Chapter 9: Bright Spots And A Tax Check To Spend

Even in the direst storms, it is nice to know the sun is burning 93 million miles away…. — kavips

Despite the gloom there are some exciting bright spots in our current mess.

One, we have proven beyond a reasonable doubt that privatization of Social Security is a very, very, very, very bad idea. That argument, shown by today’s events, is now not only proven to be inane, but extremely dangerous. As briefly mentioned in the last chapter, Social Security whose purpose is to provide our nation with a safety net should the unthinkable ever happen, is the only plan that survives global economic meltdown. For it is funded (as is a ponzi scheme) by newcomers entering the plan and contributing their money. Privatization plans based on savings and investment can make no such claim of constant solvency. So despite all the problems caused by today’s global meltdown, its economic trauma should keep Social Security safe at least through three more generations, ie. those who lived through these trying times and saw Social Security’s benefit with their own eyes…. Anyone foolish enough in the near future to bring up Social Security privatization will over that span be met with a chorus of “uhh…Remember 2008”.

Two, we are now given unlimited opportunities to fix long term problems that before seemed insurmountable under the old system, because back then….. we had to play by “old rules”. One of those old rules was that Medicare and Medicaid were here to stay. As mentioned in the previous chapter, replacing Medicare/Medicaid with a national insurance reimbursing physician’s visits, opens the door to getting one costly entitlement out of way and replacing it with a less costly but far better service…..

Three, today, the collapsed economy because of its severity, forces us into a massive Keynesian economic expansion unrivaled since World War II.. The huge impact of that last expansive episode took us 17 years to get our tax rates back to normal. But because of that wise investment we made back then, the global economy got fixed, which then went on to provide a remarkable 60 years of unparalleled growth and low risk. We can be assured that tax rates will remain extremely high for the next decade in order to pay back the deficit we just recently incurred by cutting them…. And that is a good thing.

Four. It is hard to raise taxes. But that is exactly what is needed. Wealth is good for a society only as long as a portion of it is invested back into to real people, real jobs, and real things. Rewarding the pursuit of “virtual” wealth caused by placing “bets” on rising or falling values may be fun, but leaves no lasting collateral once the fun runs out…. Taxes, on the other hand, serve the noble purpose of recycling money down to where it does its best work… I know, I know; arguments have often been made to the contrary, but today we actually see results; ones we have rendered from following the tax cutter’s plans. Unfortunately today’s economy and events have proved once and for all, that despite the copious amounts of hot air once spouted aloud about their potential, their “cutting taxes” hypothesis turned out to be nothing more than simple “voodoo” economics after all…

But fortunately because of today’s crises, we can again responsibly raise taxes on the wealthy and again fortunately for all (especially the wealthy), return this nation back to real prosperity. (Editors note: For fun, some snark is embedded above but in reality we will be only talking about the increase of a measly 5%).

Likewise for five, today’s crises gives us the opportunity to expand government. Some say that is bad… To them, I say “oh, no, that’s not what bad is… Bad is when you lose 50% of your retirement in 2 weeks because funding was pulled from the regulatory agencies responsible for monitoring the markets. THAT’S BAD!” There may be a point in the future where government does again get too big and too intrusive; but that time is not now… We are now at the point where if our government can’t save us…. there is absolutely no one left who can… Our world is deep in a WWII-mode crises all over again; where only the United States is big enough to mount the adequate defense and then initiate a future counter attack…

Six. Over the past 8 years, it became obvious that our infrastructure most definitely needed reworked. This crises gives us the opportunity to fix it; for now, “progress” will no longer get tied up with cries of “over-spending”… Today’s crises put that argument far, far behind us now… We are now more concerned with getting projects moving forward in the least wasteful manner possible. To our chagrin, it would be pure irony if the winning party that won by chastising the past administration for wasting “so much money” on “their pet project”, were to open themselves to the same criticism, by recycling “the past administration’s argument” in order to justify their “pet project’s” waste of money today….. Putting every expense on line will solve it…. Just as we recently discovered our bailout money going towards a corporate jet… having the ability to sniff out corruption in short time, will over the long term, give us the trust we need to get things moving forward quickly… We desperately need that trust in order to be effective; the quickest route to achieve it…. is openness.

Seven, we have historical accounts of what did and didn’t work during a previous Great Depression and we have at our finger tips a vast information system, allowing anyone to bring forward the next “great idea” which just may turn the tide. This epistle is just one example… The tried and true proposals prescribed herein are options that have been researched against the past economic downturn, and have therefore been tested in real time. The novel solutions incorporated herein were built out of questioning why the American economy of the 1930s took so long to recover… and what eventually caused it to grow. These theories may be untested by time, but then… so is every new idea. At their core however, they hopefully have enough historical data to sway even the most skeptical towards implementing their solutions…

The greatest lesson taught by the Great Depression is that “time” is our greatest foe.. Waiting, or allowing things to break up completely before beginning to rebuild from the damaged pieces, means we live squalid lives for decades. Rapid fixes and follow-up solutions will make our lives more enjoyable… We can deal with the long term problems later. But 1933 tells us we needs to jump start it now…

The second lesson that Great Depression teaches us is that change is hard to accept. Even after receiving a mandate for change as did our current leader, FDR still tried to win over the opposition party… It was to no avail.. Eventually he scrapped his attempts at conciliatory moderation as it became obvious that they would oppose whatever he did. Still under the sway of the capitalist’s philosophy that had ruled the previous decade, Roosevelt himself was guilty of inching far too slowly towards implementing direct government involvement. It took an upcoming war to finally sway him to embrace the direct injection of government borrowing into the economy on a massive scale. That made the difference.

Recently the U. S. House of Representatives voted 244 to 188 to pass the Economic Stimulus package; and every Republican lined up against it… As an observer of history it is interesting to note that the same Republican party made exactly the same political error during the Roosevelt’s first term, virtually guaranteeing a one party system over the next 14 years… It is somewhat sad to see history repeat itself… Republicans, apparently are neither familiar with history, …..nor the internet.

Eight, we have at the top of our government, an extremely gifted group of individuals who are charged with bringing major changes to bear in their respective areas. It would be hard to note a more talented cabinet thorough out our history… ( I can maybe think of perhaps two…) Perhaps we should thank the economic crises that brought this group together.. With current challenges being great, political differences were put aside in the interest of saving our country. Our past president’s litmus test was loyalty. This president’s…. is expertise. There is great deft of political instincts now surrounding this president, as well as expert wisdom, unparalleled in recent executive branch appointments. It’s ability to listen and think, seems to become the defining character trait we will forever associate with this administration..

Nine, we finally have a Congress working in sync with the Executive Branch in order to pass the necessary changes required by today’s events. Thanks to the American people, we were not given a stalemated Congress… Truly, the American people deserve their lion’s share of credit for making quick progress possible… It was they who ascertained that the “right president” backed by the “right” party in Congress, would be the only solution to move this nation forward. Yes, they can change their minds in two years.. but for now when timing is at its most critical, our two branches can work in sync as they were designed to by our Constitution. The antique politics of loyal interference, received a big thumbs down by the American people on November 4th, 2008. The voters were wise. Thanks to the American people, we are given a two year window of opportunity to right our ship of state, repair its structural damage, and unfurl its sails once more to set a course for greatness not even fathomed back in the August of last summer.

This economic cloud does indeed have its silver lining.

But…. sometimes…. just the opposite occurs. We see the silver lining…. and forget the dark cloud lurking underneath…. Today there are several proposals working their way through Congress which could cause harm even in their attempts to brighten our financial landscape.

One is a tax check to spend at will, … most of which will go to pay bills in order to stave off bankruptcy and will do nothing to generate either new manufactured products or new services.

Here it becomes clear just how far removed contributing authors to main stream media publications are from the reality that pervades the livelihood of everyday Americans.

Mr. Lindsey, a former Federal Reserve governor and assistant to President George W. Bush for economic policy, is president and CEO of the Lindsey Group. In a piece written to the Wall Street Journal, he uses this statement to demote the economic stimulus package that was dissed by every House Republican…

For a similar amount of money, the government could essentially cut the payroll tax in half, taking three points off the rate for both the employer and the employee. This would put $1,500 into the pocket of a typical worker!

This bragging about $1500 dollars, shows us they don’t grasp the scale that’s needed. The manager of my almost empty hair salon does… Her plan is exactly the same as Lindsey’s, but adds an extra zero. In her words, “if they would just give us $15,000 dollars to pay our debts, the economy could be rolling in 30 days.”

That’s the need… Sure, anyone desperate for cash will take one tenth of it, or $1500 dollars, for it will buy some time. It won’t create a turnaround in the economy, especially if a person is unemployed and not working. At best, the one tenth we receive will keep us from dropping…”as much..”

(Giving $15,000 to every American household irregardless of income level…at 117 million households: costs twice the Iraq War: $1.75 Trillion.)

But Lindsey’s plan is really aimed at providing bonuses to his base (business interests) . For if you read the details under his plan, they too will get $1500 payroll tax deduction for every employee. Have 10 employees? They just got the $15,000 that you said you needed. His plan sucks money out of the economy; it does not put it back.

Remember this: no business has to make money in order to survive. They just have got… “not to lose it”. On the other hand, working people DO have to make money in order to survive. For them, just “not-losing-money” is not an option that they have.. Whenever money is given out to any business, the benefit is political, not economic. Our economy is not bettered by corporations or companies making excessive profits. In fact, as one can see from the “Roaring Twenties”, the Reagan/Bush1 years and the Bush 2 years, excessive corporate profits are just the symptoms of a swelling bubble that inevitably bursts spectacularly. We’ve seen it three times; just before each time, corporate profits soared. On the other hand sustained long termed growth as accomplished by plans formulated during the Eisenhower and the Clinton years, forces corporate money thorough fear of higher taxes back into the companies themselves, in order to hide their profits from being taxed. That re-investment created jobs, which then created more demand for goods and services, which created more re-investment, which then created more jobs, and the economic circle begins climbing.

One must remember that there are two kinds of investments. One, is investing in the building of a manufacturing plant or service industry that employees people… The other, is simply making bets that certain stock certificate will rise in value… One adds money to the economy, causing the economy to grow. The other, is “virtual”. It does not affect the GDP. It does not create jobs. It has as much effect on the economy as betting on a horse.

For the recovery, if it is to happen, hinges on jobs. We need people who buy things. Giving loans to those at the top, for example a corporation like Macy’s in order to keep that brand afloat, will be wasted because those who do the buying, are the ones who still won’t have any money… Therefore in principal, if we are going to borrow a full $3000 dollars to give to every employee, in order to increase their spending which we hope will generate growth, it only makes sense to put that full $3000 directly into the hands of that employee. Splitting it 50/50 with a business dilutes its impact by half.

Republicans bet. Therefore their policies always help out those who play and bet with them.. Democrats don’t. They work. Therefore their policies always help out those who work hard with them.. That is an over simplification to be sure, but if you are approaching this issue for your first time, this simplification gives you some insight and structure into how each party’s actions correspond directly to their supporter’s motives.

Now back to having a tax check to spend…. Didn’t we just have one of those? Someone once said that insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and each time expecting a different result…

Has anyone ever thought of looking at the economic data from last summer and seeing what it’s net effect was then, then modeling it on what impact it might have on today’s economic situation?

What, no?

Well, now might be a good time! The stimulus of last summer was largely saved or used to pay down debt, despite George Bush imploring us to spend it as fast as we could. What was an annualized stimulus of 3% of GDP in the second quarter — which is quite large — only kept GDP growth positive for 1 quarter.

Considering the past quarter, it’s long term effects were nil. Its impact on savings were wiped out. It’s impact on debt was inconsequential.

As we see from these results, the Economic Stimulus Plan did little but raise the 2nd Quarter GDP 3%. After the funds were used, the collapse continued. All a stimulus plan does if it is not big enough, is buy three months of time…

We need something much bigger. Here is why. In November the average credit card debt alone amounted to $8320 dollars per household. Dropping a measly $1500 down off your credit card bill, will unfortunately, accomplish as little for the economy as if one dropped zero $0 dollars down. For if you still owe, … you still owe… Your minimum payment stays the same. The economy does not improve if everyone’s average debt drops from $8320 down to $6820. In fact, the economy actually gets hurt by those banks dependent upon the monthly 1.5% interest. Under this scenario, they lose (per household) $22 dollars in interest. Times twelve months this drop in income costs banks $264 dollars and if every household were to apply their stimulus check to their credit card bill, the yearly net loss to the banking industry would amount to 30.9 billion dollars; right at the time we are throwing money at them to keep them solvent.

The concept of stimulating the economy with a tax rebate is principally flawed. It is extremely flawed when consumer confidence is at an all time low such as it is now…. Tax cuts work only if the consumer spends all the extra amount that they receive. If the check just gets signed over to a bank, either in the form of an increased savings account… or of paying down debt,…. it doesn’t really help the overall economy.

But one would think so however. After all, with that much money available to be lent out, the supply cost for credit should drop, causing the price of credit to inch downward, thereby increasing the volume of it that is bought and used… The increased borrowing should in principal eventually spur the economy forward….

Aye, now here’s the rub.

If everyone is afraid to borrow because of sagging consumer confidence, the money just sits there. It does not get lent and there is no resulting positive impact upon the economy. Businesses have no customers and won’t borrow; at this time they certainly do not need to invest in new plants and equipment (which is why they need a tax cut least of all). Likewise a consumer who anticipates losing his livelihood, won’t spend and will instead, salt away every bit possible to enable him to survive should that happen.

The only people who will benefit from a tax cut and rebate… are the poor who live day to day.. Give them even a little money; it is spent that day. Unfortunately most of the items that they buy come from China, so the tax cut spurs little domestic manufacturing on these shores.

Realistically there are only two things that actually make the economy grow: population growth and gains in productivity. The former carries a lot of costs; the second is the only real fountain of prosperity. Tax cuts do absolutely nothing to aid our productivity.

On the other hand making a choice to use that money for infrastructure spending, for example rebuilding that I 35 bridge across the Mississippi, does increase efficiency by causing products to move faster between two points and actually does something solid to improve productivity.

For a tax cut to work, it has to spur consumption. The last one didn’t and now that consumer and business confidence is even lower, obviously, this upcoming one will not either…

As mentioned earlier, those touting for the passage of a tax cut stimulus check, are not really looking out for the average American’s interest. Other nefarious motives must be lurking behind their support for the receipt of a stimulus check in the mail….

For if they were truly concerned about our welfare, instead of wringing their limp hands over tax cuts, they should be working together to come up with something serious that eliminates our debt.

Happy Birthday Delaware

Photo Courtesy of Mapsofworld.com

In September 1787, a new framework for our Nation’s government was sent to the states for consideration. Thirty delegates were elected to meet and review the document. The meeting was convened here on December 3. Approval was unanimous, and on December 7, 1787, Delaware became the first state to ratify the Federal Constitution. A fitting climax to its role as Delaware’s “Capitol Tavern” occurred in January 1790, when the Council met to approve the Bill of Rights.

It’s Not The Parties, Smarties……

Just a brief comment spawned by a casual observation of where we are today….

The seed that germinated this thought arose from staring at the odd juxtoposition of two posts on “Elbert with An “E” blog just recently.

One was a jokingly fun poking comparison of the Democratic Party with the Socialist Workers party (there are similarities) in a spot right above commentary on Minner’s veto and its unfortunate effort to be overridden.

I was reminded again of how the entire blogging community, whether Republican or Democrat, had united in its wanting our state to protect our right to control our own property….It was universal. The last time anything universal occurred in the blogging world was with Bluewater Wind. Then before that, outrage over the actions of one infamous villain John Adkins……

It seems like the principal common denominator which fuels the anger seething in all of us, uniting us in such fashion, is our un-abashedly American, all-encompassing hatred of anyone who puts themselves as being above the letter of the law…. Adkins did, and now, the poor guy is nothing more than a “whack a mole ” head popping out of a platform full of holes. As soon as his skull begins to appear, bloggers everywhere bring their hammers down. So it is with the ghost of McDowell, who pompously tried to ride over the wishes and whims of the Delawarean people, 90% of whom said they wanted wind to supply their electricity. Now, as he strides through legislative hall you would think he was Monica Lewinsky by the number of furtive whispers echoing up and down the hallways, following his wake…..

It is now that a new target emerges before us. One that even if your were unconcerned before, by the method in which this deal was handled, you are involved now. Perhaps what is most galling to our personal egos, is our unwitting parts in the game called “Playing The Voter Like A Fool“. You know that game with the rules which go: “let’s pretend we are for something, but in the end, not get it done….”

Most of us respond to that frame of childishness by saying, “if you are against it, just come out and say so… Why waste everyone’s time?”

Now, not only do we have to fight for our rights as property owners, but we need to fight for our pride as well. And fortunately for us, that always makes one fight a little better…..

Our new target is really the same old target. But like an onion, as one strips away each layers, one descends to a more pungent core. That odious smell bringing tears to our eyes, comes not from our top elected representatives, but those who hide behind their machinations and program, modify, and control those very individuals who we elect to represent us.

This time it is that strange alliance between organized labor and the wealthy developers that dominates New Castle County. Held together mostly by phone calls and occasionally by a neutral planning organizations, these two groups have a common interest in building more, and more houses anywhere space can be found…. Which for those of you down south, explains how someone like Paul Clark can get elected up here in New Castle County.

Labor’s backing is indispensable for a primary fight. Thousands of volunteers flock across our state lines to support whichever candidate their affiliated union is backing. Often striking up a conversation with someone holding an election sign, yields this incredible answer. After taking their pamphlet from their hand, listening to their plea, ask them how they know the candidate….. They won’t lie to you. They will tell you just where they come from….as well as how much they are earning for their work that day…..

So if you are running against a labor endorsed opponent, you had better count on at least 10 people of your own at every polling place, to match the ten of theirs, if you wish to portray a showing of strength…. Which means in practical terms, that as a politician, if labor talks, you follow through on what they say because if they decide to dump you, it will invariably cost you too much to stay even…….

Now this can be good for society if labor says go with prevailing wage. (lol Dave) But it is not good if it is used to set back the 5th Amendment of the Constitution of the United States of America….

“No person shall be … deprived of life, liberty, or property, without due process of law; nor shall private property be taken for public use, without just compensation.”

Of course it is implicit that “just compensation” stands to mean what my property is worth to me, not the one trying to steal it out from under me…. If you want Osborne to move…make him an offer he CAN”T refuse…. (Here, Ed, take this 40 Billion, spend it on the wife and kids….)

Whereas John Carney looked unbeatable just last Thursday, here today on Tuesday, most bets are off, because it has become readily apparent that his roots penetrate deep into this group. Intertwining roots from which he cannot run.

The time for games has past. Today the pendulum is swinging towards a time when our Constitution shall again be enforced. Perhaps our newly-acquired heightened-sensitivity to our Constitution’s demise, is due in part to those arrogant actions taken by those who are solely intent on protecting themselves at our expense…. Perhaps their haughty dismissal of our cherished national document, that has indeed piqued our anger a little, enough that when anyone tampers with changing its basic principals, each one of us jumps on with fists pounding.

Because of this escapade, John Carney is the unfortunate target. The one most readily available.

Governor Minner is a lame duck. All other candidates have said they would have signed this legislation in a heart beat. The Republican party, on its last breath, has now been given a respirator. And yesterday’s joke, Charlie Copeland, actually voted to override the Governor’s veto…..(although we will find out one day that he did so knowing that it would not have passed anyway…) since that is sooooo unlike him. Matt Denn has a “by” and as of today, I assume his silence is due to the support he currently has with this element.

Perhaps as did Cornwallis at his surrender at Yorktown, we should today play “When the World Turned Upside Down.”

Imagine if in November we go against the grain of the entire US, and keep the House Republican, turnover the Senate and elect a Republican for Governor. If that were to happen, it could be traced right back to this unethical decision made by a lame Governor, and backed by the labor-developer contingent of both parties.

For it brings into focus that neither of the political parties themselves are to blame. It is the individual members of those parties who have gone to bed with this contingent (and forever more, must plan their lives around the periodic inflammations that occur because of it….) we have to watch out for.

Some of them voted to sustain the veto.

Those voting to sustain the veto were Amick, Blevins, Cloutier, Connor, Cook, DeLuca, Henry, Marshall and McDowell. 9 in all .

Amick will be resigning. Blevins, Cloutier, Conner, Cook, and McDowell all have terms that do not expire this year. That leaves only DeLuca, Henry, and Marshall as targets. Each of these reside in extremely lopsided Democratic districts, and most likely, will not have any primary challenger this September.

But if by God’s grace one does appear, they will require our entire blogosphere’s undying support, as those brave souls prepare to charge the Gates of Mordor against those out of state laborers manning the polls on election day. We must do so united, in order to next year rewrite these wrongs herein made against our noble Constitution of the United States of America.

Is the National Republican Party Just Like the German National Socialist Party (Nazi’s)

I am taking a break from discussing wind power and just how much it will save for each of us, in order to talk about another topic which has hit the news recently. Of course, based on my pocketbook, dropping every Delawarean’s electrical rates is very important. But it pales far less than whether or not we have a country left, or more appropriately, whether like Humpty Dumpty, the pieces are splintered too tiny to even bother picking them up and patching them back together.

As you know, Dennis Kucinich proffered the Articles of Impeachment on the floor of the House and they are now in the Congressional Record for every historian to read….. There is some question where Mike Castle stands on the issue, which of course is what brought that topic into the arena of the local blogosphere.

In essence the articles were shelved into committee, and done with little national coverage….. But there was much rejoicing among real Americans, ie those not controlled by corporations. Actually a more apt description would be this: those often screwed by corporations……

Republicans, at least those who still carry cards touting their Republicanism, are dumbfounded…. How can this be? They wonder. How can a large segment of the population wish for and support the impeachment of the one to whom they’ve sworn a secret loyalty pledge, like little fifth graders playing in the bushes…..? They wonder.

Today, a spokesman for House Minority Leader John Boehner (R-OH) dismissed the call for impeachment as the efforts of “left-wing bloggers“:

This is just another example of the Democratic leadership in the House indulging trivial and silly conspiracy theories from left-wing bloggers, rather than working with Republicans to deal with the real issues facing the American people.

I feel kind of honored. Although he would be shocked to find out who I am. But we are getting through, and they are scared… We know this from that fact that we were not dismissed. As anyone knows who has run a third party candidacy, the first line of defense against a new force is not to acknowledge it… “What, bloggers? What are they?” Obviously normal American citizens simply tired of the way this country has spiraled downhill over the last 8 years, are a force to be reckoned with, and now need to be castigated with derogatory terms… We have been bumped up to the second level.

This is a badge of honor in a way. This means two things. One is that it means that we are scaring them. There are grounds for impeachment and they know it. It means that only a hair is left standing to protect their president from the most shameful thing to ever happen within their party. And that thing is that: their official party structure openly and entirely supported the Executive’s office disrespectful dismissal and violation of the Constitution. From the email soldiers of 2004 up to the highest office itself, except for the brave few (Chick Hagel) who tried to publicly call them out on the error of their ways, the Republican Party goosestepped their way across the pages of our nations most revered document.

Our ancestors fought for that document. Our police officers swore to uphold that document, and ironically so did each of those legislators withing the Republican party who looked the other way when this happened….

Now I understand that my title may be shocking for some. And since I am more of a rational than emotional type of person, the casual reader should probably know that this title came to mind only because just an hour before typing this screed, I was in a park serendipitously describing to eleven year olds, the rise of Hitler in Nazi Germany…..

[1933 Nazi Election Poster – This poster is from the March 1933 Reichstag election, the last one in which Germans had a choice. The poster shows President Hindenburg and Chancellor Hitler. The caption: “The Reich will never be destroyed if you are united and loyal.” Courtesy of Dr. Robert D. Brooks.] Courtesy of Calvin.edu

Most often we blame Hitler for the horrible things that occurred during that time of history…. What I told those children in their yellow day-camp shirts, was that we often look and blame a villain without looking at the fact that we ourselves put them in power and then did nothing out of timidity, to stop them….. Those few actually speaking out were killed off first, then those likely to speak out were killed off second, and those who knew those who had been likely to speak out were killed off third,…etc, etc and soon there was no one to say “hell no… it ain’t so.” (Little kids love cool sounding phrases).

There were 35 million voting Germans, and only one Hitler. If they truly wanted they could have gathered on his front lawn, stormed his house at midnight, grabbed him and pulled him apart, literally, in 35 million directions…. It didn’t happen.

The Republican Party, except for a few heroes, (Chuck Hagel) are as guilty as was the German population during Hitler’s ascendancy during the 30’s. ( The Germans had their hero Speer).

The second important fact that Boehner makes when he paints “left wing bloggers” as an evil empire living on a nearby death star, with a secret weapon almost in completion, instead of who they really are, regular people who work for a living and are tired of the way things have been run under Republican leadership, so tired in fact that they use their free time to research the Republican government and expose their inadequacies to a public that is not allowed to read those type of things in corporate sanctioned media outlets…..

And that is…

That they are afraid of the defection by party faithful…. Normally one tries to act like a good guy. a jovial person, a likable bloke for the simple reason that as one deals with other people in the give and take of the real world, that if people like you , you tend to get more of what you want…. Therefore this controversial tone being used by Boehner is not dispensed to make things easier for Republicans to exercise their power. It is designed to scare their core group away from defection, and into staying within the Republican fold…. Just as did the Nazi party, just as did Khrushchev after Stalin’s death, just as did the Communists is Southwest Asia, and most recently just as did a handful of extremists in some summer camp in the Afghan Himalayas, anytime one wants to browbeat a group that would rather be somewhere else, one rants and raves at a common enemy while blocking all information that proves the contrary is true….

Brainwashing.

That is just what Boehner did….. or attempted to do,…..of failed miserably at doing…….

Because this is not yet a country of broken spirited people as was Nazi Germany during the 1920’s and 1930’s.

This is America… and damn it, we understand the Constitution and we understand exactly what Republicans are doing to destroy it!

And unlike those feeding on the udders of the Republican Party, we, the normal people of America, tend to see those actions as being synonymous with the terms of ” High Crimes and Misdemeanors.”

If any Republican wishes to be reelected, perhaps they should consider this too. For if they are willing to cite poll data, and trust it implicitly when it states the number of Americans who want offshore drilling (today’s news)……. be advised that the same type of poll data doesn’t paint you well at all.

For…….

“A July 2007 poll found that 46 percent of voters in favor beginning impeachment proceedings against President Bush. Furthermore, a 2005 poll said 42 percent of voters say that “if it is found that President Bush did not tell the truth about his reasons for going to war with Iraq, Congress should hold him accountable through impeachment.”

Now that we know the truth, that your administration did got to war and lied about its reasons, that number is much higher than 42%…..

Shall we guess 71%? (based on April’s data).. At 300 million Americans that amounts to 213 million Americans desperately craving some form of accountability by Congress for Republican’s total disregard for the Constitution…….

That’s quite a few “left wing bloggers” Boehner,…..wouldn’t you say?

Dana’s Good Friend Kucinich Launches Impeachment

The Impeachment process has begun…..

We must remember what is at stake, is not the reputation of a sitting president, nor is it about the future of a certain political party…

Instead what is at stake ….is whether our Constitution is still valid as of this year, 2008. Various crimes against it have been made by this administration. Our question is this: do we continue forward into time with our founding father’s vision?,,,,,Or do we scrap it and allow ourselves to become lthe same as every other superpower?

That is the debate upon which all of us need to stay focused…

Let’s not allow ourselves become sidetracked by distractive sideshows…….

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Some Big Thoughs Generated by a Small Statement

With passage of HCR38 on Thursday, a new message of opposition was circulated among the Sussex County republicans who opposed the resolution as it was written.

Several members said it was wrong for state government to force two companies to do business.

That is an interesting claim that bears some scrutiny.

Is it wrong for a government to impose the people’s will upon a business?

At first, it seems to go against every libertarian grain deeply embedded within the American psyche. We fought for our right to be free of excess government, and we continually fight that battle to preserve those rights.

If we broke away from our mother country over a tax imposed on our consumption of tea……….how can we justify government intervention into the give and take of what goes on within our businesses?

Now forgive me for making a jump here……but to get to the right answer, we need first to determine who, or what, our government is?

If we take the assumption that our government is an entity imposed upon me by another who has goals differing drastically in a direction from mine, then that government’s intervention could by a stretch, be considered inappropriate at worst, and un-American at best……

The opposing point of view is that if our government represents us, and the businesses it oversees, is a representative of another who has goals differing drastically from the direction of mine, then……we have the opposite effect. Lack of intervention would be deemed inappropriate at worst, as well as un-American at best.

So to get to the essence of the question, we have to first figure out who is more representative of our needs and wishes………………

Lets do so by poking around this scenario.

Obviously I should be allowed to charge citizens $5 for a gallon of gas. If you have no choice but to buy from me, then good for me….bad for you. This economic philosophy is often spouted by those who contemporarily have the economic upper hand, and is politcally embodied by whichever party of the time, chooses to stake the ground those upper handed stand upon, and grovel for their crumbs.

But failing any competition, you take it on the chin every time you buy my gas. You are paying an excess charge just to make me rich. As you suffer, the entire economy also suffers by siphoning away monies needed elsewhere, to expand my pockets. I have no incentive to abstain from hurting you. (Hmmm…why stop at $5. I think I’ll raise it to $6)

For our government (which is supposed to represent YOU) to sit idly by and do nothing because of a silly political principal, results in a failure to do its job in representing you, the very people who elected it to govern.

So the underlying principle that needs to be settled in order to appropriately answer this question, is this: Is our government elected to represent us…….or our businesses and corporations.

As all should do whenever such questions arise, we should turn our attention to our founding document. In this case, I think attention to the Constitution is appropriate. It begins with “WE, the People.” What It does not say is “We, the Corporation.” In fact, corporations are mentioned nowhere in the original Constitutional document. It would be wise to remember that people vote in every election, whereas, corporations do not.

Therefore when our government has to choose between the corporation and a person, one would always expect the cause of a person to trump that of a corporation. The only leg a corporation has to stand on in this country is …….( and we owe Alexander Hamilton kudos for bringing this up), that the economic well being of a corporation often benefits many far and beyond the one or two individuals in the process of opposing them…………….

Bottom line is this. That in this great country, “WE, the People” should always have our wants, wishes, and wills respected. The only time we get into trouble, is where various factions of ourselves, have opposing wants, wishes, and wills. As a nation, we circumvented this problem by outlining clearly, that indecision would be settled throughout our future, by a flat out vote. Whoever won the majority, would decide the issue.

90% of Delawareans want an offshore wind farm. The majority is obvously there. Delmarva, who by lot, circumstance, and history, happens to be the entitity that currently supplies our power, does not want that windfarm…….

So we vote.

The majority wins.

End of controversy.

In God we Trust……..

Why We Blog

Because that……. is what we do.

Can the News Journal Editorial Board Really Be That Stupid?

Amendment 4: United States Constitution

The right of the people to be secure in their persons, houses, papers, and effects, against unreasonable searches and seizures, shall not be violated, and no warrants shall issue, but upon probable cause, supported by oath or affirmation, and particularly describing the place to be searched, and the persons or things to be seized.

WE, as guaranteed by our nation, have the right to be free from unreasonable search and seizure. Why the News Journal would take the other tack, that government has the right to violate the Constitution at will, boggles the mind. What on earth were they thinking?

Do they hate America? Or do they think that those who spend their money each day to keep the News Journal afloat, do not deserve the very protection they themselves have wrapped around them under Delaware’s Corporate Law?

Perhaps they are poorly informed. With a quick simple search they could certainly see that most of the early requests for wiretaps and spying were directed not at terrorists, but at former Clinton governmental employees still held over from the last administration.

With a quick and simple search, they could certainly see that this administration first broke the law days after entering office, long before 9/11 occurred, by instituting Gestapo style spying of Democrats and members of Congress, digging deep for black-mailable offenses no doubt.

With a quick and simple search, they could certainly see that these “Spying on America” bills were rushed through Congress, one along Republican party lines when they had the majority, the other with scare tactics just minutes before summer recess was to begin.

With a quick and simple search, they could certainly see that last summer, a secret FISA court stacked with appointees loyal to the administration, ordered Cheney/Bush to abandon their wiretapping. It was highly illegal. Which now explains why we had the unprecedented rush to pass the Protect America Act which mandates that any citizen can be wiretapped simply because the “administration says so” , and that no one would be allowed to monitor the Constitutional aspects of whether those listening devices were or were not illegal.

With a quick and simple search, they could certainly see that one company, Quest, refused to go along with the requests for spying before 9/11 and is now facing some type of harassment litigation by the Justice Department over some minor unrelated infraction………

With a quick and simple search, they could certainly see that scores of American citizens have been picked up, whisked overseas, tortured, and then been told, “sorry, we seem to have made a mistake.”

Currently there are forty some lawsuits around the country from victims of governmental mistakes. These citizens have had their lives ruined by a violation of the Fourth Amendment. If this legislation is allowed to continue, they are being forbidden their right to seed redress for their sufferings.

When you do something wrong, you should be held accountable.

But for some reason the News Journal thinks differently. They think anyone who gives information to Dick Cheney should be given a get out of jail card for free.

That argument is the equivalent of saying that any criminal who breaks into a families home, orders them on the ground, steals their belongs, and then murders them execution style, should be let go without charges because he was doing it on orders from someone else.

No! News Journal, what on earth were you thinking?

And next time could, get your facts right? It was not a Democrat leadership political ploy. They actually tried to get an extension passed to cover the recess. It was a combination of very conservative Republicans and very Liberal Democrats who were sick, tired, and disgusted with this Unconstitutional Administration violating the Constitution.

Like an OVERWHELMING number of Americans who hate this administration, they decided that the original FISA bill that we default to now that Bush legislation has expired, kept us fairly safe for twenty years of the cold war and beyond. It was only after we violated it secretly, January 20, 2001, that we got ourselves a 9/11.

Finally in an ironic twist of fate, let us use the president’s words themselves.

“He said either you are with us………or you are against us. ”

After reading this:

The right of the people to be secure in their persons, houses, papers, and effects, against unreasonable searches and seizures, shall not be violated, and no warrants shall issue, but upon probable cause, supported by oath or affirmation, and particularly describing the place to be searched, and the persons or things to be seized.

It is obvious that the News Journal is against us.

The real question is “why”? What are they hiding?

High Crimes

I do solemnly swear (or affirm) that I will faithfully execute the Office of President of the United States, and will to the best of my Ability, preserve, protect and defend the Constitution of the United States. George W. Bush: January 20, 2001.

Meanwhile:

In an unusual related legal development, on October 13, 2007, The Washington Post reported that Joseph P. Nacchio, the former CEO of Qwest Communications, is appealing an April 2007 conviction on 19 counts of insider trading by alleging that the government withdrew opportunities for contracts worth hundreds of millions of dollars after Qwest refused to participate in an unidentified National Security Agency program that the company thought might be illegal. According to court documents unsealed in Denver in early October as part of Nacchio’s appeal, the NSA approached Qwest about participating in a warrantless surveillance program more than six months before the Sept. 11, 2001 attacks which have been cited by the government as the main impetus for its efforts. Nacchio is using the allegation to try to show why his stock sale should not have been considered improper. ^[15] According to a lawsuit filed against other telecommunications companies for violating customer privacy, AT&T began preparing facilities for the NSA to monitor “phone call information and Internet traffic” seven months before 9/11.^[16] (Source)

“Mr President: I Refuse to Yield The Floor”

Those of us who study history are often amazed how little things taking place miles away will ultimately cast a huge impact over all.

Imagine living in Georgia, waking up on April 19, 1775 working the farm, eating and going to bed without even remotely having a clue that over a thousand miles away, a shot fired would be heard around the world.

“Honey, did you hear ‘dat noise?
“Yep, somebody must be out catchin’ ’em some food.”

And now some two hundred and thirty-three years later, after fighting first for this country, then against this country, then against opponents of that country, then against a country of opponents, and finally Georgia is where it is today.

And it all originated on a Green in the center of Lexington, Massachusetts . There, blood was spilled in defense of the truly original American notion that: I’m fed up and I’m not going to take it anymore.

Tomorrow an event of much greater magnitude will take place and probably will go unnoticed by even WDEL. Before I go on, can anyone guess what it will be?

I refer to the revised FISA bill that goes up before a Senate vote tomorrow, February 12th, 2008. Those of you who do not follow Constitutional politics may be scratching your head, wondering why this would even be considered on the scale of the Battle of Lexington, April 19, 1775.

First: some background.

FISA was originally passed after Nixon had confused the concept of National Security with that of “Nixon’s security”. Thereby assuming both were synonymous, it was morally perfectly acceptable to bug the Democratic headquarters thereby enabling Nixon to stay in power by knowing in advance where Democratic “punches” would land.

FISA didn’t change much. It just said that someone else needed to look over the Executive Branch’s shoulder, and approve and insure that American values were protected. After 9/11 Cheney used the hysteria to say that no one should be looking over their shoulder. Having someone do so would endanger our safety. Although it made little sense, many went along and allowed it to happen.

To everyones surprise but mine, these new powers were not focused on terrorists. They were used predominantly on government employees, to vet out those within the State, Energy, and Defense Departments who might latter oppose ridiculous policies when they came forth. Fortunately the legislators put an end date, thereby killing this policy on a certain date. December 31, 2005.

In a hasty move, an extension was rushed through before the Congressional August holiday, extending the powers until two Friday’s ago. ( If your computer and internet connection seems to responding better today, you now know why. )

Tomorrow a vote takes place on a replacement FISA bill. Included in this bill is a blanket protection of immunity of all telephonic companies who complied with illegal searches of citizens records: searches that had no bearing on National Security. The telephone companies answer is, as expected: “Cheney made us do it.”

In a usual courtroom case of first degree murder, twelve members of the jury usually do not acquit a murderer of a spouse and innocent children, simply because he was told by someone else to do it. However it is certainly possible, that the trigger person could deal with the D/A and get a much reduced sentence by explaining the truth as it REALLY happened. There is a benefit to society in doing so. Currently there are at least seven lawsuits against these telephony companies who broke several basic privacy laws that have stood for centuries. By granting immunity to these companies there will be no way of getting them to testify, thereby enabling the American public to determine once and for all, that no wrongdoing was evident.

Since the sweat beading on the brow of this administration and the foreheads of all the telephon execs is telling, their innocence appears doubtful.

Therefore this ploy of granting immunity can be seen as an attempt to protect the “evil doers”, those very same who wish to undermine all American values.

The House has voted “No” shutting out any immunity for the telecoms. The only hope left to Cheney is for the Senate to vote Yes and then in secret negotiations with the House, re-add these immunity parts to this bill.

In the Senate, a yes vote looks likely, partly in thanks to Tom Carper. Hence, those few Senators still not compromised by Cheney, nor bought out by the telephony corporations, will attempt a last stand by use of a filibuster on the Senate floor. Chris Dodd leads the charge beginning with the procedural statement, ( Mr. President, I refuse to yield.) He will be joined by Russ Feingold, Ted Kennedy, and now, Patrick Leahy, each who will jump in with a question to the Senator long enough to insure that no puddles stain the Congressional carpet. These precious few will attempt to hold the floor until enough heat is put on the administration and Harry Ried by you, the public, forcing them to fold their hand.

So why is this important?

Great question. Up until this point the United States has been a nation created for the people, of the people, and by the people. If this bill goes forward, we will have switched our interpretation of the Constitution and become a nation for the corporation, of the corporation, and by the corporation. In other words, the needs of the corporation will from this point hence, take precedence over the needs of the citizen.

Some of us think that is just wrong. Corporations can’t vote. But with enough money and creative advertising, they can steer us to vote for who they want. But didn’t our ancestors fight so that we could be free and independent, and not beholden to some corporation?

Of course in a sense we are beholden to corporations most of our lives. Does one own your house? Your car? Does one cover your automobile accidents, your heath cost overruns? Does one supply your power, your fuel, our your paycheck? Stop and think for a moment just how much of your personal income is turned over to our corporations. Most if not all?

Now I don’t mine being beholden to a corporation if I am getting something that I want: a house, a car, a flat screen TV, especially if I couldn’t have any of those things without their help. But to have no recourse, and be forced to vote their way on issues, only because they know secrets of my past known to no one else, sends our country down the path to more corporatedom, than is good for the people. Essentially this bill will change Bedford Falls into Pottersville.

This bill tomorrow will help determine whether we hasten down the dark path of corporate domination, or whether we have tools at our disposal to check them and balance things when they step out of line. Will we be in charge, or will they?

This bill decides.

Right now, those corporations who chose to spy for the Bush administration are desperately trying to escape criminal prosecution. But if this precedent is allowed, any future corporations whether seeking past due amounts, or fishing to break your lease or steal your property, will always refer back to this bill to justify their further encroachment of our rights.

Little know fact: In Delaware three years ago, one jury actually took a stand, declaring by their verdict that even in the most justifiable of circumstances, even when used against the most odious, sickening elements of humanity, privacy issues were sacred and could not be touched.

There is precedent here. A jury of twelve random people has forced upon a court the decision that neither private individuals, nor corporations have any right whatsoever to release another’s private history. Tomorrow it is time our government itself become subject to the same laws as its citizens.

So while you go about your daily duties, somewhere far away, a handful of very motivated and angry Senators, are fighting for your’s and your grand children’s right to privacy. Whether they succeed or fail, their ripple in time will be felt perhaps as long as the next two hundred and thirty three years….