Toward Democracy

Some perspective. The Nazis were intensively trying to develop an atomic bomb, and as has come to light during the past decade, the Japanese themselves were trying to develop a uraniam based fission bomb.

The travesty was not dropping the bombs on Hiroshima and Nagasaki, which either the Germans or the Japanese would have done to us if they got there first. That bombing did, in fact, save American lives, and many, many Japanese lives outside the target areas of Hiroshima and Nagasaki. It is unrealistic ideolology to deny that fact.

No, the real travesty occurred after the war ended when Oppenheimer's plan to internationalize all nuclear development with close controls over all fissionable materials, was rejected by Truman, listening to the paranoid right, saying we had to protect our "atomic secrets."

That's the travesty because there were no secrets. Everyone knew the basic theory, and after Hiroshima they knew it could work. So it was only a matter of time before Russia, China, Israel, Korea, at al. got their own bombs. Now it's Iran's turn.

I'm sure the detail-setting sessions have been interesting. What about employers who offer health insurance through self-insured plans and therefore are governed under federal ERISA regs? They'll not be in the pool. What about state and municipal employees on Cape who are covered through the Group Insurance Commission? They're out. Or companies that offer group insurance across the state or across the country? Same with (federal) Medicare-covered retirees. Cape Care might work for the local-only small business, self-employed or unemployed (assuming there's an exclusion from MassHealth), but that's a very small risk pool over which to spread the costs. Interesting, but I'm not keeping my fingers crossed.

I agree with j.madden about Obama tying his own hands in many cases. In the case of health insurance, I suspect it may also involve the fact that we, i.e. the U.S., owns a major share of AIG and other companies as well. Therefore, it is something of a conflict of interest situation -the more profitable health insurance is, the bigger the conflict for government, but also the bigger the need to nationalize it for us the taxpayers.

Krugman today on health care: http://www.nytimes.com/2009/05/22/opinion/22krugman.html

Way to go, Mary Zep!!! I hope Cape Care doesn't have to go through 7 years of foolish opposition like Cape Wind. Why do the obvious good-for-all endeavors take so long to be recognized? We should all be thankful for those who are putting in all that effort.

Many difficulties lie ahead before President Obama can expect success on health care. The President, on most issues and especially his approach to health care, is controlled by the belief that the opposition must somehow be satisfied in order to advance a new program. He ends up caught in a trap of his own making. Too much of the planning revolves around inside politics. He needs to take bold and independent action. But, it's not going to happen. What will fill the void? Cape Care? Best of luck.

http://www.democracynow.org/2008/8/11/mahmoud_darwish_poet_laureate_of_the DEMOCRACY NOW devoted a show-and-a-half to Darwish's career and influence early last week...

Zep, Solon has a valid point about the nature of war. The objective is to devastate your enemy, end the war with total victory without negotiated agreements. This view of warfare explains the use of the two atomic bombs. It seems to me what justified the use of the bombs was the absolute fact that the Japanese population as a whole, that is civilian and military, child and adult, would have presented themselves for slaughter rather then surrender. That is their ethic, that was their intention. The recently discovered and released diaries of Prime Minister Tojo substantiate this position. Bombing those two cities was indeed a horror. But, given other geo-political considerations at the time, it seems we had no choice. I lived in Japan in 1964, 1965 & 1966. I married Japanese and have immersed myself in Japanese culture. In spite of this background, I still believe the use of Atomic weapons was necessary to end the war. Violent death is tragic, weather at the end of a bayonet or the result of the Atom Bomb. I do agree, the Solon response was glib indeed.

Solon, That's an awfully glib response to the killing of generations of Japanese (the sickness and death isn't over). Most of those who were obliterated unnecessarily (aye, that's the rub) did not start the horrid war, any more than the citizens of this "democracy" agreed to drop the bomb. I subscribe to the belief that this was the opening salvo in the Cold War, aimed at the USSR at Hiroshima's and Nagasaki's expense. In my view, all wars are horrid.

Solon, LOL. I agree with j. madden, well put.

I have haiku for you:

You start horrid war
We stop war with mighty bomb
What did you expect?

I was in Hiroshima in 1964. I will never forget the images in Memorial Museum or the austere silence of Peace Park. I still recall turning to the good woman, that later became my wife, and saying: Every new world leader should be required to come here as their first act in office. The sudden smothering of 200,000 civilian lives in an instant is still horrifyingly stark and chilling for the visitor today to this City Of Peace. However, to drop back to the day of decision in 1945 and expect to replicate the agony of that decision is quite impossible. The war with Japan came to a swift end before the Soviet Union could become a player. Japan became a model democracy and fierce ally of the United States. Japanese ingenuity and prosperity became the singular statement, in the dangerous world of the 1970’s & 80’s, that U.S. hegemony would prevail. And, now we can see China will follow. All in all, not a bad outcome. Let the memory of Hiroshima be that there be no more war.

Too bad some of the local pols posting here don't get it..either..

In one of his rants, Carlin said, “The real owners are the big wealthy business interests that control things and make all the important decisions....The politicians are put there to give you the idea that you have freedom of choice.

I loved the guy. His last standuip on HBO I could tell he wasn't his usual spry self.

Top 3 comic, no doubt... but maybe the most disappointing books that I ever read.

http://www.gadling.com/2008/07/09/having-sex-on-a-beach-can-get-you-jail-time/?icid=200100397x1205522287x1200257317

:)

Prison sex? Yeah that makes sense. Thanks for fessin' up. Better'n Child Slavery.

:

Let the man have his period? It's against nature, I say!

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Peter [Member] writes:
"porn = politics ?

I'm done feeding the trolls.

Peace out brotha'."
Let it be noted that my query as to Peter's Erotic Target indeed evoked a scuttling skittering retreat from Mr.StandingFirm. Real rightwingers yearn for a return to the squeaky days of Child Slavery in their quest for maximum mastery of any situation. Note the framing of myself as Troll rather than Blogger, and the pathetic plea for Peace from a supporter of The Invasion.

Zep [Member] writes:
'For awhile I wondered how the "conversation" moved from a Department of Defense brochure to porn, gay men, nude beaches. Then it dawned on me: barracks and locker rooms; don't ask, don't tell = homoeroticism among "straighties."' McLuhan! The medium is the massage and CC2day is our parlour... or steambath... in search of the internal buzz...

porn = politics ?

I'm done feeding the trolls.

Peace out brotha'.

For awhile I wondered how the "conversation" moved from a Department of Defense brochure to porn, gay men, nude beaches. Then it dawned on me: barracks and locker rooms; don't ask, don't tell = homoeroticism among "straighties."

Ned,

I know you don't have a dog in that fight... I was just doing some early morning trolling.

Hey, you have to admit..... that would make for a very colorful and funny drawing.... 30 guys having an orgy on the beach?

I bet you could sell a boat load of them their prints in PTown.

Peter- DIMENSIONS technically isn't porn, it's pinup pix and PG-13... wanted to clear that up 'cause there's lots of other important discussion over there- and definite feminist presence. I remain curious about your porn preference- I suspect it would shed a light on your politics. Buzz... gotcha, the nude beach thing is not something I've... er, 'I don't have a dog in that fight' as Andy would put it. Hey if the FISA bill passes tomorrow, Dubya WILL know Peter's porn preferences, to get this back on-topic.

The issue isn't about "nude" beaches, it's about the National Seashore reporting their has been a triple increase in arrests (132) for public sex acts on the beach. Including open orgies with up to 30 men.

So Ned, before you get your Birkenstocks in a bunch, I like sex.... I just don't think parents should have to explain to their young kids why the big burly guy is playing leap frog naked.