It's Our Congress, Finally At Work

       Ho, Ho, Ho, and a very Merry Christmas to Wall Street. Yep, if you think you're getting a big kiss and a whopper of a Christmas present, you ain't seem nothing yet. See, Wall Street big whigs sat down and assisted Congress in writing and inserting a provision in it's huge trillion dollar plus spending bill that allows them to put, we the taxpayers, back on the hook for any risky financial bets they decide to try. If the bet works, they make bundles of dollars. If not, if they loose, we pay for their losses.
       Ya can't go wrong with a deal like that. Of course there were some in Congress who didn't like that idea. So they also inserted a clause allowing Wall Street and anyone else to increase their giving  up to a million and a half to each political party. That softened the hearts of Congress.
       But they didn't stop there. Now coal mining interests can go back to exploding mountaintops off and pushing the rubble back down into the streams. The old Mountaintop Removal Mining deal that pollutes the water that so many depend on for drinking. Then there's the long haul truck drivers who now can go back to 11 hours without stopping and 82 hour weeks. You remember, the problems we had with drivers overly tired and causing accidents? Well, it's back on the books.
       And there's a lot more, after all the bill was 1600 pages long. And it covers a whole lot of junk that had and has nothing to do with government spending. The National Memo pointed out these and many other interesting things, like the fact that all these add-ons came in the dark of night and not even most of Congress was aware of. The odd part is that it all comes from folks who have been demanding we shrink government.
       And all this happened while we had folks like Rep. Michael Grimm, who represents Staten Island, N.Y. You remember him, he's the Congressman who threatened a reporter and said to him, if you don't stay from me, I'll throw you over the railing. Remember? Well he's now pleaded guilty to felony tax evasion. All he did was cook the books or rather had two sets of books. He lied under oath and had 20 charges of tax fraud against him. but he fully intends to remain in Congress. I suppose there are more crooked deals for him to make before he leaves office. Congrats to all you Staten Islanders. you made a wise choice.

The Statue of Liberty.

       Good news from Washington and New York this morning. It appears that vandals have defaced the Statue of Liberty over night. All freedom loving citizens are up in arms. A collection has begun to refurbish and restate the damaged portion of the statue. Millions have already been collected and a contest to restate the inscription has begun.
        The portion of the monument that was defaced and eliminated was the inscription that read " Give me your tired, your poor, your huddled masses yearning to be free etc". Of course it no longer held meaningful sentiments for a society that has changed in it's beliefs without changing it's beliefs. This country wants any huddled masses and the poor to be strongly encouraged to stay home lest they be classified as illegal aliens.
       The new inscription was reported by a commenter on the Daily Kos website's article about Sen. Marco Rubio and some Florida Congresswoman who vehemently oppose normalization of relations with Cuba because, they believe, it only provides money to a cruel, repressive and murderous Communist regime. Speaking of  cruel, repressive and murderous, Communist regimes, both Sen. Rubio and the lady Congressman were pleased to take all expenses paid, by China, trips to travel to China. And their heads of staffs also got to go for free. Apparently China is far less repressive, and cruel than Cuba.
       At any rate, the new inscription on the Statue of Liberty will read "give me your English-speaking, Christian believing, heterosexual masses" to which I would add "already educated and yearning to start new companies". Because after all, that's what this country has always stood for. It's what our founding fathers wanted. Well, that and slaves.

Do You Believe That?

       With all the horrific news around the country and around the world, here are two unrelated, humorous stories. First we have a $350 million testing tower built by NASA that on the day after it's completion, NASA closed it down. They neither want nor need it. $350 million. I suppose you could call it a jobs creation exercise. the problem with such a jobs plan is that they could just have handed out the paychecks to all those people and still saved about half the money.
       Why do you suppose they no longer need that tower, and when did they find out they didn't want it? I'll bet they never did want it. Who are the Senators and congressman in that state and district? You can be sure they had some small influence over the project.
       The other odd deal is the Keystone XL pipeline. Yes, it's still very much in the loop. Republicans are still pushing very hard for it, along with the energy industry and Democrats are still pushing hard against it, along with environmentalists. But what's odd is that, with the lower prices for oil, it's not likely to get built even if it gets approved. See, the extraction of tar sands oil is a very costly process and it would be too expensive to bring to market. But not to worry, the fight is still on and the Republicans are convinced they can vote it through after they take over Congressional control.
       So you see, politics can create jobs after all. It's just that most often the jobs they create are jobs that should never have been created in the first place. It's all sort of 'make work' spending. Do they actually create jobs? Well yes, but more importantly, they make money for politicians and their supporters.
       Sometimes it's almost preferable to get bad news rather than to get political news. No, I guess that's not true, but getting political news, as we all know, means it's gonna cost us dearly. Wouldn't it be nice if just once in a while a politician, any politician, thought about his or her constituents and not his or her backers?

To Right Doesn't Constitute Need.

       It's interesting that two years after Sandy Hook, America has no interest in making our children safer. Neither the NRA, the gun manufacturers nor the American government has any interest in doing anything to keep guns out of the hands of dangerous people or making sure that gun owners know how to safely use and store them. When the NRA and the gun manufacturers speak, the government quivers in fear and cowers in the corner.
       The people are so brainwashed that they believe any attempt to make it safe for children or adults is a blatant attack against their right to own a gun. It's so silly, but the NRA, with financial help from the gun manufacturers, has cleverly convinced Americans that their safety depends on all their neighbors having guns designed for the military. If the M1A1 tank manufacturers association joins the NRA family of financiers, God help us. As for me, I'm holding out for an Apache attack helicopter. I have no idea how to fly one, but I know people who have no idea how to properly handle a gun, so...
       Yet nobody in government, except perhaps for a very few wackos, are suggesting that no guns be allowed to be in the possession of any person. Nobody's suggesting that. Gun ownership is NOT  under siege. There is NO suggestion to change the constitution to eliminate the right to own and bare a gun. NONE, ZERO, ZIP. So get over it. Use your brain, think for yourself for a change. Think of your children for a change. Your children won't be safer with every adult in school and at home and everywhere in between are all packing heat. They'll be safer when we begin to stop people who should not be allowed access to firearms from getting their hands on them.
       But understand this, it won't happen all at once. You won't go to bed tonight and wake up tomorrow morning and all the bad people will no longer have guns. It will take some time. But we need to start. Sometime. Why not now? Or I'm placing my order for the operators manual for my chopper.

If You Think Things Will Get Better.

       Ours is a very strange economy. Some few are prospering greatly while many more are struggling enormously. Some jobs that had left and then returned, as a result of high transportation costs, have returned at far lower wages. Now that we're enjoying low gas prices, even that flow of jobs is slowing. This too will pass. Anyone out there think gas prices won't go up again?
       When the price for oil returns to the stratosphere, jobs will once again begin to slowly return. But as sure as the sun rises in the east, wages will be lower and lower. Why can't we get better paying jobs? Well, if you listen to the experts, they'll tell you the better paying jobs are strictly in hi-tech fields. That certainly is partially true, but it's not the whole answer, and eventually those high wages will shrink into low paying jobs.
       Part of the problem, part of the reason for low paying jobs that were once high paying is because, with the complicity of our government, industry was able to rid itself of strong unions. Now I'll admit that many unions were riddled with corruption and shortsightedness, but it was unions that built a safe working environment for workers and made for high wages in the first place. By weakening unions over time, corporations were able to reduce wages by several means. The simple act of shipping jobs overseas allowed them to reintroduce those same jobs back home at greatly reduced wages. And unions are far weaker in negotiations because of greatly reduced numbers.
       And lets not forget government. Either by outright force such as in Wisconsin or by legislation that strengthened corporations while weakening union options, governments have willingly sold good jobs for corporate campaign support. And make no mistake, both political parties are fully immersed in this policy. Republicans outright admit their favoritism claiming their support for corporations will create jobs. Meanwhile Democrats find fault with corporate power and influence but at the same time they accept that 'influence for dollars' tradeoff. Both know their statements are untrue.
       If you've ever met a politician who does not speak with a forked tongue, you know he or she did not get elected. Even the best become tainted by the stench of Washington. We need strong unions and weak legislators. We need term limits for both union leaders and legislators.
      

In Washington, Serving You.

       The TV news show Meet The Press has come up with the main reason why you don't think your Congressman quite understands how things are for you. Times are tough for almost everyone. Even if you're working full time and even if your spouse is working too. Ya see, the problem is that over half of them are millionaires. And all of them are making about three times as much as the average family. And while your investments have been averaging 4% per year growth, theirs have been growing at about 15% per year. In the 55 to 65 years old category, which includes most of them, their average wealth, not including real estate owned is just over a million dollars, but the average American family that age and including real estate is about $165,000.
       Now I don't mean to suggest that millionaires can't relate to the average person. No, what I'm suggesting is that millionaires don't generally care one way or the other about people who can't afford to join the same country club as them. Of course, unlike regular millionaires, our Congressmen and Senators have to appear to be sympathetic to the plight of the commoners they must represent. At least when it begins to come near to election time.
       Have you ever noticed how before the campaign season opens in earnest our legislators begin to visit the commoners they represent much like a fact finding mission. You think it's to determine what your needs are, but it's really all about learning the sound bites that will interest you the most. You know, sound bites like Benghazi or immigration or abortion rights or Obamacare or income inequality or even jobs. They know they've got to be able to bring these hot button issues into any statement they make. But in ways that will show they understand what you want to hear.
       In the meantime, they have to speak regularly with their investment councilors and schedule speaking engagements that put big bucks in their pockets. For some there are the ghost writers to consult with. And don't forget the fundraising, that's critical. Otherwise how would they be able to continue to make money, oops, I mean serve their constituents?

A true Life Changing Experience.

       It happened last Tuesday, four days ago. It was a harrowing experience. It took nearly fifty years for me to screw up the courage to do it, but last Tuesday, I did it. Last Tuesday, I went on a diet, but not just any diet. I went on, are you ready for this? I went on a hair diet. And not just a lowering of the ears. I,,, gasp. No, this was a real and true hair diet. I got my first crew cut in nearly fifty years.
       Now you may consider this to be no big thing, but let me tell ya buster, this was traumatic. Now  the top of my head is rated  'R' for mild nudity. I may have to look into some hair follicle transplants. I think my neighbor can do it in his workshop down cellar. To think, just a few short days ago it wasn't a consideration.
       This morning I looked in the mirror for the first time since the dastardly deed and somebody else was looking back at me. It was more than disconcerting, I'll tell ya. But let me assure you that I did not run into a chainsaw or grinder nor did I have a kitchen blender accident. It was done intentionally while I was in a self induced stupor. The young woman who conducted the operation was not even a licensed tree surgeon and I told her before she started that if I didn't like it, I would report her to the hair removal police. They'll skin her alive and snake her baldheaded.
       Nowadays I'm forced to wear a hat against the brutal cold of even mild winters and in summer, I'll have to wear a hat to protect me from the blazing sun even on cloudy days. Hats! I didn't even think of hats. This'll require an entire new segment of my wardrobe. From now on I'll be forced to consider the proper style and colour of hat to match my coats. And in summer think of each shirt. Now I'll have to have matching hats for each shirt. Remember, fashion is everything. I'm already forced to match up with my wife's extensive wardrobe. Now this added consideration.
       Such decisions as hair diets are not to be entered into lightly, but rather thoughtfully with considerable research and soul searching aforehand. Remember, a tall tree casts a longer shadow than a small tree and a long strand of hair covers more scalp than a short hair.
      

Being Successful Doesn't Stop The Nitpicking.

       Think back to the last truly successful president we've had here in America. Think about these statistics. Under this president the Dow Jones Industrials increased by 10,000 points, unemployment dropped by two full percentage points, the GDP increased by 8.1 percentage points and the deficit decreased by 7%. And as if that weren't convincing enough, consumer confidence increased by 51%, from 37.7 percent to 88.7%.
       What recent president can claim these kinds of numbers? The answer is NOBODY. Well, actually, nobody except Barak Obama. Yep. Those are his numbers for six years. And when you stop to think about it, he did it in the face of tremendous obstructionism. Now I realize it's fun to badmouth the current resident of the White House, every one of them for at least the last half century. It's sort of like a national pastime, you know, like baseball, football, well okay, maybe not as bad as the NFL, but it's something that's expected of the "loyal opposition", and the more vile, the more fun.
       In fact congressional staffers of the "loyal opposition" are expected to research opportunities to find fault with the president and, God forbid, even his wife sometimes. Only the children of presidents have been left out of this [limelight?]. That's why one congressional staffer got her tongue caught in the
 ringer for badmouthing Obama's daughters. Do you think that's fair? I mean, shouldn't you be allowed to throw rotten eggs at them too? This poor woman was just doing her job energetically and POW, right in the kisser.
       I think there's a lesson here. You should never pick on the president's kids. Or maybe the lesson is some folks need to start banging away at this last bastion of protection until the general public accepts this kind of dirty fighting and begins to look forward to nasty shout-downs aimed at small and large children alike, of that despicable opponent, which means every opponent.

Happy Walmart To All.

       On this special Thanksgiving day, let's all remember that not everyone will be able to enjoy this day of thanksgiving. Certainly Walmart is mindful of these unfortunate members of society. And to prove it's a caring and giving company, Walmart has set up a program for it's somewhat better paid employees to donate to it's not-so-well-paid so they too can enjoy a happy Thanksgiving day.
       Actually Walmart  is participating in this drive to help these lowly workers by providing the basket to hold the donations and to also provide the sign asking for donations. Lets never say that Walmart doesn't have a heart. They may not be willing to participate in actually donating anything, but they're not shy about asking their employees to do it.
       Sooo, the next time you need something from a store, please remember the kind-hearted giving nature of Walmart and shop elsewhere. After all, isn't the American way to be fair to all and to treat our fellow citizens with compassion? Well, yes, but that doesn't mean corporate executives should pay their employees a living wage. Only certain employees should expect to be paid enough to live on. Elsewise how would multi-billionaires be created and enriched?
       There are other reasons not to shop at Walmart too, like the fact that the vast majority of their products are manufactured in countries like China. Now I suspect that the Chinese people are good and loving people, but it's government is anything but a friend of ours. They manage to export inferior, tainted, poisonous, products to us in exchange for our indebtedness to them. They also steal our state and corporate secrets in order to mass produce cheap knockoffs. It's military and government work tirelessly to beat us down but we still flock to their worthless products rather than consider American made.
       Why would anyone turn their backs on the people who will protect them and at some point care for them not to mention support them, in favor of saving a dime on an inferior product from our enemy?       Happy Thanksgiving!
      

Keystone XL Pipeline

       The Keystone XL pipeline was shot down by the U.S. Senate for now. Now why would 40 Democrats, and 1 Independent vote against it, depriving the Republicans of a filibuster proof victory. Well, other than simple ideological differences, are there any reasons not to allow the KXL pipeline to be built? After all, it would mean 50 jobs.
       Well, here are two previously unmentioned  impediments to it's construction. First, part of the KXL would run through the native American Sioux nation. And, since the Sioux are a recognized independent nation and a protectorate of the U.S., they do have a right, based on two separate treaties, to have a say as to what happens to their lands. To date they have not been consulted by anyone concerning the pipeline. Perhaps the reason for not discussing the matter with them is that they are vehemently opposed to the pipeline going through their lands.
       The second has to do with the argument that the pipeline would be so much safer than transporting the crude oil be train or tractor tanker. Surprisingly a look at the safety record of the province of Alberta, Canada, tells us that their pipelines aren't quite as safe as they would have us believe. In October of this year alone, there were 13 separate spills connected to pipelines. The spills amounted to about 500,000 gal. of either crude oil or toxic water.
       Now if these companies can't do any better than that in Canada, how much better will they perform in the United States? It appears that Canada is not as concerned as we here in America usually are, at least after the fact. I have to wonder how much scrutiny was given to the record of spills these companies have caused?
       When you add these new facts to the list of concerns already pinned to the project, you have to wonder how vital this pipeline really is to us. Remember that once this oil would reach the gulf coast and is refined, it's available to the highest bidder. There's nothing to say it won't be sold to China or Turkey, or any other country in need of refined oil products. But no matter where the refined oil goes, the waste from the refining process stays with the good ole U.S. of A. In other words, they'll be looking for someplace to dump this toxic coke. Sooo, is there some room in your backyard?

Politics Is Big Business.

       Ever wonder why it is that there's so much conflict in Washington? You know, the polarization of the parties. Well, without trying to place blame on any individuals or even on party allegiances, the big problem seems to be too much wedding to ideology. Why do elected officials who find themselves in a minority position in either or both of Congress's two houses feel they were sent there to block the other party from accomplishing any good?
       The answer is that each party needs such conflict to sell their bases on the need to vote them back into the majority. And now, with the unleashing of untold fortunes available to convince voters to vote for the party candidates, even if it's against their best interests, it's nearly impossible to know if that candidate will actually help or hurt you. And in fairness, I must say, both parties are guilty of this abuse. A candidate must stand for the party line and once elected he or she must vote the party line or risk being defeated in the primaries.
       The thing is, it is abuse of the citizenry. Being bombarded minute by minute with ads that are, at best, misleading if not downright lies. All in the name of saving the party, which translates, in their minds, to saving the country. All of which is  H O G W A S H. The two political parties are not in business to save the country, they're in business to capture more power which translates into more fortunes for a select few of the most powerful corporations and individuals in the country. It's not enough that these few are wealthy beyond our wildest imaginations, the quest for ever more is boundless and lord help anyone who stands in their way.
       So what's the answer? The only way to break the strangle hold of the parties is to break their hold on the electoral process. Any combination of the following should produce that goal. First eliminate gerrymandering of electoral districts by requiring diversity and as close to a square as possible. Second is to institute term limits. And the third would be to require completely open primaries in which the top two vote getters go on to the general elections. So what are the chances? Don't bet on it.

You've Been Recalled.

      
       There's not much the general public dislikes more than to buy something, get it home, only to find out there's a problem with the product. Doesn't that just tick you off? It means you have to get back in the car and drive back to the mall and get in line at the returns desk. Once you get to the clerk, who is so sick of listening to unhappy customers all day that she doesn't care anymore what you think. But if you persevere you get a new gadget to take home, assuming you were able to prove you bought it at that store, like a sales receipt. Boy oh boy, doesn't it just tick you off?
       Now imagine you bought a new, or even a late model used car, and you get a letter in the mail informing you that the car you bought has been recalled because of a faulty gizmo and you need to return it to the dealer for a retrofit. You can blame the manufacturer, but then nearly all makes get recalled at one time or another. Still, at least they're letting you know they goofed and want to make it right. Just make an appointment and bring it in.
       Imagine the consternation when I read that GM was giving out $25 gift cards to a variety of stores, theatres, and coffee houses if only you will actually just bring it in and get it fixed. Well, GM has sent out notices to several hundreds of thousands of car owners to please get your car fixed and get $25 to Starbucks. I mean, who doesn't want their car fixed, for free?
       Now if you're wondering why GM would be willing to pay car owners to get a free fix, it's because the government is demanding they fix those unsafe cars in most cases. So if you don't take your car in, they have to keep track of it and keep notifying you to do it. If you don't like getting all those recall notices, get the damned thing fixed already. I was just surprised that folks don't pay any attention to the notices in the first place, but I'll bet GM gets to clear up their files on a bunch of these recall lists now.

Make Em Pay!

       Here in Pennsylvania, as well as in many other states, requiring a  Voter Photo ID to vote was struck down by the courts. A lot of people are unhappy with those decisions requiring a driver's license or a birth certificate and one other ID. But many people never got a birth certificate. Their parents received a certificate of registration of the birth certificate which is not acceptable. I always thought that was the purpose of registering to vote.
       Now, in order to vote, if these laws were actually in effect, they would be forced to go, with their parent or sibling (since they have no photo ID) to a state office building in order to get a copy of the Birth Certificate at a cost of $20, needed to obtain that Photo ID at a PENNDOT license center where it costs $27.50 for the ID. And, the PENNDOT license center is not likely to be in the same city as the State building where he gets his birth certificate.
       The hardship and time, not to mention the transportation and fee costs, are an unfair burden on these otherwise lawful citizens with every legal right to vote. Especially when there is virtually no proven need for such identification, no proof of fraud. Many of these folks have been voting for many years, often at the same polling places. If such identification is truly necessary to vote, then it is incumbent upon the states to make the process completely free and easily accomplished.
       By free I mean the state must pay for transportation costs, time lost and access to the necessary identification, quickly and easily. Perhaps there should be a postal or internet option. Actually, the more likely voter fraud takes place between the time people cast their ballots and the time the votes are counted, unofficially and officially.
       So after the $47.50 cost, plus the fuel and wear and tear, or bus or taxi charges and the applicant's time and perhaps lost wages, I can't think of anyone who would feel happy being subjected to such expensive arrangements in order to do what should almost be a mandatory function of citizenship. Still there is that one in one hundred million cheater out there who will vote under an assumed name.

A Parable For Our Times.

       Here's a modern day parable. There were two companies, each with a CEO for their time. The mid-20th century company CEO was approached by his R&D department . They told him that by making certain changes they could produce their product for 5% less. The CEO said "Do it and reduce the price of the product by the appropriate amount. We'll sell more product, thereby increasing our profitability and the value of the company."
       The other company was a late-20th, early-21st century company. The R&D department approached this CEO and offered the same option of changes providing the same 5% savings in production. This CEO said "Do it but keep the price the same. We'll make more profit with less production thereby making our company more profitable and more valuable with fewer people."
       The question is, which CEO was more responsible to his workers and to his customers? The first CEO will claim he is. The second CEO will claim he's more responsible to his shareholders. So, which is correct, the one who was responsible to his workers and customers or the one who was more responsible to his shareholders? Remember, both CEOs increased profits and company value.
       The real question is who was more responsible? The first CEO kept more workers and saved his customers on the costs of his products and yet remained responsible to his shareholders. The second was more responsible to his shareholders. So who is more important, the workers and customers or the shareholders? The answer is, this is the difference between then and now. This is the difference between the disparity of wealth then and now. This is the reason for lower paying jobs and jobs going overseas. Because nobody cares about the workers or customers like they once did.
      

It's Whopper Time At FOX.

       Have you heard the news? The FOX News? Well, in Colorado, the governor signed into law the right for any voter to print out a paper ballot on their home printer and then "turn them over to collectors." Yes, right from the mouth of Megyn Kelly to heaven above. You know that if Megyn says it, it must be true. right? After all, she's a nice, young, attractive woman. How could she lie?
       Well as it turns out, the whole story is made up. Nobody can print out a ballot except military personnel who could do it long before this story got cooked up. Now Megyn could have checked her facts by calling any election supervisor or Secretary of State office and would have found out the story is untrue. But hey, where's the story in that? Almost immediately news sources in Colorado called out FOX News for this lack of truth. FOX News has not retracted the statement.
       Now what would make a newscaster make up such a story? Or if it was told to her, why would she not first check out the story to make sure it's true? Perhaps truth isn't all that important at FOX News. Or perhaps the truth is not important to Megyn Kelly. Or maybe she never learned how to verify a story. Let's face it, there is a certain amount of work involved in checking out a news story. You have to call somebody who should know if it's true. You know, like somebody involved in actually counting the votes or setting the rules.
       On the other hand, if the truth is only an inconvenience to getting out a gotcha moment, then why would you bother? It's sortta like telling somebody that the jet engines are shut off so it's okay to climb inside it to see how it works. I mean, wouldn't it be wise to check with the pilot first? Or maybe the ground crew? If you want people to trust you, shouldn't you first prove you're trustworthy? Well, apparently not at FOX News. They work on the principle that if you say a lie often enough, it becomes the truth. That's why FOX News viewers are so misinformed. In fact FOX News viewers are the least informed viewers in the country. That's not to say there aren't a lot of misinformed FOX viewers in America. Some folks prefer to hear lies, so long as they agree with those lies.

Round And Round.

 Wanna know what's wrong with America nowadays? No, I don't mean jobs or the economy, but that's exactly what I mean. What's the number one important need we have right now? No I don't mean a cure for Ebola or a new secret weapon to defeat ISIS although they would be great. No, I'm talking about infrastructure. Industry is screaming for it, but we won't spend a dime on it or anything else. Other than what we're already spending our treasure on.
       That's the problem? Infrastructure? Do I think that's the biggest problem America faces? In a roundabout way it is. See, the big problem is both the economy and jobs. Now I know lots of people think jobs and the economy are up to the private sector. And that's fine, except the private sector is unwilling to do anything because the economy is so sluggish. The economy is sluggish because of the lack of good paying jobs.
       It's a vicious circle. But this is where the government can actually help. And as it happens the economy can actually help the government help the economy,  job seekers and industry and business all at the same time. Right now there's a lot of people who need good paying jobs, right now interest rates are at an  historic low of 0.4%, and right now our country desperately needs it's infrastructure repaired and/or replaced. Why? Because industry is screaming for it for one reason, and safety concerns for another.
       So, cheap money, lots of labor ready to work and a great need that only the government can meet. So what's the problem? Why haven't we already started? Because too many folks in Washington are convinced that government is not meant to attempt to create jobs. Because creating jobs is the business of the private sector. But the private sector won't touch infrastructure because it believes that's the responsibility of the government.
       Do you understand why we have this big problem? You do? Then please explain it to me, because it just doesn't make any sense. And the worst part is that these people who don't get it, are mostly going to get reelected in one week. That's what's most confusing to me. You're voting for who? Why?

When Is A Joke Too Much?

       When it comes to the Ebola scare, the Republicans had a really good point. They demanded that all flights to or from any west African country be banned. It was a smart and efficient way to protect America from the dangers of this dreaded disease. Or at least it was a brilliant idea until it was pointed out to the world that no such flights existed. Anyone who wanted to travel between America and West Africa had to first travel to a European country and then transfer to a flight heading to America.
       But it was a good idea, at least it was until they found out that they didn't do their homework. the Republicans didn't first find out if there were flights too and from West Africa. It's a lot like Chicken Little running around in fear of the sky falling. Now they're doing the same thing with the National Science Foundation. We've now got Congressmen and their staff members, none of whom are scientists reading old grant proposals to make sure the NSF isn't wasting money on "frivolous Research. You know, like research on climate change and stuff like that.
       To be sure, the NSF, as a matter of policy, has every proposal read by acknowledged scientists in the specific field to make sure the grants go only to the most deserving, about 20% of all proposals. As you might imagine the proposals are very technical and did I mention the Congressmen, or actually their staff members, have no training in the fields they are reading? Hrmpf, there's a blue ribbon panel for ya.        
       It may be that you don't believe in climate change. That's your privilege, but wouldn't it be nice to know for sure? What if you're right and these scientific research projects can actually prove you're right? Wouldn't that be better than looking like a nutcase? Well, that won't happen if these Republicans on the House Committee on Science, Space and Technology, chaired by Lamar Smith (R-Texas) get their way. And the thing is, the total amount of these questionable (?) research projects comes to 0.37% of the NSF budget. Were talking about 47 proposals out of 49,000.
       Rep Lamar Smith is spearheading this investigation. Of course he's getting help from the Director of the NSF who is trying to teach him Science 101. Really! Now I understand this committee has a responsibility to oversee the NSF, but if they feel the need to look into such things as these grant proposals, shouldn't they ask someone who at least is a scientist?

Ebola. Don't Ya Get It Yet?

       What in the world is wrong with our response to the threat of Ebola? America is on the cusp of a major outbreak of this murderous invader of our country. Wait a minute! This is exactly the kind of hysteria that's causing much of the trouble in America over Ebola. We seem to be at odds with ourselves. Americans are good at that.
       There are problems that could endanger many if not resolved. There is a problem with leadership. But it's not centered only within the CDC, or our hospitals. It's not even just with the Administration. If you want to know why there is such a threat, it's because all of the above haven't clearly convinced the people they know what they're doing and how to do it correctly.
       But it's not for the lack of instruction. A good part of the reason for the problem is that people, being humans, don't actually believe it can happen to me. Everyone and especially healthcare workers KNOW it can happen to me, but subconsciously, they don't think it can happen to me.
       A nurse calls the CDC and explains she has some symptoms of Ebola after treating an Ebola patient. She calls to ask if it's alright for her to board a plane and fly. Really? She has to ask? If she had listened to the training, and used common sense, she'd have known she should have gone to the hospital. And what about a CDC staff person who answered the phone and didn't have the common sense to direct her to the nearest hospital.
       Then there's a Congress that cut funding for the CDC, didn't approve a candidate to be Surgeon General and instead of getting good sound recommendations from people who actually know what should be done, get their cue from a media that has already become frenzied, with glazed eyes and salivating over increased viewership; and are feeding the hysteria.
       Situation normal. Everyone is looking to profit from this threat including the media and Congress. Yes, Congress. They want to profit from Ebola. Not financially, but politically. And then healthcare around the country who have been instructed, and have taken it seriously, but not really, not quite seriously, because It Can't Happen To Me. But fear not, because at some point in the not too distant future, everybody will finally "GET IT." Not Ebola. But the correct way to handle the threat.

Every Spoonful Helps.

       Did you know that in Germany, anyone who wishes to attend college, at any college in Germany, can attend for free? And here's another interesting fact. Even foreign students can attend college in Germany, at any college in Germany, for free. They can even get a discount, or for free, on transportation, food, clothing and events. So what? Well it seems that Germany has come to realize just how important a good education really is. And they realize that it's important to more than just wealthy families. In fact they realize it's actually AS important to poor students as rich ones.
       But then that's Germany. So what about America? We keep claiming we want our poor to get out of poverty. And we even acknowledge that a good education will likely benefit that movement from poor to middleclass. We say it, but the question is, do we believe it or do we even care? A poor student who wants to go to college is at an extreme disadvantage as compared to a wealthy student. Even if he or she is smarter than that rich kid.
       But of course, if all we're doing is talking about it to make us look and feel good, then nothing's gonna happen except more and more poor kids are gonna be left behind. And that means that more and more will live in poverty. Of course the advantage to the rich is that there will be a good supply of folks to flip their burgers and mow their lawns.
       Long ago, America saw the need to educate it's population in order to fill the ranks with educated workers for the Industrial Revolution. That's how we came to have free K-12 for everyone. We led the world in that effort. Well, this time Germany is kicking our butt. I truly am surprised that America would allow any country to whip us like this. The rest of the industrialized countries in the world are making us look like a third world has-been. Seems like a good time to get off our duff. Of course that would require Washington to get off their duffs. Hmm, like shoveling snow with a teaspoon.

Remember The Bill Of Rights?

       We Americans pride ourselves on our rights, given to us in our Constitution and the Declaration of Independence. But we also have the right to give up any rights we wish to give up. By signing contracts we can give up some rights and that's a good thing. We can also give up some rights by simply ignoring them. In the Huffington Post this morning an interview of Edward Snowden, remember him, he talks about the right to personal privacy.
       He makes one good point, he said people who claim they have nothing to hide, a claim I've heard people state, so let em look all they want, those people are giving up that right and once it's gone they, or we, can't get it back. The thing is, "the government has to justify it's intrusion into your rights." But these folks who say they don't have anything to hide are giving up a right without considering whether or not they may someday want to hide something. Maybe not even illegal, but just unpleasant or uncomfortable, or financially harmful.
       Soooo, if you're to lazy or timid, or unsure of yourself, then you lose. Now if the government has a legitimate reason to invade your privacy, they won't be too timid or lazy or unsure, they can justify it. And if their justification doesn't measure up, then they don't get to do it. But if you've once lost that right and the time comes when you'd like it back, to whom will you turn to get it back? The government? Your Congressman or Senator? You do know they only have time to speak to major donors, don't you? Even if one would see you, the whole time he'll be wondering how much you can contribute. How far will that visit get you?
       Anyone who willingly gives up their rights for no particular reason is asking to get plucked and I can put you in touch with people who would be pleased to do the plucking. They'll even smile and be gracious and thankful while doing it, unlike the government. You don't have to wimp out on this issue to be patriotic. Protecting your rights is patriotic.

The Problem With Washington.

       You may gather that I'm somewhat 'DOWN' on "elected officialdom", that is to say the breathless atmosphere of  The Washington Elect. You may gather that because it's true. It's not that I don't like these folks, many I think would be interesting diner guests, then again some are stinkers and would be no matter where they might be.

       The reason I'm down on these fawned over elected officials is that they rarely do anything that would make me fawn over them. What I mean is, these days, they rarely do much of anything. If I had a business and a former (or present) Senator of Congressman applied for a job, I'd have definite reservations about that person. I'd want to know if they did anything to deserve a job. Did they accomplish anything of importance? Did they actually do what they were elected to do? Really? WHAT? Because as far as I can see, neither the Democrats nor the Republicans, and not even the Independents, have done very much at all. Well, except for making America the laughingstock of the world. In fact if I were a Senator or Congressman, and I was applying for a job at your company, I'd probably leave that fact off my resume.
       Ya know, things weren't always like this. There was a time, mostly anytime before the new century, when our elected officials were respected, respectable and worthy of respect. It was extremely seldom that a member of the 'Hill' brotherhood was considered dimwitted or of low moral  character. Hmm, well maybe that's giving them too much credit, but if they weren't of good character , at least they had the good manners to keep it to themselves. And mostly they did their jobs. Oh yes, even then they grubbed around for funds to get reelected, but they still listened to the people, or at least did a better job of pretending to.
       Maybe that's the problem. Maybe the guy in charge of teaching them how to pretend to care better just simply retired and in order to reduce the size of government, they didn't bother to replace him. What they didn't realize was that his was the most important job in Washington. You know, like the underfunded CDC. Ya don't realize what you gave up until you need it.

The Trouble With Washington.

       Here are some interesting statistics I picked up from an editorial by Tom Friedman and one of the commenters in the New York Times today. Did you know that in Washington, Congress worked a total of 126 days in 2013? Now an average worker, after two weeks off for vacation works 250 days. So Congress works, on average, half time. Yep that would amount to a twenty hour week. But compensation, on average, for our folks in Washington is $250,000 per year. That works out to about $248 per hour.
       Now I don't mean to complain, but I just wonder why they begrudge an increase in the minimum wage for some of our poorest citizens, to $10.10 and hour. Congress is only making 24.55 times as much. And ya know it wouldn't be so bad if they were actually working for us during those 126 days they supposedly worked for us. But then when you consider that most of the time they spent voting to repeal the Affordable Care Act or shutting down the government or trying to defund agencies. And my guess is that about half that time was spent raising money for reelection time. Which means they were actually doing the job for which they were elected about 30 days a year.
       When you look at it that way, then they were earning about $1042 per hour. Now that puts them in the rhelm of Fortune 500 company CEOs., but they only work about a fourth as many hours. And if you think Fortune 500 company CEOs have golden parachutes, consider these guys have healthcare for life, a huge pension plan and offers from the companies, banks and Wall Street who they were overseeing, for millions $$$. Or at the very least a big job with big paychecks as lobbyists.
       And do ya want to know what the strangest thing is? The strangest thing is we keep electing them to keep doing the same thing, which is......what? Not much, that's what. Now I know, I know, if you're a Republican you're gonna take exception to what I said about wasting time on some of my examples. So okay, in fairness, the Democrats spend just as much time arguing against anything the Republicans do that might be construed as being useful to Americans. And they keep getting elected too. And in less than four weeks, nearly all will get reelected. So I ask you, is that dumb or what?

Who Cares About History?

       So what's the big deal? So what if some states or school boards don't like the recommended history books? Let em publish their own history books. That way they can twist history around to fit their likes and dislikes. After all, isn't it true that local control of education is best for all students? That way your kids can learn a completely different history from the kids in other schools around the country. If you ask me, it would lead to more, and more confrontational, discussions.
       That way, your kids can learn about the totally benevolent America, while the other kids can learn about the, well, the truth. Like the fact that, in it's westward expansion, it didn't treat the Native Americans, the Indians, very benevolently or that America did in fact participate in the  Slave Trade voluntarily, but didn't give up Slavery voluntarily. It took a Civil War to make that happen. The point is, there is lots of good things to say about America, but unfortunately, there are some not very good things to say about America too.
       It's really important for our kids to learn the truth about the good and not so good that is America. Why do I think that? Because, as the saying goes, when it comes to history, if you don't learn from your mistakes, you're gonna make the same mistakes again. And the problem with allowing local and even state complete control over curriculum is that there's always the chance that some moron will decide that it's more important to teach their kids to have an unrealistically rosy outlook about their country than it is to teach them the whole truth.
       There's some things we really can't or shouldn't be proud of. But if future generations don't know it or won't believe it, then the future of our great country is in for a very bumpy ride. It's not a question of respecting our country, it is about respecting those who teach us about our past. Mistakes and all. Imagine how those kids will see us if we lie to them.

Mathew And The Muslims.

       Ya know, I keep reading online commentary about those terrible Muslims.  Every time you turn around someone else suggests all Muslims are bad. I assume you folks know better. But I really do have to wonder why these folks who write such hateful letters and opinions, can then turn around and profess their [strong] Christian belief.
       I had the opportunity, this last Sunday, to hear all of the Chapters in the Book of Mathew on the Sermon on the Mount all together again. Now Jesus never mentions the Muslims specifically, but he did have a lot to say about how we should behave. It mentions that the peacemakers are God's children and how we should let go of anger, because it's a sin and think about where you store your wealth, you know, things like that.
       I guess the point is that you can act like these folks act or you can act like a Christian, but you can't act like both. you're one or the other. I know, I know, it's hard work to be a good Christian, at least it is for me, but there is a clear difference here. Ya just can't suggest they all be killed and then  show up in your favorite pew and pretend you're a true follower. From what I've read and been taught, it doesn't work that way.
       I'm all for protecting ourselves from those who would do us ill, but I don't think, in fact I know that doesn't include every Muslim in and out of America. The next thing you know, we'd be picking on other Christian denominations. Eventually it would come down to me and thee and I have my doubts about thee.

"ITOS"

       The year was 2009, the day after President Obama was inaugurated, when the Minority leader of the Senate, Mitch McConnell, stood up on the floor of the Senate and stated that his goal was to see that President Obama would be a one term president. To accomplish that goal he led an historic minority charge to block any legislation that had the slightest chance of helping so many Americans suffering in the depths of  the Great Recession.
       At the same time there seemed to be a push by that same minority to protect the wealthy from suffering any inflictions from that same recession. And during the recovery, the first to enjoy all the fruits of a recovery, were those same wealthy. That left very little in the way of recovery for the huddling masses. The crumbs from the table, so to speak.
       Now that same minority in the Senate, coupled with the majority in the House of Representatives, are claiming Obama has been ineffective in helping the economy. The truth is that the reason for the sluggish recovery can be explained in a simple phrase. "ITOS! "It's The Obstruction Stupid." With the obstruction by the likes of Mitch McConnell and John Boehner, and whether or not you like Obama, the American economy has nearly stagnated. Only with near herculean effort has there been any improvement or help for Americans.
       Wouldn't you like to see some real improvement in our economy? In our American way of life? There is one simple act on your part that can bring that about for the good of our country. Eliminate the obstructionists in Congress. Send them home for a much deserved retirement.

Ahh! The Odor Of Gunsmoke.

       I've been thinking about how I felt about Bush, the younger, taking us to war against Saddam and Iraq. And I've been thinking about how the same Bush agreed to leave Iraq if Karzai demanded our troops would not be protected from their laws, and what I thought about Obama calling it a dumb war, and how we followed the [agreed upon] departure.
       Now I'm thinking about the outcry from the likes of Lindsey Graham, John McCain, and Dick Cheney, and I have to wonder why I agreed with Obama's decision to extend our involvement in Iraq and include Syria. Now I realize it seems to be fashionable to want war in this case. But then I remember back to my point in the buildup to the first Bush II invasion. Why do we think we can do something in the middle east to bring about lasting peace and democracy? Nobody's been able to do that in at last 5000 years.
       We don't seem able to learn anything from our mistakes. The more we fight there, the more people, there, hate us. Even the Middle Eastern nations won't admit they're going to help us, which tells me they won't. Countries like Saudi Arabia fund ISIL and provide fighters, countries like Iran are interested only in expanding their sphere of influence. None are willing to put aside their grievances with each other and honestly fight this, their enemy. ISIS/ISIL look forward to forcing America into a war we cannot win, and which they will be strengthened, at least that's what they think, and could be right about.
       Whenever we've taken any kind of action in the Middle East, be it buying their oil to destroying their governments to arresting and torturing their terrorists, they hate us all the more. So if the people of all those countries and the governments of those countries aren't all in, why in the world are we in? Don't get me wrong, I know that going to war is thee national pastime for America, but couldn't we, just this once, give up the opportunity to flex our might?

Ahh. The Odor Of Politics.

       I just read about the most amazing scientific report. This outline explains how and why most couples are of the same mind about politics. Well, I could have told them that. Nearly every couple and even those who are not coupled feel the same way about politics. Everybody thinks politics stinks. And that seems to be the whole point to this study.
       Actually, the study claims that one party stinks more than the other, according to the volunteers in this study. Here's how the study worked and I'm not kidding. They took a bunch of people, half of which were conservative and half were progressive. they taped a gauze pad over the armpit of everyone and didn't allow them to bathe, use deodorants or go near anything that had strong odors. I presume that included each other too.
       Then comes the Peace DE Résistance. They got 125 lucky contestants to sniff the gauze pads. Honest, that's what they did. I'm not making this up. Nobody could make this kind of study up, well except for the folks who actually dreamed this study up in the first place. You know people have nothing else to do when they think up stuff like this to do.
       Anyway, the upshot is that, of those who survived, people liked the odor of those who were of the same persuasion as themselves. In other words, Conservatives like conservative stink and progressives like progressive stink. There was no report on how those who passed out felt about the smell of either group.
       I want to thank the Huffington Post for bringing this critical report to my attention. And I hope you won't mind if I ask to sniff your armpit one of these days, or at least the gauze pads I'm passing out. I do want to state this is , or was, a serious study for those interested in finding a life mate who agrees with you on electoral matters. Or, for those who enjoy the art of arguing and fighting.

Stop Voting For That Rich Person.

       The National Memo had an article in, this morning, about the S.E.C. and a proposed ruling that would require publicly traded corporations to reveal their political donations to their shareholders. Of course corporations and their recipients are against it. Especially trade groups like the U.S. Chamber of Commerce and the American Petroleum Institute. They think it's unfair for the owners of a company to know who the company is funding for what governmental position.
       So, for instance, if you're a staunch supporter of Mitch McConnell, and the company you're part owner of, is spending large sums to defeat him for reelection, they don't think you should know about it. The thing is though, if you're part owner, why shouldn't you have the right to know about their political expenditures. After all, you might not be comfortable being an owner of such a company. Or if the company was supporting Mitch, then you might be interested in buying more stock.
       But ya know, I'd go even further. I'd say that the general public should know. They might not want to buy the product of a company that supports someone you think is a nincompoop. The question comes down to whether or not a company can be considered a person and then turn around and give huge sums of money to someone in secret. The Supreme Court says they can give any amount. I don't agree with that opinion, but it's the law. I don't agree because it gives those large donors more 1st Amendment rights than poor people. That's because they can buy far more ads for or against a candidate than a middle class person can afford.
       To my way of thinking, that gives them more 1st Amendment rights than you or I have. Money should not be equated to rights. That is, unless votes are for sale. Why should a rich man have more say than a poor man? We have a preponderance of people in office, put there by rich people. But we have some of the worst people in office of any country in the world. And their performance proves that statement. Isn't it time to put some poor people in office for a change. They couldn't do worse.

We Could Use Some Founding Fathers Again.

       Well, okay. The President has stated he will escalate the bombing of ISIS (ISIL-IS) into Syria. I think that's probably necessary and as long as he's able to pull together support from European and Middle Eastern countries to go along with him, so be it. I even think most of the country is with him. Even Congress is talking as though they agree. But this will be a long endeavor and there's no good reason to believe it won't escalate at some point.
       But there's one point nobody's been willing to talk about or perhaps hasn't even thought about. How do we pay for this escalation and future escalations? We fought the Afghan and Iraq wars without paying for them and we've suffered for those mistakes. So, will Congress now allow for the funding of this new undertaking by putting the costs on our charge card or will they actually propose a payment plan?
       Every war America has embarked upon until the Afghan and Iraq wars were paid for through increased taxes or some other means other than charging it to future generations in the form of foreign debt. And after every other war, we came out the other end of that war stronger. Oh we had debt beyond the end of those wars, but we continued payment plans until the debts were paid.
       My question now is; do we continue on the new path set by President Bush of not paying for nor providing a plan to pay for a war, or do we revert back to a proven formula of paying as we go? If I had a vote, I'd want to know that this new effort wouldn't place us in the kind of financial disadvantage we found ourselves in since the A & I wars. Come to think of it, those two wars never really ended did they?
       There will be those who will blame this new confrontation on our leaving Iraq. But unless there was a decision to remain there until the end of time, there was always the probability that the conflict would continue after we were gone. It still comes down to the fact that America has no idea how to build a stable nation. Our founding fathers figured out how to do that, but they've all passed away. No one has ever taken their place.

Fair Is Fair, Not Far.

       If you're an American company who shipped your jobs offshore, or shipped your headquarters offshore then we need to find a way to penalize you. If you're a company who kept your headquarters and jobs here, we need to find a way to reward you. But if you moved your jobs offshore, moved your headquarters offshore, we need to find a way to make it profitable for you to return both to America. We need to restructure corporate taxes to reward those who help America without rewarding American companies who hinder America.
       The real question is not whether or not this makes sense, it does. The real question is whether or not either political party has the will to do what is best for Americans. The time to be fair to others is not when you're down, the time to be fair to others is when you're on top. We are not presently on top. Nor have we been for some several years. The time is past for the need to help ourselves first. Unfortunately for far too many politicians, this means help themselves personally, first.
       This is not a Democrat or Republican idea. It's not a conservative or progressive idea. It's an American idea. It's a fair issue. Now, we should be fair to others less fortunate than us all the time, but we're not talking about helping those who need our help, we're talking about those who unfairly, if legally, took advantage of us. We should not treat them as well or even better that those who have helped us.
       So it's time to make the piper pay. The pipers have led our jobs away, both in manufacturing jobs and in the tax bases they took away from us. This is not the time for Americans to reward these companies. It's time to ask them to pay a greater duty on products and a loss of tax deferential and preferential treatment. It's only fair. Would that our leaders might see it that way.

Times Are Exciring.

       The hi-tech world is replacing the manufacturing world. That's how the story is told. And as workers are replaced by mechanization and cheaper labor elsewhere, those out of work laborers should be retrained to be hi-tech successes. And all that is good news for those who are actually able to get that training in fields where they're capable of handling the languages and complexities of those hi-tech positions. But how do they pay for the training?
       But what about the folks who can't handle the training or the complexities? And what about the graduates of that training who still can't find jobs? For people who have spent their lives working with their hands to suddenly be told they must learn to work with their heads on complicated, computerized robotics, it can easily be beyond their abilities.
       So what's next for these folks. Their children may have no problem working with computers and robots, but what of this older generation? Is this a discardable generation with exceptions here and there? Is there no place in this America for these relics of a bygone era? Or must they fight back with below minimum wage jobs just to put food on the table.
       What is the responsibility of government toward these folks? What is the responsibility of the corporations toward these folks, if any? It's good that society is able to move on into a bright new future for our youth and our brightest members, but do we, can we, just leave the relics to waste away? There will never be sufficient need for broom pushers to fill the gap with low-skilled jobs gone. America should never turn it's back on the people who helped to make it great.
       Deregulation has allowed the corporate world to turn it's back on labor, but now the curtain has been swept aside. We can begin to see the results of all that deregulation, in terms of human suffering. For too many there is no bright future.

The Center Of The Economy.

       The whole issue of inequality boils down to one single, simple (actually not all that simple) discussion. Which is the center of our economy? That's the question. For about the last 35 years the answer has been corporations. But that's a flawed decision.  It's flawed, not because corporations don't generate billions and even trillions, but because it's the workers that actually manufacture the products and services that make all that money for the corporations.
       But even if it were true that only corporations create the money of the economy, corporations have proven time and again, they don't give two hoots about American economy. They can and do move offshore just to save some tax money, forgetting that it's the taxes that make our infrastructure work for them. Without the taxes; no roads, bridges, ports, airports, power grid and what else. They send jobs overseas for cheaper labor and still expect the very Americans they left behind to buy their products and pay those taxes to keep the economy moving and the infrastructure working.
       Well if it's not the corporations that create the economy then what is the center of our economy? Labor fills that role. The reason is that labor supplies the work necessary to actually produce, but it also purchases the finished product or service. Without that buyer there is no economy. So if labor is so important to the economy, then why do we ,as a country, and our government, turn our backs on labor. The right to unionize is becoming a quaint activity of the past, back when corporations took unfair advantage of workers, but that doesn't happen anymore. Oh really?
       I suppose keeping wages flat for decades isn't mistreatment, or moving out of country for that cheap labor isn't mistreating you workers either. Laws protecting labor have systematically been repealed and replaced with laws to protect corporations from individuals and groups. Laws have given corporations power to greatly influence elections and thereby politicians. What a shame.

Oh What A Tangled Web Of Predictions.

       Let me tell you what I've learned, just today, about Barak Obama from just three publications. First, did you know that our president is involved with federal land grabs, savings and retirement investments grabs, then he's allowed the Mexican army to come in and kill American citizens. Next he's allowed the Muslim Brotherhood to infiltrate his entire administration and now he's on the side of the terrorists, not to mention his federal takeover of the internet. I learned all this by reading just three right wing extremist publications in one day.
       I'm not gonna mention the three I've been keeping tabs on because I know your reading list is way to busy already. If you really need to know, leave a message and I'll get back to you. Of course these are not the only items these reports and publications mention. They tell you how to get a heart tune-up, how to prepare for the coming world monetary crash, how to register for the semi-annual cruise with high profile politicians like Louie Gomert, and how to survive and defend yourself during all these predicted emergencies they are offering like a menu at a fast food drive through.
       Here's one you should watch out for. FEMA has been instructed to open "liberal Auschwitz" camps pretty soon for everyone to be re-indoctrinated. So you may want to pack a suitcase or backpack just in case, you'll be ready. Please don't think I've changed my stance on Washington. I still think our Congress, the Supreme Court and ,yes, even the President have all lost their collective minds. They seem to have no interest in doing what We The People actually need and want them to do. I still think there must be some sort of problem with the water supply. Then again they mostly act the same way when they hit the campaign trail.
       Just imagine if all these dire predictions actually came to pass. You'd be in a camp guarded by Mexican military personnel, being taught by Muslim Brotherhood terrorists who would be teaching you how to get by on no retirement or savings. The land your camping on will be government land so you'll be required to pay grazing fees. And you wouldn't even be allowed to email your cousin in Las Vegas. Of course he's probably not living there anymore anyway.

Guns And Burgers. Are You Kidding?

       On Monday, August 25, a 9 year old girl was allowed to fire an UZI automatic machinegun. Her instructor made the mistake of allowing her to fire the gun on full automatic without keeping his hand on the gun. No, that's not the point, the point is this 9 year old was allowed to shoot the gun at all. The result was that the instructor was shot dead.
       It's not so much that a 9 year old girl shouldn't shoot a gun, there are guns that 9 year olds can usually handle without problems. A .22 caliber rifle comes to mind. Now if the idea is to scare the kid out of her wits, then an UZI set on automatic might be just the ticket. But as this sad tale shows, it's far more gun than such a person can handle safely.
       For all their previous screaming and blustering, have you noticed the NRA has kept their mouths completely silent. Wouldn't you think the NRA would finally say that some basic safety legislation is now, finally, in order? That now after this horrible accident, we need to address sensible regulation on how old and how big a person should be when it comes to using automatic and high caliber weapons? But from the NRA, not a word. Doesn't that tell you something about the leadership of the NRA?
       As we know, there is more than one victim in this incident.  This young girl will forever be linked to this accident. She's always going to remember she caused the death of someone who was trying to help her have fun. The fact that he misjudged her preparedness will be lost on the fact that she pulled the trigger. Both families will be scarred for life. Guns and Burgers. Really? I was taught and I taught my children that guns were serious business, not a game with food. You can enjoy using guns, but it's never a game and anyone who tries to make it a game with their children should remember a nice Monday in August when a youngster killed a man by mistake.

It's Time To Invert Inversions.

       I'm sure you've heard of INVERSIONS. They're those companies who merge with a foreign company from a low tax country, for the purpose of lowering their taxes. They buy or merge with or are bought by a foreign company, then relocate their headquarters to that low tax country. It's a cheap trick tax dodge that's robbing America of hundreds of millions of dollars. Of course the company doesn't change it's operation at all. It is only interested in paying lower taxes and they don't care what it means to America or American taxpayers.
       Well, now there's a new opportunity for investors who also don't care about America or American taxpayers. An online investment broker is offering a package of Inversion targets to invest in. And in case you wanted to know, this online brokerage, Motif Investing, is backed by J.P. Morgan. What they do is pick companies who are likely to be targets of this inversion business. Then they lump these stock offerings into groups and offer them as a "basket" presumably a basket full of opportunity, according to the N.Y. Times this morning.
       Now, I guess there's nothing wrong with making a profit off other people, in fact it's just good business you might say. What I find so unpleasant is that in a way it's encouraging these companies to take part. After all, by investing in these potential inversion targets you increase their value. You are, in effect, legitimizing the idea of skipping out on America.
       So if you don't care too much about your own country, then these options are a backdoor way to potentially make a killing. And after all, these investors will have to pay taxes on any profits they might make, at capital gains tax rates. So ya see, there's nothing illegal here, either by the inversion companies or the investors, but maybe it should be. Maybe it should be illegal to take part in any inversion by any American company unless they pay a 50% tax on any funds held anywhere in the world and a 50% one time tax on the value of all holdings anywhere in the world before they can invert. And as for investors, a special tax rate on any inversion related company on any income from any such investments of 50%. That would put a screeching halt to all inversions without having to make them illegal.
       Ya see? There's always a silver lining if you look hard enough and if you're willing to give them an old fashioned one two punch.

What's wrong with the ACA?

       Let's see if we can clear up some confusion. With the Affordable Care Act (Obamacare), if a poor person gets sick, he or she can go to the Doctors office. Of course, since the poor person can't afford to pay, who do you think gets stuck with the bill? Actually, it's other folks who are paying for their insurance and the taxpayers. So now lets look at the same case without Obamacare. The poor sick person has no choice but to go to the hospital emergency room when they get sick. So who pays for that visit? The people who do have insurance and the taxpayers. The difference is that a doctor visit is cheaper than the hospital visit.
       So if that's the case, why do people still want to see the Affordable Care Act (Obamacare) terminated? Oh, I suppose many people who are covered on the ACA will not get sick any time soon, but everybody gets sick at one point or another. So unless you think that people who can't afford medical care should just do without and die, it doesn't make sense not to have the ACA in place.
       Now it's true, some good folks will have to pay a little more for insurance than they have been paying, but my guess is that once it's fully in operation, taxes will go down just about enough to cover the increased cost of insurance. Look at it this way, if you still think America has the best medical system in the world, and that's a really far stretch, then why wouldn't you want every American to benefit from it? Who could be so selfish as to not want to share it?
       And for people who are accustomed to so called Cadillac insurance policies and can afford them, you can still have one. You're just being asked to help pay for someone who can't afford any insurance. I'm convinced it'll be cheaper in the long run. Plus things like no pre-existing condition clauses and kids being able to stay on parent's policies until 26 are real advantages.
       So why are you allowing your representatives in Congress to continue the fight to eliminate the ACA? Seems to me you should tell them to give it a chance and fight to improve it, not kill it. I know, I know, they keep claiming it can't be fixed or improved. It's a terrible law, but it isn't and they don't have anything to offer in place of it except to go back to the old way. Here's the thing though, our old system was among the worst in the industrialized world. And that's a fact.
  

The Trouble with a Circus.

       Ya know, there are quite a few people out there who are tickled pink that our government is in gridlock. We're nearly shut down, in fact right now the United States Circus is closed for business because it's the August Recess for the Senate and the House of Representatives. But it's not that much more open when they're in session.
       You hear people complain because Circus hasn't been able to address the crisis on the Mexican border with illegal aliens, or the whole immigration process which people feel is a near catastrophe. The House won't consider anything the Senate approves and the Senate won't approve anything the House approves. Now don't you think that sounds exactly like a couple of spoiled brats? Yes, the United States Circus is exactly like a circus, except it only has two rings. Well actually, it has three if you count the president. He should be the ringmaster, but he doesn't seem to want the job.
       So you have the POTUS and the COTUS unable to agree and the SCOTUS seems to want to take over forging new law. The reason some folks are happy over the gridlock is that they really want the whole government to shut down completely. Well, except for the parts that help them. These folks have a problem however, in that they don't really know what parts help them. Like screaming they  want the government to stay out of their Social Security and Medicare. These good folks don't seem to realize the Government has always been in charge of both. I suppose if they knew that they'd demand either government get out or stay in, and that's final.
       Meanwhile other folks only want the government to fail so their particular brand of politics can take charge. These folks don't want to agree with anything the other side suggests, even if they thought of it first. And they'll do whatever it takes to make sure the  other side has no successful actions to point to. Meanwhile, you and I have to sit here and wonder if they've all lost their minds.
      

Natural Gas Ain't all It's Fracked Up To Be.

       Natural gas is far less of a pollutant than coal. Nobody can dispute that claim. It's less than half compared to coal. That's good for the environment. Fewer greenhouse gases in the air that are causing global warming. So when electric is generated by coal, the pollution is greater than when it's generated by gas. Solar and wind are much better, but gas is still a preferred fuel compared to coal.
       In order to get sufficient quantities of gas extracted from it's resting place a mile or so beneath the surface to meet the demands, extraordinary efforts and technology must be taken. What that means, in todays technological capabilities, is that Hydraulic Fracturing must be used. By doing so, we can release most of the gas trapped there.
       But here's the problem we're facing with this process. When these fluids, mostly water, are forced down into these formations holding the gas, under extreme high pressure, it is somehow causing methane, a gas which is a very powerful greenhouse gas of severe consequence, to rise to the surface along or near the drill pipe. The attempts to eliminate this risk by sealing the pipe with special concrete have so far been spotty at best.
       Now, to be fair, methane appears naturally above the surface from a variety of causes. But it's not the naturally appearing methane that's causing the big stir, it's the added methane that seems to be upsetting the balance. And when this is factored into the measurements of harm to the environment, then this natural gas is about on a par with coal. And that's the disheartening part of the situation.
       Also in fairness, the natural gas industry has improved the procedures, cements, concretes and pipes over time. But they haven't eliminated the problems, and until they do, there's little reason to continue to allow them to "drill baby drill." So long as they're allowed to drill as fast as they want, there's no real pressure to solve the problem. Obviously the gas industry is working to solve this problem and eliminate the concern, however they'd work a lot faster and harder if they were on hold. A carrot and stick works better than a permission to proceed order when it comes to finding a means to control this escaping methane.

Teaching! Who Wants It?

       I just read an article in Mother Jones publication online. It mentioned that one half of our teachers will be eligible to retire within the next decade. And yet, state legislatures and governors across the country continue to defund education. Teachers are denigrated, the reputation of the profession is sullied, all in the name of lowering taxes.
       What we need to understand is that teachers are among the most necessary, most important people in the lives of future generations of young people. We seem to treat them more like a useless extra that can be somehow discarded without changing the outcome our country would face.
       Why is it that a bright kid can go on to college and go to work on Wall Street and earn respect and really fat paychecks or go on to that same college and get disrespect and much, much lower wages? Many people seem to think teaching is something that any dummy can do, that it's easy work for people who can't make it in the "real world." These folks don't have any idea what the real world is all about and what's needed to be successful in it.
       Of course most, if not all, of these folks that think that way, can't teach their old children how to respect others. These same folks can't understand why their kids aren't getting a great education, but don't have the time or the interest to get involved. There is one group that is concerned about their kids education, but still want public education to be defunded. These folks most often send their kids to private school where they get a very good education. These folks simply don't care what happens to the rest of society.
       In other countries, teachers are among the most respected in the country, are highly paid and don't quit teaching within the first five years which happens in America. And no wonder our best and brightest students don't want to be teachers, who wants disrespect, poor wages and a life of never knowing when the government will decide they're not wanted.
   

Keystone XL Pipeline. Friend Or Foe?

       Why is it that we still keep hearing about the Keystone XL Pipeline? Big money keeps pushing to get this big money maker built so they can make even more big money. But what's in it for the average citizen of America? Well, there's a lot in it for Americans. For starters there's some new jobs. Not very many, but some. Then there's all that oil.
       But there are some disadvantages as well. So the question is whether there are more or fewer advantages with the pipeline as opposed to no pipeline. Some of the disadvantages start with the oil itself. Actually it's something of a misnomer to call it oil. It's actually tar, with a lot of sand in it. To refine it, you have to remove the sand and all the rest that isn't actually oil.
       After it's refined you have two products. You have oil. But the oil is still not comparable to what they call "light sweet." It's still a lot dirtier. The other product is the"coke" left over. You can build mountains of this toxic waste. Coke can no longer be burned to make steel or any other product because of it's polluting nature. It's toxic, toxic, toxic. So what would we do with this poison? Bury it? Where?' Perhaps you'd be willing to dig a big hole in your backyard for some? I know the Koch brothers don't want any of it.
       Then there's that, so called, finished, refined oil. What happens to that? Word has it that it will all or nearly all be shipped outside of America. Of course we could demand it be saved for only Americans. It could, but it hasn't been set aside for us. That would be against the best interests of the wealthy benefactors of Congress.
       So let's fast forward to a possible future, some ten years from now with an XL pipeline in full production. Today's news tells of a leak in the pipeline, but it's a slow leak because the tar is so thick. Meanwhile,  near a small Texas town, Mount Coke continues to rise and is now the second highest mountain in North America. Every time it rains in that area, the runoff from Mt. Coke turns all the local streams black and the drinking water is determined to be toxic. So everybody has to import bottled water from Canada. And there are more two headed critters running around Southeast Texas then anywhere in the world.

To Sue Or Not To Sue, Too.

       I don't know about you, but I've been hearing suggestions to sue Congress for dereliction of duty ever since the House GOP voted to sue the President. The thing is, what good would that do? Suppose you did sue them and suppose you won? What would you win? They'd love to put Congress out of business, especially if they could keep the President tied up with lawsuits against him at the same time. The thing is, they don't think government is a good thing anyway.
       For a Tea-drinker from the GOP, the best thing would be for no business to be conducted at all by the government. And even without the Tea Party, the only reason to be in Congress these days is as an entry level position for the lobbying or PAC industries. No, the only way to end this business is to flood the lobbying market with way more ex-Congressmen and ex-Senators than the industry can use by requiring term limits of just under two years for Representatives and just under six years for Senators.
       That way there would never be a reason to do any fund raising, especially if they were not allowed to switch back and forth between the two houses either. By doing this, our elected officials would be forced to spend their time looking for other sources of gainfull employment during their tenure. There might then be time for them to spend on doing for Americans what is needed by Americans.
       It's not that I don't appreciate all the silliness these childish adults offer in the way of humor for those of us who get a kick out of these grown people causing us to groan, but most, if not all, of these kiddies have gone through their repertoires too many times to keep track and we do need some fresh routines. That way, fresh new faces and even more silly ideologies present themselves for us to make fun of.

How Dare You Disagree.

       Have you ever read any of the publications such as newspapers on-line? You don't have to wait for the opinion page a week later to see the comments on almost any article or editorial. The comments are listed right there from the moment it hits the net. Actually, the comments section of those articles are both the most informative/ humorous and then some of the most vile statements you can imagine.
       These comment sections resemble barroom brawls, absent the physical bumps and bruises. In fairness, I must admit I too enjoy joining in the fun from time to time, although I can and do, in the calmness of my computer space, remain civil.
       But to read the level of violent disagreement and downright hatred in some of these messages, it's hard to believe this country can long endure this troubling partisanship. But then a visit to any coffee shop or store will show me that it all seems to be the talk of a relative few ignorant bozos. Most people seem to get along fine with their neighbors. There are exceptions of course, such as the moment you get behind the wheel of your car and find someone has cut you off, or in that store when there's a sale on with a limited quantity of the sale items. Then look out, your life is in your hands and your temper takes hold of your actions.
       For some reason, sitting at your computer, the anonymity of the moment provides the courage to speak out like you might not do otherwise, even venomously so. The telephone allows for some of this courage, but not nearly as clearly or with such bitter resolve. There are times when that first amendment to the Constitution goes too far in providing a speaking platform. The computer is one example of that over-indulgence.

This Is What They Signed Up To do.

       Okay, now let me see if I have this correct. Speaker John Boehner, the Speaker of the House of Representatives of the United States Circus asks the house to give him authority to sue President Obama for exceeding his authority in issuing Presidential Executive Actions. So the House said yes, if he sued for just one of the many Executive Actions taken. So Boehner choses one in which Obama delayed the Affordable Care Act, a law the House has been trying to get eliminated.
       Next the House fails to pass a bill to address the crisis on the Mexican border. So Boehner suggests that Obama use his Executive authority to take action to handle the crisis. A step the House is going to sue Obama for doing. The next day, which was to be it's first day of the August vacation, the house uses to pass a bill for about 20% of what Obama asked for to finance the handling of the crisis on the Mexican border.
       In it's next step, the House votes, again strictly along party lines, to basically deport every illegal alien child in America and send them all back to their Country of origin, without so much as a hearing to determine if they have a right to stay here based on refugee status. Then, after the usual spate of name-calling, the House recesses for it's August vacation.
       So if they win their suit against the President, the law they hate will take effect sooner than later. Then they ask the president to do a few more of the acts they want to sue him for. Then they underfund the handling of the crisis by 80%. Then they heap more work on those required to handle the crisis by requiring them to deport all the kids they can find and all those they can't find as well. Then the House goes on vacation for a month.
       Well I don't see any problem here. It sounds like a wise group of leaders shirking their duty, just like they were elected to do. It's what we've come to expect of the U.S. Circus.

What Class Warfare?

       It appears that in the "Big Apple", you know, that city with the same name as it's state, New York, has a loophole in one of it's housing laws that allows for separate entrances for people from different stratospheres. So what's happened is some builders of apartment towers have built regularly priced apartments and low income priced apartments in the same building. Then they laid out the building so that if you rented a low income apartment, you have to use one entrance, which happens to be off an alley. On the other hand, if you rented one of the regular priced units, you get to use the main front entrance on the street.
       Now you may ask why the different entrances. Well if you're paying the full price, in other words, if you can afford the full price, you don't want to have to use the same entrance as those poorer folks, you know, the commoners. But them why build the building to accommodate those lessor priced units? Because the builders get special financing and grants to include housing for the poorer folks. So in order to satisfy the dignity of those wealthier clientele, just put two different doors in different locations.
       And you thought there's no class distinctions in America. Ya see how you eliminate any distinctions by not forcing richer folks to have to mingle with poorer folks as they come and go from their domiciles? It's the American way. At least as far as some folks are concerned. Now I suppose If I were very rich, I wouldn't want to have to speak with you anymore, if we had to pass in the foyer. And I suppose that if you were very rich and very snobbish, why then you wouldn't want to speak with me. It would be a great loss for you, while I'd be better off in the end.
       But now, some activist, socialist, buttinski has gone and rocked the boat, or in this case, the high-rise. Now there's a push on to change that law and require both rich and poor to use the same door. We'll even have to touch the same elevator button. More's the pity.