Once again the people of America are exposed to a U.S. Representative from Louisiana who campaigned on family values and was caught on camera in a situation deemed not to represent those values. The act that was caught on camera does not in itself convey the real problem or issue. The real story here is that conservatives have used family values in their campaigns in order to appeal to a certain base like they do with other issues such as religion, abortion and sexual orientation.
Those issues are used in a way to make their opponets seem morally corrupt. There are so many politicians who have had to eat crow on the family values issue. One should think a lesson would have been learned by now. Conservatives really started to use the family value story after Reagan was elected President. They found themselves unable to compete as a party and therefore came up with a phony way to divide and conquer. Television evangelist use the same tactics and reel in millions of dollars in contributions from their T.V. base.
It never seems to fail when a politician preaches family values or character, he himself ends up being the person with out character of family values. The response from some elected officials in Louisiana concerning this latest fall from grace was that the errant representative should resign. Some compared his actions to a U.S. Senator and said the republican party let that sin ride and did not seek his resignation.
This repeated story is a prime example of our political systems failure to attract serious public servants who are not afraid of campaigning on the issues facing the country and its people. You either have family values or you lack them. Those who do need not talk about it. Those who don't and say they do are as phony as the Fox News Network who say they are fair and balanced.
This commentary written by John Lucia
Sunday, April 13, 2014
Thursday, April 10, 2014
The Political Cartel: Corporate America, Political Action Committees And Elected Officials.
Has anyone noticed how the above cartel has become so brazen in their corruption of the political system? All three interweave and undermine the democratic process that is so necessary for civility and order in society, and especially in govrnment.
Corporate America and PAC's flaunt their wealth to corrupt the system and elected officials flaunt their willingness in giving special favors to them. They even defend them when they are wrong. A good example is how Louisiana's elected officials opposed the moratorium in the Gulf of Mexico after the BP disaster that killed 11 rig workers and made all kinds of failed predictions if the moratorium stayed in place. And now elected officials in Louisiana will introduce legislation to kill the suit filed by the Southeast Louisiana Flood Protection Authority-East against 97 oil, gas and pipeline companies that have raped Louisiana's environment over the past 50 years.
The wealthy Wall Street Banks who helped bring down the economy because of their influence with elected officials that let regulations slide and to top it off they are still operating as usual. In a story published in the Times Picayune dated 4/9/14 reports that federal regulators voted to require banks to raise their minimum ratio of capital to loans to 5% from the current 3% which is just a slap on the wrist.It applies to eight banks deemed so big and interconnected that each could threaten the global financial system. In this writers judgement that describes a monopoly and should be broken up period.
The 8 banks it applies too are Goldman Sachs, Citigroup, Bank of America, J.P. Morgan Chase, Wells Fargo, Morgan Stanley, Bank of N.Y. Mellon and State Street Bank. We already know what those banks did to the American economy because the country and its people are still feeling the effects. Once again, becuse of the wealth connection to our political system a slap on the wrist is given to this monopoly. President's Harry Truman, Franklin Roosevelt and Teddy Roosevelt had the courage to break monopolies up during their time.
The cartel has been effective in fooling the people in believing that the oil industry needs $8 billion in tax breaks, that Corporate America can earn billions of dollars in net profit and still not pay any taxes, that regulations cost jobs, that the minimum wage is not necessary, that the tax loopholes that congress created for the wealthy is ok. The list goes on and on. I wrote a commentary titled, Too Big To Fail dated 4/17/10 here in PolitiDose and that commentary is still applicable today.
The cartel has undermined what good government is all about. When one hears an elected official say government should be run like a business that is the code word for eliminating the natural relationship of governments responsibility to the people. It also tells Corporate America welcome to the political world of special interest. To the cartel, government and the people are pawns to be used for their own satisfaction. They lack character, courage and understanding of what being an American is all about. And that really says it all.
This commentary written by John Lucia.
Corporate America and PAC's flaunt their wealth to corrupt the system and elected officials flaunt their willingness in giving special favors to them. They even defend them when they are wrong. A good example is how Louisiana's elected officials opposed the moratorium in the Gulf of Mexico after the BP disaster that killed 11 rig workers and made all kinds of failed predictions if the moratorium stayed in place. And now elected officials in Louisiana will introduce legislation to kill the suit filed by the Southeast Louisiana Flood Protection Authority-East against 97 oil, gas and pipeline companies that have raped Louisiana's environment over the past 50 years.
The wealthy Wall Street Banks who helped bring down the economy because of their influence with elected officials that let regulations slide and to top it off they are still operating as usual. In a story published in the Times Picayune dated 4/9/14 reports that federal regulators voted to require banks to raise their minimum ratio of capital to loans to 5% from the current 3% which is just a slap on the wrist.It applies to eight banks deemed so big and interconnected that each could threaten the global financial system. In this writers judgement that describes a monopoly and should be broken up period.
The 8 banks it applies too are Goldman Sachs, Citigroup, Bank of America, J.P. Morgan Chase, Wells Fargo, Morgan Stanley, Bank of N.Y. Mellon and State Street Bank. We already know what those banks did to the American economy because the country and its people are still feeling the effects. Once again, becuse of the wealth connection to our political system a slap on the wrist is given to this monopoly. President's Harry Truman, Franklin Roosevelt and Teddy Roosevelt had the courage to break monopolies up during their time.
The cartel has been effective in fooling the people in believing that the oil industry needs $8 billion in tax breaks, that Corporate America can earn billions of dollars in net profit and still not pay any taxes, that regulations cost jobs, that the minimum wage is not necessary, that the tax loopholes that congress created for the wealthy is ok. The list goes on and on. I wrote a commentary titled, Too Big To Fail dated 4/17/10 here in PolitiDose and that commentary is still applicable today.
The cartel has undermined what good government is all about. When one hears an elected official say government should be run like a business that is the code word for eliminating the natural relationship of governments responsibility to the people. It also tells Corporate America welcome to the political world of special interest. To the cartel, government and the people are pawns to be used for their own satisfaction. They lack character, courage and understanding of what being an American is all about. And that really says it all.
This commentary written by John Lucia.
Wednesday, April 9, 2014
Job Creation Continues Under The Obama Administration.
The economy created 192,000 jobs in March according to the latest Department of Labor report. That brought job creation in positive territory for over four straight years and still counting. The economy continues to require assistance to continue short and long term growth. It also needs republicans to get over their petty and childish committment to destroy the Obama administration. The failure of their party during the previous administration was the catalist for their desire and conservative ideology to obstruct.
President Obama started his 6th year in office in January with the unemployment rate lower than it was when he took office. The unemployment rate when Bush 43 started his 6th year in office was up from when he took office and was up 3.6% when he left office. President Obama inherited far more problems when he took office than President Bush did when he took office. When one considers the republican's promise to obstruct, any fair minded person would have to admit President Obama has done a good job.
This writer's commentary concerning precedent titled, An Economic Turnaround: Job Creation and Fiscal Stability, There Is A Precedent, dated 12./14/09 has come to pass and once again it is a democratic administration that is moving the economy, creating jobs, reducing the federal deficit, reducing federal spending and lowering the unemployment rate.
History has confirmed it is democratic administrations that do a better job for the country and its people in almost every area of progress compared to republican administrations. The republicans would love to take control of both houses of congress in November to make sure that the Obama administration ends in failure as the Bush administration did. Their ideology has no redemptive value and as a result would like to see the future be like the past.
This commentary written by John Lucia.
President Obama started his 6th year in office in January with the unemployment rate lower than it was when he took office. The unemployment rate when Bush 43 started his 6th year in office was up from when he took office and was up 3.6% when he left office. President Obama inherited far more problems when he took office than President Bush did when he took office. When one considers the republican's promise to obstruct, any fair minded person would have to admit President Obama has done a good job.
This writer's commentary concerning precedent titled, An Economic Turnaround: Job Creation and Fiscal Stability, There Is A Precedent, dated 12./14/09 has come to pass and once again it is a democratic administration that is moving the economy, creating jobs, reducing the federal deficit, reducing federal spending and lowering the unemployment rate.
History has confirmed it is democratic administrations that do a better job for the country and its people in almost every area of progress compared to republican administrations. The republicans would love to take control of both houses of congress in November to make sure that the Obama administration ends in failure as the Bush administration did. Their ideology has no redemptive value and as a result would like to see the future be like the past.
This commentary written by John Lucia.
Monday, April 7, 2014
The Latest Supreme Court Decision: Another Blow To The Election Process
First it was the Supreme Court's decision in Citizins United that treated corporations as people and allowed them unliminted amounts to spend on campaigns out side political parties. The ads you see in Louisiana by the Koch brothers(who are outsiders) against Senator Mary Landrieu is a good example.
Now we have last weeks decision concerning McCuteheon which also releases a flood of money into political campaigns. Columnist David Brooks said it is a win for political parties. Newt Gingrich said it will allow the middle class to compete with wealthy PAC's. Gingrich, a perennial candidate loves it because politicians go after the money. Brooks, a news media person loves it because the news media sell ads to all the wealthy who spend millions so politicians can be beholden to them. Make no mistake these two decisions will continue to destroy our democratic form of government.
There is only one thing left to do in order to stop the buying of elected officials by the wealthy and to put the special interest people out of business. The answer is what I have written about in several commentaries here in PolitiDose. Politicians have to stand up and refuse to take any money from anyone and be innovative in changing how campaigns are financed and run. All it takes is character, courage and balls. David Brooks said you can't take money out of politics, a neat way of saying he supports the status quo. Campaigns should be shorter. The news media is already promoting the 2016 Presidential race and leading the charge is the Fox News Network, the network of lies and misinformation.
The same greedy people who are spending all the money are the same ones who demand the tax breaks, loop holes and special treatment so they can add to their wealth and greed. They are the sames ones who oppose raising the minimum wage and want to operate outside of regulations. A wise Louisiana Assessor once said, Power Corrupts, and Absolute Power Corrupts Abslolutely. That is just what is happening in our political system today between the special interest and our elected officials.
By the way, there is another way to eliminate money in campaigns and the Supreme Court would have no say in the matter just as they do not have any say if a politician rejects campaign contributions. If enough people are interested I will write a commentary on the subject matter in the future.
This commentary written by John Lucia.
Now we have last weeks decision concerning McCuteheon which also releases a flood of money into political campaigns. Columnist David Brooks said it is a win for political parties. Newt Gingrich said it will allow the middle class to compete with wealthy PAC's. Gingrich, a perennial candidate loves it because politicians go after the money. Brooks, a news media person loves it because the news media sell ads to all the wealthy who spend millions so politicians can be beholden to them. Make no mistake these two decisions will continue to destroy our democratic form of government.
There is only one thing left to do in order to stop the buying of elected officials by the wealthy and to put the special interest people out of business. The answer is what I have written about in several commentaries here in PolitiDose. Politicians have to stand up and refuse to take any money from anyone and be innovative in changing how campaigns are financed and run. All it takes is character, courage and balls. David Brooks said you can't take money out of politics, a neat way of saying he supports the status quo. Campaigns should be shorter. The news media is already promoting the 2016 Presidential race and leading the charge is the Fox News Network, the network of lies and misinformation.
The same greedy people who are spending all the money are the same ones who demand the tax breaks, loop holes and special treatment so they can add to their wealth and greed. They are the sames ones who oppose raising the minimum wage and want to operate outside of regulations. A wise Louisiana Assessor once said, Power Corrupts, and Absolute Power Corrupts Abslolutely. That is just what is happening in our political system today between the special interest and our elected officials.
By the way, there is another way to eliminate money in campaigns and the Supreme Court would have no say in the matter just as they do not have any say if a politician rejects campaign contributions. If enough people are interested I will write a commentary on the subject matter in the future.
This commentary written by John Lucia.
Saturday, April 5, 2014
:Paul Ryan And The Latest Republican Budget
The U.S. House budget committee chairman Paul Ryan's latest budget is another fairy tale like the one he and Romney ran on during the 2012 Presidential campaign. The American people rejected that budget because they understood arithmetic.
Ryan's budget calls for spending cuts totaling $5 trillion over the next 10 years including steep cuts to medicaid, food stamps, a total repeal of the ACA and ending medicare as it exists today in favor of a private insured federal subsidy. It also calls for deficit spending for the next 10 years and a balanced budget in 2024. It should be noted that no republican President has balanced the federal budget since Dwight Eisenhower in 1960 and Ryan wants to extend that another 10 years.
Louisiana's Bill Cassidy in the U.S. House who is challenging democratic senator Mary Landrieu in a report by Bruce Alpert in the Times Picayune of 4/4/14 reported he is on the fence for Ryans budget and that he will evaluate the budget proposal. Cassidy has supported Ryan's previous budget proposal that was similiar. Seems like the coming election in November is now on Cassidy's mind.
The same article reports that Steve Scalise and his conservative republican study committee will offer a more aggressive deficit reduction budget soon. Scalise's study committee proposal includes raising the age to qualify for medicare and full social security benefits. This is a fore runner to eliminate medicare and social security in the future. Ryan indicated his budget is depending on the republicans taking over the Senate in November and controlling both houses of congress.
Never mind that the republicans controlled both houses of congress for the first 6 years of George W. Bush's terms in office and failed to cut spending when they had the chance to do so. In fact the Bush administration turned President Clinton's record balanced budgets and surpluses into deficit spending in Bush's very first fiscal year and all 8 years he served. In fact federal spending went up 61% during his two terms in office. (see my commentary titled, Federal Spending: Facts vs. Myth dated 10/31/09.
The Obama administration has reduced the federal deficit over 60% since Bush's last fiscal year which ended up with a record one year deficit of over $1.4 trillion. And in the last 50 years it has been the administrations of Clinton and Obama that saw the smallest increase in federal spending. Reagan, Bush 41 and Bush 43 don't even come close. The republican party is still living in Wally, Wally world and just recycle their past failures with an ideology of contempt for their own supporters.
It is hell when you have no record of moving the country and its people forward. Is it any wonder why they can not debate the issues or articulate what they stand for?
This commentary written by John Lucia
Ryan's budget calls for spending cuts totaling $5 trillion over the next 10 years including steep cuts to medicaid, food stamps, a total repeal of the ACA and ending medicare as it exists today in favor of a private insured federal subsidy. It also calls for deficit spending for the next 10 years and a balanced budget in 2024. It should be noted that no republican President has balanced the federal budget since Dwight Eisenhower in 1960 and Ryan wants to extend that another 10 years.
Louisiana's Bill Cassidy in the U.S. House who is challenging democratic senator Mary Landrieu in a report by Bruce Alpert in the Times Picayune of 4/4/14 reported he is on the fence for Ryans budget and that he will evaluate the budget proposal. Cassidy has supported Ryan's previous budget proposal that was similiar. Seems like the coming election in November is now on Cassidy's mind.
The same article reports that Steve Scalise and his conservative republican study committee will offer a more aggressive deficit reduction budget soon. Scalise's study committee proposal includes raising the age to qualify for medicare and full social security benefits. This is a fore runner to eliminate medicare and social security in the future. Ryan indicated his budget is depending on the republicans taking over the Senate in November and controlling both houses of congress.
Never mind that the republicans controlled both houses of congress for the first 6 years of George W. Bush's terms in office and failed to cut spending when they had the chance to do so. In fact the Bush administration turned President Clinton's record balanced budgets and surpluses into deficit spending in Bush's very first fiscal year and all 8 years he served. In fact federal spending went up 61% during his two terms in office. (see my commentary titled, Federal Spending: Facts vs. Myth dated 10/31/09.
The Obama administration has reduced the federal deficit over 60% since Bush's last fiscal year which ended up with a record one year deficit of over $1.4 trillion. And in the last 50 years it has been the administrations of Clinton and Obama that saw the smallest increase in federal spending. Reagan, Bush 41 and Bush 43 don't even come close. The republican party is still living in Wally, Wally world and just recycle their past failures with an ideology of contempt for their own supporters.
It is hell when you have no record of moving the country and its people forward. Is it any wonder why they can not debate the issues or articulate what they stand for?
This commentary written by John Lucia
Wednesday, April 2, 2014
The Affordable Care Act Has Reached Its Enrollment Goal.
President Obama and the news media announced that 7.1 million people have enrolled in the
ACA and there will be more to come because of the President's extension for those who have applications in the pipe line.
The positive approach to the ACA by President Obama over came the negative noise machine by republicans in congress, the conservative news media and the unAmerican Fox News Network. Those negative voices showed they do not have the character to debate the real issues concerning health care, something this writer has written about many times over here in PolitiDose. They took the low road and used scare tactics, spoke about death panels that don't exist and flat out said over and over that Obamacare was dead. They also attenpted to plant the seed that the initial computer problems concerning sign up meant the ACA would not work.
President Obama showed his courage when early on he used his executive powers to make changes such as delaying the sign up time for business, both small and large. By doing so he took the politics out of the issue and left the republicans steaming. The best course to pursue between now and the next enrollment period in this writers opinion would be to let matters play out and see how health services are administered to those newly insured people and when the need arises and what type of problems pops up, if any at all. They can then be addressed.
The worst thing that could happen is for republicans and democrats to rush to judgement and try to make changes to the ACA before the November elections for political purposes. President Obama can put a stop to that with his veto pen if it occurs. The President has demonstrated his willingness to change what is not working but has to keep both republicans and democrats under control so that the public's need is served over political rhetoric.
The President should continue to use his executive powers if necessary concerning the subject matter. There is a reason 7.1 million people have enrolled in the ACA and in due time the positive effects will out weigh the negative voices and the country and its people will be better off.
This commentary written by John Lucia
ACA and there will be more to come because of the President's extension for those who have applications in the pipe line.
The positive approach to the ACA by President Obama over came the negative noise machine by republicans in congress, the conservative news media and the unAmerican Fox News Network. Those negative voices showed they do not have the character to debate the real issues concerning health care, something this writer has written about many times over here in PolitiDose. They took the low road and used scare tactics, spoke about death panels that don't exist and flat out said over and over that Obamacare was dead. They also attenpted to plant the seed that the initial computer problems concerning sign up meant the ACA would not work.
President Obama showed his courage when early on he used his executive powers to make changes such as delaying the sign up time for business, both small and large. By doing so he took the politics out of the issue and left the republicans steaming. The best course to pursue between now and the next enrollment period in this writers opinion would be to let matters play out and see how health services are administered to those newly insured people and when the need arises and what type of problems pops up, if any at all. They can then be addressed.
The worst thing that could happen is for republicans and democrats to rush to judgement and try to make changes to the ACA before the November elections for political purposes. President Obama can put a stop to that with his veto pen if it occurs. The President has demonstrated his willingness to change what is not working but has to keep both republicans and democrats under control so that the public's need is served over political rhetoric.
The President should continue to use his executive powers if necessary concerning the subject matter. There is a reason 7.1 million people have enrolled in the ACA and in due time the positive effects will out weigh the negative voices and the country and its people will be better off.
This commentary written by John Lucia
Sunday, March 30, 2014
The New Orleans Pelicans Basketball Team
In the past several weeks some Pelican officials spoke concerning how the general public has accepted the name change with gusto and how the city has related well with the name change and that it was a natural. This writer is prepared to take issue with the name change.
As a teen ager and young boy who loved baseball, I was part of a generation (young and old) who spent many a day and night at Pelican stadium watching the "Pels" play baseball. There were no major league teams to watch on TV because there was no TV. But major league teams did come to Pelican stadium to play the Pels an exhibition game so we were able to see in person some major league teams. I had an opportunity to see the Yankees when they had Joe DiMaggio when they came to Pelican stadium. It is a game I will never forget.
I lived on the West Bank and it was a thrill to be able to see a professional team play a game I loved. I can still recall the magic atmosphere as I entered the stadium and I still remember many of the players name. Sixty five years later and I still have magic thoughts when I think about the Pels, as we fondly called them. Mr. Bensen owns the right to the Pelican name and had the authority to change his teams name. I happen to think it was a bad decision.
There is no way I can relate to the basketball team being called the "Pels." The "Pels" will always be ingrained in my mind as the New Orleans Pelicans baseball team. I have reasons to believe a good part of my generation feel the same way.
This commentary written by John Lucia.
As a teen ager and young boy who loved baseball, I was part of a generation (young and old) who spent many a day and night at Pelican stadium watching the "Pels" play baseball. There were no major league teams to watch on TV because there was no TV. But major league teams did come to Pelican stadium to play the Pels an exhibition game so we were able to see in person some major league teams. I had an opportunity to see the Yankees when they had Joe DiMaggio when they came to Pelican stadium. It is a game I will never forget.
I lived on the West Bank and it was a thrill to be able to see a professional team play a game I loved. I can still recall the magic atmosphere as I entered the stadium and I still remember many of the players name. Sixty five years later and I still have magic thoughts when I think about the Pels, as we fondly called them. Mr. Bensen owns the right to the Pelican name and had the authority to change his teams name. I happen to think it was a bad decision.
There is no way I can relate to the basketball team being called the "Pels." The "Pels" will always be ingrained in my mind as the New Orleans Pelicans baseball team. I have reasons to believe a good part of my generation feel the same way.
This commentary written by John Lucia.
Saturday, March 29, 2014
The Affordable Care Act: Six Million And Still Counting.
It has been announced that over 6 million people have signed up for the Affordable Care Act, (ACA) prior to the dead line of March 31th. President Obama said the dead line would be extended past that date to allow those applications that are in progress to be completed. This writer believes the extension is reasonable and that reasonable people would understand.
The 6 million people who choose to join the ACA indicates that the program is much needed and will go a long way for those who have been uninsured to enjoy the health benefits that will accrue to them. Regular check ups can now be a part of their routine and their employers will have a healthier work force.
The reaction to the dead line extension from the republican leadership in congress and others was the usual noise of opposition. They also once again for the record will try to repeal the ACA for the umteenth time. They realized from the very beginning that the ACA would be successful and that once understood, the uninsured would embrace it. They also knew that the need for health insurance was there but did nothing during the 8 years of the G.W. Bush administration and so far for the 5 years under Obama.
The republican opposition to every program that the President seeks is in line with their stated objective from day one, and that is for the President to have a failed administration. The President has said that he will not let the republicans repeal the ACA on his watch. President George W. Bush understood when the democrats in congress told him they would not support his wish to privatize social security and he wisely backed off. The republican leadership in congress needs to back off.
President George H.W. Bush was quoted as saying after he lost his reelection bid, "he could not understand how he could have lost the election to Bill Clinton." His wife Barbara was quoted that she told him "to get over it." After loosing two elections to President Obama, it is time for today's republicans "to get over it", grow up and help the President move the country and its people forward.
This commentry written by John Lucia.
The 6 million people who choose to join the ACA indicates that the program is much needed and will go a long way for those who have been uninsured to enjoy the health benefits that will accrue to them. Regular check ups can now be a part of their routine and their employers will have a healthier work force.
The reaction to the dead line extension from the republican leadership in congress and others was the usual noise of opposition. They also once again for the record will try to repeal the ACA for the umteenth time. They realized from the very beginning that the ACA would be successful and that once understood, the uninsured would embrace it. They also knew that the need for health insurance was there but did nothing during the 8 years of the G.W. Bush administration and so far for the 5 years under Obama.
The republican opposition to every program that the President seeks is in line with their stated objective from day one, and that is for the President to have a failed administration. The President has said that he will not let the republicans repeal the ACA on his watch. President George W. Bush understood when the democrats in congress told him they would not support his wish to privatize social security and he wisely backed off. The republican leadership in congress needs to back off.
President George H.W. Bush was quoted as saying after he lost his reelection bid, "he could not understand how he could have lost the election to Bill Clinton." His wife Barbara was quoted that she told him "to get over it." After loosing two elections to President Obama, it is time for today's republicans "to get over it", grow up and help the President move the country and its people forward.
This commentry written by John Lucia.
Wednesday, March 26, 2014
The NFL Must Be Reading PolitiDose.
Dean Blandino, the NFL's head of officiating guy, said it will now be a penalty if a player dunks the football over the goalpost. That rule change will affect Saints player Jimmy Graham more than any other NFL player. Graham seems to like the show off move.
This writer in a previous "PolitiDose" commentary mentioned that the sport was better and more enjoyable when a player just laid the football down or gave it to the official after scoring a touchdown. The players back then made less money and were more team oriented than the players today. They also recognized it takes a team effort to score a touchdown.
No one should be surprised if Graham makes a dunk and pays the fine anyway. It is typical of some players to do those kinds of things because of the "idol" status given to them by the news media. On the other hand, no rule change would have been necessary if all of the Saints opponets knew how to play defense like Seattle and New England. And that really says it all.
This commentary written by John Lucia.
This writer in a previous "PolitiDose" commentary mentioned that the sport was better and more enjoyable when a player just laid the football down or gave it to the official after scoring a touchdown. The players back then made less money and were more team oriented than the players today. They also recognized it takes a team effort to score a touchdown.
No one should be surprised if Graham makes a dunk and pays the fine anyway. It is typical of some players to do those kinds of things because of the "idol" status given to them by the news media. On the other hand, no rule change would have been necessary if all of the Saints opponets knew how to play defense like Seattle and New England. And that really says it all.
This commentary written by John Lucia.
Tuesday, March 25, 2014
The Role Of Women In Civilization.
The Bible tells us that civilization began in the land of Shinar (called Sumer by scholars). That fact has been verified by archaeologists who have excavated the land and discovered thousands of tablets containing written records of their civilization. The people called themselves Sumerians and called their land Shumer. It was located in southern Mesopotamia (land between the two rivers) which can be identified as todays Iraq.
The Sumerians civilization blossomed in 3800 b.c., almost 6000 years ago and attained a high civilization that included laws and regulations and every first in civilization that we enjoy today. Scholars can not find any part of civilization today that did not have its roots in Sumer. The land attained great heights and women played a major role in every part of everyday life, in government and in commerce. Zecharia Sitchin in his book "When Time Began" explains the role women played in Sumer's civilization as follows.
The gathered evidence shows that in Sumer and Akkad women engaged not only in household chores like spinning, weaving, milking or tending to the family and the home, but also were working professionals as doctors, midwives, nurses, governesses, teachers, beauticians, hairdressers, singers musicians, dancers and banquet masters.
Women were also prominent in business and property management. Records have been found of women managing the family lands and overseeing their cultivation, and then supervising the trade in the resulting products. This was especially true of the ruling families of the royal court. Royal wives administered temples and vast estates, royal daughters served not only as priestesses but even as the High Priestess.
Sumerian kings had promulgated codes of social justice, their laws protecting the widow, the orphan, the weak and decreeing that you shal not take away the donkey of a widow or you shall not delay the wages of a day laborer. The Sumerian concept of laws intended to direct human conduct rather than punish its faults. All of that came to an end after two thousand years of Sumerians greatness with the rise of Babylon.
Now, lets us fast forward to the year 2014 almost 6000 years after Sumer. Women are being marginalized over the Supreme Court's decision in Roe v. Wade which took place over 30 years ago. They are denied equal pay for equal work, they are denied advancement in the workplace, they are a minority in our two party system, they continue to be harassed physically and mentally in many areas of life. The list can go on and on but the people know what is happening.
Ideology has taken the spotlight and leading the charge against women and the American way of life. It is an ideology of ignorance, lies, elitism and a drive to convert the life of freedom into a life of fear. It is a ideology of division, divide and conquer. Void of ideas and compassion and a lack of courage to debate the issues. What happened in Sumer thousands of years ago should matter to all who seek a better life for all its people, its children and generations to come. The Sumerians said they were taught that understanding the past is the key to a better future. A failure to do so will doom the future to be like the past.
Ideology in governing has no place in American life. The record of the past three decades has proven that. Is ideology as practiced today a prelude to what happened to the great Sumerian civilization. That is a question we should all ponder.
This commentary written by John Lucia.
The Sumerians civilization blossomed in 3800 b.c., almost 6000 years ago and attained a high civilization that included laws and regulations and every first in civilization that we enjoy today. Scholars can not find any part of civilization today that did not have its roots in Sumer. The land attained great heights and women played a major role in every part of everyday life, in government and in commerce. Zecharia Sitchin in his book "When Time Began" explains the role women played in Sumer's civilization as follows.
The gathered evidence shows that in Sumer and Akkad women engaged not only in household chores like spinning, weaving, milking or tending to the family and the home, but also were working professionals as doctors, midwives, nurses, governesses, teachers, beauticians, hairdressers, singers musicians, dancers and banquet masters.
Women were also prominent in business and property management. Records have been found of women managing the family lands and overseeing their cultivation, and then supervising the trade in the resulting products. This was especially true of the ruling families of the royal court. Royal wives administered temples and vast estates, royal daughters served not only as priestesses but even as the High Priestess.
Sumerian kings had promulgated codes of social justice, their laws protecting the widow, the orphan, the weak and decreeing that you shal not take away the donkey of a widow or you shall not delay the wages of a day laborer. The Sumerian concept of laws intended to direct human conduct rather than punish its faults. All of that came to an end after two thousand years of Sumerians greatness with the rise of Babylon.
Now, lets us fast forward to the year 2014 almost 6000 years after Sumer. Women are being marginalized over the Supreme Court's decision in Roe v. Wade which took place over 30 years ago. They are denied equal pay for equal work, they are denied advancement in the workplace, they are a minority in our two party system, they continue to be harassed physically and mentally in many areas of life. The list can go on and on but the people know what is happening.
Ideology has taken the spotlight and leading the charge against women and the American way of life. It is an ideology of ignorance, lies, elitism and a drive to convert the life of freedom into a life of fear. It is a ideology of division, divide and conquer. Void of ideas and compassion and a lack of courage to debate the issues. What happened in Sumer thousands of years ago should matter to all who seek a better life for all its people, its children and generations to come. The Sumerians said they were taught that understanding the past is the key to a better future. A failure to do so will doom the future to be like the past.
Ideology in governing has no place in American life. The record of the past three decades has proven that. Is ideology as practiced today a prelude to what happened to the great Sumerian civilization. That is a question we should all ponder.
This commentary written by John Lucia.
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