Disappointed, Disgusted and Disallusioned

This blogger will be taking a few days off. I need it. I have in the last week watched my state legislature and arrogant Governor follow the lead of other states by bashing public workers, blaming them for all the economic ills of the country without an ounce of regard for the continuous benefits given to the wealthy at the expense of those in need. I have watched hypocritical petulant Republicans walk out of a budget negotiation because they didn't get everything they wanted. I have watched the President , who I support, continue his ridiculous stance on gay marriage saying his position is still evolving. I have seen the House Republicans vote against supporting our Commander in Chief as he participates in the Libyan operation, claiming a violation of War Powers Act provisions after spending 10 years ignoring it while supporting an immoral war based on lies. I have seen an ineffective Government put the interests of the people behind the interests of their re-election campaigns. I am to say the least, disappointed, disgusted and disallusioned. I hate feeling this way, but I do. I need a rest. Where are you Americans for reason and truth?

Heed the Chairman

Yesterday, Fed Chairman Bernanke gave his second press conference of the year. To most Americans, his words are geared toward the financial gurus, politicians and economic geeks out there. They are ripe with economic concepts and terms that seem like a foreign language to most people. I love these speeches and press conferences. I find them both interesting and fascinatingly important, but that's me. It is important for all of us to at least understand what he said and to encourage our Government to heed his warnings. In a few easy nutshells, Bernanke said the economy is recovering at a slower pace than expected. Unemployment is frustratingly high and banks continue to be reluctant to loan money having tightened criteria for seekers of loans. He said most the of the real estate price declines are coming from the foreclosed homes and not from resales which emphasized the need to clear foreclosures through the system. He said payrolls have gone from a negative to positive trend. He said that much of the slowness is temporary as a result of unexpected events such as the Tsunami. Most important, now listen please, he guided our government to be aggressive with the deficit but from a long term perspective. He cautioned against the political knee jerk reactions of cutting expenses too quickly and actually said this in his opinion would hurt job growth. Republicans do not want to listen because they know that stalling the economy helps them blame Obama, but all of us must listen to the Chairman. He gets it, and so must we all. Where are you Americans for reason and truth?

Ideas

As the Summer begins, most Americans tune out from politics and concentrate on other things. This should not be the case however, because there is a lot to worry about. Most pernicious these days, are our state governments with their Republican Legislative advantages, demonizing public workers but unwilling to ask business to pay its fair share. The likes of Governor Christie, popular outside of NJ for reasons that boggle the mind, are quietly contributing to the continuous advantages for the wealthy while blaming Obama for persistenty high unemployment. Job growth must be the number one agenda item for the Government and even though they will not listen to me, I am just as smart, maybe smarter than these self serving power grabbing vote getting politicians who care little about the rest of us. Here are two ideas. 1)- The President should set up a Federal Infrastructure Repair Account to be funded with every single dollar in savings that we get from a reduction of military commitment in Afghanistan and Iraq. He is making a speech about troop reduction tonight and all this money should go directly to this account for the sole purpose of hiring businesses and individuals to fix our crumbling roads, bridges, airports, schools, tunnels and rail tracks. 2)- Banks and other businesses are hoarding cash, waiting to see how much more of an advantage they can squeeze from Government. They know how to drive the economy, they just won't while they hold the Government hostage over tax breaks, incentives and deregulatory attitudes. My suggestion is that 25% of this cash go directly to employees in the form of a one time cash bonus, based on the percent that each person costs its company. We would have thousands of employees spending and stimulating the economy with their new found wealth, this would open up opportunities in other industries and it wouldn't cost the Government a dime. Unfortunately, greed will prevail and this will never happen. These are good ideas...about to fall into the abyss of all of history's good ideas. Where are you Americans for reason and truth?

The War Powers Act

Since the passing of the War Powers Act, legal experts from both sides of the political spectrum have challenged its constitutionality. It is treated like an annoying next door neighbor, leave him/her alone and you won't be bothered. The Congress and all Presidents since its passing have managed to avoid any major blowups over it and accept the Constitution's Commander in Chief powers. In 1990, John Boehner said....and I paraphrase [there may be Constitutional issues with it and Congress ought to do nothing that weakens the institution of the Presidency in its carrying out of our military actions]. This same speaker, whose sole goal is to see the President fail, is now lashing out, claiming a violation of the law and threatening to stop funding the Libyan operation. Typical Boehner. Figures that Americans don't listen anyway, so tell the war tired people that the President is violating the law...a law he so accepted under Bush. Well, this citizen listens. Where are your Americans for reason and truth?

The National Disparity

I listened to the Republicans bash Obama over the economy. Here is a challenge for them and for our President. Who is going to campaign on reducing the disparity between rich and poor in this country? Who will address the record corporate profits, exploding income increases on the richest one percent while the rest of us have barely seen any income increases and continue to find it difficult to find jobs? Who will address the lack of equity and fairness that our economic policies through decades have contributed to this growing, persistent and shameful reality? Who? My bet is no one. Where are you Americans for reason and truth?

The Record

Since 2009, 8.7 trillion dollars of wealth has been restored to Americans.
There have been 15 consecutive months of job growth. The Automobile industry in America has been saved from bankruptcy. The Japanese Sunami had a negative impact on the sustainability of growth and unless Obama controlled the weather, this isn't his fault. The GDP has climbed up from its low level at the start of the recession. Lakshman Achuthan said that Obama's policies have made the recession less severe. 4 million jobs were shaved by business prior to any of the Obama policies taking effect and 2.1 million private sector jobs have been created under his watch. Reconcile these undisputable facts against the BS of last night...Gingrich.."the Obama Depression". What an ugly word to associate with this record. Romney "Obama made the recession worse". We aren't even in a recession anymore according to the economic experts. Bachmann claims that Health Care reform will cost 800,000 jobs, but she doesn't count the jobs that will be created as a result of it, offsetting and even exceeding the loss of jobs through obsolescence and technological advances. Before you allow these politicians to pile on the President with ridiculous claims and absence of a plan of their own, make sure you understand it all. Where are you Americans for reason and truth?

Nausea

Although the tone of my blog and the reality of my votes tend to move leftward, I am indeed an objective citizen who always listens and am sometimes swayed by the more centrist perspective. I listen to all sides before making an informed judgement. In that spirit, I followed the blog of this evening's Republican debate. At 8:44 after hypocrisy, misstatements of fact, self aggrandisement, denial of reality and unwarranted, inaccurate and relentless criticism of Obama, waves of nausea came over me. This is the best the other side has? Shameful, scary and sickening. Be careful Mr. President, one of these jackasses could just slip passed you and make us all sick. Where are you Americans for reason and truth?

Make No Mistake...She is Running

First a Bus Tour. Now a soon to be released flattering documentary on AMC, her tweets, her book written in her name, her exposure on FOX and her wily and cute answers to questions. Make no mistake, Sarah Palin is running for President. Gingrich is imploding, Santorum and Pawlenty have no name recongition and Bachmann is not as compelling a character. That leaves Romney...the money leader and favorite in a national campaign. Palin sees this and this is why her bus tour and recent comments are targeting his candidacy. Sarah Palin is totally unqualified for President, but she is being skillfully marketed. She looks good and appeals to a constituency that has in the past proven to be important in primaries and even in a national election. It is scary that such an incompetent could actually be perceived as possible Presidential timber but it is what it is. To fight her off, Democrats and Republicans need to be careful not to fall into the trap of appearing too educated and elite against the backdrop of Grizzly Moms. This crap sells. She is running, running hard and we all owe this potential disaster to John McCain. I hope this former maverick cares more about the country, than his loyalty to her past affiliation with his campaign. Where are you Americans for reason and truth?

Personal Responsibility

One of the banner slogans that the Republicans love to use is Personal Responsibility. Let people make their own decisions without much interference from the government. The wealthy corporate powerhouses will be there to help as long as we deregulate and allow it to work its magic with all the tax break dollars they get. If you look at the real numbers after ten years of the tax cuts put in place by President Bush and his puppet Congress it is clear that revenues for government did not rise as promised, but have hit 50 year lows. As such, the richest corporations did not create the kind of conditions needed for people to find jobs, get more education and training and to find their own affordable health care. Instead, the economic conditions deteriorated. Looking backward, and blaming the past is never a winning electoral strategy and the President is well advised to no longer do so. The new Democratic strategy must be to embrace personal responsibility. Not like the Republicans have hypocritically done to appease tea partiers and libertarians, but to create the conditions for it. Republicans cannot just be Obama bashers like Mitt Romeny, without a plan, like Mitt Romney, calling for personal responsibility and at the same time go against every model and plan to create the possibilities for people to take control of their lives. If you want people to get their own training and education for the jobs of the future, you cannot recommend cuts in education spending and loans. If you want people to buy affordable health care, you cannot dump on any idea that allows for universality of coverage. If you want people to make sound decisions for their families, you cannot oppose agencies and services that help to provide them with essential decision making guidance. It is so easy to say...cut spending, let people be responsible and get government out of our lives. However motivating this may be to the ears of some, it isn't a plan that meets the Republicans stated goal of personal responsibility. It is a false and disingenuous platitude. Democrats....this is your opportunity. Where are you Americans for reason and truth?

What a Weiner

Our contempt as a people toward our Congress is understandable. It is apparent to us that they care more about preserving their power bases than doing what is right for the nation. The partisan divide continues to invade the institution and often times very little gets done or it is so watered down as to have no impact at all on our lives or our problems. We are, however a forgiving people and have come to accept, grudgingly perhaps, the failings of our elected officials particulaly when it comes to non predatory sexual deviance. What we cannot accept, is lying. Had Represenative Weiner said last week what he said yesterday, calls for his resignation would have been less severe and his apology over the weeks to follow would have probably been accepted. Representative Weiner did not do so. He lied, changed his story, and undertold the realities of his actions and frequency of his behavior. He is just another politician who believes he can hide the truth, lie about it, and not be caught. He was wrong like so many others. I do not trust him and my sympathy for him has been diminished as a result of his dishonesty. Too bad. The Democrats need to be discussing other more important things and avoid such distractions. Weiner must go. Where are you Americans for reason and truth?

Time to Come Home

Today, 5 Americans were killed in Iraq. This protracted, seemingly endless war let us not forget was fought under false pretenses by the Bush administration. Enough lives have been lost and injuries sustained. Let us not forget that for all the progress made by the Iraqis, this remains a dangerous and in many places, very violent country. We have done our work. The new version of this war was to help Iraq become a democracy. We have done all we can do. It is time to bring them ALL home. If combat troops have left, these remaining troops as evidenced by today's loss of life still remain in perilous situations. The Iraqi people must fix their own mess at this point. We have other perilous issues to deal with. Where are you Americans for reason and truth?

Paul Revere

We all make verbal gaffes. Most of the time these are careless mistakes that are not as a result of stupidity, but simply a neuron or two not firing. When a Presidential candidate says things that are just plain wrong or moronic, this cannot be apologized for by claiming a simple verbal gaffe. Sarah Palin and Michelle Bachmann just don't know the history of this country and whereas this isn't a sin, they are always referencing our Founding fathers and Amercans principles and liberty to ignite their base, but they just do not understand what they are saying. Yesterday, Mrs. Palin said that Paul Revere warned the British. Bachmann claimed the Concord battlefield was in New Hampshire. These inaccuracies are so profound that I wonder who the people that support these two geniuses really are? Not the best and the brightest for sure. Wake up America. Time to raise the bar. It's fine for me however. The worse they are, the better it is for the President. Where are you Americans for reason and truth?