As you have no doubt noticed, we are very busy recently. We haven’t recorded a podcast in awhile and my articles are few and far between. There is a reason for this. Scot and I are both very busy during the holiday season. In addition to being very busy I will be going home for the holiday’s and I’m not sure that I want to take the trouble to bring my computer home. We will try to post a couple articles and we may have a podcast or two during the holidays, but not at our regular pace. We hope you all understand and will check back regularly to check on us. While we are gone, everyone is welcome to check out and contribute to the forums. They are not getting the attention that they could, and all of our readers and listeners are missing out on a great resource if they haven’t posted on them. Please continue to check out our friend sites located on the left tool bar.

From everyone here at Next gen Politics, we wish you and yours the merriest of Christmases and the Happiest of New Years.

Since the conclusion of the election season, I’ve been faced with an excruciating case of writers block. I really haven’t found anything that I feel is worth writing about. I know that some of you just took in a sharp breath of air and crossed yourselves, but honestly, I haven’t. Let me explain.

Yes, I know there was a bombing and hotel siege last week in India. But what could I possibly add to the conversation. I am not in India, I have no friends there, and we are already bombarded with nightly images of the aftermath and a lot of talking heads describing what this means for the region. I guess I could talk about how this will cause India to move troops back to its border with Pakistan, which will lead Pakistan to pull troops off its border with Afghanistan to meet the perceived threat posed by India, which will in turn give terrorist groups in the area breathing room to plan more bombings and killings. Or how this regional instability may spill over into neighboring countries, or how the fact that both Pakistan and India are nuclear nations and how that scares the crap out of a lot of people that know what they should and shouldn’t be scared of.

There is a lot to be thinking about, but honestly, the rational answer to all of this is for India, Pakistan, and Afghanistan to wake up and realize that half-heartedly supporting U.S. efforts to eradicate the cancer that is affecting them more than it is the U.S., is self damaging stupidity. They must recognize that tolerating any terrorists residing or training within their borders is like playing with fire. When those terrorist forces are done using your government as cover, they will turn on you, too. There should be a slight spin on old Ben Franklin’s saying. For these governments, it should read, “Those that would endanger national security for their own job security, deserve neither a nation, security, nor life.”

Perhaps I should talk about the economy. I would write on this topic, but really what can I say that hasn’t been said a million times by every newscaster there is? The economy is bad, the only way to fix the economy is to get banks to lend to each other and who in turn would lend to consumers again, people need to start buying products again, and the government needs to have more oversight and regulation over the banking and finance industry. That’s the right thing to say, but here is what people wont say. We are responsible for this crisis just as much as the financial industry. We are the ones with 3-5 credit cards with an average of $8,000 of revolving unsecured debt. We are the ones that are making $50,000 a year at our job, but think we can afford two $50,000 cars and a $300,000 home, when we really should have one $20,000 car and a $150,000 home.

The reason we are in recession is because the market is correcting itself, shedding off the imposed illusion of the trillions of dollars of global monopoly money. In essence that’s what credit is. It is fake money, and the “real” economy will not allow “fake” money to survive forever. Eventually, we go in to recession, an if it’s bad enough, a depression, to re-adjust prices and wages to a realistic and sustainable level that reflects our actual product output. I’m not saying that this will be a depression, but our great-grandparents generation learned about living within your means and saving for a rainy day. Maybe we should take their cue.

With our nation and the world, in the turmoil it is, let’s hope that the statement, “We have not men fit for the times. We are defficient in genious, in education, in fortune, in everything.“, is as wrong now as it was when John Adams first wrote it in 1774, just before the first continental congress convened.

With the nomination of President-Elect Obama’s cabinet, many on the left are scratching their heads. Many on the left expected to see a much more liberally minded cabinet, and it looks as though Obama is thinking practically instead.

Obama has a lot of weight on his shoulders. He is the first African-American President, and potential minority candidates may be judged, if not out in the open then in the nations subconsious, based on how he does. With this in mind it is no wonder why he would pick a cabinet that was less ideological and more practical.

The right has been busy praising Obama on his pick of Clinton as Secretary of State, as well as his keeping Gates on the team. Normally I would be suspicious of any praise the conservative right might give the left, for fear that it might be some Rovian strategy, but could this actually be sincere praise for a coalition government?

It is clear to me that this nation is neither left nor right in ideology. We may disagree with the other side on specific issues, but on average, this nation is a centrist nation. International military crisis might temporarily push us to the right, and economic crisis may push us to the left, but when the dust settles, we are a centrist nation.

The nation has numerous challenges both domestically and internationally, and it will take a lot of help from both sides of the aisle to get us back on track. If Obama can manage to put us back on course, he will indeed be one of the greatest presidents we have ever had.

Happy Thanksgiving everyone. At this time of year we are supposed to gather with those that we love the most and keep in mind all the things that we have to be grateful, despite our other hardships.

With this in mind, I’ll tell you, the NGP readers, what I’m thankful for.

• Today, amid all of the financial turmoil, I’m thankful that the people of the U.S. finally voted for the right guy, after two previous elections gave us exactly what we deserved, even if it wasn’t what we needed.
• I’m thankful that the guy we voted for is a Harvard Educated, well read, well traveled, statesman, rather than a beer swilling, coke snorting, embarrassment to the office to which we elected him….TWICE!!
• I’m thankful for all the social programs that have caught millions of Americans this year, who if the Republicans had had their way years ago, would have had no way to survive in this economic nightmare.
• I’m thankful that, President-Elect Obama, has yet to take the bait to get directly involved in the “recovery Plan” that the Bush administration is fumbling. The Republicans are working themselves into a fever over the idea that every time Obama has a press conference the economy improves. They know that the economy is bound to get better under his administration, and they want to have some of the credit for the improvement so that the rest of the Republican Senators (up for re-election) and Congressmen don’t get thrown out in 2010. I’m always one for bi-partisanship, but here is the problem; Obama has no power now. He isn’t the President, and like he’s said before, there is only one President at a time. Taking more responsibility for the economy without any ultimate control is just stupid. This is yet another example of Obama’s intelligence. We have less than 2 months to wait, everyone needs to take a breath. If the Republicans had been this interested in saving our economy years ago, maybe they wouldn’t have stuck to the failed idea of trickle-down economics (that never seem to trickle past the CEO’s signing bonuses and golden parachutes), corporate welfare, and the gutting of any legislation that held corporations or banks accountable for their stupid mistakes.
• Lastly, but most importantly, I’m grateful for co-workers that I can call true friends, friends that are like family, and a family that, while not perfect, is perfect for me. I love you all. Thank you for your support and friendship. There is no Thanksgiving in Japan, so I trust you’ll eat enough for both of us.

Happy Thanksgiving everyone.

I decided to shake things up a bit to keep things fresh here at NGP. Everyone that has followed my blog and some that have just come to check out some articles may know that I currently live in Japan where I teach English. When I first came to Japan I was lucky enough to have stumbled across a live concert of Hiromi on T.V. Not speaking any Japanese, it was refreshing to see something that I could enjoy, even without the ability to understand the local language. After about 5 mins I realized I had stumbled across something so much more than just a jazz performer.

From about the age of 12 until about 17, I sang in Jazz groups at our local schools in Kennewick, Washington, and have since performed here and there when asked by friends. As a student, I was exposed to many artists, but most were vocal jazz artists, such as Frank Sinatra, Elle Fitzgerald, and Harry Conick Jr.. I never really cared much for jazz musicians, however, who seemed to me to be too unfocused and undisciplined in there performances. Don’t start yelling at your screens, I know I was just ignorant, and it took me living in Japan to figure that out. Crazy, right?

Hiromi is an incredible jazz pianist. I usually hate going to concerts because of the cost and also because I prefer to hear the music as the artists first released it to the public. It’s cleaner and more focused than the versions that are sometimes played at concerts. I say usually because there are a few exceptions. One of which would be Dave Matthews and the other would be Hiromi.

This is her new album that I picked up at the concert.

And here is the autograph I got.

It may be easy to discount her as a “Japanese artist”, but that would not do justice to her talent. She doesn’t sing so her music is accessible to anyone from any country that appreciates good music. Hiromi plays the piano like she feels in her soul every last note and beat, and as she plays she moves so much you’d think she was having a conversation, or something much more sexual. It’s like the best 3 hour date you’ve ever had. She starts out smiling from across the room, and quickly you’re laughing together about an inside joke. You can see the joy in her face as she plays and with a smile bigger than any you’ve seen before. Eventually she is kissing you with every note and takes you to her musical room where you make love in the most passionate musical embrace you can imagine.

This may sound like a strange review, but if you’ve ever seen her in concert you know exactly what I’m talking about. She is beautiful, funny, sensual, sexual, and one of the best performers you will ever witness. She connects to each and every one of her fans with a wink, a nod, or a great big smile. She isn’t too big of a star to let her band shine either. She spent most of the concert pointing the spotlight on her bassist, drummer, and guitarist, who are exceptional artists in their own right. You’ve never seen a more generous and humble performer.

Hiromi’s new album is titled, “Beyond Standard-Hiromi’s Sonicbloom”, and as the title suggests it borrows heavily from other artists. Her version of “My Favorite Things“ (by Richard Rodgers and Oscar Hammerstein II) from the musical “The Sound Of Music” plays with the time signature, dynamics, intensity, and silence, (as described in the album notes). “Led Boots“ by Max Middleton, and “I’ve Got Rhythm“ by George Gershwin, also make appearances, though they are heavily altered to fit Hiromi’s boundless energy and style.

The concert was an amazing experience, as is the CD which I’m currently listening to. The CD is much more controlled, but is still amazing. This is one of the few artists that I actually enjoy more in person than on CD. Check her and the CD out if you get a chance and decide for yourself.

Will he or won’t he, will she accept or refuse? I’m so tired of it I can barely stand it anymore, and I’m in Japan, I feel sorry for the rest of you in the states. Here is the scoop people, Barack can nominate Hillary Clinton all he wants, but she has be be confirmed by Congress. Not that I really care anyway, because what everyone is forgetting is that at the end of the day, it’s President Barack Obama who will have the final say in international affairs, not the Clintons. Please someone start speaking about things that matter now. Obama won’t even be able to submit Clintons name to Congress until they come out of recess….in January!!!!

The truth is that the media just doesn’t want to let the election go. They have struck gold with Obama’s campaign and presidency and they are now trying to find ways to put him in the news. Now, just for the record, I was an avid Obama supporter, and I believe he will do great things, but like my friend over at Politicaldisgust.com has said many times, he isn’t President yet, and hasn’t done anything, but inspire the world. Inspiration doesn’t get a cabinet confirmed 2 months early. Everyone needs to just take a breath.

The next thing that I’m tired of hearing about is Ted Stevens. OK, we get it, he was very popular in Alaska, and a lion of the Senate. He was still a dirt bag opportunist dirty politician that got caught. No, you heard me right. I’m not gonna tread lightly on that one. The first this that enrages me about this situation is that he betrayed the trust, not only of the citizens of his state but as a Senator he had influence over legislation that effected us all. Shame on him. The second thing that irritates me is that after being convicted, appeal or not, the people from Alaska almost put him in again. OK, so let me get this straight, they have a governor that is less intellectually curious than our disaster of a President and has a shopping addiction that would rival Paris Hilton, and a Senator that thought it was OK to commit a felony, then still run for the Senate again. Amazing!

Here is what I want from the media. I want my world coverage about important things back, like I don’t know IRAQ, AFGHANISTAN, PAKISTAN, RUSSIA, NORTH KOREA, SUDAN, DARFUR, ZIMBABWE, VENEZUELA! What is wrong with these guys? They are the reason the average U.S. citizen can’t find any of these places on a map. I turn to CNN and I’m seeing constant California fire coverage (let me check…Yep fires still suck, and though I feel for those people, constant CNN coverage of houses being burned isn’t my idea of international or even national coverage), round the clock Clinton coverage and speculation (you all don’t know any more then the guy that mows my mom’s lawn, admit it and get over it), constant doom and gloom about the stock market (we get it, the economy is in the toilet how many different ways can you say the same thing?)

In conclusion let me please ask, with all sincerity, please let us have the information that really matters. You’re making us all more stupid. I’m affraid that one of these days, I’m going to start turning to FOX news for my information. I didn’t just say that, did I? See, it’s already happening.

Around the world, there are many fingers pointing at the U.S. as the sole culprit for the world economic woes. The problem is that, anyone that knows anything about this crisis knows that the rest of the world is just as guilty, if not more.

In 2000 Alan Greenspan kept the Federal Funds Rate at 1% for so long that the international investing community started to look for alternative, “safe”, investments. Cue Mortgage Backed Securities. The demand was so high for these “safe” investments that there was pressure to find more. That’s right, pressure from the INTERNATIONAL investors and investment houses to find more Mortgage Backed Securities. This snowballed until they were investing their money into bad home loans. They new they were bad, but the thinking was that the good mortgages would balance the bad ones. They knew what they were investing in, they knew the risk, but they were greedy. For a full description of this crisis follow this link.

It is disingenuous at best to blame the U.S. solely for this financial crisis. As interconnected as the financial markets are, there is no way it could have merely been the U.S. at fault. I’ll be the first to admit that it was a series of stupid, greedy mistakes by investment houses and banks that led us into this quagmire, but to blame only the U.S. for this crisis is to ignore the culpability of the rest of the world and does a disservice to all the people in the U.S. that did nothing wrong.

So I say to the people of the world, I know you love to hate the U.S. for it’s economic, military, and cultural dominance, but for once, could you please stop pointing your fingers at us. There are a lot of things to be frustrated with the U.S. over, but in this case, when you are pointing your finger at us, remember that there are 3 more fingers pointing back at you.

On Tuesday, November 4th,  one minority group was achieving a new level of equality in the U.S. with President-Elect Obama’s victory, while another was seeing their rights taken away with the passage of proposition 8 in California.

For too long those that sit in ivory towers and who have claimed to know God’s mind, (as if that were possible), have tried to hold a monopoly on what is within God’s grace and what is not. For too long these “elders” have decided that the Old Testament is much more important then the New Testament, even though Christ said that it wasn’t.

Who ever you are tonight, if you feel like your God is calling you to pick a side, just remember that God let a prostitute wash his feet and honored her above all of his disciples, and remember that Christ once said, “Do unto others, as you would have them do unto you.” What do you think that means, exactly? Does that only apply if the person is a Christian?

I shouldn’t have to remind anyone that the reason to protect the separation between church and state isn’t to preserve the government, but actually to preserve religion. Remember when you start pushing your brand of Christianity on those that don’t believe the same way you do, that someone could just as easily do the same to you if their religion was the stronger religion in the U.S. Don’t think that could happen? Just ask the major financial supporter behind prop. 8, the Mormon church. I’m sure they’ve never had a problem with government and religious fanatics persecuting them. The hypocrisy is astounding. A religion that advocated polygamy and child brides, is now up in arms about two committed U.S. citizens that want to share in the same promises of life long love, that the rest of us take for granted.

At its heart, and to be brutally honest, this isn’t about heaven or hell, it never has been. It’s about love or hate. Everyone should be allowed to share in the same opportunities in this country. We are the U.S. for heavens sake. You don’t have to like it, you don’t have to condone it, and you don’t have to be friends with them, just don’t stand in the way of their happiness, just because you can’t get past your distrust of something you or I may not understand.

Next Gen Politics would like to extend a heartfelt thank you to all that have served and to the families of those that have given that most sacred of all gifts to the people of the U.S. Thank you for your, and your families service. Through your service, you have ensured that the promise of our founding fathers of liberty, is given once more to the next generation.

For your sacrifice we honor you, for your bravery we admire you, for your patriotism we strive to emulate you. Happy Veterans day.