Idealthoughts

Round and Round We Go Who Cares If the Government Works? We Can Always Blame the "Other Guy"

2009-06-20T10:54:00.002-04:00

Benn away for a bit and sorry for the absence, looking for a new job as both my wife and I were laid off. Came across this article today while at work at my part time job. The headline reads State Department Nominees placed on hold by a single Senator, Sen Kyle (R-Nev) because he's not satisfied with the information he is getting back from the Administration on the progress of nuclear arms control with Russia.

Senator Kyle a quick question for you please? Where the hell were you when President Bush decided he was no longer bound by certain treaties such as the START treaty which expires December 5. 2009, and apparently is at the core of this little petty power play.

Of course then we have the larger threat to put a hold on all of Obama's nominees because the Rethugs are upset at the speed that Sen. Patrick Leahy (D-Vt) has scheduled the confirmation hearings for Sonya Sotomayor for Supreme Court Justice. WTF, are you upset because you won't get enough right wing neonazi conservative groups to pony up campaign contributions? Or are you so old and withered your mental processes have deteriorated so much that given six more months you still could not grasp cognitively what you are supposed to vote on, and the speed was still too fast for you?

The Senate seems to think it is their right and place to play petty little dictators and tyrants. They place themselves above the law and reproach all the time forgetting they are elected to "serve the will of the people", not the will of wealthy corporate lobbyist. Perhaps since the Congress cannot bring it about to enact true campaign reform, the people push for a national referendum to decide what should be done with campaign finance laws. Perhaps if we do away with Congress' supplemental income plans and went to a public financed election, many of these do nothing leeches will depart and we can get some true representation by men and women who want our government to work rather then using their petty little powers to bolster their sad deflated egos.

What's A Nation To Do?

2009-05-24T07:56:00.004-04:00

With all the ups and downs, changes in laws, an Administration prior to this Administration that considered the opinion of the voters and their concerns with the thoughtful commentary and consideration of, "so", all of a sudden we find ourselves wrestling with issues of immediate concern that some suggest again may change the very fabric of this nation. I am not talking about the suspension of Habeas Corpus, nor even the illegal rewriting of the Constitution. I am talking about something that has a great deal to do with how we view ourselves, and how we view others.

The issue is not new and has been on the minds of the public for a long time now, health care. President Obama has made this issue the forefront of his Administration's focus this year and recently health care seems to be the lead off of every evening news story, and of course political discussion/debate. It sometimes seems unclear just how we as a nation view the care of the sick and elderly, and even the youngest of our population when it comes to health care. It is obvious, though clearly not openly acknowledged that health care is an industry that this nation relies on in part for it's Gross Domestic Product (GDP). How do I reach that conclusion? Look at the Senate Committee that is deciding on the future fate of how this country deals with health care. It is not being considered by the Senate committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions, no the fate of health care is being handled by the Senate Committee on Finance. Just as every piece of legislation concerning health care has been managed. This includes those bills on SCHIP, prescription drug care for medicare, and attempts at reforming social security. The Senate Finance Committee decides the fate of health care for the nation. Does anyone besides myself question the whys or wisdom of this?

The Washington Post today has an interesting article on Senator Max Baucus (D-Mont), the Chairman of the Finance Committee which should be a must read for anyone concerned with health care's future. Not that this article is in anyway probing or even that in depth. After reading it I was greatly disappointed in the lack of depth contained within the article. Yes, it did in many ways try to give a profile of Senator Baucus, but it seemed as if the writers Shailagh Murray and Ceci Connelly were trying to present this Senator as a popular "maverick" almost folk hero who had had this great mantle of responsibility thrust upon his shoulders with no concern as to whether he wished to bear this burden or not. There was one line though that gave the whole story, and in some ways the hypocrisy of the story away.

The Senate Finance Committee under Max Baucus has never gotten out of the
gate faster and more aggressively on health reform. That's about leadership."
Last May, around the time Kennedy received a diagnosis of terminal brain
cancer, Baucus began studying health care in private tutoring sessions and
through a series of public

I will give him credit for taking the effort to understand health care but why the sudden rush when Kennedy fell ill to assume the lead? The answer is his committee, Finance. After holding a series of Committee hearings over the past few weeks Senator Baucus heard from all the "experts" on health care reform, except one. That "one" is the eight hundred pound gorilla the good Senator and other members of the Committee want tranquilized and hauled away, possibly through "extraordinary rendition", single payer or universal health care. Senator Baucus' comment on the issue....;

Believe me, we hear you. I will meet with anyone who wants to meet. We’ve
got to work with what we’ve got. We cannot go to a single payer system, but
that’s not going to work in this country.

I have one question for the good Senator, "why not"? What is so funny about all of this is dispite the wide press coverage of this remark, I have yet to hear one journalist ask him to explain that remark though there was one good letter submitted with many such questions of Senator's Baucus' close connections with the insurance industry by a consumer watch dog group. Many single payer proponents point to Sen. Baucus' close ties to the medical "for profit" industry as the reason the Senator says the single payer system will not work in this country. It obviously won't work if health care professionals who overwhelmingly support such a system are not given an opportunity to present the merits of the idea. However, then this country might see real "change".

Health care reform will not work if left in the hands of those who seek to profit from the illness and misfortunes of others. No matter how good the intentions of those who seek profit from illness, there will always be a "compelling" reason to deny a test, procedure or medicine for the sake of a few pennies more. Many news articles point to the Obama Administration's desire for "bipartisan support" for this issue. Well I have a good way to get a few Republican and even conservative Democrats on board. Tort reform. Yes, this golden nugget that many conservatives cherish as a way to put a limit on the outrageous legal expenses syphoned off by trial lawyers might pursued a few hold outs over to our side. I had a conversation with several physician colleagues of mine last week and they all noted how they had many friends who left medicine that were "very good doctors" because of the high price of malpractice liability insurance. As one physician noted to me:

It's a system now that forces good competent physicians out of the field
while sustaining incompetent or uncaring physicians"

Opponents of single payer health care like to use those ugly terms like "English/Canadian medicine" or "socialized medicine", yet they over look that the fact that the way medicine is run in this country today it should easily be called "vulture's medicine" or "bend over medicine". If you have employer covered health care and one day need it, many do not realize how adept hospitals and the health care industry has become at collecting premiums yet when you need it pays little in return. Many businesses can not afford "employer based health insurance", so the plan that Senator Baucus favors involves trusting the health industry to keep it's promise to lower costs by two trillion dollars in the next ten years, while squeezing those who rely on medicare and medicaid, and for the first time taxing health insurance! Apparently Senator Baucus forgets that was a key provision in the McCain/Palin health care reform platform and it was soundly rejected by the voters last November.

So what is a nation to do with regards to health care? It is a complex question with a complex answer that I admit the complete lack of knowledge, and defiantly one that requires a more complete answer than can be provided here. There is however one major answer I can give. Health care must be thought of in terms of the last word used to describe the process, "care". If you are one who thinks by giving needed care to someone who needs it we are practicing "communism" or "socialism" ask yourself this question. What if it was my child, spouse or another special loved one who needed this procedure to get better? What price would I pay for them to live a quality life free of a disability, handicap, pain, or continued illness that separated that person from the rest of society? How much is their life worth should it be that catastrophic of an emergency? Then ask yourself, do I want some MBA or even some medical professional who has never seen, met or looked at that loved one except through the notes of some hurried nurse or physician, knowing their decision will be based not on the merits of your loved one's life or physical well being, but on the merits of their commission, bonus and how happy some share holders are? Think that way for a moment then come back and tell me single payer universal health care is "socialized medicine" and not compassionate medicine.

There comes a time in our lives when we will need someone, it happens to everyone. Senator Baucus needs to hear and realize he is making a very serious decision for the nation and not an industry and he has neither the right nor the moral authority to "decide" which issues regarding health care should be considered, especially in the manner he is doing now where by all appearances he is putting the almighty dollar as a priority consideration over the needs of the public. If he is to do his job appropriately, he cannot just represent a conservative minority of the population that elected him, especially when he is making an important decision involving all of us. It is interesting to note that in the many articles I read researching this piece, it was consistently noted the "business" side of the health industry felt that "only with Senator Baucus would they get any support or voice. The House of Representatives is also considering this issue and their the insurance industry lobbyist admitted they had little voice". To me it sounds as if a nation has spoken and not a check book.

Posted on DailKos

Written by a nurse who loves his profession for those medical professionals who everyday struggle to make the lives of their patients and loved ones a little better.

-Richard R. Mayfield, RN,C, MS

As in Senator Baucus hearings, this 1971 classic was banned by radio stations across the country as not approriate to be heard. The song, D.O.A. presented here in it's original version by Blood Rock.

Health "Care" and Profit Are Not Interchangable Words

2009-05-11T09:50:00.005-04:00

Good morning good folks, it is the start of the week and almost every news story, and on the front pages of most news publications is the latest buzz about President Obama's Health Care reform package and it's purposed cost savings of two trillion dollars over the next decade. Though if you read past the headlines, as nyceve did and then wrote on DailyKos, the headlines maybe all hype with no substance. A person writing under the name of National Nurses Organization talks also about the anger directed both at Obama, but with Max Bacus (D-Neb), chairman of the Senate Finance Committee being the main target of rath for his exclusion last week of any real health care experts at his hearing for health care reform. His so called panel of "experts" all were representatives of health Corporations and insurance industry shills, the very same folks who brought you a Bush Administration "drug plan" which does not allow for price negotiations.

Most disturbing of all was Senator Bacus' lead off expert, Rick Scott, Chairman of the group Conservatives For Patent's Rights. For those of you that don't know Rick Scott, he is a lawyer who was George Bush's friend, and co-owner with him of the Texas Rangers. He also started Columbia HCA, which he ran until 1996 when he was forced out by the Board of Directors, just two years prior to Columbia HCA being investigated and fined $1.7 billion dollars for fraud against medicare. In addition to that, as reported in today's Washington Post, this same Rick Scott is heading up the effort to sink the health care reform effort started by the White House. That's right, Rick Scott is using $5 million dollars of his own money, and another $15 million dollars raised by supporters to "stop any effort for a government run health care program". He has just hired the PR firm responsible for the "Swift Boat" ads that ran against Kerry in the 2004 election, and you remember that darling American couple on TV in the 1990's called Harry and Louis right? The couple that basically sank health care reform under the Clinton Administration.

The spin coming out of Congress and the White House lately is a complete smoke screen and belittles the idea of any real health care reform. The idea that you can have a greedy health care profiteer testifying as a so called "expert" on reform is assine. The same person though never charged basically led his company into one of the biggest health care rip offs ever known, is now telling us what to do to cut costs and change our policy so that health care is nor available to everyone? Yet in this hearing no doctors, nurses or actual health care providers were there to present their ideas for health care reform, and there was no consideration even given to "universal health care". What we are seeing here is the actual dressing up of a pig with lipstick, and with no real goal of change or reform.

Along that same line of thought is to see the lead legislative effort in the Senate on health care reform is not through any committee or subcommittee that deals with health care issues, it is being directed by Senator Bacus, Chairman of the Senate Finance Committee. Is the plan here to insure that health care is legislated into being a completely for profit industry? Depending on which article you read Senator Bacus has been bought and paid for by the Pharmaceutical industry, and the Health Insurance industry having received any where from the most campaign contributions from this group, to the third most contributions from this group.

So out of curiosity, I looked up the definitions of both care and profit. What I found (but already knew) was the two words were by definition mutually exclusive. Webster's online dictionary defines care as:

Main Entry: 1care Pronunciation:
'kerFunction: nounEtymology: Middle English, from Old English caru; akin to Old
High German kara lament, Old Irish gairm call, cry, Latin garrire to chatter1 :
suffering of mind : GRIEF2 a
: a disquieted state of mixed uncertainty, apprehension, and responsibility b :
a cause for such anxiety3 a : painstaking or watchful attention b : MAINTENANCE
4 : regard coming from desire or esteem5 : CHARGE, SUPERVISION (under a
doctor's care) 6 : a person or thing that is an object of attention, anxiety,
or solicitude.

Webster's then defines profit as:

1prof·it
Pronunciation:
\ˈprä-fət\
Function:
noun
Usage:
often attributive
Etymology:
Middle English, from Anglo-French, from Latin profectus
advance, profit, from proficere
Date: 14th century
1: a valuable return
: gain 2: the
excess of returns over expenditure in a transaction or series of transactions ;
especially : the excess of the selling price of goods over their cost3: net
income usually for a given period of time4: the ratio of profit for a given year
to the amount of capital invested or to the value of sales5: the compensation
accruing to entrepreneurs for the assumption of risk in business enterprise as
distinguished from wages or rent.

Of special note was the second definition of profit, "...the excess of selling price of goods over their costs." That says it all right there. As a professional health care worker my job is not so simplistic. Theoretically if I was in this profession for the money, I would do for my patients what is minimally called for in as little time as possible to increase my profitability. The more patients I cared for the more i would make. Conversely the least I provided them would also affect my profit margin. This of course is what is going on in today's health care system and why it is so broken in the way things get done. Insurance companies are for profit so they will many times deny, try to downgrade quality of care and use any tactic that will ensure a greater profit for themselves and their share holders. This of course impacts on the bonus compensation the chief executives get as well. So in the end you are getting bargain basement care so that several folks who have nothing to do with your health care get huge pay offs. These are the people you expect to lead the way in health care reform? Surely you jest.

Where are the people who work in health care? These are the one's who know and can give you both sides of the picture. Who do you think submits the forms for reimbursement from the insurance companies. Who do you think works the case management for both sides of care in this picture? Both for the insurance companies and the insured? Nurses and physicians. Who do you think has watched a love one suffer from a debilitating illness, only to have their claim denied for treatment by an insurance company? Why a family member or even the patients themselves. Yet where are they in the "round table" of planning? No where, no where at all.

There is another piece of this discussion that is also missing, a piece that was brought up by a physician I work with just last week. Medical malpractice. That in and of itself is an industry for the legal profession, and contributes a great deal to the rising cost of health care. Need a clear example? Look at what has happened to the practice of OB/GYN. Many areas you cannot find an OB doctor because of all the frivolus law suits that have been filed against them. Mommy has a crack cocaine addiction, bay is born with birth problems and your lawyer knows "for sure" that at least one of those problems they can lay at the doctor's feet. Never mind that mom was getting to high to make it to nutritional classes, it's the doc's fault for not educating her.

We are not talking about gross negligence here such as a patient going into surgery for amputation of their right leg but ends up getting the left leg amputated instead. We are however talking about serious tort reform and the weaning from a culture that looks to "get rich quick" through the courts. While we are at it perhaps and standardization of all medical forms required by both the hospital and insurance company? Wouldn't that help lower operating prices? This all comes from administrative and legal beagles, not licensed health care professionals. As my doctor friend noted, lawyers think they can regulate and to some degree practice medicine, yet when you look at the cases of Judge Bybee, and John Yoo, lawyers can't even regulate themselves.

Lies and misrepresentations are being put forth by the Conservatives for Patients Rights when it comes to single payer health care. No, that model is not perfect, but health care wise with successful patient outcomes it is better then the system we are under now. When you use scare words like "socialistic" to degrade and discredit something that all people should have a right too and access to, then right there you have shown yourself what a filthy greedy, lying, money grubbing SOB you really are. Health care is not a "business model", it is a "people first model" because the area we deal with are in the terms of "peoples lives" and has no measurable monetary value.

Any discussion of health care reform without that acknowledgment up front is a discussion of a fantasy story where things happen with the wave of a magic wand, and people living "happily ever after". We know those stories are fairy tales, and that is what is happening now before our very eyes. People like Senator Bacus need to be taught a very basic lesson, and I include Mr. Compromise, President Barack Obama as well. An industry may fill your pockets with plenty of cash, but that cash does not represent the people who pull the lever to vote. We are the one's you are leaving out of your "planning" and yet it is us to whom you are answerable and serve at our pleasure. Keep it up Senator Bacus, go ahead President Obama forget you campaign pledges. Both of you can become quickly unemployed in 2012.

From someone who loves his profession,

May 11, 2009

Richard R. Mayfield, RNC, MS

Sold Out By the Party Of "Reform"

2009-05-01T10:56:00.005-04:00

Let me see here, I know I have my "senior moments", but it seems just recently both Wall Street and the banks needed my help along with all the rest of us after they recklessly squandered what some estimate to be fifty trillion dollars in assets. Hat in hand the banks ran to then Treasury Secretary Henery Paulson begging for rescue from their Uncle they so often scorn. Henry Paulson did his bit to aide them screaming like Chicken Little that the "sky was falling" and began the generational mortgaging of our grand children's future. During this time we were all involved in a historic election process, with many Senate and Congressional seats up for grabs and Democratic candidates were promising all sorts of change and reforms from "business as usual" like a distant echo of President Obama. Well the dying voices of the echos showed their life and fidelity to their campaign pledges yesterday by their silence as the Democrats who worship at the golden alter of the banking industry failed to muster the votes to pass the mortgage bankruptcy bill.

In a 51 to 45 vote, after intense lobbying by the banking industry, many of whom received TARP bailout money which they then in turned gave to Congress to water down or abort consumer protective legislation. The bill in question would have given bankruptcy judges the ability to modify mortgage payments as these judges have authority to do in other bankruptcy proceedings. After an election year of decrying the corruption on Wall Street, and the greedy ways of bankers, Congress ensured banks would have money to lend to those of us in need of financing (something they have yet failed to do), but most importantly gave the banks the taxpayers money, so the banks could then turn around and give them a commission for that largess of tax dollars. Campaign promises to look out for the taxpayer? Guess that was somehow forgotten, or overlooked as a minor inconvenience.

Next on the agenda in the sights of the banking industry is the Credit Card Holders Bill of Rights.
Senator Chris Dodd (D- Conn) is the author of this bill, but in this bill, though through the House faces now a bought and paid for pro banking industry Senate. Will it survive intact? If we look at the foreclosure bill just defeated by the Senate, whom by the way just a few years ago opened the way for the credit card issuers to prey on the public at large, I have my doubts though recent comments from Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell indicates Republicans won't oppose the bill.

What is troubling though for me is the number of Democrats who failed to support the foreclosure bill and the fact that though initially for it, the Obama quieted down in his support for this bill due to such strong banking industry whining. As Senator Dick Durban (D- Ill) noted several days ago, "frankly the banks own the place", referring to the Senate. This observation, and the failure of Democrats to support the wishes of the voters makes me ask if they feel so secure in their majority, that they are invincible and unanswerable to anyone. This is more like the Bush/Cheney years and perhaps the Dems need a wake up call. Then historically the Senate almost considers itself a royal family, not unlike so many Saudi Princes running around untouchable. Maybe it's time those Senators who failed to look out for us got a wake up call like the GOP did (but has yet failed to recognize). Remember boys and girls, I hired you and I can Donald Trump you too.

True War Crimes, Failure to Investigate and Prosecute

2009-04-22T15:02:00.007-04:00

Dick Cheney apparently does not relish the obscurity he help build for himself. He is all over the news calling everything President Obama does a national security disaster while defending the Bush/Cheney approach to solving world crisises. That was either ignor them or bomb the hell out of them. His remarks are beginning to even draw the scorn of fellow Republicans which wish he would fade back into his fortress of obscurity. He soon may wish otherwise, and try to retreat back into his fortress, but hopefully he will be getting his just deserts.

Recently President Obama released the long sought after Bush torture memos. Since then he has faced a barrage of criticism from the right wing for aiding the enemy, even though most of the salient details were already known by al-Quaeda. Cheney has been especially critical and now it seems we all know why. Rather then trying to extract that next "ticking time bomb" of information, it seems excessive torture was used for political goals. We have heard the semantic arguments from defenders of torture who would have you believe "it can't be torture because we didn't do this or that." Well kiddies their final argument is BS, Cheney wanted an alleged link to Sadam Hussien and al-Quaeda to help bolster his excuse to engage in an illegal war. That's right, not to gain information on the next eminent attack on the United States and her citizens, but to aide Dick Cheney, Donald Rumsfeld and the rest of the Bush Regime cover for invading Iraq, which had nothing to do with 9/11 in the first place.

Furthermore of concern, my friend in Canada Mentarch indicates that torture may have been used on children! Is this what we as a nation came to? I didn't and I demand that an investigation begin immediately. Leave it to Keith Olbermann tonight to bring up many salient points so far over looked in these reports, and I will bring up another he completely overlooked. Remember when Donald Rumsfeld, then Secretary of Defense testified before Congress over the Abu Ghraib torture scandal? Did he not tell Congress "he didn't know about this" until it basically was reported in the press? Funny that now this has been exposed as a lie in this report by Carl Levine. Rumsfeld himself signed off on the use of torture as early as August, 2002! Didn't know? Keith Olbermann had Janet Karpinshi on tonight. You remember her, the Brigadier General in charge of Abu Ghraib who was hung out to dry by Rumsfeld et al. She has said before, and said again tonight that the orders for the torture of those prisoners came from much higher up the chain of command, but in a salient remark noted that Obama does not want to prosecute those CIA members who engaged in torture? What about those lonely GI's that followed orders of CIA contractors and engaged in this torture and are now serving time for this with a loss of all their military careers? If President Obama does not want to allow prosecution of CIA personnel for following orders signed off on by DOJ attorneys, how the hell do you convict these GI's of doing what the Secretary of Defense signed off on along with those DOJ attorneys?

I am not forgiving of these actions by either the GI's or CIA. They tortured, in violation of both U.S. laws and international laws, so they are subject to whatever criminal prosecution comes their way. Their was no patriotic calling in their actions. By their actions they became no better then the criminals that behead Daniel Pearle and others after torturing them. As noted by many of the talking heads tonight, President Obama has lost control of this issue, and damnit he should have foreseen this. If he didn't he is not that bright, smart politician we all voted for. President Obama, screw your so called "rainbow coalition" you wish to reach across the isle to form. If Republicans don't want this bit of dirty laundry aired who should care? This is the call of many career criminals during the sentencing portion of their trials. On top of this you promised a transparent open government, yet by protecting the Bush cabal you hide the truth, and although you have a lovely smile, you will not improve this nations standing in the eyes of the rest of the world. Political leaders unlike voters have long memories, and this will always be laid on our door step until we openly, honestly, deal with it. Remember Nuremberg, you cannot make a separate set of rules for us.

Just today Rove, Arlen Specture and Dick Cheney implied the Obama Administration was acting like a "Central American banana Republic with tinted sun glasses" for pursuing these crimes any further. Yet again today the news is our National Security Advisor, Condelesa Rice, and Vice President Dick Cheney signed off on these tortures as early as July, 2002, prior to the DOJ's Office of Legal Counsel's memos allowing such procedures. In all the books I read and movies I saw, it was those tinted sun glass dictators of South and Central America who were torturing. Yet just this past week, Peru convicted it's former President Fujimori of human rights violations including torture. Whose the banana Republic here? President Obama they tell me you are a brilliant Constitutional scholar and attorney. Your lack of enthusiasm to prosecute criminals makes me think you were asleep in Criminal Law 101. You should know that with all your knowledge of secrets including those declassified that failure to act makes you a war criminal too, and in the eyes of American law, an accessory after the fact. Appoint a Special Prosecutor now!

Your U.S. Senate, Bought and Paid for By the Banking Industry

2009-04-22T14:36:00.002-04:00

As is the case, each day it seems that the voters have less and less say over the rules and regulations enacted by the Senate. The attitude contained by most, if not all Senators is fuck you little people we are untouchable. This has never been more aptly brought to light then in an article in today's New York Times, in which the banking industry is road blocking any legislative reforms. Many of those banks are the same beggars that came running to the U.S. tax payer with their hands out demanding millions of alms to prevent their failure, while still giving bonuses to their big league players with tax dollars.

April 15, 2005 Congress passed a new bankruptcy bill that George H.W. Bush promptly signed into law. It had been lobbied long and hard for in Congress by the banking industry. While it made it much harder (almost impossible) for small households to seek protection through bankruptcy, it had no effect on large corporations. Now, as both the House and Senate try to restrict these ridicules credit card hikes and to allow bankruptcy judges to reset mortgage interest rates and values the banking Industry has their greedy little claws out preventing effective passage of these bills. Guess who by the way is saying "no" to consumer protection? That's right, your national party of "NO", the Republicans. Folks we seriously need to put an end to this.

Read the whole story here:

The Day After April 15th

2009-04-17T08:18:00.005-04:00

Yes this is being posted on April 17th, but I wanted the entire day to pass without missing a moment of it, and to see if the world really ended because of the "high taxes". Did something magically change or was it the typical SOS different day thing. I am still trying to figure that one out so perhaps you dear reader can help me.

April 16th started out frantically as I rushed around getting lab testing done to confirm I had diabetes (yes, I'm a sweet guy). I saw my wife go into work saddened because it was her last day at work. Her company was bought out by a larger company and as a result, she was laid off. That was very hard for her as she is the type of employee that if she decides to leave to take a better position, her soon to be former employers try to offer her more with incentives to stay. Her former company had kept her on for an additional month after letting the others who were laid off go, and as always the top managers asked her to have any future employers who needed references to give them a call. They'd tell them what a "golden child" they were getting. She finished off all the budget accruals for April ahead of time as a parting gesture, yes she's that way.

I on the other hand worried about time missed, because if I don't work I don't get paid. We were already losing forty percent of our household income so every penny helps. I started packing my lunches again something I had not done in a while, but that's a better way to keep control of your diabetes. Oh we lost our health insurance but I am lucky. I am a government contractor and my company has health insurance so we are covered. Listening to NPR on the drive into work I recalled the humor April 15th had provided with their recounting of the different "Tea Baggers" events held in protest of Obama's economic stimulus plan. The biggest irony to me was all those so called working Americans protesting tax funds being spent to provide extra unemployment insurance to the many of them either out of work, or soon to be without a job. Supposedly this was a "grass roots" event though the sponsors were big money lobbyists who represented firms that would have their taxes raised, their off shore accounts opened wide while the protester got the largest tax break in history. The hypocrisy of those organizing and promoting these events is beyond belief (yes kiddies Fox Noise despite numerous denials promoted these gatherings, and then lied openly about the numbers in attendance).

President Obama released more of the torture memos in a move very opposite of the former Administration and it shows an openness not seen for a while. In so doing this he closed the door basically on accountability. Obama once again said he wished to focus on the future rather then seek retribution for the past. It is unfortunate that he feels this way, for it clouds his judgement for the future, and for the nation's future. Until the crimes believed by the Bush Administration are brought out in the open and dealt with honestly, this country and the Obama Administration will be unable to claim righteousness against others for doing the same things we did. What though I see as a greater danger is the fact that in his refusal to address the violations of our own laws, as well as international law he sets precedent for future Presidents to claim the right to do anything they wish. At the same time he tells Americans that we have a two tiered system of justice. One for you and me where we are held accountable, and a second for those we choose to run government who are then essentially above the law. I can hear defense attorney's across the land making that same argument for their clients. "No your honor we should dismiss all charges against my client, he is try to make progress and move forward. What useful benefit would we get if we look only to the past, my client is beyond that now".

The wingnuts are getting more crazy with each passing day and I know longer recognize the political process or even my country anymore. Rick Perry, Governor of Texas is hinting at a repeat of history long since settled after a bloody civil war. He intimated to the Huston Chronicle that Texas might secede the Union, but then with drew that with editing to another journal when asked about it. They say Perry has aspirations to the White House, but maybe he figures Sarah Palin is a better choice so he'll make his own country.

Michele Bachmann (R- Mn) seems to be insane at this point with her recent statements about the costs of converting to alternative energy, and the six Immans that were kicked off a plane. Her statements are flat out lies, yet no one in the MSM has called her out on it. There is a lack of public outcry over her hysterical ravings about re-education camps and other delusional, no more like psychotic ravings go overall unremarked upon. I wonder who is more crazy, Bachmann or the voters that tolerate this type of representation.

Oh, I just got one more piece of good news, I have just been terminated. I have two weeks left then I join the ranks of the unemployed. There goes the health insurance, and soon quite possibly the rest of my things along with my home. My wife and I have been trying to pay things down but were living from paycheck to paycheck. I worry now for my eight year old daughter and 16 year old step son. Hopefully we will make it. Someone tell me right now what is right with this country? It isn't the same land I grew up in and I don't recognize many of the people here any more.

Virginia's Shame (My Letter To the Editor)

2009-04-09T19:12:00.005-04:00

I usually try to keep this blog focused on a national and international level, but I work locally politically. Today though the Virginia House of Delegates truly pissed me off as the House remains in Republican control while the rest of Virginia remains blue. After steaming for a while and I am now taking my second dose of my liquid Valium (Jack Daniels and Diet Pepsi) I wrote this letter to the Editor of my local northern Virginia paper. This paper has a Rethug slant so I doubt it will get published (God forbid Rethugs should have to read a truth). So here's my letter.

Cross Posted from DailyKos.

Dear Editor,
Today Bob McDonnell and Virginia Republicans voted not to accept $125 million in government stimulus money for the unemployed. The vote in both houses of the legislator was split down party lines with the same rhetorical response that reminded me of HAL the computer in 2001 A Space Odyssey. You remember HAL who kept telling the one lone remaining human crewman Dave "I am sorry Dave you can't do that. I am looking out for you". All across the country we are hearing that same computerized response from Republicans, that to accept that money would mean higher taxes for small businesses. In one case the Senate Minority Leader had this to say about Governor Kaines bill:

Senate Minority Leader Thomas K. Norment Jr. of James City County, whose
district includes Williamsburg, a tourist destination with a 19.5 percent
unemployment rate, said the Kaine measure could discourage the jobless from
returning to work by freeing them to reject positions they deemed unappealing.
"This is absolutely ludicrous," Norment said. "It is a disincentive."

As the father of a family of five whose wife has just been laid off, and is facing a forty percent reduction in income with no guarantees of my wife finding future employment I find that statement and the whole Republican attitude totally offensive. Yes, they are the party of "NO".
For over a decade we have suffered under the Republican mantra of "tax cuts" while they ran us into a trillion dollar deficit, from a budget surplus. At the same time they created the largest government bureaucracy since FDR which is a mess and a bottomless pit of financial waste and mismanagement. They have increased the tax burden on the middle class which has dwindled to almost nothing while providing tax cuts to the wealthy. Most of the top five percent of the income bracket get their income from capitol gains income which is taxed at fifteen percent, while yours and my income as wage earners is taxed at thirty five percent. The Republican answer to President Obama's stimulus bill was a forty page rant about what they didn't like about Obama's plan with no economic figures or plans except more tax cuts, especially in capitol gains taxes. (Oh did I mention their plan would cost us $1.7 trillion, but with all the tax cuts we'd never dig ourselves out).

Virginia Republicans complain that accepting the stimulus money for their constituents would constitute a tax increase on "small business" (it's funny how none of this ever seems to affect big business) and it would include those working full time for three months rather then the one year model currently specified in Virginia law, as well as part time workers. What they fail to acknowledge is during these hard economic times people have been laid of and may only have just recently been lucky enough to have found a job which may yet fold in less then a year. On top of that due to the scarcity of work, many heads of the house are forced to work part time employment to feed and cloth their families (I guess these are the ones Sen. Norment figures will lose incentive to work).Oh, and those "small businesses he's worried about paying more taxes? Ask those business owners whether they would be willing to pay more taxes down the road, or be forced to shut down because no one could afford to buy their products?

The Republican base is largely in western and south west Virginia where unemployment in some areas is as high as twenty percent. I am sure their constituents are very happy these Legislators are worried about their taxes going up. I mean it is so hard to tax nothing.
I am a Democrat and was proud to see Virginia turn blue last November. I am supporting Terry McAuliffe for Governor and I am impressed with his economic plans, especially those plans to bring new jobs to Virginia that have been lost, and his focus on alternative biofuels which will help us all break away from the stranglehold the middle east has us in now. From the Republicans I hear no alternative plans except we will continue like HAL the computer to protect you from yourselves while we continue to borrow from China to pay for government. I look forward to Virginians waking up and coloring Virginia a deeper blue this November.

Death Throes of A Drowning Party

2009-04-02T09:15:00.006-04:00

Last August I asked here if; "This was the Death of a Party, or Death of a Nation". At that time I was referring to John McCain's pick of Sarah Palin as his Vice Presidential running mate. Today we know there was no national death cry (as would have happened if the Republicans had won in November), and President Barack Obama is doing an outstanding job of trying to right the legacy of the last eight years of George H. W. Bush and his mess. I do not always agree with President Obama but he is my elected leader, I campaigned for him and I still am a very strong supporter.

All that aside, I go back to that first half of the question poised in August, as to whether we are seeing the death of the Republican Party? In my humble opinion after watching the party's antics of the past couple of months we are seeing the final throes of a drowning elephant, and unless the Republicans their tactics, I don't believe there will be a Republican party much longer. This special election in New York's 20th Congressional district should have been like a punch in the face to get their attention, but then again I believed that the election this past November would have opened their eyes. Let's look at the behavior they have exhibited and I am sure you will draw similar if not the same conclusions.

Let's go back to February this year when the economic stimulus package was presented and the Republicans in the House voted as a solid block "no" to it's passage, all the while complaining they had no input, even after President Obama met with them and changes that they requested from him were made. Maybe not all of them, but who is in control now? They criticised this package as being too bloated with ear marks, but then miraculously after the bill passed they went home to their districts and gloated to their constituents about the ear marks they got for them. Then there has been the entire embarrassing fray over Rush Limbaugh as head of the Republican Party. Let me see, oh shall we add the Republican bid to deny Minnesota residents their two constitutionally mandated Senators. In an article released today, Media Matters wonders how long it will be before the press starts to call Norm Coleman out on what he really is, a soar loser. It is plain Coleman doesn't stand a chance of overturning Al Franken's lead, but the Republicans have raised money to pay his legal expenses for exactly one stated purpose. To deny as long as possible, hence to deny the residents of Minnesota their Senate voice. How long do you think the good people of Minnesota are going to tolerate that? Like a drowning victim, they are doing their best to take everyone around them down with them.

Eric Canter (R-Va) today accused the Democrats of overreacting to the economic crisis. This isn't just any wingnut Republican Congressman, he is the minority whip in the House. Has anyone asked Mr. Cantor how their can be an "overreaction when the whole world is in crisis? How this can be an overreaction when over 8.5% of American workers are unemployed unable to find jobs? How neighborhoods and whole communities are becoming financially worthless because the residents can not pay their mortgages, meet business expenses because banks are still not lending so they have to close up shop and property values disappear? This is the "New Republican Party", supposedly on the side of the working man and women. The party that consistently votes "no" to every piece of legislation put forth that involves spending to help out the average American while decrying it's expense. The same party that put forth a budget with no financial numbers or expenditures but seeks to give the wealthiest Americans a 10% tax cut while nothing is offered to the middle class? Included is a spending freeze for five years so there would be no adjustments for inflation. Oh and don't forget the deep cuts in that horrible socialist medicaid/medicare program just as the baby boomers need it most!

This is the great rhetoric we hear from Republicans touted as "new ideas". Only this is the same planning and program agenda they have put in place over the past eight years that has brought us to this point in our history. Tax cuts, tax cuts, tax cuts! That is their battle cry. Well if they want it give it to them I say, but make it meaningful. Let's cut out salaries for Congress and the 9.1 million in bonuses give to Congressional aides. While were at it we can do away with taxes completely and then see if our brave soldiers are willing to serve for free? I know KBR and Halliburton won't provide services for free, but hey what the heck. We can close down everything, at that point I hope we give it all back to the Red Man, but I think he will be wise enough to decline it.

The lack of ideas or solutions has earned the Republican party the name of "Party of No". No ideas, no solutions, no leadership, no vision, and soon no public support. When they put dogma ahead country, and seek to delay and prevent help from getting to the American people can this party really survive? You have a battle to find leadership within their ranks while getting multiple mixed messages that are often contradictory, and for what purpose what is their stated goal? Their poster child and sometimes spokesperson Joe the Plumber hired by a Republican PAC group and supposedly is the classic example of the American working man. He is disliked by the very people he is supposed to connect with, because he repeats the dogma fed to him despite the fact that the American worker doesn't support the slavish practices of the GOP and he when confronted about his beliefs can't explain them or even explain why he opposes a labor plan he knows nothing about! Newt Gingrich warned of a third party if Republicans did not get their conservative act together, but Gingrich also represents too much of the ultra conservative religious right. As a co-worker of mine once commented "we need to get religion out of our party". While the wounded elephant struggles to stay upright, conservative Republicans who wish to deny everything the Democrats propose, are threatening their own more moderate members for trying to bring the two parties together.

It is my prediction that in their current frenzied spiral downward, the Republican Party is doomed. Not to say at the present time that is a bad idea. The party may have to split, dissolve and reform itself. With division the factions may reach and individual identity and go their separate ways giving us a three party system, though it would be my belief that the wingnut faction of the party would be eventually marginalized to obscurity. As separate entities the factions might be able to add something to the political debates and ideas. At least a clear concise targeted message. Right now all Republicans can do is criticise, which is all well and good.....if you have an alternative solution which they completely lack. We will always need a multiparty system if we are to continue as a democracy, and civil debate and opposing ideas have historically lent themselves to incredible solutions. For despite my disagreement with the Republican Party and opposition to much of their agenda, I recognize the need for a continuation of another party less the vision our Founding Fathers held for this great country becomes a blind darkness. For the Republicans though you might want to let this patient go, and in it find a birth of a newer, brighter, energetic fresh start. Your rantings and forgetfulness of the lessons shown you by the voters, along with your unwillingness to acknowledge a change to a new direction show a demented view of reality that even Aricept with Haldol and Ativan won't help.

It Is So Sad, We've Been Had Again

2009-03-24T08:08:00.003-04:00

Yes folks it is sad for when a country came together en mass and supported a candidate who promised change, transparency, accountability and reform, only to look at the the solutions offered and see they are the same one's put forth by the previous Administration with just a few steps changed. Or as Paul Krugman put it, the same ole "cash for trash" plan of Henry Paulson that even Paulson abandoned. With his assumption of the Presidency, what change has Barack Obama offered us? Granted we got SCHIP and stem cell research. Many of the rule changes that Bush put into effect for ideological reasons rather then practical or scientific reasons have either been reversed, halted or are in the slow government mixer to be rewritten. However we have one big issue affecting us all, and the people Obama has selected to supposedly right the wayward ship of state are the same friggin idiots that got us here in the first place!

Rather then scour the country for new fresh faces President Obama has selected people like Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner and crew to reinvent the wheel so to speak, and for his efforts Obama should be shouting out the immortal line of Ceaser, " Et tu Brutus"! Arrianna Huffington in her opinion piece today outlines clearly the problem the Obama Admministration is facing, with people like Geithner at the helm. It basically boils down to there is no change we are still going to let Wall Street and the bankers that greedily brought us to our knees supposedly get us back out and on our feet again, but there's something missing. The change we were promised.

So far the American tax payer has sunk over two trillion dollars of our taxes into the recovery plan, with an expectation of possibly another seven trillion dollars. Congress, who is supposed to monitor the expenditures and budget is getting by passed in some situations as the Fed just decides to dump a trillion dollars into the economy because the Fed (Treasury) can. While in his recent stimulus package Obama allocated billions for jobs such as those rebuilding our infrastructure, trillions have gone to Wall Street and banks in an effort to boost the credit market and get banks lending again, which they for some reason seem reluctant to do. The irony is the banks are refusing to lend the tax payer their money, and seem content to hold on to it.

So where's the change Mr. Obama? I'm not talking about the cosmetic changes offered so far, I am talking about real change such as reform of the deregulation done over the past ten years that got us here? Maybe we could reinstate the Glass- Segall Act? This was a bankers biggest wet dream come true and caused the collapse of a major portion of the over sight banks once had. Why hasn't that Act been put back in place? Including the repeal of the Glass-Segall Act how about the other legislation introduced by Phil Graham, and passed into law by the then Republican controlled Congress that essentially made it impossible to monitor and regulate any of the Wall Street and banking interests that eventually collapsed. This includes a lucrative derivatives market that AIG played in and lost not only it's shirt, but pants, shoes, socks and underwear. Trillions have been given to banks yet Geithner and crew can't (or won't ) press the recipients to tell us where the money went.

The Real Story lies in the day to day living of every day people and I will use my family as an example. Let's say I have a little money to put away and save`( can't spent it Mr. President, my wife got notice last week she was being laid off, that's 40% of our income). I look around and might get lucky to find some long term CD's paying 2.5% interest, not a lot but something. I then get my credit card bill which we are desperately trying to pay down and they are charging us 29% interest. What the hell? During the fall of the economy credit cards (especially those issued by Citibank) somehow had their limits cut to the amount that was on the card, the letters came late that informed customers of the change and as a result many went over their limit and got hit with all types of charges. As a result, credit scores fell often several times because the bank's action of lowering a credit limit cost the individual their credit rating, then going over the limit, and God forbid someone missed a payment. Folks that were once worthy credit risks now somehow became toxic credit risks and now the banks have an excuse not to lend them any money for say a used car they needed after their car was stolen. Or if they got the loan it was at an inflated interest rate which then did their credit rating no good based on the loan value verses their income. (That's what happened to me in November so this isn't made up).

Why after all the discussion haven't you and Congress curbed the banks license to steal through credit cards? So now my wife and I have our income halved and struggle to make our financial obligations. Oh did I tell you she had our family's health insurance so now we must pay COBRA rates to stay covered which are astronomical (I can't be without health insurance because I am a transplant patient and need coverage). We struggle while she tries to find a job (which is a little hard to do right now just so you know) and some how get behind in our bills. As time passes and things don't get better we find ourselves unable to maintain our payments (no we didn't buy a house at inflated value or price, we've lived there nine years) and lose our home so we try to file for bankruptcy. Oh yeah, some where during the past eight years those laws changed to favor the banks as well so I guess we are screwed. Are you getting the picture here Mr. President?

Timothy Geithner and crew are Wall Street bankers and the financial team you've assembled are of the same ilk. Your brand new plan to relieve banks of their "toxic assets" is just a government run hedge fund with the tax payer assuming most of the risk. To add insult to injury the plan relies on only the wealthy select invited few to participate and profit from it. Some guy or gal with say fifty thousand to invest can't even get a crumb because you are looking for millions. But the so called Masters of the Universe are allowed to continue their game, without regulation or oversight while we the people give the banks our money to save them from bankruptcy, which they then turn around and return to you guys in the form of political contributions, and continue to fund their exclusive "members only" lavish life style while complaining "they do not understand why they (corporate CEO's) are vilified." (Here's an idea, why don't you take my family's place in a few months in a homeless shelter and we crash in your mansion?).

Frankly Mr. President I am tired of you and all the rest spending my money like a drunken sailor on indefinite liberty. You put the money into the hands of the same people that got us in this mess, then feign outrage and indignation when it becomes public that your corporate masters decided to give themselves lavish bonuses, yet you and yours made it possible for this to happen. After my family like so many others who have lost or are losing more do you look about and say we need to reign this bunch in? No, you continue to throw money at them, you fail to offer oversight just excuses and the sabotage to the public's invested interest comes from within your own Administration.

You have done many good things and have the ability to do more. Those of us who stood with you during your campaign are willing to stand with you once again. There is though one accommodation you must make, and that is put us on an equal playing field with those who brought this debacle on. Frankly, in my own humble opinion we should be elevated because it is our pockets that is paying for the misdeeds of these children. Just like a parent of a teenage child oft pays for the recklessness of that child, so to are we the tax payers put in the role of parent to a bunch of spoiled brats that need the rod without hesitation.

No Mas! Mr. President, NO MAS!

2009-03-15T13:41:00.007-04:00

This is just a short opinion piece based on the big headlines of today that AIG will have to pay it's brokers who engineered the company's financial meltdown $400 million in bonuses. Their excuse this time is they are obligated to do so legally because of contracts signed. This comes on the heels of their crass excuses for pampered executive retreats and parties as the price and manner of doing business in Their world.

According to Edward Liddy, AIG's CEO, the company couldn't back out of the bonuses promised to employees of their Financial Products Division because:

But Liddy said he had "grave concerns" about the impact on the firm's ability to
retain talented staff "if employees believe that their compensation is subject
to continued and arbitrary adjustment by the U.S. Treasury."

This comes after the U.S. taxpayer just bought an eighty percent share in the company to the tune of $170 billion dollars. Oh, did I mention these employees getting the $400 million in retention bonuses are the one's responsible for bringing AIG to it's knees? So let me see if I understand the business principle here. You develop a reckless program that starts a financial meltdown of one of the world's largest companies, has a catastrophic ripple effect that helps other companies collapse, millions of Americans are put out of work, (sorry Canada and others I am only worried about my family and future here), and these are the people you reward with millions of dollars in bonuses, financed by whom? The American taxpayer? Can someone please show me that business model in the MBA handbook?

The other big caveat here is that if these weaselly little crooks don't get their bonus they a) might leave the company, and b) might sue the company! Let me catch my breath and get an Xray of my ass that I just landed on falling out of my chair laughing so hard. Go ahead and lose them, that would fit because they are a bunch of damned losers anyway. Let them sue, as defendants we the people would have a right to a jury trial (that's right folks we are their peers) and it would be the American taxpayer who would be called on to serve on this jury. How far do you really think that court filing would go?

I have been a strong Obama Administration supporter throughout this entire crisis. Yes Mr. President, I helped put you in office, at your request. (Are you pissed that I listened to you and gave you what you wished for?). However, if this Administration allows this then I will be of the mind set that despite all of your good qualities Mr. President, you are an utter fool and don't understand a damned thing about this crisis, or you have some pretty big IOU's to corporate and lobbyist interests that we were unaware of. How can Timothy Geithner even think about allowing this? First he totally screws the pooch on filing his taxes, and it seems that idiocy continues now that he is confirmed as Treasury Secretary. Does anyone their in D.C. realize that after the American taxpayer was made to fund AIG for their screw ups that the picture and rules changed? Liddy's deals and promises mean nothing now, and I think you will lose too much support, blow a large portion of your political capitol, as well as lose the good faith of many Americans. Surely you have the foresight to recognize this, and say to AIG, NO MAS! (I phrase this in Spanish because it seems that AIG doesn't understand English).

The whole crux of this financial meltdown boils down to this very type of thinking. These business guru's seem to think that they are entitled elites not accountable for their own misdeeds and we should pay them for costing all of us our savings, jobs, and retirement because they are so great just to come into the office. NO MAS! Fire them, let some other company hire them, that might help AIG recover faster because this same bright boy crew will surely sink whatever ship they jump to. Less competition for AIG.

One final consideration that is two pronged Mr. President. How many Americans right now are unemployed, homeless, struggling to keep their heads above water? What do you think their reaction will be if you allow this shake down to go through? Did you ever see the original Frankenstein movie with Boris Karloff? Remember the ending scene outside the castle? The second prong to consider is other companies the taxpayer has bailed out might decide they are owed their bonuses as well. How will you stop them from giving their people "retention" bonuses? Because by giving into AIG you will have given them a legal precedent to do likewise. Trust me here, there will be pitch forks and torches then, and I think most local hardware stores will supply their neighbors with the pitch forks for free. It's been said that AIG is too big to fail and it's failure would be catastrophic for the world's financial markets. If so, then let the world bail them out. (China has a neat way of rewarding executives like AIG's called firing squads). A for me and my family Mr. President, NO MAS!

This Is For the People? Who the Hell Do They Think They Are?

2009-03-09T16:05:00.004-04:00

While trying to read a front page article today on DailyKos, the first diary I read had this statement from GOP Rep. Patrick McHenry,;

"....a key player in helping craft the Republican message, has offered an
unusually blunt description of the Republican strategy right now. McHenry’s
description is buried in this new article from the National Journal (sub. only):
"We will lose on legislation. But we will win the message war every day, and
every week, until November 2010," said Rep. Patrick McHenry, R-N.C., an
outspoken conservative who has participated on the GOP message teams. "Our goal
is to bring down approval numbers for [Speaker Nancy] Pelosi and for House
Democrats. That will take repetition. This is a marathon, not a sprint."

Ok you say, Democrats and Republicans are rivals politically and this is "their game". The only problem here is that the game being played here is how steep is the cliff we are headed over, according to Warren Buffet. (I mean some falls like this are not fatal, if the air bags work). In the past six months, we have lost four million jobs (that does not include the number of out sourced jobs. Yes, that bill collector that bugs you constantly is from India. Hell do they ever sleep there?). Out sourcing under the Bush ~~administration~~ regime was considered good for the economy remember? So this was the business argument. We today see the effects of that failed logic in the ripple effect across communities,or more of a massive domino effect. As a result last November the American public spoke and rejected the Republican trash we had been shoveled for so long and a complete change was ushered in, but alas it seems the Republican Party either failed to get the memo, or like old extinct dinosaurs were unable to accept enviormental change (it's also related to climate control guys).

Instead of change we got from the entire Republican Party except three brave Senators total denial of the current reality. Their ways did not work,hence our economic picture is that you see around you today. Do Republicans see it? No, for if they did you would see some bipartisanship, or at least some joining in with the new tunes the band is playing and everyone dancing in step. Instead you get the tripe offered by Congressman McHenry who openly admits along with other Republicans their only goal is to try and mislead the American people into believing their same old myths and obstruct as much change as possible for their political gain and to hell with us. In their fantasy world delusions, they believe that by at least 2012 we will need rescue by some White Knight to save us from the evil socialist clutches of President Obama and the Demacrats. If though they are successful in the obstructionism, how can they blame the Dems? That my friends is the power of delusional fantasy. Others see the reality that is happening, the psychotic person does not and blames everything on the real world that is going wrong in their lives, hoping like the new Republican Leader Rush Limbaugh that everything fails so they can have a return to their fantasy world. They don't care or worry who gets hurt in their struggle to deny reality.

Take for example the new Republican claim they are returning to a party and core value of "fiscal responsibility" after squandering that myth along time ago. Folks like Sen. David Vitter (R-La) decry the nasty ear marks in this current omnibus bill due to it's"bloated" total. However, they don't acknowledge that they are as much to blame for it's "bloated" total as any Democrat. David Vitter thinks the $249 million he alone added as an ear mark is good, no one ele's ear marks are good though. That includes 6.6 million for research on termites. Other Republicans are just as guilty of adding pet ear marks but God forbid those shameless, socialist Democrats get any. The travesty is too great here. Those whining and yes folks, those lying Rethugs know the bill is going to pass so they are safe to vote no and rail about the debt the Democrats are incurring. It's all about politics and it is getting dirtier by the day. Then the weekend after this bill passes they will quietly slink home and brag how they got their constituents a good chunk of the pie and their ear marks served a useful need while others were just pork. Hey, that's what happened with Obama's stimulus package. David Vitter is treating the American voter with the same lies and respect he showed his prostitute in D.C.

I have always carried one single theme in all of my writings here, and that was the responsibility that the American voter has to hold elected officials accountable. We need to continue to hold Republicans, and yes some Democrats accountable. The statement made by McHenry clearly says the "American voter is stupid and malleable to whatever lies and propaganda the Republicans care to feed us. They have lost their corporate welfare ride of the last decade, brought this nation and the world to it's financial knees yet they call us socialist for giving money not only to their cronies but monies to help ourselves. After the stock market finally had the course correction it was long over due for they still want to give our Social Security funds to their broker friends after the market just lost 9,000 points in the past year. Tell me who is truly out of touch? Then ask yourselves if both you and your descendants deserve better? Remember your parents and grandparents, how they earned the title "the greatest generation", then go back and reread your history,or visit a nursing home and talked to those who survived the "Great Depression". Ask them how recovery was made possible? Did Hoover do it or FDR? Are the tactics employed by this current Obama Administration not similar to the successful tactics employed by FDR? Was there more willingness back then to put the country first, and political differences in a back room for a while?

Finally ask yourselves and the Republican legislators, "who the hell do you think you are to betray the American voter and try to lie and rewrite history for your own petty political gains"? I only ask that you do that when you are casting your ballet in 2010. Let's bury this party of old decrepit dinosaurs.

A Rare Breed Apart; A Former Republican Speaks Out About His Old Party's Transformation

2009-03-09T09:53:00.003-04:00

I usually do not do postings in this manner, however this letter courtesy of the Huffington Post bears and original reading. Francis Shaeffer, one of the fore runners of the modern conservative movement and initiators of the "faith based" Republican movement writes an unusually blunt letter to the current Republicans. A message that needs to be heard by all, including some Democrats.

Dear Republican Leaders: The Republican Party has become the party dedicated to sabotaging the American future. Check out the sermon I just delivered about the Republican Party on CNN when being interviewed by D.L. Hughley -- and/or read on.

You Republicans are the arsonists who burned down our national home. You combined the failed ideologies of the Religious Right, so-called free market deregulation and the Neoconservative love of war to light a fire that has consumed America. Now you have the nerve to criticize the "architect" America just hired -- President Obama -- to rebuild from the ashes. You do nothing constructive, just try to hinder the one person willing and able to fix the mess you created.

Continue reading here

Bend Over Again For A Second Round, No KY Allowed

2009-03-05T11:59:00.003-05:00

Ok, you are an honest home owner that got sold on the American dream and bought a home for your family as the market was booming. Then all of a sudden the whole thing went flat and that $300, 000.00 dream home is now worth$225,000.00, but you are still paying on the $300,000.00 property which seems to still be sinking in value. Your spouse was a victim of tough economic times and you find it's very hard now to meet your mortgage obligations. Anxiously you watch TV each night looking for that relief President Obama has promised and your finger nails have been chewed to the quick. Something good needs to happen now or you won't be living in your dream home much longer.

Ring goes your phone as you are watching Obama's new plan to give aide to those who like yourself were victims of predatory lenders. The voice on the other end is there offering new solutions for folks just like you thanks to Obama's mortgage relief plan and for a small fee they will renegotiate your loan to make it more affordable and help you keep your piece of the American dream. Yes we get results the slightly familiar sounding voice says, give us a call and visit and we will help you get ahead. By the way my name is Jim Goodeal. My prayers are answered you think as you hang up the phone......... hmmmm Jim Goodeal, wasn't that the name of our initial mortgage broker?

Chances are it is. The same folks that brought you predatory lending are now running around as modern day Robin Hoods claiming to be able to end your financial anguish. Only problem is they don't, and often down the road you will find yourself in deeper then before. Is President Obama going to address this or will the states? Someone sure as hell better.

Read the whole story here.

Just A Song Or Two

2009-03-01T15:03:00.003-05:00

Being a bit lazy this week I decided to go from political pundit to music bringer.

and some Smashing Pumpkins. Enjoy!

Michael, This Is One Mell Of A Hess We Are In

2009-02-24T18:43:00.005-05:00

As with most of our Founders,writing was the main form of communication in their day. For many others they relied on town criers to read from papers and declarations so they could keep up with what was going on. Politicians kept in touch with their constituents, hence you will note that every one of each of the thirteen colonies original constitutions authorized that colony/state to succeed from the Union should they deem that the Union did not serve their interests. Many of those Founders had experienced tyranny and knew the oppression of rulers who ruled not for the good of a nation, but only for their own personal gain. Therefore, it should be no surprise that both our Declaration of Independence, and Constitution focused on the power bestowed to the people, and limited the power of a government. It went so far as to divide our government into three equal branches, and providing certain protection for a "Fourth Estate" who would apprise the people of the goings on within that government.

Thomas Jefferson,one of the best known Founders was quite prolific in his adoration of the voice, concerns, and wishes of the people. He also expressed a same opinion of public opinion, noting:

The force of public opinion cannot be resisted when permitted freely to be
expressed. The agitation it produces must be submitted to." --Thomas Jefferson
to Lafayette, 1823. ME 15:491

"Public opinion... [is] a censor before which the most exalted tremble for
their future as well as present fame." --Thomas Jefferson to John Adams, 1816.
ME 14:393

"Public opinion [is the] lord of the universe." --Thomas Jefferson to
William Short, 1820. ME 15:246

"More attention should be paid to the general opinion." --Thomas
Jefferson to George Mason, 1791.

The point here that I am leading you Dear Reader to is the loss of these principals by the current Republican Party serving as Legislators. A New York Times poll released today has some very significant implications for those members of the GOP who are ignoring the will both of the people for political ideology, and the possibility of benefit for those whom Jefferson considered the heart and soul of a Republic, it's people. The people want their elected President Obama to tell the Republicans to go their own way and forget them! That's right after witnessing the Republican version of bipartisanship, they want President Obama to do his think and not worry about their support, because we the people will support him. Thankfully, not all Republicans are such ideology slaves. Today also one of this country's more conservative states, strongly Republican had it's Republican Governor note that his " his party's leaders in Congress' lack of new ideas renders them so "inconsequential" that he doesn't even bother to talk to them."

Michael Steele, the new Chairman of the Republican Party threatened the three Republican Senators with the witholding of election funds who voted for the stimulus in the Senate yesterday. Yet today, he realized just what an idiot he was and back peddled. His great insight? Those three Senators represent states whose constituency are a large majority Democratic. Yet they managed to get elected and re-elected despite their Republican brand. To Michael Steele and the rest of the RNC, could it be that these three unique Republicans listened to their constituents?

Not listening has further consequences. Freshman Congressman Anh Joseph Cao (R-La) decided to listen to his party over his constituents. He now faces a revolt in his constituency as they are trying to launch a recall petition. What is wrong with this Party? What don't they understand? So you don't agree with everything in a bill, but it is a bill designed to help, and your party's only contribution was more of the same business tax cuts? Are you so short sighted not to realize that some of something is better then nothing and your opposition for the sake of opposition does nothing to strengthen your party's hope for the future? Much less help the American people, your constituents? That's right the American people want what they voted for in November. I would strongly suggest that Bobby Jindal look at what is happening both in his state and around the nation, less his stellar political career as many call it goes Super Nova and fades out quickly. Barney Frank (D-Ma) made a valid point tonight on Keith Olbermann concerning Governor Jindal's "so called bravery in suggesting he would turn down Louisiana's portion of the stimulus". Congressman Frank noted it's not bravery to turn away money designed to help your struggling people, but selfishness.

Yes Republicans, you have sworn you are the Party that is "patriotic", and for the working man while giving away trillions to the richest Americans and supporting those bankers and brokers who got us here to begin with. This mess happened under your stewardship and by your actions seem to be only concerned with dragging us further into a very deep pit. This is one hell of a mess we are in, but not so bad that your policies and many of your so called ideals have been soundly rejected. We watched history being made in November, I think at this point we are now watching history being made as a political party that seems to have lost it's ability to listen dies. I am sure another conservative party will be reborn, but this time it will be a party based on realism, not pragmatic dogma that seems to stifle the ideals this country was founded on. I leave you with this last quote from Jefferson as my President addresses the American people tonight. Read it and learn less you fade not so quietly into obscurity:

"[The people] are in truth the only legitimate proprietors of the soil and
government." --Thomas Jefferson to Pierre Samuel Dupont de Nemours, 1813. ME
19:197

"[It is] the people, to whom all authority belongs." --Thomas Jefferson
to Spencer Roane, 1821. ME 15:328

State of Denial: Lying Self Serving Dogs Who Need To Be Housebroken

2009-02-17T09:11:00.005-05:00

Well the stimulus bill passed with all the drama, betrayal, and back stabbing of a good Shakespearean play. The only difference between this and Shakespeare is that the deceivers like the Macbeth's have shown no remorse, guilt or recognition of the wrongs they have wrought. Instead you have prideful boasting over the sabotage also known as the goose egg
as Michael Steele called it laid on the President's desk. Only problem with this is, that it comes at the expense of the American public, which is losing their jobs, homes, health care and all the things we were told hard work and honesty would gain us. Why? Could it be we truly do not matter to those Republicans in Congress who think this is all one big game and joke?

It is interesting to listen to their rants and raves about the economic stimulus package being one big pork barrel of Democratic wants that will hurt the tax payer, yet in the same breath they forget the last eight years where during a majority the Republicans held sway and as a result, we are here today. They somehow turn a blind eye like the family alcoholic to the damage brought about by the loss of two trillion dollars in revenue given mostly to the upper five percent of the income bracket. Or more recently how about their elimination of government regulators who oversaw our financial markets and product safety like say the production of peanut butter. I'll give the Republicans a break here as they were not alone in this, but while we are at it, how much did the Iraq war cost us? Oh right that's still on going.

President Obama's has been taking hits from both the left and right on the stimulus bill that gets signed into law today. On the right he was totally rejected by the Republicans in the House after he met with them, heard their concerns, and instructed certain changes be made to incorporate some of their failed ideas involving tax cuts to appease a few of them. The Republican response was to treat the President's out stretched hand of bipartisanship and friendship like it was toilet paper and a joke. A rather vulgar and crude joke at that poking fun at the economic hardships faced by many of us today. All the while whining that "we were excluded from the process", despite the fact they excluded themselves deliberately and announcing before their meeting with the President they were voting en mass against it. Here I will digress, John Boehner Republican House Minority Leader needs to learn his name as do other media folks There is no way, no how to pronounce his last name something other then what it is. It is pronounced Boe-h-ner not Bay-ner, look at the spelling folks. By the way he is a real boner too.

Liberals on the other hand criticise Obama for not spending more and caving in to Republican demands in the interest of "bipartisanship". Get a clue folks we didn't get that last Senate seat, Mitch McConnell still keeps it warm so yes deals must be made. Bipartisanship though, was a campaign pledge and so far Obama seems to be trying to keep his word in the face lies and disappointments, however Washington and it's mini power brokers are doing their best to kill it. Remember it's easier to win your war if you first divide to conquer.

After crowing about how they were looking out for the taxpayer, and all the calls to dump the stimulus plan (at least it was a plan something the Republicans did not have), their defacto leader Rush Limbaugh laid it all on the line and let us in on the dark secret we've always known but never heard fessed up to. Republicans want Obama and the Democrats to fail.
Why? Because they lost this last election so badly they see that as their only hope to survive as a Party. They ignored the voter warning in 2006 and when 2008 rolled in, they got flushed with all the other waste. Wait though let's not just stop there, let's lie even more and try to rewrite history and blame FDR for the Great Depression. Something we may yet be headed for again.

Some very interesting similarities occur here along with another frightening potential similarity the keeps the Repugs awake at nights. First, in both cases Republicans were in power for a while when both of these economic disasters occurred. During the Great Depression FDR started these things called economic stimulus programs designed to get folks back to work (damn that sounds very familiar). The Depression occurred with the Stock Market crash all because people were allowed to buy stocks and take out loans without collateral, on credit. Our situation occurred when people were allowed to buy homes and things on credit without collateral and those loans were bundled and repackaged so many times their true content and value was hidden, and they were basically worthless. Hmmm didn't we just say that happened not to long ago and history somehow in less then a century repeats itself?

George the "Decider " Bush decided the rules and regulations put into place to prevent such a recurrences, along with his Republican cronies needed to be lifted. Where he couldn't muster the support in Congress, he appointed agency Directors and had them not enforce the laws, rewrite the regulations, or just failed to give those agencies the funding or staff to do their jobs.So here we are again less then a century later.

Another possible occurrence, the one that causes Rethugs nightmares is the part of history where FDR accomplished his task, though not without blunders and because of this the Democrats held power for a very long time. Should the Democrats succeed again, well.............

So what does this flag waving, paper tiger lapel pin group of trouble makers do? They try to block a program designed to help working Americans, and get this country back on it's feet. No it wasn't a perfect plan, but in all honesty everything is an attempt and no one really "knows" what will work. However, to wish failure on anyone during these times at the expense of so many millions to me is inconceivable, not to mention traitorous. All for the sake of political gain. Only Despots do this. This is not who we are as a nation. If the American voter is willing to tolerate this, then democracy as we know it is already dead, and we deserve what we get.

And In the Category of Idiot's Are Us, the Winner Oscar Goodman, Mayor and Village Idiot of Las Vegas

2009-02-11T13:55:00.002-05:00

"I want an apology from Obama" cries Oscar Goodman, Mayor of Las Vegas and recently named that city's "Village Idiot". It seems Mayor Goodman is upset that President Obama with his comments forced two banks who received taxpayer money, from using that money to take needless trips to Vegas. Mayor Goodman seems to think that President Obama's comments will discourage people from coming to Vegas and wants a retraction. Talk about a broad generalization!

Mr. Goodman, did you understand that they were possibly using taxpayer's money to finance those little celebrations? We the people didn't authorize that. If we are going to take exotic trips I favor sending that money to NASA for the Mars trip, that would be neat. So please quit your sniveling before we cancel flights in and out of your airport.

Read the story here.

On Crime, Without Punishment

2009-02-10T20:31:00.004-05:00

This won't be a long piece but I've had it up to ......... with this "we need to save the banks" BS, first from the Bush Administration, now coming from the mouth of Timothy Geithner, Obama's pick and Secretary of the Treasury. It seems to look exactly like what occurred with Henry Paulson's taxpayer give away. What really gets me is nobody is looking at what these financial geniuses are pushing on us. A path back to the same business that brought us so low.

How many times have you heard "we have to get the credit markets working again to get out of this recession? Banks right now are refusing loans because of the current economic mess, while they raise interest rates on the very same people who are losing their jobs and homes, but are being compelled to finance the continued idiocy shown over the years. These are the so called industry "bright boys" who "knew how to make money" but in their greed and gluttony along with their crooked dealings sent us here where we are today. Over three million jobs lost, many losing their homes because of predatory lending, then there those who have worked to retire, only to lose everything with the collapse of the market and are SOL, and having to forgo retirement. But we need to protect them according to those in Congress and the White House. No we don't.

Let us look at this financial meltdown and ask, "if Wall Street and the Bankers conduct was so shameful, why are they not being investigated?" When you bundle and repackage stacks of loans, then sell them to investors that are too stupid to look at what they are buying, who then combine two bundles to make them look healthier and more valuable, then sell them at a profit, isn't that deceit? When you base a financial appraisal of wealth and value on your control of a bunch of these loan bundles, yet you truly do not know their actual value, hence your actual value, is that not fraud?

Notice the phrase so often use; "credit market". The credit market is allowing banks to package loans in the very same fashion they once did and mix all sorts of whatever then try to market them, and create leverage capitol,and we are back where we started. Yes we have been promised regulation and oversight, but what about all these financial geniuses who can't have their pay limited because of real crappy performance, otherwise they might refuse our gift to them? They are reluctant to agree to any restrictions, yada yada yada. You and I however have to lump the financial consequences.

Why? Why are we accepting this and the same CEO's who brought this about are left with no real interruption of their life styles, or employment?
Then to make matters worse, Giethner now is allowing a back door rule change that will facilitate exactly the same behavior again as noted in the Huffington Post:

Mark-to-market accounting requires banks to value assets at current market
prices. When assets are illiquid - unable to be sold - it's difficult to value
them with clarity. Reducing those assets' values on banks' books has led to deep
write-downs over the past year. The banks argue that the problem lies with the
frozen market, not with the actual asset, and that they shouldn't be penalized
with a write-down. Abolishing mark-to-market would improve the outlook of a
bank's balance sheet without changing any of the underlying fundamentals. In
other words, the bank would physically have no more or no fewer assets but would
value itself at a higher dollar amount.
Abolishing mark-to-market was a top
priority for House Republicans during the fall bailout debate and remains a key
issue for the GOP.

Basically what the banks are saying is the rules don't apply to them, and taxpayers should fund endlessly without any idea of cost, their failed attempt to manipulate and inflate the market. The only thing that everyone seems to have missed is though you and the bank bought a piece of property each for $400,000, and because of the market's fall that property is only worth $200,000 today, you get to eat that loss and continue to pay the original price, while banks are allowed not to suffer any loss due to market correction and change, and to top it off you now are paying for the inflated original price of that banks bad investment as well.

William Black, a senior banking regulator during the savings and loan collapse had this observation:

Black thinks the federal guarantees are a mistake. "By keeping bad
management in place, hiding losses, and bailing out risk capital (the
shareholders and subordinated debt holders that are supposed to receive nothing
if the bank becomes insolvent) we cause hundreds of billions of dollars of
unnecessary expenses to the taxpayers, maintain and intensify the perverse
incentives on asset management/disposal, and create perverse incentives likely
to produce future crises by maximizing moral hazard," he said in an
e-mail.

So again we go back to my opening. Why are we as taxpayers obligated to pay the banks bad debt, caused by reckless bargaining, deception through slight of hand, and of course help insure that those with the capitol who could invest in hedge funds have their risk/losses mitigated? Those that are planning this fail to see several facts and are in fact themselves trying to return us to a point of just before the collapse happened, thereby guaranteeing another imminent collapse again.

Case in point. Part of the real estate market's fall was due to unrealistic inflation of property value to equal to the rise in cost of living, or income. To guarantee an inflated price and return on property owned by a bank that was over valued while allowing privately owned property's to correct and spiral down does not facilitate the ability of the consumer to begin to start purchasing again. You have set up a disparate level of values between two identical properties next door to one another where one, owned by the bank will get a higher return if sold then the other which is individually owned. Both the bank and property owner paid an inflated price, but only the bank gets it's money back at the expense of the property owner next door. The property owner is left paying an inflated mortgage, the bank under no obligation to help the individual insure his property value liquidates the property and recoups it's loss, subsidised by you know who. For the mortgage payer with the bank's liquidation, their property value might possibly decline further to even below original market value, depending the price the bank sold it's insured property for.

Joseph Stiglitz, Nobel Prize winning Economist noted this concerning the need to supposedly rescue the banks:

"Banks have failed over and over again in the history of America, in the history
of capitalism, and it's unfortunately an all-too-frequent event," Stiglitz
noted, arguing that bankruptcy is the economically prudent path for such firms.
"It has to be managed well... we have in some examples under the previous
administration, the way the Lehman Bros was handled was an example of it being
done badly. But, for instance, to mention some recent examples, Washington
Mutual went into bankruptcy, a number of banks went into bankruptcy... and
obviously some people lost some money, but it didn't lead to a fundamental
systemic problem."

So here we go again. The people putting together these financial recovery plans are basically the same folks that got us into this mess, that alone gives me pause as to the success of this "rescue". They didn't get all our money the first time around so they will damn sure get it this time around, especially with no estimated ceiling or time frame. Fraud and deception played a big part in this, along with lax to no oversight or regulation, and Mr Geithner now via a back door wants to make this current market easier to continue the practices of the past, that were not even allowed earlier under Bush. No Mas! Let some banks fail, let their executives be out of a job. Investigate for criminal wrong doing. In the mean time we will rebuild a better system. For those trying to further this baloney fix it plan I say be careful, because I like others are getting ready to pass out pitchforks and torches to the villagers.

While Republicans Took Bipartisanship Hostage, Washington Burned and America Faded To Desolation

2009-02-08T11:21:00.006-05:00

In November 2008 the American electorate voted for change, a change that represented almost a complete turn around from the past decade. Unfortunately we were a little too late and had to start a huge corporate welfare program because of the greed and excess that went on both on Wall Street and in Washington D.C. The philosophy then was no regulation, and to prevent future regulation, tax cuts were doled out to those corporations and banks that needed oversight, but amazingly there was no staff to provide the regulation because the funding to hire those officials had been diverted to tax cuts given as mentioned above to the regulatees. Despite warnings from within and without. So here we are today in deep whatever.

Economist on both sides of the isle agree we need a stimulus package, and we need it now. Where is it, you ask? Why lost somewhere in the United States Senate awaiting further attempts to gut it in favor of what I mentioned got us here in the first place. David Vitter (R-La), has joined with John McCain (R-Az) in complete opposition to the stimulus bill that economist (the guys that know about the economy) say we so desperately need. Instead they want cuts in aide to the states, and construction spending, something almost everyone agrees is a quick start up for jobs. This quote comes directly from his website calling the construction spending "inflated".

Vitter’s amendment would have removed almost $47.6 billion in funding that
is not focused on creating jobs to help stimulate the economy by targeting the
removal of approximately $30.4 billion in direct spending and striking the
Davis-Bacon provision, saving more than $17 billion in inflated construction
costs.

So what is the Republicans want? They claim they want a stimulus that will foster job growth. How will this be achieved? Why more tax breaks for everything including their wealthy friends who will then take a piss and their golden shower will "trickle down" to those less fortunate. They want a tax break for first time home buyers, but who can afford a new home? They want a tax refund for new car buyers but who has money for a new car? The fallacy of their proposal is so transparent my 7 year old daughter saw it when she asked why would we buy a car when we need to save in case you or mommy lose their job. Give me $500 bucks individual tax refund and hope I go buy a few computer games? Are you Rethugs on crack? I intend to pay down my debt. Oh, you wiley devils you, that's what you want isn't it? You want me to pay down my debts as they increase because banks whom I just gave my taxes to are now raising my finance rate, but they get money back so they can continue with their executive bonus programs. I see now. Damn if this isn't so familiar of the month after 9/11 when the now discredited ex-president told us to "go out and go shopping".

Probably, the best retort to the Republican whining came today from Larry Summers, Director of Obama's National Economics Council when he responded to Sen. Mitch McConnell's questioning of the "New Deal" program. Mr. Summers replied; The people who presided over the last eight years, don't seem to be in a strong position to lecture on history". Mr. Summers, you should also have noted these very same people deny the New Deal recovery and the real history the same way, and with the same knowledge as Bishop Richard Williams denies the holocaust.

So where do we turn for true leadership during this crisis? Hope still lies with Obama, however there still remains a good chance that the Rethugs will do their best to hold Americans hostage while everyday more homes are foreclosed, more jobs are lost, and more futures are wasted because there seems to be a belief that health care for the unemployed is a waste. College grants and subsidies are a waste for those folks who lost their savings for college, or lost the ability to pay for college under the program cuts during the Bush reign, or simply lost everything because under Republicans we could let bankers and stockbrokers gamble away our 401k's and people like Bernie Madoff were too wealthy to investigate despite the obvious fraud he was involved in.

President Obama, no more delay, no more compromise. Time to turn up the heat and use the old fashioned political whip. Certain political districts and Congress members don't believe we need the stimulus, or that it should be delayed and strangled to death until hell freezes over, fine don't give them any stimulus. They blocked your good efforts and made life harder for the rest of us, I don't want one dime going into John Boehner's district, or David Vitter's portion of Louisiana. You have the power to direct it, so use it. When the people in those places realize that they will reap the rewards for the representation they elect, I'm willing to bet both of these mouths of ignorance will have that "come to Jesus moment", and change their tune. Peasants on the street with their pitchforks and torches have that effect on politicians.

Dems, Don't Be "Shot Down In Flames"

Stimulus Change Proposal; Let's Cut out the Senate

2009-02-06T13:52:00.003-05:00

In a Democratic Republic that was supposed to be America a majority was supposed to rule right? Apparently that idea has been lost on member of the U.S. Senate. Rather then a 51% rule (that's a majority for those of you in the Senate that are wondering.) where bills get passed on go on to the President's desk to be signed, the Senate somehow changed the definition of a majority to 60% allowing a minority control whether or not legislation gets passed. If the minority is not happy with their status in life they can filibuster to prevent a bill's passage,k which Rethugs seem to like to threaten all the time, and end up cowering Democrats into giving in to their losing demands. Hence, no change from Administration to Administration despite what the electorate wanted.

Apparently those in the Senate forgot to read the memo that this nation was in trouble from the lies and misdeeds carried out by corporate heads and the failure of the Senate to provide oversight to those government agencies that were supposed to regulate those corporate heads and prevent the collapse we are now in. Instead they continue to wage partisan wars (you're for it, then I have to be against it), and those affected by their childish power plays suffer, but at a distance so they are out of sight and out of mind of those Senate members.

The citizens are hurting from lost jobs, lost income, lost homes, lost pride, lost ability to feed, care, provide and educate their families. So they elect a man with a mandate and their belief in his ability to help lead them. He proposes a plan that is initially hailed as the needed start to return this economy back where it belonged. What does he get? A Republican party that can't get it threw their heads we need real help not more tax breaks. A party that cries to be included and then refuses to participate in the process claiming their refusal to participate is proof the Democrats are shutting them out! They cry about the size of the stimulus package and waste it contains so what do they do? Increase defense spending and eliminate food stamps and early education for the disadvantaged. They cut funding for police, fire fighters, Coast Guard, prisons, etc. WTF!

What planet are these folks from? We are in a recession that is starting to look more and more like a depression and you are doing this? As people increasingly fill the ranks of the unemployed where are they going to find the money to feed the most precious and innocent members of society? You do that you are going to end up creating more and more who find their way to prison due to lack of educational support, and you are cutting funds for that? Are the funds added to defense going to fund the F-22 Raptor fighter project that somehow is getting a whole lot of advertising to save the funding for it? Never mind it is useless in combat, is too cumbersome to perform, and way over budget.

The problem here is that no one is thinking. Too many are trying to flex political muscle they really don't have to take home and show off to a diminishing base. (Yes, that's right Rush Limbaugh is a big fat jackass, but despite his size he still only votes once). The one's who as usual are screwed are the voters who spoke last November. Harry Reid and the Democrats are too damned spineless to say ok vote however you wish but if you do there will be consequences. Put this stimulus bill up for a vote, let the Rethugs start to filibuster it, betcha it doesn't last a day, especially when those "moderate" Rethugs in states that voted for Obama start getting calls reminding them how close 2010 is. For the "Blue Dog" Democrats that are a pile of jerks anyway, Mr. President, have a quiet chat with them promising them that their districts will get absolutely nothing if they interfere, in favors from your office down the road.

For the final stimulus proposal since everyone wants to get some tax cuts someone needs to put in a proposal to abolish the Senate. They money we will save will more then off set our deficit. Keep the House which is the true voice of the people.Why abolish the Senate, well look at it. Senators don't know the meaning of majority rules, they vote only in favor of their corporate masters, when they are present. They are divorced from the true reality of what it is like for the average American, and they waste too much taxpayer's money. Not only will there be an economic stimulus, there will be a stimulus in meaningful legislation.

The idea that tax breaks will put a few dollars in my pocket that I will then go out somehow and spend at Home Depot, thereby reviving the economy is stupid. I intend to pay down my debt, and you aren't giving me enough to create any type of job with, hell I'll be lucky to have one myself at this rate. Stop the BS now that is going on in the Senate and get this thing passed.

Stimulating the Stimulus

2009-02-03T07:44:00.004-05:00

I don't truly think anyone who sat down and thought about this for one minute, that's right one minute, would disagree the stimulus package is badly needed and the price tag will be high. If we add an extra moment or two of thinking and are honest in our appraisal of the situation, we will have to admit we allowed this to happen to ourselves by a combination of personal greed, gluttony and inability to put two plus two together and come up with four. We allowed ourselves to be distracted by political wrangling, shenanigans, and smoke screens, yet the smoke of that smoke screen was this country turning on itself and burning down. So here we are today, during a time where history changes, and possibly our way of life as well.

Yet the same old same old games are being played in Washington and we are being taken for a ride by everyone. What started out as an $800 billion dollar stimulus bill is rapidly approaching $900 billion, and if certain lobby's get their way, it will be a continuation of the Bush system of corporate welfare and BS. The leaders of this charge are the same Republicans that lost everything including our prosperity with the same old broken record cry of "tax cuts". Who do we give the tax cuts to? Why a few dollars to the average American, and big cuts to corporations in the hopes they will go out and create a few more jobs so you and I can bow and praise them for their selfless beneficence to the masses. Yet somewhere forgotten in all this screeching cry of "me, me, me" we forget the past eight years of corporations who were given just that, tax cuts, while they outsourced our jobs overseas and shut down factories and plants here at home.

If the little rant above is not enough to wake folks out of their stupor, then try this little ditty that corporate lobbyist, special interest and of course their Republican cronies so well bought and paid for are trying to slip past us for the sake of their "compromise" and "bipartisan" support. Sadly, Democrats have also fallen into step with this crap for the sake of their campaign war chests and so we see the last eight years reshaping and happening all over again. What? Did you truly think without Democratic complacency this could have happened all by itself? In an article in today's Wall Street Journal, their is a brief look at the costs of the stimulus package that magically keeps rising, because of special interest lobbies. It is the end of the article that got to me though:

Pharmaceutical firms, high-tech companies and a coalition of U.S. multinationals are advancing a plan to allow them to bring hundreds of billions in overseas profits back to the U.S. to spend however they see fit.
This change, backed by California Democratic Sen. Barbara Boxer and Nevada Republican Sen. John Ensign, would create a tax "holiday" for any company's overseas earnings, sharply reducing the tax that the U.S. normally imposes on the money when it comes back to the U.S. from corporate subsidiaries in Europe, Asia and elsewhere. Critics worry, however, that the change ultimately could lead to more such tax holidays, and encourage companies to park more money overseas, and avoid U.S. tax.
One recent private estimate puts the amount that U.S. companies currently have parked overseas is $518 billion (emphasis added).

Seems to me if these corporations have that kind of money parked off our shores, sitting in a bank so they don't have to pay taxes on it we should tell them to foot the bill for their own recovery. Then after that we need to close the loopholes in the tax code that allow U.S. companies to do that, and increase taxes on those companies that do ship jobs overseas, or headquarters in places like Dubia.

What astounds me the most though is the simplicity of both our political leaders and the population at large. This really is not rocket science folks, just common sense and basic arithmetic. We are at this time borrowing huge amounts and adding to a national debt that has to be paid off. We have seen a steep decline in the revenue going into our national coffers yet Republicans scream for more tax cuts, while continuing to urge spending, though not on the same things Democrats do. Guess what folks, spending is spending and here soon we are going to max out our credit card. Corporations cry they are being taxed too heavily yet miraculously somehow paying no taxes at all!

America must wake up and realize the free lunch ride is over. Overall, recent research indicates Americans are willing to pay more in taxes to lessen the disparity between rich and poor, also to lower the national debt. Yes President Obama we are in a dire straight right now and spending will be needed, but at the same time we need to look at ways to increase what is put in the national coffers to reduce it. Simplicity should rule here. Tax payers will pay their fair share, provided they have an income. I think most Americans would pay a little bit higher price for goods manufactured here rather than Indonesia where the quality is poor to questionable. The pharmaceutical companies mentioned above who a few years back warned us all about imported drugs are currently importing their drugs to sell to us at an inflated price, yet we wonder what went wrong?

Do not bow to the tax cut crowd Mr. President. If you are going to spend what is left that we have, please make sure we have an income coming in to at least handle the interest payments. Do you remember the old saying< "a bird in hand is worth two in the bush"? Remember then that taxable income coming in is a guaranteed revenue as opposed to the Neocon promise of greater prosperity and job growth that might be generated if you cut corporate taxes. Oh BTW, remember about that re balancing of the current personal income taxes you made on the trail? Time to enact that and end Bush's tax cuts for the wealthiest one percent. That will serve as a small stimulus as well.

It doesn't Matter What You Give, You Can't Appease an Angry, Spoiled Child

2009-01-27T11:33:00.004-05:00

President Obama, there is no appeasement process so please give up the pipe dream. Republicans like John Boehner are doing their best to obstruct, delay and impede progress here so they will have something to run on in 2010. In the mean time there will be no economic stimulus, families like mine will lose everything, just so they can say "see we are right and count for something". These Republicans do account for something I'll give them that. They account for this mess we are currently in.

Reportedly JohnBoehner House Minority Leader has told House Republicans to vote against the stimulus package despite getting all they whined and cried for. This includes funding for family planning which they say will not help the economy. Tell me something here Mr. President, how does it help families and states that are suffering financially with unwanted pregnancies. I'll ask the other question to this issue that never gets asked, what about the products of those unplanned pregnancies who are brought into a world often where the parents are unhappy, they have to live without adequate resources, and in many cases are given up to foster care being shipped from home to home never learning or experiencing true love and intimacy?

Earlier you caved in on alternative fuel projects that you had added tax cuts for to encourage the growth of that industry. Why? The Repugs didn't want it? Again my question, why? It's a tax break, something they say business needs so why........... Wait a minute, their oil patrons didn't want it did they?

That's two campaign promises you have now given in on. What do the Rethugs offer? The same shit we have being hearing for years and proved so disastrous over the last eight years. "Tax cuts for businesses". It didn't help then, it won't help now. Yes give the middle class and working families the tax cuts you promised but rescind the tax cuts to earlier periods given to the wealthiest.

For the past eight years we had a Congress and Administration that either listened to just themselves or a minority of this country's population. Democrats are now more then ever a majority, and we the people gave you a mandate for change, yet from where I sit it seems the minority is still running the majority! You cannot get compromise from a Party diametrically opposed to anything resembling a New Deal change, much less a plan that works and would ensure the minority remained a minority for a long time. This is simple logic. If you think there is an altruistic bone in Mitch McConnel's or John Boehner's body, you are bordering psychosis.

If you continue to let the minority steam roll you now, how can you expect to get anything through in the future? You said it so we last Friday when you told Republicans "I won". Did you forget that little tidbit of information? You have a lot on your shoulders, but then you told us you could handle it and wanted it. You got it, now it's time for you to deal with it. If not then politely step out of the way and let us find someone else who can and will. Remember, these now so called "responsible guardians" of the public's monies had no problems spending more then this in Iraq against our wishes. How come the people of Iraq deserve my money more then myself and other struggling Americans?

Just letting you know you cannot bargain, reason or appease those whose interests run counter to yours. You won, now use that victory. As I noted in my previous post, let the Rethugs threaten or try to filibuster this. You'll find their constituents will not tolerate or support their obstructionism.

Gimme, Gimme, Gimme! Sorry Boys, Money Doesn't Grow On Trees

2009-01-26T08:34:00.003-05:00

Well this is the week we see if President Obama will say "enough" to Republicans which to date seem only interested in pushing their idea for this struggling economy, "more tax cuts". Damn if that doesn't sound like what we have heard these past eight years, and look where we are now.

House Minority Leader John Boehner, speaking on "Meet the Press" Sunday, said if
he were asked to vote on the current plan, "put me down in the 'no' column." The
Ohio Republican said he believes "a lot of Republicans will vote 'no,' because
they see this as a lot of wasteful Washington spending...and doing nothing to
help create jobs and preserve jobs."

So now we start this so called period of bipartisan joint venture to basically save the American economy? It sounds like the same ole same ole to me, with the usual threats of a filibuster if the babies do not get their way. Ok, so filibuster, I dare you. If the Republican Party thinks the fall out in 1997 was bad when they shut down the government, they truly haven't seen anything yet. It is not surprising however to see this from these country club boys. After losing their shirts and pants in the last two elections you'd think the Republicans would get a clue, but continuing with the same failed leadership I guess that is too much to hope for.

John Boehner's chief complaint is "he wants a stimulus package that will ensure jobs", so what's his solution? Tax cuts, the same solution George W. Bush shoved down our throats for eight years to an overall loss of jobs, hell just in the past few months we've seen 2.6 million jobs lost. Republicans moan about the stranglehold the middle east has in regarding oil (so let's go to war right?), yet in in Obama's stimulus proposal what do they weed out?

The initiative already reflects political trade-offs. Lawmakers dropped an
Obama-backed proposal that would have provided a tax credit supporting creation
of jobs and boosted spending and tax cuts supporting development of solar, wind
and other sources of renewable energy.

You got it a two for one deal (guess you can't let the arms industry and Halliburton suffer cause we have no reason to start conflicts in the middle east). And to top it all off, our Speaker of the House decides she's open to "more Federal money for banks!" That's after she and Congress already gave banks $350 billion of the taxpayers money and they have refused to say what they did with it. (Rumor has it they bought up other banks and also gave big corporate bonuses, oh and just breaking buying nice expensive luxury jets). Guess we can't have bank CEO's having to look at the faces of the people they screwed so badly, much less stand in a security line with them. Hell they might get infected with commoner's germs!

The idiocy of both Congress and the American public seems to know no bounds. While crying about the cost of the stimulus package, politicians
try to play compromise with that same old shell game of tax cuts. George Bush was a master of it. Give tax breaks to the wealthy and a pittance to the average working man or women and tout your accomplishments and generosity. What they fail to tell you is those breaks come from the monies passed back to states and localities, so to make up for the loss sales taxes increase, property taxes increase to cover short falls. You get the picture right? Kids, this is about the basic concepts of math my second grader is learning, if you take something away from something else it's value decreases, and continues decreasing until you have nothing!

We have undergone a period mostly under Republican leadership of excess spending (taking something away from something), and tax breaks for those who need it the least (again taking something from something). Duh! Where'd da money go? Who stole my money tree? The only thing that has grown is our debt and try as we might we can't seem to find the loose change under the seat to pay it down. Guess what kiddies, your mother should have taught you that "money doesn't grow on trees."

President Obama, despite having a wonderful dream of bipartisanship, those you are reaching out to are rejecting the proffered hand. They are still crying like spoiled brats gimme, gimme gimme! There's been no leadership change so obviously no change in thinking (remember what happened to dinosaurs). Time to spank these ungrateful children and send them to bed as should have been done long ago. Let them threaten a filibuster, better yet let them do it it won't last a day before we the people are crawling so far up their keester, hemorrhoids would be preferable. We gave you the mandate Mr. President, not that shill John Boehner. It's good to be polite, but when the same people continue with the same tactics and threats that brought us here initially and refuse to consider change, we who are losing our houses, can't afford health care or college for our kids need to be remembered. We are your foundation and we are crumbling. Quit playing games and act. Take the chance and the opportunity given to share in the credit, or get the hell out of the way. There is no other option.

An Open Letter To the 111th Congressional Democrats

2009-01-09T10:05:00.003-05:00

Dear Congressional Democrats,

Do you remember recently while an incompetent incumbent President was given the lowest approval rating in history what your approval rating was? Let's just say you were deeper down in that cess pool. Why was that? Could it have been you had absolutely no intestinal fortitude to stand up to lame duck President and continued to give him anything he wanted. You even after having eight years of experience, essentially let the Administration "Bum Rush" you one last time and get $700 billion of our
money (the tax payer) to give to the very same people who spent millions to ensure you wouldn't demand oversight and as a result we are in this current mess. As for those tax payer dollars, whose watching and awarding that public debt? The same damned people who got us here in the first place. As for a little accountability for my money?

The AP
contacted 21 banks that have each received at least $1 billion and all of the
banks refused to give specific answers to four questions: "How much has been
spent? What was it spent on? How much is being held in savings, and what's the
plan for the rest?"

And your going after Madoff for a simple $50 billion ponzie scheme? You people really don't have a clue do you? Now after all of this Nancy Pelosie and Harry Reid want to grow a pair and closely over see, debate, push through the slow process of Committee hearing the emergency stimulus package of Barack Obama, a President Elect who made history with his win and won with an over whelming majority, and a true mandate from the people. You forget apparently your big wins this election cycle were as a result of Barack Obama, and your gains were so that we the people could ensure our wishes and voices were heard. In other words you are basically no more then a rubber stamp since that is all you have been good for these past eight years. If you some how have delusions it is otherwise, get off the crack you are smoking.

We are watching, carefully. We are blogging extensively. In case you missed it, this past election was about, and for change. Your plans to take the stimulus package to your back rooms and committees where you can add your pork to is not acceptable. Basically speaking you forget your place. It's not a place the Founding fathers had envisioned for you, but it is a place your august body relegated itself to. So stand aside and let the people's will be done! 2010 is not far away, and majorities can be strengthened or lost. Should you attempt the same old political games and harm this country further trust me you will be taken down and out. Because these are hard times, it doesn't mean the scrutiny and the political involvement has disappeared. Oh no Democrats and Republicans. we are watching and waiting. You have awoken the beast and it is best not to anger it.

There may come a time when things will return to the way it once was, but that time is not now. The voter has regained his/her memory and we are not forgetting this for the near future. It is my hope you have learned from this last "cowboy" that to try and imitate that behavior leads no where but in a deeper pile of manure then we are already in.