The Audacity of the Peace Prize

The United States is -- like it or not -- thrust into the position of world leadership by its political, economic, scientific, technological, democratic and military might.

The leadership comes with the duty to lead.

9/11 gave the U.S. an unprecedented opportunity to lead the world against terrorism, but the U.S. squandered that opportunity with the foolhardy misadventure into Iraq and from then on, has led the world down the path of more conflict, less communication, greater arrogance, less tolerance and less peace.

President Obama halted the slide and reversed the process with open communication, less conflict, more understanding, some humility and a LOT OF HOPE.

Has Obama achieved World Peace? Signed any major peace accord? No.

Has his presence and actions (words?) greatly raised the hope and expectation of peace worldwide? Yes.

In fact, although he is yet to achieve quantifiable results, he has electrified the world outside the U.S. (I travel internationally; speak to people from various countries; and am writing this from India right now.)

In a world that has seen such escalation of strife, division, conflict and war in the past 8 years, Obama has brought a significant change to the world spirit and definitely reversed the trend towards Peace.

The Nobel Foundation has shown courage and vision in using the Peace Prize in recognizing this change, and -- as a result -- has actually used the prize as an instrument of peace augmentation.

Kudos to the Nobel committee for their decision.

Call me a "socialist" - it disturbs me not

ExxonMobil has posted the highest ever quarterly profit in the the history of Corporate America: 

http://money.cnn.com/2008/10/30/news/companies/exxon_earnings/index.htm?cnn=yes

 

I, the capitalist, see nothing wrong - in these super-critical times (extraordinary circumstances) -- in imposing a Windfall Gain Tax on the oil companies to "spread the wealth around" a little bit. Windfall Gain essentially means "ensuing from events that were beyond the planning and control of the recipient". OPEC plotted to raise Oil Prices from $40 to $160. The Oil Companies made money hand over fist. I see nothing wrong in taking some of that windfall gain and using it for alternative energy projects or extend to small-businss as credit for creating more jobs.

 

If everything was hunky-dorey and prosperous -- like in the 90's -- then a Windfall Gain Tax would be out of the question. But these are extraordinarily critical times.

 

You want to call me a Socialist -- go ahead. It disturbs me not. What disturbs me much more is that the reigning capitalists have depleted my 401K by an obscene percentage while speaking the right language of capitalism.

 

I am not a Democrat. I am not a Republican. I call myself a Value-driven Realist. 

 

Want to call me a Socialist? Go ahead. It disturbs me not.

Obama is a socialist with very questionable ties...!!!

Received an email today, that said:

 

Obama is a socialist with very questionable ties and philosophy, carefully orchestrated so as not to reveal himself, light in  experience, flip-flopping all over the deck, sycophant to the blacks, who wills to destroy the economy through taxation that every financial expert decries as a destructive strategy, who did not vote in many of his Senate duties, who blatantly wants to be the black Robin Hood.

 

NOBAMA NOW!

 

My response to the email:

 

Warren Buffet is without doubt one of the most respected financial experts in the country. 

 

During the second 2008 U.S. presidential debate, when asked by debate mediator Tom Brokaw, McCain mentioned Warren Buffett as a possible future Secretary of the Treasury.

 

But Buffett has formally endorsed Obama and made campaign contributions to Obama's presidential campaign.

 

Is he a deranged socialist? Why does he not decry Obama's policies as a destructive strategy? 

 

Labels be damned

War-time needs war-time decisions. And I am not referring to Iraq. I am referring to the raping of the financial system by greedy capitalists and business owners, in collusion with politicians from both sides of the aisle.  I do not have the patience for labels like "socialism" in the short term any more. 

I am a capitalist. 100% so. I do not give to beggers or to the man who stands in the corner saying "Out of work". But I give to my employees the very last cent that is in the coffers, even if it means no salary for (me) the business-owner; I give to the vendors, even if it means no salary for (me) the business-owner; I pay my bills -- I will not use a credit-negotiating company to negotiate with the creditor and pay 30 cents on the dollar just because the law provides me with a loophole for doing so. I am proudly a capitalist.

I need pragmatic decisions to lift us out of this morass. I do not want an Old Boy's Network to reign supreme in the White House. I want more accountability. I want change.

Talk about "spreading the wealth around"...

How about "spreading the poverty around"?

I am a capitalist, but I am not scared by Republican scare tactics repeating Obama's comment about "spreading the wealth around". Because what President Bush has done a good job of "spreading the poverty around" at all levels of the society. You want me to forgive him just because he used the "right language"?

I don't like distribution of wealth or DISTRIBUTION OF POVERTY.

Healthy Democracy usually demands that the party that does not perform gets voted out

Democracy is a system that has built-in checks and balances.

The 4-year term provides that check and balance. 

Term limits provides that check and balance.

If a President screws up, you do not put him back in power. That is the power of the people. That is the power of democracy.

If a party screws up -- for 2 terms in a row -- you do not reward them by putting them back in power. If you do, then you send a wrong signal to the entire system -- that it is OKAY to screw up with people's lives and the country's future.

But McCain is not Bush!!!! Why punish him for Bush's mistakes?

Well - as long as he represents the Party that nomited Bush and put him in power, he must inherit all the good and all the bad of that party.

McCain is not Bush!!!

McCain is not Bush!!!! Why punish him for Bush's mistakes?

Let me speak as a business-owner.

If my company failed to deliver their new software on (say) November 4th, can you go in as the new CEO of my company and say to the customer: "I am not Probal. He did not keep his promise. But I am the new CEO of the company. I cannot deliver on the old contract. But give me your next contract." 

What do you think would be the customer's reaction? "Oh I am so glad that Probal is gone. You are so wonderful. Let's forget about the $250,000 loss we just incurred. Here is a new contract for $300,000." ???

Did you just mumble "No"?

McCain is not Bush. Does he deserves our vote? You just answered that question.

Who is a more likely CHANGE-AGENT - Obama or McCain?

Are YOU happy with the way things are? Can you point out a single important area where things are as they should be? Can you say you do not want CHANGE, that you want status quo?

As a business-owner, I ask myself: If I wanted change in your company, who would you hire to lead the effort? A 70+ year old experienced hand or a 30-something person of new ideas?

I do not AT ALL mean that just because someone is 30-something or 40-something that person can be a GOOD CHANGE AGENT. But I do say -- let me repeat this: I DO say, that it will take a lot of convincing before I can believe a 70-something can be a good change agent. 

Just the other day I was chatting with friends and remarked -- with reference to one of our common friends that he was "too old to change" -- and the person I was referring to is only 38. I did not say that as a joke. I said that because that person has deep beliefs and habits which will never change.

The country needs CHANGE.

Who is a more likely CHANGE AGENT?

Email Subject:"We Gotta RALLY all Repubs and persuade the DEMS, less than 1 week left!!"

This is the SUBJECT-line of the email that hit my inbox 4 days before Election '08.

It appealed to the business-owner in me:

Hi Probal: For your erudition and reminder. You are a business owner, and we create 70 % of all jobs. Obama is no friend to you. Expanded government  doesn't create jobs. Government does NOTHING well!!.  Vote McCain/Palin on Tuesday, Nov. 4. God Bless USA!

And in enclosed an email from one Jerry Molen that said -- in brief:

In the event the junior Senator from Illinois becomes President and especially if the House and Senate are veto proof.

 

1).  Strict new gun laws will be enacted even though he promised he would not.

2).  The phrase 'In God We Trust' will be removed from all currency.

3).  He will back away from his pledge to Israel and leave them to the wolves of Islam.

4).  Hillary Clinton will be named to the Supreme Court.

5).  Tax rates will return to their highest levels in 30 years.

6).  The capital gains tax will be at least double current levels.

7).  Retired Army General Wesley Clark will be named Secretary of Defense.  This is the General who was fired for 'integrity' issues.

8).  The borders will be 'basically open' to all comers ... especially those from the Middle East and South America.

9).  Amnesty will be granted to all illegals now in the U.S. regardless of status or even gang members (MS-13).

10).  The war in Iraq will be brought to an abrupt end and the results will be tragic and the consequences to our military will be devastating.

 

I realize that my predictions may not sit too well with some people and the best we could all hope for is that I am totally wrong.  Any bets?

 

Jerry Molen

 

If you don't want to forward this for fear of offending someone, YOU'RE PART OF THE PROBLEM!

 

It is Time for Americans to Speak up.

I wrote back to the sender:

I am with you when you say "God Bless USA". In all my political emails to you I have said "I am for the United States".

But at the risk of losing your friendship I have not stopped myself from saying McCain does not stand for "Country First". His pick of Sarah Palin is a good political pick -- but surely she is not the "best person" he could find to become the V.P. in this wonderfully talented country of 300 million people. :)

I know politicans have to do "something" to win votes, but Palin is a blatant transgression of the integrity principle (in my private opinion).

But regardless of that, we are not voting for Palin/Biden -- we are voting for McCain/Obama.

There are many good reasons to vote for McCain. And some reasons not to vote for him.

Likewise, there are good reasons to vote for Obama and some good reasons not to vote for him.

There will never be a "perfect" candidate.

In my humble opinion, write-ups such as the enclosed are a great boost for Republicans who are already committed anyway to voting McCain/Palin. But it will not impress Undecided Voters because of the obvious bias of the writer.

If you need to persuade Undecided Voters then you have to start off by acknowledging there is good and bad with both candidates.

If I don't see that tone, I am not impressed. And I doubt if undecided voters are going to be impressed either.