Hey. The markets aren't getting it right says the political Right Wing of the USA!

At 4:04 PM ET: (click title to entry - thank you) The major averages closed sharply lower today as declining issues outpaced advancing issues on the NYSE by 3.7 to 1. The S.&P. 500 index fell 32.89 points or2.56% to finish at 1,254.05


While the USA Republicans scratch their heads over the bewildering dropping markets in the world as they received 98% of what they wanted according to House Speaker Boner, that lie alone is enough to send most BEARS running for cover.


Now is not the time for Bulls in the market.  It just isn't.


The Debt Ceiling Circus conducted by the Right Wing of the USA House of Representatives was more than the global markets could withstand in the biggest scare since October of 2008.  No one can ask investors to do that all over again.  Their confidence in any possible recovery around the globe has been sharply shaken.  More shaken than the earthquake and resultant tsunami in Japan.  No lie.  The circus in the USA House was terrible when considering this wasn't about policy, it was about ideology.  Policy everyone understands, ideology is stupid.  


Perhaps to realize the anger the global community is reacting to comes best from the Prime Minister of Russia.


"The US is a Parasite (click here)

Aug. 1 2011 - 11:34 pm

 2,471 views

Russian prime minister Vladimir Putin said the US was a “parasite” on the world economy, newsire Ria Novosti reported Monday.

Speaking at a Russian political youth camp, Putin said the US consumer relies too much on debt. The country “lives beyond its means, taxing the global economy with its problems and living like a parasite off the global economy and the monopoly of the dollar,” he said.

At the same time, Putin said the US took a “balanced” decision regarding the debt ceiling and noted that without Washington’s approval of the budget bill, the world economy would have stalled.

I believe the financial markets are beginning to come to terms with a paradigm shift.  It is coming because the USA is still again proving it is a juvenile in its political content and not an adult.  


Personally, Russia may be frustrated with the USA and its 'above it all' shenanigans but in all honesty in realizing Russia and China purchase USA Bonds and Notes for their stability, the USE of those foreign monies in foreign affairs has be made these two communist giants angry.  The truth of the matter is the monies China and Russia pour into US securities could be used by them to conduct their own foreign policy rather than US foreign policy.  Those monies are coming into the coffers of the USA and distributed globally to promote US policy abroad.  China and Russia if they withheld their 'interest' in US securities could promote their own foreign policy rather than allowing US foreign policy to dominate the global content.


To some extent, that is echoed in the Russian Prime Minister's statement.  BUT, Russia is always more interested in stable states rather than instability and owning a 'piece of the US' is also reassuring to their policies with the US.  It provides continuity in the dealings with the USA when a country is a 'percentage' shareholder in its policy.


So, that said, the hideous Big Top covering the Capital Dome on the House side has seriously shaken the confidence in global markets and that is still reflected in the Asian markets that opened a short time ago.  This is more than an 'adjustment' to the global economy due to a 'rough ride.'  It is a PUSH toward finding better solutions for the use of 'CAPITAL' in the world.  I seriously believe with such a earth rattling event as what occurred in DC over the past three months the global monetary system is in serious trouble. 

This is one very interesting asteroid. Vesta. But, another time, the debt ceiling law.

About Vesta (click title to entry - thank you).  One has to wonder if the equator is a clear delineation of either gravity or composition of the asteroid.  Possibly both but harder physical elements tend to be heavier and dense then not.    Fascinating to realize this asteroid could lead to a greater understanding of the universe's origin.  Hm.


But, as to President Obama, he did rather well and so did the Democrats.  No one should underestimate the battle ensued by the Democrats elected to the Senate and the House.  They were wonderful.  


Hey, President Obama finally got his bi-partisan vote after 2 and a half years of trying.  Good for him.  I think the Republicans that voted with Democrats were equally as scared of the Tea Baggers, but, that is another discussion.


As to the Debt Ceiling Law.  


The obvious is the President is off the hook for lacking the will to bring about over $4 Trillion in debt reductions to satisfy the credit rating agencies.  The full burden for that falls squarely on Republican failures to reach beyond their ideology.


I also believe President Obama will outline his 'Grand Plan" or deal or whatever they called it in a way throughout the next year and a half to achieve $4 Trillion in debt reductions anyway, so, with that let me begin.


The 'pivotal' event in the new law is a committee of twelve people, all elected, six from each party.  There is 'inherent' understanding about the definition of a committee that dictates cooperation, so if there is a failure on either party it is their failure and not the collective members of the committee.  The Republicans are promising an impasse already and for absolutely no reason except political.  If it isn't obvious to the American people this law is completely political in its origins and purpose than I don't know what should be.  For that reason, the 'handling' of the choice of committee members has to be somewhat mutual so this is what I propose as a member of the citizens the President called on to bring pressure to Congress.


Both parties should come up with six candidates each of those they would want to be on a committee that would safeguard their political interests, which in the Democrats caucus, would mean safeguarding the entitlements, education and the health of the country beside agenda items proven helpful to the American people.  Of that 'Dream Team' list it should be submitted to the opposite caucus.  Democrats would submit their six favorites to the Republican caucus and the Republicans would submit their six members to the committee.  Of those six chosen three can be eliminated by the opposite caucus.  It doesn't have to be written into the bill to do this.  Is is between two caucuses in the country and ground rules and the room and the table and the chairs can be decided within that authority.  Again, there are 'inherent' understandings to all of this law and if either caucus doesn't nail down those 'inherent' definitions from the beginning then they will never achieve an agreement.


Once three have been eliminated by the opposite caucus, the same caucus must draw up their list of potential committee members from the opposite caucus and the remaining vacancies can then be filled by those chosen by the opposite caucus.  At the end of the brief process the committee will have been formed by consensus so there can be no 'in fighting' as to whom became part of the committee or as to why.  I would suggest for every vacancy up to three there should be two Democrats chosen by the Republicans to submit back to the Democrats for decision.  At same would hold true for Republicans.  If there are three Republicans removed from the delegates to the committee by the Democrats than there needs to be six other Republicans chosen by the Democrats to submit to the Republicans for decision.  At the end of this process there will be three from the extremes and most likely three from the middle of both parties and that would leave a majority of six delegates to the committee as moderates.  The three each from the extremes are there to balance the middle in their decisions as the extremes will bring 'information' more than any reason to vote on reforms.  Sort of like advisers to the committee so as to not leave any agenda item of any caucus without representation.


This process will eliminate extremist majority from either caucus and place the moderates, which is where Independent Voters live, in the best outcomes for all.


Now, to the work at hand.


By November the committee of twelve will have to have completed their work.  Enough time, if not sufficient, given there will be other responsibilities these committee members will have both in a general assembly of the House and Senate and on their committees they always serve on.  The work has to be intense, to the point and void of obstructionism.  There is sincerely no time for that mess.


If there are protracted debates from outside sources than the committee itself the process will be tainted so the committee needs to limit its conclusions until finished.  This is a blind process as there will be no Public Comment Period.  It is unfortunate, but, also fortunate because lobbyists are completely eliminated in a 'CLOSED COMMITTEE' with a final decision published upon their completion.  There is no Congressional vote about this either.  This is strictly to remove 'cost' to the current national debt.  The committee's work is vital and final.  It is slightly un...NO...it is very undemocratic EXCEPT it was agreed upon by elected majorities in both the House and Senate.  This is different than normal committee work these legislators are used to, so I suggest they be seasoned and able to come to their final decisions with clear authority.  I don't believe this committee is a place for Freshman of either party.  These folks have to know what they are doing.  I will say this, with such elite powers as this committee contains there is a strong possibility as soon as it concluded and published there will be lawsuits that will make it to the Supreme Court for its lack of transparency alone.  This committee is not going to be doing popular work from either party.


Then come the decisions.


The committee process will fall apart if the committee members are difficult to work with.  The 'default' parameters will kick in and I am happy about it.  So, the Democrats have nothing in this measure that will cause any Democrat a moment's worry.  This is profoundly wonderful new to any 'default' finding.  A clear one half of something like $1.5 Trillion will have to come from the military.  I am all about that and I congratulate the committee if they can't come to an agreement.  THAT, while SSI, Medicare and Medicaid are protected.  NOooooooo Problem.


I am down with that.  


Now, these measures don't start until 2013.  Inherent to the committees work is a clear understanding that The Bush Era Tax Cuts are ending December 2012.  INHERENT to the committees work is the CLEAR understanding The Bush Era Tax Cuts are ending.  FOR  EVERYONE.  That is a good thing.  Absolutely.


President Obama having washed his hands of the Bush Tax Cuts should, if he already hasn't decided that, come before the Congress in 2012 with a Budget and within the State of the Union speech having rid the USA of the current tax structure.


With the end of the Bush Tax Cuts the President can now move with Simpson-Bowles to remove all the deductions within the American income tax structure and apply lower taxes for ALL Americans with and larger base.  I strongly recommend the President direct Congress to act quickly to remove the burden from the Middle Class as to supporting deductibles from the tax structure to close the gap both in the amount paid and the responsibility of all Americans to contribute to their country.  I suggest he base his 'transition' Budget on the realization that the new income tax base will be its foundation.  He can 'surf' that reality however he finds it best.


The Bush Tax Cuts will end December 31, 2012 and the new income tax definitions void of deductions will begin on January 1, 2013.  Perfect.  


The work on the income tax code and the military 'stability' of the USA has to be done before any address of entitlements.  Entitlements can be slated to begin work in 2014 after the Affordable Care Act comes into play and all is known to the impact of the Congress on the 'jobs picture' within the country.  


When a known 'income' level is reached under the new income tax structure then and only then can a clear path to addressing entitlements begin.  


As to the GAP the Republicans created with their political posturing over the past year in regard to the debt ceiling.  President Obama, with his cabinet can find places to remove additional 'costs' to the national debt for his State of the Union address of 2012.  The global market place will probably be satisfied after the 2012 State of the Union indicating a total of over $4.2 Trillion in debt adjustment and no downgrade will be necessary.  If a downgrade occurs before the State of the Union, it will only be for a brief time until the President clearly maps out his priorities for the Congress to remove the stigma and return the USA to its usual luster.


On the side of reason, the rating agencies won't want to upset the global markets very much if this is simply a 'transition' to $4 plus trillion in indebtedness difficulty.  So, with an understanding there will be minimally over $2 trillion coming from this new law, the future 'address' by the President will be well contemplated and will receive attention from people that are seeking stability in the global markets.  AND.  If the economic picture is less traumatized by the current jobs draw down by the Republicans by then, all the better.  This jobs slow down is directly the work of the Republicans and no one else.  The credibility of the USA does fall constitutionally on the Executive Branch when it comes to providing assessment and guidance to the legislature.  


I think does it for now.

About time she came back to work. Her return went beyond the House to the very people in her district. Well done.

...In the District (click title to entry - thank you) that she represents those closest to her smiled from ear to ear, with a lump in their throats and tears in their eyes. C.J. Karamargin said, "It was a very emotional moment, I don't think there was a dry eye in our office."

It was hard to find a dry eye anywhere in front of the television sets showing the scene. In the nation's Capitol Republicans and Democrats alike were overjoyed to see Gabby back at work. "I think it is a testament to her own determination and her focus but also to her patriotism. This is a really important issue for the United States and this is a critical time," said Karamargin.

Other survivors of the January 8th Tucson shooting were thrilled to see Congresswoman Giffords back in Washington. "I was overwhelmed, I have such a big smile on my face this is so healing, so therapeutic for everybody," said Suzi Hileman. Hileman was shot three times by the same gunman who shot Giffords. She's happy to see how far Gabby's come, but not surprised. "She's inspiring! Rehab is very very hard and I know what it took to get there, to travel and to stand, and do what we elected her to do. I couldn't admire her more," Hileman said.

Bill Badger was also wounded that tragic day. He's been wearing Gabby's name on his wrist ever since."The first thing that came to my mind was the tragic event on January 8th. And the next thing that came to my mind is how great it is to see the recovery that she's made," Badger said....

"Neptune's Spear" - Bin Laden a dead man walking. Good.

This wasn't a Swat Team Operation, it was the USA Navy Seals.  It is interesting that 'old fashioned methodologies' are still the most valuable tool in the Special Ops toolbox.  Nice.  Well done.  Nothing like the mind of a well prepared military operation.  It was like 'clock work' dare I say.


Osama bin Laden was wanted dead or alive with a price on his head on the FBI Most Wanted List.  There isn't any thing else to say.  Just because he was not armed with a weapon when he died doesn't mean he wasn't armed through franchising all the other human beings in the building.  The intelligence estimation was what the Navy Seals had to prepare their mission.  They did it with expertise surmounting any in the world and the precision to match.  It is amazing they pulled it off at all because they were minimally rattled by the loss of a helicopter.  


"Seek and Destroy."  The title alone mapped out the final result and our Seals came home safely.  I am proud of them and always will be.  There was no other option open to them.  They could not take the chance of carrying Osama Bin Laden back to Afghanistan and then back to the USA.  The 'target' would have caused huge problems for the USA military in their engagements and that was far too high a price to pay.


I thank everyone involved including President Obama for having the guts to carry this mission to a final outcome.  

Without getting into detail until after the Debt Ceiling Bill is signed into law...

...I personally believe President Obama brilliantly executed the 'the deal.' 

Chloramine VS Free Chlorine in City Water.

City Changes its Disinfection Process for Drinking Water (click title to entry - thank you)

July 22, 2011

The city of Greensboro issued the following news release:

Starting the week of July 25, The City of Greensboro Water Resources Department in cooperation with Archdale, Burlington, High Point, Jamestown, Randleman, Reidsville, and the Piedmont Triad Regional Water Authority will convert its water system disinfectant from free chlorine to chloramines. The change will occur to comply with new, more stringent drinking water regulations.

Chloramine disinfectant is a chemical combination of chlorine and ammonia used together to eliminate bacteria from drinking water. The use of chloramines will lower the level of disinfection byproducts (DBPs) that are produced when chlorine reacts with organic matter in source water. The change will also reduce the taste and odor concerns associated with chlorine disinfection methods.

Chloramines are an effective disinfectant used by many water utilities across the United States. While chloramines are safe for drinking and all other everyday water uses, kidney dialysis patients, fish and amphibian owners, and specialized industries should take special care....


Chloramine has to be limited to 4ppm in water consumed through municipal systems.  


WHY?


Because unlike Free Chlorine which metabolizes quickly, chloramine can have some very nasty outcomes.  Does anyone ever expect at some point there would be an INCORRECT dosing into a water supply?  What would happen if it were Free Chlorine?  Not a thing.  But, chloramine has issues.  Patients on kidney dialysis can't be exposed to it through their kidney dialysis machines.  

Adding chloramine to the water supply can increase exposure to lead in drinking water, especially in areas with older housing; this exposure can result in increased lead levels in the bloodstream and can pose a significant health risk.

There is also evidence that exposure to chloramine can contribute to respiratory problems, including astham among swimmers.  Respiratory problems related to chloramine exposure are common and prevalent among competitive swimmers.

Chloramine use, together with chlorine dioxide, ozone and ultraviolet has been described as a public health concern and an example of the outcome of poorly implemented environmental regulation.   These methods of disinfection decrease the formation of regulated by-products, which has led to their widespread use. However, they can increase the formation of a number of unregulated cytotoxic and genotoxic byproducts, some of which pose greater health risks than the regulated chemicals, causing such diseases as cancer, kidney disease, thyroid damage, and birth defects.

Old Housing.  Anyone familiar with Greensboro and the surrounding area knows that there is much more old housing than new housing.  In order to get the chloramine out of the water from the tap one has to perform a dousing of the water with free chlorine and about 24 hours of ultraviolet exposure from the sun in order to remove the lousy stuff.

Chloramine can be removed from tap water by treatment with superchlorination (10 ppm or more of free chlorine, such as from a dose of sodium hypochlorite bleach or pool sanitizer) while maintaining a pH of about 7 (such as from a dose of hydrochloric acid). Hypochlorous acid from the free chlorine strips the ammonia from the chloramine, and the ammonia outgasses from the surface of the bulk water. This process takes about 24 hours for normal tap water concentrations of a few ppm of chloramine. Residual free chlorine can then be removed by exposure to bright sunlight for about 4 hours.

Sections of the Yellowstone River are heavily impacted from the Exxon Mobile oil spill. Not Valdez, Montana. Amazing the one place everyone that was safe.

FWP issuses fish consumption advisory below oil spill  (click here)

Wednesday, July 27, 2011 2:24 PM MDT

Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks has issued consumption advisory for fish caught in the Yellowstone River in the area of a July 1 oil spill.

People who have caught fish in the river between Buffalo Mirage fishing access site near Park City and the confluence with the Bighorn River near Custer should be cautious about consuming them.

Fishing in that stretch of the river has been negligible since late spring because of high runoff levels and flooding. Most FWP fishing access sites in that stretch of river have been closed for several months by flooding. And FWP asked boaters to stay off of the river between the Laurel and Lockwood highway bridges to accommodate oil spill cleanup.

Last week FWP biologists started capturing fish below the oil spill site and sending them to a laboratory for testing. Test results should be returned in the next two weeks and FWP will publish the data so fishermen can determine whether their catch is suitable for consumption....


Exxon Mobile claims here is ONLY 1000 gallons spilled.  Did they use the same formula BP did?  After all, what is a little oil spill between friends?  Right?  Absolutely.  Not like it cost the taxpayers anything after all.  And the Republicans want to leave all this responsibility up to whom exactly?  No one? I see.





...The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (click title to entry - thank you)  in a statement last week said crews were "finding numerous, heavily oiled flood debris piles at various locations along the shoreline and on the islands."


In its latest update on survey operations along the Yellowstone River, the EPA said it found 2.7 percent of the first 10 miles of river downstream from the pipeline break were heavily affected by oil. Less than 1 percent of the next 18 miles were observed to have heavy oil impacts, the agency said in a statement.


Because of the amount of oil-soaked debris left when floodwaters along the Yellowstone River receded, the response includes nearly 900 personnel engaged in remediation and assessment efforts.


The EPA said it had to airlift some equipment into areas previously inaccessible....

"Khapra Beetles" are considered one of the worst invasive species in the world.

As a JOBS Strategy the Republicans want an across the board moratorium on Federal Regulations.  Defunding the government seems right to them.  


Go figure.

"New Pest Response Guidelines for Khapra Beetle"  (click here)


The khapra beetle is one of the world’s most destructive pests of grain
products and seeds. Populations of this pest can build rapidly in a short time
under hot, dry conditions. Grain damage, depending on existing conditions often reaches 30%; up to 70% damage has been reported. Khapra beetle has
earned a reputation as a dirty feeder, since it damages more kernels that it
consumes. Feeding and contamination by khapra beetles results in the
following changes to grain: weight loss, reduction in grade, and quality
damage of processed products (USDA–APHIS–PPQ, 1983).

Customs officials seek to keep grain-eating beetles from appearing in American storehouses after two discoveries in N.J. ports (click title to entry - thank you)

Published: Sunday, July 31, 2011, 2:00 PM

By Tomas Dinges/The Star-Ledger 

 Customs officials are ramping up efforts to prevent any more grain-eating beetles from showing up in American storehouses, officials said.

Inspectors have found the Khapra beetle in imports in greater numbers this year, including two recent discoveries at New Jersey ports. In response, they are restricting shipment of grains from 26 countries where the beetle is known to exist. Shipments from those countries will only be allowed if the grain has been inspected and is accompanied by a certificate stating that it is free of Khapra beetles.

The new regulations went into effect Saturday, said Erlinda Byrd, a U.S. Customs and Border Prevention spokeswoman.

On Tuesday, inspectors in Port Newark found a larvae of the Khapra beetle in a shipment of Pakistani rice, said U.S. Customs and Border Protection spokesman Anthony Bucci.

In February, inspectors found several live larvae and an adult male beetle in a shipment of beans to Port Elizabeth.

The introduction and establishment of the beetle, scientifically known as the Trogoderma granarium, poses a "serious threat," to stored agricultural products, including spices, grains and packaged foods, customs officials said….


I am sure many remember the Mediterranean Fruit Fly.  The problem with invasive species is THE COST to the American Taxpayer and Consumer when the price of food goes up due to a beetle infestation that can be prevented with better inspections at the borders to the USA.


Description:


Adult beetles are brownish and 2 to 3 millimetres long. Immature larvae are up to 5 millimeters long and are covered in dense, reddish-brown hair. The eggs of the khapra beetle are cylindrical with one end more rounded and the other more pointed, about 0.7 mm long and 0.25 mm broad, weighing about 0.02 mg.  The pointy end has a number of spine-like projections.  The eggs are initially a milky white but over several hours turn a pale yellowish color

Yuan strengthens to record against dollar (click title to entry - thank you)

NOW:

7:29 AM In a sharp reversal,(click here)  the greenback gives up the bulk of its overnight gains against the yen and the swiss franc, now back at all-time lows. Perhaps the focus is now returning to the struggling U.S. economy. 

On July 29, 2011, NLY had a huge plummet at the opening of the day from over $17.00 per share down to almost $14.00 per share. (click title to entry - thank you)

Annaly Capital Management Inc.

NLY


Formerly known as Annaly Mortgage Management, Annaly Capital Management is a real estate investment trust which invests in mortgage pass-through certificates, collateralized mortgage obligations, and other mortgage-backed securities. Interest and principal payments on the firm's investments are guaranteed by government-sponsored agencies including Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac, and Ginnie Mae. Annaly commenced operations in 1997 and is based in New York City.


Whom exactly thought they knew what was best for the country, why and now much damage did they do along the 'path of idiocy' as NYL still hasn't recovered from all the political ideology of the Right Wing!


All of the investment securities (click here) Annaly
owns are issued and guaranteed by U.S. Government
Agencies and carry an actual or implied AAA rating. 

The Defacto Speaker of the House

Senator Mitch McConnell says, "It’s because of soldiers like Grover that the conservative movement is so vibrant today and that the liberals who thought they had taken over two years ago are on the run."

In the words of Newt Gingrich, Grover Norquist is “the person who I regard as the most innovative, creative, courageous and entrepreneurial leader of the anti-tax efforts and of conservative grassroots activism in America . . . He has truly made a difference and truly changed American history.”

Grover G . Norquist, a native of Massachusetts, has been one of most effective issues management strategists in Washington for over two decades.

Mr. Norquist is president of Americans for Tax Reform (ATR), a taxpayer advocacy group he founded in 1985 at President Reagan’s request. ATR is a coalition of taxpayer groups, individuals and businesses opposed to higher taxes at the federal, state and local levels. ATR organizes the TAXPAYER PROTECTION PLEDGE, which asks all candidates for federal and state office to commit themselves in writing to oppose all tax increases. In the 112th Congress, 236 House members and 41 Senators have taken the pledge. On the state level, 13 governors and 1249 state legislators have taken the pledge.

Norquist chairs the Washington, DC - based “Wednesday Meeting,” a weekly gathering of more than 150 elected officials, political activists, and movement leaders. The meeting started in 1993 and takes place in ATR's conference room. There are now 61 similar "center-right" meetings in 47 states.

Mr. Norquist also:


Serves on the board of directors of the National Rifle Association of America.


Serves on the board of directors of the American Conservative Union.


Serves on the board of directors of The Nixon Center


Serves as a Contributing Editor to the American Spectator Magazine.


Serves as president of the American Society of Competitiveness.


Authored two books Rock the House and Leave Us Alone – Getting the Government’s Hands Off Our Money, Our Guns, Our Lives


In the past, Mr. Norquist served as:


A commissioner on the Advisory Commission on Electronic Commerce.


A commissioner on the National Commission on Restructuring the Internal Revenue Service.

Economist and chief speech-writer, U.S. Chamber of Commerce (1983-1984.)


Campaign staff on the 1988, 1992, 1996 Republican Platform Committees.


Executive director of the National Taxpayers’ Union.


Executive director of the College Republicans.

Oppressive.

Discriminatory.

Inequity.

The SINGLE largest driver of the deficit and national debt.

I am protesting tonight. I can't imagine anyone more disgusted with the RNC than I am.

Above are hot air balloons.  The work rhymes with baphoons.

I admonish the honorable war hero Senator John McCain for manipulating the facts in the debt on the Senate floor with Senator Durbin.  The 'idea' that the spending after January 20, 2009 was not to be "BIOB."  Then whom exactly would Senator McCain blame it on?  He, too, has become a follower and no longer a leader.

The very party that claims to love the USA Constitution also has no respect for the nation's reputation.  

The GOP just loves making national issues seem like 'kitchen table' topics.  Cul-de-sacs, Pulling the Plug on Grandma, whatever propaganda Mudoch can muster, etc.; are as disgusting as the lies they tell.  Rep. Joe What's His Name simply needs to stop when he can't even honor his own children.

The GOP has gotten caught in its own trap, being replaced in primaries by the very people that believed topics of national concern were for simple minded people to solve.  Then faced with a real problem other than war, they can’t come to grips with it.

I don't want to hear Speaker Boner and his Tea Baggers complain about only having a short time to grapple with this.  If they recall, January 2009 was a busy time for the Democratic majority as they were attempting to 'save the country' from Bush Fiscal Calamity.  So, the Debt Ceiling wasn't really of importance in any way then.  AND.  If the nation's health care system was addressed under "Hillary Care" the Democrats would not have needed to address that national emergency either.

The House under the leadership of Minority Leader Pelosi passed an immense amount of legislation.  They were busy, very busy.  They were trying to save a nation from decades of Republican neglect of the Middle Class and the Poor.

Three months ago, Secreatary Geithner told the nation and its Congress the Debt Ceiling would be ‘called in’ on August 2^nd.   The ONLY solution at that point was to pass a bill that raised the Debt Ceiling of the USA while instilling measures to initiate review of the debt.  One of those measures would be to post the National Debt in relation to the monies being spent up to it at its new level.  Another measure would be to require every bill passed in the House and Senate carry a “Cost to Debt Ceiling” amount, including, the actual cost over Budget of even passing the bill.

THEN, the Majority Republican House should have began to ask for the Simpson-Bowles Commission to be referred to the IRS for an outline of implementation to eliminate all tax cuts and begin the new tax structure.  Then once the outline was in place and an implementation schedule was to begin, pass a bill to do so and then return it to the Senate for the President’s signature.

With that concluded, the next step would be to ask the Department of Defense to submit a report as to what the 22^nd Century military was going to look like with a shrinking threat of nuclear weapons, al Qaeda defeated and terrorist networks dismantled.  Then ask the DOD to prepare a plan to implement a long term strategy to achieve that goal and the cost it would take to achieve it by 2100.

With the DOD in place ask the State Department to chime in on how to best seek international cooperation to achieve it and a budget to match that achievement.

Then and only then look to the entitlements of the USA to seek a cost estimate to 2100 providing Public Comment to that discussion and ask the nation to problem solve for the country with implementation beginning within the next two years of Debt Ceiling increase.  All the time, the public would be able to assess the spending of the government in relation to the new Debt Ceiling.

There needs to be a bill passed into law that requires at least one public place (I would think it would be the USA Treasury Website) where a link large enough to easily discern could be placed on the Front Page (as well as a physical location in DC with handicap access) so anyone with internet access could view the daily use of the Debt Ceiling Increase and how those monies are being spent.  Secretary Geithner could possibly do this under his own authority if he wants to enlist the citizens of the country to participate in knowing about their treasury and its overall debt.

Knowlege is power, Timothy.  How are citizens to be informed about an intelligent choice in elections if they are under-educated and easily exploited by a hostile media empire.  When that happens it is only we to blame.

There is a clock on the side of a building that tracks the nation’s debt.  There needs to be a public place where people can view the use of the monies of the Debt Ceiling, both physical and online, at work along side measures proposed to reduce the nation’s debt and who exactly it will impact.

There is nothing difficult about this.  Simple.  Just put people to work that can actually be helpful to the American people rather than ideological.  There are all kinds of 'panels' in advisement to the FDA, why isn't there at least ONE panel to mediate for the electorate?

"Limb from Limb" by Protest the Hero

"Limb from Limb" by Protest the Hero

Split the sky asunder,

Noble huntress Of the clan.

In your left hand raise the sword
In your right hand cast a spear.
summon all the thieves and bastards
hiding in the woodland

crack their skulls into the caldron,
for invading our frontier
the shadows fall, the hammer falls
the stone is placed above us all

forge our weapons in the furnace,
soar to heights like oak trees tall

Do not beg before me,
i will not heed your appeals
with your final words be
grateful you died by Irish steel

Do not crawl before us,
for your fate has been revealed
The heavens will not,
desecrate their gates with your admittance

Do not beg before me,
i will not heed your appeals
with your final words
be grateful you died by Irish steel

do not beg before me,
your fate has been revealed

Do not crawl before me,
i'll not heed your appeal

Son of flesh i cast you out,
into exile forever hence

Flidais rides again,
Flidais rides again

She is the forest and she is the rain,
she is the huntress and,
she is the prey,
she is the dusk,
she is the dawn,
she is the moon,
she is the sun

(keyboard solo)

see her bellow out,
see her, 
see her,
Bellow out in anger,
see her raise the infant fawn
she is drawn by a cart of cervidae

she is here,
she is gone,
she is here,
she is gone,
she is gone

The National Debt is not a toy or a political icon.

I heard something alarming today on "Meet the Press" by a Freshman Republicans that was not challenged.  While there may be 'readable' laws on the books that stipulate how the benefits to Veterans, the military, Social Security and Medicare should go first, there is no guarantee that can occur because of the mechanization of the check writing system by the Federal Government and its unchallenged status up to now.


Mechanically the check writing system would have to be shut down and accountants hired to achieve that goal as they write the checks by hand.  I sincerely don't believe the capacity exists in the current check writing system to achieve 'cherry picking' the checks to be written.  


Expenses are submitted through complicated processes and set up years if not decades in time.  


Before Freshman Congresspersons make such broad sweeping statements they need to understand the entire process and not simply what the words on a page stipulate.


I also found GM's CEO interesting.  He has a 'recovering' company.  There is no reason why a company with such a status that also received a bailout from the Federal Government should have the same tax structure as Big Oil either.

I would think that especially true of companies and corporations that depend heavily on the American workforce to the degree the auto industry does.  Their return to market share is especially important for our domestic economy and there needs to be special consideration for all the companies that are holding back in hiring because of trepidation.

Republicans do not care about the USA, they care about winning regardless the carnage.

Currently, Priebus is measuring the success of 2012 by campaigning with the nation's Debt Ceiling.  He is claiming Obama will not win Pennsylvania.  All this while a national debt ceiling bill hangs in the balance?

I guess precious money is more important than governing.

...For example, like most in his party, Priebus repeatedly parrots the attack on President Obama’s efforts to save America from the very real possibility of a second Great Depression and turn huge monthly job losses into gains — albeit more modest gains than any of us would like to see. The fact remains, we are no longer losing jobs at the rate of 750,000 per month, as we were when Obama took office.

During a June debate on “Meet the Press,” Priebus claimed that the unemployment level today “rivals the Great Depression” — a claim that Politifact rated as “false,” noting the RNC was unable to supply a single statistic in support of Priebus’s assertion. The Washington Post said Priebus had gone “too far” and awarded him “two Pinocchios.”...

The drama on Capital Hill is driven by money, political PAC money.  It isn't about the country.  The stranger the candidate is these days the more strongly right wing contributors believe in them because people can better identify with the, especially the cul-de-sac crowd and will be a wedge issue all themselves.  The clearer the candidate is on their opposition to democracy and the well being of a nation of people, the focused they are on money, the better for Republican extremist contributors.  They like people to know where they stand so they can't be swayed by reason.

Jul. 15 2011

11:58 am

Billionaire industrialists Charles and David Koch (click here) have made their first donation to a 2o12 presidential candidate, according to reports made public  by the Federal Election Commission today. The prolific right-wing donors — America’s richest brothers — have made two donations to committees linked to controversial Minnesota congresswoman Michele Bachmann.

KochPAC, Koch Industries’ political offshoot, gave $10,000 total to Bachmann’s congressional committee and to ‘MichelePAC’, her action committee, on one day in May, a month before she officially threw her hat in the ring. So far, Bachmann is the only declared presidential candidate to have received cash from the Kochs this quarter, although they’ve previously supported Texas governor Rick Perry, who is widely thought to be mulling a bid. Perry made a speech at Koch Industries’ secretive June summit in Vail, adding fuel to speculation that he may soon declare candidacy….


Above the caption reads:  Boehner and Pals Koch Brothers (AP Photo/Kathy Willens) (click here)

There is no Republican Party anymore, they are all bought and paid for by commercial interests as members of The Tea Party.  The RNC would not operate this way.  They would not hold the country hostage, they would not mistreat the soldiers are war and they would not even begin to threatened our most vulnerable.  They aren't the RNC anymore, EXCEPT, in name only.  They are The Tea Party.  There is no reasoning with them at all anymore.


Voters are either with them and clearly with them or against them.