POLITICAL: Political Assassination a bad idea when applied to us?

Tuesday, April 27, 2010

http://www.schneier.com/blog/archives/2010/04/the_effectivene_1.html

Schneier on Security
A blog covering security and security technology.

April 20, 2010
The Effectiveness of Political Assassinations

*** begin quote ***

This is an excellent read:

I wouldn’t have believed you if you’d told me 20 years ago that America would someday be routinely firing missiles into countries it’s not at war with. For that matter, I wouldn’t have believed you if you’d told me a few months ago that America would soon be plotting the assassination of an American citizen who lives abroad.

*** end quote ***

Interesting is the “good for the goose; good for the gander” argument. If terrorists start targeting American political leaders, then I can imagine the moral indignation.

Also, interesting is that “letters of marque and reprisal” WAS acceptable to the dead old white guys and provided for in the Constitution. (Not that they’d do it; they’d just give whoever did do it a “get out of jail free” card.) We don’t follow the Constitution about declaring war, the Constitution’s implied isolationism, or the dead old white guys’ often expressed policy of MYOB.

How’s that supposed Chinese curse go? “May you live in interesting times.”

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As a little L libertarian who is pro-life anti-death penalty, fighting an undeclared war, killing civilians, and the indiscriminate assassination of supposed enemies is unacceptable and immoral.

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POLITICAL: Reconnect or repolarize

Monday, April 26, 2010

http://www.politico.com/blogs/bensmith/0410/Obama_seeks_to_reconnectyoung_people_AfricanAmerins_Latinos_and_women_for_2010.html

April 26, 2010
Obama seeks to ‘reconnect…young people, African-Americans, Latinos, and women’ for 2010
Ben Smith

*** begin quote ***

Obama speaks with unusual demographic frankness about his coalition in his appeal to “young people, African-Americans, Latinos, and women who powered our victory in 2008 [to] stand together once again.”

*** end quote ***

Argh!

Was that the demographic groups that put him over the top?

Or was it anyone who believed the “barbara streisand” that he was peddling?

Argh!

Another corrupt Chicago politician that’s feeling the heat after disappointing the voters.

AND, BTW, why had he spent more than 2M$ fighting to keep his paperwork hidden?

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POLITICAL: We can’t afford gooferment skrools!

Tuesday, April 20, 2010

http://channel-surfing.blogspot.com/2010/04/dangers-of-governing-with-mandate-you.html

Tuesday, April 13, 2010

The dangers of governing with a mandate you haven’t earned

*** begin quote ***

To be fair, the governor had a disastrous fiscal situation to deal with. The state has been spending more than it has been taking in for years, and it has been clear since the day Jon Corzine took office in 2006 that something had to be done. To his credit, Gov. Christie is attempting to put the state on sounder fiscal footing; his approach, however, ignores public priorities and has little to do with fairness.

*** end quote ***

Unfortunately, “we” are at the time where the earth is shifting under our “collective feet”.

We, as a society, can no longer afford gooferment supplied “education”.

Sorry, but that is a “facts of life”. There’s just too many “facts”. Too much “overhead”. Too many chiefs. Too many “mandates”. Too many “union rules”. Too little innovation. Too much “entrenched fiefdoms”.

Christie is just one in a long line of politicians who are trying to adjust. Like a soon to be dead fish, flopping around on the dock. A lot of activity without much chance of success.

Dewey and Mann were socialists who brought the Prussian model of education to the USA. It was right for what they wanted to accomplish — socialism. It was, and is, wrong because it’s not what the American people want or need.

As an IT/BPR practitioner, we need to recognize the basics. Parents need to be in charge. Education is just one more aspect of the things a parent needs to provide. We need a plan to migrate from where we are to where we want to be. It took almost 100 years to get into this mess; it will take decades to get out.

Recognizing the problem is the first step!

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POLITICAL: Golf over duty!

Monday, April 19, 2010

http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2010/apr/18/obama-skips-polish-funeral-heads-to-golf-course/

Obama skips Polish funeral, heads to golf course
By Joseph Curl

*** begin quote ***

A massive volcanic plume covering most of Europe forced President Obama to cancel a Sunday trip to Poland to attend the funeral of the nation’s president. But the last-minute change left an opening in his schedule, so the president headed to the links for a round of golf instead.

*** end quote ***

i don’t begrudge the guy his time off.

BUT, (and there is always a BIG butt),

It looks bad. It looks like he doesn’t care. (He’s a politician. He doesn’t. It’s all illusion.)

But this White House has a “tin ear”, doesn’t care what folks think, and missed a golden opportunity.

If I was OBH44, I’d have turned to one of the many gofers and said: “Contact the Polish Ambassador here in DC and invite him to OUR memorial service. I may not be able to go to Poland, but I can bring Poland here. Call up the local clergy and find out who’s free. Keep working down the hierarchy until you get me (in alphabetical order): an Atheist, a Catholic priest, a Jewish rabbi, a Muslim imam, and Protestant minister. Me, FLOTUS, and the children will be in the front row. We’ll have some Polish kids from Chicago sing a polish song. And, we’ll express our sympathies and solidarity with the Polish people.”

That would be impressive!

Then he could go play golf!

Even if he didn’t do that, he should have done SOMETHING. A job summit? Attend a military funeral?

Playing golf sends a message.

Not one I like!

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POLITICAL: Schumer should … …

Saturday, April 17, 2010

LUDDITE: Excellent Assessment from a USA Today Reader! – Nailed it.

http://www.usatoday.com/news/opinion/letters/2010-04-16-letters16_ST3_N.htm  

If everyone’s so upset, I’d suggest:

(1) Excessive carry on is dangerous in an emergency. TSA should be enforcing limits on that. Less to screen at the gate.

(2) Airlines should be charging fees for excessive carry ons, and not for baggage.

That’s imho the only thing that the FAA should be directing.

And, Schumer should just sit down and shut up. imho!

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POLITICAL: Some folks give up; nice to have that option

Saturday, April 17, 2010

http://www.nasdaq.com/aspx/stock-market-news-story.aspx?
storyid=201004050814dowjonesdjonline000053&title=more-am
ericans-give-up-citizenship-as-irs-gets-aggressive-overseas

More Americans Give Up Citizenship As IRS Gets Aggressive Overseas
By Martin Vaughan, Of DOW JONES NEWSWIRES

*** begin quote ***

In order to give up U.S. citizenship, a person must obtain or have citizenship in another country. The person surrenders their passport or green card during an interview with a consular officer in their new home country. He or she must also submit a form, including a list of assets, to the IRS to complete the process.

Chris Kavanagh of the American Institute in Taiwan, which represents U.S. interests in Taiwan, said 43 people gave up their U.S. citizenship in Taiwan in 2009, the highest that figure has been since 2003. He cautioned against drawing conclusions from that data, however.

The IRS says some of the swelling of numbers of expatriations towards the end of 2009 occurred because the agency made a push to notify people that had already surrendered their passport, but had not completed the process by submitting the IRS form. Until that form is received by the IRS, these people are still subject to U.S. tax. “There is some catch-up going on,” said IRS spokesman Bruce Friedland.

*** end quote ***

Wow, things are really going bad.

Now we are exporting rich people. And, importing poor ones.

This can’t be good for the economy.

When does the tyrant close the borders? Camps next? And, the sheeple keep getting shorn!

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POLITICAL: Vote by dollars; count all the dollars that are stolen from us

Thursday, April 15, 2010

http://www.americanthinker.com/blog/2010/04/no_representation_without_taxa_1.html

*** begin quote ***

“What’s good for General Motors is good for the country.” Since we now “own” GM and other “private” entities we can easily adopt the proxy voting systems used in corporate America for federal elections (in corporate elections each shareholder gets voting power in proportion to shares owned). Each eligible voter would have a total number of votes equal to the dollar amount paid in personal federal income taxes over the previous two years. If you paid $20,000 in taxes you get 20,000 votes. If you paid $200,000 in taxes you get 200,000 votes. Again, what could be fairer?

*** end quote ***

Of course, we’d have to eliminate ALL the hidden taxes we pay. Sales tax, capital gains, etc. etc. etc. And the two biggest taxes of all — inflation and the corporate income taxes that get passed on to real people!

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POLITICAL: American School System

Tuesday, April 13, 2010

http://www.econtalk.org/archives/2010/04/ravitch_on_educ.html

Ravitch on Education
Diane Ravitch
Hosted by Russ Roberts

*** begin quote ***

Diane Ravitch of NYU talks with EconTalk host Russ Roberts about the ideas in her new book, The Death and Life of the Great American School System: How Testing and Choice Are Undermining Education. Ravitch argues that the two most popular education reform movements, accountability and choice, have had unintended consequences that have done great harm to the current generation of students. She argues that the accountability and testing provisions in legislation like No Child Left Behind and similar reforms have actually corrupted the testing process, taken time away from subjects other than math and reading, and failed even to boost success in math and reading. She argues that the empirical record has provided little evidence that school choice as it has been implemented has boosted achievement. The discussion closes with a discussion of what reforms might indeed make a difference.

*** end quote ***

Perhaps we might consider returning it to the Parents?

Why, given that I had NO role in anything else about those children, do I have to pay for their education?

And, “public education” is a national disgrace!

I like Walter Williams’ quote: “… if the Grand Wizard of the Ku Klux Klan wanted to sabotage black academic excellence, he could not devise a more effective way of doing so than the schools serving most black children.” ①

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① “What American Education Needs” The Freeman • Foundation for Economic Education • April 1999 • Volume: 49 • Issue: 4 • Walter E. Williams, the John M. Olin Distinguished Professor of Economics at George Mason University. http://www.thefreemanonline.org/columns/what-american-education-needs/

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POLITICAL: OBH44 can breal the “rules”

Monday, April 12, 2010

http://tinyurl.com/ydbmvtc

Obama leaves WH without press, breaking protocol
(AP) – 17 hours ago

*** begin quote ***

WASHINGTON — President Barack Obama quietly breached years of protocol on Saturday morning by leaving the White House without the press with him.

*** end quote ***

Hey, no big deal, the “dear leader” is above the “rules”, agreements, or protocols. Argh!

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>I bet Tiger Woods would like to “forget” to have the pres come along.

The Press over the years have mellowed. They didn’t report, for some really egregious examples, FDR in a wheelchair, JFK’s “catholic” sexacpades, and Clinton’s white water. (Those just jump to mind.)

The DOWGs had in their mind, and typical for their day, a nasty press: The National Enquirer! Hence it needed protection. The Press was supposed to be nasty and in your fce. That’s how you sold papers. But, over the decades, The Press’ killer instinct atrophied.

They don’t go for the jugular. They don’t report the hard unvarnished truth. They “spin”. Now they’re virtual xerox machines for politician’s talking points. That’s why they are dying.

Tiger’s hypocritical image should have been shredded.

The failure of the cops and prosecutors to arrest and indict should still be front page news.

Imagine if his name wasn’t Tiger?

So too, OBH44 gets to conceal his papers and is pimped by a docile media.

Real journalism is left to the wacko websites and us bloggers.

So sad!

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Now when the paparazzi camp outside the WH and chase the Prez a la Princess Diana, everyone can thank BHO44 for breaking “the rules”?

Argh!

The “boy king” knows so little and has so little appreciation of the long term implications of what he does. This is just a little example of his hubris.

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POLITICAL: Bart Stupak “Retire” before he is “retired” at the polls?

Sunday, April 11, 2010

http://www.lifenews.com/state4969.html

Bart Stupak May Retire From Congress After Massive Abortion-Health Care Battle
by Steven Ertelt LifeNews.com Editor
April 7, 2010

*** begin quote ***

Washington, DC (LifeNews.com) — Congressman Bart Stupak, the formerly respected pro-life Democratic leader from Michigan, is reportedly considering retiring from Congress. Stupak is said to be so exhausted, along with his family, from the bruising repercussions of the abortion and health care debate he may consider quitting.

*** end quote ***

Couldn’t be because he led his constituents down the garden path about what he believed. And, now, the voters seek to hold him accountable. Pro-lifers got screwed; now, it’s their turn.

One reason is to always stay true to your principles in hard times; you can’t regain credibility when you trade your vote for some money.

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POLITICAL: Why are charities running shopping centers?

Friday, April 9, 2010

http://www.lifenews.com/nat6213.html

Komen for the Cure Deepens Ties With Planned Parenthood Abortion Business
by Steven Ertelt LifeNews.com Editor
April 1, 2010

*** begin quote ***

Washington, DC (LifeNews.com) — The Komen for the Cure breast cancer foundation has been under fire from pro-life advocates for years for its ties to the Planned Parenthood abortion business. In a new column, pro-life writer Jill Stanek uncovers new information showing the link between the two groups is deepening.

Komen’s ties to Planned Parenthood are well documented and figures from STOPP International show Komen chapters giving $711,485 from April 1, 2005 to March 31, 2006 to Planned Parenthood affiliates.

And in numbers provided to the Associated Press, Susan G. Komen for the Cure spokeswoman Rebecca Gibson confirmed 19 of the 122 Komen affiliates made grants totaling $374,253 to Planned Parenthood during the 2005-2006 fiscal year.

Figures show Komen affiliates have given Planned Parenthood $3 million between 2003 and 2008 and $805,000 in the 2008 fiscal year.

Those donations and links have continued as Komen affiliates in California, Idaho, Colorado, Iowa, Texas, and other states have either made donations or worked with Planned Parenthood abortion centers.

*** and ***

Stanek says the response leaves open more questions about the Planned Parenthood-Komen relationship.

“Why didn’t PPGNW cash in its inheritance? Why didn’t Eric buy? If the share was willed, it was worth something. The real-estate market was thriving in 2006. It appears both partners are OK with this now four-year-old business partnership,” she responded.

Brinker also attempted to defend the donations to Planned Parenthood in his contact with Stanek, saying “only “20 of Komen’s 122 U.S. Affiliates fund breast-health services through local Planned Parenthood clinics” and adding the total money given represents “less than one percent of the total granted by affiliates.”

*** end quote ***

Related web sites:

Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation – http://www.komen.org

National Coalition on Abortion/Breast Cancer – http://www.abortionbreastcancer.com

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Interesting question is why are charities running shopping centers?

Could it be because they are tax-deductible?

Argh!

More stuff that makes no sense.

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POLITICAL: Is this in the future of Obamacare?

Thursday, April 8, 2010

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/newstopics/religion/7560059/Christian-nurse-who-refused-to-remove-crucifix-loses-tribunal.html

A Christian nurse who was moved to a desk job after refusing to remove her crucifix has lost a claim for discrimination.
Published: 3:17PM BST 06 Apr 2010

*** begin quote ***

Shirley Chaplin, 54, took the Royal Devon and Exeter NHS Trust Hospital to an employment tribunal, claiming that taking off a necklace bearing a crucifix would ”violate her faith”.

The trust said the move was not specifically about the crucifix, but about health and safety concerns about patients grabbing necklaces.

*** end quote ***

Sorry, but this doesn’t wash.

Are all necklaces banned for all staff?

And, how do they explain that she been wearing it for 30 years?

How do they treat Orthodox Jews with their garments. Sikhs with their daggers.

You see the “King” aka the gooferment is a natural rival for the loyalty of the people with the “Church”. Been that way since forever when the serfs would seek the protection of the church. And the gooferment, a green eyed monster, can stand no competition.

So look for Obamacare to seek to cripple its rival here. Just like there.

Argh!

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POLITICAL: Social Security; a Ponzi scheme benefiting politicians and bureaucrats

Tuesday, April 6, 2010

http://www.ssa.gov/history/hfaq.html

*** begin quote ***

Q4: Is it true that Social Security was originally just a retirement program?

A: Yes. Under the 1935 law, what we now think of as Social Security only paid retirement benefits to the primary worker. A 1939 change in the law added survivors benefits and benefits for the retiree’s spouse and children. In 1956 disability benefits were added.

Keep in mind, however, that the Social Security Act itself was much broader than just the program which today we commonly describe as “Social Security.” The original 1935 law contained the first national unemployment compensation program, aid to the states for various health and welfare programs, and the Aid to Dependent Children program.

*** end quote ***

https://i0.wp.com/upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/4/46/SocialSecurityposter2.gif

(Credit: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:SocialSecurityposter2.gif)

What were the voters of that age thinking? I understand the Great Depression was a terrible terrible time. And, I realize that they didn’t know about the FED. And, I realize that they didn’t understand that the Smoot Hawley tariffs caused it.

But, boy, what a classic blunder!

Now the gooferment seeks to try to convince us “it wasn’t intended to be our only retirement resource”! With IRAs, 401Ks, and a lot of prayer.

*** begin quote ***

President Roosevelt signs the Social Security Act, at approximately 3:30 pm EST on August 14, 1935.[9] Standing with Roosevelt are Rep. Robert Doughton (D-NC); unknown person in shadow; Sen. Robert Wagner (D-NY); Rep. John Dingell (D-MI); unknown man in bowtie; the Secretary of Labor, Frances Perkins; Sen. Pat Harrison (D-MS); and Rep. David Lewis (D-MD).

*** end quote ***

Can we dig up those folks and put them on trial? Like the old Soviet show trials. Argh!

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POLITICAL: Politics in two dimensions

Monday, April 5, 2010

http://www.caivn.org/article/2010/03/27/recreational-marijuana-use-likely-become-legal-california

Saw an interesting “vote” on a Web site. Unfortunately, it reinforces the right – left duopoly.

201003271232.jpg 201003271235.jpg

As we learn from the Nolan chart it’s not a one dimensional problem.

http://www.nolanchart.com/article7443.html

*** begin quote ***

ibertarian: supports the smallest possible government, supports individual liberty in all ways, prefers to only defend our borders and not interfere in other countries’ affairs.

conservative: tends to give a nod and a wink to liberty while placing emphasis on government control of “family” issues (gay marriage, abortion, borders, etc.) while pushing for major military involvement worldwide by America, in the hopes of creating a faith-based, “conservative” world.

liberal: tends to give a nod and a wink to liberty while placing emphasis on government control of “social issues” (social safety net, minority rights, etc.) while pushing for major diplomatic involvement worldwide by America backed by somewhat lesser military involvement, in the hopes of creating an inclusive, “liberal” world.

statist: the marriage of liberal and conservative aspects of big government. Supports both the conservative “family” agenda and the liberal “social” agenda. Supports both major diplomatic and military involvement abroad.

centrist: somewhere in the middle of all of the above.

*** end quote ***

So to be meaningful, the dimensions are socially and fiscally with individual liberty and government control.

The website SHOULD have “control” between to polar opposites “The Individual” and “The State”!

Liberal and Conservative are meaningless.

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POLITICAL: Social Security Ponzi scheme will become “everyone’s” problem

Wednesday, March 31, 2010

http://www.americanthinker.com/blog/2010/03/social_security_slush_fund_now.html

March 28, 2010
Social Security Ponzi scheme unraveling
Monty Pelerin

*** begin quote ***

The darling of the politicans in Washington has become not-so darling. Social Security, for decades a hidden slush fund that allowed pols to spend beyond what they taxed, has turned into an albatross. The Ponzi Scheme has unraveled.

*** and ***

Last year the crossover estimate was revised to 2017. Surprise! Surprise! The program is now in deficit. From this point on, there is nothing for politicians to “steal” from the “trust fund.” Instead, they will have to use general tax revenues to fund Social Security shortfalls. The fund has flipped from a cash-generator to a cash-eater.

*** and ***

At some point the privatization idea will be raised again. This time it will receive “broad political support.” There will be no principle involved. As a slush fund, the program had value for pols. As a cash drain, it is a liability that cuts into the “profitable” part of their criminal enterprise. It will be exorcised in some fashion.

It will likely be dumped on the American people, in the same fashion that bad banking loans have been.

*** end quote ***

You’ll get privatized now. When it’s worthless. The congresscritters have lied to the Sheeple. Now, when it comes time to collect on these promises, Old Mother Hubbard’s cupboard is bare! And, the poor young workers won’t want to transfer wealth tot he rich old people. Will then we get get “health rationing”? OK Grandma and Grandpa, here’s your Titanic ticket. Have a nice cruise. At least, the Eskimos put the old people on an iceberg. No illusions. (Does any one know if that is a real fact or just another urban legend?)

But, get ready, the population demographics have changed and the Social Security Ponzi scheme is unsustainable.

You don’t think the congresscritters are going to give up their retirement; do you?

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POLITICAL: The consequences of Obamacare

Monday, March 29, 2010

http://www.americanthinker.com/blog/2010/03/pelosi_proud_to_place_healthca.html

March 28, 2010
Pelosi proud to place healthcare reform beside two failed government programs
Anthony W. Hager

*** begin quote ***

One has to wonder if Speaker Pelosi realized what she was saying when she beamed about joining the creators of Social Security and Medicare. According to her own analogy Congress and the Obama administration have imposed upon America a program destined for high taxation, inadequate service, saucy bureaucrats, fraud, waste and future insolvency. If she was trying to boost public confidence in the healthcare bill she should’ve exercised greater care in picking her comparisons.

*** end quote ***

Interesting how economically unsound these programs — Medicare, Medicaid, and Obamacare — are.

Unfunded liabilities are a way of life for the congresscritters. By the time that the excrement hits the proverbial fan, the particular congresscritters who passed it are long on their way to a very comfortable retirement. Or their just rewards! And we are left holding the proverbial bag!!

To any one who was economically literate, the problem was almost immediately obvious:

http://www.ssa.gov/history/briefhistory3.html#idamay

*** begin quote ***

On January 31, 1940, the first monthly retirement check was issued to Ida May Fuller of Ludlow, Vermont, in the amount of $22.54. Miss Fuller, a Legal Secretary, retired in November 1939. She started collecting benefits in January 1940 at age 65 and lived to be 100 years old, dying in 1975.

Ida May Fuller worked for three years under the Social Security program. The accumulated taxes on her salary during those three years was a total of $24.75. Her initial monthly check was $22.54. During her lifetime she collected a total of $22,888.92 in Social Security benefits.

*** end quote ***

So it’s an intergenerational theft. A welfare program in disguise. An a wealth transfer, due to disparities in lifespan, from poor minority men to rich white women.

And, probably unintended, but could be a tin foil hat conspiracy, it destroyed the American family. Grandparents, now enriched with Social Security “retirement” checks, could abscond to Florida and abandon their families. Generations of grandchildren would be deprived of their grandparents thanks to this terrible law. This, combined with the high taxes that force housewives back into the work force, forced those grandchildren into childcare. It turns the schools into de facto all day daycare centers where the family bonds are destroyed. Which makes the uber-State very happy; remember the Prussian school model was to make soldiers for the army and factory workers to be led by “the elite”.

So what are the consequences of Obamacare — intended and unintended?

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POLITICAL: Add “Honest Politician” to the pantheon of imaginary things

Thursday, March 25, 2010

http://www.wnd.com/index.php?fa=PAGE.view&pageId=131249

Can pro-lifers ever support Democrats again?
Posted: March 24, 2010
Jill Stanek … …
… … fought to stop “live-birth abortion” after witnessing one as a registered nurse at Christ Hospital in Oak Lawn, Ill. In 2002, President Bush asked Jill to attend his signing of the Born Alive Infants Protection Act. In January 2003, World Magazine named Jill one of the 30 most prominent pro-life leaders of the past 30 years.

*** begin quote ***

We all now know Nelson blinked fairly quickly, and Stupak blinked five months into it. There were others, but these were the front men. Both men betrayed the pro-life and Christian groups they had been working with. Nelson disallowed both Nebraska Right to Life and the National Right to Life Committee from viewing his 11th-hour compromise health-care language, and Stupak turned away from those whom he had just said he sought advice, the United States Council of Catholic Bishops, the NRLC and the Family Research Council. All three, as well as every other pro-life/pro-family group, urged him to reject the compromise pitched to him, a worthless executive order by the infanticide president.

*** end quote ***

This makes it obvious: (1) there’s no such thing as a “Democratic” pro-lifer; (2) there’s no such thing as a “Democratic” who is fiscally responsible; and (3) there is ALMOST never a politician who can tell the truth.

Forewarned is forearmed.

… … like jumbo shrimp, the Easter Bunny, and let’s add to the pantheon of imaginary things: the pro-life Democrat, the fiscally responsible Democrat, and an “Honest Politician”.

“Honest Politician” added with apologies to Ron Paul, and a few historical figures.

Argh!

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Seems wryly humorous and poetic to write about pro-life democrats on the Feast of the Annunciation!

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POLITICAL: Reigning in corporate salaries; a modest proposal.

Monday, March 22, 2010

http://rss.macworld.com/click.phdo?i=24a69419b68dce263a006cdb9675b4a0

AT&T CEO’s pay jumps 35 percent to $20.3 million in 2009

from Macworld by Ann Bednarz

*** begin quote ***

AT&T CEO Randall Stephenson’s stock awards fell 8 percent in 2009, but he earned a cash bonus of $5.85 million that helped increase his total compensation by 35 percent.

*** end quote ***

Corporations are are a gooferment creation. So, needless to say, they are screwed up.

It’s unseemly for ANY corporation employee to have a salary greater than that of the President.

The gooferment’s creation fails to align the interest of the owners and the employees.

The gooferment could correct that error with five year stock options as the manner of executive compensation. Or maybe, a mix of options that vest from 10 to 50 years? With a sliding scale, weighted towards the middle?

That could be done with the stroke of a pen.

If I was “king”, I’d have the “Sheriff of Nottingham” (aka the IRS) audit any company that pays salaries greater than that of the Prez.

How fast could things change?

How many lobbyists and politicians would have their pockets stuffed with cash to kill this?

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POLITICAL: Obama’s NCAA Bracket

Saturday, March 20, 2010

http://blogs.abcnews.com/politicalpunch/2010/03/obamas-ncaa-bracket-goes-bust-with-kansas-loss.html

Obama’s NCAA Bracket Goes Bust With Kansas Loss

March 20, 2010 8:43 PM

Joel Siegel and Karen Travers report:

*** begin quote ***

President Obama should hope that the big health-care vote scheduled for Sunday turns out better than his N.C.A.A. tournament picks.

*** end quote ***

Hmm, hope it goes against him as well. For the country’s sake!

Is this the new Presidential “Kiss of Death”?

He threatened the D’s that if they didn’t vote for his healthcare bill, he wouldn’t campaign FOR them. Maybe he should have threatened TO come campaign for them if they didn’t vote for his healthcare bill instead.

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POLITICAL: Drew Cary and Reson save Cleveland — Part 3

Saturday, March 20, 2010

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g9-ozphsuSk

Why not?

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POLITICAL: Copyrights for out-of-print books? No!

Friday, March 19, 2010

http://www.nybooks.com/articles/23683

Volume 57, Number 4 · March 11, 2010
Publishing: The Revolutionary Future
By Jason Epstein

*** begin quote ***

To offset the decline of backlist I launched in the mid-Eighties the Reader’s Catalog, an independent bookstore in catalog form from which readers could order 40,000 backlist titles by telephone. The Internet existed but had not yet been commercialized. The Reader’s Catalog was an instant success, confirming my belief in a strong worldwide market for backlist titles. But I had underestimated the cost of handling individual orders and concluded, with my backers, that if we continued our losses would become intolerable. The Internet was now available commercially. Amazon bravely took advantage of it and in the beginning suffered the losses that I feared. But by this time I had begun to hear of digitization and its buzzword, disintermediation, which meant that publishers could now look forward to marketing a practically limitless backlist without physical inventory, shipping expense, or unsold copies returned for credit. Customers would pay in advance for their purchases. This meant that even Amazon’s automated shipping facilities would eventually be bypassed by electronic inventory. This was twenty-five years ago. Today digitization is replacing physical publishing much as I had imagined it would.

*** end quote ***

As a society, we extend “copy right” protection to authors to ensure that ideas are available to benefit every one. When a book is “out of print”, then why do we give it “copy right protection” when we are denied access to the ideas. With the Internet and publish-on-demand, there is NO reason for a book to be “out of print”.

Time to reassess copyright laws.

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POLITICAL: If this isn’t intergenerational theft, what is?

Tuesday, March 16, 2010

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20100305/ap_on_go_co/us_budget_deficits_3

Congressional estimates show grim deficit picture
By ANDREW TAYLOR, Associated Press Writer Andrew Taylor, Associated Press Writer
Fri Mar 5, 6:17 pm ET

*** begin quote ***

WASHINGTON – A new congressional report released Friday says the United States’ long-term fiscal woes are even worse than predicted by President Barack Obama’s grim budget submission last month.

The nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office predicts that Obama’s budget plans would generate deficits over the upcoming decade that would total $9.8 trillion. That’s $1.2 trillion more than predicted by the administration.

*** end quote ***

Time for a serious acknowledgment. This generation was “robbed” by the last in the Social Security Ponzi scheme, as well as the continual addition to the debt. So to are we “robbing” future generations by piling on the debt and unfunded liabilities.

So what is the answer?

Well, clearly each year, the demographics change as to the intergenerational population. So there’s MUST be year to year deficit neutral budgets. Since there has to be a true up in the next financial year. So any deficit must be corrected in the following year. Since we can NOT eliminate the debt build up over 70 years in a few years, we need to have a 70 year deficit reduction plan. CLEARLY, we can’t have unfunded liabilities or off-budget expenditures.

So, it’s a giant mess.

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POLITICAL: Bears and bureaucrats

Monday, March 15, 2010

http://www.dailyrecord.com/article/20100313/COMMUNITIES/303130002/Animal-groups-Could-ruling-lead-to-hunters-shooting-cats

Animal groups: Could ruling lead to hunters shooting cats?
BY COLLEEN O’DEA • STAFF WRITER • March 13, 2010

*** begin quote ***

The cat: Common, popular house pet or exotic, dangerous animal?

A number of animal activists have contacted state officials in an effort to head off a potential reclassification of feral cats, which could end the growing number of programs that trap, neuter and return them back into neighborhoods or the wild, and allow them to be hunted.

The state Fish and Game Council has condemned the idea of leaving cats in the wild and now another committee that reports to the state Department of Environmental Protection is studying the issue of TNR programs.

*** end quote ***

Argh!

What’s wrong with “hunting”? Is it more humane to let these past pets starve?

The NJ bureaucrat diddled with the bear population until, after a few “near misses” and one dead dog, they were forced to reinstate the “bear hunting season”. (My prediction is that is the last one will hear about NJ bears unless they are near extinction.)

How long before they are forced to do the same with feral cats?

An increase in diseases coming to humans a la the dear tick and lyme disease? An increase in children being threatened?

Maybe the remain bears will feast on the out-of-control cats?

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POLITICAL: Gooferment interferes in medicine

Saturday, March 13, 2010

http://channel-surfing.blogspot.com/2010/03/dispatches-and-loser-is.html

“Americans spent $7,289 per capita in 2006 compared with Norway’s per capita figure of $4,763. Canada, which has a single-payer system, spends $3,895 per capita.”

I’m just a fat old white guy injineer. But, you’ve got apples and oranges comparison here. You’re comparing the semi-socialist USA with the more socialist N and C. AND, then telling us that “it’s twice as bad”.

Sorry, but we have the worst of both worlds. Federal interference in the drug market place. Regulation of everything in sight “medical” at all levels of gooferment — federal, state, county, and municipality — adds enormous costs. Not all of which are accounted for. The costs are indeciperable.

I’m frustrated trying to demonstrate it to you.

Let’s compare insurance marketplaces. Medical insurance is disaster. Car insurance is better than medical, but still costly. Life insurance is cheap, and other than fiscal solvency, basically unregulated.

One problem is that “medical insurance” is more like pre-paid medical care; rather than “insurance”. Another problem is that the cost of regulation and bureaucracy is extraordinary. Pay a doctor in cash and you’ll find 50 to 75% discounts. Finally, drugs are the “technology” that will flatten the medical cost curve. But FDA and BigPharma are conspiring to keep the cost of entry high. Also, the FDA gets criticism if an “unsafe” drug gets out, but none if it never gets out at all.

Look at how we do “medical care” with all the government intervention. I have cold, sunburn, or a sprain. I need to go to the government licensed doctor, to get a prescription on a government approved form, take it to the government licensed pharmacy, where a government licensed druggist dispenses something aking to an aspirin. Note, I left out the government licensed and government regulated insurance company.

Argh! Recently, I got sunburned in a Third World Country island. I went to the local gas station and bought some lidocaine-laced aloe gel after consulting with the gas jockey (about the cost in US dollars). Also, recently, on a different trip, I was in a First World Country in Europe with a headache, needed an asparin, and went to the “drug store” to find out that I had to have “a script from a doctor” to buy such a “powerful drug”. Are you kidding me?

Finally, “We, The People” are free to do anything we want with OUR bodies. It’s the essence of self-ownership. If I want medical advice from an “unlicensed” provider and put “unapproved” drugs into it, that’s my business. Not the gooferment’s.

Keep your gooferment out of my body, my health, and my business. It’s only role is protect my rights from being abridged by force or fraud. “That to secure these rights, Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed ..”

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POLITICAL: Where do the homeless go?

Saturday, March 13, 2010

“… … … they will disappear just like the homeless do when a Democrat is elected President.”

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Very astute observation. Where do they go? Nowhere, they just are no longer useful to beat the Republican up with.

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POLITICAL: Wasn’t the Census used in the round up of the Japanese Americans for “internment” in WW2?

Thursday, March 11, 2010

http://www.lewrockwell.com/barnett/barnett18.1.html

The Census and History: It Is Not a Pretty Picture!
by Gary D. Barnett
…  is president of Barnett Financial Services, Inc., in Lewistown, Montana.

*** begin quote ***

I have been discussing the unconstitutional nature and danger of modern census taking for several years. By attempting to expose through my writing the very invasive practice of the “census,” and by educating others about the false reasoning for these government intrusions, my hope is that more and more people will contradict the accepted system by not complying with the census process. One can do this and still remain within constitutional bounds simply by refusing to give any information other than the number of people living in a particular home. This seems simple enough, but due to threats of fine or worse, and threats by the federal government to withhold tax redistributions from state, county and local communities, the populace at large continues to acquiesce to “State” pressure.

*** and ***

The point I want to make is that data-collection by government about the citizenry is always dangerous. Future uses of this private information can never be known. Besides the fact that it is anti-liberty, it allows the state to monitor its citizens, and also sets the stage for an easier path for government to control the people. While the U.S. Census may seem harmless enough to the masses, it could eventually lead to disastrous results. Today we are not only being counted by government, but are having our private information gathered and data-based as well. Our phones are tapped, our emails are captured, our movements are watched, our financial records are monitored and warrantless search and seizure is common.

*** end quote ***

Don’t forget the role of the US Census in the Japanese Internment!

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From: reinke, ferdinand
Sent: Wednesday, March 10, 2010 9:50 AM
To: gbarnett
Subject: with respect to the Census

Wasn’t the Census used in the round up of the Japanese Americans for “internment” in WW2?

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From: “Gary Barnett”
Date: March 10, 2010 12:02:19 PM EST
To: “‘reinke, ferdinand
Subject: RE: with respect to the Census

Yes it was, and I should have mentioned it in my article.

All best … Gary

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NOT bad for a fat old white guy injineer.

When it comes to ANY gooferment program, remember: ineffective, inefficient, and can be pervert to an evil purpose.

How do you tell when a politician, a bureaucrat, or “The Gooferment” is lying? Yup, when their lips move.

“The Census will never be misused.” Tell that to the approximately 110,000 Nisei Japanese Americans http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Japanese_American_internment who were forcibly “interned”.

(Much fewer in Hawaii. Why? No Germans on the East Coast. Why?)

(My Grandmothers, on both my Father’s and Mother’s sides, living on opposite coasts, spoke fluent German at home as their primary language. As did their brothers and sisters. They stopped after Pearl Harbor for fear of internment. How’s that for chilling? I could have been born in an internment camp. If this silliness got out of hand.)

Argh!

The Gooferment is evil.

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