Educated Fool's Foolishness

I will work for all Americans, to do what is best for the nation as a whole, catering to no one group over others. Beholden to no lobby but the American people; to no special interest aside from the best interest of this great nation.

And it is true, I may ask something of you. But only so that I may return that investment 10 fold. Providing better, affordable healthcare; a return to world leading public education; training programs to help workers cope with an ever evolving economy; real, proper security at ports and other points of vulnerability; an upgrade of our infrastructure, so that we may continue to increase our efficiency and push forward with technological advances. And, just as importantly, investing in alternative, clean, and most of all sustainable, energy sources and effective mass transit.

This is what I will fight for, as I love this nation and I will not allow it to crumble as the Roman Empire did. No, it shall rise as the Phoenix and ever shine forth as a beacon of what is right and just. Leading by example, not merely in rhetoric and propaganda. This is my pledge to you.

Good Night and May You Go In Peace.

"A second task we can take on together is to design and establish a volunteer Civilian Reserve Corps. Such a corps would function much like our military reserve. It would ease the burden on the Armed Forces by allowing us to hire civilians with critical skills to serve on missions abroad when America needs them. And it would give people across America who do not wear the uniform a chance to serve in the defining struggle of our time."
- President G.W. Bush, State of the Union 2007

I've been meaning to write about this for a while now (since the state of the union), just haven't got around to it. Better late than never, right? maybe not but here goes anyway: It seems to me that in making this statement our President called for the creation of a MERCENARY Corps. Does this bother anyone else? And I haven't heard anyone talking about this at all. This could be because the line before it called for an increase in the troop levels in Iraq. If so, it was great placement to hide it from scrutiny. On the other hand this could merely be a more technical corps providing expertise in areas outside of the purview of the military, but I wouldn't bet on it. Even if it is, that's what the army corps of engineers is for and the State Department for more diplomatic issues. Of particular note is its being modeled after the military reserves, as we've seen how the Bush administration has utilized those with backdoor drafts on reservists who signed up with the expectation that they would never be deployed. And the fact that this Civilian corps would be going on missions is disturbing. I just have trouble reading this as anything other than a formal declaration of intent to use mercenaries to carry out US foreign policy, inserting yet another level of deniability for the use of illegal tactics and practices by the US government. Anyway, let me know what y'all think.

So I think a good video to draw attention to race/class relations that exist in America and is now being laid bare by the Bush administration's response to the recent tragedy would be shots of New Orleans (ALL of New Orleans, not just the French Quarter like you always see during broadcasts) and Coastal Mississippi & Alabama before Katrina, montaged along with shots of the devastation and the chaos that ensued, with the captions of the different shots, such as the one with white people having "found" food and other necessities, and the young black male who "looted" food and other necessities. With Akon's Ghetto as the background music...

Thought I'd update with some stuff I put on my myspace blog but never quite made it here. Also, the end of my stump speech, now if I only had a beginning.

I think that the UN should have its own independent military. And I think that the best pool for this is in drafting regulations to certify private security firms (i.e. mercenaries) and then creating a UN force by hiring mercenaries with backgrounds in top level national militaries (such as SEALS, Delta Force, Gherkins, etc.) and thus developing an elite military force that will allow the UN to enforce its resolutions without having to deal with getting member nations to put forth their soldiers. I think that this would work to make the United Nations much more effective as a regulator of global agreements. I like the UN. The fact is that we live in a globalized world, like it or not and it seems to me that right now the UN is the best bet we have for maintaining stability in a swiftly changing world. We're at a nexus of history, the years we are living in have potential to go down as some of the most important moments in western civilization, nay, global civilization. Shall we allow ourselves to be laid out like the Romans, basking in our own perceived glory? Or shall we forge forth and create a truly global society that takes all that humanity has to offer and uses it for the betterment of Earth as an entire system? I regret the former seems to be the path we have chosen, but I hope that if enough of us are willing to start thinking about the needs of the earth as a whole rather than focusing on individual needs, then we might be able to turn this thing around. And it can't hurt to try, you never know what you might accomplish.

I recommend looking into the idea of cultural capital ( www.rtmark.com and other sites are based off this principle), which is essentially just the idea of looking beyond monetary profits and taking into account the opportunity costs of one's actions (focusing on corporations) when making decisions. It's pretty much just the realization that maybe money isn't what it's all about and that all the money in the world don't mean jack if civilization falls apart or we drive the planet into ruin. That's all I'm saying.

A recent conversation between myself and my friend Jason:
mymothersson: http://www.theadvocates.org/quiz.html
El Presidente vc: http://www.theadvocates.org/quiz-score/quiz.php
El Presidente vc: shocker
El Presidente vc: I'm a liberal
mymothersson: haha
mymothersson: i'm a libertarian
El Presidente vc: though I tend towards libertarian
El Presidente vc: particularly on personal issues
mymothersson: i agree
El Presidente vc: I suspect you ended up on the left side of the libertarian section, or right in the middle
mymothersson: do you see that GOP sex talk
El Presidente vc: yeah
mymothersson: i'm 90%
mymothersson: funny stuff
mymothersson: carlson tucker is an idio
mymothersson: t
El Presidente vc: I'm 90% on personal issues and 40% on economic issues
El Presidente vc: yeah
El Presidente vc: Jon Stewart tearing him a new one on crossfire is still one of my favorite clips of all time
mymothersson: i'm 90 each libertarian
mymothersson: hahaha
mymothersson: i agree
mymothersson: that was amazing
El Presidente vc: so you're right in the middle
mymothersson: exactly
El Presidente vc: I would have been 100% on personal issues, except that I answered maybe on the draft question
mymothersson: you don't believe they should keep it around?
El Presidente vc: as our purely voluntary military leads to a massive overrepresentation of the lower-classes
mymothersson: as it should be
El Presidente vc: are you shitting me?
El Presidente vc: so you think that the poor should go off and kill and be killed to protect the interests of the wealthier segments of society who can afford to not enlist?
mymothersson: yes
mymothersson: its not my fault their poor
El Presidente vc: I have no problem with voluntary service per se, the problem is that in our society, you have much higher numbers of the lower classes enlisting because they don't have much else in the way of prospects resulting from a lack of quality public education in this country
El Presidente vc: we might have to stop being friends
mymothersson: that doesn't include special cases such as mental or physical retardation
El Presidente vc: though it would help if you could spell/use grammar well
mymothersson: but it does offer them potential
El Presidente vc: it's they're not their
mymothersson: if i was poor i'd go to the army
mymothersson: it pays the bills and would help my kids someday
El Presidente vc: I think you may have missed my point
mymothersson: dude i'm carrying on five conversations at once
mymothersson: spell check is not the point
El Presidente vc: the problem is that there are so few opportunities presented them because of the structure of our society that they are put in a position where joining the military for shit wages is probably their best bet for getting out of the vortex of poverty that they are stuck in
El Presidente vc: so they trade the poverty of the streets for the poverty of the trenches
mymothersson: the military is not shit wages
mymothersson: first off
El Presidente vc: the threat of gang violence for the threat of IEDs
El Presidente vc: with the promise of funding for education and training
El Presidente vc: which are good things
mymothersson: i know plenty of well of people who are in the military who are no issues with it
El Presidente vc: I do too
El Presidente vc: I come from a military family
El Presidente vc: mainly navy and air force
mymothersson: if it offers them a way out then that's all for the best
El Presidente vc: the problem is that the military should reflect the whole country not only the underclasses
mymothersson: "poverty of the streets for the poverty of the trenches" is way to much of a sob story
mymothersson: what, and your going to join?
El Presidente vc: really? have you looked at the military pay scales?
El Presidente vc: I often toy with the idea
mymothersson: the only ones that are willing are the poor, the rich have to much to loose
El Presidente vc: exactly
mymothersson: its still the same now as it would be if it was voluntary and zero draft
El Presidente vc: there is no draft
mymothersson: if we'd quit fucking around overseas we wouldn't need nearly as many and not even have the option
El Presidente vc: it is all voluntary
mymothersson: exactly
mymothersson: but they can still enact the draft
El Presidente vc: so only the poor should have to die for their country?
mymothersson: everyone dies
El Presidente vc: not in the service of their nation
mymothersson: just some for different causes
El Presidente vc: that falls mainly to the poor
El Presidente vc: so they get to die protecting american corporate interests overseas, while the rich reap the benefits of that protection?
mymothersson: so your going to tell me that you should send the educated ones who can move the economy and start business off to the army to kill them off
mymothersson: okay, lets draft the educated and leave the poor to run the country
mymothersson: yeah...that works
El Presidente vc: I'm saying we should start providing a quality education to every american so that the poor aren't left with so few choices that enlisting is one of the only ways they can escape
El Presidente vc: and that's not what I'm saying at all
mymothersson: the conversation started on the draft man
El Presidente vc: I know
El Presidente vc: mymothersson: okay, lets draft the educated and leave the poor to run the country
mymothersson: yeah...that works
El Presidente vc: is not what I said
El Presidente vc: I think that the military should be made up of a cross-section of society
El Presidente vc: people of all education levels, of all economic levels, of all backgrounds
El Presidente vc: and AMERICAN military
El Presidente vc: not a POOR american military
mymothersson: i agree, and i'm saying it will never happen
mymothersson: eduaction is great, but its tough to change
El Presidente vc: then maybe we should have a draft
El Presidente vc: I'd rather have educated people fighting and making military decisions than dumb people
mymothersson: why, there's no need
mymothersson: that's what military academy's are for
mymothersson: to train generals etc
mymothersson: who lead those 'dumb people'
El Presidente vc: your argument is that we should send the poor people to die because they don't have a good education
mymothersson: no its not
El Presidente vc: which is a ridiculous statement
mymothersson: not to die
mymothersson: to join the military
El Presidente vc: mymothersson: so your going to tell me that you should send the educated ones who can move the economy and start business off to the army to kill them off
El Presidente vc: so yes it is
mymothersson: that was making a point to the educated as being the leaders
mymothersson: not the minions
El Presidente vc: tell that to lincoln
mymothersson: and to die was only stated cause i was referencing what you had said earlier
mymothersson: that we 'send them to die'
El Presidente vc: fine, change "send them to die" to "risk their lives"
El Presidente vc: the argument still holds
mymothersson: i agree that their needs to be a change in education, but that happens from the poor taking that step and making money to send their kids to better institutions
El Presidente vc: and look at our current administration and tell me that the "educated" make good leaders
El Presidente vc: bullshit
mymothersson: haha
El Presidente vc: the poor shouldn't have to send their children to private schools to get a quality education when rich suburbanites don't have to
mymothersson: that's not educated
mymothersson: that's eliteist
El Presidente vc: your arguments have been tending towards elitist
mymothersson: i'm not saying i'm better then them
El Presidente vc: you don't have to be elite to be an elitist
mymothersson: talk to any man on the street who works as a shoe shiner and he will tell you he does it everyday to send his kids through school
El Presidente vc: El Presidente vc: as our purely voluntary military leads to a massive overrepresentation of the lower-classes
mymothersson: as it should be
El Presidente vc: that may be
El Presidente vc: that's an elitist statment that I just quoted you one
mymothersson: hahah
mymothersson: that was more to get a rise out of you
El Presidente vc: it worked
El Presidente vc: as I was ready to kick your ass
mymothersson: hahha
mymothersson: an violence is always the answer
El Presidente vc: and am still rather disturbed by the underlying philosophy behind your statement
mymothersson: if you can't win a debate...beat their ass
El Presidente vc: violence is almost never the answer
mymothersson: look, all i'm saying is that the military is a viable option to help the poor move from the poor class to the middle and in turn help their kids get a better education
El Presidente vc: and there's nothing wrong with wanting to do something violent if you don't follow through on it and channel into fruitful discussion
El Presidente vc: I agree
mymothersson: there will always be a poor class no matter what we do
El Presidente vc: true
El Presidente vc: but it shoudn't be one of the only viable options for the poor
El Presidente vc: as I've told you many times, my issue is not with the existence of classes
El Presidente vc: it's the lack of infrastructure to allow for a child to not be denied opportunity because of their parents status
El Presidente vc: all I want is true equality of opportunity
El Presidente vc: not this false american dream that has never existed
mymothersson: when you figure that one out, let me know how to do it
El Presidente vc: universal health care
El Presidente vc: funded education mandates
mymothersson: although i still do think that the american dream is there for those who do work hard
El Presidente vc: it's never really existed
El Presidente vc: people can work hard their whole lives and still end up cleaning shit out of backed up toilets
mymothersson: yeah, but at least they'll have money in their pockets
mymothersson: i would do the same thing to make it happen
mymothersson: the american dream that is
mymothersson: a lot of it comes down to just showing people what work ethic is
El Presidente vc: the american dream is that if you have money you get a huge head start
El Presidente vc: how about we show them positive role models?
mymothersson: yeah but just cause they have a head start doesn't mean everyone else doesn't have opportunity
mymothersson: i agree
El Presidente vc: particularly minority role models, instead of portraying them in society as criminals for the most part
mymothersson: that would be an great start
mymothersson: its like that line that ludacris uses in crash
mymothersson: give them idiots singing crap music and that will keep them down
mymothersson: interesting theory
El Presidente vc: bread and circus
El Presidente vc: the romans knew what they were doing
mymothersson: exactly
El Presidente vc: doesn't make it right
mymothersson: soon we will have the second falling
El Presidente vc: and just because it's the way things are doesn't mean we should accept it
El Presidente vc: nor should we be daunted by the fact that it won't be easy
El Presidente vc: revolution never is
El Presidente vc: however, Dragonforce is Awesome
El Presidente vc: as always
mymothersson: haha
mymothersson: i love dragonforce
El Presidente vc: yeah
El Presidente vc: me too
mymothersson: revolution is tough
mymothersson: we'll see man
El Presidente vc: always is
mymothersson: just as always, there's a long way to go
mymothersson: and a lot of work to do
El Presidente vc: but it need not be violent
El Presidente vc: you've got to start somewhere, sometime
mymothersson: i agree
mymothersson: Right here, right onw
mymothersson: now
El Presidente vc: yeah Jesus Jones
mymothersson: that's Jesus Jason
El Presidente vc: sorry
El Presidente vc: you're right, Jesus Jones said Right Here, Right NOW
El Presidente vc: not onw
El Presidente vc: :-D
mymothersson: hahaha
mymothersson: exactly
El Presidente vc: I may have to put this discussion up as a blog posting
mymothersson: have at it
mymothersson: although i think we may have been arguing similar points with just numerous miscommunications
El Presidente vc: did you see my post about setting up a mutual fund focusing on low-rate loans to developing areas?
mymothersson: yeah i left an anonymous comment
El Presidente vc: it's possible, but at least I come off as the champion of the people and you the elitist backer of the status-quo
mymothersson: hahaha
El Presidente vc: not that I'm complaining
mymothersson: fair enough, it will make for some good conversations with someone
mymothersson: but if i ever run for office it has to come down
El Presidente vc: we may have been agreeing, but we were disagreeing (at least for the first half of the conversation) on basic philosophical tenents
El Presidente vc: fair enough
El Presidente vc: I'm not talking about funding non-profits
El Presidente vc: I'm talking about any organization, mainly for-profit enterprises that operate in a sustainable fashion
mymothersson: huh
El Presidente vc: in order to stimulate the economy of the developing area
mymothersson: oh the blog
El Presidente vc: yeah, I just read your comment
mymothersson: what do you mean "for-profit that operate in a sustainable fashion"
mymothersson: particularly "sustainable fashion"
El Presidente vc: business that operate in a manner that rather than merely removing resources and capital, put them back in as well, economically, socially, and environmentally
mymothersson: ah
mymothersson: there are pleny of business out there that do that currently
El Presidente vc: this is true
mymothersson: just depends on what sector
El Presidente vc: and there should be more
mymothersson: i concur
El Presidente vc: particularly in developing nations and developing areas of first world nations
El Presidente vc: hence my idea of setting up a fund to help them to succeed
El Presidente vc: you've checked out www.rtmark.com
El Presidente vc: yes?
El Presidente vc: as that was kind of what inspired the idea
mymothersson: yeah, but that's all pretty politically charge stuff
mymothersson: and a lot of it is wasteful ideas
El Presidente vc: I like the notion of cultural capital and the idea of setting up an investment fund based on the notion of returns through cultural capital rather than just merely monetary profits
El Presidente vc: though I feel the two are not mutually exclusive and can relatively easily be combined
mymothersson: i just think that those who operated it would have a hard time making a living
mymothersson: but its a great idea for a business
El Presidente vc: not if the people on the ground were good at recognizing good business opportunities
El Presidente vc: it's just a matter of being smart with where you invest the money
mymothersson: this is true
El Presidente vc: and it probably wouldn't end up with the fund manager becoming uber-wealthy as with most funds, but that's kind of the point
mymothersson: exactly
mymothersson: i gotta run to class man
mymothersson: i'll catch up with ya later
El Presidente vc: aight, have fun with the kiddies
mymothersson: fo sho

So here's my idea, I want to set up a mutual fund that invests in low-interest small business loans in developing areas across the globe. I'm sure there's some way we could get some tax breaks to encourage investment, though I should probably look into that. I figure that we'd need people on the ground in different areas searching for good opportunities, as we'd be selective about who to lend money to, there would have to be a proposal process, but we would publicize the opportunity in the communities of focus in order to ensure that we get as many viable investments as possible. We'd be providing a service to the citizens and economies of developing nations, particularly if we looked to sustainability as a focus of investment. And if we are good in choosing who to invest in, then we will be able to provide a return to our investors and thus encourage greater investment in our fund and thus greater investment on a local scale to communities throughout the world.

I think a good way of marketing it is to model it after rtmark.com, in that the return to investors focusing more on cultural capital, essentially coming back as a return to the betterment of everyone rather than being a traditional profit venue.

Below is the text of a conversation between myself (El Presidente vc) and my esteemed colleague Sandy Bledsoe (PunkItOut):

PunkIt0ut: http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/ 2006/02/01/AR2006020101840.html

Auto response from El Presidente vc: "I see in the near future a crisis approaching that unnerves me, and causes me to tremble for the safety of our country. Corporations have been enthroned, an era of corruption will follow, and the money power of the country will endeavor to prolong its reign by working upon the prejudices of the people, until wealth is aggregated in a few hands and the republic is destroyed."
- Abraham Lincoln

El Presidente vc: it was procedural, the stay was only until wed. and they had already rejected his petition, or were about to

Auto response from PunkIt0ut: agh! late late late.

El Presidente vc: actually, perhaps not, that might have been the earlier of the two appeals on the case
PunkIt0ut: no it says now they're going to have an appeals court review whether or not lethal injection constitutes cruel and unusual punishment
El Presidente vc: yeah, I saw that, I had been reading about the case the day this was going on
El Presidente vc: I hadn't heard about the later round of appeals
El Presidente vc: The court, acting without Alito, rejected Taylor's appeal that argued that Missouri's death penalty system is racist.
PunkIt0ut: but i mean, as of right now, he's 1/1 in my book.
El Presidente vc: that was the decision that had made it procedural, as they had rejected his argument
El Presidente vc: when he's not just sworn in and following the precedent that was set earlier this week before he got on the court we'll talk
El Presidente vc: had he reversed this, it would have caused a huge outcry
El Presidente vc: as he would have been immediately joining the court and reversing things from the get-go in a situation that didn't call for it, as the case is similar to cases already remanded to appeal
PunkIt0ut: i'm just saying that at least he's willing to deviate from the standard opinion
PunkIt0ut: i'm not saying that i'm excited to have him on board
El Presidente vc: similar cases have already been sent back for review, it would have caused him more trouble than it's worth to immediately shift the court
El Presidente vc: I'm just scared of executive power and abortion cases
PunkIt0ut: i'm scared of power
El Presidente vc: I'll wait and see how he rules on those before I pass judgement
PunkIt0ut: we might get to see pretty soon
PunkIt0ut: with what just happened in san fran and new york
El Presidente vc: as well as civil rights cases, and corporate v. indiviual cases
El Presidente vc: gay marriage?
PunkIt0ut: what are his religious beliefs like?
El Presidente vc: I'm not completely sure, he was pretty guarded, I believe conservative roman catholic, but that's more a guess due to his father being and italian immigrant, he wasn't nearly as forward about his religion as roberts was and it wasn't made as much an issue
El Presidente vc: though it is interesting that his vote wouldn't have mattered in the outcome of the case, it would have just shifted the margin
El Presidente vc: though it would be sweet if this turned out to be one of those appointments that backfire
El Presidente vc: of the members of the court, only ginsburg and breyer were appointed by a democrat (clinton)
El Presidente vc: souter was bush sr., kennedy was reagan, and stevens was ford
PunkIt0ut: let's become super conservatives
PunkIt0ut: and work our way into really powerful positions
PunkIt0ut: and then be like "SURPRISE BITCH; I'M ON THIS COURT FO' LIFE"
El Presidente vc: I don't know if I could do it
El Presidente vc: it might be too much to suppress my beliefs that long
El Presidente vc: I'd rather do it out in the open and just take them on straight up and win
PunkIt0ut: i just think it would be funny
El Presidente vc: though it wouldn't hurt to have covert agents on the court
El Presidente vc: it'd be the progressive guerilla tactics
El Presidente vc: though it would be sweet to have a gung-ho humanist on the court
El Presidente vc: faith in humanities abilities when given the opportunity and training, belief in personal responsibility hand in hand with individual freedom, and protective of those who cannot protect themselves
El Presidente vc: god damn I love being an idealist
El Presidente vc: and above all, fairness before the law, no person is so great or so small that the law should see them as any different than another
El Presidente vc: and we might just run the risk of coming off as too conservative, in which case we'd put off the moderate republicans and not get approved
El Presidente vc: it would make for a interesting film/story/sketch
El Presidente vc: sorry, I kind of went off
El Presidente vc: it's rather amazing that FDR had 8 justices placed on the court
El Presidente vc: but then again he did threaten to have the size of the court increased to 15
El Presidente vc: and William Taft I believe is the only president to have served on the court
El Presidente vc: and chief justice at that
PunkIt0ut: FDR was tight.
El Presidente vc: hell yeah, progressiveness with an iron fist, and a war to back you
El Presidente vc: wait a second
El Presidente vc: take that and flip it
El Presidente vc: hmmm...
El Presidente vc: internment camps anyone?
El Presidente vc: so nobody's perfect
El Presidente vc: it's just a matter of doing more good than bad, I suppose
El Presidente vc: how sweet would it be if president clinton got named to the court?
El Presidente vc: obviously not under this administration
El Presidente vc: would you refer to him as your honor, mr. justice, mr. president, or some variation
El Presidente vc: http://www.supremecourtus.gov/about/members.p df
El Presidente vc: http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20060203/ap_on_go_c a_st_pe/defense_budget
El Presidente vc: During a speech Thursday, Rumsfeld said the Pentagon is learning to do more with less.
El Presidente vc: as they request a 5% increase over defense spending this year
PunkIt0ut: http://oreillyisbatty.cf.huffingtonpost.com/
El Presidente vc: $1.3 billion for five of the new Joint Strike Fighters.
El Presidente vc: 1.3 BILLION for FIVE planes
El Presidente vc: are you shitting me
El Presidente vc: that's awesome
PunkIt0ut: have you checked out newstandardnews.net
PunkIt0ut: they just redesigned their website
El Presidente vc: not recently
El Presidente vc: did you hear new orleans got hit by tornadoes today?
PunkIt0ut: http://www.independent.co.uk/
PunkIt0ut: jesus
El Presidente vc: yeah
PunkIt0ut: i like that site too
El Presidente vc: I've always been a fan of the guardian
PunkIt0ut: what do you make of the business w/ iran?
PunkIt0ut: it's obvious that iraq never had nukes
El Presidente vc: I'm quite conflicted on me
El Presidente vc: it
PunkIt0ut: you really think saddam hussein would kill tens (or was it hundreds) of thousands of his own people, and not hesitate to fire a nuclear weapon at the US?
El Presidente vc: yeah
El Presidente vc: he wouldn't want to be taken out of power
PunkIt0ut: you really think the US would invade a country with the potential to fire a nuclear weapon at the US?
El Presidente vc: he was smart enough to know that if he attacked the US that he would face our full wrath
PunkIt0ut: and the wrath of the world
El Presidente vc: the worry never was about Iraq or Iran's ability to hit the US, they couldn't, they don't have the missiles
El Presidente vc: it was about them hitting Israel
El Presidente vc: which already has nuclear weapons
PunkIt0ut: yeah
PunkIt0ut: and since we've been buying our small arms munitions from israel for the last few years.
El Presidente vc: so allowing Iran to have them creates a situation of equalizing the equation int he middle east
El Presidente vc: yeah
PunkIt0ut: but israel has over 200 nuclear weapons
El Presidente vc: but at the same time, I don't think anyone should have nuclear weapons
PunkIt0ut: so i've read
PunkIt0ut: yeah
El Presidente vc: so I'm torn
El Presidente vc: because I do see nuclear energy as the best thing going as far as enegry needs across the globe at this point
El Presidente vc: we just need to find a way to dispose/reuse the spent fuel in a manner that's not destructive, either to ourselves or the planet
PunkIt0ut: i don't really trust it
PunkIt0ut: i just think it's too hazardous
El Presidente vc: technology has advanced quite a bit since the last nuclear plant was built in the us
PunkIt0ut: and i don't think burying it in a mountain is the answer
El Presidente vc: there's got to be some way to extract all the energy out of them to maximize the efficiency of each fuel rod, and leaving it non-hazardous/low enough to be dealt with easily
El Presidente vc: solar energy isn't efficient enough, hydropower can only due so much, wind power can't produce enough at this point, you've got relatively clean burning coal and natural gas technology at this point but it's still a non-renewable fossil fuel
PunkIt0ut: but if everyone was responsible for producing their own power, wind and solar power are totally legitimate
El Presidente vc: it may be the first and last time I ever even remotely agree with the president, but I do think that nuclear energy is something that we have to take a serious look at if we are to gain our indepence from oil
PunkIt0ut: instead of having 1 big power plant supplying huge regions
PunkIt0ut: have each home provide their own power
El Presidente vc: but then you get into cost factors
El Presidente vc: what if I don't have an area with enough wind/water?
El Presidente vc: do I have to pay someone who has surplus energy?
El Presidente vc: user level free market trade
PunkIt0ut: i'd rather buy it from a person than pay DTE
El Presidente vc: availability of energy on property because a driving factor in housing costs
El Presidente vc: thus only the wealthy can afford to buy property that has good resources for power
El Presidente vc: they then control the access to power
El Presidente vc: more power = more money = more control over power resources
PunkIt0ut: dude, that's ridiculous
PunkIt0ut: they are already leaps and bounds ahead of us
El Presidente vc: pretty soon you're dealing with the same thing all over again
PunkIt0ut: and that is already growing exponentially
El Presidente vc: who are they?
El Presidente vc: "they"
PunkIt0ut: the elite
El Presidente vc: I was just taking your situation as a starting point
El Presidente vc: it would require such a deconstruction of our current system, it isn't feasible in anything but the distant long-term
El Presidente vc: as in many generations of continues shift
El Presidente vc: continued
PunkIt0ut: but we have to consider the long-term when we talk about energy
PunkIt0ut: and the planet.
El Presidente vc: I agree
El Presidente vc: as is the way our society is structured with regards towards humanity
PunkIt0ut: but i think that the only solution for our country is a complete deconstruction
PunkIt0ut: i don't think the current system is capable of providing people with what they NEED
PunkIt0ut: and that makes it ineffective as a form of government.
PunkIt0ut: and thus, should be scrapped and rebuilt.
PunkIt0ut: using small communities
El Presidente vc: I think we need a deconstruction to an extent, but I think that as far as reconstruction goes the ideals as laid out in the declaration of indepence are worth going for, and I think that the Constitution lays out a pretty good framework for the attaining of those goals, provided an educated populous
PunkIt0ut: small sustainable communities
El Presidente vc: the kibbutz system works very well
El Presidente vc: to an extent
PunkIt0ut: i definitely think the constitution was a pretty good framework
El Presidente vc: you still need to have a population that believes whole heartedly in the system
PunkIt0ut: but i think when you're designing a society, i have to agree with john rawls that noone involved in the design process can know what role they will play in that society.
El Presidente vc: I agree
PunkIt0ut: i don't think that's possible when your government is only capable of satisfying 51% of the population
El Presidente vc: I think the protections provided in the bill of rights provide enough protection for the minority interests that the percentage truly satisfied is much lower
El Presidente vc: but I do agree with your point, I think that the ultimate failure of the Constitution was that it got caught up in the intersts of the individuals at the convention
El Presidente vc: the "economic" interests of the elite writing it led it to fail the basic principles of the declaration of indepence
El Presidente vc: the 3/5ths clause being the prime example
PunkIt0ut: precisely
El Presidente vc: but that's in the details of the document, and was corrected, I'm in no way saying it's a perfect document, but it is a living document and able to adapt and to change with both the times and towards fulfilling the ideals that it was created to codify
PunkIt0ut: i think that our constitution needs to be constantly reevaluated and rewritten
El Presidente vc: it is
El Presidente vc: that's what the courts do
PunkIt0ut: no, i don't mean amended
El Presidente vc: I know
PunkIt0ut: but i definitely understand your point
PunkIt0ut: but i think that the problem with america is that it has become this giant cacophony
PunkIt0ut: where people are so caught up in bullshit partisan politics to realize that we're all people trying to fucking survive
El Presidente vc: it's their job to interpret the constitution and change the meaning to fit the times and the ideals being aimed for
El Presidente vc: I would definitely agree with that, I think it's the dumbing down of america
PunkIt0ut: i agree with the first part
El Presidente vc: the destruction of our attention spans, and a lack of a proper education system
PunkIt0ut: but "to fit the times and the ideals being aimed for"
PunkIt0ut: i dont
PunkIt0ut: there's a lagwagon lyric
PunkIt0ut: "big brother isn't watching anymore; he knows we are distracted and absorbed"
PunkIt0ut: from the song lullaby, about the chuck pahlaniuk book
El Presidente vc: I phrased it that way to account for the loose vs. strict constructionists, as they both have ideals of what the Constitution/constitution actually is
El Presidente vc: I myself am a loose constructionist and believe in the constitution meaning the Constitution, the Declaration of Independence, the Federalist Papers, and other documents surrounding the founding principles of the republic
PunkIt0ut: but i think that certain things, like the right to bare arms
PunkIt0ut: are no longer necessary
El Presidente vc: vs. say a strict constructionist that holds to the text of the Constitution exclusively
El Presidente vc: I completely disagree
PunkIt0ut: it makes sense in the late 1700's to bare arms
PunkIt0ut: because of the militia
El Presidente vc: what happens if Bush decides to take over, using the military to do so
PunkIt0ut: i would hope that the UN would say fuck off
El Presidente vc: I sure as hell would like to be able to have a weapon to fight back with if needed
El Presidente vc: with what power
El Presidente vc: they have no military
El Presidente vc: the UN is so weak it's ridiculous
PunkIt0ut: i don't really mean the UN as an entity
El Presidente vc: I wish it wasn't, I love the UN, but it has no real power
PunkIt0ut: i mean other industrialized nations
El Presidente vc: I don't think they could do much about it, unless of course china was involved
El Presidente vc: and russia
PunkIt0ut: so you really think you and your 9mm would make a difference?
PunkIt0ut: against trained killers?
El Presidente vc: that's why I'm always conflicted about assault rifle bans, I mean, you don't need an AK to hunt deer, and they are just for killing people, but that's the problem they're for killing people and that's what our military has
El Presidente vc: hence my conflict over the whole issue
El Presidente vc: I still see the need for militia in the sense they were first created in the Revolutionary War
El Presidente vc: not as state militia for military use, that became obsolete with the rise of a national army
El Presidente vc: though the national guard serves the function of state militia at this point
El Presidente vc: and I don't have a problem with people having guns as long as you have real education programs and people are taught responsibility
PunkIt0ut: so whose responsibility is it?
PunkIt0ut: the governments?
PunkIt0ut: where are you going to get the money?
PunkIt0ut: you're not going to use my money to train civilians to kill each other
El Presidente vc: while it's not a great example due to size and homogeny, look at Sweden, one of the highest rates of gun ownership in the world and one of the lowest murder rates
El Presidente vc: so you'd rather that only the NRA and their ilk know how to use weapons? are you planning on using urban youths as your military if a revolution breaks out, it works for our military (along with the rural poor)?
PunkIt0ut: i'm against guns
PunkIt0ut: because i'm against violence
PunkIt0ut: i'd rather die than shoot someone
PunkIt0ut: who am i to say that i'm more fit to live
El Presidente vc: while I believe in non-violence and most major change in the world has come through it, I also agree with Malcolm X that there may be a point when violence is necessary
PunkIt0ut: and i hope i never have to find out at what point i decide i need to use violence
PunkIt0ut: because that's not the kind of world that i want to raise kids in
PunkIt0ut: where people justify owning weapons for defense.
El Presidente vc: I hope I never have to either
PunkIt0ut: guns are guns, and they only have one purpose.
PunkIt0ut: and i'm against that purpose, and i'm against those weapons.
El Presidente vc: as am I, but I'm looking at the underlying argument for having the 2nd amendment, and the reason they put it in there is still a threat (however remote), as many people/our society doesn't agree with us
PunkIt0ut: banning guns is certainly a catch 22.
El Presidente vc: and I wouldn't want to raise my kids in that world or live in that world, but it would be my duty to everyone else that their children don't have to either
El Presidente vc: quite
El Presidente vc: I don't think there's a perfect balance
PunkIt0ut: but anyway, i have to go to bed.
El Presidente vc: aight, it was good chatting with you as always
PunkIt0ut: humans fucked up any sort of balance a long time ago
El Presidente vc: yeah
PunkIt0ut: likewise
El Presidente vc: catch you on the flip side