September 7 2011 Republican debate recap

Just a few thoughts:

I'm not sure anyone is really too concerned on how many kids each of the candidates have.  "Sorry, girls, he's married."

I couldn't help but notice the general lack of flag lapel pins, once the hallmark of being a "true patriot".  Obviously these people are terrorists.  I never could tell what that huge thing was that Michele Bachmann had pinned on - maybe a really small Bible?

And what's with all the blue ties?  Really?  Only old school folks Newt Gingrich and special guest Nancy Reagan were caught wearing red - although Newt's was a rather muted shade.  Santorum wore a pink tie, which he has done a fair amount on the campaign trail.  Is he trying to tell us something regarding his homophobia?  It is vaguely triangular.

Being under that huge old Air Force One plane, I couldn't help think of the symbolism of flying an airplane into a building.  Funny that everyone on stage has to stare at the back end of it.  Probably an inside joke by Ronny.


Overall, I came away thinking that John Huntsman and Newt Gingrich were the most sane and reasonable candidates on the stage. That's a low bar.

For anyone who missed it:

"Blah, blah, blah Obama blah blah jobs blah blah Obamacare blah blah regulations blah blah economy blah blah me me me I me me I me blah America."

To be a Republican you need to believe

To be a Republican you need to believe

I have to love this list!

Bait and Switch, Smoke and Mirrors...

VOTER FRAUD!  Got  your attention?  Great.  Watch that hand while the other hand changes voter ID laws.

It sounds so logical when you say it - why shouldn't people have to show ID when they vote?  They have to show ID all the time!  True.

So what's the catch?  Now, the government in Wisconsin and Texas are changing some of the OTHER rules.  Wisconsin is shutting down motor vehicle departments in a number of heavier Democratic areas, while expanding the hours in others.  Texas is disallowing student ID's as a valid form of identification.  I can't ~imagine~ who that is going to impact.

I don't do magic, and I don't play enough chess, so I have to admit that I didn't see these nasty moves coming to surprise me.  I have to start playing more chess, and sharpening my slight of hand. Watch me pull legislation out of the hat.

Ignoring the will of the people

For years, I've been listening to cries from politicians on both sides of the aisle that Washington is ignoring "the will of the people".  At no time was that wailing loudest than when the Democratic majority congress and the President passed the Affordable Care Act.  Republicans at the time were wailing, gnashing their teeth, and tearing their sack cloth! 

Now, a large majority of Americans, including Republicans, support raising taxes on the wealthy.  Now the Republicans are where the rubber meets the road.  And now, just like the Democrats, the Republicans are going to leave skid marks from digging in rather than burn marks from moving forward.

Another BW (bit of wisdom) from WB (Warren Buffett)

Mr. Boehner -

Read this:  http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2010-11-21/warren-buffett-tells-abc-rich-people-should-pay-more-in-taxes.html

Sincerely,

A Not Rich Guy

Being Homeless is Expensive

This is really interesting.

Being Homeless is Expensive

A simple way to end budget defecits.

Warren Buffett has one solution: “I could end the deficit in 5 minutes. You just pass a law that says that anytime there is a deficit of more than 3% of GDP all sitting members of congress are ineligible for reelection.”

- I love this guy.

Where the heck are our congress members???

I confess - I don't watch CSPAN very often, but I think I need to start checking it occasionally.  Why?  Well, it seems like every time - and I mean EVERY time - I see a clip of someone in congress speaking, there's NO ONE else in the picture.  What's the point of someone from congress arguing a point if there's no one else there?  (Does the "tree fall in the forest" question spring to mind?)

There's all sorts of talk of changing rules for filibusters (did you know that they don't even have to stand there and speak?) and constitutional amendments for balancing the budget.  Why don't we have some rules that our representatives actually have to BE THERE TO REPRESENT US!?!

FIGHT AGAINST TRICKLE DOWN ECONOMICS

Millionaire individuals are NOT "job creators".  Quit SAYING that.  Stop it.  Letting a millionaire keep the tax break that they have had since the Bush cuts went into effect won't create more jobs.  Millionaires are only spending the money they need to spend.  Why would they spend more?

If you give people MORE MONEY AT THE BOTTOM, they will SPEND it, which will create DEMAND, which will then make businesses HIRE PEOPLE, which CREATES JOBS.  Then more people will have more money, which they will spend, etc.

Giving money to the top and hoping it works its way to the bottom has an old name - "Trickle Down Economics".  No one seems to use that phrase anymore, but that was the principal.  It didn't work.  It made the rich richer and the poor poorer.  No wonder the rich really like that plan.  And take note of who is most heartily defending it.

Contact your representative:
https://writerep.house.gov/writerep/welcome.shtml

Contact your senator:
http://www.senate.gov/general/contact_information/senators_cfm.cfm

Iowa may be flooded, but it's also burning

Oh my.  I can identify one admirable thing about Michelle Bachmann - she sure has been coached well.  Past that, she's a liar.  Liar, liar, pants on fire.  Lie about almost everything.  Lie about lying.  Wow.  Check out her recent performance on "Face the Nation" if you need an example.

Here's a good write up about it:  http://www.examiner.com/events-in-columbia/truth-be-told-michele-bachmann-is-a-lying-machine

Iowa is a great state.  My mother grew up there.  My parents when to school there.  My grandmother lived there most of her life.  But hey, there, Iowa - you need to wake up and realize that HONESTY is a critical factor in choosing a candidate.

Think, boys, think.

Somebody prove me wrong

Here's what I think - somebody prove me wrong:

1. Cutting taxes for small business owners will not create jobs.
 If a small business owner has more money from lower taxes, that does not mean that they will create jobs.  They will create jobs when demand on the business necessitates it, or when they perceive that expanding their business will equal demand.  Only a fool is going to create a job that isn't necessary to run their business.  Until demand goes up, there is no reason for the business owner to create a new job.

2. Cutting taxes for the wealthiest Americans will not create jobs.

For the sake of argument, let's define "wealthiest American" as someone who makes over a million dollars a year.  That person is probably already spending as much as they would like to spend.  If given more money, they will in general either increase savings or investment.  Increased savings does not create jobs.  Increased investment doesn't create jobs - rule #1 above applies generally to both small and large businesses where people would invest.  A "demand" for investments, on the other hand, leads to overinflated prices for investments - a bubble.  Collapse of the bubbles can be dramatically bad, as we've seen.

3.  Cutting taxes for the middle and lower class will create jobs.

Middle and lower income Americans generally have needs and desires that they cannot normally afford.  That might include spending more on the basics, such as food, clothing, transportation, shelter.  They will support charities, but only as possible in their means.  They forgo many luxury expenses such as travel that they cannot afford.  Given additional income in the form of lower taxes, middle and lower income Americans will likely save and invest less than they will spend.  Their spending will increase the demand for business.  Increased demand on businesses will spur job creation.  More people with jobs - the vast majority of which are in the middle and lower income levels - will put more money into the spending cycle.  At the same time, more income for businesses puts more money into the hands of business owners.

So how do we cut taxes for the lower and middle class Americans?  First, you increase taxes on the wealthiest Americans, and balance that with tax cuts for the lower and middle class Americans.  That's called "no tax increase" in the overall.   After the economy picks back up, you then increase select taxes for small businesses if necessary to then help cut the deficit.  Small businesses will have already reaped the benefit of the increase from the lower and middle class spending, and therefore a tax increase should be a neutral move.


Like I said, prove me wrong.  I'd like to know if I'm right.

Robert Reich Explains the Economy

Robert Reich Explains the Economy

Continue - how do we get a stronger middle class with more buying power. A few suggestions - raise wages. That's not a tax, folks, that's "sharing". Shift taxes - make the wealthiest percent of Americans pay more in tax. That will allow more buying, which gets more money to small business, which then makes more money, hires more people, etc.

Totally non-political and totally baseball

Just a quick post to say congratulations to Kevin Sprague, who has officially opened Strike Zone Baseball, www.strike-zonebaseball.com   If you are in the Shawnee area, or play at Johnson County 3&2 or Mid-America Baseball, check it out!

Obama Pledges to Not Extend Bush Tax Cuts Again

Obama Pledges to Not Extend Bush Tax Cuts Again

This is only reason folks. When the ship is going down, you stop the leak AND bail out the water. Can't do just one and keep it afloat.

Pants on Fire

I just have to share a few sites I love:

http://politicalirony.com/

http://www.politifact.com/truth-o-meter/rulings/pants-fire/


http://www.dailykos.com/



Have fun.

Santorum: After the "Weiner" thing, do you really think that's a good idea?

I don't know Rick Santorum, really.  I know his name, I know that he is a conservative Republican.  I know that he has made some statements that ~really~ upset the gay community.  That's about it.  And that may be all I get to know for now, despite the fact that he says that he is going to run for President.

For while I like to know the candidates, and I'm pretty open-minded to the idea of a new and better one, I don't think that I will ever get past the search results for "Santorum" in taking this guy seriously.  It's like a bad party joke, folks. Only those willing to live with the mental imagery consequences should try it.

Ultimately, I almost feel bad for the guy.  However, I'm fairly sure that he "made his own bed" (with whatever he prefers to do in it) and is now laying in the consequences.

5/8ths. Is that it?

I will never again refer to Sarah Palin as "Governor", or "former Governor", or "Gov.".  I added it up, and from now on I'll only refer to her as "5/8th former Governor", or "62.5% Governor", or perhaps my favorite,  "Partial-term Governor".  I might even refer to her time as Alaska's leader as a "Partial-term Govortion".

Why in the world would we give even 5/8th or our attention to Former Partial-term Governor Sarah Palin?  I guess I just did.  I want that back.

Going nowhere? Oops, guess I nailed your foot to the floor.

The Republicans are now pulling out their "new message": the Democratic-lead Senate hasn't gotten anything done.  Heck, they haven't passed a budget in just over 8 million years - just ask!  They complain that the senate is moving incredibly slowly and nothing gets done.  You can understand then John McCain's frustration since his attitude is reportedly "Pedal to the Metal".  But wait - which pedal is that?  Seems like the Republicans set out since losing in 2008 to do nothing but put on the brakes!

Google it for yourself:  http://www.google.com/search?q=senate+republicans+block

About 12,300,000 results - nuff said.  Read through the lists.  There's enough blockage there for roto rooter to singlehandedly restore the national economy if put to work on it.  Just goes to show that Harvey Dent must have been running as a Republican.

That's ripe

Sarah Palin participated in the "Ride For Freedom", an annual biker ride to commemorate veterans.  "I love that smell of emissions," Palin told Fox News at yesterday's rally.  Sarah - maybe the "emission" smell your thinking of is coming from your bullshit.  Just sayin', dontcha know.

Balance of Power

You'd think from the title of the post that I'd be ranting about politics.  Not this time...

I'm talking about Power - oil Power, gas Power, coal Power, electrical Power! Messages bombard us about Power.  Buy a Hybrid.  Go even further - buy an electric car.  Coal is America's power.  Natural gas is the way forward.  Cut our dependence on foreign oil.  If you have investments, you probably OWN an energy company.  (Really?)   Even "unplug your phone charger" because that wastes too much Power!

I try to do my part.  Wherever it's feasible, I've done "the conversion".  I'm using the squiggly cfl bulbs all over the place.  I'd guess that 90% of the bulbs in the house are low-energy at this point, especially in the areas where lights are on for long periods.  I turn up the thermostat in the summer to save energy (and money).  I turn down the heat in winter.  I put my phone charger on a power strip so I can turn it off during the day.  I haven't purchased a gas-saver vehicle yet, but it's not for desire - just lack of funds.

So what my problem?  CITY LIGHTS.

How come I drive around my area at night and it's lit like... what?  A Christmas tree?  Sure, especially around the strip malls, with bright blinking colorful lights which are on all night.  A runway?  You bet - I could walk down the major streets at 3am and read a book.  Whenever I'm out, I see at least one driver cruising along that doesn't even know they don't have their headlights on.  Usually more. 

Who is all that light meant to benefit?  There's not that many on the road at 3 in the morning. Who PAYS for all that light that goes to waste?  We do.  Higher power costs.  Higher retail costs.  Higher local, county, state, and federal budgets!

During WWII, there were "blackouts".  People covered up their windows with shades, the street lights went out, and people drove with little "slits" on their headlights so that we couldn't be found and bombed.  People survived. We probably don't have to go that far, but....

Can't we unscrew, unplug, turn off, whatever - just a few and save everyone, and the environment, some cost?

Now here's a natural Disaster

Eric Cantor, Republican House Majority Leader, wants to hold Joplin hostage for spending cuts.

As the Washington Times reports, Cantor said any aid would need to be offset by other spending cuts, “If there is support for a supplemental, it would be accompanied by support for having pay-fors to that supplemental.” 

The term “pay-fors” means either spending cuts or tax increases, and the Republicans have firmly stated that they would not pass any tax increases this year.

How about we figure out what Cantor's salary and the salary of his staff are worth!?!  OMG....

There are no "small parts", only small actors

Well, that didn't take long.  Spewer of the House Boehner (I think that's the right spelling - how am I supposed to know what to do with the "h"?) is quoted as saying that rejection of Paul Ryan's budget plan (with the "hand Medicare over to the insurance business" option) is only a "small part" of the Republican defeat in the New York house election.  http://thehill.com/homenews/house/163489-boehner-medicare-played-small-part-in-ny-loss

So why was Scott Brown an utter rejection of the Affordable Care Act (Obamacare)?

I think that at some point, the Republican led House passed a "Have It Both Ways" bill.  That could be misconstrued..... I hope it is.

My First blog post

Tired of annoying all my Facebook friends with political rant, I've decided to join the World of Blog.  Here, I can release whatever thought provoking thoughts I might have and if people choose to read it, well, that's their tough luck.

I tend on freak out on hypocrisy from all sides of the political spectrum.  However, my personal political leanings are to the left of center, and for some reason the stupidity tends to lean right of center, so there will likely be more "wow, did the Repulicans really say that?" moments than the contrary.

That's about it for now.  More to come as the need arises...