A letter to Barack - your input requested

[chuck kottke]

Ahem.. I've been reading lately that Barack Obama is leaning towards a more interventionist US foreign policy, in part due to influences by hawkish types, including Madeline Albright, William Perry, and Sam Nunn. My personal bend is to be extremely cautious about the use of force, and allow the citizens of each nation to work out their own problems without such severe intrusions, as they almost always backfire (unless it is to prevent a genocide, and there is an international consensus with clear objectives and a sound plan of action), and it goes against the concept of Self-Determination of Nations.

So, I will attempt reaching him with a well-written letter, which has a slim, but possible chance of reaching him (& I'll try sending it through Feingold, if that gives it any more weight).

What I am asking for is your suggestions; especially if you live outside the US - because the ultimate effect of our foreign policy might cause more problems in your corner of the globe than mine!:stunned:;)

 

[Matter-Eater Lad]

Well put. Don't forget Obama will be like every other president on foreign policy. We act like a empire trying to control everything and Barack won't change that.

[Carolyn Marie]

(I'll try sending it through Feingold, if that gives it any more weight):stunned:;)

 

Do you know Feingold personally, Chuck? Just curious...

[Saffire]

Obama also voted to extend FISA powers for the president to be able to wiretap American citizens. "Change" indeed.

 

In the end the allure of power makes all politicians behave the same.

[Chris's Nuts]

I think the media is jumping to conclusions regarding Obama's recent move to the right. Of course he now has a broader general election strategy and of course he needs to try appeal all independent minds. I thinks its clear that if you'd rather a diplomatic approach and less hawkish one you would clearly prefer him over McCain.

 

Maybe email him and pretend your Scarlet Johanson if you want to influence him, otherwise I think a letter is rather a waste of time....

[chuck kottke]

Do you know Feingold personally, Chuck? Just curious...

Oh Hi Carolyn!:)

I've met him a few times, and did chat with him on matters of campaign finance reform (naturally). He did read a letter of mine once on the floor of the Senate, and it showed up on the nightly news (yikes!):stunned::). And I've helped out his campaign by walking precincts, so I know some of his staff well enough. Maybe a long shot, but they do read letters on occasion, especially if they're hand-written (sounds backwards, doesn't it!:laugh3:). I guess they figure if you actually take the time to write, it's real then, and is somehow weighted more. A lot of the letters do get the form responses, but sometimes I get through.

Anyhow, your suggestions?:)

[chuck kottke]

Obama also voted to extend FISA powers for the president to be able to wiretap American citizens. "Change" indeed.

 

In the end the allure of power makes all politicians behave the same.

OOoh, that's not good! That's not like him, usually.:confused: How could he have done that!:( He was one of the few who fought like the devil to prevent a lot of the snooping and illegal taps from going on in the first place! Hmm.. I had better contact his office, and give him an earful!

Yes, so like MacBeth, they all eventually succumb to the group-think; worse than the invasion of the bodysnatchers..:confused: I'm still baffled that he would have fallen prey to the snare of the beltline.. too many martinis maybe? Hmph! Now there is no doubt a grassroots reform movement is needed to turn things around!

[chuck kottke]

I think the media is jumping to conclusions regarding Obama's recent move to the right. Of course he now has a broader general election strategy and of course he needs to try appeal all independent minds. I thinks its clear that if you'd rather a diplomatic approach and less hawkish one you would clearly prefer him over McCain.

 

Maybe email him and pretend your Scarlet Johanson if you want to influence him, otherwise I think a letter is rather a waste of time....

Well, I have my concerns. We all think we can resist the Dark Side, but even I had succumbed once to their pull - they're masters at sounding like experts, pulling people in.. despite their major screw-ups.

A broader election strategy - well, let's hope it's not a permanent pattern! Personally, I think most Americans outside the beltway are wanting a more careful foreign policy approach, and moving toward the right might backfire, even if it's mostly for show. Still, what I have read suggests that his actual policy may be more to the right, whereas what he puts out in debates and at meetings is tailored to look less aggressive.

Yes, McCain is even further into the military interventionist approach without a doubt! ..If it takes 10,000 years in Iraq, here we go!!:laugh3: Certainly not my choice, but I wouldn't want to see another Vietnam-type of attitude, where every successive President promised us they would get us out of there, and then they never would once in office, so as to save face on their watch. I am not a proponent of appeasement, but caution and diplomacy usually make sense.

Scarlet Johanson:gorgeous:?? who is that you say, eh?? Hmm..! Well, I suppose another route might be to go through some world-famous, top-of-the-charts, platinum-record-winning group of some sort to get the message across?? Whaddayathink?:laugh3:

Hey, Chris Martin, please ring Obama on the telle for the sake of world peace, and ask him to change course on foreign policy!! Please, before it's too late!!:)

[chuck kottke]

Letter

 

Dear Barack,

It is now more than apparent that an aggressive, interventionist foreign policy, however reasoned, has had the opposite effect in gaining the will of the world's citizens, or changing those patterns of established behavior that are deleterious to the well-being of humanity.

Taken from the perspective of a citizen of Iraq, Iran, Pakistan, or Afghanistan, aggressive military actions without first having just cause or the popular support of the people, unless offered as help to an existing struggle for freedom, will undoubtedly fail because to take ownership of one's own future requires there first to be a sense of pride in origination on the part of those citizens to shape their own country's future by their own means. It is their free will, and their free will alone, that must be the driving force for lasting change within those regions.

In cases where it is clear that cruel, despotic regimes have taken hold and are systematically killing innocent civilians (because the madness of ethnic hatred has taken over their hearts and minds), or the regimes simply are bent on power and are pitting one group against another, we should not be timid in using strong diplomatic means first, backed by credible multinational force, to end such senseless bloodshed and misery.

In doing so, we would be better off operating in sync with free states of the world, and with a mutual understanding of how best to approach each situation.

While slow, and sometimes frustrating, a policy of containment is generally a safer bet, allowing time for the citizens to change their nation's policy internally. To hold power in reserve for use only when other means have failed, and many lives are at stake, is the better approach.

To lead, we must lead by example; patience, humility, honesty, and thoughtfulness go miles further down the path to peace than unwarranted invasions and uneven policy decisions. To treat others as you wish to be treated; that is to say, the Golden Rule, works as well on a personal level as it does on an international level.

In containing places like Iran, it is the rising generations who will take ownership of their own destinies; it is their popular desire & drive towards change that will create a lasting transition toward freely elected governance, equal justice, and the natural rights of all mankind.

 

[chuck kottke]

Letter, Part II

 

Information and ideas have a more positive effect, and looking back in recent history to nations such as Chile, non-violent revolutions are possible, by the will of the people, given time. They're a much better alternative to military intervention in general.

Choosing policies that are hawkish, and overtly aggressive have consistently backfired on us, leaving a mass of saddened or angry discontent citizens in places throughout the world, who no longer look to these United States as a beacon of hope to guide their futures by. Nobody likes nor needs to be told how to run their own affairs; but by their own design, free will, and control of their own destinies will their futures be shaped. Please consider keeping balance in the cabinet that you choose. As we all know, the company you keep can affect the way we think as individuals, and sometimes may lead us astray from effective paths towards peace and harmony in the world. Recounting how Paul Wolfowitz went from being a dove to a hawk from those influencing his thoughts - leading him astray from the more cautious and effective means of solving global issues, towards promoting a policy that led to the invasion of Iraq. Had those bad ideas not taken root, we would all be in much better shape today.

Looking at our own nation's history, the French forces sent by King Louis of France, at the request of the American Revolutionaries to gain independence from a despot, were done with good timing, and in good judgment. Had France sent forces before the colonists had taken control of their own futures, or had those forces been used to convert English Colonies into French Colonies, the sentiment and effect would have been the same - no peoples of the world want or need an occupier, and armies sent to aid revolutionary causes to free citizens from the shackles of despotism need to be withdrawn soon, if the will of the people is to be respected.

The best way to gain friends and change ways of thinking in troubled regions of the globe is by putting our feet in their shoes, an asking ourselves honestly: How does it feel? What is it like to be in their situation, and to see things from their perspective? Of the many policy catastrophes concerning Iraq, one that comes to mind was the policy of bombing the water and electric facilities. Doing so left Iraqis without safe drinking water, sanitation, refrigeration, or air-conditioning in an extremely hot, dry region. The idea was to motivate the citizens to overtake their own government, but instead it only created anger and bitterness towards the US, as how would any of us feel if suddenly foreign planes bombed our essential life-sustaining facilities?

Instead, I would suggest a policy of constructive containment, where no harm is done to the citizens living in those nations, but plenty of encouragement and support is made available to those clamoring for change from within. Less militarized approaches work best, and there is quite a bit of truth in the saying that "the pen is mightier than the sword". To that naturally we could add the internet, periodicals, and broadcasts. Most major religions and modern free states are founded on ideas that individuals and hence societies adopt, and it is by their free will that those ideas become the established ways of doing things.

We could greatly reduce terrorism simply by increasing foreign aid and good will towards all, greatly reducing the debts owed by the poorest nations, and allowing them the chance to thrive on their own. Areas of poverty and the disenfranchised peoples of the world are the grounds where extremists take shelter and find supporters. Spending more on reducing poverty and unfairness in the world would be money wisely spent. It is 100X less expensive to reduce conditions that lead to terrorism, that it is to combat the effects of terrorism. and that's just looking at it from an economic perspective - the lives saved and the health gained for all is truly something we cannot put a moneyed value on.

I'm sure what I've said here simply echoes many of your own feelings, Barack. But please be careful, as we're all counting on you to make more thoughtful decisions than those made in the recent past. The beltway is a lasso; just watch out so you don't get snared into something that really isn't from your heart.

With Great Sincerity,

-Chuck.

[Jbella76]

Chuck Kottke for President.

[chuck kottke]

Hello Jbella76!

Um..oh, a.. well...:shy: Thanks!, but I'll leave that up to the "experts"!:laugh3: I'm just trying to keep a little more of an even keel on the boat, despite the tendencies to drift towards the rocky shoals..

Thanks for the words of encouragement - this letter might be little more than "spitting into the wind" so-to-speak, but maybe, if we all pummel their offices with letters to set things strait, we might have an effect..

I keep having flashbacks of seeing events unfold in the late 60's/early 70's, with war protesters marching in circles around the White House, the rallies for human rights, and a series of Presidents who refused to get us out of Vietnam even after it was plain that extending the war was pointless.

Barack's company is looking more and more like the same-old "war generals", with the same-old way of thinking, and it's got me a bit concerned. I took a look on Znet (www.zcommunications.org), and read some articles by Paul Street. Of course, I think Obama is less militaristic than McCain, yet it's nonetheless a bit disturbing to learn who advises Obama, and where his policy goals really are.:\

Anyhow, thanks for your support, and as President, I promise free Coldplay concerts for all!:P

 

[Chris's Nuts]

zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzZZZZZZZ

[chuck kottke]

spying

 

Hey,wake up! This is on topic!:rolleyes::

Anyhow, for those who are at least a little bit interested in retaining freedom, here are some place to check out:

http://www.votesmart.org

(see how everyone voted on the spy act)

and for Feingold's statement on the bill: http://feingold.senate.gov/~feingold/statements/08/06/20080625f.htm

(hope that works!)

Now, Feingold opposed the bill and voted NO on letting the telecoms off the hook; both the telecoms and the President should be held accountable, just like we held Nixon accountable..;)

[Tonsu]

I absolutely admire your longing for change, Chuck, and your will to put in whatever individual effort it takes to put your opinion across. As a former and future (physical) citizen of the World (I will always be one in spirit!!), but just now for the time being one of just Britain, the US so badly needs Obama, the World relies upon it in a sense I think, and I so hope you are successful.

 

All wind to your sails my friend :)

[chuck kottke]

Thanks! I've probably got a proverbial "snowball's chance in hell" of getting his attention, let alone affecting his policy choices, but who knows - maybe, if I hit enough other congress members, they'll put the squeeze on, and..:sneaky::)

Yes, I feel the same way, kimchi;).. But we have to keep them honest and compassionate, because it's easy for our Presidents to slip into the power chair, and forget how it feels to be like the rest of us! (recalling Pres. Johnson, who was picking targets in Vietnam like picking options off a breakfast menu.. and he was the "Great Society" President!) So, keep em' honest and down-to-earth!:hat2::whip:

[chuck kottke]

Our US Senate here - well, it's very clubby. How do I get through to them in a way that is effective? :thinking:

[Saffire]

Our US Senate here - well, it's very clubby. How do I get through to them in a way that is effective? :thinking:

 

Break the club by fighting hard for term limits.

[chuck kottke]

I absolutely admire your longing for change, Chuck, and your will to put in whatever individual effort it takes to put your opinion across. As a former and future (physical) citizen of the World (I will always be one in spirit!!), but just now for the time being one of just Britain, the US so badly needs Obama, the World relies upon it in a sense I think, and I so hope you are successful.

 

All wind to your sails my friend :)

Hey kimchi, after 7.6 years of bad/awful "leadership", we're all wanting change at this point!:laugh3: But thanks - you've given me the strength to continue writing;).

I like your way of seeing things - yes, citizens of the world unite!;);). Britain is basically a global place anyhow, so you're in the right location! ..& best wishes in your future travels.;)

I'm very much in favor of Obama, but just trying to keep him balanced. Unfortunately, often times our future leaders seek "expert advice", and that means turning to those who have "experience", a militaristic background, or who have wild schemes - so they start out with a more balanced way of thinking, but often end up being heavily influenced by those who might otherwise be confined to a mental institution!:laugh3: (I shouldn't laugh, but there's real truth to this...)

So, one letter goes to Kohl (LOL, I know!), one to Feingold, one to Barack, and one to Representative Kagen in the US House. Kagen's a big proponent of fair trade, and he's definitely anti-war in general (unless we're totally out of options), so at least he's got his marbles all lined up right.

Well, anyhow, thanks again for the encouragement, and many happy travels!!:)

[Chris's Nuts]

Our US Senate here - well, it's very clubby. How do I get through to them in a way that is effective? :thinking:

 

If they are into clubbing you'll have to find the right music. Maybe play some Cut Copy or Daft Punk, get the Senator onto he dance floor and then talk to them about limiting defense spending and less aggressive military stances. Buy them a few rum & cokes too... I find it work very well.

[chuck kottke]

:greedy::whip::whip::whip::karate::karate::karate:

Break the club by fighting hard for term limits.

Jay, it's going to take a club, three whips, and an army of Samurai warriors to break that club:laugh3:;)! But I do agree, term limits are one way to curb the graft. Presidents are limited to 2-terms (whew!), but what would be reasonable for the House and Senate?

[chuck kottke]

If they are into clubbing you'll have to find the right music. Maybe play some Cut Copy or Daft Punk, get the Senator onto he dance floor and then talk to them about limiting defense spending and less aggressive military stances. Buy them a few rum & cokes too... I find it work very well.

:laugh3::laugh3: Ya, right! They're into power lunches and jazz or classical music (see flight of the Valkyries; starring Elmer Fudd and Buggs Bunny..);) Waltzes maybe. Rum and cokes? More like Martinis or Gin and Tonics. White wine or red, depending on the meal. This is Senate - think Roman Senate. Togas. Very Formal, with wreaths of olive branches in their hair, and plates of Hor'Derves being held aloft by waiters wearing topcoats and tails!:laugh3: Getting through to them is really tough, because they already think they have the answers. Hence, the mess we're in today!:P

It's a long shot. Maybe just an exercise, but on rare occasion, if the planets align correctly, and the moon is in the southern sky...:laugh3:

But one never knows unless one tries, so here goes!

[Saffire]

:greedy::whip::whip::whip::karate::karate::karate:

Jay, it's going to take a club, three whips, and an army of Samurai warriors to break that club:laugh3:;)! But I do agree, term limits are one way to curb the graft. Presidents are limited to 2-terms (whew!), but what would be reasonable for the House and Senate?

 

Two terms would be nice here, too. 12 years is enough for anyone.

 

I'm from South Carolina and our senator, Lindsey Graham, makes me want to shoot blood out of my eyeballs already.

 

 

He's like John McCain's little Wormtongue, always in the background, craving power and attention. Unprincipled scoundrels.

[chuck kottke]

Only two terms??:stunned: That's hardly enough time to grab a martini off the tray as it passes by!:laugh3: Yes, Senator Saffire, I concur! It's too secure, and because of that, they can and often do loose touch with we citizens! ..and start to think insular thoughts, as though they can see it all from their island in the beltway.:book2:.

McCain's little wormtongue? As in Wormtongue, from Lord of the Rings??:laugh3: Is his tongue long and forked?:P Lindsey Graham - I hear his name bantered about on the news quite a lot.. Is he McCain's pick for running-mate then?

 

[Saffire]

Only two terms??:stunned: That's hardly enough time to grab a martini off the tray as it passes by!:laugh3: Yes, Senator Saffire, I concur! It's too secure, and because of that, they can and often do loose touch with we citizens! ..and start to think insular thoughts, as though they can see it all from their island in the beltway.:book2:.

McCain's little wormtongue? As in Wormtongue, from Lord of the Rings??:laugh3: Is his tongue long and forked?:P Lindsey Graham - I hear his name bantered about on the news quite a lot.. Is he McCain's pick for running-mate then?

 

 

Lindsey Graham is just like John McCain, both ultimate politicians. They say anything to get elected, then once they've got the name-brand recognition (that comes from a good story, like McCain's POW ordeal... or just the fact you're replacing Strom Thurmond), they ingratiate themselves to the Washington media by brokering "deals" on the Senate floor - think "Gang of 14" or whatever it was. They don't have to worry about being replaced because once you're in Washington, nobody pays very close attention to you anymore.

 

They are "brave" for telling Americans the "straight talk" truth. Usually something along the lines of: We're gonna have to stay in Iraq because, well, that's what the commanders told us and that's what we owe the Iraqis.

 

Part of the problem with politics these days is Americans are just as dynastic as the Brits are, only in different ways. We think being a politician is something you've got to get good at, a learned skill. You have to go to Harvard/Yale, you have to have a Rolodex the size of a cookbook, you have to serve in the military.

 

In reality a 12 year old could be president as long as he reads and understands the constitution.