CapitalistMarks » term limits

Obama goes balistic. Opens door for further GOP criticism.

scott — Fri, 10 Sep 2010 13:24:55 +0000

When I was really young there were these Burma Shaves signs along the old highways (not freeways or interstates). There were usually 4 small ones together, with one about every 200 yards or so. Each sign had a few words and the combined message was simple, fun and easy to understand.

Here is one that sticks out: A GUY WHO DRIVES A CAR WIDE OPEN IS NOT THINKIN’ HE’S JUST HOPIN’

When I had digested President Obama’s strident, partisan and angry oratory in Ohio two days ago, I had the impression he and his speech writers had not been and were not — THINKIN.’ Just hoping that the message would work since nothing else seems to be (working that is).

That messsage? One the dems have been using a lot lately and one the President believes mitigates all of his disastrous spending policies: The devil Republicans made me do it. Especially President Bush. Not the dems fault. Blame anybody else but not them.

The crowd that was there loved it. The ‘anti-Beck’ has spoken and the faithful cheered.

I didn’t buy it and I don’t think the the voters in Ohio will either.

Come on, who is the President kidding?

His Ohio visit and message wasn’t about the economy at all. It didn’t address the problems nor offer any viable solutions. There was no meat in it.

Nope. It was nothing more than a campaign speech with all of the requisite negativity thrown at the ‘not-so-loyal’ opposition.

There is no place in today’s economic and political atmosphere for our President to be so decisive. I can understand why Beck, O’Reilly, Olberman and the like do it (money, money, money — thank you ABBA). But the President? No way, Jose (not Canseco)!

The President’s primary job is to solve American problems, close behind is to be a cheerleader for our weary nation.

Come on Obama? What have you and your fellow socialists Democrats done in the past two years? Doubled and tripled the deficit, created unheard of debt and done absolutely nothing to fix unemployment.

The blame game only works so long and the dems deadline to drop out of the game was last spring. Oh, yeah, Obama, what ever happened to that change in politics you promised us? Same old same old.

I don’t like either party right now. I hope you are with me on this.

Bush was an awful President. The Republicans in Congress just made his terms worse. But Obama is opening himself up to being right there at the top with Bush and the dems in Congress are not helping the President.

We need solutions from our leaders. Not stonewalling and criticism. But President Obama has really opened the door and the Republican leadership is going to go storming through. I hope they do.

We need new and better leadership. In Washington D.C. and in our own backyards (cities, counties and states–hope you heard about the city leaders in a small California town that were bleeding the working citizens to death with near $million compensation packages).

To mention just one important thing, we need to start over with a completely new tax code . . . and that will only happen if we get completely new leaders in Washington. To change the anger and hatred in politics we have got to change the politicians. In fact we need to rid our nation of the word “politicians.” No career elected leaders, ever, just genuine citizens elected for a term or two.

I (we?) can only hope that the two parties tear at each other so much that we, the people, see them for what they are and start voting out every single multi-term elected official there is.

By the way, a VAT (value added tax) like most other developed nations have would be an excellent replacement for our income-tax system. And the best way to stimulate the economy is to create jobs, give incentives to businesses, and then get government the heck out of the way.

Aren’t we all?

scott — Sun, 28 Mar 2010 21:02:16 +0000

A friend sent me this yesterday. I don’t agree with everything but most of it is sadly true and an accurate reflection of American ‘government.’ Please read, if it makes you mad then good. If it makes you want to vote out ALL incumbents, then even better.

“I’m 63 and I’m Tired”

by Robert A. Hall

I’m 63. Except for one semester in college when jobs were scarce and a six-month period when I was between jobs, but job-hunting every day, I’ve worked, hard, since I was 18. Despite some health challenges, I still put in 50-hour weeks, and haven’t called in sick in seven or eight years. I make a good salary, but I didn’t inherit my job or my income, and I worked to get where I am. Given the economy, there’s no retirement in sight, and I’m tired. Very tired.

I’m tired of being told that I have to “spread the wealth” to people who don’t have my work ethic. I’m tired of being told the government will take the money I earned, by force if necessary, and give it to people too lazy to earn it.

I’m tired of being told that I have to pay more taxes to “keep people in their homes.” Sure, if they lost their jobs or got sick, I’m willing to help. But if they bought McMansions at three times the price of our paid-off, $250,000 condo, on one-third of my salary, then let the left-wing Congress-critters who passed Fannie and Freddie and the Community Reinvestment Act that created the bubble help them with their own money.

I’m tired of being told how bad America is by left-wing millionaires like Michael Moore, George Soros and Hollywood Entertainers who live in luxury because of the opportunities America offers. In thirty years, if they get their way, the United States will have the economy of Zimbabwe , the freedom of the press of China , the crime and violence of Mexico , the tolerance for Christian people of Iran , and the freedom of speech of Venezuela .

I’m tired of being told that Islam is a “Religion of Peace,” when every day I can read dozens of stories of Muslim men killing their sisters, wives and daughters for their family “honor”; of Muslims rioting over some slight offense; of Muslims murdering Christian and Jews because they aren’t “believers”; of Muslims burning schools for girls; of Muslims stoning teenage rape victims to death for “adultery”; of Muslims mutilating the genitals of little girls; all in the name of Allah, because the Qur’an and Shari’a law tells them to.

I’m tired of being told that “race doesn’t matter” in the post-racial world of Obama, when it’s all that matters in affirmative action jobs, lower college admission and graduation standards for minorities (harming them the most), government contract set-asides, tolerance for the ghetto culture of violence and fatherless children that hurts minorities more than anyone, and in the appointment of U.S. Senators from Illinois.

I think it’s very cool that we have a black president and that a black child is doing her homework at the desk where Lincoln wrote the Emancipation Proclamation. I just wish the black president was Condi Rice, or someone who believes more in freedom and the individual and less arrogantly of an all-knowing government.

I’m tired of a news media that thinks Bush’s fundraising and inaugural expenses were obscene, but that think Obama’s, at triple the cost, were wonderful; that thinks Bush exercising daily was a waste of presidential time, but Obama exercising is a great example for the public to control weight and stress; that picked over every line of Bush’s military records, but never demanded that Kerry release his; that slammed Palin, with two years as governor, for being too inexperienced for VP, but touted Obama with three years as senator as potentially the best president ever. Wonder why people are dropping their subscriptions or switching to Fox News? Get a clue. I didn’t vote for Bush in 2000, but the media and Kerry drove me to his camp in 2004.

I’m tired of being told that out of “tolerance for other cultures” we must let Saudi Arabia use our oil money to fund mosques and madrassa Islamic schools to preach hate in America , while no American group is allowed to fund a church, synagogue or religious school in Saudi Arabia to teach love and tolerance.

I’m tired of being told I must lower my living standard to fight global warming, which no one is allowed to debate. My wife and I live in a two-bedroom apartment and carpool together five miles to our jobs. We also own a three-bedroom condo where our daughter and granddaughter live. Our carbon footprint is about 5% of Al Gore’s, and if you’re greener than Gore, you’re green enough.

I’m tired of being told that drug addicts have a disease, and I must help support and treat them, and pay for the damage they do. Did a giant germ rush out of a dark alley, grab them, and stuff white powder up their noses while they tried to fight it off? I don’t think Gay people choose to be Gay, but I damn sure think druggies chose to take drugs. And I’m tired of harassment from cool people treating me like a freak when I tell them I never tried marijuana.

I’m tired of illegal aliens being called “undocumented workers,” especially the ones who aren’t working, but are living on welfare or crime. What’s next? Calling drug dealers, “Undocumented Pharmacists”? And, no, I’m not against Hispanics. Most of them are Catholic, and it’s been a few hundred years since Catholics wanted to kill me for my religion. I’m willing to fast track for citizenship any Hispanic person, who can speak English, doesn’t have a criminal record and who is self-supporting without family on welfare, or who serves honorably for three years in our military…. Those are the citizens we need.

I’m tired of latte liberals and journalists, who would never wear the uniform of the Republic themselves, or let their entitlement-handicapped kids near a recruiting station, trashing our military. They and their kids can sit at home, never having to make split-second decisions under life and death circumstances, and bad mouth better people than themselves. Do bad things happen in war? You bet. Do our troops sometimes misbehave? Sure. Does this compare with the atrocities that were the policy of our enemies for the last fifty years and still are? Not even close. So here’s the deal. I’ll let myself be subjected to all the humiliation and abuse that was heaped on terrorists at Abu Ghraib or Gitmo, and the critics can let themselves be subject to captivity by the Muslims, who tortured and beheaded Daniel Pearl in Pakistan, or the Muslims who tortured and murdered Marine Lt. Col. William Higgins in Lebanon, or the Muslims who ran the blood-spattered Al Qaeda torture rooms our troops found in Iraq, or the Muslims who cut off the heads of schoolgirls in Indonesia, because the girls were Christian. Then we’ll compare notes. British and American soldiers are the only troops in history that civilians came to for help and handouts, instead of hiding from in fear.

I’m tired of people telling me that their party has a corner on virtue and the other party has a corner on corruption. Read the papers; bums are bipartisan. And I’m tired of people telling me we need bipartisanship. I live in Illinois , where the “Illinois Combine” of Democrats has worked to loot the public for years. Not to mention the tax cheats in Obama’s cabinet.

I’m tired of hearing wealthy athletes, entertainers and politicians of both parties talking about innocent mistakes, stupid mistakes or youthful mistakes, when we all know they think their only mistake was getting caught. I’m tired of people with a sense of entitlement, rich or poor.

Speaking of poor, I’m tired of hearing people with air-conditioned homes, color TVs and two cars called poor. The majority of Americans didn’t have that in 1970, but we didn’t know we were “poor.” The poverty pimps have to keep changing the definition of poor to keep the dollars flowing.

I’m real tired of people who don’t take responsibility for their lives and actions. I’m tired of hearing them blame the government, or discrimination or big-whatever for their problems.

Yes, I’m damn tired. But I’m also glad to be 63. Because, mostly, I’m not going to have to see the world these people are making. I’m just sorry for my granddaughter.

Robert A. Hall is a Marine Vietnam veteran who served five terms in the Massachusetts State Senate.

Thanks to flickr’s tim pearce for the photo

Healthcare & Incumbent politics — an economic disaster!

scott — Thu, 24 Dec 2009 18:04:31 +0000

I have waited to write this until the Senate democrats made their final vote on their own health care reform. Not American health care reform. Democrat health care reform.

It passed early this morning. The vote? 60-39. No republicans voted for the plan. Every single Democrat voted for it.

Jeeze Louise! When will the partisan politics end? When will the mantra of ‘what is good for the country’ replace the partisan one of ‘what is good for my re-election?’

I wish I could tell you the details of the democrats plans (the one that passed the House and the one that passed the Senate). But I can’t. Because I don’t have the time to read four or five thousand pages. And you know what? That goes for most of our Senators and Congressmen either (they have only read the parts they drafted).

Are the two bills that must now be merged before final passage any good? Who really knows.

But this much is clear. There was no real effort on the part of democrats to engage republicans so that the bills would be widely acceptable. Further, there was no real effort by the republicans to seek such engagement and get strategies important to them in the bills.

Consequently these bills (as drafted) do nothing to limit frivolous medical lawsuits, nothing to effectively lower the cost of medications (Americans pay twice as much as other countries in some cases), do little to stop the incredible growth of health care costs, do little to extend coverage to all Americans (about 25 million people are left out in the cold), do little to limit the extravagant benefits Congress has, and leave many other questions unanswered as well.

These draft bills are NOT what President Obama promised. They are partisan and offensive to most knowledgeable Americans.

Why does onlyNebraska get added medicare costs payed by the government (at the expense of citizens of all other states)? As a bonus thrown in to get Nebraska’s vote, that’s why!

And there are other unfair and ‘porkified’ benefits thrown in as well simply to get votes that otherwise would not be there.

I don’t know what the final bill will look like and I am not really interested in the details yet.

It is enough to know that this bill was cobbled together by democrats so that democrats will get re-elected. Another case of incumbent politics. It is enough to know that this bill was cobbled together without any republican help so that those republicans could oppose, oppose and oppose — to help them get re-elected.

How does Congress work? Whatever it takes to get re-elected and NOT what it takes to make America a better place for our 300 million citizens.

Harry Reid should be ashamed. Nancy Pelosi should be ashamed. President Obama should be ashamed. The democrats should be ashamed and the republicans too!

It seems that costs of the final bill will be much higher than the benefits. This bill alone (when finally written and passed) could add billions of $$ to our already impossibly high deficit. It has no hope of being anything but an economic disaster.

The problem is that it will take years to prove itself one way or the other. By then it will be forgotten by the voters and new issues will arise that force the majority party to act selfishly to get re-elected. The minority party will act just as selfishly to fight anything new . . . not because it is the right thing to do but because acting selfishly will help get them re-elected.

This partisan approach to running our government must end.

America is NOT the place for life long, professional politicians. The only way to make this happen is with term limits. America is no place for entitled political leaders. America is no place for decisions to be made based on re-election probabilities. The only way to make this happen is with term limits.

America should be the country where normal citizens take four or eight years off of their regular life to serve the country as best they can and then return to earning a living the old fashioned way (and with no life-long benefits or retirement for their limited service).

Term limits!

But, incumbents will NEVER vote for term limits. So we must. Do NOT vote for any incumbents anymore. No more than one term for anyone. When politicians at EVERY level get the message and vote in laws regarding term limits then we can start voting our conscience again.

Until then? No more ridiculous one party bills.

Good-bye incumbents!!

Ignore this message at your own peril.

thanks to flickr’s joe beone for the photo

The dem majority is failing. Demit!

scott — Mon, 28 Sep 2009 20:09:00 +0000

I keep hearing the talking heads at CNBC use the word contango when talking about the recent price relationship of oil and natural gas (I own some natural gas ETF shares and not too long ago sold my oil ETF shares — just so you know). They use it to refer to an unnatural gap created by one going up and the other down, when normally they should both follow the same path . . . they are similar non-renewable fuel resources after all.

Well, I tried to find the word in dictionaries used in that way. Can’t be done — at least not by me. The closest is an obscure usage regarding a fee on the London Stock Exchange.

Still, I like the word and whether they are using it correctly or not, I want to adopt it in a political and economic way. Heck, I think it fits.

Here is how.

The party in power right now, the democrats, seem to be going in the opposite direction from the wonderful source of their name, democracy.

In other word, there is a contango in the relationship between the democrats and democracy. And that is wierd.

Shouldn’t the democrats be supporting and framing our famous democratic ways?

Heck yes.

But that ain’t happenin’ folks.

Sure, they were elected in a democratic election (sort of if we forget the implications of a flawed electoral college). But they don’t want that same democracy to work in either the Senate or the House of Representatives . . . and it really doesn’t seem that the democratic Executive branch wants it either. Is our current government really democratic . . . if it is then I am a cockatoo!

These democrats want to use their strong advantage in congress to ’slam dunk’ their agenda on the American people. I don’t oppose the agenda, I just oppose they way they are going to force it without any ‘other’ opinions being considered. Demit, the democrats don’t have a monopoly on intelligence or anything else for that matter. Political decisions are ALWAYS ecnomic ones. Usually they favor the party in control (or even the individuals in control), but almost NEVER the people.

What is wrong with listening to us? Why don’t they want to take the time to do things right and let the right (republicans) have their say on amendments to health care, environmental, tax, educations, stimulus spending (or not) and other issues? Why not take the time to make all legislation right from the start?

I don’t care what happened in the past. This President (and his cohorts elected recently) promised change. To heck with the ideological mistakes of the republican past. Yes, they pulled the same stuff whenever the could. And yes, they aren’t trying too hard to contribute this time . . . most of them just do nothing and complain (same old, some old political garbage).

Well, get of fyour lazy butts you misguided republicans and start at trying to help.

Well, (part II) sit down from you pompous platforms of leftist and socialistic ideals you misguided democrats and start listening to the PEOPLE as well as you partners on the right who should try harder to be the LOYAL opposition.

Let the decisions be made.

But make dem sure that everyone’s voice is considered and that the majority doesn’t force feed trash to the minority.

Be more democratic you democrats.

Demit!

Be more responsible and intelligent you republicans.

Demit, again.

Give us all something we want and not something you THINK we want. Listen to the people on the streets, listen to everyone. Make sense of the mess you have created and do it now.

Demit, again.

I hope we, the people, get together next year and two years after that and two years after that and VOTE ALL ENCUMBENTS OUT OF OFFICE. If we had only one or two term politicians then most of this ‘political’ crap we have to live through would be done with.

We, the people have a responsibility in all of this too! Vote responsibly and make sure your voice is heard!

Demit, finally.

Thanks for the photo to flickr’s glasswindow

Conspiracy theories fizzile under examination.

scott — Sat, 05 Sep 2009 13:22:46 +0000

I’ve written about this before but it deserves to be revisited. For the original see Barack is American. A few recent revelations just reminded me of how the media in the U.S. influences people without any effort to verify the sometimes ‘crazy’ things they promote.

This week I learned that two of my neighbors really believe that President Obama was not born in America and is not American. Yikes, do I have to move? Apparently they have not seen the numerous copies of his birth certificate that have been shown in various places on the web (see above) and on some responsible news channels (that seems NOT to include FOX, MSNBC or CNN). I wondered how anyone could believe that with all his history in government, education, and as a working lawyer. Heck, his mother was American and that is not in question — so automatically he was born with citizenship.

But, The Economist (I think the best ‘news’ magazine around) wrote an article in their August 22 issue. It was titled ‘Still crazy after all these years.‘ You owe it to yourself to read it.

As they say, there are ‘perils of losing one’s grip on reality.’

Obama’s detractors have gone overboard already. ‘Birthers’ say he was not born in America. The article debunks that with the best discussion so far (of course there is the birth certificate, but these nutzos counter with the fact that anything can be forged or edited to appear correct).

Whew!

Then there are those that say he is the anti-Christ. Jeez Louise (maybe that is not a good frustrating epithet to use here). Apparently these folks (who have way too much time on their hands) claim that in the Bible Jesus is quoted as saying that ‘Satan will come down like lightning from heaven.’ Further they have found that the Hebrew words for lightning and heaven sound ‘a bit like’ Barack Obama.

This is crazy stuff and I wonder what good could come if the folk that cook up with stuff dedicated their extra time to curing cancer or charting the course for the Fed to wind down the stimulus package.

Let me add some of my own thoughts on this. I did the research in my Strong’s concordance of the Bible and Vine’s Hebrew and Greek dictionary.

First we should all remember that the New Testament (there are of course no quotes by Jesus in the Old Testament) was written in Greek not Hebrew. But then I guess these ‘bored’ people forgot that or maybe they thought that since Jesus likely spoke in Aramaic that their conjecture is close enough.

Anyway, in the original Greek the works ‘lightning’ and ‘heaven’ sound nothing like suggested (roughly ‘as-trap-ay’ and ‘oo-ran-os’). But if you did look to the Hebrew there is some similarity (‘baw-rauk’ and ’shaw-may-yin’). Not very close, at least the suspect (?) Obama part.

Apparently in conspiracy circles being somewhat close on just one of two critical elements (still ignoring that Jesus did not speak in Hebrew) is close enough.

Well, enough of this craziness. Ba-rack O-bam-a IS our President, he was born American, and he was born in America (The Economist points out that the day after his birth an announcement to the effect was in the Honolulu Advertiser) you can go to their archives and check for yourselves, but as for me I trust the nearly two-hundred year old Economist to get it right.

So, let’s put this nutty issue to bed and start working on health care, the public debt, trade deficits, term limits and looming tax increases (and that is just to start). Anyone can be critical without being accurate, but it is better to be part of ‘the loyal opposition’ and I stress the loyal part. Our President deserves (and this President has certainly earned) our respect.

American’s use more than they provide! Still!!

scott — Sun, 23 Aug 2009 19:05:45 +0000

In the good old days, before the white-man banned the natives of this land to desolate and barren places far from urban centers (helped their consciences I suppose), people lived off the land and thrived. Even my two of my great-great-grandfathers were able to sustain large (yes, and polygamous) families (60 odd . . . and I do mean odd . . . kids each) with just the labor of their own hands.

They used what they grew or trapped or hunted or harvested and that was about it. And they were happy and content. Don’t forget the odd part because that may have been crucial to their contentedness.

Not now.

Why can’t we learn from our ancestors?

We need to give back and quit just taking.

The problem is that we just don’t want to and it starts at the top. President Obama and Congress want to spend more than they make from taxing us (to the tune of trillions of $$). And we want to let them (we elected the democratic majority didn’t we? But the Repubs haven’t been any better for years!).

We have to moderate spending (publicly and personally) and use what we have and no more. How hard can that be?

It isn’t going to get easier if we don’t act now.

Sure markets are up all over the world, including the U.S. But the news isn’t all good. The Conference Board let us know recently that leading economic indicators are up for the fourth consecutive month. So what? The bad stuff is hidden in the overconfident headlines that the media glombed onto.

Six of the ten leading indicators were up. True. But what about the ones that were down? Not so good.

The biggest negative was consumer expectations. Followed by real money suupply (how can the consumer be confident if the money isn’t there to spend — yeah and on stuff they can’t or shouldn’t afford). And the third? Building permits!!

Yikes, what got us into this mess. Money freezing up and the housing debacle and consumers running for the shed.

Why are we so stupid as to think the government can throw trillions of our $$ at these current problems and bail us all out long term.

Let me give you an example that will resonate.

The feds pumped $3 billion into the clunker program and around 600,000 cars were sold (or will be by tomorrow). The feds also gave first time homebuyers and $8,000 credit (and that expires in November) and that’s a few billion $ more.

A shot across the bow of the recession that will end up being a shot in the foot~!

So what will happen in the next few months. I’ll tell you and you can check back and chastise me in those few months if this doesn’t happen. It is so dang predictable because Congress and the President are more interested in voting polls than in what is good for our country.

We are going to see a BIG drop in new car sales and a BIG drop in first time homebuyers because the feds stimulated them to all buy quickly without really considering the long term (or even mid-term) implications for them or the government’s debt.

And what will that do to the economy? Fro crap’s sake it will help justify the NEXT wave of stimulus and bailouts (that some of our leaders are already talking about) as the recession refuses to go away.

More debt. Like heck do we need it.

I’m not saying we all have to go live off the land, although it sounds good to some. Shoot, that would be impossible with 307 million people. But we can learn from our nation’s original inhabitants and just ‘use only what we have’ and wait for anything else until we can get it without going into debt or stealing from out children and grandchildren.

If you don’t need it and can’t afford it, save. If you want it too bad, borrow it from a neighbor (assuming they will let you). Don’t steal. But you can dream . . . that is always authorized in my economic scheme of things.

Give back to the land and the people and stop this selfish consumer driven ‘better that the joneses’ drivel.

Enough is enough. You make up your mind to do this and force our leaders to follow.

Start by throwing out ALL incumbents. You can do like I have done for the last couple of elections. Never, never, never vote for anybody this is an incumbent!

Had enough? Dang, wait until I start charging you to find out what is REALLY going on in our country!! Then you can REALLY get mad!

thanks to flickr’s tokomabibelot for the photo from the Jefferson Building in D.C. it is Lakota Chief Ito-na-gaju, “Rain in the face” and how appropriate is that??

Barack IS American!

scott — Thu, 20 Aug 2009 18:25:12 +0000

My fellow Americans. It it time to stand up for what is right, to get something done, to end the partisan politics, to ignore the conspiracy theory nuts.

We are the greatest country in the history of the World and yet in this first part of a new century we are failing.

Failing to improve our own lot. Failing to provide comfort to the poor, the needy the oppressed (in our country and others as well). There is so much more we could accomplish. There could be such great examples in our system for others to follow. There could be true liberty AND social justice. There could be opportunity. There could be universal healthcare. There could be jobs for everyone that wants one. There could be all the education anyone could want at affordable prices. There could be universal healthcare. There could be high-speed rail from New York to Los Angeles. There could be a cure for cancer, chronic back pain, migraines and more.

There just could be SO MUCH MORE.

And we sit around arguing about whether Obama was born in America. Or whether the government is going to let your grandma die and a Congressman the same age live.

Why waste the time. Can’t you nuts that push this crap spend your time on something productive and worthwhile (or at least keep you idiotic and insane opinions to yourselves)?

Look at the picture above. It is Obama playing the quintessential American sport, and he does it pretty good for a guy that has to worry about the fate of the civilized world 24/7. Of course he was born here. Of course he is our President. Of course he is going to make a few mistakes (he’s human). And of course he is NOT the anti-Christ, the contra-Mohhamed, the opposite-Buddha or anything else like that. I’ll tell you what is. Contention. Contention is devilish. It stops any good from happening.

Debate, considerate argument, looking at both sides . . . that gets stuff done.

President Obama is a good man (not perfect), a family man, an honorable husband. An elected official. Stop whining about it. It is good enough for me (and I didn’t vote for him). It should be good enough for you. You don’t have to support everything he says or does (I sure as heck don’t). But support the INTENT TO DO GOOD!!

Getting anything done in this country is hard enough. We have over 300 million people with disparate backgrounds and views. Makes it tough. But we DO have a system that has proven to work in the past and can do so both now and in the future if we let it (and contribute to it intelligently).

Congress, as you all know, is not one of our more functional institutions. Brought to its knees too often by individual legislator’s desire solely to be re-elected. So the ‘less’ than prime beings in congress listen to the loudest voices as they seek constant access to votes. The vociferous minority has too dang much power. The intelligent and wise majority needs more.

Sure doesn’t help to have nuts raising stupid issues that the media gloms onto and turns from molehills into mountains in their efforts to get viewers and sell more ads. Octomom? Birthers? Space-alien abductees? Sells papers (well not so much anymore) and ads on TV, but what good is it?

So let’s set the record straight once and for all. Obama was born here, he was raised by an American Mom and American grand-parents. He graduated from American schools and has an American law degree and was an American Senator and . . . dammit, he plays American basketball!! He plays it too naturally to be a plant. And besides you nutcases, who out there could have been forwarding looking enough to ‘plant’ a secret terrorist in our midst as a baby back in the 50’s expecting him to be PRESIDENT?? In the 90’s maybe, the 50’s??? If you think that is realistic move back to whatever planet you call home.

We need support and loyal opposition both to make things happen in this country. Pay particular attention to the ‘loyal’ part. Opposition just for opposition’s sake is counter productive and downright dumb. You listening Republicans? The Repubs didn’t like it when the Dems opposed them in the past . . . but if they are the real ‘Christian’ right can’t they forgive and help us get some real work done?

Not without your help. Throw the bums out unless they get something done. Throw ‘em out anyway after two terms (NEVER MORE).

Ignore the nuts. Complain to the tainted media about stupid stories. Complain to Congress about self-serving ideology. Lets get real news, impactful news, meaningful news all the time.

And, let’s get something done for a change!!

thanks for the photo to flickrs’ eyasu.solomon

MRI, as in MMM, R I worried about health care!

scott — Thu, 16 Jul 2009 00:30:09 +0000

I had an MRI today, took a couple of hours but only 35 minutes in the actual machine. The rest was waiting. Fortunately the MRI was one of the new ones that are called ‘open’ which means translates to only terrifyingly claustrophobic.

When I got home there was breaking news on CNBC, the Senate had passed a health care bill. After listening for only a minute I knew there was trouble. An MRI is nothing to worry about compared to what our government can do when they pump a bill through a veto-proof Congress. Yikes and it only took the Dems a week or so after getting Al Franken in the Senate!

Its like magic for Obama and his obedient servants. Mr President, you may get your wish for a bill to sign by August but if you do it WILL NOT BE A GOOD ONE.

I tell you what gentlemen and ladies, America has been trying to get a universal health care bill passed for 60 years (ever since FDR’s days). And now we are to believe that the Dems in Congress can flush out a workable solution in just a matter of weeks?

Don’t you believe it.

Of course we still have hope for reasonable dialogue on the tough issues (how to pay for it, how to lower costs, how to ‘force’ people to signup, and so on). But I will tell you the thing I really fear after my one minute lesson during the breaking news: 8%!!

Seems the Dems in the Senate want to force employers to pay 8% of payroll to help finance this thing (a $trillion + over the next decade . . . and that’s low). If they are starting at 8% what are they going to end up with.

Let me give you the historical example . . . and it is a good one that is entirely relevant.

Social Security.

Hang on because this is a lesson in government, politics, economics and social theory. One you are NOT going to like.

SS is big now, but it wasn’t to start. Today, Social Security is the largest government program in the world, the single greatest expenditure in the federal budget (21%) and represents 37 of ALL government spending and upwards of 8% of our entire GDP!!Can you imagine if we duplicate that with the Dems universal health care bill?

Originally in 1937 (the first year the 1935 ‘Old age, survivors, and disability insurance’ Act went into affect) only 1% if wages up to $3,000 were paid by the employer and employee. That’s $60 total. The figures for today are 6.2% and $106,800! That’s $13,243 total. Now, we all understand the longterm impact of inflation but the % increase is 620%!

In the midst of the greatest recession since FDR’s time (when Social Security started) we can’t afford to ‘TAX’ our employers another 8% of their payrolls. This is particularly true of the engine of our economic miracle . . . the small businessman(woman).

And if they want 8% not what is it going to be when they really figure our how much this is going to cost? Are they going to tack on another 8% withholding from the employees wages? Will it end up a 16% tax? 20%? 30%? In a year? Two? Five?

These are the biggest knuckleheads in our country that we are talking about here. Guys that do everything possible to keep getting elected again and again (like our 30+ year veterans such as Hatch, Utah, and 40+ year Kennedy, Massachusetts). They don’t know what is going on in mainstreet and they really don’t care! They have been living ‘cushy’ loves in DC far too long.

Note: Don’t forget that my single greatest desire for our country is to see term limits for ALL elected officials. Do I need to keep harping on this?

Point: we need universal health care. We can’t be a great country without caring for ALL our people. But . . . there are other ways and they need to be explored in more than the first few weeks and months of Obama’s 1st year in office. Let’s do it, but let’s do it right the first time. In a sensible economic and social way.

Our ‘leaders’ need to be creative, innovative, thoughtful and concerned. Good Universal health care just can’t be this easy. They need to consider most, if not all, alternatives and not start with an 8% tax right off the bat. Not in this economic environment. Such irresponsible thinking will lead to higher unemployment and even greater social costs in the future.

We need good, well-paid doctors and health care providers, but can’t we give them tax incentives, or writeoffs of student loans for service to God and Country?

There aren’t millions of people NOT getting medical care in this country (the double negative is intentional for affect . . . did it work?). Those that need care get it and providers as well as taxpayers are paying for it already. Can’t we figure out how to take those costs and build them into the system?

American’s tend to treat injuries and diseases. Can’t we be more proactive and preventative in our care to reduce costs? What about expensive tests? Like my $1400 MRI today. Do we really need all these or are Doctors just protecting themselves from the costly lawsuits filed by greedy lawyers? Can’t we limit medical malpractice suits? Like the loser being forced to pay all costs?

We have to find a better way.

Come to think of it, I might see if my doctor will order up a CatScan so I can have another couple hours to think on this. Why not? Our current system has no controls, no reasonable bounds, and it sure doesn’t make sense to the millions of people waiting tens of millions of hours in doctors offices every year (my personal record is a three hour wait for a 4 minute visit with a doctor).

How does any of this make sense?

Doesn’t unless you care.

So contact your congressmen and let them know you won’t stand for a ‘quickie’ bill pushed through by the Democratic majority. Not that the Republicans have offered any real alternatives.

Get a committe together of the top minds in all the related fields, put them in a room with nothing to eat but buttered popcorn and diet Pepsi. For a week. Bet they will come up with some great ideas. Fast!

Let’s take the time to craft something really good, really innovative, really effective, really American!!

Thanks for your time and I hope you don’t have to get an MRI anytime soon!

Thanks to muffet of Flickr for the photo of an older ‘enclosed’ MRI

President Obama, why don’t you trust us?

scott — Sat, 04 Jul 2009 02:53:54 +0000

President Obama is missing America’s real strengths and the rest of us should remind him.

Why is this important?

Because the President is getting caught up in the ‘celebrity’ of the presidency and losing track of what’s really important.

It starts with the fact that he is limiting press access to insiders he approves of and manipulating his TV image. BHO loves to seem spontaneous and instantly reflective, but the appearances are too frequently manufactured.

We all know, by now, that he is addicted to use of teleprompters (and he is skilled enough to make it seem he is speaking ‘off the cuff’ ). We also know now that he manipulates his press conferences so that pre-approved questions from pre-approved questioners are asked (so he and his staff have well-prepared ‘canned’ answers).

How can we know what our President really thinks, what he really believes, if we can’t see unrehearsed reaction to genuine issues?

This whole manipulation of the system (a change he has made for the worse) is beginning to wear on his well-manicured image.

Yes, he is intelligent.

Yes, he is charismatic (how much of this is artificial?).

Yes, he loves playing basketball (this weighs heavily in his favour in my opinion).

Yes, he wants America’s image overseas to improve (and we have a long way to go thanks to Bush and his cronies).

Yes, he wants America to be a better place for just about everyone (wait — detainees now held in Guantanamo as well?).

And, yes, he is a heck of a lot better (on the surface) than what we are used to.

But, we may not be getting what we paid for and we may not be getting the changes many voted for.

Why?

Because, Obama is relying on what he thinks the strengths of our great nation are and this makes him seem much less beligerent, less confident and dangerously submissive (to his fellow democrats in congress and more than a few nations who wish us no good).

There is a point where any politician has to stop trying to be nice/popular and get serious or even downright onery.

Obama sees America as strong because of our nuclear arsenal, our finacial system (broken as it is), our currency (weak as it is), and our historical reputation as a leader in important areas of international dispute.

Hence it seems he feels no need to continue to strengthen our defenses, to improve our financial system (with limited regulation and intelligent oversight), to change the way we do business (i.e. get rid of offensive and crude partisan politics lead by attack dogs — Pelosi, Reid, Emanuel).

The truth is our real strengths are the uniquely social aspects of our political, social and economic system: our elementary schools, our universities, our obsession with technology (the good and the bad), our National Parks, our faith in God (and charity, wisdom, knowledge, etc.), our lust for education, and ____ (you fill in the blank).

We have no reason, as a nation, to believe we are better, stronger or ‘more right’, than any other nation. We can, or should, agree on that in this new flat world. But we have every reason to believe that we can again be a leader through example.

This goes for our everchanging form of capitalism, for our proven but still developing political system (we need term limits), to our willingness to sacrifice when the need arises and the cause seems right (what would Europe or Asia look like today but for American blood shed on their behalf). . . though we don’t get it right very often it seems lately.

Mostly, though, our strength is in the combined wisdom and intelligence of 300 million citizens. That means you and I. The collective ‘we’ I often refer to.

These strengths need to be both understood and relied upon by our President (and it would be nice if Congress got it too). We (the people) can make proper decisions if we are given proper choices. This goes for the economy, health care and even energy independence.

We are still willing to make sacrifices too. Just not useless ones that are dictated by an ‘elite’ leadership (serving more than two terms) who are overwhelmed by their own importance and perceived talents.

President Obama is going to miss a wonderful opportunity to make real change during the current crises of confidence and stature that America is going through. Emanuel, his trusted advisor has said that he should not fail to take advantage of every crisis. But in some cases he must.

Truth is Obama and his minions are going ‘one crisis too far’ at the present time. The effort to change (in many ways poorly) our energy and environmental reality is too much.

As the press, bloggers, and the public begin to see how much damage can be done when decisions are made quickly and with far too many ‘pet’ projects/concepts/ideologies thrown in — well, then the Democrat ‘emperors’ will be seen to be without clothes.

By over-reaching on this one issue, Obama’s great promise could be undone. The other promises he has made (many of them genuinely wonderful) will be suspect and hence fail.

Obama’s celebrity, which he embraces far too willingly, is drawing his attention from important issues. Obama’s feeling of invincibility (especially with the filibuster proof Senate now that Frankin won in Minnesota) is an illusion. Obama’s belief that every other nation (foe and friend alike) will accept his openness and ‘regret’ for past behaviour as a national standard is going to backfire.

America has to be strong: militarily, economically, politically, morally, and ethically. “We’ know that and ‘we’ support that.

Start listening to the people Mr President. Start following the polls a little more carefully. Start seeking true bi-partisan input on every important decision. Start asking the right questions and start giving genuine and ‘off the cuff’ responses to ours.

Most of all stop trying to be so popular and such a celebrity. Stop all the travel, talk shows, interviews and visits with your ‘favorites.’ Spend some real time in the oval office doing some real work. When I was starting my own business I worked 90 hours weeks and sometimes put in more time. Real hard, committed, dedicated work. I know many others who have done the same. That is what we need from our leader(s).

Mr. President, start prioritizing the big changes you (we) want and focus on one (maximum two) at a time.

That is all we can handle. That is all we can afford. That is all we want.

You might be surprised, BHO, by what happens in three years if you don’t start paying attention to the truly important parts of the job!!

‘We’ might be surprised too (and disappointed).

Power corrupts! The Supreme Court issue.

scott — Wed, 27 May 2009 17:11:57 +0000

Obama done good.? Yeah again.? We need more diversity and a hispanic woman nominated to the Supreme Court is right on point.

Yet, as you might suspect I have some issues.

Power corrupts and the longer one has power the more it corrupts.? History has proven this time and time again.? Dictators are not a good thing.? Hitler, Stalin, Mao etc., etc., etc.

As I have written before, term limits for ALL politicians is a good thing (a REALLY good thing).? Now we are looking at a politically appointed position on the Supreme Court of our land.? The Founding Father’s had a lot of things right and some things just barely or even flat our wrong (slavery for example).? But this one they just got bad!? It might have worked two hundred years ago, but not now.

Putting someone on ‘The Court’ is a big deal.? These guys influence our culture and laws, they make decisions that will last for decades and even centuries.? Don’t you believe it when you hear that a ‘judge’ will not legislate from the bench.? That is impossible over the long term.? Personal opinions can’t help but influence.? Opinions on one’s religion, political ideology, economic upbringing, education . . . they all have an impact. And they WILL come into play sooner or later and keep on coming for years at this level.

Here is the problem.? Sotomayor is young for the position.? Fifty four years old is young today.? She could live and work for another thirty or forty years easily.? Heck, without a family she has mainly work to motivate and encourage.? Why would she ever want to quit the cushy job if she gets it? She will get comfortable, determined and resolute.? This could turn our bad (not just because of her but ALL the justices).

It is just plain wrong to have any lifetime position.? Lifetime is a LONG time for most of us and one thing I have learned is that the older one gets the less one cares about what people think and the less they worry about criticism (it just doesn’t make any difference to most over 50!).

A judge job is cushy, lucrative and powerful.? In this case it is also dangerous long-term.? The longer one serves the more entrenched they become, the more privileged they feel (the ‘court’ traditionally denies public/media access and is very ’secretive’ in their deliberations), the less likely they are to accept cases they don’t care about or don’t want to put time into, the more entitled they feel and become.

Pretty soon it gets where there is little or no transparency and virtually no oversight.? And we as a nation are stuck with their decisions . . . right or wrong . . . and there are plenty of wrong ones from their past.

No one gets it right all the? time.? We just can’t let them keep chugging when things go bad.? But the way things are right now we have no choice.

And, people, these judges are there for life!? The court becomes a fraternity (or sorority), a country club, an executive dining-room, a clique.? Well, I am sure you get the idea.

Do we want the same people making decisions that affect our lives for thirty or forty years?

Not just no, but HECK no!

Unlike anywhere else in government, our judges (and particularly those on the Supreme Court) are not accountable to the people.? We can second guess them sure, but we can’t change what they do short of the difficult and nearly impossible task of changing the Constitution.? Throw out the 27th (on Congressional compensation) and we are 28 years from the last amendment!

But you know what?? We gotta do it.? We have to push through an amendment that limits the time served on the ‘Court.’?? Ten years makes sense, but surely no longer than fifteen.? And while we are at it let’s limit all elected offices to no more than 8 years.? Period.? No exceptions.

Darn, I like the nomination but I really hate to think of her serving in 2039 while I’m vacationing on the moon with my great-grandkids.

Term limits . . . in all cases!

Thanks for the photo to flickr’s s baker