Good Bye and Good Luck

Two greatest patriots, libertarians and idealists of our time stepped down from their podiums last week.

Washington D.C., Nov 14, 2012, Representative Ron Paul delivered his farewell speech to the Congress, in which he asked penetrating questions such as: Why Congress voluntarily bend over to the executive branch? Why alternations of the ruling party does not carry any policy changes? Why big corporations were bailed out in 2008, while middle class left loosing families and jobs? Why so many officials believe in making fortune out of printing money? Why so many people agree government and politicians can provide protection without sacrificing freedom? Why people never realize war destroys wealth and freedom? Why so little attention on the kill list made by the President, even when American citizens have been included in it? How come patriotism equates to loyalty to the government, rather than to the principle of liberty and people?

A 37-question edition:
1. Why are sick people who use medical marijuana put in prison?
2. Why does the federal government restrict the drinking of raw milk?
3. Why can’t Americans manufacturer rope and other products from hemp?
4. Why are Americans not allowed to use gold and silver as legal tender as mandated by the Constitution?
5. Why is Germany concerned enough to consider repatriating their gold held by the FED for her in New York?
6. Is it that the trust in the U.S. and dollar supremacy beginning to wane?
7. Why do our political leaders believe it’s unnecessary to thoroughly audit our own gold?
8. Why can’t Americans decide which type of light bulbs they can buy?
9. Why is the TSA permitted to abuse the rights of any American traveling by air?
10. Why should there be mandatory sentences—even up to life for crimes without victims—as our drug laws require?
11. Why have we allowed the federal government to regulate commodes in our homes?
12. Why is it political suicide for anyone to criticize AIPAC ?
13. Why haven’t we given up on the drug war since it’s an obvious failure and violates the people’s rights?
14. Has nobody noticed that the authorities can’t even keep drugs out of the prisons?
15. How can making our entire society a prison solve the problem?
16. Why do we sacrifice so much getting needlessly involved in border disputes and civil strife around the world and ignore the root cause of the most deadly border in the world-the one between Mexico and the US?
17. Why does Congress willingly give up its prerogatives to the Executive Branch?
18. Why does changing the party in power never change policy?
19. Could it be that the views of both parties are essentially the same?
20. Why did the big banks, the large corporations, and foreign banks and foreign central banks get bailed out in 2008 and the middle class lost their jobs and their homes?
21. Why do so many in the government and the federal officials believe that creating money out of thin air creates wealth?
22. Why do so many accept the deeply flawed principle that government bureaucrats and politicians can protect us from ourselves without totally destroying the principle of liberty?
23. Why can’t people understand that war always destroys wealth and liberty?
24. Why is there so little concern for the Executive Order that gives the President authority to establish a “kill list,” including American citizens, of those targeted for assassination?
25. Why is patriotism thought to be blind loyalty to the government and the politicians who run it, rather than loyalty to the principles of liberty and support for the people?
26. Why is it is claimed that if people won’t or can’t take care of their own needs, that people in government can do it for them?
27. Why did we ever give the government a safe haven for initiating violence against the people?
28. Why do some members defend free markets, but not civil liberties?
29. Why do some members defend civil liberties but not free markets?
30. Aren’t they the same?
31. Why don’t more defend both economic liberty and personal liberty?
32. Why are there not more individuals who seek to intellectually influence others to bring about positive changes than those who seek power to force others to obey their commands?
33. Why does the use of religion to support a social gospel and preemptive wars, both of which requires authoritarians to use violence, or the threat of violence, go unchallenged?
34. Why do we allow the government and the Federal Reserve to disseminate false information dealing with both economic and foreign policy?
35. Why is democracy held in such high esteem when it’s the enemy of the minority and makes all rights relative to the dictates of the majority?
36. Why should anyone be surprised that Congress has no credibility, since there’s such a disconnect between what politicians say and what they do?
37. Is there any explanation for all the deception, the unhappiness, the fear of the future, the loss of confidence in our leaders, the distrust, the anger and frustration?

As a matter of fact, some fans filed a petition on the White House site asking President Obama to respond. The petition has garnered 5,711 signatures in 2 days, 19,289 short of the 25,000 threshold which in theory warrant an official response.

Beijing, China, the same day on Nov 14, 2012. The once-a-decade power transition was accomplished 'successfully' with the concluding of the 18th National Convention of Chinese Communist Party. The 'next generation' leaders, represented by Party boss Xi Jinping and future premier Li Keqiang become the top party officials replacing Hu Jintao and Wen Jiabao.

Hu Jintao made a last contribution, maybe the first and real contribution to Chinese political system by not extending his term as the command-in-chief. When Hu visited a Japanese elementary school classroom in 2008, an eight-year old asked him, 'why do you want to be China's President?' Hu replied, 'I don't want to be the president, Chinese people want me to be the President.' Retrospectively thinking, perhaps Hu was indeed being sincere at that moment.

China's true lost was Mr. Wen Jiabao, the only voice for people's liberty and freedom in the 800 million strong political force ruling China. In the past two years, Wen had publicly asked for political reform. Many times he was shut out by propaganda department, and many times he had to take chances to talk about it with foreign news agencies when he was en route visiting other countries.

As the top government official, Wen's last ten years, in a sense, is an edition of Ron Paul after winning the presidential campaign. By disguising his true color and blending in among his colleagues, Wen raised to the top of the executive branch in China as the premier.

While Ron Paul had been by and large ignored by the Democrats and buried by the Republicans as a Congressman, Premier Wen had been distanced and suppressed by his colleagues in the politburo. For most part of his two terms, Wen was seen as a fire fighter, rushing to every disasters and accidents. Even as an coordinator of rescue and relief, Wen did not have much authority. During the Sichuan Earthquake, PLA officers refused to send it troops to the disaster area. Wen was over heard threatening a top brass in the phone, 'you are fed by the people, use your conscious.'

With his limited authority, Wen abolished a long lasting ordinance which allowed police to detain anyone out of his hometown without proper permission.

Instead of questions, Wen left with alarming warnings to the ruling communist party. 'Without political reform, there would be no future but peril', and a vow, 'I will push the political reform, until my last breadth.'

Wen suffered a blown to his face when New York Times published a lengthy investigation on the wealth controlled by Wen's family and friends. The article showed an astonishing $2.7 billion fortune amassed by his close connections. Although NYT claimed the article was the result of years of journalism, Voice of America as well as a few other western news agencies revealed that shortly after Wen fired a Maoist leader Bo Xilai, all western media in Beijing received packages with same information from mysterious sources. Some of the information presented is difficult to verify, while some turned out as poorly disguised smear campaigns. The author of the author, David Barboza explained he obtained his sources from public inquiry. It may sounds plausible to westerners, but for anyone familiar with Chinese politics, that is nothing but flat lie.

Wen responded with a statement from oversea lawyers, the first ever when a top communist officials bring legal system into a political turmoil. Wen also requested a formal investigation on his financial status.

"Old soldiers never die, they just fade away", as said by General MacArthur. Nevertheless, the legend of Paul and Wen will keep inspiring people across the globe in the years to come.