Written by Matt Fay | 04 September 2008

"Country First?"

America's political elite and its bipartisan foreign policy

By: Matt Fay

It is the theme of this year's Republican National Convention emanating from St. Paul, Minnesota. But are either parties, or their respective nominees, really putting their country first? John McCain likes to juxtapose himself as a Captain America-esque figure compared to Barack Obama's "Citizen of the World" shtick. But what are the differences between the two in the realm of foreign policy? How are they putting their own country's interests - the people they represent - above those of special interests and foreign lobbyists? Does rhetoric about "Change" mean anything when it comes to putting the American people first? Or is it merely a catchy slogan meaning anything other than Bush? Here are just a few examples of what George Bush, John McCain, Joe Lieberman, Joe Biden, Barack Obama, and the rest of America's governing elite actually mean when they say Country First.

Written by Matt Fay | 21 August 2008

A “War on Terror” Reading List

Books for a better understanding of the War on Terror

By: Matt Fay

I cannot take credit for compiling this list on my own. Several of the titles listed below I took directly from the reading list that Ron Paul offered to Rudy Guiliani after the South Carolina Republican debate. This list, though, does expand slightly on Dr. Paul’s list. I also grouped together several books that were written by the same authors.

There is a wide variety of titles available right now covering the subject of terrorism – Islamic terrorism in particular, and it is, undoubtedly, a genre that will continue to grow. These are just several books that get deeply and – I believe – accurately into the Who, What, Where, Why, and How of international terrorism.

Written by Matt Fay | 07 August 2008

HBO’s Generation Kill

By: Matt Fay

For those of you who have never read this blog before, I will happily admit that I have never seen military combat. I say that “happily” because I consider myself extremely fortunate, not because others have to experience what I am lucky enough to have avoided, but because war is something that we should always “happily” avoid. Unfortunately, there are those among us who think that war is, to quote the late, great George Carlin, “Just F’n Dandy!”

Many of those who look at war as a positive part of what we do as a country; are those that we see daily on TV. They are the pundits, talking heads, politicians, political consultants, lobbyists, and commentators who, in many cases, have never seen war personally but agitate for it consistently. It is a very rare occasion that the average American has the opportunity to hear, unfiltered, from those responsible for doing the actually fighting. HBO’s newest mini-series offers the American people such an opportunity. Hopefully, it is one they take.

Written by Justin Hartfield | 14 July 2008

If the US Government Were Run By Apple...

By Justin Hartfield

• Federal income tax returns would be exclusively online and consist of three or four extra large text input buttons.

• The United States Postal Service would be ridiculously overpriced but insanely fast.

• There would be a team of perky, pastel-shirted DMV employees waiting to renew your license as soon as you walked in the door.

• The WhiteHouse.gov website would include at least three web 2.0 gradients, a Last.fm widget, and a link to the President's featured iTunes selections.

• There would be a three hour wait to get the latest $5 bill. It would also feature a web 2.0 gradient.

• The State of the Union would be a Keynote presentation, with the most important policy being revealed at the end, after the President says, "Oh, and one more thing..."

• Incarcerated criminals would be rehabilitated by learning new skills in prison -- however, all their training would take place on an eMachines running a torrented version of Vista beta.

• The eggs at the annual White House Easter Egg Roll would be replaced with iPod minis, making the challenge much more difficult and lucrative in the process.

• For welfare, student loans and other government aid inquiries, you'd visit a 'money genius' to help you with your problems. (Much like Apple's Mac Geniuses, they would take an hour to acknowledge your presence in that smug, Nick Burns condescending sort of way.)

• Instead of a Social Security number, all newborns would receive a free MobileMe account.

• The cabinet would add the Department for Ergonomic Design, including a new position called the Secretary of Feng Shui. The office would debate the merits of using Arial versus Helvetica on street signs. Additionally, the Lincoln Bedroom would be upgraded with a mini rock waterfall and tiny Bonsai trees.

• Steve Jobs' face would inexplicably appear next to Roosevelt's on Mt. Rushmore.

• A Macbook would be standard equipment for every incoming high school freshman.

• Searching for patents, business names and the like would all be controlled via a single Spotlight search box.

• Steve Ballmer would be found murdered in a Trotsky-esque fashion, with a Windows Vista CD found embedded in his skull.

• Every bank account in the US would still be insured up to $100,000. Yet, if you buy the Apple Care Protection Plan, you can extend that limit up to $300,000 for five years.

• 10% student discount on all government services.

• "In God We Trust" would be changed to "Getting Things Done".

• Opponents of Apple policy changes would be publicly ridiculed in "Mac Vs PC" style commercials.

• The President's Cabinet would consist of Tim Ferriss, Merlin Mann, Darren Rowse and the Omni dev team. Steve Wozniak would be conspicuously absent.

• The Statue of Liberty would greet new immigrants with the prospect of freedom, opportunity and free wi-fi.

Written by Rand Getlin | 07 July 2008

Understanding the Politics of Generation Y

By Rand Getlin

In this election season, the potential impact of first-time voters is a oft-discussed topic, and understandably so. Barack Obama's primary victory was largely driven by first-time voters, predominantly those under 30. At current count, there are 79 million eligible unregistered voters in the United States, 20 million of whom are young adults. If engaged, these voters have the potential to radically alter the expected results of the coming presidential election.

Disengaged citizens are quite an enigma to those in politics, and previously, most pundits and pollsters have simply ignored them. But now, with Mr. Obama's successful candidacy, they've taken on more relevance. Young, first-time voters are rapidly considered the dark horse factor in the coming election.