Howard's Political Commentary

But It's NO Thanksgiving for the Kurds Trump gives Kurds the bird The Kurds in Syria, recently abandoned by the United States, are getting attacked by Turkish military forces and Turkish allied militias. The Kurds are literally getting murdered as well as having their military forces attacked and bearing substantial casualties. This is a major foreign policy failure of the Trump Administration. This is true on several levels. Abandoning allies on the battlefield is dishonorable and makes the world think the United States in unreliable and unwilling to stand with its friends. Turkey is now an unreliable ally and should be thrown out of NATO. The President blinked when Erdogen of Turkey threatened to invade Syria whether the US withdrew 50 special forces from the border or not. President Trump threatened economic sanctions against Turkey if it misbehaved in Syria – apparently, murdering Kurds in the streets doesn't count. American military forces have come under a...

One of the big problems with the budget process for the US Government is that it encourages expansion of government to get agreements on a budget. It is easier to have everyone agree to spend more taxpayer money than to make hard decisions to cut government spending to benefit all taxpayers. The essential problem is that it is just as easy - or even easier - to hold out on reaching an agreement to get more spending rather than less. Proposals that have been put forward such as a balanced budget amendment do not sufficiently focus on reducing government spending or can be bypassed with government accounting procedures designed to understate deficit spending. A balanced budget requirement would be more likely to result in tax increases than spending cuts given the current political climate even if it could be passed. There is a need to focus on creating pressure to reduce spending. There have to be procedural changes implemented in the Constitution to make it more difficult to spend ...

This article posted by WBEZ news in Chicago illustrates how the city government is worse than criminals when it comes to financially exploiting people. The city imposed strict ordinances to add more fees and more automated speed camera; the city then let tow truck companies loose on violators. How do you think Chicago city officials would respond to a private company doing similar things in a business context in Chicago without city backing? The article shows an example of how $360 in civil violations increases to $820 in just one day and becomes $1595 in 21 days.  Plus, you will lose your vehicle after 21 days. Keep in mind that the proceeds of the vehicle sale just go to the city and are NOT applied to fines, the auto loan, or anything else except the city treasury. Typically, the towing companies buy the cars for a very low "scrap" price that is well below market value. This compounds the evil by taking what could be city money gotten by evil means and putting it in t...

The government shutdown has caused TSA employees to not get paid. Considering that they provide negative overall value to the nation and travelers, they are still technically getting over paid. However, getting them to pay travelers is not feasible. They generally provide very little protection for the inconvenience and humiliation they inflict on travelers. The real security in an airplane cabin is a secure cockpit and passengers who will fight hijackers to the death now that we know what they are up to. I'm also still waiting to hear a good explanation of why banning pocket knives from aircraft and other great TSA ideas enhances our security. Basic TSA-Pre screening without those ridiculously expensive scanners (also known as what was done before 9-11) is also perfectly adequate. The Huffington Post has a whiny article about the TSA employees not getting paid. Of course, all government employees including those not actually showing up for work will get back pay once the approp...

This Huffington Post article  makes a hysterical case that the government shutdown is causing deaths in national parks to be reported one week after they occur. First, the article itself says that the response time in Yosemite National Park was about one hour which, for a wilderness area, is fairly good. That means the shutdown didn't actually impact the National Park Service response to the emergency in any substantial way; it may have impacted only reporting that an emergency occurred and that the person recovered after suffering an injury ultimately died from the injury. That is not something justifying the dramatic headline that the government shutdown caused a death to be reported one week after it happened. Those involved in the incident were handling it immediately and there was no indication that next of kin had any delay in receiving information about the injury and passing away of their family member. Second, if individual parks were privately owned and operated, a go...

I took a break from political blogging because I was concerned that my Information Technology career would be adversely affected by my conservative and often politically incorrect views. Now that I'm retired, I'm back!

While trying to get to my airplane for a flight from Minneapolis back to Phoenix, I had an encounter with a TSA agent that proves what many of us thought about the TSA mentality. When I told her that conducting searches like they do is unconstitutional and that they are violating the 4th amendment to the constitution, she said that it was government policy, she is just following orders, and that we all report to the same boss . I reminded her that her bosses in the government are either elected or appointed government officials, so, unless citizens are actually subjects of the government, they are NOT my bosses. In fact, I am one of their bosses. She quickly back pedalled away from her "report to the same boss" remark, but it seems obvious that TSA officials regard Americans as subjects rather than citizens. This attitude undoubtedly flows downward from the top - Obama and Napolitano. In fact, Napolitano was once overheard saying how Americans should be grateful because no ot...

The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) is out of control. The pat down searches for most people who can't get through the metal detector and cannot or will not use the full body scanners are intrusive, humiliating, abusive, and ultimately useless. For others without medical devices implanted in their bodies, the full body scans "randomly" required are similarly "effective" and are a serious government intrusion on the rights of Americans against unreasonable search which our constitution is supposed to protect us against. If the purpose of these enhanced searches is to provide us with additional security, then they are an abysmal failure. The scanners cannot detect explosives such as the "underwear" bomber used. While actually checking the underwear of airline passengers could probably detect that explosive, it is probably possible to use a different chemical formulation that would not be detected by the same test. Also, the explosive could...

Free societies do not become tyrannies overnight. Would be dictators take small steps toward tyranny until they are stopped or they enslave their citizens. The entire airport security fiasco which, in fact, provides very little actual security is being used to bully Americans into accepting government rule over our lives. In the name of security, the government is trampling on our civil rights and is treating us as subjects rather than free citizens. Even worse, these same virtually useless draconian measures will be expanded to every place the Department of Homeland Security will not be forbidden from putting them including public transportation - all in the name of protecting us. There are two recent news stories illustrate that the Department of Homeland Security is out of control and is a direct threat to our freedom. An airline pilot made a video showing the foolishness of TSA airport security when there are many more vulnerabilities due to ground crews who don't go thro...

North Korea is threatening nuclear war against South Korea. North Korea has been supplying dangerous regimes like Iran with equipment for building nuclear weapons and missile systems to deliver them. North Korea is an economic basket case sustained largely by whatever it can extort from free countries and commerce with China (North Korean labor is even cheaper than Chinese labor). With governments of free countries finally cutting back on extortion payments, China wields the biggest influence over North Korea of any government because of the financial support it provides and the military protection it extends. It  is unlikely that anything of international consequence is done by North Korea without at least tacit Chinese approval. The recent artillery attacks by North Korea are just the latest provocation to test the will of South Korea and the United States. The US and South Korea have conducted joint military exercises in response, but they did not include a punishing reprisal...

After confirming that North Korea made an unprovoked attack on a South Korean naval vessel and killed many of the crew, I think it is obvious that South Korea and the United States are being tested. It looks like this act of war will be unanswered which lowers the status of the United States in the eyes of most of the world. Over 7 years ago, I suggested how North Korea should be dealt with. Because the situation has deteriorated since then, more drastic action would probably be required to avert continued aggression by North Korea.

As more news comes out about the "coup" in Honduras, I am inclined to give the benefit of the doubt to the current government that removed former President Zelaya from power. Nobody disputes that Zelaya was trying to run an illegal referendum to allow himself to get re-elected President. The Honduran constitution does not allow a president to serve more than one term. As I understand it, that particular item in the constitution is not amendable in order to prevent the creation of a "President for Life" which is as big a problem in Latin American countries as military dictators. Apparently, the Honduran courts and legislators decided that a president breaking the laws and trying to subvert their constitution and rule of law is someone no longer fit to hold office. They directed the military to arrest Zelaya and escort him out of the country. Perhaps, they should have just put him on trial, convicted him, and sent him to prison inside Honduras. The legislature elected...

In view of continued North Korean nuclear weapons development, missile testing, and the recent arrest and conviction (kidnapping) of two American women journalists, I think my proposal made over 5 years ago bears some review. If the United States does not demonstrate that it is serious about countering North Korean nuclear weaponry including long range missiles, we will have to face the consequences of other nations not being able to count on us for protection. This opens up the prospect of Japan and possibly other Far Eastern countries acquiring nuclear weapons for their own self defence. The only worse prospect would be currently pro-western countries in the Far East falling into either China's sphere of influence or paying tribute to North Korea to avoid being attacked. In essence, by supplying food, oil, and money to North Korea in exchange for saying they will limit development of nuclear weapons and long range rockets, the United States has been paying tribute to North Korea...

Of the two major political parties, the Republican Party is the one closest to advocating for freedom from government control. Democrats consistently support higher taxes and more regulations to permit government officials to control our lives. They support political (group) decision making over empowering individuals to make their own decisions. We have come to expect Democrats to support increasing the power of government at the expense of individual freedom. It is sad and dangerous, though, when Republicans support government power over individual freedom. If the Republican Party is not strong in its stand for freedom and individual rights against the power of government, then our Republic is in danger of deteriorating into a (we hope benevolent) despotism because people distrust or forbid individuals to run their own lives make their own decisions. Over the past few years, I have encountered Republicans who believe these things: The food school children eat should be controlled by ...

This is a response to this opinion piece in the Jewish News of Greater Phoenix. In his opinion piece, “Taxes Far More Than Necessary Evil,” Rabbi Strauss demonstrates why he should stick to his “day job” as a synagogue spiritual leader. His writing on both Halacha and tax issues is filled with misinformation and erroneous reasoning. Rabbi Strauss cites the tax to support the Mishkan as proof that taxes have been a legitimate part of Jewish life since we left Egypt. Of course, that was a poll tax that was imposed on every adult male regardless of income or wealth. He goes on to immediately say that Jewish sources tell us that there is an obligation to provide universal education and health care for the poor – using taxes to finance it. His Jewish sources must be liberal Jewish editorial writers since the Torah requires only supporting Torah education rather than general education – and only in cases where the family is unable to afford it. According to our tradition, parents have ...

The conflict in the Gaza Strip between Hamas and Israel is being covered as if Israel is callously killing civilians while Hamas is just trying to protect its population against ruthless Israeli invaders. This is a horrible distortion of the truth and is just the opposite of what is really going on. For months, Israelis have been subject to Hamas artillery attacks that have threatened the southern third of Israel. Hamas has been trying to kill civilians - it deliberately targets them. In contrast, Israel has targeted Hamas leaders and soldiers to protect itself from attack. Civilians have been killed as a consequence of these counter-attacks, but that is largely because Hamas conducts its "military" operations from civilian areas in order to use civilians as human shields. Hamas is dedicated to the destruction of Israel. Even after Israel conceded territory to the Palestinians and gave Gaza autonomy, they used this opportunity to increase attacks on Israel instead of build th...

The government bailouts of various companies is pushing us toward socialism. The federal government has purchased equity stakes in many financial companies and is "investing" in GM and Chrysler as well. Given the notable financial successes of the federal government such as Social Security, Medicare, and the Federal Budget, I think that Congress and the President are the least well suited institutions to decide how to invest capital even if we accept that it is a proper function of government. There is only one government institution well suited to and experienced with handling financially distressed companies and individuals: Bankruptcy Court. Through bankruptcy, the financially failing companies and individuals can either restructure their debt or liquidate assets and discharge debt in order to get a fresh start. This would allow assets to be properly valued quickly and would allow the economy to improve again based on realistic valuations of assets. The bailouts simply pos...

Education Priorities: Can Legislators Decide Better than Parents? This article from the East Valley Tribune, http://www.eastvalleytribune.com/story/89390 , headlined Bills aim to cut tech school aid published in the May 10, 2007 issue of the paper perfectly illustrates why Arizona needs school vouchers. The issue is education funding for vocational education in certain high schools. Some state legislators are looking to cut some vocational education funding in order to achieve budget objectives. The legislators are doing this as they prioritize various education and other spending proposals. I have no objection to legislators cutting government spending, but this seems more a matter of deciding which programs to spend on rather than reducing overall spending. I have no particular knowledge of the value provided by the vocational education programs compared to other government education spending. However, I would suggest that this is the case with most legislators and for many taxpayers...

CPS Reform Proposal Purpose: Improvement in accountability and cost effectiveness of CPS for the benefit of the public is the primary goal of this proposal. It seeks to allow this by privatizing the management of the CPS functions and allowing direct voter input for selecting the amount of services that will be provided by each contracting organization. By requiring voters to vote for percentages of business to go to each contractor, better contractor performance will result in more state business going to the superior contractors. By requiring each voter to vote for at least two contractors, we still ensure that other contractors will be in place to provide cost and quality competition. Time Frames: CPS will contract all routine case management work to 3-5 qualified independent organizations on a bi-annual basis corresponding to the election cycle for state legislators. Investigation work will also be contracted out to 3-5 qualified independent organizations on a bi-annual basis. ...

Responsible Voter Experiments by Howard Levine May 15, 2003 One factor more than any that encourages irresponsible government is letting people vote without having to do anything to prove that they are responsible citizens who have a stake in the future of the community. The only significant requirement for a citizen to vote is being at least 18 years old. People who have not demonstrated any sense of responsibility in their lives are not likely to make the best civic minded voters with a long-term view. There are some constitutional issues regarding restricting voting rights. States cannot restrict voting based on age (if 18 or older), race, sex, or payment of taxes. The only restrictions that are constitutionally legitimate without any affect on a state's seats in the House of Representatives is preventing felons from voting. Any other restrictions may be constitutional, but would result in the state having its population reduced by the number of voters who were made ineligible t...