Failure in Wisconsin

We have to face it. 2 victories out of six tries does not cut it. No matter how much spin we hear today about going up against money, running in Republican districts, historic victories in two cases, the supporters of labor failed. What is clear, is that labor as an interest group no longer has the support of the nation. Demonizing the public sector works and this is a victory for those who believe that the public sector is our problem. The battles must be drawn differently in the future. It must be about business interests vs. public interests. It must be about poverty vs. wealth. It must be about fairness vs. inequity. This fight pitted unions against other workers and could not be successfully fought on those terms. It is a losing strategy. Where are you Americans for reason and truth?

A Triple A Country

I have no concern about our ability to pay our debts. I see two trillion dollars of cash on the books of corporate America not being invested by private companies who continue to stress productivity over jobs. I see the price of gold on the rise and Fort Knox filled with gold bars. I see a nation with natural resources and assets that undeniably make us the richest nation on Earth. We may be a triple A country economically, but certainly not in human terms. We have the largest gap between rich and poor in our history. We have more people in poverty than any time in our history. We have a seriously challenged educational system. We have escalating prices in supermarkets, transportation, health care and energy. We have a crumbling infrastructure, an outdated electric grid and no modern rail system. We have embarrassing facilities to care for our senior citizens. We have municipalities firing teachers, police, garbage collectors and firemen because of corruption and reduced revenues. We have a political party demonizing public workers, destroying unions and playing chicken with our economy. We have military forces in areas that no longer need American military presence and we have policies that favor the wealthy while abandoning a shrinking Middle Class. This is not an AAA rating by any stretch of the imagination. Where are you Americans for reason and truth?

Crystal Clear

As the Dow drops and people all over America watch their net worth decline, continue to struggle finding a job, are burdened with the costs of healthcare and see their local governments do everything in their power to pass the financial difficulties on to the citizens, it is crystal clear who caused this. If Standard and Poors made their decision based on the difficulties in Washington, then in essence they were correct. Washington does not work on behalf of the people of this country. As President Obama presented options that would have been acceptable to S and P, he was rebuffed by his enemies. As he implored members of both parties to compromise and put all items on the table for discussion, his enemies walked away from the deals and from serious discussions. Even now, after some plan was passed to help and move us forward, the same vitriolic rhetoric only days after, continues. We have the Republicans blaming the tax and spend liberals ignoring all reality. We have Republican Senators going on Sunday talk shows blaming it all on Obama for lack of leadership. It is as if the recent crisis, the recent polling and the recent financial news never happened. It is crystal clear that Republican obstruction, deliberate, inflexible and orchestrated by its leaders, is the cause of all of our current financial national distress. The debt ceiling was a manufactured crisis by the tea party, with tacet acceptance by most of American politicians that need not have happened. While the discomfort of continued falling house values, 401k values and increased costs in our supermarkets, doctors' offices and toll roads persists, our Congress just won't get it nor do they care. Where are you Americans for reason and truth?

End These Wars

I do not care about Afghanistan's government nor do I care about their future. I do not care about Iraq and its quest for its own stability. We have been in these wars for too long and for too little. We are not threatened by either of these countries. Our military technology can continue its drone campaigns taking out the terrorist infrastructure without committing tens of thousands of troops who can be put to better use protecting us from our own dysfunction. They can guard our borders, build our schools, catch the drug dealers, improve struggling cities, supplement law enforcement in financially troubled towns and continue to earn our thanks and our appreciation. Today's deadly loss of Navy Seals in this G-d forsaken place was an unnecessary loss of innocent life from the best of the best. I am not an isolationist but it is time to come home from these endless struggles with no end in sight and no great purpose. Where are you Americans for reason and truth?

The Downgrade

Before we jump off the roof, let us be reminded that Standard and Poors is the same rating agency that gave the highest ratings possible to Fannie and Ginnie Mae mortgages immediately prior to the total collapse of housing in this country. Their credibility is suspect. Be that as it may, this shouldn't be a surprise and realistically, it does not indicate serious problems with our ability to safely pay our debt to holders of US Treasuries. It will, however, cause a marginal increase in interest rates over the next couple of years as we will need a slightly larger incentive for purchasers of our Government backed bonds and notes. We have our government to thank for this, particularly one side more than the other....you decide. As such, dysfunctionality trumps reality and now our deficit will grow even more. Thanks for nothing you ......(fill in the blank). Where are you Americans for reason and truth?

Pundits Get It Wrong Again

The polls are in. Two days after the deficit bill was passed, guess what, overwhelmingly the Democrats support the deal, and Republicans don't. Wait a minute, I thought that Democrats felt abandoned and Republicans emboldened? Wrong again. Where are you Americans for reason and truth?

There are Real Solutions

There are things that can be done to correct our course as a nation, but they won't get done because of our politics. Here are my suggestions:

1-Announce to the country that starting in 2020, all Social Security benefits will be reduced by 10 percent. People would have time to plan for this.

2-Beginning in 2018, 65 becomes the early age for collecting your benefit.

3-By executive order, the President instructs the Treasury Secretary immediately, to disburse funds to every state with a defined infrastructure need for the purpose of fixing and building. This is national emergency and the States would use Federal funds to hire the workers needed to complete the work.

4-Eliminate Medicare for all those Americans who earn 5 million dollars or more.

5-Sell enough gold to cover the next 5 years of interest payments on our debt so that the word default is eliminated from the vernacular of our politics.

6-The President should announce his support for a flat tax rate in this country. Eliminate all deductions. Set the rate at 15%. Reduce it to 10? in any year there is a surplus. Raise it to 20% in any year there is a deficit.

There are many more suggestions but Congress in on vacation and the President is campaigning. Where are you Americans for reason and truth?

It gets even worse

Just when you think it cannot get any worse, it does. Now that the debt ceiling bill has been passed and signed, it is evident that it neither controls spending nor stimulates the economy. While Congress patted itself on the back for reaching an agreement, it left town for 5 weeks without funding the FAA. 4000 workers are furloughed and the safety of flying, no matter what they may say, is less safe. More of the same. Yes, it can get worse. Where are you Americans for reason and truth?

An Alternative Analysis

As the Congress and the blogosphere debate the debt ceiling bill, enormous criticism continues to come from the tea party but also from the extreme left. Paul Krugman gave a scathing opinion of the legislation and slammed the President for caving to the right by supporting this. Here is an alternative analysis. The President originally agreed to 4 trillion dollars of deficit reduction. 2.8 trillion in cuts and 1.2 trillion in revenues. He even supported reforms in entitlement programs a very anti progressive stance, particularly from a Democratic President. Speaker Boehner walked away from this. What are we likely to get? A program without revenues but with cuts that are in total less than the original plan. We will get significant cutbacks in military spending, a debt ceiling increase that will hold until after the Presidential election and a required bipartisan committee charged with further debt negotiations. In essence, this legislation is actually less severe than that which the President skillfully agreed to earlier. Now, we have very little in terms of current economy killing draconian cuts, some time not to have to put the country through this debacle near term and an opportunity for serious debate over these same issues. In fact, our Government is likely to fail us again, but I think it is unfair for Democrats to blame the President for giving away the store. He did not. He lead the nation to support compromise and will get his revenues when the Bush cuts expire next year. He will be able to campaign against extending cuts for the rich and can veto any pre-emptive legislation presented to him as an election strategy. Obama thinks long term and is not given enough credit for doing so. If our legislators prolong this self inflicted agony this afternoon with a negative vote, it won't be just the tea party that hurts America, it will be my party as well. Where are you Americans for reason and truth?

Mutual Assured Destruction

During the Cold War, the Russians and Americans agreed that if they ever used their stockpile of nuclear weapons on each other, it would assure mutual destruction. This element of deterrence seemed to keep us safe from a nuclear attack. This term however, has taken on a whole new meaning not involving nuclear weapons or violence. It involves our elected officials. The way they are doing their job, whether they compromise or not is appalling. These people, have given new life to the notion of "Mutually Assured Destruction". We won't need bomb shelters, we will need Food Shelters. And no matter what you try to say or how to spin it, The Republican leadership has released this tragedy upon our country. Where are you Americans for reason and truth?

The Kentucky Schmuck

Harry Reid last year appropriately complained of the abuse by the Republicans regarding their use of the filibuster. Now Mitch McConnell is using the literal meaning of Reid's words to justify the filibustering of the Senate bill which if voted on could put an end to this fiasco. Reid complained that it has become difficult in the Senate because now every vote needs 60. McConnell knows what Reid meant but is playing his usual games. Can't give the President any cover. He has driven his poll numbers to 40 and Mitch won't be happy until they reach 10. There is no worse a person in our Government than he. The bill includes no revenues, 2.4 trillion in cuts, a two step approach to raising the debt ceiling and uses a McConnell recommended scam to do so. And still, he says NO. Where are you Americans for reason and truth. What a schmuck. All we need is 6 more reasonable Republicans to end the torture. Let's see who really cares.

Pizza

In my world, offer some pizza to someone and you get whatever you want. I guess ordering some pizza in Congress isn't enough to get things done. Too bad. Speaker Boehner went too heavy with the pepperoni I guess. Where are you Americans for reason and truth?

Congress Does Not Care About You

Your Congress does not care about you. They develop simple cliche talking points like "no new taxes". Sounds great. Tough to resist. You hear it, like it and continue to support anyone who says it. You never get the details or the real truth and they get your loyalty at the polls. This is what they want. Continued influence and power, not whether they are really doing something for you. Speaker Boehner had a compromise deal with the President, realized he couldn't get support from his caucus. As such, if he pushed too hard, Majority Leader Cantor would vie for the Speaker's job. Does Boehner do what is right? Nope. He caves and comes up with another plan that was hastily put together, filled with inaccurate numbers that now has to be re-written. He knows it will never make it to the President. He doesn't care about you, he cares about his job, not yours. Senate Minority Leader McConnell has an announced goal of defeating the President. He knows that compromise would be good for America, provide stability in the markets, keep us from the threat of default, but just as he seems reasonable, he says No. He wants to embarrass the President, even if it means default. He cares about his job, not about yours. These are dangerously complicated times and your Congress is playing Russian roulette with your finances, your job and your life. They do not care about you. Listen closely and be careful. Where are you Americans for reason and truth?

VETO

The ratings agencies have already denounced the Boehner plan as not being acceptable, thus causing a potential downgrade of our debt. Today the Republicans are trying to position the debate as if the President would veto a debt ceiling extension if it is temporary. The House plan will not pass the Senate anyway, so this is moot. The Reid Senate plan does not include any revenue. Liberals are abandoning the President and this is where we are. Hold on. Give him a little more credit. Suppose a Senate type version of the Reid plan makes it to the President and has no revenues. The President knows, that by doing nothing, the Bush tax rates expire in 2012. An expiration of these rates would mean revenue. The only way to avoid this, is if Congress passes an extension of these cuts and the President signs it. This would make Republicans go in to the election campaigning on tax breaks for the rich. Not a good strategy. If the President gets a bill to extend these cuts then this is when he uses the VETO. There is a lot of the story yet to write. Where are you Americans for reason and truth?

From the President's Playbook

On Friday when the debt ceiling talks broke down for the 7 trillionth time, President Obama made it to the lectern first. In an effective way he challenged politicians not to worry about some pledge they signed, not to worry about facing a primary challenge, not to worry about the next election. In the hours and days that followed, the public seemed to positively respond to these comments. The Republicans saw this and lo and behold, this morning's Republican attack dogs stole the strategy from Obama. Now the mantra is all about saying "President Obama is only looking toward the next election". What would a day be like without continuous vindictive, hateful rhetoric by the One Termers. Give me a break. Where are you Americans for reason and truth?

Selling Short

As our Government continues to show its inability to do anything that is good for the people, I suspect markets around the world will open down with some serious concern about the seriousness of the ineptitude of our Congress. These men and women, are deliberately refusing to work out a deal before the midnight hour causing concern amongst the middle class whose investment portfolios are designed to save their homes, pay for college and plan for retirement. Whereas the long term prospects may be better, short term people will be frightened and may make some irresponsbile decisions with their money, based on fear. The Congress does not care one bit for any of this, particularly the Republican extremists who have co-opted the moderates. Sell your Congress short. And, sell your portfolios short. These idiots just don't care about you.
Where are you Americans for reason and truth?

Who has his Back?

When George Bush was President, he had the unwavering support of his party for all his budgets and agenda items. Now we can argue pretty forcefully that his Presidency was an historic failure and be critical of the Republicans for supporting him, but in our two party system, we have the other guys to stand up and yell, maneuver and give the opposing point of view. The Republicans had Bush's back. President Obama is facing a barrage of opposition so severe, so critical and so hateful, that the irresponsibility of extremist Republicans holding the country hostage has made it almost impossible to do what the polls tell us the people want....compromise. I have some discomfort with giving away the store in the name of compromise, but it is true that unless all items are on the table for future discussion, getting the deficit under control would be more of a challenge and frankly, as the economy turns better and revenues and jobs increase on their own, much of this nonsense will whither on the vine. My point...now is not the time for Democrats to fight the President in the name of long standing principle, but to have his back. Abandoning and fighting him while the enemy forces continue their assault, will weaken the nation even more. Where are you Americans for reason and truth?

I am Getting a Migraine

Migraine headaches are no laughing matter. I have had one in my life, scary and unforgettable. Presidential candidate Michelle Bachmann, totally unqualified, eerily misinformed and totally incoherent with her pronouncements, disclosed today that she has migraine headaches. Any politician who tries and makes this an issue, is a big idiot. As much as Bachmann has moronic tendencies and scary viewpoints, her migraines are not a disqualifier. However, this whole national debate over the debt ceiling, supported 80 times in the last 20 years by Republicans and Democrats alike is giving me a huge one.
Where are you Americans for reason and truth?

Already Spent

Thankfully, there are two politicians, Bill Clinton and Dick Durban who have been honest enough to explain that raising the debt ceiling is done to honor obligations and spending already voted on by Congress. The attempts by Republicans to convince Americans that it has to do with future spending have been largely successful, but are just another example of the lies and distortions that haters of this President will go to in an effort to defeat him. The debt ceiling when raised, will actually be done to even honor some spending commitments made by the previous Republican dominated deficit increasing Bush Congresses. Where are you Americans for reason and truth?

Yes, Let's Ask America

The Tea Party members of Congress (boy do I hate that inaccurate reference and label) are holding the moderates hostage with this new scheme to cap spending and call for a Constitutional Amendment to balance the budget. They keep yelling "ask America" "let us decide". This simpleton logic may sound great on the campaign trail but what are we asking? I say ask America these questions and take a vote on your ridiculous notion:
-If a balanced budget requirement means cutting Medicare reimbursements do you support one if you are elderly and very sick?
-If we need to go to war but a balanced budget amendment keeps us from putting trained troops and quality weaponry in the field do you support one?
-If you truly believe that health care is a right and private insurance companies make it unaffordable, but government may be able to subsidize the costs making it affordable but cannot due to a balanced budget requirement,do you support it?
-If our bridges and roads continue to fall apart but a balanced budget amendment keeps government from providing the needed investments, do you support it?
-If all of the programs in place to help you and your families are cut, and you benefit by them but they cannot continue due to a balanced budget amendment, do you support it?
-If you lose your job and the government helps to support training and education to make you more marketable, helping you to find work, but these programs stop due to a balanced budget amendment, do you support it?
Ask Americans these questions and then drink your lousy tea. Where are you Americans for reason and truth?