President Obama did not handle the extension of the Bush tax cuts at the end of last year very well and is failing to handle the debt ceiling issue a lot worse. The President needs to start showing leadership and courage and stop pussy footing around with the leaders of the republican party and their anti-American ideology.
Obama should tell the leaders to go take a hike if they don't raise the ceiling in a clean bill with no attachments and that he will fulfill his constitutional duty as President and not let the country default on its debt obligations. The republicans are never going to work with the President for the benefit of the country and its people and it is time for him to get tough and carry out the responsibilities he owes to the American people. Obama was elected by the people of all America, members of congress were not and he should be pushing his democratic agenda instead of playing games with the little boy republicans.
The President should also be reminding the people every day that it was the republican administration of George W. Bush and his policies that created the national debt problem, the economic meltdown, the record number of job losses and economic problems for the middle class. He should also point out that no republican administration has presided over a balanced federal budget in over 50 years and that deficit spending is their method of operation.
The President should also be telling the republicans he is not about to listen to them concerning the economy, job creation or any thing to do with fiscal matters since the republicans have no positive record of accomplishments on any of those issues that are so important to the U.S. and its people. Obama needs to do those things immediately and often and stop letting the republicans control the dialog with their lies.
If the President is not up to the leadership challenge and take charge with courage it is this writers hope that some democrat with leadership and courage will run for the democratic nomination in the next election. President Obama is better than any republican candidate but he is not fulfilling his duty as a leader and that is what a President should do, lead.
Wednesday, July 27, 2011
Friday, July 22, 2011
Drilling Offshore Louisiana In The Gulf Of Mexico: Facts And Nothing But The Facts
The American people and especially the people of Louisiana have been out right deceived and lied to concerning offshore drilling in the Gulf Of Mexico, the impact of rigs working or not working, the moratorium and the effects there of. This commentary will provide the true facts and show what President's policies were best for the nation, the people of Louisiana and yes the best for the oil industry.
The deceivers opposed the moratorium after the BP spill even though the explosion took the lives of 11 rig workers and no one seemed to have the answer as to what caused the explosion. President Obama made the right decision with the temporary moratorium. The opposition shoved safety aside and did a disservice to the families of the 11 workers who lost their lives and the workers themselves. The deceivers will herein after be addressed as the opposition.
The opposition kept talking about rigs moving out of the Gulf, being idle, rig workers in the thousands being laid off and making America more dependent on foreign oil all because of the moratorium. However, as Boone Pickens pointed out, the nation was more dependent on foreign oil before the BP explosion.
The record you are about to read concerning offshore drilling in the Gulf off Louisiana will not only tell the real story of the deception but point out how the largest exodus of rigs from Louisiana offshore in the Gulf happened on the republican watch of President George W. Bush along with the highest sustained price of a barrel of oil in the past 40 years.
The below annual yearly average of rigs working offshore Louisiana in the Gulf under the following administrations are:
1) The administration of President George H. W. Bush:
1989 72 Rigs working
1990 76 ditto
1991 57 ditto
1992 38 ditto
The annual average of rigs working under Bush's time in office 60.75
2) The administration of President Bill Clinton:
1993 60 Rigs working
1994 78 "
1995 82 "
1996 88 "
1997 102 "
1998 106 "
1999 88 "
2000 118 "
The annual average of rigs working under Clinton's time in office 90.25
3) The administration of President George W. Bush:
2001 119 Rigs working
2002 92 "
2003 85 "
2004 79 "
2005 79 "
2006 73 "
2007 61 "
2008 53 "
The annual average of rigs working under George W. Bush's time in office 80.12
Note 1: The above number taken from Baker-Hughes rig count annual average by states 1987-2010 and is the bible of rig activity used by the oil industry. The numbers do not represent the high or low for the year but the average.
One must note the offshore rig count declined 34 rigs on President George H.W. Bush's watch from his first year in office to his last. It increased by 58 rigs on President Clinton's watch and increased every year except one. The rig count not only declined on George W. Bush's watch by 66 rigs, it also declined every year except one. Does any one remember the opposition asking what happened to those rigs that caused the exodus on Bush's watch and where did they go.
The annual average price of a barrel of oil on George H.W. Bush's watch was $33.26. Under Bill Clinton's watch it was $24.78 and under George W. Bush's watch it was $51.34. In fact the highest sustained annual price of a barrel of oil on George W. Bush's watch was the highest in over 30 years and lasted 6 straight years.
Note 2: The above numbers on the annual price of a barrel of oil was taken from Historical Crude Oil Prices posted at inflationdata.com. It does not show the highest or lowest yearly price but the average.
The above numbers show that the Clinton Administration and its economic policies provided the oil industry with the best conditions to operate under and they responded with rig activity. Clinton's policies also provided the American people and the people of Louisiana the lowest sustained prices of a barrel of oil and there fore gasoline in the last 40 years. The record also is complete that Clinton raised the Corporate tax rate during his administration and increased taxes on those making over $200,000.00 a year and it had a positive effect onthe economy and did not hurt drilling one bit. The opposition has egg all over their faces.
There were good reasons for the moratorium on Gulf drilling after the BP spill that anyone with common sense can understand. What happened on George W. Bush's watch with the more than doubling the price of a barrel of oil and the exodus of rigs from the Gulf is called greed and one can be justified in concluding it was the result of the secret decisions made by the Bush administration and the energy industry executives. Why operate more rigs when the price of oil was doubled.
You could go back to the Reagan years and the results would be the same. The Clinton record would knock Reagan's socks off. So much for the fairy tale of republican conservatism.
Special Note: For related comparison of the above Presidents see my past commentaries on the Economy, Deficit Spending, the National Debt and Federal Spending.
The deceivers opposed the moratorium after the BP spill even though the explosion took the lives of 11 rig workers and no one seemed to have the answer as to what caused the explosion. President Obama made the right decision with the temporary moratorium. The opposition shoved safety aside and did a disservice to the families of the 11 workers who lost their lives and the workers themselves. The deceivers will herein after be addressed as the opposition.
The opposition kept talking about rigs moving out of the Gulf, being idle, rig workers in the thousands being laid off and making America more dependent on foreign oil all because of the moratorium. However, as Boone Pickens pointed out, the nation was more dependent on foreign oil before the BP explosion.
The record you are about to read concerning offshore drilling in the Gulf off Louisiana will not only tell the real story of the deception but point out how the largest exodus of rigs from Louisiana offshore in the Gulf happened on the republican watch of President George W. Bush along with the highest sustained price of a barrel of oil in the past 40 years.
The below annual yearly average of rigs working offshore Louisiana in the Gulf under the following administrations are:
1) The administration of President George H. W. Bush:
1989 72 Rigs working
1990 76 ditto
1991 57 ditto
1992 38 ditto
The annual average of rigs working under Bush's time in office 60.75
2) The administration of President Bill Clinton:
1993 60 Rigs working
1994 78 "
1995 82 "
1996 88 "
1997 102 "
1998 106 "
1999 88 "
2000 118 "
The annual average of rigs working under Clinton's time in office 90.25
3) The administration of President George W. Bush:
2001 119 Rigs working
2002 92 "
2003 85 "
2004 79 "
2005 79 "
2006 73 "
2007 61 "
2008 53 "
The annual average of rigs working under George W. Bush's time in office 80.12
Note 1: The above number taken from Baker-Hughes rig count annual average by states 1987-2010 and is the bible of rig activity used by the oil industry. The numbers do not represent the high or low for the year but the average.
One must note the offshore rig count declined 34 rigs on President George H.W. Bush's watch from his first year in office to his last. It increased by 58 rigs on President Clinton's watch and increased every year except one. The rig count not only declined on George W. Bush's watch by 66 rigs, it also declined every year except one. Does any one remember the opposition asking what happened to those rigs that caused the exodus on Bush's watch and where did they go.
The annual average price of a barrel of oil on George H.W. Bush's watch was $33.26. Under Bill Clinton's watch it was $24.78 and under George W. Bush's watch it was $51.34. In fact the highest sustained annual price of a barrel of oil on George W. Bush's watch was the highest in over 30 years and lasted 6 straight years.
Note 2: The above numbers on the annual price of a barrel of oil was taken from Historical Crude Oil Prices posted at inflationdata.com. It does not show the highest or lowest yearly price but the average.
The above numbers show that the Clinton Administration and its economic policies provided the oil industry with the best conditions to operate under and they responded with rig activity. Clinton's policies also provided the American people and the people of Louisiana the lowest sustained prices of a barrel of oil and there fore gasoline in the last 40 years. The record also is complete that Clinton raised the Corporate tax rate during his administration and increased taxes on those making over $200,000.00 a year and it had a positive effect onthe economy and did not hurt drilling one bit. The opposition has egg all over their faces.
There were good reasons for the moratorium on Gulf drilling after the BP spill that anyone with common sense can understand. What happened on George W. Bush's watch with the more than doubling the price of a barrel of oil and the exodus of rigs from the Gulf is called greed and one can be justified in concluding it was the result of the secret decisions made by the Bush administration and the energy industry executives. Why operate more rigs when the price of oil was doubled.
You could go back to the Reagan years and the results would be the same. The Clinton record would knock Reagan's socks off. So much for the fairy tale of republican conservatism.
Special Note: For related comparison of the above Presidents see my past commentaries on the Economy, Deficit Spending, the National Debt and Federal Spending.
Wednesday, July 20, 2011
Louisiana's Ecosystem Restoration And Its Little Children Elected Officials
President Obama's request for $35.8 million for ecosystem restoration in Louisiana that was part of his $30.6 billion water and energy bill was defeated by the republican controlled U.S. House on July 16. Instead of the $35.8 million, Louisiana will receive $1 million. Lets see, the last time I checked all of Louisiana's representatives in the U.S. House are republicans, except one. They really have clout with their party don't they.
Louisiana's elected officials who represent the state on both the state level and in the congress are out to lunch when it comes to taking care of the state's ecosystem. Little boy Scalise on the floor of the U.S. House held up a football and told his republican friends and said, I want to hold up this football to present that every single hour Louisiana alone loses an entire football field of land that's eroded away. That according to a Times Picayune article dated 7/16. What Scalise did not mention is that erosion is mainly caused by the oil industry operations in Louisiana.
Little boy Scalise, his party and Louisiana's elected officials are beholden to the oil industry and there in lie the root cause of the problem concerning the state's ecosystem. Scalise and his party want to cut everything coming out of the Obama administration so the party told him to go jump in the lake because you are one of us and gave Louisiana $1 million instead of the $35.8 million requested by Obama. The President has a better feel for Louisiana's needs than Scalise and his party.
The big failure to address the state's ecosystem restoration over the last 40 plus years is the oil industry operations, their failure to put the land back together like they found it and the state's elected officials who have failed to pass legislation to hold the oil industry responsible for their damage to the environment. Former governor David Treen had the answer in CWEL, but the state's law makers never had the character or courage to pass such legislation. They were always to busy doing the oil industry's bidding. Little boy Scalise could have introduced CWEL when he served in the state's legislature but he was to busy defending big oil. Scalise missed a chance to hold up that football before the Louisiana legislature when he was a member of that body and give that speech to them. But the little boy had no courage.
Now we see elected officials want most of the fines to be leveled on BP for the spill to be dedicated to Louisiana's ecosystem restoration. BP should be held responsible for the damage they caused but Louisiana should hold the oil industry responsible for the damage they caused for the last 40 plus years.
This is a major example how the oil industry and their lobby control our elected officials with campaign contributions. The other is the massive tax breaks doled out, once again by you know who, our elected officials. Has any one heard of a tax loop hole for the middle class, the forgotten few who are left out.
Louisiana's elected officials who represent the state on both the state level and in the congress are out to lunch when it comes to taking care of the state's ecosystem. Little boy Scalise on the floor of the U.S. House held up a football and told his republican friends and said, I want to hold up this football to present that every single hour Louisiana alone loses an entire football field of land that's eroded away. That according to a Times Picayune article dated 7/16. What Scalise did not mention is that erosion is mainly caused by the oil industry operations in Louisiana.
Little boy Scalise, his party and Louisiana's elected officials are beholden to the oil industry and there in lie the root cause of the problem concerning the state's ecosystem. Scalise and his party want to cut everything coming out of the Obama administration so the party told him to go jump in the lake because you are one of us and gave Louisiana $1 million instead of the $35.8 million requested by Obama. The President has a better feel for Louisiana's needs than Scalise and his party.
The big failure to address the state's ecosystem restoration over the last 40 plus years is the oil industry operations, their failure to put the land back together like they found it and the state's elected officials who have failed to pass legislation to hold the oil industry responsible for their damage to the environment. Former governor David Treen had the answer in CWEL, but the state's law makers never had the character or courage to pass such legislation. They were always to busy doing the oil industry's bidding. Little boy Scalise could have introduced CWEL when he served in the state's legislature but he was to busy defending big oil. Scalise missed a chance to hold up that football before the Louisiana legislature when he was a member of that body and give that speech to them. But the little boy had no courage.
Now we see elected officials want most of the fines to be leveled on BP for the spill to be dedicated to Louisiana's ecosystem restoration. BP should be held responsible for the damage they caused but Louisiana should hold the oil industry responsible for the damage they caused for the last 40 plus years.
This is a major example how the oil industry and their lobby control our elected officials with campaign contributions. The other is the massive tax breaks doled out, once again by you know who, our elected officials. Has any one heard of a tax loop hole for the middle class, the forgotten few who are left out.
Saturday, July 16, 2011
The Empire Should Be Broken Up
Rupert Murdoch's news media empire should be broken up by congress and scattered to the wind. It is a monopoly and the congress should have never let it happen. Monopolies control wealth and in the news media they control the dialog. Wealthy people like Murdoch believe they can do anything they want. His Fox News is a great example how their journalists openly lie and try to influence their views with those lies.
Murdoch's trouble in Britian in all probability will spill over to his U.S. operations. There is one thing to keep in mind here and that is most of Murdoch's businesses emulate their leader and what ever their leader condones. Paying off police to obtain information on people and hacking into their communications is un American. Murdoch is heavily involved in Wall Street and owns the Wall Street Journal. We all know that the Wall Street Banks are also monopolies and they should be broken up too. We also know the Wall Street Banks were involved in the great financial meltdown whose effects are still with the people and the economy.
Once the American people understand how wealthy monopolies have taken over America and demand that congress act to break them up we will have an America for the people and by the people. The wealthy have shown how brazen they are by demanding tax breaks and corporate welfare for their wealthy businesses and having congress go along at the expense of the average American. They behold our elected officials with campaign contributions and elected officials are just as brazen defending those tax breaks. A good example is going on right now with the debt ceiling where republicans oppose any closing of those tax loop holes and benefits they helped create.
It would be wise for the proper authorities in the U.S. to fully investigate Murdoch's business dealings. And it would really be wise if congress moves to break up Murdoch's media monopoly and the wall street banks monopoly. It should easily be understood how the wealth of monopolies can control a large part of our country's economy and put the average American at risks.
Every day President Kennedy's statement, Our problems are man made and therefore can be solved by man, is in play here. We just don't have the elected officials with character and courage who are willing to stand up and be counted. The American people should understand that their are no laws that elected officials have to take campaign contributions so they can not pass the buck.
Murdoch's trouble in Britian in all probability will spill over to his U.S. operations. There is one thing to keep in mind here and that is most of Murdoch's businesses emulate their leader and what ever their leader condones. Paying off police to obtain information on people and hacking into their communications is un American. Murdoch is heavily involved in Wall Street and owns the Wall Street Journal. We all know that the Wall Street Banks are also monopolies and they should be broken up too. We also know the Wall Street Banks were involved in the great financial meltdown whose effects are still with the people and the economy.
Once the American people understand how wealthy monopolies have taken over America and demand that congress act to break them up we will have an America for the people and by the people. The wealthy have shown how brazen they are by demanding tax breaks and corporate welfare for their wealthy businesses and having congress go along at the expense of the average American. They behold our elected officials with campaign contributions and elected officials are just as brazen defending those tax breaks. A good example is going on right now with the debt ceiling where republicans oppose any closing of those tax loop holes and benefits they helped create.
It would be wise for the proper authorities in the U.S. to fully investigate Murdoch's business dealings. And it would really be wise if congress moves to break up Murdoch's media monopoly and the wall street banks monopoly. It should easily be understood how the wealth of monopolies can control a large part of our country's economy and put the average American at risks.
Every day President Kennedy's statement, Our problems are man made and therefore can be solved by man, is in play here. We just don't have the elected officials with character and courage who are willing to stand up and be counted. The American people should understand that their are no laws that elected officials have to take campaign contributions so they can not pass the buck.
Friday, July 15, 2011
Raising The Federal Debt Ceiling
There are probably very few Americans who realize that raising the debt ceiling has to do with paying off the obligations of our past expenditures that are coming due and not our future expenditures, that will come later on. There are even fewer Americans who know we would not be dealing with a $14 trillion debt had the Bush 43 administration followed in President Clinton's footsteps and balanced the federal budget during his term in office. Bush could have done so had he wanted to and that tells the true story of the conservative ideology and what they are really up to.
Today's leaders of the republican party in congress are the same leaders when Bush was in office. Their current position of cutting the budget concerning the debt ceiling has nothing to do with the debt ceiling or balancing the federal budget. Lets look at Mitch McConnell's latest statement as reported by the AP on July 13. McConnell said that if congress fails to act, Obama would have a good opportunity to blame it on the republican party. He also said his first choice was to reach a good compromise with Obama. His second choice and obligation would be to his party and prevent his party from not getting sucked into a position politically that would allow the President to be reelected.
McConnell's first choice has no merit since he and his party will not compromise. Obama gave them the chance to do so. His second choice really tells what he and his party is all about. It's about republican ideology and their desire to see Obama defeated in the next Presidential election. Neither of his two choices concern what is good for America or its people and the people he represents. And that comes from his own mouth.
It should be noted the debt ceiling was raised many times during the Bush 43 administration and not once did the republican controlled congress require spending cuts to raise the debt ceiling. They never saw a record federal deficit they did not love when their party ran the country.
Today's leaders of the republican party in congress are the same leaders when Bush was in office. Their current position of cutting the budget concerning the debt ceiling has nothing to do with the debt ceiling or balancing the federal budget. Lets look at Mitch McConnell's latest statement as reported by the AP on July 13. McConnell said that if congress fails to act, Obama would have a good opportunity to blame it on the republican party. He also said his first choice was to reach a good compromise with Obama. His second choice and obligation would be to his party and prevent his party from not getting sucked into a position politically that would allow the President to be reelected.
McConnell's first choice has no merit since he and his party will not compromise. Obama gave them the chance to do so. His second choice really tells what he and his party is all about. It's about republican ideology and their desire to see Obama defeated in the next Presidential election. Neither of his two choices concern what is good for America or its people and the people he represents. And that comes from his own mouth.
It should be noted the debt ceiling was raised many times during the Bush 43 administration and not once did the republican controlled congress require spending cuts to raise the debt ceiling. They never saw a record federal deficit they did not love when their party ran the country.
Thursday, July 14, 2011
It Is Past Time To Get Out Of Iraq Now
It appears that the Obama administration is ready to extend our troops deployment in Iraq past the agreed withdrawal date of December 2011 if the Iraqi government request same. That seems to be the case since it was reported by Secretary of Defense Leon Pinetta that the U.S. was waiting for Iraq to make up its mind.
Why should the U.S. let Iraq determine our troops fate in Iraq? That should be a decision of the U.S. and the U.S. alone. Those voices that say U.S. troops need to stay because the mission of training Iraqi troops has not been completed and that Iraq needs more time to be able to defend their country is slang for the continued occupation of our troops in Iraq.
If enough Iraqi troops have not been trained after 8 years on the job and those we have trained are not good enough to train their own Iraqi forces than the U.S. has failed. As for those who say we have to stay to blunt Iran's influence, forget it. Iran and Iraq are tied together no matter what, which was pointed out in past commentary by this writer long ago.
In December 2011 the war in Iraq over WMD that did not exist will be 8 years and 9 months old. The U.S. has lost over 4400 of its brave men and women, over 30,000 wounded and just last month the highest number of Americans were killed in Iraq than in the past few years all because of our invasion and occupation over WMD that did not exist. Bush's war committed our military to satisfy his warped ideology of remaking the middle east in his own warped image and our troops are still paying the price with their lives. President Obama needs to end this madness like he promised. That is the only way he and other elected officials can truly show they support our troops and the sacrifice they have already made. Pretty speeches are a dime a dozen. What is needed is action to end this war once and for all.
There is simply no good reason to extend our presence in Iraq past the end of this year. Bringing our troops home alive is the best way to honor their sacrifice and service. Not one more American should die in Iraq over WMD that did not exist. Too many people have taken this war and loss of life in a casual way and have treated it like a foot note in history. What a shame.
Why should the U.S. let Iraq determine our troops fate in Iraq? That should be a decision of the U.S. and the U.S. alone. Those voices that say U.S. troops need to stay because the mission of training Iraqi troops has not been completed and that Iraq needs more time to be able to defend their country is slang for the continued occupation of our troops in Iraq.
If enough Iraqi troops have not been trained after 8 years on the job and those we have trained are not good enough to train their own Iraqi forces than the U.S. has failed. As for those who say we have to stay to blunt Iran's influence, forget it. Iran and Iraq are tied together no matter what, which was pointed out in past commentary by this writer long ago.
In December 2011 the war in Iraq over WMD that did not exist will be 8 years and 9 months old. The U.S. has lost over 4400 of its brave men and women, over 30,000 wounded and just last month the highest number of Americans were killed in Iraq than in the past few years all because of our invasion and occupation over WMD that did not exist. Bush's war committed our military to satisfy his warped ideology of remaking the middle east in his own warped image and our troops are still paying the price with their lives. President Obama needs to end this madness like he promised. That is the only way he and other elected officials can truly show they support our troops and the sacrifice they have already made. Pretty speeches are a dime a dozen. What is needed is action to end this war once and for all.
There is simply no good reason to extend our presence in Iraq past the end of this year. Bringing our troops home alive is the best way to honor their sacrifice and service. Not one more American should die in Iraq over WMD that did not exist. Too many people have taken this war and loss of life in a casual way and have treated it like a foot note in history. What a shame.
Wednesday, July 13, 2011
The Latest On The U.S. Economy
Job creation for the month of June was weak as it was for May according to the latest report from the U.S. Labor Department. Although job creation has been in positive territory for some time it is still not strong enough to reduce the unemployment rate and that is a factor that still affects the American people the most.
The naysayers were out in full force and jumped on the job numbers. However they overlooked the importance of the effect the earthquake in Japan and energy prices have on the job market. The congressional republicans position of opposing every thing coming out of the Obama administration still represents a great threat for making the economy and job market worse. Their position on raising the debt ceiling is still a greater threat and is in line with their record of presiding over weak economies and job creation of the past.
Although the present unemployment rate is unacceptable, past administrations have done worse, including the Reagan administration where unemployment was over 10% for ten straight months even though Reagan was not dealt the severe economic situation Obama was dealt.
In my judgement an unemployment rate closer to 7% than 8% can still be achieved by the end of 2012. It may not be easy and President Obama will have to step up, show more leadership and courage and confront the republicans and expose them for what they are. Roosevelt, Truman and Kennedy had the character and courage to do it and now it falls to Obama. Republican talking points can not change their dismal record for failing to create a sound economy and job creation when they had the opportunity to do so. It is time for them to get out of the way and give the American people a chance under Obama's leadership.
The naysayers were out in full force and jumped on the job numbers. However they overlooked the importance of the effect the earthquake in Japan and energy prices have on the job market. The congressional republicans position of opposing every thing coming out of the Obama administration still represents a great threat for making the economy and job market worse. Their position on raising the debt ceiling is still a greater threat and is in line with their record of presiding over weak economies and job creation of the past.
Although the present unemployment rate is unacceptable, past administrations have done worse, including the Reagan administration where unemployment was over 10% for ten straight months even though Reagan was not dealt the severe economic situation Obama was dealt.
In my judgement an unemployment rate closer to 7% than 8% can still be achieved by the end of 2012. It may not be easy and President Obama will have to step up, show more leadership and courage and confront the republicans and expose them for what they are. Roosevelt, Truman and Kennedy had the character and courage to do it and now it falls to Obama. Republican talking points can not change their dismal record for failing to create a sound economy and job creation when they had the opportunity to do so. It is time for them to get out of the way and give the American people a chance under Obama's leadership.
Sunday, July 10, 2011
Charles Krauthammer: The Nobody Journalist
Little Charlie in an editorial published in the Times Picayune of July 9, titled, Obama Is In No Position To Lecture, passed up the truth in favor of a lie. Every one knows Charlie and many other conservative journalists hate President Obama and they detail that hate in their remarks. But why did little Charlie have to lie? The answer is simple. The republican party simply does not have a record that conservatives can articulate. A good example is the dismal record of the recent George W. Bush administration.
In his editorial little Charlie makes this statement: Obama has run disastrous annual deficits of around $1.5 trillion. There are two lies here. Charlies words annual deficits are plural and indicate more than one annual deficit. Lets examine the real Obama record. As of this writing the Obama administration has completed only one full fiscal year budget that ended 9/30/10. That budget came in with a deficit of $1.29 trillion. When little Charlie talks about the $1.5 trillion deficit he must be talking about George W. Bush's last fiscal year budget that ended 9/30/09 that came in with a record one year fiscal deficit of $1.42 trillion. President Obama's second full year fiscal budget does not end until 9/30/11. Little Charlie could not wait for those results so what the heck, its easier to accuse President Obama and forget about Bush's actual sad record when it comes to balancing the federal budget and running up the national debt.
It is awful hard for conservatives like little Charlie to acknowledge that the record deficit spending by Reagan, Bush 41 and Bush 43 over the 20 years period they served is the reason the national debt is out of control. It is even harder for little Charlie to acknowledge that George W. Bush was the worst. Remember conservatives have been railing against democrats years before Obama took office but it is their own party who has put America in jeopardy with their anti-American ideology, deficit spending and debt creation.
When it comes to federal spending one would think that Charlie would inform his readers that: Total federal spending at the end of Bush's last fiscal year budget totaled $3.51 trillion. At the end of Obama's first fiscal year budget total federal spending was $3.45 trillion a decrease of 1.6%. No republican President has accomplished that in over 50 years. There can be no excuse for little Charlie not reporting the facts and truth. That is the mark of a small person who can not compete with the truth.
In his editorial little Charlie makes this statement: Obama has run disastrous annual deficits of around $1.5 trillion. There are two lies here. Charlies words annual deficits are plural and indicate more than one annual deficit. Lets examine the real Obama record. As of this writing the Obama administration has completed only one full fiscal year budget that ended 9/30/10. That budget came in with a deficit of $1.29 trillion. When little Charlie talks about the $1.5 trillion deficit he must be talking about George W. Bush's last fiscal year budget that ended 9/30/09 that came in with a record one year fiscal deficit of $1.42 trillion. President Obama's second full year fiscal budget does not end until 9/30/11. Little Charlie could not wait for those results so what the heck, its easier to accuse President Obama and forget about Bush's actual sad record when it comes to balancing the federal budget and running up the national debt.
It is awful hard for conservatives like little Charlie to acknowledge that the record deficit spending by Reagan, Bush 41 and Bush 43 over the 20 years period they served is the reason the national debt is out of control. It is even harder for little Charlie to acknowledge that George W. Bush was the worst. Remember conservatives have been railing against democrats years before Obama took office but it is their own party who has put America in jeopardy with their anti-American ideology, deficit spending and debt creation.
When it comes to federal spending one would think that Charlie would inform his readers that: Total federal spending at the end of Bush's last fiscal year budget totaled $3.51 trillion. At the end of Obama's first fiscal year budget total federal spending was $3.45 trillion a decrease of 1.6%. No republican President has accomplished that in over 50 years. There can be no excuse for little Charlie not reporting the facts and truth. That is the mark of a small person who can not compete with the truth.
Friday, July 8, 2011
David Brooks Joins Other Republican Conservatives In Trying To Rewrite History
So called republican conservative journalist David Brooks in an editorial that appeared in the Times Picayune of July 7 titled, "What Sort Of Party Are Republicans ?" tried best to put the U.S. House republicans on a pedestal concerning budget cuts in connection with extending the debt ceiling but then he says if the republican party was a normal party they would seize the opportunity to put a long term limit on the growth of government. Never mind that the federal government has grown more on the republican watch than on the democratic watch in the last 30 years.
Brooks then goes on to indicate over the past few years the republican party may not be a normal party. The dictionary describes few as a small number and not many. He talks about the members in this movement with in the republican party on more than one occasion but fails to name who is in this movement with in the party. Brooks says the members of the movement have no sense of moral decency and do not accept the legitimacy of scholars and intellectual authorities. That sounds like the whole republican party to this writer not just the "movement." My thought is that Brooks is talking about the "tea party" but does not have the courage to name names.
The time has long passed for republicans to be put on a pedestal concerning cutting federal spending. Brooks is trying real hard to rewrite the republican history of the record debt created during the administration of George W. Bush. The republican party controlled both houses of congress during Bush's first 6 years and rubber stamped his massive deficit spending spree every one of those 6 years and also the last two full years. Bush and the republican party had a wonderful opportunity to continue to balance the federal budget like Clinton did but reversed all of that in Bush's first fiscal year budget which was in deficit. Brooks, the republicans in congress and those that would become tea party members were all silent as a church mouse the whole time Bush and the republican controlled congress and were creating this record debt.
Brooks tries to offer a distinction between the movement and the republic party but he can't. It is the same ideology that has existed for a long time and is part of the party's anti-American ideology and make up. The national debt was not a problem at the end of President Carter's last fiscal year budget. It stood at less than one trillion dollars. That all changed with the election of Reagan and it became a problem when he left office. The national debt at the end of Reagan's last fiscal year budget was $2.857 trillion an increase of 186%.
The national debt when Clinton left office stood at $5.807 trillion at the end of Clinton's last fiscal year budget. George Herbert Walker Bush followed Reagan and when he left office the national debt stood at $4.411 trillion, an increase of 54%. The national debt was not a problem when Clinton left office but became a disaster on the watch of George W. Bush and when he left office the national debt at the end of his last fiscal year budget stood at $11.909 trillion, an increase of 105%. Compared to the increase in the national debt on Clinton's watch which was 31% the people can see who is responsible for the majority of the national debt we have today.
Reagan, Bush 41 and Bush 43 ran the country for 20 years and never balanced one federal budget or made a serious attempt to do so. How long does it take Mr. Brooks? Are you aware that the last republican to preside over a balanced budget was President Eisenhower? That was in 1960 over 50 years ago.
Mr. Brooks and the republicans now want to balance the budget on the backs of the middle class because of their own failed fiscal and economic policies and their desire to bankrupt the federal government so social security and medicare will no longer exist. He can try to rewrite history concerning the republicans sad fiscal record and blame it on the movement he talks about but the facts tell the true story. Nice try Mr. Brooks.
By the way Mr. Brooks, the only President who reduced total federal spending in the last fifty plus years was President Obama in his first fiscal year budget that ended 9/30/10. Federal spending was down 1.6% compared to spending in Bush's last fiscal year budget. I do not remember you reporting that. Rewriting history can not change the facts.
Note 1: Numbers mentioned in this commentary can be verified by going to the web site of the CBO and the U.S. Treasury Department.
Brooks then goes on to indicate over the past few years the republican party may not be a normal party. The dictionary describes few as a small number and not many. He talks about the members in this movement with in the republican party on more than one occasion but fails to name who is in this movement with in the party. Brooks says the members of the movement have no sense of moral decency and do not accept the legitimacy of scholars and intellectual authorities. That sounds like the whole republican party to this writer not just the "movement." My thought is that Brooks is talking about the "tea party" but does not have the courage to name names.
The time has long passed for republicans to be put on a pedestal concerning cutting federal spending. Brooks is trying real hard to rewrite the republican history of the record debt created during the administration of George W. Bush. The republican party controlled both houses of congress during Bush's first 6 years and rubber stamped his massive deficit spending spree every one of those 6 years and also the last two full years. Bush and the republican party had a wonderful opportunity to continue to balance the federal budget like Clinton did but reversed all of that in Bush's first fiscal year budget which was in deficit. Brooks, the republicans in congress and those that would become tea party members were all silent as a church mouse the whole time Bush and the republican controlled congress and were creating this record debt.
Brooks tries to offer a distinction between the movement and the republic party but he can't. It is the same ideology that has existed for a long time and is part of the party's anti-American ideology and make up. The national debt was not a problem at the end of President Carter's last fiscal year budget. It stood at less than one trillion dollars. That all changed with the election of Reagan and it became a problem when he left office. The national debt at the end of Reagan's last fiscal year budget was $2.857 trillion an increase of 186%.
The national debt when Clinton left office stood at $5.807 trillion at the end of Clinton's last fiscal year budget. George Herbert Walker Bush followed Reagan and when he left office the national debt stood at $4.411 trillion, an increase of 54%. The national debt was not a problem when Clinton left office but became a disaster on the watch of George W. Bush and when he left office the national debt at the end of his last fiscal year budget stood at $11.909 trillion, an increase of 105%. Compared to the increase in the national debt on Clinton's watch which was 31% the people can see who is responsible for the majority of the national debt we have today.
Reagan, Bush 41 and Bush 43 ran the country for 20 years and never balanced one federal budget or made a serious attempt to do so. How long does it take Mr. Brooks? Are you aware that the last republican to preside over a balanced budget was President Eisenhower? That was in 1960 over 50 years ago.
Mr. Brooks and the republicans now want to balance the budget on the backs of the middle class because of their own failed fiscal and economic policies and their desire to bankrupt the federal government so social security and medicare will no longer exist. He can try to rewrite history concerning the republicans sad fiscal record and blame it on the movement he talks about but the facts tell the true story. Nice try Mr. Brooks.
By the way Mr. Brooks, the only President who reduced total federal spending in the last fifty plus years was President Obama in his first fiscal year budget that ended 9/30/10. Federal spending was down 1.6% compared to spending in Bush's last fiscal year budget. I do not remember you reporting that. Rewriting history can not change the facts.
Note 1: Numbers mentioned in this commentary can be verified by going to the web site of the CBO and the U.S. Treasury Department.
Wednesday, July 6, 2011
What The Average American Is Up Against
Corporate America is still raking in record profits and their CEO's and Executives are still raking in huge bonuses and other financial benefits while the average American is loosing ground financially and good jobs are still being shipped overseas. In the book 13 Bankers, it was pointed out that six megabanks together control assets that amount to 60% of the country's GDP. In other words, they are a monopoly that should be broken up. Median income under the Bush administration declined to $50,300 in 2008. It was $52,500 under Clinton in 2000.
The American people obtain their news from the major news media outlets who are owned and controlled by Corporate America in most instances. Corporate America and their lobbyist spend billions of dollars to lobby congress to obtain special treatment such as tax breaks, tax exemptions and special tax credits at the expense of the average worker. Corporate America and their lobby voices are heard via the news media and the congress and out right lie in some cases concerning the issues that face the average worker. They are at the forefront of the battle over the national debt and are preaching severe cuts in the budget without wanting to look at tax loopholes. Their ideology is un American in nature.
Corporate America say they have to send jobs over seas because of cheap labor. They would like to see Americans work for the same low wage third world countries work for. However, the CEO's and executives want to continue to rake in their record bonuses at the expense of the average worker. As Senator Jim Webb pointed out in his book, "A Time To Fight" the average American CEO makes 400 times his average worker, whereas the average CEO's of Japan, Germany, South Korea and France make between 10 and 16 times their average worker. The most productive countries, Germany, Japan and South Korea have the least amount of disparity between their CEO's and their workers. The bottom line is Corporate America want their average workers to feel the pain while their CEO's enjoy the benefit of the average workers labor. See Note 1
The propaganda by Corporate America and their lobby via congress is a direct threat to eliminating the middle class in America and those programs such as social security and medicare. The republican and tea party people in and out of congress have joined hands with Corporate America and their lobby to finish the job of completely transferring wealth from the middle class to the wealthy.
Recreating America in their own warped image is what Corporate America their lobby and the republican party today is all about. We have seen how this combination led the Reagan, Bush 41 and Bush 43 administrations to a fiscal nightmare for the nation with their 20 year deficit spending spree and debt which is now of such magnitude that federal deficit spending will continue for many more years.
President Obama and the democrats in congress are the only ones who can stop the march to transfer more wealth from the middle class to the wealthy. The horrible situation that George W. Bush handed the American people on the economy, job losses and debt can be reversed if Obama and the democrats stand firm on the issues concerning the middle class. It took the country a long time to reverse the effects of the Hoover depression but Presidents Roosevelt and Truman stood firm and stood up to the republicans and Corporate America. No less should be expected from Obama and the democrats in congress.
Note: See previous commentary: Lost In America: Innovation dated July 23, 2008
The American people obtain their news from the major news media outlets who are owned and controlled by Corporate America in most instances. Corporate America and their lobbyist spend billions of dollars to lobby congress to obtain special treatment such as tax breaks, tax exemptions and special tax credits at the expense of the average worker. Corporate America and their lobby voices are heard via the news media and the congress and out right lie in some cases concerning the issues that face the average worker. They are at the forefront of the battle over the national debt and are preaching severe cuts in the budget without wanting to look at tax loopholes. Their ideology is un American in nature.
Corporate America say they have to send jobs over seas because of cheap labor. They would like to see Americans work for the same low wage third world countries work for. However, the CEO's and executives want to continue to rake in their record bonuses at the expense of the average worker. As Senator Jim Webb pointed out in his book, "A Time To Fight" the average American CEO makes 400 times his average worker, whereas the average CEO's of Japan, Germany, South Korea and France make between 10 and 16 times their average worker. The most productive countries, Germany, Japan and South Korea have the least amount of disparity between their CEO's and their workers. The bottom line is Corporate America want their average workers to feel the pain while their CEO's enjoy the benefit of the average workers labor. See Note 1
The propaganda by Corporate America and their lobby via congress is a direct threat to eliminating the middle class in America and those programs such as social security and medicare. The republican and tea party people in and out of congress have joined hands with Corporate America and their lobby to finish the job of completely transferring wealth from the middle class to the wealthy.
Recreating America in their own warped image is what Corporate America their lobby and the republican party today is all about. We have seen how this combination led the Reagan, Bush 41 and Bush 43 administrations to a fiscal nightmare for the nation with their 20 year deficit spending spree and debt which is now of such magnitude that federal deficit spending will continue for many more years.
President Obama and the democrats in congress are the only ones who can stop the march to transfer more wealth from the middle class to the wealthy. The horrible situation that George W. Bush handed the American people on the economy, job losses and debt can be reversed if Obama and the democrats stand firm on the issues concerning the middle class. It took the country a long time to reverse the effects of the Hoover depression but Presidents Roosevelt and Truman stood firm and stood up to the republicans and Corporate America. No less should be expected from Obama and the democrats in congress.
Note: See previous commentary: Lost In America: Innovation dated July 23, 2008
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