America sells roughly half of all the weapons sold worldwide. After heavily arming all of the Middle Eastern oil producers and arming Israel as well, we still manage to look surprised at the never ending war in the region. The US sells weapons or training to almost 90% of the countries it has identified as harboring terrorists, with as much as 1/3 going to human rights violators.
The US military is the world's single largest buyer of petroleum, typically purchasing between 100 million and 180 million barrels annually to fuel its ships, tanks, planes and other operations.The Department of Defense spent a staggering $481.4 billion dollars in 2008 and has requested an incredible increase to $664 billion for 2009. Big as that budget is, it is only less than half of what we actually spend on militarization. Pentagon people are masters at disguising the magnitude of military spending.

How much is $1.136 trillion dollars? It is more than the US will spend on everything else combined - including healthcare, education, mass transportation, and energy grid upgrades - everything else. Info from Peacepaint.com
"Every gun that is made, every warship launched, every rocket fired signifies, in the final sense, a theft from those who hunger and are not fed, those who are cold and are not clothed. This world in arms is not spending money alone, it is spending the sweat of its laborers, the genius of its scientists, the hopes of its children. This is not a way of life at all in any true sense. Under the cloud of threatening war, it is humanity hanging from a cross of iron." -Dwight D. Eisenhower
Current US Military spending tops the next 15 Nations combined. The US outguns Iran & North Korea 265 to 1.
"The largest spending bill in history is going to turn out to be the war in Iraq. I don't understand why building a road, building a school, helping somebody get health care, that's wasteful spending, but the war in Iraq is going to cost us over $1 trillion before we're through." - Congressman Barney Frank

“Our country was built on terrorism. The USA started as a terrorist movement - the revolutionary-era Sons of Liberty was a terrorist organization. And why was there terrorism in that historical period? Because there was injustice and tyranny. Terrorism is just a tool. It’s not something you can go to war against. It’s something that people use to defy tyranny and injustice.” Brian McCartin, teacher and director of the Thomas Paine Museum in New Rochelle NY

From an email blast: Does anybody remember the reason given for the establishment of the Department of Energy during the Carter Administration?
Answer: The Department of Energy was instituted on August 4, 1977 to lessen our dependence on foreign oil.
Now its 2008, 31 years later: The budget for this department is at $24.2 billion a year. They have 16,000 federal employees, and approximately 100,000 contract employees - and look at the job they have done. i December 6


• McCain: solid, straight lined, no-nonsense, military, star, waving flag in the background, dark background, symmetrical centered layout. Conveys strength, military, static staus quo
• Obama: exploited O (for unique name and to counter 'W' of 2004), rolling plains of middle America, sunrise, soft blue, flag of red/white/blue, and white background. Conveys hope, motion forward, and optimism i November 5


I was trying to avoid suggesting who people should vote for, but as the USA continues to crumble apart bit by bit, its getting too frightening to think where the country is headed. John McCain seems to have a track record that will give us more of the same devastating leadership we got from Bush. Including more deaths in Iraq, more disrespect from the global community, and continued favoritism for big business and the big oil companies. Sarah Palin believes that the world was created 6,000 years ago and she is quite delusional. And, as a friend pointed out, Sarah Palin is repeatedly being touted as "one of us" but do we want 'one of us' leading the country? No, we should want someone that is smarter, more experienced, and a better leader than just 'one of us'. Soccer moms might make great chauffeurs, cooks, and mothers; but we now need intelligent, realistic, and honest leadership. So, please vote for Barack Obama on Tuesday, November 4. If you are you registered to vote in Oklahoma, please vote for Andrew Rice for the US Senate. The Congress and the President have both done a miserable job of serving our nation and the world. As they say, "Throw the bums out." Jim Inhofe is just as politically corrupt and self-serving as the others. Andrew Rice may turn out to be seduced by the system and fall into the egoist trap, but lets find out - we know what Inhofe will or won't do. i October 12


Bulls, Bears, Donkeys and Elephants By Tommy McCall, The New York Times, October 14, 2008
Since 1929, Republicans and Democrats have each controlled the presidency for nearly 40 years. So which party has been better for American pocketbooks and capitalism as a whole? Well, imagine that during these years you had to invest exclusively under either Democratic or Republican administrations. As of Friday, October 10, 2008, a $10,000 investment in the stock market would have grown to $11,733 if invested under Republican presidents only, although that would be $51,211 if we exclude Herbert Hoover’s presidency during the Great Depression. Invested under Democratic presidents only, $10,000 would have grown to $300,671. i October 15


The NY Fire Department Memorial at the WTC, after the 7th anniversary of 9/11. Bush has had 7 years to encourage the finding and prosecution of Osama bin Laden, but instead, he has squandered billions of dollars and thousands of innocent lives in Iraq. Fortunately, there's only a few more weeks until he is out of office. i September 22


Two of the most influential men on the planet. The Pope heads an institution that doesn't allow its members to practice birth control, encourages large families, and practices delusional thinking and worship with fairy tale antiquated rituals. The other seems to have little regard for human life as he condones and authorizes murder and torture of those who stand in his way or disagree with him. Tyrants both. Together, these two have done much to inhibit the humanitarian progress of the human species and harm the integrity of the USA. i April 17

The USA now owes Japan $668 billion, China $350 billion, and the United Kingdom over $240 billion. We are indebted to countries in the Middle East for their oil. The USA is no longer the richest, strongest, and most powerful country on earth (to pay back just those 3 countries would require each man, woman, and child in the USA to donate $4,200). The USA is now just a poorly managed bunch of naive and delusional people. The WPH (Worst President in History) and the Congress want to give away $168 billion in rebates for US taxpayers and tax breaks for businesses, putting the USA in even greater debt to other countries. January 20, 2009 should be celebrated as a national - no, global - holiday. The harmful regime will finally be over. i Febuary 18

Liberal bias in the media? I still hear some neocons complain about a liberal bias in the mainstream media (I guess FoxNews is not considered mainstream). The USA was founded and has made strides only when leaders act in a progressive manner - pushing the envelope to greater democratic freedoms. Conservatives, by definition, strive to maintain the status quo or return to a more proper time. Liberals strive to be more progressive. Seems to me that a liberal bias is a good thing - it pushes us to be more progressive. Jefferson, Madison, Lincoln were all progressive, even liberal. So, to bitch about a liberal bias just shows one's ignorance, paranoia, arrogance, and desire for the USA to not move forward. i September 10

Lies and cons - the American way. The USA was founded, grew, and still today relies on its leaders lying and conning those that are submissive, whether its Native Americans, Iraqis, women, Negroes, etc. We see this in Billy Graham's advice, Enron and corporate scandals, Senators who are hypocritical, televangelists, and certainly in GW Bush. We seem to be just this side of a line that separates our lies and cons from the accepted way to conduct business in America. The issue seems to be only one of not getting caught. Lies and cons are okay - even expected - just avoid getting caught. i September 10

Concerning the issue of underage drinking - the problem is not one of underage drinking. If we state that it is, then we will likely fail. Alcohol doesn't force itself on us - we make conscious decisions to drink it. People not of legal drinking age will chose to drink - its a part of the rite of passage in American culture, whether we like it or not. The problem is drinking too much - more than the body can safely metabolize, often brought on by binge drinking. If we recognize that, then we might be able to address the problem and make things better, with the goal to help develop drinkers who are willing and capable of making intelligent and responsible decisions. We have learned (hopefully) that prohibiting something is simply not effective. Prohibition seems to increase desire, as it did in the early 1930s. Prohibiting the American teenager (no matter the age) from drinking is not working, nor will it ever work.
Some recommendations to consider
1. Continue to educate young people through schools, churches (just declaring drinking alcohol a sin won't do it), and, especially, in the home. Provide materials and incentives for educators/parents to discuss the harmful effects of alcohol. We may then minimize ignorance - to help one make a more intelligent decision concerning their physical and mental health, the burden on society and the judicial system, the dangers of drunk driving, relationships, embarrassing behavior, and one's own dignity.
2. Change the legislation that requires 3.2 beer in Oklahoma. 3.2 often encourages young people to drink more in order to feel a 'buzz'. So, the 3.2 legislation helps develop habits of overdrinking - probably the opposite of what it was intended to do.
3. Remove inducements for binge drinking, such as Nickel beer night, Bottomless cup, Ladies drink free, Happy Hour drink specials, Half-price drinks, etc. These all encourage people to drink too much and/or to binge drink. Bar and restaurant owners should impose this on their own. If not, legislation may be necessary. i August 14


Also, Thank George Bush for dead soldiers. Thousands of Americans are suffering because their loved ones have been killed in another part of the world. I do not know if I really do support our troops. The ribbon stickers on cars and the media sound bites and the threats from Bush and his cronies imply or state that if we don't support the troops, we are un-American, unpatriotic, and treasonous to our great nation. Well, when I really think about it, I have to acknowledge that each military person joined voluntarily - they chose to become soldiers. They knew (or should have known) what they would be getting into. Some enlisted for economic benefits and others because they bought into the Bush rhetoric that we needed to defend our freedoms, values, and American way of life (just what is the 'American way of life'?) Iraq wasn't attacking our freedoms. The American way of life wasn't in jeopardy because of the Iraqi people or their government - unless you consider our need to control cheaper oil. I do not support American men and women being ordered to kill civilians or torture uncharged prisoners; or following orders from an administration that is out of touch with the reality of global affairs. I am in favor of their safe return to their families and I do support our efforts to keep our soldiers safe, but I no longer know if I truly can say I support our troops. i Artwork from the student show at Cooper Union in NYC June 14

Marijuana is the USA's top cash crop, with a value of $35.8 billion in 2006 (corn = $23.3 billion, wheat = $7.45 billion). Its the number one crop in 12 states (CA, TN, KY, HA, WA) and among the top 3 in 30 states. Production increased tenfold from 1981 to 2006 - from 2.2 million pounds to 22 million pounds. Since marijuana production is illegal, estimates are imperfect, but a recent report used conservative numbers - other government reports estimate it at 35 million. This massive growth occurred despite intensive government campaigns to eradicate marijuana. The government "has been unable to curtail the growth of domestic marijuana cultivating in the US, let alone make any progress toward abolishing or eliminating this market phenomenon." The report states that, instead of wasting more money and manpower on eradication, marijuana should be place into a system of legal regulation. Related essay i April 6 2007

Here's a link to a website that sells items that count down to George Bush's last day in office. Man, what a great day that will be. We should make that day a national holiday - or even a global holiday. We can celebrate the long-awaited end to a leader that was superstitious, guided by delusion, ignorant of the facts before making major decisions, arrogant, I could go on and on. But we know all that. So, back to the holiday, a fun-filled festive day of activities including a morning prayer breakfast ("God, please, we beg of thee, never again whisper your will to such a person"), field day athletic events and races (decided by judges), awards that recognize intelligent and rational thinking, and evening concerts of uplifting music followed by gigantic fireworks displays. i March 10 2007

Symptoms of how gullible and naive some Americans are: 44% think Christ (a character from a book) will actually return to Earth sometime in the next 50 years. More than 50% of Americans believe that the universe was created 6,000 years ago (the Sumerians invented glue about 7,000 years ago). 73% believe in the existence of a place called Hell (again, from a story in a book). Its little wonder why we are fighting holy wars, murdering the non-believers, and clutching to religious icons. Sam Harris, author of The End of Faith, states, "George Bush, the President of the United States, has claimed to be in dialogue with God. If he said that he was talking to God through his hairdryer, this would precipitate a national emergency. I fail to see how the addition of a hairdryer makes the claim any more ludicrous or offensive."
When I read about the continued efforts of religious extremists to make the USA a theocracy, I feel that our society is stepping backwards into a new Age of Mythology. While some societies move from ignorance (God of Thunder, God of the Harvest, etc.) to enlightenment, America is coddling its ignorant and paranoid masses, apparently for the sake of power and control, by relying on belief in supernatural mythical characters. i Statistics from PEW, Gallup, and Newsweek. October 1 2006

Raising the minimum wage is not about paying workers more money - any employer is encouraged to do that at any time - its about the role government plays in telling business owners what they should pay their employees. From a letter in The Oklahoman, 9-19-06: "I work at minimum wage, have no children, and am able to support myself. These are all choices I've made in my life and I take full responsibility for them. I'm bothered by people who want to increase the minimum wage, saying they can't support their families. This is the wrong answer to a much bigger problem. When the minimum wage is raised, hourly employees have a little more money until inflation goes up again. But, salaried employees don't get a pay raise and, comparatively, will make less money than before. Raising the minimum wage also hurts small businesses. Example: a business with 10 employees at $5.15 - if raised to $6.15, the employers' options are to cut hours of the employees, lay off an employee, or raise prices. Not very good options. We should focus on improving higher education so people can get better jobs, lowering the divorce rate to reduce the number of single mothers living on their own, and, through education, lowering unplanned pregnancies and unwed mothers. Why focus on an unproductive answer to a much bigger problem?" i September 22 2006

From the newspaper: In June, 2006, the US House of Representatives approved another 50 billion dollars for the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan and 427.6 billion dollars for the Department of Defense. That amount of money for war and military should scare and disgust thinking people. Those figures are so high that we can't really comprehend how much money is being diverted from citizens and from other government programs. The 50 billion for the two wars only funds them thru the first half of the fiscal year and brings the total for those wars to 450 billion dollars. Let me write that out - $450,000,000,000.00 - that's how much money the military will have spent to track down terrorists, install a new government in Afghanistan, and attack and secure Iraq. i July 8 2006

Approved for Washington DC in 2006: a new African-American War Memorial and the new National Museum of African American History and Culture (NMAAHC). Should we then remove all references and exhibits concerning Negroes in the Museum of American History and other existing non-racist War memorials? Negroes have played a major part in the development and history of the United States and there are vital stories to tell. These contributions should definitely be recognized and included in our national heritage and archives. But, a separate museum? Why segregate Negro history and contributions? Why not integrate? What did MLK, Rosa Parks and the countless others fight for - segregation, discrimination, or integration? What a terrible insult to their suffering. More. i July 8 2006

The very religious USA was created by men who had serious reservations about religion in general and Christianity in particular. According to David Holmes' 'Faiths of the Founding Fathers' none of the first five presidents were conventional Christians. All were influenced by Deism, the once popular view that God set the world in motion and then abstained from human affairs. When the religious right speaks of the USA being a Christian Nation and that the Founding Fathers were Christians, they are speaking from their ignorance and their orchestrated propaganda to meet their own religious/political agenda. i July 6 2006

A constitutional amendment to prohibit burning the American flag will be the first amendment (with the exception of the prohibition of alcohol - which was later repealed) that gives Congress the power to restrict individual citizen's freedom. It also will be the first to restrict a material object. Some proponents say the flag deserves special protection because it is the most important symbol of America and the constitution. However, if the amendment does pass we may likely see an increase in flag burning as it will become an even clearer and stronger form of protest. Those who favor amending the constitution probably don't really care about someone burning a flag (we have flag underwear, frayed flags on government buildings, and all sorts of disrespectful flag displays) - they probably are using this as a political issue in these paranoid times when Americans are deeply divided (thanks, George). As another said, "It is a sign of a democracy's fragility to use a constitutional amendment as a test for patriotism". If our government sees fit to amend the constitution to protect a symbol of freedom, then it will mark the beginning of the end of our democracy, a major turning point in the continued eroding of the effectiveness of the US government. There will be no clearer symptom of the downfall of the USA than creating legal protection for a symbol. i July 5 2006

The illegal immigration issue seems pretty much based on greed. Mexicans risk their lives to come here to get more money. US companies hire them in violation of INS laws in order to save on salaries and make more money. Consumers prefer products with lower prices. Good ole fashioned American greed seems to be at the root of the problem. Now people are demanding something be done, yet they don't want prices to go up to cover the higher salaries that will be required to hire American workers to replace the illegal immigrants. Isn't it really our fault? i May 6 2006

Bumper stickers reported by Lon: The last time we mixed politics and religion, people got burned at the stake.
When Fascism comes to America, it will be wrapped in a flag and carrying a cross.
(A Fascist government controls industry and labor, restricts individual freedoms, and promotes extreme nationalism and militarism). i April 14 2006

I just authorized the euthanasia of my dog, Dallas. I signed one form. Now I wonder - why is it socially acceptable and even encouraged that we euthanize our pets to end their suffering, yet it is illegal to show the same respect and consideration for our human friends? Is it because we are more sensitive to our pets needs? Is it partly because we don't compromise any religious values killing pets? I don't know, but this makes me more sympathetic to the cause of allowing terminally ill people to die with dignity at their own choosing. i March 2006

The issue with hiring a company from the United Arab Emirates to manage US ports? The media was missing the real issue - sending jobs and profits to other countries. The UAE is wealthy - they make millions from oil. Why would America choose to send profits to a wealthy country? Companies in this country need the business (especially in New Orleans, one of the 6 ports). The Bush administration simply made another mistake. Hire US companies to manage US ports, not just because of perceived security, but because of the economics and welfare of this country. i March 2006

Ray Nagin, Mayor of New Orleans, has predicted that New Orleans will be a "chocolate city" once more and has asserted that Hurricane Katrina happened because "God was mad at America." In a speech he made during the Martin Luther King holiday, he also stated that the hurricane was a sign of God's anger toward the United States and black communities and that New Orleans would be a black city again because "It's the way God wants it to be." Is there any wonder why there is still racial and religious tension in America? i January 2006

Black professors at a university in Oklahoma complained that their percentage makeup doesn't match the percentage makeup of the general population. Here's how ridiculous that argument is - the NBA determines its starting lineup based on skill, talent, and expertise; not on the percentages of ethnic populations (which would probably yield a starting lineup of 3 white guys, 1 Hispanic, and one from black, Asian, and Native American populations). Why are we okay with the NBA having racially unbalanced starters? Because we accept that a basketball team wants to win - they don't care about employing the underrepresented - they want to win. In education, apparently, its not about assembling the best, its about providing a job service. Educators don't care about 'winning', just fear of reprisals. i December 2005

Who Would Jesus Bomb? Have you noticed the fad of WWJD (What Would Jesus Do) bracelets and bumper stickers has ended. Abruptly. Even bracelet-wearing believers had to admit that Jesus would not attack Iraq, kill innocent people, and lie to people about the attack. But then, there is not much about the behavior of George Bush nor the Christian right that is very Christ-like. i December 2005


At the World Trade Center site there is a symbolic Christian cross made of I-beams that is mounted on a concrete base. Isn't it likely that there were Jews, Muslims, atheists, Mormons, etc. who died that day and suffered the same tragedy as the cross-believers? Some agency or group of people made a concerted effort to express a specific viewpoint and send a specific message. But that message is not inclusive nor appropriate on the site. At nearby churches it would be appropriate, but not within Ground Zero. I was told by a government agency (when I wrote to question the decision) that some people feel the cross is a symbol of hope. That's true, some probably do; but others do not. This religious expression suggests that the USA is in a Holy War, after all - one between religions, not governments or politics. Why is that cross there - why would tolerant and ethnically diverse New York City allow such a blatant and obvious display of exclusion and favoritism towards one belief system on such 'public' property? Can't we do better? (Update: in the fall of 2006, the cross was removed as construction at the site began.) i December 2005