With the last load of rip rap dumped on” we the people”
the ship of state is now on it’s way to sinking. I am referring
to the recent coup de grace granted corporations recently.
With this seriously flawed ruling the Supremes have joined
the other branches of government in overstepping by a
country mile their mandate.
With the stroke of a pen our own Supreme Court has
kicked the supports out from under democracy’s
“equal rights under the law” provisions by allowing multi-
billion-dollar corporations to use their unlimited funds
as a weapon, either for or against, candidates in free
elections, It sounds like a strong defense of free speech
until you realize how easy it will be for the large corporations
to swamp the airwaves in support of their candidates.
One man one vote sounds terrific until you realize that
giving a public voice in our politics to the richest corporations
on the planet, not just US corporations, and expecting a
fair result is ridiculous. This is similar to putting one man
on one side of a tug-of-war rope and putting one man
in a D8 cat on the other. Sure it is mono e mono until
the machinery is figured into the equation.
Over the previous decade laws were written or changed
which favored big businesses like drug manufacturers.
Take the law that was recently passed prohibiting the
government, the largest drug purchaser in the country,
from negotiating prices with suppliers. I find it simply
amazing that our lawmakers can get away with a law
so patently favorable to the industry while sticking it to
the rest of the nation.
Now our politicians will officially become the nation’s
highest-paid prostitutes. (Not that they weren’t already.)
No politician will survive if he isn’t beholden to a fat cat
funding his election campaigns.
Incredibly, most of the people in our once great nation
could probably care less about this incredible threat to our
individual liberties. The threat to our liberty is not from
another nation. It will now come from the feckless fortunes
of morally bankrupt rich corporations whose loyalty is only to
money.
Congress was originally charged with the responsibility to keep a sharp eye on the purse strings of the nation. The presidential power to wage war was supposed to be curtailed when Congress, following the will of the people, refused to pay for wars. Instead they just ordered up a bigger rubberstamp. Rather than safeguarding the country’s cash they are shoveling it out as fast as the presses can print it (almost literally).
So now all three branches of the government are vigorously exercising an unrestrained assault on the middle class. The President is wasting lives and resources at an unprecedented rate. Congress, while rubber stamping the largest military budgets in the world’s history (remember what peace used to feel like?), can’t get a single social program which may actually spell relief to the ailing middle class passed. And the Supremes, not to be outclassed by the other branches, have decided they no longer must wait for an issue to be raised before weighing in. They now feel free to advance any cause that takes their interest like the issue of campaign funding. There was no case before the court; they jumped on this issue before Obama has a chance to reseed the court with democratically minded judges.
So now what?
Wednesday, February 3, 2010
Saturday, January 23, 2010
Barack Obama was the exception... Republicans Rule
We are falling off the rails.
Recent disruptions in the force spell doom for the Democrats.
In spite of the fact that the Democrats had a majority in both
houses of Congress, and a sitting President, they have
managed to fail to pass any legislation which would have
been beneficial to "we the people" in any meaningful way.
The Republicans on the other hand, while small in numbers,
manage to accomplish their objectives in spite of the odds.
Republicans, generally recognized as being the party of big
business, stand to gain politically now that the Supreme Court
has paved the way for unlimited funding from corporate America.
For example:
Giant financial institutions, which brought the world economy
to its knees, are still free to do whatever they want with their
depositors money. In spite of serious efforts by Barney Frank
financial reforms are both slow in coming and watered-down.
Timothy Geithner, as quarterback for Wall Street, had the stones
to recommend less than full disclosure to regulators with regard
to government bailouts being used for obscene bonuses. I
suppose selling out your constituents (these would be the good
citizens of the United States for whom he theoretically works)
would curry favor among those he supposedly regulates and
guarantee a grand entrance into the ex government
pro-corporation Hall of Flamers.
The Bush Supreme Court just sunk the last nail in the coffin of
a government envisioned by our forefathers which was
a government of the people, by the people, and for the people.
Control of the country will finally and firmly rest in the hands of
corporate giants whose monopoly cash can dominate the media
and can now be used to openly purchase politicians.
Healthcare is back to the drawing board. By failing to move quickly
the Dumbdems frittered away their biggest asset in decades,
a filibuster proof Senate. If you thought they couldn't get anything
done before... Just wait till you see how little they get done now!
Unfortunately, America no longer bears any resemblance to
the country originally formed by the framers of our Constitution.
Money rules. Individuals no longer count in a society where cash
is king.
Recent disruptions in the force spell doom for the Democrats.
In spite of the fact that the Democrats had a majority in both
houses of Congress, and a sitting President, they have
managed to fail to pass any legislation which would have
been beneficial to "we the people" in any meaningful way.
The Republicans on the other hand, while small in numbers,
manage to accomplish their objectives in spite of the odds.
Republicans, generally recognized as being the party of big
business, stand to gain politically now that the Supreme Court
has paved the way for unlimited funding from corporate America.
For example:
Giant financial institutions, which brought the world economy
to its knees, are still free to do whatever they want with their
depositors money. In spite of serious efforts by Barney Frank
financial reforms are both slow in coming and watered-down.
Timothy Geithner, as quarterback for Wall Street, had the stones
to recommend less than full disclosure to regulators with regard
to government bailouts being used for obscene bonuses. I
suppose selling out your constituents (these would be the good
citizens of the United States for whom he theoretically works)
would curry favor among those he supposedly regulates and
guarantee a grand entrance into the ex government
pro-corporation Hall of Flamers.
The Bush Supreme Court just sunk the last nail in the coffin of
a government envisioned by our forefathers which was
a government of the people, by the people, and for the people.
Control of the country will finally and firmly rest in the hands of
corporate giants whose monopoly cash can dominate the media
and can now be used to openly purchase politicians.
Healthcare is back to the drawing board. By failing to move quickly
the Dumbdems frittered away their biggest asset in decades,
a filibuster proof Senate. If you thought they couldn't get anything
done before... Just wait till you see how little they get done now!
Unfortunately, America no longer bears any resemblance to
the country originally formed by the framers of our Constitution.
Money rules. Individuals no longer count in a society where cash
is king.
Thursday, January 7, 2010
A kingdom of thieves.
Country birthing is an expensive business.
Throughout our history, as we have grown into nationhood,
wealthy individuals have provided "loans" to the government.
The quid pro quo for these loans was usually a monopoly
granted by the government to these individuals for their
support in supplying the nation's treasury with liquidity.
The most recent chapter in our history started with the
robber barons acentury and a half ago. Carnegie, Mellon,
Vanderbilt, etc. all gained control of basic businesses
necessary for the survival and growth of the country.
These guys were no saints. They extracted a pound from
the treasury for every penny they loaned.
Here's what I think happened.
After the panic of '07 (last century and interestingly
enough this century also) an idea was hatched whereby
private individuals would help with a national liquidity
problem by establishing a bank called the Federal Reserve.
In 1913 the Federal Reserve was created.
There was nothing federal about it... it was a private bank
funded with private money.
The Federal Reserve System is the central banking system of
the United States. It was created in 1913, with the enactment
of the Federal Reserve Act , and
was largely a response to prior financial panics and bank
runs, the most severe of which being the Panic of 1907
A group of wealthy white boys saw a war looming on the
horizon and hatched a plan to finance the war. (Or maybe
they started a war with help from European bankers and then
hatched a plan???)
They needed security if they were to loan money to a
government under a war cloud so the government agreed to
establish an income tax as surety for the debt incurred
to these wealthy gentleman. Coincidently (the incidence
of coincidence decreases dramatically the older one gets)
the 16th amendment to the Constitution was ratified the
same year. The tax started at a maximum of 6% and before
the war was over that rate had risen to 77%.
Look out folks, I see this comming!
This 16th amendment would hearld the birth of the IRS.
This was the quid pro quo the government agreed with
in order to assure sufficient funds to wage the war.
It is similar thinking to the “carte blanche” the
government gave the railroad barons when they granted
a swath 100 miles wide from coast to coast to the railroad
on the off chance they could actually build a railroad
across the country. The risk was huge..The reward, well,
150 years later, still counting.
Amazing what a few "good old boys" could accomplish back then.
Suppose things are ever going to change?
Throughout our history, as we have grown into nationhood,
wealthy individuals have provided "loans" to the government.
The quid pro quo for these loans was usually a monopoly
granted by the government to these individuals for their
support in supplying the nation's treasury with liquidity.
The most recent chapter in our history started with the
robber barons acentury and a half ago. Carnegie, Mellon,
Vanderbilt, etc. all gained control of basic businesses
necessary for the survival and growth of the country.
These guys were no saints. They extracted a pound from
the treasury for every penny they loaned.
Here's what I think happened.
After the panic of '07 (last century and interestingly
enough this century also) an idea was hatched whereby
private individuals would help with a national liquidity
problem by establishing a bank called the Federal Reserve.
In 1913 the Federal Reserve was created.
There was nothing federal about it... it was a private bank
funded with private money.
The Federal Reserve System is the central banking system of
the United States. It was created in 1913, with the enactment
of the Federal Reserve Act , and
was largely a response to prior financial panics and bank
runs, the most severe of which being the Panic of 1907
A group of wealthy white boys saw a war looming on the
horizon and hatched a plan to finance the war. (Or maybe
they started a war with help from European bankers and then
hatched a plan???)
They needed security if they were to loan money to a
government under a war cloud so the government agreed to
establish an income tax as surety for the debt incurred
to these wealthy gentleman. Coincidently (the incidence
of coincidence decreases dramatically the older one gets)
the 16th amendment to the Constitution was ratified the
same year. The tax started at a maximum of 6% and before
the war was over that rate had risen to 77%.
Look out folks, I see this comming!
This 16th amendment would hearld the birth of the IRS.
This was the quid pro quo the government agreed with
in order to assure sufficient funds to wage the war.
It is similar thinking to the “carte blanche” the
government gave the railroad barons when they granted
a swath 100 miles wide from coast to coast to the railroad
on the off chance they could actually build a railroad
across the country. The risk was huge..The reward, well,
150 years later, still counting.
Amazing what a few "good old boys" could accomplish back then.
Suppose things are ever going to change?
Wednesday, December 30, 2009
The word is out... promiscuous sex is in!
Finally, promiscuous sex is getting the credit it deserves.
An interesting news article on Dr. Nancy, MSNBC mornings (I'm sorry I don't have more details) discussed a study concerning frequent but unemotional sexual encounters. In particular, the study sought to determine whether promiscuous sex could be proven to have negative consequences on (either or both) the physical and emotional well-being of those who participate in “the life”. The story didn't cover particulars such as what they used for a control group. Presumably this would include people
who had little or no sexual contact outside of the prescribed social norms like marriage or those who at least had the handle "committed” or “seriously involved" attached to their sexual activity.
So guess what?
Long story short the promiscuous group scored the highest across all age groups for emotional and physical well-being. The group labeled promiscuous was clearly happier, less stressed out, and in better overall physical condition. The study covered 12,000people's lives over a period of 20 years of their lives.
Guess further what?
Those who had a promiscuous past had a more successful marriage once they decided to tie the knot. Apparently, having solved the "curiosity of the cat", promiscuous people were able to settle into a more reliable or complacent "I'm happy with what I've got" frame of mind.
Curiosity doesn’t kill the cat... it kills the marriage. Does it really surprise anyone that people enjoying active sex lives are happier, better adjusted, and less stressful? Apparently the last vestiges of our Victorian backgrounds are being shed. The ridiculous notion that sex under any circumstances, other than forced situations, could actually be bad for you in any significant way is being relegated to the trash bin of history.
Twenty years down the road I wouldn't be surprised to see athletic sex the new Olympic sport.
When in Rome…
one should act like a Roman.
An interesting news article on Dr. Nancy, MSNBC mornings (I'm sorry I don't have more details) discussed a study concerning frequent but unemotional sexual encounters. In particular, the study sought to determine whether promiscuous sex could be proven to have negative consequences on (either or both) the physical and emotional well-being of those who participate in “the life”. The story didn't cover particulars such as what they used for a control group. Presumably this would include people
who had little or no sexual contact outside of the prescribed social norms like marriage or those who at least had the handle "committed” or “seriously involved" attached to their sexual activity.
So guess what?
Long story short the promiscuous group scored the highest across all age groups for emotional and physical well-being. The group labeled promiscuous was clearly happier, less stressed out, and in better overall physical condition. The study covered 12,000people's lives over a period of 20 years of their lives.
Guess further what?
Those who had a promiscuous past had a more successful marriage once they decided to tie the knot. Apparently, having solved the "curiosity of the cat", promiscuous people were able to settle into a more reliable or complacent "I'm happy with what I've got" frame of mind.
Curiosity doesn’t kill the cat... it kills the marriage. Does it really surprise anyone that people enjoying active sex lives are happier, better adjusted, and less stressful? Apparently the last vestiges of our Victorian backgrounds are being shed. The ridiculous notion that sex under any circumstances, other than forced situations, could actually be bad for you in any significant way is being relegated to the trash bin of history.
Twenty years down the road I wouldn't be surprised to see athletic sex the new Olympic sport.
When in Rome…
one should act like a Roman.
Tuesday, December 15, 2009
Lets face it...War is a racket!
President Obama has, I suspect in order to relieve his incredible work load, turned over the war to the generals. (Eventually he was bound to follow the path of least resistance.) The generals will, without question, continue GWB's domino plan. His plan, if you'll recall, was to go from Muslim country to Muslim country on a Christian Jihad dedicated to eradicating the Taliban. (More truthfully
perhaps, eliminating Muslims.) Evidently, that's still our plan.
What should have been a rabbit hunt, where a few thousand of our elite special forces troops chase a few hundred of the 9/11 perpetrators into the mountains and caves, will be blown into $100 billion annual expenditure. The generals will attempt to justify a MacArthur style sweep throughout the Middle East. The fact that
Osama bin Laden, the ALLEGED target of our pursuit, has been dead these last 8 years doesn’t seem to dim the generals enthusiasm to hunt down and capture him.
The generals will fight this war phony with overworked, worn-out, suicidal troops. At least one soldier, when faced with yet a third tour to the Middle East, elected to end his own life rather than return. The suicide rate among the military is increasing monthly!
We will pay for this war on credit at our most critical economic point, when the stability of the nation's economic and financial well-being is still in question. We will neglect the needs of this nation in favor of another useless and unproductive war on the other side of the planet. In spite of what our leaders tell us, it doesn't take a big brain to realize what's going on outside our borders has nothing to do with our national security. No country on the map today is crazy enough to take on the USA.
If our national security is weak it is because our National Guard is overseas. The rationale behind sending our national defense troops overseas is as substantial as fog. The really stupid part of what we are being expected to swallow by the war council is that the people in these countries subjected to our bombarding appreciate us. It really takes a complete moron to even consider we may be able to win over the hearts and minds of a people by using guns and bombs on them.
We might stand a chance of winning over a nation’s people if we helped them to build schools or hospitals. If we helped the poorest of the world's nations with their infrastructure; their roads or electrical grid or water resources. If we did so I suspect they would learn to love us in double quick time. As long as we abuse their country they will never love or even appreciate us. But imagine the noise and uproar the good citizens of this country would create if it were known we were upgrading their country before upgrading our own infrastructure. It is much more politically correct to bomb them first.
The insanity of continuing to do over and over what has failed in the past will continue to plague our future.
The people in this once great nation are either too poorly informed, too misguided, too greedy, or too apathetic to care what is done in their name.
We follow blindly the actions of our leaders for one overarching reason. We all believe our nation's deciders know more than we do. We sincerely believe they have secret knowledge which, were we privy to it, would convince us the course we are on is true.
However, after watching the Bush/Cheney parade of people spouting the same lies over and over, I am convinced otherwise.
Fact: we are alienating the very people we are supposedly liberating. By indiscriminately killing them we couldn't possibly do more harm to our long-term interest.
We have allowed our generals to bring to full living color the popular board game RISK. One huge difference between a game and real-life is at the end of the game the troops, with no enemies to face, presumably get to go home. Our troops will never come home.
perhaps, eliminating Muslims.) Evidently, that's still our plan.
What should have been a rabbit hunt, where a few thousand of our elite special forces troops chase a few hundred of the 9/11 perpetrators into the mountains and caves, will be blown into $100 billion annual expenditure. The generals will attempt to justify a MacArthur style sweep throughout the Middle East. The fact that
Osama bin Laden, the ALLEGED target of our pursuit, has been dead these last 8 years doesn’t seem to dim the generals enthusiasm to hunt down and capture him.
The generals will fight this war phony with overworked, worn-out, suicidal troops. At least one soldier, when faced with yet a third tour to the Middle East, elected to end his own life rather than return. The suicide rate among the military is increasing monthly!
We will pay for this war on credit at our most critical economic point, when the stability of the nation's economic and financial well-being is still in question. We will neglect the needs of this nation in favor of another useless and unproductive war on the other side of the planet. In spite of what our leaders tell us, it doesn't take a big brain to realize what's going on outside our borders has nothing to do with our national security. No country on the map today is crazy enough to take on the USA.
If our national security is weak it is because our National Guard is overseas. The rationale behind sending our national defense troops overseas is as substantial as fog. The really stupid part of what we are being expected to swallow by the war council is that the people in these countries subjected to our bombarding appreciate us. It really takes a complete moron to even consider we may be able to win over the hearts and minds of a people by using guns and bombs on them.
We might stand a chance of winning over a nation’s people if we helped them to build schools or hospitals. If we helped the poorest of the world's nations with their infrastructure; their roads or electrical grid or water resources. If we did so I suspect they would learn to love us in double quick time. As long as we abuse their country they will never love or even appreciate us. But imagine the noise and uproar the good citizens of this country would create if it were known we were upgrading their country before upgrading our own infrastructure. It is much more politically correct to bomb them first.
The insanity of continuing to do over and over what has failed in the past will continue to plague our future.
The people in this once great nation are either too poorly informed, too misguided, too greedy, or too apathetic to care what is done in their name.
We follow blindly the actions of our leaders for one overarching reason. We all believe our nation's deciders know more than we do. We sincerely believe they have secret knowledge which, were we privy to it, would convince us the course we are on is true.
However, after watching the Bush/Cheney parade of people spouting the same lies over and over, I am convinced otherwise.
Fact: we are alienating the very people we are supposedly liberating. By indiscriminately killing them we couldn't possibly do more harm to our long-term interest.
We have allowed our generals to bring to full living color the popular board game RISK. One huge difference between a game and real-life is at the end of the game the troops, with no enemies to face, presumably get to go home. Our troops will never come home.
Tuesday, December 1, 2009
Tonight's Big Number (12/01/09)
Tonight we get to learn about plans to send additional tens of thousands of troops into Our-Gaff-Astan. We have big boys with expensive war toys wasting billions of dollars and thousands of soldiers lives and limbs... as usual.
Folks, if you think we got shellacked in Vietnam, you ain't seen nothing yet.
Here is tonight's big number... one million.
$1 million is what it costs the government (the taxpayer) PER SOLDIER PER YEAR! The war business costs the world's citizens more than any other business endeavor. And yet America's citizens get nothing constructive from those efforts and expenditures except death and destruction. And jobs. We are, after all, the world's largest arms dealer.
What kind of warped thinking results in our government invading a sovereign nation with 100,000 troops -- allegedly chasing a few hundred outlaws?
The whole mess reminds me of a fairy tale called Robin Hood. As we all know from childhood Robin Hood (Osama bin Laden in the forests or caves) and his band of angry men (the Taliban) took on the Sheriffs of Naughtyham (Bush and Cheney) because their regime was so corrupt.
The idea behind the cat and mouse chase we have been engaged in these last eight years is this:
Keep the game interesting enough so those on the sidelines ( the taxpayers) will continue to finance the game. We could have caught the mouse (OBL) eight years ago but that would have ended the game. Our Sheriffs of Naughtyham (Bush and Cheney) couldn't have that, so the chase was called off within, literally, hours from capturing OBL. Does anybody think that happened by accident?
We, like the Vikings and Romans of old, are addicted to war. How disgusting.
Folks, if you think we got shellacked in Vietnam, you ain't seen nothing yet.
Here is tonight's big number... one million.
$1 million is what it costs the government (the taxpayer) PER SOLDIER PER YEAR! The war business costs the world's citizens more than any other business endeavor. And yet America's citizens get nothing constructive from those efforts and expenditures except death and destruction. And jobs. We are, after all, the world's largest arms dealer.
What kind of warped thinking results in our government invading a sovereign nation with 100,000 troops -- allegedly chasing a few hundred outlaws?
The whole mess reminds me of a fairy tale called Robin Hood. As we all know from childhood Robin Hood (Osama bin Laden in the forests or caves) and his band of angry men (the Taliban) took on the Sheriffs of Naughtyham (Bush and Cheney) because their regime was so corrupt.
The idea behind the cat and mouse chase we have been engaged in these last eight years is this:
Keep the game interesting enough so those on the sidelines ( the taxpayers) will continue to finance the game. We could have caught the mouse (OBL) eight years ago but that would have ended the game. Our Sheriffs of Naughtyham (Bush and Cheney) couldn't have that, so the chase was called off within, literally, hours from capturing OBL. Does anybody think that happened by accident?
We, like the Vikings and Romans of old, are addicted to war. How disgusting.
Monday, November 23, 2009
Government sponsored vice -- -- is nice!
It seems a sure bet that our government’s expansion into what were historically areas controlled by organized crime will continue .
In Oregon we have come a long way from prohibition to state-controlled liquor sales. Presumably this has led to less liquor related accidents and crime.
Over the past decade the state has taken control of social gambling. Their control is so strict they have even managed to move the time-honored tradition of betting in football pools in taverns to their own boards. Among friends you stood chance of recovering your ticket price when the winner of the pool bought the traditional bell ringing round. How dare the state take that away from us? They never buy a round.
It seems a foregone conclusion that at least some states will wrest control of the pot business from the cartels, and in particular in Oregon and California, within another election cycle or two. We the people are finally catching on!
Progressive and forward thinking among Europeans has led to control of the hard drug business. Drug addicts can go to the neighborhood pharmacy for a fix. Consequently they have no drug crimes being committed to support drug habits. No gangsters on street corners peddling dope. No thefts, robberies or home invasions required. For a government policy, how smart is that?
Those same enlightened countries have also taken over control of the prostitution business. Sex is for sale but regulated by the state so purveyors are guaranteed disease-free and safe. You go to a sidewalk smorgasbord to make your selection. No prostitutes are hanging out on street corners in high crime areas. There is no gang involvement and, most importantly for society, there are no sex crimes committed
in those countries where sex is readily available.
How incredibly brilliant is that? No rapes! No drug crimes! No gang influence!
No huge taxpayer cost is necessary to support a monstrous prison system; AKA as gladiator schools and schools offering advanced degrees in major crimes.
The sooner governments control all vice the sooner everyone will be able to purchase what they want or need at a reasonable price. Non violent crimes will be taxed, not prosecuted, and the cost of administering these new government programs will be born by the consumers of those services. The rest of us can enjoy the perks
that come with overflowing government coffers which will come from taxing cash flows normally going straight to criminal enterprises.
We in this country are not blessed with the experienced brain trust Europeans took centuries to acquire… but we are getting there.
In Oregon we have come a long way from prohibition to state-controlled liquor sales. Presumably this has led to less liquor related accidents and crime.
Over the past decade the state has taken control of social gambling. Their control is so strict they have even managed to move the time-honored tradition of betting in football pools in taverns to their own boards. Among friends you stood chance of recovering your ticket price when the winner of the pool bought the traditional bell ringing round. How dare the state take that away from us? They never buy a round.
It seems a foregone conclusion that at least some states will wrest control of the pot business from the cartels, and in particular in Oregon and California, within another election cycle or two. We the people are finally catching on!
Progressive and forward thinking among Europeans has led to control of the hard drug business. Drug addicts can go to the neighborhood pharmacy for a fix. Consequently they have no drug crimes being committed to support drug habits. No gangsters on street corners peddling dope. No thefts, robberies or home invasions required. For a government policy, how smart is that?
Those same enlightened countries have also taken over control of the prostitution business. Sex is for sale but regulated by the state so purveyors are guaranteed disease-free and safe. You go to a sidewalk smorgasbord to make your selection. No prostitutes are hanging out on street corners in high crime areas. There is no gang involvement and, most importantly for society, there are no sex crimes committed
in those countries where sex is readily available.
How incredibly brilliant is that? No rapes! No drug crimes! No gang influence!
No huge taxpayer cost is necessary to support a monstrous prison system; AKA as gladiator schools and schools offering advanced degrees in major crimes.
The sooner governments control all vice the sooner everyone will be able to purchase what they want or need at a reasonable price. Non violent crimes will be taxed, not prosecuted, and the cost of administering these new government programs will be born by the consumers of those services. The rest of us can enjoy the perks
that come with overflowing government coffers which will come from taxing cash flows normally going straight to criminal enterprises.
We in this country are not blessed with the experienced brain trust Europeans took centuries to acquire… but we are getting there.
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