For those of you who may feel offended by what you read here, please be assured that it was not written to offend, but to inform. If your response is that you don't feel this to be an appropriate forum from which to hear such information, then you should consider this: where else would you expect to hear the truth? It is assumed that you want to know the truth. Why else would you have read this far on a page with the title "Politics"? It is hoped that you have not done so simply out of idle curiosity. The subject matter considered at this web site (and especially this particular subject) is generally of a very serious nature, and the author is not in the habit of arbitrarily expressing personal opinions. The author is merely the instrument of delivering the information at this site to the Internet so that it will be available to those who want to read it. Trying to avoid offending anyone cannot be the foremost purpose of these writings. That purpose must be to tell the truth wherever it is needed, and indeed, here it is needed! Nevertheless, the author has not tried to go out of the way to offend anyone. Still, there may be those with different mindsets who will be angered or offended by what they read. There are, however, some subjects that must be looked at frankly, and this is such a subject!
Writing about Politics in today's world is not a happy task because of the degree to which so much of Politics and so many Politicians today have been perverted by greed; greed for money and greed for power. There! It has been said; quickly, cleanly, truthfully and straight to the point. Far too many people in the executive branch, the legislative branch, and the judicial branch of many of the so called "major world powers" are so intent on furthering their own financial situation and power, or the financial situation and power of someone whom they feel can and will reward them, that they no longer truly represent the people of the society who elected them (or the people who elected those who appointed them). In many of the smaller, or less powerful countries, the situation is often the same or worse. The loyalties of elected officials in virtually every country are all too often to their own political party or to the organizations or corporations whose lobbyists have paid or otherwise influenced them. It saddens me to write that this is nothing more than bribery, with those having the greatest resources with which to make the bribe, generally having the greatest influence. The politicians accepting these funds must be somewhat careful, so as not to arouse the ire of those whose votes they require to be re-elected, nevertheless, the attention span and the memory of the average voter is such that the politicians, as a general rule, don't feel the need to be overly cautious. There are, from time to time, a few politicians, or those from the ranks of "political activists" who stand out as brilliant exceptions. Sadly, as few of these as there are, most of them don't last very long. If they are at all effective, they become potentially dangerous to the "status quo", and they are then either ridiculed, scandalized or in some other way discredited in an attempt to make them ineffective. If everything else fails, something worse may be done in order to neutralize them as a serious threat.
If you truly believe otherwise, be careful that you do not fall into the category of those who are so naive or so apathetic that they don't pay any attention even to what is in the newspapers and news broadcasts. You need not be a person who doesn't know (or even worse, a person who doesn't care) about the ever-growing millions of people all over the world who can't find a job that pays a living wage, or about the elderly who have to choose between medicine and food and paying the rent or winter heat bill. You need not be unaware of the masses of people who can't afford proper medical care, or who can't afford a decent education, or those individuals and even families with children who have no place to live and become a part of the homeless population who try to exist on the streets. In addition, we must not forget about the millions of children around the world who go to sleep hungry every night. In fact, if you are not a person who knows or cares about such things, I urge you to become such a person as soon as it is reasonably possible for you to do so!
Your response may be that these are difficult problems and can't be so easily solved by politicians. If you really believe that, it should be called to your attention that these same politicians seem to have been able to figure out how to provide excellent living quarters, food, clothing, medical insurance coverage, salary, retirement benefits, education and transportation for themselves and their families. In addition, they have been able to keep, in some cases, for many years, the job that not only provides them with a generous expense account, but allows them to decide on the amount of all those benefits (including salary and retirement benefits) for themselves. If they would only apply the same ingenuity and energy to solving these same problems for those who elected them and put their trust in them, you may rest assured that these problems could be solved.
Perhaps other examples should also be pointed out. Consider the fact that a great many of the public schools in some countries have significant inequities in the quality of the education that is received by the students who attend certain schools when that is compared to the education that is received by those students who attend other schools within the same general (or greater metropolitan) area. Some countries, states and provinces fund their schools by using property taxes from the properties in that community. It doesn't take a genius to realize that the property values in some of the inner-city areas are often a great deal less than those in the surrounding suburban areas. The result is that some inner-city schools are often severely under-funded compared to some of the suburban schools, and the amount available to teach these inner-city youngsters, when considered on a per-student basis, is much less than the amount available per-student in the better funded suburban schools. That can only have, in the long term, one result. Those students that attend the under-funded schools are more likely to receive an education that is inferior to the education received by students attending the schools that have higher levels of funding. Why not change the way that schools are funded so that every student in the state or province, or better yet, every student in the country, regardless of the location of the school, will have an education which has funding that has been brought up to the degree necessary so that it is equitable with the funding for all the schools on the upper end of the funding spectrum for education? Change the educational system to pay the good teachers a salary that will cause other good people everywhere to seek to become teachers; then find other professions for the teachers whose students are found not to have been adequately prepared for their future lives. If necessary, change the educational system further to rid it of the sometimes burdensome bureaucracy that too often prevents positive change.
Consider yet another example. Why are so-called welfare or public aid programs often designed in such a way as to be self-perpetuating? In some Governments, they proudly point to time limits that have been established (supposedly to solve that problem), at the end of which, those receiving aid under the program are dropped. At the same time, these programs (whether limited in duration or not) often make little or no provision for training that will allow workers (especially those who have lost their jobs in industries that are unlikely to re-hire) to gain new skills that will help make them more employable. Additionally, why are there often no provisions for child care for those workers who need training or schooling in order to improve their situation sufficiently to avoid a continuing dependency on welfare and public aid programs? Without being able to provide care for their children, many parents could not take advantage of training or schooling to improve their job skills, even if it were made available to them. Consider further why many of these programs are so under-funded that they cannot nearly help all of those who are in need. When you consider also, the fact that now, many will be dropped from the aid programs after the specified time limit has been reached, regardless of whether adequate provision has been made to preserve the individual's ability to provide food, shelter, and medical care (even the basic essentials) for themselves or their families, it should cause you to wonder what kind of society it is in which you now live.
Let us consider also the matter of a college education. Why are colleges and universities so expensive in some societies? They are so costly to attend, that for many who are well qualified, there may be little hope of ever attaining the education they want so very much. Why not make an education available to every person who could benefit from it? How could society help but be uplifted? Does it make more sense to leave everyone to fend for themselves, and then pay the much more expensive costs of prosecution and prison for those who were, for whatever reason, unable to compete and felt the need to rob or steal to maintain themselves or their families? I think not!
The answers to many of these questions make a sad commentary on our world today. Many informed people would be tempted to say that far too many societies in today's world seem much closer to being run like oligarchies than is reasonable for societies that are being described as true democracies. Note that if there is significant unemployment, then that creates great competition for jobs; wages are lower, employees are afraid to complain or even to ask for an increase in salary (unless they are among the very top executives, who have, statistically, had the size of their salaries continue to increase far greater, proportionally, than that of their employees). If the corporate structure in most societies had its way, there would be an ongoing "employer's market", to put it mildly. Why do you think that the stock market often drops when unemployment figures drop? One would think that this would be good news. Note additionally, that if there are large segments of the population who can be made to be perceived as too lazy to work, always wanting handouts, on so-called welfare programs for generation after generation, then, because of that perception, it is very easy to keep the rest of the population angry with that particular segment of society. That anger is less likely, therefore, to be directed toward those who actually control the society (this does not necessarily refer to the politicians). It helps (those in power) in that respect also, when those who are working are now doing the work that two or three used to do (because of downsizing) and are therefore so busy and concerned about their own jobs and their own problems, that they don't have time to think about what is really happening to their society or why it is happening. When people are well informed or well educated however, it is not always so easy to manipulate their thinking and their opinions. Does it surprise you therefore, that higher education is expensive and difficult for many to obtain? Are your eyes beginning to open... just a bit?
Once steps have been taken to correct these very serious problems, there might not be as much wealth or power to go around for all of those who crave it, but those in the rest of the population will certainly be able to get by much better than they do today. If you aren't familiar with the nature of (far too many of) the politicians of today, (or anyone else with power) then start paying attention to what they do, instead of what they say. It could open your eyes even more. The systems of some of the world's Governments have become so corrupt, that those politicians who truly care about their society and the people in it, too often either resign in disgust or refuse to run for re-election after discovering how futile it is to try to make decent reform, when those who will lose (wealth and/or power) as a result of such reform, are the ones in control of the decision making process.
One additional point needs to be made here. Consistently, over the years, there have been men (the individual people involved are not the issue; a society built around values that allow such scenarios; that is the issue) who made so much wealth by investing in the stock market in a certain country, that they are among the wealthiest men in that country (probably among the wealthiest men in the world). Many made millions and a few actually made BILLIONS (over and above what they already had) just within a time period of about one year or so. Although more recent changes have reduced, to a certain degree, the holdings of some, the ultra-wealthy are still just that; ultra-wealthy! Now wealth that has been earned honestly from hard work, and used wisely and with thought for those beyond oneself, need not necessarily be the cause for criticism. That is not the primary concern of the author at this writing. The problem rears its ugly head when those who have that kind of wealth are so greedy to hold on to it all, that if any one of a series of recurring proposals for tax reform (which did not adequately tax capital gains or dividends and was therefore supported by a great many of the wealthy) should become law in that country those same persons would NOT be adequately taxed on those millions and billions or on future millions and billions in investment profits and would not, therefore, be doing their fair share in carrying the burden of supporting the very society from which they have gained so much! Additionally, if you care to really understand the motives of those who demand tax cuts, just pay attention to the far greater percentage of reduction in the capital gains tax, or the tax on dividends from stocks (both of which directly affect earnings made from the stock market and reductions are very beneficial to those who make millions there each year) compared to the much smaller percentage of reduction in the taxes on the wages of the average working family. It is sad that these events take place all over the world, not just in that particular country. Yet, too often the wealthy respond with great cries of anguish: "Soak the rich! All you want to do is soak the rich!". Indeed! The rich have hardly been slightly dampened, much less soaked if you care to take a moment to examine their lifestyle. When compared to the lifestyle of the average poor or middle income family, it is obvious that the wealthy do not always pay their fair share. After all, how many millions or billions does one need for a rainy day?
How can anyone really believe that such things could be morally right when our societies have children all over the world who are going to sleep homeless and hungry every night? At the same time, there are some people who are so filled with greed that they don't want to have to do without even a few dollars of the many millions or even billions that they make year after year. While all of this is going on, the rest of us seem so filled with apathy or so caught up in our own troubles that almost nothing is really getting done to change the conditions that are still causing these problems each and every day all over the world. What suffering would those ultra-wealthy people, some of whom are so filled with greed, endure if they had to live on a few million or a few billion less in profits this year, or any year when that is compared to the suffering day after day, year after year, of so many children and adults of all ages? If you are a person who can easily justify such inequity to yourself, then you should take a long hard look at your values and your priorities, or in your next incarnation, you may very well be one of those homeless who go to sleep hungry every night. Think about it!
Whether you agree or disagree with what has been written here, you should be reminded that the law as you sow, so shall you reap is a karmic law that applies not only to each of us as individuals, but to entire countries and societies. If the people of a society (or country) allow the leaders of that society (or country) to oppress or even to ignore those who are unable to help themselves (the children, the elderly, the ill, the weak, the homeless, the jobless, those in poverty, those without hope), then the people of that society cannot escape the responsibility for their inaction and they, as a society, will pay for the error of such apathy as certainly (if not as severely) as will those who are more directly responsible. Why do you think it was said that the love of money is the root of all evil? If you are not a believer in such things as karma (as described here), then watch carefully what takes place in the world over the next twenty years or so. What do you think is being referred to in the essay on this web site that has been talking about the fact that the world has entered a long, dark "tunnel", a time of great difficulty and strife. We, the people of this world crossed the threshold of that tunnel on September 11, 2001. Be thankful that there is "Light" waiting for us when we finally reach the end of that long, dark tunnel!
Because of this serious matter of responsibility, the people of a society or country, nay, the people of a Planet, must insist that Politics be the fine and noble profession that it was always intended to be; a profession which calls out to those selfless, dedicated individuals who deeply desire to have, and to live in and to serve in a society and on a planet that puts the well being of all its people first and foremost.
Perhaps now, you can understand why so very few people are willing to talk or write about such things. They are quickly dismissed as radicals, when in fact, they may simply be well informed persons who want their society to fulfill its potential to serve all the people well instead of just a very small percentage. Such things are not easy to say and they are not easy to listen to, but the time has come when the people of this planet must open their eyes and ears, put apathy aside and insist on real changes; positive changes in their politics and in their politicians; in their society, even in their Government if necessary and yes, even in their entire planet, in order to avoid the alternative of continuing in the same devastating direction at the same devastating speed. If these positive changes are not begun soon, we may wait too long and the damage being done to our minds and our hearts and our planet may become irreversible. We cannot afford to wait that long!
If there are poor, or homeless, or hungry, or ill, or any persons in your society who are without hope, you and those around you would be wise to give these problems very serious consideration. Every possible attempt should be made to take whatever steps may be necessary to bring about a resolution to these matters (that is, if you believe in the truth of the universal karmic law that states "as you sow, so shall you reap"), otherwise you and/or your children (as well as the others in your society who do nothing to bring about needed change) will be paying off that debt for a long, long time to come! In fact, payment has already begun, and before everything is resolved, there will be very few on this planet who will remain untouched.
If you are, or if you know, a person who may have a specific idea (or ideas) that you feel could be part of a reasonable and realistic approach to solving any one or more of the serious problems described in this essay, you are invited to share your thoughts with the author. Thoughtful and intelligent changes are needed; some will have to be far-reaching. These changes are coming and are cosmically inevitable. Perhaps your thoughts could become an instrument used by positive Cosmic Forces to bring about one or more such changes. The author looks forward to your input.