Archives for category: Presidential election year

Insists on dividing people up into groups– then assigning a separate value to each group.

 

Cheers on military forces that are not in the habit of winning decades of undeclared wars in distant lands.

Credits The Troops with defending American rights and freedoms- as if the US Armed Forces function as some sort of giant civil rights organization.

 

Stopped supporting a draft a long time ago.

 

Spends money on gunboat escorts for ferries on Puget Sound while terrorists are free to put their boat on a trailer and drive it onto the ferry.

 

Spends months promoting the idea of buying stuff to celebrate Christmas.

 

Brags about freedom- then goes with a control freak approach on individual liberty.

 

Lies about the stories associated with federal holidays.

Celebrates independence from a powerful central government.

Tries to make people feel guilty for not properly observing some federal holidays.

 

Talks about legalizing marijuana while including restrictions that leave prohibition and the drug war in place for adults age 18-20, those who want to grow a plant at home, possess more than an ounce, or possess marijuana from non-state sanctioned outlets.

 

Talks about placing high taxes on legal marijuana.

Dealers, traffickers and cartels are good with this idea.

 

Supports a Homeland Security police state that can’t keep heroin and cocaine out of the US.

 

Tolerates reporters who do not ask questions.

 

Tolerates politicians who lie about clean energy.

 

Supports a Drug War that places us all at risk.

 

 

Photo- Port Hadlock Transit Center

 

Veterans support all candidates 2012!

American popular and political culture insists on dividing people up into groups- then assigning a separate value to each group-

 

Washington State Governor’s Race:

Veterans support Rob McKenna

But wait- veterans are supporting the opposing candidate too:

Veterans Endorse Jay Inslee for Governor

What about bus drivers- who do they endorse?

 

For US President:

Veterans & Military Families for Obama

Veterans for Romney

 

My sense of identity is not very much linked to being a veteran- or a member of any group.

 

The people who run both major parties & the conventions that nominate presidential candidates agree on the Drug War.

Ditto for the TV networks that host presidential debates & ask scripted questions of candidates.

Both major parties are OK with decades of ongoing, undeclared wars overseas.

 

Most of the public policy issues I care about will not change no matter which major party is in power.

War on Drugs, Fake War on Terror, ongoing, undeclared wars in distant lands, a costly and ineffective Homeland Security Police State, federal alcohol prohibition for adults age 18-20, violent SWAT raids on the homes of peaceful people who may casually use marijuana, etc.

 

Hey veterans-

How are terrorists kept out while heroin comes in?

 

 

Photo- Mystery Bay residents

 

-or influence the behavior of others.

 

 

I have been a faithful voter over the past 25 or 30 years. Over the past 9 months or so, I have been shredding my ballot.

I am not part of the majority that controls politics in my local area. Ditto at the state and national level.

I don’t think I want to be. I’m not interested in using the force of government to control others.

 

Dividing people up into groups- then deciding via majority rule- who will get government approval to marry? Not interested.

Americans were never meant to agree on matters of a personal nature. This is why we have so many different churches here.

 

Should adults be able to smoke marijuana for fun? Should Joe’s Bar & Grill be able to allow people to smoke indoors?

I believe in freedom beyond my own personal choices, so I am OK with all that- but why should I be able to control others?

 

But many have fought and died to protect your right to vote?

Let us never forget those who bravely gave their life blood or paid the ultimate price so we can have our freedom and the right to vote.

It turns out “The Troops” were in no hurry to enable all adults to act on their right to vote.

US Military operations conducted in the 1940s, 50s & 60s didn’t get the job done.

It wasn’t until July of 1971 that 18 year old adults could take delivery on one of the freedoms we hear so much about.

If veterans fought for our right to vote- how come women were not allowed to vote at the end of WWI?

 

I did 20 years in the Marines- no part of that had anything to do with defending American rights and freedoms.

Both major parties promote the idea that “The Troops” are fighting to protect American rights and freedoms- as if the US Armed Forces function as some sort of giant civil rights organization.

I am fascinated by this concept.

Rather than repeating the phrase “Thanks for your service“- how about spending some time reaching for an honest understanding of US foreign policy.

 

The public policy issues that concern me are not going to change- no mater which major political party is in power.

The people who run both major parties & the conventions that nominate presidential candidates agree on the Drug War.

Ditto for the TV networks that host presidential debates & ask scripted questions of candidates.

Both major parties are OK with decades of ongoing, undeclared wars overseas.

Preserving a free society, free markets, free trade, private property rights, & a minimal bureaucracy where violent SWAT raids are used to go after adults who want to peacefully grow a marijuana plant in the back yard.

 

Democrats are A-OK with the violent SWAT raids too- they just talk less about personal responsibility, individual liberty, constitutional principles, smaller, limited government, free enterprise, private property rights, etc.

He got paid to say this-

 

Law enforcement resources should be used to go after individuals who are harming others- not for policing arbitrary pre-crime scenarios.

 

The issues-

War on Terror/ongoing, undeclared wars overseas, War on Drugs, a Homeland Security Dept. that can’t keep heroin & cocaine out of the US, suicides surging among US troops, prohibition for adults age 18 to 20, lies about jobs, clean energy, hemp, etc.-

It will all continue no mater which major party gathers the most votes.

Don’t take it from me:

Non-voting

Not Voting and Proud

Possibly of interest:

The Vote for Nobody Campaign

 

 

Photo- Foggy morning at Port Hadlock

 

 

US foreign policy goals and objectives are somehow linked to American rights and freedoms.

 

Your vote is critical in this key election year.

 

Safety concerns require that arrest statistics must be kept secret.

Aug 2010-

A US Border Patrol spokesperson tells the press:

“Border Patrol spokeswoman Jenny Burke said Monday that the agency will not release any information on the number of arrests made by agents who work out of the Port Angeles station, the names of those arrested, what they were arrested for and the disposition of their cases”

“The number of arrests for Port Angeles’ or any other station is “law enforcement-sensitive,” Burke said.”

“The names of those arrested and other facts about them are not available for release under the 1974 Privacy Act, she said.”

 

The Department of Homeland Security is in the business of keeping terrorists out of the US.

‘Uptick’ in heroin use seen on North Olympic Peninsula

 

Marijuana is more harmful than prohibition.

 

Gunboats are required to protect ferry boats on Puget Sound.

 

Your favorite politician has a plan to create jobs and clean energy.

 

Fusion centers can stop the sorts of violent crimes Americans have been familiar with for decades.

 

 

Photo- Lake Crescent, WA

 

 

 

 

No cameras allowed at a public event:

 

St. Charles County Caucus Arrest

 

 

photo- Fort Flagler & Kilisut Harbor- Port Townsend in the distance

 

 

The people who run both major parties & the conventions that nominate presidential candidates agree on the Drug War.

Ditto for the TV networks that sponsor presidential debates & ask scripted questions of candidates.

Both major parties are OK with decades of ongoing, undeclared wars overseas.

 

Will the Republican Presidential Nominee part company with President Obama on:

Using tax money for ongoing National Guard deployments to distant lands- absent any military emergency, draft, or declaration of war?

The giant government program called The War on Drugs?

A Homeland Security police state featuring internal suspicionless checkpoints?

How about due-process-free assassinations?

How about allowing U.S. farmers to answer the global demand for Industrial Hemp?

 

 

photo- Salt Creek, Clallam County, WA

 

3,000 gallons of diesel spill in Interbay train yard

 

Much election year talk about clean energy, jobs, the economy, etc.

Leaky rail cars and overturned trucks transporting hemp to processing facilities don’t require a toxic waste/Hazmat response.

 

Instant, non-experimental jobs program/revenue generator requiring zero tax dollars-

Allow U.S. farmers to answer the global demand for Industrial Hemp.

 

 

Photo- Fort Worden, Port Townsend, WA