For many countries, including Jamaica, there is violence at election time. The past few weeks I while observing the US healthcare debate I wondered if we could see violence in the US in next years mid-term elections. Passions are high and there are screaming matches during townhalls , protests and rallys . In fact people are getting physical all over the country. One man in Miami was “clocked” in the face by another man who disagreed with his views on healthcare. The radio and TV talking heads are pumping people up. Could election violence come to the USA?

I heard part of Gov. Palin’s speech this past weekend. She took some nice shots at just about everyone in a very subtle way. One of those shots was at Hollywood and “hunting/ant-second amendment”. She mentioned that Hollywood would use “use these delicate, tiny, very talented celebrity starlets” to their anti-hunting and anti-second amendment point across  to the public.  I think she is right about what Hollywood does to influence the culture. I have seen it on TV and in the movies. The hammer you with their view of the world until you become “numb” to thier point of view and cave in. I  gave up watching some TV shows that I loved because I saw an agenda being pushed. They would right a script that tugged at your heart with actors that give a magnificent performance.

Will Hollywood push the anti-hunting and anti-second amendment agenda Gov. Palin mentioned in her speech? I don’t know. But she certainly hits the nail on the head on how they normally push an agenda.

Based on a poll in the USA today Palin is the choice for the Republican nominee for 2012 by Republicans and many are suprises. I am not. If Palin throws her hat in the race I think she will be the nominee in 2012 based on presidential primary schedule of the last election. The “educated” Republicans will not vote for her but they are in states that vote later in the primaries. After Florida it is normally over.

1. Iowa caucuses (Palin)
2. Wyoming county conventions (Palin)
3. New Hampshire primary (Other educated Republican)
4. Michigan primary (Palin)
5. Nevada caucuses (Palin)
6. South Carolina primary (Palin landslide)
7. Louisiana caucuses (Palin landslide)
8. Hawaii caucuses (Toss up)
9. Florida primary (Palin landslide)
10. Maine caucuses (Other educated Republican)
11. Alabama primary (Palin landslide)
12. Alaska caucuses (Palin landslide)
13. Arizona primary (Palin landslide)
14. Arkansas primary (Palin landslide)

I was reading this story on aid to Haiti the the excerpt below stood out as it seems like a political way to get money and attention for the from the US.

Source: Miami Herald

Writer: Jacqueline Charles

Haiti observers have long said the United States’ preoccupation with the war in Iraq has created an opening for countries like Venezuela and Cuba to now become among Haiti’s chief benefactors.

REBUILDING

The Haitian government used savings from the Venezuelan Petrocaribe oil fund to buy heavy machinery following last year’s hurricanes. Without it, Haitian government officials have said they would still be waiting on the international community to dredge deadly rivers, reinforce banks and reconnect storm-damaged roads.

Also, using South Korean parts, Venezuela, with help from Cuba, constructed three new power plants in three major cities, and also provided $48 million in fertilizer to Haiti.

Cuba recently sent a team of experts to help Haiti figure out how to evacuate residents in cases of hurricanes.

”With the Cubans, it’s a very good cooperation. They don’t bring money, they bring their savoir faire in health, in education,” she said. “They are not transporting ideology to the country. They are low-profile and very serious.”

The partnership with Venezuela is ”based on the needs expressed by the president and the government,” Pierre-Louis said. “I don’t put them in competition, but it’s true that the U.S. could do much more and better focused, better targeted.”

Here is a case where I am having difficulty seperating the actor as a person from the role he played.

From Wikipedia – “Jon Voight hosted the GOP Senate-House fundraiser dinner event on 9 June, 2009, with former House Speaker Newt Gingrich as the keynote speaker, where he delivered a particularly harsh rebuke to Obama, saying he was “embarrassed” by the president and that Obama’s leadership would cause the “downfall” of the country. Voight also stated that Obama was a “false Prophet.”

Here is my dilemna. He played the bad guy Jonas Hodges on this seasons TV series 24. For some reason I cannot picture him giving an honest opinion on any US president after the role he just played in the series. I know I should seperate the real person from the character but I can’t. He always seemed to play the bad guy in every role I have seen him.

So I am reading this story  “Happiness Is … Being Old, Male and Republican” and wondered how true the political part of the statement was. My friends who are liberals do seem to get more emotional about politics  issues than the ones who I know are Republicans. Now my small sample may not mean anything but is does have you wondering.

Last week Jamaican Prime Minister Bruce Golding took a paycut.  When the news was first announced I thought that we would see more politicians “stepping up” and also taking a paycut. As of me writing this blog I was only aware of only one other Member of Parliament  taking a paycut. This member is from the ruling party. If not for political showmanship I was thinking that an Opposition Member of Parliament would have done the same.  Maybe I am spoiled by  US politics where there is “tit for tat”.