Transparency Promised...Transparency Received???

What's up everybody? I know that one of you three are going to say, wow two blogs in a day. You can calm down, because I'm not that prolific of a writer yet, but look out for my book to be released in about a year about nothing important. We'll see how that sells. I figure that if I can sell two on my own, then I'm big time and I might just have a future. But until then, I'll stick to what I do best...pretending to be a trombone player on tv...not even sure I'm good at that. Anyways, just wanted to talk about transparency. Spelled tee, are, eh, in, ess, pee, eh, are, ea, in see, why...transparency. The dictionary on my computer, which claims to be the Oxford American Dictionary, defines transparency as the condition of being transparent. Thanks dictionary for being so clear in your definition by defining the word with another condition of the word I'm trying to define. So the dictionary defines transparent as:

1. allowing light to pass through so that objects behind can be distinctly seen
2. easy to perceive or detect
3. having thoughts, feelings, or motives that are easily perceived
4. (of an organization or its activities) open to public scrutiny

Now of these four I believe the fourth one deals with what I'm looking to talk about today.

So how many people remember the 2008 presidential elections where the American People elected the first African American President. Now I know there's gonna be a couple of people asking for birth certificates and everything, but let's just get past some things ok. Anyways, remember when candidate Obama promised transparency. And here we are 1.5 years into his presidency and we haven't seen a change in the process that the president goes through as far as making and implementing policy. Well I really didn't expect that to change because of, as I wrote in my last blog, there's just some stuff we don't need to know. And it would actually make us less safe if we knew them.

But I can tell you that there has been transparency. Please don't think that I'm trying to make excuses for Obama's shortcomings, I'm not. I realized politics was a job a long time ago. What better job to have than one that you can only do for a maximum of 8 years, get paid $200,000 a year, get a free house for that time, and continue to get paid your salary after your done. That's the job I want. "Alright Kenny, we're going to pay you $75,000 a year, you can only teach music for 8 years, and after that you can't do it any more. But don't worry, we'll still pay you for not teaching until you die." I think I'd be all over that, after I made sure they weren't going to kill me at the end of eight years...sounds a little too "Logan's Run"-ish to me. Back to transparency. One thing that has become EXTREMELY transparent is the process that our democracy takes to ensure that we remain the "Best Nation in the World". It's like they take an issue, let's say Best California Bay Area City, and half of them will say San Francisco. Since that one half said San Francisco, the other side has to say something completely opposite like San Jose. And the reality is more likely that it's somewhere in the middle like Mountain View, Palo Alto, or Los Altos. The reason for this is that the best result is usually somewhere in the middle. These cities would be better because they have equal access to both environments. San Francisco is 20-30 minutes away, which is coincidently how long it takes for a buzz to turn into completely drunk after slamming that drink between last call and closing, and close enough to all the high paying jobs in San Jose without any of the side effects of overpopulation and crime.

This is the same situation our political system is in. Our political parties hold on to an antiquated ideal system that served us well when our country was, no pun intended, black and white. We have a more complex society which begs for a more sophisticated governing style, system of ideals, and view of ourselves as a nation of states, not as a conglomerate of nations...which was the original plan for the United States of America. Which is why we have this huge divide over state and federal rights. That's because the United States of America was not intended to be one country with fifty states. It was supposed to be fifty countries with rules to manage how all the countries would interact with each other. But we need to understand how our country has changed from the original designs of our forefathers and evolved into this thing that no one could have even thought of back 200 years ago, before we can fix our government and make it more effective for our future.

So has President Barack Obama given us the transparency he promised us? Probably not, I would say definitely not. But he has given us transparency. Whether he, or any other politician for that matter, wanted us to see or not; we have been granted transparency to the facade of the political process. The hypocrisy of finger pointing, when they know good and well they are doing the same thing. The back room deals and the special interests. That old adage about one finger pointing at someone and three pointing back at yourself is really the case politicians. In an age where everyone is about 10 internet searches away from their darkest secrets being exposed, you think they would be a little more worried about not drawing attention to themselves. Just an observation. Sorry if all my black friends think that I'm a sell-out now that I said something bad about Obama. I think he has a rough job, which is why I don't want it. So don't take this the wrong way, I'm just thinking out loud.

Can't We All Just Get Along...Seriously Women Democratic Leaders, Can't We???--From Thursday

I was perusing CNN.com this afternoon, and came across an article dealing with spies. I got excited, because I think when everyone was wanting to be firemen and police officers, I'm pretty sure I really wanted to be a spy. Not only that, but I love watching James Bond and the Bourne Series, so I was like, "Yay!!!". I read the article and found out that it was nothing like I expected it to be. I thought that there was going to be intel about how someone can become a spy. Instead of the exciting $#!t, it was about how the Senate, Diane Feinstein, is holding up the nomination of the guy to take over all the spies because the House of Representatives, Nancy Pelosi, is holding up the bill to reform how spies do their jobs and requiring the President to tell all of congress, not just the "Gang of Eight" about what the covert actions are for, what covert actions are taking place, and how they are going to take place. Now that I look at it, it sounds pretty cool. I know it seems all convoluted and stuff, but I'll start from the beginning.

So I guess that the way things work now is that the president only has to tell 8 people about what he is planning on doing as far as covert operations go. I mean he does have the choice of telling everybody about our top secret plans, but we know how well politicians keep their secrets nowadays...anyone want to go to Argentina...err I mean hike the Appalachian Trail...Nobody...Ok, I'll just go by myself, again. And by tell, I mean kinda hint at. And by hint at, I mean he really doesn't have to say anything. He can call a meeting with the "Gang of Eight" (that sounds so cool) and say, "Hey Gang, I call this meeting to order to tell you that we're gonna do some stuff to some people. Meeting adjourned." And they'd be like, "Ok boss, thanks for the heads up." For all who don't agree with this, or any of you who thinks that this is wrong, please remember that George Bush had this power for 8 years, and a huge majority of his meetings were with the "Gang of Eight" and so just bite your tongue on this one, cuz you got nothing to say...especially since you didn't speak up 6 years ago. But they were enhanced interrogation techniques, not torture...sure they were, now go away.

So Senator Diane Feinstein, Democrat from California, wrote a bill wanting this to change. I guess she feels out of the loop and kinda pissed cuz no one trusts her with secrets. However, Congresswoman Nancy Pelosi, Democrat from California, has held up the bill. I'm guessing cuz she knows that Senator Feinstein can't keep a secret to save her life. So what Senator Feinstein has done is held up the guy who will be in charge of all of our intelligence operations, spy $#!t, from being approved (and just when I feel that there's nothing less productive than black on black crime). Is everybody up to speed now?

So here are my issues with this. First of all, as someone who executes several covert operations all the time, I have found that as awesome as a "Gang of Eight" might be, eight people knowing a secret is about 7 1/2 people too many. And when it comes to government secrets and covert operations, I don't know if I want all of congress to know about that stuff. I mean let's look at it this way, how many people are there in the House of Representatives alone? 435. Are you telling me that a terrorist cell couldn't kidnap one, or more, of the 435 congress people and torture them for the information. Like one from South Dakota, that would be pretty easy I think and now we have terrorists knowing everything. Secondly, why would everyone need to know. As awesome as Al Franken was on Saturday Night Live, I don't know if I want him to know detailed information on secret military operations; nor do I think he needs, or even wants, to know. Lastly, a major part of this bill will require spies to legally justify the methods that they are using to get information. Now, I guess it kinda makes sense as far as water boarding is concerned. But on the real, I don't think I really care so much about spies water boarding other spies to get information. That's what makes a job as being a spy cool. But let's say the spy is married and he had to sleep with some secretary to get access, how do you legally defend marital infidelity? It was in the interests of national security. I'm sorry if it hurt you, but look, baby, we caught Bin Laden. And this situation happens all the time according to James Bo...I mean the classified training videos I've watched.

Ultimately, I guess it comes down to this. There's just some things we don't need to know. I mean, I would love to know what spies have done. I have a buddy, who's got a brother, that is married to this girl, who has a nephew that is special forces. And I would love to know what he does, but I can't cuz I might get kidnapped and tortured, by our military. As long as spies are doing cool stuff, let them do it and give geeks, like myself, something to aspire to and lie to women about. So Senator Feinstein and Speaker Pelosi, get over yourselves and get my friend a job that pays some money. Sorry if I've spoken ill of your political role models ladies, but don't blame me, I'm just thinking out loud..

Have I Really Been Wrong for the Last 26 Years???

I know what my brother is going to say, "Finally, he admits it!!!" But as I like to do so often I'm going to shatter his dreams and say, "No B, I'm never wrong. Except for when I am, then I admit I'm wrong and that makes me right." So I'm laying in my bed and I'm pondering about that good old phrase...no not that one, but often times three are better than two, Makes me wish I had a third hand...name that movie. But the phrase, "If it feels good, do it." Now, I guess this isn't something that most people have to think too intensely about. But if you know me at all, you know two things. The first thing is that I think too intensely about everything. The second thing is that I don't follow that rule. The reason why I don't follow it is that I've been programmed to think that there is a right way and a wrong way, a right thing to do and a wrong thing to do. Very rarely is there a gray, or grey (lack of a red squiggly line tells me that I spelled them correctly, gotta love those Brits), area. So now back to the quote. Is it that there is always a right ro a wrong? Or is it that there are only justifications, or as I like to call them excuses, about a decision that a person has made? Hmmm...I know kinda deep for 1:00 in the am, but that's what happens when I get to take a nape for three hours. Man, the Spanish know what they're doing, but I digress. I'm going to try something out this summer, and we'll see how it turns out at the end of the summer. I'm going to do what feels right and see what the results get me. I know that two of the three people that read my blogs are going to be like, "Yay, he's not going to overthink everything anymore!!!" And the third will be like, "I knew this guy was a dork." I mean there's got to be something to a phrase like that simply because I've never heard anyone who's lived like that complain about their awesome experiences. You can all relax, because I'm not going to start doing cocaine, heroine, or meth; but I'm just going to live a lot more and not be so concerned about the consequences. Because you only live once right...unless there's something to that reincarnation thing. In which case, I'd want to make sure that I enjoyed myself as a human. Because I don't want to live this life and come back as a cow. That just doesn't seem like you were winning the race of life. "Congratulations Kenny, you've lived a great life and helped thousands of people! We give you the privilege of coming back as a cow!!!" And the crowd goes wild...yay...Sorry if my Hindu and Buddhist friends are offended by this, but I'm just thinking out loud.