Honduras

The Honduran Congress voted yesterday to deny former president Manuel Zelaya a return to power for the final two months of his term. The vote was 111-4. Zelaya had already said (before the vote) that he would not return to office if asked.
Zelaya was removed from office by the government after he defied the supreme court and congress in an attempt to hold a referendum changing the constitution. The change would allow him to run for re-election, which the current constitution bans. Most of the world's nations have punished the Honduran government for their action, including President Obama. Hugo Chevez, Zelaya's buddy, changed the Venezuelan constitution in the same way and was condemned by world governments for trying to establish a socialist state.
If President Obama tried to change the constitution of the United States in defiance of Congress and the Supreme Court, what do you think would happen?
Recognize that Honduras has an elected government, lift the sanctions and focus instead on getting Hugo Chavez out of office.

Capital Punishment

Last night John Muhammad was executed for killing 10 people. His accomplice, Lee Malvo, who should have been with him, is in prison serving "life without parole". According to one reporter, John walked into the execution chamber and lay down on a bed with "needles dug into his arms". (That reporter missed class on the day they taught students to spell "inserted".)
The U.S. Supreme Court and the Governor of Virginia rejected appeals that John should not be executed because he was mentally ill. What? Of coarse he was mentally ill, you have to be crazy to take a rifle and go murder 10 innocent human beings going about their everyday lives.
It is a disservice to those who are truly mentally ill to link John and Lee to them. True mentally ill people don't understand right from wrong. John and Lee knew perfectly what they were doing.
Those criminals on death row and those serving "life without the possibility of parole" should be put in line for God's judgement, they should not be living among us.

Healthcare Plan

The health care plan passed the House last week, now on to the Senate. I have mixed feelings about it. On the one hand, I'm not in favor of of government involvement in private business. On the other hand, having retired last year (without medicare because I need insurance for the family) only to discover that the family insurance premium is more than $1100 a month, I'm back at work for the insurance.
Pre-existing conditions, deductibles and co-pays still place unreasonable (unaffordable) financial burdens on me and my family.
One news report says U.S. insurance companies made $12 billion in profits in 2003, growing to $28 billion last year. Biggest complaints seem to be people getting turned down because they have been sick in the past (pre-existing conditions). And insurance companies refusing to cover illnesses once the customer has insurance. I guess the insuarance companies don't like to insure sick people because it lowers profits, and they don't like to pay for policy holders who get sick because it lowers profits. But it seems like those are the reasons people buy insurance. I'm confused.
I suppose that government intervention is necessary to hold these companies responsible for doing the right thing, and keeping uncontrolled greed at bay.

Tidbits 1

October 31, 1968 - President Lyndon Johnson ordered a halt to the bombing of north vietnam, saying he hoped for fruitful peace talks. Did it work? (this was three years after he and Robert McNamara concluded that the U.S. could not win the war). Today we are trying to negotiate with Iran in an effort to establish peace in the middle east. Will it work? DUH . . . NO!

Home Depot fired an employee for wearing a "One Nation Under God" pin on his apron. America was established as "One Nation Under God", with liberty and justice for all, weren't we? Out of every 100 people walking thru the Home Depot doors, 92 believe in God. Let the other 8 shop there, I'm buying my home improvement stuff somewhere else.

Busy

Just finished an 11 day work cycle (88 hours) without a day off. I'm getting too old for this stuff! Anyway, I was looking at my blogs to date, and realized that I'm coming across as a major butt-hole. Sorry 'bout that. I'm very passionate about social and political issues.
I grew up in a simpler time, in a smaller world, where solutions to issues were more "cut 'n dried". It's hard to apply simple solutions to the problems of today, though that should not stop us from trying.
Back in my father's day it was not unusual for children to leave school at age 9 and go to work full-time. Education was important, but most could get along without it. Not so today, and 30% of our kids are not graduating high school.
The jobs in manufacturing once filled by those without a diploma are gone, probably forever, to China (thanks Wal-Mart) and countries where cheap labor is the norm.
Back in my day, many business' closed on Sunday until about 1:00 o'clock so folks could go to church. This week, atheists are putting up advertisements in New York saying that they are doing fine without God.
Yes, I'm passionate about things. Wish some of you would join me.

Evolution vs/as Creation

Is it reasonable to assume that evolution and creation are one and the same? I believe that God created the universe 13.7 (or so) billion years ago. Scientists believe that all the material in the universe today was present in an object the size of a marble just before the universe began. I believe that one second before that marble exploded, it was in the palm of God's hand.
Time is a creation of man. God is timeless. God is the God of nature, allowing all things to evolve.
I believe that, as humans evolved, God blessed a group of tribes known today as the Jews. God protected them and guided them to a land known today as Isreal. Over time, the Jews have been devoted to God and, as is human, have strayed from Him. When they drifted away, He brought them back, sometimes with a terrible rebuke.
Two thousand years ago (or so), Jesus Christ (God in the flesh) was born. His intent was to offer everlasting life to ALL who believed in Him, including the Jews. He was rebuked by the Jewish religious leaders and killed. His message (and promise) remains: For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have everlasing life. (John 3:16)
When the universe formed, our spirits were there. We take this journey thru life and return to the universe. Our only requirement is to believe in God and treat others decently. Spirits who fail the human journey are isolated from the presence of God.
We are not human beings on a spiritual journey, we are Spiritual beings on a human journey.
(Pierre Teilhard De Chardin)

My, My . . .

President Obama awoke the other morning to the news that he had won the Pulitzer peace prize. He was totally shocked, and so was the rest of the political world. Since he began his campaign for president, he has consistently stressed the need to talk to those who disagree with the US, rather than isolate them. He is not opposed to using America's might, but wants to exhaust every peaceable means first. He received the prize for his efforts to change the approach to international peace, leaving behind the confrontational approach of the past. Did the media report that he is moving toward the goals he has set? No. Did they report that he is changing the climate for discussion? No. They have spent the past few days with blanket coverage questioning whether he deserved the prize.

My, My . . . . Is the media allergic to positive news? YES!