liberal capitalist

a short train of thought
True, capitalism works amazingly well for america, and its benefits therefore exend to the rest of the world.  Our ever-increasing rate of consuption has allowed record wealth to be accumulated on our planet.  It is our buying power that is at the heart of the world economy, and it allows us to progress as a society in america and other world societies to come into their own along with us.  Many questions.   Our taste for goods declines, the rest of the world slumps with us-maybe not in a big way, but they feel it.

Campaign Finance Reform-the joke is on us

A piece of gauze on a gaping wound.  An open, bleeding slice in our democracy's left heel.  As was expected, money from corporate and all number of special interest groups were able to pierce through current legislation and pour money into eager politicians' hands.
Large amounts of money can and must be kept out of the political process.  This is not to say rich mutinationals or any group with money should not have their time with a legislator and be heard.  Everybody should be given a chance, and money should not buy undue influence on politicians and their ilk.  The system is broke, frozen in excess, unchecked and otherwise unsupervised in a clear manner put forth to the American people.
Cut all money-all of it, and be real about the system behind it.  Equal acces for all groups, and standard contribution sizes that CANNOT be swerved around by shrewd means.  An oversight group, independent and completely "transparent" in documentation and avalibility thereof should be given the duties of keeping access available to all interests-at strict donation limits with NO loopholes.  Lobbyists of all persuasions would have their say to the people's representatives in Congress. 
I belive Washington must be scared of change else they would have had the courage to implement wide ranging and sweeping reform of the election funding process.  Such a system would be a model of ethical and open standards for electoral processes-it would be a model for others to follow and Americans to be proud of.  More opinions heard, more knowledge on a myriad of issues would be gained on our Congressmens' part, and with time, the system would make our democracy stronger by instilling ever increasing confidence in our government by the people and for the people. A fully reformed, open and equally accessed political funding system is real reform which the  American people deserve.

Nonsense

Four Lamps, one working Light
a slow rotating fan swirls about
at a shadowy steady clip
it revolves through the night.

 
What are we all missing?
it is not anything that can be held, seen, or heard.
If this solution were possible it would have been canned- digitized and sold by your friendly neighborhood corporation. 
Surely this would be marketed and sold.  the very fact that
it has not is evidence of something, rather than nothing. 
nonsensical?  you betcha. 
m. zachary

Policy bites back post tense

Although seldom spoken of in mainstream press, our policies, whether of an imperialistic nature or grown out of a defensive posture have created the majority of Anti-American attitudes where they exist.  The rejection of IMF policies in central and south america of recent times, Cold War policy up to the fall of communism, along with post-Cold War policy under George I was inadequate and without foresight to the consequences of their actions.  The  Clinton administration did not give much concern at all to the fermenting of terrorism in the middle east, parts of south asia and a smatering of antiamerican sentiment elsewhere throughout the globe made the problem worse .  My point is that these policy failures can be rectified with patience and a shift in dominance from the pentagon and the military-industrial complex to a more powerful State Department.  Large defense budgets could be wisely spent elsewhere-(like a workable renewable energy source?!!!!) but politics will not let the defense budget go down.  We spend billions on foreign bases which have no strategic importance, while Iraqi children starve in a story we created. We must help them repair their country with diplomacy and whatever help the Iraqis require as they attempt their formation of a nation. This is the key-THEIR NATION.  What we damaged with our bombs in Iraq (over half a million sorties flown!), and numerous overt AND covert military interventions throughout the world is going to prove to be THE largest foreign policy hurdle our democracy has ever faced, and George W. is and likely will remain our President.  His foreign policy, critical issues before the supreme court, energy policy, trade policy and  domestic issues too numerous to hit on in this post will present a deciding era in 21st century politics.  How Bush deals with an evermore fractured legislature and a wild card supreme court will prove to be interesting.  post over for today but more will certainly follow.  

M. Zachary

Remembrance

 
You fade in my memory
like some ancient,
yellowed photograph
on which creases
have muddied the faces
and time
erased their expressions.
Perhaps those people
were smiling
when the obliging camera
froze them into permanence,
I can no longer tell.
Perhaps once,
you smiled also
for me. 
Does liberty  still smile on America?