My Facebook Thoughts

Thursday, March 26, 2009

Leaders And Followers

I want to share an email exchange I had with one of my regular readers. We were discussing the whole Obama Economy Mess. The thoughts are his and mine. We see the same things, but from different angles. Neither is right, neither is wrong. We both just want the country to succeed.

Last night my wife, children and I rented the movie "The boy in the striped pajamas". If you don't know the plot, it's about an eight year old German boy who befriends an eight year old Jewish boy. The twist is the German boy is in a prison camp during WW2..

It's was one of those movies that you say "wow" at the climax.

The reason I say your email was timely is because of the "AIG bonus" frenzy. The boys are just learning about the "Jewish problem" in Germany so the details are sketchy in their minds. After the movie my one son and wife were questioning why the Germans and particularly the little boys sister hated the Jews so much.

My response was, "Why did the Jewish people demand Jesus be put to death?"

"Why does a large portion of the American people recently hate the AIG employees? (and Rush Limbaugh?")

They have been branded as the villains.

I think you know where this is going. The only reason they are hated today is because of POWER. Power is given when good people don't think for themselves and give their power to the King, Emperor, Pharaoh, Scribe, Priest, speaker of the house, political party or yes even a President. The Jews must be destroyed for the motherland! Jesus spoke blasphemy! The Americans are infidels and must die! The AIG employees are the ones who are causing your misery.

The night of the election I told my adult daughter I became very sick inside. My heart was actually racing like I was under attack. Her and I talked for quite a while on the phone about how I was reacting. I never, ever had much of a response to any election. I always realized this or that person won and now lets see what they do. It wasn't because of race, political party or ideals. It was because a smooth talking candidate who ran a very high priced mesmerizing campaign relative to his opponents had accomplished something I never saw. He whipped 50% of the population into a mindless mass! He spoke in a Captain Kirk rhythm with a perfectly timed laugh and smile. He was successful of demonizing Sarah Palin for her clothes while dressing pretty nice himself. He was idolized by the dying newspapers.

Friends of mine who are very conservative people at home became "Obama and the government is going to give us free health care just like they have" cheerleaders. It was the sight of the huge mob at Grant Park chanting how Obama was their savior, how He is the chosen one to lead us. It was the fact that we for the first time in my life might have a single party filibuster proof congress with Nancy Pelosi as the head!

I always wondered how Hitler, Stalin, Fidel and others controlled the population. I was always interested in the story of the Germans that knew what was happening in the prison camps but carried on with their lives like normal. We are getting older but I fear for what the kids will have. Cameras everywhere, email archiving, photo recognition, internet tracking, RF ID tags on our clothing and now a president who uses the power of the office to try to crush some employees of a company and a talk show host. A government that this week wants the power to take over any company they feel like. A population that gave up and wants to be taken care of like children. A southern border with the Mexican military and drug cartels on one side but we can't send the American military there because "we might send the wrong image" Americans are outraged because the poor mindless American Idol watchers were conned. If they are outrage about $180,000,000 to AIG why aren't they outrage about $3,000,000,000.00 going to Acorn. I believe Acorn was the one who committed voter fraud. They were the ones who used our money to drive people in bus loads to the AIG employees homes to intimidate them. Why aren't they outraged against Barney Frank who voted himself a nice raise even though he screwed up big time.

Where is the separation of powers? Where is the American spirit? Where is the damn border? Why are we afraid to speak out against the true villains….our politicians and lazy, mindless people?

We better start writing in our new languages.

Buenos adios primo.

再见表兄弟

Destroy this email after reading………..they're watching!

HERE IS MY RESPONSE TO HIS EMAIL

I respect your passion on this issue, I really do. I think we make a good match, because I don't see the danger you do, but I understand what you are saying. We both agree that many of today's Americans are like blind sheep, very easily distracted and led wherever. AIG, in my opinion, is the latest "shiny light". People are focused on AIG because they embody what went wrong with our economy. It's easier when confused rage can be be focused on one point, rather than all the different companies and politicians involved. AIG just happens to be the target. I believe, they were the biggest and have received the most "stimulus"

The glorifying of Obama, again my opinion, represents how poorly people felt under Bush. Eight years being led by an unqualified war monger who could give a damn about anybody but his wealthy friends and whomever Dick Chaney told him to worry about. People felt down down. You can't get more opposite of Bush than Obama. I think this is why Obama gets the "the chosen one" persona.

The night of the election I felt as if this country was finally going to be led by an intelligent person with the power to listen to other's ideas. The press was glorifying him because they knew that he would sell their papers and/or bring them big ratings. I don't make them any bigger than they are.

Everybody picks sides on all issues. And once a side is chosen, we tend to listen to others on our side more than others. That's what get people in trouble. Read this about ACORN, http://www.factcheck.org/askfactcheck/does_the_stimulus_bill_include_a_52.html.

You mentioned Hitler and his ilk. I just watched a documentary you would like called, "Expelled: No Intelligence Allowed ". This controversial documentary examines how pro-intelligent design scholars and scientists are often chastised, fired or denied tenured positions by those who believe in Darwin's theory of evolution. Nathan Frankowski's film explores how scientists who believe in God are oppressed and how the acceptance of evolution may have played a role in the formation of organizations such as the Nazi regime and Planned Parenthood. (I copied the description from Netflix)

Bottom line. I don't drink Kool-aid and I don't think Obama is trying to take over the world. Politicians are trying to deflect blame away from themselves, that's true. Us smart thinking Americans just need to encourage the others to read and think outside their own boxes.


25 comments:

Anonymous said...

A good place to start would be all of those clueless people who voted for Obama without knowing anything real about him or his beliefs.

Then again, if it wasn't for these people he wouldn't be in the White House.

Anonymous said...

Its eye opening to me that both Leaders and Followers and Anonymous feel that Obama supporters are not thinking people.

"He whipped 50% of the population into a mindless mass!"

"all of those clueless people who voted for Obama"

i feel that we have been freed, finally, from the sort fascism that you just described.

Mark Ploch said...

Anony,

Why are people clueless for voting for who they wish?

Were GOP'ers clueless when they "elected" Bush?

You are still sounding like a sore loser.

Anonymous said...

I am sure there were some clueless people who voted for Bush and McCain, but I would wager my life savings that a higher percentage of clueless people voted for Obama.

You are damn right I am a sore loser. I never thought I would live to see that day that a Marxist leaning person would be President.

Anonymous said...

Anonymous, Obama is most certainly not a Marxist and the people who voted for him were not hoping for a Marxist revolution.

I like Leaders and Followers point about mischaracterization of people with opposing views.

Scott Plocharczyk said...

When men are pure, laws are useless; when men are corrupt, laws are broken. - Benjamin Disraeli (1804-1881)

Anonymous said...

Bill,

That is your opinion. I believe that he is a Marxist. I base this on the man's record and his actions.

Sadly, he is a good salesman and is banking on naive fools to buy into his agenda.

Anonymous said...

and the rule of law is enforced by government, which is just one of the reasons its necessary.

China, Japan and some other countries are advocating that the dollar should no longer be the world's currency.

why? not so much rule of law the past few years as far as our financial system is concerned.

Mark Ploch said...

Anoy,

You make a very strong and broad statement. Can please offer any facts to backup your claims of paranoia?

Anonymous said...

Leaders and Followers asked:
"where is the american spirit?"

i found this example in todays news:

"FARGO, N.D. — Volunteers, many of them cold and weary after loading sandbags all night, were racing on Thursday to raise dikes protecting this city still higher, hoping to hold back the Red River, which is expected to reach record levels by Saturday."

the story goes on to say that these volunteers are from all over the country.

our country.

Mark Ploch said...

When the waters rise, so do the connections of community.

Nothing wrong with that.

Anonymous said...

speaking of connected communities.

in the spirit of the south side irish parade, riddle me this blogman.

if a south side man tells you he has "two treee branches", is he telling you that he has: two or three branches of any given type, or that he has two branches of type tree?

Jeff said...

Hey Anonymous! Just 7 more posts here today and your masters at the RNC will owe you a whole dollar! (Of course thanks to the conservative economic theocracy thats only about 30 cents in the world market.) Thanks for the next great republican depression!

Scott Plocharczyk said...

The way I read your emailer's letter, he's scared to death that a black man won the presidency. Just my opinion.

Tara said...

I got the same feeling Scott, just didn't want to say it. But, I do understand the absolute horror and disappointment. I felt it for 8 years. That was because we elected a moron twice, nothing to do with his skin color.

I am very interested to hear why he thinks Obama is a Marxist, and what he has to back it up.

Mark Ploch said...

He has 23 branches.

Anonymous said...

You Obama supporters crack me up. If he was white, all of you would have been on the Hillary bandwagon.

Your misguided white guilt has clouded your judgement about Obama. The fact that he is half-black helped him make it to the White House.

Obama has spent more time getting on TV trying to act hip and cool than anything else. He is so out of touch with reality it is frightening.

It will be interesting to see what sort of tune you fools will be whistling in a year or so.

Tara said...

I voted for Hillary. I would still be on that bandwagon. Nothing to do with any sort of white guilt. That would have to be the most ridiculous thing I have read here yet, and that says a lot.

Anonymous said...

both are correct.

it could be:

"two tree branches"

or

"two three branches".

get it, the south side accent?

Max Headroom said...

The biggest thing that scares me with Obama's economic plan is the HUGE deficits that will come along with it. They will dwarf anything that we currently have.

I don't want to saddle my children or anyone else's with this debt. Eventually someone is going to have pay for all of this.

I think they need to rethink what they are doing and look for a long term solution. I realize that jump starting the economy is important.

Here is my idea:

Have a two year moratorium on payroll taxes, capital gains taxes and keep the income tax rates as is. I think this strategy would do a good job of getting things moving in the right direction.

Eventually I really hope that we can go with a flat tax rate in this country. I think it makes sense and is fair for everyone. I also think they need to keep mortgage interest deductions.

Finally, I believe that we do need to have a safety net for those who are struggling. We are all God's children and to ignore someone truly in need is an insult to God.

Thank you for your time.

Scott Plocharczyk said...

Max, your no taxes is suicide. How do they replace that money?

Flat tax rate is good.

Mark Ploch said...

The trillions of dollars being spent is very scary, I agree.

But, like Scott said, How do you replace that revenue?

The flat tax is and always be a great idea. Personally I don't think it will happen because the current tax code is very complicated. Government likes when regular people don't understand how things work.

People need to rise up and demand these changes. Obama got in to the White House on change. People just can't assume he'll do it. People need to keep pushing.

Tara said...

I think a flat tax is a great idea. I live in New York, I pay taxes on my taxes.

I do agree, the debt is scary.

bill said...

we have to get the military spending in line.

thats the biggest drag on our economy and future debt.

economist roundly agree that military spending does not stimulate the economy.

i think, that we should remove ourselves from places like germany, japan, and south korea and focus more on homeland security.

currently for every 1 dollar we spend protecting our homeland we spend 16 dollars outside our borders.

all of the spending we do in iraq and afganistan is not part of the budget, it is considered discretionary spending on top of whats budgeted.

this is where we are really racking up deficits.

why would other countres waste their money on their military spending when we are so willing to shoulder the burden?

our military budget, not counting discretionary spending, is larger that the rest of world's combined.

so we are making it possible for a lot of countries to pay for their social programs, while almost 20% of our population has no health insurance.

we don't need to be isolationist, but we need to step back and allow some other countries to accept some of this responsibility.

Mark Ploch said...

two tree wars is too much