Obama The New War President

President Obama addressed the American people this evening from the United States Military Academy at West Point. Obviously this was the appropriate audience before whom to speak as many of the cadets will wind up in Iraq, Afghanistan or possibly Pakistan, where some believe Osama Bin Laden is hiding out. Thankfully there were few civilians around so the Secret Service did not have to fear gate crashers.

The President began with a Cliff Notes like summary of our involvement in Iraq and Afghanistan since the attack of September 11th. He reminded us that not only did our own House of Representatives and Senate overwhelmingly approve and support military action but the even the UN gave its blessing. Of course he omitted the fact that our response was based on the misinformation and lies of the Bush administration.

President Obama worked hard to convince us that we had moral, ethical, economic, military and security reasons to not only continue our presence in Afghanistan; but to increase the number of ground forces by 30,000. It was an excellent speech almost in the style of a pep rally talk before a big game. He told the American people that NATO is with us in this expanding ground war. One would think that there is a multi-national ground force in Afghanistan; but this is far from the truth. This is a United States War with only token NATO and UN support. The continuation of this big game is going to be very costly for this country. The former Soviet Union had its years in Afghanistan and got its ass kicked.

It is unfortunate to see President Obama become another U.S. President mired in a hopeless foreign war when his attention should be focused on the multitude of problems facing this country within our own borders. Consider the following article by columnist Bob Woodward from December 28, 2006:

"Former president Gerald R. Ford said in an embargoed interview in July 2004 that the Iraq war was not justified. "I don't think I would have gone to war," he said a little more than a year after President Bush launched the invasion advocated and carried out by prominent veterans of Ford's own administration.

In a four-hour conversation at his house in Beaver Creek, Colo., Ford "very strongly" disagreed with the current president's justifications for invading Iraq and said he would have pushed alternatives, such as sanctions, much more vigorously. In the tape-recorded interview, Ford was critical not only of Bush but also of Vice President Cheney -- Ford's White House chief of staff -- and then-Defense Secretary Donald H. Rumsfeld, who served as Ford's chief of staff and then his Pentagon chief.

"Rumsfeld and Cheney and the president made a big mistake in justifying going into the war in Iraq. They put the emphasis on weapons of mass destruction," Ford said. "And now, I've never publicly said I thought they made a mistake, but I felt very strongly it was an error in how they should justify what they were going to do."
In a conversation that veered between the current realities of a war in the Middle East and the old complexities of the war in Vietnam whose bitter end he presided over as president, Ford took issue with the notion of the United States entering a conflict in service of the idea of spreading democracy.

"Well, I can understand the theory of wanting to free people," Ford said, referring to Bush's assertion that the United States has a "duty to free people." But the former president said he was skeptical "whether you can detach that from the obligation number one, of what's in our national interest." He added: "And I just don't think we should go hellfire damnation around the globe freeing people, unless it is directly related to our own national security."

Iraq & Afghanistan -- Vietnam II & III

In the preface of former Secretary of Defense, Robert McNamara's, apologia on Vietnam, In Retrospect - The Tragedy and Lessons of Vietnam, one will read:

"We of the Kennedy and Johnson administrations who participated in the decisions on Vietnam acted according to what we thought were the principles and traditions of this nation. We made our decisions in light of those values. Yet we were wrong, terribly wrong. We owe it to future generations to explain why."

Tens of thousands of American service men and women died in Vietnam and billions of tax payer dollars were wasted and in 1995 Mr. McNamara writes that it was a terrible mistake. That mistake is part of our history. As this country continues to stumble haphazardly through Iraq and Afghanistan one can only wonder if our current elected and appointed leaders remember the debacle of the United States policy in Vietnam. Did our current political and military decision makers study world history and political science? Have they forgotten the cost to the USSR after its 10 years of war in Afghanistan? Consider the warning of philosopher George Santayana "Those who do not remember the past are condemned to repeat it". It appears as though we are repeating the mistakes of our past.

It is becoming more obvious every day that the lessons of Vietnam have been lost and forgotten. As a result of the Bush administration's lies and deviousness we now find ourselves militarily involved on two fronts: Afghanistan and Iraq. We seem to have no clear military object nor do we have a rational political objective. I seem to recall Obama's campaign pledge to get the US out of both Afghanistan and Iraq. How does the plan for sending tens of thousands more troops into Afghanistan bring about this promised withdrawal?

The President continues to meet with his war council trying to decide how many more U.S. troops he will send to Afghanistan. I tend to agree with the skeptics that the decision has already been made to send tens of thousands of additional ground forces. The delay in announcing this troop build-up is due to the fact that the right language has not been formulated by which to make the announcement and convince the American people that this unpopular war will continue ... indefinitely.

In the mean time we have seen Secretary of State Clinton standing with that fraud of a President Hamid Karzai promising all who will listen that he will try to do a better job. American soldiers now have to conduct themselves as if they were a civilian police force in dealing with suspected enemy detainees, complete with evidence gathering and paperwork. All the while the money keeps flowing out of the USA and into the black holes of Iraq and Afghanistan. To date these two wars have cost the American taxpayers almost $935,000,000,000 ... read that as 935 billion dollars and it will more than likely exceed one trillion dollars by year's end. To see the counter go to ---- http://www.costofwar.com/. Imagine what this amount of money could have done for the U.S. economy had it not been wasted in and on Iraq and Afghanistan?

Happy Thanksgiving everyone.

THOMAS MICHAEL SEABY
1949 - 2009

Thomas M. Seaby, husband to Judith (nee) Coleman Seaby, father of Kimberly Seaby Smith and Kristin Seaby, grandfather to Jakob and Dylan Smith and brother of Robert J. Seaby passed away on Tuesday, October 20th at the age of 60.

My brother, Tom, was born in Baltimore City on March 20, 1949. He attended St. Rita Parochial School and Dundalk Senior High School. After graduating from high school Tom began a career working for the state of Maryland. In August of this year he retired from his position as a Maryland Transportation Safety Inspector. Tom spent his entire life in the Dundalk community most recently residing on Washington Rd. In his spare time Tom was an active amateur radio operator and enjoyed the company of his fellow "ham" radio operators. He enjoyed trips to the Western Maryland countryside, collecting antique pocket watches and the company of the family's cats and dogs.

He will be missed by his family and many friends and remembered as a big man with an even bigger heart.

Family

Although the news has been full of stories and topics that ordinarily would have had me offering my opinions and comments, I have been busy with family health issues. My father was dealing with heart problems and my brother is battling cancer. On July the 30^th my father lost his battle; but my brother continues with chemo therapy and radiation. Dad’s passing was sudden. Around noon on the 30^th I spoke with him and he told me he was dealing with a clogged kitchen sink. He was in good spirits and we had a lively conversation. At the end of the call I told Dad I would call him over the weekend. His usual response was “Call anytime … I’m always here”.

My niece, Kim, made her scheduled visit to see my Dad later that day to help him set up his meds for the week and just check in on him. She found him upstairs. He had had a heart attack in the hours after my telephone call and before her arrival. She made the 911 call but Dad was already gone. It has been difficult for family because Dad’s passing was so sudden; but I suppose it was a blessing for him. These last months he had become increasingly worried about his ability to remain independent and continue to live in his own home. Because of Kim’s involvement Dad was able to stay in his home and keep his independence and dignity. He was loved and he will be missed.

Robert Anthony Seaby

1924 - 2009

Robert A. Seaby, husband to the late Patricia Ann (nee) Graham, father of Robert James and Thomas Michael, grandfather to Kimberley Smith, Kristin Seaby, Lauren Seaby, Brian Seaby and Matthew and Devin Davis and Great Grandfather to Jakob and Dylan Smith passed away on Thursday July 30th at the age of 85.

Mr. Seaby was born in Baltimore City on January 19, 1924. He attended Sacred Heart Parochial School and Baltimore Polytechnic High School graduating in 1942. Immediately after graduating from “Poly” Mr. Seaby began working for the Western Electric Company at Point Breeze. He entered the U.S. Army in March of 1943 at the age of 19. He was assigned to the 976^th Field Artillery Unit with the 5^th Army and saw action at Anzio and Monte Casino. Mr. Seaby was awarded two Bronze Stars and the Purple Heart for the injuries he received while serving in Italy.

Upon his discharge from the Army in 1945 he married his high school sweet heart, Patricia Ann Graham. Mr. Seaby returned to work at Western Electric as a draftsman and he retired as a mechanical engineer in 1978. He and his wife Pat resided for most of their lives in Dundalk where he was an active member of St. Rita Parrish. His wife, Pat, passed away in December of 1993. They were one year shy of their 50^th wedding anniversary.

Throughout his life Mr. Seaby enjoyed tinkering around the house, yard and garden and for many years he and Pat were proud owners of Golden Retrievers. Prior to and after his retirement he was an active member of the Dundalk American Legion Post No. 38, serving as Adjutant for several years. During the early fall season both Rob & Pat enjoyed visiting Ocean City. Pop-Pop, as he was called by his grandchildren, enjoyed family gatherings, a cold glass of iced tea and a well made crab cake

CALIFORNIA'S BUDGET MESS

CALIFORNIA’S BUDGET MESS

California voters overwhelmingly rejected the Governor’s fix the budget or bail out propositions (1A through 1E) and now it is pay back time. The Gov. has proposed the closures of state parks and beaches. This scene is from an old script and must be in a secret book passed from one Governor to the next.

Remember Prop. 13? Of course we do … everyone remembers Old Prop 13. Big Bad 13 was a voter reaction to a greedy state legislature that was sitting on a multi billion dollar state surplus and still wanted more money from California tax payers and especially property owners. After Prop. 13 was passed we experienced cuts in many services that were designed to get even with the voters. Schools were hit hard, libraries hours were cut, other public services cut back and numerous fees were increased.

Now decades later, the teeth have been knocked out of Prop 13 due to the fact that properties are bought and sold fairly often in California. Some one buying a home in the California today will pay 1% of their purchase price in property taxes every year. A home costing $800,000 with carry a property tax of $8000 per year.

So why is California broke? Our economy ranks as one of the top ten of all countries in the world. California is ranked 4^th in the amount of taxes we pay. Vehicle Licensing Fees have been raised again and sales taxes are approaching 10%. Where is the money being spent? Maybe it is time for a critical audit of the state’s collection and spending procedures. Maybe it is time to close the special exemptions and loop holes.

For example read about Larry Ellison’s $3,000,000 tax break at http://news.cnet.com/8301-10784_3-9904708-7.html. Mr. Ellison is California’s wealthiest citizen and is listed as one of Forbes 400 wealthiest individuals. He successfully argued that his $200,000,000 Woodside estate suffers from "significant functional obsolescence" and was taxed too high. He got a $3,000,000 tax break. One can only wonder how many of California’s wealthiest residents suffer from similar hardships. Add to this picture the tax money our legislators waste on their sacred cow projects, personal perks and unnecessary commissions and the total is probably mind numbing.

I suggest our state legislators carefully study the budgets of the following states: Alaska, Florida, Nevada, South Dakota, Texas, Washington and Wyoming as these states collect no personal income tax! Tennessee and New Hampshire tax only dividend and interest income. How do they do that? Where do these states get the money to operate? How do they do it?

We hope to relocate to Washington State very soon.

Random Thoughts II

TAX FREEDOM DAY

While many Californians were faced with the April 15th deadline to file their taxes there is another significant date on the horizon.... April 20th --- TAX FREEDOM DAY. It is on this day, the 110th day of the year, that Californians will have earned enough money to cover all their respective tax obligations. We are currently ranked 4th in the nation. The residents of Connecticut hold the 1st place position working 120 days, 2nd place goes to New Jersey with residents working 115 days and 3rd place goes to New Yorkers who will have worked 115 days to cover their tax burden.

In another ranking California holds the distinction of placing 47th in the field of 50 states with respect to per pupil expenditure for education. This situation kind of begs the question --- what is the Sacramento brain trust doing with our tax money? We are billions of dollars in the red, both sales and vehicle license fees have recently gone up and property taxes remain firm.

Where are our hard earned tax dollars going? Is it time for a collective shout of "Show us the money"? With the rise in sales and VLF taxes we may beat New York and take 1st place in 2010; but only New Yorkers (and Sacramento) will be celebrating.

HARSH and IRRESPONSIBLE WORDS

In these difficult times when people are losing their jobs and homes the last thing they need to hear are harsh words of criticism. Unfortunately, that is exactly what they are hearing from President Obama’s team. In February Attorney General Eric Holder commented “Though this nation has proudly thought of itself as an ethnic melting pot, in things racial, we have always been and we -- I believe continue to be in too many ways essentially a nation of cowards." He added that Americans are afraid to talk about race. Where the hell has he been since Brown vs. Board of Education? This is just what we need, a thoughtless and clueless Attorney General.

Next, we have Secretary of State Hillary Clinton’s comments on drugs and border violence:”Our insatiable demand for illegal drugs fuels the drug trade. Our inability to prevent weapons from being illegally smuggled across the border to arm these criminals causes the deaths of police officers, soldiers and civilians. So, yes, I feel very strongly we have co-responsibility." I would agree that we have far too many drug dependent individuals in this country. However; it is the Federal government’s responsibility to secure our borders and they have failed miserably.

VIOLENCE

Recent events seem to indicate that we have an epidemic of violence and lawlessness in the United States. Four police officers gunned down in Oakland, CA. and three killed in Pittsburgh, PA. Small children abducted and killed by people they should have been able to trust. Far too many nightly drive by shootings and far too many youths who feel slighted and disrespected and then resolve these alleged conflicts by using a gun. Our courts, prosecutors, prisons and parole and probation system seem overwhelmed. The public having lost confidence in the ability of the police and courts to protect them have opted to arm themselves. Guns, guns and more guns …. But are we actually safer?

PIRATES

The Pirates of Somalia made the news and made a big mistake last week when they seized an American vessel and then held the Capitan hostage. For most of us the pirates’ ages, specific nationality, level of education, former occupations, and religious beliefs were secondary to the fact that they are outlaws … pirates. However; David Gergen, CNN’s senior political correspondent, chose not to refer to the aggressors as pirates; but Muslims. He said: “The natural temptation is to want to go in with military force and clean out those nests of pirates and just demolish them for even touching an American in the way they did, but there are some complications. Anderson (Anderson Cooper of CNN), in this case this is complicated by his (President Obama) diplomatic outreach to Muslims. He's done a good job laying the groundwork, reaching out in Turkey as we saw a few days ago. If he over-responds to this, if he uses force against Muslims in what seems an excessive way, it could totally undercut his own efforts.”

A pirate is a pirate … is a pirate … is a CRIMINAL regardless of religious affiliation. This country’s response to a criminal attack to one of its merchant ships must be weighed from a military point of view and only a military point of view. Whether the pirates are Catholic, Protestant, Jew or Muslim is irrelevant … they are criminals! Must we be politically correct on the high seas?

CLASS CLOWNS

Over the past month there have been many public figures who, as a result of their public comments and/or actions are a source of head shaking and laughter. To name a few: The financial shenanigans of Senators Chris Dodd and Barney Frank, San Francisco’s smarmy Mayor Newsom and his bid to be California’s next Governor, State Governors Palin, Blagoevich, Jindal and their suspension of logic and common sense, and finally there are two weasels from the Bush administration who now suffer from the dual affliction of having constipated brains and diarrhea of the mouth. Carl Rove and Dick Cheney are on a crusade to salvage the Bush legacy. As in their past being truthful is not important to Cheney and Rove … getting their way is.

Obama on Education

Obama Outlines Plan for Education Reform

I just finished reading President Obama’s plan for educational reform. Much of what he said has already been said and much of what he proposes may effect change. However; his comments, proposals and promises are as flawed as those of countless past educational reformers. Due to budget shortfalls almost 20,000 American teachers have been given pink slips this year. For the 2009-2010 school year our schools will be under funded, short of teachers and students will be taught in over crowded classrooms. Some districts will be forced to eliminate all athletic programs. I wonder if the $600 billion dollars spent on the war in Iraq could have been put to better use in the USA?

See: http://www.nationalpriorities.org/costofwar_home

President Obama continued by praising Charter Schools, proposing merit pay and calling for the removal of bad teachers. These are hardly new ideas. Charter Schools are a real enigma. They are like semi-private schools in the public school system. Charter Schools allow for more freedom and innovation in the teaching and learning process. Charter Schools are a reaction to the rules, regulations and heavy handed interference of local, state and federal mandates. Why not allow all public schools the same level of freedom that Charter Schools enjoy?

Merit pay in the public school system is absurd. Arguments for merit pay are sometimes linked to the “corporate world”. Well, in the corporate world poor functioning or failing employees are terminated. We do not terminate failing students in our schools. When I taught, the students in my classes who failed failed for a variety of reasons: unruly behavior, poor attendance, bad attitude, failure to do homework and disinterested and uninvolved parents. These are all factors I had little or no control over. I was a classroom teacher, not a police officer, truant officer, or foster parent. Should teachers be labeled “bad” for this kind of student/parent behavior? Should this kind of student/parent behavior affect a teacher’s pay or cause termination?

Like so many other educational reformers President Obama placed far too little importance on the role of parents in their child’s lives. He has hinted at the role of parental responsibility in a child’s education; but not nearly as strong as the role demands. Parents must see schools as more than day care. Parents must see that their children, regardless of grade level, are prepared each day to do their best in school. Parents need to assure that their children are properly fed and clothed. Student’s time on the phone, the computer and TV must be controlled and monitored. Assigned homework must be completed at home

.

Finally, President Obama wants bad teachers removed. Well, this may come as a surprise to Mr. Obama; but good teachers also want bad teachers removed. Individuals without the necessary personal and professional skills to teach put a strain on good teachers and have a negative influence on both staff and students. The solution or answer is simple - administrative involvement. In all schools there are procedures for administrative warnings, evaluations, interventions, corrective actions, and even termination of bad teachers. The problem in too many schools is the reluctance, inability, or refusal of administrators to follow these procedures.

Too often teacher unions or associations are blamed for protecting bad teachers. Nothing is further from the truth. All a union or association will do is see that proper procedures are followed. If administrators will leave the comfort of their offices and observe and evaluate poor performing teachers then a case can be made for removal.

Finally, the educational playing field must be leveled. It is absolutely unfair to speak of quality education for all students when the state of Vermont spends $15,000 per pupil and the state of Utah spends $5900. My own state of California ranks # 47 with a per pupil expenditure of $7500 per student. Maybe it is time for another Supreme Court challenge to educational disparity like the Brown vs. Board of Education lawsuit that struck down the concept of “separate but equal’. How does Vermont manage $15,000 per student?