The American people have already witnessed the leading conservatives inside and outside of congress along with conservatives in the news media desire to see President Obama's policies fail. They have stated that over and over again and really want to see America fail. A successful America under a democratic President is unthinkable to them. Their ideology continues to be anti-American on the subject.
Now we see a darker side to those conservatives concerning the failed attempt to blow up a Northwest flight bound for Detroit on Christmas day. This dark side was exposed during Bush's term in office when he and members of his administration used scare tactics in promoting a war with Iraq over WMD that did not exist. The conservatives went out in full force accusing the Obama administration for failing to protect America and even suggested the President was soft on fighting terror and that he did not believe we were at war with the terrorists. The conservatives have for years used the talking point that they themselves can protect America better than democrats. The tragic events of 9-11 and the Iraq war proved them wrong but they believe repeating the same lie over and over will become the truth. That is known as the "Karl Rove tatic."
Those conservatives see and understand that the Obama administration has done a better job of protecting and keeping America safe in the first 11 months in office than George Bush did in his first 11 months in office. Conservatives would like nothing better than to see America attacked on the Presidents watch. They are drooling at the thought. In their warped mind it would prove Obama is weak on fighting the war on terror. It is another continuation of their anti American ideology.
Conservatives have also left the prosecution of most all the terrorists held in prison to the Obama administration. Mr. Bush and the conservative so called tough talk want nothing to do with that. They just passed the buck for seven years and will now oppose the Presidents plans to prosecute those people. Their ideology has cast aside the American ideals and what the country has stood for through-out history. That says it all.
Friday, January 8, 2010
Monday, January 4, 2010
2010: The Second Decade Of The 21st. Century
President Obama's State of The Union address will start the ball rolling to kick off the start of the second decade of the 21st century. There has been a lot of speculation as to what the President will say and already the negative voices are trying to undermine his address to the nation.
The President will hopefully lay out a plan to put the federal government's house back in good fiscal order and to reduce the national debt. There is a precedent for doing that called the Clinton administration. The President also needs to develop and lay out a plan to reduce federal spending and reverse the trend of the last 3 republican Presidents. The precedent for doing that is also called the Clinton administration. When the federal government spends money it is important to spend it in the right places.
The U.S. withdrawal from Iraq should continue to move forward and at deliberate speed, the sooner the better. There should be no setbacks. The President also needs to find a better way to fight the threat of terror instead of occupying Afghanistan for the next several years like we are planning to do.
The administration should continue to do those progressive things that create a sustained economy and job creation for the people. The transfer of wealth from the middle class to corporate America has to be reversed and the workers who help create that wealth should share in the bounty.
President Obama and congress should show lobbyist and special interest groups the door and find other ways to reduce the obscene flow of money in Washington, D.C. All it takes is the courage and leadership of elected officials. No new laws are needed. The outrageous sums of money spent by the special interest groups should be used instead to create jobs and pay for their employees health insurance.
The democratic controlled congress will have to go it alone to move legislation as the republicans have already showed their hand in opposing every thing coming out of the administration. They want to see the administration fail so the people can forget about the failures of Bush, his republican party and the tragic results of their time in office. The republican mentality is anti American based on their ideology. They also see the country emerging from the economic and financial mess they created and the recovery will be on the democratic watch. That just chaps them.
The President needs to play out his campaign promise, bring about real change for the better, place the country in a sound fiscal, economic and job creating environment and see that the U.S. has policies in place that will deal with changing the attitude of corporate greed. Progress in Afghanistan should be monitored often so our men and women in uniform can leave sooner rather than later. There can be no doubt that the U.S. has the capacity to protect its people and home land without occupying other countries.
With leadership and courage the President can put the country and its people on the right path for this decade and do those things that really matter and make a difference.
The President will hopefully lay out a plan to put the federal government's house back in good fiscal order and to reduce the national debt. There is a precedent for doing that called the Clinton administration. The President also needs to develop and lay out a plan to reduce federal spending and reverse the trend of the last 3 republican Presidents. The precedent for doing that is also called the Clinton administration. When the federal government spends money it is important to spend it in the right places.
The U.S. withdrawal from Iraq should continue to move forward and at deliberate speed, the sooner the better. There should be no setbacks. The President also needs to find a better way to fight the threat of terror instead of occupying Afghanistan for the next several years like we are planning to do.
The administration should continue to do those progressive things that create a sustained economy and job creation for the people. The transfer of wealth from the middle class to corporate America has to be reversed and the workers who help create that wealth should share in the bounty.
President Obama and congress should show lobbyist and special interest groups the door and find other ways to reduce the obscene flow of money in Washington, D.C. All it takes is the courage and leadership of elected officials. No new laws are needed. The outrageous sums of money spent by the special interest groups should be used instead to create jobs and pay for their employees health insurance.
The democratic controlled congress will have to go it alone to move legislation as the republicans have already showed their hand in opposing every thing coming out of the administration. They want to see the administration fail so the people can forget about the failures of Bush, his republican party and the tragic results of their time in office. The republican mentality is anti American based on their ideology. They also see the country emerging from the economic and financial mess they created and the recovery will be on the democratic watch. That just chaps them.
The President needs to play out his campaign promise, bring about real change for the better, place the country in a sound fiscal, economic and job creating environment and see that the U.S. has policies in place that will deal with changing the attitude of corporate greed. Progress in Afghanistan should be monitored often so our men and women in uniform can leave sooner rather than later. There can be no doubt that the U.S. has the capacity to protect its people and home land without occupying other countries.
With leadership and courage the President can put the country and its people on the right path for this decade and do those things that really matter and make a difference.
Sunday, January 3, 2010
The Past, Present And Future
The year 2009 is now history and many Americans were affected in a negative way economically and financially. The worst recession since the great depression was felt by millions of Americans who only read about the great depression and there were those that thought severe economic times was a thing of the past. What took place in 2009 had its roots in the administration of George W. Bush because of ideology.
The bottom line is our political and industry leaders who make the decisions failed to learn from the past and in fact only gave lip service to the federal debt the Bush administration was creating. Industry leaders continued to transfer wealth from the average workers who helped their companies create that wealth to the CEO's and executives who compensated themselves with billions of dollars in bonuses, stock options and other goodies at the same time their companies were losing money, laying off employees and cancelling employees health insurance. The transfer of wealth has been devastating to the middle class, the economy and the resulting record number of lost jobs has been a dagger in the heart for millions of Americans.
For the present, we have seen President Obama take action he thinks will return our country and its people back to prosperity. Many safeguards have been put in place to correct the mistakes of the past. More are in the offering and the President needs to be mindful not to repeat the mistakes of the past. The country has seen economic improvement and the job market is a little brighter. The President needs to stay active, show courage and leadership and put programs in place to ensure that the future leaves behind the Dark Age of our recent past.
The American people have often been told our best days are ahead. We Americans believe that and know it can be that way. If our leaders gain wisdom about the past our best days will truly be the future. The decisions that President Obama makes in 2010 will say loud and clear what path was chosen. A repeat of the past is not an option. The future has to reject the failed policies of the past.
The bottom line is our political and industry leaders who make the decisions failed to learn from the past and in fact only gave lip service to the federal debt the Bush administration was creating. Industry leaders continued to transfer wealth from the average workers who helped their companies create that wealth to the CEO's and executives who compensated themselves with billions of dollars in bonuses, stock options and other goodies at the same time their companies were losing money, laying off employees and cancelling employees health insurance. The transfer of wealth has been devastating to the middle class, the economy and the resulting record number of lost jobs has been a dagger in the heart for millions of Americans.
For the present, we have seen President Obama take action he thinks will return our country and its people back to prosperity. Many safeguards have been put in place to correct the mistakes of the past. More are in the offering and the President needs to be mindful not to repeat the mistakes of the past. The country has seen economic improvement and the job market is a little brighter. The President needs to stay active, show courage and leadership and put programs in place to ensure that the future leaves behind the Dark Age of our recent past.
The American people have often been told our best days are ahead. We Americans believe that and know it can be that way. If our leaders gain wisdom about the past our best days will truly be the future. The decisions that President Obama makes in 2010 will say loud and clear what path was chosen. A repeat of the past is not an option. The future has to reject the failed policies of the past.
The Sunday Television News Shows
Jay Rosen had a commentary carried in the Huffington Post titled, "Simple Fix For Messed Up Sunday Shows." His gripe and a well founded one was that guest on shows like Meet the Press were allowed to lie about certain facts and were never challenged by the moderator. Jay is correct about that and he proposed that on a Wednesday following the show, those programs would give the facts out about the falsehoods that were said on the Sunday shows. In other words, a rebuttal by the networks to show how their guest manipulated the facts.
This writer has many times over commented in politidose how those Sunday shows fail to give the American people the facts concerning the issues and there fore abandon their responsibility as journalists to bring the real story to the people. Those Sunday shows failed to seek and present the truth in the run up to war in Iraq over WMD that did not exist. Ditto the massive debt Mr. Bush laid on the country and now they are using republican talking points to try and discredit the Obama administration. To top it all off they are starting all over again pushing the republican talking points that democrats are not keeping America safe. Never mind that the worst terrorist attack on U.S. soil happened on the republican watch.
The networks and their journalists know that T.V. has become an entertainment business by their own choosing and that facts no longer matter to them. Some networks even questioned if Walter Cronkite would have been his same trusted self if he were part of the industry today. They asked that question after his death because he would not be able to answer the question. The networks were not about to ask that question while Mr. Cronkite was alive. They knew what his answer would have been. That says it all.
This writer has many times over commented in politidose how those Sunday shows fail to give the American people the facts concerning the issues and there fore abandon their responsibility as journalists to bring the real story to the people. Those Sunday shows failed to seek and present the truth in the run up to war in Iraq over WMD that did not exist. Ditto the massive debt Mr. Bush laid on the country and now they are using republican talking points to try and discredit the Obama administration. To top it all off they are starting all over again pushing the republican talking points that democrats are not keeping America safe. Never mind that the worst terrorist attack on U.S. soil happened on the republican watch.
The networks and their journalists know that T.V. has become an entertainment business by their own choosing and that facts no longer matter to them. Some networks even questioned if Walter Cronkite would have been his same trusted self if he were part of the industry today. They asked that question after his death because he would not be able to answer the question. The networks were not about to ask that question while Mr. Cronkite was alive. They knew what his answer would have been. That says it all.
Tuesday, December 29, 2009
The Next Step In Health-Care Legislation
The U.S. Senate and House passed health-care legislation that will be taken up after the new year to reconcile the two bills into one. The out come of their deliberations should be a health-care bill that truly brings about health-care reform for the better of all concerned and that enhances the quality of life for the people. The country will see if congress is able to discharge their responsibility.
The democrats who control both houses of congress have to move away from the republicans as they have shown they will oppose every thing coming out of the Obama administration. They also have to move away from the extremes on both sides concerning abortion language in the health-care legislation. This is a health-care bill not an abortion bill. The language that bans using federal funds for abortion does not have to be changed or altered as some of the so called blue dogs and republicans insist on. The leaders in the senate and house have to show leadership, courage and not be intimidated.
The final bill should not add to the federal deficit and should in fact reduce future deficits. The prescription drug benefit that was passed by the republican controlled congress during Bush's administration was paid for by deficit spending at a cost of $2 trillion over a 10 year period. The democrats can not repeat that mistake in their health-care bill. The republicans also gave the American people the donut hole that the present health-care bill will close.
President Obama and the democrats have a historic opportunity here. The President should urge the democrats to refuse any campaign funds from any special interest group during the upcoming merger debate of the two bills and the democrats should be willing to do so and devote their time to producing a good health-care final bill. Let the republicans take all the money they want. Too much special interest money has already been accepted by both sides of the isle. The democrats can set an example if they would announce this as their position and stick with it. Elected officials can not deny anyone free speech, but there is no law that says they have to accept campaign contributions.
The President should also ride herd over congress concerning the merger of the two bills to insure that the final bill will provide in the long run results that prove it was the right thing to do for the American people and the country.
The democrats who control both houses of congress have to move away from the republicans as they have shown they will oppose every thing coming out of the Obama administration. They also have to move away from the extremes on both sides concerning abortion language in the health-care legislation. This is a health-care bill not an abortion bill. The language that bans using federal funds for abortion does not have to be changed or altered as some of the so called blue dogs and republicans insist on. The leaders in the senate and house have to show leadership, courage and not be intimidated.
The final bill should not add to the federal deficit and should in fact reduce future deficits. The prescription drug benefit that was passed by the republican controlled congress during Bush's administration was paid for by deficit spending at a cost of $2 trillion over a 10 year period. The democrats can not repeat that mistake in their health-care bill. The republicans also gave the American people the donut hole that the present health-care bill will close.
President Obama and the democrats have a historic opportunity here. The President should urge the democrats to refuse any campaign funds from any special interest group during the upcoming merger debate of the two bills and the democrats should be willing to do so and devote their time to producing a good health-care final bill. Let the republicans take all the money they want. Too much special interest money has already been accepted by both sides of the isle. The democrats can set an example if they would announce this as their position and stick with it. Elected officials can not deny anyone free speech, but there is no law that says they have to accept campaign contributions.
The President should also ride herd over congress concerning the merger of the two bills to insure that the final bill will provide in the long run results that prove it was the right thing to do for the American people and the country.
Federal Stimulus At Work In Louisiana
The Times Picayune carried a story dated December 26 concerning the rebuilding of a section of Earhart Blvd., in New Orleans that will last one year. The section was originally a part of the State Economic and Development program which financed 4 other sections of
Earhart since 1999 and ran out of money in 2006.
The total cost is $12.4 million and all but $1.8 million will come from the stimulus and other federal funds. Jeff Roesel of the New Orleans Planning Commission said the "stimulus" was like manna from heaven. Jobs will be created for at least a year for the project and bring in added revenue for the city, state and private industry.
This is just another example how states are being helped by the stimulus regardless what the negative voices of state officials have been saying. The work created by the federal dollars will create jobs and help make the mayor and governor look good. The people who use this section of Earhart can finally see the light at the end of the tunnel which was snuffed out in 2006 by the lack of funds from the city and state.
Earhart since 1999 and ran out of money in 2006.
The total cost is $12.4 million and all but $1.8 million will come from the stimulus and other federal funds. Jeff Roesel of the New Orleans Planning Commission said the "stimulus" was like manna from heaven. Jobs will be created for at least a year for the project and bring in added revenue for the city, state and private industry.
This is just another example how states are being helped by the stimulus regardless what the negative voices of state officials have been saying. The work created by the federal dollars will create jobs and help make the mayor and governor look good. The people who use this section of Earhart can finally see the light at the end of the tunnel which was snuffed out in 2006 by the lack of funds from the city and state.
Monday, December 21, 2009
Governors Who Oppose Health Care Reform
The number of people without health care insurance has been increasing each year for a number of years. Businesses have cut back providing health insurance for their employees, discontinued it altogether or increased their premium share. Many small business people have no health insurance at all. The problem has affected people from every state. The issue is before congress and there are many governors who are in opposition.
So I have a question for those governors who are in opposition. Since the problem is not new, why have you failed to address the problem in your state yourself? After all it is your states problem and you seem to have all the answers as to what should be done. Are you afraid that the answer in part is that some taxes would have to be raised to pay for the legislation and you want no part of that. You only want to criticize others who have the courage to address the situation. Your ideology would have to give way to fact to take care of this problem and you do not have the courage to challenge your warped ideology. It would also mean hard choices for you and your state and you want no part of that either.
Some governors have also lied about the health care legislation before congress and some special interest groups have also done the same thing. If the opposition prevails maybe its time for congress to wash their hands of the matter and tell the governors and states to handle their own states problem without any help from the congress or federal government. That way the governors and states could do the job they are responsible for in the first place. As of the present time they deserve a big fat "F" on the subject.
So I have a question for those governors who are in opposition. Since the problem is not new, why have you failed to address the problem in your state yourself? After all it is your states problem and you seem to have all the answers as to what should be done. Are you afraid that the answer in part is that some taxes would have to be raised to pay for the legislation and you want no part of that. You only want to criticize others who have the courage to address the situation. Your ideology would have to give way to fact to take care of this problem and you do not have the courage to challenge your warped ideology. It would also mean hard choices for you and your state and you want no part of that either.
Some governors have also lied about the health care legislation before congress and some special interest groups have also done the same thing. If the opposition prevails maybe its time for congress to wash their hands of the matter and tell the governors and states to handle their own states problem without any help from the congress or federal government. That way the governors and states could do the job they are responsible for in the first place. As of the present time they deserve a big fat "F" on the subject.
Sunday, December 20, 2009
The State of Louisiana
Former President George Bush, U.S. Senator John McCain and many other republicans said over and over last year that "the U.S. economy was fundamentally sound," at a time when the economy was falling apart and job losses were at record levels. They were wrong and out of touch with reality. Louisiana Governor Jindal has joined the ranks of the republican ditto heads in not understanding the real problem facing the people of Louisiana because of his ideology. Elected officials who govern by ideology will not allow themselves to understand what is happening on the ground floor.
Jindal has been saying the state's economy has out performed the nation and the south. He points to the unemployment rate in Louisiana being lower than the national rate but is silent on the fact that the state unemployment rate is up almost two percentage points from last year. State sales taxes, corporate income taxes and individual income taxes are down and playing havoc with the state budget.
The latest report published in the Times Picayune dated 12/18, the Bureau of Economic Analysis said Louisiana posted the weakest showing of any state when it comes to personal income growth during the third quarter and declined by 0.4% from the second quarter. Louisiana was only one of four states that saw a decline during the third quarter. It was pointed out earlier in politidose that median household income in Louisiana dropped 7.8% in 2008 according to the U.S. Census Bureau. The downward spiral continues. The Louisiana department of Social Services latest report shows the number of state households receiving food stamps has increased 24% over the last two years. The Louisiana Workforce Commission reports the number of people collecting unemployment checks in Louisiana has more than doubled in the past year. None of these numbers are positive for the people of Louisiana despite Mr. Jindal's pronouncements.
Louisiana's fast talking governor has the same problem as the republican ditto heads, their priority is not the advancement of the quality of life for the working people. Trickle down economics failed for the third time under George W. Bush's administration and like Bush, Jindal has no real economic plan for the state because of his ideology. His administration has to keep adjusting the projected state budget deficits because he has no real plan to deal with the cause of the problem. Jindal will continue his record out of state visits to raise funds for a run at a national office and in the process fore-go any plans to really deal with the plight of the people.
Just in the last few days his administration discovered the present budget that ends June 30 has an additional deficit of $248 million that has to be closed. State colleges also reported they want to be free to raise school tuition on their own authority to the southern average. So called conservative republican officials have the same ditto head mentality. They continue to talk no new taxes and then stick it to the average worker a hundred different ways. The negative numbers show Jindal is succeeding in the continuation of the ditto head ideology at the expense of the average worker. That says it all.
Jindal has been saying the state's economy has out performed the nation and the south. He points to the unemployment rate in Louisiana being lower than the national rate but is silent on the fact that the state unemployment rate is up almost two percentage points from last year. State sales taxes, corporate income taxes and individual income taxes are down and playing havoc with the state budget.
The latest report published in the Times Picayune dated 12/18, the Bureau of Economic Analysis said Louisiana posted the weakest showing of any state when it comes to personal income growth during the third quarter and declined by 0.4% from the second quarter. Louisiana was only one of four states that saw a decline during the third quarter. It was pointed out earlier in politidose that median household income in Louisiana dropped 7.8% in 2008 according to the U.S. Census Bureau. The downward spiral continues. The Louisiana department of Social Services latest report shows the number of state households receiving food stamps has increased 24% over the last two years. The Louisiana Workforce Commission reports the number of people collecting unemployment checks in Louisiana has more than doubled in the past year. None of these numbers are positive for the people of Louisiana despite Mr. Jindal's pronouncements.
Louisiana's fast talking governor has the same problem as the republican ditto heads, their priority is not the advancement of the quality of life for the working people. Trickle down economics failed for the third time under George W. Bush's administration and like Bush, Jindal has no real economic plan for the state because of his ideology. His administration has to keep adjusting the projected state budget deficits because he has no real plan to deal with the cause of the problem. Jindal will continue his record out of state visits to raise funds for a run at a national office and in the process fore-go any plans to really deal with the plight of the people.
Just in the last few days his administration discovered the present budget that ends June 30 has an additional deficit of $248 million that has to be closed. State colleges also reported they want to be free to raise school tuition on their own authority to the southern average. So called conservative republican officials have the same ditto head mentality. They continue to talk no new taxes and then stick it to the average worker a hundred different ways. The negative numbers show Jindal is succeeding in the continuation of the ditto head ideology at the expense of the average worker. That says it all.
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