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Did I just read something about Senator Ashley Judd praising the Democratic plan? Oops, right person just wrong year.
The thing that cracks me up is the Republicans are getting away with claiming they already gave in on revenue and talk about raising more is off the table. The Democrats have a much stronger argument simply stating they've already given in on spending cuts. Correct me if I'm wrong but I recall 1.5 trillion in cuts in 2011 and now 1.2 trillion from the sequester. So why aren't the Democrats on the offensive screaming about no more caving in on cutting our way out of this depression. Sequestration will cost one million jobs alone! Play offense when you have the ball!
Speaking of the foolishness of cutting ones way to prosperity, I found the following buried in the recent NYS budget: "On going state agency redesign and cost-control efforts account for an estimated $434 million of the gap-closing savings from spending control. These efforts include reductions in state agency operations through closures and consolidations of facilities, and strict controls on attrition and hiring." This wrong headed direction in a so called Blue state!
If the Democrats cave on earned benefits, and Medicare, I will be disappointed but not surprised.
Unfortunately, speculation involving 'austerity coeffients' are lifting greedy heads. That is, given your position in the economic spectra, you can fairly accurately predict when your personal freedom will become compromised. For the poor, elderly and dependent it's already occurring, but for the so-called lower, middle and upper classes they have a few years to a decade, and our country's Mediocrity Maintenance policies and programs almost ensure nothing will be done until, like the global operative imperatives, it's way too late.
I strongly recommend moving money to a good credit union, perhaps buying a good safe, a collection of cookie jars, or various safe deposit mattresses and other such money stashing devices.
There's still time before this sort of thievery migrates to the USA. Faith in banks could get pretty shakey. 1 lesson they seemed to have learned from the 1930's is to limit what you can take out, so a total run on banks is more difficult, but we've been forewarned.
At first I thought this was a 'trick' question. Then I realized that, with the degree of mis- and non-information that Americans tend to have (or -not- have), no, this really was a serious question .. for Americans. Anyway, I sit here and think about the different approaches taken by Iceland on the one hand and the 'western establisment' on the other. I also think about the -fact- that our so-called news media usually won't talk about it, and on the far too rare occasions when they do, they down-play the effects of Iceland's course of action as much as they can. Sadly, my father was right when he said that whoever controls the media controls both the message and the information people get, therefore being able to lead people around as easily as if they had a leash with a ring in their nose.
Frankly, the only thing the "crisis" in Cyprus tells me is that the 'banksters' and ultra-rich are trying - again - to hold on to the gains their immoral "legal-thievery" have gotten them (..so far..). The =last= thing they want is for 'the common lot' to figure out what's really going on -and- =then= get fed up enough to finally =DO= something both effective and correctly aimed to make a -lasting- difference. Unfortunately, I'm afraid it may come down to the 'remedy' Madam LeFarge(sp?) shouted all the time: "a la lantern!" (Meaning, hang them from the nearest lamp-post...)
Yes, they are stealing people's money to bail out the banks. That is exactly what they did here.
QE to infinity. That is the only way to keep the charade going.
PS Thom, some of your guests were arguing about the unemployment rate. Whatever the government says is far from the truth. They will always low ball the numbers. Check out shadowstats.com for real numbers.
I was recently listening to another Progressive Radio talker's program, & a caller phoned in to complain about the pensions of some people in the public sector! That host spoke with the caller but really missed an opportunity to set the record straight! This caller spoke about how he was self employed since 1987, and how the retired Chief of Police in his town was receiving a pension in excess of 100k a year! He thought this was outrageous, and paled in comparison to the salary he earned as a self-employed businessman. What I was hoping the host would have said to this idiot (pardon the insult) was that the people who chose public service worked @ a far lower rate than those who pursued careers in the private sector (in 1987), with an eye to a safe secure pension @ the end of their (our) service. We chose to serve as police, firefighters, social workers, teachers, etc. These were occupations that served the PUBLIC good! The pensions we negotiated then were modest by the standards of the day. But now, after the "Race to The Bottom" mentality, that has been fostered by the corporatist who people like that caller looks up to, now our pensions look excessive! We (Me & my Civil Service Professionals) chose to SERVE the PUBLIC, and not our personal greed, like this caller. Public service was available to all these people like the caller, but public service was work that was beneath them! Now, they're upset because we chose to take our compensation @ the end of our careers. We kept an eye to the future. Our salaries were decent, but far below those who chose the corporate route. We were discounted, and our professions were regarded as the careers you FELL to when you couldn't "CUT IT" in the private sector! I am a retired police officer from the Detroit Police Dept. I served 23 years, 5 months, 12 days, in this profession. I would've served longer, but my career was cut short after my police cruiser was struck head-on by a vehicle driven by a fleeing felon. Now this caller feels as if I'm leaching the system because I have the nerve to expect the pension that was NEGOTIATED 25 years ago! The years served, and my permanent limp, is not enough to justify my compensation package! Me, & people like me, are the reason that the USA is in the throws of economic dispair! Not the CEO's who truly wrecked not only the American economy, but the WORLD economy! People like this caller THINK that they are cut from the same cloth as Lloyd Blankfein, Jamie Dimon, and all the other sociopaths who have improvished them! People like this caller identify so much higher than their true station in life! They truly believe that they are one deal away from being a TITAN in their chosen field! CEO's of today, who have run most of the companies they've headed in the ground, are INTITLED to the obscene compensation packages they receive when they leave those jobs, according to people like the caller! Thom PLEASE educate these clods when they call your show! Tell them no teacher, cop, fireman, social worker, factory worker, or anyone else who is paid hourly, has done anything to ruin our country! It's people like them. Those who has stood by and cheered @ the hollowing out of the American dream, because they didn't think it would effect them. Now they are victims of their own greed, lack of empathy for those they consider beneath them, and the insensitivity of the suffering of others!
Thank You
Megalomaniac ~ What a beautiful and thoughtful observation. Praxis is indeed the key. Fear is the shield blocking the key hole. It is quite easy to generate fear in the elderly that makes them not think clearly.
The media does a fine job generating fear in us all. For example, every time it saber rattles about attacking Iran--a country that both Russia and China have publicly announced is not a military option for the US. Yet the US media constantly eludes that such an attack is inevitable. No Praxis there, just fear.
It would be wise advice for those older contributors on this blog to remember they are not the isolated and helpless group that they may think they are. The media and its controllers would like nothing better than our intrepid seniors to self destruct in fear. However, the fact of the matter is seniors are not alone. Every young and able body person with a job and clout of any kind has one or more seniors in their life that they love and care about a great deal. They also don't want to be paying taxes for social programs for these seniors and be burdened with additional health care costs that the government wants to shift to them.
If Austerity comes to the US it stands that with Praxis, everyone will hit the streets in outrage. After all, that's the very reaction Austerity caused everywhere else it was imposed. Cause and effect. It would benefit the senior population on this blog and in this country to refrain from reaction until Austerity becomes a reality to also benefit from the shear numbers of other citizens that will want to express outrage. With a media as tightly controlled as ours, the only type of demonstration that hopes to get any media coverage and demand change will be one composed of such a large multitude of people that all city commerce is disrupted by the shear volume of humanity on the street. The only way to realize that definitive solution is by giving the law makers enough rope to hang themselves.
Timing is everything and is the essence of Praxis.The Ninja were extremely successful, not so much because of their fighting ability; but because of their ability to maneuver unseen, and perfectly time their actions. We the people must practice Praxis the same way. Like Megalomaniac says, we can't tell from the media what we are really up against because so much of it is smoke and mirrors. The primary reason for it all is to maintain a perpetual state of fear--thus paralyzing us all. Therefore, even though it is wise to be prepared for anything, it is equally wise to be calm, patient, and observant with everything. Thanks for the comment Megalomaniac. Well said!
From my view we are in Europe’s old economic culture and pulling away from it through different mechanisms such as fear coupled with praxis.
Praxis: Theoretically Reflective Action
Reality which becomes oppressive results in the contradistinction of men as oppressors and oppressed. The latter, whose task it is to struggle for their liberation together with those who show true solidarity, must acquire a critical awareness of oppression through the praxis of this struggle. One of the gravest obstacles to the achievement of liberation is that oppressive reality absorbs those within it and thereby acts to submerge human beings' consciousness. Functionally, oppression is domesticating. To no longer be prey to its force, one must emerge from it and turn upon it. This can be done only by means of the praxis: reflection and action upon the world in order to transform it.
The link http://www.markfoster.net/struc/praxis.html might be interesting for some here including Thom. There is abundance in plurality here which needs time to untangle and many other articles.
Just as Nature does not like a vacuum, few educators speak of praxis. And an interesting comment one author said of particular interest to the “derivative”. For those who follow my rants know my interest in this derivative thing. Now this derivate, the basic tool of the rich being revealed very slowly cautiously because of its volatility, and used as in theory too big to fail. This from my view is the most pompous old world cultural bottled snake oil carnied in cotton candy flavor passed out in the media in carnival sensational analysis totally intended to sell stress relieve pills endorsed by AARP. Yes it rigged!
For Aristotle, praxis is guided by a moral disposition to act truly and rightly; a concern to further human wellbeing and the good life.
This is what the Greeks called prognosis and requires an understanding of other people. Therefore agree with one of the other bloggers, Thom let the persons release all of their notions, theories, or creditability. There are plenty of times where I listen to very, very credentialed persons only to draw a conclusion, but, now after understanding your rant about America’s treasonous Republican presidents we have legions of appointed persons that have created government corruption from the time if Nixon. All that is exasperating and difficult to control. I find myself always trying make a long story short so to speak. That always cannot be done with this new knowledge about treason rampant in Congress, Senate, Supreme Court, and every elected Republican president after Eisenhower. For I am a Eisenhower Republican, I love the man and miss him and wish for his sense to return.
Praxis, in its simplest construal, means “theory plus action.” It indicates life practice formed from both reflection and action. The self, striving to transform the world creatively according to an emerging vision based on its own values, actualizes itself as it actualizes its vision. Because individuals' actions always affect other people, praxis is inherently political.
From my view Thom is on target about this fear stuff in economics. Consider, however, praxis is distinct in that its explicit goal is to empower marginalized peoples and help them challenge their oppression. Very decent definition as to where the poor and middle class are today.
Imagine centuries ago education in Europe was esoteric to the few which created the elite that simply knew better than that early poor middle class. So the poor middle class of long ago needed direction. But today as young men and women have the potential to be very refined in education as in high school, to have the likely hood of a technical degree out of high school is very different in this age.
Reminds me of the commercial “those who know, know BDO” well here the same is reflected in modern economic culture. Those who know are messaging each other through the same media you and I use, only the elite must use it too risking exposure in corruption and swindling for power. This is entirely different from early tranny, the only way to avoid being caught is to throw as much noise of fear and economic terror into the soup of communications spicing the media to swamp the truth.
2950-10K and Ken Ware ~ Last night I had a bit of an Epiphany. I woke up suddenly around 5:00 am and realized that the statements I posted in my previous post would not work. They might work in theory and they look good on paper; but, the fact of the matter is both of you are right about one major fact--we are dealing with a bunch of sociopaths.
Not so much externally influenced selfish, alcoholic, or even drug addicts; but rather, internally and permanently defective sociopaths. As noble a notion that a non-profit, health insurance co-op would be the same government agencies that would make the endeavor possible would find a way to eliminate the competition for their owners.
Moreover, there is no reason why We the People should stand for cuts in spending of any of our social programs. That is our money! That is money that We the People paid into to be used for just this reason. It is in fact, one of the few expenditures that occur with my tax dollars that I approve of. Cuts in spending is no more than theft of money. If you allow sociopaths to rob you once they will be back for everything else in time. They simply don't care about anyone other than themselves. This has to stop now!
Ken Ware ~ Please disregard everything I said in my previous post. You are right! Do what you must do and do it with my blessing.
2950-10K ~ Thanks for helping sway my worries about our interpret fellow bloggers. It was great to hear back from Palindromedary and Ken Ware.
Palindromedary welcome back. Do you remember way back when a guy named Gerald used to post all the time? He disappeared at a time when he was complaining of health issues. I always worried about him.
Back to Thom's blog: I've long believed Boehner really doesn't care one way or the other about our fine country. He's simply a government employee for total self gain. He's the kind Thom Paine warned us about.
In a way I think Boehner is just a willing bystander in this treasonous game of economic terrorism. Cantor/Ryan and their Tea Party are the actual forces fomenting this hatred for democracy. In all fairness though I think many of the Tea Party Reps. fall into Boehner's category....maybe too wasted, maybe too stupid, maybe too selfish, just there for self gain. They don't care about our country or representing the best intrerests of the vast majority. The billionaires simply own and manipulate these clowns for their own feudal best interests.
DAnneMarc: Palindromedary and I have been posting on Thom's blog for quite some time, Palindromedary maybe much longer than myself, but I have noticed that Palin talks about going on trips....travels, so this may account for absence. However only Palin can comment on this private matter.
DeAnneMarc: I guess Ken missed your going crazy on guitar video, one which led us into some musical taste dialogue. I know it was a few weeks back but don't recall which Thom blog?
Ken : Regarding questions about DAnneMarc's sexuality, a few weeks back he had a video posting of himself whooping on guitar.
This American believes our government should be democratic, a form of government where we all are allowed to participate and one in which we all do. In ancient Athens you were asked to leave town if you were to lazy to paticipate in democracy. That said, if we all actually participated in a knowledgeable way, then in my opinion an economic component known as socialism would naturally rise to the surface and dovetail with this democracy. Reservation of wealth for the very few would fade into a sharing of the wealth by the very many.
Ken Ware ~ Thanks for the response. Ironically, I am so relieved you are all right--after the way you disappeared the other day. (IE ranting and raving about the government and then claiming to be sick.) I actually lost sleep.
As far as my testosterone levels and genitalia are concerned--it genuinely makes me blush that you are concerned. To answer your question, yes I am a male; and, no, I wouldn't allow anyone to change that fact. The whole rant was a big joke! Couldn't you tell? Especially with the part about listening to Glenn Beck? Maybe I should keep my day job.
As far as your concerns, I couldn't agree more. In fact, if you really want to hear a well written and sober account of sequester and Obama care and its impact on the disabled and elderly I would suggest the web site of "Outside Agitator" Loren Bliss:
http://lorenbliss.typepad.com/
You, I, and he would concur 100% about the measures in store for us all. I would also refer you to his sober conclusion if I might paraphrase: 'The best we can hope to achieve is helping each other on the local level. Anything beyond that will be crushed by the state.'
With that I concur. It is not that I don't want to face reality Ken, it is just that I want to be practical and not waste my resources. I consider you one of my resources. A big one at that. Please heed my advice. There is more than one way to skin a chicken. The opposition is ready for any physical assault. To be successful you have to out smart them. That isn't really too difficult because they aren't that smart.
Do you realize that by taking advantage of the law the way it is any industrious entrepreneur could compete with not only the government, but big medical insurance companies as well. There is such a thing as non-profit business status. There are co-ops that can be taken advantage of for the good cause. A well meaning entrepreneur could solve these problems legally, force insurance companies out of business, force the governmentnt to do its job, and make a profit at the same time. Thousands of lives could be saved and millions could be provided with shelter. All you need to do is rid yourself temporarily of that testosterone burden, think clearly, and take advantage of the vast business experience that is available for free from the Small Business Administration and the contributors on this blog.
If there is any contributors that are reading this Ken and I would appreciate if you would share your Two Cents NOW!
In any event, thanks Ken for letting me know you are OK and still cranky as ever. Wouldn't want you any other way.
DeAnneMarc - You are so self-important when making your statements of kindness and conscious it is difficult to understand you. Your attitude makes me see you as a person with very little, how shall I say this, Hell, if I say how I react to your statements all I will hear are complaints that I am too aggressive and pushy with too much testosterone based bias. Are you really a male or is this some kind of sick joke or prank you are trying to pull off? I do not mean to be offensive, but I feel like I am reading something an older women would write or respond to when you’re writing your comments. I know if good ole' Alice was to read this all hell would break loose! It is funny she reacts like an angry guy and your respond like a nice lady. Stroll through the parks, I guess I need to take sensitivity classes to understand your meanings. Alice would state it a little different, like I am an ass for asking these questions, that I can understand. Your responses throw me off and I am not sure who I am responding to. I am gender biased and I speak to women differently than I do men, just my poor upbringing I guess! That is one trick this old dog will never learn to do…Actually I have not been commenting on this blog because in general I am bored with Hartmann. It states this blog is submitted by Louise Hartmann, does that mean she is writing this blog for Thom or herself? Either way I guess it does not matter. Last night’s show with Candida was refreshing; she was hot to watch on his show. Blond, English and Educated, not to mention she is a knock out in the looks department, a very beautiful women for a refreshment and a change while watching the News Talk Shows! OOP's there goes the testosterone problem again. Yes, Alice, if you’re reading this I am a chauvinist, but not a pig...
DeAnneMarc - I have a serious question for you. Are you really a male, after hearing you state they can have your penis and "balls", they have not done you much good?! If you really think that all we have to do is send in e-mails, letters and phone calls to King Obama, I have to wonder if you have any testosterone in you. King Obama was the sponsor of the Great Sequestration Bill and handed it over to Reid in the Senate to hand out to the crowd in Washington. In California (L.A. County) tens of thousands of poor people, children, elderly and disabled are about to become homeless because of Obama. There will be an estimated 750,000 more people out of work because of the Austerity Program or Obama's Sequestration. Not to mention food stamps and countless other social programs that will disappear starting this year. There will be demonstrations once this Sequestration takes full shape over the coming months and hopefully this will be the catalyst for more than just your peaceful demo's! I have seen this coming and I have mentioned just weeks ago that violence will be the last rider on the road to disruption and destruction of our present society. No it will not be over in a week, try years of violence brought on because of the callousness of people like King Obama, Reid, Boehner, McConnell, Pelosi and others in Washington. H.U.D. estimated that 150,000 to 175,000 families and individuals will lose their homes and apartments because of Sequestration by October and then it starts over again! Do some math and figure out how many angry people who will have relatives and friends thrown into the streets because of Obama's bill and add up the unemployed at an additional 750,000 this year and do your really think there will be only peaceful demonstrations against this government. If you do not see the writing on the wall then not only will you be without a penis or testicles that you stated you do not need your also brainless. This is not something I hope for, but it is something that is coming head on and most likely unavoidable. I would not shed a tear if the aforementioned politicians disappeared by an act of God and we had to start over. You said you lived in Oakland; this area will be hit as bad as Los Angeles that lies about 25 miles north of here when the brunt of the Sequestration cuts hit the poor of our country. Is anyone surprised that the poor and the middleclass will pay for these cuts while the wealthy only got a minimum tax increase of 5% on Capital Gains? Another sad comment on Obama's Sequestration is that the blood that will be spilled will be that of the poor as they try to regain some small resemblance of equity in our Society. And all you will miss is your penis and balls, sounds like a small price to pay for something you have such little regard for! Obama thought his Sequestration idea was a great way to get the Republinuts in Washington to bend his way and it has backfired as usual. So King Obama is responsible for this who frigging Sequestration bill that he said was so bad the Republicans could not swallow it, as usual he is wrong again. I am not a conservative Republinut nor am I gutless Democrat like your BOY in the Whitehouse. Change is coming and that will be a bitter pill to swallow, but never the less it will come to our cities, towns and streets as this poison bill takes hold and tries to destroy those who have the least to lose and have the least to lose when it comes to a violent movement...
Boehner wants cuts? How about the entire F-35 program? How about what remains of SDI? How about closing down the Office of Faith-Based Initiatives altogether? How about an end to outsourcing what used to be inherently governmental functions? There's a start for you!
Palindromedary ~ I was hoping you would have responded to my response by now. It is quite disconcerting that you disappear for a while and return suddenly sounding a bit disheveled. Quite frankly, you worry me. I wish I could talk to you privately. Perhaps you should spend some quality time with family or friends, take a walk by a beach or a stroll though a local park. Definitely, spending more time on this forum, venting your frustrations in a cathartic manner, would do you a world of good as well. I know it has helped me, buddy. Helping each other is a far greater good than trying to desperately change things that are far out of your control. If there is anything I can do don't hesitate to ask.
The Banks have it all set up now -- where they can take risks and if they WIN, they get to keep the money, and if they LOSE, the people have to pay their losses (bail them out).
In other words, the Banksters and their Republican and Democratic and Government Bureucratic BAGMEN have created a perfect scam.
Until We The People rise up and eradicate their theft scam and paralyze these predators, we are doomed to be their victims. STOP THE SCAMMING BANKSTERS!
Palindromedary ~ What a pleasant surprise! i was wondering what happened to you.
As far as your question--a "Fatwa hit" by Pope Francis? The first cool Pope I've ever scene in my lifetime; who, named himself after my favorite Saint? Palindromedary? Are you feeling OK? Remember, Bill Maher is a comedian. Maybe it was just a joke?
As far as "pressuring" The President goes, I'm sure emails, letters, and phoning the White House is force enough. If not, we can protest! He'll hear us! As far as any physical force is concerned... Palindromedary, are you feeling OK? That is you right?
DAnneMarc: The rumors of my demise are greatly exaggerated! Still kicking, just took a break and needed to spend more time learnin' stuff. I have pretty much kept up with scanning what you all have written since I "disappeared". Thanks for your concern. It is nice to be missed. But I found I was spending way too much time writin' stuff when I needed to be readin' stuff. Besides, taking adversarial positions are stressful at times and one needs a break...AIW had the right idea. Some people can be downright scarey and it is best just to avoid them. I'm glad you got back from down south ok.
The margin of victory would have been even greater - with the democrats carrying the House.