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I've been a poster on HuffPo since November 2005, but had to change my username (Leafit) after the moderation policy became so draconian. It was tit for tat, but some of us got more of the tat. Many of the most poignant contributors to the dialogue have long since departed this site for possibly the same reason. I miss that access to an education. But these days (11/2009) it's getting harder and harder to get germane comments past the moderators. It's no longer a matter of complying with policy. I've just about given up, and I come back here less frequently. Too bad, because I like the format, and I've been here a long time. I do most of my posting now on PlanetPOV.
Born in rural western Washington State, I turned 61 in 2009. B.A. in Finance (Credit Management). I was formally educated and lived in the UK for many years following service in the U.S. Navy as a SeaBee (E-4). Two tours (18 mos) in Vietnam 67-68. For the most part, I served with 3rd Marines on the DMZ at Cua Viet and later at Phu Bai near Hue.
Business owner for close to two decades, where I discovered I had finally found the perfect boss (moi). Sold the business - made some money. Now I'm semi-retired, working the weekends for a little extra "fishing" money.
Aside from course work forty years ago, I know just enough about economics to be considered armed and dangerous. Economists are like weathermen; every one has an opinion. If you put 50 economists in a room you'll end up with 51 differing interpretations. Nevertheless, I completely accept the Keynesian approach to social economics, whereby the highest priority of a society of citizens (as opposed to corporations) is to maintain its structure.
Politically - socially progressive, while being fiscally conservative. I like to spend money. I just don't like to spend it foolishly. I'm a strong supporter of the middle class concept in that it represents a dispersion of wealth, even though I've had my ups and downs with trade unions. I believe in limited socialization of services and goods, i.e. food, shelter, transportation, energy, complimented by a sprinkling of capitalism for incentive and innovation. The necessities of life should not be subjected to the whimsy of corporatism.
I have almost nothing (fiscal responsibility excepted) in common with conservatism. I nearly always err on the side of personal choice. The conservative gene is a bane to mankind, and as often as I've (seemingly) joked about its eradication, I believe its discovery is critical to the social growth of humanity. Conservatism always spells doom for the people. I have on file a dissertation on the true meaning of conservatism as it pertains to aristocracy. Really hits the nail on the head.
I count Ronald Reagan as the worst president among a long list of miscreants who've held that office. Thanks to Uncle Ronnie, trade unions were disemboweled, and the decline of the middle class was begun. I really dislike him and his followers.
Global climate change is real, and I have been predicting for years (it's true, years) that we've already crossed the threshold. It has jack to do with global warming in the sense most people perceive temperature. It is in fact a change in weather and oceanic current patterns which cause widespread change. The ignorant continue to relate it to local phenomenon. Each week some new article is published supporting that supposition. When my grandchildren become adults, they will be the inheritors of a distortedly different world very likely unable to sustain even the current human population. They won't have asked for it, but they surely will get it. How insane is that?
