The Only Adult In The Room [Archive] - Page 6

ms_m

08-13-2011, 01:40 PM

Obama cares he just cant get stuff passed to show it.

Stephanie, President Obama has gotten quite a few things done the last 2 years to show he cares. Implying otherwise is disingenuous.

http://whatthefuckhasobamadonesofar.com/

Obama Administration’s Achievements [[Thus Far)

This site is the preview version of our new Obama Achievements Center. It’s a work in progress and a labor of love — for our country.

We’re building a crowd-sourced compilation of the achievements of the Obama administration, with documentation for each achievement linked to it. It

In today’s frenzied media zones, far too much time has been spent putting the spotlight on complaints while significant achievements are either ignored, not reported, or minimized.

The Achievements
Determined to change the media narrative to finally include the good works of this administration, a group of Twitter users got together under Shoq’s leadership and compiled a list of the achievements and promises of the Obama administration, with documented links to every item. It will be updated on an ongoing basis, as this President accumulates more successes and lasting reforms.

Defining what an achievement is in any administration, is itself an interesting issue. We decided that we would define it broadly to include executive orders,important legislation, and significant initiatives or outcomes of any kind, both foreign and domestic. We worked hard to screen out minor or subjective items whenever we had agreement on them. As anyone can see from this very impressive list, they weren’t needed.

You can view the list here. It is designed for current browsers, and may not look quite right in older ones, such as IE 6.0. If things look out of place, we recommend updating your browser to the most current version
http://obamaachievements.org/list

ms_m

08-13-2011, 01:57 PM

As far as Bachmann and her eyes...well I guess that's a matter of opinion...although, I personally thought this was a cheap shot on the part of Newsweek...in the same vain as making President Obama darker when using his pic on the cover of magazines.

http://i61.photobucket.com/albums/h74/mmandmusic/large.jpg

ms_m

08-13-2011, 02:18 PM

Another “Texas Miracle” Debunked: Why What’s Bad for Texas Would Be Worse for the U.S.
August 13, 2011 | Leave a Comment
By: Sarah Hackley

Hoping to upstage the rest of the candidates competing in the Iowa straw poll, Texas Governor Rick Perry will announce today that he’s running for President of the United States.

This is the same man who told Tea Partiers in 2009 that Texas was considering seceding from the Union. The same man who went on a book tour while he was governor. The same man who has called Social Security “a Ponzi scheme” on more than one occasion.
It would be laughable, if it weren’t so very, very scary.

Touted as another “Texas Miracle,” Perry is hoping he can – like his Texas predecessor – ride the wave of middle-America admiration straight from Austin to the White House. [[After all, he has such great hair, and he hangs with rock stars.) Let’s hope it isn’t so.

Well-known for his ability to twist the facts to fit whatever version of the truth he thinks will sell best, Rick Perry is using one of his many misleading claims to bolster his presidential campaign. In Jan. 2009, Perry issued a press release that stated: “Approximately 70 percent of the jobs created in the U.S. from November 2007-2008 were in Texas,” a claim which was both wildly inaccurate and misleading.

http://codebluepolitics.com/

Well-known for his ability to twist the facts to fit whatever version of the truth he thinks will sell best

And this is why Perry could be a threat. He caters to low information voters, the same voters that elected Jr. twice.

All people will hear is, jobs, jobs jobs. Very few will stop to investigate the entire
story behind all those min. wage jobs. They also will not stop to THINK about the fact that the state of Texas unemployment rate is only slightly lower than the national rate.

Perry has never been tested on a national stage but one thing is for sure, he is an excellent campaigner, is great at fund raising and has more establishment backing than either Bachman or Santorium, which lends an air of legitimacy to his extreme right religious rhetoric.

MotownSteve

08-13-2011, 02:55 PM

A few weeks ago Joe Scarborough on Morning Joe said he like another president from Texas. But not Rick Perry.

As or 'hanging with rock stars', when he walks out onto a stage he acts like one.

stephanie

08-13-2011, 03:46 PM

Ms M read again what I stated. I said Obama cares he just cant get stuff passed to show it. I didnt say he is not passing anything to show he cares. Maybe I didnt word it correctly what I mean by He cant get stuff [[bills) passed to show it is the Republicans shooting and blocking everything down. If I did not state it clearly enough forgive me. I think the most important thing he has done has enabled people do keep dependents on their insurance until they are 26 years of age and that is extremely caring. I have never not once thought that he is a dictator. There are videos on youtube now of some blacks stating Obama is a socialist and he has fooled blacks into voting for him and of course they use the name Hussein and go into his background to prove why he is no good for America as well as statements that have no proof or fact whatsoever. It is really sad. Perry on looks alone people will vote for him. Even as politically unastute as I am I knew that Perry was lying about the job situation there and you are right many will look at him and trust him and go OH he is going to help us be employed hip-hip-hooray! Some who are mislead are dissapointed that they voted for President Obama well I am not! If it is because they feel they made a mistake then so be it but just because the media tells them something and they fall for it. When the stocks went down I saw all over the blogs how some were mad at Obama but then when they went up the next day these same loons were quiet.

ms_m

08-13-2011, 04:18 PM

I read it Stephanie and I understood what I read.

he just cant get stuff passed....again...he has gotten things passed and again, to say otherwise is not correct. Non supporters don't care what you meant, they will only go by what and how you say things.

IMO, one of the biggest problems Dems have is messaging....and wording is an important part in messaging Stephanie.

Most democracies have elements of socialism and capitalism...I can't think of any that don't

LOL...as far as people thinking he's a dictator....they probably should read more but that's part of the problem with many voters...they don't have a clue. They simply parrot talking points.

The best thing to do is to counter those talking points. Some will get it, some will not...all you can do is try.

ms_m

08-13-2011, 06:01 PM

BTW Stephanie, we do not live in a perfect world and we never will. You can’t change that by giving people the freedom to do whatever they please. A society without rules and regulations will end up in chaos and anarchy.

Trying to find a balance between rules and the freedom to do whatever you want is a tough balancing act and in spite of the many missteps, this country has navigated that act rather well. I know it doesn’t always seem that way but when you look back through history, it’s always a good idea to take a long hard look at what has worked as oppose to the things that haven’t. Don’t ever take things at face value no matter who says it… be it the POTUS, me or Ron Paul.

I learned this from being on SDF…the BEST way to understand the Constitution is to read the Federalist Papers or anything where the Founding Fathers speak and or write about this country. It’s their interpretation that people should try to understand and listen to. After all, the Constitution was their idea.:cool:

ms_m

08-13-2011, 07:26 PM

Michele Bachmann Wins Ames Straw Poll
Benjy Sarlin | August 13, 2011, 5:36PM

Michele Bachmann has won the Ames Straw Poll, state GOP chair Matt Strawn announced on Saturday.
Bachmann secured 4823 votes, edging out Ron Paul, who had 4671 votes. Tim Pawlenty finished a distant third with 2293 votes a disappointing result for the Minnesota governor after investing heavy resources as part of his broader Iowa-focused strategy. He suggested recently that he may have to a "reassess" his campaign if he fails to make an impact in the straw poll.

"We made progress in moving from the back of the pack into a competitive position for the caucuses, but we have a lot more work to do," Pawlenty said in a statement congratulating Bachmann.
http://tpmdc.talkingpointsmemo.com/2011/08/but-the-results-were-overshadowed.php?ref=fpa

The GOP race is about to get very interesting. Romeny, Bachmann and Perry....LOL...and yeah I know Ron Paul came in 2nd in this thing but with Perry in the race, Paul is going to be marginalized even more, he can hang it up, he's done. He may go 3rd party though which could work in the Dems favor.

My, my,my.... two right wing extreme Christians and a Mormon...Only in America...what I would pay to be a fly on the wall in the Obama camp right now.:)

stephanie

08-13-2011, 07:59 PM

I am really dissapointed. I watched the Republican debate [[if you want to call it that) and none of these people in my opinion could hold a candle to our President in a debate match! Its not only important to know government as a president but you should be a good communicator. My eyes dont see any evidence [[other than Ron Paul) of any good communication when it comes to government here. Mitt Romney shocked me when he said that he wanted to have unemployment in a special account that you DRAW the money from. First of all suppose you have only been on the job six months and the balance runs out quickly on the account while you are looking for a job! Then [[was it Pawlenty) I forgot who stated that
a doctor should be criminally prosecuted if he performs an abortion! That issue is between the doctor and the patient not the state local or federal level I am sorry.

At least one has the balls to say he was for the debt ceiling! I can have respect for someone when they go out of their normal partys way of thinking and is willing to get some ridicule for it, the old John McCain was like that. This debate did one thing for me and it showed me that the only thing people were thinking about is lower taxes, pro-life, and submission of women. Poor Herman I dont think anyone even cared that he was there.

ms_m

08-13-2011, 08:49 PM

LOL...funny, I thought Santorum kicked Pauls butt and I can't stand Rick Santorum. He [[Santorum)became so passionate in what he believed at one point, he defended the rights of gays in Iran....LOL...he made an excellent point as well.

I looked into Ron Paul once and on the surface I was impressed, then I looked deeper and was extremely turned off.

He pretends to be a visionary but he's not and based on how society defines "principles," I find him and his son lacking in that department. Their "libertarian" ideas only come into play when it suits them and I've read the law he's tried to introduce on several occasions....I'd rethink believing Paul if I were you Stephanie but....To each their own . shrugs

ms_m

08-13-2011, 09:00 PM

Steve, I think Perry is the man to watch right now.

He has a lot of baggage that's never filtered out beyond Texas that could derail his chances but he's savvy in a slimy kind of way. He also has a way of being excused for his missteps...that bothers me. His supporters run on pure emotion...blind emotion and adhering to logic and facts don't usually run hand in hand.

stephanie

08-13-2011, 09:24 PM

Have no fear about me Ms M. I like the way Ron Paul delivers out of all of them. I have no intention of following him or believing what he has to say because some of the things that him and his son have said and written appear to have racist undertones to them. As far as Perry is concerned when he comes out of Texas and they LIKE him for that long I dont think he gives a damn about minorities and that is why people should be careful.

ms_m

08-13-2011, 10:10 PM

I'm not sure if they are racist Stephanie, although I can see how it would be taken that way but I don't think they are sincere in their ideology. Not to mention under a microscope, that ideology doesn't stand up to the light of day or reality.

LBJ was from Texas and personally, I don't think he gave 2 nickels about minorities either...I know he didn't like Dr King but he signed Civil Rights Legislation.

Perry is dangerous for the entire country, not just minorities. Take a look at the Texas education system under his leadership....and that's just the tip of the iceberg.

ms_m

08-13-2011, 11:26 PM

Stephanie, let me say something about Ron and Rand Paul.

Both have stated in one form or another that a private business owner should be free to allow or not allow anyone in their establishment. That would include minorities. Now, as a minority and on an emotional level, that doesn’t sit well with me. I understand the "freedom" aspect of such a notion but what about my freedom to spend my money where I choose....even if it's in an establishment that wants to exercise their freedom not to allow me to enter....whose freedom rules in that instance?

Ron Paul seems to believe if you give people the freedom to choose, overtime they will make the right choice...hmmmp....if that were the case, why have laws of any kind?

But beyond that....

Private business owners are not the autonomous entities they think they are. They are able to do what they do because the Federal government has provided an environment in which they can prosper through hard work, a good business acumen and often just plain luck. It’s all well and good to say, let the States take over these services but what happens in states that are struggling financially…what happens when these states can no longer look to Federal government for assistance…what happens to the business of that private business owner then?

We live in a consumer driven society. If the govt is not pumping money into that society, where is the money coming from for the consumers to spend on goods and services? Individuals can’t create money, [[legally) states can’t create money, only the Federal govt can do that. Money creation is just one of the things the Federal government offers to its citizens….there are many things Americans take for granted. ...try living outside America...grass isn't always greener no matter how great it may look from the outside looking in.

In a system where the government is providing the environment for you to prosper, you have an obligation to obey the laws of that government. Now if a private business can find a way to survive by totaling cutting themselves off from govt services...be it clean water, clean air, roads, transportation, etc....hey, all bets are off and they can do what they want.

Right now, our govt seems to be stuck on stupid but let’s get real, it’s still working; we haven’t collapsed into oblivion just yet. [[although it seems that way at times)

The system we have in place in the US doesn't always work perfectly but it does work....the fact it may not be working the way we want it to is not the systems fault....

ms_m

08-14-2011, 12:46 AM

The Ames Straw Poll has been held 5 times since 1979. That's it, FIVE times. I'm not so sure that it conveys much about the winner other than living in Iowa for 4 months before can get you the top spot. And the fact that only 3 of the 5 have predicted the eventual winner of the Presidency¬. It seems odd that everyone is so up in arms about a POLL that has only been done 5 times and only got it right 3 times. Seems a bit like a kindergart¬en game of Button, Button, Who's got the button? Then again, with this year's current crop of GOP/Tea Party contestant¬s, kindergarten games isn't too far off the mark.

I saw this comment on Huff Po….I think it misses the mark.

Republicans in Iowa only convene this Ames thing when there isn’t a Republican incumbent running for President. Think about that. Since 1979 this thing has only been convened 5 times because there wasn’t a Republican incumbent running for president.

I know it’s very popular for many to believe it’s all President Obama’s fault that we are where we are today but the facts simply do not support that belief.

Ronald Reagan – 8 years
George H.W. Bush – 4 years
William J. Clinton – 8 years
George W, Bush – 8 years
Barack Obama – 2 years

That’s 20 years of Republican rule and even with a Dem controlled house and Senate [[at times) I can show you how each Republican President gained the power to get most of the polices he wanted pushed through both houses during those 20 years. I can also show you how those policies contributed to the collapse of our current economy. [[with a little help from Clinton)

....and in spite of what Republicans put Clinton through, never in those 32 years has their been such an extreme faction of the Republican Party that has managed to exert as much power as the TP....and they are the minority...they are also energized.

Don't sleep on these folks....like Paul, you may really believe people will make the sane and right choice but history shows otherwise....and in spite of all the pundits harping on conventional political wisdom and how it operates....

Conventional wisdom in politics flew out the door when Barack Obama announced he was running for president and won. Now folks can yell "pulling the race card" all they want but that's fact jack!

ms_m

08-14-2011, 01:57 AM

Speaking of conventional wisdom…Rick Perry has been the governor of Texas since 1999. Many Texans claim they can’t stand the man so how does a man with his gubernatorial record stay in office 12 years?

…and yes, I fact checked this. Instead of all the links I decided to use two that I thought were must reads. If there is anything you would like to question, I’ll be happy to provide a link.

Oh and FYI….Texas has 34 electoral votes. Just thought I’d throw that out there.

Rick Perry was named as one of the worst governors in the nation for his history of ethical problems by the group Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington.

Along with his contention that Social Security, Medicare and most other entitlements are Unconstitutional, he thinks as well that the earth is 6,000 years old.. that women were created out of Adams rib... that the Statue of Liberty is part of an evil, secular, French Freemason agenda.... oh, and he feels that Constitution is in line with the notion that this is a "Christian Nation".

His dogmatic devotion to these "Christian" ideals didn't seem to have been sullied when, after inheriting a ten BILLION dollar deficit from George W Bush [[who was quoted as saying as he left office, "I'm glad I'm not the one to have to clean this mess up") immediately threw 161,000 children off of the "S-Chip" Program.. an insurance initiatlve that covered disadvantaged and handicapped kids... causing most of them to suffer even more, leaving many thousands of them hungry, hopeless and hundreds more of them to just lay down and die.

He also thinks that it's OK to execute people even after their innocence was proven... and didn't blink an eye when, days before an expert was to give testimony, he rearranged the board at the Texas Forensic Science Commission to appoint one of his top lieutenants, John Bradley, as the new Chair. Bradley immediately canceled a hearing on the death of Cameron Todd Willingham, a man who was executed without having committed the crime he was accused of. There were at least 3 others who suffered the same fate.

I'm sure the 'merciful Jesus' he prays to would be thrilled that he [[and his cadre of 'Banana Republicans') hijacked millions of dollars from Texas' Electric Bill Assistance Fund.. money set aside to help pay summer electric bills for low-income residents... during the worst drought and heat wave in memory.

And.. as Jesus healed the sick, Perry feels it is his righteous duty to 'lay hands' on every 6th Grade girl in Texas to begin undergoing a Gardasil vaccination series for the sexually-transmitted HPV virus... in fact, he issued an Executive Order in 2007 mandating just that... except it turned out to be a brother-in-law deal with his Merck lobbyist friends and former Chiefs of Staff.

He also enacted a mandatory-sonogram-for-abortions law in Texas.... even for victims of rape and incest. This procedure must be accomplished via a procedure called a "Transvaginal Probe", in which a large "device" is wrapped in a condom and inserted into the vagina... basically a second rape, and it costs the patient between $100 - $400 to boot.

He seems to think it's perfectly fine that friends and donors whom he appointed to the Texas Teacher Retirement System Board [[TRS) steered hundreds of millions of dollars set aside for educators -- and millions in fees -- right back to the firms run by his campaign donors.

It seems that 'lying' is in sync with his embrace of the Ten Commandments as well.

In 2007, Texans learned of of a massive sex abuse scandal at the Texas Youth Commission. When news of the scandal broke, Perry claimed he knew nothing about the abuse until he saw it in the paper. In fact, he and his office were informed of a stalled investigation into the abuse as early as February 2005, two years before news reports first came out.

He didn't question any issues of "Constitutionality" when he coordinated with two business partners to flip land he had purchased and sold in order to profit more than $500,000. He covered-up this scandal by refusing to release the public listing agreement, attempting to hide the identity of the land buyer and hiding the fact that the buyer was a business partner with the original seller.

He had no problem as he handed out $16 million in taxpayer dollars from the Texas Emerging Technology Fund to companies tied to his top political contributors... the public corruption scandal showed that he gave his “close friend” and campaign contributor David Nance a $4.5 million handout, despite the fact that Nance side-stepped two review boards to receive it.

He feels that it was absolutely fine when he covered-up and refused to answer ethics complaints involving more than $1 million in potentially illegal state expenditures. One complaint zeroed in on the $816,000 in campaign dollars, reported in lump sums, for what Perry calls "mansion expenses." For months, Perry reported a flat monthly expense ranging from $3,000 or $6,500 as "mansion expenses" without any supporting detail -- a violation of campaign disclosure laws. The expenses were for Perry’s $10,000-a-month taxpayer funded rental mansion. Additionally, Perry failed to disclose $204,400 in debt on his College Station home from 2007-2009.

He had no compunction [[guilt or moral scruples) in covering up Texas’ dropout crisis, pushing false dropout numbers to hide the fact that at least 4 in 10 Texas high school students do not graduate from high school or get a GED in four years.

ms_m

08-14-2011, 02:23 AM

...wait, there's more...

The Governor was just fine with his refusal to come to grips and be honest about the $27 billion budget shortfall facing the state of Texas.... a budget crisis which is devastating their economy [[and will for many years).... a shortfall which is now “proportionately larger” than California’s.

His ability to lie even about the "Texas Jobs Miracle" is unsurpassed....

After belching out the old meme that "Government doesn't create jobs"... most that he touted were [[you guessed it) Government jobs... but due to his 'brilliance', layoffs are looming.State budget cuts, championed by Mr. Perry to address a big budget shortfall, are prompting school districts around the state to lay off hundreds of teachers and other workers going into the school year starting next month.

Those jobs seem to be expendable.

What is not expendable, it seems, is the $25 Million in State funds so that Rick and his pal BJ "Red" McCombs [[co-founder of the ultra-conservative, quasi-evangelical Clear Channel Communications) wants to build a [[get this) Formula One Racetrack in Austin.. an additional $4 Million possibly coughed up by the city itself while "Formula One" is promoted nationwide.

$25 Million could pay for 500 teachers at an annual salary of $48,000.00

It stands to reason that a swaggering Texan would know that it is a good idea to look a gift horse in the mouth. Rick Perry rejected $555 million in unemployment insurance from the federal government, only to accept $14 billion in other federal stimulus dollars [[directed at his friends and donors in business... the "job creators").

It seems that the closeted secessionist didn't mind the Federal Government stuffing his cronies' pockets... hypocrisy being the least of his shortcomings.

The truth of the matter is that Texas actually lost 352,500 non-farm jobs since 2008 according to seasonally adjusted data over the past three years... and they lost 61,600 additional since March 2011 alone according to the Texas Workforce Commission.

The only "Miracle" is that this degenerate hasn't yet been struck by lightning.

Texas Facts

• State Aid Per Pupil in Average Daily Attendance – 47th
• Scholastic Assessment Test [[SAT) Scores – 45th
• % of Population 25 and Older with High School Diploma – 50th
• High School Graduation Rate – 43rd
• Per Capita State Spending on State Arts Agencies – 43rd
• Birth Rate – 2nd
• Percent of Uninsured Children – 1st
• Percent of Children Living in Poverty – 4th
• Percent of Population Uninsured – 1st
• Percent of Non-Elderly Uninsured – 1st
• Percent of Low Income Population Covered by Medicaid – 49th
• Percent of Population with Employer-Based Health Insurance – 48th
• Total Health Expenditures as % of the Gross State Product – 43rd
• Per Capita State Spending on Mental Health – 50th
• Per Capita State Spending on Medicaid – 49th
• Health Care Expenditures per Capita – 44th
• Physicians per Capita – 42nd
• Registered Nurses per Capita – 44th
• Average Monthly Women, Infant, and Children [[WIC) Benefits per Person – 47th
• Percent of Population Who Visit the Dentist – 46th
• Overall Birth Rate – 2nd• Teenage Birth Rate – 7th
• Births to Unmarried Mothers – 17th
• Percent of Women with Pre-Term Birth – 9th
• Percent of Non-Elderly Women with Health Insurance – 50th
• Rate of Women Aged 40+ Who Receive Mammograms – 40th
• Cervical Cancer Rate – 11th
• Percent of Women with High Blood Pressure – 16th
• Percent of Pregnant Women Receiving Prenatal Care in First Trimester – 50th• Women’s Voter Registration – 45th
• Women’s Voter Turnout – 49th
• Percent of Women Living in Poverty – 6th
• Mortgage Debt as Percent of Home Value – 47th
• Foreclosure Rates – 10th
• Median Net Worth of Households – 47th
• Average Credit Score – 49th
• Retirement Plan Participation – 47th
• Amount of Carbon Dioxide Emissions – 1st
• Amount of Volatile Organic Compounds Released into Air – 1s
t• Amount of Toxic Chemicals Released into Water – 1s
t• Amount of Recognized Cancer-Causing Carcinogens Released into Air – 1st• Amount of Hazardous Waste Generated – 1st• Amount of Toxic Chemicals Released into Air – 5th
• Amount of Recognized Cancer-Causing Carcinogens Released into Water – 7th
• Number of Hazardous Waste Sites on National Priority List – 7th
• Consumption of Energy per Capita – 5th
• Workers’ Compensation Coverage – 50th
• Income Inequality Between the Rich and the Poor – 9th
• Income Inequality Between the Rich and the Middle Class – 5th
• Homeowner’s Insurance Affordability – 46th
• Number of Executions – 1st

Rick Perry: Why He’s Not the Man to Save the GOP
http://www.tnr.com/article/the-permanent-campaign/90131/rick-perry-campaign-texas

The late Molly Ivins, on Rick Perry
http://www.charlotteobserver.com/2011/08/14/2526469/the-late-molly-ivins-on-rick-perry.html

Conventional political wisdom says a man with a record like this can't win a national election but he's been the Gov of Texas for 12 years.

I really want to believe this country has better sense than to elect this man but in 2010 many voters worked their butts off to elect crazies into office nationwide as well as in our Federal government. Crazies that are working feverishly against the best interest of the folks that voted them in [[and many are still too dense to see it).

Other voters.... sat on their butts and didn't vote because they didn't get their ponies, unicorns and single payer health care system or because they were too busy to care.

The system we have in place in the US doesn't always work perfectly but it does work....the fact it may not be working the way we want it to is not the systems fault....

oh and I forgot...there is another group that votes or doesn't vote...those with ideological dreams they think will make this country and it's people all better...forget the reality of those dreams, forget everyone doesn't share those dreams because that doesn't matter to them...only the dream itself matters.

ms_m

08-14-2011, 03:46 AM

America: Still the best country in the world
August 11, 2011 | 4:17 pm

In the midst of the deficit crisis and fears of a double-dip recession, it’s easily forgotten that the United States is still the best country in the world, Michael O’Hanlon, a senior fellow and director of research for foreign policy at the Brookings Institution, wrote in an op-ed Thursday. That’s not to say we don’t have serious problems that need fixing, but we shouldn’t lose sight of what we have going for us, he said.

People all over the world still dream of moving to America, and our population growth is steady and stable, unlike other advanced nations, O’Hanlon wrote. The U.S. has 70 alliances around the world and more than 70% of the global economic alliance is organized under the “U.S. global alliance system.” Here’s an excerpt from the piece:

In addition to having perhaps the healthiest demographic profile of any middle or major power, and by far the strongest alliances over a sustained period of any major power in history, the United States also has the best advanced educational system in the world. We hear lots about the troubled state of our public education system, and to be sure, it needs improvement. But at the more advanced level, we remain at the front. Recent studies estimate that the United States has more than half of the world's best 100 universities.
[…]
China's prowess and progress in economic growth and in manufacturing are remarkable and commendable, but at least for another year or two, the United States remains the top manufacturer as measured by value added to its products. Our setbacks in recent decades in many areas like steel, concrete, textiles and cars are partially compensated for by continued excellence in aircraft, pharmaceuticals, industrial chemicals and many computer-related technologies [[especially software and related products). Although foreigners just overtook Americans in the number of U.S. patents received each year, we still generate about 48% of the country's patents; not bad for 5% of the world's population.
http://opinion.latimes.com/opinionla/2011/08/america-still-the-best-country-in-the-world-most-commented.html

Link to the full article
http://www.latimes.com/news/opinion/commentary/la-oe-ohanlon-america-20110811,0,1890319.story

If any of the other countries mentioned seem more appealing and you're thinking about becoming an expat....I threw in a few little tidbits

Singapore

Income and business tax rates are great but there are other levies and fees [[taxes) that change the overall financial picture.

Guide Me Singapore

http://www.guidemesingapore.com/taxation/topics/singapore-tax-rates

Internationally known as both a major financial center and an extremely expensive place to live, Singapore ranks eighth in 2011, up from 11th in 2010. As in most Asian financial centers, Singapore remains in high demand for expatriates, pushing up housing costs and overall cost of living in the city.

Monthly Rent, Luxury 2 Bedroom: $3,289
Cup of Coffee: $5.37
http://www.cnbc.com/id/43729279/The_World_s_Most_Expensive_Places_To_Live_2011?sli de=4

Switzerland

Switzerland: Personal Taxation
http://www.lowtax.net/lowtax/html/jswpetx.html

good luck trying to figure this out but hey, they have Universal Health Care [[mandated but Universal)

Health Care Around the World: Switzerland
http://healthcare-economist.com/2008/04/23/health-care-around-the-world-switzerland/

7. Zurich, Switzerland
Although by international standards, Zurich is one of the most expensive cities in the world, it is only the second most expensive city in the country, although it rose one spot in the rankings from 2010. In the past year, the Swiss franc has increased in value compared to the U.S. dollar from around 94 cents in 2010 to almost $1.20 today, making it considerably more expensive for expatriates to relocate.

5. Geneva, Switzerland
Although it is only the second-most populous city in Switzerland, Geneva is the most expensive metropolitan area in the country and the second most expensive city in Europe. Like Zurich, Geneva has also experienced a heightened cost of living as a result of the Swiss franc’s appreciation in value.

Monthly Rent, Luxury 2 Bedroom:: $4,523
Cup of Coffee: $6.31
One Gallon Gasoline: $6.
http://www.cnbc.com/id/43729279/The_World_s_Most_Expensive_Places_To_Live_2011?sli de=7

Sweden

Sweden personal Income Tax
Individuals pay both national income tax and municipal income tax. In 2010, individual income tax rates in Sweden change between 54% and 61%, 57.77% being the average tax rate.

Average municipal tax rate by 2010 is 31,56% [[was 31.52% previous year)
Average contribution to the Swedish Church excluding funeral fee is 0.99%
Average funeral fee is 0.22%
National Income Tax: 25%
AVERAGE TAX RATE: 57.77%
[[was 57.73% previous year)

Maximum municipal tax rate by 2010, including contribution to the Swedish Church and funeral fee is: 36% [[in SOLLEFTEÅ)
National Income Tax: 25%
MAXIMUM TAX RATE: 61.00%

Maximum municipal tax rate by 2010, including the funeral fee but NOT the contribution to the Swedish Church is: 34.75% [[in RAGUNDA)
National Income Tax: 25%
MAXIMUM TAX RATE WITHOUT CHURCH TAX: 59.75%

Minimum municipal tax rate by 2010, including contribution to the Swedish Church and funeral fee is: 29.73% [[in KÄVLINGE)
National Income Tax: 25%
MINIMUM TAX RATE: 54.73%

Minimum municipal tax rate by 2010, including the funeral fee but NOT the contribution to the Swedish Church is: 29.00% [[in VELLINGE)
National Income Tax: 25%
MINIMUM TAX RATE WITHOUT CHURCH TAX: 54.00%

ms_m

08-14-2011, 01:13 PM

Question: Can anyone name one nation [[anywhere in the world) that has ever had a successful [[totally) free market system?

I can find nations that practice free market principles in conjunction with socialism and or totalitarianism but I'm looking for a country with a stand alone free market system and nothing else.

ms_m

08-14-2011, 01:46 PM

Tim Pawlenty Quits: Former Governor Drops Out Of Presidential Race

"What I brought forward, I thought, was a rational, established, credible, strong record of results, based on experience governing - a two-term governor of a blue state. But I think the audience, so to speak, was looking for something different," he said.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/08/14/tim-pawlenty-quits_n_926405.html

Minnesotans weigh in on Pawlenty's record as governor in reacting to presidential run
by Madeleine Baran, Minnesota Public Radio
May 24, 2011

The budget is on the minds of many Minnesotans as the state faces a possible government shutdown due to the impasse in budget negotiations between Gov. Mark Dayton and the Republican-controlled legislature. Whereas Pawlenty stuck to a policy of no new taxes but faced opposition from DFL lawmakers, Dayton has pushed for new taxes but has failed to convince Republican lawmakers.

Pawlenty announcement

Many respondents said the current problems began with Pawlenty's administration.
"He did not balance the budget," said Teresa Joppa of Moorhead. "He mislabeled fee increases as 'not taxes.' He forced cities and counties to raise property taxes by cutting LGA [[local government aid) while claiming he didn't raise 'taxes.'"

Tom Goodwin, a retired science teacher in Lakeville, said Pawlenty's refusal to raise taxes led to larger class sizes and fewer dedicated teachers.

"His choices as governor were short-sighted, politically motivated, and ultimately harmful to most Minnesotans," Goodwin said.

http://minnesota.publicradio.org/display/web/2011/05/24/pawlenty-presidential-run-reaction/

credible, strong record of results

TPaw is gone but others remain who use this same type of "double speak"

anyone can claim results....but it's the end game of that results that matter.

ms_m

08-14-2011, 02:17 PM

Rick Perry's Army of God
A little-known movement of radical Christians and self-proclaimed prophets wants to infiltrate government, and Rick Perry might be their man.
by FORREST WILDER

On September 28, 2009, at 1:40 p.m., God’s messengers visited Rick Perry.
On this day, the Lord’s messengers arrived in the form of two Texas pastors, Tom Schlueter of Arlington and Bob Long of San Marcos, who called on Perry in the governor’s office inside the state Capitol. Schlueter and Long both oversee small congregations, but they are more than just pastors. They consider themselves modern-day apostles and prophets, blessed with the same gifts as Old Testament prophets or New Testament apostles.

The pastors told Perry of God’s grand plan for Texas. A chain of powerful prophecies had proclaimed that Texas was “The Prophet State,” anointed by God to lead the United States into revival and Godly government. And the governor would have a special role.

The day before the meeting, Schlueter had received a prophetic message from Chuck Pierce, an influential prophet from Denton, Texas. God had apparently commanded Schlueter—through Pierce—to “pray by lifting the hand of the one I show you that is in the place of civil rule.”

Gov. Perry, it seemed.

Schlueter had prayed before his congregation: “Lord Jesus I bring to you today Gov. Perry. ... I am just bringing you his hand and I pray Lord that he will grasp ahold of it. For if he does you will use him mightily.”

And grasp ahold the governor did. At the end of their meeting, Perry asked the two pastors to pray over him. As the pastors would later recount, the Lord spoke prophetically as Schlueter laid his hands on Perry, their heads bowed before a painting of the Battle of the Alamo. Schlueter “declared over [Perry] that there was a leadership role beyond Texas and that Texas had a role beyond what people understand,” Long later told his congregation.

So you have to wonder: Is Rick Perry God’s man for president?
http://www.texasobserver.org/cover-story/rick-perrys-army-of-god

oh and btw, I ran across an interesting article on free market economy/ principles I’d like to share

The term free market economy primarily means a system where the buyers and sellers are solely responsible for the choices they make. In a way, free market gives the absolute power to prices to determine the allocation and distribution of goods and services. These prices, in turn, are fixed by the forces of supply and demand of a respective commodity. In cases of demand falling short of the supply of a respective commodity, the price will fall as opposed to a price rise when the supply is inadequate to meet the growing demand of a good or service. Free market economy is also characterized by free trade without any tariffs or subsidies imposed by the government.

The role of the government of a nation is only limited to controlling the law and order of a country and to ensure that a 'fair price' is charged by the sellers. That is to say, the government, having no role in administering the price of a commodity, has to see that the prices taken by the sellers is true and commensurate with the price determined by the forces of demand and supply.

The basic feature of the free market economy is that only people with sufficient control over resources, and wealth, in particular have the privilege to purchase goods and services, often priced very highly in a free economy. Prices, which are the only allocating and distributing factor in a free market economy, place the poor in an unenviable situation who are gradually thrown out of the system without any access to wealth and the basic needs of subsistence.
http://www.economywatch.com/market-economy/free-market-economy.htm

....and still looking for that totally free market nation....any help would be appreciated.

Recently, I posted something about this possibly being the strangest presidential election in US history.....

I now think I under-exaggerated :eek:

ms_m

08-14-2011, 02:55 PM

Bachmann: I Don’t ‘Judge’ Gays, Everyone Has ‘Dignity’ And ‘Honor’
David Taintor | August 14, 2011, 2:35PM

Fresh off her win at the Iowa straw poll, Rep. Michele Bachmann [[R-MN) on Sunday launched a media blitz on the morning talk shows.
For the most part, Bachmann stayed on message, calling for the repeal of "Obamacare" and reigning in government spending. But an interesting moment came when Meet The Presshost David Gregory challenged Bachmann's position on homosexuality.

It's no secret Bachmann isn't the biggest fan of gays. But when Gregory played a clip of Bachmann saying homosexuality leads to "personal enslavement" and "bondage," she responded simply by saying "I am running for the presidency of the United States."
"I am not running to be anyone's judge," she added.

"But you have judged them," Gregory pressed.

"I don't judge them," Bachmann responded. "I don't judge them. I am running for the presidency of the United States."
Bachmann echoed her position that marriage should be between a man and a woman. But she said she "ascribes honor and dignity to every person, no matter their background."
http://tpmdc.talkingpointsmemo.com/2011/08/bachmann-on-homosexuals-i-dont-judge-them-everyone-has-honor-and-dignity-video.php?ref=fpb

I’m really curious if she can continue like this…she’s discipline as all get out but under the scrutiny of a national spotlight, will she eventually crack? Will that "titanium spine" bend the minds of voters? Do you have more faith in voters than I do?

.....LOL...and that's a nervous laugh folks. Not because I'm worried about this woman but because I'm worried about WE THE PEOPLE and our ability/inability to separate equine fecal matter from reality.

Stay Tuned

kenneth

08-14-2011, 03:08 PM

Bachmann: I Don’t ‘Judge’ Gays, Everyone Has ‘Dignity’ And ‘Honor’
David Taintor | August 14, 2011, 2:35PM

http://tpmdc.talkingpointsmemo.com/2011/08/bachmann-on-homosexuals-i-dont-judge-them-everyone-has-honor-and-dignity-video.php?ref=fpb

I’m really curious if she can continue like this…she’s discipline as all get out but under the scrutiny of a national spotlight, will she eventually crack? Will that "titanium spine" bend the minds of voters? Do you have more faith in voters than I do?

.....LOL...and that's a nervous laugh folks. Not because I'm worried about this woman but because I'm worried about WE THE PEOPLE and our ability/inability to separate equine fecal matter from reality.

Stay Tuned

She's done an amazing job of turning down her craziness and looking studied and reasonable. She has one of the most brilliant political strategists, Ed Rollins, a frequent contributor to CNN, who even in the last election was critical of Sarah Palin suddenly entering the national spotlight. I imagine Bachmann is learning from Palin's mistakes, although Palin only seems to want to be the center of attention, not President. I think Romney and Perry create a more likely threat if they win the nomination, which is why I am hoping Bachmann gets it!

marv2

08-14-2011, 03:46 PM

[QUOTE=ms_m;62157]Tim Pawlenty Quits: Former Governor Drops Out Of Presidential Race

GOOD! One good news story for this rainy Sunday in New York! Thank you Ms M.

MotownSteve

08-14-2011, 03:54 PM

Some questions for Gov. Perry:

Why did he feel it necessary to outsource the turnpike bypassing Austin to a Spanish company?

And then there was all the money he spent on a luxurious rental while outlandish money was spent on renovating the governor's mansion?

And, I'm sure there are many other questions he should be asked.

ms_m

08-14-2011, 04:07 PM

She's done an amazing job of turning down her craziness and looking studied and reasonable. She has one of the most brilliant political strategists, Ed Rollins, a frequent contributor to CNN, who even in the last election was critical of Sarah Palin suddenly entering the national spotlight. I imagine Bachmann is learning from Palin's mistakes, although Palin only seems to want to be the center of attention, not President. I think Romney and Perry create a more likely threat if they win the nomination, which is why I am hoping Bachmann gets it!

Totally agree on all fronts Kenneth and welcome to the discussion.

I also think MSM will start coming at her hard just to see if they can break her and I see Perry and Romney doing the same thing. [[Perry more so than Romney)

If I had my druthers I'd definitely take Bachmann as the Repub candidate with Romney being 2nd choice. Perry concerns me, he slithers in and out of situations like a snake and gets away with it. He's also incredibly lucky....hopefully his luck will run out but we shall see.

ms_m

08-14-2011, 04:13 PM

ms_m

08-14-2011, 04:18 PM

a million of 'em Steve....let's see how the Fox/Limbaugh/Hannity/Wallace fight turns out....I don't really see him going out of his way to talk to "non partisan" outlets.

ms_m

08-14-2011, 05:19 PM

I was just reading comments from that Bachmann article and ran across this

… today. Between maybe 11 a.m. when MTP was over, and 2 p.m... amazingly... Gregory came back with a statement about how Michele Bachmann was "in sync with the mood of the country"...

read the article again, check out the video clip. Now think about the comment above Gregory made later.....in sync with the mood of the country? Michele Bachman?

MSM's finest....and folks wonder why I get upset because it doesn't seem as if people are truly paying attention, doing their own research and THINKING for themselves.

Let's just allow all the "credible" outlets tell us what is going on....yep, that's the ticket!!!!!!

...many will be too young to understand this but

CALGON TAKE ME AWAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAY:rolleyes:

ms_m

08-14-2011, 07:27 PM

GOP Presidential Candidates Spurn Press -- And Gain Popularity For It

Now comes Rick Perry, whose supporters positively glory in his record of stiffing the press -- as though that alone is a qualification for holding the highest office in the land.

Melanie Schwartz, political director of the Texas College Republicans, is an example of that kind of Perry acolyte.

"I like the way he has outsmarted the media," she told The Huffington Post at the straw poll site, where she was asking passersby to write in Perry's name on their straw poll ballots. "He knows how to control the message and not let the media get in the way. In his reelection for governor, he just said, 'No, I'm not going to debate,' and he didn't -- and he won easily. I loved that."

For his latest trick, Perry skipped the Fox debate here on Thursday, then announced his candidacy at a conservative bloggers event in Charleston, S.C.

"He's just blowing past the media, and that is the way to do it," said Schwartz, a history major at the University of Texas. According to Schwartz, the press corps had lost its role because of the rise of new media such as Facebook and Twitter, and by dwelling on issues that most Americans don't care about. If voters in Texas had cared or been concerned, she said, they wouldn't have reelected Perry.

"The regular media has kind of lost it's role," she said. "Rick Perry doesn't need an intermediary anymore to communicate with the people. And if people want to ask elected officials questions, they can do it by sending them a Twitter or asking them a question on Facebook. And sometimes the voters will actually get an answer!"
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/08/13/gop-presidential-candidat_n_926224.html

ms_m

08-14-2011, 08:31 PM

The Republican Trickle Down Fallacy
August 10, 2011
Written by: Jerry Iserson

Supply-side tax theory also asserts that when taxes increase, the wealthy simply avoid paying them through tax loopholes and write-offs, defeating their purpose. However, if these loopholes and write-offs were reduced or eliminated for the highest income groups, they would have to actually pay their fair share of taxes.

The Republicans point to the Reagan tax cuts, which had a stimulating economic effect since the top tax rates at that time were initially very high [[70%), and President Reagan reduced them to 28%. This cut was so drastic that even the wealthiest were induced to spend and invest more.

Furthermore, President Reagan took office during a period of “stagflation” [[a weak economy together with high inflation and high interest rates); since the option of decreasing interest rates to spur growth was not available due to very high inflation, tax cuts were one of the few ways to get the economy on track. And because of the magnitude of these cuts, the rich spent more and moved their marginal income from tax shelters to tax payments, while still benefiting from the extra tax money available to them. But just because tax cuts for the rich were effective at one time, in one unique set of circumstances, does not mean that they work in every circumstance.
http://codebluepolitics.com/2011/08/10/the-republican-trickle-down-fallacy/

ms_m

08-14-2011, 08:33 PM

Minimum-Wage Earners Falling Further Behind
August 5, 2011
Written by: Christine Owens

Two years ago, 4.5 million of America’s workers enjoyed a modest pay increase, as the federal minimum wage rose from $6.55 to $7.25 an hour. The increase was the final of a
three-step boost enacted in 2007.

Of those getting a bump in pay, more than three-quarters were adults, nearly two-thirds were women, and nearly half a million were single parents with children under 18.

Yet during the past two years, these working families have seen the real value of their wages fall. Minimum-wage earners working full-time make roughly $15,000 a year. Had the minimum wage rate kept up with inflation, their paychecks would have increased by $800 this year.

Instead, our nation’s lowest-paid workers have had an even harder time providing basic needs for their families.

http://codebluepolitics.com/2011/08/05/minimum-wage-earners-falling-further-behind/

MotownSteve

08-14-2011, 08:33 PM

I like that 'And sometimes the voters will actually get an answer." Just don't ask any difficult or pointed questions.

ms_m

08-14-2011, 08:41 PM

Yep Steve,

I guess running a national presidential campaign through Facebook and Twitter while skirting the media is the hip, new, cool thing to do, you betcha, also, too.

...conventional political wisdom anyone?

HA!;)

ms_m

08-15-2011, 02:27 AM

Young Entrepreneurs
08/11/2011

The President made clear in his State of the Union address that we as a country must commit to winning the future: out-innovating, out-building, and out-educating the rest of the world. After his address, the President asked senior Administration officials to get on the road and host discussions with business leaders across the country.

In March, he also launched the “100 Youth Roundtables” Initiative, designed to dialogue directly with young people and move the needle substantively on policy and outreach.

In July the White House held a the White House welcomed 150 young entrepreneurs and business owners from all around the country for Our Time’s “Buy Young” Initiative. This event allowed young business leaders, who are responsible for the creation of over 7,000 jobs, to share their feedback with the administration about a wide variety of issues including job creation, small business, and youth employment. After a conversation with all the young business owners and administration officials, participants spoke [[and the Administration listened) in breakout sessions with the Small Business Administration, the White House Business Council, the White House Council of Economic Advisors and the White House Office of Public Engagement to discuss their ideas.

As part of the President & SBA’s commitment to Young Entreprenuers and youth in underserved communities, the agency has committed a portion of the National Small Business Week agenda to devoting time and resources to educating and engaging young entrepreneurs. Job creation is crucial to our economic recovery and is the number one priority of the Obama administration.
http://propresobama.org/

ms_m

08-15-2011, 02:30 AM

Fuel Economy Standards for Commercial Vehicles
08/09/2011

White House Announced First Ever Oil Savings Standards for Heavy Duty Trucks, Buses Saving $50 billion in fuel costs and over 500 million barrels of oil.

President Obama announced new fuel efficiency standards that will save American businesses that operate and own commercial vehicles approximately $50 billion in fuel costs over the life of the program. These work trucks, buses, and other medium- and heavy duty vehicles will be required to meet fuel efficiency and greenhouse gas emission standards for the first time ever beginning in 2014.

The U.S. Department of Transportation [[DOT) and the Environmental Protection Agency [[EPA) developed the standards in close coordination with the companies that met with the President today as well as other stakeholders, following requests from companies to develop this program.

“While we were working to improve the efficiency of cars and light-duty trucks, something interesting happened,” said President Obama. “We started getting letters asking that we do the same for medium and heavy-duty trucks. They were from the people who build, buy, and drive these trucks. And today, I’m proud to have the support of these companies as we announce the first-ever national policy to increase fuel efficiency and decrease greenhouse gas pollution from medium and heavy-duty trucks.”

The 2014-2018 fuel efficiency standards for trucks are designed to account for the different kind of work done by different kinds of trucks. Long haul trucks will save an average of 4 gallons for fuel for every 100 miles traveled. Heavy-duty pickups and vehicles like buses, delivery trucks, or vans would save one gallon for every 100 miles traveled. Altogether, we’re looking at saving a projected 530 million barrels of oil.
For the entire article: http://www.whitehouse.gov/blog/2011/08/09/secretary-lahood-50-billion-fuel-savings-significant-win-trucking-industry

ms_m

08-15-2011, 03:46 AM

I know well many of the mega-rich and, by and large, they are very decent people. They love America and appreciate the opportunity this country has given them. Many have joined the Giving Pledge, promising to give most of their wealth to philanthropy. Most wouldn’t mind being told to pay more in taxes as well, particularly when so many of their fellow citizens are truly suffering.

Op-Ed Contributor
Stop Coddling the Super-Rich
By WARREN E. BUFFETT
Published: August 14, 2011

OUR leaders have asked for “shared sacrifice.” But when they did the asking, they spared me. I checked with my mega-rich friends to learn what pain they were expecting. They, too, were left untouched.

While the poor and middle class fight for us in Afghanistan, and while most Americans struggle to make ends meet, we mega-rich continue to get our extraordinary tax breaks. Some of us are investment managers who earn billions from our daily labors but are allowed to classify our income as “carried interest,” thereby getting a bargain 15 percent tax rate. Others own stock index futures for 10 minutes and have 60 percent of their gain taxed at 15 percent, as if they’d been long-term investors.

These and other blessings are showered upon us by legislators in Washington who feel compelled to protect us, much as if we were spotted owls or some other endangered species. It’s nice to have friends in high places.
http://www.nytimes.com/2011/08/15/opinion/stop-coddling-the-super-rich.html?_r=1&smid=tw-nytimesbusiness&seid=auto

marv2

08-15-2011, 08:21 AM

LOL...glad it helped your day Marv.

I could have lived with Pawlenty a little longer. In-spite of my not agreeing with any of his politics, he was like the underdog you like to root for.....LOL...not to mention kicking his butt in the general would have been a breeze.

Yes, true but it will make for better and more entertaining television the longer Michelle Bachmann is in the race. I just hope I am home and free the night she self-implodes in front of a national audience in one of the debates, because it is going to happen I promise! LOL!

ms_m

08-15-2011, 10:05 AM

:D I understand what you're saying Marv but I take a different approach. I want to educate and I want a Dem presidential win...a big win...including a down ticket big win.

In addition to retaining the WH we need a true super majority in the House and the Senate. We need Dems back in the majority in the states, cities, municipalities; on the judicial benches, school boards, heck even Dem dog catchers! [[ok that's a joke...kinda...LOL)

With those objectives in mind, I'm also looking for the Republican opponent that can help the Dems accomplish that big win with the least amount of headache and trouble. Pawlenty would have worked well in that capacity....more so than Bachmann who is going to be a pain in the butt for both sides of the fence.

Now if I'm entertained in the process of all this, that's a bonus but not the goal....feel me?;)

ms_m

08-15-2011, 01:41 PM

Perry is going to turn himself into a “Mittens pretzel”….with his record, he may end up walking back [[wards) to Texas.

Under Scrutiny, Perry Walks Back HPV Decision
by Jay Root

For years, Gov. Rick Perry has taken flak for his 2007 attempt to require girls to be vaccinated against the human papillomavirus, the most commonly sexually transmitted disease and the principal cause of cervical cancer. At the risk of angering fellow conservatives, Perry has always insisted he did the right thing.

That unapologetic approach changed this weekend.

A few hours after unveiling his campaign for president, Perry began walking back from one of the most controversial decisions of his more-than-10-year reign as Texas governor. Speaking to voters at a backyard party in New Hampshire, Perry said he was ill-informed when he issued his executive order, in February 2007, mandating the HPV vaccine for all girls entering sixth grade, unless their parents completed a conscientious-objection affidavit form. The vaccine, Merck & Co.’s Gardasil, would have protected against the forms of HPV that cause about 70 percent of all cervical cancer, according to the federal Centers for Disease Control.
http://www.texastribune.org/texas-people/rick-perry/facing-new-scrutiny-perry-walks-back-hpv-decision/

ms_m

08-15-2011, 06:49 PM

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=seIZB6qQEWY&feature=player_embedded

ms_m

08-15-2011, 06:57 PM

Obama Embraces ‘Obamacare’ | In a sign that he may now be more willing to defend his signature domestic policy accomplishment in the run-up to the election, President Obama embraced “Obamacare” during a stop on his bus tour through the Midwest. “I have no problem with folks saying ‘Obama Cares.’ I do care. If the other side wants to be the folks who don’t care, that’s fine with me,” he said in Cannon Falls, Minnesota this afternoon.

Watch it:
http://thinkprogress.org/

Great messaging!

ms_m

08-15-2011, 07:12 PM

Fareed Zakaria explains it all: liberal Obamagloom off base
August 14, 2011 • Posted in Opinion, People, Politics, President Barack Obama

Here’s the start:

The air is thick with liberal disappointment. In the days after the debt deal, liberal politicians and commentators took to the airwaves and op-ed pages to mourn the agreement. But their ire was directed not at the Tea Party or even the Republicans but rather at Barack Obama, who they concluded had failed as a President because of his persistent tendency to compromise.

As the New Republic’s Jonathan Chait brilliantly points out, this criticism stems from a liberal fantasy that if only the President would give a stirring speech, he would sweep the country along with the sheer power of his poetry. In this view, writes Chait, “every known impediment to the legislative process — special interest lobbying, the filibuster, macroeconomic conditions, not to mention certain settled beliefs of public opinion — are bt tiny stick huts trembling in the face of the atomic bomb of the presidential speech.”

Zakaria gives a short history lesson:

Obama passed a large stimulus package within weeks of taking office. Perhaps it should have been bigger, but despite a Democratic House and Senate, it passed by just one vote. He signed into law an unprecedented expansion of regulations in the financial services industry, though one that did not break up the large banks. He enacted universal health care, through a complex program modeled after Mitt Romney’s plan in Massachusetts. And he has advocated a balanced approach to deficit reduction that combines tax increases with spending cuts.

Maybe he believes in all these things. Maybe he understands that with a budget deficit of 10% of GDP, the second highest in the industrialized world, and a debt that will rise to almost 100% of GDP in a few yars, we cannot cavalierly spend another few trillion dollars hoping that will jump-start the economy. Perhaps he believes that while banks need better regulations, America also needs a vibrant banking system, and that in a globalized economy, constraining American banks will only ensure that the world’s largest global financial institutions will be British, German, Swiss and Chinese. He might understand that Larry Summers and Tim Geithner are smart people who, in long careers in public service, got some things wrong but also got many things right. Perhaps he understands that getting entitlement costs under control is in fact a crucial part of stabilizing our fiscal situation, and that you do need both tax increases and spending cuts — cuts that are smaller than they appear because they all start with the 2010 budget, which was boosted by the stimulus. Is all this dangerous weakness, incoherence and appeasement, or is it common sense?

Full Article
http://blog.reidreport.com/2011/08/fareed-zakaria-explains-it-all-liberal-obamagloom-off-base/#more-26193

ms_m

08-15-2011, 10:59 PM

…..clutch the pearls Mable and I’ll get the smelling salt!

Our Founding Fathers, those illustrious men who drew up and signed the Constitution of the United States of America, mandated health care for merchant marines.

But, but, why did we need the merchant marines? The FF's understood foreign trade was essential because, our economy could not stand alone.

Socialized, mandated health care to Americans who traveled to foreign countries for trade.:eek:

JULY 22, 2009 5:31PM
Our Founding Father's Socialized Healthcare System

While there were some who wished the new America could become self sustaining and avoid depending on foreign trade, it rapidly became apparent our economy couldn't stand alone without it. We relied on the private merchant ships of America to build our economy and fund our treasury, and the captains and owners of those ships relied, of course, on sailors to staff them.

The merchant mariner's job was physical and difficult, leaving them prone to injury. General illness, tropical diseases, wretched backs, sprained wrists, ankles and broken bones could leave a captain without enough crew to man the ship.

Our Founders realized that a healthy work force was essential to our economic health and growth. It was for this reason that, in July of 1798, Congress passed, and President John Adams signed into law an act “For the Relief of Sick and Disabled Seamen,” establishing the Marine Hospital Service.

The Full Article Here:
http://open.salon.com/blog/paul_j_orourke/2009/07/22/our_founding_fathers_socialist_healthcare_system

ms_m

08-16-2011, 10:44 AM

Take the Federal Reserve History Quiz
http://www.federalreserveeducation.org/about-the-fed/history/quiz/

Read About the Fed
History of the Federal Reserve

On December 23, 1913, the Federal Reserve System, which serves as the nation's central bank, was created by an act of Congress. The System consists of a seven member Board of Governors with headquarters in Washington, D.C., and twelve Reserve Banks located in major cities throughout the United States.
Structure of the Federal Reserve System

The Federal Reserve System was created by the Federal Reserve Act in 1913 and began operating in 1914. The Fed is an unusual mixture of public and private elements.

Federal Reserve Districts
The Federal Reserve official identifies its Districts by number and city in which its head office is located.

In the Twelfth District, the Seattle Branch serves Alaska, and the San Francisco Bank serves Hawaii. The System serves commonwealths and territories as follows: the New York Bank serves the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands; the San Francisco Bank serves American Samoa, Guam, and the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands. The Board of Governors revised the branch boundaries of the System in February 1996.
More:
http://www.federalreserveeducation.org/about-the-fed/

ms_m

08-16-2011, 11:41 AM

Little known Facts [[apparently)

Ben Bernanke is the Chairman of the Federal Reserve; he was appointed by George W. Bush in 2006 and was confirmed [[by congress) for a second term as Chairman on January 28, 2010, after being nominated by President Barack Obama.

Per the Treasury Dept website, the Federal Reserve DOES NOT PRINT MONEY

One of the primary jobs of the Federal Reserve is to control the money supply [[not currency) They put more money into circulation or take some out as conditions dictate.

It is their job…it’s what they do.

Please see history and other facts regarding the Feds. A look at the Treasury Department website will also be useful.

ms_m

08-16-2011, 11:59 AM

Understanding The Modern Monetary System

Warning – This subject is very dense, highly complex and counter-intuitive to much of neoclassical economics. Because it requires a substantial time investment I would recommend preparing yourself to spend several hours [[or even days) on the material before getting overwhelmed by it. The discussion forum also covers many of the common misconceptions when first confronting this subject.
http://pragcap.com/resources/understanding-modern-monetary-system

You can download a PDF copy here
http://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cfm?abstract_id=1905625

It is complex, you may not get it in one reading. If you’re like me you may not get it in several readings but I promise you, the more you read, the more you research, the more you will absorb and understand.

We don’t have to strive to become an econ expert but a basic understanding of how our monetary system works; will go a long way in helping all of us make better and well informed decisions about our economy and the people in charge of it....also the people who want to be in charge of it.

ms_m

08-16-2011, 12:06 PM

Best Comment of the Day
By NCSteve @talkingpointsmemo.com

Let's be "fair." Okay, wait. I have no desire to be fair to him, but let's at least deconstruct the wingnut logic so we can know the enemy rather than just reducing them to caricature. Well, okay, that's not really accurate either because ultimately, they're all just studies in self-caricaturization.

Right then. Let's deconstruct the wingnut logic so we can get down to the self-caricature rather than constructing one of our own.

See, the thing is, true sociopaths like Rove and McConnell are rare, even among Republicans. The rest have to be the heroes of their own stories, just like we do. So the way they get to "must not help economy because it would help the Kenyan Usurper" without feeling like total shits is to construct a narrative where they are defending the peepul from the threat of ruinous hyperinflation.

In Wingnut World, liberal policies inevitably lead to hyperinflation, which liberals view as a feature, not a bug, because it steals money from the pockets of honest, hardworking rentiers and puts it into the pockets of shiftless, no account brown people who took out low-interest loans that the rentiers generously offered them and want to pay the loans back with worthless paper. Liberals want to make America look like Zimbabwe because they are evil misanthropes who can only win through demagoguery and voter bribery and thus thrive on suffering. In Wingnut World, because we have had "fiat currency" ever since the Demon Roosevelt took us off the gold standard the nation hovers perpetually on the brink of hyper-inflation and, if we can't go back to a gold standard, only sensible tight money policies like those advocated by the sensible Germans [[ftzzz Germany socialist hellhole ftzzzz cognitive . . . dissonance . . . must . . . suppress!) can stop it.

So, what they're really saying is that they are terrified that Bernanke is going to hyper-inflate the currency and create a false "sugar rush" prosperity that will win the election for Obama but collapse into catastrophic Weimer Republic hyperinflation on the first Wednesday in November, 2012.

And yes, they really believe that. And yeah, it was actually Nixon who took us off the gold standard and inflated the currency to generate a false prosperity in advance of an election that then led to an inflationary crisis which he unsuccessfully tried to control by frankly socialistic regulation and price controls, but they're never going to admit that.

ms_m

08-16-2011, 12:27 PM

Perry’s Fed Fight Dangerous Territory For Romney
Benjy Sarlin | August 16, 2011, 10:23AM

Rick Perry's tough words for Ben Bernanke Monday weren't just idle talk. By going after the Federal Reserve, he immediately brings to the forefront one of the few major policy distinctions between him and Mitt Romney.

A successful investor who is well-versed in monetary policy, Romney has been extremely wary about joining in on the Republican party's populist revolt against the Federal Reserve over the last two years. Perry, by contrast, is clearly all too happy to ride the anti-Fed tide, perhaps making a play for some of the Bernanke haters more naturally drawn to Ron Paul.

As recently as April of this year, well after Tea Partiers had taken to vilifying Bernanke as the face of the 2008 bailout, Romney defended the Fed Chair in an interview with CNBC's Larry Kudlow after being repeatedly pressed to criticize him for "depreciating the dollar."
http://tpmdc.talkingpointsmemo.com/2011/08/perrys-fed-fight-dangerous-territory-for-romney.php?ref=fpb

Rick “Goodhair” Perry has less intelligence than Palin and Bush jr, combined which I didn’t think was possible BUT….he is not stupid!

He’s throwing out words like treason [[a dog whistle to the extreme right) to go after the Chairman of the Federal Reserve, President Obama, Mitt [[Mittens) Romney....and to attract the supporters of Ron Paul and Michele Bachmann.

He is the longest serving governor in US history because voters fall for his shtick time and time again!!!!

ms_m

08-16-2011, 12:42 PM

An interesting question and thought….

…should Democrats be relieved that a flaming radical will likely be the candidate, after all, rather than Romney sliding through and then pivoting into the "moderate businessman" role that will play well in the general election? Romney seems more likely to garner independent votes, but an Obama-Romney contest would also be a disappointment to the fire-breathing right, who would more likely stay home.

Perry will increase Republican energy and mobilize every last low-information right winger -- but fear of his extremism might drive away some independents, and also increase Democratic energy in opposition.

The risk of a Perry candidacy is that he might win….

Mitt Mittens Romney – flip flopper in chief and a businessman who buys companies and lays off thousands of workers

Rick “Goodhair” Perry – longest serving gov in history of a state with a dismal record

President Barack Obama

To the chagrin of Paul supporters I do the same thing as the media tends to do and that is, marginalize Ron Paul but if you want to throw him, Bachman, Cain, Santorum and every tom, dick and harry in the mix, that’s fine but THINK about, RESEARCH and make a well informed decision about who should be running this country.

Voters tend to vote with their emotions and not with their brain.....PLEASE...not this time.....

ms_m

08-16-2011, 01:28 PM

Poll: Wis. Voters Getting Iffy On Walker Recall
Eric Kleefeld | August 16, 2011, 12:41PM

Is it still possible for Wisconsin Democrats to recall Gov. Scott Walker, following their narrow failure last week to take control of the state Senate via recall elections? New survey numbers from Public Policy Polling [[D) suggests that the answer is unclear -- and a lot would seemingly depend on whether they can recruit a top candidate, such as former Sen. Russ Feingold.

Walker's approval rating is still underwater, with 45% approval to 53% disapproval. However, a later question asked: "Would you support or oppose recalling Scott Walker from office before his term is up?" The answer was 47% support, to 50% oppose -- down slightly from a 50%-47% support margin in a PPP survey from late May, though both are within the margin of error.

However, Wisconsin recalls do not function as an up-or-down vote on the incumbent. Instead, if a number of people equal to 25% of the number of votes in the last gubernatorial election were to sign petitions [[plus a buffer for disqualified signatures), then the election would be called. At that point, it would effectively become a special election, with the incumbent challenged by other candidates.
http://tpmdc.talkingpointsmemo.com/2011/08/poll-wis-voters-getting-iffy-on-walker-recall.php?ref=fpb

comment:

it's more a case of failed expectations...and people don't deal with that very well

People set themselves up for miracles, for perfection….and when it doesn’t happen, they tend to become apathetic and say to themselves, why bother, what’s the point….

This happens a lot in politics [[and other areas of life) but if you are not willing to pay attention and fight, if you do not care enough, if you are not strong enough and smart enough to make this a better country….then I agree….what’s the point….

…and why and when will you choose to leave because to paraphrase an old saying …

if you are not taking an active and proactive part in the solution...
you are part of the problem!

ms_m

08-16-2011, 01:48 PM

Rick Perry Stands By ‘Passionate’ Rant Against ‘Almost Treasonous’ Bernanke
Benjy Sarlin | August 16, 2011, 11:03AM

Rick Perry is standing by his remarks about Fed Chair Ben Bernanke's "ugly" reception in Texas should he enact "treasonous" expansionary monetary policies before the election.

"He is passionate about getting federal finances under control," Perry spokesman Ray Sullivan told the New York Times in an interview. "They shouldn't print more money, they should cut spending and move much more rapidly to a balanced budget."

Perry has come under fire, even from some fellow Republicans, for his intimidating talk against Bernanke.
http://tpmdc.talkingpointsmemo.com/2011/08/rick-perry-stands-by-passionate-rant-against-almost-treasonous-bernanke.php

In Rick Perry’s world…..trying to stabilize the economy, trying to make life better for millions of Americans is…‘Almost Treasonous’

The mind of an extreme right winger will be hazardous to your health and well being And hazardous to the health and well being of me and mine and all the people I care about.

…it’s why I find ways to fight back…including but not limited to, talking to myself on a music forum. So for those that have asked the question silently or out loud….now you have your answer!:cool:

MotownSteve

08-16-2011, 02:40 PM

Echoes of a W era person who said something like either you are with us or you are a traitor.

ms_m

08-16-2011, 02:42 PM

I feel you on that one Steve but do you know what's really scary, W was smarter.:eek:

ms_m

08-16-2011, 03:28 PM

Daylight for Willard? [[GOP Class War)
Josh Marshall | August 16, 2011, 1:51PM

Benjy Sarlin noted earlier that Perry's fusillade against Fed Chair Ben Bernanke puts

Mitt Romney in a treacherous spot. He's close to high finance in general and has
been conspicuously unwilling to join the general chorus of criticism of Bernanke from the right. But there's another dimension of this feud.

For all the hoopla he's engendered Perry is entering the campaign very late. And he needs to raise a ton of money. And the really big money doesn't tend to come from the Tea Party. It comes from Wall Street and big business. And quite apart from a general people not liking calling major members of government establishment traitors, I don't think the Wall Street crowd or established money in general digs that kind of red meat attack on the nation's chief banker. For a lot of reasons.
Full Article:
http://talkingpointsmemo.com/archives/2011/08/daylight_for_willard_gop_class_war.php?ref=fpblg

Interesting analysis but I think there is an element that Josh leaves out….the Koch Bros.
Both are billionaires with access to friends with big money. They’ve had a major
financial impact on Tea Party races all over the country. [[even here in Ral. where their influence can be seen on our school board)

This entire race could get ugly on many different fronts.

ms_m

08-16-2011, 05:14 PM

Rick Perry Condemns Federal Farm Regulation — That Doesn’t Exist
Benjy Sarlin | August 16, 2011, 3:06PM

Rick Perry pulled a Michele Bachmann on Tuesday, passionately condemning a policy that does not actually exist.

This time round it was over farming issues. "If you're a tractor driver, if you drive your tractor across a public road, you're gonna have to have a commercial driver's license. Now how idiotic is that?" perry told a Des Moines crowd. "What were they thinking?"

As it turns out, Perry's claim is based off a false rumor that was circulating among farmers that the Department of Transportation recently put to rest. The Wall Street Journal reports that the confusion was over a federal review of a proposal by Illinois to require commercial licenses for farmers, but the DOT ultimately concluded -- as Perry did -- that "the common sense exemptions that allow farmers, their employers, and their families to accomplish their day-to-day work and transport their products to market" should not be tampered with by states.
http://tpmdc.talkingpointsmemo.com/2011/08/rick-perry-condemns-federal-farm-regulation----that-doesnt-exist.php?ref=fpa

Yo Marv, remember we were talking about entertaining…now THIS was entertaining….hahahahahaha

If Gov. Good Hair keeps this up AND MSM [[main stream media) reports it…..maybe there will be a light at the end of the tunnel after all.

You know, there is something really eerie when the longest serving governor in history can make Michele Bachmann [[almost) look sane…..WOW...Ron Paul may have hope yet.:eek:

This entire Republican spectacle is totally, off the hook, insane!!!!!!!

ms_m

08-16-2011, 05:43 PM

comment in reference to the story above....

Out here in Montana, the right wing purveyor of agriculture news, the Northern News Network, has been running with this bogus CDL story for about two months. And now that the truth comes out they've scrubbed all their previous stories from the web site, like it never happened.

Hahahahahahahaha….I really shouldn’t laugh at these folks because
laughing and mockery only riles them up and energizes them even more but this is too funny.

I wonder how many other right wing sites are scrambling to erase this "tractor" story now that the truth is out…..LOL
….and yeah, MSM is picking up the story as well….geeze, will Perry beat Newt’s flame out record or will he be the “good hair” version of Palin?
:D

ms_m

08-16-2011, 05:55 PM

Rick Perry Gets Suckered By an Urban Legend
—By Kevin Drum
| Mon Aug. 15, 2011 9:24 PM PDT

Generally speaking, blogging is like shouting into a hurricane: it might make you feel better, but hardly anyone hears you and it rarely has any real-world impact. Still, every once in a while something you write makes a teensy tiny bit of difference. So this email made my day:

I was at the Iowa State Fair today and caught Rick Perry's speech. He started talking about this stupid new regulation that would require farmers to get commercial drivers licenses if they drive their tractors across the road. I remember reading about this very issue on your blog so I yelled "That's not true" a couple of times [[as can barely be heard on the video at the link) and later asked the Des Moines Register's political editor to fact check the story.

I exchanged emails with her tonight and she sent me a link to their story. So thank you for empowering Iowans like me to challenge the presidential candidates who keep coming to our state.

OK, it's not a lot. But in the fight against dumb right-wing urban legends, every little bit counts.

Everything you do can make a difference folks…..you don’t have to be rich, have a degree, be a main stream corporate “credible” journalist or the greatest writer since Hemmingway…you just have to care and be willing to look for, report and REPEAT the truth!

jillfoster

08-16-2011, 06:06 PM

ms_m

08-16-2011, 06:23 PM

Jillfoster I wish they were booing Bachman but they were booing the commentator for asking the question.

It was a big hoopla mess right after the debate because the TP didn't think it was a fair question even though she did make the statement.

Coming from Fox I was surprised they asked but if you claim to be a submissive wife and want to be president, folks need to know who will really be running the country, you or your spouse.

What they should have boood was her answer, I have yet to see submissive as being defined as respect. Willing to be wrong though..... shrugs

ms_m

08-16-2011, 06:24 PM

OK, I re read what you said ....and I misread it the first time....my bad

Now I get it....LOL

MotownSteve

08-16-2011, 07:02 PM

Bachman wishes Elvis Happy Birthday today: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vPT2drqX16Y

MotownSteve

08-16-2011, 07:31 PM

Let us not forget that about a year ago Texas, under the able[[?) leadership of Rick Perry was talking about succeeding from the United States. Now he loves the USA.

ms_m

08-16-2011, 07:42 PM

LOL...the funny thing is Steve, I don't think this will sit well with Elvis fans....who the heck calls him by his full name anyway but she may wish that was the only mistake she made

Elvis Presley was born on January 8, 1935. Today's date, August 16, is the anniversary of his death

oopsies:)

MotownSteve

08-16-2011, 07:46 PM

I doubt most of her followers would know his full name.

ms_m

08-16-2011, 07:47 PM

If Texas were to secede, the Federal Govt. could probably save enough money to wipe out that debt the TP are so "concerned" about.

ms_m

08-16-2011, 07:49 PM

naaaaaaaaaw.....they know, I'm a soul fan and even I know his full name.

Let's see how she spins it when someone calls her on it.

MotownSteve

08-16-2011, 08:20 PM

I got this from a posting on FaceBook and found it interesting:

Debt increase by presidents :
Reagan 186%
Bush I 54%
Clinton 41%
Bush II 72%
Obama 23%
Source: Congressional Budget Office.

ms_m

08-16-2011, 09:08 PM

Thanks Steve.

A few things really irritate me when the Teapubs get on this debt kick.

The source of our economic problems can be traced backed to Reagan and a large portion of the debt from the POTUS comes from Bush Jr's war. When Jr was in office he used a supplemental budget for both wars, as a result they were not counted in the "debt column." When President Obama took office, he changed that and added it to the regular budget.

TARP which was used to "purchase assets and equity from financial institutions to strengthen its financial sector" was also apart of his budget. The bill was signed into law by Bush Jr. in Oct 2008 and yes, as a Senator, Barack Obama voted for it. But it should also be noted, most of that money has been paid back with interest.

The Health Care Bill was designed as a pay as you go piece of legislation and then there is the stimulus package which is probably the single biggest contributor to President Obama's portion of the debt.

It actually worked but not as well as it could have. Ironically even economist that opposed it at the time are admitting it didn't work as well as it could have because, it was not LARGE enough. But it has helped millions of people. I drive by a building every day that was built with stimulus money and helped put people to work.

Doug's town has a much needed sewage plant as a result of stimulus money and Recovery.org [[http://www.recovery.gov/Pages/default.aspx) will help anyone who takes the time, to track the money that has been distributed all over the country and REQUESTED by Republican and TeaParty politicians.

ms_m

08-16-2011, 09:36 PM

I almost forgot, the President was also able to use money to give the working class a tax holiday and an extension on Unemployment benefits although he had to compromise and give up revenue to do it, in order to get the Republican Party to vote for the bill. Cash for Clunkers worked and got a lot of old cars off the road that were replaced with more energy efficient automobiles

…and then there was this

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yr94zStsk8E
It worked!

http://www.washingtonmonthly.com/archives/individual/2010_06/024047.php

Everything he has tried in terms of spending money has not been a success, eg, the mortgage bailout for homeowners and the Feds QE2 [[http://www.dallasnews.com/business/columnists/cheryl-hall/20101109-What-is-Fed-s-QE2-6107.ece) but the negative emotional reaction that many people have with the POTUS, is based on just just that...emotion, not cold hard facts. [[exceptions withstanding)

ms_m

08-16-2011, 10:00 PM

stephanie

08-16-2011, 11:06 PM

I remember the cash for clunkers working in the DC area I saw tons of cars on the road and I heard Conservatives running around saying that it failed.

ms_m

08-17-2011, 12:28 AM

Yeah Stephanie, if it's connected to the POTUS it must be a failure in the eyes of many people. They were wrong...oh well....LOL

Dem Incumbents Win Last Two Wisconsin Recalls, GOP Holds Slim Senate Majority
Eric Kleefeld | August 16, 2011, 11:01PM

The Wisconsin state Senate recalls of 2011 -- in which tens of millions of dollars and countless man-hours were spent, almost resembling Congressional races -- are officially over. Tuesday night, Democratic incumbents Jim Holperin and Robert Wirch fended off their Republican challengers, for a final state Senate margin of 17 Republicans to 16 Democrats, just shy of the Dems' original goal of taking control of the chamber via recalls.

The Associated Press has projected both Holperin and Wirch as the winners in their respective races. With 78% of precincts reporting in Holperin's race, he led Republican opponent Kim Simac by 54%-46%. With 99% reporting in Wirch's race, he won by a margin of 57%-43%.
http://tpmdc.talkingpointsmemo.com/2011/08/dem-incumbents-win-last-two-wisconsin-recalls-gop-holds-slim-senate-majority.php?ref=fpa

Earlier today I posted an article stating the people of Wisconsin were not as enthused about recalling their Gov [[Walker) as they once were.

Maybe, maybe not but Dems came out with a vengeance to keep Democratic State Senators, who were in a recall race seated. They won! Yeah.

Last week it was the Republican recall race and the voters of Wisconsin were only able to unseat 2 out of 6 [[I believe it was) Republican State Senators. It was a downer but they were in heavy Republican districts so the 2 were still a good thing. Tonight’s victory sooths the pain of last week even though they [[Dems) fell short in their efforts [[by a thin margin) to retake the State Senate.

Next year, Gov. Walker could also be up for a recall vote. How it plays out is anyone’s guess but the TeaPubs are probably not as hopeful tonight, as they were last week. Deflating the wind of the TeaPubs [[even just a little) works for me.:cool:

ms_m

08-17-2011, 01:06 PM

Socialize financing
Privatize gains
Socialize losses

The Federal Government is a not for profit entity. Any profit the government receives goes back into the pool to fund services to American Citizens.

Now we can get into a discussion of waste, and abuse by the government but that’s a separate topic. My point is to show how shrinking the government and turning over the function of the government to the private sector, is a bad idea for Americans.

Before Bush Jr. became President he was a limited partner in the Texas Rangers. Apparently he was sought out not for his business acumen but because his father was the President at the time. Being the President’s son made him a hot ticket item because of potential political influence.

Example, after investing over 600,00K in the Rangers, Bush Jr. was able to influence the building of a baseball stadium that was subsidized by Texas tax payers. Taxpayers were also on the hook for the land the stadium sits on and surrounding land as well. This is where the phrase...SOCIALIZE FINANCING comes into play.

When all was said and done and Jr. sold his shares in the Rangers, reports estimate he pocketed between 14.9 – 16.9 million dollars. That’s something in the neighborhood of a 2,500 percent profit on his investment…..PRIVATIZE GAINS

Texas tax payers never saw one dime of that 14-16 million dollars and keep in mind, Jr. was only one of the partners which means, the gains were even larger overall and again, Texas tax payers didn’t receive one dime……SOCIALIZE LOSSES

Now take a look at research on Rick Perry by the non partisan watchdog group, Texans for Public Justice [[http://www.tpj.org/). I guarantee you can apply those three phrases to almost anything Perry has done and probably will do if he becomes President.

For Republicans, shrinking the government isn’t about we the people, it’s about profit for the private business sector; profits that will have a limited impact on the lives of Americans.

As I was typing this something occurred to me. The one function of the Federal government that would be beneficial to the private sector is the creation of money. Congress oversees the Treasury Dept. but they have very limited control over the Feds [[Federal Reserve)

Now ask yourself, if you needed access and control to maximize private profit and you needed access and control of the US monetary system and the Federal Reserve, what would you do?

Rile up the citizens to the point of hating and distrusting the government and the Feds?

I'm simply asking a question. I report, you decide.

Socialize the financing
Privatize the gains
Socialize the losses

Link/Sources:
THE 2000 CAMPAIGN: BREAKING INTO BASEBALL; Road to Politics Ran Through a Texas Ballpark
Published: September 24, 2000
http://www.nytimes.com/2000/09/24/us/2000-campaign-breaking-into-baseball-road-politics-ran-through-texas-ballpark.html?pagewanted=7

Texans for Public Justice
http://www.tpj.org/

jillfoster

08-17-2011, 01:15 PM

P.S.

...and the Bush Tax Cuts that many progressives are so upset about...the tax cuts he gave up to get the unemployment extension, tax holiday for the middle class, START Treaty and Don't Ask Don't tell.....the compromise that had progressives calling him weak, spineless....well, either they didn't know, forgot or don't care but those tax cuts were tied into cuts for the middle class as well. If those cuts had expired, it's not only the rich that would have been paying higher taxes it would have been the struggling middle class as well.

The debt ceiling compromise?...the plan is, only people who make over 250K a year will pay higher taxes. If that's you, so sad, too bad...but it's not the majority of the working class poor.

The thing is, Ms. M... my niece, who is another Michelle Bachman type, hates Obama with a passion, and would love nothing more than this country to become a religious theocracy.... rails against Obama and his "socialism".... she and her husband sure took that 8,000$ first time home buyer credit faster than you can say "Stalin".

ms_m

08-17-2011, 01:25 PM

jillfoster

08-17-2011, 01:41 PM

Yep, they only have a problem with govt "socialism" when it looks as if someone else is getting something and not them.

You know JillFoster, I don't have any use for the extreme religious right but they are free to believe whatever they want as long as they don't legislate their beliefs on me...but the sad part is, they don't have a clue they are being used.

Oh and I was listening to Warren Buffet on Charlie Rose. He advocates the tax starting point at 1mill and over which is still fine by me but I'm guessing your niece isn't making over a million dollars either...I am always amazed at how many people are willing to vote against their own best interest.

no, she's not making even CLOSE to that. and my Brother In Law [[her father), who is just as religious and against "socialism" is currently drawing unemployment. Keep in mind, at her wedding, my niece put "submit to my husband" in her VOWS. My niece's aunt [[My BIL's sister) gasped under hear breath when that line was uttered. I was sitting next to her, and just HAD to smile to myself.

ms_m

08-17-2011, 01:47 PM

jillfoster

08-17-2011, 01:53 PM

LOL..."submit"...yeah ok....but of course that simply means respect [[rolling eyes)

like I said it's their beliefs and that's fine...but as they so fondly like to shout...

DON'T TREAD ON ME!
:)

although I prefer....back the eff up mofo....LOL...but that's just me....hahahaha

I bet if those damn Jehova's witnesses were the majority instead of Christians, they'd get REALLY upset if they tried to ban blood transfusions. Or if we had a majority of Jews, and they tried to ban the sale of pork.

ms_m

08-17-2011, 02:04 PM

It's funny you mention that because that's just one of many issues I have about "states rights issues."

Will Texas, SC, Wyoming, Iowa or whatever decide to make their states Christian states and exclude all other religions? What are the ramifications for other religious beliefs?

It's goes hand in had with the, Socialize the financing, Privatize the gains, Socialize the losses theory. Minimize the function of the government, take away all the regulations and controls, hand everything over to the states and you have 50 separate territories doing whatever the heck they want....oh wow, what fun....NOT!

People get so caught up in the rhetoric and rigid ideology, they don't stop to think about the long term consequences.

ms_m

08-17-2011, 02:12 PM

Cantor Calls On House GOP To Avoid Government Shutdown Brinksmanship
Brian Beutler | August 17, 2011, 12:44PM

In a significant de-escalation of partisan brinksmanship on Capitol Hill, House Majority Leader Eric Cantor [[R-VA) is asking his members not to push for further cuts to discretionary spending in the wake of the debt limit agreement.

"While all of us would like to have seen a lower discretionary appropriations ceiling for the upcoming fiscal year, the debt limit agreement did set a level of spending that is a real cut from the current year level," Cantor wrote in a Wednesday memo to House Republicans. "I believe it is in our interest to enact into law full-year appropriations bills at this new lower level."

This essentially eliminates one of three potential impasses that, if not bridged, would lead to a government shutdown. The other two are specific appropriations -- which government programs should receive what level of funding -- and extraneous policy riders, meant to tie the Obama administrations hands at the helm of the executive branch.
http://tpmdc.talkingpointsmemo.com/2011/08/cantor-calls-on-house-gop-to-avoid-government-shutdown-brinksmanship.php?ref=fpa

Right after the debt ceiling deal Cantor was still throwing out red meat, now he’s dialing back the rhetoric. Sounds like Repubs are getting ansty over their popularity numbers.

I wonder who gets the job of telling Bachman and Perry to….. chill [[yeah I cleaned that up….hahahahahah)

ms_m

08-17-2011, 02:21 PM

Report: Chris Christie Exploring Presidential Run
Benjy Sarlin | August 17, 2011, 12:49PM

Perhaps Rick Perry isn't the only late entrant into the Republican field. According to one report, New Jersey Governor Chris Christie is considering a last-second bid as well.

According to reporter Jonathan Alter on Twitter, "sources say NJ Gov. Chris Christie is conducting focus groups in preparation for a possible run for president in 2012."

Christie has long denied any interest in a 2012 run. Of course, so did Perry, but the New Jersey governor's denials have been Shermanesque to the point of absurdity.
http://tpmdc.talkingpointsmemo.com/2011/08/report-chris-christie-exploring-presidential-run.php?ref=fpb

Just when you thought it couldn’t get any crazier….Christie, possibly Giuliani… and there is still Paling grifting on the side.

I was wondering why the sudden Muslim judicial appointment .

Won’t win him any TP but it sure will please the moderates….lawd love a duck…just throw in the kitchen sink to run while you at it why don’t cha!

ms_m

08-17-2011, 02:25 PM

You know....if I wore a tin foil hat I would swear the Repub corporate masters are deliberately trying to throw this race.
Maybe they just want to lay low until 2016 [[after the POTUS cleans up their mess) and haul out another Bush [[Jeb) or whomever is the Repub flava of the month at the time.

ms_m

08-17-2011, 03:42 PM

CHART OF THE DAY: *Government* Jobs Led To Perry’s Economic Boom
Brian Beutler | August 17, 2011, 2:23PM

On the campaign trail, governor Rick Perry will claim credit for the so-called Texas miracle. His state weathered the housing and jobs crises better than many others, and he'll happily tell voters it was the result of his small government conservative approach to running things.

But his state's relative success has a lot to do with things out of his control -- population growth resulting from an influx of immigrants from Mexico and of workers and retirees from other U.S. states, and high oil company profits, to name just a couple. Oh, and also federal stimulus.

What's that you say

...DO READ MORE...LOL:

http://tpmdc.talkingpointsmemo.com/2011/08/chart-of-the-day-government-jobs-led-to-perrys-economic-boom.php?ref=fpa

As Bernstein notes this "shows Texas to be following a traditional Keynesian game plan: as the private sector contracts, turn to the public sector to temporarily make up part of the difference."

Socialize the financing
Privatize the gains
Socialize the losses

MotownSteve

08-17-2011, 10:07 PM

Per the NYT the Justice Department is investigating S&P. http://www.nytimes.com/2011/08/18/business/us-inquiry-said-to-focus-on-s-p-ratings.html?emc=na

ms_m

08-17-2011, 10:35 PM

Thanks for posting Steve but keep in mind the investigation began before the downgrade. I am curious why the Times posted the story now though.

marv2

08-17-2011, 11:16 PM

Per the NYT the Justice Department is investigating S&P. http://www.nytimes.com/2011/08/18/business/us-inquiry-said-to-focus-on-s-p-ratings.html?emc=na

Ah HA! I knew something like this was going to happen! S&P is a corrupt organization...........so I hear.

marv2

08-17-2011, 11:27 PM

I jumped for joy when I saw this. And you had boos from tea partiers because it is the Achilles heel of candidates who seek to turn our country into a theocracy.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3bslHDpuDXE

Did you hear that yesterday Michelle Bachmann encouraged a crowd where she was speaking to wish a very Happy Birthday to Elvis Presley? There was nothing wrong with that except that yesterday was the anniversary of Elvis' death in 1977! How embarassing!

ms_m

08-18-2011, 12:27 AM

Did you hear that yesterday Michelle Bachmann encouraged a crowd where she was speaking to wish a very Happy Birthday to Elvis Presley?

Yep, Steve and I commented on it up-thread.

Nothing seems to embarrass the woman though. She keeps going like the energizer bunny. :D

marv2

08-18-2011, 12:47 AM

Cantor Calls On House GOP To Avoid Government Shutdown Brinksmanship
Brian Beutler | August 17, 2011, 12:44PM

http://tpmdc.talkingpointsmemo.com/2011/08/cantor-calls-on-house-gop-to-avoid-government-shutdown-brinksmanship.php?ref=fpa

Right after the debt ceiling deal Cantor was still throwing out red meat, now he’s dialing back the rhetoric. Sounds like Repubs are getting ansty over their popularity numbers.

I wonder who gets the job of telling Bachman and Perry to….. chill [[yeah I cleaned that up….hahahahahah)

Regarding Cantor. Today after hearing of the White House & Pres. Obama's plan to present a Jobs Program in September, Cantor like the spoiled, heartless bastard that is reknowned for being began taunting Obama with "But where are the jobs? We need jobs in this country......."

marv2

08-18-2011, 12:50 AM

Yep, Steve and I commented on it up-thread.

Nothing seems to embarrass the woman though. She keeps going like the energizer bunny. :DI just saw that you guys picked up on that earlier in the thread. I'm sorry. But it just makes me think of Sarah Palin during the 2008 and the many "misspeaks" she made. I would laugh more easily if I did not know that there are more than a few in this country that take these people seriously as potential presidential candidates!

marv2

08-18-2011, 12:51 AM

Something came out today that could possibly disqualify Chris Christie from running for President, but I did not get to hear any of the details. Have any of you heard this?

marv2

08-18-2011, 12:53 AM

Can you believe that Rick Perry is telling people that he still has problems with the Civil Rights and Voting Acts?

ms_m

08-18-2011, 01:02 AM

He's not the only one, does that really surprise you Marv?

Op-Ed Contributors
Crashing the Tea Party
By DAVID E. CAMPBELL and ROBERT D. PUTNAM
Published: August 16, 2011

GIVEN how much sway the Tea Party has among Republicans in Congress and those seeking the Republican presidential nomination, one might think the Tea Party is redefining mainstream American politics.

But in fact the Tea Party is increasingly swimming against the tide of public opinion: among most Americans, even before the furor over the debt limit, its brand was becoming toxic. To embrace the Tea Party carries great political risk for Republicans, but perhaps not for the reason you might think.

Polls show that disapproval of the Tea Party is climbing. In April 2010, a New York Times/CBS News survey found that 18 percent of Americans had an unfavorable opinion of it, 21 percent had a favorable opinion and 46 percent had not heard enough. Now, 14 months later, Tea Party supporters have slipped to 20 percent, while their opponents have more than doubled, to 40 percent.
http://www.nytimes.com/2011/08/17/opinion/crashing-the-tea-party.html?_r=1&nl=todaysheadlines&emc=tha212

ms_m

08-18-2011, 01:07 AM

Nope, just heard about his denials that he's running. I think the party is grasping at straws at this point.

I said this awhile back, the only candidate that truly has a shot is Huntsman and even his background is shaky but he's the sanest thing going. He'll never get anywhere close to winning the nomination though unless all the crazies flame out.

ms_m

08-18-2011, 01:21 AM

Here's the thing, and it's still too early but it boils down to electoral votes and I don't see anyone with the exception of the POTUS with a path to that magic "270" number. That's even with a bad economy.

That doesn't mean he has it in the bag but he still looks good compared to the Repub field right now.

MotownSteve

08-18-2011, 07:48 AM

Something came out today that could possibly disqualify Chris Christie from running for President, but I did not get to hear any of the details. Have any of you heard this?

I found this: Not why he can't, but why he won't: http://blog.nj.com/njv_george_berkin/2011/06/why_gov_chris_christie_wont_ru.html

ms_m

08-18-2011, 10:46 AM

Nice article Steve , thanks for posting.

I especially liked this

But President Obama has numerous strengths going into the next election, strengths I suspect Christie has sized-up carefully.

the media and voters tend to concentrate more on perceived weaknesses than strengths [[be it any candidate) sometimes the latter can outweigh the former.

Apparently Christie and or his handlers felt that way about the POTUS.

ms_m

08-18-2011, 04:06 PM

Perry On Evolution: ‘It’s A Theory That’s Out There’
Eric Kleefeld | August 18, 2011, 3:28PM

Rick Perry is sure about a lot of things. But the theory of evolution, or even how old the planet Earth is, are not on that list.

A woman who will probably not be supporting the Texas governor brought her young son along to a campaign event in New Hampshire on Thursday, and had the boy ask Perry his views about science. "How old do you think the earth is?" the boy asked. This was an apparent allusion to how fundamentalist Christians often insist that Earth -- and indeed, the whole universe -- is about 6,000 years old.

"How old do I think the earth is? You know what, I don't have any idea," Perry responded. "I know it's pretty old. So it goes back a long, long ways. I'm not sure -- I'm not sure anybody actually knows completely and absolutely hold the earth is.
Perry then steered the conversation to some questions the boy's mother had been asking him, about evolution.
Here is the video, courtesy of ABC News:
http://tpmdc.talkingpointsmemo.com/2011/08/perry-responds-to-question-about-creationism-earth-is-pretty-old-video.php?ref=fpa

Oh well, Gov. Good Hair will not be relevant much longer….ok Repubs, who’s up next.:D

ms_m

08-18-2011, 08:00 PM

Another Bachmann History Flub: The American People Are Worried About ‘The Rise Of The Soviet Union’
By Marie Diamond on Aug 18, 2011 at 4:50 pm

Of all the candidates vying for the GOP presidential nomination, Rep. Michele Bachmann [[R-MN) perhaps has the most colorful record of flubbing historical facts. Just this week, she wished Elvis Presley a happy birthday…on the day he died. But today, on the right-wing Christian attorney Jay Sekulow’s radio show, the congresswoman evinced a far more disturbing lack of basic knowledge about world history. Specifically, Bachmann said the American people are worried about “the rise of the Soviet Union.”

Apparently no one’s told her that America’s one-time Cold War nemesis has not existed for 20 years:

BACHMANN: What people recognize is that there’s a fear that the United States is in an unstoppable decline. They see the rise of China, the rise of India, the rise of the Soviet Union and our loss militarily going forward. And especially with this very bad debt ceiling bill, what we have done is given a favor to President Obama and the first thing he’ll whack is five hundred billion out of the military defense at a time when we’re fighting three wars. People recognize that.

Listen here:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=lctT4dXMeLY
http://thinkprogress.org/

China's Economy: Train Wreck Waiting to Happen
August 3, 2011

A Wall Street Journal op-ed piece on July 9 explained why China was the developed country and the US was the emerging market. One of the examples was the high-speed rail system in place in China. The op-ed described how wonderful the rail system is and how much of a contrast it produces with the infrastructural neglect which has been allowed in the US. Within two weeks of this piece, the rail system was exposed for what it is, and in our opinion, what China has become. It is a metaphor for the economy of China, which is headed for its own economic train wreck.

To understand the Chinese economy, you have to pay close attention to the unfolding drama playing out between three powerful government entities, the first of which is the totalitarian Communist central government. It chose to avoid the deep recession in 2008-09 by artificially stimulating its economy by mandating that its four large government-owned banks lend $2 trillion to special purpose vehicles for real estate development. The leaders of the party believed that it was politically untenable to go through an economic contraction in 2009 because the vast majority of Chinese citizens are not prospering and participating in the uninterrupted GDP growth in China.
http://seekingalpha.com/article/284142-china-s-economy-train-wreck-waiting-to-happen

Missing Pieces: India’s Economy, Islam and Democracy, and More
Posted on Monday, August 15, 2011
by Isobel Coleman

India’s Growth Machine: Between 1991, when India launched a slate of economic reforms, and 2010, the country’s GDP more than quintupled and its GDP per capita almost quadrupled, according to the IMF’s latest figures. But lately fears are rising that this growth could slow. Inflation is high [[over 13 percent in 2010, according to the IMF), foreign investment has declined [[with a 29-percent drop from 2009 to 2010, according to India’s own figures), and a series of corruption scandals has wounded India’s leadership. The Voice of America and the Wall Street Journal reported last week on Indian officials’ reactions to the downgrade of U.S. government debt. A U.S. slowdown could damage India by reducing demand for its exports, including its famous outsourcing services. Recently the prime minister’s
Economic Advisory Council lowered its growth projection for 2011 and 2012 from 9.0 percent to 8.2 percent, citing “the inflationary situation and investment slowdown.” That reduced rate would still be impressive. But with 37 percent of Indians below the poverty line, according to the UN Development Programme, even mild slowdowns affect millions. The Economist argued in July for new reforms to reinvigorate the economy.
http://blogs.cfr.org/coleman/2011/08/15/missing-pieces-indias-economy-islam-and-democracy-and-more/

China and India are more dependent on the US than many people, including Bachmann seem to realize. I’m willing to give "many people" slack but this woman is running for President. She needs to buy a vowel and get a clue.

…as far as The Soviet Union…the article said it best….

Apparently no one’s told her that America’s one-time Cold War nemesis has not existed for 20 years

ms_m

08-19-2011, 09:31 AM

The Daily Caller is a conservative blog founded by Tucker Carlson. I chose this
as a source in order to avoid claims of liberal bias.

There are different degrees of liberalism and conservatism. However, Ron Paul and Michele Bachmann have chosen to run under the banner of the Republican Party, a party that touts conservative ideas.

Ron Paul gave out fewer Iowa Straw Poll tickets than Michele Bachmann
Published: 8:50 PM 08/13/2011 | Updated: 6:03 PM 08/14/2011

AMES, Iowa — It appears that while Minnesota Rep. Michele Bachmann beat Texas Rep. Ron Paul by 152 votes in the Iowa Straw Poll on Saturday, she gave away far more admission tickets than he did.

Paul’s campaign gave out 4,750 tickets to straw poll voters, his campaign chairman, Jesse Benton, told The Daily Caller.

Alice Stewart, a spokeswoman for Bachmann, wouldn’t disclose the number of tickets her campaign distributed. But Ben Smith of Politico reported that Bachmann’s campaign gave away 6,000 tickets.

That would mean Paul gave out about 1,250 fewer tickets than Bachmann. She won the poll with 4,823 votes, followed by Paul at 4,671. [[BACHMANNIA: Michele Bachmann edges out Ron Paul for victory in Iowa Straw Poll)

Candidates traditionally give away $30 tickets to supporters they hope will vote for them in the straw poll.

Read more: http://dailycaller.com/2011/08/13/ron-paul-gave-out-fewer-iowa-straw-poll-tickets-than-michele-bachmann/#ixzz1VTnvt2c7

Read more: http://dailycaller.com/2011/08/13/ron-paul-gave-out-fewer-iowa-straw-poll-tickets-than-michele-bachmann/#ixzz1VTnpo1sz

Still Singing That Same Old Song: After Ames, Bachmann As Divisive As Ever
Evan McMorris-Santoro | August 19, 2011, 6:05AM
http://tpmdc.talkingpointsmemo.com/2011/08/still-singing-that-same-old-song-after-ames-bachmann-as-divisive-as-ever.php?ref=fpa

"I've had my reservations about a woman, but I think she can really win," Delores Boysia, a tea party activist from Florence. Boysia explained that in the past, she thought America "wasn't ready to elect a woman president," but Bachmann's success so far proves those days are over.

Bachmann’s success is based on votes that were mainly purchased by the Bachmann organization. Ron Paul’s organization also purchased tickets and shelled out over 30K for a prime spot close to the voting area.

A successful and well run organization is essential to a successful campaign. We saw this with the 2008 primary as well as the general election.

According to most conservatives, President Obama has not been an effective leader…and this is in -spite of his well organized campaign efforts. Using that logic, how does a first and second place win in a Iowa fund raising straw poll, determine if either Bachmann or Paul would be effective leaders?

"Rock star" popularity is one of the many taunts conservatives use against the POTUS, yet it's all the rage when the shoe is on the Republican foot.

IOKIYR

it's ok if you're republican

ms_m

08-19-2011, 09:58 AM

Russ Feingold Not Running In 2012
First Posted: 8/19/11 08:16 AM ET Updated: 8/19/11 09:24 AM ET

Feingold will also be devoting his time to Progressives United, which has been raising money for progressive candidates. It recently launched an affiliated nonprofit to focus more on issue advocacy efforts, aimed at combating the influence of corporate money in politics.

"When I said on election night last year that it 'was on to 2012,' I meant it," he wrote in his email message. "As I said those words I was especially thinking of the need to reelect President Obama. I will be working to reelect him and hope to play a significant role in that effort. But since the aggressive tactics of Governor Walker and the legislature ensued, those words now also mean retaking the state government from these corporate-backed operatives is a special priority."

Feingold added that now, more than at any time in America's history, the political climate is "infected by the domination of wealthy individual and corporate interests," which is why the work of Progressives United is more important than ever.
"This practice should be strongly opposed regardless of party and regardless of whether I otherwise support these candidates," he said. "In many ways, this is the overriding political struggle of our time. It is more important than whether or when one person runs for office again. That is why, at this time, I am devoting my primary political energy to this cause and this organization."
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/08/19/russ-feingold-not-running-for-senate_n_931138.html

I like Russ Feingold. Didn’t always agree with him but liked how he stood up for 99er’s. [[average folk)

Campaign Finance Reform is not a particular exciting issue and too often overlooked
by voters but in order to help improve the system, it needs to be addressed. In the wake of the Supreme Court’s, Citizens United decision the battle has gotten tougher but I’m glad to see someone like Russ Feingold leading the charge.

ms_m

08-19-2011, 10:42 AM

Many Americans seem to think a democracy will lead to positive results simply because it’s a democracy but the Tea Party has shown that is not necessarily the case.

As a side note, I think it should be stated we actually live in a “democratic republic” and there are differences between a republic and a democracy but [[http://lexrex.com/enlightened/AmericanIdeal/aspects/demrep.html) democracy is the popular term Americans choose to convey a “free” society. For the sake of argument, I’ll stick with the term democracy.

There has never been, nor will there ever be, a system of government that is perfect. They all have flaws. Some flaws more detrimental to citizens of a particular society than others but flaws just the same.

One of the flaws of a democratic republic, voters are free to choose whichever candidate they want to represent them. They are free to determine the methods in which they evaluate each candidate. Why do I see this as a flaw, because there is nothing to stop voters from choosing indiscriminately, nothing that will instill the need to use logic and facts.

Freedom in America gives each and everyone one of us the right to be uninformed or informed, the right to be ignorant of issues or not be ignorant of issues. Because we have this freedom and because people see things through different filters, our flawed system means we will often get flawed candidates. How flawed theses candidates and subsequent leaders and politicians are, depends on voters. In order to improve who we elect, we have to improve the reasons we choose to vote for one candidate over another. There isn’t any way around this unless you dismantle the entire system for something different.

What system of government will be better than the one we currently have?

ms_m

08-19-2011, 11:28 AM

H. L. Mencken is considered to be one the great libertarian thinkers of his time. I enjoy reading his writings. They are thoughtful and often amusing but I think my favorite Mencken quote was written in a letter to one of his friend's….

"So far as I can make out, I believe in only one thing: liberty. But I do not believe in even liberty enough to want to force it upon anyone. That is, I am nothing of the reformer, however much I may rant against this or that great curse or malaise. In that ranting there is usually far more delight than indignation."

I think many followers of politics tend to delight in indignation. It can be fun and mentally stimulating exchanging and defending ideas, theories and concepts. However, when it comes to the practical process of governing a nation, knowing, or at least having a dayum good idea of how an idea, theory or concept will work and or not work is essential.

Even new and innovative ideas will have some type of history behind their existence; a history that helps to theorize whether the idea can work in reality. The success or failure is in the application but the idea stems from observing and dealing with past experiences.

ms_m

08-19-2011, 11:57 AM

While I'm on this train of thought...

But I do not believe in even liberty enough to want to force it upon anyone.

The same can be argued when it comes to forcing regulations on folks but human beings have not evolved to the point of a, "live and let live" existence. No amount of freedom or legislation will change that. Only independent thought and self reflection in each and everyone of us can do that.

ms_m

08-19-2011, 12:33 PM

Former Reagan Official: ‘Rick Perry’s An Idiot’
Brian Beutler | August 19, 2011, 10:00AM

Ronald Reagan's chief domestic policy adviser took Texas governor Rick Perry to the woodshed Friday for recent controversial statements -- in particular about his suggestion that Fed Chairman Ben Bernanke would be committing treason by printing money to boost economic growth.

"Rick Perry's an idiot, and I don't think anyone would disagree with that," Bruce Bartlett said on CNN's American Morning.
http://tpmdc.talkingpointsmemo.com/2011/08/former-reagan-official-rick-perrys-an-idiot.php?ref=fpb

I like the “idiot” comment but I want to address this:

"He has had open seats on the Fed almost his entire presidency and I think that this sends a signal that he just doesn't care very much about what the Fed does," Bartlett said.

The Most Important Nominations Held Up by GOP Senators
George Zornick
June 7, 2011

This week, Peter Diamond withdrew his nomination to serve on the Federal Reserve Board of Governors. Though he was a recent recipient of a Nobel Prize in economics, Republicans in the Senate blocked Diamond’s nomination because he was “an old-fashioned, big government Keynesian,” in the words of Senator Richard Shelby. A few weeks ago, Goodwin Liu withdrew his nomination to a federal appeals court after Republican senators refused him a vote, possibly because he testified for Democrats during the Samuel Alito confirmation hearings.

This is part of a larger confirmation crisis in the Senate: Republicans have blocked 223 of President Obama’s 1,132 executive and judicial appointees—over 20 percent. Republican senators have enforced a strict sixty-vote threshold for most nominations, and sometimes holds are placed on nominees anyhow. This hobbles crucial federal agencies and is yet another successful prong of the Republican war against effective government.
http://www.thenation.com/blog/161179/most-important-nominations-held-gop-senators

Considering who is blocking appointments [[GOP Senators) it is extremely disingenuous of Bartlett to suggest the POTUS doesn’t care about what the Feds do.

MotownSteve

08-19-2011, 02:11 PM

The way the republican party is acting these days makes me think they have a real shortage of brain power. This would explain why they block and rarely initiate. And when they do, it always seems to be a recycled Democratic plan.

ms_m

08-19-2011, 03:00 PM

Anything to derail the POTUS and his policies Steve. They know exactly what they are doing. They did the same to Clinton just not on this level and intensity.

Seems to me if they truly believed what he wanted to do would fail, they'd simply let him do it. Rather telling don't you think?;)

ms_m

08-19-2011, 04:20 PM

CAUGHT ON TAPE: Bank Of America’s Director Of Public Policy Tells Rick Perry ‘We’ll Help You Out’

By Marie Diamond posted from ThinkProgress Economy on Aug 19, 2011 at 3:28 pm
A top Bank of America executive was caught on camera yesterday whispering to Gov. Rick Perry [[R-TX), “Bank of America. We’ll help you out,” as the GOP presidential candidate attended New Hampshire’s Politics and Eggs breakfast. The executive has been identified by the financial website Zero Hedge as James Mahoney, Director of Public Policy for the bank. Mahoney is on the board of directors for the New England Council, the sponsors of the Politics and Eggs breakfast. Watch it: [[turn the volume up)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1F0RQLFybtw&feature=player_embedded

http://thinkprogress.org/

ms_m

08-19-2011, 05:00 PM

“THE PRICE OF LIBERTY”
19 August 2011 by Cullen Roche

“The United States debt, foreign and domestic, was the price of liberty. The faith of America has been repeatedly pledged for it… Among ourselves, the most enlightened friends of good government are those whose expectations of prompt payment are the highest. To justify and preserve their confidence; to promote the increasing respectability of the American name; to answer the calls of justice; to restore landed property to its due value; to furnish new resources, both to agriculture and commerce; to cement more closely the Union of the States; to add to their security against foreign attack; to establish public order on the basis of an upright and liberal policy; these are the great and invaluable ends to be secured by a proper and adequate provision, at the present period, for the support of public credit.”

Alexander Hamilton, 1790, First Report on the Public Credit

Those were the words of Alexander Hamilton in the First Report on Public Credit. When the United States was formed over 220 years ago we established a remarkable system whereby individual states were essentially provided with a framework within which they could operate as individual economies within a federal system. Virginians and New Yorkers were still Virginians and New Yorkers, but above all else they were Americans. I am not sure if they knew it at the time, but this integration of the states under a larger federal framework is what made the system work. And it has flourished ever since. In less than 230 years the USA has become the world’s largest and most prosperous economy. It’s truly a modern miracle of economics.

But what most Americans likely don’t know is that the USA is exactly analogous to the European Monetary Union. You see, within this fiscal union we call the USA, there are trade deficit and trade surplus states. This is just a matter of accounting. Because the states do such an enormous amount of business with one another there are, by definition, nations which export more than they import and vice versa. This is exactly the way it is in Europe. There are trade surplus nations and trade deficit nations. The only problem is, these nations are each expected to fend for themselves without the luxury of having their own currencies. This, as we can see, has resulted in a near catastrophic result.

The key difference in the USA is that we have a supranational entity which allocates funds as needed. This allows the trade deficit nations in the USA to operate without going bankrupt every few decades.
Full Article here:
http://pragcap.com/the-price-of-liberty

LVG
I doubt that most Americans even come close to understanding this. I hate to make a political point, but the idea of state governments is like trying to create what Europe has right now. You could almost crush the entire foundation of the Republican argument with a basic understanding of sectoral balances and the EMU. There’s no such thing as state governments independent of the federal government in the USA. It just wouldn’t work. So get over your politics people and start focusing on the big picture and the realities of our world.

Cullen Roche
Well, we shouldn’t take this sort of analysis to an extreme. We can still have small govt within the union. But yes, the idea of not having a federal govt is a total pipe dream.It wouldn’t function economically unless we created 50 autonomous states. That would be a nightmare though…..

ms_m

08-20-2011, 12:28 AM

Don't know how many of you have taken the time to check out Cullen's blog, Pragmatic Capitalism but I highly recommend it.

I've said this before in one way or the other but an understanding of our monetary system is one of the keys to understanding how and why politics works [[and doesn't work) in Washington today.

The comments are full of useful info as well but it will take some time to learn who the key players are. Like many blogs they get their share of naysayers.

If anyone has been checking it out, I would love to hear your thoughts.

...anyhoo...

This is the piece that inspired Cullen Roche [[above) to write his article.

America’s fiscal union
Greek Americans
Which American states enjoy the biggest fiscal transfers?
Jul 30th 2011

IN MAKING their latest deal to save the euro on July 21st, the 17 members of the single currency took another small step towards a fiscal union. America made that leap 220 years ago, when the new federal government took on the debts incurred by individual states in their revolutionary war against Britain. That debt, wrote Alexander Hamilton, America’s greatest treasury secretary, was “the price of liberty”.

Ever since, federal debt has been backed by the full faith and credit of the entire United States [[state debts are a different matter). America’s good credit has survived war and depression. It is holding up even as Republicans in America’s House of Representatives threaten not to increase the congressional limit on federal borrowing. That would force the government to choose between paying its bondholders and its pensioners. If the ceiling does not rise, the roof may fall.
Full Article
http://www.economist.com/node/21524887

MotownSteve

08-20-2011, 01:49 PM

Some of Perry's ideas = several good reasons not to vote for him. http://news.yahoo.com/blogs/ticket/seven-ways-rick-perry-wants-change-constitution-131634517.html

ms_m

08-20-2011, 01:51 PM

John Birch Society Celebrates Koch Family For Their Role In Founding The Hate Group
By Lee Fang on Jun 10, 2011 at 6:00 pm

Billionaire brothers David and Charles Koch have been dominant financiers for conservative front groups and nonprofits for nearly three decades. Their money has flowed to organizations dedicated to lobbying for corporate and upper income tax cuts, as well as to groups responsible for mobilizing Tea Party rallies against President Obama. But the Koch family’s association with fringe right-wing groups began a generation earlier with Fred Koch, the patriarch of the clan.

Fred not only founded the company now known as Koch Industries, he also was a founding member of the John Birch Society. As a founding board member, Fred helped engineer a hysterical wave of attacks on labor, intellectuals, public education, liberal clergy members, and other pillars of society he viewed as a threat. Birchers decried everyone from former President Eisenhower to water utility administrators as pawns in a global communist conspiracy. In the last two years, as the Koch name has become synonymous with right-wing plutocracy in the United States, the Koch family has played down its relation to the Birchers.

http://thinkprogress.org/politics/2011/06/10/242334/john-birch-society-celebrates-koch/

A caveat to this article, the NC integrated school system wasn’t as successful as the article makes it out to be. It was integrated though and was a rather complicated and contentious issue for years. Americans for Prosperity saw an opportunity to divide and conquer and that’s exactly what they did.

There is a lot going on in this country that people are oblivious to. Everything is not what it seems and I implore people to pay closer attention.

ms_m

08-20-2011, 02:01 PM

Some of Perry's ideas = several good reasons not to vote for him. http://news.yahoo.com/blogs/ticket/seven-ways-rick-perry-wants-change-constitution-131634517.html

I'd say that's an understatment Steve.

Now that I think about this, a comparison between all the Republicans candidates using this article would be a wise thing to look into. imo

ms_m

08-20-2011, 05:14 PM

ROCK HILL, SC -- Texas Gov. Rick Perry responded to his Washington critics here Saturday in a way that could make you wonder if those critics are actually playing for Team Perry.

On Friday, Politico reported on the concerns of some Republicans in Congress that Perry's Texas-style rhetoric on the presidential campaign trail is perhaps a little too Texas.

Speaking to reporters today, Perry responded by essentially saying he doesn't give a rip about what those Washington fat cats have to say about him. It was a move so slick that Perry could have scripted it.

Here's what Perry had to say to that Saturday:

"I'm sorry if I offended a congressman," he said to a reporter's question about the article. "But the fact of the matter is I'm representing the American people out here."

"And the American people are really concerned and scared," Perry said. "Small businessmen and women are frightened about the monetary policy or the lack thereof with this administration."

http://tpmdc.talkingpointsmemo.com/2011/08/well-if-you-insist-rick-perry-takes-the-bait-runs-against-washington.php?ref=fpb

Don’t sleep on this dude. He’s dumb but savvy. He knows exactly how to appeal to the uninformed. Bachmann’s numbers are going down because although people like what she has to say, they don’t care for her as a person. She’s coming off too polished and stand offish with crowds after her speeches. Rick jumps right in and works the room….folks like that....and let's face it, Romney is not a likable dude.

Don’t forget, this is a Republican contest not a national contest and Perry is pushing all the right buttons.

ms_m

08-20-2011, 05:58 PM

Posted at 10:45 AM ET, 08/18/2011
A ‘policy-induced slowdown’
By Ezra Klein

The markets are tanking. Again. And it’s in part because they expect us to screw up. Again.

That, at least, is what J.P. Morgan is saying. Part of what’s driving the market down is that the company announced that it was cutting its global growth forecasts by a full percentage point for 2011 and 2012. Why? I'll let them explain:

There are three main reasons for our downgrade. First, the recent incoming data, especially in the US and the euro area, have been disappointing, suggesting less momentum into 2H11 and pushing down full-year 2011 estimates. Second, recent policy errors – especially Europe’s slow and insufficient response to the sovereign crisis and the drama around lifting the US debt ceiling – have weighed down on financial markets and eroded business and consumer confidence. A negative feedback loop between weak growth and soggy asset markets now appears to be in the making in Europe and the US. This should be aggravated by the prospect of fiscal tightening in the US and Europe.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/ezra-klein/post/a-policy-induced-slowdown/2011/08/12/gIQAuuXaNJ_blog.html

I can’t say this enough, PLEASE make an effort towards understanding U.S. monetary policy….the Federal Government needs to spend money…that is reality not fantasy and definitely not counterfeiting! Take politics out of the equation and learn how the system was designed to work before it’s too late.

ms_m

08-20-2011, 06:10 PM

August 19, 2011, 1:27 PM
Confidence in Obama, and in the Economy, Declines
By NATE SILVER

Markets “go up and down,” the White House press secretary Jay Carneynoted this month. So do presidential approval ratings. But the trendline for President Obama has been poor.

His Gallup approval rating has twice fallen below 40 percent within the past week, a threshold he had previously avoided crossing. The trend has also been evident in other polls.
http://fivethirtyeight.blogs.nytimes.com/

Excellent breakdown with empirical data and explanations.
Should be noted, Nate Silver’s poll stats during the 2008 election were so on point he almost called it to perfection.

BTW....there is more to the article than the headline and the teaser quote I posted...

ms_m

08-20-2011, 06:24 PM

Rachel Maddow Dings Media, GOP For Obama Vacation Critique
First Posted: 8/19/11 08:55 AM ET Updated: 8/19/11 04:39 PM ET

A frustrated Rachel Maddow called out Republicans for their hypocrisy surrounding President Obama's vacation--and the media for allowing the hypocrisy to go unchecked.

Obama headed to Martha's Vineyard on Thursday for his annual summer vacation--with Republican catcalls trailing him every step of the way. Maddow pointed to a statement from the Massachusetts Republican Party which sarcastically "welcomed" Obama to the state, and which said that Aerosmith wanted its tour bus back [[a reference to his recent swing through the Midwest.)

This got Maddow riled up. She pointed out that, not only was Obama's bus bought by the Secret Service, there will also be an identical one for the eventual GOP presidential nominee. She predicted that the jibes about the bus would end once a Republican was on one.

There's Video

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/08/19/rachel-maddow-dings-media-gop-vacation_n_931221.html

I don't blame Maddow for being frustrated. Sorry folks but MSM is not the “holy grail” of informing the public....shrugs

A friend jokingly told me that editors sit around the newsroom going, hmmm let's see, what should we report today...

Well, President Obama made a speech today

So what he made one yesterday what else....

Michelle Bachmann ate a corn dog and it looks "provocative"

AH HA...never saw her do that before let's run with that one.

Now that was a joke but I doubt if it was that far off the mark.

ms_m

08-21-2011, 12:09 AM

In conversations I’ve had with friends about the blog, Pragmatic Capitalism [[http://pragcap.com/), I noticed a recurring theme … they were looking at this from a political point of view.

Understanding how our monetary system works does not have anything to do with politics.

Think of our monetary system as a machine and then think about learning how that machine operates…… the nuts and bolts so to speak.

Understanding our monetary system [[http://pragcap.com/resources/understanding-modern-monetary-system) is not an argument for or against a particular economic system...it simply explains what the system we currently have is ...and how it works.

People can advocate for or against a different system but that is a different discussion from understanding the current system.

Looking through the blog I ran across a few conversations in the forum section that might help to clear up a few misconceptions. Hope this helps anyone who may be interested.

Initial Comment

Folks,
A friend gave me this link:
http://pragcap.com/resources/understanding-modern-monetary-system

I started to read it, and while the article appears to be very well put together, right away I see warning flags, sirens and alarms. Here are my complaints:

Here's one stated principle: "The Federal government is the monopoly supplier of currency." - Yes it is, but I'd rather have competing currencies than a monopoly. Or, better yet, gold-backed notes. Yes, the article makes fun of gold as outdated, but hey, it worked for thousands of years...

Here's another: "Money is always created by the state and must therefore be regulated by the state, however, ultimately the private sector must accept this money as the currency unit."

Why force this on the private sector? What if the government-provided money is terrible, and keeps getting stolen back by the government, as is happening today? Why must the government regulate the money? They *always* mess it up, imbalance the market, and cause havoc, and those who corrupt the government somehow wind up with a bunch of wealth when the dust settles.

But this next one is the killer. This is the fundamental principle that this article is based on. It is repeated several times: "[The government] exists to further the prosperity of the private sector."

I disagree with much vehemence! Government exists to protect the natural rights and freedoms of the governed. It has nothing to do with prosperity, that is up to the people to do for themselves.

"It is the highest impertinence and presumption, therefore, in kings and ministers to pretend to watch over the economy of private people." --- Adam Smith

"Agriculture, manufacture, commerce, and navigation, the four pillars of our prosperity, are then most thriving when left most free to individual enterprise." --- Thomas Jefferson

"To believe in liberty is not to believe in any particular social and economic outcome. It is to trust in the spontaneous order that emerges when the state does not intervene in human volition and human cooperation. It permits people to work out their problems for themselves, build lives for themselves, take risks and accept responsibility for the results, and make their own decisions." --- Ron Paul

Looking over the rest of this article, this appears to be an elaborate plug for Keynesianism, or control of an economy by a large government and a central bank. The central bank merely allows the government to bloat out of control and become a burden to the people, it does nothing to protect freedom.

I stand firmly against this "Modern Monetary System", just based on its fundamental principles.

Of course, I'm not an expert, or even an economist of any sort. But I am interested in what's going on in the world. I welcome a reply, but please don't try to intimidate me with big words and complicated hand-waving. Stick to the principles that people can understand, and ideally give real-world examples that help your point.

Response #1
Cullen-
Roche

Good and reasonable thoughts. But I think you're falling into the trap that most people do when they first confront MMT.

First, I am merely describing the system in which we currently exist. I am not prescribing an alternative or a better solution. While I do point out some faults of the gold std that is more to try to show why we got to the current system. Not to prove that it is perfect.

As for your most "vehement" disagreement - I think you're just making a political point as opposed to a realistic point. Humans are the dominant species because we have a unique ability to work with one another. We are the ultimate pack animals. We do it better than any other species on the planet. We form groups, effectively communicate and ensure the survival of the species through an incredibly advanced ability to interact. We call these groups "nations" and these "nations" are governed and organized under "governments". The size and scope of this government must be chosen by those who form it. But make no mistake - the formation of this entity is for the betterment of those who create it. Govt's only go wrong when the power is snatched from the many and given to the few. That is why communism fails and why democracy works. You can't expect a herd to remain happy if its existence only benefits a small part of the herd.

So yes, the anarchist capitalism that is dreamed up by many libertarians is a pleasant thought and all, but it doesn't exist in the world today because it's not realistic. Humans cannot and do not exist in solitude. We rely on one another for our survival. And its via coordination and co-existence that we make this work.

So, it's not govt that is the problem. It's corruption of govt that is the problem. Therefore, I think your primary gripe is a bit off point. Any system that is allowed to become corrupted by the few will corrupt the entire system and infect it to the point of dissolution. In some ways, we are seeing that happen in the banking sector today where the few have grown too powerful. But that is not a result of the modern monetary system. That is the result of corrupted power....

Response #2

"Here's one stated principle: "The Federal government is the monopoly supplier of currency." - Yes it is, but I'd rather have competing currencies than a monopoly. Or, better yet, gold-backed notes. Yes, the article makes fun of gold as outdated, but hey, it worked for thousands of years..."

To reiterate Cullen's point, he is not arguing for or against the gold standard. The article is describing the way the current monetary system works. If you are interested in understanding that, then proceed, but it does not make sense for you to see this as a "warning sign" for its falsity. It can only be a "warning sign" that the current monetary system is not what you currently would prefer.

"Here's another: ...Why force this on the private sector?..."

Again- this is a description of the current system. Not an ideological preference.

"But this next one is the killer. This is the fundamental principle that this article is based on. It is repeated several times: "[The government] exists to further the prosperity of the private sector.""

This is not the fundamental principle of describing the operational nature of the monetary system. This may be Cullen's ideal, and you may disagree, but it is not central to the article.

"Looking over the rest of this article, this appears to be an elaborate plug for Keynesianism, or control of an economy by a large government and a central bank. The central bank merely allows the government to bloat out of control and become a burden to the people, it does nothing to protect freedom."

If you want to learn about the objective operational nature of the current US monetary system, go in with a humble and open mind and a diligent work ethic. Again, the system may not reflect your ideals, but it is what is. Cullen never said it "protects freedom," and that's irrelevant to describing the way the current US monetary system works.

"I stand firmly against this "Modern Monetary System", just based on its fundamental principles."

Again, the principles you identified have nothing to do with the objective, operational nature of taxes, bond sales, fractional reserve banking, etc. within the current US monetary system. If you choose to remain uninformed because reality does not align with your predetermined ideological biases, that is your choice. But most likely, the US will not turn into a Utopian Society, so you might as well learn about how the current system actually operates.

"Of course, I'm not an expert, or even an economist of any sort. But I am interested in what's going on in the world. I welcome a reply, but please don't try to intimidate me with big words and complicated hand-waving. Stick to the principles that people can understand, and ideally give real-world examples that help your point."

There is no intimidation. Just detailed explanations that require thinking and perseverance. Economic systems were not invented to be easily understood at the snap of a finger.

ms_m

08-21-2011, 01:52 AM

Since I’m on a monetary kick….:)

If you have a basic understanding of our monetary system, you probably have a lot of questions. For instance, when thinking about the concept that the Federal Government needs to spend, the question you may have is….when does spending become too much?

That question was asked on the forum and this was Cullen’s reply… [[sorry for the "pocket protector" speak, but it's his answer not mine...LOL)

What is the right sized deficit today? Well, the math is pretty rough, but with a $15T economy we can assume that every 1% point above full employment [[5%) will lead to a 2% output gap. That puts us right about at a 9% output gap right now. Not far off. So, we need to be running deficits large enough to close the output gap.

So, 300B in spending would cut unemployment by 1%. Since the economy now appears to be stabilizing and growing again it's safe to assume that the 1.3T deficit will EVENTUALLY get us there. Unfortunately, however, the spending is very poorly allocated and not helping to meaningfully close the gap. What this means is that we likely need to be running an even higher deficit to get us back to full employment in the next few years.

Unfortunately, the political environment is not likely to lead us in the direction of larger deficits so this is kind of a silly discussion anyhow....The good news is that we got a tax cut. The bad news is that it wasn't nearly large enough to make the dent it needs to. So, we're headed in the right direction, but very slowly....

So, your question is very subjective and there is no precise answer. We can figure out a rough figure, but there's not square block to fill the space with. Obviously, there are far more moving parts to an economy than just the govt and a 1.3T deficit doesn't guarantee that the pvt sector will act. It is, however, high enough to stop the bleeding for now. If economics were that simple we wouldn't be having this discussion. We'd have some computer in DC spitting out cash into programs and monitoring the system like it has a heartbeat....But it's more complex than that.

So you’re thinking, this doesn’t answer my question…you’re right, it doesn’t but keep in mind our monetary system is a complex machine with many moving parts…internally and externally.

I see it as a matter of balance, a balance between spending and revenue….finding the right balance between the two depends on what’s going on in the economy at any given time as well as the specific formula you apply to achieve that balance.

That is a very basic way of trying to simply a complex system but it helps. [[imo) Especially if you don’t have a deep knowledge of economics. Which I think it's safe to say, many of us don't....including me:)

However, I can’t stress enough that understanding the system we have [[if only a basic understanding) is necessary, before you can change the system to something you want or think is better.

ms_m

08-21-2011, 02:03 AM

More Q&A
With answers from Cullen and I’ll leave your brains alone …for now….LOL

Where do you think spending is wasted and where do you think it would be better used? Or alternatively, how much larger, roughly, would you make the deficit assuming the way it is inefficiency allocated today?

TPC - Lots of waste. The largest is likely defense. I would reallocate a huge portion of this into infrastructure and other investment programs. How much larger can the deficit be? Gosh, with inflation so low it could likely be as high as $2T+. I would like to see a full payroll tax holiday. That would add somewhere in the neighborhood of $300B more.

-But what I am most curious about is when inflation becomes a concern. What amount of deficit spending would be too dangerous, and why?

TPC - There are no sure metrics, but inflation generally becomes a problem when we're at full employment and high levels of capacity utilization. In the current inflation I am worried about oil prices as well, however, that's a smaller input. The largest inflation input in the USA is employment BY FAR. With high unemployment and cap u at 75% I think we're likely to experience ~2% inflation this year.

-And when the economy does recover, and the private sector starts to act, will there be excess money in the system from all this deficit spending [[either at the 1.3T level, the MMTer level, or the Krugman level)? How will the government act to drain such massive amounts from the system to avoid inflation? Is it a matter of simply cutting back on spending or will it also require an increase in taxes? Coming from such a huge deficit, will it be possible/realistic to smoothly transition from the govt rescue phase to the private sector taking over again, without an “overlap period” of significant inflation or, as some some fear, hyperinflation? I understand we don’t see anything near threatening inflation now, but I would assume that is because we haven’t bridged the output gap.

TPC - It will in large part come from automatic stabilizers. Higher spending and output will result in higher tax revenues which will automatically reduce the size of the deficit. I can't tell you what size deficit we should be running in 2 years because I have no idea what the economy will look like then. For now, the current sized deficit is enough to stem the bleeding, but not enough to close the output gap.

ms_m

08-21-2011, 12:20 PM

Obama Interview: The complete transcript
[[CBS News)

The following is the complete transcript of CBS News correspondent Anthony Mason's interview with President Barack Obama, conducted Wednesday, August 17, 2011 in Atkinson, Illinois:

Mason: In your view why did the grand bargain fail?

President Obama: You know, I think the Speaker was sincere about wanting to get something done. But I think he had problems selling it in his caucus.

Mason: He said you moved the goal post.

President Obama: Well, I think that's, here's the test as to whether that's accurate or not. I told him even after he said that the deal was off, I still wanted to try to work something out and he wouldn't do it. And the reason is because he couldn't do it. I think that he was constrained within his party. And you've seen what's been happening among the presidential candidates on the Republican side.

When they say that they can't take a deal that involves $10 of spending cuts to $1 of revenue increases, then what your seeing is ideology has taken over, as opposed to common sense practical approaches to solving the deficit. So my sense is that if they're listening to the public including the majority of Republicans who think that we should take a balanced, thoughtful approach to deficit reduction that does not just rely on drastic spending cuts, then there's no reason why they're not gonna have a partner in me who's willing to take on my party on some tough stuff. And some more proof that, I was ready to bargain here, is the degree to which I got folks in my own part pretty mad at me during that discussion.

http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2011/08/21/sunday/main20095020.shtml?tag=contentMain;contentBody

ms_m

08-21-2011, 04:02 PM

Huntsman 2.0
Thomas Lane | August 21, 2011, 12:44PM

What do you make of the new hard-hittin', tough-tweetin' Jon Huntsman? We ran a piece on Friday asking whether the former Utah governor and Obama-appointed ambassador to China was even trying to win the nomination any more. Since then numerous emails have come in from readers who think he's making a long play for the nomination in 2016.

That's certainly a reasonable view. However, it's possible there's something else at work here, too.

The Republican establishment is faced with something of a quandary right now. Even just a few months ago, the big money and major power-brokers thought 2012 was going to be unwinnable. It was widely believed that the economy would slowly pick up, and by November of next year President Obama would be able to take the credit for that and walk to re-election.
http://talkingpointsmemo.com/archives/2011/08/huntsman_20.php?ref=fpblg

MotownSteve

08-21-2011, 08:11 PM

Felonious Munk makes some very good points. http://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=felonious+munk&aq=0z&oq=felonious

ms_m

08-21-2011, 08:21 PM

Maybe you can sum up those points Steve. After reading the video descriptions I wasn't motivated to listen to the young man.

Doug-Morgan

08-21-2011, 08:29 PM

Huntsman made the same points [[in a way) that a conservative Republican analyst made on "Talk Of The Nation" on Wednsday during the "Political Junkie" segment. The problem with the major candidates in the Republican primary is one of ideology versus electability. Huntsman specefically said that the party runs the risk of being labled "Anti science", and alienating the voters beyond the bases of the individual candidates, and the party can't win that way.

MotownSteve

08-21-2011, 08:41 PM

Maybe you can sum up those points Steve. After reading the video descriptions I wasn't motivated to listen to the young man.

This http://www.youtube.com/embed/-McpNtHet3w makes the best points.

ms_m

08-21-2011, 08:51 PM

I think he's right Doug but I find it ironic that in the beginning, he didn't have a problem pandering to the ideologues and their extreme positions. He was all for Ryan's plan, he raised his hand with everyone else when asked if they would have walked away from a 10-1 deal [[$10 of cuts to $1 of revenue) As Ambassador, he writes a letter to the POTUS praising him for being a good leader and now he says he's not...then he flips...

Out of all the candidates he comes across as the most reasonable. I also think he has the best chance in a general election plus, it would tone down all the over zealous rhetoric that an extreme right candidate would bring to the table....beyond that, not really sure what to make of him....shrugs

Will be interesting to see if this new strategy works for him.

ms_m

08-21-2011, 08:56 PM

Steve I'm afraid I'm lost. What good points does he make in your opinion?

MotownSteve

08-21-2011, 09:08 PM

We should have known when we were approaching the debt ceiling. It seems congress can't balance a checkbook. There seems to be something wrong with this picture: Capitalism is better than communism. But we, the greatest capitalist county have to borrow from China, the greatest communist country. I probably missed some and some of it was more comedic than real.

ms_m

08-21-2011, 09:13 PM

Doug, I'm going to back track ...I think he's right up to a point as to whether a Republican can win or not. History pretty much dictates that an extreme candidate can't win because this is a moderate country but there are a lot of very real factors that could defy history and make that happen. The change in voting laws throughout the country, the economy, the left voters that might and in some cases will stay home. People that don't think for themselves...

Right now and in-spite of low poll numbers the POTUS still has the edge but 15 months is a long time and anything can happen.

I never thought Jr would get a 1st term much less a 2nd....I was wrong....and one of the reasons had to do with....people thought he would be a great guy to have a beer with....[[face palm here)

ms_m

08-21-2011, 09:20 PM

Steve, the US Govt is not like a household....and we DO NOT BORROW money from China.

I've made numerous post to try to help people understand how our monetary system works.... apparently Mr. Munk isn't a member of SDF nor has he read my post on the subject or the material and links I've posted.:D...and please understand I'm not offended, but neither have you.

MotownSteve

08-21-2011, 09:22 PM

That is fine. I would not expect us to agree on everything. Though it does seem we do agree on a lot.

ms_m

08-21-2011, 09:27 PM

Steve this isn't about agreeing with you or disagreeing with you...it's about what is. It's not an opinion on my part, it's not even about politics. It's the country's economic reality in terms of how a fiat monetary system operates.

ms_m

08-22-2011, 06:34 AM

O’Donnell Explains how he got Pawlenty Prediction Wrong
August 16, 2011 | Leave a Comment
Written by: the Editors of Code Blue Politics

8/16/11 Lawrence O’Donnell had been saying for months that Tim Pawlenty would end up winning the GOP nomination because he was only candidate without fatal flaws. O’Donnell was off last night due to the death of his mother but emailed his response to Pawlenty’s sudden departure from the race. “This is the year that the irrational vote is controlling Republican politics,” O’Donnell wrote. “Pawlenty’s problem turned out to be, despite all his right wing pandering, he just wasn’t crazy enough.” The Republican Party, O’Donnell concluded, “has decided to go in an irrational direction and I can’t predict the irrational.”
http://codebluepolitics.com/2011/08/16/odonnell-explains-how-he-got-pawlenty-prediction-wrong/

ms_m

08-22-2011, 08:49 AM

August 22, 2011 8:40 AMThe ‘thank America last’ crowd

Sens. John McCain [[R-Ariz.) and Lindsey Graham [[R-S.C.) issued a joint statement last night on the developments in Libya. It’s worth taking a look at the first paragraph.

“The end of the Qadaffi regime in Libya is a victory for the Libyan people and for the broader cause of freedom in the Middle East and throughout the world. This achievement was made possible first and foremost by the struggle and sacrifice of countless Libyans, whose courage and perseverance we applaud.

“We also commend our British, French, and other allies, as well as our Arab partners, especially Qatar and the UAE, for their leadership in this conflict. Americans can be proud of the role our country has played in helping to defeat Qaddafi, but we regret that this success was so long in coming due to the failure of the United States to employ the full weight of our airpower.”

…And third, if McCain and Graham really want to complain about why “this success was so long in coming,” maybe they can talk more about their trip to Tripoli two years ago, when both McCain and Grahamcozied up to Gaddafi, even visiting with him at the dictator’s home, discussing delivery of American military equipment to the Libyan regime. Both senators shook Gaddafi’s hand; McCain even bowed a little.
I’m curious if McCain and Graham have simply forgotten about this, or if they’re just hoping everyone else has.

http://www.washingtonmonthly.com/

MotownSteve

08-22-2011, 08:59 AM

Do I sense a slight history re-write?

Let me do some math here. Gadaffi has been the same for many many years. Obama has been in office for three years. 'W' had eight years to get rid of him. Now what was that about how long it took?

jillfoster

08-22-2011, 12:00 PM

Ms. M, I'm sure youv'e heard about this.... and are loving it:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9FXtTTtzBHE&feature=related

ms_m

08-22-2011, 12:10 PM

hahahaha...yeah I heard it but thanks for posting Jillfoster.:cool:

ms_m

08-22-2011, 12:13 PM

Do I sense a slight history re-write?

BUT, BUT....IOKIYR

it's ok if you're republican:eek:

MotownSteve

08-22-2011, 12:17 PM

All the Democrats, senate, house, and voters, should line up behind Maxine Waters and in harmony tell the t-party where to go.

ms_m

08-22-2011, 12:24 PM

A few things to ponder

Let's suppose...

TODAY

You have 100 ounces of gold bars buried in your backyard

The price of gold today [[Aug 22, 2011) is $1,867.70

multiply that figure X your 100 ounces of gold

The value of your gold bars = $186,770.00

Tomorrow you still have 100 ounces of gold buried in your backyard but….

Tomorrow, gold prices drop to $252.80 [[I chose that figure because on July 20, 1999, that was the price of gold per ounce)

The value of your gold bars = $25,280.00

Today you have 100 oz of gold valued at $186,770.00:D

Tomorrow you will have 100 oz of gold valued at $25,280.00:[[

In both scenarios you only have 100 ounces of gold bars

The amount of gold bars you have remained the same [[100 ounces) what changed?

Let’s suppose you are the US Govt.

What would you do, to gtd you always had enough gold to
back the US dollar knowing, gold prices constantly fluctuate no matter how many ounces of gold you have?

Now let’s suppose you are back to being a citizen

How do you know our current fiat monetary system is a scam or not
How do you know a gold backed system wasn’t a scam or not

When we were on the gold standard, how do you know we always
had enough gold to back the US dollar when gold prices are constantly
fluctuating

How do you know we are broke?
How do you know we borrow money from China or anyone?
How do you know Treasury prints money whenever it feels like it to buy and pay for services?

If you do not know how our monetary system works, how will you ever know the true facts to any of the questions?

I report, you decide.:)

ms_m

08-22-2011, 01:40 PM

Another thing to ponder...

A few months ago oil prices were all over the map. The President stated that if it was discovered speculators were driving up the cost of oil, they would be investigated and dealt with [[I'm paraphrasing)

If it's possible to manipulate the price of oil, doesn't it seem logical you can also manipulate the price of gold, silver or any commodity?

So, it's not govt that is the problem. It's corruption of govt that is the problem. Any system that is allowed to become corrupted by the few will corrupt the entire system and infect it to the point of dissolution. In some ways, we are seeing that happen in the banking sector today where the few have grown too powerful. But that is not a result of the modern monetary system. That is the result of corrupted power....

Now the question I ask myself, what's easier to corrupt....a system without regulations or a system with regulations?

There are not any guarantees in life...but if you're walking a tight rope, you can always put up a few safety nets so in case you fall,you can reduce the odds of breaking your neck.

ms_m

08-22-2011, 02:10 PM

President Clinton repealed The Glass-Stegall Act
this loosen the control the Federal govt had on financial institutions

2008 our economy took a nose dive because those regulation were loosen

President Obama started the process of restoring regulations plus protecting consumers.

The Dodd–Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act [[Pub.L. 111-203, H.R. 4173) is a federal statute in the United States that was signed into law by President Barack Obama on July 21, 2010.[1] The Act implements financial regulatory reform sponsored by the Democratically controlled 111th United States Congress and the Obama administration.

If you're curious which Republicans voted for or against the bill....

http://www.govtrack.us/congress/vote.xpd?vote=h2009-968

ms_m

08-22-2011, 07:14 PM

The organizer of The Response, the massive Aug. 6 prayer rally initiated by Gov. Rick Perry, is calling on attendees to help register millions of conservative Christians

The American Family Association, a right-wing hate group, sent emails to the sign-up list for Rick Perry's "Response," his purportedly apolitical prayer rally earlier this month.

In the email, AFA directed people to sign up with Champion The Vote, their ally organization with a goal to "mobilize 5 million unregistered conservative Christians to register and vote according to the Biblical worldview in 2012.

The AFA is getting a list from The Response, which was organized by Rick Perry to advance his own political prospects.

Article

http://www.chron.com/news/houston-texas/article/Email-suggests-The-Response-more-political-than-2120670.php

ms_m

08-22-2011, 09:17 PM

View: A Spending Deal Republicans Can Embrace

It’s one of Washington’s worst kept secrets: President Barack Obamais likely to propose a new public works program in a post-Labor Day speech.

The idea is to stimulate an economy on the verge of another recession, upgrade the nation’s crumbling roads, bridges, schools and transit systems, and put unemployed Americans, especially the 6 million who have been jobless for six months or more, back to work.

It makes economic sense. The president should think big -- upward of $100 billion a year for at least two years. The temporary spending burst would increase short-term deficits, some of which the congressional supercommittee would have to offset to hit its $1.5 trillion, 10-year deficit-reduction target. But the program could ultimately lower deficits through reduced safety-net spending and higher tax revenue from the newly employed.

Economists have estimated that spending $1 billion on highways and mass transit increases gross domestic product by $1.6 billion. Only extensions of unemployment insurance and food stamp benefits are better at priming the pump, except they don’t create jobs that benefit the public.

Full Article
http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2011-08-23/a-public-works-spending-deal-even-the-republican-party-can-embrace-view.html

ms_m

08-22-2011, 09:23 PM

The POTUS in Pictures

Martha’s Vineyard

http://i61.photobucket.com/albums/h74/mmandmusic/1-1.jpg

http://i61.photobucket.com/albums/h74/mmandmusic/2-1.jpg

http://i61.photobucket.com/albums/h74/mmandmusic/3-1.jpg

Minnesota Bus Tour

http://i61.photobucket.com/albums/h74/mmandmusic/1_Minn.jpg

http://i61.photobucket.com/albums/h74/mmandmusic/Minn_A2.jpg

http://i61.photobucket.com/albums/h74/mmandmusic/Minn_A3.jpg

ms_m

08-22-2011, 09:27 PM

Pics Part II

Iowa Bus Tour

http://i61.photobucket.com/albums/h74/mmandmusic/610x_Iowa_A1.jpg

http://i61.photobucket.com/albums/h74/mmandmusic/owa2.jpg

http://i61.photobucket.com/albums/h74/mmandmusic/owa_A1.jpg

Illinois Bus Tour

http://i61.photobucket.com/albums/h74/mmandmusic/_ill.jpg

http://i61.photobucket.com/albums/h74/mmandmusic/2_ill.jpg

http://i61.photobucket.com/albums/h74/mmandmusic/3_Ill.jpg

ms_m

08-22-2011, 09:30 PM

Pics Part III

The Infamous Secret Service Bus

http://i61.photobucket.com/albums/h74/mmandmusic/bus.jpg

http://i61.photobucket.com/albums/h74/mmandmusic/Obama_bus_A_121189518_620x350.jpg

http://i61.photobucket.com/albums/h74/mmandmusic/Secret-Service-Bus-Obama.jpg

The Secret Service purchased two buses to protect politicians, dignitaries, the eventual Republican Candidate and the President of the United States.

The buses were ordered by the Secret Service in 2010 before President Obama decided to run a second term.

In the past, the SS rented buses and had them retrofitted for security reasons

ms_m

08-22-2011, 09:34 PM

Op-ed

Why Should The Government Pick My Pocket to Help Other People?

Posted on August 21, 2011 by nursepam

This seems to be the philosophy held by most conservatives. It’s not entirely unreasonable to hold people individually responsible for their well being. But to me it’s not a well thought out process to live by.

Recently a friend of mine complained about the possibility of our taxes paying for all pre-school age children, to attend pre-school. She stated that she doesn’t have any young children, so why should she have to pay for someone elses kid to attend pre-school? While I understand my friend’s front line of thinking, I took the conversation a little bit deeper.

You see I don’t mind my tax dollars paying for other American kids to attend preschool. Studies have proven time and time again, that kids who attend pre-school come out ahead in their later years and are more apt to graduate from college.
Keeping with that thought, I also understand that an educated society is a more stable, safe and prosperous society. Stability, safety, and prosperity greatly benefit me, as well as everyone else in our community.

Plus if young parents, who typically don’t have much money, don’t have to fork out big bucks for their child to attend pre-school, this frees up extra money for that family to spend. This encourages our economy to grow.

When people only have enough money to pay their bills, our economy becomes stagnate. A stagnant society eventually becomes unstable, as well as stressful and unfriendly. This does not benefit ME.
More
http://thepragmaticprogressive.org/wp/2011/08/21/why-should-the-government-pick-my-pocket-to-help-other-people/

ms_m

08-22-2011, 10:24 PM

The White House Blog: Fiscal Responsibility
Putting Country Before Party
Posted by Dan Pfeiffer on August 17, 2011 at 5:25 PM EDT

This morning I read Speaker Boehner and Rep. Cantor’s op-ed in the USA Today. Let me address a few of their points.

First of all, we all know we’re going through a tough economic time. Our problems are eminently solvable, and it’s going to take some real work and some tough decisions to get there. So, there’s nothing wrong with our country, but there is something seriously wrong with the political games being played in Washington. If we want to get this economy moving again, we must stop the kind of political brinksmanship that we saw in the House during the debt ceiling debate and get to work.

We need to get our fiscal house in order and take a balanced, long-term approach to deficit reduction. That’s not just the President’s belief. It’s a bipartisan position over on Capitol Hill and a belief held by millions of Americans across the nation. In fact, Speaker Boehner was close to striking a balanced deal that raised significant revenues by closing loopholes and asking the wealthiest to pay a little more with the President – a deal that would have taken a balanced approach to reducing the deficit while investing in areas that will help the economy grow– but he decided to walk away from the table. We actually heard members of the Republican Party rooting for the United States to go into default and send shockwaves through our financial system. That’s not the kind of leadership the American people expect, and that’s not the type of leadership they deserve.
http://www.whitehouse.gov/blog/issues/Fiscal-Responsibility

ms_m

08-22-2011, 10:30 PM

Thinking Small Business: 80 Community Banks, $1 Billion for Small Business Lending
Friday, August 19, 2011 | Posted by Deaniac83

Last year, one of the no-brainers that the Republicans held up in the Senate for the longest amount of time was the Small Business Jobs Act that provided funding for community banks that increase their lending to small businesses within their communities. This is one of the smartest jobs initiatives imaginable: the money goes to help small community banks and credit unions, not big financial institutions, and the loans go to small businesses that hire, do business, and live in the communities.

News came this week that the Department of Treasury has so far given out $1 billion of the Small Business Loan Fund [[SBLF) set up in the law to 80 community banks. And this is just the beginning. More funding announcements are coming in the weeks ahead on a "rolling basis," says Treasury. Here are the 37 small banks and communities that got the funds in the latest rollout:

http://i61.photobucket.com/albums/h74/mmandmusic/map.jpg

View SBLF Funding Rollout 8-17-2011 in a larger map [[http://i61.photobucket.com/albums/h74/mmandmusic/map.jpg)

The Jobs Act, in addition to providing a $35 billion in total in the small business lending fund, which is beginning its rollout now, it delivers $50 billion in tax cuts to small businesses, targeted for job creation, for example, full write off for equipment purchased. Other Small Business Administration loans have put $42 billion in small business to hire.

Bit by bit, piece by piece, President Obama and his administration keeps doing everything they possibly can to rebuild our economy from the utter shambles that George Bush and his cronies left it in when President Obama came to office. And they are having to do this while Congress fritters and Republicans do everything possible to put up a GOP jobs blockade.

Recently a poll showed that the ratings for the President's handling of the economy is down. Of course, neither pollsters nor the media point out the actions this President continues to take to try to rebuild our economy: like this small business loans, like the payroll tax cut that gave the working poor the first federal tax cut in a very long time, like protecting unemployment benefits, like unprecedented investments in green energy and fuel efficiency. The polls are the polls, but what about an informed electorate? Who's informing the people? Yet another example of a spectacular Media-Fail.

http://www.thepeoplesview.net/2011/08/thinking-small-business-80-community.html

MotownSteve

08-22-2011, 10:40 PM

I love the way Cantor and Boehner rely and S&P. First of all, the recent performance of S&P makes anything the say, at best, suspect. But, if they must taks S&P as gospel, they, I believe S&P said the reason for the downgrade was the bickering in the house and senate. So, once again, it seems the party of 'No' twists things to their needs.

ms_m

08-22-2011, 11:05 PM

Steve it's the reason we have to keep posting the truth.

Politics tends to be a verbal contact sport and I get that. Each side has an agenda and each side wants their agenda to come out on top. The problem as I see it, political agendas can work for the American people or against the American people. Until voters become more involved and more engaged in learning which is which, nothing will change. Not the partisan bickering or the politicians themselves.

The only effective way I see doing that is through facts, knowledge and critical thinking, not through ideological beliefs.

I can understand and accept why people feel a need to embrace one ideology over another. I'm not a fan of that type of mindset but people have the right to believe whatever they like. But I will never accept a group of people forcing by legislation or any means, their ideological beliefs on to me. That's not democracy, that's dictatorship. It's also BS and no matter how they frame it, present it, or wrap it up in a bow, it always has been and always will be, BS!

ms_m

08-22-2011, 11:28 PM

Reid Commends Obama's 'Leadership' On Libya
Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid released a statement commending President Obama's "leadership" in handling the situation in Libya. Here's the full statement:

"The American people stand behind the people of Libya as they bring an end to Moammar Qaddafi's regime of murder and oppression. I commend the President for his leadership, and the members of our armed forces, NATO, and our allies for protecting the Libyan people as they pursue their right to freedom, to self-governance, and to see this ruthless dictator brought to justice. The situation in Libya is still fluid, and the potential for violence is not over. But as we approach a post-Qaddafi era, the international community will look to the leaders of the opposition to implement a peaceful transition to democracy. I look forward to working with my colleagues in Congress, President Obama and our allies to encourage that process."

http://talkingpointsmemo.com/wires/live_wire/live_wire.html#1820

Whether I agree with the American intervention of Libya or not, if there are accolades and cheers to pass around, the people of Libya deserve the most credit but the leadership skills President Obama displayed in this crisis should not and cannot be overlooked. Although, I'm sure the other side will do their best to try.

ms_m

08-23-2011, 01:10 AM

Jon Hunstman Says He'd Be Open To Running With Michelle Bachmann
08/22/11 11:18 PM ET

WASHINGTON — Republican presidential hopeful Jon Huntsman says he'd be open to running as vice president if rival and tea party favorite Michele Bachmann wins the nomination.

The former ambassador to China and ex-Utah governor says that every time he's been asked to serve his country he's answered "yes." Huntsman tells CNN interviewer Piers Morgan that if asked by the Minnesota congresswoman to run as her vice president he'd "be the first person to sign up, absolutely."

Huntsman tried quickly to backtrack, saying the answer was based on a hypothetical question and that he has no doubt he'll win the GOP nomination. The interview was aired Monday night.

On Sunday, Huntsman ridiculed Bachmann for claiming she could bring gasoline prices below $2 if elected president.
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/08/22/jon-hunstman-says-hed-be-vp-candidate_n_933719.html

He would serve his country by being Michele Bachmann’s #2…..and then he flipped…well awiity John…:rolleyes:

MotownSteve

08-23-2011, 07:07 AM

MotownSteve

08-23-2011, 07:09 AM

There is another thread in the Clubhouse, http://soulfuldetroit.com/showthread.php?3510-R.I.P.-Jack-Layton-1950-2011. It was posted by marv2 and I think politicians in this country could learn from the late Jack Layton. Thanks marv2

ms_m

08-23-2011, 02:17 PM

FROM STAFF REPORTS
Tags: Earthquake | Raleigh | Triangle | N.C. | Virginia

Triangle residents felt tremors from an earthquake outside Richmond, Va., at 1:52 p.m. It was felt as far away as New York City, Banner Elk and Morehead City. The quake's epicenter, in Mineral, Va., registered a magnitude 5.8.

"Wow, a 5.8 in Richmond! That's huge for the East Coast," said Lara Wagner, assistant professor of seismology at UNC-Chapel Hill.

The epicenter was 34 miles from Richmond, Wagner said, adding that that magnitude could shift up or down as more information is known.

Read more: http://www.newsobserver.com/2011/08/23/1430899/east-coast-earthquake-felt-in.html#ixzz1VsRZL9qr

We felt the tremors.
Rather disconcerting but not any damage...at least not in my house.

ms_m

08-23-2011, 07:37 PM

Posted at 12:45 PM ET, 08/23/2011
Perry’s book “Fed Up!” haunts his campaign
By Steven Levingston

Be careful what you put in a book — you might decide to run for president one day and have to answer for it.

That’s the pickle facing presidential contender Rick Perry.
In a book he wrote last year, “Fed Up! Our Fight to Save America from Washington,” the Texas governor calledSocial Security a “failure and an “illegal Ponzi scheme,” and questioned the constitutionality of a variety of federal laws. He didn’t think much of legislation on food safety, the minimum wage, child labor bans, environmental protection and Medicare.

Now he’s facing heat from voters troubled by those published opinions. The Los Angeles Times reports that his campaign aides are out doing damage control. His spokesman Ray Sullivan has assured the electorate that the candidate would not try to cut or repeal Social Security if he became president.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/political-bookworm/post/perrys-book-fed-up-haunts-his-campaign/2011/08/23/gIQAZW35YJ_blog.html

stephanie

08-23-2011, 08:28 PM

yeah the man who wanted to secede! I bet he never thought it would come back to haunt him By the way Ms M THANKS for the jobs article I am going to put it in my Facebook right now! This is one of the best things I have seen yet to explain exactly what the President wants to do concerning out country. Everytime the right flips out on him and says he has no plan its funny how Osama is caught, the Kadaffi [[sp?) thing, people on the families insurance until they are 26 and now this!

ms_m

08-23-2011, 08:48 PM

You're welcome Stephanie but you can always send them here

http://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/signed-legislation

there are a couple of other links in the thread as well.

ms_m

08-24-2011, 04:41 AM

Economic Myths: Separating Fact From Fiction
Tuesday 23 August 2011
by: Michael Grabell , ProPublica | News Analysis

With the recent Iowa straw poll andPresident Obama's bus tour, Americans are hearing a cacophony of arguments about the wobbly economy. The federal stimulus package passed in 2009 was either a deficit-busting failure full of wasteful projects or an unparalleled rescue that would have been more successful if it had only been bigger.

Taxes are either stifling or the lowest they've ever been. America needs to invest in infrastructure, or "infrastructure" is merely a euphemism for more government spending. So, here's our guide to the most prevalent economic myths.

1. Taxes have been going up and are high compared to levels in other countries.
The first part is wrong; the second is also wrong but contains a grain of truth.

The percentage of income that Americans spend on taxes is the lowest it's been since 1958, according an analysis by USA Today. And with the exception of five years after the 1986 Tax Reform Act, the highest marginal income and corporate tax rates are the lowest they've been since World War II.

Federal taxes as a share of GDP are at their lowest point since 1950, according to the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office. When all taxes, including state and local, are added up, the proportion of GDP going to taxes has been essentially flat for nearly half a century, according to the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development.

The OECD figures also show that, as a share of GDP, taxes in the United States are lower than in most other developed nations:
Full Article:
http://www.truth-out.org/economic-myths-separating-fact-fiction/1314113084

ms_m

08-24-2011, 10:39 AM

Economists: GOP Cites Deeply Flawed CBS Report To Blame Debt On Obama
Brian Beutler | August 24, 2011, 6:15AM

Top Republicans couldn't be happier with aMonday CBS News report logging the growth in the national debt under President Obama.

The debt was $10.626 trillion on the day Mr. Obama took office. The latest calculation from Treasury shows the debt has now hit $14.639 trillion.

It's the most rapid increase in the debt under any U.S. president.

The national debt increased $4.9 trillion during the eight-year presidency of George W. Bush. The debt now is rising at a pace to surpass that amount during Mr. Obama's four-year term.

But this is politically powerful only because it's equally analytically flawed.

It ignores key facts about the nature of government debt. For instance the nominal size of the debt isn't important except as compared to the concurrent size of the economy -- the debt-to-GDP ratio. Additionally, if growth of debt over time is what you're interested in, then the key question is percent-growth, not nominal growth.
Full Article
http://tpmdc.talkingpointsmemo.com/2011/08/economists-gop-cites-deeply-flawed-cbs-report-to-blame-debt-on-obama.php?ref=fpa

MotownSteve

08-24-2011, 10:46 AM

'Figures don't lie. Liars figure.' I think that would apply here.

ms_m

08-24-2011, 10:54 AM

This is true Steve but CBS is the one that inaccurately reported the information.

Most Americans simply accept the creditability of the reporting and the Repubs know this.

Blaming Obama for the debt crisis
Analysis: does the Republican machine have its facts wrong?
David CaseJuly 27, 2011 07:54

It’s 3:01 a.m., and the sexy young woman in the white lace nighty just can’t seem to sleep.
She’s tossing and turning, worried “about our jobs, our home, even mom’s healthcare,” according to the saccharine-but-anxious voiceover. She’s uneasy about retirement, about how everything costs more, and about her kids — the two curly-haired wonders there in the photo on the night table.

More from GlobalPost: Wharton's negotiation guru tackles Washington's debt problem
[[Blaming Obama for the debt crisis Analysis: does the Republican machine have its facts wrong? David CaseJuly 27, 2011 07:54 It’s 3:01 a.m., and the sexy young woman in the white lace nighty just can’t seem to sleep. She’s tossing and turning, worried “about our jobs, our home, even mom’s healthcare,” according to the saccharine-but-anxious voiceover. She’s uneasy about retirement, about how everything costs more, and about her kids — the two curly-haired wonders there in the photo on the night table. More from GlobalPost: Wharton's negotiation guru tackles Washington's debt problem She supported Obama “because he spoke so beautifully,” but now she’s disillusioned. Cue the ominous background music. She pushes the covers back, and the camera follows her to the bathroom. “Our country’s got this huge debt, and Obama says raise taxes and keep spending more? Doesn’t Washington know we can’t afford more taxes and debt?” Cut to her shapely, milky white legs as she walks across the bedroom. “If they don’t figure it out, it will be even tougher for our kids. There’s got to be a way to take away President Obama’s blank check.” The ad, airing in key political districts, is convincing, concerning and very easy on the eyes. Funded with millions from Republican strategist Karl Rove’s political advocacy group Crossroads GPS, it has a straightforward, populist message: Washington has a runaway spending problem, and Obama is to blame. It’s a message that has cropped up in recent weeks, as the debt ceiling debate pushes the country to the edge of economic abyss. And it seems to justify the Tea Party brinksmanship in Washington, which has threatened to force the country to default on its obligations next week unless Obamacare is rolled back, entitlements are slashed and a multitude of other demands are met. The trouble is, the message is simply not accurate. It was President George W. Bush who ran up America’s debt, by cutting taxes and dramatically growing the size of the government. Obama hasn’t solved the problem he inherited. On the contrary, he’s added to it, but at a much slower pace than Bush did. http://www.globalpost.com/dispatch/news/regions/americas/united-states/110727/blaming-obama-the-debt-crisis)
She supported Obama “because he spoke so beautifully,” but now she’s disillusioned. Cue the ominous background music. She pushes the covers back, and the camera follows her to the bathroom. “Our country’s got this huge debt, and Obama says raise taxes and keep spending more? Doesn’t Washington know we can’t afford more taxes and debt?” Cut to her shapely, milky white legs as she walks across the bedroom. “If they don’t figure it out, it will be even tougher for our kids. There’s got to be a way to take away President Obama’s blank check.”

The ad, airing in key political districts, is convincing, concerning and very easy on the eyes. Funded with millions from Republican strategist Karl Rove’s political advocacy group Crossroads GPS, it has a straightforward, populist message: Washington has a runaway spending problem, and Obama is to blame.

It’s a message that has cropped up in recent weeks, as the debt ceiling debate pushes the country to the edge of economic abyss. And it seems to justify the Tea Party brinksmanship in Washington, which has threatened to force the country to default on its obligations next week unless Obamacare is rolled back, entitlements are slashed and a multitude of other demands are met.

The trouble is, the message is simply not accurate. It was President George W. Bush who ran up America’s debt, by cutting taxes and dramatically growing the size of the government. Obama hasn’t solved the problem he inherited. On the contrary, he’s added to it, but at a much slower pace than Bush did.
http://www.globalpost.com/dispatch/news/regions/americas/united-states/110727/blaming-obama-the-debt-crisis

ms_m

08-24-2011, 10:59 AM

George Pataki considers running for president
Former New York Governor George Pataki, mulling a run for the Republican presidential nomination, will attend a GOP picnic in Iowa this weekend to make a "major announcement."

George Pataki, the former New York governor, is considering a run for the Republican presidential nomination, and there are reports he is heading to Iowa this weekend to make a "major announcement."

Pataki flirted with the idea of running for the White House four years ago, and is again thinking about jumping into the GOP race

Pataki heads to Iowa on Saturday where he will speak at the Polk County GOP picnic at the Iowa State fairgrounds in Des Moines, CNN reports. Iowa is where the caucus and primary calendar kicks off.
http://www.globalpost.com/dispatch/news/regions/americas/united-states/110823/george-pataki-president-2012-gop-republican-candidates

If this turns out to be true, things could get even more interesting.

ms_m

08-24-2011, 12:50 PM

OP-ED
Published on Saturday, July 23, 2011 by RobertReich.org
Why Medicare Is the Solution — Not the Problem
by Robert Reich

Not only is Social Security on the chopping block in order to respond to Republican extortion. So is Medicare.

But Medicare isn’t the nation’s budgetary problems. It’s the solution. The real problem is the soaring costs of health care that lie beneath Medicare. They’re costs all of us are bearing in the form of soaring premiums, co-payments, and deductibles.

Medicare offers a means of reducing these costs — if Washington would let it.
Let me explain.

Americans spend more on health care per person than any other advanced nation and get less for our money. Yearly public and private healthcare spending is $7,538 per person. That’s almost two and a half times the average of other advanced nations.
Full Article
http://www.commondreams.org/view/2011/07/23-0

ms_m

08-24-2011, 01:16 PM

Fox Viewers Overwhelmingly Think We Should Prepare For Alien Invasion Before Fighting Climate Change
By Alex Seitz-Wald on Aug 19, 2011 at 5:30 p

A new [[supposedly) NASA-funded study postulating that aliens may attack humans over climate change had all the ingredients for a perfect Fox faux controversy — it bolstered their anti-science narrative, painted their opponents as clownish radicals, and highlighted wasteful government spending on a supposedly liberal casue.

Fox reported the “news from NASA” several times several times today, presenting it as official “taxpayer funded research.” A chyron on Fox and Friends read: “NASA: Global warming may provoke an [alien] attack.”

But as Business Insider pointed out, they’re “wrong” — “That report was not funded by NASA. It was written by an independent group of scientists and bloggers. One of those happens to work at NASA.” NASA distanced itself from the report as well, calling reports linking the agency to it “not true.” Host Megyn Kelly finally corrected the record this afternoon, saying, “I was making that up.”

http://thinkprogress.org/media/2011/08/19/300061/fox-poll-climate-change-aliens/

Many people who watch Fox, also vote....but to be fair and balanced Fox viewers are not the only uninformed voters in the country....think about that for a sec or two...

ms_m

08-24-2011, 03:14 PM

Nobody ever went broke underestimating the intelligence of the American people. Perry is a threat.

Perry Vaults Into Lead For GOP Nomination In Two National Polls
Kyle Leighton | August 24, 2011, 2:40PM

Former Mass. Governor Mitt Romney has been the frontrunner in most national polls of the GOP primary over the last year, and the general punditry considered it his nomination to lose, at least at first. And while it's still early, new polling released on Wednesday shows his unchallenged time at the head of the pack may be over.

A new national Gallup poll of GOP and GOP-leaning voters shows Romney, who had more than a quarter of the total vote in Gallup's June numbers in the same poll, has fallen to 17 percent, while newly minted candidate Tex. Gov. Rick Perry surges to 29 percent and the lead. Rep. Michele Bachmann [[R-MN), considered a top contender, falls to fourth with 10 percent, behind Rep. Ron Paul [[R-TX) at 13 percent. The rest of the field is in single digits.

Public Policy Polling [[D) also came out with a national poll of GOP voters on Wednesday, which showed similar results. In that survey, Perry leads with 33 percent in the field of announced candidates, followed by Romney at 20 percent and Bachmann at 16. The rest of the field in that poll were also in single digits.
http://tpmdc.talkingpointsmemo.com/2011/08/perry-takes-the-lead-for-gop-nomination-in-two-national-polls.php?ref=fpa

ms_m

08-24-2011, 03:48 PM

Jeb Bush: Rick Perry 'Has Every Right To Suggest' Global Warming 'Not A Certainty'

During an interview that aired on Fox Business on Tuesday, former Florida governor Jeb Bush [[R) weighed in on Rick Perry's candidacy for the Republican presidential nomination and the issue of global warming.

Bush denied there's a rift between his family and the Texas governor's camp.
"I’ve never heard anyone in my family say anything but good things about Rick Perry," he said. "Not with my brother, my dad, not with me at all. I admire him and I think Texas has got a great story and he can legitimately talk about that story as a candidate for president."

The former governor insisted that he has no intention of making a run for the White House in the next election cycle. "I will support the Republican nominee," he said. "I might support someone before that, but I believe the Republican candidate will win and I’m looking forward to that."
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/08/24/jeb-bush-rick-perry-global-warming_n_935168.html

Don’t know what to make of this. First media was reporting some type of feud between the Bush faction and Perry and now, Jeb is disputing that idea and seemingly getting behind him.

For those that think the country would never vote in another Texan or one that has a Bush backing….think again.

There is a “anyone but Obama” sentiment growing in the country and this is coming from both sides of the political spectrum. Plus, the economic outlook isn't looking good.

Who is doing something for the party, ideology and personal gain, may not matter to some as long as their ideology matches up with the candidate. Who is actively working to do something for the country could be [[and has been) overlooked.

15 months is a long time and maybe Perry is nothing more than the flavor of the month but…

ms_m

08-24-2011, 04:24 PM

Texas GOP Congressional Candidate Compares Welfare Recipients To Donkeys In New Ad
By Marie Diamond on Aug 24, 2011 at 11:05 am

Former Texas Secretary of State Roger Williams is running for Congress on a staunchly anti-Obama, anti-government platform. He recently came out with a new video ad called “The Donkey Whisperer” that’s raising a lot of eyebrows for conflating Democrats with welfare recipients and comparing them to donkeys.

In the video, Williams is interacting with donkeys and chastises them with words like, “All these guys want is more shelter, more feed. [...] You want a handout.” At one point Williams says, “They keep thinking that Obama is going to take care of them, Obama is going to feed them.” “These donkeys don’t live in the United States of France,” he exclaims, “they live in the United States of America!”
Full Article:
http://thinkprogress.org/

I’m guessing this guy doesn’t realize [[or care) there are Republicans on welfare as well. Not surprising since there are many myths concerning welfare and poverty in this country.

Myth: People on welfare are usually black, teenage mothers who stay on ten years at a time.

Fact: Most welfare recipients are non-black, adult and on welfare less than two years at a time.

Summary

According to the statistics, whites form the largest racial group on welfare; half of all welfare recipients leave in the first two years; and teenagers form less than 8 percent of all welfare mothers.

http://www.huppi.com/kangaroo/L-welfareblack.htm

Myth: Welfare increases poverty.

Fact: The more welfare, the less poverty -- both historically and internationally.

Summary

The historical evidence is clear: welfare reduces poverty, and the lack of it increases it. In the 1920s, fully half of all Americans could not make ends meet. Roosevelt's New Deal programs had reduced poverty to about 20 percent in the 50s. Johnson's Great Society reduced this to 11.1 percent by 1973. Since the rise of the corporate special interest system in 1975, individual welfare benefits have been shrinking, and poverty has been steadily rising, to over 15 percent today.
http://www.huppi.com/kangaroo/L-welfarepoverty.htm

ms_m

08-24-2011, 05:05 PM

Wealth Gap Between Blacks and Whites Increases Fourfold in a Generation
By Mike Lillis | 05.17.10 | 5:19 pm

The gap between the wealth possessed by white and black families grew more than four times larger between 1984 and 2007 — and federal policy is only exacerbating the trend, according to a study released today by researchers at Brandeis University’s Institute on Assets and Social Policy.

Not to be confused with income, wealth is a measure of what you possess minus the debts you owe. In the 23-year span under review, researchers found, the median value of assets among whites jumped from $22,000 to $100,000, while the median value of holdings among blacks rose from $2,000 to just $5,000. And the researchers say that’s no accident.

Instead, they argue, the quickly growing racial wealth gap “reflects public policies, such as tax cuts on investment income and inheritances which benefit the wealthiest, and redistribute wealth and opportunities.”

“Tax deductions for home mortgages, retirement accounts, and college savings all disproportionately benefit higher income families,” they write.

And income levels can be deceiving. Indeed, researchers discovered that middle-income white households are much wealthier than upper-income black families.
http://washingtonindependent.com/84968/wealth-gap-between-blacks-and-whites-increases-fourfold-in-a-generation

“Even when African Americans do everything right — get an education and work hard at well-paying jobs — they cannot achieve the wealth of their white peers in the workforce, and that translates into very different life chances,” IASP Director Thomas Shapiro, author of “The Hidden Costs of Being African American” and the co-author of “Black Wealth/White Wealth,” said in a statement announcing the study.
Full Article:
http://iasp.brandeis.edu/pdfs/Racial-Wealth-Gap-Press-Release.pdf

This shouldn't be seen as a divisive issue but a fact. Until this country comes to term with that fact politicians will keep trying to divide the races with "dog whistles" and "yo the man is keeping us down rhetoric."

If one section of the middle class is lifted up so will another. It may never be equal…even if the minority becomes the majority, which I’m sure scares the living crap out of some but if we all work together, we all have a fighting chance.

1% percent of society has more wealth than 99% of the people in this country. I don’t care what color you are, that too is a fact. If you truly believe [[as a general rule) that 1% cares more about your color than they care about the color green. [[or gold or silver whichever the case may be) You are the most clueless person on the planet. IMO!!

...and I said generally speaking which means there are exceptions so please save your indignation towards those that deserve it the most....the ones that are doing their best to keep the 99er's down!

ms_m

08-24-2011, 05:36 PM

08.24.2011 — 02:52 PM
BYE, MITT

Okay, I don't think Mitt is going anywhere soon. But two new polls show Perry opening up a biglead over the Mittster nationwide. That dramatically changes the contours of the race and -- most significantly -- ends Romney's inevitability, de facto nominee strategy.

It's quite true that we don't nominate presidents in nationwide primaries. The problem for Romney is that the actual states that are going to be deciding are considerably more conservative than the GOP electorate nationwide.
— Josh Marshal
http://talkingpointsmemo.com/

I’m not ready to count Mittens out yet either and there could still be some “great Republican dope” to come along that people think will save the party and the country.
But Josh is correct. People voting in the primaries are more conservative than those in a national election.

…no offense to sane Republicans but let’s get real, your party has been taken over by far right, radical extremist and that truly sucks eggs right now.

To paraphrase an old saying, If you believe extreme times call for extreme measures, you haven't been paying attention the last 30 years. Extreme measures that work against the middle class, is what lead us to where we are now.

ms_m

08-24-2011, 09:47 PM

Big Government? Obama Has 273,000 Fewer Federal Employees Than Reagan
August 24, 2011
By Ray Medeiros

Every single Republican today talks about being a Reagan conservative. This is a conservative that believes in small government, reducing federal spending and ultimately runs a lean and mean government. They talk about this stuff in campaigns, but in practice they failed miserably.

In fact HISTORICALLY, it is has been Democratic presidents who have reduced the size of the federal government. The Republicans have lied to the people so much that I believe the current crop somehow BELIEVES the history as they have been told, rather than researching the facts for themselves. This may be a stretch, but I am trying to give them the benefit of the doubt.

According to the U.S. Office of Personnel Management [[http://www.opm.gov/feddata/HistoricalTables/TotalGovernmentSince1962.asp), which tracks the number of employees per year, the data shows that the “conservatives” for small government are really just big government conservatives. I know that is an oxymoron, but numbers don’t lie.

Let’s start with President Carter.

On December 31st 1976 [[Not Carter’s term yet), total nonmilitary personnel was 2,883,000. By December 31st 1980 the end of his term [[minus a month), the total in nonmilitary personnel was 2,875,000.
Federal government nonmilitary employees shrunk by 8,000 employees under Carter.

On January 21st, 1981, President Reagan started with 2,875,000 nonmilitary federal employees.
By the end of Reagan’s terms the total number of nonmilitary federal employees was 3,113,000. That is an INCREASE of 238,000

Let’s move on to President George H.W. Bush.
More:
http://www.politicususa.com/en/big-government-obama-reagan

ms_m

08-24-2011, 10:07 PM

Why Texas activists think their governor is all hat and no cattle when it comes to shrinking government.—By Tim Murphy

Rick Perry vs. the Tea Party

Fri Aug. 19, 2011 3:00 AM PDT

The narrative was all ready to go: Texas Gov. Rick Perry's 2010 re-reelection campaign was supposed to be an old-fashioned brawl between the incumbent governor of nine years and the state's most popular politician, Republican Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison. Texas Monthly put the duo on its cover with the tag line, "It's On and It's Gonna Get Ugly." Political junkies stocked up on popcorn.

But it didn't turn out that way. After starting off 30 points down, Perry went on to crush Hutchison in the primary. The senator's attacks on Perry mostly fell flat; instead, the sharpest critiques of the governor came from a third candidate: Debra Medina, a nurse and former Wharton County Republican Party chair, who, with zero name recognition or institutional support, a bare-bones budget, and a whole lot of tea party backing, soared to 20 percentsupport in the polls.

"I think Paul Burka at Texas Monthly said I'm the only person that's ever been able to get to the right of Rick Perry—which is bizarre in my view because I don't see him as a candidate of the right," Medina says now. "He sells himself on the right, he packages himself on the right, but if you look at the record, he's not conservative by any stretch."
http://motherjones.com/politics/2011/08/rick-perry-tea-party

If members of the TeaParty couldn't defeat him and Dems couldn't defeat him, how has Rick Perry become the longest serving governor in American history?

During his 27 years of public office, Perry has never lost an election?

ms_m

08-24-2011, 11:14 PM

Koch Responds To Buffett: ‘My Business And Non-Profit Investments Are Much More Beneficial To Society’
By Lee Fang on Aug 20, 2011 at 7:40 pm

America’s current tax system forces people making $50,000 a year to pay a higher rate than hedge fund managers making $2.4 million an hour. Warren Buffett penned an op-ed last week declaring that America’s super-rich have been “coddled long enough by a billionaire-friendly Congress.” Lamenting the numerous tax loopholes and special breaks afforded to billionaire investors, Buffett noted that in his entire career, even when capital gains rates were as high as 39.9 percent, he never saw anyone “shy away from a sensible investment because of the tax rate on the potential gain.”

Charles Koch, head of the massive petrochemical, manufacturing, and commodity speculatingKoch Industries corporation, has responded to Warren’s call for shared sacrifice: “No Thanks.” In a statement to right-wing media, Koch states:

Much of what the government spends money on does more harm than good; this is particularly true over the past several years with the massive uncontrolled increase in government spending. I believe my business and non-profit investments are much more beneficial to societal well-being than sending more money to Washington.

America has been good to Charles Koch, providing an environment where his family has made billions. But Koch doesn’t want to give back, especially through more taxation. His charitable foundation, which gives largely to right-wing organizations that support his politics and Koch Industries’ business interests, still only donates about $12 million a year — 0.05 percent of Koch’s net worth. If higher rates were imposed on the super-rich, would Koch retreat to the family’s fabulous mansions, like this one in the Hamptons, aboard its fleet of private jets in a John Galt-inspired temper tantrum? Or would they act like any respectable businessman, and continue to make a profit without complaining?

http://thinkprogress.org/politics/2011/08/20/300236/koch-vs-buffett/

ms_m

08-24-2011, 11:26 PM

Corporate Republicans v. Corporate Democrats
by HENRY on AUGUST 23, 2007

John Edwards reminds me of why I’d vote for him in a heartbeat, if I had a vote in the forthcoming primaries

[[my notes….Edwards didn’t work out too well but carry on….

It’s not just that the answers of the past aren’t up to the job today, it’s that the system that produced them was corrupt—and still is. It’s controlled by big corporations, the lobbyists they hire to protect their bottom line and the politicians who curry their favor and carry their water. And it’s perpetuated by a media that too often fawns over the establishment, but fails to seriously cover the challenges we face or the solutions being proposed. This is the game of American politics and in this game, the interests of regular Americans don’t stand a chance.

Real change starts with being honest—the system in Washington is rigged and our government is broken. It’s rigged by greedy corporate powers to protect corporate profits. It’s rigged by the very wealthy to ensure they become even wealthier. At the end of the day, it’s rigged by all those who benefit from the established order of things. For them, more of the same means more money and more power. They’ll do anything they can to keep things just the way they are—not for the country, but for themselves.

… The choice for our party could not be more clear. We cannot replace a group of corporate Republicans with a group of corporate Democrats, just swapping the Washington insiders of one party for the Washington insiders of the other.
http://crookedtimber.org/2007/08/23/corporate-republicans-v-corporate-democrats/

I asked the question not too long ago, has there ever been a successful “libertarian society"….I was serious about wanting an answer and I finally found one….plus a society of theocrats…..

side note, just like any ideology, libertarians are not a monolith. I'll leave it to you to do the research on that.:)

People have pointed to Catalonia as an example of a viable Anarchic society, but soon after taking power these “libertarian” anarchists put together lists of “rightsists” and clergymen and put many thousands of them to death. While it seems antithetical to the theory of libertarian anarchy to murder political opponents, especially the thousands of unarmed clergy members who were killed, it goes to show the tyrannical nature at the heart of all forms of anarchy.

Maybe you might want to mention the "nation" of Israel as depicted in the Old Testament prior to the establishment of its monarchy:

Judges 21:25
25. In those days there was no king in Israel: every man did that which was right in his own eyes.

Israel was established for the purpose of having a true theocracy, in which the laws that God had given them would govern their day-to-day activities. Unfortunately, it degraded into a 'godless', more libertarian, situation in which everyone did things according to their own desires. Reading through that particular book shows how their society eventually fell apart as they were not able to create a more unified nation to defend their own borders and even ended up breaking into familial factions fighting among themselves.

...corporate Republicans, corporate Democrats, a Libertarian society that failed and a Theocracy that failed…..

Geesh, what’s left?

THE ONLY ADULT IN THE ROOM
;)come on, you had to have seen that coming...hahahaha

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ejkG3VeA2Kc
:cool:

ms_m

08-25-2011, 10:45 AM

Rep. Chabot’s Conspiracy Theory: ThinkProgress Organized Town Hall Protest
By Scott Keyes on Aug 25, 2011 at 10:10 am

After Ohio constituents, angry about votes to strip funding for Planned Parenthoodand continue tax breaks for the wealthy, gave Rep. Steve Chabot [[R-OH) an earful at a town hall Monday, the Cincinnati Republican laid blame for the uproar on apeculiar target: ThinkProgress.

Rep. Steve Chabot [[R-Ohio) faced angry protesters at a town-hall meeting in Avondale, Ohio, on Monday. He said Think Progress, the liberal political advocacy group, organized the protest.

Chabot says people are “frustrated that the economy continues to muddle along and employment continues to be high.”

Chabot’s charge is ludicrous. ThinkProgress indeed attended Chabot’s town hall, just as other media outlets did, but we played no part whatsoever in organizing attendees. We had never met or spoken with any folks at the town hall prior to that evening. Our role was limited to reporting on the event and speaking with Chabot afterward, just as it has been for other townhalls we’ve attended in the past.

Chabot didn’t just take flak for his filming crackdown from the left. Tea Party Nation founder Judson Phillips discussed the matter in an article entitled “America’s dumbest Republican Congressman“:

I don’t know any other way to put this. Chabot is a moron. First, you cannot confiscate the property of a private citizen without a warrant or some other due process. Second, and I will type this slowly just in case Chabot is reading this so he will understand this. PHOTOGRAPHY IS NOT A CRIME.

Chabot would do well to listen more to Phillips and Ohio constituents angry over Republican policies rather than making wild and baseless charges against ThinkProgress.
http://thinkprogress.org/

Ouch!:cool:

ms_m

08-25-2011, 10:48 AM

No, Gov. Pawlenty, Tax Cuts Don't Pay for Themselves
19 jun 2011 posted by bruce bartlett

Republicans claim to be deeply concerned about the budget deficit and the national debt, yet repeatedly demand additional large tax cuts. For example, former Minnesota Gov. Tim Pawlenty, a candidate for the Republican presidential nomination, supports a balanced budget amendment to the Constitution but also wants an $8 trillion tax cut. He rationalizes this contradiction by asserting that his tax cut will not actually lose any revenue. As Pawlenty told Slate reporter Dave Weigel on June 13:

“When Ronald Reagan cut taxes in a significant way, revenues actually increased by almost 100 percent during his eight years as president. So this idea that significant, big tax cuts necessarily result in lower revenues – history does not [bear] that out.”

In point of fact, this assertion is completely untrue. Federal revenues were $599.3 billion in fiscal year 1981 and were $991.1 billion in fiscal year 1989. That’s an increase of just 65 percent. But of course a lot of that represented inflation. If 1981 revenues had only risen by the rate of inflation, they would have been $798 billion by 1989. Thus the real revenue increase was just 24 percent. However, the population also grew. Looking at real revenues per capita, we see that they rose from $3,470 in 1981 to $4,006 in 1989, an increase of just 15 percent. Finally, it is important to remember that Ronald Reagan raised taxes 11 times, increasing revenues by $133 billion per year as of 1988 – about a third of the nominal revenue increase during Reagan’s presidency.
http://capitalgainsandgames.com/blog/bruce-bartlett/2276/no-gov-pawlenty-tax-cuts-dont-pay-themselves

Will Higher Taxes Tank the Economy?
26 jun posted by bruce bartlett

The main sticking point in negotiations between Republicans and Democrats on deficit reduction measures to accompany a rise in the debt limit is whether higher revenues should make any contribution. A key Republican concern is that any tax increase would depress the economy.

Given the slow patch that the economy is going through, any realistic threat to growth is one that has to be taken seriously. But the Republican position that spending cuts are expansionary while tax increases are depressing is not logically consistent. Both spending cuts and tax increases affect the economy in roughly the same way in the short run – by reducing aggregate demand. Fiscal contraction, whether on the tax side or the spending side, will have a negative effect under current economic conditions.

Of course, it goes without saying that there will be different economic effects depending on how spending is cut or taxes are raised. But the first-order effect in either case will be to reduce national income and depress growth. In the longer run, some spending cuts could well be expansionary if they altered economic behavior in a positive direction. In general, subsidies are a bad idea because they distort economic decision making and reduce growth below what would occur in a free market environment.
http://capitalgainsandgames.com/blog/bruce-bartlett/2284/will-higher-taxes-tank-economy

ms_m

08-25-2011, 10:49 AM

How Rich People Ask for More Money
Posted: 8/24/11 10:43 PM ET David Berri

Imagine you are a rich person who desires even more money. You could just boldly ask people to give you more cash. But many might suspect that you don't "need" the money -- or at least, you don't need the money more than they need the money -- and therefore might be inclined to refuse your request. So what can you do?

Well, one solution is to tell people that if they give you more money, they will be better off. Sound ridiculous? Consider the following two tales from the world of sports and politics.

Once upon a time there were 30 rich owners of NBA teams. These owners decided that it would be great if the players accepted a pay cut. After all, if the owners got to pay the players less, the owners would get more. Of course, the players would be skeptical of this scheme.

And that still leaves us with the simple story that people with a great deal of money often would like even more.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/david-berri/nba-salary_b_935882.html

ms_m

08-25-2011, 12:06 PM

Mitt Romney Backs Away From Climate Change
Evan McMorris-Santoro | August 25, 2011, 8:58AM

Staring down a new rival who believes climate change science is partially some kind of international grant money shakedownconspiracy, Mitt Romney is stepping back from a view of climate change he outlined earlier this summer.

"Do I think the world's getting hotter? Yeah, I don't know that but I think that it is," Romney told a crowd in New Hampshire Wednesday, according to Reuters. "I don't know if it's mostly caused by humans."

Romney then tilted over and grabbed some of Rick Perry's Sen. James Inhofe [[R-OK)-endorsed ideas on the environment. That is, let's not spend a time doing anything about it.

"What I'm not willing to do is spend trillions of dollars on something I don't know the answer to," Romney said.
More:
http://tpmdc.talkingpointsmemo.com/2011/08/mitt-romney-backs-away-from-climate-change.php?ref=fpa

Who the heck is advising this man? He sucks as a campaigner.

Dude, take a position and stand on it. At the very least, tell folks why you flipped after you flopped. :rolleyes:

Dear Republicans,
Please make Mittens your Presidential nominee.

Thanks,
Obama/Biden2012
:cool:

BTW....don't know if the author meant...
let's not spend a dime or
let's not spend any time

"doing anything about it"

....LOL

it works either way and based on Romney's quote I'll go with "dime" but yes, he should have edited it.:)

ms_m

08-25-2011, 01:13 PM

GOP Congressman: You Think We Make A Lot? Have I Mentioned We’re Getting Shot At?
Evan McMorris-Santoro | August 25, 2011, 11:33AM

Rep. Steve Southerland [[R-FL) is not impressed with his $174,000 per year Congressional salary. Or the benefits package that comes with serving his constituents in the House.

"And by the way, did I mention? They're shooting at us. There is law-enforcement security in this room right now, and why is that?" he told a town hall in his Second Florida Congressional District Wednesday. "If you think this job pays too much, with those kinds of risks and cutting me off from my family business, I'll just tell you: This job don't mean that much to me. I had a good life in Panama City."

Southerland is a successful small business owner who beat seven-term incumbent Rep. Alan Boyd [[D) to win his first term in Congress in 2010.
http://tpmdc.talkingpointsmemo.com/2011/08/gop-congressman-you-think-we-make-a-lot-have-i-mentioned-were-getting-shot-at.php?ref=fpb

Let me sum up Rep. Steve Southerland [[R-FL) comments for ya…or... I can be snarky and name that tune in 5 sentences...;)

1. I get a lot of vacation time but when I work…the 174K is a paltry amount

2. Somebody put a gun to my head and made be run for an office that took me away from my family, business and good life in Panama, Florida

3. It’s rough having a Federal health insurance plan that I have to contribute to [[it would be different if I didn’t have to pay for it)

4. I’m not a lifer in Washington but I am running for a second term

5. Ignore reality,truth, critical thinking and common sense....and vote for me and my fellow Republicans

ms_m

08-25-2011, 01:44 PM

Cantor Spox: If There’s Hurricane Damage, Costs Will Have To Be Paid For With Spending Cuts

Brian Beutler | August 25, 2011, 12:40PM
Looks like House Majority Leader Eric Cantor [[R-VA) will extend his requirement that federal disaster relief be paid for by cutting spending elsewhere in the budget to Hurricane Irene.

"We aren't going to speculate on damage before it happens, period," his spokesperson Laena Fallon emails. "But, as you know, Eric has consistently said that additional funds for federal disaster relief ought to be offset with spending cuts."

This isn't just to lay a honeytrap for Cantor. Human toll aside, hurricane damage can be veryexpensive, and if against all hope Irene hits hard, this sort of parameter could put a severe dent in federal programs that are already stretched quite thin.
http://tpmdc.talkingpointsmemo.com/2011/08/cantor-spox-if-theres-hurricane-damage-costs-will-have-to-be-paid-for-with-spending-cuts.php?ref=fpa

Va. governor declares state of emergency for Irene

BROCK VERGAKIS,
Published 01:20 p.m., Thursday, August 25, 2011

NORFOLK, Va. [[AP) — Virginia officials warned residents on Thursday to prepare for massive power outages, flooding and damage from Hurricane Irene comparable to that of Hurricane Isabel, which knocked out power to about 2 million people as it tore through the state in 2003.

Gov. Bob McDonnell declared a state of emergency in preparation of Irene's weekend arrival. The declaration allows state resources, such as the National Guard, to be sent to Hampton Roads to help local officials. About 250 Guard members have been put on alert for hurricane duty.

McDonnell said he did not plan to order a statewide evacuation or reverse lanes on Interstate 64. But he cautioned eastern Virginia residents who live in low-lying areas to be ready in case of a local evacuation
Read more: http://www.newstimes.com/news/article/Va-governor-declares-state-of-emergency-for-Irene-2141015.php#ixzz1W3yiNlzF

It’s good see the Gov of Virginia showing more concern for the people of his state, than concern over political posturing.

ms_m

08-25-2011, 02:27 PM

BUFFETT’S BANK OF AMERICA DEAL
25 August 2011 by Cullen Roche

I’ve spent quite a bit of time in the past discussing the world’s most misunderstood investor [[http://pragcap.com/the-many-myths-of-warren-buffett). This folksy old man from Nebraska doesn’t lurk like a lion in the shadows waiting to pounce on his prey. No, he just comes up and gives you a nice big “hug” as the someone described the B of A deal.

Let’s be clear here. This is a distressed play with sophisticated hedging involved. And it’s classic Buffett. He is essentially stepping on Bank of America’s throat when they are vulnerable and extracting his billions in future cash flows. If you’re not familiar with the terms, Reuters [[http://www.reuters.com/article/2011/08/25/bankofamerica-idUSN1E77O0PL20110825?feedType=RSS&feedName=marketsNews&rpc=43) breaks them down:
http://pragcap.com/buffetts-bank-of-america-deal

I realize a lot of people see things through the eyes of political motives, emotion and ideology but that’s not always the case when making decisions about our economy or how big investors operate. To really understand what this article means, you need an understanding of how our monetary system works and how and why the banks play a part in that system. [[hint: it’s not all bad)

On an unrelated subject....it's sad Cullen Roche finally had to put in a 1 strike comment policy...people really need to grow up and start wearing their big boy pants. [[I stole that phrase from Des.)

COMMENTS GUIDELINE - Readers who post off topic subjects or denigrate authors or other readers will be banned without warning. This site does not tolerate any sort of reader abuse. We expect readers to behave maturely and responsibly. We welcome and encourage intense and intelligent discourse, but the site adheres to a strict 1 strike policy. While it is your right to speak freely, it is not your right to behave childishly. Above all else, please enjoy the site. It is intended to be used as an educational tool and we hope the intelligent and mature debate will further that purpose. We hope readers will make an effort to respect that goal.

ms_m

08-25-2011, 02:39 PM

PPP: Obama leads in Wisconsin, Iowa
August 25, 2011 • Posted in 2012, News and Current Affairs, People, Political News, Politics, President Barack Obama

New Public Policy Poll results out of Wisconsin and Iowa suggest President Obama’s re-election strategy may boil down to not being a Republican.

The polling shows that while the president’s numbers are weak, particularly in Wisconsin, he is the preferred choice given the GOP alternative. And with Perry rising and Romney [[the strongest general election candidate on the GOP side) fading in recent polls, that means Democrats could wind up benefiting from the tea party phenomenon.
http://blog.reidreport.com/2011/08/ppp-obama-leads-in-wisconsin-iowa/

This far out polls really don’t mean a lot but let’s face it, when they favor the candidate of your choice, they are really cool…..LOL

That's human nature, that's life.;)

ms_m

08-25-2011, 03:20 PM

Rick Perry Sought State Profits From Teacher Life Insurance Scheme

WASHINGTON -- Two weeks before Thanksgiving in 2003, top officials from Texas Governor Rick Perry's office pitched an unusual offer to the state's retired teachers: Let's get into the death business.

Perry's budget director, Mike Morrissey, laid out a pitch that was both ambitious and risky, according to notes summarizing the meeting provided to The Huffington Post.
According to the notes, which were authenticated by a meeting participant, the Perry administration wanted to help Wall Street investors gamble on how long retired Texas teachers would live. Perry was promising the state big money in exchange for helping Swiss banking giant UBS set up a business of teacher death speculation.

All they had to do was convince retirees to let UBS buy life insurance policies on them. When the retirees died, those policies would pay out benefits to Wall Street speculators, and the state, supposedly, would get paid for arranging the bets. The families of the deceased former teachers would get nothing.

All they had to do was convince retirees to let UBS buy life insurance policies on them. When the retirees died, those policies would pay out benefits to Wall Street speculators, and the state, supposedly, would get paid for arranging the bets. The families of the deceased former teachers would get nothing.
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/08/25/rick-perry-texas-life-insurance-scheme_n_935666.html

Will be interesting to hear the explanation from the Perry camp on this. But if this is true….dayum!

BTW….reading through a few of the comments had me shaking my head.

Anyone who truly believes Hillary Clinton, John McCain and the media didn’t rake the coals over everything they could possibly find to discredit Barack Obama is in denial.

The problem, they came up with BS and tried to make a story out of the BS. It failed.

ms_m

08-25-2011, 03:49 PM

Imagining a world without the New Deal
By David F. Weiman, Published: August 12

…It would be a fight for economic survival with no coordinated effort at recovery. The New Deal shifted responsibility for social welfare and economic development from city halls and state capitols to Washington. Starting in 1933, New Deal programs such as the Civilian Conservation Corps created more than 3 million jobs over the next three years. But like the recent Recovery and Reinvestment Act, New Deal spending was too modest — by 1932, nearly 12 million workers, or more than 25 percent of the labor force, were unemployed.

Still, FDR exercised his authority to put America back to work. Any who doubt the New Deal’s effectiveness need only look at the double-dip recession of 1937, after a conservative backlash in Congress scaled down relief spending. Without Roosevelt’s intervention, the economic recovery that lasted from 1933 to 1937 would have been weaker and shorter — not unlike our own recovery after the Great Recession.

But the New Deal brought more than jobs — it enhanced quality of life, especially among the most vulnerable. We can see its impact on infant mortality, which increased during the early years of the Depression after falling sharply for more than a decade. Without the New Deal’s health and nutrition initiatives as well as investments in water and sewage-treatment infrastructure, millions of lives would have been lost.

This new idea of a federal safety net not only inspired Social Security in the 1930s, but also Lyndon B. Johnson’s Great Society of the 1960s. FDR and LBJ asked all working adults to care for American seniors and the poor. Before the New Deal, it was unthinkable that retired people could turn to the government for income or medical care. That responsibility fell directly to their children, if they had them. That’s why the Republicans’ proposed cuts to Medicare are so shocking — they shift these costs from the federal budget back to the family budget.

But even if these cuts get through Congress, they can’t take away America’s infrastructure. The New Deal’s Public Works and Works Progress administrations spurred rapid productivity growth in the midst of the Depression. New roads and electrical power networks paved the way for post-World War II economic expansion built around the automobile and the suburban home. Astonishing 21st-century innovations such as next-day FedEx deliveries and Wi-Fi still rely on these aging investments. We associate FDR with massive hydroelectric dam projects — including the Grand Coulee and Hoover dams in the West, and the Tennessee Valley Authority in the South — but the New Deal also electrified rural America through cooperatives that distributed cheap, reliable power. Nearly 12 percent of Americans still belong to these collectives. Without the New Deal, they would be stuck in the much darker 1920s.
Full Article:
http://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/imagining-a-world-without-the-new-deal/2011/08/03/gIQAtJoBBJ_story.html

ms_m

08-25-2011, 05:41 PM

Fox News: ‘Facts Are Certainly’ On The Side Of Global Warming, But ‘It Doesn’t Matter’
By Brad Johnson posted from ThinkProgress Green on Aug 25, 2011 at 2:45 pm

On Fox & Friends Sunday, anchor Clayton Morris admitted that Fox News factcheckers have confirmed that man-made global warming is “certainly” real, but argued that it “doesn’t matter” because climate denial is popular among Fox News-watching conservatives. Morris contrasted Jon Huntsman’s defense of the National Academy of Sciences with Rick Perry’s claims that scientists have “manipulated data” to concoct manmade global warming:

MORRIS: If you dive into the weeds a little bit on this global warming thing, you see that it seems that facts are certainly on Huntsman’s side on all of this and fact checkers have come out, we’re actually having our own brain room look look at this right now that any of Perry’s comments don’t seem to hold a lot of water. It doesn’t matter. What’s resonating right now in South Carolina is helping Governor Perry tremendously and he fired back at Huntsman on global warming and gaining traction, facts or not.

http://thinkprogress.org/

This should not be surprising since Fox also won a judgment saying they could lie. But it’s not Fox that makes me scratch my head but the American people who believe ….

…as long as it adheres to my belief….it’s ok to lie and facts don’t matter….and yeah….libruls, gubment and those folks that are not like me [[excluding the rich) are the reason for all my troubles...

Yep…more home schooling….that’s the ticket...:eek:
yes that's snark!

ms_m

08-25-2011, 06:57 PM

Why the Mainstream Media Are Clueless About the Religious Right

Though it has shaped American politics for the last 40 years, the religious right still baffles reporters.
August 16, 2011

From the attitudes shown by media toward the religious right, you'd never know that more than one-quarter of the U.S. population identify as evangelicals, according to a 2007 survey by the Pew Forum on Religion and Public Life, and among white self-identified evangelicals, 62 percent told Pew in 2006 that they believe the Bible to be the literal word of God.
.....
Millions of Americans who believe that biblical law should supplant the will of the people, and...think the Bible is the literal truth.... And no reporter should be surprised by that.

As a nation, we've been headed down this path for more than 40 years. As the economic fortunes of the U.S. turn downward, we should expect the attraction of right-wing religion, especially its more charismatic and viscerally-felt forms, to expand. Anyone who doesn't just hasn't been paying attention.
http://www.religiousrightwatch.com/electoral_politics_campaigns/

Staying on the right side of a political movement
Conservative Christians — and their ideas — threaded throughout Bush administration
By Alex JohnsonReporter

msnbc.com
updated 10/27/2004 1:04:50 PM ET

“What’s different from the past is that it’s integrated into the Republican Party,” said Duane Oldfield, a political scientist at Knox College in Galesburg, Ill., who studies the religious right. “The Christian right has gone from being outsiders to insiders.”

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/6276308/ns/politics/t/staying-right-sideof-political-movement/

I think many in the media are sleeping on this but even the ones that are paying attention are missing key elements.

ms_m

08-26-2011, 03:12 PM

New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg has just ordered a mandatory evacuation of low-lying areas by 5 p.m. Saturday. Do you live in a hurricane evacuation zone? Here's the city's map. Click the image to enlarge.
http://i61.photobucket.com/albums/h74/mmandmusic/nyc-hurricane-evac-map.jpg [[http://www.nyc.gov/html/oem/downloads/pdf/hurricane_map_english.pdf)

ms_m

08-26-2011, 06:10 PM

Debunking The Myth Of Free Market Self Regulation
August 20, 2011
By Ray Medeiros

If Goldman Sachs is in the Oversight Committee and former employees of Wall Street are in the SEC, doesn’t this equal self-regulation of the free market? It seems to me that it is by definition, self-regulation.

So if we did what those in the GOP want and eliminated the SEC would we be better, worse or just the same? I think we would be just the same, considering like I stated earlier, Wall Street is already regulating itself through the SEC.

How do we change this situation? We need honest leadership without ties to Wall Street to make sure the SEC is cleared of all the moles and rats. Considering that to be a huge uphill battle, President Obama started the CFPB.

The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau was target number one on Wall Street’s radar. We have an agency that isn’t infiltrated by the Wall Street elitists and Elizabeth Warren would not have allowed them in. That is why they tried their hardest to kill it and kill it’s funding through the GOP.

Free market self-regulation is a myth, and it’s time to stop believing in conservative fairy tales.

Full Article
http://www.politicususa.com/en/free-market-self-regulation

ms_m

08-28-2011, 12:44 PM

Opinion L.A.
OBSERVATIONS AND PROVOCATIONS
FROM THE TIMES' OPINION STAFF
Medicare fraud: Obama administration brings enforcement into the 21st century
August 26, 2011 | 9:33 am

...Since President Obama took office, we have conducted an unprecedented crackdown on those who steal from Medicare, giving law enforcement greater resources, putting more boots on the ground and increasing penalties. In 2010, these efforts recovered a record $4 billion in taxpayer money.

But we're not just prosecuting fraud. We're also taking steps to prevent it. In the past, nearly anyone could fill out a form with the right information and become a Medicare provider. Criminals could set up false clinics, enlist willing accomplices and vulnerable seniors to submit false claims and begin collecting payments they had not earned for care they had not provided.

That's changing.

First, we're paying closer attention to who is signing up in the first place. Now, before you can become a Medicare provider, you have to go through a rigorous third-party review process that will make sure you have the correct licenses and meet all the requirements to bill Medicare. The days when you could just hang a shingle and start billing Medicare are over.

Full Article
http://opinion.latimes.com/opinionla/2011/08/medicare-fraud-obama-administration-crackdown-blowback.html

ms_m

08-28-2011, 12:57 PM

RICK PERRY: SOCIAL SECURITY IS A ‘MONSTROUS LIE’ AND A ‘PONZI SCHEME’ |
Fresh offaffirming the positions outlined in his book, including that Social Security is unconstitutional, Texas Gov. Rick Perry [[R) was quoted by the Houston Chronicle today calling Social Security a “monstrous lie” in Iowa:

Asked by a woman in the crowd about Social Security being viewed as an entitlement program, Perry reiterated the suggestion in his anti-Washington book, Fed Up!, that the program amounts to a Ponzi scheme.

“It is a Ponzi scheme for these young people. The idea that they’re working and paying into Social Security today, that the current program is going to be there for them, is a lie,” Perry said. “It is a monstrous lie on this generation, and we can’t do that to them.”
http://thinkprogress.org/

ms_m

08-28-2011, 01:03 PM

Warren Buffett Stinks up the Billionaires’ Garden Party
August 27, 2011
By D. L. MacKenzie

Billionaire investor Warren Buffett has been preaching higher taxes for the extraordinarily well-to-do for more than a decade, but his August 15th Wall Street Journal op-ed was apparently the last straw for some of his pampered fellows in the velvet pantaloon club. Buffett had the temerity to remind us once again that despite his extraordinary wealth and income, he pays a lower percentage of his income in taxes than ordinary working class Americans. He asked Congress to finally stop “coddling billionaires” and make them pay their fair share, a vulgar indiscretion prompting a fusillade of grunting protests from the ivory towers of Koch Industries to the grimy corridors of the right wing blogosphere.

Perhaps Buffett felt his status as an incontestably successful capitalist hero might insulate him in some way and grant him the leeway to make such scandalously true statements. As only Nixon could go to China, perhaps Buffett feels only he can broach the topic of simple fairness without being branded a communist. If the past is any indication, Buffett simply didn’t give a damn and merely gave us a piece of his mind.

Victor Hugo observed that “an invasion of armies can be resisted, but not an idea whose time has come.” Undaunted by the long odds, Heritage Foundation blogger and sycophant to the mighty Lachlan Markay has thrown down the gauntlet. In a single preposterous post, Markay has managed to sum up with extravagant credulity the right’s utterly vacuous response to Buffett’s commonsense remarks. To the compelling man-bites-dog Buffett story, he responds with dog-licks-self stories, quoting both former American Express CEO Harvey Golub and right wing hero Charles Koch of Koch Industries in two utterly ineffective retorts to Buffett. Markay then weaves Golub and Koch’s pompous, self-absorbed burbling into his own trite and irrelevant tract on the virtues of the free market.
http://www.politicususa.com/en/warren-buffett-stinks-up-the-billionaires-garden-party

ms_m

08-28-2011, 01:14 PM

By APRIL CASTRO, ASSOCIATED PRESS

[[AP) AUSTIN, Texas -- Texas Gov. Rick Perry has asked the U.S. Department of Homeland Security for nearly $350 million to cover the costs he says Texas has incurred incarcerating undocumented immigrants in state prisons and county jails.

In a letter to Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano, Perry reiterated a claim he's often leveled against the federal government: that it's not doing enough to secure the border with Mexico and as a result, has allowed undocumented immigrants to enter the U.S. and use taxpayer-funded resources, including the prison system.

The letter was dated Aug. 10, three days before the Republican governor formally announced he is running for president.
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/08/27/rick-perry-illegal-immigration_n_939077.html

It’s always interesting to see how ”principled” these guys are until those principles get in the way of what they want and believe. Even “principles” have exceptions to the rule I guess. Does that mean "principles" only matter when THEY say they do? hmmmmm

MotownSteve

08-28-2011, 01:45 PM

Let us not forget this is the same guy that was gung ho on Texas seceding from the US.

ms_m

08-28-2011, 02:21 PM

Presidential Report Card: How Much Has Obama Really Done For Women?
Posted: 8/28/11 12:06 PM ET

Friday, in a White House press release celebrating the 91st anniversary of women's suffrage in the U.S., President Obama declared:

"The 19th Amendment tore down the last formal barrier to women's enfranchisement in our Nation and empowered America's women to have their own voices heard in the halls of power," he proclaimed in a White House press release.

The administration was wise to honor that crucial moment as Obama steps toward reelection. But just how friendly to women has our 44th president been?

Wage Equity: A new poll shows dwindled support for Obama among unmarried women, due to his lack of strong message on the economy and job creation. Although the very first bill Obama signed into law was The Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act, which allows employees to contest discriminatory paychecks without a statute of limitations,

Ledbetter mostly paved the way for lawsuits, and still a national wage gap persists. Even though more than half of college graduates are women, and more women than ever pursue masters degrees, women still earn, on average, 77 cents for every dollar men do, according to the National Women's Law Center, which amounts to about $11,000 each year for the average working woman.
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/allison-gaudet-yarrow/obama-women-equality_b_939560.html

Women have rights too…it’s always good when a man recognizes that.

ms_m

08-28-2011, 02:45 PM

NEWS ANALYSIS
Dissecting the Mind of the Fed
By DAVID LEONHARDT
Published: August 27, 2011

IF you were to conduct a survey of the country’s top economists, you would find a fair number who did not believe that the Federal Reserve should be taking more aggressive steps to help the economy. Some would worry that injecting more money into the economy might unnerve global investors or set off uncontrollable inflation. Others would wonder whether, with interest rates already so low, the Fed even had much power to lift economic growth.

But you would also find a sizable group of economists who thought the Fed could and should do far more than it was doing. This group, known as doves, tilts liberal, though it includes conservatives as well. If anything, it can probably claim a larger number of big-name economists — J. Bradford DeLong, Paul Krugman [[an Op-Ed columnist for The New York Times), Christina D. Romer, Scott Sumner and Mark Thoma, among others — than the camp that believes the Fed has done too much.

You would never know this, however, from listening to the public debate among Federal Reserve officials. That debate is much narrower.
http://www.nytimes.com/2011/08/28/sunday-review/dissecting-why-the-fed-does-what-it-does.html?_r=2&ref=opinion

ms_m

08-28-2011, 03:24 PM

The White House Blog
The Facts About Regulations
Posted by Cass Sunstein on August 26, 2011 at 02:42 PM EDT

Lately, there has been a great deal of inaccurate information about the Obama Administration's record on regulations. I wanted to take the opportunity to clear up the facts, particularly in view of a letter sent by Speaker Boehner to the President today.

President Obama believes that, as our economy recovers and we work to support job creation, it is important to minimize regulatory burdens and avoid unjustified regulatory costs. The President has taken ambitious and strong steps to promote this goal.

Executive Order 13563, issued early this year, calls on all agencies to conduct a thorough retrospective review of existing rules; it also imposes a series of new requirements designed to reduce regulatory burdens and costs. Just this month, twenty-six agencies released regulatory review plans, with over 500 reform initiatives. A mere fraction of the new initiatives will save more than $10 billion over the next five years; as progress continues, we expect to be able to deliver savings far in excess of that figure. Already, we’ve finalized or formally proposed reforms to save more than $4 billion of regulatory costs over that period.

‪It is important to note that there has been no significant increase in rulemaking under this Administration. On the contrary, the number of significant rules reviewed by the White House Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs [[OIRA) and issued in the first two years of the Obama administration is lower than the number issued in the last two years of the Bush administration. Moreover, in its last two years, the administration of George W. Bush imposed far higher regulatory costs than did the Obama administration in its first two years.

Even more importantly, the net benefits of the final, economically significant regulations reviewed by OIRA in the first two years of the Obama Administration, including not only monetary savings but also lives saved and illnesses prevented, have been over ten times the net benefits during the first two years of the Bush Administration. Smart regulations produce significant benefits in the form of savings for businesses, clean air and water, workplace safety, safe food and consumer and investor protection.

It is important to clarify that the annual regulatory agenda, sometimes cited as evidence of an increase in regulatory burden, is simply a list of potential ideas that agencies may consider pursuing. Under both Republican and Democratic Administrations, the agenda is merely a list of rules that are under general contemplation, provided to the public in order to promote transparency. Before any such rule can be issued, it must be subject to a long series of internal and external constraints, including the rulemaking requirements of the Administrative Procedure Act and the new burden-reducing, cost-saving requirements of the President's January Executive Order on regulation. In any given year, many rules on the agenda do not become final.

The President has said that our regulatory system must "protect public health, welfare, safety, and our environment while promoting economic growth, innovation, competitiveness and job creation.” We look forward to working closely with the public to achieve that goal.
http://www.whitehouse.gov/blog/2011/08/26/facts-about-regulations
Cass Sunstein is the Administrator of the Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs

ms_m

08-28-2011, 06:57 PM

Rose Williams: The great game of politics
Posted August 27, 2011 at 11:35 p.m.

Watching politics today is more interesting than any sport.
Full Article
http://www.reporternews.com/news/2011/aug/27/rose-williams-the-great-game-of-politics/

ms_m

08-28-2011, 07:27 PM

On Immigration, Will Rick Perry Throw the Tea Party Under the Bus?
When forced to choose between anti-immigration activists and GOP donors dependent on cheap labor, Perry has made his loyalties clear.
—By Josh Harkinson

Come lunchtime at Whispering Lakes Ranch, a "resort style" subdivision rising amid the cow pastures to the south of Houston, the local taco truck gets mobbed. Near the counter, José, a 30-year-old carpenter from San Luis Potosí, Mexico, steels himself against the 100-degree heat with slugs from a mango agua fresca. His grueling job installing doors and windows is a cakewalk compared to sewing bras at a maquiladora, which paid as much in a week as he now earns in a day. Yet José barely makes more than minimum wage. Native-born Americans don't want his job because "they already make a lot of money," he figures. He doesn't reply when I politely wonder if he's in the country illegally.

As Texas Gov. Rick Perry charts a course to the GOP presidential nomination, his stance towards workers like José could become a flash point. On the one hand, the GOP's tea party base demands that undocumented immigrants be arrested and deported. On the other, wealthy Republican donors in Texas rely on the influx of cheap labor to make money. José, whose last name I've withheld for his protection, works for homebuilder Bob Perry [[no relation), the governor's largest political donor and a strong proponent of permissive immigration policies.
http://motherjones.com/politics/2011/08/rick-perry-immigration-tea-party

ms_m

08-28-2011, 07:41 PM

Quote of the Day: All Tax Relief is Not Created Equal
—By Andy Kroll
Fri Aug. 26, 2011 11:12 AM PDT

Buried in a New York Times story today on Congressional Republicans' opposition to extending a payroll tax cut that would mostly benefit the working and middle classes is this gem of a quote from Brad Dayspring, a spokesman for House Majority Leader

Eric Cantor:
"All tax relief is not created equal. If the goal is job creation, Leader Cantor has long believed that there are better ways to grow the economy and create jobs than temporary payroll tax relief." [emphasis mine]

This is, on its face, an accurate statement. As the non-partisan Congressional Budget Office noted last year, some tax cuts boost the economy more than others—cutting the payroll tax cut for employers, for instance, provides more of an immediate jolt to the economy than cutting it for employees, as President Obama is now recommending. [[Mind you, of all the policy options in Congress' toolkit, the CBO ranked increased aid to jobless workers as the most effective. That option is nowhere on the GOP's radar.)

Why, then, does the GOP support these ineffective tax relief plans? Could it be because the minority of wealthy Americans who do benefit are the same people who bankroll their campaigns?
http://motherjones.com/mojo/2011/08/quote-all-tax-relief-not-created-equal

MotownSteve

08-29-2011, 12:54 PM

Dr. Jeffrey Sachs, Columbia University on Morning Joe on climate change, Perry, and Romney. http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/3036789/vp/44312670#44312670

ms_m

08-29-2011, 01:05 PM

Steve I can't get this to play. It's probably my connection. Could you summarize please because if this is the same dude that thinks the POTUS can change global markets by not going on vacation, I'm sure his latest comments are a doozie.

ms_m

08-29-2011, 01:21 PM

If anyone has a slow connection like mine, this may help.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/08/29/joe-scarborough-dick-cheney_n_940350.html

ms_m

08-29-2011, 01:45 PM

Saw the clip and I thought the discussion on Foreign Policy was more compelling. I also think Joe makes an excellent point about our continued presence in the Middle East...BUT...Other than voting in someone like Ron Paul, I don't Know how that will change anytime soon and to be honest, I'm not willing to sacrifice our domestic concerns which I personally believe would be devastating to the middle class under Paul in order to come off moral in the ME.

It's a hell of a quagmire we jumped into and as the saying goes, it's a lot easier to get into a war than it is to get out.

ms_m

08-30-2011, 01:23 AM

House GOP revs up a repeal, reduce and rein-in agenda for the fall

House Republicans are planning votes for almost every week this fall in an effort to repeal environmental and labor requirements on business that they say have hampered job growth.

With everyone from President Obama to his Republican challengers in the 2012 campaign focusing on ways to spur economic growth, House Republicans will roll out plans Monday to fight regulations from the National Labor Relations Board, pollution rules handed down by the Environmental Protection Agency and regulations that affect health plans for small businesses. In addition, the lawmakers plan to urge a 20 percent tax deduction for small businesses.
Full Article:
http://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/house-gop-revs-up-a-repeal-reduce-and-rein-in-agenda-for-the-fall/2011/08/28/gIQAWNmolJ_story.html

ms_m

08-30-2011, 01:25 AM

August 22, 2011
Never Let the Facts Get in the Way of a Good Story: New BLS Data is Latest to Disprove Conservative Claims of "Job-Killing Regulations"
by Sidney Shapiro

The current anti-regulatory mantra of Republican legislators [[e.g., Cantor, Boehner, Issa) and conservative think tanks [[e.g., CEI and Heritage) is that regulation is a “job-killer.” And a top plank of Republicans’ job agenda when they return from the summer recess is to limit regulations. There is just one problem with this rhetoric. It is not backed up by the data, including the latest Department of Labor study on the reasons why employers lay off workers.

Economic studies indicate that regulation is not a drag on employment and may actually increase the number of jobs. Bezdek, Wendling and Di Perna found that “EP [environmental protection], economic growth, and jobs creation are complementary and compatible: Investments in EP create jobs and displace jobs, but the net effect on employment is positive.” [[Quoted here, p. 15). Likewise, when Richard Morgenstern and his colleagues studied the impact of EPA regulation in four large polluting industries, they found that there was an increase in jobs in two industries [[petroleum and plastics) and no statistically measurable impact on jobs in the other two industries [[pulp and paper and steel). Consider too thatStephen Meyer compared the economic performance of states with strong environmental regulation to states with weaker regulations after the 1990-1991 recession. He found that “[e]nvironmentally stronger states [did] not experience more precipitous declines in employment during the recession. Nor do they demonstrate a higher rate of business failure.”

A little-noticed report from the Bureau of Labor Statistics [[BLS) released on August 10 throws more cold water on the claim regulation kills off jobs. The BLS data examines the reasons companies give for laying off workers when the layoffs involve 50 or more workers who are laid off for more than 30 days [[“extended mass layoffs”). The BLS data says that in the second quarter of 2011, 261,346 workers were laid off in such events. Of those, 690 of the separations were attributed by the employers to “Governmental regulations / intervention.” That’s .26% of the separations.
Full Article:
http://www.progressivereform.org/CPRBlog.cfm?idBlog=F325B38A-E50B-B836-26704BBAEAA373C9

ms_m

08-30-2011, 01:28 AM

On Heels of Debunked Report, SBA's Office of Advocacy Solicits More Anti-Regulatory Research
by James Goodwin

What would you do if a report you funded was debunked by a scathing critique from the nonpartisan Congressional Research Service? What if you found that the researchers you funded had based 70 percent of their analysis of the costs of regulation on a regression based on opinion polling data? What if the researchers who had published that opinion polling insisted publicly that their data was never meant to be used for such purposes? What if a member of Congress had publicly lambasted you for keeping the underlying data used in the study from being examined by the public?

For the Small Business Administration’s Office of Advocacy, the answer appears to be: Stay the Course. In new research proposal requests I noticed recently posted on the SBA’s website, the SBA appears to have learned little.

The Office of Advocacy’s flawed report that got so much attention is cited regularly by anti-regulatory Members of Congress who like to repeat over and over the study’s thoroughly discredited contention that regulations cost the U.S. economy $1.75 trillion each year. The study itself was written by economists Nicole Crain and Mark Crain, under a contract from SBA’s Office of Advocacy [[“Advocacy”).

The Crain and Crain report is a virtual case study in how not to conduct federally funded research. It was designed to buttress a political argument, not to illuminate an issue. Its methodology was indefensible. It was conducted without transparency or accountability. Its peer review was a joke. And its splashy finding about the costs of regulation has been – quite predictably – used as political ammunition without so much as a peep of objection from the Office of Advocacy. That’s not just my view. No less than the Congressional Research Service [[among others) has debunked the report, finding its methodology rife with errors and unsubstantiated assumptions and its conclusions completely unreliable.
Full Article:
http://www.progressivereform.org/CPRBlog.cfm?idBlog=CF8517C8-C94D-590E-C7AD9962D431FB0A

ms_m

08-30-2011, 12:12 PM

Eric Cantor Won’t Support Any Hurricane Disaster Funding Without Massive Cuts To First Responders
By Judd Legum on Aug 30, 2011 at 10:25 am

In the wake of Hurricane Irene, FEMA isquickly running out of money. Specifically, FEMA’s crucial “disaster-relief fund, used to reimburse local governments and individuals for the costs of cleanup and repairs, is running dangerously low.” Already payments for some projects are being delayed. Early estimates suggest that damage from Irene could exceed $10 billion.

Eric Cantor and the House GOP leadership appear to agree that more funds are needed, butwon’t help until President Obama and the Senate agree to more budget cuts. Yesterday on Fox News, Cantor made clear that he would not support any additional funding unless matched with “savings elsewhere.”

What cuts, specifically, does Eric Cantor want in exchange for disaster relief funds? On Fox, Cantor said he supported $1 billion in disaster relief funding as part of the Department of Homeland Security appropriations bill, which contains massive cuts to FEMA and first responders.

In July, Sen. Mary Landrieu [[D-LA) detailed the problems with the legislation championed by Cantor:

The House bill slashes funding for grants to equip and train first responders by 40 percent. This is on top of the 19 percent cut in FY 2011. The House defense appropriations bill provides $12.8 billion to train and equip troops and police in

Afghanistan — yet the House provides only $2 billion for first responders here at home.
http://thinkprogress.org/politics/2011/08/30/307557/eric-cantor-wont-support-any-hurricane-disaster-funding-without-massive-cuts-to-first-responders/

The greater Richmond area, including a significant slice of Eric Cantor's Congressional 7th District, was badly affected by Hurricane Irene.

The sad and somewhat scary thing, people in the district may be ok with this and continue to vote against their own self interest.

The 7th district is red and with the new redistricting, is now VERY RED. They would probably vote for Casper the Friendly Ghost, if he had an "R" behind his name, before voting for a Democratic candidate.

http://i61.photobucket.com/albums/h74/mmandmusic/6090208441_0f80d1727d.jpg
http://i61.photobucket.com/albums/h74/mmandmusic/6090743858_58e12aff62.jpg

ms_m

08-30-2011, 01:51 PM

Seven ways Rick Perry wants to change the Constitution

By Chris Moody | The Ticket – Fri, Aug 19, 2011

Rick Perry has many ideas about how to change the American government's founding document. From ending lifetime tenure for federal judges to completely scrapping two whole amendments, the Constitution would see a major overhaul if the Texas governor and Republican presidential candidate had his druthers.

Perry laid out these proposed innovations to the founding document in his book, Fed Up! Our Fight to Save America from Washington. He has occasionally mentioned them on the campaign trail. Several of his ideas fall within the realm of mainstream conservative thinking today, but, as you will see, there are also a few surprises.
http://news.yahoo.com/blogs/ticket/seven-ways-rick-perry-wants-change-constitution-131634517.html

Perry doesn't want to be the next president, he wants to be the new dictator in chief.

ms_m

08-30-2011, 02:35 PM

Hurricane Irene Exposes Creaky American Infrastructure

Lynne Peeples,Lucia Graves, Tom Zeller Jr.

In the winter of 1992, a nor'easter sent a storm surge over the floodwall guarding the southern tip of Manhattan. Seawater quickly overwhelmed major roadways and New York City's subway system, shutting down the entire subway for nearly 10 days.
"If Hurricane Irene had hit an hour differently or 10 percent stronger or moved 10 percent slower, it would have caused a repeat of that event," Jeff Masters, a meteorologist with the leading forecasting service Weather Underground, told The Huffington Post.

Masters and other experts warn that the city may not be as lucky next time. As the warming climate brings higher rainfall and raises the sea level, they say, ever more pressure will fall on America's aging infrastructure.
"Both winter storms and hurricanes are predicted to grow in strength with the warming world. The strongest storms will get stronger, and there will be storm surges on top of rising sea levels," Masters said. "What we saw yesterday is a taste of things to come. "
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/08/30/hurricane-irene-infrastructure-damage_n_941196.html

Best sarcastic/snarky comment of the day [[**with a little help from me:cool:)

Communists and Socialists! That's what those people are who want decent roads and highways!

Why if they want to be safe they should pay for it themselves. They should get out and repair the roads with their own bare hands and stop whining and turning to the government for help. You want bridges that get you to the other side of the waterways? **Go to Home Depot, buy the tools and build them!

** Don’t think of it as a job that garners wages and benefits but your patriotic duty as a “real amurican”…just like those “real amuricans from the
1900’s, 1940’s, 50’s and 60’s.

Stop being a bunch of leftist Democrats who are trying to scare our “amurican” corporations overseas by asking them for tax money to bail you out! Want to get to work from the other side of the river? Swim I tell you! Swim.!

ms_m

08-30-2011, 02:54 PM

Because there has been a lot of talk about Rick Perry being dumb and his barely passing grades in college, Fox News/Hannity and Co. decided to debate over the issue, is the POTUS dumb.

You want to see the piece please feel free to google it. It’s too asinine for me to even bother to post it… I decided to post this video instead. It’s a little over an hour long, and the sound isn’t that great in the beginning but it does get better.

Please note the absence of the oh so evil and much talked about, teleprompter [[and yes I’m rolling my eyes)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R5vOMIN673A

ms_m

08-30-2011, 04:18 PM

Obama Pushes Back Against GOP On Regulatory Costs
Susan Crabtree | August 30, 2011, 12:42PM

President Barack Obama on Tuesday pushed back against GOP charges that he is saddling the nation with costly and overly burdensome regulations. In fact, Obama argued, he has led the way in trying to reduce the federal government's regulatory costs on individuals and businesses across the country.

In a letter to House Speaker John Boehner [[R-OH), Obama said his efforts to reduce the government's regulatory burden will save $10 billion over the next five years, adding that he hopes to find billions more in additional savings. Earlier this year, Obama issued an executive order imposing a series of requirements designed to reduce burdens and costs and called for a government-wide review of rules now on the books.

"A mere fraction of the initiatives described in the plans will save more than $10 billion over the next five years," Obama wrote. "As progress continues, we expect to be able to deliver savings far in excess of that figure."
http://tpmdc.talkingpointsmemo.com/2011/08/obama-pushes-back-against-gop-on-regulatory-costs.php?ref=fpb

ms_m

08-30-2011, 04:23 PM

Posted at 03:39 PM ET, 08/29/2011
Conservative group pushes for draft abortion regulations
By Anita Kumar

The Family Foundation of Virginia said Monday that it is asking supporters to back new regulations released Friday for Virginia’s abortion clinics.

The 26-page draft includes specific physical requirements for facilities, allows inspectors to make unannounced visits and mandates that hospitals provide emergency care.

Chris Freund, the group’s vice president, said the regulations “would sufficiently improve the health and safety of Virginia’s abortion centers.’’

“Despite knee-jerk accusations by the abortion industry that the regulations go too far, we believe that standards providing for regular inspections, requiring that the doctor stay on premises until women are actually ready to be discharged, and having emergency equipment on site seem wholly reasonable,’’ Freund said. “If these regulations threaten Virginia’s abortion centers, one has to wonder just how bad things have been.”
http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/virginia-politics/post/conservative-group-pushes-for-draft-abortion-regulations/2011/08/29/gIQAtd3onJ_blog.html

I can respect anyone who has a moral, ideological and or religious issue with abortion but freedom, liberty and choice does not dictate you should be allowed to force your beliefs on to others. A woman’s desire to make her own moral, ideological or religious decision is not up to you. It’s up to the woman. It’s between her conscious and or her deity of choice.

The Christian Bible say’s, thou shall not kill but every day, Christians all over the world make the moral, ideological or religious exception to kill in the name of defense and protection yet…nothing in the Christian Bible gives you an exception to do so….nothing…..It’s your choice and as long as you are following legalities, it’s your right. Ethics can be argued for or against that right but if you’re following the law, your rights are protected. Why should the rights of women be any different?

BTW...for anyone who ask, what about the rights of an unborn child...again, that is a moral, ideological and or religious issue. You can not prove beyond a shadow of a doubt that life begins at conception anymore than I can disprove it.

It's a belief on both parts and I cannot and should not be allowed to legislate my moral beliefs on you, anymore than you should be allowed to legislate yours on to me.

ms_m

08-30-2011, 04:51 PM

The campaign to recall Republican Governor Rick Snyder in Michigan, Fire Rick Snyder, passed 50% of the 806,522 signatures required to trigger a new election. In retrospect, maybe Snyder's latest "jobs plan" should have involved more than kicking 30,000 children off of food assistance.

Panicked by Snyder's unpopularity, Michigan Republicans are making robocalls claiming the recall petitions are a form of identity theft. This claim is not true!

Michigan Forward “Stands-Up”to False Accusations and Misinformation Disseminated in Robo Calls
By Michigan Forward,Repeal Public Act 4

The blatantly false charges being spread in an anonymous robo call to voters in Western Michigan are a desperate attempt to stop the hard work of hundreds of genuine grassroots volunteers collecting signatures to repeal Public Act 4. That anybody would cast suspicion on citizens participating in Michigan’s constitutional democratic process is an attack on democracy itself.

Our volunteers are committed to stopping this law dead in its tracks and are being welcomed by the voters of Michigan with open arms as evidenced by the well over 120,000 signatures they have collected thus far with relative ease with over 60 days to go in the petition’s statutory window. Michigan’s voters value the sanctity of their right to vote and have their votes stand until the next election cycle.
http://michiganforward.org/?p=1095

Knowledge and accurate information is power! Do not succumb to misleading tactics, talking points on this issues or any issue. Even if you agree with the politics of an individual, fact check. Look at all sides of the argument and all possible consequences, be they short term or long term.

ms_m

08-30-2011, 06:00 PM

Can’t say I’m a fan of Arianna Huffington but I believe in giving credit where it’s due and this time, she nailed it!

What Hurricane Irene Can Teach Us About the Jobs Crisis

Arianna Huffington
Posted: 8/30/11 01:40 PM ET

With the death toll at 40 and rising, historic flooding in Vermont and parts of upstate New York, millionswithout power and an estimated $7-10 billion worth of damage, we can hardly say that anything about Hurricane Irene is cause for celebration -- but it would have been much, much worse were it not for the amazing collective action both by the federal and local governments, and by neighbors and communities.

The storm's proximity to the 10th anniversary of 9/11 gives these efforts added resonance. At a time when the nation seems paralyzed and polarized, the pending milestone has already been cause for reflection about a time -- in the days and weeks after the attacks -- when the country showed all the incredible ways that we could come together. That spirit still exists at the community level, but has been lost at the national level.

Over the last weekend, we watched the country once again come together as we tapped into that All-American barn-raising -- or, in this case, barn-maintaining -- spirit. After the storm passed in New York City, there was certainly relief, but also a kind of exhilaration at having gone through an intense, shared experience with a lot of other people. We came through it a little bit closer to one another than we went into it.
Full Article:
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/arianna-huffington/hurricane-irene-response_b_941960.html

ms_m

08-30-2011, 07:25 PM

Tea Party Support Fuels Rick Perry's Poll Surge

Mark Blumenthal

First Posted: 8/30/11 05:20 PM ET

WASHINGTON -- A new poll out Tuesday from CNN and ORC International shows Texas Gov. Rick Perry leading the field of candidates vying for the 2012 Republican nomination, confirming the trend shown on four more surveys in recent weeks. But a look past the horse race numbers shows that the real battle is yet to come.

Recent polls show Perry's surge coming mostly from the Tea Party, which was found by Pew Research Center surveys to be the Republican faction most engaged in the election. While that group will be critical, the underlying data shows Republican voters are still considering their choices. The crucial question is whether Perry or any other candidate can gain majority support and unite the Republican party.
The latest poll from CNN largely confirms results reported last week by Gallup. Both show that Rick Perry has emerged as the current favorite of Republicans, but indicate much higher support for Perry among Tea Party Republicans.

The bigger issue is that the ultimate nominee will need to unite enough of the Republican party to win a majority of convention delegates, and no candidate has yet received anything close to that level of support on traditional poll measures. Rick Perry has an advantage for the moment, but we still have a long way to go.
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/08/30/rick-perry-polls_n_942432.html

Texas Facts

• State Aid Per Pupil in Average Daily Attendance – 47th
• Scholastic Assessment Test [[SAT) Scores – 45th
• % of Population 25 and Older with High School Diploma – 50th
• High School Graduation Rate – 43rd
• Per Capita State Spending on State Arts Agencies – 43rd
• Birth Rate – 2nd
• Percent of Uninsured Children – 1st
• Percent of Children Living in Poverty – 4th
• Percent of Population Uninsured – 1st
• Percent of Non-Elderly Uninsured – 1st
• Percent of Low Income Population Covered by Medicaid – 49th
• Percent of Population with Employer-Based Health Insurance – 48th
• Total Health Expenditures as % of the Gross State Product – 43rd
• Per Capita State Spending on Mental Health – 50th
• Per Capita State Spending on Medicaid – 49th
• Health Care Expenditures per Capita – 44th
• Physicians per Capita – 42nd
• Registered Nurses per Capita – 44th
• Average Monthly Women, Infant, and Children [[WIC) Benefits per Person – 47th
• Percent of Population Who Visit the Dentist – 46th
• Overall Birth Rate – 2nd• Teenage Birth Rate – 7th
• Births to Unmarried Mothers – 17th
• Percent of Women with Pre-Term Birth – 9th
• Percent of Non-Elderly Women with Health Insurance – 50th
• Rate of Women Aged 40+ Who Receive Mammograms – 40th
• Cervical Cancer Rate – 11th
• Percent of Women with High Blood Pressure – 16th
• Percent of Pregnant Women Receiving Prenatal Care in First Trimester – 50th• Women’s Voter Registration – 45th
• Women’s Voter Turnout – 49th
• Percent of Women Living in Poverty – 6th
• Mortgage Debt as Percent of Home Value – 47th
• Foreclosure Rates – 10th
• Median Net Worth of Households – 47th
• Average Credit Score – 49th
• Retirement Plan Participation – 47th
• Amount of Carbon Dioxide Emissions – 1st
• Amount of Volatile Organic Compounds Released into Air – 1s
t• Amount of Toxic Chemicals Released into Water – 1s
t• Amount of Recognized Cancer-Causing Carcinogens Released into Air – 1st• Amount of Hazardous Waste Generated – 1st• Amount of Toxic Chemicals Released into Air – 5th
• Amount of Recognized Cancer-Causing Carcinogens Released into Water – 7th
• Number of Hazardous Waste Sites on National Priority List – 7th
• Consumption of Energy per Capita – 5th
• Workers’ Compensation Coverage – 50th
• Income Inequality Between the Rich and the Poor – 9th
• Income Inequality Between the Rich and the Middle Class – 5th
• Homeowner’s Insurance Affordability – 46th
• Number of Executions – 1st
More facts on Perry can be found on page 26 of this thread.

The longest serving governor in the US….this is his legacy, this is the man the Tea Party would like to see become President of the U.S.
….I was about to say, there are “ no words”…but there are….instead of voicing them, I’ll go out on the porch and smoke a cigarette.:[[

ms_m

08-30-2011, 08:02 PM

GOP Congressmen Put Constituents Who Asked Tough Questions On A ‘Watch List’
By Marie Diamond on Aug 26, 2011 at 2:50 pm

Reps. Dan Webster [[R-FL) and Tim Griffin [[R-AR)

In recent weeks GOP congressmen have resorted to all sorts of underhanded schemes to avoid interacting with their angry constituents back home over August recess. Now two Republican freshmen, Reps. Daniel Webster [[R-FL) and Tim Griffin [[R-AR), are taking this trend one step further, using disturbing intimidation tactics and “watch lists” to discourage constituents from asking them questions:

Rep. Webster’s Winter Garden, Florida district office gave out a “Watch List” of six Floridians who had asked questions at Webster’s previous town halls. The list, with the header “For the Media,” included names, photographs, and questions that members of the media should ask them.

The Watch List itself doesn’t contain any information on who wrote it or where it comes from.The memos surfaced in Arkansas in connection to the office of Rep. Tim Griffin, and were traced back to Rep. Webster’s office.

With black and white photos that resemble police surveillance, some of them pulled from the individuals’ Facebook profiles, the memo is clearly meant to intimidate these six people and anyone else who might stand up and ask a question of their elected representative. At a Griffin town hall, staffers were handing out the Watch List to attendees, calling it their “homework.” Griffin staffers were also spotted taking photos and shooting video of attendees, creating an extra layer of intimidation.
http://thinkprogress.org/politics/2011/08/26/305501/webster-town-hall-watchlist/

You know what’s ironic about this to me….I’ve seen supporters of various candidates react in a similar fashion. Not so much putting anyone on a “watch list” but trying to suppress the opinions of those that don’t agree with them…and we wonder why politicians act the way they do.

I’ve been on this forum for six years. I’ve spoken my mind and said a lot of things that have pissed people off to the highest level of pisstivity.

I’ve apologized for statements, corrected statements and even rethought my position on things I’ve said and retracted statements. [[although in some instances I simply substituted words that probably didn’t fly but such is life)

I’ve been told I can be intimidating, which to this day I honestly can’t understand since hundreds of miles and a computer screen separate me from others but hey, if folks would like to give me that kind of power, I’ll do my best not to abuse it. LOL

But out of all the things I’ve done and been accused of doing, I have never, ever deliberately tried to stop anyone from speaking their mind. Made strong suggestions, have disagreed and have fought passionately for what I believe …but none of those things can stop anyone from saying what they feel or believe, if they so choose.

When we put our emotions, prejudices, defensive posturing and ideologies aside; when we open our minds to the possibility that the opposition may have a valid point on some things...maybe, just maybe we can find a way to make this a better country but until then…we are so screwed!

but none of those things can stop anyone from saying what they feel or believe, if they so choose.

...actually Ralph has that kind of power but that's a horse of a different color;)

ms_m

08-30-2011, 09:18 PM

Something to think about…

August 30, 2011 4:45 PMIt’s amazing Ginsburg is even on the bench
By Steve Benen

Ginsburg was the former director of the ACLU’s Women’s Rights Project, which would seem to make her a left-wing radical in the eyes of the Republican Party.

And yet, in 1993, Ginsburg was confirmed by the Senate on a 96-to-3 vote. That’s not a typo; here’s the roll call. Note that plenty of Republican senators whose names will sound familiar — Chuck Grassley, Kay Bailey Hutchison, John McCain, Mitch McConnell — all voted for her nomination. [[Then note that in 2010, Elena Kagan confirmed on a 63-to-37 vote — and Grassley, Hutchison, McCain, and McConnell all voted against her.)

Indeed, let’s also not forget the historical context. In 1993, then-President Clinton reached out to Sen. Orrin Hatch [[R-Utah), a leading senator on the Judiciary Committee, even though Republicans were in the minority. Clinton solicited suggested nominees for a Supreme Court vacancy, and Hatch recommended Ginsburg. Clinton agreed and Ginsburg sailed through.

This isn’t ancient history; it was just 18 years ago. The radicalization of Republican politics in the years since has been so successful, the scenario itself seems vaguely surreal, if not completely bizarre. I mean, really — a Republican senator, considered conservative by most standards, recommended a Democratic president nominate a liberal ACLU veteran for the Supreme Court? And nearly every Senate Republican went along with this, without any controversy?

In 2011, if President Obama even considered the former director of the ACLU’s Women’s Rights Project for a Supreme Court vacancy, Republicans would be apoplectic and many Senate Democrats would likely balk, fearing voter backlash.
The political center of gravity has moved rather dramatically in a very short period of time.
Full Article
http://www.washingtonmonthly.com/political-animal/2011_08/its_amazing_ginsburg_is_even_o031893.php

ms_m

08-30-2011, 11:53 PM

I thought long and hard before posting this. Apparently it's been extremely controversial throughout the net and has caused strong visceral reaction from all sides of the political divide.

To be honest, I don't spend any serious time watching Fox. Various public places will have it on so I hear it in the background or I watch clips on the net here and there. I've also watched interviews with the POTUS as well as with HRC. But to get this deep into the psychology of Fox news is not something I've done nor interesting in doing.

The thing that really struck me and the reason I decided to post this; I saw 14 traits that are not exclusive to Fox alone. Many of these traits can be found in various forms of media in one way or the other and in human behavior in general. Be it in the real world or the cyber world.

Anyhoo...it's rather long so I'm breaking it up in several parts. Enjoy and one suggestion...be it silently or verbally, think...before you point.:)

Part I

14 Propaganda Techniques Fox "News" Uses to Brainwash Americans

Saturday 2 July 2011
by: Dr. Cynthia Boaz, Truthout | News Analysis

There is nothing more sacred to the maintenance of democracy than a free press. Access to comprehensive, accurate and quality information is essential to the manifestation of Socratic citizenship - the society characterized by a civically engaged, well-informed and socially invested populace. Thus, to the degree that access to quality information is willfully or unintentionally obstructed, democracy itself is degraded.

It is ironic that in the era of 24-hour cable news networks and "reality" programming, the fluff-to-news ratio and overall veracity of information has declined precipitously. Take the fact Americans now spend on average about 50 hours a week using various forms of media, while at the same time cultural literacy levels hover just above the gutter. Not only does mainstream media now tolerate gross misrepresentations of fact and history by public figures [[highlighted most recently by Sarah Palin's ludicrous depiction of Paul Revere's ride), but many media actually legitimize these displays. Pause for a moment and ask yourself what it means that the world's largest, most profitable and most popular news channel passes off as fact every whim, impulse and outrageously incompetent analysis of its so-called reporters. How did we get here? Take the enormous amount of misinformation that is taken for truth by Fox audiences: the belief that Saddam Hussein had weapons of mass destruction [[WMD) and that he was in on 9/11, the belief that climate change isn't real and/or man-made, the belief that Barack Obama is Muslim and wasn't born in the United States, the insistence that all Arabs are Muslim and all Muslims are terrorists, the inexplicable perceptions that immigrants are both too lazy to work and are about to steal your job. All of these claims are demonstrably false, yet Fox News viewers will maintain their veracity with incredible zeal. Why? Is it simply that we have lost our respect for knowledge?

My curiosity about this question compelled me to sit down and document the most oft-used methods by which willful ignorance has been turned into dogma by Fox News and other propagandists disguised as media. The techniques I identify here also help to explain the simultaneously powerful identification the Fox media audience has with the network, as well as their ardent, reflexive defenses of it.

The good news is that the more conscious you are of these techniques, the less likely they are to work on you. The bad news is that those reading this article are probably the least in need of it.

ms_m

08-30-2011, 11:55 PM

Part II

14 Propaganda Techniques Fox "News" Uses to Brainwash Americans

Saturday 2 July 2011
by: Dr. Cynthia Boaz, Truthout | News Analysis

1. Panic Mongering. This goes one step beyond simple fear mongering. With panic mongering, there is never a break from the fear. The idea is to terrify and terrorize the audience during every waking moment. From Muslims to swine flu to recession to homosexuals to immigrants to the rapture itself, the belief over at Fox seems to be that if your fight-or-flight reflexes aren't activated, you aren't alive. This of course raises the question: why terrorize your own audience? Because it is the fastest way to bypasses the rational brain. In other words, when people are afraid, they don't think rationally. And when they can't think rationally, they'll believe anything.

2. Character Assassination/Ad Hominem. Fox does not like to waste time debating the idea. Instead, they prefer a quicker route to dispensing with their opponents: go after the person's credibility, motives, intelligence, character, or, if necessary, sanity. No category of character assassination is off the table and no offense is beneath them. Fox and like-minded media figures also use ad hominem attacks not just against individuals, but entire categories of people in an effort to discredit the ideas of every person who is seen to fall into that category, e.g. "liberals," "hippies," "progressives" etc. This form of argument - if it can be called that - leaves no room for genuine debate over ideas, so by definition, it is undemocratic. Not to mention just plain crass.

3. Projection/Flipping. This one is frustrating for the viewer who is trying to actually follow the argument. It involves taking whatever underhanded tactic you're using and then accusing your opponent of doing it to you first. We see this frequently in the immigration discussion, where anti-racists are accused of racism, or in the climate change debate, where those who argue for human causes of the phenomenon are accused of not having science or facts on their side. It's often called upon when the media host finds themselves on the ropes in the debate.

4. Rewriting History. This is another way of saying that propagandists make the facts fit their worldview. The Downing Street Memos on the Iraq war were a classic example of this on a massive scale, but it happens daily and over smaller issues as well. A recent case in point is Palin's mangling of the Paul Revere ride, which Fox reporters have bent over backward to validate. Why lie about the historical facts, even when they can be demonstrated to be false? Well, because dogmatic minds actually find it easier to reject reality than to update their viewpoints. They will literally rewrite history if it serves their interests. And they'll often speak with such authority that the casual viewer will be tempted to question what they knew as fact.

5. Scapegoating/Othering. This works best when people feel insecure or scared. It's technically a form of both fear mongering and diversion, but it is so pervasive that it deserves its own category. The simple idea is that if you can find a group to blame for social or economic problems, you can then go on to a) justify violence/dehumanization of them, and b) subvert responsibility for any harm that may befall them as a result.

6. Conflating Violence With Power and Opposition to Violence With Weakness. This is more of what I'd call a "meta-frame" [[a deeply held belief) than a media technique, but it is manifested in the ways news is reported constantly. For example, terms like "show of strength" are often used to describe acts of repression, such as those by the Iranian regime against the protesters in the summer of 2009. There are several concerning consequences of this form of conflation. First, it has the potential to make people feel falsely emboldened by shows of force - it can turn wars into sporting events. Secondly, especially in the context of American politics, displays of violence - whether manifested in war or debates about the Second Amendment - are seen as noble and [[in an especially surreal irony) moral. Violence becomes synonymous with power, patriotism and piety.

7. Bullying. This is a favorite technique of several Fox commentators. That it continues to be employed demonstrates that it seems to have some efficacy. Bullying and yelling works best on people who come to the conversation with a lack of confidence, either in themselves or their grasp of the subject being discussed. The bully exploits this lack of confidence by berating the guest into submission or compliance. Often, less self-possessed people will feel shame and anxiety when being berated and the quickest way to end the immediate discomfort is to cede authority to the bully. The bully is then able to interpret that as a "win."

ms_m

08-30-2011, 11:58 PM

Part III

14 Propaganda Techniques Fox "News" Uses to Brainwash Americans

8. Confusion. As with the preceding technique, this one works best on an audience that is less confident and self-possessed. The idea is to deliberately confuse the argument, but insist that the logic is airtight and imply that anyone who disagrees is either too dumb or too fanatical to follow along. Less independent minds will interpret the confusion technique as a form of sophisticated thinking, thereby giving the user's claims veracity in the viewer's mind.

9. Populism. This is especially popular in election years. The speakers identifies themselves as one of "the people" and the target of their ire as an enemy of the people. The opponent is always "elitist" or a "bureaucrat" or a "government insider" or some other category that is not the people. The idea is to make the opponent harder to relate to and harder to empathize with. It often goes hand in hand with scapegoating. A common logical fallacy with populism bias when used by the right is that accused "elitists" are almost always liberals - a category of political actors who, by definition, advocate for non-elite groups.

10. Invoking the Christian God. This is similar to othering and populism. With morality politics, the idea is to declare yourself and your allies as patriots, Christians and "real Americans" [[those are inseparable categories in this line of thinking) and anyone who challenges them as not. Basically, God loves Fox and Republicans and America. And hates taxes and anyone who doesn't love those other three things. Because the speaker has been benedicted by God to speak on behalf of all Americans, any challenge is perceived as immoral. It's a cheap and easy technique used by all totalitarian entities from states to cults.

11. Saturation. There are three components to effective saturation: being repetitive, being ubiquitous and being consistent. The message must be repeated cover and over, it must be everywhere and it must be shared across commentators: e.g. "Saddam has WMD." Veracity and hard data have no relationship to the efficacy of saturation. There is a psychological effect of being exposed to the same message over and over, regardless of whether it's true or if it even makes sense, e.g., "Barack Obama wasn't born in the United States." If something is said enough times, by enough people, many will come to accept it as truth. Another example is Fox's own slogan of "Fair and Balanced."

12. Disparaging Education. There is an emerging and disturbing lack of reverence for education and intellectualism in many mainstream media discourses. In fact, in some circles [[e.g. Fox), higher education is often disparaged as elitist. Having a university credential is perceived by these folks as not a sign of credibility, but of a lack of it. In fact, among some commentators, evidence of intellectual prowess is treated snidely and as anti-American. The disdain for education and other evidence of being trained in critical thinking are direct threats to a hive-mind mentality, which is why they are so viscerally demeaned.

13. Guilt by Association. This is a favorite of Glenn Beck and Andrew Breitbart, both of whom have used it to decimate the careers and lives of many good people. Here's how it works: if your cousin's college roommate's uncle's ex-wife attended a dinner party back in 1984 with Gorbachev's niece's ex-boyfriend's sister, then you, by extension are a communist set on destroying America. Period.

14. Diversion. This is where, when on the ropes, the media commentator suddenly takes the debate in a weird but predictable direction to avoid accountability. This is the point in the discussion where most Fox anchors start comparing the opponent to Saul Alinsky or invoking ACORN or Media Matters, in a desperate attempt to win through guilt by association. Or they'll talk about wanting to focus on "moving forward," as though by analyzing the current state of things or God forbid, how we got to this state of things, you have no regard for the future. Any attempt to bring the discussion back to the issue at hand will likely be called deflection, an ironic use of the technique of projection/flipping.

In debating some of these tactics with colleagues and friends, I have also noticed that the Fox viewership seems to be marked by a sort of collective personality disorder whereby the viewer feels almost as though they've been let into a secret society. Something about their affiliation with the network makes them feel privileged and this affinity is likely what drives the viewers to defend the network so vehemently. They seem to identify with it at a core level, because it tells them they are special and privy to something the rest of us don't have. It's akin to the loyalty one feels by being let into a private club or a gang. That effect is also likely to make the propaganda more powerful, because it goes mostly unquestioned.

In considering these tactics and their possible effects on American public discourse, it is important to note that historically, those who've genuinely accessed truth have never berated those who did not. You don't get honored by history when you beat up your opponent: look at Martin Luther King Jr., Robert Kennedy, Abraham Lincoln. These men did not find the need to engage in othering, ad homeinum attacks, guilt by association or bullying. This is because when a person has accessed a truth, they are not threatened by the opposing views of others. This reality reveals the righteous indignation of people like Glenn Beck, Bill O'Reilly and Sean Hannity as a symptom of untruth. These individuals are hostile and angry precisely because they don't feel confident in their own veracity. And in general, the more someone is losing their temper in a debate and the more intolerant they are of listening to others, the more you can be certain they do not know what they're talking about.

One final observation. Fox audiences, birthers and Tea Partiers often defend their arguments by pointing to the fact that a lot of people share the same perceptions. This is a reasonable point to the extent that Murdoch's News Corporation reaches a far larger audience than any other single media outlet. But, the fact that a lot of people believe something is not necessarily a sign that it's true; it's just a sign that it's been effectively marketed.

As honest, fair and truly intellectual debate degrades before the eyes of the global media audience, the quality of American democracy degrades along with it.

DR. CYNTHIA BOAZ

Dr. Cynthia Boaz is assistant professor of political science at Sonoma State University, where her areas of expertise include quality of democracy, nonviolent struggle, civil resistance and political communication and media. She is also an affiliated scholar at the UNESCO Chair of Philosophy for Peace International Master in Peace, Conflict, and Development Studies at Universitat Jaume I in Castellon, Spain. Additionally, she is an analyst and consultant on nonviolent action, with special emphasis on the Iran and Burma cases. She is vice president of the Metta Center for Nonviolence and on the board of Project Censored and the Media Freedom Foundation. Dr. Boaz is also a contributing writer and adviser to Truthout.org and associate editor of Peace and Change Journal.
http://www.truth-out.org/14-propaganda-techniques-fox-news-uses-brainwash-americans/1309612678

ms_m

08-31-2011, 03:56 PM

Not Our Problem
White House Shrugs Off Trampling GOP Debate

http://i61.photobucket.com/albums/h74/mmandmusic/notourproblem.jpg

White House: Debate Organizers Can Always Reschedule Away From Our Jobs Speech
Evan McMorris-Santoro | August 31, 2011, 1:22PM

If organizers of next week's Republican presidential debate are upset that the White House is calling for a nationally-televised presidential speech before a joint session of Congress at the same time their event is scheduled to begin at the Reagan Library in California, the White House is not offering much in the way of apology.

"There were a lot of considerations," White House Press Secretary Jay Carney told reporters today. "And, obviously, one debate of many that's on one channel of many was not enough reason not to have the speech at the time that we decided to have it."

Politico and NBC News are sponsoring the debate, one of three among the GOP presidential candidates scheduled for September. The organizers have not yet announced what they intend to do about the President's request for airtime during their debate.
Full Article:
http://tpmdc.talkingpointsmemo.com/2011/08/white-house-debate-organizers-can-always-reschedule-away-from-our-jobs-speech.php?ref=fpa

ms_m

08-31-2011, 05:19 PM

Boehner Asks Obama To Reschedule Jobs Speech
Thomas Lane | August 31, 2011, 4:20PM

Just hours after President Obama scheduled his big jobs speech at the same time as the first GOP presidential debate featuring Texas Gov. Rick Perry, House Speaker John Boehner is asking that the President delay the speech by a day.

The format the White House requested for the address on September 7 was a big all-whistles-and-bells joint session of Congress. Boehner fired back in a very polite but pointed letter that made no mention of the GOP debate, but asked Obama to delay it until September 8, citing a different source of concern, namely that Congress won't have time to formally approve the joint resolution of both houses extending the invite for Obama to make the address.

The House will not be in session until Wednesday, September 7, with votes at 6:30 that evening. With the significant amount of time - typically more than three hours - that is required to allow for a security sweep of the House Chamber before receiving a President, it is my recommendation that your address be held the following evening, when we can ensure there will be no parliamentary or logistical impediments that might detract from your remarks.

http://tpmdc.talkingpointsmemo.com/2011/08/boehner-asks-obama-to-shift-jobs-speech-till-after-the-gop-debate.php?ref=fpa

Full Letter here:
http://talkingpointsmemo.com/documents/2011/08/speaker-boehner-responds-to-obamas-call-for-joint-session-of-congress.php?page=1&ref=fpblg

My reply would be....thanks for your concern but my guys have big guns, they got this...see ya Wens:cool:

ms_m

08-31-2011, 05:50 PM

The plot thickens.... supposedly the WH had already confirmed Wens with Boner before making the announcement and Pelosi said the House was never consulted with a change of date.

If true, my response would be slightly different ...

well bless your heart orange one, I'm the President of the United States.....see ya Wens....

and for those that may not know, in the south, "bless your heart" doesn't necessarily mean what you think it means....hahahahahaha

ms_m

08-31-2011, 06:43 PM

5:57 PM | TOP NEWS | #
Spox: Boehner Did Not Sign Off On WH Jobs Speech Date

From Speaker Boehner's press secretary Brendan Buck: "No one in the Speaker's office -- not the Speaker, not any staff -- signed off on the date the White House
announced today. Unfortunately we weren't even asked if that date worked for the House. Shortly before it arrived this morning, we were simply informed that a letter was coming. It's unfortunate the White House ignored decades -- if not centuries -- of the protocol of working out a mutually agreeable date and time before making any public announcement."

I have a feeling that in addition to telling Boner the letter was on the way, the WH also mentioned the date. I’m also sure this is political gamesmanship considering the Republican debate is scheduled for the same night but the bottom line, one is the President, the other is not.

The network for the debate has already said they would move the debates back an hour to allow for President Obama’s speech.

Boner and his staff are being jerks and disrespectful. They are the ones ignoring decades if not centuries of protocol by not accommodating the President and Commander in Chief.

When you’re in a hole, QUIT DIGGING!

ms_m

08-31-2011, 08:38 PM

Former GOP Senator Chuck Hagel: Republican Party Has ‘An Astounding Lack Of Responsible Leadership’
By Tanya Somanader on Aug 31, 2011 at 4:01 pm

Former GOP Sen. Chuck Hagel [[NE) can’t muster any praise for his Republican colleagues’ behavior in Congress over the past few months. In an interview with the Financial Times, Hagel blasted GOP leadership for their “irresponsible actions” during the debt ceiling debacle, noting that “I think about some of the presidents we’ve had on my side of the aisle — Ronald Reagan, George Bush Sr., go right through them, Eisenhower — they would be stunned.”

“Disgusted” with the debt ceiling negotiations, Hagel called it “an astounding lack of responsible leadership by many in the Republican party, and I say that as a Republican.” “Does anyone not believe what’s happened here the last couple weeks in the market was not a complete, direct result of the lack of confidence that came out of that folly, that embarrassment?” he asked. Watch it:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1-pCoG6hDY8&feature=player_embedded

http://thinkprogress.org/politics/2011/08/31/309366/former-gop-senator-chuck-hagel-republican-party-has-an-astounding-lack-of-responsible-leadership/

ms_m

08-31-2011, 09:19 PM

REPORT: 25 Corporations Paid More To Their CEO Last Year Than They Paid In Taxes
By Pat Garofalo on Aug 31, 2011 at 9:20 am

Last year, as Americans across the country grappled with the widespread effects of the Great Recession, tax dodging by corporations and the wealthy cost the average U.S. taxpayer $434, even as corporate profits soared 81 percent. In fact, according to a new report from the Institute for Policy Studies, “corporate tax dodging has gone so out of control that 25 major U.S. corporations last year paid their chief executives more than they paid Uncle Sam in federal income taxes”:

– Of last year’s 100 highest-paid corporate chief executives in the United States, 25 took home more in CEO pay than their company paid in 2010 federal income taxes.

– These 25 CEOs averaged $16.7 million, well above last year’s $10.8 million average for S&P 500 CEOs. Most of the companies they ran actually came out ahead at tax time, collecting tax refunds from the IRS that averaged $304 million.

– CEOs in 22 of these 25 firms enjoyed pay increases in 2010. In 13 of these companies, CEO paychecks ratcheted up while the corporate income tax bill either declined or the size of the corporate tax refund expanded.
http://thinkprogress.org/economy/2011/08/31/308487/25-corporations-paid-more-to-ceo-taxes/

ms_m

08-31-2011, 11:36 PM

The President rescheduled for the 8th. I would have preferred he rammed it down their throat on the 7th but he's more of an adult than I am....so be it.

The interesting thing about this, Boner actually blew a technical advantage. Since the debates were going to be pushed back, the candidates could have heard the proposal and flamed away with their talking points. Now, they will probably just whine about it. [[throwing in cheap shots in between questions) shrugs...oh well, they're loss but it's telling that an hour delay in the debate is more important to them than jobs for Americans. Shows you where their real priorities are.

ms_m

08-31-2011, 11:48 PM

Today I asked for a joint session of Congress where I will lay out a clear plan to get Americans back to work. Next week, I will deliver the details of the plan and call on lawmakers to pass it.

Whether they will do the job they were elected to do is ultimately up to them.

But both you and I can pressure them to do the right thing. We can send the message that the American people are playing by the rules and meeting their responsibilities -- and it's time for our leaders in Congress to meet theirs.

And we must hold them accountable if they don't.

So I'm asking you to stand with me in calling on Congress to step up and take action on jobs:

http://my.barackobama.com/Time-To-Act

No matter how things go in the weeks and months ahead, this will be an important challenge for our organization.

It's been a long time since Congress was focused on what the American people need them to be focused on.

I know that you're frustrated by that. I am, too.

That's why I'm putting forward a set of bipartisan proposals to help grow the economy and create jobs -- that means strengthening our small businesses, giving needed breaks to middle-class families, while taking responsible steps to bring down our deficit.

I'm asking lawmakers to look past short-term politics and take action on that plan. But we've got to do this together.

I will deliver this message to Congress next week, but I'm asking you to stand alongside me today:

http://my.barackobama.com/Time-To-Act

More to come,

Barack

After the petition a money page will come up....donate if you are able but please sign the petition. [[it's free and easy:D) The Repubs have made it painfully obvious what they will do to obstruct the President in his efforts to make the economy stronger and the lives of the working/middle class and poor better.

stephanie

09-01-2011, 07:57 AM

I signed the petition. With all of the evidence presented here [[thanks Ms M) and yes I did watch the big O take on the repubs the night that open forum with them happened, any fool can see that taking the country back with states rights is a code word for we dont want the government involved we want to keep minorities and poor people dont with no accountability. It is funny when you hear Perry talk about SSN being a joke and thank god for FDR do people really believe this stuff? Cant an educated individual see that the very things they claim President Obama wants to take away are the things they want to take away? IF we privatize any of these programs like they want us to do then it will wind up somewhere in the stock market and there will be a risk of losing a private investment or a fund to draw from. Obama needs to come out strong here and talk about how the repubs have taken stimulus money that they said they wouldnt take as did Perry and some of that money was used to create the new jobs [[service jobs) that he claims Texas has. I am afraid of this bunch and I really believe that if we let O finish out a second term his 1st term would not have been wasted. Dont get me wrong by wasted I mean just to finish up and get the ecomony back like he did healthcare, and the auto industry.

jobeterob

09-01-2011, 01:46 PM

COMMENT [[47 comments)
PERMALINK
New CNN Poll: 65% give Obama thumbs down on economy
By: CNN Political Unit

Washington [[CNN) - Only a third of all Americans approve of how President Barack Obama is handling the economy, according to a new national survey.

And with a CNN/ORC International Poll also indicating that more than three-quarters of the public say the country is in bad shape right now, there's little wonder why the president is getting such low marks.

According to the poll, released Wednesday morning, 28 percent of people questioned say things are going well in the country today.

"That may be a slight uptick from early August but it still represents a double-digit drop from earlier this year," says CNN Polling Director Keating Holland. "And it's clear that economic jitters are a drag on President Obama's standing with the voting public."

Obama gets good marks for his handling of international issues. Six in ten approve of his handling of terrorism and roughly half like his track record on foreign affairs in general and Libya in particular.
And 53 percent say they trust Obama as the nation's commander-in-chief.

But only 34 percent approve of how the president is handling economic issues, with 65 percent saying they disapprove of how he’s handling the economy. Thirty-three percent give him a thumbs up on the budget deficit and 37 percent approving of how he's dealing with unemployment.

"Two-thirds of Democrats continue to approve of Obama's economic record, but seven out of ten independents disapprove. Not surprisingly, more than nine out of ten Republicans also disapprove of how Obama is handling the economy,” adds Holland.

According to CNN poll numbers released last week, the president's overall approval rating stands at 45 percent.

The CNN/ORC International Poll was conducted August 24-25, with 1,017 adult Americans questioned by telephone. The survey's overall sampling error is plus or minus three percentage points.

ms_m

09-01-2011, 01:52 PM

Norah O'Donnell twitter
http://twitter.com/#!/NorahODo...

1) I am told tonight that WH CoS Bill Daley first called Speaker Boehner at 1030am to inform him the president wanted to address Congress.

2) A Republican source acknowledges that in the 10:30am call the Speaker did not raise an objection to the date bc he'd not seen the letter

Re 2) Speaker Boehner didn't object immediately bc GOP source says a lot to consider in putting joint session together

3) At approx 11:57am Dan Pfeiffer tweets that Potus has requested a joint session for 8pm on 9/7. That tweet has been deleted.

4) By approx 9:15pm the President agrees to delay speech by one day. This follows discussions between WH Cos Daley and Speaker Boehner

5) Potus speech won't conflict with NFL game on Thursday

Comment of the year and the manifesto I’m adopting from now until Nov 2012…

If a person is on the receiving end of disrespectful behavior and unrelenting vicious opposition, it does not follow that they are diminished by it. There is not much one can do in the face of a bully. You just have to pick yourself up to fight another day. What was the President to do? Just barge in to the House and give his speech anyway? I am really getting tired of the political antics of the Republicans. They have let their strategy be known from day one.. Total opposition to this “foreigner,” destroy him, and the country too if necessary. Just as long as we get elected again and return to power.

Well, as bad as President Obama looks, as much as he shoulda, coulda, woulda, done better, he has still got my vote, on the basis of the many things he has accomplished. Also because I would crawl through a pit of vipers, walk over hot coals, and submit to the tortures of the damned to prevent any of the mean spirited, cold hearted, religious extremist, bigoted, nationalistic, homophobic, Republican presidential candidates from getting anywhere near the reigns of power.

This is Becoming a Huge Problem, Isn't It.

NO!

ms_m

09-01-2011, 02:02 PM

GOP chairman says if students want to vote, they should pay taxes
By Eric Russell, BDN Staff
Posted Aug. 31, 2011, at 11:49 a.m.
Last modified Aug. 31, 2011, at 5:48 p.m

AUGUSTA, Maine — Charlie Webster sounds a lot like LeRoy Symm.
Symm, the registrar of voters in Waller County, Texas, had a special questionnaire he used for college students. It included questions such as: Do you own property in the county? Where did you attend church? What are your job plans?

If Symm and his deputies knew a voter by name and face, they were simply registered. College students had to pass Symm’s test. The U.S. Supreme Court in 1979 said this violated the Constitution, thereby establishing the practice of allowing college students to list their dormitory as their residence for the purposes of voting

Students have the right to register in the municipality where they attend school as long as they have established residency. They are then subject to the same residency requirements but cannot be asked to meet additional requirements.

Determining established residency is left to municipal clerks and they can consider the following factors in determining established residency: a direct statement or oath, a motor vehicle registration, an income tax return, a piece of mail listing a current address or any other objective facts.

Full Article:
http://bangordailynews.com/2011/08/31/politics/gop-chairman-says-if-students-want-to-vote-they-should-pay-taxes/

ms_m

09-01-2011, 02:07 PM

GOP Freshman Under Fire For Demanding Offsets For Disaster Relief In Her Own District
Brian Beutler | September 1, 2011, 9:39AM

This isn't the sort of headline and lead paragraph you want to read i [[http://www.recordonline.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20110901/NEWS/109010338/-1/NEWS)n the local paper if you're a freshman House member in a marginal district: "Hayworth seeking to withhold disaster money unless it is offset by budget cuts: Only days after a record-setting storm destroyed her district, Rep. Nan Hayworth and her House colleagues threatened to withhold disaster money if lawmakers don't cut additional spending from the federal budget."

But that's exactly what the New York freshman woke up to this morning after saying she would only vote to replenish FEMA's disaster relief fund if the money is offset with spending cuts elsewhere in the budget, according to the paper. Her constituents, and officials in her district, don't want to hear about conditions -- even Republicans.

New Windsor Supervisor George Green, a conservative Republican, warned he'll need federal help to repair a road that was completely wiped out in the Butterhill subdivision. Hayworth toured damage in New Windsor earlier this week, and Green said his congresswoman better not let the town's devastation become the rope in a political tug of war.
"People have to come first," Green said. "Don't tell me that you have to take money from another part of the budget to balance out FEMA money when you're talking about people who've lost sewer and water, and people who've lost their goddamn houses."

Full Article:
http://tpmdc.talkingpointsmemo.com/2011/09/gop-freshman-under-fire-for-demanding-offsets-for-disaster-relief-in-her-own-district.php?ref=fpc

ms_m

09-01-2011, 02:32 PM

Jobetrob, In 2008 I was told Barack Obama would lose. I was told the numbers looked bleak and the Rev Wright scandal and Sarah Palin's BS rhetoric would sink him. As a matter of fact, you were one of the naysayers [[until he won) and now you're being oh so informative with the negativity of our American issues and flip flopping again.

Well his supporters didn't give up in 2008 and WE WILL NOT give up now.

If he doesn't keep the WH, it will not bring me any satisfaction KNOWING I'm not the only one that will be eating crow because so will the American people, especially the working/middle class and poor!

To all the naysayers, I'm not going back to 1900, 1920, 1940, 1950, 1960... SO...BRING IT. While President Barack H. Obama is doing his thing, his way... we have his back and we will not go down without one HELL OF A FIGHT!....TRUST!;)

ms_m

09-01-2011, 03:00 PM

Holiday Inn Abruptly Ejects Progressive Groups Who Reserved Space For Jobs Rally In Same Hotel As Cantor Event
By Travis Waldron on Sep 1, 2011 at 2:29 pm
ThinkProgress filed this report from Richmond, Virginia

Progressive groups organizing a rally at the same Richmond-area hotel where House Majority Leader Eric Cantor [[R-VA) was holding an event Wednesday were abruptly kicked out of the hotel and told by hotel management to remain off of its property during Cantor’s event.

Cantor held an Advisory Council gathering, closed to the media but open to constituents who registered ahead of time, at the Holiday Inn Koger Center in Richmond. A coalition of progressive Virginia organizing groups — Progress Virginia, OurDC, and Virginia Organizing — had booked rooms and a separate ballroom in the hotel to hold a “jobs rally” countering Cantor’s event. According to organizers, the groups planned to invite Cantor to attend their rally after his own event, in the hope that he would listen to their concerns regarding job creation and unemployment.
More:
http://thinkprogress.org/politics/2011/09/01/309923/holiday-inn-abruptly-ejects-progressive-groups-who-reserved-space-for-jobs-rally-in-same-hotel-as-cantor-event/

ms_m

09-01-2011, 03:20 PM

Don't be afraid of them Stephanie, they are cowards and bullies hiding behind their ideologies while pretending to give a dayum about this country when they have made it obvious they only care about themselves and 1% of the population.

The POTUS is a good decent man who has done much for this country and We The People. Is it enough? Hell no but under the circumstances I'm amazed he's gotten this far.

He's nice, I'm not and there is a massive army of OFA [[Organizing For America) members in my city, state and all over the country who are willing to stand up for him and for this country. The so call "real amuricans" are not the ONLY ones fighting to take this country back in spite of the media spin to imply otherwise.

Do whatever you can to help Stephanie and bring in your family and friends to do the same. How much or how little you do is not the issue, it's only an issue if you do nothing.....BUT...don't ever be afraid of these fools...NEVER!

ms_m

09-01-2011, 03:53 PM

Perry Proposed A Bi-National Health Insurance Plan With Mexico In 2001
By Marie Diamond on Sep 1, 2011 at 10:00 am

The ghosts of Gov. Rick Perry’s [[R-TX) more moderate past have come back to haunt him in recent days, particularly when it comes to health care.

In 2001 at a border summit in south Texas, Perry spoke optimistically about the prospects for a “bi-national health insurance” program that would cover both U.S. and Mexican residents along the border. He also praised the Texas legislature’s bill to increase funding for Medicaid and the Children’s Health Insurance Program.
Given that Perry now considers Medicaid to be unconstitutional, the speech reads like it comes from another world — or an entirely different person:

Given that Perry now considers Medicaid to be unconstitutional, the speech reads like it comes from another world — or an entirely different person:

There are other challenges that require a unified approach, especially in the area of health care. [...] I urged legislators to pass a telemedicine pilot program that will enable, through technology, a sick border resident of limited financial means to receive care from a specialist hundreds of miles away.

But the effort to combat disease and illness requires greater cooperative efforts between our two nations. It is a simple truth that disease knows no boundaries. [...] We have much to gain if we work together to expand preventative care, and treat maladies unique to this region.

Legislation authored by border legislators Pat Haggerty and Eddie Lucio establishes an important study that will look at the feasibility of bi-national health insurance. This study recognizes that the Mexican and U.S. sides of the border compose one region, and we must address health care problems throughout that region. That’s why I am also excited that Texas Secretary of State Henry Cuellar is working on an initiative that could extend the benefits of telemedicine to individuals living on the Mexican side of the border.

Full Article:
http://thinkprogress.org/health/2011/09/01/309632/flashback-perry-proposed-a-bi-national-health-insurance-plan-with-mexico-in-2001/

ms_m

09-01-2011, 08:21 PM

I'm not ready to bet the farm on such a prediction but it's a breath of fresh air compared to the negative crap we're constantly being fed about the POTUS.

Never-Wrong Pundit Picks Obama to Win in 2012

By Paul Bedard, Lauren Fox
August 30, 2011

Allan Lichtman, the American University professor whose election formula has correctly called every president since Ronald Reagan’s 1984 re-election, has a belated birthday present for Barack Obama: Rest easy, your re-election is in the bag.

“Even if I am being conservative, I don’t see how Obama can lose,” says Lichtman, the brains behind The Keys to the White House.

Lichtman’s prediction helps to explain a quirk in some polling that finds that while Americans disapprove of the president, they still think he will win re-election. [Check out political cartoons about the 2012 GOP field.]

Working for the president are several of Lichtman’s keys, tops among them incumbency and the scandal-free nature of his administration.Undermining his re-election is a lack of charisma and leadership on key issues, says Lichtman, even including healthcare, Obama’s crowning achievement.

Lichtman developed his 13 Keys in 1981. They test the performance of the party that holds the presidency. If six or more of the 13 keys go against the party in power, then the opposing party wins.“The keys have figured into popular politics a bit,” Lichtman says. “They’ve never missed. They’ve been right seven elections in a row. A number that goes way beyond statistical significance in a record no other system even comes close to.”
Full Article:
http://www.usnews.com/news/blogs/washington-whispers/2011/08/30/never-wrong-pundit-picks-obama-to-win-in-2012

http://i61.photobucket.com/albums/h74/mmandmusic/MediaMatters.jpg
http://mediamatters.org/
Media Matters is not perfect but if you're open and interested in the counterpoint of much of the MSM shock and awe divisive reporting…this is the place to go.

ms_m

09-01-2011, 08:48 PM

http://i61.photobucket.com/albums/h74/mmandmusic/Walsh.jpg

Instead of being a prop of another one of the President's speeches, next Thursday I will fly home to IL to talk to real job creators

Keep in mind Congress was in recess during the entire month of August. The President’s speech is scheduled one day after they return….guess he couldn’t find the time to talk to “ real job creators” in a 4 week period of time or the entire time he’s been in office. [[Jan 2011 to present)

…and BTW, Meet Rep. Joe Walsh

Rep. Joe Walsh Defends Not Paying $117,000 In Child Support: ‘This Is Where Real America Is’
By Marie Diamond on Jul 28, 2011 at 12:00 pm

Last night the Chicago Sun-Times broke the story that Tea Party freshman Rep. Joe Walsh [[R-IL), who has spent months lecturing President Obama and Democrats on fiscal responsibility, owes $117,437 in child support to his ex-wife and three children. Laura Walsh has asked a judge to suspend his driver’s license until he pays his child support. Despite loaning his own campaign $35,000— and paying himself back at least $14,200 for the loans — Walsh claims he failed to make the payments because he “had no money.”

The tax-bashing congressman campaigned on a pledge to reject the Washington “status quo” and has bragged about his own frugality, claiming he even sleeps in his congressional office to save money. Walsh, who’s been described as “the biggest media hound in the freshman class,” has been a prominent voice in the debt ceiling showdown in recent weeks, making television appearances almost every day to denounce President Obama’s “reckless spending,” which he says has “bankrupted this country.”
More:

http://thinkprogress.org/justice/2011/07/28/281570/rep-joe-walsh-defends-not-paying-117000-in-child-support-this-is-where-real-america-is/

When you think about it...makes for a catchy campaign slogan....Real Americans don't pay child support...:rolleyes:

ms_m

09-01-2011, 09:23 PM

OPINION CONTRIBUTOR
Let Obama be Obama

By SEAN SMITH | 8/16/11 12:00 AM EDT

The man in the Oval Office right now is not Ronald Reagan, Jimmy Carter or Bill Clinton. Given the constant references [[http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2011/jan/30/obama-channeling-jimmy-carter/)to these former presidents amid the post-debt deal crescendo of hand-wringing from supporters, criticism from opponents and commentary from the chattering class, a casual observer could easily be confused.

But actually, it’s Barack Obama. And here’s the dirty little secret: He’s governing exactly as he said he would.
[[http://www.thedailybeast.com/newsweek/2010/11/17/obama-is-doing-just-what-he-said-he-would-do.html)

Going back to the 2004 Democratic National Convention speech [[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eWynt87PaJ0) that thrust him into national prominence, and throughout the 2007-08 presidential campaign marathon, Obama consistently wrapped himself around one big idea: We don’t have to settle for a toxic culture in Washington that ignores the entrenched problems strangling the country’s long-term economic competitiveness and sapping our national spirit.

He conveyed a refreshing confidence and a yes-we-can optimism about tackling these problems, without having to resort to a slash-and-burn politics.

Using this post-partisan strategy, he built a coalition that included independents and moderate Republicans. Obama won the presidency with 53 percent of the national popular vote, the highest percentage in two decades. He then galvanized Washington to stave off a Great Depression, pass historic health care reform and change the rules for lobbying and Wall Street.
Full Article:http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0811/61439.html

He has used the bully pulpit to chide and exhort congressional Republicans, but he has never demonized them.

There are a lot of people who truly hate this man, not simply disagree with his politics or his way of governing but hate him to the core.

He knows this, he can’t help but not know this but he has yet to let anyone bring him down to their level.

For a man that is in the position he is in, [[or even one that is not) that takes strength, courage, balls a spine and integrity!

ms_m

09-01-2011, 09:35 PM

True To His Word
Nov 17, 2010 3:30 PM EST
Note to critics: Read [[or reread) his books. Obama is doing just what he said he would do.

[…]The shrill tone of Obama’s critics makes reading his books especially illuminating today. In Audacity, Obama explained why, because of our national traditions, the United States would never have a single-payer health-care system and would have to find a distinctively American hybrid relying on existing insurance plans. That’s what we have now. He explained why, although he favors regulation to protect against abuses, he rules out socialism and remains firmly committed to a market economy. His financial reforms follow that pattern. Finally, he explained why, although he opposed the war in Iraq, he supported war in Afghanistan for -different—and legitimate—reasons. Now that he must bring that war to a conclusion, he has made clear that the decision will be based on evidence, not blind adherence to a predetermined course of action.
http://www.thedailybeast.com/newsweek/2010/11/17/obama-is-doing-just-what-he-said-he-would-do.html

ms_m

09-01-2011, 10:15 PM

W.H. furious over speech delay

By ROGER SIMON | 9/1/11 4:42 PM EDT Updated: 9/1/11 6:32 PM EDT

It seemed like a trivial matter: On Wednesday, House Republicans forced the president to delay his speech to a joint session of Congress by one day.

Who cares? The White House cares. Very much.

“It is a big deal that the House said ‘no’ to the president from our end,” a White House source with intimate knowledge of what took place between the House and the president told me Thursday. “This confirms what we all know: They will do anything in the House to muck us up.”

On Wednesday, the White House staff did not know exactly what President Barack Obama was going to say in his major jobs speech, but it knew exactly where and when he was going to say it.

[…]The White House viewed Boehner as a political opponent, but not an enemy and the call was cordial, even pro forma considering such a request had never before been refused.

[…]At about 10 or 10:30 a.m. on Wednesday, White House chief of staff Bill Daley called House Speaker John Boehner and asked that a joint session of Congress be assembled the following Wednesday night. The White House viewed Boehner as a political opponent, but not an enemy and the call was cordial, even pro forma considering such a request had never before been refused.

[...]And, according to the White House source, Boehner said “okay” to Daley’s request for the Wednesday evening date. [[Asked for comment, Boehner’s press secretary, Brendan Buck, said he had nothing to add to his statement of Wednesday that read in part: “No one in the speaker’s office - not the speaker, not any staff - signed off on the date the White House announced today.”)

[...]At 11:55 a.m. Wednesday, the White House tweeted the news about the joint session. “And then Rush Limbaugh beat Boehner up,” the source said.

Full Article:
http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0911/62505.html