Our war for energy independence and economic sustainability

Our war for energy independence and economic sustainability

The US government and other governments are not serious about energy efficiency and renewable energy development and implementation – they are too busy playing politics and capitulating to the Oil Companies.
IT is time to get series to avert an economic catastrophe – I hope it is not too late
The world needs to invest $50 trillion in energy in coming decades, building some 1,400 nuclear power plants and vastly expanding wind power, solar power, geothermal energy in order to halve greenhouse gas emissions by 2050, according to an energy study released.
The report by the Paris-based International Energy Agency envisions an “energy revolution” that would greatly reduce the world’s dependence on fossil fuels while maintaining steady economic growth.
“Meeting this target of 50 percent cut in emissions and replacing fossil fuel represents a formidable challenge, and we would require immediate policy action and technological transition on an unprecedented scale,” IEA Executive Director Nobuo Tanaka said.
The scenario for deeper cuts would require massive investment in energy technology development and deployment, a wide-ranging campaign to dramatically increase energy efficiency, and a wholesale shift to renewable sources of energy.
Assuming an average 3.4 percent global economic growth over the 2010-2050 period, governments and the private sector would have to make additional investments of $50 trillion in energy, or 1.2 percent of the world’s gross domestic product, the report said.
That would be an investment more than three times the current size of the entire U.S. economy.
In addition, the world would have to construct 38 new nuclear power plants each year, and wind-power turbines would have to be increased by 18,000 units annually, solar energy output would have to be increased 20 fold every year.
Let us not forget as we are increasing the use of renewable energy and energy efficiency – the world population is increasing – the demand for energy by advancement in technology worldwide is also increasing. We have to take these factors into account.
Oil is going to hit at least $200 per barrel, gasoline at the pump will hit $6 or more per gallon, in some countries it is already $10 per gallon.
Most of the money would be in the commercialization of energy technologies developed by governments and the private sector.
“If industry is convinced there will be policy for serious, actions for accelerated development of renewable energy and efficiency, then these investments will be made by the private sector.”
People are hurting financially and economically, this must end, we should strive for a thriving economy with new technology for renewable energy and efficiency.
We have the technology and knowhow let us stop playing politics – unite our people and our nation in a common goal to avert an economic disaster and maintain our quality of life for generations to come.
Let us serve as an example to the rest of the world.

Is there such a thing as an honest politician?

Is there such a thing as an honest politician?

A politician is defined as someone skilled in the art or science of government, a person engaged in party politics or a person who holds political office. The previous were the basic positive definitions of what a politician is.
Each resource also specified a politician as a person interested in political office for selfish or other short-sighted reasons, one who is more concerned about gaining favor or retention of power than about maintaining principals or one who engages in politics purely for party goals or for their own advantage. According to this information a politician is not an honest person and more specifically the term politician is typically a derogatory term.
On the other side of the spectrum is the term statesman which is basically defined as a prominent distinguished person of high repute. A statesman is also noted as being a patriotic and unselfish person with great foresight who deals in the affairs of state.
Who is the most recent true statesman that has worked for the betterment of our Country? How many true statesmen have we actually had in the history of our government? Now before any of you begin to consider this question or research it I will make one disparaging note about our founding Father Ben Franklin.
Ben Franklin was initially a printer and he began participating in politics for the sole reason of obtaining the printing contract for Pennsylvania’s currency. Furthermore he also used his position as postmaster to obtain information from other places before rival printers could thereby increasing his business and along the way built a massive network of news contacts which gave him tremendous influence.
For a honest politician to be elected they must actually exist first and considering the common definition of what a politician is there is no such thing as a honest politician.
In considering the current state of our government it would be truly remarkable if a decent upstanding person were to be elected to a high office and remain untainted during their tenure. There is no such thing as an untainted truly honest politician and there probably never has been.
For the most part all of our politicians are masters of redirection and illusion. Very few if any of their actions are for the good of this country while not entailing some type of personal gain for themselves or their colleagues.
Honest Politician!
This is almost like a reverse rhetorical question. Like a "does the bear do his business in the woods" kind of query that has one obvious answer. An "Honest Politician" is like an oxymoron. You can be one or the other but both is too hard to reconcile. They're like jumbo shrimp. It's a funny idea to us. An honest politician!? How bizarre!
As written this question has only one answer. Of course honest politicians get elected. The fact that we even ask the question is an serious indictment of our ever-deepening cynicism. And it’s not healthy. It implies that we view honesty as a bad character trait somehow. It demonstrates we innately don't trust anyone when it comes to certain authorities and figures anymore.
If you don't believe an "Honest Politician" can't get elected it means you do believe that all politicians are inherently dishonest. That is just too cynical an assumption for words. Answering "No" says you think that being honest is a bad thing. One way or another, A "No" looks worse on the voters than on the politician
The concept is as strange as Bigfoot and just as unbelievable. Honest politicians are discussed like we are talking about something that is only theoretical. Is there even such thing as an honest polition at all? We think being dishonest is a good skill that every politician should practice. You can't get elected to office if you’re honest. That's a no-no.If anything an honest politician is at least considered unusual.  When you hear of one your first thought is "Wow How weird...?  Comments such as,  "Hey! This guy just might not be a liar!” are expressed with admiration and congratulations. Like he worked hard to learn to be honest, He puts honesty on his resume.
To say an honest man can't win you have to believe that corruption is expected in politicians as a job requirement. Basically your saying if you're honest man you won't be too good for the job. Politicians are viewed as suspicious in the way that suggests honesty is too good to be true in a person who wants to be a politician
It seems we've reached the point where we don't see honest guys as politicians. Honest guys are nice guys and they finish last. We want our politician to be winners. Winners aren't nice. We sort of like to say that our guy "Well he's not exactly dishonest... but he's sneaky"
But when you ask, "Can being honest be a disadvantage". That's a different perspective. And it's a pretty revealing glimpse of how we see "Honest".
 Being honest is easy. Most people are honest and don't get much credit because its normal. It's assumed. We aren't asked to prove it too often. But it often does in the life of a politician. "Looking honest" is a much different subject. It's where the moral issues and the campaigning image can often conflict. It depends on how important issue of honesty is to getting the office... and how honest the politician really is.
If it means an edge in votes proving to the voters that you are honest can be important. Politicians need to  use the Media to paint an image in voters’ minds.  In a way and to a degree the voter can relate too. But living up to the image is a serious challenge. Especially for politicians that stake their moral platform too much on honesty; When they start using it as a character trait rather than a political issue.
Claims of exceptional honesty will undergo intense scrutiny. Insisting that honesty is part of the campaign forces you to prove why you’re as or even more honest than the other guy. Making honesty a personal; challenge can matter in the race. Something as simple as a missed tax payment or mortgage bill can be political suicide. Political images can be seriously damaged by the accusation more than the crime.
The answer to the question is an obvious "yes" that somehow still seems like the wrong answer. The wrong being that we've become so jaded that we see all candidates as routinely dishonest. New candidates have a harder time starting out as it is and they're already considered suspect. it’s a tough job for the most pious soul. You are fighting a steeled perception already in place As far as the average voter is concerned you're not an honest man to begin with.
It's important for our society to avoid such judgmental and stereotypical thinking. Honest guys get elected all the time. It's foolish and destructive for us to look at all politicians as used car sales men or con artists, corrupt and unseemly. It's an extremely negative mindset that makes being honest an option as opposed to a requirement in our representatives.
It's also a pretty dismal portrait of us when we start interpreting a positive moral value as a handicap.

Compiled by: Draiman for Clean Los Angeles

Public confidence in the integrity of the Government is indispensable to faith in democracy

We need honest government with integrity.

“Good leaders create a vision, articulate the vision, passionately own the vision, and relentlessly drive it to completion”

Public confidence in the integrity of the Government is indispensable to faith in democracy; and when we lose faith in the system, we have lost faith in everything we fight and spend for.

Sustainability – We must strive to meet the needs of the present generation without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs. We should discourage wastefulness and misuse, and promote efficiency and conservation. 

An Independent is someone who wants to take the politics out of politics.
As citizens of this democracy, you are the rulers and the ruled, the law-givers and the law-abiding, the beginning and the end.

Change is inevitable. Change for the better is a full-time job.

Every age needs men who will redeem the time by living with a vision of the things that are to be.

Freedom is not an ideal, it is not even a protection, if it means nothing more than the freedom to stagnate.

Change is inevitable. Change for the better is a full-time job.

Every age needs men who will redeem the time by living with a vision of the things that are to be.

Our current economic crisis is the number one concern of every American. It is time we exercise our constitutional right.

It is a government by the people for the people. It makes no difference whether you are a Democrat, Republican, Libertarian or any other political affiliation, and it is time America’s citizens take control of their country starting from the city government to the county, state and the federal government. All elected officials must be accountable to their community and its residents. Our current budget crisis was brought about by the current administration – do you want this to continue and lose city services. I am a soldier in the battle to restore fiscal sanity for our district and our city, improve the economic well being of the district and the welfare of all residents.

Capitalism has not failed. The people in charge of the economy have failed Capitalism!!!!! Capitalism has been hijacked by career politicians, who disguise themselves as representatives of the people.

Enough is enough; we need to replace as many incumbents as possible, business as usual must stop here and now, government treasury should not be the personal piggy bank of the politicians.

We need new representatives in our government, representatives whose allegiance is to the residents of their district, representatives who care about Los Angeles surviving the current economic crisis and becoming better for it.

We must reduce big government - The bigger the government the less efficient it is.

Our energy consumption is growing rapidly; we must produce a hundred percent of our energy needs in our own country.

We have the manpower and technology, let us utilize it.

We must encourage new businesses, create more jobs and stabilize the economy.

Government cannot create jobs. Government should be reduced by at least fifty percent, streamline government, enact laws, rules, regulations and taxation that are friendly to small business. Encourage investment in our economy and workforce.

This economic crisis is a national emergency. People are losing their jobs and homes, and we must establish a mechanism similar to the Manhattan project of World War 2, with an all out genuine national effort to resolve the current economic crisis which threatens to destroy our country.

Transparency and accountability should be the motto

Our current economic crisis is the number one concern of every American. It is time we exercise our constitutional right.

It is a government by the people for the people. It makes no difference whether you are a Democrat, Republican, Libertarian or any other political affiliation. It is time America’s citizens take control of their destiny and country starting from the city government to the county, state and the federal government. All elected officials must be accountable to their community and its residents. Our current budget crisis was brought about by the current administration – do you want this to continue and lose city services. I am a soldier in the battle to restore fiscal sanity for our district and our city, improve the economic well being of the district and the welfare of all residents.

Draiman for Los Angeles with Integrity

American economy in crises - a long time coming

American economy in crises - a long time coming
When a country and its society import more than they export for over a quarter of a century, it is bound to erod the economy to its primate state.
We have only ourselves to blame, what goods and products are we exporting, what goods and services are produced in the USA, the answer is very little by comparison.
In the past 50 years as our population has increased, technology advanced, we have become a nation that consumes enormous amounts of resources, we shop for competitive prices. Corporate America is constantly looking to increase the bottom line.
Most of the goods for and by Americans and its companies are produced overseas and in the past decade with the advancement of telecommunications, many of the services sector are also imported.
The increased costs of energy over the past 10 years, has affected the economy to unimaginable comprehension.
This economic activity has eroded our economy to its core. It seems that the situation is getting worse every year. American debts are increasing beyond our wildest dreams, endangering the future economic vitality of our future generation.
I hope it is not too late for our society to recognize the graveness of our economic predicament and its resolve to take appropriate action to stem the tide of our economic downturn.
Americans are a nation of great technology and knowhow. We must utilize that technology and our resources to find new means to regain our economic independence.
We must face and implement fiscal responsibility, both by the government and the population with its infrastructure of corporate America.
It is no longer an option, it is a must if we as a nation want to survive and retain our way of life and economic vitality.
Inflation, recession and financial crises are here. Let us take the bull by the horn, initiate immediate actions to minimize and hopefully reverse our economic crises.

Draiman, Northridge, CA.

PS
The US economy has enormous momentum. Metaphorically speaking, if someone turned off the locomotive that drives the US economy, the economy would go on for miles before anyone would likely notice something was wrong. But something has been wrong for many years. Is there really hope for the future? Maybe. But the terrible truth is that no one really knows. But if there is hope, we're already on the wrong track. And that has to change..

Draiman for power to the people

Political reform success all comes down to its candidates

Political reform success all comes down to its candidates.You can have as many awesome ideals as you want, but unless your candidate is a living embodiment of these high standards, it's more of the same.Your candidates cannot be politicians, they cannot live in gated communities, they cannot waste …

We must reduce big government, increase efficiency, eliminate redundancy, consolidate departments, - The bigger the government the less efficient it is.

Draiman for Honest Goverment

The state of political affairs today is our fault

The state of political affairs today is our fault

Our fault for electing politicians based on sound bites, party affiliation and issues that take away from others (gay rights, birth control) rather than benefit us all…
Our fault for caring less about the structural issues (campaign finance, tax code) that affect every government decision and more about calling people names…
Our fault for expecting the government to provide a lifestyle for us that is not the role of government to provide and is unsustainable in the long run anyway…
Our fault for passing responsibility on to others instead of looking at ourselves and making the tough decisions to save for education, move for a job, etc…
Our fault for lacking even the most basic understanding of economics, political science, historical events and everything that gives context to decision making…
Our fault for paying more attention to DWTS than START, watching more television than reading books, shopping the mall instead of walking in the park…
Our fault for ravenously consuming the benefits of a developed nation without investing in the education, infrastructure and resources that made it great…
Our fault for believing that there are easy answers to difficult problems, that things would be better with a different president or different senator, that our debt problems can be solved by making politicians pay for their own healthcare or that our jobless rate would go down if we closed the borders to competition…

Compiled by: Draiman for Honesty and Integrity

Life embodies friendship, compassion, happiness, sorrow, love and pleasure

Life embodies friendship, compassion, happiness, sorrow, love and pleasure
Each man has inside him a basic decency and goodness. If he listens to it and acts on it, he is giving a great deal of what it is the world needs most. It is not complicated, but it takes courage for a man to listen to his own inner goodness and act on it. Do we dare to be ourselves? This is the question that counts.
“I am convinced that human nature is basically gentle, not aggressive. And every one of us has a responsibility to act as if all our thoughts, words, and deeds matter. For, really, they do. Our lives have both purpose and meaning.”
and:
“Compassion is what makes our lives meaningful. It is the source of all lasting happiness and joy. And it is the foundation of a good heart, the heart of one who acts out of a desire to help others. Through kindness, through affection, through honesty, through truth and justice toward all others we ensure our own benefit. This is not a matter for complicated theorizing. It is a matter of common sense.

Draiman for a Compassionate Los Angeles