Month: March 2010

A Revolution Or A Cultural War?

Inkwell Institute

2010/12 Election Series

Lots has been said by many in the media of a possible revolution in politics…..it began in New York with the failed attempt of a political outsider and continued on to Mass where Brown won in a landslide over a traditional Dem and now we come to the latest CPAC and their straw vote on a presidential candidate and for the last three years everyone has been enamored with Mitt Romney…but this year he had to settle for the “also ran” category for the winner was Rep. Ron Paul of Texas a Libertarian in the GOP…….the GOP was surprised at the vote, but they are NOT paying attention….anyone that is watching politics was not caught off guard…..at least we see the anger, even if the Repubs do not…..

Looks like a culture war is brewing….maybe even as pronounced as the one during the Nixon years…..Marc Ambinder of the Atlantic has a few observations of the battle brewing:

1. The Tea Partiers are a movement within the Republican Party; it is increasing the energy density inside the GOP; very few Tea Partiers are true independents. It remains to be determined how many of them are not registered to vote, or how many of them are unreliable Republican voters.
2. There are different Tea Party movements; some parts seem more influenced by different issue sets than others; it is mostly a shared sensibility; a few common strands run between them: outrage and anger at Washington, and a diffuse but palpable sense that the Elites and the Obama administration are changing the way American works — and looks and acts — for the worse.
3. The Republican primary base is different than the Ron Paul revolutionaries, many of whom are not registered Republican. They’ll be more influential in open primaries than closed primaries.
4. Ron Paul is really the only libertarian with street cred. (Gary Johnson, the former New Mexico governor? He gets the issues but doesn’t speak the language well.)
5. The Tea Partiers and Ron Paul’s libertarians overlap to some degree, but they differ strongly on national security, and the Tea Partiers are, generally, more ready to identify as Republicans than Paulites are. They’re also older.
6. Sarah Palin seems like a natural candidate for the Tea Party crowd; from a very un-elite state, anti-technocrat; anti-shades of gray; she’s taken on the elites and lost, and has a cross to bear; their embrace of her, for the most part, reveals how orthodox the TP movement actually is.  Problem for Palin: if she’s seen as part of the establishment, she won’t play as well with the Tea Partiers. She really will have to run as an outsider and forcibly reject, for example, the Weekly Standard types who are rooting for her.
7. Uniting the Paulites and the Tea Parties is a view about the the role of government, expressed in the familiar cliches: low taxes, creeping socialism, lay off.  And, I would argue, a geo-racial-ethnic anxiety about the emerging majority-minority nation and its attendent economic effects. When the immigration debate flares up, watch out.
8. Mitt Romney and Tim Pawlenty have no chance whatsover to share the sensibility of the Tea Partiers and the Paulites, certainly not in their current incarnations. They don’t speak the language; and because the movement is not about particular issues, their resumes don’t particularly matter. Romney and Pawlenty have a much better chance with that portion of the GOP base which does not identify with the Tea Party movement — which is, by definition, more establishmentarian and hierarchical. The Tea Partiers, at least, have a vehicle for advancing a candidate; Libertarians (the Paulites) really don’t, because they are…libertarians and don’t like to be all collective-y.

9. Romney could not be positioned more poorly to harness the Tea Partiers, the Paulites, and the social conservatives right now: protestant evangelicals still think he’s a Mormon of the suspect kind (unlike, say, John Huntsman Jr., who comes off as a real guy); he is a national security hawk at a time when there is a growing “get us out of there” movement within the base of the GOP; he is unlikely to embrace libertarianism (gambling, marijuana, civil unions) that would transform his political image and attract some of the Paulites; his immigration positioning is solid enough, but his association with the GOP establishment — he’s seen as the establishment candidate — will make anything he says suspect. A deft candidate, which Romney can be, can find a way to articulate a muscular vision for national security (pro “enhanced interrogation,” anti-Gitmo closing) but simultaneously argue that American strength ought not be projected, lest it be diluted.

There seems to be a mounting opposition to the standards set by the GOP…the Tea Partyers, Libertarians, and others are preparing for a run at the 2010 and 2012 elections…..the young voters are tired of the crap in Washington and they showed their disappointment with the GOP at the CPAC……

But with all their anger, the Tea Partyers seem to be shying away from traditional conservative planks like family, faith, especially the meat of GOP politics gay marriage and abortion……The motto of the Tea Party Patriots, a large coalition of groups, is “fiscal responsibility, limited government, and free markets.” The Independence Caucus questionnaire, which many Tea Party groups use to evaluate candidates, poses 80 questions, most on the proper role of government, tax policy and the federal budgeting process, and virtually none on social issues.  (Reported in the NY Times)…..

I found a very interesting thought on Republicans United (go to blogroll it is a very good and informative site) one of their writers, Travis Johnson, when writing about Dick Armey and the Tea Party, had some excellent points that I feel would be a winner if the GOP would just put aside the BS and concentrate on good governance…….

Republicans can counter the Democrats promises of hand-outs with a hand-up.  We need to be actively encourage English-language and GED classes for legal immigrants.  We should work with poor minorities to get them trained to do the jobs we are currently importing.  We should target extremely low-interest government loans and grants to poor people to start their own businesses (then, keep the tax burden extremely low for them, to give them room to thrive).  We should sponsor community-run childcare facilities to ensure the people who would be working or going to school so that they can feed their families don’t leave their children home to fend for themselves and can have adult supervision top help them with homework and teach them how to stay out of trouble.

These ideas are winners…..this is why it is time for moderate even liberal Republicans to take back the party of Lincoln from the hijackers that are now in control.

There is NO political revolution approaching. but there is what I believe a cultural war coming…….old farts will remember the one from the Nixon years….and with all that said….with the “new” mode of thought could also attract old farts like me……

To Be Continued……….

The DR Show–A Review

Or….Why won’t you answer the question?

First, I want to say I do not normally review TV news shows…most of them are a waste of good air time….but I will make an exception this time….

What the American people need is a news show that answers the vital questions of the day, whether you are a conservative or a liberal, the media needs more journalist like Dylan Ratigan of MSNBC.

Why would I say such a thing?

Very simple!  He does not allow the person being interviewed to use the talking points of the day….he almost always demands there be an answer to his questions….to the point that most of the politicians get frustrated and think him rude…personally, I like it and hope that there is a long tenure in his future…..

I like him because he reflects the anger and frustrations of the American people and he tries to take the complex issues of the day and make them simple and easily understood by the average viewer….

It matters not which side of the political spectrum you reside….Ratigan is an equal opportunity basher….he gets my vote as the best news show host on the air….he is informed and inquisitive and demands answers to the questions….every “real” journalist should study his technique….he is a winner…..

To get there go to blogroll and click on Dylan Ratigan Show…..if you are looking for thruth and understanding….the DR Show is your door to that….

The Middle East Tap Dance

Professor’s Classroom

Subject:  Middle East Conflict

Paper #2

I have written a piece last week about the “Institutionalization of Conflict” and how it MUST continue…too much depends on the longevity of the conflict…..

We have seen this scenario play out countless times in the recent past, but they will try it again and again and……..

News out of the Middle East has it that the US will play shuttle diplomacy (yet again) between Israel and the Palestinians…..and everyone is hopeful (yet again) that this time “real” progress will be made for a settlement of the hostilities between the two parties….as ALWAYS a monkey wrench of a problem as arisen……

During the recent visit to the region by VP Biden was hailed as a new beginning to the peace process…..but before the words were even cool in the ears of people a rocket of insulting actions were fired by PM Netanyahu when he announced the building of more settlements on the West Bank…..and the prospect of HOPE was dashed on the rocks of conflict (yet again)……..

The timing of the announcement could not have been timed more poorly than it was…..the announcement is stupid and may damage relations with Washington and possibly the whole world……this whole scenario has been played over and over and over for the last 30 years, probably more, just when we think that progress will be made….then…BAM!….somebody does something stupid and then the talks are off for another year…..with promises that next there will be progress…..and still NOTHING has changed…..

For instance back in the late 80’s and early 90’s, the Palestinians had the first Intifada, where Palestinians kids were throwing rocks at Israeli soldiers with guns….they got whole world’s attention and lots of support internationally….but then some a/hole introduced guns and everything went to sh*t……

Since those days it has been one promise after another and what has been accomplished?  A lot of damn talking and NO action, with the except of rockets being fired, minor armed conflicts and settlements being built…..

Somebody needs to find a way to shut the politicians the f*ck up and let the people talk for themselves….bet we could find a solution then…..but as it is today…no one really wants peace….especially the damn politicians….so this scenario will play out again and again……with politicians there is NO end……..

Why Is The Country Broke?

Professor’s Classroom

Subject:  Economics/Public Policy

Budget Deficit #5

In the past year there has been hours upon hours of the threat of the country going broke…surely you are aware of this by now…..Is it broke?  Then how does it happen?

Repubs and conserv Dems, which includes everyone in Washington,  say that it is the fault of entitlements and the out of control spending that the government has engaged in…..But how did our lack of cash come about?

If we listen to Repubs it is the give a ways from the entitlement programs…you know the services like Social Security, Medicare, etc….they say that these programs are eating up more and more of the revenue of the US and that it must be stopped…and of course, it is all the fault of Baby Boomers and their damn need to retire…

I have given this talk before…..I AGREE…it is all the fault of the give-a-ways….surprised?….Do not be…the give a ways I am referring to is taxes……apparently dipsticks do NOT know that taxes are the sole source of revenue for the country and every tax cut is doing NOTHING but making life worse for the people…..okay, it is a popular issue….everybody thinks that life will be magically better when tax cuts kick in…..my question now is….after 20 years or so of these magical mystery benefits…..how has it worked out?

Look at the states and their problems…..almost every problem that they face is because for a couple of decades they have given away all the state income in tax breaks and such to companies that they want to attract to the state….once again…how has that worked out?  If you want states to solve the ills of the society, then that will take money and tax cuts do NOT generate anything but votes….but yet the people still think that tax cuts and breaks and incentives will be a magic pill that will cure all the problems that come to light……it is a LIE!  And anyone that believes that is DELUSIONAL!

Everyone can relate…..without income there is NO progress or stability!  The use of stats to make the case for tax cuts is another lie…….look at reality…..poverty has risen during the years of the tax cuts….so who benefits from the cuts?  Bet it is not YOU!

2010 Anal-ocity #8

First, I would like to thank Quin of Quintessential Havoc (to visit a great site go to blogroll) for reminding me pf the anal-ocities……with listening to the utter bullsh*t coming out about health care as we all waited for the final vote….well….it is not the final vote but damn close….

Before I give the anal statement I would like to ask the Tea Partiers who were protesting at the House of Representatives……what did you accomplish when anti-gay slurs were hurdled at Barney Franks or spitting on the Congressmen as the walked by or calling a black representative the “N” word?  The “true” Tea Party should immediately come forward and put a stop to this….allowing this sh*t to continue does the real TP a dis-service….

Onto the anal statement—–during the hours running up to the health reform vote every Repub that could talk got to a mic somewhere and the comments were the same…it was bad, it was gonna break the country,and so on….and on…and on….but there was one talking point that almost all used…..

“it is rule of man, not law”  “and the law cannot be violated by man”

I do not know about you but what immediately came to my mind was…..HUH?  WTF does that mean (thanx Quin)?  I have heard some lame ass statements during this debate…..but this one takes the damn cake….

My problem is who in the GOP do I nominate this talking point to?   After much thought I decided to give it to the minority leader of the House, Rep. John Boehner.

Equality (Revisited)

Inkwell Institute

Professor’s Classroom

Subject:  Equality/Government/Political Philosophy

Paper  #7A

Note:  In my last paper, Equality–What Is It Good For?”, I omitted explaining where the different political ideologies stand on the subject…….I would like to correct that oversight on my part……..I would like to thank Andrew Heywood and his book “Political Ideologies” for the breakdown by political leanings……he gave a much better synopsis than I would have….and in fewer words……I like simple but informative….

When it comes to people what are their particular beliefs in the “institution” of equality……I am glad you asked…..

Liberals:  believe that people are born equal, in the sense of equal moral value….this implies formal equality, as well as the equality of opportunity.  Classical liberal thinking emphasizes the need for strict meritocracy and economic incentives—modern liberals argue that genuine equal opportunities require relative social equality.

Conservatives:  view society as naturally hierarchical and have dismissed equality as an abstract and unachievable goal.  Modern conservatives see a strongly individualist belief in equality of opportunity while emphasizing the economic benefits of material inequality.

Socialists:  regard equality as essential and a fundamental value and endorse social equality.  Regardless of shifts in type of socialism, equality is seen as necessary for the establishment of justice or equality, and the enlarging more freedom in a positive sense.

Anarchists:  stress political equality, as understood as equal and absolute right to personal autonomy, implying that all forms of political inequality amounts to oppression.

Fascists:  believe that all of humankind is marked by radical inequality, between leaders and followers and between various nations or races…..nevertheless, the emphasis on nation or race implies that all members are equal, in terms of their core social identity.

There you have the major political ideologies and how they view the idea of equality…..remember, also, that there are many sub-categories within these ideas and that some of the views are tweaked to reflect their view of the subject.

To be continued……Next…….Why Party Politics?

Finally! It’s Done!

(cue trumpets sound)

Remember that song that never ends….health reform?  Well here it comes to the end and the last note will be played…..(probably not, but we can hope that the country can get about the business of the country now)

The vote on 21 March 2010, the health reform bill has past and awaits the signature of the Prez…….Now the Repubs will have to move on to a new “game plan”……..mostly likely it will be energy bills…..and the rest of us will sit back and watch the “death panels”, wait patiently for the government take over and observe the health companies loss their profit margin…..(btw…all that is SARCASM!)…….

I now await the Repubs trying to overturn all the stuff….the bill sucks from my point of view….but as all the others say….it is a start……

But the hours that lead up to the final nail in the coffin of the GOP was full of comments and interviews predicting this and that….my fav was the talking point of the day for Repubs…..”.it is the rule of man and it cannot overrule Law”…..we heard that piece of intellectual dribble over and over…..I just have to say that the leader of the GOP in the House, Boehner, when interviewed vowed to fight on but his face showed signs of stress….well, accurate. showed signs of panic….for he knows that the Repubs may be screwed….when the American people learn the truth about the bill then they will shoe support for it and that could mean “Waterloo” for the GOP in November…..

Anyway….the song is over (for now)…..Obama delivered on something that has been 100 years in the making….health care for all (well close) Americans…….may we move on now?

Eat Well, Stay Fit

Back in the day I had a button that I wore everywhere, “Eat well, stay fit and die anyway”…….maybe not everywhere……there was a button I wore when meeting politicians that said, “I already have an asshole, so I really do not need you”….that was my fav…..

I know….you are wonder what the Hell I am rambling on about, right?……thought so……okay I shall get to the meat of the subject……I was scanning the “NET” for absurd articles…..why?…I need a good chuckle now and then…..anyway….I found one on AP:

A 38-year-old jogger from Georgia is dead after a single-engine plane making an emergency landing hit him as he ran on a South Carolina beach listening to his iPod.The coroner said Tuesday that Robert Gary Jones of Woodstock, Ga., apparently did not hear the troubled plane that struck him from behind on Hilton Head Island on Monday. The plane had lost its propeller and the pilot’s vision was blocked by oil on the windshield.

Hilton Head fire and rescue spokeswoman Joheida (Joh-HI’-da) Fister says the identities of the pilot and a passenger on the Experimental Lancair IV-P plane were not released. They were not injured.

Holy crap!  What are the odds?  I realize that this is NOT a funny story but….come on…..laugh a little you will feel better….now what is the moral of this story?

Maybe you should leave the iPod at home or pick exercise that you can hear while doing it…what good is all that hard work if you wake up DEAD?

I once had to go to a gym and pick up my father, who was doing physical therapy after a stroke……and as I walked around looking, (yes, at women) I could NOT find a conversation that was not infantile or completely superficial, so this lead me to the conclusion that exercise freaks are self absorbed,  fake and have the IQ of warm toast (and that is being generous).

In This Corner……Bernie Madoff

On the weekends I like to try and lighten up the tone from the rest of the week……most news is serious in content….but every now and then I find a report that I feel needs a shout out….and this is one such report…..in the past it was reported that he had fallen out of bed….then I said sure….and the woman with a black eye was hit by a door knob….sorry …I digress……

Bernie Madoff had his nose broken by another inmate in December, Dionne Searcy and Amir Efrati of the WSJ report, citing three people familiar with what happened.

The Bureau of Prisons denies the incident, as does Madoff (who presumably doesn’t want to get beaten up again for being a snitch).

Mr. Madoff was treated for a broken nose, fractured ribs and cuts to his head and face, according to a felon currently at Butner serving time on drug charges who was familiar with his condition at the time. The details of the injuries couldn’t be independently verified.

The former inmate said the dispute centered on money the assailant thought he was owed by Mr. Madoff.

Now there is an idea……let all the people that he screwed have a couple of shots at him…they may not see any of their stolen money but they would feel a whole lot better….Just a thought……

A Prius Of A Story–Part Deux

I recently ranted about the California Prius crash and how they tried to make the guy look like some scam artist…Toyota has tried to blame everything but their car for the problem….I even heard a guy say it was caused by Cosmic Radiation…..I do not know if he was serious or just being a smart ass……but sounds like the crap they are trying to say in the media……

As usual there is more to this story…..seems like the Prius is not a California problem solely……

Another incident has been reported of an unintended acceleration of a Toyota Prius and United States authorities are investigating.

Federal regulators are looking into an accident that occurred on Tuesday in Harrison, New York, when a 56-year old woman in a 2005 Toyota Prius was pulling out of a driveway when the car suddenly shot across the street and crashed into a stone wall. The driver sustained non-life threatening injuries.

The crash was reported to be very violent, according to local police. With some of the boulders on the stone wall, weighing between 500 and 1000 pounds (225 to 450 kg), thrown several feet after impact. Police say the floor mat was not the problem and that the car had already been taken into a local Toyota dealer due to the recall that is in effect.

I cannot wait to see just how they try to demonize this poor woman…

UPDATE:  NTSA has ruled that it was more than likely driver error…..but the song continues…..