I hope you enjoy all 10 of these mini-essays/comments: But first, a comment:
RE: I’d posted* - Starting with the following ten, I’ll have to change “I’d posted” to “I’d attempted to post.” Yahoo has blocked me from posting any more comments to its news articles. Yahoo did this without any type of formal notification. I only found out the hard way – by trying to post without success. I couldn’t even thumbs-up (or -down) any posts from other contributors. If a behemoth like Yahoo deems it necessary to block a minor player like me, it would seem the tolerance for dissent in this country has reached a new low.
My God, what are they so afraid of?
ONE:
This is a test. Trying to see if Yahoo will censor my comment posted to a sports article. So far, they've banned 4 of my post-attempts today. Hmm...maybe if I pretend to spike to stop the clock....
Steven Searle for US President in 2012
"OK, I'm guilty as assumed - I post on Yahoo to help my presidential campaign. At least I'm not asking anyone for any money."
[Observation: This article was posted and then quickly deleted. Maybe I offended Yahoo by admitting I post to help my presidential campaign. Makes me wonder if any of the other candidates or their supporters squawked.
The only notice I got from Yahoo was when I tried to update my profile a few days ago. Their message said I would be blocked from updating since I was guilty of using profanity. What!?? I see the F-word all the time on Yahoo’s posts, though the closest I ever came was an occasional “hell” or “damn.” Beware of when the skin of Corporate America starts getting this thin!]
TWO:
“The former House speaker said Sunday that the most accurate part of the [Iowa] survey was that 41 percent said they could change their opinion.” With Iowans scheduled to vote within a few days, to say that 41% could change their opinion is astounding. That says, “No matter who wins, much of his support would have to be considered wishy-washy.
Steven Searle for US President in 2012
“Whatever happened to believing in a candidate? Oh, that’s right. The Change-You-Can-Believe-In candidate really polluted those waters, didn’t he?”
THREE:
"I would be saying to the Iranians, you either open up those facilities, you begin to dismantle them and make them available to inspectors or we will degrade those facilities through air strikes," [Rick Santorum] told NBC.
Maybe this is what Santorum meant to say: “I would be saying to the Iranians: ‘If you don’t open those facilities up to international inspection or, if you do open them and the inspectors determine your nuclear program has illegal aspects you don’t take immediate steps to remediate, we will bomb those facilities.’”
Of course, his particular choice of wording (as follows) makes no sense: “…begin to dismantle them and make them available to inspectors…” Why on earth should the Iranians be expected to dismantle them as they make them available to inspectors?” Former-with-good-reason Senator Santorum seems to be a rather sloppy speaker. Not a good thing, considering the importance of what he is saying.
Of course, it would have been more humane to add: “Before we bomb those facilities, we will give you 24-hours to move all personnel to a safe location.” But, somehow, I don’t associate the name “Santorum” with the word “humane.”
Steven Searle for US President in 2012
“Way to go Santy, beatin’ on them thar war drums to scare up some votes!”
FOUR:
“… the editorial said ‘the whole Party, the entire army and all the people should possess a firm conviction that they will become human bulwarks and human shields in defending Kim Jong-un unto death.’” [Who writes this crap?]
I don’t get it. North Korea is supposed to be this communist pure land, which even old-hand Chinese reds idealize. In such a pure land, all comrades are supposed to be equal. I suppose it’s okay to have a “first among equals,” but even that sounds a little too much like “some animals are more equal than others” – as written in George Orwell’s Animal Farm. But to come right out and say that the entire nation’s population should perish to protect one man is about as far from ideal communism as you could get.
Therefore, the North Koreans aren’t really embracing a communist ideal as much as they’re embracing a greedy, narcissistic little man. I’m especially astounded that their military didn’t rise up in indignation when Un was promoted to the rank of 4-star general by his dear old dad. I heard a rumor that when this was announced in NK’s military barracks, all the grunts made a hasty exit to the latrine so they could puke their guts out. [There is still such a thing as military pride.] But state media was able to spin that story to read: “These soldiers wanted to purge in order to purify themselves in order to be fit cannon fodder for our Living God.”
The only way this human shield strategy could work is if Kim were to never leave North Korea. So I propose that no nation allow him entry within its borders or even to fly over its airspace. We want him to stay in NK so his ever-loyal comrades could be close enough to protect him, since obviously that’s their burning desire.
Steven Searle for US President in 2012
“I strongly urge South Korea to break all ties, even informal ones, with their misguided kinsmen to the north.”
FIVE:
[In response to Romney saying he’d veto the Dream Act, something he said in an article which included this: “Under the Dream Act, which was brought up in the Senate in May, young undocumented immigrants who have lived most of their lives in the United States and graduate from U.S. high schools would be eligible for a conditional six-year ‘path to citizenship’ if they earn a college degree or serve two years in the military.” – Yahoo article: “Romney would veto immigration “dream” act.”]
"For those that come here illegally, the idea of giving them in-state tuition credits or other special benefits, I find to be contrary to the idea of a nation of laws," Romney said.
This whole concept of “law” is a bit slippery. For instance, there are de facto and de jure considerations. The “fact” of the matter is, many illegals have been here for decades. They are breaking the letter of the law (“de jure”). But if the spirit of the law (“de facto”) says we won’t vigorously enforce the law and deport them, then they can’t really be said to be violating the law, can they? If we have laws we’re unwilling to enforce, then we don’t really have those laws.
It’s easy for Romney to say we shouldn’t give the children of illegal aliens certain benefits. But I don’t see how that translates into why he’d veto the Dream Act. Unless…he’s just speaking to a bunch of yahoos who want to hear such things.
Steven Searle for US President in 2012
“It’s so easy to rouse the rabble, isn’t it Willard?”
SIX:
“North Korea vowed Sunday to make an all-out drive for prosperity as it unites behind new leader…”
North Korea should be totally shunned by the world community. That is, no special trade concessions, any type of response to its rhetoric, or even any food aid. NK has a practical problem trying to grow its own economy while having neighbors with vigorous interlinked economies. They don’t need NK, and NK couldn’t really compete. NK would always be the poor relation with its hand outstretched.
North Korea’s only hope would be to form some kind of economic partnership with China, including jointly-operated enterprises. And everybody knows this. The US and its allies in the region make the biggest mistake by responding to NK’s belligerent rhetoric and saber-rattlings. I say, let them make all the noise they want. If we totally ignore them (again, not even any food aid), they’ll be forced to seek linkage with China. Which is, again, their only real possibility for salvation. [BTW, China just loves it when NK’s neighbors get all bent out of shape when Fearless Leader starts spouting off.]
If NK proceeds with its nuke program, we should openly encourage Japan to seek nuclear weapons – and give them assistance in this endeavor. Of course, China wouldn’t like that. But so what? Maybe China would whisper in our ear: “If you stop encouraging Japan to nuclearize, we’ll make economic overtures to NK in exchange for their promise not to expand their nuke program.”
Steven Searle for US President in 2012
“I’d like to see the day when China summons Kim Jong Un for a private meeting, telling him, ‘If you launch a nuke against another country, the first retaliatory missile strike won’t be from the US – it’ll be from us. Have a nice day!’”
SEVEN:
Don’t let anyone fool you by saying the US lacks good intel about the goings-on in North Korea. They know well enough. Actually, the Pentagon War Games wonks are hoping beyond hope that NK tries something stupid. Then Glorious Splendiferous Leader will find out just how thoroughly planned that reaction was. In fact, we have an understanding with China about this. The first retaliatory missile against NK will come from…China.
Steven Searle for US President in 2012
“Yeah, like we don’t know what’s going on over there…rigghhtt!”
EIGHT:
[These comments were inspired by a story about a Marine who tried to sell a gold necklace to two men, in response to a Craig’s List ad, who tried to rip him off. They fled with the necklace; he chased; one of them shot him several times.]
"I can't believe this. I go to Iraq, I go to Afghanistan and here I am at home, shot," Trenker said. "It's inconceivable. I don't know how that they can put so little value on life."
“…put so little value on life?” I hope Trenker reflects on those words, given the large numbers of civilian casualties we inflicted in Iraq. When we fired those missiles at Baghdad from our ships, we didn’t care about collateral damage (dead civilians). We wuz too busy a whoopin’ and a hollerin’ from the safety of our TV sets.
That and spray-and-pray might have been tolerable if our troops were truly there to “protect our freedom.” But let’s get this straight, once and for all: That’s not why they were there; it was all about regime change and taking Iraqi oil off the market so prices could skyrocket (which they did…thank you, very much…Mission Accomplished). But our freedom was not even remotely at stake.
Lt. Colonel Trenker doesn’t know it yet, but there is a direct cause-and-effect relationship between his relative “safety” in Iraq vs. his apparently random victimhood in the States. Karma knows no boundaries and is All Powerful – even stronger than our military! As for his wounds, I am thankful Trenker survived. But I hope he comes to see those wounds for the teachers they really are. Lt. Colonel Trenker knows full well: “He who lives by the sword, shall perish by the sword.” What he doesn’t know – yet – is that a sword can sometimes be a teacher more profound than any gifted orator.
Steven Searle for US President in 2012
“As for our adventure in Iraq, Barack Obama knows there’s still time for things to go terribly south there – in time to spoil his reelection chances.”
NINE:
I am tempted to say, “Rick Perry is hoping for activist judges to allow him on the ballot.” But I won’t…instead, I’ll just note: it’s unfair to disallow write-ins. But you know the old saying, “There’s a world of difference between what’s fair and what’s legal.”
Steven Searle for US President in 2012
“I have to congratulate Ron Paul for getting on the Virginia ballot; this might portend well for (what could be) the eventual success of his campaign.”
TEN:
There is one weapon which Iran could use successfully against its detractors. All they would have to do is declare their intention of withdrawing from the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty, saying they intend to develop a nuclear arsenal.
By remaining bound by the NPT, Iran risks being declared in violation of international law. However, it’s perfectly legal for any NPT nation to withdraw from that treaty and then proceed to openly build nukes. If Iran were to do this, they would acquire the moral high ground. They would be acting within the parameters of international law. Those nations which would consider bombing Iran could then only do so by acting illegally.
I don’t have any doubt as to what the Israelis would do. But it would be interesting to see how the US government could attack Iran and claim to be following international law. And we always like to at least pretend we’re in the right. Of course, the Iranians know all this already and are contemplating pulling out of the NPT. Before they do so, though, they want to tweak their enemies in order to fire up their own base. And of course we fall for this by issuing statements from the Fleet and State Dept.
However, timing is everything, so I urge the Iranians not to delay quitting the NPT for too much longer.
Steven Searle for US President in 2012
“If I am elected US President and Israel were to attack Iran, then I declare here and now that Israel would be entirely on its own.”
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Founder of The Independent Contractors’ Party
“I have to laugh at all those poor people who think Yahoo represents some kind of Free Speech forum” – Steve.
Contact me at bpa_cinc@yahoo.com
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