Political Dissent in the US

My hypothesis is that people have a need to divide themselves into groups, into US and THEM, as a way to enhance their feelings of group identity and social cohesion. It has become obvious to most of us that it is inappropriate to think of ourselves as a ethnic, racial, sexual, or sexual orientation group. For some, religious differentiation is extremely important but a non-issue for many. But we do have politics. Nothing seems to separate us like politics today.

During the Civil War, we read about brother against brother. The same thing happens in politics today. Comments on public media can draw harsh, nasty, vindictive, brutal, etc., responses. Today, this gap is most evident along a Democrat/liberal, Republican/conservative fault line. I don't like this differentiation as much of Democratic policies seem very illiberal and many Republican policies are hardly conservative but people seem to use these concepts. And differences in these areas get heightened and extended. They are not just differences of opinion but they become more, an indication of being a lower life form or something. Republicans (or Democrats) are not just wrong, they are stupid and/or evil.

And differences in politics, like differences in religion, seem very difficult to discuss empirically or objectively. Societies are complex and the data so often seems inconclusive. One can not say conclusively that some policy works while this other policy is evil, immoral, and wrong.

Two of the greatest Democrats and Liberals in the US have quote that are diametrically opposite current thinking. In the 1935 State of the Union Address, FDR declared:
"A large proportion of these unemployed and their dependents have been forced on the relief rolls. The burden on the Federal Government has grown with great rapidity. We have here a human as well as an economic problem. When humane considerations are concerned, Americans give them precedence. The lessons of history, confirmed by the evidence immediately before me, show conclusively that continued dependence upon relief induces a spiritual disintegration fundamentally destructive to the national fiber. To dole our relief in this way is to administer a narcotic, a subtle destroyer of the human spirit. It is inimical to the dictates of a sound policy. It is in violation of the traditions of America. Work must be found for able-bodied but destitute workers.

The Federal Government must and shall quit this business of relief. I am not willing that the vitality of our people be further sapped by the giving of cash, of market baskets, of a few hours of weekly work cutting grass, raking leaves, or picking up papers in the public parks. We must preserve not only the bodies of the unemployed from destitution but also their self-respect, their self-reliance, and courage and determination."

And I clearly remember JFK's 1961 Inaugural Address:

"And so, my fellow Americans: ask not what your country can do for you--ask what you can do for your country. My fellow citizens of the world: ask not what America will do for you, but what together we can do for the freedom of man."

I would contend that Paul Ryan comes closer to the views of these liberals than does the current strain of liberalism. 

The mission of our government, according to the Constitution, is, among other things, to "promote the General Welfare".  I like that.  I also like how Gifford Pinchot, the first Chief of the US Forest Service, described how the forests should be managed.  "To Provide for the Greatest Good for the Greatest Numbers for the Longest Period of Time".  I think that is how government should work.  Government should not be overly concerned about special interests groups but rather strive for the general welfare, the greatest good for the greatest numbers for the longest period of time.  If providing free education for all meets that standard then we should do it. If universal medical care meets that standard we should do it.
But government should not be in the business of providing special interest benefits that do not impact the general welfare.  What this is may be hard to say but at some point government should say that we have done what we could for some group but anymore would detract from our ability to promote the general welfare. 
Much of politics today revolves around special interest groups-people fighting for special benefits that help them but may or may not help the general good.

I have a goofy view on this for my personal use.  I like the judicial concept of recusal whereby a judge will recuse himself from the bench if he has a vested interest in the issue at hand.  I try to follow that when I vote.  I may be an old, white, male, veteran (as well as other groups) but I won't vote for anyone that stresses something that might benefit any of those groups.  It is easy on the racial and gender side (I won't vote for anyone who advocates special benefits for whites or males) but perhaps more difficult for old and veteran status.  But it should be for others in society to determine whether or not the elderly and/or military get special benefits as they can more clearly look at the issue objectively and determine whether such policy promotes the general welfare.  I think that the country would be better off if people looked at issues from this point of view and not from the view of "asking what the country can do for me".

The Coming Depression

The are some troubling indications that the US is heading to some serious financial problems. Unfortunately, there is too much partisanship by economists to understand what we should be doing. Paul Krugman, as would be expected, blames Republicans.

http://libertystreeteconomics.newyorkfed.org/2011/06/commodity-prices-and-the-mistake-of-1937-would-modern-economists-make-the-same-mistake.html

www.nytimes.com/2011/06/03/opinion/03krugman.html?_r=1

The Troubling Partisanship by Environmental Groups

One of the biggest mistakes that the environmental movement has made is they have gotten in bed with the Democratic Party and alienated many Republicans who would normally be natural supports. After all, the modern environmental movement was arguably started by a Republican, Theodore Roosevelt. One of the more jarring examples of this was when the Natural Resources Defense Fund sent out a fundraising letter warning of the evils of Sarah Palin. At the time, Sarah Palin was a private citizen and not running for anything while the worst US environmental disaster, the Deepwater Horizon oil spill, with drilling authorized by the Obama administration, was in the middle of it's destructive rampage.

Palin was also blasted by the Defenders of Wildlife Action Fund in 2008 for authorizing the shooting of wolves from helicopters. She was labeled as sadistic and brutal. And that someone like that did not deserve to be President

Odd, but the federal government is now authorizing all kinds of methods for killing feral hogs in San Diego county, including hunting by helicopter.

http://hotair.com/archives/2011/06/02/obama-administration-suddenly-likes-palin-wildlife-management-strategy/

Freedom of Association

Who knew that there was something called "Gay Softball World Series" and who know that you could be disqualified if you are not gay enough?

Three people sued because they were not allowed to participate in the Gay Softball World Series apparently because they were bi-sexual.

http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2015209413_gaysoftball02m.html

This has a number of interesting possibilities. Apparently organizations can discriminate and select who can join. At least in some cases.

sf

Corruption at International Agencies

First we heard about some socialist official at the International Monetary Fund staying at $3,000 per night hotel rooms and assuming that assaulting housekeeping is a normal, natural benefit of his station in life. And now we hear about FIFA, the international soccer association, may have awarded a future World Cup to Qatar because of bribery.

http://chicagoboyz.net/archives/22446.html

Australia is now asking FIFA for $46 million back from FIFA to cover the costs of their bid for the World Cup. If the bidding process was dishonest, obviously Australia should get a refund.

Of course, this is nothing new. The Salt Lake City Winter Olympic bid was tainted by similar allegations.

There seems to be no one monitoring these large international organizations.

Obama and Hu

The observation was made that the 2009 Nobel Peace Prize winner hosted a dinner for the person who put the 2010 Nobel Peace Prize winner in jail. And the media doesn't seem to appreciate the irony.



Actually, maybe there is no irony here. The 2010 Nobel Peace Prize winner, Liu, published a 2004 article in support of Bush's war on Iraq, titled "Victory to the Anglo-American Freedom Alliance", in which he praised the U.S. led post-cold-war wars as "best examples of how war should be conducted in a modern civilization." and predicted "a free, democratic and peaceful Iraq will emerge." During the 2004 US presidential election, Liu again praised Bush for his war effort against Iraq and condemned Democratic party candidate John Kerry for not sufficiently supporting the US's wars. Meanwhile, he commented on Islamism that, "a culture and (religious) system that produced this kind of threat (Islamic fundamentalism), must be exteremely intolerant and blood-thirsty.” On Israel, he said "without America’s protection, the long persecuted Jews who faced extermination during WWII, probably would again be drowned by the Islamic world's hatred.
(from Wikipedia)

So, both Obama and Hu dislike Bush, apparently.

As for me, I can't figure out how someone who increased US death toll in Iraq and Afghanistan to a higher level than Bush in his last year got a Peace Prize anyway.

Economic Humor

More Financial Planners Serving Day Care Centers
Kansas City, Kansas--Now that each child born will have a $30,000 share of a runaway national debt, more and more financial planners are serving in day care centers nationwide.

"Kids need to get a head start on their payment obligations these says," said one center worker. "So it only makes sense to add a review of future tax obligations to the mix of activities day care centers have to offer."

One financial planner said he enjoyed providing the service, but noted "the crying can get to you after a while." Still, he said, "lots of kids eventually do come to understand the need to invest a portion of their allowances in flexible foreign funds."

When asked about her investment plan, one child, Mary Stennings, said "I like gold. And pink."

Associated article: PolitiFact

http://optoons.blogspot.com/2010/12/more-financial-planners-serving-day.html

Global Warming, Part 3

I am not opposed to the idea of climate change and I am concerned about the effects of carbon monoxide, and other gases, building up in the atmosphere. All lifeforms have an effect on their environment and certainly homo sapiens have a large impact.

However, I dislike the idea that "this is settled science". Science needs skeptics and there is nothing "settled".

Our Energy Secretary would like us to paint our roofs white to reflect heat and therefore reduce global warming. Meanwhile, global warming is causing ice to melt, releasing more moisture into the atmosphere which causes more rain and snow. And the snow reflects heat which causes global cooling. OK, now I see.

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052970203513204576047741057676566.html?mod=WSJ_Opinion_MIDDLETopOpinion

Humor in Government

In Garden City, Idaho, 2 employees of DeBest, Inc heard some screams and discovered a person stuck in a collapsed trench, with dirt over his head. They jumped in an rescued the individual. Their reward? OSHA fined them $7,875 for not wearing a hard hat while in the trench and not fortifying the trench walls to insure against further collapsed. Unfortunately, the person saved was not an OSHA manager, apparently. http://community.seattletimes.nwsource.com/archive/?date=19930913&slug=1720788

In Baltimore County, two men rescued a deer that had fallen through ice and was struggling. They were fined $90 each for not wearing a lifejacket while they paddled the inflatable raft in the rescue.

http://www.cato-at-liberty.org/local-government-stupidity-contest/

Merry Christmas to All

Every year at this time numerous conflicts arise regarding religion and society. Many people seem to believe that the law of the land is the separation of church and state and that this means that religion is barred from the public arena. There are at least two major problems with this view. The first is that the Constitution states that "Congress shall make no law respecting the establishment of religion nor preventing the free exercise thereof." The "separation of church and state" idea is from private correspondence written years later.

But perhaps the better argument is from Article 18 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, which was signed by the US.

"Everyone has the right to freedom of thought, conscience and religion; this right includes freedom to change his religion or belief, and freedom, either alone or in community with others and in public or private, to manifest his religion or belief in teaching, practice, worship and observance."

Now, lawyers can probably shred this into meaningless garbage but I read it as allowing the public practice, worship and observance of religion. Religion was not meant to be practiced only in the privacy of one's own home.

Joke of the Day

Baltimore, Maryland--With the economy tanking and a record one in six Americans taking part in various government anti-poverty programs, the Six Flags amusement park announced the opening of it's latest roller coaster.

"It's called the Obamarator," said a park spokeswoman, who said it consists of a winding but ever low-spiraling ride in cars fitted with video screens showing the latest economic indicators.

"With the latest data showing Medicaid enrollment at record highs even before 16 million people are added by the ObamaCare law in 2014, a 50% rise in food stamp participants, a 400% increase in those receiving unemployment insurance, and an 18% increase in the welfare rolls," said the spokeswoman, "we didn't have to do much more to make this one of the most frightening Six Flags coasters ever."

One man who rode on the coaster's maiden run said "After the very first turn -- where you see that Medicaid costs have jumped 36% in two years to $273 billion, jobless benefits soared from $43 billion to $160 billion, and food stamp and welfare costs have risen 80% and 24% -- I almost lost my lunch."

http://optoons.blogspot.com/2010/12/six-flags-opens-new-obama-themed-roller.html

Oregon and Tax revenues

I was amused by the complaint from Oregonians about "Bush's tax break for the rich" (now to be known, I guess as "The Bush-Obama tax break for the rich"). Oregon had one of the least progressive "progressive" tax rates with individuals making $14,000 paying the same marginal rate as billionaires such as Phil Knight of Nike. Almost every other state had higher rates for wealthier individuals. But Oregon finally attempted to fix this.

"Oregon raised its income tax on the richest 2% of its residents last year to fix its budget hole, but now the state treasury admits it collected nearly one-third less revenue than the bean counters projected. The sun also rose in the east, and the Cubs didn't win the World Series.

In 2009 the state legislature raised the tax rate to 10.8% on joint-filer income of between $250,000 and $500,000, and to 11% on income above $500,000. Only New York City's rate is higher. Oregon's liberal voters ratified the tax increase on individuals and another on businesses in January of this year, no doubt feeling good about their "shared sacrifice."

Congratulations. Instead of $180 million collected last year from the new tax, the state received $130 million. The Eugene Register-Guard newspaper reports that after the tax was raised "income tax and other revenue collections began plunging so steeply that any gains from the two measures seemed trivial."

One reason revenues are so low is that about one-quarter of the rich tax filers seem to have gone missing. The state expected 38,000 Oregonians to pay the higher tax, but only 28,000 did. Funny how that always happens. These numbers are in line with a Cascade Policy Institute study, based on interstate migration patterns, predicting that the tax surcharge would lead to 80,000 fewer wealthy tax filers in Oregon over the next decade."

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748704034804576026233823935442.html?mod=googlenews_wsj

The most important part is the last paragraph. Although one could argue now that $130 million extra is better than nothing, what will happen over the next decade if this tax leads to 80,000 wealthy tax filers leaving the state?

The Public Pension mess

Private pension plans tend to be defined-contribution pensions -- in which the employer makes a fixed contribution to the employee's retirement account, rather than guaranteeing a fixed payout.

By contrast, nearly all of the more than 22 million federal, state and local public employees enjoy defined-benefit pensions -- with payouts fixed at some percentage of the individual's pay for the last year or two they worked (often including overtime and payments for unused sick or vacation days).

These public pension plans are a ticking time bomb, with an estimated $3.2 trillion in unfunded mandates, or $21,500 per household. (That is taxpayer household, not recipient household.)

Read more: http://www.nypost.com/p/news/opinion/opedcolumnists/facing_the_pension_mess_2x9CfnClQRu9usCxH5E1eO#ixzz18lqxkGci
http://www.nypost.com/p/news/opinion/opedcolumnists/facing_the_pension_mess_2x9CfnClQRu9usCxH5E1eO

State Budgets and Health Care

According to the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS:
"If state Medicaid spending increases by 41 percent as projected by CMS, then by next year Medicaid could end up consuming nearly 30 percent of the average state budget. Medicaid would greatly exceed all other state priorities, including education, which tops state budgets at about 22 percent. In fact, state spending on education would experience certain cuts next year.

Presumably, the state spending increase is so high because the enhancement of the federal Medicaid match will expire at the end of 2010. CMS projects that federal spending on Medicaid and the Children’s Health Insurance Program will decrease 7.1 percent between 2010 and 2011. The loss of federal funds will drive most of the increase in state Medicaid obligations.

Unfortunately, states have lost considerable flexibility to reduce Medicaid’s burden on their budgets. As a condition for receiving the additional federal dollars, both the stimulus bill and PPACA contain maintenance-of-effort (MOE) provisions that prohibit states from changing eligibility levels. "

http://blog.heritage.org/2010/12/20/how-obamacare-is-hastening-the-day-of-reckoning/

One of the promises of the Health Care "reform" is that the reform would "bend the curve" of medical costs and the Federal Government could actually provide health care to 30 million people at less cost than current. That made no sense but people bought it. And maybe it was true-Federal costs go down but state costs go up.

Wikileaks

To save time, the following is basically what is in the quarter million Wikileak documents:

Berlusconi likes girls.
Sarkozy likes himself.
Angela Merkel is boring.
David Cameron is more boring.
Hillary thinks Cristina needs a shrink.
Benjamin Netanyahu can’t stand Ehud Olmert.
Al Qaeda hates America.
Yemen’s president hates Al Qaeda
Ahmadinejad is Hitler
North Korea likes Iran.
Saudi Arabia hates Iran
Julian Assange is Dennis Kucinich.
PFC Manning will never see the sun again.
America needs a new president.

http://pajamasmedia.com/rogerlsimon/2010/11/30/wikileaks-as-seen-by-dolphins/

The lessons that I learned from this are:
1. We keep too many secrets
2. The is poor control over classified documents
3. Leaking this information is good-don't we want transparency?
4. People should be fired, for writing such stuff, for leaking such stuff, for managing such stuff, and for (not) controlling such stuff.

Palin and the Main Street Media (Part II)

Recently Sarah Palin made the mistake of saying "North Korea" when she meant to say "South Korea". She quickly corrected herself. As could be expected, many in the media jumped on this as another example of her ignorance. In response, Palin wrote the following (see the link to get the links in her post):

"My fellow Americans in all 57 states, the time has changed for come. With our country founded more than 20 centuries ago, we have much to celebrate – from the FBI’s 100 days to the reforms that bring greater inefficiencies to our health care system. We know that countries like Europe are willing to stand with us in our fight to halt the rise of privacy, and Israel is a strong friend of Israel’s. And let’s face it, everybody knows that it makes no sense that you send a kid to the emergency room for a treatable illness like asthma and they end up taking up a hospital bed. It costs, when, if you, they just gave, you gave them treatment early, and they got some treatment, and ah, a breathalyzer, or an inhalator. I mean, not a breathalyzer, ah, I don’t know what the term is in Austrian for that … "

http://bigjournalism.com/taylorking/2010/11/28/media-matters-lies-about-media-coverage-of-sarah-palin-north-korea-slip/

This was followed by the media response which basically said that Palin was overstating the case and that the Palin slip-up was barely covered by the media. Ironically, that very night, Jay Leno had the following dialogue:
"Palin said that we should stand by our friend North Korea. This was followed by her stating that she was never good at geography".

Yeah, right. The media barely covered the issue.

High Speed Rail

I like train travel as much as anyone and wish that we had better service in the US. However, we just seem incapable of constructing lines properly. One project is a high speed line from Tampa to Orlando. These cities are 85 miles apart and the car trip takes 1.5 hours, Interstate all the way. I guess that a "high-speed" train, if it could average 170 mph could make the trip in 45 minutes (but estimates are that the speed will end up being around 60 mph due to slowing in urban areas, stops, etc.).

However, Tampa and Orlando are both sprawling cities. My condo in Redington Shores is about 45 minutes away from the proposed Tampa train station. Once in Orlando, there will be a 10 mile or so trip to Disney World (which requires a little backtracking to Tampa). So, driving my car 45 minutes to Tampa (there is no public transportation for this), going into city traffic, paying for parking, paying for the train, riding to Orlando, renting a car or waiting for public transportation to Disney World, then either driving or waiting for the Disney buses to get around. And then plan my departure around the train schedule.

Seems a lot more convenient, and cheaper and quicker, to just drive.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/11/16/AR2010111605823.html

Thorium as a fuel source

"If Barack Obama were to marshal America’s vast scientific and strategic resources behind a new Manhattan Project, he might reasonably hope to reinvent the global energy landscape and sketch an end to our dependence on fossil fuels within three to five years."

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/finance/comment/7970619/Obama-could-kill-fossil-fuels-overnight-with-a-nuclear-dash-for-thorium.html

Sounds like a better use for federal funds than short term social programs.

Fiscal Conservatism

Optoon Cartoons (Click to Enlarge)




http://optoons.blogspot.com/2010/08/us-presidents-on-debt-click-image-to.html

How to look good with a bike

Try to get a bike that fits you, physically and symbolically