The Problem With Presidential Campaigns

The 2012 Presidential Elections used up an estimated $2 billion dollars. Let that sink in for a while. $2 billion dollars.

These campaigns have gone far out of hand. Why are we spending billions of dollars on these presidential runs, while at the same time suffering trillions of dollars in deficit? To me, something seems very wrong. Super-Pacs, as well as mega donors, have corrupted the election process to an insane degree. This, is one of the many things that I find wrong with the political process. I do not believe that free and fair elections that were created in the 1700's, are free and fair anymore. Money has started to play a larger and larger role in the American Political System. That's why I want to make this post extremely short. The shortest post I have ever written, and the shortest post that I probably will ever write. Because I don't feel that this topic need any explaining for me. I just want to let the stats speak for themseleves.

Take Care,
Political Police

Israel Has Too Much Influence On The United States

Today, I was reading the news, and an article on CNN caught my eye. It was about Israel strongly denying reports by the New York Times, The Guardian, and several other newspapers that the United States was spying on the Prime Minister of Israel. As I skimmed through the article, I saw repeated mentions of the extremely close ties that the United States, and Israel share. And this got me thinking. Why does Israel have so much influence over United States politicians, as well as over US internal affairs? Why do so many American Presidents bow to Israeli pressure?

The answer to this question lies within the Jewish Lobbying Organizations, notably the American Israel Public Affairs Committee. No other country has such a lobby in the United States. Because Israel is considered the only Jewish country in existence, we see an unprecedented amount of support of Israel from the Jewish Community here in America. This support translates to power, money, and wealth for the Jewish Lobbying Organizations. As a result, it has become near suicide for any politician to speak out against Israel. They simply can't afford to miss out on the potential millions, even billions of dollars, that the Lobbyist's offer. Furthermore, these Lobbies have the power to seriously undermine any hope of election or reelection of any Senator, Representative, Governor, you name it. This underscores a deep problem within our political system. Israel has been allowed to gain so much power in US internal political affairs, that sometimes it is difficult to tell who is the superpower in the relationship. This blatant power and influence can be seen in several instances. For example, the United States vetoed a resolution to limit Israel occupation of Palestinian Territories in February. The United States would never have done this for any other country. Israel was, and still is committing a blatant crime against the Palestine People, and the US has turned a blind eye. These kinds of cases are not uncommon. Very rarely will you see any politician condemn, or speak out against the actions of Israel. This small country in the Middle East, which exists almost exclusively because of United States Aid, has somehow managed to be the one telling America what to do, instead of the other way around. This problem needs to be fixed.

The amount of influence that Israel holds over the United States is utterly ridiculous. The Jewish Lobbying Organizations have managed to exert so much power and control over our Representatives in Washington, that support of Israel is nearly unanimous. Since the United States is funneling billions of dollars into Israel, shouldn't America be the one exerting the power? Unfortunately, and surprisingly, this has turned out to be not the case. And until the people in Washington decide to take a stand against this, the system will remain forever corrupted by this issue. And with that, I'd like to share a quote by John Steinbeck. "Power does not corrupt. Fear corrupts, perhaps the fear of loss of power"

Take Care,
Political Police

The Problem with American Education

Kobe Bryant recently inked a $48.5 million dollar deal with the L.A Lakers in exchange for two years. This comes out to a annual salary of $24.25 million dollars! Compare this to the annual teachers salary of only about $33 thousand dollars. Why do we place so much emphasis, and invest so much money, on celebrities and athletes? It's no wonder that American Students are currently ranked 29th in the world in the field of mathematics. With these sort of statistics, it would not be surprising to see the United States fall from its position as a world superpower, and quickly become a fraction of its former self.

When we look at the average American household, I can almost guarantee that every single person in the family watches some sort of media/entertainment, be it movies, reality T.V shows, sports, anything really. And theres nothing wrong with that. The problem lies in the fact that these shows, celebrities, and athletes are regarded as more important, and more valuable than educators, engineers, scientists, and mathematicians. These stars are being paid millions of dollars, to do work that requires no academic skill whatsoever. If you ask a child in America what he wants to be when he grows up, he will certainly say something like "Sports Star!", or "Famous Actor!". If you ask the same question to a child in China, the answer will be more along the lines of "Doctor!", "Engineer!", "Scientist!". Therefore, it should come as no surprise that countries such as South Korea, China, and India are far far ahead of America in the rankings. We, as Americans, simply do not value or realize the importance of education. We place too much importance on these insignificant athletes, celebrities, and movie stars.

This is only the first part of the problem. The second, lies in the very fundamental American mindset. We, as a whole, place way too much emphasis on Self-Esteem. When we look at countries located in Asia, we see that parents there are willing to do whatever it takes to make their children successful. Parents force their children to study until they are academically proficient at whatever subject that they are in. Why, in America, is this considered child abuse? It's ridiculous! If you look at children here, B's, C's, even D's are considered acceptable by some parents! The parents refuse to force their child to do anything, and simply tell the child to try their best. The child brings in poor grades, and may not even end up going to college! Many end up corrupted, and in lower skill jobs. Now, how is this not considered child abuse? Furthermore, these very same parents are the ones saying that the Asian way is not right! I'm not trying to condone one way or the other, I realize that the Asian parenting style too, has its own faults. But unless the American People, me included, decide to wake up, our country is headed towards disaster. "An investment in knowledge pays the best interest" -Benjamin Franklin

Take Care
Political Police

Does India Have a Right to be Upset?

Indian diplomat Devyana Khobragrade was recently arrested and strip searched, by the United States. India is in an uproar over this incident, and many have reportedly burned effigies of President Obama. However, is this called for? Many Indian politicians have refused to meet with American Delegations, and are mercilessly attacking the American Government, as well as America itself. This, I think is hypocritical, uncalled for, and ridiculous.

When you look online, you will find dozens of articles stating how Khobragrade was mistreated at the hands of American Officials. What you will fail to find, however, is the fact that Khobragrade was not arrested for no reason. She was arrested because of her failure to comply with minimum wage laws. She had been paying her maid $3 an hour, to work 7 days a week, from dusk till dawn. In India, the people are outraged about important and influential persons being given preferential treatment. Yet, at the same time, these same hypocrites are rioting in the streets because their diplomat was arrested and searched by the American Authorities. This woman was in clear violation of the laws. I understand how Diplomatic Immunity could be used to argue against her case, but the Vienna Codes specifically state that these immunities can be waived if there is a case of a serious crime, or a crime unrelated to the diplomatic relationship. So how can they expect us to give this woman preferential treatment simply because of the fact that she's a diplomat? Instead of being outraged about the maid, the Indian people are more concerned about the arrest. The real issue here, is the maid being abused and taken advantage of. Furthermore, it is evident when you look at India's current political situation, that this is all a political ploy to show that India indeed, is a world superpower, and to prove to the world that it can stand up to the almighty United States. How about India starts standing up to the rapists, murderers, and criminals in their own country. I find this political warmongering disgusting. Furthermore, according to numerous sources, Diplomat Khobragrade was actually given far better treatment than the average American citizen. Now one might ask, wasn't she strip searched. The answer is yes, but this search was done in private, with one female marshal conducting the search. This is standard procedure. And I'd also like to reiterate again and again, this search was not conducted on the basis of racism, prejudice, or any other unjust reason. This search was carried out because this woman broke the law. When in America, this woman must be expected to follow American laws. She should not be given any sort of leniency because of the fact that she is a diplomat.

As you can probably tell, I have a pretty strong opinion on this topic. I do not believe that India has any basis nor reason for being angry at the United States. What has happened is fair, just, and standard procedure. If you break the law, you will be held accountable, and prosecuted accordingly. This shall remain the same regardless of ones social status, wealth, or power. So on that note, I'd like to reference a quote by Eleanor Roosevelt. "Justice cannot be for one side alone, but must be for both"

Take Care,
Political Police

Why is Obama's Popularity so Low?

Obama's popularity is at a meager 47%. Over 52% percent of Americans say that they disapprove of the job that he is doing. This stands in stark contrast to 2008, when his popularity stood at 70%, and only 25% of Americans approved of the job that he was doing(Gallup.com). What the heck happened?
Why do so many disapprove of what he is doing?

First, and perhaps foremost, Obama has not lived up to his expectations. When he ran for office in 2008, he ran under the premise of change, and used the slogans "Yes we can!", and"Change we can believe in". For many, he was viewed as a godsend, a savior, an end to the constant bickering amongst politicians. He would usher in a new era, revitalize the economy, and restore America to its former glory. These expectations have largely gone unfulfilled. Although Wall Street has rebounded, and the economy is supposedly, "Rebounded", the majority of America has yet to feel the effects. Where are the promises of change, and where are the days of YES WE CAN? They have disappeared, like a wisp of smoke.

Second, Obama has found himself caught in the middle of several large crisis, as well as a botched HealthCare.Gov launch. Such events such as the Government Shutdown, Benghazi Attacks, and the revealing of NSA spying have seriously hurt his credibility. The man that was voted into the White House to become a man of the people, a doer of good, has found himself deeply entrenched in the political system that he ran so strongly against. Although Obama was not directly responsible for the Government Shutdown, (the senate and house could not come to an agreement) he ended up shouldering a majority of the blame. The same holds true for the Benghazi Attacks. And although Obama has repeatedly claimed that he played no part, and was not aware of the NSA spying, what makes him believable? The people have a clear reason for being suspicious, after our rights were so grossly violated. Finally, the HealthCare.Gov rollout seriously harmed the Presidents reliability. The Affordable Care Act, also known as ObamaCare, was Obama's signature bill. He promised a smooth rollout, and a seamless transition. This, however, failed to materialize.

All of these factors play major roles in why Obama's popularity is so low. The American People simply feel betrayed by his actions, and the fire has been fed by these crises. So on that note, I'd like to share a quote by former President, John F. Kennedy, "Let us not seek the Republican answer, or the Democratic answer, but the right answer.  Let us not seek to fix the blame for the past. Let us accept our own responsibility for the future"

Take Care,
Political Police

Posting Schedule!

Hi guys, Political Police here! I just wanted to tell you when I would be writing new posts. I have made the decision to post every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday. I really hope you enjoy it, and come back for more!

Take Care,
Political Police

Should Snowden be Granted Amnesty?

Recently a federal judge has ruled that the surveillance carried out by the NSA is unconstitutional. Naturally, this takes us back towards the controversy surrounding the Snowden case. Many are asking themselves right now, should he be granted amnesty? While I agree that what the Government is doing is overreaching its authority, I do not believe that Edward Snowden should be granted any sort of amnesty or pardon.

To make any sort of decision regarding this case, we must go back to what Snowden actually did. As most of you probably know, Snowden has released thousands upon thousands of classified documents, put the United States out of favor of many global powers, and is believed to be in possession of highly sensitive military and surveillance details. I do concede that his overall intent seems to be generally positive, however, I do not believe that he went about this manner in the right way. In the eyes of many, he is viewed as a patriot, a savior of American Freedom. However I do not understand how Edward Snowden has helped his country one bit. He has been leaking these documents to reporters, and has the means to seriously damage American integrity. Therefore, taking this into account, we must make an educated decision. Do you truly believe what he did is right? Like I said before, I do think that his actions and intents were truly positive. He believed that what the Government and National Security Agency were doing was wrong. And he's right. Everyone knows it. It was confirmed by a federal judge! But if he truly wanted to do the right thing, and further our country, he would have only leaked documents concerning domestic surveillance, and accepted the ensuing punishment. Right now, he is holed up in Moscow, with a laptop containing files that would utterly decimate our American integrity.
Take a look back, Mohandas Ghandi, Nelson Mandela, Martin Luther King, they all stood for their beliefs. They were willing to accept the punishment, and were regarded as pioneers in their respective fields of work. This stands in stark contrast to Edward Snowden, who is holed up in Moscow, and putting the credibility of his country at stake.

There is no right or wrong in this case. If you ask me, both sides are wrong. Snowden absolutely did not take the right route in furthering his cause. Yes he has revealed this outrageous spying, but at the cost of American credibility. On the other side, the NSA has no business spying on its own citizens. This is absolutely appalling and deplorable, and has no place in our nation. So I leave it up to you to decide which side is right. And with that, I'd like to state a quote by the great French philosopher and activist, Voltaire. "I do not agree with what you have to say, but I'll defend to the death your right to say it"

Take Care,
Political Police

The Problem with the Republican Party

As you probably know, a bipartisan budget was recently passed in the house by a majority of 332-94. Created by House Budget Committee Chair Paul Ryan, R-Wisconsin, and Senate Budget Committee Chair Patty Murray, D-Washington, the bill aims to decrease $63 billion off of immediate sequester spending cuts, as well as still increase a net long term deficit reduction of $23 billion. This bill is now set to head to the Senate. However, surprisingly the road to passing the Senate does not seem very easy.

Unlike in the House, the bill does not have strong support from conservative leadership. Senate Mitch McConnell of Kentucky, R, faces a strong Tea Party Challenge, as well as several other GOP senators. Now this, is the root of the problem. The Tea Party has considerable influence, and any conservative going against their beliefs is certain to be shamed and attacked. The Tea Party has been steadily ripping apart and destroying the Republican Party. They adamantly refuse any sort of compromise whatsoever. How can such a small facet of the party hold such influence? Groups such as the Heritage Action have come out strongly against the deal, and have considerable sway over a majority of conservative Senators as well as Representatives. This bill managed to pass the house after Speaker John Boehner, R, stood up to far right representatives, admonished them, and came out in support of this bipartisan deal. Now why the far right refuses to compromise at all in order to further the nation astounds me. It appears that the Tea Party is willing to put the country at stake, in order to establish their core ideologies. It does not take a genius to understand why this policy is simply unsustainable. The Tea Party is seriously jeopardizing the future, and credibility of America. Think back to October. The far right was willing to shut down the government, and risk a government default, because their views were not supported by the majority. The whole basis of democracy was founded upon the idea that the majority of people will decide what is right. There will be voting, and the people, should vote for what they believe in. Only a small number of extreme right conservatives were voted into office. Therefore, is it right, for these representatives, to hold hostage the American Government, because they did not get what they wanted. This, to me, seems extremely childish and immature.

Right now, the Republican Party is in shambles. Only when the sensible, and sane representatives follow in the footsteps of Speaker Boehner and stand up to the Tea Party, and extreme right conservatives, will the party be restored to its former relevance. The Tea Party has no place in the Republican Party. Their tactics are childish, immature, and simply unsustainable. I say it again and again, strong leadership is needed. Speaker Boehner has done, it who will follow? So on that note, I'd like to reference a quote by Franklin Roosevelt, "I am neither bitter nor cynical, but I do wish there was less immaturity in political thinking"

Take Care,
Political Police

Educators Imposing their Political Views

Today started off, as any other. Ordinary, boring, and average. I will often find myself sulking my way through school and day to day activities. But something that happened today in class really caught my eye. So, before we go on, I'd like to ask you a question. Is it right for public educators to be expressing and imposing their views on students?

Of course, I strongly believe that the answer is no. The role of the educator is simply that. To educate. To inform students about important issues, as well as to teach students about important historical events. In no way do they have the right to actually encourage any student to feel one way or another about a certain issue. But one of the many problems with our educational system is exactly that. Teachers attempt to impose their will onto students, and force students to feel one way or another about certain topics. Today, I experienced this problem first-hand. My American History teacher, had just begun a lesson into the forming of the two major political parties. Democrat, and Republican. He then went on and on and did the usual lecture and we, of course, took notes. However, you can imagine my surprise when he actually began to express how he felt about certain topics. It all began with the discussion of Obamacare. I expected him to explain the plan, and what it entailed, nothing more, nothing less. However, for whatever reason, he felt the need to relentlessly bash those against the plan. Now, keep in mind, I am an independent, so I in no way felt personally offended by his remarks. The teacher began to call those opposing the plan, "Stupid", "Dumb", and "Idiots". Regardless of political affiliation, I strongly believe that one should not be using these kinds of judgments in a classroom. I can fully understand how he has this right, detailed under the first amendment. But we must ask ourselves, is this really appropriate? Should we not allow these students to make their own decisions, and make their own impact? Is it right to be taking advantage of these young minds? I believe, that the answer should be no.

I went home and thought pretty deeply about this small event. So I encourage you to do the same. Next time, whether you are a student, or your child is a student, when you see this taking place, please realize what is happening. Do not allow yourselves to be forced to think a certain way. Be an independent thinker, and make your own decisions. So, I'd like to end this post with a quote by Khalil Gibran. "Life without liberty is like a body without spirit"

Take Care,
Political Police

First Post! What you can expect!

Hi guys! I have finally decided to take the next big step and venture into the world of blogging! Just some basic info about myself, I am a young adult, living near Cincinnati Ohio. I'd like to invite you to come with me through this extremely exciting journey! I've decided that I want to express some of my feelings and thoughts on the current political situation, as well as detail some of the events that occur in my day to day life. Who knows what this could lead to. I'll also attempt to post some quotes that I view as meaningful as often as possible. So, come along for the ride!

Take Care,
Political Police