* On Sunday morning two AP headlines caught my attention – “It’s Race Against Time To Save Ike Stalwarts” and “Feds, Wall Street Race to Save Lehman.” The first headline refers to the humanitarian efforts to save human beings in the aftermath of a natural disaster – hurricane Ike, that devastated large parts of Texas. The second headline refers to a man-made disaster - the potential bailout of another financial institution that has been managed by seedy and greedy millionaires. They were enabled by an incompetent federal government and an impotent congress blinded by the campaign contributions and lobbyist gifts funded by these same financial mega corporations now facing bankruptcy.
A competent parent knows that a teenager needs guidance and oversight – the same constrictions needed by commercial institutions that are myopically consumed by profits. This greed on steroids is devoid of ethics, integrity and the concept of the common good. We are now told that it is in our interest to use billions of dollars of taxpayer money to keep private companies like Bear Stearns and Lehman and quasi governmental companies like Fannie Mae and Fannie Mac from being flushed into oblivion. These same companies who fought every suggestion at oversight and regulation, whose policies consciously screwed over so many Americans, are now asking the American taxpayer for handouts. Neither the executive branch nor congressional branch of the government exercised their fiduciary responsibility to the American people.
Monday morning headlines: BLACK MONDAY; World Stocks Sink; U.S. Stocks Set to Sink at Open; Merrill Sells Itself to Bank of America; Lehman Files for Bankruptcy; FED Takes Emergency Steps; Insurance Giant AIG Scrambles for Cash; Banks Roll Out $70 Billion Loan Program. I am waiting for the next Republican politician to extol free enterprise free of regulation. I am waiting for the next Democratic politician to exhibit a patriotic spine and tell the American people that they will fight for legislation to achieve two goals: real ethics reform that actually minimizes the influence of lobbyists; public financing of elections so that the legislators are not in the pockets of special interest groups and so that legislators are not spending so much of their time trolling for campaign contributions from banks, insurance companies, oil and gas companies, insurers and pharmaceutical companies. Any congressman that does not support such measures should be thrown the hell out of office.
Monday afternoon – McCain tells a rally in Florida, "The fundamentals of our economy are strong." If this is a result of McCain listening to his economic advisors they are bigger derriere orifices than Bush’s financial team.
* Why Black Monday occurred:
1.) Incomes shrank for most Americans over the last expansion.
2.) But Americans kept spending thanks to a mammoth increase in household debt.
3.) To increase the amount of debt in the system, lending standards were lowered.
4.) Lowered lending standards have led to a higher default rate from borrowers.
5.) Higher default rates have lowered the value of all the collateral backed by mortgages.
6.) Lowered collateral values have killed the balance sheets of literally every major financial company.
So wrote Hale Stewart at the Huffington Post. He provides details about each of the above points in an interesting and informative article. Stewart’s piece and other writings this week would lead one to conclude that a Republican president, a Republican congress and an Alan Greenspan-led Federal Reserve became too cozy with America’s major financial institutions and that created a perfect storm for financial disaster. Their arrogance and greed led them to believe our current crisis could not happen. I suggest a read of this article to determine if there is merit to John McCain’s claim that the fundamentals of our economy are strong.
* Six alarm fire – On Tuesday John McCain called “for a high-level commission to study the current economic crisis and claimed that a corrupt and excessive Wall Street had betrayed American workers.” A commission may have some merit even if we know what happened. What was missing in McCain’s exhortation was mention of the commission by him and his Republican Party being a party to this debacle. It is reminiscent of the pyromaniac that sets a blaze and then calls for the Fire Department. Perhaps the American voter will begin to understand that a McCain presidency is akin to appointing the arsonist the Fire Chief.
* The pieces of the puzzle continue to come together – From the Progress Report: McCain and his running mate, Gov. Sarah Palin (R-AK), published an op-ed in the Wall Street Journal (on September 9) that called lobbyists "primary contributors" to the crisis. One of these lobbyists though, is McCain's own campaign manager, Rick Davis, who "served as president of an advocacy group led by Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac that defended the two companies against increased regulation." Davis challenged even the smallest reform measures intended to make sure that Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac were being held more accountable for their actions. This helped the mortgage giants, "consistently [beat] back congressional efforts to increase oversight, even after a major accounting scandal in 2003 resulted in a $400 million fine for Fannie.
In an effort to provide full disclosure it should be noted that Rick Davis is only one of 120 lobbyists working for the McCain campaign. That McCain is one heck of a lobbyist basher!
Also earning special mention is the economic advisor to McCain, former Senator Phil Graham. While a senator and then as a lobbyist Graham opposed any legislation that would have regulated financial institutions – regulations that may have averted the financial crisis gripping America and the international community. I wrote about Mr. Graham in July of this year. His hands are as dirty as his pockets are full.
The Republican Party and the lobbyists took their relationship to a new level at the beginning of the Bush administration. It was spirited by then Senator Rick Santorum (R-PA) who led the K Street project - a marriage od Republican politicians and lobbyists that threw open the doors of congressional access to the likes of Jack Abramoff, former ultra lobbyist and current resident of a federal prison. Santorum was rejected for re-election in 2006 but the effect of his efforts to put the federal government up for sale continues today.
* Speaking of money ill-spent – George Bush has given Pakistan billions of dollars to be our ally in the global war against terrorism. This week the Pakistani government ordered its troops to fire on the U.S. military if it conducts raids in Pakistan against terrorists and their supporters. Yes, the world is a complicated place. Let us hope that the next president has the ability to navigate such treacherous terrain. Someone who has not rubber-stamped Lost George.
* What is an over-worked secretary to do? - Speaking last week to the annual Conference of the White House Initiative on National Historically Black Colleges and Universities, Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice admitted that there are too few African-Americans in her agency. "I can go into a whole day of meetings at the Department of State -- and actually rarely see somebody who looks like me," Rice said. "And that is just not acceptable." Since January 6, 2005 Rice has been in her current position working around the clock to cover the errors of her boss. There simply has been no time available or inclination to change the State Department from looking like the Republican National Convention.
* You would too - Thirty-two of the nation’s leading historians have sent letters to congressional leaders calling on them to strengthen the Presidential Records Act (PRA). They are concerned that as the Bush administration prepares to leave office they are ready to expunge the record on its tenure. Expunging the record makes perfect sense. Their “record” is one of incompetency, lies and illegal activities. One would have to be in a vegetative state to not try to hide such documentation. Destroying the records will also help keep some of them out of prison.
* Last weekend in Andover, MA legal scholars, lawyers, and activists came together for "JUSTICE ROBERT H. JACKSON CONFERENCE: PLANNING FOR THE PROSECUTION OF HIGH LEVEL AMERICAN WAR CRIMINALS. As the insulated and self-protected members of the Bush administration leave the White House in January 2009 I am surer that they will be looking over their shoulders than they were “certain” that Iraq had weapons of mass destruction. Thousands of Americans were culpable in the use of torture, breaking the law and the ever-present “cover up.” Unlike a tragic Italian opera this will not be over when the fat lady sings the aria Arevaderchi.
* Get your free score card - If you are having difficulty keeping up with the McCain lies a new website sponsored by the Democratic Party will help you. The name of the site is Count the Lies - McCainPedia.org. This website will need a server capable of handling substantial gigabytes of memory.
* That Grand Old Party – The Michigan Republican Party is attempting to question voters’ eligibility whose homes have been foreclosed. “According to voting rights experts a foreclosure notice does not mean that a person is no longer a resident -- making it an inadequate basis for a challenge.” I imagine that GOP strategists have strategized that more Democrats have homes that have been foreclosed than Republicans. Thirteen U.S. Senators have petitioned the Justice Department to prevent disenfranchisement of voters who have lost their homes.
* A wealth of insight – NY Times op-ed columnist Frank Rich once again offers a cogent and perceptive analysis of the presidential race. I highly recommend a read of this in-depth article for which a summarization would not do it justice. I will note his concluding recommendation to the Democratic presidential nominee: If Obama “focuses voters on the 2008 McCain, the Palin question will take care of itself.”
* "No nation is permitted to live in ignorance with impunity."
Thomas Jefferson
Showing posts with label Phil Graham. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Phil Graham. Show all posts
Tuesday, September 16, 2008
Saturday, July 12, 2008
* Dear Senator Barack Obama - Your vote for the FISA bill was a major disappointment to many of us who support your candidacy. At the same time I cannot anticipate anything that you could do to lose my vote, given the alternative. I accept the fact that “politician” defines your career path and it requires tactics and decisions that cannot always satisfy your core constituency. However, I believe you possess the integrity and a sense of the law that mandates accountability for all branches of government. I would hope that as president you will sanction the investigation of the many areas where the Bush administration is suspected of having broken the law. At a minimum, the exposure of wrong-doing would provide some level of accountability for the Bush administration that was non-existent during its tenure. If trust in our government and leaders is not restored the future will be even bleaker than the current state of affairs. You sir, are the best hope that our country has at this time. I wish you well in your candidacy and trust that you have the ability and courage to fulfill the expectations that so many millions hold for you and our country.
* It may be a headache but, its all in your head – Phil Graham is McCain’s top economic advisor. The former senator and then lobbyist for national and international banking interests earned millions of dollars pushing for laws and policies that substantially contributed to the current mortgage crisis. Given his substantial wealth it is no wonder that this week he said that we are a nation of whiners. Graham claims that the economic recession that millions of Americans are experiencing is in fact a mental recession. The 10 percent of haves in this country would probably agree with this lobbyist leech. The vast majority of Americans would conclude that Mr. Graham’s head is up his assets.
* The Manchurian Candidates were elected – Vice President Dick Cheney not only ignores the safety and welfare of Americans but actually goes out of his way to ensure that we are at risk. The justification for this seemingly implausible statement about a national leader was the revelation this week that Cheney’s office deliberately deleted congressional testimony of a senior government official about the consequences of climate change on public health. A former senior EPA official, Jason K. Burnett, said “the White House was concerned that the proposed testimony last October by the head of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention might make it tougher to avoid regulating greenhouse gases emitted into the atmosphere.” Protecting the interests of Big Oil was more important to the VP than the health and safety of fellow citizens. When the history of the first decade of the 21st century is written I believe that the damage to America caused by Dick Cheney and George Bush will have far exceeded the damage perpetrated by Osama bin Laden. Also to be ignobly immortalized will be a Congress that was gutless and impotent opposing the Bush/Cheney juggernaut and too often sucked at the teat of special interests.
* Foot dragging, incompetence, malfeasance? ~ meet the U.S Justice Department – “More than 900 cases alleging that government contractors and drug makers have defrauded taxpayers out of billions of dollars are languishing in a backlog that has built up over the past decade because the Justice Department cannot keep pace with the surge in charges brought by whistle-blowers, according to lawyers involved in the disputes.” Under the Bush administration we have experienced the Justice Department acting as a political arm of the executive branch of government. As the government cries poor mouth, lacking funds for education, reducing Medicare payments to doctors and a litany of other under-funded programs it allows available resources to be stolen by scumbags with portfolio. I did not share the mild optimism that Michael Mukasey would be an improvement over Alberto Gonzales since any Bush appointee must possess an inherent Stepford quality. Both Attorney Generals have proven to be advocates for a corrupt and incompetent administration, failing to investigate wrongs and blocking the attempts of Congress to perform its fiduciary responsibilities. The nobility of blind justice has tragically descended to merely blind.
* Fighting hunger with gourmet meals and droppings from the southern end of a bull – The G8 is an organization of leading countries that meet to address an array of world problems. Their recent meeting in Japan focused on solving the global food crisis. “Delicious” would best describe the gathering. The six-course lunch was followed by an 18-course dinner that included white asparagus and truffle soup, almond oil foam and tapenade, smoked salmon and sea urchin with hot onion tart, grilled bighead thorryhead fish with pepper sauce, G8 Fantasy dessert and Le Reve Grand Cru Brut/La Seule Gloire Champagne. Fighting hunger is a challenge. On the other hand, “pathetic” would describe the G8’s commitment to reducing world hunger. “In 2005, at the G8 summit in Gleneagles, Scotland, world leaders promised to increase global aid by £25billion a year by 2010 and raise aid to Africa, the world's poorest continent, by £12.5billion. But the bloc of rich nations is only 14 per cent of the way towards hitting its target (60 percent into the commitment).” “Fantasy” not only describes the G8 dessert.
* If not them, whom? – The Federal Bureau of Investigation, which is part of the U.S. intelligence community, has the lead responsibility for domestic surveillance of foreign intelligence and suspected terrorist targets. Important and vital would best describe this critical role in keeping us safe. However, a new report by the Senate Appropriations Committee has determined that the FBI headquarters in Washington, D.C is somewhat lacking. “The Hoover Building does not meet the Interagency Security Committee’s criteria for a secure Federal facility capable of handling intelligence and other sensitive information.” The most surprising part of this revelation is that it was revealed. We have become accustomed to inadequacies, incompetence and illegalities in the federal government being hidden from public view by classifying the information as national security, state secrets, executive privilege and none of your bees wax. In too many cases “embarrassment” is the real motivation for hiding the truth but the shear volume of screw-ups does result in a few leakers.
* Movie nostalgia ~ not the film, the venue of drive-in theaters – Younger readers may have heard of but never experienced a drive-in movie theater. My online friend Sue Katz has an interesting blog entry at Consenting Adult that looks at the 75th anniversary of drive-in theaters. It sure brought back some memories! Also of interest in the article is a video that is a montage of intermission films that were shown at drive-ins that as Sue says, “are a window on the social messages being pushed during the 50s and 60s: from cold war patriotism to urgings that you go to church and the PTA to proper drive-in etiquette.” Other messages encouraged registering to vote and supporting the Boy Scouts. It led me to ponder where one finds the message today for responsible participation in society? Almost every waking moment is accompanied by some form of electronic communication. To what end and to what value?
* “To educate a man in mind and not in morals is to educate a menace to society.”
Theodore Roosevelt (1858 – 1919) 26th president of the U.S.
* It may be a headache but, its all in your head – Phil Graham is McCain’s top economic advisor. The former senator and then lobbyist for national and international banking interests earned millions of dollars pushing for laws and policies that substantially contributed to the current mortgage crisis. Given his substantial wealth it is no wonder that this week he said that we are a nation of whiners. Graham claims that the economic recession that millions of Americans are experiencing is in fact a mental recession. The 10 percent of haves in this country would probably agree with this lobbyist leech. The vast majority of Americans would conclude that Mr. Graham’s head is up his assets.
* The Manchurian Candidates were elected – Vice President Dick Cheney not only ignores the safety and welfare of Americans but actually goes out of his way to ensure that we are at risk. The justification for this seemingly implausible statement about a national leader was the revelation this week that Cheney’s office deliberately deleted congressional testimony of a senior government official about the consequences of climate change on public health. A former senior EPA official, Jason K. Burnett, said “the White House was concerned that the proposed testimony last October by the head of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention might make it tougher to avoid regulating greenhouse gases emitted into the atmosphere.” Protecting the interests of Big Oil was more important to the VP than the health and safety of fellow citizens. When the history of the first decade of the 21st century is written I believe that the damage to America caused by Dick Cheney and George Bush will have far exceeded the damage perpetrated by Osama bin Laden. Also to be ignobly immortalized will be a Congress that was gutless and impotent opposing the Bush/Cheney juggernaut and too often sucked at the teat of special interests.
* Foot dragging, incompetence, malfeasance? ~ meet the U.S Justice Department – “More than 900 cases alleging that government contractors and drug makers have defrauded taxpayers out of billions of dollars are languishing in a backlog that has built up over the past decade because the Justice Department cannot keep pace with the surge in charges brought by whistle-blowers, according to lawyers involved in the disputes.” Under the Bush administration we have experienced the Justice Department acting as a political arm of the executive branch of government. As the government cries poor mouth, lacking funds for education, reducing Medicare payments to doctors and a litany of other under-funded programs it allows available resources to be stolen by scumbags with portfolio. I did not share the mild optimism that Michael Mukasey would be an improvement over Alberto Gonzales since any Bush appointee must possess an inherent Stepford quality. Both Attorney Generals have proven to be advocates for a corrupt and incompetent administration, failing to investigate wrongs and blocking the attempts of Congress to perform its fiduciary responsibilities. The nobility of blind justice has tragically descended to merely blind.
* Fighting hunger with gourmet meals and droppings from the southern end of a bull – The G8 is an organization of leading countries that meet to address an array of world problems. Their recent meeting in Japan focused on solving the global food crisis. “Delicious” would best describe the gathering. The six-course lunch was followed by an 18-course dinner that included white asparagus and truffle soup, almond oil foam and tapenade, smoked salmon and sea urchin with hot onion tart, grilled bighead thorryhead fish with pepper sauce, G8 Fantasy dessert and Le Reve Grand Cru Brut/La Seule Gloire Champagne. Fighting hunger is a challenge. On the other hand, “pathetic” would describe the G8’s commitment to reducing world hunger. “In 2005, at the G8 summit in Gleneagles, Scotland, world leaders promised to increase global aid by £25billion a year by 2010 and raise aid to Africa, the world's poorest continent, by £12.5billion. But the bloc of rich nations is only 14 per cent of the way towards hitting its target (60 percent into the commitment).” “Fantasy” not only describes the G8 dessert.
* If not them, whom? – The Federal Bureau of Investigation, which is part of the U.S. intelligence community, has the lead responsibility for domestic surveillance of foreign intelligence and suspected terrorist targets. Important and vital would best describe this critical role in keeping us safe. However, a new report by the Senate Appropriations Committee has determined that the FBI headquarters in Washington, D.C is somewhat lacking. “The Hoover Building does not meet the Interagency Security Committee’s criteria for a secure Federal facility capable of handling intelligence and other sensitive information.” The most surprising part of this revelation is that it was revealed. We have become accustomed to inadequacies, incompetence and illegalities in the federal government being hidden from public view by classifying the information as national security, state secrets, executive privilege and none of your bees wax. In too many cases “embarrassment” is the real motivation for hiding the truth but the shear volume of screw-ups does result in a few leakers.
* Movie nostalgia ~ not the film, the venue of drive-in theaters – Younger readers may have heard of but never experienced a drive-in movie theater. My online friend Sue Katz has an interesting blog entry at Consenting Adult that looks at the 75th anniversary of drive-in theaters. It sure brought back some memories! Also of interest in the article is a video that is a montage of intermission films that were shown at drive-ins that as Sue says, “are a window on the social messages being pushed during the 50s and 60s: from cold war patriotism to urgings that you go to church and the PTA to proper drive-in etiquette.” Other messages encouraged registering to vote and supporting the Boy Scouts. It led me to ponder where one finds the message today for responsible participation in society? Almost every waking moment is accompanied by some form of electronic communication. To what end and to what value?
* “To educate a man in mind and not in morals is to educate a menace to society.”
Theodore Roosevelt (1858 – 1919) 26th president of the U.S.
Saturday, May 31, 2008
* The company we keep – Sixty years ago the United Nations adopted the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. Unfortunately, governments in scores of countries still torture and mistreat their people according to Amnesty International, the world watchdog for human rights violations. I found their recent report disturbing on two levels: acts of inhumanity around the world continue unabated; appearing with the countries of China, Myanmar, Sudan and Zimbabwe for human rights violations is the United States for its use of torture at Guantanamo (and secret detention centers in many parts of the world). Who could imagine in the year 2000 the moral degradation that would take place under the realm of George W. Bush? Who could imagine the complicity of the large number of Americans required for this fall from grace to occur? Where is the outrage from the popular voice who claim they care about this country and its values? Have we pathetically transitioned to believe that the measure of patriotism is wearing a flag pin on one’s lapel? Is this another inconvenient truth?
* The ignobility of going back on your word – A civilized society functions within a framework of rules. Political parties are no different. To whine about rules one agreed to in the event that those rules do not serve ones self-interest is disingenuous and casts doubts upon ones ability to lead. All of which brings to mind Hillary Clinton. Prior to the primary season Florida and Michigan were stripped of their delegates by the Democratic National Committee because they moved up their primaries in violation of party rules. Only 4 states were sanctioned to hold their primaries in January and neither Florida nor Michigan was among them. Florida lost 210 pledged delegates and 28 superdelegates, and Michigan lost 156 pledged delegates and 25 superdelegates. Obama and Clinton agreed to this decision as well as not to campaign in these states. Obama was not even on the Michigan primary ballot. Florida and Michigan still conducted their primaries and Clinton won both of these states. Having previously agreed that these two states would not count, she now says these votes should count because every vote matters. That was not the case 7 months ago when Hillary Clinton felt she was assured the presidential nomination and the rules had gravitas.
* A note to Hillary Clinton supporters who say they will vote for McCain if Obama gets the nomination – When you support Clinton some of the issues you are supporting are women’s choice, workers rights, Iraq exit strategy, affordable healthcare coverage, veteran benefits and veterans physical and mental healthcare, oversight of corporations and global warming solutions. Barak Obama has a similar platform. John McCain DOES NOT! A vote for McCain is a vote for the same Bush policies, tactics and lobbyist/corporate connections that have put this country in the commode. The “McCain if not Hillary” crowd is reminiscent of the mentality of lower-income religious right voters. They put Republicans in office who oppose raising the minimum wage, enact laws that weaken the bargaining power of the work force, look the other way as corporations ignore work-place safety and side with the health insurance companies to prevent fair and affordable coverage for those who need it the most. If America decides that personality, race or gender is more important than issues we have earned a third Bush term.
* The company we keep – John McCain’s campaign co-chairman is former senator and most recently mega lobbyist Phil Graham. While a senator it was his legislation that cast aside Depression era laws and regulations that led to our current banking crisis. Graham was a pusher of legislation that assisted Enron during its troubles at the same time that his wife Wendy was a director of Enron. As recently as December, while a McCain advisor, Graham was still working for Swiss bankers specifically to help kill the “Emergency Home Ownership and Mortgage Equity Protection Act” and the “Helping Families Save Their Homes in Bankruptcy Act,” a bill that would have let bankruptcy judges adjust mortgage terms so American families facing foreclosure could repay their loans, and keep their homes. There has been mention in the news that Graham is among the people McCain would consider for Treasury Secretary. The company we keep.
* Quote of the Week – Former Minnesota Governor Jesse Ventura commenting on legal attempts to ban gay marriage: “Love is bigger than government. Who the hell are we as a government to tell people who you can fall in love with? I think it‘s absurd that fact is even being debated. “
Burger Pig er King – I recently commented about the plight of tomato pickers in Florida who supply Burger King and who toil for pittance wages. The company that sings the jingle “Have It Your Way” tried to have its own way by stubbornly opposing wage increases for these workers. Following a nationally supported protest BK has announced it will relent. “The 1-cent increase means that for every 32-pound bucket of tomatoes they pick, the workers will earn 77 cents, instead of 45 cents. That is a 71 percent increase, the first substantial one in decades for the workers. At the old wage the pickers typically earned $10,000 to $12,000 a year (working 10 to 12 hour days).” Amy Wagner, a senior vice president at Burger King said, “If the Florida tomato industry is to be sustainable long term, it must become more socially responsible (an epiphany before our eyes). She estimated that the wage boost would cost Burger King about $300,000 a year.” Now this is what really overcooks my fries! An examination of Burger King’s financial statement ending June 2007 shows annual sales of $2.2 billion. Net profit after taxes was $148 million. The $300,000 expense, so that farm workers can have a barely livable wage, represents an insignificant two-tenths of 1 percent of their net profit. The Nation.com offers a glimpse of conditions these farm workers face each day.
* Speaking of unhealthy food – “A congressional committee is investigating whether some private U.S. laboratories were instructed to withhold samples of tainted food so that importers could get their goods into the United States… Testing on some samples was conducted repeatedly until the food passed.” This is similar to my experience with high school French class but the only one I was hurting was me. "This repeated testing is done without alerting the FDA that potentially dangerous food has been imported into this country.” When will people begin going to jail for assisting and enabling amorally myopic entrepreneurs who endanger people? Since the answer appears to be never, I have an alternative suggestion. Force the importers and lab technicians that ignore tainted food to eat it! The linked article goes on to give the convoluted reasoning why a lab has not broken the law when not reporting tainted food to the proper authorities. If current law is lacking or defective, fix it. The new law should also require importers and lab technicians to consume a sample of any edible product that they certify as safe. That would go a long way toward making the system fail safe.
* Helping Republicans with their message – The Republican Party attempted to develop a slogan that would encapsulate their message to the common people. Their creative team came up with “The Change You Deserve”. Not exactly brilliant but also copyrighted for the anti-depressant drug Effexor XP. With the Republicans in need of a new slogan readers at HuffingtonPost.com were asked to submit helpful suggestions. Hundreds were submitted and 20 selected that include:
~Pennies on The Dollar: The Change You People Deserve
~Vote For Us Or You'll Have To Marry One Of Them Gays
~Government Is the Problem and If You Elect Us, We Will Prove It
~A Chicken Hawk in Every Pot!
Venlafaxine is the drug that is marketed under the brand name Effexor XP. Some of the side effects include nausea, headache, sexual dysfunction, fatigue, insomnia, increased blood pressure, irritable bowel syndrome, dizziness and increased risk of suicide. On second thought, perhaps the Republicans have earned the right to use the Effexor XP slogan.
* Speaking of risk to health – The American Lung Association, on behalf of health and environmental groups, has filed a law suit against the Bush administration. The suit argues that the administration failed to protect public health and the environment when it issued new smog requirements. For quite some time I have wondered why Bush and his cohorts have ignored with disdain the health and safety of the American people. My current working theory is that they and their families are androids and not subject to the normal health concerns of sentient human beings.
* Question of the Week – What transpired for Scott McClellan, former White House Press Secretary, to go from Bush defender, apologist and spinner of the artful alibi to come out with a new book excoriating Bush and his minions? Was he rescued from the mind-numbing Stepford Wife syndrome experienced by Bush employees or did he locate his conscience? In any case it was enjoyable watching the Bush administration spokespeople doing the dance of the deniers and saying that Scott was a good friend who lost his way. It was not enjoyable seeing further confirmation about how the Bush administration screwed America.
* Onward Christian soldier(s?) – A U.S. Marine on duty guarding the city of Fallujah, Iraq has been handing out coins. No, this has nothing to do with alms. One side of the coin said, "Where will you spend eternity?" The other side of the coin said, "For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life. John 3:16." The breadth of this activity is not known but it has been confirmed by the U.S. military. Local U.S. commanders are investigating since the military prohibits proselytizing any religion, faith or practices. The 150,000 U.S. troops in harms way in Iraq do not need evangelical soldiers inflaming the Muslim community and giving further encouragement to the extremists already on the edge. I thought the stupidity surrounding the Iraq fiasco had reached its nadir. Hopeful but wrong. I wonder if God needs a chiropractor from shaking her head in disbelief.
* For quite some time I have found the growing influence of the religious right in America unsettling. Some of my objection to this development was obvious to me and some was more intuitive and difficult to verbalize. I recently came across the following observations that brought more clarity to my concerns:
“There are two visions of America. One precedes our founding fathers and finds its roots in the harshness of our puritan past. It is very suspicious of freedom, uncomfortable with diversity, hostile to science, unfriendly to reason, contemptuous of personal autonomy. It sees America as a religious nation. It views patriotism as allegiance to God. It secretly adores coercion and conformity. Despite our constitution, despite the legacy of the Enlightenment, it appeals to millions of Americans and threatens our freedom.
The other vision finds its roots in the spirit of our founding revolution and in the leaders of this nation who embraced the age of reason. It loves freedom, encourages diversity, embraces science and affirms the dignity and rights of every individual. It sees America as a moral nation, neither completely religious nor completely secular. It defines patriotism as love of country and of the people who make it strong. It defends all citizens against unjust coercion and irrational conformity.
This second vision is our vision. It is the vision of a free society. We must be bold enough to proclaim it and strong enough to defend it against all its enemies.”
Rabbi Sherwin T. Wine (1928 – 2007) a founder of the Society for Humanistic Judaism
* The ignobility of going back on your word – A civilized society functions within a framework of rules. Political parties are no different. To whine about rules one agreed to in the event that those rules do not serve ones self-interest is disingenuous and casts doubts upon ones ability to lead. All of which brings to mind Hillary Clinton. Prior to the primary season Florida and Michigan were stripped of their delegates by the Democratic National Committee because they moved up their primaries in violation of party rules. Only 4 states were sanctioned to hold their primaries in January and neither Florida nor Michigan was among them. Florida lost 210 pledged delegates and 28 superdelegates, and Michigan lost 156 pledged delegates and 25 superdelegates. Obama and Clinton agreed to this decision as well as not to campaign in these states. Obama was not even on the Michigan primary ballot. Florida and Michigan still conducted their primaries and Clinton won both of these states. Having previously agreed that these two states would not count, she now says these votes should count because every vote matters. That was not the case 7 months ago when Hillary Clinton felt she was assured the presidential nomination and the rules had gravitas.
* A note to Hillary Clinton supporters who say they will vote for McCain if Obama gets the nomination – When you support Clinton some of the issues you are supporting are women’s choice, workers rights, Iraq exit strategy, affordable healthcare coverage, veteran benefits and veterans physical and mental healthcare, oversight of corporations and global warming solutions. Barak Obama has a similar platform. John McCain DOES NOT! A vote for McCain is a vote for the same Bush policies, tactics and lobbyist/corporate connections that have put this country in the commode. The “McCain if not Hillary” crowd is reminiscent of the mentality of lower-income religious right voters. They put Republicans in office who oppose raising the minimum wage, enact laws that weaken the bargaining power of the work force, look the other way as corporations ignore work-place safety and side with the health insurance companies to prevent fair and affordable coverage for those who need it the most. If America decides that personality, race or gender is more important than issues we have earned a third Bush term.
* The company we keep – John McCain’s campaign co-chairman is former senator and most recently mega lobbyist Phil Graham. While a senator it was his legislation that cast aside Depression era laws and regulations that led to our current banking crisis. Graham was a pusher of legislation that assisted Enron during its troubles at the same time that his wife Wendy was a director of Enron. As recently as December, while a McCain advisor, Graham was still working for Swiss bankers specifically to help kill the “Emergency Home Ownership and Mortgage Equity Protection Act” and the “Helping Families Save Their Homes in Bankruptcy Act,” a bill that would have let bankruptcy judges adjust mortgage terms so American families facing foreclosure could repay their loans, and keep their homes. There has been mention in the news that Graham is among the people McCain would consider for Treasury Secretary. The company we keep.
* Quote of the Week – Former Minnesota Governor Jesse Ventura commenting on legal attempts to ban gay marriage: “Love is bigger than government. Who the hell are we as a government to tell people who you can fall in love with? I think it‘s absurd that fact is even being debated. “
Burger Pig er King – I recently commented about the plight of tomato pickers in Florida who supply Burger King and who toil for pittance wages. The company that sings the jingle “Have It Your Way” tried to have its own way by stubbornly opposing wage increases for these workers. Following a nationally supported protest BK has announced it will relent. “The 1-cent increase means that for every 32-pound bucket of tomatoes they pick, the workers will earn 77 cents, instead of 45 cents. That is a 71 percent increase, the first substantial one in decades for the workers. At the old wage the pickers typically earned $10,000 to $12,000 a year (working 10 to 12 hour days).” Amy Wagner, a senior vice president at Burger King said, “If the Florida tomato industry is to be sustainable long term, it must become more socially responsible (an epiphany before our eyes). She estimated that the wage boost would cost Burger King about $300,000 a year.” Now this is what really overcooks my fries! An examination of Burger King’s financial statement ending June 2007 shows annual sales of $2.2 billion. Net profit after taxes was $148 million. The $300,000 expense, so that farm workers can have a barely livable wage, represents an insignificant two-tenths of 1 percent of their net profit. The Nation.com offers a glimpse of conditions these farm workers face each day.
* Speaking of unhealthy food – “A congressional committee is investigating whether some private U.S. laboratories were instructed to withhold samples of tainted food so that importers could get their goods into the United States… Testing on some samples was conducted repeatedly until the food passed.” This is similar to my experience with high school French class but the only one I was hurting was me. "This repeated testing is done without alerting the FDA that potentially dangerous food has been imported into this country.” When will people begin going to jail for assisting and enabling amorally myopic entrepreneurs who endanger people? Since the answer appears to be never, I have an alternative suggestion. Force the importers and lab technicians that ignore tainted food to eat it! The linked article goes on to give the convoluted reasoning why a lab has not broken the law when not reporting tainted food to the proper authorities. If current law is lacking or defective, fix it. The new law should also require importers and lab technicians to consume a sample of any edible product that they certify as safe. That would go a long way toward making the system fail safe.
* Helping Republicans with their message – The Republican Party attempted to develop a slogan that would encapsulate their message to the common people. Their creative team came up with “The Change You Deserve”. Not exactly brilliant but also copyrighted for the anti-depressant drug Effexor XP. With the Republicans in need of a new slogan readers at HuffingtonPost.com were asked to submit helpful suggestions. Hundreds were submitted and 20 selected that include:
~Pennies on The Dollar: The Change You People Deserve
~Vote For Us Or You'll Have To Marry One Of Them Gays
~Government Is the Problem and If You Elect Us, We Will Prove It
~A Chicken Hawk in Every Pot!
Venlafaxine is the drug that is marketed under the brand name Effexor XP. Some of the side effects include nausea, headache, sexual dysfunction, fatigue, insomnia, increased blood pressure, irritable bowel syndrome, dizziness and increased risk of suicide. On second thought, perhaps the Republicans have earned the right to use the Effexor XP slogan.
* Speaking of risk to health – The American Lung Association, on behalf of health and environmental groups, has filed a law suit against the Bush administration. The suit argues that the administration failed to protect public health and the environment when it issued new smog requirements. For quite some time I have wondered why Bush and his cohorts have ignored with disdain the health and safety of the American people. My current working theory is that they and their families are androids and not subject to the normal health concerns of sentient human beings.
* Question of the Week – What transpired for Scott McClellan, former White House Press Secretary, to go from Bush defender, apologist and spinner of the artful alibi to come out with a new book excoriating Bush and his minions? Was he rescued from the mind-numbing Stepford Wife syndrome experienced by Bush employees or did he locate his conscience? In any case it was enjoyable watching the Bush administration spokespeople doing the dance of the deniers and saying that Scott was a good friend who lost his way. It was not enjoyable seeing further confirmation about how the Bush administration screwed America.
* Onward Christian soldier(s?) – A U.S. Marine on duty guarding the city of Fallujah, Iraq has been handing out coins. No, this has nothing to do with alms. One side of the coin said, "Where will you spend eternity?" The other side of the coin said, "For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life. John 3:16." The breadth of this activity is not known but it has been confirmed by the U.S. military. Local U.S. commanders are investigating since the military prohibits proselytizing any religion, faith or practices. The 150,000 U.S. troops in harms way in Iraq do not need evangelical soldiers inflaming the Muslim community and giving further encouragement to the extremists already on the edge. I thought the stupidity surrounding the Iraq fiasco had reached its nadir. Hopeful but wrong. I wonder if God needs a chiropractor from shaking her head in disbelief.
* For quite some time I have found the growing influence of the religious right in America unsettling. Some of my objection to this development was obvious to me and some was more intuitive and difficult to verbalize. I recently came across the following observations that brought more clarity to my concerns:
“There are two visions of America. One precedes our founding fathers and finds its roots in the harshness of our puritan past. It is very suspicious of freedom, uncomfortable with diversity, hostile to science, unfriendly to reason, contemptuous of personal autonomy. It sees America as a religious nation. It views patriotism as allegiance to God. It secretly adores coercion and conformity. Despite our constitution, despite the legacy of the Enlightenment, it appeals to millions of Americans and threatens our freedom.
The other vision finds its roots in the spirit of our founding revolution and in the leaders of this nation who embraced the age of reason. It loves freedom, encourages diversity, embraces science and affirms the dignity and rights of every individual. It sees America as a moral nation, neither completely religious nor completely secular. It defines patriotism as love of country and of the people who make it strong. It defends all citizens against unjust coercion and irrational conformity.
This second vision is our vision. It is the vision of a free society. We must be bold enough to proclaim it and strong enough to defend it against all its enemies.”
Rabbi Sherwin T. Wine (1928 – 2007) a founder of the Society for Humanistic Judaism
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