mohammed Mossadegh rose to prominence in Iran and was elected Prime Minister. As Prime Minister, Mossadegh became enormously popular in Iran by nationalizing the Anglo-Iranian Oil Company (later British Petroleum, BP) which controlled the country's oil reserves. In response, Britain embargoed Iranian oil and began plotting to depose Mossadegh. Members of the British Intelligence Service invited the United States to join them, convincing U.S. President Eisenhower that Mossadegh was reliant on the Tudeh (Communist) {side note, they were really state capitalist} Party to stay in power. In 1953, President Eisenhower authorized Operation Ajax, and the CIA took the lead in overthrowing Mossadegh and supporting a U.S.-friendly monarch; and for which the U.S. Government apologized in 2000.

 That's riiiight. The US aided in overthrowing their democratically elected government and instating a monarch.

The CIA faced many setbacks, but the covert operation soon went into full swing, conducted from the U.S. Embassy in Tehran... Iranians were hired to protest Mossadegh and fight pro-Mossadegh demonstrators. Anti- and pro-monarchy protestors violently clashed in the streets, leaving almost three hundred dead. The operation was successful in triggering a coup, and within days, pro-Shah tanks stormed the capital and bombarded the Prime Minister's residence. Mossadegh surrendered, and was arrested on 19 August 1953. He was tried for treason, and sentenced to three years in prison.

Mohammad Reza Pahlavi returned to power greatly strengthened and his rule became increasingly autocratic in the following years. With strong support from the U.S. and U.K., the Shah further modernized Iranian industry, but simultaneously crushed all forms of political opposition with his intelligence agency, SAVAK. Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini  became an active critic of the Shah's White Revolution and publicly denounced the government. Khomeini, who was popular in religious circles, was arrested and imprisoned for 18 months. After his release in 1964, Khomeini publicly criticized the United States government. The Shah was persuaded to send him into exile by General Hassan Pakravan. Khomeini was sent first to Turkey, then to Iraq and finally to France. While in exile, he continued to denounce the Shah.

 I will quickly sum up the rest. The Iranians had a revolution in which the Ayatollah was placed in power, instituting an Islamic Republic. Radical armies, such as Hesbolah. were instituted to help defend Iran against foreign countries (such as when Iraq invaded). I think you can figure out the rest. Today, the people of Iran are not too pleased with their current PM, since he focuses too much on military and not enough on the people (sound like Bush?).

 My point here is that it seems as though the problems in the world are only made worse when foreign powers butt in. Had we not helped institute a monarchy, the problem we have now may not have existed. We should NOT go to war with Iran, as, if history is anything to go from, it will only make things worse. Look at Iraq. There is now a civil war, with growing displeasure for the US invaders.

It has been noted in a post make by FOX (and quickly removed) the reasons that some people receive more media attention than others (see stinkycarlsaw's blog). It has also been noted that conservatives and liberals views are either one ignored on any given station. Well, why don't we, the people, start our own network that will give equal time to all missing, as well as allot a time slot for both sides to speak their views? Depending on the number involved on the project, the overhead price may be quite low. It will also benefit those lost by reducing the amount of discrimination in airing a persons case, which is obviously used by all stations, since I have heard little about other cases on CBS, ABC, etc.

What opinions do you have of Article 11 paragraph 1 of theTreaty of Tripoli?

Please USE SOURCES!!!!!!!!!!

Lets find out what information each person has about the issue of global warming. Also, lets stick to the science and not make this political.

According to gallup, both Bush and Congress have dropped below 35% (Bush - 33, Congress - 29). Why do we continue to vote for these people? Are we too concerned with being considered an outsider to vote for an independent or third party? Could they really do any worse? Yes, voting for one of the two major parties does seem to be a tradition, but is it a good one?

For all those who have heard, and those of you who have not, there is supposed to be a day (May 15) where no one is to buy gas on that day. In addition to that, people should also form picket lines outside major gas stations in your area. If you live near an auto manufacture, there is to be a picket outside there instead demanding better gas-mileage. Yes, each line may be rather small in front of each station, but there will be numerous lines. Hurry with the word, there is less than a week remaining.

Major gas stations:
Exxon and Mobil stations
Chevron and Texaco stations
Shell
Phillips 66
BP

What do you believe to be the strongest arguments for and against both the capitalist (market) system and communist (marxist) system?

It seems strange to me that people (that is, both conservatives and liberals) are quick and very willing to point fingers and give blame without taking into account their own actions, or lack thereof. If you choose not to stand on the picket line and tell the leaders what you want, don't be supprised when they do not do what we the people want them to do, and you should not expect them to listen when you say something while hiding behind a false name on a blog. They will not listen when we whisper. I admit I am a liberal, but this is about the right wing just as much for what they believe in. So, I will use a liberal's example: The Iraq war. If people want the politicians to send the troops home and get out of Iraq, we should be staging weekly rallies if front of CITY HALL, not on a strip of the road where no one in power is paying attention. The unions should also be forming strikes to strengthen the message. When did political inaction become a trend?