A Rhetoric of the Republicans is destroying the fiscal stability of the USA and its States.

The Congressional Budget Office stated of the Bush Tax Cuts for the Wealthy, "Extending the tax cuts for the 2011-2020 time period would add $3.3 trillion to the national debt, comprising $2.65 trillion in foregone tax revenue plus another $0.66 trillion for interest and debt service costs."

The Repuglicans, including the NEW ones, have painted themselves into a corner because 'their base' is limited in their commitment to party.  That is completely obvious in the viciousness of the primaries of 2010.  The Republicans cannot afford to lose that base and its extremism, so they are dragging the country into a fiscal spiral which will cause a greater recession.

Collective bargaining is not the enemy.  It has built the Middle Class and while there are issues surrounding the longevity of poor performing members of a union, those issues are in the minority.  It is not and never has been a union that has destroyed a company, it has always been the CEO and their demand for exorbitant bonuses that have destroyed Ameican companies, such as GM. 

...About 40,000 public-sector employees (click title to entry - thank you) crammed into the Wisconsin state Capitol and surrounding blocks in Madison Thursday, hoping to sway three Republican state senators to block a bill they say is designed to wipe out 50 years of union labor laws in the state.

“We’re fighting for our very existence,” says Mike Lipp, president of Madison Teachers Incorporated, representing 2,500 public school teachers in the city....

We know public employees are invaluable, a real bargin that is a bonus to our democracy.  There is no way the private sector could provide the services and economic base to an entire country that public employees provide today.  No different than SSI and Medicare, the public employees are a guarantee to a stable economy while the private sector runs out of control and requires bailouts.

This is not rhetoric, but, facts.

The very poor decision making of CEOs in recent decades that have finally awoken to the fact, if they don't hire Americans, they destroy their own market share along with the stability of the USA economy and democracy.

The Middle Class was built on organizing and union labor.  It is a fact.

If Republicans continue on the path of destroying the Middle Class, they will destroy their own country while Wall Street will have survived because the USA tax payer has bailed them out for the last time.  The Republicans are dividing the country into two classes, the wealthy and the poor and they are doing 'in the name of job creation.'

The wealthy need to pay taxes to balance budgets and return sanity to fiscal stability in the USA.  It is time for the States and Federal Government to 'own up to' the real fact, a strong Middle Class IS responsible for corporate profits and viability and the stability of the USA.  Corporate America should be grateful for a strong Middle Class and should support the growth of it at every turn.  Corporate America has contributed to the Greatest Democracy on Earth and they need to understand the dynamics they play in it and how vital unions are to the fiscal stability of 'their markets' and the country that has been the birth place of 'capitalism.'

There is nothing wrong with seeking to trim irresponsible spending, but, that isn't what is occurring in the House in DC or in the States now looking as though there are more amateurs at work after the 2010 elections are actually cutting into the fiscal stability of the 'base support' of the USA economy.

It can't be tolerated.  These Governors and House members are hurting the USA while they play politics with the extremists in the USA that elected them.  They are allowing the Elections of 2012 to dictate their actions at some of the highest offices in the land and it completely disgusting.

There is room for reform, but, not destruction.  The rhetoric that elected the amateurs and some are former corrupt captialist such as Snyder and Scott is destroying the fabric of the Middle Class and it has to stop.  The budgets in Florida and Wisconsin can be balanced through RESPONSIBLE spending reductions and increased taxes on the people and corporations that have achieved GROSSLY IMBALANCED 'bottom lines' and 'wind falls' while some many Americans have seen their hard work and dreams dissolve in front of them.

It is time to balance the budget of the States and Federal government in a meaningful way without 'the myth' of Republican rhetoric dominating the best interest of the nation and it's Middle Class.

Enough.  The Republicans may have won elections, but, they won due to elaborate lies and vast amounts of spending.  The Democrats and Middle Class have to stand up to the lies and set it straight.

Wisconsin Republicans seek coup against the Middle Class.

Wisconsin Senate Democrats seek to maintain rights of the Middle Class as they fall victim to incompetent Governor after Wall Street economic collapse of 2008.  Why do the taxpayers of the Middle Class ALWAYS have to carry the burden for runaway plutocracy backed by corrupt Republicans?

Thousands Protest Anti-Union Bill In Wisconsin (click here)

Measure Represents Most Aggressive Move Yet To Solve State Budget Problems

SCOTT BAUER, Associated Press

Posted: 3:05 am CST February 16, 2011Updated: 12:25 am CST February 17, 2011

...The new Republican governor, Scott Walker, is seeking passage of the nation's most aggressive anti-union proposal, which was moving swiftly through the GOP-led Legislature. The body's budget committee passed the bill on a partisan vote just before midnight, clearing the way for the Senate and Assembly to vote on it starting Thursday.

Several opponents in the crowd broke down into tears just before the committee's approval.

"I'm sad. Scared. Disappointed," Kelly Dzurick, a 31-year-old fifth-grade teacher in Elkhorn, said as she walked out of the rotunda when it was clear the committee would pass the bill. "Nobody's listening to what people say."

Democrats were unable to stop it.

"The story around the world is the rush to democracy," said Sen. Bob Jauch, D-Poplar. "The story in Wisconsin is the end of the democratic process."....

The Republicans AGAIN, no different than what is transpiring in New Jersey and next Michigan is seeking to destroy the Middle Class while cronies lavish in ill gotten profits and tax breaks!

Democratic Senators in Wisconsin have stopped the progress of one of the most draconian bills ever written to oppress and destroy the Middle Class.  They left the State of Wisconsin so there cannot be a quorum vote.

In Michigan, the known corruption of Rick Snyder is running a PR campaign asking retirees and soon to be retirees to give up their pensions to make room for employment of their children and grandchildren.

PATHETIC !!!!!!!!!

This is the best Republican Governors can do? 

INCOMPETENT !

Where is Secretary Boner today? Golfing?

Republicans (click title to entry - thank you) won sweeping victories last November by taunting Democrats with "Where are the jobs?" Democrats are now throwing those taunts back, saying it's Republicans who will knock thousands of Americans out of work with their demands for deep cuts in federal spending....

The Budget on the House floor today is a bit of a political football, isn't it?  They cut funding for 'Underpriviledged' while funding "Special Education" which to Repuglicans are the same thing.  Then the House has to turn around and REINTRODUCE another amendment that 'targets' Native Americans in Alaska and Hawaii.

Hello?

I am finding many of the amendments are 'political posturing' and not sincerely legislative goals and / or simply biogtry and bias 'unleashed.'

Shame on Boner and his two other muskateers for allowing such horse play with the nation.

I've got a problem with Secretary Gates approach to military spending cuts.

Not to understate the fact he has been one of the most progressive Secretarys of Defense in decades.  He has made profound and moving changes within the military while seeking concensus among the Joint Chiefs as well as enlisted.  This isn't about any of that.  I believe Secretary Gates has been remarkable in his administration. 

This is about 'over reaching.'  It is about 'the policy' of over reaching facilitated by the largest military and largest military budget in the world.

President Obama has achieved a Non-Proliferation Treaty with Russia when at one point the two countries were facing off over deployment of stategic missile defense at Russia borders.  If the USA wants to place strategic interceptor missiles of Iranian missiles than place them at Iranian borders or as close to them as we can get them, not Russian borders.  THAT threat should never have existed to global stability and / or world peace.

The Joint Chiefs are wonderful at finding 'expense' and removing it or lowering it.  So.  I have a challenge to them and to our departing Secretary of Defense. 

Don't just look for 'infrastructure' changes to reduce unnecessary spending. look for dangerous trends in deployment of USA assets that INCREASE global instability rather than reducing it.  Remove those assets without hesitating.  The 'foot print' of the USA military has to become less intrusive in its 'presence' and has to scale back to more of a defense force and not give the impression of 'attempting' global domination.

To say we have an invaluable relationship with friends such as South Korea of which our loyalities need to be maintained is important, but, at no time should China feel so threatened it needs to begin to rethink its relationship with the USA.  Nuclear Non-Proliferation should be practiced by every nation we have as an ally, including economic partners.

The 'threat' to Russia during the Bush / Cheney White House is more than any American should want to see in the capacity of their military.  The Russians were sincerely posturing for conflict and anyone that denies that is a fool.

I want the "Peace of Our Children" to be insured !

Florida cited 'ridership' as reason to reject train funding. How foolish is that?

Very foolish.

California bullet train backers want funds that Florida shunned  (click title to entry - thank you)

Florida Gov. Rick Scott rejected $2.4 billion in federal funds for a proposed high-speed line between Orlando and Tampa. Brown, Feinstein and Boxer say California would welcome the additional money.

By Rich Connell, Los Angeles Times

February 17, 2011

California bullet train supporters began angling Wednesday for a sizeable share of $2.4 billion in federal high-speed rail funding that Florida Gov. Rick Scott rejected.

Scott, a Republican, told reporters he didn't believe projections for a proposed high-speed train between Orlando and Tampa and feared Florida taxpayers would end up having to subsidize the service...

Someone want to tell Scott to wise up and begin construction of an advanced form of mass transit that can enhance not only the "Disney Experience" but also the tourism on the Gulf Coast of Florida?

As always, the 'independent transportation' cronies in the USA are behind the curve when it comes to alternative fuels, electric cars and mass transit.  Gas prices are increasing and when the summer comes around people won't have disposable income to travel to domestic destinations.  There has to be a better mass transit infrastructure that is both modern, efficient and reasonably priced to continue to support our service / tourism economy.  Build these trains now!

Core Inflation Edges Up in January  (click here)

02/17/11 - 08:59 AM EST

By Shanthi Bharatwaj

NEW YORK (TheStreet) -- Consumer prices edged slightly higher in January, as food and energy prices continue to climb, the Labor Department said Thursday....

I believe the 'Middle East Tensions' are overrated.  I sincerely believe the 'liberation movement' can be peaceful where current leadership seek a peaceful resolve to unrest.  Libya's al-Gaddafi, a Bedouin, is taking some of this in stride as he refers to the unrest as. "The Day of Anger."  Unless there are rock solid reports about interruption in oil exports from these countries I would not take this 'speculation' too seriously.

North Sea oil price near 2.5-yr. high on Mideast tension  (click here)

By Anna Yukhananov, Reuters

February 17, 2011 9:06 AM

Crude oil prices hold steady Thursday (click here)

Published: Feb. 17, 2011 at 10:12 AM

Officials in Egypt said Iran had canceled plans to send two warships through the Suez Canal. While that pointed to easing tensions, police and anti-government protesters clashed in Bahrain, leaving at least four dead, The Guardian reported.
On the New York Mercantile Exchange, March delivery light, sweet crude oil rose 8 cents to $85.07 per barrel. Home heating oil shed 0.86 cents to $2.7662 per gallon. Reformulated blendstock gasoline prices gained 0.45 cents to $2.5492 per gallon. Henry Hub natural gas prices shed 0.4 cents to $3.917 per million British thermal units....

LONDON - North Sea Brent crude oil steadied around $104 per barrel on Thursday, near a two-and-a-half-year high, as unrest in the Middle East and Israel-Iran tension stoked fears of a disruption of oil flows.
Bahrain police stormed a square in Manama, killing at least three people as protests in the Middle East and North Africa gathered pace, inspired by revolts in Tunisia and Egypt.
Clashes were reported in tightly controlled oil producer Libya, sandwiched between Egypt and Tunisia, while at least 40 were wounded in Yemen in the seventh day of demonstrations against the president's 32-year rule.
The dollar earlier hit a one-week low against a basket of currencies on worries over rising Middle East tension....

There are a lot of reasons for speculators to scream at the top of their lungs that supplies will diminish, including, intimidation of Canada and their environmental assault with oil sands.  Wall Street extremsists are like waging war.  They drop bombs on economic speculation all the time just to claim profits on a daily basis they weren't ever enttitled to in the first place.  Sound familiar?  REAL ESTATE bargaining?  Everyone knows what happens afterward. the 'less sophisticated' otherwise known as 'investors' are left holding the bag or crying for a government bailout.

I believe the House processes have gotten to be a bit ungainly.

...The lawmakers, taking advantage of House Speaker John Boehner’s promises to allow a free-flowing debate, offered more than 400 amendments to the proposed budget measure. The amendments included spending cuts for foreign aid, farm subsidies and the Environmental Protection Agency. Another would bar the Pentagon from sponsoring Nascar races....

I don't believe we need to be sponsoring Nascar races.  That started under Bush.  It was an attempt 'popularize' the military and spur enlistment in an all voluntary military.  I find it offensive because it 'targets' perspective recruits from a 'segment' of the populous.  Why should Nascar fans be subjected to more advertisement than any other of the people of the USA.  Perhaps Nascar fans make better soldiers or something.

But, the 'idea' that 'The Fivc Minute Rule" is going to carry 'justice' to debate for the country is a bit silly.  There is a reason why there is a Minority Leader and Speaker.  Aren't these two people talking about legislation coming to the House floor?  400 amendments.  I find that too amateurish to have confidence in the current House and its leadership.

The spending bill cuts domestic measures while increasing the military budget.  That is outrageous.  The people of this nation is less important than making war. 

The NEW Republicans Party is hardly new.

The most hideous question of the day came from Ed Henry yesterday.

Ready for this? 

Typical igorance about the 'sincere power' of the USA.

The question to the President of the USA was, "Do you believe in freedom or freedom that protects American interests?"

What he should have asked was, "Mr. President, do you feel the shift in government in Egypt is a threat to USA interests in the region?"

That is what the question should have been, but, typical of the arrogance of Americans Henry actually thought there was a CHOICE inthe type of freedom the USA can offer to other countries that are allies.

That is what is so outrageous about many of the points of view of the Right Wing when they put 'their arrogance out there.'  They actually believe that 'Superpower' means we are in control of the entire structure of any international stability.  AND, to believe the USA has the right to demand everything work at the whim of 'USA interests.'

Amazing.

What is occurring in the Middle East is a 'movement.'  It is grassroots and it is not being directed by anyone except those involved seeking resolve to their 'frustrations' with their current methods of governments which governs without compassion.

Perhaps, Mr. Henry and the morons of that 'lean' Right should think of it this way.  With "W" in the White House was the USA in control of its interests on September 11, 2001?  Some 'truthers' would say yes.  What would Henry say?

Speaker Boner is looking at spending cuts that protect our planet, the Middle Class and the Poor?

Really?

Discretionary spending is a small aspect to the USA annual budget.  There is absolutely NO changes to Medicare, Medicaid, Social Security and Discretionary Spending UNTIL the USA Military Spending is REDUCED, REAL and REASONABLE.

Boner and his House Republicans simply doesn't 'get it.' 

The discretionary spending currently 'in place' is bolstering a delicate economy.  Medicare and Social Security is currently 'the rock solid' basis of the USA economy that is unwavering.  If SSI and Medicare did not exist in 2008, the USA would be far less than solvent.  SSI and Medicare is THE LAST place cuts will occur for the ecoomic stability it provides to the economy.

The Deficit and Debt is a GROSSLY different topic than the USA economy.  While they are engaged in 'dynamics' together, the 'stability' of the economy has to come first at this point in time.  Otherwise, the economy implodes and the discussion is hideous.

The Affordable Care Act provides for IMMEDIATE savings to the USA Treasury in the billions.

...The health care law that Obama (click here) signed in March phases out extra payments for Medicare Advantage plans and institutes other rules for the program. Generally speaking, the extra payments phase out over the next three to six years. In a few cases, plans will be able to keep current funding if they qualify for special bonuses. The measure is expected to save $136 billion over 10 years...
The Affordable Care Act provides incentives and support to improve the 'patient - physician ratio' in the USA.  If one wants to intelligently address 'health care rationing' we can start with the 'patient-physican ratio' and how that effects the QUALITY of care.  So, the 'Republicans' private insurance initiatives have been 'at work' in the USA for the past two decades and it DOES NOT provide incentives and supports to improve the 'patient-physician ratio.'  The truth is the 'private health insurance' initiative of the past two decades destroyed a healthy 'patient-physician ratio,' limited care, refused necessary health care procedures, was unaffordable and increasingly so and killed CITIZENS of this country.

Now, if the House Republicans are serious about maintaining the USA in 'good integrity' while the economy recovers they need to stop the rhetoric and 'get back to governing.' 

Entitlements have to be carefully adjusted, but, there are PRIORITIES and the 'cuts' comes FIRST to the Military.  The USA military budget is grossly out of control and is equal to the sum of all other military  budgets globally.  When that is brought under control, the entitlements can be addressed and permanently.  Until then the discretionary spending has to maintain its status currently because it is supporting a recovering economy and there is no room for failure or a return to recession at this point in any increment.

The troops are being deployed back to the USA starting July of this year and that is a very good beginning.  By every estimation there is peace coming to the Middle East and Nuclear Non-Proliferation is on track.

Questions?

"Morning Papers" - Its Origins

The Rooster
"Okeydoke"

Good Night, Moon

Waxing Gibbons

78% of Full

Sunday, February 13, 2011

Whatever happened to American wholesomeness?

I think the bathing suit is a little silly for the year 2010, but, it conveys an 'idea' of how far off track this society is with values that work for us. 

Achievement is a lifestyle.  I don't like the pre-occupations of American television these days.  Seriously.  I don't watch any of these shows, but, know others that have and quite frankly, I wouldn't have them for friends.  No word of a lie.

Life is about joy, living and celebration. 

How did we go so far astray and that is how I see it. 

One other thing.  Is it too costly in the USA to be fit and active? 

Legalize it? Really?

I don't know (click here) much about it's status but necrophilia shouln't be criminal. It's disgusting, but unless you can identify a victim there's no cause to criminalize it.
-There are legal ways of obtaining a corpse, family pets being just one....

I don't really consider 'a movie' such as "Wolfman" to be in the same category as the television intrusion.

Feature length films are choices.  They don't come into the living room of Americans.  They are story lines about sci-fi characters.  Movies are removed from the intimacy of the home environment.  Not in the same class as the necrophilia that exists today in television programming.

Do we have too?

This isn't even Halloween costumes. 
There are some of the most morbid clothing for children on the market these days than I have ever witnessed. 

Do we have too? 

There is an entire vampire culture in the USA and is has a sexual basis to it.

Vampires are about 'the living dead.'  They are about blood feedings and corpse.

This doesn't come close to "Buffy the Vampire Killer" or the classic "Bram Stoker's Dracula." 

What are the social upticks to this mess?

What?  No toe tags?

"Ben Casey" was never like this.

Corpse galore, within every story line. 

Amazing.

Oddly, the fascination with corpse ends with abortion. Or so it would seem.

This is not a baby.  It is fetal tissue.  For all we know it could be a miscarriage.

The Focus on the Family shows claim abortion is accepted in the USA because of a 'culture of death.'  How convenient.  "Lie to Me" is a Murdoch production.  But, to point to a 'culture of death' in the USA as a reason for abortion is about as moronic as the statement Focus made regarding abortion causing high joblessness rates.  No word of a lie.  Focus on the Family stated over the radio waves that if there was no abortion the USA would not have joblessness today.  The reasoning behind it is all those abortions would be consumers of services and would also require jobs.  Focus stated, there would be 24 - 7 car production at every car manufacturer in the USA if abotion was outlawed.

Okay.  Then why are the China and India lagging in quality of life?  Low wages?  Ah, huh?  The 'standard' that high populations in a society will guarantee high employment and economic boom doesn't track.  Anyone want to explain 'credit default swaps' to the Focus folks?  They might want to review The Great Depression as well.

When do the sensibilities of the American woman stop?  Abortion decisions are complicated and individual.  Knock it off.  It is legal in the USA and existed long before necrophilia was a fetish on every television channel in the country.

"Lie to Me" - About the phoniest mess I have ever witnessed.

Here again, government authority is a weighty issue within this private business concern.  Of course, the private business is better at anything than the government.  Laced chronically with death, suicide, etc.  The entire 'premise' to this 'fiction' is very poorly founded in 'concrete science.'  It is mostly conjecture and intimidation that leads to success in the story line.  I remember when Bill O'Reilly was giving lessons on reading body languge.  Really?  It was primarily to distract citizens from actually listening to their President, but, to seek a 'greater and fool-proof reading' of any body language. 

Weird. 

Really, really weird.

I am fairly convinced there is a significant segment of the populous of American preoccupied with...

NCIS

Graphic dissections, mystery, sexy technology geeks and romance.  The characters are also isolated except for 'the sexual intrigue.'  Abby has no identity outside the lab.  Ducky is always found sculpting a corpse.  These characters don't have depth to define them, they are 'anyone' to the audience.  The 'neotany' of these characters is extreme. 

g