Just a tidbit of info. In 2008 Goldman Sachs had massive profits and paid a paltry 1.1 % in income tax. And yet President Bush and Secretary of the Treasury Henry Paulson gave Godldman Sachs $800 million in taxpayer funds. Can a conservative Obama-hater explain how that was okay and what President Obama did was so wrong?
Why would anyone want to return to the dismal days of 2007-8, when the bottom fell out and the Republicans stood around and watched, glad to throw it at Obama, more than glad. Why, because the recovery wasn't fast enough? What would McCain Palin have done to make it faster?
Cut taxes even more than Obama did? Make the deficit even worse? Oh, but less government spending, yeah, that would have helped - Great Depression II is what that would have created. People who vote Republican are either wealthy or crazy. No more Bush/Cheney and if Romney is supposed to be different, how?
Friday, March 30, 2012
Tuesday, March 27, 2012
Random thoughts
The real problem is the economic system. Both parties believe capitalism is good, therefore more of it must be better. Capitalism was a creation of the state but things function the other way around with capitalism now dictating to the state. Because capitalism is failing so to are our political parties. Neither party will collapse until its replacment is ready to take over. The extreme RW group and the leftist progressive group are both afraid to abandon the basic party because they control the money.
Capitalism is at a crossroads where the only growth opportunity is corporatizising government operations and services, a clear sign of decay.
The bigger struggle is between holding onto the past and forging a viable future. To the extent the political parties serve which choice will determine how they will survive.
So are we either, the Biblical Sara - who could not let go of the past, or Lot - who struck out on a new, unknown path and never looked back? For most Americans, our ancestors had the courage of break away of the 'known' and head to the new world of 'unknowns'. As their descendents, we ridicule change and live in fear of our shadows. Is that what our ancestors expected from us? In about 100 years we have become a nation of wimps.
Capitalism is at a crossroads where the only growth opportunity is corporatizising government operations and services, a clear sign of decay.
The bigger struggle is between holding onto the past and forging a viable future. To the extent the political parties serve which choice will determine how they will survive.
So are we either, the Biblical Sara - who could not let go of the past, or Lot - who struck out on a new, unknown path and never looked back? For most Americans, our ancestors had the courage of break away of the 'known' and head to the new world of 'unknowns'. As their descendents, we ridicule change and live in fear of our shadows. Is that what our ancestors expected from us? In about 100 years we have become a nation of wimps.
Monday, March 26, 2012
OFFER NOTHING, BUT TALK - THE NEW
REPUBLICIAN POLICY / POSITION ON ANYTHING. From Romney to Ryan to McConnell propose some 'Republicianist slogan' as a policy but put forth no details, material evidence to support it. Government by 'just-trust-me' / don't ask any questions.
Then, there is outright lying - say anything, ignore questions for details, support and keep lying.
Then, there is outright lying - say anything, ignore questions for details, support and keep lying.
Sunday, March 25, 2012
WHAT ARE WE SUPPOSED TO BELIEVE
ABOUT MITT ROMNEY? WHICH IS THE REAL MITT? CAN YOU BELIEVE IN YOUR HEART ANYTHING HE TELLS YOU, JUST TRUST IN ME-WELL, WHICH MITT CAN WE TRUST? IS ETCH-A-SKETCH CLEVER BUT UNTRUSTWORTHY?
Saturday, March 24, 2012
Transparency
Its not government vs. private sector but transparency that should be the battle cry. And why is infrastructure being ignored. Electric grid, wireless grid, roads, bridges, rails, water, sewerage are all in a state of collapse.
Friday, March 23, 2012
The Gun
There is three indelible myths in American history regarding gun ownership. Lexington green on that cool rainy morning in April 1775 when a group of neighbors assemblied to challenge the British army attempting to enforcement of some unjust laws. The second - the lonesome cowboy on horseback riding the open west, ever vigilant, with his rifle and pistol prepared to defend himself against rustlers and renegade Indians. The marlboro man pre-1900. Thirdly, the symbol of lawlessness, Dodge City, and what do the Earp brothers do to bring law and order to Dodge? Ban possession of firearms within the city limits. And while the Earps were no saints and would be considered law-breakers with a badge by todays standards.
Americans are conflicted about gun-possession and gun-control. I love the right to own and have my own guns. And, more importantly, buy into that idea that if the government ever goes too far or OTHERS INVADE OUR SHORES I, like my neighbors, would be ready. History books and the news are full of stories where people without their own guns are crushed by their government or a foreign power. Afterall, citizens with their own guns created this country, the United States of America, tamed the frontier, and liberated Texas and California.
Having a gun and knowing how to use it, empowers an individual like few others things . But how do we, as a society, maintain a safe and secure state when 300 million + people could all be carrying a weapon. Especially,when some are not emotionally, mentally, and socially stable, by any societal measure, to be walking about, let alone, allow to own a firearm, particularly a handgun. So let's talk straight.
Hangguns are the real issue. Yes, there are stories about the rifle-bearing nutjob shooting several people but aren't those rare. I mean on any given day, its the pistol bearing individual shooting some one, anywhere in the USA. No place is more violent on earth, at any time, than the United States.
Gun regulation is the only viable solution to the gun problem.
Americans are conflicted about gun-possession and gun-control. I love the right to own and have my own guns. And, more importantly, buy into that idea that if the government ever goes too far or OTHERS INVADE OUR SHORES I, like my neighbors, would be ready. History books and the news are full of stories where people without their own guns are crushed by their government or a foreign power. Afterall, citizens with their own guns created this country, the United States of America, tamed the frontier, and liberated Texas and California.
Having a gun and knowing how to use it, empowers an individual like few others things . But how do we, as a society, maintain a safe and secure state when 300 million + people could all be carrying a weapon. Especially,when some are not emotionally, mentally, and socially stable, by any societal measure, to be walking about, let alone, allow to own a firearm, particularly a handgun. So let's talk straight.
Hangguns are the real issue. Yes, there are stories about the rifle-bearing nutjob shooting several people but aren't those rare. I mean on any given day, its the pistol bearing individual shooting some one, anywhere in the USA. No place is more violent on earth, at any time, than the United States.
Gun regulation is the only viable solution to the gun problem.
Thursday, March 22, 2012
A High Speed Rail System, Updated 8-18-2012
High-speed railsystems ARE part of an American transportation system. Currently teh notion of high-speed rail is basically a joke in the USA, but ignoring it and its implications for the USA's future is to accept America as a second rate country. While most think of high-speed rail in the context of passenger travel, commodity movement would significantly benefit from a high-speed railsystem.
After all, railroads built this country, with significant government help on the Federal, state and local level, and dominated this country for more than 150 years. Passenger rail traffic, including street car service was the only system for 120 years until the automobile and aircraft, also heavily subsidized subplanted passenger rail. But why did America abandon the railroads as a major people mover system in favor of the airplane? I'm not here to debate this point, but to offer that the most effective way to revitalize America is to invest in its infrastructure, and the most effective infrastructure expenditure is rail/mass transit systems. Railroads since the 50's have been relegated it to a second tier product distribution system (primarily inter-regional) and the principal bulk/heavy-commodity distribution system. These two uses will also benefit significantly from high-speed rail corridors.
But what works 'best' in a world of ever increasingly expensive energy is a high-speed passenger and freight rail system. An airplane system makes sense only in the context of certain distances, but convenient is the other most important in deciding which system is best for America. Air travel is increasingly becoming too expensive and time consuming to be effective within certain parameters, the time/distance matrix. and consolidation and the long-term profit generation potential of this industry over time indicate this.
Could rail do certain distances quicker and more effectively? For the obvious reasons absolutely! Particularly distances that currently take 1 to 3 hours by air are prefect for rail service. Adding 1 1/2 hours on the front and another 1 hour on the back would have travel times of 3 1/2 to 5 1/2 hours. In addition, certain air routes in this time range are served by any where from 2 to 24 flights per day.
Freight requires trans-continental to 1 day distance to be cost-effective, would benefit from a coast-to-coast network. More on that sytem later.
So, Using this criteria I would recommend that America needs two systems - regional systems based upon five regions, another five/six secondary regions & several continental interlinks.
The trans-continental interlinks would best serve commodity shipping and provide America with a robust secondary continental passenger transportation network besides air and highway.
Here's what I would imagine.While, I'm not alone here, as this parallels the thinking of most transportation experts about our railroad future.
The five primary regional networks:
1) the West Coast/primarily California (2 routes) + Seattle-Portland.
2) Texas
3) Chicago Hub
4) Florida
5) Northeast Corridor / Boston, Providence, Connecticut, New York City, New Jersey,
The ______ secondary regional networks:
(6) Atlanta Hub
(7) Boston hub
(8) Mississippi Valley corridor
The continental interlinks:
East -
West -
. He called Chicago the capital of the mid-west. And, of course, sure enough he's right - Chicago is the capital of the mid-west and a high-speed rail system centered on Chicago would cement this position and serve to tie Chicago with the rest of the mid-western states - downstate Illinois, Indiana, Wisconsin, Missouri, Ohio, Michigan, Iowa.
A hub and spoke network system with lines running:
9-1) Milwaukee, on to Green Bay
9-2) Madison, Wisc.
9-3) Dubuque, on to Minneapolis
9-4) Peoria, Springfield, on to St. Louis
9-5) Indianapolis, on to Cincinnati
9-6) Detroit, on to Toledo, on to Cleveland, on to Erie, Pa, on to Buffalo, NY.
9-7) Evansville, Ind on to Louisville, KY.
9-8) Fort Wayne, on to Columbus, on to Pittsburgh
In Addition to the Chicago hub, I envision other hubs and corridors throughout the US. With a network of 20 or so hubs and corridors, it would be easy to create several long-haul passenger runs that would be competitive in both price and time. For example, I would describe them as trunk lines - interlinked to the Chicago hub. I envision two eastern interlinks -
6) Great Lakes - Toledo, Cleveland, Erie, Buffalo,NY.
8) Fort Wayne,Columbus, Pittsburgh.
The other hubs and corridors:
3) NY State Interlink - New York City, Albany, Buffalo / with Rochester & Syracuse.
4) Pennsylvania Interlink - Philadelphia,Harrisburg, Pittsburgh,PA
5) North Carolina network - Charlotte, Raleigh-Durham, Chapel Hill, Winston-Salem, Wilmington
6) Atlanta Hub - Chattanooga, Savannah, Columbia,SC, Charleston,SC, Charlotte,NC, Birmingham,AL
8) Ohio Cross-cross - Cleveland-Columbus-Cincinnati & Toledo-Columbus-SE Ohio
9) Chicago Hub (see above)
10) Chicago-Louisville-Memphis-Vicksburg-New Orleans
11) Long-Haul - Chicago to 1-Northwest 2-Denver,Salt Lake,SF 3-LA
12) Long-Haul - New Orleans-Texas-NM-Arizona-LA
15) The Boston hub
After all, railroads built this country, with significant government help on the Federal, state and local level, and dominated this country for more than 150 years. Passenger rail traffic, including street car service was the only system for 120 years until the automobile and aircraft, also heavily subsidized subplanted passenger rail. But why did America abandon the railroads as a major people mover system in favor of the airplane? I'm not here to debate this point, but to offer that the most effective way to revitalize America is to invest in its infrastructure, and the most effective infrastructure expenditure is rail/mass transit systems. Railroads since the 50's have been relegated it to a second tier product distribution system (primarily inter-regional) and the principal bulk/heavy-commodity distribution system. These two uses will also benefit significantly from high-speed rail corridors.
But what works 'best' in a world of ever increasingly expensive energy is a high-speed passenger and freight rail system. An airplane system makes sense only in the context of certain distances, but convenient is the other most important in deciding which system is best for America. Air travel is increasingly becoming too expensive and time consuming to be effective within certain parameters, the time/distance matrix. and consolidation and the long-term profit generation potential of this industry over time indicate this.
Could rail do certain distances quicker and more effectively? For the obvious reasons absolutely! Particularly distances that currently take 1 to 3 hours by air are prefect for rail service. Adding 1 1/2 hours on the front and another 1 hour on the back would have travel times of 3 1/2 to 5 1/2 hours. In addition, certain air routes in this time range are served by any where from 2 to 24 flights per day.
Freight requires trans-continental to 1 day distance to be cost-effective, would benefit from a coast-to-coast network. More on that sytem later.
So, Using this criteria I would recommend that America needs two systems - regional systems based upon five regions, another five/six secondary regions & several continental interlinks.
The trans-continental interlinks would best serve commodity shipping and provide America with a robust secondary continental passenger transportation network besides air and highway.
Here's what I would imagine.While, I'm not alone here, as this parallels the thinking of most transportation experts about our railroad future.
The five primary regional networks:
1) the West Coast/primarily California (2 routes) + Seattle-Portland.
2) Texas
3) Chicago Hub
4) Florida
5) Northeast Corridor / Boston, Providence, Connecticut, New York City, New Jersey,
The ______ secondary regional networks:
(6) Atlanta Hub
(7) Boston hub
(8) Mississippi Valley corridor
The continental interlinks:
East -
West -
. He called Chicago the capital of the mid-west. And, of course, sure enough he's right - Chicago is the capital of the mid-west and a high-speed rail system centered on Chicago would cement this position and serve to tie Chicago with the rest of the mid-western states - downstate Illinois, Indiana, Wisconsin, Missouri, Ohio, Michigan, Iowa.
A hub and spoke network system with lines running:
9-1) Milwaukee, on to Green Bay
9-2) Madison, Wisc.
9-3) Dubuque, on to Minneapolis
9-4) Peoria, Springfield, on to St. Louis
9-5) Indianapolis, on to Cincinnati
9-6) Detroit, on to Toledo, on to Cleveland, on to Erie, Pa, on to Buffalo, NY.
9-7) Evansville, Ind on to Louisville, KY.
9-8) Fort Wayne, on to Columbus, on to Pittsburgh
In Addition to the Chicago hub, I envision other hubs and corridors throughout the US. With a network of 20 or so hubs and corridors, it would be easy to create several long-haul passenger runs that would be competitive in both price and time. For example, I would describe them as trunk lines - interlinked to the Chicago hub. I envision two eastern interlinks -
6) Great Lakes - Toledo, Cleveland, Erie, Buffalo,NY.
8) Fort Wayne,Columbus, Pittsburgh.
The other hubs and corridors:
3) NY State Interlink - New York City, Albany, Buffalo / with Rochester & Syracuse.
4) Pennsylvania Interlink - Philadelphia,Harrisburg, Pittsburgh,PA
5) North Carolina network - Charlotte, Raleigh-Durham, Chapel Hill, Winston-Salem, Wilmington
6) Atlanta Hub - Chattanooga, Savannah, Columbia,SC, Charleston,SC, Charlotte,NC, Birmingham,AL
8) Ohio Cross-cross - Cleveland-Columbus-Cincinnati & Toledo-Columbus-SE Ohio
9) Chicago Hub (see above)
10) Chicago-Louisville-Memphis-Vicksburg-New Orleans
11) Long-Haul - Chicago to 1-Northwest 2-Denver,Salt Lake,SF 3-LA
12) Long-Haul - New Orleans-Texas-NM-Arizona-LA
15) The Boston hub
Wednesday, March 21, 2012
What's truly going on
It's only March 21st and the general election is 7 months away. The leading Republican candidate has been seen as a flip-flopper for months and today described as an 'Etch-a-Sketch' by his owner campaign staff. Following his victory in Illinois and the enviatiabilty of his nomination, he has adopted more positions than elements in the periodic table and struggled mightly to put away his rivals forcing him to take on 'severely' extreme positions. The primary will continue for another 1 1/2 months, then followed by the convention and finally a two month dash to the finish. Can Romney hang in there despite the tendency to self destruct and how will the election turn out?
First, his changing positions will damage him less than the left would love. No one expects him to remain the same. Of course, Obama isn't allowed but that's another point.
The election hinges now other things. The five central issues - the great recession, the end of the oil era, decline of consumerism, what is America to be for the next 250 years, and the intellectual/intelligence level of society, and America's role in the world (foreign affairs/world environment). These are inescapable.
More basically is Romney's problem with the so-called Republican 'socal-issues' base. Without them he is dead and so is the party.
I keep telling people Obama claimed a 1 degree right of center position shorting after inauguration. Its why liberals and porgressives are angry. It was prudent, as an election tactic and to force the Republicans into action or craziness - The Repugs chose the later. Now 'Etch-a-Sketch' Romney has only 3 choices - stay far right / be just like Obama or go left. For the short term, Romney seems to be trying the 'me too / I would have done it better' tactic. This will appear weak & pathetic if it continues for much longer
The fact that it's coming from one of Romney's long-time aides is stunning. An even scarier thought for conservatives: if the Romney campaign is willing to take them for granted before even clinching the nomination, imagine how quickly Romney would abandon conservatives if he ever made it to the White House.
How can voters trust a president who has essentially admitted that he's run on a false platform and announces that people are stupid enough to believe whatever convenient thing he says next. This is solid gold (or "f ----- golden," as Rod Blagojevich would say): as
First, his changing positions will damage him less than the left would love. No one expects him to remain the same. Of course, Obama isn't allowed but that's another point.
The election hinges now other things. The five central issues - the great recession, the end of the oil era, decline of consumerism, what is America to be for the next 250 years, and the intellectual/intelligence level of society, and America's role in the world (foreign affairs/world environment). These are inescapable.
More basically is Romney's problem with the so-called Republican 'socal-issues' base. Without them he is dead and so is the party.
I keep telling people Obama claimed a 1 degree right of center position shorting after inauguration. Its why liberals and porgressives are angry. It was prudent, as an election tactic and to force the Republicans into action or craziness - The Repugs chose the later. Now 'Etch-a-Sketch' Romney has only 3 choices - stay far right / be just like Obama or go left. For the short term, Romney seems to be trying the 'me too / I would have done it better' tactic. This will appear weak & pathetic if it continues for much longer
The fact that it's coming from one of Romney's long-time aides is stunning. An even scarier thought for conservatives: if the Romney campaign is willing to take them for granted before even clinching the nomination, imagine how quickly Romney would abandon conservatives if he ever made it to the White House.
How can voters trust a president who has essentially admitted that he's run on a false platform and announces that people are stupid enough to believe whatever convenient thing he says next. This is solid gold (or "f ----- golden," as Rod Blagojevich would say): as
Monday, March 19, 2012
A Republican Talking -Point
This is making the rounds -
REPUBLICANS DON'T BELIEVE THAT PRESIDENTS FIX THE ECONOMY.
Then why is it that they attack Obama constantly for doing just that or doing the wrong thing.
And why is it that Romney constantly tells us he can do it better (than Obama).
REPUBLICANS DON'T BELIEVE THAT PRESIDENTS FIX THE ECONOMY.
Then why is it that they attack Obama constantly for doing just that or doing the wrong thing.
And why is it that Romney constantly tells us he can do it better (than Obama).
Sunday, March 11, 2012
Income taxes
http://ctj.org/ctjreports/2011/11/corporate_taxpayers_corporate_tax_dodgers_2008-2010.php
From the actual report itself (.pdf file), the following thirty companies paid ZERO income tax, as well as receiving millions...oh wait, I meant billions in tax rebates from the government.
(1) Pepco Holdings
(2) General Electric
(3) Paccar
(4) PG&E Corporation
(5) Computer Sciences
(6) NiSource
(7) CenterPoint Energy
(8) Tenet Healthcare
(9) Atmos Energy
(10) Integrys Energy Group
(11) American Electric Power
(12) Con-way
(13) Ryder System
(14) Baxter International
(15) Wisconsin Energy
(16) Duke Energy
(17) DuPont
(18) Consolidated Edison
(19) Verizon Communications
(20) Interpublic Group
(21) CMS Energy
(22) NextEra Energy
(23) Navistar International
(24) Boeing
(25) Wells Fargo
(26) El Paso
(27) Mattel
(28) Honeywell International
(29) DTE Energy
(30) Corning”
And then there's people who complain about the porrest 50% non paying any income taxes.
From the actual report itself (.pdf file), the following thirty companies paid ZERO income tax, as well as receiving millions...oh wait, I meant billions in tax rebates from the government.
(1) Pepco Holdings
(2) General Electric
(3) Paccar
(4) PG&E Corporation
(5) Computer Sciences
(6) NiSource
(7) CenterPoint Energy
(8) Tenet Healthcare
(9) Atmos Energy
(10) Integrys Energy Group
(11) American Electric Power
(12) Con-way
(13) Ryder System
(14) Baxter International
(15) Wisconsin Energy
(16) Duke Energy
(17) DuPont
(18) Consolidated Edison
(19) Verizon Communications
(20) Interpublic Group
(21) CMS Energy
(22) NextEra Energy
(23) Navistar International
(24) Boeing
(25) Wells Fargo
(26) El Paso
(27) Mattel
(28) Honeywell International
(29) DTE Energy
(30) Corning”
And then there's people who complain about the porrest 50% non paying any income taxes.
Friday, March 9, 2012
A simple truth about Americans
'They eat each other' - native American comment on observing the Donner party.
Tocqueville in 1831 - Americans simply can not tolerate, can not even hear, fundamental critiques of America.
Tocqueville in 1831 - Americans simply can not tolerate, can not even hear, fundamental critiques of America.
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