Musings of a Moderate Mind | By Thomas Close

It's Presidents Day!

2010-02-15T12:50:00.001-06:00

- 2/15/10 -

The third Monday of every February is Presidents Day. Technically, it is supposed to be a federal holiday in honor of our first president's birthday. However, George Washington's birthday falls on February 22. Since the third Monday of every February will always fall between the 15th and 21st, we never actually celebrate Washington's birthday on the actual date. Now that I think about it... that's just wrong. Yes, it is nice to have the uniform Monday off.

We should either have two celebrations in honor of Lincoln's birthday (February 12) and then again on February 22 for Washington's birthday. If that doesn't work, we should just officially change the name of the federal holiday to Presidents Day.

Happy Presidents Day!

On a side note: who do you think the most forgettable president is and why? I think it is William Henry Harrison. He's only known for delivering the longest Inaugural address in history... and for dying 30 days into his term. I suppose that gives him two records.

Senate Upset & Agenda at Stake.

2010-01-20T00:00:00.002-06:00

-- 1/20/10 --

It has been exactly one year since President Obama was inaugurated. After another election upset, it is clear things are definitely not going the way people had hoped.

President Obama needs to seriously reflect on what is going on in this country. Democrat Martha Coakley was defeated in the Democratic stronghold of Massachusetts and lost the Democratic supermajority in the Senate. Everyone assumed she would easily claim Ted Kennedy's old seat. The White House is claiming that Martha Coakley failed to win due to their inability to get their message out. That's not entirely true. Martha Coakley lost because she allowed her campaign to go negative when it was not necessary. Furthermore, a growing movement moved against her and in favor of Scott Brown.

Campaign 101 -- You don't need to campaign negatively when you have the upper hand. People will lose respect if you appear to be a senseless bully.

The Obama administration is sorely mistaken if they believe they simply didn't get their message out. I was in Boston last week and I've been following this race closely. The Democrats' message was heard loudly and clearly. However, it was largely ignored. Why? Scott Brown ran a good race and genuinely listened to the people. People are tired of how far left Obama and the Democrats have shifted. That is exactly why the 'tea party' movement has gained so much momentum in this country. Obama's election was not a mandate to create big government and an even bigger deficit with out some sort of check and balance on their actions. The Democrats' supermajority in the Senate allowed them to act without regard to Republican and independent opinions. Senator-elect Scott Brown said that this was a victory for independence. He was partially correct. The chains have been broken and there will now be a check on Democrats in Washington.

Although Ted Kennedy would be disappointed to see his seat go to a Republican, I don't think this was necessarily just a win for the Republican party. This was largely a win for the American people. Obama and his administration will now be forced to go back to the drawing board. He no longer has his mandate or the will of the majority behind him. He'll need to move toward the center and find a way to govern in a bipartisan way. He and other Democrats will have to rework a very flawed health care bill in order to reflect what the voters really want. The arrogance of the Coakley campaign and the Obama administration will no longer be tolerated. There is much work to do.

Message to the President -- You promised hope, change, and bipartisanship. You haven't held up your end of the deal. You still have the chance to fix that. The change you promised hasn't come fast enough and doesn't really seem to be on the way. You're not the same person I voted for. Find your backbone, make the tough decisions, and do what needs to be done to make our country a better place. You're the president of the United States of America... so do your job and act like it.

Help Haiti.

2010-01-17T20:16:00.002-06:00

-- 1/17/10 --

As many of you have seen over the past several days, a 7.0 earthquake struck directly off the coast of Haiti. The vast majority of the country's infrastructure and supplies were destroyed during the earthquake. Subsequent assessments of the country have revealed that a large majority of the buildings in the country were also turned in to rubble. Many people lost their lives and many people are still fighting to survive. This is a crucial time period in which many lives can be saved. Most people don't know how to help. As President Clinton mentioned the other day, donating money is the best way someone can be of assistance. This money is being used to pay for the recovery effort, food, water, medical care, shelter, and all of the other essentials for rebuilding Haiti.

Although money is tight for most, I urge you to scrounge up what you can and donate to save lives. I donated $10 myself. There are several ways to donate -- I recommend the American Red Cross or the Clinton Bush Haiti Fund.

View the video of Presidents Bill Clinton and George W. Bush asking for money below:

It's so cold! What Happened to Global Warming?

2010-01-08T00:01:00.006-06:00

-- 1/8/10 --

Brrr! Much of the northern hemisphere is facing record breaking freezing temperatures. Even the Florida Everglades are freezing! Winter is really trying to stick it to us this year. It is balling its fist and saying, "You can't write me off that easily!" Well, that's for certain. Mankind never has quite figured out how to control the weather. As much as we desire to do so, we still haven't managed to bring rain or sunshine on command.

Another thing is also certain. Climate change is real. Are we controlling it? No. However, we definitely are impacting it. People doubt this. Unfortunately, there are some very uneducated people out scattered around the U.S. and world screaming, "Al Gore is a liar! Climate change is fake! Global warming isn't real!" Well, I'd hate to break it to them but they're partially incorrect. There probably is a good chance that Al Gore is a liar. Although I respect and trust him, I can't disprove that claim on all grounds. However, there is certifiable, verifiable, and definitive proof that the Earth is warming.

WAIT! What about all of this bizarre cold weather?

Well, I'm glad someone asked. Weather is a part of the climate. However, 'weather' refers the conditions of the atmosphere at any given moment. Now read this carefully: 'climate' refers to all meteorological trends and statistics over a long period of time. In the U.S., that time length is considered to be at least 30 years. Although we're having temporary freezing weather throughout much of the developed world right now, the temperature of the Earth has warmed overall in comparison to the past. Also, do not forget that there is unusually warm weather in some parts of the southern hemisphere. There is record breaking rain and flooding throughout much of South America and Australia.

Global warming exists. It might not be as extreme as some politicians or others in the media make it out to be. However, that does not give people the excuse to continue destroying our planet. We should be good stewards of the Earth.

... and my college education is actually paying off. Thanks to Troy Kimmel, my meteorology teacher, at UT for teaching me the difference between the weather and climate.

Balanced Budget in the Constitution?

2010-01-07T21:18:00.002-06:00

-- 1/7/10 --

Earlier today, Governor Rick Perry of Texas called for an amendment to the United States Constitution that would mandate that our federal budget should be balanced.

AP/Pat Sullivan

"Washington's business as usual will ruin our nation... [we can no longer] allow this rampant spending with no regard to how we are going to pay for it in the future."

This is actually a very good message from the governor. However, he fails to come up with a sound plan. All of this could simply be campaign rhetoric as he faces a stiff primary against Senator Kay Bailey Hutchison. Furthermore, it is convenient for him to say this now. Why was he so silent when his predecessor and now former president, George W. Bush, was creating such a fiscal mess in Washington? People and their political platforms change. No point in pointing finger now. It is time to get things done. President Barack Obama and his fellow Democrats in Congress would be wise to listen to Perry in this one instance. In the end, this would be an ideal move for the United States.

Even though Texas' unemployment rate currently sits at 8.1%, Rick Perry has done a fairly good job at attempting to balance the state's budget. The primary reason he has done so: Texas state law requires it. A constitutional requirement would drastically reduce our dependence on debt. How can American families ever move out of debt if our own government doesn't practice what it preaches?

Although I'm fairly certain that I'll be voting for Senator Hutchison in the upcoming election for governor, I do support this current message from Gov. Perry.

North Korea's New Year's Resolution.

2010-01-03T22:30:00.004-06:00

-- 1/3/10 --

Where exactly does North Korea fit in on the world stage? Many see it as a pesky annoyance; others see it as a rebel without a cause. The North Korean government is hoping improve its standing based on its most recent announcement.

Before getting to the issue at hand, a little background info on the country is necessary. It's name (Democratic People's Republic of Korea) implies that it is a country that allows its citizens to freely and openly choose anyone to be the leader. Most people know that definitely is not the case here. There is something different about this country. It really has become a hermit nation. It is a Juche (self-reliant) socialist republic. The country, in theory, is led by a deceased "eternal president," Kim Il-sung. Upon his death in 1994, his son, Kim Jong-Il, became the Supreme Leader. Both have strongly controlled the entire country through an odd power known as cult of personality.

We actually know relatively little about the daily life of average North Koreans. What we do know is that poverty, starvation, and malnourishment is rampant. Basic liberties (i.e. freedom of speech, press, etc...) are almost entirely unheard of. The majority of citizens have virtually no connection to the outside world (which is why we know so little about what is happening inside). We do know that many North Koreans are slowly discovering the lies behind their government's propaganda and the truth about their living conditions in comparison to the majority of the industrialized world, including its southern neighbor.

A picture of the Korean peninsula at night reveals the major disconnect.

Back to the question though. Recently, the North Korean government issued a New Year's resolution of sorts by calling for an end to hostility with the United States and a "lasting peace system on the Korean peninsula." This is a bold move for the hermit country. On the other hand, it is a necessary one. Today, North Korea is heavily reliant on international support to sustain basic needs within the country. Until recently, Kim Jong-Il and his supporters have ardently opposed any and every request and demand set forth by the international community in regards to its nuclear ambitions. This resolution sounds promising, but really has nothing behind it to substantiate any realistic hope for change. The North Korean government will need to return to six-party talks and honestly adopt the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty. This would certainly elevate their position around the world. It would even open up the door for direct and sincere diplomatic relations with South Korea and the United States. One thing is certain: actions speak louder than words.

Is this most recent call an indication of internal change within North Korea? With Kim Jong-Il clinging on to power and the North Korean people in need of outside support, will there actually be a change in policy?

In my personal opinion, I don't think that change will really happen now or even relatively soon. This is merely another attempt at playing kind in order to receive international support and humanitarian aid that will temporarily alleviate internal pressures. However, I do believe there will be a regime collapse or transition of power within the next decade. It is bound to happen because of the slowly encroaching influence from South Korean media and pressure from major international powers.

Hopefully 2010 will prove to be a peaceful year.

One-der Years.

2010-01-02T01:30:00.001-06:00

-- 1/2/10 --

Yesterday, I mentioned that the next decade would be referred to "One-ders" decade. Although this issue isn't urgent or pressing, it should still be considered. Why? Because we're living in it. There were the Seventies, Eighties, Nineties, Noughties (although rarely used), and now we have the One-ders. Each decade was defined by a general mood or way of acting. The 60s were funky. The 70s were cool and laid back. When I think of the 80s, 'selfishness' stands out. The 90s can be summed up as the touchy feely decade. The first decade of the 2000's is definitely defined by political correctness and government regulation.

Back to the name of the decade...

Honestly, I wasn't really aware people were perplexed by this issue. I wasn't even entirely aware that this was 'issue' worthy. Apparently there are surveys and contests occurring worldwide to officially name the period between 2010 and 2019. The "Teens" would have been an plausible choice, but what about 2010-2012? You can't have a split time period like that -- "the pre-teens?"

I like the One-der years. Great play on words that emphasizes the hope of a better future. Sounds nice and fits. Hopefully our current president can keep the U.S. and world on track toward a better future.

What name would you have assigned to the next decade?

- TC

Let the Discussion Commence.

2010-01-01T00:05:00.002-06:00

-- 1/1/10 --

I'd like to wish everyone a very happy New Year. We've officially entered the "One"-der years. Who would have thought the human race would make it this far? Honestly, many speculators maintained we were doomed to die toward the end of the 1940s. The same was true for each succeeding decade. The turn of the millennium came and went. Somehow, we are still here.

Where exactly is this? Well, that's a good question. You've either come here via a link I provided or you've stumbled upon my little corner of the internet by accident. Either way, welcome to my site. After months of allowing the idea to float around my noggin, I'm finally embarking on a journey to officially share my views on world. So much happens on a daily basis and it is literally impossible to discuss it all. So, what will I discuss? I'm going to use this venue (as you can see in the sidebar) to discuss my views on a variety of things occurring in places ranging from Washington, D.C. to Beijing, Hollywood to Bollywood, and the Vatican to Jerusalem. I'm a student of political science and international relations. Naturally, I will gravitate toward pertinent political topics. Outside of that bubble, I'm simply a curious person. My friends often joke about how much I watch the news. It's a hard habit to break. At least it is a healthy one. Who wouldn't want to know that the Pope likes Prada and that Brangelina won't marry until gay marriages are legal? Will more people end up seeing the next blockbuster movie or watching President Obama's State of the Union address? Just a few questions to ponder.

All things considered, I'm a fair-minded person. I consider myself to be quite moderate when it comes to most issues, as the title suggests. This often gives me the ability to see issues from more than one perspective. So, this is me. Stick around and let me know what you think from time to time.

-TC