It was interesting watching the Oval office the last three weeks trying to put their spin on what was going on in Egypt. It seems strange that the man we always supported was losing our support — but cautiously, in case he did retain power. He seems to have been a rather ruthless leader but as long as we had him bought off and he promised to leave Israel alone he was our friend. Ah yes, as fickle as it seems we have our way of doing business don’t we? Egypt’s people saw through it. They publicly stated they didn’t care what we thought. We should butt out.
So now they have a government in transition and we sit and bite our nails and wait for the finished product. Will we be able to buy them off too, or not?
We hope it’s some form of a democratic government. I hope it’s not a carbon copy of ours. I hope it’s not a government controlled by lobbyists and special interest groups like ours. One not filled with social programs that will break the economic back of the country. I hope its not one controlled by two political parties that refuse to work together for the good of the people.
It was a relatively bloodless revolution. Done the way revolutions should be done. Someday-- and probably not that far away — our people will have their fill of our government in its present form. We saw some of it bubbling to the surface with the emergence of the Tea Party. It’s just the start. Will we be like Egypt and settle it peacefully? Or will we, in a country that is already filled with guns and violence, take to the streets in another fashion. Time will tell.
Mike Holst
Crosslake
Comments (55)
Add commentI'd like to see Americans
I'd like to see Americans taking to the streets to protest the Obama administration not holding Wall Street accountable. I'd even spend some vacation time to join the protest.
I beleive our neighbors in
I beleive our neighbors in Wisconson are working on that right now.
People are too lazy, selfish and unwilling
to view life in any other perspective than their own. I have tried for the life of me to understand why people cater to and allow unions to run this country and in my polite manner, I would like to suggest we ship them all to Mexico.
Unions are scum sucking muck raking bottom feeders. People that belong to them annoy me to no end because they all think that unions are "all about people." Yes, they are. All about the people at the top of the union, all about destroying companies and driving wedges between labor and employees.
I say we ship unions to Mexico or put em all on a rocket into space, one way ticket.
I'll bet the war profiteers
I'll bet the war profiteers (Halliburton comes to mind) who cheat the US taxpayers while our troops die are bumming because there wasn't a war to run in Egypt or Tunisia.
These relatively peaceful overthrows of US supported brutal dictators are bad for profits. Might have even caused Dick Cheney's heart to skip a beat if he had a pulse.
Is there something seriously
Is there something seriously wrong with you, Fish? That post is really in poor taste (even for your standards).
War means guaranteed profit
War means guaranteed profit to the vultures that fly high above the conflicts and feed in weapons and supplies while the troops below die. It's always been that way and probably always will.
While the troops die they are safely out of harms way cheering the war knowing the whole time it means profit.
Halliburton was charging US taxpayers $40 for paper plates. I think it dishonors the sacrifice of our troops for a US corporation to gouge taxpayers during that time.
While I agree with you on the
While I agree with you on the gouging, that is the fault of those overseeing the contracts. They're not doing their job if they let those things fly under the radar.
You always bring up the war issues, yet you don't seem to mind your Democratic leaders gouging us on a daily basis. What about the taxpayers getting gouged paying subsidies for unsustainable fish farms?
Vacation time?
“I'd even spend some vacation time to join the protest.”
Fish, when you make a statement like that I’ve got to ask you, what if it were conducted, say, as far away as Madison Wisconsin?
Jeff
Fear and Loathing
There are many many things wrong with the way all public service (ie. Federal, state, local gov. social and schooling) systems conduct buisiness. It generally always points to costs, oversight and shady dealings with money lost in appropriations (someone lines thier pockets). We all want a fair and better life, better living for all just doesn't seem possible. Not when greedy polititions/corporate/wealthy control their own lawmaking for their own profiteering. Things won't reform themselves, and the reform they want is more for them and less for everyone else. The military is just a security force that protects the financial interests of the wealthy, always has done that at least since vietnam.
Good luck figuring this out, if we took a stand like Egypt you'd see how fast they'd shut this country down, stop all food shipments and starve you into submision. Victory through attrition is clean and effective.
wolfy
What limit on profit do you think congress could put on the war profiteering before the Republicans started wailing?
I seriously doubt there is ANY statutory limit placed on war profiteering for the contract overseers to enforce.
The well connected have always profited from the blood of our soldiers. It's called the "Free Market".
Care to show us some proof of those unsustainable subsidized fish farms to back up your claim? Good luck with that. What's next insulting my mother?
Vincent, no but I think we are going to see protests a lot closer than that before this year is over. The MN Republicans are planning on shutting down the government as part of their "compromise" strategy.
Fish, The well connected
Fish,
The well connected profit from EVERY gov't contract, period.
I apologize for the fish farm comment. I know you gave it your all and took a risk. But at the same time, you shouldn't slam those that do the same, and are successful.
Better luck in your future ventures.
fish and wolf
The pin point issues are not the whole problem they only allow one to show there is a problem, war profiteering and fish ponds don't get the whole picture. To focus on one small event is to loose out on the overall picture of events that are transpiring.
Even without profiteering there will still be war, its the control of the land or whats in the land their after. someone always finds a way to profit from misery not matter the subject.
Having government money supply private fish hatcheries for profit is poor deal for the republic. Its shameful to say the least.
How about tax dollars to transport, build storage, store and maintian nuclear waste that is created by private electric companies for profit that charge the public for said electricity only to put the responsability for the cleanup and storage of the waste for its production to the general public that already pays for the power in the first place.
Paying foreign dictators billions of dollars each to maintain control of their countries for tha profit of american based corporations.
The US military in on shape or another plices the globe, not for peace, but for profit to control land, air and sea. This control inadvertantly in forms of financial dominance maintains the corporate/wealthy in the US and other parts of the world to keep controling that profit/wealth.
All these deficits that the government is having is just a smoke screen for whats to come. Inflation, tighter regulations, more laws limiting your rights, more control, more funding, more bailouts, more debt.
The tree of liberty must be
The tree of liberty must be refreshed from time to time with the blood of patriots & tyrants. It is it's natural manure.
how come....
How come you hear little about the benefits in the private sector.... Ford just gave bonuses of 3000 dollars to its workers... and more to the management..... many businesses provide their staff with company cars and gas them up for them.
People pay for that, too, with inflated prices .... alot of that car price pays for this kind of stuff....but yet, that gets no complaint.... can there be changes in the public services? Of course there can....but lets not limit the changes to just there.... Let's get real on EVERYONE's benefits.....
chap1971, I'm not aware of
chap1971, I'm not aware of ANY fish farms that are subsidized with tax dollars.
What we need is 100% public financing of elections because most of the inside contracts and waste spring from "campaign contributions". That will require a Constitutional amendment and I don't believe that corporate America and transnationals will give us our election process back now that they own it.
?
Just google
" fish farms that are subsidized with tax dollars"
bought and paid for
our politicans are "for the most part" bought with campaign money! gunions own obama-nuff said.
Price of milk
Lezned, the price of a Ford most certainly could increase if Ford gives higher benefits, however, the consumer decides how much they'll pay for a Ford...too expensive means they'll purchase a comparable model Chevy.
Same reason I purchase Cub brand milk instead of Kemps.
Jeff
what will citizens do?
Givin all the problems with things in the world realisticly what do the common people do to right the wrongs that have gone on for sooo long? Write your congress persons? ha, that does nothing. Write the president? still nothing. Join a political movement? nothing. Sit home and do nothing? Seriously there seems little left for the common person to look forward to. There deffinately aren't enough jobs in this area to sustain the local population. Local venues that help out those in need are overwhelmed. Yet there are enough well off people in the Lakes Area, I'm sure there feeling the pinch of the economy too(I don't feel bad about it though) cause there still drivin there gas guzzlers and livin the good life. There just has to be something for the rest of us, if not then what to do????
Republicans caught lying AGAIN!
It seems that the Republicans are lying AGAIN.
When you account for education level WI workers earn 9% LESS than private sector workers. That's before you account for the other income reductions they already accepted.
that's cute
Care to provide math or science to that claim?
Listen to Robert Reich on MPR
Listen to Robert Reich on MPR once they get it posted.
Fish Math
What kind of new math is that??????
LOOK LOCALLY FOR LOVE ON 4 LEGS
How heartwarming it was to see so many people come forward to help little Guess, the puppy whose owner attempted to mail him across the country. This response was extraordinary and demonstrates how willing many of us are to help out when needed. Their stories may not be as compelling, but they do have stories, as well as love and companionship and fun to share. These are the wonderful dogs (and cats) available for adoption every day at Heartland Animal Rescue Team. They wait patiently, never giving up hope that they will become a member of a loving family. Could that family be yours? You don't have to look far for love on 4 legs! Linda Shalley, Pequot Lakes, HART Volunteer
WI & Indiana
Now Indiana joins the retoric of debate with protests there as well. Is this a new trend, heck if the middle east can do it why can't we mentality. OMG this is not looking good.
Republicans vote to increase number of abortions
In a stunning display of party politics the House Republicans have voted to increase the number of abortions and children living in poverty. They did that by voting to cut funding for birth control for low income women.
Without a doubt there will be a resulting increase in abortions and an increase in the number of children living in poverty.
Party of Life. Ha! Ha! Ha! Ha!
If you believe that there isn't much hope for you.
Republicans ignoring the bottom line in favor of ideology
Bottom line: The number of abortions will go up with less access to birth control.
Bottom line: The number of children living in poverty will go up with less access to birth control.
For a party that claims to think logically they seem to be pretty good at ignoring facts when the facts don't fit their ideology.
We've seen that game before from the "Party of Life". It's all about votes and little about values.
JG, your ignorance surprises
JG, your ignorance surprises me.
Planned Parenthood is a major provider birth control to low income women. That REDUCES the number of abortions that would happen if they didn't provide that necessary service.
I'm surprised you don't know that.
The fact that Planned
The fact that Planned Parenthood provides birth control is always hiding the fact that they are the number one abortion provider inthis country. They provide more abortions than any other service - and it is well hidden in their statistically "documented" services. A youg women goes in for an abortion and that is counted as only one service; while every other little item and cost is billed out as a "separate service" so it all looks more acceptable. Planned Parenthood is a money making machine which it makes by providing abortions. They do not need, nor should they get any taxpayer money.
Ideology and hatred for PP
Ideology and hatred for PP should not get in front of the fact that by providing birth control PP reduces the number of abortions and children living in poverty.
jg, with the all-out attack on the working class starting in WI I would say that Republican greed is what is keeping people in poverty and is increasing the number daily.