Republicrat

       …and it was such a good idea too.    A viddy from earlier today, before the news on Health Care reform came out.

    

      It seems that Sen. Harry Reid of Nevada has finally gotten what he wants, something that resembles a consensus on Health Care legislation.  At the cost of the public option.  The liberals gave in to their more conservative counterparts,  saying that so long as other coverage options were available, and their were tighter restrictions on insurance companies, they could live with the result.

     Unfortunately that doesn’t guarantee that the bill will get the 60 votes necessary.  Ben Nelson, Republicrat from Nebraska has threatened to join a GOP filibuster if stronger Abortion language wasn’t placed in the bill.  Ben had an amendment of his that would do just that voted out of the bill today 54-45.

    So what does that mean? If Ben stays true to his word, that means that the public option has been abandoned essentially for nothing.  It means that all the hard work by Harry Reid, all the behind the scenes finagling between Mark Pryor and Chuck Schumer  and Sen. Rockefeller on this bill will have come to naught, all because of the bass ackward mindset of Ben Nelson, Republicrat. 

     Now I understand the need to be an independent player in politics.  I understand the need to bend to the will of the people.  And abortion IS an important subject, which needs to be addressed in any health care legislation.  But I think what Sen. Nelson here is doing is nothing short of hijacking the entire party, the entire nation, both parties, playing both ends against the middle for his own personal political gain. 

    Your amendment was defeated. You were given a chance, but simply didn’t have enough backing for your idea for it to get through.  Some days you can’t win, Ben, we understand.  Do what the rest of us do, Senator.  If you can’t win, lose.  

    Maybe the Democrats think they can get Sen. Snowe, Democlican from Maine, to vote for the bill and bypass Ben.  And maybe they think they can get ben to sign on without the his abortion amendment.  Would not surprise me if they threw Ben a bone($$$$$) in the legislation. 

   Either way this bring me to another point…

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   Republicrat.  Democlican.  Blue Dog Democrat.  Moderate Republican.  The parties are so similar to each other at times they seem indistinguishable from one another, because they’ve all been bought.  Yes yes, they play their roles well.  Republicans all for big business and the Democrats all for the protection of the Constitution, or if you are from the other side of the political spectrum, Democrats all for spending all of your money, and the Republicans all for fighting for your rights.  They are interchangeable. 

  

    That doesn’t mean there aren’t good people in the legislature.  There are.  But as time goes on, it seems as though that number gets smaller and smaller.  What it does look like is that with lobbying and moneyed interests still infesting Washington, that both sides of the aisle are lining up to get their slice of the pie. 

    Of the Money, for the Money, by the Money.  Capital M Money.  Not the few bucks you and I have in our pockets, but the MEGABUCKS that Goldman Sachs and McKesson and Exxon bring.  Lobbyists buying the votes, just like they have for years by putting money in the coffers of senators and representatives who may legislate bills that would directly impact their industries.  It makes a mockery of politics in America, and a pauper of the people.  It pisses on the Constitution, shits on the Bill of Rights and wipes its ass with the Declaration of Independence.

     We the people need to find a way to rid Washington of their corrupting influence.  THIS is perhaps the biggest blunder of the Obama Presidency, allowing this to continue, when he ran for President on a platform of change in Washington, of getting rid of the influence of lobbyists in Washington.  He KINDA got rid of the influence in the White House proper, passing a rule saying that no one who has lobbied for the last 3 years in a particular industry may do work for the White house relating to that industry….then almost immediately made exceptions. He has however done nothing to stem the tide of lobbyists buying our democracy, pulling the rug right out from under our feet.

    Sometimes, capitalism is evil.

    There oughta be a law…. you’ve heard that stock line a thousand times from a million people.  Never from me.  For a reason, I don’t believe there ought to be a law for everything.  That way lies madness.  But here I will deviate from my normal path and say it.

     There ought to be a law, prohibiting lawmakers from getting cash or favors, directly or indirectly, from lobbyists of any industry whatsoever.  We need untouchability on the part of our lawmakers, not transparency, a word you hear much from beltway insiders.  Transparency isn’t the key here, transparency only shows us that you have been bought and by who.  It doesn’t fix the problem.  What we need is a wall between corporate America and the Congress to keep our lawmakers honest, not a clear view of who has been bought.

    Pie in the sky bullshit, I know, not something you usually get from me.  But it would be nice though, wouldn’t it?  One can hope.

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That’s it from here.  Later!

Today’s Nuggets, Via wikiquote:  Talking to politicians is fine, but with a little money they hear you better.  Justin Dart

History records that the money changers have used every form of abuse, intrigue, deceit, and violent means possible to maintain their control over governments by controlling money and its issuance.  James Madison

The main mark of modern governments is that we do not know who governs, de facto any more than de jure. We see the politician and not his backer; still less the backer of the backer; or, what is most important of all, the banker of the backer.  J.R.R. Tolkein

Anagram: Conversation/Naive Consort

   

What its supposed to be about

     I spoke to a buddy of mine today.  He is a Republican, or at the very least an unhappy minarchist who sees nothing but ugly in a potential Obama Administration and all things democratic.  I remember the word socialist coming up several times.  There was talk of the Financial mess being the fault of “that fag Barney Frank” and Nancy Pelosi and Charlie Rangel…he named a few others.   I had to remind him that it wasn’t just them, and that there are these guys, these “Blue dogs” or Dino’s(Democrats in name only) who have helped put the Republican agenda through the House.  He wasn’t hearing it.  I spoke about it being everyone’s fault, this financial mess,  and that there’s plenty of blame to go around.  He said the republicans are small government and it’s the dems who are the ones fucking things up (I’m not being precise with this conversation, either the order of it or the precise tenor, but the general tone is what i am trying to set here)

    I feel a need to answer in the more calm tones that time and thought provide.  Point One.  Democrats are not socialists, any more than Republican’s are fascists.  There is good and bad on both sides of the aisle and calling someone a name doesn’t make them the thing they are called to anyone but those that already think like that.  The policies of democrats are not socialist in nature, any more than those that the republicans espouse.  Is John McCain’s plan to help with mortgages any more socialist than Obama’s Tax plans? I defy you to prove that to me. 

     The Financial mess itself is the patient reward we get for years of planning and work on both sides of the aisle over a long period of time.  It’s most culpable proponents?  George W. Bush, Ronald Reagan, Phil Gramm, Alan Greenspan, Ben Bernanke and Henry Paulson.  Republican’s all. Are there democrats to blame as well? Damn right!  Bill Clinton had a hand in this, and if you take a look at the congress over the last 20 years you will see equal culpability in both parties, doing their damnedest to make their rich corporate friends rich and trying to cut themselves a slice of the pie.  Pelosi, Reid, Rangel are just as important here as Shays, Boehner and Ryan. 

    Both sides of the Aisle are sick with greed and it’s making the entire nation, and indeed planet, ill. 

        Republicans are not small government.  No party is small government….well maybe the libertarians, who have been entirely hijacked by the conservative right.  There seems to be no room for a left libertarian like me in that party.  But they, like all other third parties, are simply not viable on a national level.  Haven’t been for as long as I’ve been around.  I would not mind a strong third and even fourth and fifth party in American government. 

     Republicans raise taxes just like democrats.  Look at the statistics.  It’s all campaign rhetoric. AKA Bullshit.  You pay taxes when there is a republican in the oval office just like you do when a democrat is in the oval office.  A difference of a few percent is what they sell you on.  Republican’s charge a penny less, and pass that cost onto future generations.  Dems charge a penny more, and make you pay up front.  That is the real difference between parties, tax wise. 

    OK, it’s more than a penny, but you get the point.

   If anyone wants to speak on specific points addressed here, feel free to drop me a line.

   A Video and I am done.  As a matter of Fact for the first time ever I am putting in a video here that I have yet to watch myself completely.  I am watching it as I post this.  From C-Span, a Third Party Press conference, featuring Ron Paul, Ralph Nader, Chuck Baldwin, and Cynthia McKinney.  Enjoy:

   

     That’s it for me.  Later!

Today’s Nuggets:  Both of our political parties, at least the honest portion of them, agree conscientiously in the same object: the public good; but they differ essentially in what they deem the means of promoting that good. One side believes it best done by one composition of the governing powers, the other by a different one. One fears most the ignorance of the people; the other the selfishness of rulers independent of them. Which is right, time and experience will prove.    Thomas Jefferson

The fact that I have no remedy for all the sorrows of the world is no reason for my accepting yours. It simply supports the strong probability that yours is a fake.  H.L. Mencken

Anagram: Dictionary/Carny Idiot

     No Special significance to the Anagram, I was just fishing at random with random words, and liked the way this sounded…onto news and politics.

       The Senate, to the delight of just about anyone with three working brain cells, has crafted an alternative package that they will vote on Wednesday night.  The bill will include a fix for the Alternative business tax for those who pay it, Raising the FDIC cap to $250,000, and several tax break extensions. 

     This should pass the Senate.  They did, after all, have the votes before the house republicans decided to cry about Nancy Pelosi, and those votes haven’t really gone anywhere.  The added measures, it is thought, will ameliorate the house republicans.

    I for one, personally hope that when this gets to the House, after it passes the Senate, Nancy Pelosi goes out there and gives the exact same speech she gave to the house before the first vote.  I want to see how many Republicans whine and cry about a partisan speech this time.

      RepubliPussies ….. In other news…

     In an act that I like, Current New York City Mayor Bloomberg is going to try to run for a third term.  No Big thing you say?  One problem.  It’s in the city charter that the mayor can only run for 2 terms, and his second term is ending.  One would have to alter the City charter to do so, and this is exactly what the mayor is seeking to do.  Term Limit laws were put in place in N.Y.C.  about 15 years ago, and have been challenged before, but at the time it was thought improper to do, seeing how it was Rudy Giuliani who was trying for a naked grab at power.  It got nowhere. 

     But now we are seeing something of a resurgence in anti term limit laws here.  I don’t like term limits because they can cut short the careers of politicians who are doing good.  Yes term limits were put in place to weed out the bad ones, but isn’t that what VOTING is for? I kinda thought that was the point of the whole “walk into the booth, vote, and toss the bums you don’t like out” thing.  We don’t need more then that, do we?  I don’t think so.    What we need isn’t term limits in these local offices, we need politicians who are around long enough where they, and we, can see the benefits of their labor.  We need politicians who can stay the course long enough to have a lasting impact.  There are no term limits in the senate, or the house.  Think of what America would have missed had not guys like, to use two examples, Ted Kennedy for the Democrats, and Richard Luger on the Republican side, been around as long as they have been. 

     I like the thought of getting rid of term limits in non executive branch seats.  I think I could get behind losing term limits for them as well, but I am not sure that it would make a difference.  I think that the average American has gotten so used to the 2 term limit in the office of the Presidency, that even if it were gotten rid of,No President would be sit for more than 2 terms irregardless.  We tend to get sick of even the good ones in short order, because we tend to be a partisan people.

      Time for a Viddy, I think.  A man by the name of John G. Geer, speaking of the good points of negativity. From Fora.TV

    

     That’s It for me.

Today’s Nugget, Via wikiquote, from several Supreme Court Justices:  I do not believe it is the function of the judiciary to step in and change the law because the times have changed. I do well understand the difference between legislating and judging. As a judge, it is not my function to develop public policy.    Sandra Day O’Connor

If you care passionately about something has become the only test to determine if something is constitutional. How passionately do you care?  Antonin Scalia

There is in most Americans some spark of idealism, which can be fanned into a flame. It takes sometimes a divining rod to find what it is; but when found, and that means often, when disclosed to the owners, the results are often extraordinary.   Louis Brandeis

Anagram: Politics and Family/Diplomacy Finalist

       I’ve had some odd conversations before, but today I had what has to be one of the odder ones.  With My Mother.  We were talking about Politics.  Usually not something we talk about.

    She said she can’t vote for Obama, and doesn’t really trust anyone out there, and for the first time in her life doesn’t think she’ll be voting.  Now I have not declared to anyone in my family, at least not when speaking, who I’ll be voting for.  Family and Politics in my mind really don’t mix.  Family relations should be cordial.  Politics is anything but cordial…unless you are a candidate talking about your plans. 

      Back to the actual conversation.  The first thing she says to me about Obama is that “he’s gonna cut Social Security in ½”  I didn’t balk at this, but I kind choked on it.  I said “What? Nononononono. He’s never said that” She reiterates that he in fact did.  I go online while I’m talking to her, just to look up where she could have gotten such nonsense.  And there it is, as plain as day, Him talking about John McCain cutting Soc. Sec. In half.  I explain this to my mother.  She seemed reticent but took me at my word, that it was Him talking about McCain and not him talking about doing it himself.  The Next thing I hear stuns me.  Again.  And it is merely the mention of a name.

       Louis Farrakhan.

     My Jaw dropped.  The Only thing I have EVER heard about a connection between the two is the fact that Farrakhan Likes him and endorsed him.  An endorsement That Barack Obama rejected.  I tell my mom this.  Acts like it was nothing and goes on to mention reverend Wright. 

      I STILL have a problem with this man, but I have learned to separate the one from the other.  My Mother says how can he claim that he didn’t know about what he said when he went to that church for 20 years, and then makes a point to say that he is an adviser of his.  Note the word IS.  He is his FORMER Spiritual adviser.  Not his current economic adviser or anything like that.  I  in fact agree 100% with her church Observation, but make another.  Do you think Obama is going to put thugs and hoodlums in the White House with him?  I’m tidying up the language here a bit.  There was some cursing on my end.  OK, Lots.  Unfounded accusations that make no sense and show no real vision of reality annoy the hell out of me. 

    Now we get to the experience issue. Here I cannot argue.  Obama only does have a few years in the senate. But she surprises me by saying that she thinks McCain is wrong here because he is too old…Or more precisely, that Age is a factor as is experience, and she doesn’t like either candidate as a consequence. Can’t argue with opinion.  All you can do is give your own and hope the person on the other end of the conversation is receptive to it.  Told her I don’t think McCain’s age is his issue, it’s his mentality…or i was about to….

       I get to this point in the conversation and mom drops this one on me.  I Know you like this guy Obama, but…. I cut it off right there and told her that I am not the world’s most fervent Obama supporter, and that perhaps the right way to put it is that I would vote for a dead hamster before I would vote for McCain.  Yes I was disingenuous.  I really do think Obama is the best out there, but I am not the cheerleading for the guy or anything like that.  I am supporter of the Democratic cause and the Democratic ideal.  I think the Dems have the right answers for today’s problem.  That should not be surprising.  I am, after all, a Democrat. 

    The conversation then went into the economy, and more or less went back to more measured tones.  I tell this for a reason.  This is the second time in a week where I have run into political turbulence within the family unit.  I dislike discord on this level.  I will not change my mind on the political front due to conversations with my family, and fully expect they won’t change because of mine, and any conversation on this subject is only bound to cause strife unnecessarily. 

      What bothers me is that I am being hit, In my own family, with crap, and it is stupid crap at that, that had been dismissed ages ago.   The Farrakhan non-issue.  The Wright non-issue.  They have nothing to do with what Obama would do in his presidency, and I challenge you to prove me wrong. 

     That’s it for that.  A quick snippet on the Economic front.

    Stock Market down 300+ points on fears that the Paulson plan won’t stop a recession.  Which is smart because it won’t.  Oil went up $16+ dollars.   The Paulson plan is receiving flack for the amount of power it gives the Treasury secretary, and the lack of oversight…. and the lack of protection it gives taxpayers…. and the lack of any clause keeping the companies helped from giving it’s top people golden parachutes. 

    The Paulson plan sucks.  And it isn’t even big enough to handle the amount of bad paper the Residential mortgage industry has, and now they want to add the Commercial mortgage industry.  I think Long term this Paulson deal will do more harm than good to America.  Paulson may want to help, but this is what you get when you take a former head of an investment bank trying to save his buddies, the other investment bankers, on the backs of the people, and it’s stupid and wrong. If and/or when I can think of a better alternative I will toss it out, But know that I am not an economist. 

    Sounds like Mister Paulson soon to be known as King Henry if this horsecrap passes, the man who has been in charge the last few disastrous years, wants to stop the bleeding from a point blank shotgun blast to the face of the American Economy….with a band-aid and some neosporin. 

    Asshole. 

    A video before I go.  Henry Paulson on Meet the Press Yesterday. 

        

    That’s It for me.  Later!

Today’s Nuggets:  A great industrial Nation is controlled by its system of credit. Our system of credit is concentrated. The growth of the Nation and all our activities are in the hands of a few men. We have come to be one of the worst ruled, one of the most completely controlled and dominated Governments in the world ~ no longer a Government of free opinion, no longer a Government by conviction and vote of the majority, but a Government by the opinion and duress of small groups of dominant men.   Woodrow Wilson

All the perplexities, confusion and distresses in America arise not from defects in the constitution or confederation, nor from want of honor or virtue, as much from downright ignorance of the nature of coin, credit, and circulation.  John Adams

Anagram: Words and Meanings/Grandma’s Snowed In

       Now I have to tell you that I really am running late, yet again…this has got to be the third time this week, and that is annoying as hell as far as I am concerned.  I would rather have extra time to make sure that I get the words, JUST right, and have enough subtle inflection in my words to get across exactly what I want to.  Not that I am all that eloquent, but I do try to be, though often I fail.  And working with limited time makes that job even more difficult. 

    Onto the news.

     WHEW!  The Market came back! Best possible news anyone could have gotten.  After the Infusion of funds by the government and the clear attempts by the Finance committee, The Fed, The Treasury Secretary, and the President, who for once got off of his fat slow stupid ass to do something, are trying there damnedest to fix this mess we’re in.  I do not have details, but when I do get them I will pass them on.  I have heard on TV from Chris Dodd about the meeting he and several other members of congress had with Bernanke and Paulson Thursday night.  He was blunt, he said…and I am doing this from memory mind you, so the quote won’t be perfect: ” When we spoke to Hank, he was blunt, he said this isn’t a matter of weeks or months, but hours, and if we don’t do something, we are looking at a complete meltdown of Wall street”  Something like that.  He didn’t say it was scary, But then again, Chris Dodd doesn’t look the type to scare all that easy.  What he did say is that it was THE most sobering moment he’s seen in his 25 years on the hill, and that the air went out of the room, and everything just stopped.   This man is the Chair of the United States Senate Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs.    For him to use that kind of language says something of the gravity of the situation.

    But there is a cost.  A MAJOR cost to all of this.  The numbers look something like this.  Total cost to Taxpayers:  $1,000,000,000,000  One Trillion Dollars.  You can call it what you like, but there is only one name I can give it, necessary tho it is.

      Highway Robbery.  They goaded MILLIONS of people who have dreams, just like the rest of us, to get Mortgages, loans.  You’ve seen the advertising.  Very enticing for those who want more.  and EVERYONE wants more.  EVERYONE.  We were fools, we fell for it.  And the banks who sold these things were regulated, but when they sold to people who weren’t able to pay, things started to fall apart,  because they weren’t checked properly.  And who pays for it?

    Us….to the tune of about $7,000 for every taxpayer in America.  And dammit that hurts.  I’m broke as it is, where and how are we supposed to pay for this?  I hope the government, who will own all these crappy mortgages, can somehow turn a profit by holding them and waiting until the housing market comes back?  I don’t know near enough On this subject, but I will learn what I can when I can and I will get back to you on this when I can so I can answer these questions, for myself if no one else.  Hopefully should not be too long.

       A video or two and then I am done for the day. 

   Ran into the whole “Obama doesn’t do the pledge thing” today.  Here’s proof Otherwise:

        

   Here’s Chris Dodd, from today on Hardball with Mike Barnacle (Chris Matthews had the day off)

   

That’s it for me.  Later!

Today’s Nuggets, about Debt, from Wikiquote:   It shows nobility to be willing to increase your debt to a man to whom you already owe much.  Cicero

Debt, grinding debt, whose iron face the widow, the orphan, and the sons of genius fear and hate; debt, which consumes so much time, which so cripples and disheartens a great spirit with cares that seem so base, is a preceptor whose lessons cannot be forgone, and is needed most by those who suffer from it most.   Ralph Waldo Emerson

Our national debt after all is an internal debt owed not only by the Nation but to the Nation. If our children have to pay interest on it they will pay that interest to themselves. A reasonable internal debt will not impoverish our children or put the Nation into bankruptcy.  Franklin Delano Roosevelt