OBVIOUSLAND

Campaign finance reform

2012-01-26T18:50:00.001-06:00

Involves three levels

1) lobbying
2) election campaign funding
3) voting

President Obama's position

2012-01-26T18:42:00.000-06:00

1) say whatever you want but do whatever you planned to do all along, that's what I thought they called 'Chicago politics'. But it's what the Repugs have been don't effectively on a national stage for 40+ years.
2) is it just me or has he staked out the position of 1 degree right to center? Given the racial assault on his presidency, the economic circumstances, and the rightleaningness of the media could one blame him?

Talk to a conservative

2012-01-26T18:32:00.001-06:00

Talk to a conservative and they will rail against government pushing their small government, no regulation agenda. If you talk to them long enough you will invariably hear them say, "the government should do something about that".

Why has government gotten bigger?

2012-01-26T18:29:00.001-06:00

One would think liberal & progressives have this secret agenda to expand government because, well, they just do. No its more obvious than that; 1) failure of the economic system (subsidies, favorable tax treatment, social programs to protect people, regulation - to protect the environment, public good. and 2) foreign involvement (support to corporations, militarism, foreign aid).

Now a 'Soon-to-have' was a

2012-01-26T18:23:00.003-06:00

'having some' just awhile back.

NEWT vs. RMONEY

2012-01-26T13:31:00.001-06:00

Newt is the best attack-dog the Democrats could ever get. Neither is electable. Rmoney will win the primaries and go into the convention down 15-20%. With a modest post-convention bounce he'll lose by 10%. 'There's no way to delay that trouble coming every day'. For Oven-Mitt its only going to get worse. A serial flip-flopper is an indecisive individual. If he was incharge in WWII we'd be debating whether to invade Normandy or Rock-away Beach. They are all cliche and projection.

Maybe its Mitt's time to be the

2012-01-17T22:00:00.001-06:00

NOT-ROMNEY ! Care to guess how long he will last? Its less than 10 months until the election & x months until the Republican convention. My bet is he crashes before Memorial Day.

A I can't believe it fact . . .

2012-01-17T16:32:00.001-06:00

The U.S. locks up more than 2 million people, more than any nation in the world. One in 48 working-age men is behind bars. A disproportionate number -- 40 percent -- are African Americans. As Michelle Alexander reported in her book, The New Jim Crow, more black men are in prison or jail, on probation or parole than were in slavery in the 1850s.

What is left -

2012-01-16T17:53:00.004-06:00

only businesses left in America - playing with the tax pie, the war machine, maintaining social order, and entertaining/medicating the masses.

Read Ezra Klein's article -

2012-01-16T17:30:00.001-06:00

the recovery president - yes, who ever is elected in 2012 will be seen has the recovery president unless, of course, the economy turns worse, war breaks out, or more tax cuts for the wealthy tank the economy.

What kind of man is John Huntsman ?

2012-01-16T16:54:00.000-06:00

I mean he quit the race ( no issue with that) then turned and did a complete endorsement of Mitt Romney. For the last year and until just the other day he was trash talkin' Romney like he despited everything about him and. And now . . . does he expect any of us to have any respect for him?

What is Capitalism?

2012-01-15T14:16:00.001-06:00

We're hearing a lot about the different forms of economic organization.
Let's see: several forms of capitalism - know what mercantilism was? monopoloy capitalism, venture capitalism, "voulter capitalism", traditional capitalism, money culture(Gary Hart), finance capitialism.

then there's feudalism, socialism, communism, democratic socialism,

What will the Republican Party do

2012-01-10T19:27:00.003-06:00

about Ron Paul? He's the spoiler to the Romney presidency. Could even beat Romney in the general election.

Some thoughts about saint ron

2012-01-10T17:35:00.000-06:00

Reagan sold weapons to the terrorist state, Iran, when the world, including us, had an arms embargo against them.
Reagan allowed terrorists to kill over 250 Marines and then ran away.
Reagan enabled and encouraged the smuggling of tons of cocaine into this country, poisoning our children.
Reagan had the most corrupt administration in history. He had more members tried, convicted, and jailed for felonies than any other in history.
Reagan's economic improvement had nothing to do with his policies. The economy only improved because the OPEC oil embargo collapsed, flooding the market with cheap energy, stimulating the economy.
Reagan raises taxes - what 11 times.
Taxed unemployment benefits
Doubled social security payroll tax so baby boomers could pay for their own social security insurance.

IS THE REPUBLICAN PRESIDENTIAL

2012-01-09T22:13:00.000-06:00

NOMINEE RACE MORE LIKE A TELEVISION SIT-COM? CASE IN POINT, THE CAST- ROMNEY, SANTORUM, PLENTENTY, BACHMAN, GINGRICH, HUNTSMAN,CAIN, PALIN, BONER, CANTOR, MCCONNELL AND PAUL, FEATURING PERRY AS HIM SELF.

ROMNEY - gaffe-prone, out-of-touch, flip-flopping, inauthentic candidate. seemed plastic and programmed, an impression that could only be exacerbated by the idea that he was laying people off and sleeping just fine.

THOUGHTS ON THE HOUSING CRISIS

2012-01-09T20:08:00.002-06:00

1) WHY? / HOW?
GOV'T AGENCY PROPOSAL TO SELL OFF BULK BUNDLES OF FORECLOSED HOMES .
WHY DIDN'T GOV'T JUST OFFER 1% MORTGAGES TO PEOPLE.
WHOLE HOUSING DEBATE - NEED vs. ADEQUATE SUPPLY vs. PRICE by MARKET SEGMENTS (PRODUCT DIFFERENCES/LOCATION).
GOV'T POLICY - COMMON/SOCIETIAL OBJECTIVES vs. TAX/POLICY ECONOMIC INCENTIVES (GOV'T ASSISTANCE TO BUSINESS).
FAMILY INCOME.

LACK OF STANDARDS, CHANGE IN STANDARDS POLICY UNDER BUSH
THE FRENZY OF THE ODD'S.
PLAYERS GAMED THE SYSTEM.
WHAT WAS THE TIPPING POINT THAT STARTED THE COLLAPSE?

Mitt the Plunderer

2012-01-09T11:17:00.000-06:00

The Bain years are catching up to the Mitt. With his business record shattered, does Romney have anything to run on? The conservatives don't like him anyway. Will the GOP have a fall back position?

Read greg Sargent's blog /Monday 1-9-2012

If romney can't defend himself from newt how will he do against axelrod ? Do Americans want a Gordon glecko?

ROMNEY - JUST CALL ME "PINK-SLIP "

"I LOVE FIRING PEOPLE"

2012 NFL PLAYOFFS

2012-01-07T16:52:00.001-06:00

Will Defenses predominate?

Total Defense / Total Offense
Cincinnati - #7 - #20 = 27
Houston - #2 - #13 = 15                      HOUSTON WINS, 31-10

Detroit - #23 - #5 = 28
New Orleans - #24 - #1 = 25     NEW ORLEANS WINS / TURNOVERS STOP DETROIT, 45-28

Giants - #27 - #8 = 35               NEW YORK GIANTS WIN, 24-2
Atlanta - #12 - #10 = 22

Pittsburgh - #1 - #12 = 13
Denver - #20 - #23 = 43           DENVER TEBOWS PGH, 29-23

Green Bay -
New York - who would have thought

SanFrancisco - 49ers of old back?
New Orleans -

New England - Hey kid, you got a lot to learn
Denver -

Baltimore - incredible defenses, the best prevails.
Houston -

New York
San Francisco

Baltimore
New England

defenses vs. offenses

What I want from a football announcer/analysis.

2012-01-07T16:06:00.001-06:00

What I want from a football announcer/analysis.
To the point:
1) Don't remind me about when you played. Few care, fewer remember - it doesn't seem to come with any insight most of the time.
2) Forget the endless stats chatter, screen scroll is designed for that. Some statistical commentary is useful.
3) What fans want is analysis, why this play, why that? Whats working, what's not. Sometimes quiet is OK.
4) The announcer's role - I want play-by-play, yes I know he has to remind me about the network & everything else.
5) The analysis's role - drop the adjectives(greatest player, etc.).
6) NFL football fans are among the most soficatered audience. Even more so than the general public is about politics.

Interesting point from Michael Tomasky -

2012-01-07T13:08:00.002-06:00

An ultra-rich man whose economic plan helps the ultra-rich and explodes the deficit, and who can’t be honest about his own income taxes—that’s who’s leading the GOP field. Read his piece at the Daily Beast.

Casino Capitalism -

2012-01-07T11:35:00.001-06:00

Crony Capitalism.

Saw Jeremy Rifkin on

2012-01-07T11:30:00.000-06:00

Charlie Rose speak about Germany and their plans for implementing the Third Industrial Revolution - they are light years ahead of the USA. We're F***ed !

Did Romney lay me off web site.

2012-01-06T18:38:00.001-06:00

WHO WILL GET THE POPE'S

2012-01-06T17:35:00.001-06:00

BLESSING FIRST ? SANTORUM OR GINGRICH.

The US economy, social act, and the political

2012-01-05T22:58:00.002-06:00

situation will get very interesting through 2012. Less than 10 months until the election, with budget issues dominating government, the employment situation affecting the election. The Republicans seem to be keeping the debt/ deficit issue in play encase the economy improves and they nolonger have that issue. But the OWS movement counters economic inequality (debt/deficit/growth battle).

Is Romney already boxed in?
Look into this these points
- ecomonic growth
- debt / deficit
- employment
- social issues (abortion/gay)
- foreign affairs
- budget matters
- regulation
- infrastructure
- energy/ natural resources / climate change

People forget that Obama put several things in place (healthcare / financial reform) - against the complete opposition of the moneyed class (the people who make all their wealth off of health care and finance) - they are there awaiting a more favorable Congress and / or a more progressive management. The New Deal just didn't happen on its own, individuals put it in place.

A new direction for DEFENSE -

2012-01-05T22:26:00.000-06:00

afterall, Defense spending is sacroscant - most of the money goes to the Church of Empire. A military built around pure national and alliance defense would look very much different. Remember this budget represents only military, the state and intelligence legs of this stool aren't under discussion.

They are GOD on earth -

2012-01-04T20:30:00.001-06:00

The United States Supreme Court. Thanks to John Marshall.

IT'S DOWN TO THE PLAY-OFFS

2011-12-31T18:24:00.003-06:00

we have ROMNEY vs NON-ROMNEY, Romney having a weak offense but tremendous defense. His super-PAC defense currently controls the Iowa game and is prepared to blow-out his opponents in the New Hampshire game. He can then accept a tie in the South Carolina game, and would walk into the Super Bowl as the NON-OBAMA. In the Obama game, the teams OBAMA vs THE NON-OBAMA ROMNEY woul appear to present a very competitive balance or equal abilility. TN-OR defense would be fully recharged, (the non-Romney teams/factions would be the variable = would they support him as the ultimate GOP candidate, desplit their reluctance over his religion and their underlying problem the REpublicans have with Romney is the same porblem the American public should being have with Romney = if he doesn't stand for anything, the flip=flopping, then can he make a decision? If the GOP league gets fully behind TN-OR, OBAMA team would have their hands full. With OBAMA team having no offense throughout the season and a just adequate Defense capable of winning just enough games to be in consideration, it goes into The SUPER BOWL with an even won-loss record. So it comes down to the Quarternbacks - OBAMA vs. ROMNEY & the DEFENSES (Super PACs). OBAMA needs Romney to be roughed up in the League games over the next 5 months. A contentious convention would show fractures and expose a major whole in his offense. A Romney losing his cool would be a major turn-over. Obama has to avoid a turn-over. Romney does not possess a bully-pulpit like Obama so he will have to spend to get exposure. Obama can create several drives using his office and through battling the Republican congress.

FINAL SCORE:
OBAMA = 16 (1-td (Turnover score, 3-fg's)
ROMNEY= 14 (2-td on offense).

or
OBAMA=   29   (2-TD's, 5-FG's)
ROMNEY=28    (2-TD's on OFF/ 2-TD's on DEF)

Obama's special teams - the OCCUPY movement (OWS)
Republican Vice-President Candidate
Intangible - the Economy (negative) World Political (neutral).
Unemployment / Employment
Federal Deficit
Health Care Act

AND THE MAJOR TAKE AWAY FOR 2011

2011-12-31T11:00:00.004-06:00

'For the first time, the top export of the United States, the world's biggest gas guzzler, is fuel.
Measured in dollars, the nation is on pace this year to ship more gasoline, diesel, and jet fuel than any other single export, according to U.S. Census data going back to 1990. It will also be the first year in more than 60 that America has been a net exporter of these fuels.
Just how big of a shift is this? A decade ago, fuel wasn't even among the top 25 exports. And for the last five years, America's top export was aircraft.'

'The trend is significant because for decades the U.S. has relied on huge imports of fuel from Europe in order to meet demand. It only reinforced the image of America as an energy hog. And up until a few years ago, whenever gasoline prices climbed, there were complaints in Congress that U.S. refiners were not growing quickly enough to satisfy domestic demand; that controversy would appear to be over.'

'The last time the U.S. was a net exporter of fuels was 1949, when Harry Truman was president.'

So much for the energy independence arguement. As another blogger stated - no manufacturing left in the USA, now corporations export natural resources - third world country, anyone?

'All the pollution but none of the tax revenues'

Interesting read - from a piece by

2011-12-27T22:56:00.002-06:00

Michael Thomas,

'This time, I fear, the public anger will not be deflected. Confessions, not false, will be exacted. Occupy Wall Street has set the snowball rolling; you may not think much of OWS—I have my own reservations, although none are philosophical or moral—but it has made America aware of a sinister, usurious process by which wealth has systematically been funneled into fewer and fewer hands. A process in which Washington played a useful supporting role, but no more than that.
Over the next year, I expect the “what” will give way to the “how” in the broad electorate’s comprehension of the financial situation. The 99 percent must learn to differentiate the bloodsuckers and rent-extractors from those in the 1 percent who make the world a better, more just place to live. Once people realize how Wall Street made its pile, understand how financiers get rich, what it is that they actually do, the time will become ripe for someone to gather the spreading ripples of anger and perplexity into a focused tsunami of retribution. To make the bastards pay, properly, for the grief and woe they have caused. Perhaps not to the extent proposed by H. L. Mencken, who wrote that when a bank fails, the first order of business should be to hang its board of directors, but in a manner in which the pain is proportionate to the collateral damage. Possibly an excess-profits tax retroactive to 2007, or some form of “Tobin tax” on transactions, or a wealth tax. The era of money for nothing will be over.
But it won’t just end with taxes. When the great day comes, Wall Street will pray for another Pecora, because compared with the rough beast now beginning to strain at the leash, Pecora will look like Phil Gramm. Humiliation and ridicule, even financial penalties, will be the least of the Street’s tribulations. There will be prosecutions and show trials. There will be violence, mark my words. Houses burnt, property defaced. I just hope that this time the mob targets the right people in Wall Street and in Washington. (How does a right-thinking Christian go about asking Santa for Mitch McConnell’s head under the Christmas tree?) There will be kleptocrats who threaten to take themselves elsewhere if their demands on jurisdictions and tax breaks aren’t met, and I say let ’em go!
At the end of the day, the convulsion to come won’t really be about Wall Street’s derivatives malefactions, or its subprime fun and games, or rogue trading, or the folly of banks. It will be about this society’s final opportunity to rip away the paralyzing shackles of corruption or else dwell forever in a neofeudal social order. You might say that 1384 has replaced 1984 as our worst-case scenario. I have lived what now, at 75, is starting to feel like a long life. If anyone asks me what has been the great American story of my lifetime, I have a ready answer. It is the corruption, money-based, that has settled like some all-enveloping excremental mist on the landscape of our hopes, that has permeated every nook of any institution or being that has real influence on the way we live now. Sixty years ago, if you had asked me, on the basis of all that I had been taught, whether I thought this condition of general rot was possible in this country, I would have told you that you were nuts. And I would have been very wrong. What has happened in this country has made a lie of my boyhood.'

'As 2011 slithers to its end, none of the major problems that led to the crisis point three years ago have really been solved. Bank balance sheets still reek. Europe day by day becomes a financial black hole, with matter from the periphery being sucked toward the center until the vortex itself collapses. The Street and its ministries of propaganda have fallen back on a Big Lie as old as capitalism itself: that all that has gone wrong has been government’s fault. This time, however, I don’t think the argument that “Washington ate my homework” is going to work. This time, a firestorm is going to explode about the Street’s head—and about time, too.'

So Romney's guarantee

2011-12-27T11:52:00.003-06:00

of a job for every college graduate sounds like 'just another Big-government entitlement program'. I mean where will the jobs come from - another bureaucracy counting paper-clips?

So, its ROMNEY

2011-12-24T10:40:00.000-06:00

- none of the other JOKERS could get it together to even get on the ballot.

I just came to a realization

2011-12-23T11:33:00.001-06:00

my loyal friend Bella understands self-interest better than most Americans.

Corporate welfare -

2011-12-21T13:40:00.001-06:00

"austerity programs" do not reduce governments' deficits because austerity is nothing more than redirecting funds from domestic programs into corporate welfare programs including bank bailouts and military industrial complex costs. Government deficits will continue to grow and the serial solution will be more "austerity".

John Boehner -

2011-12-21T13:28:00.001-06:00

ventriloquist for the Tea Party.

When will the media bust Romney's

2011-12-21T12:00:00.001-06:00

BIG LIE? The media currently seems to want to help the Republican elites install Romney as the nominee, but eventually the media will change and begin exposing Romney's flip-flopping. Romney will be finished about 1 month after his nomination. The American media is fickle, they build up a candidate then tear them down. With 10 months to go a lot can change but Obama has the pulpit and Romney has nothing. The Republican Congress is toxic, if Obama can tie Romney to them its over before the convention. In the end, the voters must consider if the economy will be any better under Romney than Obama.
UPDATED: 12-22-2011 - With Romney currently refusing to release his tax return and continued flip-flopping by summer he will be a very weak candidate. Will the Republicans nominate a loser?

What is the Republican end-game?

2011-12-21T11:50:00.000-06:00

Once the wealthy have ALL the money and assets where do we go?

Why is the free market so interested

2011-12-20T11:59:00.000-06:00

in taking over the services previously offered by government? Maybe the free market doesn't really work, and its easier to get our elected officials to give them our tax revenues to privatize those formerly government services. I mean they don't deliver the services any cheaper or more effectively.

Thoughts

2011-12-20T11:40:00.000-06:00

One is the getting rid of the lower capital gains and dividend rates and the other is the top rate. The lower capital gain and dividend rate is a distorting subsidy to the stock market that sucks investment from small business into portfolio income. The top rate can be increased without damaging the economy because it's impact on disposable income is insignificant and we have had higher rates at time when we have done well.
Spending isn't the problem as much as wasted spending is the problem. When the government creates the predecessor to the internet or GPS, it is well worth the expense. When the government makes the stock market appear safe, it is well worth the expense. Such expenses if cut will not improve productivity or generate a recovery.

Can you imagine a Native American tribe

2011-12-20T11:37:00.001-06:00

deciding to starve half the tribe so that a few members of the tribe can have more than everyone else.

Predatory capitalism

2011-12-20T11:29:00.000-06:00

is the same as free enterprise. I never thought a mom-and-pop grocery store was the same as buying a company, stripping its assets & throwing thousands out of work. One problem we have is there are more regulations on small businesses than on multi-nationals.

AMERICAN EXCEPTIONALISM

2011-12-15T11:56:00.001-06:00

-- exceptionally stupid for letting the corporations get away with the plunder of our wealth and resources, natural and human.

Time to kick

2011-12-14T20:24:00.000-06:00

Ron Wyden out of the US Senate. Just Saying.

So the world financial system is

2011-12-12T21:05:00.001-06:00

So the world financial system is insolvent. Didn't Marx say something about finance capital being the highest stage of capitalism. Government (that's you and me) is being required to buy all the junk from the banks at face value plus absolve them of any taxes. There are no tax funds left to help the broad middle class get back on its feet. Remember we are paying for their wars.
We just finished the first installment, a second installment will be coming due soon - probably in 2012.
An election, two major SCOTUS decisions, world financial collapse, mass world-wide protests, climate crisises.

So you pay too much taxes - where do you want you tax dollars to go?

Do I detect the right

2011-12-12T17:30:00.001-06:00

is starting to eat their young. Republicans attacking other Republicans for who's the biggest crony capitalist.

Obama needs to run on

2011-12-12T16:45:00.001-06:00

a progressive domestic platform and foreign policy direction while painting the Repug as unacceptable.

Voter turnout

2011-12-12T12:52:00.002-06:00

Could that be the real takeaway from the republican primaries.

WHAT'S GOOD FOR THE GOOSE

2011-12-12T10:46:00.001-06:00

IS GOOD FOR THE GANDER - REPUBLICANS ARE DEFENDING ROMNEY'S $10K BET BUT HAD NO PROBLEM ATTACKING JOHN EDWARDS $400 HAIRCUT. THE CONTEXT OF ROMNEY'S REMARK WAS FAR MORE MATERIAL TO THE TEMPERMENT OF A PRESIDENT.

A pro-football team needs

2011-12-11T14:15:00.001-06:00

at least 4 impact players besides the quarterback & a left tackle. I'd build a defense first, followed by an offensive line.

Does the Progressive movement

2011-12-11T14:00:00.001-06:00

needs an election machine - to recruit, train, raise money, campaign. If it doesn't, why? This needs built from the ground up and operate continuously.

I'm I the only one who saw that

2011-12-11T12:42:00.001-06:00

the real problem with a Romney presidency is not a $10k bet but his cowtowing to Israel.

What is the Republican message -

2011-12-11T10:38:00.001-06:00

1. Lower taxes at the top margin;
2. Deregulate, particularly extractive industries;
3. End the freedom of working people to organize in their economic interest;
4. End economic protections for working people (medicare, medicaid, social security, wage protections);
5. Put poor children to work at the cost of jobs for working people who are supporting families.

And, don't forget - it's good for the rich to organize into corporations, but bad if everybody else to organize into unions.

It's lookin' like Newt -

2011-12-10T17:37:00.001-06:00

why ? because - to Republicans 'he is their last hope for THE ONE who will take down Obama in a mean, vicious way. Romney wouldn’t be vicious enough for them. ... They would nominate Hitler himself if they thought he could take out Obama…their hatred for Obama is all consuming, to the detriment of their party as a whole. And, they don’t want to just take him out, they want him to take a beating. He’s way too uppity.' The real question - does Obama have the stomach or the moxie to take it to Gingrich or would he be Mr. Wimp ?
Among independent minded people Obama's issue is “His inability to rally the political forces, if you will, to accomplish his goal is what disappoints me." He needs to attack. Or he will be seen as weak -
“Voters either don’t understand, or they don’t care, that the GOP has employed an unprecedented level of filibustering in order to block all of Obama’s policies, even ones that have majority public support from Dems, independents and Republicans alike. Their reaction, in a nutshell, seems to be: The Obama-led government isn’t acting on the economy? Obama can’t get his policies passed? Well, he must be weak.”
However, is the real issue the Republican effort to deny Obama any victory and his failure to see it and/or act on it. Its rooted in the bigotry and prejudice still rampant in America. Mitch McConnell said it: "We must make Obama a one term president"! The economy the TEA/GOP/Republicans are trying to paint on the president is in fact the current Congress's. The real reason this "Do Nothing! No. Not Now! Never" Congress is because Boehner's a cripple. The confrontational Terroristic Economic Antagonist(TEA) party has corrupted the mainstream Republican party with their fringe, narrow-minded people. Their Guru is Grover Norquist and his Americans for tax Reform PAC, which has never proven lowering taxes would generate jobs. There has been no give and take benefiting the general population, but contentious bickering over taxation increases to the most affluent of America. The killing of finances for programs for the infra-structure and children is the heights of irresponsibility. It just goes to show how insane the Republican determination not to allow Obama ANY success is.

The right doesn't like it when

2011-12-10T16:46:00.001-06:00

a progressive/liberal labels them with a blanket phase but the right does it automatically without ever thinking.

Bloomberg ?

2011-12-10T13:53:00.001-06:00

the third way candidate?

Fiscal conservatism

2011-12-10T13:27:00.001-06:00

has always been a fiction, all it means is cutting government programs that don't affect you. There's no real constituency for that.

If you're stuck in the middle

2011-12-10T13:23:00.001-06:00

you weren't going anywhere to begin with.

You don't believe an idea because its true -

2011-12-10T12:14:00.001-06:00

it's true because you believe it. The paradox of the right and their odd belief system. The truth is
they believe we are a nation founded on biblical principles when in fact, our declaration and constitution are founded on protestant and enlightenment principles. Martin Luther led the reformation of the church because he found no leadership of the Catholic Church, which at the time, was selling indulgences to finance the building of St. Peter's Basilica in Rome. In other words, the Church-the moral authority in Christendom-was telling people that Sin was okay, IF YOU COULD PAY FOR IT.

We find ourselves facing a similar situation now with the far right wing of government, willing to sell indulgences to Wall Street, to Big Business, to Big Oil, so long as they set a little of the profit of their immorality aside to feed the gate keepers. We now are in need another Martin Luther, a protestant reformer willing and able to challenge the morality of the gate keepers of our democracy, the SCOTUS, and our representatives and insist that government reform itself, or face the reform of the people. The President can only lead where people are willing to follow, and the disappointment in Obama has been his willingness to accept big finance and big business and big oil, as his superior and follow them and his unwillingness to stand up to them as Martin Luther did.

Why would rich people spend

2011-12-10T11:33:00.001-06:00

their wealth on job creation? Altruism? Innate goodness? Especially when the returns from stock/bond trading are much better and less risky.

Voucher health care plan

2011-12-09T11:05:00.001-06:00

50 $20 off Starbucks coupons - first off no coupons for your mandated two weeks of no pay, why starbucks - because that's where your doctor will be working once the health care industry collapses.

CHOICES -

2011-12-09T10:52:00.001-06:00

A) CATHOLIC, ACADEMIC ELITIST, CAREER POLITICAN/LOBBYIST

B) MORMON, WALL STREET BARON, turned CAREER POLITICAN

Wake up - Christian Conservatives & Tea Partiers.

Headline says it all -

2011-12-08T11:35:00.001-06:00

30 big corporations spent more for lobbying than they paid in taxes. Is this what the Tea Party supports? Also, 265 corporations have stiffed the states for $42.7 billion. So who is supporting government.

The choices (someone else's opinion)

2011-12-07T20:25:00.001-06:00

"I don't think this is about saving America anymore..it's about deciding the shape of the decline and what comes afterward. Left/progressive guidance could take us to something better..less harmful toward the earth, less reliant on religious delusion, perhaps a shade more enlightened. The right wing/republican path is toward militarization, control, obedience, and submission to overwhelming corporate and government power. EITHER WAY, the country as we knew it IS going down..this is a fight over the future."

"The type of environment this would create would be much more honest than what we have now. The true nature of government would be so clear that even the average american idiot could see it. As long as a large % of americans think that this government is basically "good" and helpful then real solutions will not happen. you have to get rid of the illusions first. This is why police violence is so useful..it helps everyone see their true nature. And I think it really DOES take that; it really DOES have to be that obvious, before people will finally GET IT."

The republican strategy

2011-12-07T18:11:00.001-06:00

- they don't care about the Presidency - they want to hang Great Depression II on Obama and the democrats, besides from 2013 through 2017 economy isn't likely to get significantly better particularly
if they are in a position to obstruct - therefore the goal is to improve their strength in the House and win majority control in the senate. Romney would do the least damage to the down ticket races.

Why do we have Debt ?

2011-12-05T20:08:00.001-06:00

On the surface it appears we have debt because we want to spend more for government than it generates. But who decides what government will spend $ on and why tax rates are what they are. The rational doesn't make any sense to me and to most people I speak with. It seems in most of my adult life government has run a deficit. It seems politicans want to reduce tax revenue and give tax money to entities. For some of these entites what they receive in tax revenue business is far and away more than they supply in tax moneies.
For me this is the central problem.
There is also a more significant issue in play. In the 40's,50's, 60's & 70's if one wanted to make money one went into the private sector. Since Reagan business as moved to take over government. By now its hard to name a corporation that doesn't have government 'business'. They seem to provide inadequate, incompetent service, over-priced products & services and constantly demand to pay less and less in taxes at the same time.
Now we are at a crossroads - the idea of being an individual citizen in america has become a myth - the new definition of citizen has come to be a corporation or the interests of the '1%' as well as the top 5% (?). Political office is viewed as a way to become rich This is the central problem with the voter group - electing individuals who don't serve the voters interests or more clearly - the voters don't seem to know their own interests.

Read an interesting piece on

2011-12-05T11:14:00.001-06:00

the NEWT - the shock-jock candidate.The best face-off would be between Obama and the Newt. Newt is the best Republican in the field and stands for everything Republican - it would be a complete repudiation of all things Republican & would get this country moving. What will be the lesson of 2012?
Obama would have to go progressive against the Newt where as he could be centralist against Romney. The race would be close through the summer then about 2 months out it would go overwhelmingly Obama. People don't vote hate and the general public will suddenly see Newt and the Republican party as what it really is. I do see a people's victory. The extreme right will stay home and hide. Economic fairless is a comin'. The debate would be about issues vs. talking points/one-liners (granted not very indepth).

Who's really running for President ?

2011-12-02T14:22:00.001-06:00

I mean besides Romney no one as a staff or ground game including Newt, except Perry. Who would get Perry's campaign organization if he drops out. That's The person we need to watch for.

Just saw the weirdest commercial

2011-11-27T17:02:00.001-06:00

- couldn't tell if it's a car (Jeep) ad or for a new video game. How surreal!

I've mentioned this before

2011-11-27T13:45:00.001-06:00

financial troubles are a comin . . . Greece, Italy, the Euro, derivatives. Any bets? Look for BIG problems come summer 2012. It will re-elect Obama because none of the clowns have any clue about the world financial issues. Particularly the Mitt & the Newt, and the powers that be know this. Consider there are between $250T & $707T in derivatives (greater than the GDP of the entire world) for which there is no market. If they 'marked-to-market' rather than 'mark-to-myth' the world's banking system would be gone.

The Federal deficiit issue is political,

2011-11-26T14:08:00.001-06:00

not economic. No matter how it is framed the rich do not want to pay more taxes.

18.6 million empty homes,

2011-11-26T11:49:00.001-06:00

3.5 million homeless.

I remember the Golden State,

2011-11-23T15:35:00.001-06:00

California has it was "Before Reagan, and Prop 13, a talented Californian kid could go from kindergarten through PhD virtually free. And in exchange, California had one of the brightest and most innovative populations in the country. Sadly, all this has changed. 30 years of Republican antitax zealotry have gutted the system." - a blogger.

OCCUPY

2011-11-22T21:52:00.001-06:00

Proposed Occupy movement's "vision statement".

We Envision: [1] a truly free, democratic, and just society; [2] where we, the people, come together and solve our problems by consensus; [3] where people are encouraged to take personal and collective responsibility and participate in decision making; [4] where we learn to live in harmony and embrace principles of toleration and respect for diversity and the differing views of others; [5] where we secure the civil and human rights of all from violation by tyrannical forces and unjust governments; [6] where political and economic institutions work to benefit all, not just the privileged few; [7] where we provide full and free education to everyone, not merely to get jobs but to grow and flourish as human beings; [8] where we value human needs over monetary gain, to ensure decent standards of living without which effective democracy is impossible; [9] where we work together to protect the global environment to ensure that future generations will have safe and clean air, water and food supplies, and will be able to enjoy the beauty and bounty of nature that past generations have enjoyed.

Also check out Michael Moore's 10 points. Any you don't like? Any you would like to add?

The Occupy movement hasn't gone away

2011-11-22T21:38:00.001-06:00

& will not go away. Its morphing in many interesting ways. If Zuccotti Park was Lexington then we now have american revolutionaries deploying everywhere the crown appears.

Is Huntsman positioning himself for

2011-11-22T20:41:00.001-06:00

Secretary of State - in either a Republican or Democratic Administration?

Avoiding reality -

2011-11-22T20:17:00.001-06:00

during the Vietnam War the most popular comedy on TV was MASH . A PBS series in early TV made me realize where all the clue words for the current times come from. The current times mindset was formed in the late 40's & 50's. It's a imagine of a reality that wasn't real then.

'Occupy ______' is beginning to follow a

2011-11-20T21:05:00.001-06:00

path similar to the American Revolution. Just my take - will elaborate later.

George Washington's success in the American

2011-11-15T20:12:00.001-06:00

Revolution was primarily from just 'keeping an army in being". Sometimes just surviving is success.

1964 Free Speech Movement -

2011-11-15T20:08:00.001-06:00

Berkeley, California. Did it all begin as free speech.

In 60 days -

2011-11-15T14:07:00.001-06:00

the occupy movment has formed committees in 100's of locations. With the crack-down it will enter a new phase. What it will be is anyone's guess - or if one understands history - a convention. But that already happened virtually. So . . . 1/10 of 1% of the population has changed the entire idalogue.

From Greg Sargent, Wash Post

2011-11-15T12:49:00.001-06:00

While I don't consider any Republican candidate to be electable, this view of Newt & OvenMitt are right on. From Greg Sargent -

"It’s one thing to have a nominee who might betray conservatives for his own electoral self-interest, as with Mitt Romney; it’s another, and far worse, to have someone who might sell out conservatives because he suddenly wakes up one morning and decides all on his own to go off in some other direction. That’s the danger of Newt as nominee or president."

PS. The Occupy movement is only getting started, its mearly completing its intial iteration. Stage two up next. It's not going away. The public wants action on economic fairness and jobs.

Fundamental Transformational change

2011-11-14T13:58:00.001-06:00

Did 9/11 change anything?
The post-war world is coming to an end. (post-1945) and so is the reagan era 1980-2012.
Are we seeing the sun set on America's long nightmare - the unprovoked war with Iraq and the second era of offensive warfare.

The Big Change -
First, the Collapse of the Freedom Agenda: In the wake of 9/11, the administration of George W. Bush set out to remake the Greater Middle East. This was the ultimate strategic objective of Bush’s “global war on terror.”
Second, the Great Recession 2008- the recognization of extreme income inequality
Third, the Arab Spring:
Fourth, Beleaguered Europe’s Quest for a Lifeline:

These four points from an article -
Big Change Whether We Like It or NotOnly Washington Is Clueless
By Andrew Bacevich

I would add several other vectors that I see:
- energy (end of the age of fossil (indirect-sun-light) energy).
- population + resources
- the complete globalization
- changing global climate
- the complete financialization of the US economy and the transformation to a capitalist/socialist model.

A Chance to destroy the

2011-11-12T20:54:00.001-06:00

Republican Party - 2012. One must vote for that reason alone!

I'll tell you how to beat someone,

2011-11-12T18:02:00.001-06:00

keep them off-guard at all times.

Could we be so lucky -

2011-11-12T15:04:00.001-06:00

NEWT !

Great Quote -

2011-11-12T13:51:00.001-06:00

What good is a man who won't take a stand? What good is a cynic with no better plan? - Ben Harper

Who do the Republicans WANT to run ?

2011-11-11T17:37:00.001-06:00

Now, Newt is considered a contender ! The secret Republican party apparatus does not want Romney in the worst way, but who do they want? Every possible has major flaws and smart money doesn't want it this year. Any contenders? Any contenders? Anyone, contenders please?

MY ADVISE TO ANYONE

2011-11-09T15:02:00.003-06:00

Basically, I would impart these 5 points:
1. Re-invent yourself every 10 years.

2. Be prepared to retire @ 50-55 without the government's help (accumulate and develop the resources one needs to survive and prosper).

3. Ask yourself this question regarding someone else's leadership or direction - 'Would I follow this person into combat. Take their direction under extreme, questionable conditions.'

4. What's the end game?

5. We'll see.

(about the last two, if you have to ask what do I mean, you have a lot to learn.)

And a sixth one - learn to eat and drink well.

Milquetoast Romney

2011-11-07T10:30:00.000-06:00

doesn't it sound good ! Between him and Cain - well, what a choice.

Student loans should be priced at

2011-11-06T19:22:00.001-06:00

the fed funds rate! Currently 0%-0.25%.

Internet cliche

2011-11-06T11:21:00.000-06:00

going on the attack by hiding behind your anonymity. How often do you see this?

Why is nothing being done

2011-11-05T18:11:00.000-06:00

Under Bush 43, spending increased 241% ($11.6 trillion), while revenue decreased 442%, due primarily to cuts in income and capital gains tax for the wealthy (under Reagan, the capital gains tax was 28%, under Bush it was 14%, accounting for billions in loss revenue), which led to massive teacher lay-offs and a 93% loss of total wealth for middleclass Americans.

Under Obama, Americans have seen less corporate regulation, 20 consecutive months of private sector job growth, consistent GDP growth, increased stock market valuation, and the highest ratio of profit to worker wages in 60 years, yet Republicans continue to sabotage, obstruct and chip away at the middleclass. Republicans want to keep unemployment high because history has shown that incumbent presidents don’t get reelected when unemployment is high, which is why Republicans are sabotaging and obstructing every job creation bill introduced by Obama, while opting instead to pass 244 bills that rename government buildings, federal parks and post offices after fellow Republicans. In their latest piece of obstructionism, Republicans voted against levying a paltry .7% tax increase on 300,000 millionaires, a move that would have created 400,000 sorely need construction/infrastructure repair jobs. Since 2009, Republicans have blocked 491 bills specifically designed to increase revenue and create jobs. During the decade Republicans controlled congress, tax revenue decreased by 58%, unemployment soared to 8.6% and 46 million Americans were thrown into poverty, while government spending topped out at $11.4 trillion.

In 2010, 22 Fortune 100 corporations paid no federal or state income tax, while the remaining 78 paid a paltry and derisory 4% on combined profits topping $1 trillion. Even more shocking, last year the top 25 American CEOs took home more in salary and bonuses than their corporations paid in federal and state taxes, and the top 50 corporations paid more to lobbyist than they did in federal and state taxes, yet republicans continue to embrace and spread the outlandish lie that American corporations are over taxed, and that corporate taxes are killing jobs, which is also a lie.

Is move your money

2011-11-05T11:26:00.000-06:00

a vote of no-confidence? The last several months are just the first roll-call. Keep calling for a vote every month. The dollar numbers may appear small but the effect is enormous. Checking, Savings, credit cards, auto loans, personal loans, mortgages. It all adds up.

If a Republican is elected President

2011-11-05T10:59:00.003-06:00

the economy will completely collapse. No government spending, already little consumer demand, a horrible housing situation, more tax cuts for the wealthy, and continued defense and security spending will send the federal deficit through the roof. Add in cuts to Social Security and health programs - a recipe for disaster.

9-9-9 Plan

2011-11-04T20:35:00.002-06:00

So it basically taxes consumption. Let's see 80% of the US economy depends on consumer demand (ie., consumption). Well there goes the demand.

The Herb Cain phenonemon

2011-11-04T19:13:00.000-06:00

is all about getting the media to think this is a serious effort. The ultimate goal is to degrade the electoral process. Its working!

Each of us must decide

2011-11-02T19:47:00.001-06:00

with whom do we stand. The 1% or the 99%. The confrontation is coming and we can not ignore it.

No man escapes childhood

2011-10-30T13:16:00.002-06:00

without knowing how little he knows.

WE KEEP FUCKIN' UP THE END GAME

2011-10-30T12:43:00.001-06:00

IF YOU KNEW THE END GAME THINGS WOULDN'T SEEMED SO FUCKED UP. UNFORTUNATELY YOU'RE NOT INCLUDED IN THE END GAME. & REALLY
NEITHER ARE YOU ! WE'LL SEE.

CONGRESS ISN'T ELECTED

2011-10-30T11:34:00.001-06:00

BY VOTERS - IT'S ELECTED BY CONTRIBUTORS. HOW MUCH HAVE YOU GIVEN?