A Delicate Balance of Crazies

Saul Alinsky, community organizer and radical, is usually followed by the far left and sometimes just the left to organize and rally support for a cause or a mission. Yet, things have changed and it is the right that seems to be implementing Alinsky’s rules and practices to rally support for what they believe in. This has caused a devastating fall on the far left and has left the United States unbalanced and tilted to the far right. This is going to shift American politics in many swing states and swing districts. I tend to loathe or dislike extreme ideologues because they fail to actually achieve anything other than feed their perverted sense of self righteousness and guilt. But, I see a problem in which the left is getting bruised and beaten and the right is mobilizing in ways rarely seen on that side.

Remember…Big Government?

In 1996, then 42nd President Bill Clinton proclaimed “the era of big government is over” and then the 43rd President George W. Bush assured that big government is only to serve our military and not the millions of Americans who truly need it. Yet, the 44th President Barack Obama’s administration is grappling with an America that may desperately need government but seems intent on fighting against it. It is obvious, the words “Big Government” need a makeover, they need support, and more importantly, America needs them.

Politics, Politics, Always Politics

I don’t think I can sum up what’s wrong with American political media any better than TIME’s Mark Halperin does with his “journalism.”

The Focus of the Political Media

This is his lead story. At a time when bills concerning health care, financial reform, energy, and jobs are being debated and discussed, Halperin find a story about a potential 2012 Presidential Race most compelling. WE HAVEN’T EVEN HAD THE 2010 MIDTERMS YET. There is no reason to report on “opening volleys” of the 2012 race. Unless, of course, you are Mark Halperin and a member of the Washington Media that loves politics but could care less on policy discussion that would actually inform people about the merits/flaws of legislative reform.

Inspiring stuff, Mr. Halperin.

-Sparty

Back in Action

Modern Sense is back! We will have a new format, design, and possibly a new writer or two over the next several weeks.

-Sparty

Tweet This!

Facebook and Myspace remind of Larry Bird and Magic Johnson in the 1980′s. They were great, not the greatest, but great. They have mass followings and for ridiculous reasons they have loyal fans. Twitter on the other hand is the Michael Jordan of internet socializing. It is so powerful, that it doesn’t change America, it changes the world. This is obvious by the recent protests in Iran, protests that are being sparked by tweets sent by the opposition. This is the official rise of Twitter over Facebook and Myspace. 

When I was a freshman in college in 2004, Facebook and Myspace were the hippest, coolest thing around. It was as if the internet expanded from email or instant messaging, porn, and illegally downloaded music to freely expressing yourself to all your good (and not so good) friends. On Facebook, I could put up a cool photo of me or create a funny “about me” and have everyone laughing. On Myspace, I could show everyone my favorite music or artists and have a hip wallpaper background. Instead of hiding away looking at porn or downloading the next great album of the year, I was checking facebook and checking and checking and checking.

They Will Be Singing The Blues…

The Republican Party is afraid, very afraid. They understand that if a census is to be completed in the United States in 2010 their already weak party will get weaker. There are multiple reasons why the Republicans are shrinking, but I will look at what I think are the two most important reasons.

The Republicans alienated Latin-Americans with the immigration fight and the recent Sonia Sotomayor “Racialist” rhetoric. This affects states like Georgia, Arizona, Nevada, and Texas, once GOP strongholds that are moving more and more to the middle. Republicans have also alienated the moderates in states like Pennsylvania, Iowa, and shockingly Virginia and North Carolina. 

The Latin-American population in America is higher than blacks and will grow exponentially larger in the next 20 years. With such a large base comes a larger influence and one that will change the political map in this country for generations. The Republican Party once the rising party of choice for many Latin-Americans, is now the party of purely right wingers and that has driven out much of the moderates. The more Republicans allow people like former Congressman Tom Tancredo to speak, the more they alienate a much needed base and ignore the needs of people who want health care and jobs, you know, just like everyone else. Many Democrats see opportunities in Texas and even Georgia and Republicans there are playing it carefully. They do not want to be associated with the bigotry and hatred being spewed by a party that has moved away from anything moderate.

The World Cup and President Barack

The United States are bidding for the World Cup in either 2018 or 2022. The politics in getting this tournament is very corrupt and is filled with cronyism and back room deals. The United States instead has a leader that doesn’t have to get entangled in the messy game of FIFA politics and can pressure the soccer leaders into making a financially rewarding choice for both FIFA and the United States. Check out what POTUS had to say on his support for the World Cup:

-KSU

R.I.P “War on Terror” 2001 to 2009

Yesterday, March 30th 2009, Secretary of State Hillary Clinton officially announced the end to the term “War on Terror”. This action is of great importance to American foreign policy and establishing peace with our allies and rivals. This also presented a clear break from the Dick Cheney era. This action by the State Department and by the Obama administration is one that was long overdue.

The idea that any country can fight terror with war was an insult to foreign policy leaders and educators. It created a wall of separation between our allies and made far more enemies than friends. The harsh rhetoric of the Bush Administration has been officially cast as ignorant and arrogant. The post 9/11 era was marred by failure and bad consequences and it did more harm to America than Dick Cheney or Rush Limbaugh are willing to admit. I for one am glad to see the term “War on Terror” abolished and put to rest. 

With the current economic troubles of the last year and a half, this move will present a clear bridge to a new era. An era that will be responsible and careful in identifying its most dangerous of threats and a reduction in the xenophobic nature of American foreign policy. If we want to ensure that our allies are behind us we must not force them into actions or bully them into decisions that undermine their authority and their standing in their countries. The situation in Pakistan and Afghanistan, where most Americans think the “War on Terror” is, cannot be summed up with such simple wording. The war for which we are fighting must be broken down to us and made transparent so that we as Americans can better understand our foreign conflicts and so our allies are more willing to support our ideas and beliefs after we have failed them. R.I.P “War on Terror”, America is trying to build a new and smoother bridge today. 

-KSU

Finally!

President Obama has finally used the bully pulpit to chastise the opposition. The whole nation is watching and he took the opportunity to shut down Republican talking points. This is the emotion and wording I wanted to see.
-KSU

Obama Must Carry A Bigger Stick.

The Democratic Party has remained the same; they are weak and cowardly. Republicans are still stronger and much better at hiding their cowardice. This stimulus package should have been bigger and should have passed through the senate easier, instead the GOP became the opposition party and forced weak hearted Democrats to recant their support. As Sparty noted, the unemployment rate is at levels unseen since the Great Depression. Change requires more than words, it requires a big stick.