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The last Democratic president, Bill Clinton, took an ax to the Great Society programs, redistributing all that money upward while creating a growing mass of permanent poverty. When liberals remained dead indifferent, we knew Social Security would be next. Bill Clinton gave us 8 years of Bush. We knew that there was risk in electing another Democrat, but it did appear that Barack Obama was not a "Clinton Democrat." We took a chance, and voted for Obama. Are the Democrats about to betray the American people yet again? If so, then it's time to tell them that the Party is over. Our Founding Fathers stated that if government should ever work against the best interests of the people, the "masses," we have a duty to remove it.
PhilipHenderson - Yes, back in the second year of Obama's first term I was still hoping against hope that the guy was just this incredible 3 dimensional chess grand master, playing all of the Beltway bullies and Wall Street buffoons off against each other. But no, my friend, I think too much bad water has gone over the dam since then. I won't bore you with my personal litany. There have just been far too many bad things happening during the man's watch for me to continue to believe that he is what he claimed to be. I really wish it could have been otherwise.
MMmmNACHOS ~ I see where you're coming from with the idea of Anarchy. Unfortunately, the core goal of Anarchy is the abolishment of Government. I can see where this might be a great idea and a sound one in a small society--like Gilligan's Island. Government is unnecessary and only a hindrance in such a scenario.
However, my friend, in a large, complex society, Government is a very necessary evil. It is the only entity available to protect the weak from the strong. It allows a leveling of the playing field, fair competition, safe regulated trade, a path for justice, and a common resource for review of grievances. Corrupt and as ineffective as it may be, without Government our society would be a 'Mad Max'-like wasteland where only the strong would survive and the weak are considered useless and obsolete.
Sorry my friend! Anarchy is great for a small counter culture where there is already strong social cohesion; but, beyond that, it isn't a very good idea.
I'll just say that any legislator that votes for this turd of a deal will NEVER get my vote again. Fortunately, I believe that it is unlikely any of the 3 I can actually vote for will get on board with this attempt to financially rape those of us who can afford it least.
No you didn't strike a nerve with me, at least not in a negative way. I just wanted to take a minute to talk to you about anarcism. As we both point out anarchy is very misunderstood, and most people, including yourself, dismiss it before truely understanding its core.
Twenty years ago when I first begain to study and practice anarchy I was often times verbally and physically attacked by flag waving jingo patriots. Often I was called Anti-American. Even worse was when family memebers would say "Of course your rebelious...Your still wet behind the ears." This did strike a nerve and caused me to be more aggressive which in turn worked against me. Then about 14 years ago a very near and dear friend of mine gave me a copy of Coleman McCarthy's book "I'd Rather Teach Peace" which lead me to his online courses "Class of Non Violence" where I found a plethora of information and writtings by dozens of Nonviolent Peace Activist and Anarchists. At the same time I begain studying World Religion and discovered a ver common thread for Peace and Humanity..."Do unto others as you'd have done unto you." Yes I had heard that quote many times before but this time it affected me in a way that change my way of thinking and helped me gain a better understanding of the "social decay" - as you so elaquantly put it - comes from.
I'm still aggressive in practice, maybe even more than before, but I am no longer hostle.
Barack Obama and Democrats can resolve this problem by winning elections to the House and Senate in 2014. The Republicans in the Congress are only going to be obstructionists. President Obama's play today was a political move to engage Democrats to get elected in the midterm. The budget he proposed is going nowhere. Democrats hate it and Republicans hate it even more. This was merely to tickle Democrats to act in 2014!
Though I was seduced by Obama the Orator to vote for him in 2008, before he revealed himself as Barack the Betrayer, and though I voted for him again in 2012 because there was no other alternative to the avowed fascism of the Republicans, I see now I should not have voted at all.
Apparently I had no other choice. The system is rigged so third party candidates cannot ever win -- hence a vote so cast is (and always will be) a vote wasted. But a vote withheld -- or better yet written-in as "none of the above" -- is a moral refusal to participate in two of the worst most unforgivable atrocities in human history, each facilitated by the most diabolically oppressive Ruling Class technological omnipotence ever known. Change is therefore impossible; we are enslaved literally forever -- that is, until our species is extinct.
Meanwhile the two unforgivable atrocities continue. One of these is the restoration of the slave-and-sweatshop economy that -- save during the tiny interregnum of the New Deal -- has always been the core reality of the United States. The other is the expansion and perpetuation of the USian Empire -- a veritable Fourth Reich of torture, murder, massacre and genocide the evil of which will eventually exceed (if indeed it does not already) anything hitherto known on this wretched planet.
Thus any member of the 99 Percent who still trusts Barack the Betrayer to represent us -- much less to protect us from capitalist savagery -- is no more than the U.S. equivalent of the "Good German" who supported Hitler to the bitter end: an ignorant, cravenly submissive fanatic whose lockstep conformity condemns us forever to the murderously exploitative realities of capitalism. Such die-hard supporters are therefore as much criminals as the Betrayer himself.
The time is long past for pleading to this president's humanitarian instincts, because he has made it clear he has none. His beneficence extends only to the One Percent – the Big Business/Wall Street aristocracy he serves so obediently – and at such terrible cost to all the rest of us. The petitioning of Barack the Betrayer is already proven pointless.
Instead he should be mocked and jeered publicly for what he truly is: a moral imbecile, the most outrageous liar ever to occupy the White House, a reanimated Richard Nixon stripped of boorishness, outfitted with maliciously deceptive eloquence, wrapped in Afro-Democrat disguise and sold to the gullible by the same obscene huckstering that prompted an infinity of mothers to cripple their children with thalidomide.
Let the Ruling Class cocoon this all-time liar with whatever lavish and protective mantel it has promised him in repayment for his treacheries. Let them honor him as Ayn Rand's most obedient servant, the ultimate champion of her genocidal economics. Let us of the Working Class always remember him as Barack the Betrayer – the most maliciously dishonest president in U.S. history – final proof our alleged “democracy” is the biggest of Big Lies.
No Outback, the purpose of the Chained CPI is not "to reduce the effective cost of living allowance (COLA) over time?"
Actually "Chained-CPI" is really very simple. (See Wikipedia or the Bureau of Labor websites). The "Chained CPI" (C-CPI-U) was introduced in 2002, as an evolutionary statistical refinement to account for changing "mix" as certain components of the CPI basket became disproportionate. IE: If Transportation becomes disproportionately expensive, people reduce travel, and it's "% of the CPI basket" should be reduced. Makes sense, a reasonable evolutionary refinement ------> NOT a scheme to screw old-folks out of their dues.
Most of the jargon in my questions; like most of the political jabber was pure bullshit, purposely made up nonsense -- as anyone with the most superficial knowledge of "CPI-U" or the "Chained-CPI" refinement could (should) have known.
Thus, we are not dealing with government or budgetary issues, from a shared factual knowledge-base; we are trapped in a theatrical chirade, a farce of tribal-beliefs and word-games signifying nothing.
Reference: http://www.bls.gov/cpi/cpisupqa.htm
BTW: I'm no Economist, and I don't even play one on Teevey.
cut their salaries and make them use the same health coverage as the rest of American. They should get the same as the rest of us. All of them.
Mauiman2 ~ You are full of what Joe the Plumber would call Sewer Traffic. You would do well to diversify your inception of the news from simply Fox News.
No money at all needs to be cut from any social programs in our country. Have you read the headlines today. Apparently we have $100 Million sitting around that President Obama wants to send to NASA to "lasso" an asteroid for future space exploration practice. Thats right! $100 Million for outer space rock collecting.
Meanwhile, our Military Industrial Complex is obese and needs to be put on a crash diet for it's own good. You haven't mentioned how much of a percent of that budget needs to be trimmed.
What about Campaign Finance waste. The combined money wasted on election campaigns in this country alone could cover our social safety net with a tidy raise in the social security benefits to our retired people and veterans.
That's just creative accounting without even considering raising revenue by jacking up taxes on the top 10% and corporations. But, oh yes, do let us ponder this possibility thoroughly as well, my friend!
One might think that someone like you would wish the poor, infirmed, wounded veterans, and retired workers the best money can buy after they worked their lives away and sacrificed so much to make your luxuriously comfortable lifestyle possible. Do you have no shame?
Bottom line is that there is an abundance of revenue for the poor and needy. The only problem is an abundance of greed of the insatiably gluttonous wealthy class. All I have to say to Money worshiping swine like you is...
It is far wiser to think without speaking, than to speak without thinking. Especially on this forum, my friend. Someone might hear you and tear you a new one! It might do you some good since you seem to be thoroughly constipated!
Rational? There's no pain here, COLA simply gets downgraded to a generic diet COLA version, or as the White House explained today on the Randi Rhodes show, instead of buying premium gas just buy the regular, no pain! The Koch's still make a fortune off the $4/gal gas as you buy the regular. Thing is I've never known anybody to buy premium, for sure not folks living off Social Security.
And HalFonts, Say what? I don't know the intricate details of "Chained CPI" versus "Conventional CPI", but what's the point? Isn't switching to the "Chained CPI" supposed to reduce the effective cost of living allowance (COLA) over time? Otherwise, why would Obama be touting it as a reduction in outlay (which it isn't anyway, being separately funded through FICA, not general revenues)? C'mon Hal, you don't need to know the timing parameters of the back side bus of that Core 2 Intel processor your posting through to be legitimate here, do you? (And if you do, you're scaring me to death....;-)
2950: Bravo! So well put!
Nachos: Sorry if I hit a nerve, and thank you for your definition. Not knowing anything at all about Anarchy as a political position, I've always assumed that it would lead to violence, or arise from some catastrophic collapse, or both. One definition of anarchy is "a state of disorder due to absence or nonrecognition of authority", so you can see why so many people may misunderstand the nuanced definition of "an Anarchist". As you've defined it though, it reminds me of Communism in that, while a noble ideal, it has eluded humanity in the same way that pure democracy has. I'm reading Jared Diamond's latest book "The World Until Yesterday" right now, which touches lightly on some of this stuff. Maybe you've read it. Anyway, thanks for the correction.
With their budget proposal, Obama and his team have forgotten the most essential element of democracy, fair representation of, "We the People." We hired Obama through the democratic employment process known as voting. Looting the social safety net in order to appease the billionaire controlled Republican party is simply not representative government. Their big money does not equate to big representation. My vote equals David H Koch's, we each get just one. He deserves no more representation than me or anyone else. Just because Fox/corp. media has messed with the heads of many voters doesn't necessarily mean they want to see Social Security cut either, in fact 70% favor lifting the cap.
Why isn't Obama fighting for a cost of living upgrade to Social Security? Do you want to see the vast majority rule? Just take a poll on that idea! Lift the cap as most already want and this could be reality. Those making multi-millions off the sweat of our backs would finally have to indirectly provide us with the pensions we deserve.
Besides, if citizens actually saved for retirement instead of spending this money, the economy would certainly crash. Who can afford to save anyway? Of course had the job creators paid people what they were worth the last few decades, should be currently $22/hour minimum wage, maybe we all could afford retirement accounts. Instead much of this wealth from increased worker productivity has ended up in the hands of a very few in offshore bank accounts, untaxed and useless to our economy. Return this wealth, close the loopholes, and raise the damn cap.
Why won't the democrats fight back and go on the offensive, the numbers are overwhelmingly against Teabagger/Billionaire Party politics.
Hey-ho OUTBACK...You stated in post #20 on 4/2/13 that you are not an anarchist or a proponent of violent civil action.
Are you implying that anarchist are violent, or that the philosophy of anarchism promotes violence? If so I strongly disagree.
I am an anarchist, and I do not support or encourage violence. As you may already know I am 41 years old, a husband, and a father, and I hold a degree in American History and a degree in Sociology. I can honestly say that the philosophy of anarchism is not one that promotes or encourages violence of any kind. In fact Anarchism believes that if we can create a society without extrems of poverty and wealth and join hands across all national boundries, we will not need police forces, prisons, armies, or war, because the underlying causes for these will be gone.
Unfortunatly most people do define anarchy as disorder, disorganization, chaos, confusion, violence, and everyone doing as they like, however nothing could be farther from the truth. In fact what most anarchist want is a society that is organized in many different ways; with the understanding that what is good for one group is not always what is best for another. Violence doesn't even have a place in a society that cooperates in work and play in order to excist as an eglitarian society.
Anarchy does insist that any organization must avoid hierarchy and command from the top; it must be democratic, consensual, reaching decisions through constant discussion in an open forum.
What attracted me to anarchism was its rejection of any bullying authority - the authority of the state, of the church, or the employer.
There have been many people through out history who were anarchist and practiced nonviolent resistance. One person in particular is M Gandhi. As you may know he single handedly organized one of the biggest nonviolent peace movements in recorded history, which for the most part quilled two wars and in the end earned India's independence from England. Sadly though, what Gandhi was practicing and teaching, the world as a collective was not ready for. Maybe the time has come for us to slow down and change our greedy hostle way of thinking.
I challenge anyone here parroting platitudes of "Social Security off the table" to explain the differences pro and con between Chained CPI, CPI, CPI-U, CPI-W, CPI-C and CPI-B -- including the rational and history behind the development of "Chained-CPI" -- including which year "Chained-CPI" was first introduced, and by which Political Party or Governmental Bureaucracy?
Anyone who can't do so, really has no informed opinion about Social Security Cost of Living Adjustments, other than whatevver faith-based opinions their handlers have fed them.
For extra credit, list several of the major groups within the CPI, including their relative weight in Pounds and Kilograms. Are Women properly included in CPI Results? Will changing the CPI Index require an Constitutional ammendment? Which Cities are used for the CPI Index? What other Inflation Indices exist? Can CPI calculate ROI for Capital-Gains? What is the essential difference between "Tea-Party-CPI" and "Progressive-CPI" values?
Wow can you imagine expecting a government program to fund itself. What goes it matter that people are living decades longer and the new meds that keep them living decades longer are extremely expensive. I payed into it So i sould get it!!! Come on guys it just simply costs more Now.
I have to say I do get a kick out of the Obama bashing. I told you so. But no, back in 2008 when I warned you where going to hang me. They are all the same. So much for hope and change.
Maui man where have you been I don't seem so lonely now.
I never said cut everything equally, but we simply have to cut about 500 billion a year out of something. I don't see how you can do that and leave the big 3 untouched.
I do agree, Louise. I have signed the petition and encourage everyone to do so. We need to speak loudly on this one. Although this puts a damper on hope, that doesn't matter. We don't stop fighting as long as we can make our voices heard. I intend to do everything I can (call and write to Pres. Obama, call and write to my Rep and Sen's, sign petitions, etc.)
Also
Make 25% of big corporations who don't pay any tax pay their fair share.
End the war on drugs.
Make the trillionaires bring "their" money back from overseas. Make it illegal and tax the shit out of it.
Reduce our 13 carrier battle groups and close a large number of our over 500 overseas bases.
Knock off the oil and coal subsidies.
Bring back our well paying jobs from overseas. Make them provide pensions, decent pay and good medical care as well.
Mauiman, you're either an idiot or a rich swine living off of capital gains and perhaps that nice inheritance you got from daddy. I'm guessing the latter. God, how your ilk reek of arrogance!
Get it through your privileged thick skull and into your small mind once and for all that Social Security has NOTHING TO DO with the "federal budget". It's "off balance sheet" as your team of accountants would put it. Have one of them explain that to you, please!
Never mind America... it is a country of some 300 million inhabitants
There are some 6 billion inhabitants on this planet
Try to get the picture and scale of your view point
There is enough for all!
All over the planet
Sadly! We have found out how to screw that quite royally... and, maybe that is quite royally known and has been quite royally known for quite a long time
As I understand in ball-park figures, 90% of money in america is possessed by 1% of the populace
I will stand corrected since I have no documented references
Federal buget cut by 15%..................... REALLY!
Sorry! Barak Obama appears to be a man who simply wanted to be a President of America and nothing more
A straw man without anything inside or outside
Suceeding only in satisisfaction of his ego
Even in his last term has been unable to find within himself again those high morals upon which he laid down his pricipals for support and, for that so many gave support
Maybe those high morals and pricipals were just positions taken in order to kid the voters and get power
Shame on him!
He started out looking genuine and now looks something like a puppet show
Shame on him!
Obama is a lousy socialist.