'Pay-to-Play !', The Blagojevich Scandal, The Voice of American Citizens and Me.

Today I came to know about the Blagojevich Scandal in America and then I realized how complex yet how similar our world is. The more I read the more I got fascinated. So here is my opinion on the issue.

I wanted to list my thoughts but that would not make any sense, so I have copied a number of points and comments from various websites, proper citation would be difficult so kindly bear with the links provided.

1. The Case: Barak Obama was elected President of the US, thus his seat (as a senator) got vacant. The Governor has the power to nominate someone as a replacement for the post, Gov. Blagojevich thought of making some fast money by (mis)using this power, on one side and on the other the fundraisers (the [American] Indian Businessmen) tried to bribe him so he nominates that Jesse Jackson Jr. for the post. All the parties are under the scanner and the investigations are going on.

2. My Views:
a. The Bloddy Indians: Soon we will see an American Raj Thackray emerge to deal with the bloody Indians, who are bent upon spoiling their value system. This person or rather group won't understand that the problem involves both the parties. The person accepting the graft was a WHITE American and the dollars were being raised and rained for a BLACK American. As I have said earlier, A corrupt person has no ideology apart from greed and selfishness, nor does he have a nationality, religion or ethnicity.

b. Corruption and the Value Sytem in India and beyond: I accept that we have corruption at chronic levels in our country and we have learnt to live in this but we must also accept the truth, the reality. The truth is, the Value System that is being talked about is fast fading all around the world thanks to our unabashed support to Individualism. Each person is a competitor of other, the enemy of enemy is friend, and the only thing that matters is success guided by greed and selfishness.
We have long bid goodbye to the philosophical aspect of the religion and have tried to bribe even gods in one way or other to forgive our wrongdoings. Society is only a concept nowadays, people don't even know people in their neighbourhood. But the frustration, the guilt, the anger inside us don't pour out, we don't rebel because many things are at stake, we don't kick these people who are bent to spoil the whole world because of either our guilty conscience or uf plain laziness. (call it apathy, inaction, indifference anything but it is failure to accept responsibilities that come our way simply for a day's comfort.)
To deal with the situation,we have to completely reform our education system as soon as possible, the human values, the trust, the friendship, the compassion, all need to be a part of our existence and we must strive to make it possible. As I have said earlier, Moral Science should be made a compulsory subject with double the marks allotted to Mathematics.

c. The US of A and India: it's very easy to say you people are corrupting my country. The right wingers in India say that Americans are spoiling our culture, their leftist counterparts say America is after our sovereignty. Think for a moment the right-wingers all ape westerners especially Americans, they wear Denim Jeans and T-shirts, watch English movies, yet criticize Americans. The Left, what to talk of them, first, at the personal level, the children of most of the Leftist leaders are studying/living abroad. Leaving that apart, given the current state of our polity America need not cut deals with UPA, Soniaji and Mannu Uncle, it has the resources to buy off most of the Member of Parliaments and nobody would know. I know CIA can do that and all that crap talk of sovereignty. I say to hell with a sovereignty like China. The point is they all are doing politics, POLITICS IS POLITICS AND POLITICS IS DIRTY EVERYWHERE. (till good people don't come in to clean the dirt.)

d. The Bloody Indians revisited: Thinking of Politics, I see these professionals, Engineers, Doctors, MBAs, Entrepreneurs and Businessmen are very active in American Politics, but these people don't give a damn about politics in India. Is it due to the insecurity stemming from lack of power and influence over matters or some genuine interest in changing the American society (for good). Only time can tell. If we can find this trigger, what makes them not only participate but actively participate in the politics we will be able to change India for sure.

e. Lessons to learn: apart from the obvious, the first point is America is not a picture perfect story, the romanticized America can fool you, many of the admirers want to emulate everything America does must now wake up. We must aim at a better and caring society. Second, Corruption can be dealt with successfully only by focusing on it in the entirety (and to define entirety here requires imagination and creativity, and reforms start with oneself) , the terms Political Corruption, so and so are all jargon, in this world everything is connected to everything. Third, we cannot avoid the involvement in politics, we can't leave voids in our systems for the corrupt to come, sit at the top and decide our futures. Everybody must participate in politics. Last and the most important point, we all are facing same or similar problems and we can help each other in it. We must help each other in this great cause.

3. The Solution: New state ethics law targets 'pay to play':
Key provisions of this law include:
• Businesses with contracts or pending bids must register with state election officials naming their owners, affiliates and key executives.

• The Illinois State Board of Elections will create a searchable database with contractor information.

• Contractors must tell lawmakers when making a donation to their campaigns that they're registered with the state.

• Donations are prohibited to the state officeholder controlling the contract or any candidate for that office.

• Violations can result in contracts being voided.

4. Role of Indians/Indian Americans: Some Comments from here,

With the xenophobia fueled by the current US recession and fears of outsourcing, there have been public accusations that Indians were good at "subverting" the system in the US.

"It is amazing how people come (to the US) and think we should change our entire value system to suit themselves," said one reader on the web site of the Daily Herald, a suburban Chicago newspaper.

Another added, "Indians are very sneaky. He is getting back something from donating to these politicians."

A third reader wrote, "You need to go to a different gated community, buddy," referring to a prison.

In a segment, "Indian-Americans play politics in Chicago" broadcast nationwide over National Public Radio, Chicago-based journalist Ashok Easwaran said "there was a certain degree of embarrassment" in Illinois's Indian community which was recently excited over the ascension to power of Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton, both of whom had the vigorous support of the community

Dick Simpson, a political science professor at the University of Illinois at Chicago, who was the other speaker in the programme, said the Indian community had a greater impact in politics compared to larger minority groups like Latinos and African Americans.

"They use money rather than numbers to break into the political process," he said, adding, "It could take more time for the Indian community to build sufficient power to get (their own) candidate elected to a major position. Their best hope in the meantime is to become key allies to major politicians."

5. Some More Comments: from here ,

*'The election was about the lesser of two evils.'
*'The lesser of two evils? We'd elect a monkey if he ran as a democrat.'

*'People are swayed by Advertising(Positive or Negative). We need Election Campaign Spending Limits and Term Limits on the amount of time spent in public office( 6 years or less).'

*'Tweedle-dum and tweedle-dee, makes no difference who would have won -- both are owned by the "Bi-partisan Combine."
And that's just the way they like it, they pick the candidates in each party and no matter who wins -- they win!'

*'Hey, quit your complaining. You fools deserve this.'

*'it is politics. they ALL do it, because they have to raise money to keep their job. I don't see a problem to try to get some campaign cash out of the power...If we don't like it, change the constitution...it is up to the people.'

*'If we want to have leaders who work only for us, then it will cost us. Until there is public financing of elections, the politicians will need to spend all their time raising money for their campaigns.'

*'Let's face it; character means nothing. Platform means nothing. Ideas mean nothing.
The only thing that matters is how well you can work the middle for the GOP. For the donkeys it's how many special interest groups you can accumulate.
That's not leadership; that's politics.'

*'The voters get what they vote for, and deserve whatever happens. The majority of voters are pretty mindless, not having the ability to see beyond the media hype and bias, or the unending torrent of BS coming from the speechwriters, via politician's mouths...If the voters of Illinois want something different, then they can vote for it. Unfortunately, the democrat party has nurtured an ever-expanding group of dependent welfare suckers who will keep voting their way as long as the freebies keep coming. These "voters" are the problem, and the main reason the corruption of the Chicago machine remains strong.'

*'It has been a long time since we weren't voting for the lesser of two weasels.
We used to blame it on the Irish politicians but it seems to be rather widespread.
Must be the gene pool.'
[The Most Innovative Explanation for Corruption I have ever heard or read.]

*'The reality is depressing. The fact is BOTH parties are tainted with corruption, and BOTH parties have demonstrated terrible judgement. The underlying culture and system of fundraising in this state make it almost impossible for a politician to avoid scandal. . .
What is even worse? Because of the connection with the President-Elect our states inept politics are now on display for the whole world to see. It tarnishes our reputation abroad and more importantly distracts the national discussion away from the issues that are so vital if we are going to get the country back on track.
If ever there was a time to straighten out Illinois this is it. We need to get our political offices out of the hands of these annointed families who aren't really serving the public good. We need to rethink campaign financing rules. Finally, there needs to be continued federal investigation to unravel the aweful network of influence and bosses that permeates every niche of our state government.'

*'Wouldn't it be cool if we just elected ethical people and didn't need the laws. A girl can dream.'

*'Pay to play has been a part of Illinois' problems for decades. The massive problem is nothing new. What's pathetic is law makers in control are just now taking steps to try and remedy the problem.
Far too many political hacks in control have been focussing everyone's attention on regulating the citizens of Illinois, when they should have been focussing on regulating the real crooks, the crooked politicians running amuck in Illinois. There's a reason why they haven't focussed correctly. (Who wants themselves scrutinized?)'

Is it not something we all feel, think and say.


JUST THINK OVER IT !

JAI HIND.

JAAGO INDIA. . . .!

Clip showing: Daler Mehndi singing Jaago India !



LAWYER FILES CASE AGAINST DALER MEHNDI FOR THE SONG JAAGO INDIA:
“I have filed a criminal case against Daler as the lyrics of his song ‘Jaago India’ sounds demotivating and is in bad taste. The lyrics of his song abuse people of the country, which is completely objectionable and is not in the interest of the nation,” Kunjaraman told IANS here Wednesday.

“I decided to file a case against the singer and take it further for the interest of the people,” Kunjaraman added.(READ FULL STORY HERE)

'Prabhu' Kunjaraman people in many districts of my state Madhya Pradesh are dying of hunger, my own city is facing water shortages but bore wells are being dug every minute, your activism is desperately needed here, let them sing a song and do the ding-dong, LETS SOLVE THE REAL ISSUES!

ANY TAKERS OF MR. KUNJARAMAN !

ARE THE LYRICS IN BAD TASTE & OBJECTIONABLE?

Lyrics (of Jaago India sung by Daler Mehndi for the album Mission Shanti):

Tum saare sote raho, Maarne wale maar rahe hain,

Tum 'saale'/saare sote raho, Maarne wale maar rahe hain,

Tum 'saalon'/saaron rote raho, Maarne wale maar rahe hain,

Tum 'saalon'/sab rote raho, Maarne wale maar rahe hain,

ae.. Jaago ae.. Jaago ae.. Jaago India.

ae.. Jaago ae.. Jaago ae.. Jaago India.

Mazhab nahi...

Tum sab lut-tay raho, lootne wale loot rahe hain,

Tum sab lut-tay raho, lootne wale loot rahe hain,

Tum sab pit-tay raho, peetne wale peet rahe hain,

Tum sab pit-tay raho, peetne wale peet rahe hain,

Allah te...

ae.. Jaago ae.. Jaago ae.. Jaago India.

ae.. Jaago ae.. Jaago ae.. Jaago India.

Sare jahan se achcha...

THE TALE OF WARRING PRs:

[WARNING: THIS IS A TALE OF TWO PR/AD AGENCIES WHO SUCCESSFULLY HANDLED THE PROMOTION OF SHAHRUKH KHAN’S RNBDJ & AAMIR KHAN’S GHAJINI. IT CONTAINS TEXT MOSTLY IN ROMANIZED HINDI. FANS BEWARE !]

PR1: the guy has stolen my idea, saale chor bhare pade poori industry main, chhodunga nahi use, I won’t leave him!

PRHEAD1: oye khote chup kar! Apna paisa to mil gaya na usko bhi thoda kamaa lene de, TV dekhkar jyada taen-faen mat kar.

PR1: saale ko itni tameez nahi ki kam se kam Thankyou hi bol deta, paise ki to baat hi door hai, phone karke dekhta hun kya bolta hai.

PR2: Hello.

PR1: abbey hello gaya tel lene, saale mere idea kyon chura raha hai?

PR2: What are you talking about? Kya chura liya bhai?

PR1: waah ek to chori upar se seenazori, teri himmat ki daad deta hu, bhaiya Aamir ka promotion campaign kyon copy kar liya, We worked so hard on the image, the black armband, the look, the points to put forth, the stance that how can we promote a film when the nation is going through such situations. Saale tumne sab chura liya?

PR2: dekh bhai aisa hai, ye idea sirf tujhe to aaya nahi hai, sab to is aag me apni apni rotiyaan senkne me lage hue hain to fir ham kyon nahi?

PR1: ulloo banana band kar, saale itna hi idea aa gaya tha to Shahrukh ko Malaysia Ka Award lene kyon bhijwa diya, aur baad me kahalwate fir rahe ho ki Shahrukh bahut roya, uska film promotion ka man nahi hai. Jaa jaa rakh le idea, kya yaad karega, kam se kam ek thankyou to bol deta par nahi, apne hakle ke saath ek din marega dekhna, abey samajh le Aamir Aamir hai, Shahrukh Shahrukh, Aamir ne har film ke pehle ye natak kiya par usko koi nahi pakad paya aaj tak, samajh le, achchha rakta hu.

[SOOTRADHAAR: TO MITRO YE THI DO PR LADAAKON KI KAHANI ISSE HAMEN YAH SEEKH MILTI HAI KI JO TV PAR DIKHTA HAI WO POORA SATYA NAHI HOTA, ISKE ALAVA HAMEN PATA CHALTA HAI KI APNI BHAVNAAON KO CHUPA KE RAKHNA CHAHIYE VARNA AGLA HAMLA WAHIN HOGA, AUR PR1 MAHODAY LOGO KO SAMAJH ME AA RAHA HAI NA HO TO YE PADH LO]

Related Articles:

1. Capitalising on Public Sentiment for Marketing.
2. Datuk Shahrukh.

SHOULD WE SEE PERSONAL AND PROFESSIONAL LIFE OF A PERSON SEPARATELY OR FORM A COMPOSITE PICTURE OF HIM?

I have been thinking on this topic for quite some time, many people have outstanding professional record, they are darlings of media yet their personal life is/has been controversial.

We all know the case of KPS Gill, even Kiran Bedi has been criticized for being publicity monger and attention seeker, and getting admission of her daughter through tribal quota (I don’t claim factual accuracy of this point), etc. but the point is do we have a right to look into their lives or it is none of our business.

I think that the responsibility of a public figure is much more than a common person, they are role model to public, and people pay great attention to what they say or do. Apart from the needed privacy (nobody is saying to peep into people’s bedrooms) I think they should not evade public gaze because the real you comes out in private not in public (except for mob situation), how you behave in private reflects your general orientation towards your family, friends, society and life at large.

My belief is strengthened by the fact that Lashkar-e-Taiaba, which we all know is a terrorist organization, was doing charity and social work in Pakistan. Now, we see its profession (Terrorism) separated from its personal life (Charity & Social Work) but they see its profession (Charity & Social Work) and personal work (Terrorism) then what we call it would depend on which side of border we stand, but if we consider an overall, a composite picture of the organization we can easily decide on the matter. (kindly pardon my faulty reasoning,. . .)

So I think we must not be tunnel-visioned in viewing only professional life of the person while ignoring his personal life, at least not in the case of public figures.

SALMAAN’S PAKISTAN & ANAND’S HINDUSTAN

ANGRY OVER PAKISTAN’S U-TURN ON THE TERROR ISSUE READ THIS.

People got more angry with Pakistan’s U-turn on the terror issue, the attitude is reflected everywhere be it newspapers, TV, weblogs or face to face interaction. Many of us feel that Pakistan needs to be taught a lesson and the best way to do it is to go on a WAR with Pakistan. As I have said earlier, I don’t support the view of a war with Pakistan; I want to say it again in the light of new evidences and findings that have emerged.

We can now take a strong stand diplomatically on Pakistan and its policy of dealing with terrorism. However seeing the reactions of both Pakistan’s President and Prime Minister we can say that Pakistan is very reluctant to act on terrorist groups and their leaders.

Let us try to understand the situation once again. Pakistan’s reluctance not only signifies that they are supporters of terrorism but it also shows us the power of the terror outfits and the influence they have over their government. In such case think of the level of planning they might have done in case India attacks them, we are vulnerable from North (via Nepal), East (via Bangladesh) and West (via Maharashtra and Gujarat). Think of all the terrorists and the materials (read RDX, AK-47s, IEDs, etc.) that might have already been smuggled into the country through these routes. Just imagine we send our troops there and a war starts inside all our major cities.

I want to talk about the influence of the terrorist groups over the Pakistani government in detail because we can understand the phenomenon easily by looking into our own system. If you noticed it, the Patna High Court yesterday reduced the statement of the ’bahubali-neta’ gangster/member of mafia Anand Mohan from death penalty to life sentence. He murdered an upright District Magistrate in broad daylight along with some of his followers. We all know the condition of our jails especially that of Bihar (watch Prakash Jha’s Apaharan) and they way they operate. With this life sentence at hand, he would sit in the safe havens of jail and carry out his illegal/mafia activities. And following the Bihar Model of Power Sharing, his wife will contest an assembly/ Lok Sabha election, come to our legislature, make (or break) the laws and we would all sit and watch.

Isn’t our system more oriented to save the criminals, think of all the Syed Sahabuddins, Pappu Yadavs, Arun Gavalis, Mukhtar Ansaris, Anand Mohans, whose place is at the gallows but are sitting in our Vidhan Sabhas and Sansad Bhawan, deciding the future of our country, its people like you and me. If our great country with democratic ethos, independent judiciary and well functioning elected government can’t punish such elements can we blame a defunct state like Pakistan to act strongly on terrorist groups? They are the power centers be it India be it Pakistan, and government fears (and thus respects) them and tries with all its strength to protect them.

I too want a WAR with Pakistan but only when we have set our house in right order through comprehensive reforms, any hasty step could have serious repercussions for our future leave apart the humiliation in front of the whole world.

A dialog of Rajkumar comes to my mind ‘Jaani, Jinke khud ke ghar seeshe ke hon vo doosron ke gharon par patthar nahi fenka karte. . .’

DATUK SHAHRUKH KE PEECHHE HAI KYA TUK?

WHAT’S THE LOGIC BEHIND GIVING SHAHRUKH KHAN THE TITLE ‘DATUK’ BY MALAYSIAN GOVERNMENT?

I was shocked to see that Shahrukh went to receive the title from Malaysian government. I thought in this moment of great crisis of our country he will refuse to take the award. But that was not to happen.

Naturally the question you will ask, WHY DO YOU THINK SO?

First, let us know for what he has been awarded this title, it is for shooting a song for the (flop) movie One 2 Ka 4 which starred Shahrukh Khan, Juhi Chawla and Jackie Shroff (I think) in Malaysia. Do you feel that it is an achievement or service of highest order? Leave that have you even watched the movie?

I believe that awards given by various governments have an underlying political statement. This award should be seen within the context of the recent widespread agitations of Malaysian Indians under the banner of HINDRAF. Now with this award the Malaysian government has hit two targets. First, they portrayed to the Malay Indians that India was on the government’s side (Shahrukh representing India, being first Indian to become Datuk).

Then they covertly raised the issue of Pan-Islamism, that the all the Muslims of the world form a great culture that is not bound by regional territories. It also sends a clear message to the various parties in India following so-called Hindu Ideology and are said to be supporting the struggle in Malaysia.

Whatever be the case (I am not taking sides), the person who will suffer in all this will be ordinary citizens like you and me whether here or in Malaysia. The appropriate thing to do for Shahrukh as an Indian was to humbly deny the award till the political crisis was over.

WE AS INDIANS MUST SEND OUT A CLEAR MESSAGE TO THE WORLD AS ALSO WE MUST STAND TOGETHER WITH THE PEOPLE OF INDIAN ORIGIN AND NON RESIDENT INDIANS. However. . .

On a lighter note, Raghu of MTV Roadies has advertised more about Malaysia in India through Roadies 5.0 The Game Goes International than Shahrukh’s One 2 Ka 4 , didn’t somebody tell the Malaysian minister about roadies. However. . .

For knowing more on this issue kindly visit:

1. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/HINDRAF

2. http://www.themalaysianinsider.com/index.php/malaysia/10608-government-says-no-bias-against-hindraf-opposition-baffled-by-ban

PATIL’S CONFUSION:

Well I am talking of Chhota Patil i.e. R.R. Patil. Because of his height he sometimes starts believing that he is Shahrukh Khan. Well not your fault totally Mr. Patil. But you must remember that leisure activities are strict no-no in workplace. You forgot that you are not sitting in front of Kajol but media that eventually erected the set of your Tyaagpatra.

Well you can now practice your lines in leisure. Why don’t you contact Mr. Deshmukh, he can fix a role for you in Ramu’s film.

RAM AND RAVAN IN MAHARASHTRA:

The other day I met a bongali friend, intellectuals as they are, he was very angry with Mr. Deshmukh’s shameless behavior. In anger his speech was distorted somewhat and Day-sh-mu-kh was sounding like Dau-sh-mu-kh.

I retorted that Mr. Deshmukh is factually correct, they both were playing roles in a secret Ram-Lila, in which he was Das-mukh or Das-aanan or Ravan and Ram(u) came following him. Ram(u) had to destroy Vilas-yukt Das-mukh, which he did too, although symbolically by taking his post of CM.

TRIVIA:

WHERE DID MUKHTAR ABBAS NAQVI GO AFTER HIS RECENT COMMENT ON LIPSTICK-POWDER TIE-COAT PROTEST?

ANSWER: HE GOT TWO HIGH LEVEL ASSIGNMENTS AS A RESULT OF HIS COMMENT. FIRST, HE BECAME THE CHAIRMAN OF THE COMMISSION CONSTITUTED TO PROPOSE DRESS CODE FOR PROTESTORS. THE COMMISSION WILL ALSO LOOK INTO THE IDEAL PLACE FROM WHERE A PERSON SHOULD START A PROTEST LIVING ROOM, BED ROOM, DINING ROOM, TOILET OR TERRACE.

IT WAS A CHANCE DISCOVERY THAT HIS TALENT OF SPOTTING LIPSTICKS AND POWDER ALONGSIDE COMPLETE IGNORANCE OF WHAT THOSE LIPS AND FACES WERE SAYING CAME TO WORLD’S NOTICE. FOR THIS HE GOT AN INTERNATIONAL ASSIGNMENT AND HE RUSHED TO SOUTH AFRICA WHERE HE WOULD BE A JUDGE OF MISS WORLD 2008 CONTEST.

GREAT GOING MR. NAQVI, KEEP IT UP.

Achuthyanandan Speak:

The statement of Kerala’s CM was not telecast fully.

Here is the edited part: . . . being home of a martyr a number of people visited the home. A lame dog got interested as he might get some food. Uncle shooed him out, but he started barking. People thought it is a rabid dog and has gone mad, so they hit him in the back with a steel-tipped lathi. He quickly ran away. If it would have not run away people were prepared to go for the final kill.