It's Time For Americans to Flex Their Political Muscle

The government shutdown of 2013 costs us, the American Taxpayer, around $24 billion dollars. The ongoing fiasco with the Obamacare website, which had years to be checked out, has costs taxpayers $1 billion dollars since the October 1st rollout. That's more than Microsoft or Apple has spent on their recent media platforms. Rather than take responsibility, the White House is trying to shift the blame to the contractors on retainer (yes, on retainer, at a rate of $1 million dollars per day). The contractors cite constant changes and a lack of opportunity to "test drive" the site before it went live. The bottom line is that it doesn't work and the meter is still running, and let's not forget, the overwhelming majority of Americans opposed Obamacare from the get go. The Supreme Court even had to change their reading of the bill into a tax...a tax....in order to implement it.

Let's also not forget that we were repeatedly promised by Obama there would be no taxes associated with this bill; there would be no additional costs associated with this bill; nothing would change; we could even keep our existing insurance. But that's not what's happening is it? Employers are dropping their insurance coverage. Many are cutting back on hours, and some are even laying people off. Premiums are proving so high that many can't afford even the cheapest coverage. Those under 30, the financial backbone of Obamacare, are finding that it makes more sense to pay the monthly fine.

The Department of Defense is considering an $8 million change over in the covers (dress hats) for the US Marines. They want to go from a pattern which has been effect since the 1920's and has given the Marine Corps its unique and distinguished look into a "unisex" form similar to what the Women Marines are currently wearing. And here's the kicker, no one wants it. No one even asked for it. Marines polled hate it. One senior Marine Commander even pointed that they are having trouble acquiring bullets, and yet they are considering spending $8 billion to change hats? The next move by the Obama Adminstration is expected to be amnesty for the 11 to 13 million illegal immigrants now living in the US; something else no body wants. Are you detecting a pattern yet?

Now we hear that the US Government has been spying on our closest allies, and not just on their official communications. Americans have been repeatedly lied to as to the scope of domestic surveillance. Apparently, the NSA has been tapping in on the private emails and cell phone conversations of America's friends (the spying on Germany's Angela Merkel has been going on since 2002) too. This has set off a worldwide fire storm of condemnation. Brazil, Germany, and France, among others, are planning on introducing a proposal at the United Nations, aimed at limiting the electronic invasion of an individual's privacy. Although the resolution will be nonbinding, it will register as another global hand smacking of the Obama Administration. Meanwhile, we're watching our allies taking a second look at us in terms of support. Many are starting to seriously question Americas commitments in the Middle East and Asia, as well as in other parts of the world. China has stepped up and publically called for an end of "Pax Americana".

In the announcement, China has suggested that not only Asia, but the West as well begin considering new alliances and economic relationships; perhaps even replacing the US Dollar as the "go to" global currency with the Chinese Yuan or a combination of currencies (China is the largest holder of US debt--$1.28 trillion in US Treasuries and $3.5 trillion in US dollar dominated assets).
What's going on here? Where's the leadership...in either party? The answer is an uncomfortable, "not present". All we have are poll-driven primadonnas; all jockeying to get in the most media face time and sound bites. What is needed are non-partisan statesmen who are willing to put the needs of the average working man and women above personal and political ambition. However, the American political system doesn't seem capable of producing those kind of individuals. Not that they aren't out there, they are. They're usually found in schools or volunteering in some community organization. However, the system has been rigged through gerrymanding by a diarchy and near unlimited corporate financing. The media, which once served as the public's watchdog, now produces infotainment rather than true news. They're just as driven by ratings as Washington's political hacks are.

Until we can put America back on the right track (assuming that's even still possible), we need to renew our push for term limits. Barring that, we need to vote for challengers so that no incumbents feels so secure that they can ignore the will of the American People. It's time for Americans to flex their political muscle.

Obama wants Marines to wear 'girly' hats
http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2013/10/24/obama-wants-marines-to-wear-girly-hats/

Brazil, Germany Drafting UN Anti-Spying Resolution To General Assembly
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/10/26/un-anti-spying-resolution_n_4165470.html

US Allies In Middle East From Saudi Arabia to Israel Frustrated
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/10/26/us-allies-middle-east_n_4165164.html?ref=topbar

China Says Debt Debacle Is the End of Pax Americana
http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2013-10-15/china-says-debt-debacle-is-the-end-of-pax-americana.html

China Calls for World to Be "De-Americanized"
http://www.ibtimes.co.uk/articles/513431/20131013/china-debt-ceiling-shutdown-xinhua-de-emericanised.htm

The Gulf of America

One of the greatest issues facing America is the increasing disparity between the rich and poor and the government's inability to save the Middle Class. Between 1947 and 1972, average hourly wages increased by 72%. Since then, the average hourly wage has increased by only 4%. There are more households living at or below the poverty line...some 47 million...since the Commerce Department started keeping records in 1959, and that's regardless of which party was in power. Meanwhile, the disparity between the well off and the working poor continues to widen. It was once part of the American Dream that a college education was considered a way up the economic ladder. No longer. The average 4 year graduate starts off with a debt of $32,500 with less job security than their parents. Since 1969, the top 1% saw their after tax income gains increase 155% while the middle 60% saw only a 37% increase. The next 19% fared better with a 58% increase and bottom 20% has an increase in the after tax income of 45%, Translated, it means the top 1% far out stripped the rest of America while everyone else pretty much balanced out, with less distinction between the Middle Class and the working poor. Welcome to the Gulf of America.

Wages for top CEOs have since an increase of 354% over that of the average employee (40 years ago it was only 20%). In Germany, Europe's economic powerhouse, it's 147% while in Japan, it's 67%. Companies who had the deepest cutbacks in jobs also had the highest increase in executive compensation; 42% for S&P 500 companies. Overall profits have increased by 20%. Meanwhile, since 1990, the cost of living has gone up 67% and despite the Great Recession, productivity has increased amid all the closures and layoffs, meaning the average American worker is doing just what you thought...working more for less. It would seem to that this dramatic decline of real growth of wages, the Middle Class, and jobs also appears to coincide with the decline of union membership. Between 1983, when union membership was about 20% of the workforce. It's dropped to only 12% by 2007. As an aside, you may be interested to know that the pay for several of Labor's top leaderships, would also put them in that same top 1% category they so decry. Kettle meet pot.

There are an estimated 12 million illegal immigrants in the US right now, perhaps more. Despite opposition by the majority of Americans, it appears likely that Congress (with its 14% approval rating) will pass some sort of amnesty deal. Interestingly, it's big business that's behind the push (which isn't surprising since they are behind most legislation). This support of amnesty isn't due to some sort of social conscientious, although their PR departments will tell you otherwise as will their surrogate mouthpieces, the media. The whole idea is simply the law of supply and demand. By flooding the job market with more eligible employees, and given the decreased amount of available jobs (thanks, in part, to the exportation of jobs), wages will drop as competition for employment increases. This will also drive down peripheral costs such as health and retirement benefits as well as safety and health standards. Those who complain can and will be quickly replaced.

There's also a little discussed side bonus for big business. America, for the first time in its history, is a minority nation. In the past, white Europeans were a solid majority with a small, mostly black minority. Now, Hispanics have not only replaced blacks but are near on par with whites while Asians are expected to supplant blacks in the near future for the third position. With basically a two-tier economic structure, the "have-nots" will be too busy fighting amongst themselves to focus their attention on the "haves". And so, they gulf between the rich and everyone else will increase as the working poor battle with each other over the few jobs and whatever scraps their "betters" thrown down their way. Government will continue to serve the needs of the corporate elites while expanding their role as the "overseer class". Welcome to the new feudalism.

Today, 81% of Americans do not trust their government and a whopping 50% believe the biggest domestic threat to Americans is the federal government. Although the media will be more than happy to tell you who to blame while trying to distract us with the "crisis-de-jour", the plain fact is that Americans know exactly who's to blame. Americans realize that that both political parties are to blame and the system is broke beyond repair. What they have yet to realize, however is what to do about it. Perhaps that's why the federal government is hell bent on expanding its surveillance capabilities and acquiring the apparatus of a police state.


A Guide to Statistics on Historical Trends in Income Inequality
http://www.cbpp.org/cms/?fa=view&id=3629

Income Inequality
http://inequality.org/income-inequality/

Union Leaders in Top 1%
http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2012-04-27/union-leaders-decrying-ceo-pay-also-in-top-1-bgov-barometer.html

Americans Express Historic Negativity toward Government
http://www.gallup.com/poll/149678/americans-express-historic-negativity-toward-government.aspx

Remembering Memorial Day

Memorial Day is without a doubt the most solemn of tri-part recognition of the military (the other two being July 4th---Independence Day, and Veteran's Day, November 11th). The focus of Memorial Day is recognize and remember all the heroes who put themselves in harm's way and paid the ultimate price for our freedoms. Some 1,196.793+ have lost their lives so you can live in relative freedom and enjoy everything that goes with it. To that, you can the 3.5 million disabled veterans, of which I am one.

Memorial Day, known originally as Declaration Day, has been around in various incarnations since at least 1861. It became an official day of recognition on May 26th, 1966 when President Lyndon B. Johnson signed the proclamation, which also recognized Waterloo, New York as its "official" birthplace. On June 28, 1968, Congress passed the Uniform Monday Holiday Act which moved four holiday to last Monday of the month in which the holiday occurred (the others were Washington's Birthday, Columbus Day, and Veterans Day).

Looking at the current state of our nation, I have to wonder, was it worth it? No one can doubt the most of our wars were just, though some were not (such as the wars---some would say genocide---against the Native Americans) and many were forced on us, but that's not my point. We were a nation born out of revolution. We were the British who Paul Revere warned the citizens of Boston about on April 18, 1775 (he actually said "the troops are coming") along with two other riders, William Dawes and Dr. Samuel Prescott. It was us, as British subjects who rebelled against our mother country, England, over the issue of taxation and yet we've become a nation of unequal and many would argue, unfair taxation. To that, our rebellion against "Mother" England stemmed from our lack of having a voice in Parliament over not just taxes, but over a whole range of issues. Much the same can be said about average Americans today. Washington seems to be about the rich and connected, and especially the powerful corporations, who, thanks to the "Citizens United" misruling by the Supreme Court, has determined the artificial entities--the corporations--have a greater and more influential voice than the citizen voters. Our vote has been watered down to almost a meaningless act thanks to partisan (bipartisan actually) gerrymandering of districts which, in effect, rig elections and a suppression in voter turnouts.

Many of our Founding Fathers, especially Samuel Adams, Jefferson, Washington, Henry, Franklin, Morris, and others, told us that our newly created democratic Republic was a fragile thing; hard fought to win but ever so easily lost without an active and vigilant citizenry. Yet, so few of us bother to vote (usually under 52% in Presidential elections--still controlled by a Electoral College, and under 47% in most Congressional elections ), which begs the outcome as outlined in the above paragraph. Approval ratings for Congress remain under 15% and for most presidents, under 50%. Yet, our vote remains, for now, our most powerful weapon against the creeping corporate fascism of our Federal government. But if we don't use this tool against tyranny, how much longer will we have it to use?

A new crop of patriots have emerged to argue that we must somehow fight back like our Founding Fathers and the Sons of Liberty said we have both the right and duty to do. So adamant were they, they even told us how and gave us the instruments to do it with in Constitution, Bill of Rights, and in their collective writings. Yet, our ambiance and tendency to focus on the moment, has allowed undemocratic or misguided powers to restrict or forbid us from acting as our Founders told us too; making it nearly illegal to criticize the government, be it in the form of government censorship, attempts at increased gun control and restrictions, monitoring and intelligence gathering of the press and average citizens, use of Presidential "emergency power" acts like the Homeland Security Act---Executive Directive 51, the National Defense Authorization Act. There are many indirect tools of intimidation such as misuse of the IRS, the FBI, Department of Justice, or any of the other alphabet federal agencies. Of course, I'm just touching on a few points. Much more can, and should be added, but one wonders what would our Founders say about their creation if they could see it as it is today? How would they act toward it? Would they be proud of what they created, or would they have wished they had simply paid those damn taxes and accepted the dictates of the Mother Country?

Memorial Day, perhaps of all our cherished national holidays, should serve to remind us what a chosen few have given so that every citizen could have a right and a duty to question, challenge, and if necessary, to restore our country so that our children and grandchildren can truly have an opportunity to live and thrive in a nation that could once boast of as "land of the free and home of the brave". Don't let their sacrifice have been made in vain.

American Veterans By the Numbers
myshttp://www.infoplease.com/spot/veteranscensus1.htmlelf

It's Official: Presidency Now a Dictatorship
http://www.infowars.com/its-official-presidency-now-a-dictatorship/

The Modern Presidency is Dangerously Close to an Elective Dictatorship
http://www.ronpaul.com/2011-11-07/ron-paul-is-obama-americas-first-elected-dictator/

What would Our Founding Fathers Think of America Today?
http://american-history.yoexpert.com/eras-of-american-history/when-considering-today-and-our-founding-fathers-wh-2695.html

The Feds Go Shopping

I'm sure most of you are aware that the Obama Administration has been going on a taxpayer funded buying spree of 2000 light tanks, bullet proof vests, 7000 full auto battlefield grade assault rifles, "no hesitation" civilian silhouette targets, and other assorted equipment like large tents, field beds, not to mention quietly acquiring empty warehouses, and tracks of land. While that should more than raise your eyebrows, I've been curious about exactly what type of new "play toys" Obama has been buying.

Well, let's consider that the Social Security Administration has procured 174,000 rounds of hollow points, and they only have 300 field agents, so that's 580 bullets for every agent! Who knew applying for retirement or disability could be so dangerous. The National Marine Fisheries Service was ordered to purchase 46,000 hollow point bullets for it 63 agents. That's just about 730 bullets per agent. Is catching fish over the limit that big of a deal? The Department of Homeland Security has bought 21,6 million rounds, above and beyond their original acquisition of 1.6 billion rounds, of which at least 10 million rounds are hollow point. Let's talk about these hollow points for just a minute. What are hollow points and what are they designed for?

So, what exactly what is a "hollow point" bullet? Well, these tend to be high power bullets with a indented "nose" at the tip. The purpose is to cause the lead portion to expand and slow upon impact, thereby causing maximum interior damage by creating larger entry points, internal tumbling, and terrific destruction of internal organs broken bones, and massive blood loss. In other words, these a types of bullets are designed for maximum stoppage. Not the type of bullet you'd use if you were intending on taking prisoners. Remember, these are the bullets that US agencies are buying en masse. So, just who or what are they "protecting" us from? Well, we've talked bullets, what about the assault weapons?

It turns out that the DHS and other federal agencies have acquired some 7000 5.56 x 45mm NATO Personal Defense Weapons (they're classified "assault weapons" if they average citizen owns one) with "select fire" which would allow short fully automatic rate of fire (if you own it, it's a "machine gun") of 800 rounds per minute. Great weapon for up close and personal situations, although they have a down range of 547 yards. Oh, each includes a 30 round clip (yelp, exactly like the ones Senator Diane Feinstein (D-CA) and other Democrats are trying to ban). So which one is the DHS buying? Why none other than the AR-15. The very rifle so demonized by politicians and the media recently. Ok, now that we have our rifle and ammo, what about our ride?


Well, it turns out that the Department of Homeland Security has actually purchased over 2,717 "mine resisted" heavy armored urban assault vehicles just like the kind you see US Marines using in Iraq and Afghanistan. Actually, speaking as a guy, they're kinda cool looking. The official name of these serious looking ATVs is Mine Resistant Ambush Protected (MRAP) vehicles, and these are no lightweights either. Each vehicle is just over 21 feet long and with a height of 10 feet, 8.5 feet wide, and a wheel base of just under 13 feet weighs in at 18.9 tons. The design includes a V shaped hull to deflect blasts from IEDS, landmines, and other explosives away from the crew. Each armored unit is resisted to ballistic arms fire as well as hand grenades, Molotov cocktails, and RPGs. The DHS is putting each vehicles through a minor refit which includes to include independent suspension, a 330 horse powered "Maxxforce" 9.3 engine. And what is perhaps most interesting of all, they being billed as "police and rescue" vehicles for use in hurricanes and other natural disasters. Seriously. With gun ports and a turret?

As for the "no hesitation" civilian silhouette targets, well get ready for a shocker. These targets are not your run-of-the-mill "John Dillinger" black silhouettes. No sir indeed. They are full sized colored photos of young children, seniors, men, and even pregnant women aiming a gun. The purpose of these silhouettes are to "desensitize" (hence the name, "no hesitation") the responder.

The federal government is basically broke, yet they are spending billions of dollars they don't have on high grade military supplies for non-military agencies while cutting basic social programs. The central question, of course, is what's going on here? There's much more being done by the federal government, but why? What is it that "our" government knows and doesn't want us to know? Is there a credible terroristic threat--perhaps a dirty nuke or massive terrorist strikes expected? And why the continued refusal to do anything about illegal immigration and an over-the-top push for gun and ammo restrictions? Are we facing a global economic collapse? After all, as America goes, so goes the world. Is there something being anticipated regarding global warming like massive crop failures and fresh water shortages Perhaps more Category 5 storms? Or is there something even more sinister at play here?

Why does Obama need. 1.6 million Bullets?
http://www.teaparty.org/why-does-obama-need-1-6-billion-bullets-21720/

MRAP
http://defense-update.com/products/m/mrap.htm

Law Enforcement Requested Shooting Targets
http://www.infowars.com/law-enforcement-requested-shooting-targets-of-pregnant-women/

A Kentucky Election and A National Outcome

Kentucky is famous for a lot things, like being the birthplace of Abraham Lincoln and Jefferson Davis; being the home of Henry Clay; the Hatfields and McCoys, not to mention coal, tobacco, and Bourbon, basketball, and the greatest two minutes in sports---the Kentucky Derby which runs on the first Saturday of May. Kentucky, while predominately a Democrat registered state, is a very conservative state with all but one of our federal representatives (John Yarmuth) being Republican. Kentucky is also known for being the birthplace of the cheeseburger and hot brown. Well, it looks like come Derby, we'll have another notable---Ashley Judd Toast. That's because the Hollywood liberal, who makes her home in Tennessee, plans on changing her residence to Kentucky in order to run against long term incumbent Mitch McConnell (personally, I would prefer Allison Lundgren Grimes, the current Kentucky Secretary of State). While Ms. Judd does her best to butter up the voters, she's likely to get badly burned as she attempts to overtakes the number two man in the Republican hierarchy who is already sitting on over 7 million dollars in his war chest without even trying yet. Of course, McConnell, who was elected in 1984, comes across dryer than day old meatloaf (or ham in his case), the senior Senator has a long history of bring home the bacon and should have no trouble with Ms Judd.

The Obama Administration is forging ahead on several fronts---the National Debt, illegal immigration, and gun control. Obama recently sunk so low that he actually took members of GOP to lunch (which is only fair since he's been eating their lunch recently). Most reports say the meetings were pleasant and "constructive", but not much is expected to come of it; just another day in the Beltway I suppose. The Republicans and the Obama Administration remain miles apart on how to solve the deficient issue with the GOP insisting on curtailing spending while Obama and the Democrats think the solution is raising taxes and spending caps. Rumor has it that the Democrats have hired drunk sailors to write their budget proposals while the GOP is using the accounting firm of Marley and Scrooge.
Common sense, the rarest of commodities in Washington, should dictate that you can't keeping spend what you don't have. Ask almost any business person (well, except AIG, the Bank of America, JP Morgan, Goldman Sachs, Wells Fargo, Citigroup, Morgan Stanley, the auto industry, and several others--ok bad example). Anyway, no one should spend more than they bring in. It's a recipe for disaster, which is exactly what the federal government has been doing. Ordinary people are financially strapped. They are tapped out up to here (visualize hand over head). Washington should not "ask" the American People to shoulder a burden they didn't make (which they did when forced to do the bail outs). Washington must learn or be forced to live within its means. It must become financially responsible, even if that means financial controls are removed from the hands of legislators and put into the hands of non-partisan money managers---one chosen from each state. Still, I wonder what would happen if all Americans withheld their federal income taxes and collectively said "No. Not until you get your financial house in order first". Can you imagine how Washington would squirm? Wouldn't that be a sight.

Regarding illegal immigration, Obama has all but gutted existing laws and federal enforcement to curtail illegal influx; even suing US states who sought only to enforce existing federal laws. Why would someone, especially a US President purposefully ignore not just federal laws, but the overwhelming will of the very people he was elected to serve? Well, humanity or compassion certainly has nothing to do with it. The real reason is much more base than that. He seeks to further weaken the Republican Party by appearing to be the "savior" of illegal immigrants and is banking on these individuals registering as Democrats, which would all but destroy the GOP nationally. What illegals don't seem to realize is that they would not be exempt from paying millions if not billions of dollars in taxes; a new source of badly needed revenue. In addition, a influx of new workers would drive down wages as more people competed for fewer jobs. Given that most illegal immigrants are younger with children, their numbers would also bolster Social Security and Medicare as Babyboomers begin to retire. They would be the new serfs. Welcome to the Machine y'all.

Gun control has a lot of people seriously riled up. Perhaps it's to take their minds off a failing economy, or illegal immigration, or the failing war against drugs, or the high prices of food, gas, heating oil, or fresh water, or expanding threat from terrorists or other nut jobs, or from a warming climate. Just a hunch. Nevertheless, it seems unusually important to the White House and certain Democrats than the general public to be as disarmed as possible. Perhaps that why supposedly broke federal agencies like Social Security Administration, IRS, Department of Education, and Reich Security...err...I mean Homeland Security are buying record quantities of higher powered ammo, not to mention assault weapons (not ordinary hunting calibers in fancy stocks), armored personnel carriers, bullet proof body armor, and all sorts of nifty high tech toys like cameras that "see" through walls by detecting body heat, monitoring of every electronic signal on the planet including Google searches (remember that when you're looking bedroom naughties online), and then there's those pesky spy drones. Well, I guess only criminals should be worried right? But, what if your government treats everyone as a criminal who hasn't been caught yet? I wonder what "Winston Smith" would say? If you don't know who this fictional character is, you need too. Look him up.


The Federal Reserve's "breathtaking" 7.7 trillion bank bailout
http://theweek.com/article/index/221883/the-federal-reserves-breathtaking-77-trillion-bank-bailout
Why are the feds loading up on so much ammo?
http://news.investors.com/politics-andrew-malcolm/020813-643707-obama-homeland-security-vast-ammunition-purchases.htm
DHS Purchases 21.6 Million More Rounds of Ammunition
http://www.infowars.com/dhs-purchases-21-6-million-more-rounds-of-ammunition/
More federal agencies buying multithousands of rounds of ammo
http://www.examiner.com/article/more-federal-agencies-buy-multithousands-of-rounds-of-ammo
Winston Smith
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Winston_Smith

Congress Interrupted

The November elections are over. The new members of Congress have been sworn in, and despite our staggering economic and social problems, Congress has adjourned itself. Why? Well, apparently no one had the foresight to remove it from the agenda. Of course, I guess we shouldn't be surprised. The previous 113th Congress has the dubious distinction of being perhaps the worse Congress in US history (and that's saying something), so why expect any different from this one? In fact, the US Congress now has an approval rating of just 8%. Think about that. That means 92% of Americans think Congress stinks at doing its job. To put it another way, voters think more highly of lice, cockroaches, lint, and toe fungus than they do of the men and women of the United States Congress. Wow.

Well, first off, the so-call "financial cliff" was of Washington's making. Secondly, like most Washington's self inflicted problems, it wasn't "solved". It was simply kicked down the proverbial road for another 60 days. What it did accomplish, however, was return Social Security rates to 6.9%, which effectively raised everyone's taxes. The average worker will see (or more correctly "won't see") about $1000.00 annually missing from their paychecks. They also managed, in their busy and often heated (and childish) "negotiations " to find time to slip in some prime cut political pork for their buddies on Wall Street.

Congress inserted approximately one dozen new tax loopholes for their corporate masters which will cost the American Public billions of extra tax dollars over the next year. Congress not surprising choose not to call this graft for what it was, but decided on a slightly less criminal sounding "tax extenders". One the biggest tax extenders allows businesses who lend money(even to themselves) and earn interest overseas to defer US taxes (currently set at 35%) on that income indefinitely. Now, the acknowledged intent is to promote business expansion and improvement, as well as to make additional investments, it provides an incentive to export and/or maintain more jobs overseas rather than to invest that income in jobs and material here in America, and all the while, to avoid paying taxes on the earned income. The estimated costs to US Taxpayers runs into the billions of dollars. I guess Santa Claus had one more delivery to make.

So, you may be wondering just how many US companies engage active-financing. Must be a lot huh? Well, interestingly enough, no. Only about 20. But more importantly, they have their own lobbying coalition, the Active-Finance Working. The coalition retained the lobbying firm Elmendorf Ryan, owned by former Democratic staffer Steve Elmendorf. You may interested to know that all eight of their lobbyists are former congressional aides. According to a Huffington Post article, "Fiscal Cliff Deal Sneaked In Wall Street Gifts..." written on 1/2/13, many of these aides have close ties to Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nevada) and Senate Finance Committee Chairman Max Baucus (D-Montana). I want to reemphasis that this lobbying firm, which is engaged in helping businesses avoid taxes is staffed by Democrats just in case any of you still labor under the fantasy that there is difference between "pro-business" Republicans and "pro-working class" Democrats. There is only one political party, the Corporate Party, which just so happens to have two branches so that voters get to enjoy the illusion of choice. Still, it's a shame the American Taxpayer doesn't have a lobbying firm looking after their financial interest.

Obviously, we still face the expense of "Obamacare", which will lead to reduction of hours, layoffs, and increased costs to offset the additional taxes (you didn't expect businesses to absorb the costs did you?). We still are yet to face illegal immigration, which both parties have been putting off or outright ignoring for a decade or more. Of course Obama has all but gutted any attempt at enforcement and has pushed through a modified version of his co-called "Dream Act" which allows children of illegal immigrates to remain in the country. Of course, don't think this was done out of some grand altruism. It was political pure and simple. Obama is hoping these children will repay him by registering Democrat and/or supporting his various initiatives. With approximately 12 million (or more) illegals now living in the US, and more coming everyday in the hopes of getting in on some type of amnesty, the new registration could all but end the GOP as a viable alternative to liberal politics. Of course, the Republican Party has been doing a pretty good job of that all by themselves with their focus on social rather than economic or foreign policy issues.

The GOP has an almost insurmountable hole to climb out off when it comes to women, blue collar workers, and minorities like Asians, blacks, and Hispanics (who, by the way,are considered generally conservative). The Republicans appear to even be losing their one foothold among Hispanics---the Cuban-Americans, who have traditionally voted Republican since John Kennedy's botched 1961 Pay of Pigs invasion. Now, the grandchildren and great grandchildren, at odds with the GOP over social issues, are now registering Democrat or Independent (but voting Democrat).

There are a host of other pressing issues such as raising the debt ceiling so we can borrow more from China to pay our bills, increased energy dependence on the Middle East, the rise of militant Islam, more extreme climate change and costly natural disasters, decline in available fresh water and productive farmland, our declining educational system or falling standard of living just to name a few if Congress doesn't like any of the other unfolding disasters previously mentioned. Right now, however, the public's attention is being redirected from the failing economy by Vice President Biden's "task force" to limit the 2nd Amendment in the name of reigning in violence. About all he'll curtail is the time and trouble crooks will face in robbing us, not to mention chipping away at the Constitution. Of course, living in their armed gated communities, I'm sure Congress and rich elites will have nothing to worry about.

What we desperately need in American and frankly, around the world, are not more" bought and paid for" politicians with their empty promises, but true independent statesmen and women who are dedicated to improving the quality of life for everyone while safeguarding the planet for our grandchildren and their children. That means ending partisan politics and corporate control over our economies and governments. The trouble with kicking cans down the road is that so or later, there's too many cans and not enough road. Folks, we are there.




Congressional Elections: Most Members Returning Despite Low Approval Rating
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/11/02/congressional-elections_n_2063510.html


Fiscal Cliff Deal Sneaked In Wall Street Gifts
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/01/02/fiscal-cliff-wall-street_n_2397933.html

Divided America

America is more divided than at any time in its history. More than during the American Revolution. More than the decade preceding the Civil War. More than during the era of Women's Suffrage, Prohibition, or the Great Depression. Even more so than the turbulent 1960's. In fact, the division may be so deep and the gulf so wide that it never will be bridged. We have become a nation of two ideals. The recent presidential and national elections has served only as dark mirrors of our division. What are the two ideals that we've become?

One ideal is the belief in a limited federal government. Low taxes and a level economic playing field. The other ideal is one where government is the sole source of our social and economic salvation. The first believes in opportunities where one succeeds, or fails by one's own merits. Government doesn't owe you anything. The latter in entitlements, where all aren't just are all equal in the government's eyes, but some are more equal and should be given special consideration for one reason or another. What became of the idea of ability or quality or even best price? They've become passé. The former believes success comes from a solid education and hard work, be it white collar, blue collar, pink collar or any other collar; that teachers are there to teach the skills one needs to survive in society, not to babysit. They believe everyone needs a helping hand from time to time. The later believes in reducing the quality of education so they everyone "succeeds"; a society of mediocrity was superior to a society of meritocracy; that successful people "owe" those who aren't as successful because they spent their time skipping school or goofing off, or playing sports rather than studying basic English and writing skills; that they are owed a living just for showing up, if that, and poor attitude "entitles" them to high paying jobs. The former believes government has no business in our personal lives, while the latter believes government knows what's best for all of us. Different values. Different destinies.

Our Founding Fathers envisioned a nation of "Yeoman farmers" and local merchants. We're a long way from that, but the concept of small businesses, who are our biggest employers, being allowed to do what they do without a burdensome government red noose tape tied around their necks. They envisioned a nation free to believe what they wanted without being told what or who to pray to...or to pray at all. They believed that the right to petition their representatives meant the right to question them and if necessary recall them...not make secret deals behind closed doors. They believed America should look after America first. Indeed, they were ardent nationalists. They believed in the right to own arms. Not just for hunting, but because they didn't trust government. History and recent events had re-enforced that fact. An armed citizenry was much harder to intimidate than an unarmed one. Most importantly, they believed in a small federal government with little taxation power because they knew they the way to destroy freedom can come from just as easily from the ability to tax just as surely as it can from the barrel of gun. Power should rest primarily in the hands of the States. Local control was the best control.

Forty percent of registered voters now indentify as Independent. That means independent of Republicans and independent of Democrats and all they stand for...if anything. Americans as a whole are sick and tired of being sick and tired of the petty partisan bickering. The fact is that once they raise their right hand and take the oath of office, they cease being Republican or Democrat or Left wing or Right wing. They become representatives of the American People, nothing more and nothing less.
We elect individuals to go to Washington and our state capitols to work together to solve problems, but all too often those problems are the result of backroom dealing making and we left with the mess. We hear how it's always the other side who won't cooperate. It's more how the other side won't simply roll over and let them have their way. Playground antics and high school bullying instead of statecraftmanship. They play chicken with the welfare of the people they were elected to serve, but we all know that the voters are merely the inconvenient "evil" needed in order to serve their real masters...big business. Gerrymandering has, however, done much to eliminate the nuisance of the fickled voter.

Who is the "big business"? They are the ones who bankroll both political parties and pull their strings. They are the ones you are never allowed to see at the national conventions. They are the ones who draft the laws to allow them to make more money, but not more money to pay their fair share of taxes, but to avoid them or pass them own. They are the ones who walk through the revolving door of corporate executive to government bureaucrat and back again; the corporate lobbyist and Beltway insider. They're the new and improved global military-industrial complex Eisenhower warned us about. They are the exploiters of people and resources while showing us images of how we imagine our lives could be in ten second TV spots or 8 x 10 retouched glossy magazine photos. They know no national loyalties. They have turned us from self sufficient producers and citizens to mere global consumers; indentured economic serfs and captives to credit ratings, manipulative consumption, and built in obsolesce. They are the ultimate corruptors.

So, what are we to do? Can we mend this divide or is it too late? Frankly, I don't know. But this I do know. The system as envisioned by our Founding Fathers no longer exist. Our republican government is beyond mere reform. Perhaps we need a new system reflective of a global society as it is now rather than a 200 year old colonial mercantile society. Many already recognize this. A few are just now waking up. Some may never. They will remain blissfully naive, while others couldn't care less as long as the they're getting theirs and someone else is picking up the tab. Uncle Sam is on life support while his hopeful murders have their hands on the plug as his two doctors argue over the treatment, and you and I are soon to become orphans. The real question my dear readers, is what will you do?




11 Reasons Why the American Middle Class is Doomed
http://www.opposingviews.com/i/money/personal-finance/bankruptcy/11-reasons-why-american-middle-class-doomed

11 Graphs that Allegedly Prove That the West Is Doomed
http://www.theatlantic.com/business/archive/2012/08/the-11-graphs-that-allegedly-prove-that-the-west-is-doomed/260750/

Does the US have a bubble economy and doomed to fail?
http://www.econtrader.com/featured/us-economy-bubble-doomed-to-fail.htm

America under Siege

America is under siege. The American Public senses it. They know "something" is wrong; something is out of kilter. We've known it for some time. This isn't anything new. Washington politicians have long ignored the American People, but they've become increasing brazen in their arrogance. The only time they seem to pay attention to us is during the election cycle, and then, not to the issues important to us, but to "manufactured" issues designed to divide and distract voters. You better believe that if there was some way to get around the voters, they would do it. So, let's take a look at ongoing assault on the American Voters.

1. Gerrymandered districts. These are political districts designed (rigged) to maximize a desired political turnout for a particular party and/or politician. Akin to stacking a deck of cards or fixing a horse race.

2. Citizens United ruling. The US Supreme Court ruled in 2012 that corporations were protected under the 1st Amendment, and donations to parties and/or politicians constituted "free speech". The catch is that flesh and blood human beings are capped by how much they can give while soulless artificial entities can give as much as they like. Can you say "Frankenstein"?

3. Illegal Immigration. There are some 12 million individuals here illegally. They chose to break our national laws to come here strictly for economic reasons. Very few came as political refugees. Their goal is to make money, send some of it back home and avoid integrating themselves into American Society. This means they don't intend (unless forced or compelled) to learn English. As illegals, they can bypass many of our other laws (such as those covered by OSHEA, transportation and building codes). They use taxpayers funded services to the tune of billions annually while not contributing back to the system. Think opening a can of termites in your house.

4. Drug Wars. Since the late 1960's, American has been fighting a war against illegal drugs. The US Government has spent billions of our tax dollars, and is still losing the war. We've propped up foreign governments (often unpopular and violent military juntas). With illegal immigration, has come drug related crime. We've imprisoned millions of individuals; again at taxpayer expense. It seems that vicious drug gangs and narco-states are only victors here (not to mention certain pharmaceutical companies). It's past time to re-examine our so-called "war" and pick our fights.

5. Energy Dependence. Let's face it, gas and oil prices are already too damn high. Anyone remember the Green Movement or the OPEC Oil Embargo of the 1970's? Here we are, 30+ years later and we are no more energy independent than we have flying cars. Oil companies complain they aren't "really" making a profit, yet every quarter they post mindboggling record profits. Politicians have been promising since Jimmy Carter in 1976 that within "X" years, we'll cut back our dependence on foreign oil and/or will have alternative energy sources. Government mandates improved automobile fuel efficiency, and Detroit keeps getting extensions. Funding for alternative energy (solar, wind, etc.) is sporadic at best. We need to get serious about our energy usage and demand that it happen. Until we do, we're vulnerable to threats and blackmail.

6. The Debt. This is a nation killer. We've allowed (yes, "allowed") Washington to kick the debt can down the road. It's easy to commit a crime when everyone is an accomplice. We've allowed Washington to "borrow" and swindle (through some creative and questionable accounting) not just our immediate future, but the futures of our children and grandchildren. Without thinking, we've sold our children and grandchildren into economic slavery. We've sold our financial sovereignty to our ideological enemies. We've mortgaged the ranch to the rustlers. We've bailed out the crooks not just with our money, but against our expressed instructions to Washington, and when Mainstreet America asked for help, we were ignored. The Democrats and Republicans argue over abstracts while we lose our jobs and our homes. Both parties are to blame, and we are just as guilty for voting them back in.

7. Tax Code. There is no reason our tax code should be more than three or four pages long. I guess that's what we get for allowing lawyers to write tax laws protecting their corporate clients rather than impartial college accounting professors. We need to drop our current system which rewards those at the top and those at the bottom at the expense of those in the middle and replace it with a consumption tax. You pay a tax only on what you buy. You control your taxes by what you buy. The more you have (and spend), the more tax you pay. Couldn't be more fair and level. We need to re-establish the poverty level and impose a graduated tax structure to wean people on the public dole off. We need to increase incentives to improve work skills and education, as well as R&D. We need to encourage people to save by eliminating taxes on savings under $100,000.00. We need to make it easier for small businesses to operate by minimizing red tape. Large corporations should pay a minimum tax, and they should lose exemptions when they ship jobs overseas. Washington needs to remember that this nation was started from a tax revolt. We did it once. We will do it again.

8. Foreign Aid. Why do we give money to people who hate us? Why do we dump billions in aid into countries where we know nothing or very little ever makes it to the people in need or who trade our aid for weapons to wage wars? Any aid should be delivered direct to the people or not at all. Why do we support right wing coups and military juntas over governments duly elected by their people, even if those governments happen to be left wing? Do you know how many nations have modeled their government on ours? The answer is zero. None. We should help (if asked) make sure elections are fair and honest (although we seem to have some difficulty in that department here at home). If the people elected a right winger or left winger fairly, that's their business. We have no business trying to impose our form of capitalist democracy on anyone.

9. Global Warming. Look, "something" is happening. I don't know if it's man induced; part of some natural cycle; or some combination. It really doesn't matter. Weather is becoming more extreme. We need to look at what we can do to minimize its effect. We need better emergency response plans (and people need to pay better attention when told to act). In case you've missed it, fresh water is disappearing and our food sources are beyond capacity. As sea levels rise and weather becomes more damaging (like droughts, floods, dust bowls, etc), the burden on our existing sources become even more stressed. Can you imagine millions of starving people on the move globally?

10. Government. Perhaps this is the biggest and most dangerous assault facing the American People. Government has become too big; too paternalistic; too arrogant; and too beholding to the corporate global elite. You and I have stopped being citizens of America. We are now global consumers. We are given the illusion of choice each time we go to the polls. We can have the red puppet or the blue puppet just so long as we ignore the strings. We are valued by our consumption level as measured by our credit rating. We are analyzed, surveyed, and tracked. Our every need is anticipated in order to entice into incurring more debt. Obsolescence is assumed. Quality is passé. Under Obamacare, even we become obsolete as our healthcare is "managed" and rationed. We've become willing economic serfs. We the People are now We the Sheeple.

These are by no means all inclusive. There are many other issues, such as terrorism (foreign and domestic), our involvements in various overt and covert foreign wars, or the United Nations, but these are some of the most important. Time for us to act is rapidly running out. What are you prepared to do? And then what are you prepared to do?

Unions: A Road Less Travelled?

After many years as conservative leaning Democrat (and a brief stint as what passes as a moderate Republican)I am a happy Independent these days like the majority of Americans. I remain a center leaning community and political advocate (now entering my 37th year). I am still a member of the writer’s union, though we get little to no recognition from the "big dogs" in the Labor movement. My goals remain bringing about a better quality of government, irrespective of (or perhaps in spite of) political party as well as a more vibrant and safer community. I believe Labor is not so strong as not to need friends on both sides of the aisles, and especially in the middle where the average American household lives. I can not believe, with the dramatic decline of organized workers in the private sector, that some unions will not accept friends where they can find them.

From what I’ve seen in my 37 plus years of political experience, our unions are treated like cash cows while getting little bang for their collective buck. I find it hard to believe that rank and file members are content to be in anyone’s back pocket. That’s not our way. I’ve personally witnessed individual union leaders decide who was and wasn’t getting their endorsements without putting the matter before the members. I’ve repeatedly seen Democrat candidates openly make fun of unions or those with no unions background (or sometimes, not even using a union “bug” on their campaing material) get endorsements (and money) just because of the letter behind their name while GOP candidates who were stewards or active union members were rejected. That’s wrong in my opinion. I see unions as being a pro-active force that supports each other and what’s in the best interest of working men and women, not being a patsy of some political party, which, in turn, is controlled by the same corporate interests as the other party. Both times I ran, while receiving few endorsements, I did have the support of conservative and moderate union rank and files volunteers, and that meant more to me than any endorsement.

There’s much Labor can do to regain its former strength and status. First, support pro-union candidates regardless of political party (and that includes Indies). Labor needs allies on both sides of the aisles, locally, state, and nationally. If the Democratic Party knew it had to work for the support of workers, it might not be so willing to take them for granted the way it has done over the years (and other groups as well). Meanwhile, if the Republican Party knew working class American’s votes were up for grabs, they might be a little less eager to unilaterally back big business. Second, look at building support among white collar workers. What growth in Labor there has been in the private sector has been primarily among white collar employees. This doesn’t necessarily have to be in the form of traditional locals. It can be employer or industry specific employee associations which focus on job security and availability of insurance or other benefits. Labor must adapt.

Third, look at the illegal and legal immigration issue as an opportunity to expand unions globally. Not every immigrant wants to live here. Some just want to earn some money; send a little home; and ultimately leave. For those individuals, they represent an untapped source. Why not bring them in; train them; teach them English; and in the process, educate them about the benefits of unionism? Unions can help get temporary work permits for them, thus relieving them of the “illegal” status while creating a work clearinghouse to help them get legitimate jobs. When they return home, they’ll take this knowledge with them and, hopefully, start organizing locally (which has the added benefit of cutting back on the reason for illegal immigration in the first place while improving the quality of life and building a stable middle class back home). For those intent of staying, unions can help secure green cards and employment by acting a job clearinghouse while, again, offering English language and organizing classes. They can secure sponsership while they work to become legal US citizens. It’s a win-win scenario for everyone.

Lastly, America is the only industrialized nation which doesn’t have its own unique labor oriented political party. With the largest segment of voters now registered as Independent and the irreversible disconnect between Washington and the rest of the country, now would be an excellent time for Labor to come together and form such a political party.

It is said that the twin sister of crisis is opportunity. It's time for Labor to step up to opportunities this economy presents; to think outside of the box and take charge of its future by take the road less travelled.

Election 2011

Every since my campaign of 2004, I do two things every election cycle as a matter of principle. First, I urge my fellow Kentuckians to show up at the polls and vote. Voting is the most powerful weapon we have to protect the great nation from the bumbling and inept to the corrupt and cynical politician. Big Money and its lobbyist paymasters need us to stay home. They have enough cronies to show and get their hiring elected. Our votes carry more power than all their money combined. Don't believe me?

Did you know that in 2008, candidates nationwide spent a total of $5.3 billion dollars to get elected? Most of that came from corporate donors and PACs. In 2004, the year I ran, candidates spent $4.2 billion dollars. Obama raised an incredible $610 million dollars (by the way, how does a junior Senator with little political experience raise that much money?). Combined, John McCain and Obama raised over $1 billion dollars on their races for President (in 1952, the combined total was a miserly $16 million). That's just Presidential campaigns, so what's it cost to run for the US Senate or House?

Well, according to an article by Seth Fiegerman in MainSt News entitled "The Cost of Running for Political Office" (http://www.mainstreet.com/print/19196), the average cost to run for the Senate starts at $7.6 million dollars while the average cost to run for Congress is $840,000.00 with some seats going for much more.

Sorry, but I can't help asking myself how many school lunches or miles of road that would pave. It's an obscene amount of money to spend on an election. Personally, I would love to see serious campaign finance reform and apparently so would most Americans. Approximately 70% in fact, and in another interesting tidbit, apparently so would most Republicans by a margin of two to one over Democrats (http://www.politico.com/news/stories/1108/15283.html and http://www.usatoday.com/news/politics/election2008/2008-10-29-poll_N.htm).

This brings up another issue. Are we attracting the best and brightest to public office? The answer to my mind is an obvious "no". We have serious problems. We need serious thinkers, and the average person, no matter how well educated or how intelligent has that kind of money. This means that our nation's elected offices doesn't go to those best equipped to solve our country's problems, but to the richest...Republican or Democrat. Once you meet the financial requirements, it then becomes a fight between the most telegenic and best able to regurgitate empty but catchy sound bites in the most sincere sounding way in a heavily scripted media environment (at these prices, the paymasters of both parties, who happen to be one and same, can't afford any surprises).

So, with the best that modern technology and marketing talent money can buy, elections are bought while we, the general public, are given the illusion of choice. The only possible thing that can go wrong is that people like you dear reader show up an vote, which brings me to my second point.

I absolutely abhor media endorsements. Every election cycle, the media attempts to manipulate the public's perception of candidates and the issues. I suppose that's a given, but it's the newspaper which takes it a step future with their endorsement page.

I used to think that most people didn't pay much attention to the newspaper's endorsements, but over the years (I've been a political and community activist for over 35 years and my two runs for office) my opinion changed. In both cases, the editorial board of our one and only newspaper endorsed my opponent. Now, before you start thinking "oh, this is about sour grapes", hear me out.

My first run for was Metro Council. Jeffersonians had just approved to merge county and city government, and in doing so, eliminate the local 12 member Board of Aldermen, the County Judge and three County Commissioners. This was the first election for the newly formed 26 member Metro Council and "Super" Mayor. I had been a community and political activist at the time for around 27 years; holding a number of senior non-profit board and mid-level party offices. I had been asked by my local county executive to run for office while my opponent had been recruited for the opposing party at the urging of the state party executive (I had and have a reputation for thinking for myself, which some disapprove of). At the endorsement interview, my opponent, who had no political knowledge and no recent community experience, not unexpectedly couldn't answer most of the questions; had no clue (there was a third "candidate", a "ringer" who played in a band with my opponent's brother).

Well, needless to say, I was stunned when my opponent got the nod; with the editorial board citing my opponent's 15 year old previous experience as an assistant coach. Seriously? I've managed millions of dollars professionally and on behalf of non-profits for decades. I'm a disabled veteran; served as a countywide administrator for the DAV plus a host of other positions and that was the best they had? Of course, I filed a complaint but with this being the only paper in town, their arrogance carried the day. Later, when I ran for state office, the same editorial board didn't even bother with an interview, or read my material. They made a completely uninformed decision; a deliberate attempt in both cases to mislead the public in my opinion (and in case you're wondering, I neither had or have any particular ill feelings for either opponent).

I started checking out other endorsements and came across similar results. I discovered too that statements made by candidates were either taken out of context or completely wrong. I then started questioning whether newspapers should be make endorsements at all. Yes, if you agree the corporations were covered under the First Amendment, I suppose they could, but should they? If so, why not CBS, Fox, or even ESPN? I began a campaign to get the entire interview process made public, which they did a few years ago.

However, my opinion that the media should not endorse remains steadfast. I believe voters should check out the candidates and issues themselves. The aforementioned newspaper publishes a great tool called the Voter Guide which details each candidate and their position on variety of issues. It also provides contact information and web addresses. For several years now, I've urges voters to read the Voter Guide. Check out the issues and candidates for themselves and ignore the media's attempt to manipulate voter decisions. Americans have more venues of information than ever before in history. We no longer require a Big Brother approach to elections. We're big boys and girls. We can make up our own minds thank you.



Also check out the following articles:

Care - The Role of Money in Politics

http://www.ieeeusa.org/policy/care/moneyinpolitics.asp

Follow the Money

http://www.followthemoney.org/

Rebels In Search of A Cause

Not surprisingly, over one third of the Americans support the Occupy movement according to a Huffington Post poll, and why not? Americans are sick and tired of being sick and tired of a broken politicial and economic system which appears to be dominated greedy corporate bosses; the nasty one percenters. Of those surveyed, the majority were Democrats (64%), followed by Indies (22%) and Republicans (14%). But, before they start burning the likes of Murdock and Trump in effigy or reciting Sergi Nechayev's "Revolutionary Catechism ", I think the Occupy movement might want to take a step back and reevaluate for a moment.

There's no doubt that greed and corruption runs amuck on Wall Street, the banking industry and plenty of other industries. But, greed ain't doing too shabby on Main Street either. No one forced the tens of thousands of homeowners to jump into mortgages they knew they couldn't afford (granted, some were mislead by some crooked mortgage lenders), but that doesn't waive our own responsibility for knowing our personal financial situation. No one made thousand upon thousands to run up debt on credit cards they knew they couldn't afford., or for that matter, buy the latest gadgets, vacations or whatever. To be sure, I'm not letting the Lehman Brothers' or Goldman Sachs' of the world off the hook, or even Obama for bailing out the rich crooks while leaving Main Street largely high and dry.

What I am suggesting, however, is that we are responsible for keeping our own financial houses in order. No one is going to do that for us (not should they), although I'm sure some government bureaucrat somewhere is hard at work trying to figure out how government can. What I am hearing out of the Occupy movement right now is that someone else is somehow responsible for their troubles when, in fact, there is plenty of blame to go around. If we truly want to fight back against the one percent, our best weapon is using financial commonsense such as buying within our financial means. Don't incur debt unless you're able to pay it off within 90 days...tops. Second, we need to buy American every chance we get. Odds are that it's not going to be that much more than something made overseas, and the job you're helping to keep in America might just be yours. Buy local. If you can't, buy regional. If that doesn't work, buy national, and as an absolute last resort, buy globally.

With that said, the Occupy movement needs to focus. It has no leadership and no sense of direction. This is what ultimately imploded the "old" Left of the 60's and 70's. Historically, the lack of direction has lead to the failure of many a Leftist movement whereas the Right, though usually smaller in number, has tended to be better organized and focused, and, thus more successful. They need to redirect their attention back on Washington. They are the ones who make the rules that allow the one percenters to do what they doing. How about an election cycle where no one votes for incumbents just to shake things up? How about demanding that every candidate you support guarantee...in writing...to term limits. If they renege, take them to court, start a recall campaign, or protest at the offices, in their neighborhood, and in front of their home. The Occupy movement also need to take into consideration what is "greed" and what creates growth (ie: jobs). Not everyone who is wealthy is a "fascist tool" as I recently heard someone call a company CEO.

There is no doubt that our political system is broken, as is our economic system. Perhaps they're broken beyond repair. But before we tear it asunder, we need to have something to put into its place. Like them or hate them, the Tea Party came together with clear vision of what they wanted and to accomplish their goals. As a result, the Tea Party has achieved many of their objectives and is still evolving and growing. Perhaps it's time to address an entirely new tax code or increasing government restrictions based on company size (small companies = few restrictions. Large multinational companies = heavy restrictions). Maybe require all meetings with corporate lobbyists to be made public; no corporate money in public campaigns; mandatory waiting period of 5 years before an ex-government official can become a lobbyist. Unless the Occupy movement can decide what it wants to be when it grows up, they'll burn brightly before fading into yesterday's news.



If you would like to read the results of poll mentioned above, here's the link to the Huffington Post article:

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/10/23/occupy-wall-street-poll_n_1027109.html?icid=maing-grid10%7Chtmlws-main-bb%7Cdl1%7Csec3_lnk1%7C106703

While you're at it, I recommend you read this article on the Occupy movement from the National Post as well:

http://www.nationalpost.com/opinion/columnists/reaping+what+they+sowed/5564849/story.html

The Super Committee/Death by China: A Review

With its approval rating the lowest in history (around 12% at the time of this writing), Congress has put together a so-called "Super Committee". So, what's so "super" about it? Well, let's first look at why our elected representatives felt the need to create this committee; who's on it; and what it is supposed to accomplish. Finally, we'll examine the long term repercussions of having a "Super Committee", whose actual name is Joint Select Committee for Deficit Reduction.

As I said above, the approval ratings for Congress are dismal, and they've been that way for a some time. Long enough for even the arrogant thick headed politicians in Washington along with their K Street paymasters to realize that it may be an angry mob coming to Washington rather than another idealistic Mr. Smith. The latest, and so far most disastrous example of Washington's failure was the debate over the raising the debt ceiling. With the public's mood becoming darker as each day of economic chicken played out, the leaders in both parties came to the conclusion that the only way to save their worthless hides was to create a political body to deflect future blame.

It's really an interesting idea if you think about it. Under their agreement, party bosses selected three individuals from each party and both the upper and lower chambers of Congress for a total of twelve individuals (a brief biography of each member is included below). Originally called a "Super Congress", the name was quickly abandoned since it gave the "wrong" impression that a new entity was being created outside of Congressional parameters (never mind the fact that both the Executive, Judicial, and Congressional branches have long over stepped their respective boundaries decades ago). Now called a "Super Committee", these twelve individuals would meet behind closed doors to attempt to draft a deficit reduction bill.

This is a tough job, and they will certainly earn hazardous duty pay, especially when you consider their job is to find 1.5 trillion dollars to be cut over the next 10 years ( I strongly suspect that number will increase by at least half long before then). That means dealing with highly protective issues like the military, Medicare, Social Security, Obamacare, illegal immigration, and veterans to name just a few. If seven of the twelve members vote in favor of a specific proposal, it gets "fast tracked" through the House and Senate. The pressure on these 12 individuals will be unbearable.

The Super Committee derives its authority from the Budget Control Act of 2011 (or BCA for short). The committee will act as a select committee, meaning that once its object is meet (in this case, finding 1.5 trillion dollars) and drafting a deficit reduction bill, it will be dissolved. The bill gets the unusual benefit of a up-or-down vote in the House and Senate. No filibusters, and no amendments to the bill can be added (and for the record, I oppose adding non-relevant "pork" amendments to bills. I also support line item vetoes to help curtail this form of political pandering).

Joint and/or select committees are not unusual. Its how things get done in Congress, and while this one does have a few unusual characteristics like no filibustering and an up-or-down vote, it may prove to be the only way the federal government can accomplish its goal of finding and eliminating 1.5 trillion dollars. America is in deep financial trouble, due largely to mismanagement, a lack of leadership, and the creation of a society of special interest entitlements. There can be no failure here. Everything is at stake. If it takes a super committee or a Superman, then so be it.

Suggested Reading:

http://www.christianpost.com/news/what-is-a-super-committee-53423/

http://money.cnn.com/2011/08/11/news/economy/debt_committee_members/index.htm

http://www.csmonitor.com/USA/Politics/2011/0811/Who-s-who-on-Congress-s-debt-super-committee/Sen.-Max-Baucus-D-of-Montana


Book Review: Death by China
Written by Peter Navarro and Greg Autry

Lenin once famously remarked that Communism would sell Western Capitalism the rope that would be used to hang them with. Well, as it turns out, that rope is made in China. How many of us have sat in dazed anger watching the news about another US plant closing while hundreds or even thousands of jobs...our jobs...were being sent to China? How many of us remember Wal-Mart's slogan about everything they sold being made in America? Nowadays, just try and find something made in America in Wal-Mart. If you're like me, you've often asked yourself how did America, and American jobs end up some 5000 miles away. I found the answer. It's in "Death by China", written by Peter Navarro and Greg Autry.

This totally engrossing book explains in everyday language how America lost its competitive edge to its ideological enemy, China. The authors detail how China has been so successful in exporting shoddy and often dangerous products like poorly made electrical tools, baby cribs, or children's toys painted with toxic lead base paint, not to mention food stuffs grown in contaminated soil and irrigated with polluted water. Exposed too is how China bypasses regulations and product inspections, often with the tacit support of inspectors; how China ignores various free trade agreements; creates a "devil's bargain" with the likes of General Electric, Caterpillar, and Microsoft, which often includes giving away proprietary technology while, at the same time, allowing a Chinese majority stake in any operation set up on Chinese soil. Often these "devil's bargains" promise access to the Chinese consumer market, does in reality the exact opposite.

Globally, China has launched a war of conquest. It's aim is nothing less than acquiring resources, be it in Africa, South America, or the Middle East, for the sole purpose of crippling the economies of the West, Japan, South Korea, India, and Southeast Asia. At the same time, China continues to manipulates its currency, while buying up US debt; in effect, making it the banker that allows this country to continue to function. Can you imagine your biggest competitor or worse enemy controlling your checkbook?

China has openly declared global war, and on America in particular. They are in this for the long haul. Their goal, as trite as it may sound to Post-Cold War ears, is world domination. This war is not one of guerilla insurgencies or vast armies. It's one of economics. It's being fought on every level in every country. It's a war we should be winning, but we've bought the rope instead.

Authors Navarro and Autry have done an exemplary job of explaining the new rules of engagement. The final chapter, "Life with China: How to Survive and Prosper in the Dragon's Century", brings it all together with their suggestions on how to level out the playing field, and start winning while there's still time. To paraphrase former Speaker of the House, Tip O'Neill, in a global economy, everything is local. If you're concerned about your job, you need to read this book.

Reflections on the Debt Crisis

There is a dark mood over America and its growing. While Congress seems pleased with itself over the passage of the debt ceiling package, those outside the bubble world of Washington's Beltway. aren't so happy. We sat and watched with white knuckles and disbelief at the asinine brinkmanship being played out on our television sets every night. A recent poll revealed much more. Only 10% of Americans are happy with Congress irrespective of political party. Think about that number for just a minute folks. That means that overwhelming majority of us believe that Congress has failed. Revolutions, civil wars, and mass strikes and riots are not uncommon when approval ratings drop below 47%.

There are two points about that number that I find most interesting. The first is that this figure is not a fluke. While the approval rating of the president tends to flux, depending on what he's recently said or done, the approval rating for Congress has remained in the dumpster for some time now. Congress is supposed to the representatives of the people. They are the modern Tribunes. So, what does it say when We the People believe our Tribunes have failed us, and continue to fail us? This leads me to the second point which I am concerned about. Given that "the mob" often take to the streets whenever the approval ratings of their representatives drops below the 50% mark for any length of time, what does that say about and to us? In order to answer both questions, I think the first place to start is to look the poll itself.

The poll was conducted by Fox News between August 9-11, 2011 comprised 904 registered voters. The poll indicated that only 10% thought Congress was doing a good job while 81% disapproved of Congress's job performance. Only one in three said the country was headed in the right direction. 71% said they were not optimistic about the country's economic future. 81% of Republicans, 74% of Independents and 46% of Democrats thought America was in economic trouble.

With respect to the debt agreement, despite the Beltway's backslapping, 52% of us disapproved of the agreement compare to 36% who approved of it. Of that, only 12% felt that the agreement would improve the economy. 50% of those polled said the agreement was "weak" while 28% though it was "terrible" according to the Fox News article. In response to related questions, 74% expressed concern that the federal government will continue to spend more than it takes in. By 3 to 1 margin, the respondents thought Americans were already over taxed. So, taken as a whole. the poll reveals what almost everyone of us already know: The economy is in trouble and we have no leadership.

To avoid the possibility of biased polling data, I decided to check out a recent CNN poll. This poll, which was taken approximately August 4, 2011 revealed that only 14% of the respondents approved of Congress's performance. The article stated that this was only the third since 1974 when CNN began doing polling that the Congressional approval rating fell below 20%. The first was in June 1979, a month before Jimmy Carter gave his infamous "malaise" speech, and the other was in March 1992 during the, again, infamous House banking scandals. The last time CNN conducted a job performance poll of Congress was in January of this year. At that time, Congress had a whooping 22% approval rating. According to Gallup, the recent 10% is the worst in history, with the previous low being 13% in December 2010, however, World Net Daily reported a 9% approval rating in July of 2008, but what's a few percentage points among friends right? The point is that the vast majority of Americans are beyond disgusted with Washington. My question, however, is this: Are Americans sick and tired of being sick and tired with the beltway Crowd, including not just Congress of either political stripe, but also of their corporate paymasters---the lobbyists---the global corporations who pull the strings?

Some 11 years after our invasion of Afghanistan and Iraq, we've made little progress. Afghanistan is still crawling with Taliban; the US back government is ripe with corruption and incompetence, amid the changing loyalties of tribal chieftains and government bureaucrats. On the up side, we have severely crippled (but by no means killed) the effectiveness of the Taliban. Al Qaeda has been nearly destroyed, with many of its top tier leaders given a one way ticket to Allah, including bin Laden. Much of its second and third levels have been decapitated as well, but it still remains a dangerous enemy with mutations springing up in far flung places like Kenya and Yemen.

Iraq remains a very unstable nation. The nation is rife with corruption and sporadic violence aimed a destabilizing the country, while Iran waits like a hungry lion to devour its neighbor as soon as we leave, which goes all the more to emphasize our strategic and tactical blunder of invading in the first place. Following the first Gulf War, Hussein was rendered regionally impotent. Yet, he remained strong enough to keep the religious radicals in check. We've seen Moslem citizens rise up against their military backed strongmen with varying results. However, how successful they will be in the long run remains questionable. Meanwhile, the zealots wait in the shadows and pray for weaknesses. The result is an even more volatile Middle East providing the West's oil.

Globally, we've seen not just the increase in radical Islam, but also the spread of Islam through out the world, especially in Europe and the United States. We've seen the delayed reaction of the silent invasion by recent events in Oslo. We've watched a failing global economy, again, most notably in Europe and in America, especially with a credit downgrade and lack of political leadership. Riots are now rampant in London, so known for their passivity because there are no jobs and no money for the government handouts. The Ships of State have no crew, no captain, no rudder and it's out of fuel.

America too is being invaded. This invasion comes in the form of illegal immigrates in search of economic opportunities, not as political or religious refugees. They have no desire to become American Citizens, learn our language or adapt to our values or traditions. As a result, our economic infrastructure has been stretched to the point of collapse. Our Middle Class, once the industrious spine of the American economy, is nearly shattered; its jobs outsourced to our ideological enemies in the sacred name of profit while unions, once the protectors of working class America, are unable or unwilling to do anything more than provide a hollow chorus to their quiet sobs as the American Dream of a home, a decent job, and better times for their children fades from memory. Where have you gone Meany, Chavez and Mary Jones?

When will Americans take matters in their own hands and demand their country back? We are given the illusion of choice each election cycle. The truth is that there is little meaningful differences between the two leading political parties anymore. Both have the same moneyed masters. They are two sides of the same worthless plug nickel. Today, we are caught between three worlds. One bequest to us by our Founding Fathers and the other by those seeking a socialistic enlightenment for the betterment of Mankind. Perhaps the former is too idyllic and distant while the latter is too idealistic, but either are preferable to the third which seeks to enslave us to faceless corporation masters; to create a post-national world of economic serfs. That is the world we increasing live in.

Fox Poll:
http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2011/08/12/fox-news-poll-most-voters-not-hopeful-about-direction-country-majority-dislikes/

CNN Poll:
http://www.businessinsider.com/congress-approval-rating-just-sank-to-a-record-breaking-low-2011-8

Gallup Poll History:
http://www.gallup.com/poll/145238/congress-job-approval-rating-worst-gallup-history.aspx

World Net Daily:
http://www.wnd.com/?pageId=69088