President Obama's poll numbers are sagging under the weight of our continuing economic difficulties and Obama is being blamed for thirty years of Conservative economic policy bungling. Too bad for Obama but he brought it on himself. If he had a backbone it wouldn’t have happened. From the day he took office, the damage Conservatives have done to the American economy should have been his administration’s overriding message and should have been a part of every comment on any subject. Instead he’s collaborated and colluded with them until he finally capitulates to their demands and then tries to spin his embarrassing behavior as somehow a reasonable thing to do.
President Obama, cooperating with Conservatives never is a reasonable thing to do. They never will act in anyone’s interest except their own. They are sociopaths. They don’t care who get hurts by what they do as long as they get what they want.
You’ve got to learn that lesson and you don’t have much time to do it. Unless you make the American People understand that Conservatives caused our problems and that the only way to save America is by undoing what they’ve done, you’re not going to be reelected and then America’s going to be in real trouble.
09 June 2011
06 June 2011
Demagoguery and the National Debt
The American national debt and what to do about it is an issue at the center of public discussion. In a commentary recently published on The Hill, former senator, Judd Gregg, notes:
How do we separate demagoguery on the debt issue from the demagoguery of the debt issue?
America has had a national debt since forever and we've learned to live with it. In fact, we've learned to love it. US Treasury securities are a good basis for a savings program. Now come the Conservatives hoping to use the national debt to advance their flagging political fortunes.
Conservative bungling of public policy created the dire economic straits of America today and they're hoping to divert attention from the consequences, a lack of jobs, to something else. The national debt fills the bill. Never mind that they created a good portion of the national debt, especially that portion accruing in recent years, with their tax cuts for the rich and foreign wars. They're acting as if they were the fiscal saviors of America and they're doing it with simplistic policy proposals and utter nonsense.
Spending and tax cuts sound good to the guy who doesn't understand much about macro economics. He knows he can't spend money he doesn't have and can't borrow. That guy can be scared into believing Conservative schemes to serve the plutocracy serve his interests, too, and that's how demagoguery works. Find something which evokes a deeply emotional response and use the response to serve your interest. Conservatives are good at it. They do it with race, immigration, sexual orientation and a host of other things.
Don't believe it.
The debt is manageable and not with the draconian budget and tax slashing the Conservatives are demanding. Instead of listening to the likes of Judd Gregg, stick to the fundamentals. Let Congress "provide for the general welfare" with good faith debating of the issues which really affect the American People and funding action on them with the best means available, taxing or borrowing, just as the Founders intended. We don't need to focus on the funding method just because the Conservatives think it will get them a few votes.
...Some have tried to step into the waters of responsible action only to be confronted with the demagoguery of those who make a profession of poisoning wells.
How do we separate demagoguery on the debt issue from the demagoguery of the debt issue?
America has had a national debt since forever and we've learned to live with it. In fact, we've learned to love it. US Treasury securities are a good basis for a savings program. Now come the Conservatives hoping to use the national debt to advance their flagging political fortunes.
Conservative bungling of public policy created the dire economic straits of America today and they're hoping to divert attention from the consequences, a lack of jobs, to something else. The national debt fills the bill. Never mind that they created a good portion of the national debt, especially that portion accruing in recent years, with their tax cuts for the rich and foreign wars. They're acting as if they were the fiscal saviors of America and they're doing it with simplistic policy proposals and utter nonsense.
Spending and tax cuts sound good to the guy who doesn't understand much about macro economics. He knows he can't spend money he doesn't have and can't borrow. That guy can be scared into believing Conservative schemes to serve the plutocracy serve his interests, too, and that's how demagoguery works. Find something which evokes a deeply emotional response and use the response to serve your interest. Conservatives are good at it. They do it with race, immigration, sexual orientation and a host of other things.
Don't believe it.
The debt is manageable and not with the draconian budget and tax slashing the Conservatives are demanding. Instead of listening to the likes of Judd Gregg, stick to the fundamentals. Let Congress "provide for the general welfare" with good faith debating of the issues which really affect the American People and funding action on them with the best means available, taxing or borrowing, just as the Founders intended. We don't need to focus on the funding method just because the Conservatives think it will get them a few votes.
04 June 2011
Class Warrior Under Attack
Former candidate for the Presidency John Edwards has been charged with using campaign funds to shield his mistress from public few. The charges seem bogus to me. As Melanie Sloan of Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington has written,
That makes wonder why Edwards is being prosecuted.
I don't know if John Edwards would have wanted to be called a "class warrior" when he was running for president. The American media don't use that term as a compliment and it might not have been well-received by a political campaign which, as we're finding-out, must be concerned with the candidate's image. Nevertheless, even though he, himself, is wealthy, I think of John Edwards as a class warrior for the rest of us.
During his campaign, Edwards talked about two Americas and he was right. America is divided by wealth into two Americas, the wealthy and everyone else. Republicans know it and have been waging a class war for years to make sure the wealthy stay in control. Edwards knew it and was ready to fight the battle for the rest of us. Maybe that's what this prosecution is all about. Edwards had the temerity to go to war for the common man.
Whatever his indiscretions, John Edwards was America's best chance to restore American prosperity and the dignity of the American middle-class. It's a shame we lost him to this peripheral and irrelevant issue and the American passion for elevating trivialities to what they think are substantive issues.
The government’s entire case rests on finding that the payments made by Bunny Mellon and Fred Baron to Andrew Young to support Rielle Hunter were in fact campaign contributions. But no court has ever interpreted the definition of campaign contribution this broadly.
That makes wonder why Edwards is being prosecuted.
I don't know if John Edwards would have wanted to be called a "class warrior" when he was running for president. The American media don't use that term as a compliment and it might not have been well-received by a political campaign which, as we're finding-out, must be concerned with the candidate's image. Nevertheless, even though he, himself, is wealthy, I think of John Edwards as a class warrior for the rest of us.
During his campaign, Edwards talked about two Americas and he was right. America is divided by wealth into two Americas, the wealthy and everyone else. Republicans know it and have been waging a class war for years to make sure the wealthy stay in control. Edwards knew it and was ready to fight the battle for the rest of us. Maybe that's what this prosecution is all about. Edwards had the temerity to go to war for the common man.
Whatever his indiscretions, John Edwards was America's best chance to restore American prosperity and the dignity of the American middle-class. It's a shame we lost him to this peripheral and irrelevant issue and the American passion for elevating trivialities to what they think are substantive issues.
28 May 2011
Giant Inflatable Rats
Perhaps I've led a sheltered life but I've never heard of this practice just recently approved by the National Labor Relations Board.
This victory for Labor, small though it is, can be of great benefit to Americans. I can think of no better way to describe non-union contractors; they are a danger to public welfare. Let the public be warned, when rats are in the area, they have reason to be concerned.
The labor movement's giant inflatable rat is legal, even at demonstrations in front of secondary employers, ruled the National Labor Relations Board May 26.
In a case involving Sheet Metal Workers Local 15 and Brandon Regional Medical Center - which hired below-wage non-union temps to build its addition years ago - the board voted 3-1 that using the rat on a flatbed truck parked in public more than 100 feet from the hospital entrances, is kosher, along with the leafleting of passing patients.
Labor's use of giant rat deemed legal
This victory for Labor, small though it is, can be of great benefit to Americans. I can think of no better way to describe non-union contractors; they are a danger to public welfare. Let the public be warned, when rats are in the area, they have reason to be concerned.
26 May 2011
It's the spin not the substance.
Republican reaction to the upset in the New York 26 special election for Congress is starting to come-in. Democrat Kathy Hochul's victory over Republican Jane Corwin has been attributed to the Paul Ryan plan to convert Medicare to a voucher program. According to Democrats, seniors see it as a threat to their health care and are scared. Democrats think that reaction is good for their election chances in 2012. Republicans, at least publicly, say that's not so. They say all they have to do is explain themselves:
Those words should sober-up the Democrats. Republicans are very good at demagoguery and distortion. They very well may be able make their plan to gut Medicare look like a plan to make health care for seniors more affordable. Democrats should pay attention and be forewarned. They are going to face a storm of Republican lies and distortions which will make the usual Republican lies and distortions look like a gentle breeze of logic and truth.
"If we’ll just stay with our argument and do a better job developing it, we’ll be fine," said Rep. Tom Cole (Okla.)In other words, don't be concerned with the substance, just the spin.
Those words should sober-up the Democrats. Republicans are very good at demagoguery and distortion. They very well may be able make their plan to gut Medicare look like a plan to make health care for seniors more affordable. Democrats should pay attention and be forewarned. They are going to face a storm of Republican lies and distortions which will make the usual Republican lies and distortions look like a gentle breeze of logic and truth.
16 May 2011
Deficit Advice to President Obama
As we get closer and closer to next general election, President Obama is going to be getting more and more advice about how to win the election if the face of the budget deficit. Brit Hume offered him some on “Fox News Sunday” online “Panel Plus” segment on Sunday. Hume said "Obama (should) get on board with at least one of the current proposals put forth to address the federal debt. But he also noted the opposition he would face from his own party if he did so.
You're darn right, Brit.
Democrats didn't cause the deficit problem. Republicans did. Whatever Obama does about the deficit has to be at their expense. The Bush tax cuts, the Bush wars and the Bush Recession caused it. Obama has to keep the voters focused on that.
You're darn right, Brit.
Democrats didn't cause the deficit problem. Republicans did. Whatever Obama does about the deficit has to be at their expense. The Bush tax cuts, the Bush wars and the Bush Recession caused it. Obama has to keep the voters focused on that.
14 May 2011
Class Solidarity
Form what we've seen of the Republicans' legislative agenda so far this year, their intent should be clear. The Republicans are attempting to use envy to turn workers against each. The assault on public employee unions and the push for "right to work" laws shows us that. Each is an attempt to turn those not protected by unions against those who are. Unless American workers develop a sense of class solidarity, they will fall victim to the scheme. Every worker benefits when one worker improves himself. When he wins the battle, the next battle becomes easier and victory more likely.
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