It appears that Washington must have a Madison Avenue mentality, more than a Constitutional one, with respect to its understanding of our American form of government.
In the wake of the "budget deficit" talks and moves to raise the U.S. debt ceiling, justifiably or not (given that there are no offset credits against that deficit for all the outsourcing, and foreign aid we continue to give foreign governments at the cost of the American public), now we have a Super Committee of legislators whose sole job is to study the problem and come up with a bi-partisan solution.
Rather than letting this old dog simply die its legitimate death.
Super sizing and the Super Bowl appears to be the marketing strategy in order to sell whatever comes out of this committee to the MacDonald's and football crowd.
New York and California are complaining through their state legislators about unfair representation on this committee, noting that due to their larger populations, they should even have more Senators than their Constitutional two.
Not mentioning that perhaps about 1/4 of their population might not even be "legal" Americans, simply tourists or transient workers on visa waivers. Or Mexicans. Or Canadians. Or maybe part time residents of Arizona, Florida or other SunBelt states, thus only "part time" non-residents residents.
Making the same mistakes and trouble in those states through their vacationer status at this point progressively as they created in their own "home" states.
When the Senators, after all, are merely there to represent the state governments, not the people actually at all since the House of Representatives, by that Constitution, is supposed to be the "people's house" representing ONLY those citizens living in their legislative district.
But, of course, campaign finance laws have also afforded "corporate" out of state special interest groups to totally undermine representation in the House, making the House of Representatives more the House of Misrepresentatives.
I wonder, just whose idea was this? And just where is it Constitutionally permissible?
Super egos, I'm sure, will insure that that information will be kept from the public, in the interests of "national insecurity" maybe?
Showing posts with label deficit. Show all posts
Showing posts with label deficit. Show all posts
Thursday, August 18, 2011
Sunday, July 24, 2011
Deficit Debunked: An Independent's View
With much political staging and politicking occurring in the mainstream media over this debt "crisis" and call for raising America's debt ceiling, since there has been so many solutions put on the table by both mainstream political parties that calls for Americans to sacrifice for the "greater" good, or those two parties political agendas, I felt some real viable solutions to this crisis by an Independent also deserves a little consideration.
As one that is not affiliated with either of the mainstream political parties, here are some of my solutions to this reported "crisis," which is interesting in and of itself since it does appear we do need one of these "crises" just prior to each and every presidential election year.
The last one, of course, was the "big bank bailout" and also the continuing mortgage crisis, and joblessness.
Which has merely intensified under the Democrats and Republicans holding office in Congress.
Here are some of mine, that don't involve Americans undue sacrifice, are Constitutional, and at least have a degree of rationality to them, given that all those ideas of "cutting" the social programs that Americans are obligated by law to pay, and have paid for also literally decades (such as Social Security, and Medicaid) since those programs were created "by law," Congress is legally obligated to fund and continue for at least the living Americans at this point.
It does appear that at least Social Security has become nothing more than a federally sanctioned money laundering operation, since Congress continues to dip into all those sums contributed by the boomers, especially, for their own special interests.
Especially if they are going to continue to fund or appropriate monies to foreigners and foreign interests, and taxing Americans for them, again sacrificing Americans for the "global" good.
1. Call in those foreign aid loans which have remained unpaid for literally generation after generation, and extend no new loans to foreign countries or foreign governments. It is amazing that after all this "raising the debt ceiling" talk, no one has even once mentioned where it is eventually going to go. Much of it, as in the past, not even to Americans or for Americans benefit.
2. Renegotiate those interest rates and terms with the European bankers who control the world's economy, now that they are not even having to provide much of that expensive paper and ink in order to print our currency what with internet banking and such, another invention of America that the European bankers have since used in order to up their profits on the backs of Americans.
3. Recall all our troops based in foreign countries protecting Europe or Israel most of all, and shrink our defense budget now that even our defensive systems have been computerized due to those expensive space programs also all the years since Kennedy, and Reagan's "Star Wars" programs. We can use our standing army to protect our own country and its borders instead - what a concept!
4. Slash the salaries of all those in Congress, especially, to a salary that is commensurate with that of the "middle class" American, and not that of the upper third.
That's a start, and there is so much more that could be done to rewind and trim the fat from those budgets instead of making it the Americans, and not the politicians or foreign governments and countries, who are once again asked to sacrifice when Americans have already sacrificed their homes, jobs and even their children for literally decades in the name of the "global good."
And finally, hire some American economists to work with Congress, rather than those global ones.
As one that is not affiliated with either of the mainstream political parties, here are some of my solutions to this reported "crisis," which is interesting in and of itself since it does appear we do need one of these "crises" just prior to each and every presidential election year.
The last one, of course, was the "big bank bailout" and also the continuing mortgage crisis, and joblessness.
Which has merely intensified under the Democrats and Republicans holding office in Congress.
Here are some of mine, that don't involve Americans undue sacrifice, are Constitutional, and at least have a degree of rationality to them, given that all those ideas of "cutting" the social programs that Americans are obligated by law to pay, and have paid for also literally decades (such as Social Security, and Medicaid) since those programs were created "by law," Congress is legally obligated to fund and continue for at least the living Americans at this point.
It does appear that at least Social Security has become nothing more than a federally sanctioned money laundering operation, since Congress continues to dip into all those sums contributed by the boomers, especially, for their own special interests.
Especially if they are going to continue to fund or appropriate monies to foreigners and foreign interests, and taxing Americans for them, again sacrificing Americans for the "global" good.
1. Call in those foreign aid loans which have remained unpaid for literally generation after generation, and extend no new loans to foreign countries or foreign governments. It is amazing that after all this "raising the debt ceiling" talk, no one has even once mentioned where it is eventually going to go. Much of it, as in the past, not even to Americans or for Americans benefit.
2. Renegotiate those interest rates and terms with the European bankers who control the world's economy, now that they are not even having to provide much of that expensive paper and ink in order to print our currency what with internet banking and such, another invention of America that the European bankers have since used in order to up their profits on the backs of Americans.
3. Recall all our troops based in foreign countries protecting Europe or Israel most of all, and shrink our defense budget now that even our defensive systems have been computerized due to those expensive space programs also all the years since Kennedy, and Reagan's "Star Wars" programs. We can use our standing army to protect our own country and its borders instead - what a concept!
4. Slash the salaries of all those in Congress, especially, to a salary that is commensurate with that of the "middle class" American, and not that of the upper third.
That's a start, and there is so much more that could be done to rewind and trim the fat from those budgets instead of making it the Americans, and not the politicians or foreign governments and countries, who are once again asked to sacrifice when Americans have already sacrificed their homes, jobs and even their children for literally decades in the name of the "global good."
And finally, hire some American economists to work with Congress, rather than those global ones.
Tuesday, June 28, 2011
Social Security Fix: Give Me The Money
While the politicos in Washington begin grandstanding for the public and "votes" and campaign dollars, using the budget "crisis" and entitlement programs to foment their agendas in order to swing more dollars from that program instead to their campaign backers and PAC organizations through out state bundlers, high rollers, and corporate CEO's, much has been said about just how "broke" the Social Security program is in this country, and nebulous solutions proposed by many of the candidates selected by those who run the political system in this country.
Nothing much has been said about how to "legally" fix it.
Starting with: "Give me the money!"
Changing the rules in the middle of the game instead seems to be where most of these politicos stand.
In other words, I and many Americans, especially the boomers who have paid more into that program than any other generation before or since, would like our money back before any "fix" that defrauds middle Americans from their due upon retirement.
Returning those monies which have been withheld these many years, both those deductions made in those paychecks and also the sums contributed by those employers on behalf of those boomers in 2011 dollars, with interest, would be the "legal" remedy and cure for this claimed "broke" program.
Then the boomers could reinvest those dollars in any way they then chose.
And the program could be phased out for any and all that are born or hold their first "paid" jobs, not this random and illegal age of those under 55 which has been bantered about in the media by some. Where in the world did that figure (or age) come from, and just what is the "legal" basis for using 55 as the cutoff for those other Americans?
Interesting also that while Medicare was passed during the Johnson Administration due to the progressive higher and higher medical expenses when more and more hospitals were shifting from non-profit status, to for profit status, and during the height of the Viet Nam war when so much taxpayer money was being poured into that unconstitutional engagement, post 9-11 and our subsequent now even more unconstitutional engagement in the Middle East these "fixes" for these social programs are targeted at reducing those benefits in order to actually now shift more into EXPANDING our Middle Eastern engagements for those defense contractors and the military.
By unilaterally "changing" this program, is not this then an "ex post facto" law precluded by our Constitution for any and all that have paid ANYTHING at all into this program? Is this another of this Congress and Administration's ideas of "change" again at the American people and our Constitution's ultimate expense?
Or is this once again blowing smoke and diverting attention from all those receiving some of those monies using once again the federal government as nothing more than a money laundering operation for extra-Constitutional funding at the cost of this program?
The boomers were THE LARGEST generation ever, and if anything at this point there should be a surplus in that program, not deficit.
There is a true "legal" fix.
Too bad Congress simply would rather politicize this issue once again, Americans who will be receiving far more than the average American at their retirement through those federal and state civil service perks and benefits, at the cost of their fellow Americans and their "enforced" retirement, especially due to the amount of jobless in that particular age group at the present time.
Nothing much has been said about how to "legally" fix it.
Starting with: "Give me the money!"
Changing the rules in the middle of the game instead seems to be where most of these politicos stand.
In other words, I and many Americans, especially the boomers who have paid more into that program than any other generation before or since, would like our money back before any "fix" that defrauds middle Americans from their due upon retirement.
Returning those monies which have been withheld these many years, both those deductions made in those paychecks and also the sums contributed by those employers on behalf of those boomers in 2011 dollars, with interest, would be the "legal" remedy and cure for this claimed "broke" program.
Then the boomers could reinvest those dollars in any way they then chose.
And the program could be phased out for any and all that are born or hold their first "paid" jobs, not this random and illegal age of those under 55 which has been bantered about in the media by some. Where in the world did that figure (or age) come from, and just what is the "legal" basis for using 55 as the cutoff for those other Americans?
Interesting also that while Medicare was passed during the Johnson Administration due to the progressive higher and higher medical expenses when more and more hospitals were shifting from non-profit status, to for profit status, and during the height of the Viet Nam war when so much taxpayer money was being poured into that unconstitutional engagement, post 9-11 and our subsequent now even more unconstitutional engagement in the Middle East these "fixes" for these social programs are targeted at reducing those benefits in order to actually now shift more into EXPANDING our Middle Eastern engagements for those defense contractors and the military.
By unilaterally "changing" this program, is not this then an "ex post facto" law precluded by our Constitution for any and all that have paid ANYTHING at all into this program? Is this another of this Congress and Administration's ideas of "change" again at the American people and our Constitution's ultimate expense?
Or is this once again blowing smoke and diverting attention from all those receiving some of those monies using once again the federal government as nothing more than a money laundering operation for extra-Constitutional funding at the cost of this program?
The boomers were THE LARGEST generation ever, and if anything at this point there should be a surplus in that program, not deficit.
There is a true "legal" fix.
Too bad Congress simply would rather politicize this issue once again, Americans who will be receiving far more than the average American at their retirement through those federal and state civil service perks and benefits, at the cost of their fellow Americans and their "enforced" retirement, especially due to the amount of jobless in that particular age group at the present time.
Saturday, August 1, 2009
The Gates "Case": Beer Diplomacy Or Just Suds?
For Any And All Constitutional Conserve-atives:
Another story beaten to death by the mainstream media and the Obama Administration came to a conclusion Thursday at the White House with Mr. Obama, Mr. Biden, Dr. Gates and the Cambridge police officer who "arrested" Dr. Gates purportedly due to a "crime in progress" call he received at the Gates residence having a cold one for all the news cameras.
With all the spin that has been occurring in the mainstream media, much of which since 9/11 has left much to be desired in the way of factual journalism and which act more as media reps for "their" politicians due to Big Business corporate ownership and who merely play off each other with respect to political news on the Hill, even the details of this supposed "crime" have been questionable.
Starting with the fact that it has now been reported it was a "senior citizen" who made the call. I'll let that one go for now, since it appears now the seniors are going to be brought into this political circus perhaps for poor eyesight in not recognizing Dr. Gates in the middle of the afternoon, mind you.
The spins on this "story" have been just too incredible to believe at this point.
And appears at least in my educated opinion watching how this has progressed now for almost a week and a half, this was a staged event being used for political purposes most of all. Especially now that even Colin Powell was on Larry King putting in his two cents with respect to supposedly a dereliction of protocol in that an "adult supervisor" (or SWAT negotiator?) hadn't been called in to mediate.
Mr. Obama has been losing points fast with the American public, especially in light of his "solutions" which have not been solutions at all per his campaign rhetoric but simply continuations of the same agendas and even upping the civil rights violations now on the American people of the Bush Administration.
Other than calling for closing Guantanamo he is really 0-3 on his promises to end the war, look out for Joe the Plumber and the middle class (tell that one to the laid off GM workers in Detroit, I dare you), and solving the mortgage mess and crisis.
There was just something a little strange about the "convenience" of this entire incident, and the amount of press it received for my liking. And it appears a good many other Americans also. Good way to shift the pressure and heat off the Hill for the next tax scam on the American people, the L. Ron Hubbard/George Orwell "Science Based" Universal Health Care Plan.
And also keep the racial thing alive as a diversionary tactic and method to use to facilitate civil unrest since civil unrest means the government can use it also as an excuse for much of its extra-Constitutional now security measures against Americans so long as they can keep the fear factor alive.
Inciting civil unrest actually is how many communist leaders and governments came to be. And just why aren't our own borders secured, or some of these foreign individuals from Middle Eastern countries with active terrorist cells not simply deported at this point?
Or, in fact, since America is still at war (although never called Constitutionally or "legally" declared under Bush or that Congress) then why aren't all non-green card holders deported at this point until we have ended this "conflict" or "engagement" or whatever the heck it is since it appears those on the Hill have about as much clue as the American people why we are STILL now eight years later over there?
And all foreign entry visas denied until it is?
After all, I'm sure Mr. Powell is aware of this. After any attack on any military installation in this country is it not SOP that the "base" is locked down until any additional threats are addressed, and all passes then denied to any and all entering or leaving the base until the crime is solved and perpetrators brought to justice? The military bases in this country actually have far greater "common defense" provisions than our entire country - especially for those living in the border states most of all due to the criminal activity, theft and violent crimes that can be directly tied to it.
Many Americans could sure use those jobs.
I know, the finale for "So You Think You Can Dance" is next week and Nigel and that other British MC just might have to miss it and the shows producers and network would then have to get an American replacement that might result in a point or two drop in the ratings.
That health care "solution" in appointing a Health Care "God" using actuarial tables for treatment plans is looking more and more like the "science based" Cap & Trade scam which was propagandized to the hilt, and quite obviously meant to feed the Wall Street bankers for that carbon credit market that will be initiated on the backs of the American public in higher utility bills that wipe out that little crumb of a tax rebate and credit thrown out at election time.
Especially now when those inflationary taxes and utility bills start soaring off the charts, in addition to the continued loss of jobs and homes that is still escalating.
I wonder how many members of Congress are heavily invested in energy development and utility companies. Or for that matter Wall Street itself. Maybe 100%?
And then the "spins" on the Beer Summit being a "teachable moment" for America and America's children.
Please.
Does Mr. Obama and those serving now in our federal government in all three branches truly think that they are examples that America's children should use for role models? A Commander in Chief that speaks of transparency, while hiring three law firms to prevent disclosure of his birth or academic records in order to even verify that he meets the minimum qualifications of the Office of the Presidency?
A Supreme Court that has gotten increasing more and more political and sovereign favoring in its rulings with respect to Americans Bill of Rights protection, and has refused over six legal challenges to Obama's citizenship status?
And A Congress that just engaged in a "sleight of hand" in order to also circumvent all those challeges in using a bogus "Resolution" congratulating Hawaii on its 50th anniversary as a state by including a cute little sentence introducting this Resolution with respect to Mr. Obama's birth again without any clear evidence or documentation, in order to also deny the people their right to review the evidence that Obama meets those absolutely minimal requirements (although clear that his status, from the founders "intent" with respect to that provision would clearly make him a foreigner and not "natural born" or "naturalized" American at all, due to reasons behind that provision itself, and their intent in so providing).
Forget the next Beer Summit. Our taxpayer dollars would be better spent in group therapy for those holding federal office, and would assist in at least minimally reducing that federal deficit and taxpayer bite that already has left more Americans homeless and jobless than at any time since the Depression.
Do I hear "Cheers" out there in the South, West and Midwest?
Another story beaten to death by the mainstream media and the Obama Administration came to a conclusion Thursday at the White House with Mr. Obama, Mr. Biden, Dr. Gates and the Cambridge police officer who "arrested" Dr. Gates purportedly due to a "crime in progress" call he received at the Gates residence having a cold one for all the news cameras.
With all the spin that has been occurring in the mainstream media, much of which since 9/11 has left much to be desired in the way of factual journalism and which act more as media reps for "their" politicians due to Big Business corporate ownership and who merely play off each other with respect to political news on the Hill, even the details of this supposed "crime" have been questionable.
Starting with the fact that it has now been reported it was a "senior citizen" who made the call. I'll let that one go for now, since it appears now the seniors are going to be brought into this political circus perhaps for poor eyesight in not recognizing Dr. Gates in the middle of the afternoon, mind you.
The spins on this "story" have been just too incredible to believe at this point.
And appears at least in my educated opinion watching how this has progressed now for almost a week and a half, this was a staged event being used for political purposes most of all. Especially now that even Colin Powell was on Larry King putting in his two cents with respect to supposedly a dereliction of protocol in that an "adult supervisor" (or SWAT negotiator?) hadn't been called in to mediate.
Mr. Obama has been losing points fast with the American public, especially in light of his "solutions" which have not been solutions at all per his campaign rhetoric but simply continuations of the same agendas and even upping the civil rights violations now on the American people of the Bush Administration.
Other than calling for closing Guantanamo he is really 0-3 on his promises to end the war, look out for Joe the Plumber and the middle class (tell that one to the laid off GM workers in Detroit, I dare you), and solving the mortgage mess and crisis.
There was just something a little strange about the "convenience" of this entire incident, and the amount of press it received for my liking. And it appears a good many other Americans also. Good way to shift the pressure and heat off the Hill for the next tax scam on the American people, the L. Ron Hubbard/George Orwell "Science Based" Universal Health Care Plan.
And also keep the racial thing alive as a diversionary tactic and method to use to facilitate civil unrest since civil unrest means the government can use it also as an excuse for much of its extra-Constitutional now security measures against Americans so long as they can keep the fear factor alive.
Inciting civil unrest actually is how many communist leaders and governments came to be. And just why aren't our own borders secured, or some of these foreign individuals from Middle Eastern countries with active terrorist cells not simply deported at this point?
Or, in fact, since America is still at war (although never called Constitutionally or "legally" declared under Bush or that Congress) then why aren't all non-green card holders deported at this point until we have ended this "conflict" or "engagement" or whatever the heck it is since it appears those on the Hill have about as much clue as the American people why we are STILL now eight years later over there?
And all foreign entry visas denied until it is?
After all, I'm sure Mr. Powell is aware of this. After any attack on any military installation in this country is it not SOP that the "base" is locked down until any additional threats are addressed, and all passes then denied to any and all entering or leaving the base until the crime is solved and perpetrators brought to justice? The military bases in this country actually have far greater "common defense" provisions than our entire country - especially for those living in the border states most of all due to the criminal activity, theft and violent crimes that can be directly tied to it.
Many Americans could sure use those jobs.
I know, the finale for "So You Think You Can Dance" is next week and Nigel and that other British MC just might have to miss it and the shows producers and network would then have to get an American replacement that might result in a point or two drop in the ratings.
That health care "solution" in appointing a Health Care "God" using actuarial tables for treatment plans is looking more and more like the "science based" Cap & Trade scam which was propagandized to the hilt, and quite obviously meant to feed the Wall Street bankers for that carbon credit market that will be initiated on the backs of the American public in higher utility bills that wipe out that little crumb of a tax rebate and credit thrown out at election time.
Especially now when those inflationary taxes and utility bills start soaring off the charts, in addition to the continued loss of jobs and homes that is still escalating.
I wonder how many members of Congress are heavily invested in energy development and utility companies. Or for that matter Wall Street itself. Maybe 100%?
And then the "spins" on the Beer Summit being a "teachable moment" for America and America's children.
Please.
Does Mr. Obama and those serving now in our federal government in all three branches truly think that they are examples that America's children should use for role models? A Commander in Chief that speaks of transparency, while hiring three law firms to prevent disclosure of his birth or academic records in order to even verify that he meets the minimum qualifications of the Office of the Presidency?
A Supreme Court that has gotten increasing more and more political and sovereign favoring in its rulings with respect to Americans Bill of Rights protection, and has refused over six legal challenges to Obama's citizenship status?
And A Congress that just engaged in a "sleight of hand" in order to also circumvent all those challeges in using a bogus "Resolution" congratulating Hawaii on its 50th anniversary as a state by including a cute little sentence introducting this Resolution with respect to Mr. Obama's birth again without any clear evidence or documentation, in order to also deny the people their right to review the evidence that Obama meets those absolutely minimal requirements (although clear that his status, from the founders "intent" with respect to that provision would clearly make him a foreigner and not "natural born" or "naturalized" American at all, due to reasons behind that provision itself, and their intent in so providing).
Forget the next Beer Summit. Our taxpayer dollars would be better spent in group therapy for those holding federal office, and would assist in at least minimally reducing that federal deficit and taxpayer bite that already has left more Americans homeless and jobless than at any time since the Depression.
Do I hear "Cheers" out there in the South, West and Midwest?
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