Judging by the news articles, editorials and the tidal wave of FB posts about Paul Ryan’s speech, I sense there is a lot of concern about the truthfulness of his address. Come on people, as if there is some gold standard by which political speeches are to be measured.  When Paul Ryan lies it is completely different from when Obama lies…. how? There is enough mud to bury both parties in, but neither group of partisans seems very interested in enforcing truth from their candidates.

Sometimes I feel like I should care. But I sit down until the feeling passes. Not that I would not welcome honest, progressive politicians into my world. It is just that it hasn’t happened and there is no evidence it is on the verge of happening. Obama is a polished, dishonest politico. He is surrounded by professional weasels who are highly skilled at the art of self-promotion and lying. I would characterize his administration as a series of disappointments, if I cared enough to list all the ways he has lied or fudged on his promises. His biggest crime, while not involving lies, is continuing the drug war, especially as pertains to marijuana. What a monumental abandonment of the people in order to perpetuate an image of strength and power against crime. He has ordered the continuation of the criminalization of recreational and medical marijuana users and in so doing has squandered opportunity to correct this harm while bleeding the public coffers of money which should should have been diverted to real causes. So what if Paul Ryan lied. What would be news is if a politician told truths.

FYI. I will probably vote for Obama again. But it won’t be out of admiration and respect for the job he is doing. It will be because I believe that less harm will come to of his administration in opposition to a Romney presidency which I think will hasten the destruction of the middle-class through preferential treatment of the wealthy. I believe a Republican administration will continue the war on Mexican immigrants, bolster even further the concept of “Homeland Security” and ignore significant environmental remediation. I believe, which of course does not make it true, that they will divert or deny funds needed for social services, health care and education.

But please do not presume the high road belongs to your political party. The odds are seriously against that probability.

The campaigns are revving up. The American people are about to be ground into pieces as the bulldozers of expediency run amok. These politicians care not a wit what happens to The People. They survive on sucking the blood, money and freedoms from us like the vampires they are. It matters not if you favor republicans or democrats. They exist solely to preserve the status quo. That status quo is keeping in place a new ruling class who have made us the new plantation slaves. Be wary of politicians bearing platforms. Neither party has a history of providing direction and strength towards a better day. Our quality of life deteriorates through loss of wages adequate health care, ecological degradation and environmental deterioration. Both sides ignore science and empirical data about drug use and perpetuate a policy of criminalization of recreational drug use. The free market place is an illusion and corporate America is only plenty pleased to turn the surveillance cameras on us in their stores and watch us pick out the right color for our waterproof ipod cover.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/08/29/armed-grandpa-customer-shoots-kills-robber_n_1839811.html?icid=maing-grid7%7Cmain5%7Cdl9%7Csec3_lnk1%26pLid%3D198843

After you read this, let’s analyze it. They call him a grandpa but he is younger than me. Not like he was some aged old guy. One robber had the clerk at gunpoint? If I perchance am the clerk, me hopes you will be judicious in shooting the guy that is not holding a gun on me. My suggestion tactically, shoot the guy with the clerk first before he gets freaked out from the gun fire and shoots the clerk. Now all is well that ends well. So I am not criticizing as much as analyzing so that we all learn something about the prudent use of deadly force.

Do you not just love that I can pontificate (rightly or wrongly) on the use of deadly force and the day to day activities of a novice monk? Or as my friend Gary use to call me, a schmonk. That was a hybrid of monk and schmuck. Gary is not the most reverent man I know. Although I often caught him on his knees in seeming prayer only to learn later he was just too high to stand up.

http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/local/breaking/chi-witness-vaughn-changed-story-about-deaths-of-wife-kids-20120829,0,6423651.story

So, I have always told potential clients (everyone) that if they ever shot anyone legally or otherwise, not to make any statements to the police. This Chicago story is a good example of why you shut up. There is nothing you say which will not be used against you. I interviewed the  Director of the Texas Department of Public Safety Training  Academy a few years ago. He told me that it was the policy of the department to allow 48 hours before interveiwing an officer involved in a fatal shooting. The reason, because of the stress induced by the incident can result in misleading information.

Do you think a civilian involved in a shooting ever got that consideration? Oh hell no. In fact the opposite would be true. Harsh and lengthy interrogation techniques are used readily against persons involved in homicides.

Bob Himber wrote “Ken I’ve concluded that you need to write a daily column,
” the jewish, gun toting, liberal buddist lawyers blog”. Well I am unlikely to write everyday, but possible I could write from time to time. Facebook has stimulated creative posting of news articles and bon mots. So now I declare partial independence from Facebook and create my new literary bankrupt venue.  What if I write this and nobody shows up to read it. If a tree falls in the woods and no one is there to hear it will it sound like one hand clapping? As luck would have it, Romney was given his party’s nomination for the November election. It would be too easy to get absorbed in taking shots at such an easy target. But just as shooting at a paper target 3 yds away hardly seems sporting, so does it seem equally unsatisfying to pile on the republican candidates. Equally unsatisfying would be to pretend I enjoy the chicken-shit posturings of the democrats. So finding myself unmoved and unimpressed by the political landscape I am going to focus my attention on social commentary in the realm of crime, law, entertainment and simple weirdness.

So, if you found your way here, by any means and despite the prudence of avoidance, I will try to find articles which educate and amuse. The day/night wanes and I am fatigued. I spent the day partly researching “How to start a blog”. So I have further time or interest in expending more effort.

The woods are lovely, dark and deep,
But I have promises to keep,
And miles to go before I sleep,
And miles to go before I sleep.

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