I am a great admirer of your work but your piece on Arizona was predictable, I knew your stance even before reading it - you may be the single WHITEST guy in America.

I suspected you would endorse something as un-American as “guilty until proven innocent,” even just to roll your intellectual dice but probably, again, because you actually radiant whiteness, like over-bleached chompers.

Yet, this is inherent ideology for someone such as yourself, no offense, who is white and does not understand the already tedious daily struggle to prove we are “legal’ and not criminals or drug dealers.

I assume you are not followed every time you go to Target, or get funny, frightened looks by simply walking around? Or pulled over for any little issue?

It is a common feeling amongst white people that, for some reason, believe they are entitled to this land above anyone else, even though, they are all descendants of immigrants. As Colbert said, “My great granddaddy didn’t come 4,000 miles to let this place get overrun by immigrants.”

But really, it’s a stupid fiscal move. I am Puerto Rican. The law insures me all the other 6 million Ricans won’t be visiting anytime soon. Not to mention anyone who even remotely looks Latino or who has brownish tones, brown eyes, black hair or likes tanning salons.

Yes, I am guilty as charged, Mr. Will. I am brown and breathing, I must have done something wrong. Or else why would God grant me this color?

And finally, found this to be borderline ridiculous:

“Arizonans should not be judged disdainfully and from a distance by people whose closest contacts with Hispanics are with fine men and women who trim their lawns” 

How, exactly, are you any different?

This is not about borders or immigrants sir, it is about the mentality that permeates and makes difficult our daily existence and presence in this country. This law complicates our already complicated relationship with white America.

Yes, I may be at a distance but this effects ALL Hispanics. Sorry, but only a Hispanic can understand the distinction, not the whitest human being in this country, huh, George…Will?

I am guilty of looking and being Hispanic -although I am a natural born citizen.

But can you believe it? By simply entering the state, I am subject to search and seizure, even arrest if I forgot my wallet in my other pants.

Anyone who thinks this won’t keep myself and anyone even remotely Latino-looking out of the state is, well, white and from Arizona. And hey, blacks can be Latino so I would advise against them visiting the state as well.

Truth is, after denying Martin Luther King Jr. Day, we looked twice at the state, wondering its intentions and motivations. Now, we simply won’t look again at Camelback or the golfing in Scottsdale or John McCain (what did he get for his soul, I have to wonder).

We won’t look, no, and we won’t visit for that matter. ALL of us. And that’s not a small few.

- Story is Dances with Wolves…in space. Do have to say though the buffalos in Dances are better.

- Look, it lights up! Am I supposed to be overwhelmed that everything lights up like a Hollywood dance club? Lost its value after like two minutes.

- Some scenes were downright laughable like the voodoo-ish ceremony to raise Sigourney Weaver.

- Why did Sigourney’s Avatar look like her? Made her the most fake looking character.

- It never ends…it just keep going on and on and on. For God’s sake, cut, cut, cut!

- Why the tail? Didn’t seem to use it.

- Craig Worthington is nice as an action figure but actor he is not. He displays about as much emotion as burnt toast.

- Aliens is a far superior FILM.

- Cameron needs to hand off writing it to someone else, it has left his potentially landmark films wholly flawed. Titanic was great despite the dumb-ass story and Avatar is great as an accomplishment but leaves you little to consider when it’s done. Most of his dialogue is downright cheesy.

- Look funky horses and mean looking dogs and rhinos and dinosaurs that fly! And you can hook up to them via USB port! I was hoping for more than a modified horse. In fact, Pandora looks alot like earth on acid.

- Far greater film and accomplishment is the Lord of the Rings series.

- The USB stuff was pretty gross actually. And what if you need a haircut?

- One could easily look at the Navi and pull out all the racist stereotypes. I mean, they are clearly ‘black’ resembling an African tribe in many ways. I’m surprised no one else picked it out. It’s like the ‘orientals’ in the Star Wars films.

- I am SOOO disappointed. I had bought into the hype and was ready to have my mind blown: it was underwhelmed, I almost stopped it a couple times out of boredom – look this tree lights up, let’s USB to it! But wait, over here is a hamster, let’s USB to it!

- The ending: When all hope is lost and it looks like the end is near, Cameron’s brilliant idea is to bring on the…flowering rhinos? THAT was a let down that suddenly George of the Jungle had convinced all the animals to join in the fight! And here they come – dogs, cats, ferrets and foxes! Creatures of the forest unite!

Spittoon?

My friends and I have a long standing joke where we imitate the Nazis in movies when they ask, “paaapers, papers pleeez.”

Now who would have thunk that joke would come to life to our own country, in this day and age. And so it became when Arizona signed it into law this week, basically allowing cops to pull anyone over for no reason and check their “papers.”

You can’t make it up.

Even worse is that the shape-shifting McCain actually supported this buffoonery and now is being laughed at alongside all the other idiots in that state.

Think I want to visit now that I might just get pulled over for no reason? No thanks, good luck with the tourism at a time when you  need the dollars most. And don’t you think all those aliens spend too? They do, about $26b per year.

Please don’t forget all the massive additional law enforcement costs incurred and get your courts ready for all the lawsuits you’ll have to field.

It’s a perfect storm of conservative idiocy, fiscal lunacy and fascist tenets.

This absurd development comes on the heels of an even more ridiculous law they passed earlier that requires all candidates to provide birth certificate before getting on the 2012 ballot.

Put it altogether and one word comes to mind: racism.

There continues to be a faction of the GOP that, at its core, is just a bunch of sore losers, upended even further because they lost to a black man. The Tea Party? Please, if they knew anything they’d be protesting this new law, which goes against all the civil rights these clowns claim to protect. And where are the libertarians?

Point is, will they notice? For so long now they have screamed ’socialism’ at the opposition. What will they do now that real, undeniable fascism has sprung in their own party, own backyard?

Anyone? Anyone? Bueller?

Fact is, the silence you hear is the best the modern conservative intellect can muster. Void of dignity, integrity, civic duty – spoiled to the core by a primal need to obstruct for the sake of obstruction and  to win by wrecking the country in its entirety. All the world is a hammer.

Yet, even the worst of historical opponents retained a sense of honor while these conservatives have shed it like a molting snake. Truly one must ask, ‘have you no honor, sir? No decency?’

Wither the American landscape, now reduced to its former self by the Old West sensibility reborn this week along dusty towns on the frontier, enforced by the reinstation of Sheriff Pat Garrett and his posse. Spittoon, anyone?

Now that’s progress.

- To this day no female has been able to top Sigourney Weaver in Aliens. It is THE female action movie, even better than a man. She was nominated, she should have won.

- Liriano is this year’s x factor for the MN Twins.

- Is there a team in the NBA called the Thunder? I had no idea.

- Reconsider: The Health Bill
“On Thursday, Reuters ran a story describing a policy at insurance company WellPoint of automatically reviewing any customer who contracted breast cancer for possible fraud, leading to some patients losing their coverage.”

Note: Wellpoint is the largest health insurance company in the US.

- Third base is still a problem for the Twins. Crede is unsigned. Why not? He did hit 15 bombs last year when healthy.

- WTF?
I’m still confounded at the GOP opposition strategy of claiming the reform bill created more “bailouts.” Perhaps the most idiotic argument in recent times since ALL the money for the $50b fund (which would wind failing organizations down) would come from the banks, not the people. Again, WTF? Like calling a dog a cat and expecting us to buy it. Will they be dumb enough to vote against it?

In fact, you know where most wall streeters were yesterday during the President’s speech? I kid you not, a GOP fundraiser, lol!

- Would you take Roethlisberger now? If I was Oakland, sure.

- Who did the Vikings pick? Hope they got a left tackle.

- Tiger did ALL that and NOW he’s getting a divorce?

- About time they went after Goldman.

- No shock Roy Halliday is schooling the less talented NL hitters…;o)

- Amsterdam has the best DJs. Australia too for some reason.

- Once you get table or bottle service, you can never go back.

- Last time I was in Vegas, a very attractive and voluptuous redhead gave me a spontaneous lapdance/makeout session at our table. “No lapdances, no lapdances!” yelled the bouncer, telling us we’d be tossed.

- Me and three guys spent over fifteen grand at Crystal in London. Much more at a club in Paris. Don’t remember what was spent there.

- Got cold-cocked in a club once. My buddy got beat up by a guy in a wheelchair who seemed to miraculously lift himself to punch.

- Got tossed out of another for smoking…a jay.

- Once France outlawed smoking in clubs it became very apparent how bad the French actually smell.

- I love to ‘roll’ when I hit the clubs, almost a pre-requisite.

- My least fav scene is LA. Clubs close at two and besides, the people are pretentious and flaky. Ditto for San Diego, WAY too much testosterone flowing through the Gas Light District.

- The club scene in Spain is magnificent. They start at midnight and go til dawn. They then go out and get hot chocolate and pastries.

- New Orleans just kind of freaks me out.

Here is an overhead shot of the MASSIVE Tea Party rally held in Boston. Likely smaller than the original Tea Party. Think people are finally realizing how wacky these nuts are and don’t want to associated with these ‘morans’. Palin being “moran in chief”.

- Target Field is the new gold standard in MLB.

- Love the movie Moon. The visuals, the amazing score, Sam Rockwell.

- Does the GOP really think going against financial reform is a good idea? After what we just went through? Won’t play well on Mainstreet.

- The current nuclear summit is likely the most important gathering of our lives. I’ve always had a deep fear about all the loose nukes, happy to see them doing something about them.

- Despite getting off, anybody think Roethlisberger isn’t a total d-bag?

- Bless Hef for turning down Kate Gosselin for Playboy. Well done, sir. You can bet those kids will grow up to rebel a la the cast of Different Strokes.

- iPad looks like the ‘grandma’ version of my iPhone. I used to buy my grandma big books with really big type – that is what the iPad reminds me of. Still, I do like buying things that make me feel either huge or tiny – my favorite being a laserdisc! Trips people out!

- Seriously, is there anybody the Catholics haven’t fondled?

- There is nothing convenient about writing a check in a convenience store. Besides, writing a check these days is shady, just says…I can’t cover this, at this exact moment.

- Bud Selig can lick my left gonad. He may act like he doesn’t remember but we do, he tried to contract the Twins. They should have put him in the cheap seats or better, not invited him at all.

- Interview of the Week
Russian President Dimitry Medvedev on Obama….and other…

MEDVEDEV: He’s very comfortable partner, it’s very interesting to be with him. The most important thing that distinguishes him from many other people — I won’t name anyone by name — he’s a thinker, he thinks when he speaks. Which is already pretty good.

STEPHANOPOULOS: You had somebody in your mind, I think. (LAUGHS)

MEDVEDEV: Obviously I do have someone on my mind. I don’t want to offend anyone.

But cutting the federal gut, the process of eliminating full swaths of the apparatus, was actually a prospect Jefferson, the anti-Federalist, relished.

And so, truly, began the Republican party and the country’s insistence on fiscal policy – oddly abandoned in the last decade. Still, Jefferson’s moves meant a drastic reduction of federal role and power and most notably perhaps the complete dismantling of our navy. A choice proven disastrous twelve years later as the British ran across the White House lawn in the War of 1812.

Point is that for Democrats to succeed in Novermber, they must acknowledge this deeply rooted American trait and cater to the will of the people, old and new. This is not just the Tea Party but over 200+ years of economic theology and practice. This battle is not fresh, it dates us back to the beginning, to Hamilton and the founding financial principles.

So start by reducing the deficit, which indirectly and directly affects the national debt. Reduce it by a single dollar and you gain leverage over the oppositions argument. Reduce it by $2 and you double the leverage, like a splint beneath a giant boulder. Always easier to make progress $1 at a time.

In this regard, perhaps, the current Administration has two distinct advantages: improvement and cash.

For one, the economic outlook could continue, and should, to improve. Indicators are favorable in no small part because of the injection of capital at the most investment-wise moment. Assets acquired via the bailouts are returning to us in kind.

Bottom line here is that Obama took a chance, took out a bet on America. And it is proving to be a very wise decision, both for taxpayer and country, hell, even for the globe as a whole. BusinessWeek does an excellent job of making the case.

The other benefit is in cash, nearly $500 billion in stimulus funds that have, as of yet, to be disbursed. Hold that golden war chest, gold ticket, then deliver it at the best possible moment in the form of a tax rebate or even more simply, to reduce the deficit…by three dollars!

Because if deficit and/or debt reduction arrives before November, you neuter the central argument of the Tea Party via the descendants of Jeffersonian philosophy and policy. Average Joe’s don’t understand ‘deficit-spending’ yet know in personal terms what ‘debt’ means. In fact, voters get touchy about deficits when they, themselves, are cash-strapped.

In the end, Jefferson was half right. His insistence on reducing debt yielded results but also robbed America of the opportunity to invest in itself, its future and stability and at a time of needed growth. Deficit spending had, in fact, helped America grow into the 1790’s (by taking on state debts) and would once again prove vital in the 1930s.

Truth is, with a little fiscal policy, it is possible come winter to meet T.J. and his legacy somewhere in the middle. Possible and necessary, yes…if you want to win.

This is a good start

- I’d rather do Sarah though.

- I have no love loss for man-boobs Mickelson. His fat ass proves golf is a game, not a sport.

- Katy Perry has the best set of tits going right now! She knows it too! Call me before you get married - I’m hot, never cold!

- Can you smell that?

- D-Bag of the Week
For awhile there, as with McCain, I liked Newt Gingrich, he was actually starting to sound and act reasonable. But now he’s back in the game and playing it like a pro. Like McCain, he has made the mistake of glorifying the biggest abberation in American History, Sarah Palin. By calling her “important”, he became the undoubted douchebag of the week.

- 80% of people who declare bankruptcy due to medical bills HAD insurance when they filed. Harsh truth.

- The teabaggers can do just that: teabag me.

- The movement needs to locate people who can spell. Seen their signs? It’s hilarious…and illiterate.

- High alcohol beer finally hits US!

- I’m already sick of 3D movies and have no real interest in 3D TV. LIFE is already in 3D, I need two-dimensional to escape it. Is 3D for everyday usage or for the occassional thrill? I mean, I love roller coasters but don’t want one in my backyard.

- Remember NIMBY? Not In My Back Yard, lol

- One of my recent favorite movies has become The Assasination of Jesse James with Brad Pitt and the little Affleck. Long but effectively so in a weird way, as if to mimic the pace of life in those times.

- Andrew Jackson refused to shine a British officers shoes during the Revolutionary War and was hit on the hand and head with a sword at age 14.   Had the scars and injury his entire life.

- Financial reform must happen. Wall Street didn’t learn a thing and is doing it all over again. We have to admit, finally, that greed cannot self-regulate.

-The Dutch pay $150 a month for care that is twice as good as ours. For the country, health care runs less than $3000 per capita compared to almost $7000 for the U.S. Why do we pay so damn much for care we’re not getting?

- American Sphinx, the story of Thomas Jefferson’s character is a fascinating read. Jefferson was complex and loyal, contradictory and shrewd.

- Anybody against the new nuclear treaty is playing politics. Period. It calls for a one-third reduction, leaving us MORE than enough nukes to destroy the world a thousand times over. And any Republican against is turning their back on the Gipper…

- Quote of the Week
“A nuclear war cannot be won and must never be fought. And no matter how great the obstacles may seem, we must never stop our efforts to reduce the weapons of war. We must never stop at all until we see the day when nuclear arms have been banished from the face of this Earth.” - Ronald Reagan, 1984, China

Oh the taxes, oh the costs, oh the insurance companies and their price gouging! How on earth can we reform our awesome health care system? Too expensive, they yell!

Too expensive? Indeed but not like a $30 Aspirin. Fact is, the current costs are far too disproportionate and expansive, suffocating us like that freaky hand-type creature in one of the Alien movies. The one with Sigourney Weaver.

You see, the problem with the overall argument against reform is the public is already getting gouged, already paying far too much – both tangible and intangible, with and without correlative data.

Look at the Dutch. Every citizen pays less than a $150 a month out of their taxes and gets medical care far superior than ours (even their ’satisfaction’ levels are higher than ours). But how is that possible, (insert political figure here) the idiot asks?

Not ‘possible’, ‘reality’ in part because of the focus on primary care versus specialization. Or because their system is designed to deliver care at affordable rates while ours thrives on maximum profitability and incentive…big difference.

In the Netherlands health care is universal, here it is fleeting, save only for healthy people. And yes, they have private insurers yet still manage to spend less than 9% GDP on health care versus over 16% in the U.S. Or broken down, that translates to $3100USD per capita for them and $6700USd per capita for us…or U.S. 

So, for every attack and shout-out, a stark realization must be delivered: we can and must do better, the costs are too grand. Others get twice the care at half the cost and without all the headaches. That is unacceptable, we are in crisis, we are at war, we face a financial iceberg unless we do something.

Consider that nearly 60% of all U.S. bankruptcies are caused by medical bills yet even more dire is that nearly 80% of those people HAD health insurance - a situation indefensible by any and all American standards. Alternately, the league of ruin due to health care costs in the Netherlands numbers zero.

Yet, Democrats seem to lack the guts to use all the misguided ’anger’ or the facts to their advantage – turn it around, see it as an opportunity to highlight the current malaise, explain future benefits and reveal character. Get passionate about it, not Harry Reid passionate, but really, truly passionate. Don’t be afraid to get in their red faces. It’s a “big f”ckin deal” alright, so don’t get soft and retire when you should harden like Tiger’s wood in the Red Light District (Dutch reference!).

Plainly stated, our system leads the populace to poverty and ruin and lower classes where they consume federal and state resources and finances – far beyond if we simply covered them in the first place, protected their right to be treated. 

Instead we get more crime, more prisons, broken families, foreclosures, bankruptcy, alcoholism, on and on. Seriously, on and on and on – touching all corners, all pocketbooks. How else is it that our health care costs double the Dutch yet still leaves so many without coverage?

Seems the best defense here would be truth, so shout it loud and proud, raise the roof on this damn democracy and expose the forces that put us in the current predicament. Don’t deny the needed sacrifice or the vast differences on the globe. Americans should ask why other countries do it better and cheaper. Are we not better than they are? Are we not better than, hold your nose, the French, who rank first in the world?

Merde!

Simplicity, in all its complex forms, is the key to the sale, the message profoundly clear: progress is painful but sacrifice is necessary because the status quo is simply unacceptable by any reasonable, global standard. Truth is you must be content to pay $30 a pill to defend anti-reform – which is, in itself, a defense of the current cluster. Means you should be ready and happy to pay $40 next year.

America can do better. No? For what is ‘reform’ if not a call to arms, a defacto war against excess, greed and glaring dysfunction.

From his creepy news conference to the ultra-creepy ad using his father to revive his pocketbook, Tiger has been pushing my buttons from the night he was found snoring in the street. Now we are told we cannot criticize him, even though not a shred of truth has emerged here – except that of his many mistresses, including now a neighbor of his in FLA.

Or how about the $10 million he allegedly paid to Uchitel? Where is the integrity in that? And why her and only her?

You see, despite all the effort, nothing but questions remain and until he comes out of the bubble, he’ll be hounded by the snickers and giggles, the jokes and the punchline that he has become. If you sponsor Tiger, well, you get the scandal too, hope you got a discount.

In the end, does anybody like what they’ve heard enough to continue to heap praise on this guy, who turns out, will do anything to save his image, like a politician caught with a six-year old boy? Will winning a frickin’ golf tournament really absolve him? Not in my eyes.

So go ahead, win the Masters, just know that a bunch of people who used to root for you are now hoping you pull a Vandevelt on the whole thing.

For Democrats, citizens and the new law, it is akin to a playground dare. Go ahead, lick the flagpole, we dare you.

And it is a nice idea on paper but in principle, strategically, it won’t work.

For one thing, by raising premiums, the industry instantly exposes itself as the true villian in this ordeal. So far they have been insulated by the various groups representing their interests like the GOP and the Tea Party. But once the higher rates hit the people, all the people, the industry will likely find itself alone, looking around for some clothes: a t-shirt, some jeans, anything.

And rest assured it will happen partly because of the presence of an enigmatic and powerful figure just dying for you to give him the chance. As he said, “go for it.”

Another reason is that competition, as expected in a free market, will emerge to undercut you. Or worse, the emergence of co-operatives such as United Health or the government exchange will allow consumers to bypass you altogether. It’s the same as when gas prices go up and people rush to higher-efficiency models instaead of just paying more for their fuel. Capitalism has a survival instinct to it, thus the usual boom of progressive ideas during down times.

Besides, as history shows, if you turn around and hit the people straight on – you lose. You’ll lose because nobody likes or trusts you to begin with and will give you little leeway. Sure, you can bump up premiums to compensate but to willfully and publicly announce that you will be robbing us blind is bad PR, really, almost laughable. We can see clearly now the rain has gone…

In the early 1830’s, the President of the Second National Bank learned the same lesson by taking his anger at Andrew Jackson out on the states, denying them the loans they needed. Jackson took to the side of the people, used their anger, shut the bank down through populism and nationalism. Patriotism will always trump corporate greed in the fight for the soul of the USA. Just ask the teabaggers and the jackasses.

You have a choice here, you can adjust and adapt and yes, profit from the new law. Or you can start a very public and painful battle with one of the most popular figures in contemporary global history – who is likely licking his chops to expose you (as would I). It’s Ali versus Tanya Harding. Do you really want the American people, the US government and the media putting your affairs under a microscope? Can you really explain away a $30 Aspirin?

So go ahead, jack up my premiums because I know, in the end, you will crystallize any and all anger about reform onto thyself – you are a business entity flaunting US law, you can’t possibly expect our nationalism or even our courts to allow this. In essence, you’ll unite what was seemingly untenable and broken.

As a successful businessman and consultant, I (and Sun Tsu) would advise taking the easier route. Avoid prolong conflict that will be a drain on your resources and finances and instead focus on finding new ways to profit from the situation, adapt to it, even grow.

The US health care system is ranked thirty-seventh in the world by the WHO all while being number one in health care spending as a percentage of our GDP. Want to hear the President pound that into the American cranium? I do.

So go ahead, lick the flagpole. I double-dog dare you.