CoRev, Good to see that you still have a sense of humor.
Other jokes appearing in the news today: Religion is still safe in America even if the religious aren’t safe from having their pockets picked. “Tax-Exempt Ministries Avoid New Regulation”
And when you’re debating the budget deficit and related topics it’s still good to see that the numbers are being cherry picked, “Nah, I don’t like that projection. I’ll make my own.” John Q. Republican
And what would America belike without the usual truth coming out to prove that lies preceded it. We’ll be out of Afghanistan some day in the distant future. And maybe our military will get some new body parts to live with. “In Wider War in Afghanistan, Survival Rate of Wounded Rises”http://www.nytimes.com/2011/01/08/world/asia/08wounded.html?hp
I’m sure glad to see that they’re doing a better job of keeping the maimed and injured alive, if only to live a lesser life. Do they know that their disability pensions aren’t really safe? Where’s our sense of humor getting us with this leftist, socialist President?
And just in case you’re put off by the huge compensation pkgs that Americas public employees are enjoying read some alternative perspective on the issue. You won’t find it in the NY Times.
“In 2009, public employee Joe Wisniowski made $40,000/year as an Airport Equipment Operator for an Ohio airport while Wall Street raked in $20.3 BILLION in bonuses.” http://www.bravenewfoundation.org/?source=AFSCMEWallSt
The pentagon under Robert Gates can contribute a fraction of DoD real (growth in excess of socialize industry’s routine inflation) growth over the next five years to tampen the explosion of the US budget deficits. Some of it includes cutting benefits and freezing pay. Nothing about cutting unneeded force structure designed for fictions and bought to maintain healthy war profits.
The US has 5% more or less of the population of the world.
It accounts for a quarter of the economic activity of the world more or less according to how one measures an economy.
It is approaching plutocracy with Honduran wealthy distributions (okay a little early for this call).
The US spends around 50% of the world’s arms “budgets”.
In terms of threats, going after box cutter wielding thugs is a Trillion a year enterprise, good profits too.
So, the US DoD accounted for in 2009 19.7% of US government expenditures (not counting some of the other agencies participating in the national and homeland security partying).
UK spent 6.3%, Germany 3.4%.
While there is debate about China with independent estimates at $100B, the DoD estimate is higher, $150B to sell the idea we have an arms race going on.
If China spending $150B on arms is threatening the only conclusion is that the trillion the US is spending is mis spent.
Good thing the House got reading the constitution on the floor out of the way, good for them who don’t have a clue.
However, now they can go on with the Tea Bagger (billionaires’) agenda and ignore it.
There is a passage from a Christian Gospel I often recall: the hottest fires are reserved for the false penitents who make great show of remorse and piety and whose hearts are sinners, pillaging widows and orphans.
It’s an Elmer Gantry in real life episode. It must be part of the human condition to want to believe the biggest lie. I’ve been selling hi-line cars for 20 years and even the wealthy want to believe that there is free lunch, or at least that there should be. At least for them, if for no one else.
It’s encouraging to know that Gibbs is earning minimum wage at $172,000 for that kind of job and the hours involved according to one of the participants in that CNN discussion. Hard to top that opinion. LOL.
Yes, MG, but in our world if you work your fingers to the bone…What do you get?? Boney fingers (to quote one of my favorite C&W songs–and it sure is a good’un.) In his world, you get rich. But, he’s humble, Mr. Copperfield..oh, so humble. 😉
Today’s Fox News sunday guests Rand Paul, R-TN and Chris Coons D-DE were asked about raising the debt ceiling. Paul said he wouldn’t vote to reais without some commitment to adding “Balance Budget” intitiatives to it.
Huh!!! Not raising the debt ceiling automatically creates a balanced budget. Later he mentioned the fact that nbot raising the debt limit would limit spending to revenue received. Isn’t that by definition a balanced budget? I was flabbergasted by his answers.
Then comes Chris Coons response and he immediately launches intot he Dem talking points of default on US obligations.
Rand was disengenuous, but Coons was either clueless or a purist partisan. I just wondered how and why do we continue to elect these clueless, disingenuous politicians?
Today’s Fox News Sunday guests Rand Paul, R-TN and Chris Coons D-DE were asked about raising the debt ceiling. Paul said he wouldn’t vote to reais without some commitment to adding “Balance Budget” intitiatives to it.
Huh!!! Not raising the debt ceiling automatically creates a balanced budget. Later he mentioned the fact that not raising the debt limit would limit spending to revenue received. Isn’t that by definition a balanced budget? I was flabbergasted by his answers.
Then comes Chris Coons response and he immediately launches in to the Dem talking points of default on US obligations.
Rand was disengenuous (adjective. lacking in frankness, candor, or sincerity; falsely or hypocritically ingenuous, giving a false appearance of simple frankness), but Coons was either clueless or a purist partisan. I just wondered how and why do we continue to elect these clueless, disingenuous politicians?
CR Did either of them point out that the debt limit would be far less extreme if all American troops came home from Afghanistan and Iraq and corporate welfare were significantly curtailed?
“Then comes Chris Coons response and he immediately launches in to the Dem talking points of default on US obligations.”
Talking points?? There would be a default on obligations, thats not a talking point.
Now, it would not be a default of the “I dont have any money” type. It would be a default of the ” I have the money but phuck you I’m not paying” type. Big difference but in the end someone ends up not receiving money they were promised.
Gizzard, I don’t think there would be a default on obligations. Most often obligations mean the interest on the treasuries. Everything else can be changed by law. As far as the changes, they would be short term until taxes were raised to pay for the high priority budget lines. But the budget would be balanced, and obligations met by the letter of the new law(s).
If there is the political will in either party it could be done. No, I do not think it will be done, unless for a very short time frame.
That’s why I called R. Paul’s comment disingenuous. One breath he says balance the budget, and next comment ignores that’s exactly what not raising the debt ceiling does.
I am surprised Rand Paul did not call for someone shot (exercising 2nd Amdt right to rebel or Jefferson misquote about watering the tree of liberty with blood) for being, you pick one or more: in favor of gay marriage, a peacenik, socialist, librul or in favor of cutting back medical insurance complex pillaging. On FOX no less, what is the vitriol policy changed?
Default happens when the treasury don’t have cash for paying the checks, you decide whether checks to pay for “work” on the F-35 or such military industrial complex boondoggle are held or check to China for interest??
Which is a default? Not paying for an obligation from a military industrial complex contract or one about paying interest to the PRC?
Show why the US will not default.
If there is no authorization to borrow even the Fed needs to stop printing $$$.
Now look at this. Here it is almost a full day gone and I haven’t gotten a single counter ppoint to my comment. And I specifically asked for one. What is it? Are you anti labor, union busting wusses out of ammunition? Or is there no good counter point to the point that the teachers and their unions aren’t the causative factor in the continuous demise of public eduaction in so much of America. Note that it is not all of America that is hurting in this regard. The One Pecenter localities are educating their kids to a high degree of proficiency. And they’re getting a tax break to do so.
i imagine i went to average schools. though it did bother me that the jr high i went to in a better neighborhood in California was teaching what i learned in the fourth grade in a working class neighborhood in Chicago. And the high school i went to in Fla (middle class) was teaching what i learned in jr high in cal.
And the university i went to was teaching what i learned… well, you get it.
But what really bothers me is all those high degree of proficiency kids that graduate from harvard and get jobs as non partisan advisors to the president have brilliant ideas about stuff they never thought about. and they never think about how their brilliant ideas hurt people.
Coberly, Thanks for chiming in. I was fast beginning to think that the topic had run its course, knnowing that it will rear its ugly head soon enough when the Arizona tragedy is old news. That ought to take about one or two weeks at most. Your point about varying educational quality across the nation is well taken. Keep in miind that it may have been your own increasing awareness of the effect of your world on yourself that accounts for seeing differences in the systems that you experienced.
I think that the point made about the dismal academic records of non-union school systems compared to unionized systems may be too great a hurdle for the anti-labor crowd to over look. There are certainly good, better and best teachers as in any profession. There are also less than competent teachers They are the responsibility of their direct supervisors and are not so difficult to either reform or terminate as the critics claim. Union contracts have less, than is often suggested, to do with employee retention beyond requiring that civil service rules be adhered to in the evaluation process.
This Week in Global Warming
Nah!!! That was just to tickle Bruce.
CoRev, Good to see that you still have a sense of humor.
Other jokes appearing in the news today:
Religion is still safe in America even if the religious aren’t safe from having their pockets picked.
“Tax-Exempt Ministries Avoid New Regulation”
http://www.nytimes.com/2011/01/08/us/politics/08churches.html?_r=1&ref=politics
And it’s good to see that the new majority party knows their Constitution, if not the details:
“Constitution Has Its Day (More or Less) in House”
http://www.nytimes.com/2011/01/07/us/politics/07constitution.html?ref=politics
And when you’re debating the budget deficit and related topics it’s still good to see that the numbers are being cherry picked, “Nah, I don’t like that projection. I’ll make my own.” John Q. Republican
“In Battle Over Health Law, Math Cuts Both Ways”
http://www.nytimes.com/2011/01/08/health/policy/08cong.html?ref=politics
And what would America belike without the usual truth coming out to prove that lies preceded it. We’ll be out of Afghanistan some day in the distant future. And maybe our military will get some new body parts to live with.
“In Wider War in Afghanistan, Survival Rate of Wounded Rises”http://www.nytimes.com/2011/01/08/world/asia/08wounded.html?hp
I’m sure glad to see that they’re doing a better job of keeping the maimed and injured alive, if only to live a lesser life. Do they know that their disability pensions aren’t really safe? Where’s our sense of humor getting us with this leftist, socialist President?
And just in case you’re put off by the huge compensation pkgs that Americas public employees are enjoying read some alternative perspective on the issue. You won’t find it in the NY Times.
“In 2009, public employee Joe Wisniowski made $40,000/year as an Airport Equipment Operator for an Ohio airport while Wall Street raked in $20.3 BILLION in bonuses.”
http://www.bravenewfoundation.org/?source=AFSCMEWallSt
The pentagon under Robert Gates can contribute a fraction of DoD real (growth in excess of socialize industry’s routine inflation) growth over the next five years to tampen the explosion of the US budget deficits. Some of it includes cutting benefits and freezing pay. Nothing about cutting unneeded force structure designed for fictions and bought to maintain healthy war profits.
The US has 5% more or less of the population of the world.
It accounts for a quarter of the economic activity of the world more or less according to how one measures an economy.
It is approaching plutocracy with Honduran wealthy distributions (okay a little early for this call).
The US spends around 50% of the world’s arms “budgets”.
In terms of threats, going after box cutter wielding thugs is a Trillion a year enterprise, good profits too.
So, the US DoD accounted for in 2009 19.7% of US government expenditures (not counting some of the other agencies participating in the national and homeland security partying).
UK spent 6.3%, Germany 3.4%.
While there is debate about China with independent estimates at $100B, the DoD estimate is higher, $150B to sell the idea we have an arms race going on.
If China spending $150B on arms is threatening the only conclusion is that the trillion the US is spending is mis spent.
A conclusion I have to aupport.
Normal for empire in decay.
Jack,
Good thing the House got reading the constitution on the floor out of the way, good for them who don’t have a clue.
However, now they can go on with the Tea Bagger (billionaires’) agenda and ignore it.
There is a passage from a Christian Gospel I often recall: the hottest fires are reserved for the false penitents who make great show of remorse and piety and whose hearts are sinners, pillaging widows and orphans.
The devil has his work cut out for him.
Here’s a nice piece from Digby about Gibbs’ sacrifice in serving as the President’s Press Secretary. Just a modest salary for a modest man.
http://digbysblog.blogspot.com/2011/01/village-like-real-americans-but-worth.html Mornin’, y’all! NO
It’s an Elmer Gantry in real life episode. It must be part of the human condition to want to believe the biggest lie. I’ve been selling hi-line cars for 20 years and even the wealthy want to believe that there is free lunch, or at least that there should be. At least for them, if for no one else.
It’s encouraging to know that Gibbs is earning minimum wage at $172,000 for that kind of job and the hours involved according to one of the participants in that CNN discussion. Hard to top that opinion. LOL.
Yes, MG, but in our world if you work your fingers to the bone…What do you get?? Boney fingers (to quote one of my favorite C&W songs–and it sure is a good’un.) In his world, you get rich. But, he’s humble, Mr. Copperfield..oh, so humble. 😉
Who benefits more from taxes spent on roads? The workers who can get to their jobs? Or the employers whose workers can get to their jobs?
I have been involved in US military weapon systems development, production and early on trying to make them work in the field.
No contract to deliver for the soldiers is performed, nor have I ever seen a US contracting officer make any supplier deliver.
No test failed nor test cancelled ever stopped producing a weapon system.
No one ever lost money selling to DoD, even if nothing came to be delivered.
Gross neglect, wilfull misconduct and dereliction of duty are the rule very common.
And the folk who point it out are ruined, and congress’ window dressing of whistle blower protect is a sham.
Political Double Speak
Today’s Fox News sunday guests Rand Paul, R-TN and Chris Coons D-DE were asked about raising the debt ceiling. Paul said he wouldn’t vote to reais without some commitment to adding “Balance Budget” intitiatives to it.
Huh!!! Not raising the debt ceiling automatically creates a balanced budget. Later he mentioned the fact that nbot raising the debt limit would limit spending to revenue received. Isn’t that by definition a balanced budget? I was flabbergasted by his answers.
Then comes Chris Coons response and he immediately launches intot he Dem talking points of default on US obligations.
Rand was disengenuous, but Coons was either clueless or a purist partisan. I just wondered how and why do we continue to elect these clueless, disingenuous politicians?
Sheesh!!!!
Today’s Fox News Sunday guests Rand Paul, R-TN and Chris Coons D-DE were asked about raising the debt ceiling. Paul said he wouldn’t vote to reais without some commitment to adding “Balance Budget” intitiatives to it.
Huh!!! Not raising the debt ceiling automatically creates a balanced budget. Later he mentioned the fact that not raising the debt limit would limit spending to revenue received. Isn’t that by definition a balanced budget? I was flabbergasted by his answers.
Then comes Chris Coons response and he immediately launches in to the Dem talking points of default on US obligations.
Rand was disengenuous (adjective. lacking in frankness, candor, or sincerity; falsely or hypocritically ingenuous, giving a false appearance of simple frankness), but Coons was either clueless or a purist partisan. I just wondered how and why do we continue to elect these clueless, disingenuous politicians?
Sheesh!!!!
CR
Did either of them point out that the debt limit would be far less extreme if all American troops came home from Afghanistan and Iraq and corporate welfare were significantly curtailed?
“Then comes Chris Coons response and he immediately launches in to the Dem talking points of default on US obligations.”
Talking points?? There would be a default on obligations, thats not a talking point.
Now, it would not be a default of the “I dont have any money” type. It would be a default of the ” I have the money but phuck you I’m not paying” type. Big difference but in the end someone ends up not receiving money they were promised.
Gizzard, I don’t think there would be a default on obligations. Most often obligations mean the interest on the treasuries. Everything else can be changed by law. As far as the changes, they would be short term until taxes were raised to pay for the high priority budget lines. But the budget would be balanced, and obligations met by the letter of the new law(s).
If there is the political will in either party it could be done. No, I do not think it will be done, unless for a very short time frame.
That’s why I called R. Paul’s comment disingenuous. One breath he says balance the budget, and next comment ignores that’s exactly what not raising the debt ceiling does.
CoRev,
I am surprised Rand Paul did not call for someone shot (exercising 2nd Amdt right to rebel or Jefferson misquote about watering the tree of liberty with blood) for being, you pick one or more: in favor of gay marriage, a peacenik, socialist, librul or in favor of cutting back medical insurance complex pillaging. On FOX no less, what is the vitriol policy changed?
Default happens when the treasury don’t have cash for paying the checks, you decide whether checks to pay for “work” on the F-35 or such military industrial complex boondoggle are held or check to China for interest??
Which is a default? Not paying for an obligation from a military industrial complex contract or one about paying interest to the PRC?
Show why the US will not default.
If there is no authorization to borrow even the Fed needs to stop printing $$$.
Now look at this. Here it is almost a full day gone and I haven’t gotten a single counter ppoint to my comment. And I specifically asked for one. What is it? Are you anti labor, union busting wusses out of ammunition? Or is there no good counter point to the point that the teachers and their unions aren’t the causative factor in the continuous demise of public eduaction in so much of America. Note that it is not all of America that is hurting in this regard. The One Pecenter localities are educating their kids to a high degree of proficiency. And they’re getting a tax break to do so.
o, hek, jack, i’ll play
i imagine i went to average schools. though it did bother me that the jr high i went to in a better neighborhood in California was teaching what i learned in the fourth grade in a working class neighborhood in Chicago. And the high school i went to in Fla (middle class) was teaching what i learned in jr high in cal.
And the university i went to was teaching what i learned… well, you get it.
But what really bothers me is all those high degree of proficiency kids that graduate from harvard and get jobs as non partisan advisors to the president have brilliant ideas about stuff they never thought about. and they never think about how their brilliant ideas hurt people.
Coberly,
Thanks for chiming in. I was fast beginning to think that the topic had run its course, knnowing that it will rear its ugly head soon enough when the Arizona tragedy is old news. That ought to take about one or two weeks at most. Your point about varying educational quality across the nation is well taken. Keep in miind that it may have been your own increasing awareness of the effect of your world on yourself that accounts for seeing differences in the systems that you experienced.
I think that the point made about the dismal academic records of non-union school systems compared to unionized systems may be too great a hurdle for the anti-labor crowd to over look. There are certainly good, better and best teachers as in any profession. There are also less than competent teachers They are the responsibility of their direct supervisors and are not so difficult to either reform or terminate as the critics claim. Union contracts have less, than is often suggested, to do with employee retention beyond requiring that civil service rules be adhered to in the evaluation process.