Defend Medicare don't defund Medicare

Rep. Paul Ryan (R-WI) is just an arrogant young republican. His arrogance amazes me that he just does not (supposedly) get why people over 55 are against his plan when it doesn't effect them. He is trying his damnedest to create a generational divide.

The Republicans understand the demographics of voters that helped to elect Barack Obama. Older voters have traditionally voted conservative. Therefore, they are attempting to "protect" the older voters already on medicare, and those that will qualify for medicare benefits within seven to ten years. While at the same time attempting to win over the younger voters that are majorly concerned about their future being financed away.

It is a fact that younger voters do not consider insurance choices until much later in life. Therefore, if the republicans can create enough problems centered around medicare and social security the younger voters will become apathetic and not vote in the next presidential election.

Then Rep. Ryan accuses the Democrats of playing politics with health care coverage? Oh My God! What did the Republicans do from 2009 through the current time regarding the Affordable Care Act? Not one of them can refer to this Act by its real name. They still consistently refer to this Act as "Obama Care". They are attempting to defund this important initiative through the budgetary process, and then spin around and accuse the Democrats for playing politics for trying to stop them from tearing down Medicare.

The Republicans have lost the handle and are wildly out of control. They need to declare their agreements with Grover Norquist null and void. They need to consider what happened to George H.W. Bush because of this pledge to Norquist not to raise taxes. G.H.W. Bush knew what had to be done when he raised taxes back in 1991.  His presidency lasted only one term not because he raised taxed, but because of the pledge to Norquist. 

It is time that all republicans faced the fact that 'trickle-down economics' does not work.  Two presidents have embarked down this path, and those same two presidents brought about two of our biggest recessions.  It isn't about spending too much!  It is about maintaining the social values that have made our country great.  It is about becoming America and Americans again.

Thank you, President Obama!

The swirling rapidity of the news cycle sometimes leaves your cranium spinning into the stratosphere.  It is really quite amusing watching the media, and political entities,  attempt to wrap itself around something in this Osama bin Laden event that will ultimately promote their own past and future political agendas; per medium outlet.
 
Monday marked a day of praise for President Obama and his administration, even VP Cheney, for doing the thing that his predecessor, George W. Bush, had pronounced as unimportant and virtually an impossibility.  Followed by Tuesday when previous administration officails, with their media accomplices, decided that President Bush should have more of the credit for this impressive gain in the "War on Terror".  Wednesday into today (Thursday) have us bemusing President Obama's position's of this event, and exclaiming Pakistan's involvement, or non-involvement.

My inability to personally thank Mr. Obama for his persistence and his resolve in bringing this mass murdering fugitive, Osama bin Laden, to justice is why I am writing this blog post.  I recognize the fact that nobody will see the post, but I'll know the heart-felt thank you is there.  As for the arrogance coming forth from the media I'll just re-phrase the words of James Carville and reply, "It's the media, stupid!"

I fail to see how Mr. Bush, or his administration deserve any credit for this development when they gave up searching for bin Laden in 2005.   The year after his re-election, and the year that bin Laden moved into this compound in Pakistan.  Wow, conspiracy theorist' abound there's one for ya.Of course, the media is not getting a lot of traction from this because the American populace is truly just gratified and relieved that bin Laden no longer walks this earth. 

Therefore, Pakistan is now front and center for the "nattering nabobs of negativity' within our media and political  outlets.  In order to understand Pakistan's potential lack of involvement, and possible condoning bin Laden residing in Abbottabad, one must understand the political environment that is Pakistan.  They could not assist with this raid militarily out of fear of another coup attempt of the Pakistani government. 

It is only reasonable to further understand that the Pakistani government will have the official opinion that the United States violated their rights of sovereignty.  Pakistan's investigation includes interviewing bin Laden's 13 year old daughter, his wife, and others that were at the compound on the night of Sunday, May 1, 2011 (Eastern Time).  Absent from the reporting of this investigation is the question, Why are they still alive if the raid was so horrific? Not to mention the fact that Osama bin Laden's daughter probably isn't the best witness to extract many facts. 

Then there is the idea of the picture of bin Laden's corpse being released to the public.  Why do we need this?  That being said, I wish the Obama administration would release the video/pictures of bin Laden's corpse being cleaned and prepared for burial, and the ultimate burial rite before the corpse was lowered into the Arabian Sea.

However, there could be a problem with how much cleaning that was actually performed, and how the corpse was wrapped in a white sheet.  This process may not have been the visually pleasing process that would assist in dispelling the notion that bin Laden was disrespected in his burial.  Therefore, such important documentation could become conflagration to the people's dispirited discernment that we intend to ease. .

My one regret about this is that I wish that Osama bin Laden could have been buried at sea at the oceanic dumping ground of all of the world trade center debris.  It seems like it would be more fitting for him to be with the perpetrators of the act that he promoted, and they carried out.

In finality, I'd just like to thank the Obama administration for re-engaging with the task of finding and bringing the mass murderer Osama bin Laden to justice.  May now the healing begin.  May now we begin the process of removing our troops from Iraq and Afghanistan.  May now may we stand with the people of all Arab nations that desire more autonomy and less autocracy.  May now we begin living not as one government, but as one world, and within that idea the strong must help the weak until there is weak no more.

Thank you, President Obama!

End poverty to fix tax code

The one variable that everyone, and I mean everyone, misses about taxes andthe effective tax rates of anyone is the stagnant wages of working class and other below "middle class" incomes. While all businesses strive to lower their labor costs by keeping their wage scales as low as possible they are also forcing people into the negative effective tax bracket.

Think for two seconds what this negative effective tax does to our system of taxation. The federal government must use the tax code as a system of income redistribution because our capitalistic system refuses to equitably distribute income. This is the main reason why "trickle-down economics" failed.

The federal government must force the trickle down aspect by regulation, or the ones receiving the extra tax advantages will just enrich themselves. They call it keeping what they earn. All this does it put a positive spin on their greed. I mean, who cannot be in favor of keeping what they earn, but who also cannot be in favor of earning what they deserve?

Just look at one of our greediest businesses in the history of the planet: The Oil Industry, Does anybody believe that Exxon/Mobil, ConocoPhilips, Shell, or BP own the oil that they extract from the territories and waters of the United States? They don't own this oil! The United States owns this oil; we all own this oil. Why then are so few allowed to profit egregiously? But it's not just the oil industry,,,look at our financial services industry, health care industry, and if you do and ask why you will be immediately hit with it's their right to keep what they earn. I am not arguing that point, at all!

The point I am arguing is that all incomes need to rise, so all incomes can evade the negative tax rate, and henseforth all incomes paying into the system of taxation. When this happens we will ultimately see the need for the higher income tax bracket to be much less than it is today. This is why ending poverty is so important.

The problem with lower iincomes rising is now and always has been the fact that the capitalist want it both ways. They desire to adhere to all of their profits, and pay as little tax as possible. It is this little fact of human nature that has killed the trickle down theory not once, but twice, and I might add has has brought on two major recessions (1989 and 2007).

How much is your effective tax rate? Here is a link: http://www.moneychimp.com/features/tax_brackets.htm to the 2010 federal tax brackets and a nice calculator in which to ascertain where your situation sits.

Justice Sotomayor

I think the recent flap over the recent nominee to the Supreme court, Sonia Sotomayor, has to do with the lack of understanding of the decision process. Most Americans do not create a decision tree to examine their choices before making a decision, or choice. However, a Federal Judge, or a Supreme Court Jurist would have to consider all the parameters of their decision before making their decision.

Furthermore, I believe that Justice Sotomayor was relating to the process she uses to evolve her decisions as appropriately as conceivably possible to the needs of the society in which she represents. Her life history will allow her to think of other criteria in which a white male may not consider when assessing the facts of a legal case.

Justice Sotomayor is absolutely correct in relating to her individual history in assisting her dissemination of facts related to her decision making process.

I believe that this is the message that needs to come out of the White House regarding their excellent choice for the Supreme court.

Stop the Political Posturing!

I new article posted to cnn.com entitled, "Bailout talks implode, economy's fate in peril", is suggestive of the talks imploding. However, it is conceivable to me that it is not the talks that are imploding, but rather the Republican Party that is imploding before our very eyes.

They can see that everything they have run on since President Reagan, less government; de-regulation; supply-side economics; and last but not least the trickle down theory, is the root cause of our current economic mess. The question for them is not how they save our economy, but how do they save their Party?

Popular opinion is solidly behind the Democratic Congress with demanding that the bail-out of our financial market meet the conditions of regulation and oversight; mortgage assistance for people whose mortgages are in trouble; scrutiny over the amount of the bail-out; and language to stop any "golden parachute" payments going to the CEO's of the organizations involved within the bail-out.

Now what has made the news is that the ranking Republican member of the House Banking Committee, Rep. Spencer Bachus (R-AL), has conceded that he does not have authorization to speak for his colleagues. This is a very troubling assertion, but it also shines a bright light into the vast darkness that is the current Republican Party.

It appears that committee appointments mean nothing to the House Republican Leadership, and that every issue must be approved by leadership, albeit minority leadership, in order to be recognized by all Republicans in the House. This is the House Republican modus operandi that equals their Senate counterpart's use of the filibuster.

What happens now? It is really quite obvious. We've seen it before. After the media gets hold of this and projects a picture of a static Democratic Congress, then, the House Republicans will reach consensus. We then will be told, lead by Sen. John McCain (R-AZ), how they stood together for the American people and solved this economic crisis.

This cheap political grandstanding by the Republican Party is hope only of stopping the implosion of their political affiliation. Call your Congress person, call the media, tell them that this political nonsense must end. It is time to put all Americans first, and end politics as usual.

So, what'sthe Economic Policy Institute say?

Here is a link from the Economic Policy Institute with a nice graph that compares income from the 1990's to income from 2000 -2007. As Joe Biden so poignantly stated, "Barack was Right, and McCain was wrong!"

About John McCain's VP selection

I think McCain is searching for an early reason why he lost the election. This is the first 'most important decision' that the next president must make. So, McCan't does this?

How does Palin's age, at 44, somehow justify and/or relieve the tensions of voters whom are concerned about his age of 72, when she has absolutely no experience? If anything now his age becomes even more of an issue in the minds of voters because of her lack of knowledge of the global community? How can they pare off, or spin, the experience issue of Barack O8ama when their VP selection does not even know what the Vice President does? In her own words!

Oh, and as for the gender credibility of this choice? There is none; period! Does McCain really believe that Hillary Rodham Clinton's supporters will support Palin solely on the basis that she's a woman? The one thing that John McCain missed is the fact that Hillary Clinton was just as qualified as Barack O8ama, and that is why their primary battle was soo-ooo close and grueling.

Yep, his first most important decision, and John McCain blew this one big time. Maybe what they're not telling us is that nobody really wanted this position. For that matter, maybe the repubs are already distancing themselves from this election and planning on rebuilding their party in 2012?

I've said before that that was the reason they wanted Hillary to take the nomination. They all know, especially KKKarl Rove, what a screwed up mess they have made the past eight years. Now they are planning on undermining Barack O8ama's administration allowing him (and the Democrats) to take the wrath of the American people just like Jimmy Carter did in 1976-1980.

I think what we Democrats need to be assessing is who the Republicans are planning on putting up as their candidate in 2012. They seriously are planning on O8ama being a one-term president. The only thing that will alter their plan is if the Democrats can achieve a filibuster proof senate majority. In which case, President O8ama will become an A ONE two term president.

What is a concession speech?

Last night Hillary Clinton made a very difficult heart warming speech, after winning in the South Dakota primary, in which she congratulated Barack O8ama for his primary success. She then went on to thank a multitude of campaign staff employees, her supporters, etc. Hillary then ended her speech with not knowing what her next move will be.

This statement, which I paraphrased, has been misinterpreted into meaning that she is not conceding. Well, duh!! On the last primary day in which all the votes are not even counted she's supposed to come out and concede? No way! Why should she be forced, or coerced, into conceding by CNN, Fox, MSNBC, or any other MEDIA outlet's schedule?

In the first place, she had 18 million votes, which is about the same as O8ama had, so she must ensure that the voters that voted for her are duly represented by the Democratic party platform agenda. She will ensure that before she concedes Barack will unite with her in creating the Democratic party agenda. Just as John Edwards did before throwing his support behind O8ama. It's just the way it works, and she owes that to her supporters.

Secondly, is the possibility of a political appointment amongst the O8ama administration. She will need to think out how she feels about a potential request from Barack O8ama. That's only natural. How would she fit into his administration and/or is that what she wants to do with her future, not to mention the political capital that she has developed through this campaign.

Lastly, is the fact that she does not need to concede in a negative 'I lost and Barack won' fashion. In my mind she conceded on Tuesday night when she congratulated O8ama and thanked all of her staff and supporters. It has been a long, very long, hard campaign. Give her a break and allow her to assess where she goes from here. All of this talk that she did not concede was generated by the media that is hoping that she will do as Harold Ickes warned and take her fight to Denver.

Beware the media hype because that is precisely what this concession, no concession, story is about.

Why O8ama now

You know ignorance just amazes me. I don't know, is it ignorance, or just unrestrained passion for your chosen candidate? How about at the next primary, say 2012, or 2016, we just allow the states to have their primaries at any time they wish? In fact, since there's a big push to be first, how about if we just have all the primaries/caucuses on January 1? Won't matter how we start 'em off; a green flag, or a starters pistol will work just fine. We don't need order, or organization, hell that just confuses the results.

The fact is that this whole thing was supposed to be over on Feb. 5th, and none of this MI and FL stuff would have mattered. But wait, something happened on the way to the ho-hum convention that was designed to coronate Hillary president for her years of public service.

Yep, something happened, more and more people began believing in someone. People began believing that maybe we could take back our government.

Oh well, it is past time that Hillary supporters began the process of sucking it up. People want change. The youth of America that is solidly behind Barack O8ama are tired of their despair they feel for their future at the hands of the present politics as usual Washington DC environment.

Hillary Rodham Clinton we love you! It is sad the turn of events that happened to this country since your husband was president. However, it is because of those turn of events that we feel we need a fresh start at securing our country and especially our future.

No O8ama supporter is truly against Hillary, but we all are for ourselves and our future. We simply sense that we need a total break away from the failed policies (lies?) of the past 40 - 50 years of our countries past.

We need O8ama for the future.

Happy War Mongers Day to all!

That's right. Happy War Mongers Day. It was on 19 March 2003 that our present administration, with the full backing of Project of the New American Century, began the task of permanently destabilizing our planet.

It was all done in the guise of our own safety and security. They strike us, and then we strike back; on steroids. The end result (no pun, please) has been a virtual reinstatement of the cold war with a twist, this time instead of just two super powers living in distrust of each others motives it is basically all of the planets governmental organizations.

Yep, War Mongers Day has been a huge success for the defense industry, the oil industry, and hell basically anyone whom dwells in the upper two percentile of income.

It's also so much easier having war than it was to try have peace. You know, drop a few bombs; launch a few cruise missiles, wipe out a civilization, or two, it's much easier than all that negotiation crap; talking; compromising... Naw, no more, now it's do it our way, or you're done.

Therefore, be sure to take your shotgun into the street tonight, or out onto your balcony if you're lucky enough to have one, and fire that baby at the moon. I mean the one in the sky, not your neighbors. We need to show our leaders how much we appreciate the freedom we feel for not having to learn how to have peace. NPAC forever, bay-bee! Make more war. No more peace. It's for our security don't cha know?