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Political Transcript 2 9/17/2004 12:08:26 PM
further conversations with my self-described "moderate Republican" friend from Texas
Subj: Todd here
Date: 9/14/2004 8:26:53 PM Eastern Standard Time
From: FilmFictionmaker
To: Silverdew7
Hey Frank,
Well, now that the Republican Convention is over, what is your comments on it? I thought the speeches were down right amazing. Every last one! I was shocked at how good the convention was. Let me ask you something, is it just me or did the Democratic Convention have more speakers??? I think Giuliani,Schwarzeneggar, Miller, and McCain did superb. Giuliani looked very,very,very Presidential. I was watching it with my parents and that's what they kept saying, "he looks like a President". May be ominous words. Schwarzeneggar basically defined what it is to be a true American, Giuliani basically defined Kerry, McCain defined the democrats and certain filmmakers,lol, and Miller did all of the above with his fiery, truth speaking speech. I know you are a Democrat and I know you think he is some sort of turn coat or something but that guy is fed up with the Democrats and if you payed attention to his speech then you will know why. But if you saw the whole thing you already know what I mean. Zell Miller is leaving the Senate for good so he has nothing to lose by saying what he said. I may be a little biased, I don't know, but most of what was said went beyond party lines. It was about individual character.
Anyway, nothing much here is going on. My sister's friends father is dying and they don't know if he'll make it. He's got liver failure, a tumor and some kind of cancer. I have some career prospects with my writing but I won't tell you about them til they become more concrete.
Just checking in.
Talk to you soon,
Todd.
Subj: Re: Todd here
Date: 9/15/2004 5:43:24 PM Eastern Standard Time
From: Silverdew7
To: FilmFictionmaker
In a message dated 9/14/2004 8:26:53 PM Eastern Standard Time, FilmFictionmaker writes:
I know you are a Democrat
Hi Todd,
I guess you don't recall the time I answered this question for you. I am a registered Independent, but I know that you are a flaring Republican.
Yes, I saw the convention, and it is an unfitting thing over which to emotionally ejaculate. Have you seen the parody that Late Night with Conan O'Brien does of Zell Miller? To me, that was the best thing to come out of the convention. Republicans just lie and lie and lie. They talk as if all American soldiers are Republicans. They get some poor people to think that it might be a better choice to vote Republican, and that is the biggest lie of all. It doesn't matter who they have for speakers because their job is to tell the lie. Are we really better off today than we were four years ago? I don't think so. Ever wonder why it's usually the Republican candidates who tend to be actors?
So let me redirect this. What would you do (specific policies and actions) if you were president, Todd?
If I were president, no one would be allowed to own a third home until most people had a first. Health coverage would be universal (and paid for mostly by the rich). No one would be allowed to make more than 5 million a year without half of the rest going to charity (make 10 mil and 2.5 has to go to charity). (and by the way, the only folks who would truly get alarmed by these "no one would be allowed" statements are the rich..and possibly the ignorant). Criminals convicted of serious crimes would be used a medical test subjects to advance scientific research (doesn't sound too Democratic, does it), and whatever the researchers would normally pay citizen volunteers for these projects will be donated to the families of the convict's victim(s). NASA would get a much bigger budget. Marijuana would be legal if you had a license for it (you would get a license by paying a large fee and undergoing smoke testing in a secure environment to see if you could handle it). The government would produce and sell it like cigarettes, and the billions worth of income these sales generated would pay for a host of valuable services to all of society, eventually decreasing the taxes on the rich (it would also vastly reduce drug-related crime).
Enough.
Blast away, admiral.
--Frank
Subj: Re: Todd here
Date: 9/16/2004 2:22:30 AM Eastern Standard Time
From: FilmFictionmaker
To: Silverdew7
Frank,
I have a few things to add to the most recent email of yours.
First of all, I am not a flaring Republican. A flaring Republican would be someone who agrees with the likes of Pat Robertson, Trent Lott, and Patrick Buchanan. I am a very Moderate Republican. I've said it before. I believe everyone should have equal rights and equal protection as should be provided by law. That includes defending our borders, health care for all, and the right to earn a decent education. I am not a cold hearted, mean spirited Republican like the media likes to point out Republicans to be. That is the oldest spin doctoring in politcally history. To demonize the opposite political party, to turn them into evil. Don't generalize all Republicans because all Republicans are not the same and you know this. For example, Arnold Schwarzeneggar isn't the same kind of Republican as Trent Lott. Trent Lott is living in some kind of a 1950's fantasy world bubble, Arnold is not. People like Arnold Schwarzeneggar, Rudolph Giuliani and J.C. Watts are the future of the party. Trent Lott, Pat Buchanan, and the people of their nature are the past. Lott is a terrible reminder of what politicians used to be. I want to vote for someone who's progressive, who's views equal that of the majority of Americans. Sorry that I stated you were a Democrat, it's just I find it confusing for you to say you are Independent but think Republicans are scum. I'm a little confused about that, please clarify.
I haven't watched Conan O'Brian for about two or three months, and if I do it's always the last 5 or 10 minutes of the show. Not that I don't like him, I love his show, but sometimes you just don't catch the show in time. I'm sure it's happened to you with other tv shows. Was it funny about Zell Miller? And you say Republicans lie and lie, well Democrats lie too. What a voter has to do is vote for the person not the party. To be a yellow dog Republican or Democrat is the worst thing you can do because you are putting blind trust into the party and how do you know you can trust that person 100% no matter what party they come from? The answer is to look at their track record and their countenance. That's about the only thing you can do, aside from getting your facts from multiple news sources before making a decision. I'm not voting for Bush or Kerry, I'm voting for Nader. I'm not voting for either because I'm tired of being lied to. Kerry is too used to lying and Bush has fallen into the trap of lying. At least Nader tells the truth. I may not vote for the winner but at least my conscience will be clean and blameless.
As for your statement about Republicans being actors I can only think of 4 politicians that are Republican that were actors and they are: Arnold Schwarzeneggar, Jesse Ventura, Sonny Bono (although he wasn't much of an actor,lol), and Ronald Reagan. Who else is left that was an actor who became a Republican politician?
Now to answer your question on what I'd do as President , I'll tell you since you told me what you would do:
#1. HEALTH CARE- I would make it a requirement for all hospitals, primary care physicians , health insurance providers to provide quality health care to ALL individuals. I would create a national health care system similar to our Social Security system where you'd accumalate Health Care dollars . I would create a Health Care tax to help pay for it. There are 250 million or more Americans in this country, so since most of us have to pay our taxes every april I'd have it so you pay a dollar a year based on every member in your household.
For example: If you are a family of 5 then you'd pay 5 dollars a year. If it's just you and you alone then 1 dollar a year. If you are a couple then 2 dollars a year. Now that's fair. People get health care and you pay a very small fee to get it. Congress wants to be stubborn and not get rid of income tax, then we might as well help ourselves in the process. And if a person has a disease, or some other major emergency or ailment that person can't denied help whatsoever. The rich should pay, so triple what they have to pay in the Health Care tax. They can afford to spend 20.00 bucks or more.
#2. EARNING CAPABILITIES ( like you suggested)- No person should be limited to how much they earn every year. That would take away from our personal freedoms as outlined in the U.S. Constitution. But if you are wealthy, and say earning 90 Million a year, then it would be a requirement to do some charitable work. I would make it so no matter what your economic standing that for every 10 hours you work or earn money you have to help at least 1 person who seriously needs help. That would mean helping 3 truly needy people a week.
#3. CRIMINALS- Now what you suggested isn't such a bad idea. Giving criminals scientific testing is a good idea but I'd only give it to the death row inmates and others scheduled for execution and for life sentenced inmates. The others will get out some time in their lifetimes so leave the petty criminals alone. The ones who have had their "3rd Strike" would also follow under the testing category because their is no way they'd get out of prison anyway. But we'd have to be careful not to do something inhumane or the humanity societies and groups would go after the government.
Another suggestion I have would be to put the lifers or serious criminals on a deserted island in the South Pacific. An island no ship or plane in the pilots right minds would pass. Just throw the criminals on some geographical oddity. The really bad ones deserve something like this anyway. Let the elements of nature , God deal with them. That last thing about paying convict's victims is a very good idea, I like it. I'd do that too.
#4. NASA- Yes, NASA needs a way bigger budget. Currently, I think, NASA only has funding to search 10% of the sky. That's just not big enough, their is more to space than our solar system. The public needs an explanation for UFO's and if the gov't won't explain the NASA situation then we ought to have NASA explore space so we get a full explanation. President Carter was going to have the gov't come clean about aliens/UFO's, I don't what stopped him. The government should be forced to tell us the whole truth about Roswell and other military installations investigating aliens. We as citizens have the right to know. It should be a very public explanation by the U.S government. The stonewalling has got to stop.
#5. MARIJUANA- Not a bad idea. But we should do all you suggested but have a trial period to see how it goes. If it goes well then we'll keep it as a law permenantly. If not, things will go back with the issue the way they were. People are gonna smoke it anyway, you shouldn't go to jail for something that's practically the same effect as a pack of Marlboro's.
#6. DEFENSE- Let's be honest. We can't fight everyone. So what I would suggest is keeping the military strong . Give people incentives to join , like better pay and free but better housing for soldiers and their families. If a guy or girl can die for our country the least we could do is buy them a decent 2 story new house. They should have houses similar to what white collar professionals who make between 100K and 200K a year. These people die for our country, we should show them some respect. I would make it so our primary concern is protecting our borders and people who've been our allies. Keyword is "DEFENSE" not "OFFENSE". Don't start a war. End wars. In addition to Defense, Protection should be the order of the Presidency. If I was President the USA would never start a war again. Not for any reason. Finishing other people's wars is ok, but not starting them. Example: Let's say Chechnya gets in a war but we haven't intervened and their Prime Minister asks us to help them so their people don't starve and get murdered, well we'd go in and help end the war. The military is for ending war not for starting it or continuing it.
#7. CIVIL RIGHTS- People should be allowed to do whatever they want in life just as long as they are peaceful, law abiding citizens. The only things that should be forbidden to do is robbery, embezzlement, white collar crimes, rape and murder. Civil Rights is very self explanatory , only the misguided and self righteous don't understand the true meaning of Civil Rights.
#8. Education- I have an interesting idea for education. Children need to be taught how to be moral and ethical and ot just get good grades and learn History, Math, Science and English. I would have it so that you have 1 teacher from 1st to 12th grades. You'd have the same person as your teacher through all 12 grades and you'd form a bond with that teacher because that teacher would be familiar with your learning needs and capabilities. When that teachers class graduates the next year she goes back to the first grade and has to teach another 12 grades. Now high school and middle school kids have to take 7 courses in a day. Well, that 7th course should be on morals and ethics and you can apply that to elementary kids. But the morals and ethics course would apply to their age and grade level. So by the time they get out of 12th grade they are decent human beings who are well adjusted for life. You won't have to worry about any Columbine's happening again because the child would know better. Plus, they would love and care for the world around them. Peace, Love, Understanding and Happiness would be their main goals in life outside their need to have a career. They would not only apply those values to themselves but to their relationships with others.
And college should be free. I don't know who'd pay for it, but that's got to be a goal. No person should be deprived the right to be what they want to be.
#9. INCOME TAX- Eliminate it. We don't need it. The only taxes that would be needed to pay is the above mentioned health care tax and an Federal Budget tax. Like I said before there are 250 million Americans in this country and if every person paid a minimum of 3 dollars towards the federal budget tax annually that would amount to about 750 million dollars. If they can pay more a year they can, but that is optional. I don't know how Americans would feel about paying a Health Care and Federal Budget tax but it beats paying the IRS income taxes.
I don't think their is much left for me to comment on as my goals as President but that's basically what I'd do.
Todd.
Subj: Re: Todd here
Date: 9/16/2004 12:34:54 PM Eastern Standard Time
From: Silverdew7
To: FilmFictionmaker
Hi Todd,
We surprisingly agree on many things (wow!), and you present some very good ideas. So, starting from the top, I'll address what you said:
To me, a flaring Republican is not as bad as a flaming Republican (and beyond that you have Nazi). Sorry if I got you wrong and you are moderate, as I know you've said. The way you were gushing over the convention made it seem otherwise.
Why am I Independent? They tend to leave me alone that way, and I can vote for anybody I want to for president.
Conan O'Brien, as you might now, has a running skit where a tv screen pops up next to him and he "interviews" the talking heads of famous figures (politicians and celebrities). They use an actual photo and then superimpose an actor's moving lips on the face, which talks back. I've seen Conan talk to Zell a couple of times, and the conversation also goes to Zell saying something like, "How dahhrree you, suh. I challenge yah to a duel...tomorreee at dawn, we shall meet on the field of honoh, our pistols ready to expel the spunk from each other..." etc. (based on Zell challening an interviewer to a duel right after the convention). When Conan refuses to fight with guns, the head of Zell will say, "Very well then, suh, we shall bare our upper torsos and go hand-to-hand in sweaty man-combat," Conan refuses and Zell says, "You have left me no choice then, suh, but to fight you baboon style! We shall bare our swollen red buttocks and meet in the park at dawn!" Finally Conan says he doesn't want to do any of that and he just wanted to ask him a few questions, and Zell goes back to the beginning with, "How daahhrre you, suh!"
You can add Clint Eastwood to that Republican actor list, if I'm not mistaken, and there are certainly more.
I don't see how your health care plan will work if people only have to pay a 1-20 dollars a year for it and you eliminate the income tax. You would need to place the initial burden on wealthy individuals and corporations (moreso than with an income tax), and then if you adopted the govt-grown marijuana program and drug licensing, revenue from that would eventually skyrocket. You may also need some strong laws which curb the litigiousness within the health and medical fields.
I like the rest of your stuff very much. Your education idea is particularly compelling, if teachers will willingly go for it. I also think that homeschoolong should be more supported.
Voting for Nader is of course your own choice, but it is also a vote for the entire Green party. Candidates like John Anderson in 1980 and Ross Perot ten years later were good Independent candidates, but Nader again and again, election after election...I don't know. I'd hate to think that Bush got another chance to screw us up even more just because Nader got a few percent of the vote. What will that do for your conscience? Better to go with someone who can't win when the election scales are lopsided and not somewhat close.
Okay, coming back to the issue of Republicans lying more than Democrats: You may live the rest of your life and never think this is true. I can't do much of anything about that. All politicians lie, whether they mean to or not.
Have you seen the Dan Rather/CBS stuff on Bush's horrible National Guard record? The Republicans are questioning the papers because they cannot question the assertions made in those papers. It's true that Bush got preferrential treatment...at the time a lot of others did too. It's true that he skipped his physical, missed attendence, was allowed to simply be absent when others would have been AWOL. If it were you or me in the Guard trying to pull that stuff, we would not be allowed to call ourselves Guardsmen, and it flies in the face of true veterans when Bush tries to stand on equal footing with them. He should salute Kerry when they debate. The Republicans need to stop talking about our army as if all the soldiers are Republicans.
Whew...don't want to step back into the quagmire so soon, so I will conclude.
--Frank
Subj: Something to consider
Date: 9/17/2004 3:05:21 PM Eastern Standard Time
From: Silverdew7
To: FilmFictionmaker
Hey Todd,
I thought this would be a neat thing to forward to you:
The 14 Defining Characteristics Of Fascism
by Dr. Lawrence Britt
Dr. Lawrence Britt has examined the fascist regimes of Hitler (Germany),
Mussolini (Italy), Franco
(Spain), Suharto (Indonesia) and several Latin American regimes. Britt found
14-defining
characteristics common to each:
1. Powerful and Continuing Nationalism
Fascist regimes tend to make constant use of patriotic mottos, slogans,
symbols, songs, and other
paraphernalia. Flags are seen everywhere, as are flag symbols on clothing
and in public displays.
2. Disdain for the Recognition of Human Rights
Because of fear of enemies and the need for security, the people in fascist
regimes are persuaded
that human rights can be ignored in certain cases because of "need." The
people tend to look the
other way or even approve of torture, summary executions, assassinations,
long incarcerations of
prisoners, etc.
3. Identification of Enemies/Scapegoats as a Unifying Cause
The people are rallied into a unifying patriotic frenzy over the need to
eliminate a perceived common
threat or foe: racial , ethnic or religious minorities; liberals;
communists; socialists, terrorists, etc.
4. Supremacy of the Military
Even when there are widespread domestic problems, the military is given a
disproportionate amount
of government funding, and the domestic agenda is neglected. Soldiers and
military service are
glamorized.
5. Rampant Sexism
The governments of fascist nations tend to be almost exclusively
male-dominated. Under fascist
regimes, traditional gender roles are made more rigid. Divorce, abortion and
homosexuality are
suppressed and the state is represented as the ultimate guardian of the
family institution.
6. Controlled Mass Media
Sometimes to media is directly controlled by the government, but in other
cases, the media is
indirectly controlled by government regulation, or sympathetic media
spokespeople and executives.
Censorship, especially in war time, is very common.
7. Obsession with National Security
Fear is used as a motivational tool by the government over the masses.
8. Religion and Government are Intertwined
Governments in fascist nations tend to use the most common religion in the
nation as a tool to
manipulate public opinion. Religious rhetoric and terminology is common from
government leaders,
even when the major tenets of the religion are diametrically opposed to the
government's policies or
actions.
9. Corporate Power is Protected
The industrial and business aristocracy of a fascist nation often are the
ones who put the government
leaders into power, creating a mutually beneficial business/government
relationship and power elite.
10. Labor Power is Suppressed
Because the organizing power of labor is the only real threat to a fascist
government, labor unions are
either eliminated entirely, or are severely suppressed.
11. Disdain for Intellectuals and the Arts
Fascist nations tend to promote and tolerate open hostility to higher
education, and academia. It is
not uncommon for professors and other academics to be censored or even
arrested. Free
expression in the arts and letters is openly attacked.
12. Obsession with Crime and Punishment
Under fascist regimes, the police are given almost limitless power to
enforce laws. The people are
often willing to overlook police abuses and even forego civil liberties in
the name of patriotism. There
is often a national police force with virtually unlimited power in fascist
nations.
13. Rampant Cronyism and Corruption
Fascist regimes almost always are governed by groups of friends and
associates who appoint each
other to government positions and use governmental power and authority to
protect their friends from
accountability. It is not uncommon in fascist regimes for national resources
and even treasures to be
appropriated or even outright stolen by government leaders.
14. Fraudulent Elections
Sometimes elections in fascist nations are a complete sham. Other times
elections are manipulated
by smear campaigns against or even assassination of opposition candidates,
use of legislation to
control voting numbers or political district boundaries, and manipulation of
the media. Fascist nations
also typically use their judiciaries to manipulate or control elections.
END.
****
"Every gun that is made, every warship launched, every rocket fired
signifies, in the final sense, a theft
from those who hunger and are not fed, those who are cold and are not
clothed." -- Dwight David
Eisenhower, April 16, 1953.
