Obama wins Nobel Peace Prize

My first reaction is that it is a little early there is still two major wars going on and a couple of hot trouble spots. He did make a grand speech in Cairo Egypt for international understanding. I wonder if this is more about influencing the future than about what happened in the past. What will they do if he in fact does bring peace to the Middle East give him another Nobel Peace Prize? I think they should have waited for him to bring troops home instead of sending more to war.

Medical Care for illegal-immigrants

The President was right the Health Care bill states in plain English that even Joe Wilson should be able to understand that it does NOT cover illegal-immigrants, but Hospitals can't refuse to give medical care to someone who needs it now and the taxpayer already picks up the tab, which probably won't change.
American seem willing to take illegal-immigrants labor, but unwilling to pay them a living wage or even give them medical care. If the American people didn't exploit them to get something cheap they wouldn't be here in the first place.

Health Care Choices

Many of those who complain that a Public option takes away their choices don't really have any choices now, most Health Insurance companies are in the States with the largest population density such as Florida, New York and California, many other states have just one insurer now, so a Public Option would improve their choices and their Health care.
It seems that the people that would benefit the most from Universal Health Care are the one that are against it. The Public Option as it is called does not go far enough, but it is a start in the right direction. I personally might be more hurt since I had my Health Insurance paid by Verizon until I went on Medicare and now they pick up to secondary insurer, but I am think of my children and their children, the high cost of our present health care system as and drive companies out of the USA for it is the cost of Health care not wages that cost American jobs. What we need is a Single Payer Universal Health Care System.

Paying for Social Security and Medicare

The problem with SS and Medicare is the good times our parents had in the 1940’s and 50’s making us baby boomers and we didn’t return the favor, so now there are less workers than retired baby boomers. If you raise or eliminate the cap on Social Security and Medicare Contributions until we all die off the problem should either go away if you have a lot of kids or be someone else’s problem.

Healthcare should be paid for through single payer and benefits adjusted to those funds that would take the pressure off small businesses to hire more people at good wages, so there won’t be 40 million uninsured

Malpractice insurance is killing medical costs so must be reformed to be fair to both Doctors and patients

Sonia Sotomayor

One of the criticisms thrown at Judge Sonia Sotomayor is that she feels what effect laws have on people and not just deciding cases strictly by the law. What they really mean is a Conservative view of the law. How can any person decide a case without thinking the effects of that decision unless they are robots and who wants a robot as their Judge? When Sonia was a young lawyer said that as a Puerto Rican woman she has more qualified to be a Judge than many white men and many conservatives have jumped on this to call her racist. When you first look at this statement it looks like a racist statement, but when you put it in context, I think and hope she meant that being raised poor in the Bronx, losing her Father when she was only nine, that her life experiences mean she can Identify with more people than a White men from a rich family that had everything handed to them. Everyone views what they see by their past experiences no matter how little or how much education they may have. It can only be hoped that Sonia Sotomayor has the experience to be able to put herself in another persons shoes.

 

 

 

 

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Tax and Spend

Paul Krugman column in the NY Times on Monday May 25, 2009, The State of Paralysis in California saying that the problem with the California budget dates back about 30 years when the Voters of California Passed Proposition 13 a ballot measure that placed cap on property taxes. This leaves the California budget to depend on income taxes for most of its money and in a recession that money dries up leaving California in a big hole. Paul Krugman seem to say that putting a cap on property taxes is a bad idea because seniors are paying less taxes on their homes than younger home owners. Why can't the spending part of the budget be cut as much as I hate to agree with conservatives the income tax is the fairest of all taxes because people only pay what they can afford and doesn't throw them out of their homes. State budgets are by their nature harder to cut because they have more meat and less fat, the federal budget on the other hand has a lot of fat called the military budget. The Bush administration spent most of the budget on the military and building Iraq and cut the domestic budget to the bone. Now the Obama administration is spending on the domestic budget, but is still spending almost the same amount on the military budget so the balance between money coming in and the money going out is out of balance giving us a big deficit. If we as a country finally come to realize that we cannot afford an empire and close most if not all of our bases overseas, cut military budget in half (it is now 57% of the federal budget). We must move from a war time economy to a peace time economy then we will enough money for both federal and state spending.

Star Trek

Here we go again, the same old crew, but new actors the new Star Trek Movie is very good. My Wife, Son and I went to see it on Monday (5/11/09) and enjoy it. The actors seem to be picked to look like the original actors of TV Series. You would think it would be a poor copy of the original, but they did a good job and the movie would be enjoyable to even those not interested in science fiction.

Pelosi vs. the CIA

Nancy Pelosi who has been speaking out against torture was attacked by Republicans who said she was briefed by the CIA in 2003 about their plans to torture detainees. Nancy says that the CIA never said they were going to actually going to do it, just that it was one of the things they were thinking about doing. The CIA said that the record of the meeting says they did tell her they plan to torture at the briefing. Nancy then said that the CIA was lying whereupon the Republicans attacked her again saying that the CIA never lies. Now it must be remembered that Nancy Pelosi was in the briefing by herself, not being allowed any of her aids to company her. She not allowed to make a record of the briefing or to ask any questions, the only record was made by the CIA. One CIA agent whom the CIA record said was at the meeting later admitted that he was not at the meeting which of course backs up Nancy Pelosi that the CIA lied.

    Now I may only be a common old working lad, but even I know that the CIA is in the business of lying and rarely tells the truth only what they want you to know. The CIA is worst than useless it is dangerous, their lies lead us into the Iraq War and has killed 3,000 civilians on 9/11 and almost 5,000 in the US Military. One way I would cut the budget is to do away with the CIA and sale the Headquarters at Langley to the highest bidder.

Catholic Church Abuse in Ireland

There was an article in the New York Time on May 21, 2009 about a 2600 page report on the Catholic Church's abuse in residential schools. Tens of thousands of children (mostly orphans) were Sexually, Physically and emotionally were abused by nuns, priests and other Catholic personal. The article and one letter from the Catholic league try to minimize the blame of the church. The report is only the latest documents of abuse by the church which only covered a little over 60 years because they only interviewed people that were still alive. The abuse of the Irish people by the Catholic Church actually started in the 15^th century after the Catholic king James was defeated by the Protestants and the Catholic Church was Anglicized and told the Irish it was a sin to learn to read and they suffering made them better Christians. All the books I have read, most always has at least one incident of abuse by priest, nun or teacher, it is all through Irish History and might be coming to an end only now that the church is losing its power over the Irish people.

    If Ireland can move to be a more secular then battle between Catholics and Protestants will be over with it the abuse of the Irish people by both religions. So hopefully the future will be brighter for the Irish.

American Morality a one way street

After World War Two the United States along with others made the German people go though Nazis Death Camps so they would see the horrors their government did in their name. Then at Nuremburg the American government brought to Justice all the German officials holding them responsible for their Criminal acts they could find. Yet the American were blocked from seeing the worst pictures of American massacre of Vietnamese villages during the Vietnam War and now President Obama is blocking them again from seeing the criminal acts of their government. If we thought it would help the German people to see the concentration camps, then why not the American people. Some say it will hurt the American Forces now invading Iraq and Afghanistan, well for one thing they should be there in the first place, second it is not as thro our enemies need pictures to confirm what they already know and third if you can't do the time, then don't do the crime. These pictures are just another instance of American one way morality.

Another instance is Military Tribunals that President Obama was against, but once again changed his mind and now he is for them saying because America has a long history of using Military Tribunals, but America has a long history of doing a lot of things wrong. You are suppose to learn from history by correcting what you got wrong the first time and doing the right thing. The worst type of court is a Military court which 99% of the time already have their minds made up after all it is their enemy that is on trial.

This yet another example of why we need an international court with the power to hold existing governments responsible for their actions and not having to wait for them to fall.

 

 

    

Politicians working for themselves or for their constituency

When Vice-president Joe Biden was a candidate he said that "as a Roman Catholic he was against abortion, but most of his constituencies in Delaware were Pro-choice. So as their senator he supported and voted for Pro-choice legislation" which is the way I think it should be. The right wingers use to make a big deal out of the fact the Bush didn't listen to polls and they say that President Clinton did listen to the polls. Our Government is a representative Democracy Politician are elected to represent their Constituents not themselves. We saw with President Bush not listening lead to one disaster after another not that the people are always right, but as the public becomes more educated and it is up to each person to be as knowledgeable as they can be so they are informed voters. Now the other side of that is should you vote for politicians that changes their positions of issues to please their constituents. I guess it comes down to what their voting record is in congress if you agree with the legislation that they support you vote for them, but you have to understand the issues and now they effect you.

US Stress Test for Banks

The Test results which is more of a report on the finances' of the biggest banks to see if they can stand an even worst down turn of the nation's economy and to the surprise of no one some need more money. The report says they are strong, but need about $75 Billion more dollars of taxpayers' money (most to Bank of America 34.9 Billion). Some investors say the report was too easy and some say it is too hard on the banks and just showed what the inspectors wanted to see, but I think that is true of most if not all business and government reports tend to show what we want them to show. The real question is whether the businesses such as Banks or Auto Companies should be bailed out by taxpayers or allowed to fail or nationalized. Those are the options now bailing them out maybe only a temporary solution and add to the national debt. Allowing business to fail or what is called "Free" market would result in only one company surviving in any one industry and having no comparison. Nationalization which most Americans have a fear of because they are contently being told the government would mean a big bureaucracy which is true in any case of course, but they fail to tell you that your choice is between government bureaucracy and private business bureaucracy. One working for the people and the other for profit (the bottom line) which one do you think has your best interest in mind? If we are going to put our money into banks we might as well run them and keep the credit flowing to our country's business that create jobs here.     

Who is panicking the public?

The talking heads on the TV News were all over Vice-President Biden this week for his comment about Swine Flu the on the Today Show When he said "I wouldn't go on the Subway or on an airplane" . The talking heads who are were talking on and on about how bad the Swine flu is for about week already making it out to be worst than it is as they always do were all over Joe Biden says that he is telling people to stay off Mass transit, but that is not what he said he only said that he wouldn't if he were sick. Joe Biden is the one that took the Trains to and from Delaware – Washington DC for the 30 plus years he was in Congress. I guess they have to have someone to pick on now that Bush is gone and Joe Biden has been elected.

Obama covers up Bush’s Crimes

Barrack Obama says if crimes happen in the pass we should forgive them and move on which proves what I have been saying all along that only a international court can investigate and punish any government leaders for crimes against humanity. The only time the upper class is punished for their crimes is when they lose their power. The cover up of Bush's crimes is nothing new they didn't punish Nixon for his crimes or Johnson for his crimes or for that matter any of the forty-four Presidents. This country talks big about freedom and democracy, but when it comes down to it they are all to willing to give up their freedom for a little safety or to go against all their principles for their 30 pieces of gold. The real question is will Society ever change and I think little by little it is and the mass commutations like the internet hopefully means the world can someday change for the better.

Sacrificing for Democracy

We are always unfortunately hearing about soldiers sacrificing their lives for Democracy and most people are proud of their sacrifice. Yet when it comes time for them to just change (Not Sacrifice) their lives they don't want to and even fight the change. Secretary of Defense Gates in his new budget wants to cut weapon systems designed to fight enemies that no longer exist and change to weapons for today's enemies. Now I think they should make even deeper cuts, but there are whose that want for us to continue to waste money on useless weapons because their state makes a lot of money off them which is what Eisenhower warned us about. Now they could try to change over to what they call now a Green industry, but they are against change even if it would help them and their nation. Where is their sacrifice for Democracy?

Talking about green industry there are people in the Coal and Oil industries that are trying to stop our democracy from moving on to Green energy like wind, solar and hydroelectric because their state (like West Virginia) main industry is mining and they are afraid to change over the wind farms with a little retraining they can make more money in a cleaner and safer industry, but they would have to change. Where is their sacrifice for Democracy?

The same people that want a larger than needed military budget are the same one that don't want to pay for it or even the medical care for the wounded soldiers coming home from the their war. A lot of people who complain about taxes complain most about the income tax, yet the income tax is the fairest of all the taxes people pay because it is based on your ability to pay. Yes! The rich and powerful get away with paying little or nothing at all, but that is because they write the laws and get away with paying little or nothing of any of the taxes. Where is their Sacrifice?

Brown Fat is it the Holy Grail?

We are always looking for a way to eat as much as we want and still have a healthy body. Well sciences may have found that we had it all along in our bodies in what they call Brown fat that burns calories instead of storing them. Scientists say Brown Fat is activated by cold rooms or by injecting epinephrine or adrenaline and ephedra an herbal supplement containing epinephrine can stimulate brown fat said Dr. Rubdolph Leibel, co-director of the Naomi Berrie Diabetes Center. But as Dr Leibel says "It fits the fantasy – I eat what I want and burn it off however that fantasy is still far off". Just our luck born too early yet again.

Zero Tolerance makes Zero sense.

    Ben Franklin once said "whose that gives up a little liberty for a little security deserve neither". Well in a case that has reached the Supreme Court a school in Safford Ariz. Savana Redding then only 13 years old was Strip Searched by two female school employees because she was suspected of having ibuprofen on her. This would be against the School's anti-drug policies. She didn't have any on her and her mother was furious so she got a lawyer and took the school to court.

    The United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit, in San Francisco ruled the school officials had violated the Fourth Amendment's ban on unreasonable searches. Judge Kim McLane Wardlaw said "It does not require a constitutional scholar to conclude that a nude search of a 13 year old child is an invasion of constitutional rights". The argument for the school was that they had the good intensions of the health and safety of their students. They would not only not make their students safe from drugs, but they would put them in danger of authority figures going overboard..

Who Can you Trust?

Right now everyone is angry over the bonuses given out by AIG to their top Executives. AIG CEO Liddy says the bonuses were given under contacts that cannot be broken, but when it comes to contacts with workers well it is alright to brake them. They can try to save the big three auto makers by breaking the Auto Union Contact and cut the Auto workers pay to one third on what is was. Now there are people that want to break the teacher's contacts on how they get paid and fired. Merit pay may sound like the right way to go, but that would mean that teachers would have to teach only what their local school board (who are nothing, but Politicos) no mare science that goes against the bible with this country already so far behind in science merit pay for teachers will insure us falling even farther behind.

    These AIG executives are getting their bonuses for selling insurance contacts that their company had no money to back up in other words they were already taken money under false pretenses. Now I know they sole their money legally, but there should be a law against to protect the consumer. It come down to the old saying that if you have a lot of money already you can steal a lot more and if you are poor can't even keep the money you earn honestly.

Throwing money at financial institutions

The taxpayers of the United States are up in arms about the government giving their money to financial institutions like the Big Banks and investment firms on “Wall Street”. These institutions seem to the operating like the Mafia only less honest about the way they handle our money. The government tries to handle the Mafia by making them obey the rule of law, while setting up rules for financial institutions is considered to be Socialism (Which of course is one of America’s fear words).
What previous administrations went wrong with the “Free Market” is they made it too free everyone has to have rules to live by and all our freedoms are measured. We are all free to drive a car, but we also must obey to rules of the road. Socialism to me just means that Institutions that affects everyone in Society should be managed by that society for the benefit of the whole nation.
What the Obama did wrong was not to have set up rules before throwing money. Maybe they are trying to the thing too fast, but if he get half of what he is trying to do we will be a better society.

Obama weighing his options

Obama seems to be the most thinking president we have ever had, listening to both sides of an issue, and then weighting them to see what the right way to go. He tries to go with facts over Ideology, but need the votes of Congressman and Senators that do give in the Ideology, The issue of hiring and firing Teachers on the bases of merit sounds like the right thing to do and it may even work in some areas, but not in others. If you leave it up to the local School Boards then the Teacher's job becomes a political job and you will have fights over religion and Science, Obama maybe doing the best thing by trying to do everything at once for his time is limited and as we have seen in the past Presidents when we get new president it may be back to nothing getting done. I don't know how he can deal with all he has on his desk and still think things through,but he is our best chance to improve things for all the people of this world.