I voted for President Obama. I did this in part, because I listened to him and I read what he said, and as far as I can see, he's a rational, reasonable human being, and a man of principle. The other reason I voted for him, quite frankly, is that he isn't a Republican. The Republican party rules, it doesn't govern, and it does so with contempt for the subjects. The Democratic party must stand toe-to-toe with the Republicans, backing them down and undoing some of their skulduggery, or we, the 99%, will be crushed once and for all.
It is said that 1% of the people in this country own most of its assets. The land, the capital, the banking institutions, the production machinery, etc., are theirs. Increasingly, as the years have gone by, I have seen the result of the rise to power of this 1%, and seen what it means for the rest of us. Their motto is, “Never enough.” (Or, maybe it's, “Nothing for the 99%”). Any suggestion that those who are better off have a moral duty to share with their less fortunate fellows is met with hysterical cries of “socialism!” They will go to their graves secure in their conviction that might makes right, and they are right. To them, that--and they--are all that matters.
I know of no spiritual tradition (unless one considers Satanism to be “spiritual”) that advocates destroying the planet and killing or condemning the masses to lives of misery and squalor for the benefit of the avaricious few. Nonetheless, such are the results of rule by this vicious minority, and it must be noted that many of them claim to be Christians. Even the misery and squalor are only begrudgingly allowed because someone has to be available to serve as cannon fodder abroad, and grist for the machine at home. If not for that, the 1% would, without compunction, plow the 99% under for fertilizer.
Only a short time has passed since the election, and it is already clear that the 1%, through their Republican minions and their sympathizers who remain entrenched in government, have dug in, folded their arms, and are absolutely determined to deny the 99% even the slightest gain.
Barack Obama must be a brave and forceful man, indeed, to forestall the final ruination of this country by the 1%, but he will not do it by playing fair. Far from it; he will have to trade the olive branch for a whip, harden his open heart, and lay in with that whip, or this will be the last generation of Americans who can even pay lip service to “freedom.” If he fails, the pretense will no longer be necessary, for only our masters will be free, to do with the rest of us—the 99% of us—as they please.
They won't be held back by any notions of fairness or compassion.
I heard a woman talking today. She was saying that we are all winners because when we were conceived it was a race for the egg by millions of sperm and we were the one that won.
Never mind the patriarchic context. We are after all the byproduct of both egg and sperm but it truly is the sperm that competes and the egg, at least according to popular understanding, is a relatively passive recipient of frantic attention. I heard once from a fellow carpenter that the egg becomes softer to penetration by sperm when a woman has had an orgasm, hmmm.
I was, while this parable was being issued, suddenly flung into a dream. In this dream I am, or was, about seven and on a playground behind a public school. I was looking around at the other children and suddenly realizing that this was not the world I had hoped or assumed that it was. I saw for the first time that this was an intensely competitive place, this world of humans, not co-operative or loving or even mutually satisfactory really. I saw the other children locked in an animal race for domination and fulfillment of whatever instinctive need presented itself. I was shocked, angered. I was extremely angry.
I made a decision then that has colored my entire life. I decided to never engage in the struggle, to neither win nor lose. I decided to disengage.
I returned to my chair in the room with the woman and finished listening to her talk and after the thing was over I told her the effect her words had on me. She seemed to understand and said that my expectation that the world be fair, her word, is entirely unreasonable. I interjected that although she may be right it is not because my hope is not beautiful but because it is not the way the world really is. I later realized that I had fallen into a syntactic trap by accepting both the word fair as assessment of my desire and by accepting the assumption that I had wanted the world, of humans, to be fair rather than merely assuming, as a child, that it already was.
The truth is that those who have won the race are by definition winners. And that if winning the race gets one alive then right on for winning. The truth is that when she spoke of winners she was talking to those who might suspect that they were losers and so the dichotomy is reinforced through consolation.
If there is a god then he is a trickster.
I like that kid I was on that playground. I respect his decision.
To win or lose is a stupid way to spend ones life. To win or lose is a tragic misuse of the incredible and gigantic potentials of humanity.
I must say though that as an adult I am having a rather different perspective on the issue. If I see a rent it is my duty to either sew it closed or tear it further open according to my will. I am, after all a member.
Will The Fairness Doctrine Silence The Conservative Voice?
Listen to the Ed Meese Radio SpotFreedom of Speech Our 1st Amendme... I have just taken action to stop the attacks on our Free Speech Rights, and I'm asking that you join with me by clicking here: Will The Fairness Doctrine Silence The Conservative Voice? + + Will The Fairness Doctrine Silence The Conservative Voice? Will 2009 usher in a fanatical push to re-instate the so-called Fairness Doctrine? Such a move would effectively silence the conservative voice and remove the last conservative stronghold against a fast-moving liberal agenda. James & Lydia, One need only read the words of Dianne Feinstein to see the true threat to conservative speech that is brewing on the horizon!" Talk radio tends to be one-sided. It also tends to be dwelling in hyperbole. It's explosive. It pushes people to, I think, extreme views without a lot of information ... I'm looking at the [Fairness Doctrine]... Unfortunately, talk radio is overwhelmingly one way." Recognizing this threat, the Media Research Center has created the Free Speech Alliance which is a coalition of organizations and citizens strongly opposed to any such move to limit or undermine our Free Speech Rights! Please take a moment right now to join the hundreds of thousands of Americans who oppose the Fairness Doctrine and all that it stands for by clicking here: Will The Fairness Doctrine Silence The Conservative Voice? Thanks for joining with me. Mr. & Mrs. James & Lydia Everitt P.S. If the liberal voice in America has their way, the Fairness Doctrine will end conservative talk--including Rush, Sean, Laura, Mark, and a host of others. Take action today by clicking here: Will The Fairness Doctrine Silence The Conservative Voice? Hey, President-Elect Obama is hard at work getting this country back on track, but he’s counting on all of us to get involved.I just signed up to learn more about the presidential transition, and I thought you might want to do the same. Just visit Presidential Transition, and enter your e-mail address in the top right corner. Thanks. Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof, or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances. Amendment I, The Bill of Rights Freedom of Speech - Our 1st Amendment - Our Sacred Right! Posted by Better Home Business at 9:04 AM 0 comments Links to this post Labels: biden, blueprint, Bush, commercial, Congress, economy, Election, energy, gotcha, grassroots, independence, kennedy, McCain, News, Obama, outreach, palin, pickensplan, political, senate
I was bit disappointed with the discussion of Joe the Plumber in the last debate. But not because McCain chose to take from the discussion an issue that divided us: Should we “spread the wealth around” in a way that might seem be more equitable through a socialist-like redistribution of income? Nor was it because it propagated the fiction that there are lots of people just like us, teachers, fireman, and plumbers, who make $250,000 a year. I expected that. What disappointed me was that Obama didn’t take the opportunity to make a case for progressive taxation that was a foundation of the economic message in his book, The Audacity of Hope.
There are values that we all share. Values that define who we are as a nation: (1) The American Dream: that every American, no matter who they are or where they come from, can achieve a good life for their family it they work hard and play by the rules; (2) Fairness: Everyone should pay their fair share of the costs for the benefits they reap from our society; (3) We Are All in this Together: In America we rise and fall together. We don’t cut and run, abandoning those who stood by us in the social compact that binds us as a nation.
The case for asking Joe, or anyone else that rises far enough to make $250,000 a year, to pay more taxes than the rest of us has nothing to do with income equity and redistribution and everything to do with these basic values. Joe benefited from our educational system and from laws and regulations that kept the playing field level for people like him. Before he became successful, he couldn’t afford to fund these things from which he benefited as much as he can now. Does he really want to deny this same opportunity to those who, though no fault of their own, haven’t yet become as successful as he has?
Joe, because of his success, uses, and benefits from, more of the resources of our society than someone less successful. If you have seven houses, you benefit much more from the fire protection budget than someone with none. Joe has benefited more from the stable economic climate our military expenditures and economic regulations have provided. His fleet of vans and the chemicals he sends down drains cost us more as a society to clean up after than a teacher does. Does he really think it is fair to not pay his fair share for the systems he benefits from?
If Joe were to become old or disabled, lose his business, or face a catastrophic illness in his family, we as a society would not abandon him. We are only as good as we treat the least of our brothers, and only as strong as the weakest of our neighbors. He depends upon his neighbors being well off enough to buy his services. His quality of life depends on the people in his neighborhood having enough hope to keep them from turning to a life of crime or drugs. He is not an island: his customers, the people who serve him when he goes out to dinner, who bag his groceries, and valet park his car all affect him and make up his community. Now that he has made it, does he really want to abandon them? Will he really cut and run on the people with whom he lives? We are all in this together.
I thought Obama’s performance was good enough. But what I really would have liked to have heard in this time when fear is overpowering hope, what I really would have like to have seen, was Barack Obama’s calm face and warm eyes looking our from my TV screen and saying: “In America, anyone can become Joe the plumber. In America, if you play by the rules, anyone make a safe home for their family. In America, even in this time of trouble, we are all in this together. This isn’t just in Red America. This isn’t just in Blue America. It’s just America, and these are the values that define us.”
The era of greed and irresponsibility on Wall Street and in Washington has created a financial crisis as profound as any we have faced since the Great Depression. Congress and the President are debating a bailout of our financial institutions with a price tag of $700 billion or more in taxpayer dollars. We cannot underestimate our responsibility in taking such an enormous step. Whatever shape our recovery plan takes, it must be guided by core principles of fairness, balance, and responsibility to one another. Please sign on to show your support for an economic recovery plan based on the following:• No Golden Parachutes -- Taxpayer dollars should not be used to reward the irresponsible Wall Street executives who helmed this disaster.• Main Street, Not Just Wall Street -- Any bailout plan must include a payback strategy for taxpayers who are footing the bill and aid to innocent homeowners who are facing foreclosure.• Bipartisan Oversight -- The staggering amount of taxpayer money involved demands a bipartisan board to ensure accountability and oversight.Show your support and encourage your friends and family to join you: http://my.barackobama.com/ourplan The failed economic policies and the same corrupt culture that led us into this mess will not help get us out of it. We need to get to work immediately on reforming the broken government -- and the broken politics -- that allowed this crisis to happen in the first place. And we have to understand that a recovery package is just the beginning. We have a plan that will guarantee our long-term prosperity -- including tax cuts for 95 percent of families, an economic stimulus package that creates millions of new jobs and leads us towards energy independence, and health care that is affordable to every American. It won't be easy. The kind of change we're looking for never is. But if we work together and stand by these principles, we can get through this crisis and emerge a stronger nation. Thank you, Barack
I'm 60 years old, and I don't think I could handle the vice presidency, let alone the presidency. I'm pretty sure either job would kill me.
Just the other day I was loading up the outboard motors with the Railway Express guy, and I asked him what he thought of the Vice President candidate?.
"She's cute," he says.
"Not THAT candidate!", I says.
Anyone remember there is another VP candidate?
I started this job the week Bobby Kennedy was killed. 40 years later, I'm still doing the samww job (well, not technically, since I'm now an employee of LaborCorpCo, and they "lease" me to the Outboard Company.
I could think so much more clearly then.
Yes, I was younger. But I also had less distractions-- not that I didn't want them.
I read about my team the New York Jets in the Daily News or World Journal Tribune.
I listened to Wabc radio.
And I drove a '66 Chevy Impala and gas was 33 cents.
So I read some, worked some, watched some tv, went to a movie with my sweety, took a shower, went to bed, and started up the next morning with my bag lunch and cornhuskers lotion and went to work.
I knew the difference between real and fake and right and wrong.
Now, I'm not so sure. There's reality shows which aren't real. Pro Wrestling is bigger than ever, and Britney Spears causes a bigger deal than Liz and Dick ever did. The ev ening news has no news, and half the new cable channels are all news all the timne, making every pimple a big damn deal.
Why weren't we ready for Kastrina? Have you watched local weather lately? Every storm is a tragedy, requiring government assistance.
There's always somebody ready to cry on cue for the cute little blong haired reporter, who fakes sincerity and caring just a bit less successfully than her predecessor-- who was fiured because she wanted a raise or didn't look feminine enough.
Isn't it all about appearances? Pantsuits? Skincolor? Fake Humility? Apologies?
It's not about reality and its not aboutresearch. Reading the paper took thought, time, and digestion. Watching cable news takes very little brain power, and we're easilt distracted.
So cable news makes mountains out of molehills, and keeps the pretty colors, the swooshes, andthe hysteria amped up, so we won't look away.
Reality is boring.
People actually play "fantasy football." But isn't football a fantasy to begin with? We don;t win or lose oil rights over it.
Distraction is the name of the game. There are no facts, just opnions. Two sides to every story. No one ias rfight, no one is wrong. Wrong.
Slap youself silly until you wake up. Get undestracted. Do the research and the math.
Know what you'll be getting if your side wins... or loses.
Give up the game and play reality.
If Barack and Biden win-- you'll win. More money in your pocket. More healthcare for your kids. As safe and secure as you are now-- probably more so. More fairness for the unfortunate, more opportunity for startups.
Less shiny objects.
Gotta go. I got the cramps.
(Capitalizations are to make finding the points easier, not to “yell.”)
How to respond to the outrageous distortions and lies of the McCain campaign? How to counter the Palin impact? As one who makes a living advising others, I find that TELLING THE TRUTH works best. So here is the truth as I see it:
ONE: Obama’s policies on the economy, taxes, health care, climate change and other ISSUES OF REAL IMPORT to most Americans are much closer to what the people want than McCain’s. Then – FOLLOW UP WITH SURROGATES around the country making the detailed policy case, especially the Clintons with their considerable economic bonafides.
TWO: Because the extremist Right Wing that owns the Republican party is so out-of-step with the majority of Americans… because people do not want a president McCain tossing more bones while lavishing the wealthiest… because people want REAL FAIRNESS in our system, REAL OPPORTUNITIES to pursue the American dream of success-through-hard-work, not more backroom deals and privilege for the well-heeled and well-connected… because of all that, the REPUBLICANS CAN OFFER ONLY LIES, DISTORTIONS AND DISHONORABLE INNUENDOES. Tell the truth – while John McCain may have once been honorable and driven the Straight Talk Express, his campaign behavior and that of his surrogates is of liars and scoundrels.
Can someone in Obama's camapaign team tell him to say how much will be recaptured from the reversal of the Bush tax cuts (say $1 trillion) and what his planned tax cuts for the "middle class" will put back into the pockets of the vast majority of individual tax payers (say $400 billion). In this way, Barack Obama will not have to defend a $600 billion revenue increase (as he had to on "This Week" on ABC today) in a time of a recession without having the two components identified.
What we know is that a relativley small number of individual taxpayers contribute the vast majority of tax paid to the federal treasury. It's probably in keeping with the old 80/20 rule. We know that the Bush tax cuts lowered the taxes of those who already have so much disposable income they do not know what to do with except to buy a yacht or a 4th house in a foreign country. The recapture of their "windfall" will not hurt them in any significant way and they should be glad to make a contribution to the country that has enabled them to become so successful financially. Many of the super-rich try to redeem themselves with charitable acts. But isn't it better to rely on a balanced national socio-economic policy backed by a healthy treasury and national balance sheet as the source of largess to address the country's needs for education, healthcare etc, than the handouts from very wealthy individuals who can change their minds at any time.
In addition, aren't we all fed up with the "hedge fund" managers who earn yet risk so little of their own money and are able to have their incomes taxed at the capital gains rate rather than as ordinary income? How can a "carried interest" equal putting your own money at risk? It is egregious and, like the largely unregulated "subprime" mortgage lenders, represents the result of unfettered greed. Please Barack Obama, have Congress change that section of the Tax Code to ensure that these individuals pay their fair share and that we do not have to read or hear about their excessively self-indulgent lives again. They need to share the pain. They can still "keep score" among themselves with comaprisons of their net worth and the length of their yachts, but instead with $2 billion and 300 feet, it will have to be with $1.5 billion and 300 feet.
Below is an open letter to the candidates:
An open letter to all the candidates from the Unaffiliated/Independent Voters all across the United States.
Where is the fairness is what millions of law abiding American Citizens are asking today.
Are you aware that we Unaffiliated/Independent Voters in this country are the only group which has no uniform political rights?
Only twenty seven states allow us, and the major political parties can limit us at their whim.
Yet we are the fastest growing group of voters in the country, are the swing vote in almost all elections and are considered some of the most informed of voters.
This upcoming historic election you are in is about choice, change and new ways of solving problems.
That is why we Unaffiliated/Independent Voters ask for the following:
Standard laws covering the protection and rights of Unaffiliated/Independent Voters in all the voting states and territories.
You will find we do not want to create a third party. but only want to be able to hold our vote and cast it for someone for whom we have researched and decided deserves our vote.
In other words we think our country would be best served if you gave all Americans the rights we have told others in the World this country is all about. In our opinion this means the right to vote as an Unaffiliated and Independent Voter under the equality of all laws all across our country.
We ask you to send your promise giving us our rights by sending me your commitment at Larry@DoesMyVoteCount.com
Larry Bumgarner
Chairperson Unaffiliated/Independent Voters Center
“Not a Color, Just a Voter!”
www.Unaffiliated.us
202-242-0166
1-866-931-VOTE
We never endorse a candidate, run a candidate, nor will we sway your way of voting on an issue. Voters from all across the political spectrum will be able to discuss an issue in an open format, hopefully, helping to give you the full story to assist you in making your decision.
What in the world is the 'global poverty act?' Is it me or are we accepting the responsibility of providing for the world's poor? As our country experiences an economic downturn, how are the above proposed programs going to resolve the issues that have put our dollar in the current inflation position?
I am simply trying to understand the reality of Mr. Obama's platform. Please help me because I would love to see our nation move in another direction but as it sounds now, it appears that we are going to be going down the same paths as Jimmy Carter took us and nobody wants to go that way again.
Please take a look at these and related posts currently on TPM Muckraker.com about partisanship run amok at the Justice Department under this administration.
http://tpmmuckraker.talkingpointsmemo.com/2008/06/doj_chief_of_staff_to_deputy_a.php
http://tpmmuckraker.talkingpointsmemo.com/2008/06/80_of_socalled_liberal_applica.php
Sure, we know this bunch is bad but this, this is just beyond the pale. Especially as it targets the young, people who sign up for government work knowing that the pay is not as good as what they can earn in the private sector and so it will take much longer to pay off their huge student loans. Young folks who get out of school believing that they can make a difference in Washington, in their government, and come to find out that they were not selected not because someone better was hired, but because they were too liberal! Or more to the point some small-minded (probably right-wing) petty bureaucrat decided that because the candidate believed in the separation between church and state that they were somehow unreliable.
I came into the government in 1989 as a Presidential Management Intern (PMI) a program run by the U.S. Office of Personnel Management that hired recent graduates of Master's Degree Programs (MPA, MPP, MBA, etc). So I was hired into the federal government by George H.W. Bush. I worked for the government for the next 17 years rising to the rank of Senior Executive. I had a good career and always believed that I was answering a higher calling by being a public servant. So if the PMI program in 1989 was run the same way the Justice Department Honors program was run as recently as last year I would not have been hired 19 years ago. I would have lost and in my humble opinion the organizations to which I have contributed over the years would have lost too.
This is no way to run a government and we must make sure that we don't try to do something like this when we're running things come next January 20th!
