Ercille I. Christmas

Merry Christmas, My Fellow Americans
December 23, 2010
 

"Let there be peace on earth,” so goes a popular Christmas song. There is peace on earth. The US is going through a period of great prosperity. All of the citizens of the US are living in harmony. The US ruling class has finally come to the realization that – "it is (we) the people, stupid.” The rest of the world loves the US. The WikiLeaks leaks were an April Fools Day joke.

Whack! I dozed off there for awhile and had to slap myself awake. I was dreaming of a white Christmas, candy canes, peppermint patties, peace and prosperity. I hate reality. Now I have to face the fact that there is not peace on earth. Exactly the opposite is true. The world is determined to destroy itself – nothing new there. The Nobel Peace Prize was just awarded to an empty chair because the recipient is behind bars. I will not join with those who declare that last year it was awarded to an empty suit. Our president is an effective leader. Look how he has gotten Iran to turn its "not for nuclear power” facilities into ploughshares. Look how the US budget has been balanced. Look how the unemployment percentage is down to below 5%. Look how taxpayers are now paying just 10% of their income to the 800 lb gorilla, I mean federal government. Look how "rich” taxpayers can now wait until 2011 to keel over and die, because the inheritance tax will remain at 0%. Look how – I could go on, but the positives are too numerous to list.

Whack! Now both cheeks, on my face, are hurting, from the whacking that I have given them! It is in reality, very close to the whacking that the US citizen has been taking. Where should I begin with "whack a minute”? I may as well begin with this tidbit, that went virtually unnoticed by many of us, because all of the other whacks are more substantial – we think? US Ambassador Visits UK Mosque with Radical Ties stated the headlines. As I am in a state of delusion of wishing for peace on earth, I at first thought that the "ties” referred to his sartorial splendor! Then I found out that Mr. Ambassador made it a point to visit a mosque with radical ties, as in affiliations and loyalty with radical Muslims who want to kill us. He invited the youth to "come on over, ya’ll” – to the US! Can I at least get a chance to enjoy some eggnog, baked ham with a wine glaze, and a parmesan cheese omelet with tons of bacon, before I have to entertain more guests, whom I did not invite to move in? The following descriptions in the article, almost made me want to puke up that imaginary wish list of a meal:

ELM's long history of radical ties was the focus of a major documentary on Britain's Channel 4 in March.

According to Channel 4's documentary, "Dispatches: Britain's Islamic Republic," ELM hosted a wide variety of extremist speakers. Awlaki, who lives in Yemen, gave a talk by telephone as late as January 2009 at the ELM's London Mosque Center. He had spoken earlier in December 2003 at the London Mosque Center, telling listeners not to cooperate with British counterterrorism authorities. "A Muslim is a brother of a Muslim, he does not oppress him, he does not betray him and he does not hand him over... You don't hand over a Muslim to the enemies," he declared.


 

The State Department has not responded to a request for comment.

What was the State Department going to reply? "Yes, Mr. Taxpayer, you funded this trip – yeah you”? Moreover, the State Department is too busy tracking down those diplomatic cables leaking all over the globe.

While that ambassador was sending out invites, passengers at US airports are still either being "groped or fried.” And – look at which politicians "own stakes in airport scanner machines.” Instead of "come all ye faithful,” should we be singing "o come all ye idiots”? The politicians put down their financial stakes, and you drop your pants? I wonder of if those invitees of the ambassador will undergo the same scrutiny. I just answered my own query. No – they are not Americans or an Indian female ambassador.

The fact that the US lost out to Qatar on hosting the world cup of soccer now means that the US is zero for two in bids to hold world sporting events, since the current president was installed. Should this record be considered a bad thing or a good thing? Much like the news of ambassador "come on over, ya’ll,” this barely registered with the US public. Does this mean that the US is becoming so accustomed to its unaccustomed loser status, that one more loss is just one more loss? Is this a variant of "Stockholm syndrome”?

In selecting Qatar, the tiny emirate in the heart of the Middle East, FIFA chose to bring the World Cup to a Muslim nation for the first time. A desire to make history, and the opportunity to partner with the natural gas fortune of the Qatari royal family, ultimately proved irresistible to FIFA. Qatar has promised to spend $4 billion to build nine stadiums, renovate three others and equip all of them with a high-tech, outdoor air conditioning system to combat summer temperatures that can reach 120 degrees during the day. The country has vowed to spend another $50 billion on infrastructure ahead of the tournament.

The above description of the rationale for selecting Qatar, on the surface sounds like a negative for the US. I don’t see it as such. Maybe the US can emulate Qatar with the "natural gas fortune” image and reality, and begin seriously seeking its own "natural gas fortune” within its borders. Who knows? Maybe that could put the US in the running for world cup hosting by at least 2118, or whenever the pertinent four year period falls in the twenty second century. I would do the math, but I am not that motivated.

Is "motivation” the missing ingredient in this New York Times article about another competition that did not come out as well as should have been expected for the US? The Secretary of Education saw the results as a "wake-up call,” when US students were clobbered by students from countries not usually considered on the same level as the US. The US "came in 23^rd or 24^th in most subjects.” Is "we’re being out-educated,” the understatement of the year? As I have previously stated, I came from a ” third world island” and I received a better education than many US kids are now receiving. In my not so humble opinion, "we” are so busy being politically correct, and forcing kids to learn in an atmosphere where about a hundred languages are in the classroom, that it is a wonder that the kids came in as "high” as 23^rd and 24^th. Or, could it be that the reputed "dumbing down” of America, is not so accidental?

"Houston, we have a problem,” with "badly printed bills"? Those "badly printed bills” may not be in Houston, but according to this article, they are a "multi-billion dollar problem” sitting in vaults in Texas. We cannot even get it right when it comes to printing money? Maybe it is the excessive printing of money because the federal government/ federal reserve, is not reserved about working those printing presses overtime, that is causing this breakdown in what presumably used to be efficiency in printing?

This article is turning out to be about the "bad and the ugly” of American life. It gets uglier. The jobless numbers went up. For months, the unemployment numbers held steady at 9.6%. Then they moved – up. How long will they hold steady at 9.8%? At least the overall numbers do not look as bad as those of Nevada and California, states where they are striving to get that stat to at least 20%. What a coincidence? Both of these states voted to hold on steadily to the officials who led them to that climb. Is the real challenge now going to be, to see how much higher these newly elected and re-elected leaders can take those stats?

Well, if US taxpayers are not having a peaceful prosperous Christmas, who or what will have one? For starters, will it be those companies who got bailed out and bailed out on hiring employees? $3.3 trillion dollars is not chump change. This Bloomberg News article gives a who is who listing of the lucky recipients, companies that ranged from letter A to almost Z, and instead of from "sea to shining (US) sea,” ranged from ocean to ocean. It is good to have a printing press. It gets better – for certain companies. The Wall Street Journal provides insight into how big business and big government scratch backs and wash hands, for one another. I hope that they all no longer have itches and have clean hands. It reads like "incest” to me. BP, which is being sued by the Feds, must feel like a dolt. It gave millions to US politicians. It stands accused of screwing up human life, sea life, bird life, and vegetation in the Gulf of Mexico but does not get a bailout? It should pull a WikiLeaks. Maybe it can show that that the screw up was caused by a WMD program as the WikiLeaks cable leaks showed was going on in Iraq.

Are we having a good time yet? According to this article , not so much. The majority of Americans feel worse off "since Obama took office,” and "two-thirds believe the country is headed in the wrong direction.” No – really? It is going to depend on the meaning of the word "direction,” along the lines of the meaning of the word "is.” Are we headed in the Hugo Chavez direction? It must be nice to be able to have a congress that grants "decree powers. "I say it is so, it is so,” is apparently now the law of the Venezuela-land. I keep thinking of Yul Brynner in the King and I. Senor Chavez better be careful. The king was "konquered.”

Success! I think that I finally found a reason for "cheer.” The US is not Venezuela – yet! Not even that US Congress with the "worst approval rating” in Gallup history would hand over "decree powers” to the US president, would it? As much as13% still approve of Congress? To the congressional way of thinking and acting, that is a mandate! I found gratitude that the US is not yet Venezuela. I give thanks also that the US is not Belarus. On January 3, 2011, the new members of the US Congress will be sworn in – not arrested.

"Hope.” Almost two years ago, it seemed as if almost the entire world was filled with it. It was not the hope offered by the baby in a manger. This was hope being offered by a man whose supporters saw him as a "messiah.” He saw himself as "the one we were waiting for,” or some variation? Let him tell us in his own words from January 20, 2009. I present the US president:

My fellow citizens:

At these moments, America has carried on not simply because of the skill or vision of those in high office, but because We the People have remained faithful to the ideals of our forebearers, and true to our founding documents.

I am sorry to interrupt. Where in the "ideals of our forebearers,” and "founding documents,” is to be found forced purchase of health care?

Homes have been lost; jobs shed; businesses shuttered. Our health care is too costly; our schools fail too many; and each day brings further evidence that the ways we use energy strengthen our adversaries and threaten our planet.

I really hate to again interrupt the speech and point out that even more homes have been lost, and even more jobs have been shredded, since "hope” came to town. "Progress” has been made – in the wrong direction. Don’t even get me started about our use of energy, when we are still propping up regimes that are behind terrorism – this info straight from those WikiLeaks documents – those cables that used to belong to the US!

These are the indicators of crisis, subject to data and statistics. Less measurable but no less profound is a sapping of confidence across our land -- a nagging fear that America's decline is inevitable, and that the next generation must lower its sights.

Mr. President, the "sapping of confidence” is no longer a "sap.” The confidence barrel is almost empty. Don’t take this personally. Many see this confidence thing as more of a confidence game. See the polls about you and your Congress.

On this day, we gather because we have chosen hope over fear, unity of purpose over conflict and discord.

On this day, we come to proclaim an end to the petty grievances and false promises, the recriminations and worn-out dogmas, that for far too long have strangled our politics.

There goes that "hope” word again! Cut to current day. We have not chosen fear. It was thrust upon us. As for the "conflict and discord,” the recently passed and signed tax bill, notwithstanding, with all due respect, almost all of you suck! I cannot be censured or reprimanded for my use of the word "suck,” can I? I have to take a pause while I stop laughing over the last sentence above. Politicians should stop using the words "false” and "promises,” even together, or especially together. There is redundancy there.

My fellow Americans, who have not been bailed out, bought off, hired, fooled by false promises, gotten rich from the misery of others, are you going to have a Merry Christmas? Is there anything that should cause you to be "merry”? I am listening to Thomas Hampson sing, "Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas,” and I think "little” is the operative word there. I am going to have myself a little merry Christmas – in that order. To quote myself: I will not let the bastards steal my joy!” "There is something rotten in Denmark, DC,” but I refuse to give up on America! I am going to take comfort in my belief that it is the "little people” of the US – those not in the ruling class, and who bear the brunt of carrying the load of the US, who will be instrumental in preserving that US of the "ideals of our forebearers,… our founding documents,” to quote the president. I don’t think that my hope will be displaced.

So, have yourself a Merry Christmas from Ms. Christmas! My distant cousin, Santa – he is in the North Pole, and I am hanging out south of there – will be on his way in a few days. I have already requested millions of jobs –for workers in the US, real money in the US Treasury, honest US politicians, and peace on earth. Oh, oh – this does not sound good. The elves had a discussion. I was advised that Santa works with "goodness and light.” He enjoys a challenge, but even he has his limits. I may have to settle for the jobs, and a box of chocolate. Jobs would be good, and after all, "life is like a box of chocolates!”