Saturday, August 27, 2011

Slick Rick Perry

In the illustrious tradition of Bush and Cheney, the Republicans present America with yet another Presidential candidate, Rick Perry. Included in Perry's endeavors is the insurance scam with UBS that involved "betting" on how long retired school teachers would live. We can all thank God that this derivative scheme did not come to fruition. Slick Rick is in bed with the banks and predatory lenders. And he is salivating like Pavlov's dog, at the thought of getting his hands on taxpayers' money, so much so, that, at least overtly, he is turning his back on some of his supporters, the ones who worship with snakes and believe Japan's recession is a result of intercourse between the Emperor and Sun Goddess.

Perry epitomizes the the notion of the Republican "private sector" vampire in its purest form. Please forgive the Texas analogies, but in the tradition of the new derivative thinkers,  Republicans view Social Security and all government monies and funds the same way they view an oil field. And they seek to extrapolate the monies with a huge windfall "profit". And they view the American people as cattle in a stock yard.

It is very important that the Republican party is seen for what it has turned into: an evil and corroding thread that is killing America.

Sunday, August 21, 2011

Republican Pod People


The Republican Party seems to be suffering from the "Palm Beach Trust Boy Syndrome", where the grandfather was an energetic and creative guy who carved out an empire with bold vision. The father was a reasonably competent guy who kept the empire in play while diluting its original purpose and intent. And the son becomes a useless entitled butt head who pisses away his inheritance and trades off the reputation his grandfather established without understanding what it took to build an empire, and without having anything to offer the world in his own right.


Barry Goldwater is credited by many political historians as the founder of the Conservative movement in America politics. I disagree with much of his political philosophy, but I believe his views were held genuinely. And some of what he believed I also hold as true. The Godfather of Conservatism said: "I am a Conservative Republican, but I believe in democracy and the separation of church and state. The Conservative movement is founded on the simple tenant that people have the right to live life as they please as long they don't hurt anyone in the process."  A very ambiguous statement and volumes could be written on what constitutes hurt.
He clarifies: "I don't have any respect for the Religious Right. A woman has a right to an abortion."

Today we have Tea Party candidates, as well as candidates like Gingrich, who appear to be amoral and, upon close examination, really stand for nothing. What they profess to stand for is more often then not, contrary to what they do and the way they live. Most have not served in the military, like their "fathers" Dole and McCain, and view war as a board game. Honestly, didn't you get that feeling about Bush? They view the American people as numbers on a spreadsheet. What they do or say, and what happens to that spreadsheet, really doesn't matter. And they appear to have no awareness or understanding of any of this. Bachmann is talking about $2 per gallon gasoline after she becomes President. It appears that the only amity that all Republicans share in common, when you sort out all the gobbledygook, is their allegiance to the mothership. Sorry, I mean to the acquisition of power and the almighty dollar.

What really is frustrating for thinking people, is the awareness of the fact that it doesn't have to be this way. The problems of America can be solved with intelligent effort and compromise through the democratic process, over the course of time.

Sunday, August 14, 2011

Instant Cake

One of the major factors hurting our country and making the American political system dysfunctional is the pervasive notion of instant solutions. The internet, despite its many, many virtues, is a major contributor to this component of American thinking. I spent four years in college, as did many of my peers. Besides studying subject matter in depth, over the course of time, with eminent authorities, who had demonstrated merit over the course of time; I also developed values, understandings, appreciations, and skills. Today, with online schools, a bachelors or masters degree can be earned in half the time or less. One might question what real value these degrees have.

As a young man, I remember being at the helm of a fishing boat while a oil tanker,  in the starboard top quadrant, was bearing down on us. The captain told me to yield the right of way because it would take the tanker over a mile to change course.

In this instant culture we live in, I think most people are not cognizant of this fact. In government, just like in life, meaningful change requires time and effort.  It cannot be accomplished by a buffoon with a chalkboard in 60 minutes.

Since the election of Barack Obama, the Tea Party has introduced a stream of instant candidates. Most of them, despite being enamored by their own self-image, are merely incompetent and lack values and understanding. But the powers behind them are truly dangerous. It has been some time since Tea Partiers or mainstream Republicans have concerned themselves with jobs for Americans, the issue that they campaigned on, and the issue they used to boondoggle the American people. But their instant solution to the deficit in our country,  will destroy the middle class, and ultimately our country. Any thinking person cannot dispute this.

Sunday, August 7, 2011

"Keep you doped with religion and sex and tv..."

Warren Buffet, an Obama supporter, recently stated that America is engaged in class warfare. Tea Partiers downplay this notion. However, the Republicans have made it abundantly clear that their sole reason for being is to maintain the gains in wealth and power that the 2 percenters achieved under the Bush administration. And they are willing to destroy America in order to achieve that end.

If it is 20 miles into the woods, it is 20 miles out of the woods. And it was the Republicans that marched us into the woods. And now they want to burn the forest down with us in it!

A major reason the deficit is continuing upward, is because of high unemployment. Corporations are doing extremely well and sitting on piles of cash. If you put Americans back to work, they will pay more taxes, and bring down the deficit. Taxes must be restored to Clinton levels and loopholes must end. It is insane for a teacher or a carpenter to pay more in taxes than General Electric. And to steal benefits from workers that have paid into the funds for decades, to bring down the deficit, so the rich don't have to pay taxes, is just plain evil. And, maybe not so ironically, by doing so, it will increase the deficit further.

The deficit must be addressed gradually. To do otherwise, without a question, will create ramifications that are hard to imagine. Information is surfacing that was withheld by the Bush administration. The economic damage done was far greater than we previously realized.

Samuelson to the contrary, supply is adapting to demand. Prices for goods and services in America remain artificially high because of manipulations that include firing workers and cutting production capacity.

By using wealth and power, that was entrenched during the Bush administration, to disseminate propaganda, lies, and fear, the Republicans have effectively co-opted American democracy and broken the capitalist system. Let us not forget that the French gave us the Statue of Liberty. And I will leave it at that.

If Wisconsin is representative of America, even moderately, the 2012 elections can't get here soon enough.