The American economy, Afghan war, and military spending.

The economy is bad, very bad. There's huge unemployment and the right-wingers are doing business (always business with them, always the Holy $, though they claim to be god-fearin born-again Christians, they always really seem to be true worshipers of Mammon god-money first and foremost) as usual and stomping on the little people. Blocking unemployment extension to desperate people. It never ceases to amaze me that the people who love to call themselves “fiscal conservatives” and are happy to cut social programs never bring up (or will in a million years entertain) the idea of military cuts. In all honesty I know the real reason for this, the military industrial complex is a very major right-wing constituency (I've seen it referred to as Right-wing welfare). These same people who will do the hand-wringing while claiming that they have to be fiscally responsible about things like unemployment extension (their excuse for blocking it). Will not in a million years entertain the idea that America can no longer support being (unpaid, and often unwanted) policeman to the world.

I am surprised and amazed that any politicians are actually talking about this issue, but I see that some are! Rep Barney Frank (D), and Rep. Ron Paul (R) actually are! I wish them the very best of luck in tackling this very important spending and political issue. 

As far as the Afghan war goes, Fareed Zakaria  on his show this past Sunday (I happened to see it, and thought it very smart and courageous of him to say these things) had some very sensible questions/comments about this. Just why are we fighting a major war to try and "eliminate" so very few people. Supposedly some 50-100 Al Qaeda are all that's left in Afghanistan. According to the CIA... Assuming they're correct... Ok but seriously we've been there for 10 years! Many American and ally soldiers dead or injured. Tremendous expense that we can-not afford. I'm not saying we should simply abandon the Afghan people. No we basically did that before after the Russians withdrew and that led to the madness of the Taliban "government". We made a horrendous mistake then. But there has to be a sane, sensible way to do what we need to do. Keep the country from becoming a Al Qaeda "safe haven" (and yes keep it from falling to the resurgent Taliban lunatics). A way that doesn't have us continuing a endless military engagement that we can not afford on any level.