I am happy the former President is finding energy in participating in his own economic campaign, but, it is the same old corrupt paradigm and we don't need it.

The project has a book published call "The 4% Solution." It is very Republican, it is very rhetorical and it won't work.


The 4% Project with its red covered solution guide (the color of communists) is more of the same. It is a pie in the sky 'big idea' for Republicans to tout as 'the definitive answer' to all the problems of the USA.


We now know what the big pow-wow with Dick and George was for disguised as a Romney fundraiser. It wasn't about supporting Romney, it was about promoting their own solution that will serve to increase their personal wealth. Romney is to proctor the new economy according to Bush/Cheney and the dream machine to have the good old days back again.


I would like to think the Old Regime is acting out of guilt for the damage of their past administration, but, they have no guilt, they have no remorse and this is about expanding personal wealth.


I just can't wait for Neil Bush to return from China with his new woman to bring this solution to reality, can you?


The problems the USA has is profound. It is not competitive anymore because of the damage done to our educational system among other things for a decade of bad ideas. The red book guide to 4% Chinese growth in the USA does not address the need to bring back the competitive edge of the USA, it simply adds more poor paying jobs to the USA economy while calling it progress.


Grateful for a new heart, does Cheney go fishing? No. Does he take gun lessons on safe operation when in the company of others? No. 


No, he sure doesn't. He simply engaged in "The Empire Strikes Back." Seriously. Did Darth Vader every change his ways? No. Did he ever apologize to Luke for all the problems he caused while seeking to annihilate populations of people? No. So, why expect something civilized from Richard Cheney.


Where did Darth Cheney make his first stop after some fund raising? Capital Hill where anyone would expect to find a Heart Transplant patient. And what exactly was he doing on Capital Hill? Besides a lunch paid for by others. Was he promoting the bill regarding the benefits of transplants in gratitude for his new lease on life? No. Was he seeking to make the world a safer place from the Climate Crisis? No. Was he asking to have the President demand a Peace Treaty from every nation in the world? No. He was looking to increase the military budget of the USA Defense Department. Now, that is what I call a walking miracle that sincerely learned how precious life actually is, wouldn't you say?

Dick Cheney offers the GOP familiar advice on spending (click here)

By Dana Milbank

Dick Cheney has not had a change of heart.

The former vice president, the reinvigorated new owner of a transplanted ticker, went to Capitol Hill on Tuesday to advise Republicans on budget strategy as Washington heads for the “fiscal cliff.” And Cheney’s message hadn’t changed a bit since the days, early in the George W. Bush administration, when he told the Treasury secretary not to worry about deficits....

The ideologues want junior Senator Marco Rubio.

According to Hannity's guest yesterday the "Party" wants to have a 10 point bounce coming out of the GOP Convention. The ideologues are convinced if Rubio was the Vice President nominee to run with Romney they would get a 10 point spike out of the convention, the same as Clinton after his convention.


They can dream, can't they? Oh, wait. No, they can't, they don't like The Dream Act.

10 Years Of Marco Rubio's Tax Returns (click here)

The Senator from Florida and possible vice president pick released his tax returns from 2000-2009 during his 2010 run for the Senate, but they're no longer available on his campaign website. News organizations noted in 2010 that his wealth increased along with his power during his time in the Florida House of Representatives. Rubio joins Senator Scott Brown among Romney allies who have released many more years of tax returns than the nominee....

This is typical of the GOP. They consume anyone in the area to provide a good 'stimulus' to a weak ticket. They have the history of doing so and this is no different. 

Senator Rubio should have his own aspirations because I believe he is very talented and dedicated and why he dare not go against the Tea Party. Given another six to ten years, Senator Rubio will be ready to make his own run for President as a Republican candidate. But, due to the fact every election to the GOP is a desperate election to save the country from being taken over from the inside, ie: communists, any covert conspiracy of the day, etc., they destroy careers of some of their most new and junior members.

Rather than asking its members what their aspirations are for their career, the GOP believes every Republican should 'toe the line' and be at the disposal of their agenda to win no matter the price to the candidate in the long run. Every time the GOP has leaned on a junior member to run for the Vice Presidency their career is over. It can be pointed to over and over. These GOP members are inexperienced in a way the Presidency demands. 


Well. We'll see what the mistake is this year, but, I sincerely hope, while flattering to ask to be a nominee to run for Vice President, the choice will be one that is actually ready to be President.

Losses to farmers from historic drought due to the Climate Crisis.

Farmers across the United States (click title to entry - thank you) hoped for rain in July 2012 as a drought of historic proportions parched key commodity crops, including corn, soybeans, and wheat. On July 11, the United States Department of Agricultureannounced that more than 1,000 counties in 26 states qualified as natural disaster areas—the largest total area ever declared a disaster zone by the agency....


The Drought Monitor and this NASA photograph were rendered the same day. The effects of the drought is more than obvious. The lack of action by the USA Congress to due to Republican priorities in regard to climate is more than obvious.


Drought is a long term problem. This is not something that happened over night or in the last few months. Every USA agency and environmental interest in the country has been speaking to this for years if not decades.

Drought worsens crop damage, raising world food, fuel worry (click here) 

July 16, 2012|Andrew Stern | Reuters

CHICAGO (Reuters) - Corn and soybeans in the U.S. Midwest baked in an unrelenting heat wave on Monday with fears rising of big crop losses that will boost food and fuel prices and cut exports and aid from the world's top shipper of the key crops.

The condition of the nation's corn and soybeans as of Sunday deteriorated even more than grain traders had feared, and the U.S. Agriculture Department cuts its weekly corn crop condition rating by the biggest amount in nearly a decade.

Health Hazards of Heat Waves, Wildfires, and Other Extreme Weather (click here)

Posted July 17, 2012

...tens of millions of people are vulnerable to extreme heat.

Now that climate change is making potent heat waves more commonplace, these numbers will only continue to rise. NRDC recently released a report concluding that an additional 33,000 heat-related deaths will occur by 2050 as a result of climate change.

The summer of 2012 has already delivered one record-breaking event after another, from wildfires to freak storms. This barrage of destruction has prompted more meteorologists and mainstream media outlets to finally make the connection between extreme weather and climate change.

But in the midst of all the intense coverage, a quieter, more personal story has been lost: the many ways extreme weather threatens our health....

Seasonal firefighters win federal health benefits (click here)

July 17, 2012

WASHINGTON—The White House says about 8,000 temporary firefighters and their families will get access to federal health insurance following a petition drive bolstered by this year's historic fire season in the West.

President Barack Obama says the nation has been inspired by the heroism of firefighters battling deadly wildfires this summer. Obama says he has directed his administration to ensure the firefighters "can count on the care and protection they need."

The temporary firefighters weren't covered by federal health insurance because under federal rules, temporary seasonal employees can't buy into federal insurance plans.

Members of a South Dakota-based hotshot crew who fought wildfires this year launched a petition drive seeking the health benefits and gathered more than 125,000 signatures.

The cost of an unaddressed Climate Crisis is high and this is only two locations. 

Insurers estimate Colo. fire damage $449.7M (click here)

Posted: Jul 17, 2012 12:03 PM by Kirsten Bennett 
Updated: Jul 17, 2012 12:32 PM

DENVER (AP) - Insurers estimate that Colorado wildfires that destroyed over 600 homes are responsible for at least $449.7 million in damage.

The figure released Tuesday by the Rocky Mountain Insurance Information Association is based on claims filed so far for houses lost at the High Park Fire in Larimer County and the Waldo Canyon Fire in Colorado Springs. It also includes claims for personal belongings and cars lost and living expenses in the fires' aftermath but not commercial losses. It's expected to grow as claims are processed.
Waldo Canyon accounted for the bulk at $352.6 million while High Park homeowners have filed for $97.1 million in damages.
Association spokeswoman Carole Walker said there were more homes without insurance and a greater variety of property values in the High Park burn area than in Colorado Springs.

Is Romney a criminal? Does he have a character issue?

I don't think anyone knows enough to say yes or no about the criminal allogations. And by the way the Obama Campaign never made the allogations he was a criminal. They pointed to the fact 'Two Truths Cannot' exist at the same time. 


There needs to be "Subpoena duces tecum."


There are not sworn statements. 


Basically, there is no accountability that matters by the Romney campaign to quiet the call for proof of his activities with Bain Capital to justify the deception occurring during the years he claims his focus was the Olympics. He obviously deceived people. He stated officially he was the sole owner, CEO and President of Bain Capital while designating a management committee to act in his interests. He could have gone back to Bain at any point in time during those three years he claims he was 'completely absent' from decisions of the company.


Does he continue to have a character issue?  Did he ever stop having a character issue is the question? No, he never has stopped having a character issue. He was more than happy to elevate his image away from being a ruthless business man by affiliating with the 2002 Olympics. But, what sincerely reveals his character is the fact he did not discern the brutality in Burma when he outsourced the Olympic uniforms. He never took humanity into account. He never took objections raised at the time based in humanity into account. THAT fact cannot be disputed.


I my opinion the realization he didn't care about the people of Burma and only the bottom line of 'making ends meet' for the Olympics speaks to his success with his company Bain Capital. He makes decisions based on profit, not values of the human condition and quality of life. He has no problem outsourcing jobs to dirt cheap labor under the oppression of a dictatorship.


..."When I looked at the label for the uniform, I went nuts," (click title to entry - thank you) one former torchbearer tells the Guardian. "When you are sending work representing the US to a military dictatorship, I have an issue with that." After receiving more than a thousand emails protesting the uniforms, the Salt Lake Organizing Committee offered this bizarre response: "The torch relay clothes were NOT made in Burma. They were manufactured in Myanmar." The committee apologized after activists pointed out that Burma and Myanmar are the same country....


Olympic CEO, Willard Mitt Romney never embraced the profound purpose of the Olympics, he only saw dollar signs and personal political gains.


The Olympics are steeped in all kinds of symbolism. The Olympic Rings were first displayed in 1920 at the Antwerp games. The symbol represent the five continents participating in the games. The rings aren't standing alone, they are intertwined. The symbol is about coming together. World War I ended in 1918. This is an expression of peace and the fact people can come together over a common idea to act in competition against each other while seeking greatness. 


To the left is the symbol of the 2002 Olympics. I suppose. But, tell me what the heck that symbol is pre-empting the Olympic Rings without their colors. Below to the right is the London Games symbol. There is no comparison. The spirit of the games is upheld. I can only hope the scrutiny of all the London games can hold up to its purpose and goals. 


The Olympics isn't just about great athletes. Olympic athletes are the best their countries can send to compete. There are plenty of international competitions for the same athletes, but, none have the esteem and importance of the Olympics.


The point is when Romney was CEO of the Olympics he didn't uphold the values of the Olympics. Burma was a brutal dictatorship, yet he allowed that dynamic to apply to the business of the 2002 Olympics. The Olympics are not about brutal dictatorships, it is about dissolving that paradigm and upholding the integrity of THE BEST VALUES of each participating country.



There is no doubt Willard Mitt Romney made financial ends meet for the 2002 Olympics after the attacks of September 11, 2001. But, to realize he didn't care about how that happened while American soldiers were fighting terrorists seeking to impose oppressive dictatorships over free countries is outrageous. 


Mitt Romney is Wall Street. He is Wall Street through and through and he is not trustworthy both in the methods he upholds American values, defends those values and portrays his authority to every extreme allowed by law with his relationship with Bain from 1999 forward.


Now, his answer to imposing his political flag waving is to go to London so Americans can view his once authority in Utah. I doubt he'll be finding people from America on a rope line for his political campaign in London. But, hey, he thinks being in London at the Olympics is a political strength of his campaign. Really?

I can't believe this has gone on for seven years. This is a flood plain. People should not be living there.

Published: July 16, 2012 Updated 7 hours ago


...An Associated Press examination (click title to entry - thank you) of the properties sold to the government by homeowners New Orleans after the catastrophic 2005 flood has found that about $86 million has been spent on 5,100 abandoned parcels. And there's no end in sight to maintenance costs for perhaps most of the 3,100 properties that remain unsold....


Over 1100  people died during Katrina. That isn't enough for everyone? The people that sold their homes were wise to do it, but, the lingering reality of the devastation of the city and its people needs to stop.  


New Orleans Ninth District was never respected as a dangerous reality. For as long as I can remember New Orleans sank due to oil and gas drilling. At the time of Katrina the sinking was 20 feet, more in some places. The city knew they were vulnerable and "The Big One" was considered folk lore by elected officials outside of the city'a Mayor. 


Then reality came to visit and Katrina was that storm no one ever planned for except to place axes in their attics. The plan was that as the flood waters rose the people, the poor people of the Ninth Ward would hack through their roofs and escape to survive. That is exactly what occurred.


The Wetlands were devastated by the petroleum ships. The wetlands were not there to stop/tame the storm surge. So, Katrina delivered flood waters reaching 20 or move feet high. Those that lived through the storm in the Ninth Ward were amazing. They carried out the plan Mayor Ray Nagin helped instill for survival and they lived. He should be proud of that fact. It is a fact that the federal government didn't care about them and never enforced environmental protections to stop flood waters. There was never wetlands restoration. Governors, even today, that see the oil industry as necessary never considered those people important. Yet, billions of dollars US were spent on the after math.


It is time to let go. These lands are not safe. People have moved on and it is time to realize the pain is over and the healing has taken place as best it can. 


The abandoned houses in the flood zone that are a problem for police should be bulldozed. The driveways and roads jack hammered to be impassible for drug activity, electric polls and lines removed and secured from the area to make it safe. And water mains shut off along with the removal of fire plugs. Then let the natural world take over. There is no reason to continue to hold on to lands that are too dangerous for homes. Katrina was right, it is time to give it up.