GOP Debate

Well the circus comes to Las Vegas tonight. Two sets of Republican debates are slated for later today. The undercard promises to be combative as usual, as these candidates try to find a way to shock their way to the adult table. The main event will feature the usual suspects and Trump will be center stage.

So why am I even blogging about this? Well it is to raise some issues that I hope will be discussed tonight but that I doubt will be handled honestly. We unfortunately are mired in political waste and the true issues and their possible resolution does not seem to rise from the muck. Every candidate on both sides of the aisle is so focused on their political careers (or desired careers), election or reelection, or party directives, that they forget why they are there.

When did we lose sight of the motto - "We the People". So here is some truth and some controversy for folks to think about.

ISIS and Terrorism

We face many terror threats and while I think our military, police forces and Homeland Security do a great job in protecting us we can do much better. It is not any agency's fault and it is not lack of resources or technology. No it is leadership and strategy. This is a very high stakes chess game and the terrorists are very good players.

So how do we defeat ISIS? I think we do four things:

1. We launch a massive cyber attack on every source and outlet they have. Not just to monitor or deter but to destroy. I am suggesting the equivalent of a nuclear attack in cyber space against these maniacs.
2. We must put their home base in RAKA under siege. There are only four roads into this city. We need to either blow up all four and hold their leaders hostage or form a coalition and go take over all four roads and again hold ISIS hostage.
3. We need to mortally wound their finances. The biggest money source is three oil fields they control. They sell the oil from these fields and derive huge dollars. We need to use Special Forces and Coalition to go take the three fields back. In the interim we need to increase our bombing attacks on tankers and the delivery chain.
4. We need to go on the propaganda offensive. We need to use technology to reach the disenfranchised folks who are easy targets for ISIS. We need to offer alternatives and positive messages.

Lets remember that ISIS is not the only terrorist group after us. We need to stay vigilant at home and continue to thwart attacks wherever we see them. We need to enforce our immigration laws and profile much better. We need to strengthen our technology. When the Director of the FBI tells Congress that terrorists can do encrypted communication in ways that we cannot break, that is very scary and frankly unacceptable.

Despite all this we need to start changing hearts and minds in the Middle East. We can't ever win if we don't break the cycle of hate. We have to admit that our civilizations are different. We must embrace our similarities and grow them but also agree to peacefully disagree on others. We need to respect their ways and not try to change their morals or habits. In turn we must ask that while we are different we must not be persecuted for those differences. We are all human and we must not kill each other over cultural or religious differences. We must take the first step - be the bigger nation.

Accept their religions, accept Sharia Law, stop trying to force our Western morals on these people. Leave them alone even though what they do may seem barbaric and unacceptable. I know this will piss off every liberal and feminist but we are hated because we interfere. We must stop. We have bigger problems at home anyway. We are not the worlds nanny's.

In turn we must become rigid about those from the Middle East that want to migrate to the US. They must pass rigorous background checks. Perhaps even have more limitations than some other immigrants for a time. They must assimilate to our culture not the other way around. This is not unfair or wrong. It is actually what most other countries in the world ask of their immigrants. No we don't need to block Muslims from the US and yes we should take in true refugees. We just need to be prudent and have clear understandable rules that we enforce.

Income Equality

This is a non issue for me. A capitalist economy operates off the principle that their is opportunity for all. No question those with more should pay more to maintain society. But those who work harder and make more should not be made to feel guilty about their success. Also we should never try to make everyone equal as this would remove all motivation and we would quickly see innovation and entrepreneurism die. This would be followed by total economic collapse.

If you want income equality go live in a communist country. Not even socialist societies have full income equality. We want to entice people to make more and work more. This is how we became the most productive country on earth. Not everyone agrees with this life style, and if you don't then you should live somewhere else. Come on people this is the core of America. There is nothing to fix.

Now if we want to discuss taxation and charity those are different subjects. We should have a flat tax. There should be no loop holes for the rich. Additional anyone under Federal Poverty level should pay no taxes. Heck I'll even agree that the Wall Street paper traders have to pay something more because their numbers are outrageous. So every WS billionaire has to pay an extra 5% of their income to a charity(s) of their choosing.. No more taxes - just more giving. Speaking of giving did you know we are the most generous country on earth? Did you also know that giving by people who make more than $500K makes up for 70% of all charity in the US?

So we are doing this right we just need to make a few tweaks not destroy the model. A flat tax is as fair as we can get. Make $50,000 pay $5000 make $1,000,000 pay $100,000. Also we can eliminate the majority of the IRS and save billions. We have discussed and  debated this for decades it is time to just do it.

Female Pay Equality

Another non starter for me. 20 years ago this may have been an issue but we have shown how progressive we are and now have women in positions of leadership, power and wealth in all industries. I am sure there are some discrepancies and I am sure that we can find studies that show some women don't make as much as men. I am sure there are also men who don't make as much as women.

The point is, for the most part, women have amazing opportunities and can out earn male counterparts if they are willing to do the hard time. The time and effort its takes is more of the issue and we should focus on this - can women raise families and still excel in their careers? There are only so many hours in a day and women have to choose. Its not either or but rather a balance. Most have found that balance and earn well, work hard but also make time for their kids. By the way men are all doing the same thing. This is called a Work Life Balance and it is a choice each family makes. This is a personal family decision and law makers, politicians and the courts need to stay the hell out of it. Enough said

Racism in the USA

Now this is a big one. No one wants to touch it but it is at a critical point in the US and we need to focus on it. We have made great in roads on racism in the US from the 1960's till about 6 years ago. We elected a black President and sadly while he should have helped us move further along he has pushed us back a decade or more.

Obama is our leader and sadly when a leader shows bias to a segment of society we begin to have problems. I understand very well that he is from a minority group and that he was raised with the credo that minorities are treated differently and need to protected. I am sure that as a Community Organizer Mr. Obama had to fight hard to get things done for his minority constituents. I am part of a minority myself and have experienced racism first hand. It is horrible so I understand more than most. That said I think we are going the wrong way on this issue in the US.

If we pit minority against the majority we will have constant conflict. We also cannot rule our society based on the minority as that is not a Democracy. Laws passed to just offer protection to minorities is a futile process. There will always be minorities and there will always be horrible humans who exploit that but we cannot spend our time chasing our tails.

No the answers lies in education, focus on common ground and above all not pitting race against race. All lives matter. Just the slogan Black Lives Matter is offensive and incites contempt and anger. If you are Asian or Italian does your life not matter? This is the level of stupidity we have gotten to and it can only lead to greater racism.

Lets stop it. Let's create a society of inclusion not division. We are not Black White Jamaican, Latino or Asian - we are Americans. Lets spend half the energy and money we do on protecting and catering to minorities on inclusion and building the American brand. No matter what religion, race or creed we are first Americans and then families. Lets build our country pride as We The People - One Nation bound by our diversity and common interest in a good life.

God Bless America.

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