buying airforce ones when others struggle to eat

Now I am supper duper loop-T-looper hard on folks especially politicians. I’m hard equally of the President of the United states regardless of who they are or what party the come from. I am equally as open to saying and admitting I am neither democrat nor Republican. And truth be told, I am as hard on them as was I on my teachers from High school to graduate school; as well as I am on my students or the folks I engage in scholarly and scientific discussion with from associates at NIH, to NCI, to my colleagues in research at place I have taught inclusive of Emory and the Morehouse School of Medicine.

I am a scientist and I am proud of such. It is great being in discussion as such with scientist for they do not get emotional or take it personal as serfs and plebeians who are ill informed and don’t even DESIRE to take the time to read anything other than a menu at a fast food drive through window. Now don’t get me wrong, at least that is reading, I just think it is worthless and improbable to have a valued and equitable discussion on economics or foreign policy when the opposition limits their reading to the likes of Penthouse, Jet or Vibe magazine - and worse look at TV to get their information ALL DAY.

Now why am I saying this, well it seems to me that if we are to deal with the current crisis we are confronting economically in America, we need to become well informed of what is going on as well as how it impacts the world. This is especially true as it relates to the success or failure of the current US administration. We have no idea or understanding of what is going on or required from the level of the individual to aid in solving this conundrum. The reason being is that too many of us are too lazy to even read what is proposed and evaluate such in terms of our daily practices. We go around and waste money buying air force ones (the tennis shoes and not helicopters) without thinking that many struggle to just purchase food. And not just in America but world wide.

Our economy is in a global market place and believe it or not contributes to unrest in places like Pakistan, which makes it a lot harder for the Obama Administration to implement foreign policy efforts that directly impact our national security. I recall giving the prior administration the business on several fronts, namely Iraq policy. Now I never assumed that the former President Bush wrote any of it. Likewise, as I hammer at what I consider irresponsible economic tinkering as implemented by the current administration. Yep it is true, Obama aint write none of the economic proposals on the table, just like he will not write a proposal on global warming, health care or HIV policy. Experts in such fields write these policies and for anyone to say being critical of the suggested plans means one is against Obama (especially when they have not read what they defend) is to me fatuous and more importantly, dangerous.

Our inability as a nation to absorb information, or even read it, and perform well in school is one reason we are where we are. Not to mention we are no longer citizens but rather consumers. Many of us live beyond our means and it is no wonder the debt we have accrued as a country is larger than the GDP of China and India combined. I apologize if I take my loot seriously, as well as for reading what each of the canidates and prior administrations have proposed. And if it offends folk because I conclude it[the recovery bill] is like a band-aid on an amputated leg, and that I see this as a short term fix if that, then so be it. Folk here follows no one blindly and I think my ability to be critical is a valued asset to anyone, from other scientist to my student’s friends, and yes, even the new administration. And yes I know folk is a man of African descent and as such I want him to succeed. But just because he is a black man as some folks say, don’t mean I should cut him slack for such and not be critical of his proposals. That aint me jones. Never have been and never will be.