An interesting video on the federal reserve

While I'm not sure I agree with everything in this documentary, I can say that it brings up various intriguing facts and points. Have a peep and let me know what your impressions are.

Different new ideas for our generation

Is it just me, or has our government been repeating the same ideas around with different terminology?? In my honest opinion, people become indifferent and unconcerned with politics because it is so often the same ideas being said and same results (or lack of results) taking place. People never want to partake in something with little to no effective and substantial results. So before I go on with what I feel are just a very few fresh ideas that could serve as effective programs or legislation, I'd like to state that they are in fact, just IDEAS. I haven't done much research to know the specific details on things like costs and political maneuvering. Remember Folks, Mere Ideas; but it is ideas themselves that make innovation and renewal possible.


Universal Secondary Education/Vocation Fund
- We're no longer the only superpower nation with a strong and healthy economy.. We need to invest not just in the sustainability of our economy, but in the future and careers of our citizens right here at home. I don't believe in any more involuntary taxes for small businesses, corporations or the private American taxpayer. However, why not make a program where the taxpayer chooses by their own free will to allocate a small portion of their income towards college funds for their children? In addition to the money that's being saved, why not let the govt set up a program that gives an accrual of interest to encourage the parents to set up the college funds in the first place?

Further incentives for teachers and skilled workers to work in U.S.
- We just don't have enough teachers, engineers, nurses, mathematicians and other skilled workers. The reason for this is because gradually over time, it's become more and more difficult to sustain a family and comfortable lifestyle in the United States; on top of my advocating for more tax breaks, why don't we give further incentives for students in our universities who agree to stay in the United States to practice their careers?

Constitutional Amendment to keep balanced budget
- A trillion dollars, Obama? Really? Time to keep our presidents and congresses in check.

Increasing Dropout age to 18
- You can't buy over the counter drugs or get a tattoo unless you're 18; but you can drop out of high school at 16?? Think about that, folks.

Funding Adult Stem Cell Research
- Apparently this field has promises for the future in biotechnology so in order to avoid controversy from both sides, let's go with what's far less intrusive; adult stem cell research where adults donate their stem cells without the controversial usage of conception.

Legalize Marijuana
- Decriminalize it. Legalize it. Regulate it. Tax it.

Get rid of the IRS
- We did fine without it in the past; we'll be fine without it now. Hundreds of billions of dollars of waste.

Let Congress take responsibility of coin minting
- Take that privilege from the Federal Reserve and give congress back it's responsibility to mint our currency themselves and not to a conglomerate private central bank.

Rose in the Concrete

Dwelling on my years past since my childhood, I've come to a point in the road we call life where I look back and reminisce. I look at what's become of me and I acknowledge the blessings I've never known were there. What makes this so interesting for me though, is that I'm one among many who share a similar story to mine; coincidentally, you may be one of them. My parents came from an impoverished nation amidst war and poverty. They came here for better lives not just for themselves but more importantly for their children. This is in fact, what they've given my four sisters and I. I was fortunate enough to be born in a country of opportunity and education. This does not mean though, that I did not get to see poverty on a day to day basis growing up. I did not live the most comfortable lifestyle yet I cannot hate the very poverty I felt I was in; for it made me humble and modest. Too many people my age have become obsessed with tangible possessions instead of what can belong to one's soul. We live to live comfortably; not to live in excess. I myself, sometimes forget what my parents did for me; they came here for my life to be better. This is why I appreciate my education; because it alone will take me places I've never thought possible. Education is something not many of my friends have the opportunity of possessing and everyday I wish they at least had the choice of having it. A quality education has become too difficult to attain for so many people and I cannot forget that those very people are some of my friends I've grown up with. I know the perils that come with living in poverty all too well and live to seize the day each morning I awake. I live for a happy life among all things and hope you do the same as well. In one month, I'll be in Washington D.C. taking part in what is to become the most significant step in my career since my first day of college. After that, I hope to go to the U.K. next summer to study abroad. These two events are but a few I hope to partake in before I attempt to become what I've always dreamed of becoming; a U.S. Senator for those who are curious. My life has taken me down many roads of which I knew nothing of; through paths I've never known. I've had my ups and I've had my downs; as I'm sure you have as well, but if I can say one thing, it's This: that you never forget where you come from. Remember that it is your roots that are the reason you stand.

- David Javier Solis

Foreign aid to Africa

Here's a video I found on foreign aid I thought was interesting.

Quotes on Revolution

A few quotes that I thought deserved attention:



Every generation needs a new revolution.
Thomas Jefferson

It is well enough that people of the nation do not understand our banking and monetary system, for if they did, I believe there would be a revolution before tomorrow morning.
Henry Ford

Those who make peaceful revolution impossible will make violent revolution inevitable.
John F. Kennedy

The revolution is not an apple that falls when it is ripe. You have to make it fall.
Che Guevara

In a revolution, as in a novel, the most difficult part to invent is the end.
Alexis de Tocqueville

The seed of revolution is repression.
Woodrow Wilson

The American Revolution was a beginning, not a consummation.
Woodrow Wilson

No real social change has ever been brought about without a revolution... revolution is but thought carried into action.
Emma Goldman

The revolution has always been in the hands of the young. The young always inherit the revolution.
Huey Newton

The only way to support a revolution is to make your own.
Abbie Hoffman

The tree of liberty must be refreshed from time to time with the blood of patriots and tyrants. It is its natural manure.
THOMAS JEFFERSON

Rebellion to tyrants is obedience to God.
JOHN BRADSHAW

When does revolution become necessary?

What are we to make of revolutionary statements from prominent leaders in world history? Are we to disregard what was said decades or even hundreds of years ago? I, among millions of others of people, believe history is meant to teach each generation what arises when certain events go unnoticed and the people become more and more indifferent to the issues of their time. It seems as though the world never quite learns the lessons of generations past and in a cycle of decay, we fall victim to systemic methods of quelling and silencing dissent. Every society is unique and when government officials feel invincible in the political arena, this alone is cause for concern. What many people may not take into is the fact that silence alone can sometimes be the root of struggle and conflict.

Organizations all around the country exist purely on the premise of being a safeguard for the constitution. The overlying problem with this though is that each of these organizations develop individual interpretations of the constitution and like congress, good ideas die in the midst of political disputes. When our government politicians are less concerned with their constituents' needs and more concerned with political fundraising for re-election, the role of being a legislator in a democratic republic becomes construed and forgotten. Just to clarify, I feel that all too often, legislators (incumbents especially) forget what they were elected to do and instead, only worry about what it takes to win an election. Winning elections and maintaining the interests of the constituency aren't always synonymous in American politics. Elections alone are no remedy for preventing a usurpation of our rights from the government. We need grassroots activism where people don't sit idly hoping for actual change and instead stand for what they believe in. We always say we believe in the first amendment; but how often exactly do we use it? We always say we want a balanced budget and responsible government spending but how often do we show up at the building doorsteps demanding it? We always call for more education funds but how often we do storm the districts office demanding it? Imagine a world where the government held bake sales to fundraise for war and schools were given money without question.

Our priorities have fallen out of wack and we've forgotten the very liberties we say our nation embodies. Visualize a society where the ruling class were genuinely fearful of repercussions for corruption and foul play. Visualize a nation where All who complained about the system had done something as simple as voting. Visualize a system where parties debated accordingly by issues and what needed to be done for the American people; even more, the people of the world. I refuse to believe we have become sheep; Sheep cannot take action. Yet it is apparent that as government becomes bigger in scale, so does the submissiveness among the very people it is designed to serve. We must always keep our governments at bay and on edge in fear of removal of power; it keeps them busy at work for us and us only.

What went wrong?

Whatever happened to the days when people used to question anything in the same sentence of 'government programs'? This past election, it was said time and time again; "The people don't care about the size of the government; so long as it works." Of course, we'd all hope that any government we elect would be able to honor, protect and serve its citizens to its fullest extent. This does not mean however, that we should expect government to do for us what we can do for ourselves. Do we need health care reform? Absolutely. Do we need help from our lawmakers that help homeowners all around the country keep their homes? Without a doubt. There's little disagreement when these questions are posed but the proposals differ and unfortunately, the ideas are run to the ground. There's little to no bipartisanship on many of the major issues in the political arena.

Health care; or in my eyes, sick care, is one of them. Both parties agree not enough Americans possess this, yet when the time comes to around to propose new methods of making it more accessible to Americans, it goes from being a noble cause and turns into political bickering. We see it today. Democrats propose federally mandated health care plans that require every American family purchase a health care plan. The problem with this is that telling the sick to purchase a mandated health care plan makes as much sense as telling those in poverty to purchase food. All too often, being sick and being in poverty come hand in hand which only makes federally mandated health care plans that much more complicated and difficult. Coming into the election, I sided with Obama's idea that all children should be required by law to possess health care insurance. Unfortunately, his advisers sidetracked him into another mandate that will do much more harm than good once implemented. If we want to reform health care, let's take the issue to the health care providers themselves and force them to lower prices or risk litigation for price gauging (something that should have been done to the oil companies). We can lower the costs of health care and we can provide tax credits for American families to purchase them. However, the last thing this country needs to be doing is creating another entitlement government program. Look at medicare and social security.. We all know how well the government bureaucracy runs THESE programs..

In terms of homeowners and the prevaling threat of foreclosure among so many millions of them, the government must take action now not by bank bailouts, but by homeowner bailouts. I'm not suggesting the government pay off the debts of millions of Americans (although it'd make much more sense than paying off the debts of private banks), but I am saying that there should be government protection besides bankruptcy for these homeowners. There should be criminal probes being undertaken by the federal government on the banks who used predatory tactics to entice homeowners they knew could not afford the loans. Although I do believe many Americans had faults of their own for taking out an unaffordable home loan, the everyday threat of bankruptcy and foreclosure is far too excessive. I believe that hundreds of billions of dollars should have been better used in a homeowners bailout program that did policies such as a temporary moratorium on national home foreclosures (a proposal Hillary Clinton championed) or more effective government programs that deferred mortgage payments for substantial time periods while families got back on solid ground. There's no reason for the astronomical foreclosure rates going on around the country.

- David Solis

On Education

In the midst of war, government reforms and other vast programs being undertaken by the federal government; we've yet to focus on the one most important asset of our nation: the Youth. Repeatedly it's been asked; why does our government always have money for war but when it comes time for more funds for education, it becomes a matter of debate and bureaucracy? It doesn't take long for money to reach the weapons industry but for some reason, schools have to go through an unnecessary hassle of begging and pleading with the state for more funds. We can't just point a finger at our legislators and ask them what they're doing about education in Washington D.C. without asking ourselves the question of how they got there in the first place. Us. We refuse to take responsibility as united citizens to work together in order to further educate our youth. These very young children and young adults of today are tomorrow's leaders and while schools hold bake sales to acquire funds to maintain their schools, other industries are eating out of taxpayers hands. We need to re-evaluate our priorities as a nation, a society and as a people. While I do not suggest that the government overhaul the education system and nationalize all universities, why not make college education more accessible to those who strive for it but can't quite afford it? Federal and state loans aren't enough; we know not all of our country's citizens are willing to attend 4 year universities but we must make other vocations and job training programs possible for our country's youth. By no means am I an expert on education so if I give anyone the impression that I think I know even enough about the education system, I apologize for making such a distorted impression. This much I know though; our education system has failed us. Our ancestors, forefathers and parents all demonstrated throughout history the importance of an education; Let us come together and acknowledge the importance of education reform so that one day, the Youth can say without fear, reluctance or hesitation, "I can make it".

- David Solis

Is this Change?

Here we are, nearly 6 months into President Obama's presidency and while I told myself I would give our new president a few months to show what he can do, I am truthfully dissatisfied and upset with the policies he's chosen to undertake as a president who won on the premise of 'change'. I ask this: what change have we seen to our country since January 20th, 2009? In regard to the budget, it's become a matter of disregard to the administration. There are no plans to balance the budget and little to no indications that this is even a goal of Obama's cabinet. The administration and their economic 'experts' promised unemployment would not reach 10%; promise broken. They promised more regard towards prisoners of war and due process rights; promise broken. They promised a revival in the economy; promise broken. While Obama's predecessor is responsible for much of the condition of the country, we cannot allow ourselves to avoid pointing a finger at Obama's administration and keeping them unaccountable for their campaign promises. This is Obama's presidency and instead of having an administration which works for the American people, we've seen the ultra-wealthy and influential lobby groups take over. During his campaign, Obama demonizd these very people; now it seems they're in bed with them. Working in cahoots, can we confide in a president who takes our tax money towards companies "too big to fail"? Aren't we all too big to fail? Nevertheless, we have seen change in 6 months. We've seen the economy worsen; even AFTER the bailouts, the "stimulus package" and numerous other policies this adminstration promised would revive and give the economy a jolt. Instead of saving jobs, we've seen our country post historic unemployment numbers. Many of these many workers confided in Obama's promise that their jobs are in better hands under his administration and its policies. Now the administration openly admits there will be new, expensive taxes placed upon businesses; not including the new "health care reform" that the administration is coming up with. Makes me wonder.. When the economy is in bad shape, why spend money we don't have? Why bailout the banks who helped create this crisis in the first place? Why tread on the downtrodden?

THOUGHTS PLEASE, FOLKS.

- David Solis