The Washington Outsider

Happy New Year 2014

12/31/2013

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2013 was filled with controversy after controversy.  Meanwhile, the hope and inspiration of the 2012 election outcomes and ongoing Arab Spring revolutions seem to have been replaced with spreading instability and renewed pessimism.  From the Middle East to Africa to Asia to Russia to even Europe and the US, the world is facing more and more self-inflicted catastrophes.  That said, Europe’s intervention in several African conflicts as well as small hints of political and policy successes throughout the world suggest 2014 may be a year of redemption for politics and civil society in general.  With that in mind, I wish you a happy New Year and I’ll see you on the other side.  

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NSA data collecting programs in the courts

12/30/2013

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The story on the NSA spying controversy is turning to the courts.  Many view a Supreme Court review of the NSA and other spy agencies activities as an important step in resolving the national security/civil liberties conflict of interests.  In truth, any decision is far from the end of the debate.  If the American People want their freedoms and rights protected then they need to stand up for them by petitioning their elected officials to review and curtail the activities of our national apparatus.  Doing so may even require the passage of a Constitutional Amendment, but we cannot expect our democratic rights and freedoms to be respected unless we are willing to demand them.

That said, the Supreme Court may well rule in either direction should the issue reach our highest court.  Our security officials are very smart and clever, so they likely stayed within the technical limits of the Law, though the laws on the books could be a violation of our Constitutional protections.  More importantly, we live in a day and age where an individual must share personal information and activities with third parties, such email services, internet providers, etc, in order to exist in our modern society. (Even if they are just collecting data and not reviewing it, it is still a violation of your privacy.) 

One of the main arguments our courts are facing is whether previous standards for a reasonable right to privacy need to be tightened by the Supreme Court, i.e. spy agencies should not be able to legally collect data from third parties without a court order.  Because you cannot live today without surrendering your personal information to third parties like phone and internet companies, we face a false choice where a legal standard, which allows the NSA and other spy agencies to freely collect data from third parties, means you must sacrifice a reasonable right to privacy. In truth, this is more and more becoming reality thanks to ongoing technological advances.

To live or enjoy a basic right to privacy isolated from the world is not an acceptable choice while it certainly does not honor the Fourth and Fifth Amendments.  Consequently, the Supreme Court must eventually recognize the need to revise previous court decisions and standards.  In tandem, our Legislators need to do the same thing.  It is one thing for corporations to deny users a privacy standard in the wake of weak regulation, but governments must protect the rights of citizens.  As such, they are the ones who should be advancing standards for privacy, not arguing privacy should be suspended when they want to collect every piece of data on every person for potential review.  

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On questioning the need to address economic disparity

12/28/2013

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On Friday, December 27, 2013 the PBS Newshour featured a guest by the name of Scott Winship of the Manhattan Institute who argued there is no consensus of research supporting claims that economic disparity hurts the economy.  He also argued there was no consensus on whether disparity is actually hindering upward mobility, i.e. the ability of individuals to improve their socioeconomic standing.  Although Former Secretary of Labor Robert Reich disputed this expert opinion, economic measures like disparity and upward mobility are not necessarily as solid of measures as people are lead to believe; thereforce, they should be heeded, yet not over focused on.

Popular TV series like CSI may like to use catch phrases like “the evidence never lies,” but that is simply not true.  What evidence is gathered and how that evidence is interpreted determines the outcome of a scientific investigation.  Researchers were wrong about the incredible edible egg, because they did not have all of the facts while they were interpreting their data under a false pretense: all cholesterol is bad.  In the case of economics, researchers must tease data from a variety of sources that are from comprehensive while they make tons of assumptions, which determine the limitations of a given economic model or theory.

For example, most economic theory cannot give adequate predictions past a few years, thus economics is short-sighted by its very nature.  In accordance, economic philosophy takes over once the science of economics is no longer reliable.  Meanwhile, most economic theory tends to focus on the macroscopic economy; henceforth, macroscopic measures like the Gross Domestic Product (GDP), upward mobility, and inflation reveal what is happening across the overall economy.  An increasing or shrinking GDP cannot necessarily reveal the harmful effects of economic disparity nor can it readily reveal the long-term instability caused by economic disparity.  Mr. Winship went so far as to say there are some studies that reveal growing economic disparity could help increase GDP.  Even if valid, our attention should be focused on other factors.

As far as community and personal economic growth are concerned, GDP only tells us that our nation’s economic environment favors growth.  Looking at measures like core inflation, the exclusion of vital and often volatile expenses like energy and food demonstrates the need to over focus on ill-cited economic indicators.  What really matter is how much money is steered toward out communities and local businesses.  If the economy is not doing that, we are experiencing economic disparity that makes it less likely our economic interests will be met.  This means we have no incentive to support policies that simply increase the GDP as our interests are less likely to be met.  

It is also important to remember the advantage of democratic government stems from its ability to hear, balance, and address the interests of all its Peoples.  Unfortunately, our wealthy and working class already feel poor people have little right to complain about public policies when they are ones who have the most pressing interest in forcing government to address their economic interests through improved economic policies.  As economic disparity growth and the purchasing power of consumers decreases, so does their influence.  Henceforth, too much economic disparity will weaken our democratic representation and rights.  Moreover, what really matters for the individual is the state of their own finances, so we should always pursue policies that best serve our direct and broader economic interests.

As commodity, energy, and food price increase along with the price of essential consumer goods and services like automobiles, computers, cell phones, internet access, education, etc., the ability of individuals to support their current lifestyle, growth their incomes to increase their lifestyles, cope with potential economic catastrophes, and save for the future is what really matters.  In accordance, the expenses involved in maintaining a middle class lifestyle are far greater than what they were in the 70’s when American incomes peaked while the cost of a “Middle Class” lifestyle will only increase in the future.  The lesson here is that incomes must grow, versus stagnate or shrink, to simply maintain a certain level of comfort or survivability. 

Furthermore, the idea of survivability is often discussed in terms of social welfare programs like food stamps and Medicaid.  If we wish to understand the true nature of our economic state, these benefits and others cannot be included in any calculation of economic disparity while the debt of government must included as it determines the real economic value of America, which is shrinking.  With significant numbers of Americans unable to support themselves without government assistance, including Social Security, or other forms of debt (credit cards, home refinancing etc.), and two-thirds of the American economy based on consumer spending, a lack of wealth in the hands of the majority of American will eventually spell disaster.  As such, the advent of economic disparity and lack of upward mobility on a massive scale could very well be seen as a sudden catastrophic onset, even if there is no gradual increase in these measures.

Meanwhile, it is important to remember economic disparity creates a great deal of long-term issues.  Technologically, the world is headed into an era of unprecedented advancement where the vast majority of the world will not benefit equally due to personal financial constraints and technical skill.  Economic disparity will determine how unequal the benefits of technology will be in the future.  At a certain point, that technological and technical gap can grow so wide the vast majority of individuals in the world will be denied access to modern lifestyles.  In fact, the standard of living of today may no longer be accessible for most American, because they will not be able to afford it or invest into it.

President Obama and other political leaders have decided to take on economic disparity, so there will be those who push back while what policies are pursued should be questioned.  Certainly, no one should suppress evidence that undermines popular perceptions.  That evidence is actually valuable as it give us insights into what policies will be most effective, but such evidence read improperly will derail efforts to solve problems.  The GDP, economic disparity, and upward mobility of today are not necessarily the issue; it is the trends that reveal our future economic state that matter.  In their book “Why We Want You to Be Rich,” Donald Trump and Robert Kiyosaki, who wrote the quintessential “Rich Dad, Poor Bad,” make the case for increasing and broadening one’s sources of incomes and financial assets.  A failure to address economic disparity makes it that much more difficult for the American to follow the advice of these two financial experts, so the American People always need to be followed on how to decrease economic disparity, increase upward mobility, and decrease poverty.

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Intervention in South Sudan versus Syria

12/26/2013

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There is a certain degree of hypocrisy to fact that the UN was able to send Peacekeepers to the recently formed South Sudan in response to growing violence.  Those in Syria have experienced far worse violence for far longer while their violence started as a result of the current leadership choosing to violently crackdown on protestors.  While the major distinguishing factor seems to be the fact that UN Peacekeepers were already in South Sudan due to ethnic cleansing on behalf of Sudan, the Syrians and others are certain to see immediate UN action as a slap in the face.

“Cool heads prevail,” is a saying that hints at the need to avoid acting on anger or hysteria.  In accordance, the worst time to plan an intervention is not when the intervention is most needed.  The reason additional Un Peacekeepers will be able to react to violence in South Sudan is that the mechanism for intervention was already in place; whereas, the International Community continues to fail when it comes to unplanned interventions that require a serious commitment.  In many respects, our world leaders are dishonest about the need for intervention, thus organizations like the UN have limited credibility and effectiveness.

Public officials continually say things like this or that situation requires a political solution, not a military solution.  In many respects, this is really a means of the International Community rationalizing its inability to honor its self-proclaimed commitments and responsibilities.  Politics exists to give actors with conflicts of interests a less destructive course of action versus immediately engaging in mass violence.  The reason for the violence in South Sudan and Syria is a failure of politics to deliver satisfactory solutions.  Meanwhile, every civil society adhering to political, legal, economic, and other social norms do so because policing organizations add more immediate consequent for those willing to engage in violence.

In Syria, President Assad quickly bowed to US pressure to dismantle this chemical weapons’ arsenal once he felt military action was forthcoming, i.e. the military solution made the political solution an attractive option enough option for Assad to choose it.  In South Sudan, the military solution is more of a police solution, thus UN Peacekeepers are there to prevent violence from spreading while a political solution may be facilitated by South Sudanese political leaders and world leaders.  In other words, the UN is doing little to exert a military solution onto the situation. 

South Sudan is a new country facing short-term hurdles thanks to its history of violence with parent country Sudan and long-term issues that will determine how national produce with impact the Peoples of South Sudan.  This latest streak of violence is a step back to those short-term interests instead of a step forward to deal with long-term interests like the dispersion and exploitation of South Sudan’s natural resources.  Syria is now a broken country with an established civil society that is in need of a military solution while it will have a serious policing problem once it is time for a political solution.

Where additional military pressure could force Assad to settle Syria’s civil war, South Sudan is best served by a police solution that helps reestablish peace for now.  If the situation collapses into a full civil war, the UN must either put enough boots on the ground to force a political solution or remove troops until such a civil fizzles out.  Given the widespread instability in countries across the globe, such a commitment is an unlikely option and one that would probably create great political backlash from neglected countries like Syria.

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A politics free Christmas

12/24/2013

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I’ve been told the holiday season is a time for family and friends, not politics.  Even though we live in a democracy, so much that the entire American cultural identify is built around our democratic way of life and history as the first modern democracy, I guess we can put politics on the back burner for a little bit.  Merry Christmas and happy every other holiday.

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      • Exploring Human Emotion >
        • Mental Illness is Not the Cause of Anger and Violence >
          • Trying to Understand the Boston Marathon Bombing and Other Violent Crimes
          • Getting into the Twisted Mind of the Tucson Murder
      • Describing the Mind as Modes of Thought >
        • It’s Just Sex?
      • Relationships, or Arrangement
      • Understanding the Effects of Groupthink in the Workplace
      • Relating Circular, Inductive, and Deductive Reasoning to the Scientific Method and Religion
      • What is a Redneck? Understanding Different Cultures and Thinking
    • Economics >
      • The Need for Greater Economic Leverage >
        • Evaluating NAFTA and TPP
        • Undercutting Logistics with the Underpaid Independent Contractor
        • Unions: Hindrance or Essential to Free Markets
        • Eminent Domain Used Against Banks
        • Haitians Sue the UN for Failure to Help With Cholera
        • Looking at How Corn-based Ethanol and Other Alternative Energy Subsidies Stack Up
      • Empowering the Sovereign Nation-State by Rethinking Trade Policy >
        • Irish Sovereignty Lost Before Bailout
        • Why Sudan's Greatest Long-Term Hurdle is Our Lowest-bidder Economy
        • Reduce US Imports by Buying American Made Products
      • Ending the need for government support and tackling poverty
      • Income inequality: understanding the limitations and psychology of disadvantage
      • Looking at the Future of American Jobs >
        • On Questioning the Need to Address Economic Disparity
        • Minimum Wage is Not the Problem
        • Responding to the "Blip"
        • Why Education Is Not The Civil Rights Issue Of The Twenty-First Century
      • Considering the Impact of the Capital Gains Tax Deduction
      • Embracing a Capitalist Mindset >
        • Capitalism Versus Socialism
        • The Negatives of Socialism
      • Stealing Intellectual Property
      • Changing Business Models: From Enduring Entities to Cash Cows
      • Consumer and Investor Evolution in the Great Recession of 2008-09
      • Dealing with the Issues Surrounding the Patenting of Self-replicating Technologies
      • Is Technology Threatening Jobs?
    • Education >
      • The Role of Education in Creating a More Dynamic Workforce
      • Primary Education in America and the Changing Needs of Society
      • The Greatness of the American Education System
      • Ideas for Improving the United States Education System
      • Are Teachers Treated as Professionals?
      • Is Engaging Parents in Their Children's Education a Major Factor in Turning Around Low-performing Schools?
      • Should Grants Be Awarded to School Districts that Try Innovative Methods to Improve Student Achievement?
    • US Constitution >
      • On Reading the US Constitution
      • The Senate should not do more to limit the powers of the Judicial Branch
      • On the DOJ Justifying the “targeted Killings” of US Citizens
      • Corporations Do Not Have the Same Rights as US Citizens >
        • Corporate America Pleads the First
      • Discussing the Constitutionality of Per Capita Taxes
      • Was the California Supreme Court Right in Legalizing Gay Marriage?
      • Should the Bible Continue to Be Used for Swearing-in Ceremonies and in Courtrooms?
      • Should Religious Student Clubs Be Allowed in Public Schools?
      • Should the Government Control Talk Radio to Make it More "balanced"?
      • The Second Amendment: Not Outdated >
        • Are We Losing Our Second Amendment Rights
      • Eminent Domain Used Against Banks
      • Should a Woman Have the Right to Choose Abortion? >
        • Should Fathers Be Able to Opt Out of Parenthood?
      • Should Smoking Be Allowed in Public Places?
      • Is Teen Driving a Right or a Privilege?
      • Should US Companies Be Required to Provide Equal Pay to Women and Men?
      • Is eighteen too young to vote?
      • First Amendment Rights: The Priviledge of The Press
      • Do Mandatory Seat Belt Laws Violate Individual Rights?
      • Should cell phone use be banned while driving?
      • Dealing with the link between video game violence and children's behavior
      • Should police have to submit to routine drug and alcohol testing?
      • Public schools should not impose mandatory drug testing on students
      • Are High Taxes on Cigarettes Proper?
      • Should pharmacists be required to violate their religious beliefs and dispense the "Morning After Pill?"
      • Should school counselors uphold patient privacy or report students who become unstable?
  • For the record
    • Ongoing Issues >
      • Red Dawn in Ukraine: Understanding the Actions of Russia >
        • On Russia’s Coercion of Ukraine
        • The Russian Annexation of Crimea in the Eyes of the World
        • Putin Has Overplayed His Hand With Crimea
        • Ukraine in Terms of Resovereignization
        • Avoiding a Conflict Between America and Russia Over Ukraine
        • What Drives the World’s Interest in Russia’s Actions in Ukraine
      • China’s Aggressive Pursuit of Interests Demands a Global Response
      • Iran Makes a Deal: A Start to a Long-term Diplomatic Effort to Denuclearize Iran >
        • On the Future of a Nuclear Negotiations with Iran
      • America's Sphere of Influence: Retaking South-East Asia >
        • Power in Asia: Looking at the Power Shift in Japan
        • The China Paradox: Why America is Worried About China
      • Assessing US Support of Israel >
        • Tread Softly Israel for a Heavy Step May Be Your Undoing
      • Understanding the Dysfunctional Nature of the US-Pakistani Relationship
      • Recognizing the True Threat Behind the Current Unrest in the Middle East >
        • Reacting to the Escalating Crackdown in Syria
      • Assessing the Threat of North Korea >
        • Answering North Korea's Call for Food Aid: Breaking the Vicious Cycle Forced Upon Us by a Warring Nation
        • Dealing with the Restarting of the Korean War
        • North Korea Attacks South Korea
      • Dealing with the Ill-effects of Climate Change
      • Racial Inequality and Oppression Do Truly Exist in Today's Society
      • Should energy independence be a high priority in the US?
      • An overview of world wide Human Rights violations
      • Nuclear Threat from Pakistan
      • Return of The Cold War?
    • World >
      • Coverage of FIFA World Cup is a Chance to Focus on Poverty >
        • The FIFA World Cup Offers Benefits for More Than Brazilian Soccer Fans
        • FIFA Can Bring Brazilians Together as a Nation
      • Being Prepared for Any Potential Dangers at the FIFA World Cup Games
      • Treading Softly on the Politicizing of the 2014 Sochi Olympics Over Gay Rights
      • Why NATO Operations in Libya Lack a Well-defined Mission
      • China Hijacks the Web
      • Lessons from the Great Japanese Earthquake of 2011
      • A Modernizing Cuba Offers an Opportunity for Capitalists
      • The Seeds of Democracy Take Root in the Middle East
      • The Rebirth of Democracy in Tunisia
      • What May Come from the Hurt Revolution in Libya
      • Responding to the Violence of Qaddafi and Other Besieged Leaders
      • Embracing the Rise of a Democratic Egypt
      • Protests in Afghanistan Turn Deadly for Coalition Forces and UN Personnel
      • Haiti: Another Failing Humanitarian Investment
      • What Karzai Can Learn from Calderon
      • START II: A Necessary, Easy Success that Nearly Failed
      • Why Does the U.S. Government Support Independence for the Breakaway Serb Territory of Kosovo but Oppose Independence for the Breakaway Georgian Territories of Abkhazia and South Ossetia?
      • Iraq's Electric Issues: When Human Wants Trump Economic Sense
      • The International Community Reacts to Wikileaks: We May Be Moving Toward a Third World War in Cyberspace
      • On Climate Gate
      • Assessing Obama's Afghanistan War strategy
      • 2009 Iranian Presidential Election: The Fallout
      • Resolving Sri Lankan Conflict through Free Media
      • What are the Global Consequences of Russia's Invasion of Georgia
      • The War in Iraq: an assessment of President Bush's surge strategy
      • Drug War: Actions of Venezuela, Columbia, Ecuador in terms of Resovereignization
      • Is the Iraq Refugee Crisis America's Responsibility?
      • US support for a united Kosovo, Abkhazia, and South Ossetia: why?
      • Should the US withdraw from Iraq?
      • Setting a Timetable for Troop Withdrawal from Iraq is a Terrible Mistake
      • War on Terrorism is needed
    • Law and Order >
      • Rape in the US Military
      • Ethics of Force-feeding Guantanamo Bay Detainees
      • Reacting to the Aftermath of the Tucson Massacre
    • Economy >
      • Affordability Drives Fear of Obamacare and the Individual Mandate
      • Is the Economy Built for a Job's Recovery?
      • Gutting Healthcare Reform of the Individual Mandate
      • Arizona Budget Cuts Lead to Lethal Healthcare Rationing:
      • Shameful Collection Practices of American Banks
      • The Fed Reveals it Actually Undertook an International Bailout
      • Thoughts on French Budgetary Reforms
      • Seniors Start Businesses
      • The Case for Slimming Down the US Military to Make it Better
      • Looking at the Obama Administration's New Approach to Economic Policy
      • Should the Government Regulate the Credit Card Industry?
      • The Big Three's Big Chance
      • The Unhealthy Tone of the Healthcare Reform Debate
      • Should the federal government offer a bailout for home owners?
      • Environmentalists: Do They Do More Good Than More Harm?
      • Responding to Scott Walker's Contribution to the War on Unions
    • US Government >
      • America Needs to Focus on the Impending Fiscal Crisis
      • Reacting to the Bush Era-tax Cut Extension Deal
      • Quitting the Obama Revolution: The Fickle Nature of American Politics
      • John Boehner's Circus
      • Is the Fed Putting Itself in Jeopardy?
      • Wikileaks Goes After the US State Department
      • Discussing the Political Environment Surrounding the 2011 Budget Debate
      • What the Democrats Can Do to Ensure a GOP Year in 2012
      • What the 2010 Midterm Actually Said
      • Congresswoman Kathy Dahlkemper
      • Democrats Minus Nancy Pelosi Equals Opportunity
      • Terrorists Go Postal: The Terrorism Threat Reexamined
      • Victory in the 2008 Election: Reaction to Barack Obama'a Win >
        • Expectations for Barack Obama
      • President Obama's first one hundred days
      • John McCain's Negative Campaign
      • Reasons People did not Elect John Mccain
      • History judges the George W. Bush Administration
      • Should the next US President focus on domestic issues?
      • President Bush, should he resign or be impeached
      • Should the Ban on Government Sponsored Assassinations be Repealed
    • Off Topic >
      • A Face of America’s Greatest Generation
      • A Story About a Man Who Made the World a Better Place
      • Making the World a Better Place
      • The Bipolar Ethical Nature of Google
      • Learning Computer Plays Jeopardy
      • Verifying Medicine is the Real Thing
      • Taking a Practical Step Forward in Optical Computing Using Slow Light
      • Scientists Take a Closer Look at How Lithium Batteries Work
      • Remarking on the First Blizzard of the 2010-2011 Winter Season
      • Driving in the Snow: Acceleration is the Key
      • How People in Northwest PA Are Coping with the Increasing Cost of Oil
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