Category: polyticks & legislatury

View posts on govt., its parasitism, legal quandries and the occasional good that it does.

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LuQ for Prez

Since I turned 35 (last year), I like to fantasize about what I’d do if I were elected Supreme Leader of the United States of America. My fantasies are exaggerations of possibility, of course, but I like to think they’re reasonable exaggerations, which are technically feasible and almost socially & legally possible, as opposed to god-like changes.  Here are a few of my bigger ideas / fantasy campaign promises:

Mandatory Sterilization for All

This is less about population control than it is about addressing the problems of abortion and unwanted children.  There’s such heated debate about whether abortion should be allowed, wouldn’t it be better to stop the root cause of this, which is unwanted pregnancy?  Here’s the concept:

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Gap Analysis

They say the U.S.A. has become polarized, but I don’t see it that way. Polarization implies balance of extremes, and we are anything but balanced.  There is a significant vocal minority at the right extreme (e.g., Tea Party), trying to dominate the traditional right-wing moderates and the so-called “left” (who are really centrists, per 20th century definitions).

The Affordable Care act is a centrist, highly compromised health plan for a nation dealing with a healthcare crisis.  As others have said, a more helpful solution would’ve been a single-payer plan where everyone pays in taxes (as they can afford) and then all citizens get health care, rather than filtering (and diluting) everyone’s money through for-profit insurance carriers.  However, it’s better than nothing and it restricts the most egregious profiteering (e.g., dropping or refusing sick patients from coverage). Continue reading “Gap Analysis”

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Cruel Mother Russia: Pinko Pogrom

pinkoSome of you may recall the halcyon days (ha) of the 20th century Soviet Union, where we in the USA had a clear and substantial enemy, the McCarthy hearings had teeth and any hint of Communism could result in blacklisting.  “Pinko” was a very real and harsh anti-Communist slur.  What cruel irony that Communism has retired only to give birth to the worst kind of proto-Nazism in the Russian fight against the “pink menace” – outlawing any/all Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual or Transgender people or ideals.

I usually don’t see the point in any sort of country-hating; all our governments are deeply flawed in my opinion, usually with some ridiculous or outrageously unfair laws and far too many greed-based policies & unnecessary military actions.  However, on very rare occasions, some individual country goes so far beyond the pale (e.g., Nazi-era Germany, Apartheid-era South Africa) that it merits a special kind of loathing.

I feel terrible for [most] of the Russian people, lacking free and fair elections, living under extreme government corruption and a new anti-LGBT pogrom.  They are literally beating & murdering gay people.  It is abhorrent.

There’s not too much we can do from afar, but we can boycott some of the most iconic Russian products, especially Stoli vodka.  For more about the Russian anti-LGBT pogrom and explanation of the boycott, see:

Boycotts 101: Why the gay boycott of Russian vodka is already working

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Full-Frontal Marriage: Here & Queer

Last week, the Supreme Court of the USA struck down a key provision of the so-called “Defense of Marriage Act” (the provision which prevented the federal government from recognizing same-sex marriages legalized by certain states and districts) in United States vs. Windsor and denied the proponents of California’s anti-same-sex marriage amendment standing to defend their proposition (which a lower court had made an injunction against) Hollingsworth vs. Perry.

This is indeed good news for same-sex couples, who can now marry in California, the most populous state, and will have federal recognition of their legal state marriages (in those 10+ states/districts where it is currently legal), receiving all the previously witheld federal benefits.  Moreover, married same-sex couples previously endured second class marriages, in which they were recognized by states, but considered “unmarried” by the federal government. Now, having the “second class” stigma removed reframes those same-sex marriages as completely legitimate relationships, which is an important cultural signifier that will help us move towards full equality.

Also, although, unlike Lesbian and Gay folks, some Bisexual and Trans folks were previously able to take advantage of full marriage benefits (depending on their partner and current legal sex), this helps to removes any gender bias that might restrict their choices (at least, in those 10+ states/districts in which it is legal). I believe this will help us move towards more open same-sex relationships and [trans/queer]gender expression, which is definitely a good thing for me.  🙂

However, while I totally support same-sex marriage (because marriage benefits shouldn’t be exclusive to opposite-sex couples and for reasons stated above and elsewhere in this blog), I wonder that we’re missing a few significant points: Continue reading “Full-Frontal Marriage: Here & Queer”

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Holey Matrimony

With May comes “wedding season,” but even though I’m fortunate enough to be in a successful long-term relationship with a highly compatible partner, I don’t plan to marry.  Why not?

Although I support and am happy for my family and friends who have chosen (or will chose) to get married, for me personally, the institution of marriage is holey [sic].  In brief, traditional marriage seems to:

  • Privilege “normal” romantic relationships over all  other kinds of relationships, including close friendships and kinships.
  • Be gender-essentialist and (generally) reinforce gender role stereotypes.
  • Represent a “unity” of two people which is incompatible with my fierce independence and my current (excellent) relationship.
  • Be an out-dated tradition that creeps out a rebel like me (as so many traditions do).

Continue reading “Holey Matrimony”

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The Future is Contraction

For centuries, much of human culture has been about expansion – expanding our territory, our populations, our access to resources, our communication, our economy, our influence.  One might argue that the 20th century was the epitome of bigger and better expansionism: two “world” wars among many international conflicts, extreme improvements in transportation (air travel, automobiles everywhere, better boats, trains and public transportation), and the ability to communicate instantaneously and broadly (enhancements to or invention of: radio, telephone, electronic amplification, television, various telecommunication networks, television).

The 20th century ideals of expansion were wildly successful – the world is more connected than ever before; resources, communications and people can and do regularly cross the globe. Our world has become interdependent, such that the well-being of a country like Greece can drastically affect other economies across the world, and vice versa.  And vast numbers of people, not just the super-rich, can purchase and use items manufactured and transported from afar, using fuel and craftsmanship from around the world. Advertisements, the threads of the 20th century economy, literally blanket the world, on billboards and vehicles, sports stadiums and events, flickering across every manner of electronic device, including those small items some of us carry with us everywhere as if they were our lifelines. Continue reading “The Future is Contraction”

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Military Machine – not lean, but surely mean

The military is a machine, which has produced all kinds of amazing technology (e.g., GPS, internet, drones), but like many large machines, tends to make a mess of people.  I know a lot of people are pro-military, even those who are anti-war, and I understand that our strong military (in the USA) affords us a lot of privileges, but it really is a deeply defective institution, which causes quite a lot of harm.

In terms of leadership and purpose, the military exists to enforce policy and protect state interests, which do not necessarily coincide with interests of the population (either in the military’s home country or in the country being occupied or attacked).  The state leadership cares about status, world politics, economic and materials/energy security (e.g., oil).  Contrary to popular belief, the military does not exist solely to protect a country’s citizen population; although that is “one” purpose, it is seldom the actual purpose it is used for.

In terms of enactment, violence and killing has been consistently pursued as the desired course of action.  While American military-driven Research & Development has been off the charts, creating astounding technologies, it has been focused almost entirely on more efficient killing.  If a fraction of the same resources had been devoted to non-lethal combat (and better armor / protection for our own soldiers), we could be living in a very different world, one where we could win a war without devastating the population and infrastructure of our target country. Continue reading “Military Machine – not lean, but surely mean”

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law enforcement, epitome of nobility

There is an interesting cultural disconnect in that law enforcement officers (i.e., police) are lauded as heroes, while politicians are reviled as villains, when in fact they are two sides of the same coin.

Pop culture sells the idea that police exist to protect the people and serve justice, always trying to catch violent thugs and protect the innocent. I’m sure that many, perhaps most, police officers do some of that – I’m sure that’s what attracts so many well-meaning police cadets.  But in fact, police officers are meant to to enforce laws, which are crafted by politicians in service of a great many interests, not always those of the “people”.

Government is, and has always been unbalanced, favoring the vested interests of the elite and powerful.  In ancient times, the elite were those with personal or genetic connections to the rulers – now, they are usually those with the most money and prestige, and sometimes special interests who control large voting blocks.

The “justice” system (including police, lawyers, politicians and judges) does work to protect people, especially rich, mainstream people, but it also persecutes people when enforcing kyriarchist and oppressive laws or more neutral laws but with kyrarchist interpretations. Continue reading “law enforcement, epitome of nobility”

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Pre-Occupied

The recent Occupy Wall Street (and accompanying “Occupy” movements in various cities, such as Occupy Boston) are amazing.  Protests are ephemeral – an afternoon, maybe a few days, just a blip (if even mentioned) on  the news radar.  But the Occupy movement has been able to persist, not unlike the protests in Egypt and other areas of the Middle East.

It’s like people finally had enough, enough of obstructionist politics, of government always helping corporations, letting business and profits drive government.  It’s like other people have been thinking along the lines of my “People VS Profit” post and decided to stand up. Continue reading “Pre-Occupied”

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The Elephants in our Politics

The current political debates, around the debt ceiling, budget deficits and Obama’s leadership are laden with vitriol and zealotry, but are especially frustrating because of the two elephants in the room which never get addressed.

 

elephant

Pretense of colorblindness as concerns our president. Obama is our first non-white president in a country which had widespread race-based slavery less than 200 years ago and widespread legalized racial discrimination until about 50 years ago and which still enjoys a widespread, if subtle, institutionalized racism which exhorts “whiteness” as the norm and regularly punishes those who do not adopt white styles of dress, speech and culture.  Non-whites make up a ridiculously high percentage of the prison population, people living in poverty and people affected by the latest recession.

It is utterly absurd to pretend that race has nothing to do with the difficulties faced by our country and by Obama as leader of this white-normative nation.  If I could ask for one bold change to Obama’s rhetoric, it would be for him to start openly and honestly addressing the race issue.  White racists like Glenn Beck have been calling him “racist” and other epithets for (despite what artificial reasons they cite) taking what is “supposed to be” a white man’s job.  Pundits and press frequently claim that Obama is an “elite liberal” which certainly does not reflect on his political record (filled with centrist and compromise positions), but does reflect his existence – as a black president. Continue reading “The Elephants in our Politics”