
regularly for CNN. He is also the CEO of the FP Group, publishers of Foreign Police magazine. He wrote had an interesting article on the problems with America. He says there are five reasons that America is in trouble:
1. The political system is broken
2. Our national conversation has gotten off-track.
3. Governance has become a lost art.
4. We are ignoring the big problems.
5. The American people have failed their government ... and each other.
I wrote about the first two issues already. You can check my archives if you want to read them. Today I will address the other three issues. Rothkopf says that politicians are too often elected because they advance an ideology, and when they serve, they inevitably focus on what they need to do to be re-elected. He says that voters need to start voting for people who can get things done. He feels that we are
ignoring the really big problems - trapped in a cycle of
making incremental improvements and avoiding solving the major issue. (Kicking the can down the room.) Rothkoph goes on to say that the American people have failed their government ... and each other; that
voters are ill-informed on the real issues and problems.
I agree with him for the most part. However, I don’t think that voters vote for an ideology. I think I am a typical voter. I am a retired, disabled veteran. I will vote for politicians who will support
Social Security, veterans’ benefits, and disability benefits. I am not too concerned about ideology other than democracy and capitalism. There are some issues that I support like gun control, separation of church and state, and social justice. Other than that, I do not voter for an ideology. I think with Twitter and Facebook, voters are more inform than ever, but that there is so much misinformation out there. Voters need to hear the truth.
NBC News reported that White House staffer, Jofi Joseph, was fired after tweeting critical comments about his bosses, government policies, and President Barack Obama. He had an anonymous Twitter account for the last two and a half years. He was a director in the non-proliferation section of the National Security Staff at the White House. In an email to POLITICO, Joseph admitted to being the author of the tweets. He apologized to everyone he insulted.
I don’t understand several things about this issue. If the NSA and CIA are monitoring all the social media, why did they allow this to go on for two and a half years? Joseph admits that he insulted some very high level people and apologized to everyone he insulted. Why apologize now that he is unemployed? If he intended to insult these people, then an apology is inappropriate. What is done is done. If he insulted them by accident somehow, then, by all and any means, apologize. When working for the man, it is inappropriate to criticize the man (http://clicktotweet.com/8NUe7). Freedom of speech is one thing – badmouthing your employer is another. That is biting the hand that feeds you. Since he no longer works for anyone, he is free to continue to criticize. Here’s a clue for others – if you have to be anonymous in order to tweet about your company, bosses, or policies, then maybe you shouldn’t do it.
Apparently, the Vatican wants to field a cricket team. No doubt, this is part of the new people policies of Pope Francis. He wants to reach out to the common folks. I would think he would prefer soccer, because he is from South America. However, soccer is a much more violent sport compared to the genteel game of cricket. There is a buzz in the media about what team name they will choose. Of course, there are the obvious names such as Angels, Saints, Apostles, and Disciples. One reporter suggested The Holy Rollers. My personal recommendations are The Eleven Commandments, The God
Squad, The Apocalypse, The Deadly Sins, and The Repentant. Not to be considered include Vatican
Redskins, Devils, and Sinners.