The American people do not want to be told what they NEED to hear – they are constantly told what they WANT to hear. This is a major reason why we keep going back and forth from the two parties.
And this is the reason why nothing will ever get resolved in this country. We’ll keep spending those trillions that we don’t have in order to appease all the ‘right’ groups in order to get those votes coming in election after election.
And now with Republicans in control adn wanting to dismantle public education, just wait to see how dumbed dowbn the next generation turns out.
On second reading of my comment – I noticed two places where my fingers got to typing faster than my brain was working – adn and dowbn.
Seriously, I do know how to spell. My education was back way before the current trend of passing someone simply because they could throw, kick, pass or hit a ball.
BTW – I was in the band – never in sports. When I got to high school, the band director told me straight out that I would NEVER play the drums in his band because I was a girl. That is how far back my education goes.
Wow – the dinosaur age huh?
LOL I started a free-for-all on FB Saturday when my son-in-law pasted one of those pass-alongs that basically said we should be thankful that 5800 troops had given their lives in Afghanistan and Iraq to keep our CIVILIAN @SSES (their caps) safe. I took exception to the wording of it, and p!ssed off some USAF broad who, like my son-in-law, obviously didn’t really read the original. I pointed out the poor wording and my opinion that we didn’t belong in either country. And then the battle started. I’m a civilian, so I don’t know anything at all about the military. Uh, right. When I was married, my ex retired from the military after 20 years, so of course I don’t know anything.
Believe me, I know and understand the power of words, especially when used incorrectly.
I know all too well how some people view a Vietnam widow with current cyncial views of our political wars and our military leaders/military defense contractors.
What I really take issue with when these military types try to demonize anyone not in uniform is this – today’s military is voluntary. In the Vietnam days, it was not voluntary. Of course, I find it very telling that all these current military-types politicians that love to start these political wars have, for the most part, been the ones that got deferments during the Vietnam days.
We might actually be getting to the point where light is shed into dark corners! If this happens it will good for those who are honest, lawful and above board, not so good for those who aren’t any of that!
WikiLeaks rival Openleaks “coming soon”: website
(Reuters) – The former deputy to WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange is vowing to launch a rival site soon that he says will be more transparent than the original.
Dubbed “Openleaks” (www.openleaks.org) and run by Assange’s former number two at WikiLeaks Daniel Domscheit-Berg, the site has no content on it at the moment apart from a logo and the message “Coming soon!”
In an interview with the OWNI technology website, Domscheit-Berg declined to go into the details of his dispute with Wikileaks but suggested it had strayed from its mission.
“In these last months, the organization has not been open any more, it lost its open-source promise,” he said, adding that Openleaks plans to provide the means for leaked information to be published, without itself being a publisher.
U.S. and other authorities have cracked down on WikiLeaks and Assange since the site started publishing thousands of confidential U.S. diplomatic cables that have embarrassed the United States and other parties around the world.
Assange, a 39-year-old Australian who founded WikiLeaks in 2006, is in policy custody in Britain after a European arrest warrant was issued by Sweden, which wants to question him about allegations of sexual crimes. He denies the allegations.
Domscheit-Berg, who was previously involved with German hacker group the Chaos Computer Club, said Openleaks would begin trials in early 2011 and turn to bigger media later. It currently has 10 members.
“We are already drowning in applications,” he said.
The internet has brought us all more opportunities to read, but I’ve noticed that some of the writing is poorer, therefore comprehension is, too.
Writing is power. We’re fortunate to have the written word of the greats, who actually knew how to put words together properly. We now have a nation with far too many functionally illiterate people, and it doesn’t look like it’s going to get much better. The more we have of their kind, the more they become the majority. But then we’ve discussed this here before. I’m not dissing those people. A large portion of the blame should go to our educational system. I saw it begin to slide my senior year in high school, then even more when my daughters were in school. Granted, the majority of the teachers ranged from good to excellent, but the minority of not so good and poor had grown, if only a little.
Unfortunately, I think the educational system is there to supply future demand for corporations.
The No Child Left Behind Act was nothing more than simply getting kids trained to passs certain tests. Where was the real learning? Where was the critical thinking? Where was the creativity?
just think of it as corporatized schools – these graduates will make excellent cheap labor for the Golden Idol God of the Almighty Dollar.
It was one of the saddest things I was told about writing, you should always write to a seven years old level.
That to write using prefect Oxford English and using words that will require a Dictionary setting by your side to look up the words you do not know or understand.
Is to lose 99 % of all readers, but the odd thing is that even the worst English student in school will see every misspelling and grammatical error. They will not do any better when they writing something, but will see all of your mistakes like they have been highlighted with a yellow highlighter.
I know that doing more interacting with the Blogs and message boards my own has suffered.
The need to be precious and the usage of proper writing skills often only ends in you are not taken serious.
Or become scroll over material.
Remember, in these frigid days and nights, that your elderly neighbors may not be fully aware of the dangers. Keep an eye on them, or better yet, stay in touch, visit once in a while or call them. It only takes a minute of your time.
In our fair city, a man died over the weekend, most likely from freezing to death outside. Many charitable organizations are down on donations this year and need assistance with providing services to the homeless and other less fortunates. Money isn’t everything! Go through your dressers and closets and donate clothes that you are not wearing.
Remember that sweater that you got for Christmas ten years ago? The one that you would rather die than to wear it in public? Donate it. Someone, a little less fashion conscious could use it to keep warm.
It’s too damned cold to be outside, so do a little “Spring Cleaning” and load up those old clothes for the needy!
John Boehner refuses to use the word compromise – which plays very well to his Religious Right base and the other extreme radical righties who only use the Religious Right for their votes.
Let’s see how long the Party of NO continues to be the Party of Choice by those voters who continue to see nothing being resolved by two parties who refuse to work together.
It was also in the 70’s that my dad out of the clear blue sky just told me that the enemy we should be concerned about were the radical Moslems. That any enemy who does not fear death and in fact see it as a blessing to come.
Is almost unstoppable, War is only an effective deterrent when each side fears their own destruction.
An enemy that longs for their own death, there is no way to stop.
At the time I was lost and confused about what he was saying.
There had not been anything that actually prompted him to even bring it up!
I heard of “Cold sickness” a condition where your body is not equipment to handle cold weather.
It effects you and you actually show signs of hypothermal even in the 30’s.
I wonder if that is something I have suffered from even as a child.
When we were transferred in late October to Michigan with my husband’s corporation in the mid 1980’s, we were told that our blood was too thin for the cold weather. We were also told that as soon as our blood thickened up, we would absolutely love their bitter cold winters.
We put in for our next transfer the first week and it took them 9 months to find a willing replacement.
We moved out in late July and we had to wear coats to pack the moving van.
What a shame too – we had a beautiful house by the lake. It’s just too bad we could never use the lake for anything but ice skating and/or ice fishing.
BTW – my kids were in Kindergarten and 2nd grade at that time. The kids had to go out for recess no matter how cold the temperature got outside. Those people were NUTS…
While we have our soldiers fighting for Afghanistan – this is the current situation in that country.
I recently read where a recently-released Wikileak cable cited the the Vice President of Afghanistan was caught with a luggage filled with $52 million in cash. Nobody seemed to question him and he was allowed to keep the money and go on his way.
Hmmmmm……let’s see. Afghanistan is a very poor country but yet the second-to-the highest political leader had $52 million in cash. Aww, surely there was nothing corrupt going on – was there?
I’m going to try to find that article about. In the meantime – did anyone else see this news coverage?
There are too many people ranting, rambling and screaming about issues they really know nothing about?
—
I must confess, I tend to ramble once I get on a blog – especially when I feel very passionate about the issue or when I feel attacked. But I do try to back up my issue with some facts.
I must also confess, I do not consider Fox News a reliable fact source – but I suspect most of you already know that. LMAO
I recently read this description of Obama: He’s Mitt Romney with better SCOTUS picks.
We should always remember how important judicial appointments can be! Here is a reminder:
Health Care Law Ruled Unconstitutional
Judge Henry E. Hudson, who was appointed to the bench by former President George W. Bush, ruled on Monday that the keystone provision — that most Americans obtain health insurance exceeds the regulatory authority granted to Congress under the Commerce Clause of the Constitution — in the Obama health care law is unconstitutional.
Unfortunately, fnord, I think that Judge Hudson is correct in his ruling. This provision is the most worrisome one, IMHO, under the law, insofar as its constitutionality is concerned. This ruling is the obvious one to make for any judge (irrespective of his/her political/jurisprudential leanings) given the current state of Commerce Clause SCOTUS jurisprudence, notwithstanding the presumption of Constitutionality to which an enacted law is entitled. It will be interesting to follow the appeals.
Of course this ruling was just about the requirement to purchase health insurance – correct?
I have to say, this part of the health care reform bill has bothered me also. But didn’t the Obama Administration expect this to be found unconstitutional?
Because I thought it was a bone being thrown to the health insurance companies as a way to get all those new, mandated, customers.
Let’s face, the healthcare reform we eventually got was nothing more than health insurance reform – wasn’t it? But the health insurance companies and/or employers also get help from the federal government to purchase the mandated insurance. So it really is not that much of a loss for most health insurance companies.
Yes, as I understand it, the rest of the law is still effective (as to constitutionality), only the mandate to buy was found unconstitutional. I think the government’s standing argument is a good one, but that’s for the Court of Appeals to rule, not me.
And, the “health care reform” was always about health insurance reform. Nothing more, nothing less. The “public option” was a way for those mandated to have insurance to obtain it from an entity other than an insurance company.
However one wishes to label it, the law is for the most part not yet effective. That said, expect more court challenges to “chip away” at the law, especially if there is no repeal as desired by the GOP, in particular.
And now we have the new kids on the block – No Labels…..
I wonder if they serve coffee, tea or cappuccino?
I seem to remember a Coffee Party that sprang up after the Tea Party started but I guess the coffee got stale? It will be interesting to see if this No Labels group will fare any better. They should since there seems to be alot of seasoned politicians in this group.
But the proof will be in the pudding – won’t it? Maybe we should call it the Pudding Party?
Scalia Jumps On The Anti-Seventeenth Amendment Bandwagon
Scalia called the writing of the Constitution “providential,” and the birth of political science.
“There’s very little that I would change,” he said. “I would change it back to what they wrote, in some respects. The 17th Amendment has changed things enormously.”
That amendment allowed for U.S. Senators to be elected by the people, rather than by individual state legislatures.
“We changed that in a burst of progressivism in 1913, and you can trace the decline of so-called states’ rights throughout the rest of the 20th century. So, don’t mess with the Constitution.”
I know a group of people, none of whom are lawyers or judges, who are of the belief that the Seventeenth Amendment was a bad change. I will admit to some ambivalence in that regard, but I’m not ready to repeal the said amendment based thereon.
Without torturing everyone with rote recitation of what should have been learned in U.S. Government class about representative government, the House being “for the people”, and the Senate to act as a curb on the House, I can say the 17th Amendment was most certainly contrary to the intent and purpose of the Framers.
Voting rights for women, people of color, poor people who weren’t landed aristocrats properly worthy at the moment of their birth into a ‘better family,’ were most certainly contrary to the intent and purpose of the Framers too.
But I suppose repealing the 17th amendment would advance the march to a Corpocracy. Maybe we’ll get all control in the hands of the tiny part of the population who represent the billionaires of today during my lifetime. Seems to be moving that way quickly. Modern version of old rich white men in charge.
I saw the word ‘filibernie’ used to describe Bernie Sanders’ filibuster last week.
Another article I read listed a bounty of new words added this year to our political vocabulary, such as Mama Grizzlies, Obamacare, Aqua Buddha, Man up, Refudiate, WikiLeaks…
“Without torturing everyone with rote recitation of what should have been learned in U.S. Government class about representative government, the House being “for the people”, and the Senate to act as a curb on the House, I can say the 17th Amendment was most certainly contrary to the intent and purpose of the Framers.”
“Voting rights for women, people of color, poor people who weren’t landed aristocrats properly worthy at the moment of their birth into a ‘better family,’ were most certainly contrary to the intent and purpose of the Framers too.”
Large difference between the two. While the last was due to the social and economic norms of the day, the first was due to the actual on purpose design of the way government was supposed to work.
However, the Constitution was amended, and that too is how it is supposed to work, regardless of the intent of the founders. I am unsure of what the real consequences would be if the 17th were repealed. Obviously, the state government would appoint, and not the people directly vote for, their senators. How that would play out, these days, I have no idea
I wonder if those who want to go back to the original Constitution and not have women, people of color and non-landowners be able to vote are also up for having taxpayer money NOT go towards those people with money and/or land to get wealthier? Or what about that social program called Medicare?
Where in the Constitution does it say it is okay to take taxpayer money and give it to a select group?
I suspect these Pure Constitutionalists like to cherry pick the Constitution in much the same way so-called Religious Right like to cherry pick their Bible.
“I am unsure of what the real consequences would be if the 17th were repealed. Obviously, the state government would appoint, and not the people directly vote for, their senators. How that would play out, these days, I have no idea.”
According to the article referenced: It’s puzzling why Scalia, or anyone else for that matter, would suddenly take a swipe at this entirely uncontroversial amendment — although the Wonk Room offers one possible explanation. Before the Seventeenth Amendment was enacted, corporate interest groups were able to lean on state lawmakers and thus effectively buy U.S. Senate seats. In other words, repealing the Seventeenth Amendment “would be like Citizens United on steroids.”
If you have no problem with the Citizens United decision I suppose it would be difficult to see any “real consequences” of repealing the 17th Amendment.
“although the Wonk Room offers one possible explanation. Before the Seventeenth Amendment was enacted, corporate interest groups were able to lean on state lawmakers and thus effectively buy U.S. Senate seats. In other words, repealing the Seventeenth Amendment “would be like Citizens United on steroids.””
Sorry, I prefer to do my own thinking, instead of the WONK ROOM
“If you have no problem with the Citizens United decision I suppose it would be difficult to see any “real consequences” of repealing the 17th Amendment”
A couple of things
1) whether or not I have no problem withthe Citizens United Decision, it appears to me, and a good many others, that it is in line with precedent.
2) I didn’t say that I didn’t see any “real consequences” of repealing the 17th Amendment, I said that in today’s climate, I am unsure of how that would play out.
3) I didn;t call for it’s repeal, just so you understand that.
OK, y’all, it appears my original post on the 17th Amendment didn’t make my point as well as it should, given the reactions thereto.
Clarification: my ambivalence goes to the dramatic change evidenced by ratification of the 17th Amendment, not to its potential repeal. As has been noted above, the same did, in fact, change a fundamental basis of the structure of the federal government by increasing the “people’s representation” in the Congress (in theory). I would argue that this has not worked out as had been anticipated, as the Senate, at present, is as much, if not more, of a tool of the corporations and moneyed interests than it would have been if the said Amendment had not been ratified. I also think that direct election has decreased, rather than increased, the general level of the competence of the Senate as a whole. One only need think of the recent 2010 election for at least one example (does anyone really think Rand Paul would win if the state legislature did the electing?).
If we are worried about corporations controlling who gets in the Senate, does it really matter if the State Legislators or the people decide on who is given the power of the Senate seat?
Corporations will always go to where the action really takes place -whether that is the campaigns of these senators wannabe’s or the campaigns of all who is in the State Legislatures because as we all know…
Judge Who Ruled Health Care Reform Unconstitutional Owns Piece of GOP Consulting Firm
Henry E. Hudson, the federal judge in Virginia who just ruled health care reform unconstitutional, owns between $15,000 and $50,000 in a GOP political consulting firm that worked against health care reform.
But seriously, I do think this ruling is more fair to my mind. It has always bothered me that the government is mandating everyone to buy health insurance. Something about that just does not sit well with me.
Speaking about corporations buying our elected representatives – it looks like all these corporations have no problem spending millions of dollars against Oamacsare but they sure are lined up at the governnment trought for their share of that evil government’s taxpayer money to help them comply with the new health care reform.
I know, I know – it is only good business to use government money. After all, why spend your own money when we can demonize the taxpayers while taking their money at the same time?
It’s about time the middle class taxpayers become the Party of HELL NO and tell those billionaires who have millions for shiny campaigns to use their own money and to get off the government’s teet.
Some thoughts on indy’s post about education, no links, no cites, but a summary of the synthesis of reading, discussions with education professionals, etc.
Secondary education in the United States has been, since the early 1900s and particularly after World War I, been based on the general idea of “seat time = learning”. One purpose of this approach was (and is) to give employers and colleges a basis for evaluation of the knowledge base of prospective employees/admitees, as appropriate. A criticism (valid, imho) of this approach is this hinders interdisciplinary learning. Rote recitation of “facts” is of more value than critical thinking about these “facts”.
An unanticipated benefit of this approach was that upon graduation, these students were already appropriately “programmed” (my term) to accept jobs where the ability to perform repeatedly one task all day was valued. In other words, due to the regimentation, compartmentalization of subject, and general rigid adherence to the model, high school students were ready for work on an assembly line. This, in fact, worked well until things began changing in the late 1960s, when new fields of economic activity began to arise which required the ability to think critically over the ability to perform a rote task repetitively. Unfortunately, the schools didn’t change, captives of the thinking that still exists today in some way, namely that there is a need to have workers in manufacturing of goods in the same way rather than well-rounded individuals who are able to take on new challenges as the need arises, and who can be trained to perform these new challenges more quickly than retraining workers who lack the basic skills necessary to make changes (think steel workers, auto workers, aircraft workers, among others) due to the rigid approach fostered by the assembly line approach to education and jobs.
So, indy, what you write about is nothing new; this has been true since high school attendance became expected following WWI, and expected throughout the remainder of the recent past century into the current one. I wish it would have been and be different, but it isn’t going to change until we, as a people, recognize the value of education for education’s sake over socializing and training young people as “worker ants” (with apologies to the ants).
While I know our education system has been the same for a long time, what I find disturbing about the current educational system is that we seem to be settling for this mediocre stuff.
At least when I was in school (60’s & 70’s), we had the ability to either go on a college-bound track or a work-related track. Nowadays, these school kids are already working, with their own car, their own cell phone so they think they don’t need any more education.
Our graduation rate is abysmal and we have to institute an educational goal to raise the number of high school graduates? How sad is that?
But back in my day, education was valued and encouraged. Nowadays it seems like if the kids just manage to make it through their senior year they are lucky.
So what is the future of our country? We have been hearing for years how our educational system is broken and needs fixed. On one side of the politial aisle we have the Republicans who loudly proclaim that if only we get rid o the teachers union, then all will be hunky-dory.
But what about the intened goal of our educational system? With all the budget cuts – what has happened to the arts? What has happened to the creative side of education?
Frankly, I am tired of seeing young people at fast food places and retail shops that cannot count out the correct change.
again, this is sad and the status of our educational system reflects on how our country prioritizes – in my opinion.
This has NO importance, but I found it emblematic of politics — a charade!
Top RNC official hasn’t voted in GOP primary for years
The Republican National Committee’s top outreach official, hired to make help make the party younger and more diverse, hasn’t voted in a Republican primary election of any kind since before 2000, The Washington Times has learned.
But longtime Washington lobbyist Angela Sailor, 42, and her political consultant husband, Elroy, 41, did vote in the 2008 Virginia Democratic presidential primary, according to Prince William County election records.
Mr. Steele, who was expected to talk about his own future at the RNC later Monday, raised eyebrows after his election in January 2009 when he announced the creation of an RNC Department of Coalitions and named Mrs. Sailor, a longtime friend, as its director.
The move generated more questions when it was learned that Mr. Steele had the RNC set her salary at $180,000 a year, making her the highest-paid staff person. Her annual salary, not including benefits, is $40,000 more than the elected co-chairman of the RNC receives.
“Angela will be crucial to our efforts to grow our party and spread our message,” Mr. Steele said in announcing her appointment and the creation of a new department for her to head.
Reaction was heated in recent days among some RNC members when told about her voting in the 2008 Democratic primary but not voting in any Republican primary in the previous seven years, at the least, according to county voting records.
SO a young manat the job has knocked up his girlfriend. I asked around to other workers there with children, “How do you do it? How can you afford a life for children, I barely manage to take care of myself.
“There’s always foodstamps,” was the reply.
Then it hit me. The tax payers are subsidizing the business owners, instead of compelling businesses to pay an decent wage for an honest days work.
If you look at the record profits, largely based on wages which are far below what a family needs to live… it’s clear who the real beneficiaries are of the government’s largess.
It’s corporate America and the bourgeoisie, who can have cheap labor, low prices and record profits.
If couples do not marry, then the single parent with children can claim the Earned Income Credit, plus the Child Tax Credit. With one person’s income, they are more than likely qualify for these credits and they will usually get back all the taxes withheld from their paychecks plus come out of the tax preparer’s office with a hefty income tax refund check – sometimes in the thousands.
Now if the couple were to be married and they both work – then they would have a harder time to qualify for those tax credits (the income cap limit used to be around $31,000/yr – I don’t know what it is this year).
So, in order to get the most bang from your tax bucks – it is advantageous to be single with kids.
And if that single parent with kids wants to go to college – there are all kinds of grants for them.
My oldest was working a full time job, a part time job and trying to finish her college degree at night. She was constantly being told by the financial counselor that if she only had a baby – she would qualify for federal grants that she would not have to repay.
But my oldest did not get pregnant, she took out student loans and she graduated. So, is it fair to my oldest to have to bear the burden of doing the ‘right’ thing while many of her fellow college students and friends were taking the other way and getting pregnant just to get that federal money?
What gets me is – alot of times these couples that choose to not marry are living together as man and wife. But since legally they are not married, they can qualify for all this federal money.
But aren’t you glad Republicans are saving our country from gay marriage ruining us?
I watched the debate before the vote in the Senate on the tax cuts.
Some made valid points, but most were more like an analogy I came up with to describe how much sense a lot of what they say and want to do.
It is like they are advocating the eating of cat crap, something that on the basis of common sense and reality would be rejected.
It was a bit funny what happened after John Mc Cain lambasted the added on give a ways.
He named one, the Ethanol tax credit which of course when ever they use that term means they are borrowing the money they would have gotten from the tax.
Later it became apparent who was the one that put that Ethanol tax credit in!
Chuck Grassley used his time to defend the Ethanol tax credit and then listed all the other tax credits that they were borrowing money to fund.
But what the majority of the debate ended up was trying to sell the eating of cat crap.
The only differences amounted to the Republicans were advocating the eating of Calico cat crap.
And the Democratic advocating the eating of Yellow tabby cat crap.
But it added up to in the end it is still expecting the American public to swallow a bunch of cat crap!
Like no one is smart enough to realize they are feeding us all cat crap.
But sadly they may know us too well, I am sure that tonight Fox will be tell how great Calico cat crap is.
And MSNBC will be telling how great Yellow tabby cat crap is.
So tomorrow on that other Blog will be Kanza pronouncing the nutritional value of Calico cat crap,
And Monkeyhawk will counter with the vitamin content of Yellow tabby cat crap!
It is all that they are trying to feed us nothing but cat crap in the end….
PrairiePopulistsAndProgressives.net 
The American people do not want to be told what they NEED to hear – they are constantly told what they WANT to hear. This is a major reason why we keep going back and forth from the two parties.
And this is the reason why nothing will ever get resolved in this country. We’ll keep spending those trillions that we don’t have in order to appease all the ‘right’ groups in order to get those votes coming in election after election.
And now with Republicans in control adn wanting to dismantle public education, just wait to see how dumbed dowbn the next generation turns out.
On second reading of my comment – I noticed two places where my fingers got to typing faster than my brain was working – adn and dowbn.
Seriously, I do know how to spell. My education was back way before the current trend of passing someone simply because they could throw, kick, pass or hit a ball.
BTW – I was in the band – never in sports. When I got to high school, the band director told me straight out that I would NEVER play the drums in his band because I was a girl. That is how far back my education goes.
Wow – the dinosaur age huh?
One of the quotes today made me laugh right out loud.
This book fills a much-needed gap. — Moses Hadas
Do you suppose the author of the book that elicited that comment could understand it? 🙂
LOL I started a free-for-all on FB Saturday when my son-in-law pasted one of those pass-alongs that basically said we should be thankful that 5800 troops had given their lives in Afghanistan and Iraq to keep our CIVILIAN @SSES (their caps) safe. I took exception to the wording of it, and p!ssed off some USAF broad who, like my son-in-law, obviously didn’t really read the original. I pointed out the poor wording and my opinion that we didn’t belong in either country. And then the battle started. I’m a civilian, so I don’t know anything at all about the military. Uh, right. When I was married, my ex retired from the military after 20 years, so of course I don’t know anything.
Believe me, I know and understand the power of words, especially when used incorrectly.
The power of words multiplies when people unwilling to listen / understand are added to the mix.
I know all too well how some people view a Vietnam widow with current cyncial views of our political wars and our military leaders/military defense contractors.
What I really take issue with when these military types try to demonize anyone not in uniform is this – today’s military is voluntary. In the Vietnam days, it was not voluntary. Of course, I find it very telling that all these current military-types politicians that love to start these political wars have, for the most part, been the ones that got deferments during the Vietnam days.
We might actually be getting to the point where light is shed into dark corners! If this happens it will good for those who are honest, lawful and above board, not so good for those who aren’t any of that!
http://www.reuters.com/article/idUSTRE6BC23E20101213
The internet has brought us all more opportunities to read, but I’ve noticed that some of the writing is poorer, therefore comprehension is, too.
Writing is power. We’re fortunate to have the written word of the greats, who actually knew how to put words together properly. We now have a nation with far too many functionally illiterate people, and it doesn’t look like it’s going to get much better. The more we have of their kind, the more they become the majority. But then we’ve discussed this here before. I’m not dissing those people. A large portion of the blame should go to our educational system. I saw it begin to slide my senior year in high school, then even more when my daughters were in school. Granted, the majority of the teachers ranged from good to excellent, but the minority of not so good and poor had grown, if only a little.
Unfortunately, I think the educational system is there to supply future demand for corporations.
The No Child Left Behind Act was nothing more than simply getting kids trained to passs certain tests. Where was the real learning? Where was the critical thinking? Where was the creativity?
just think of it as corporatized schools – these graduates will make excellent cheap labor for the Golden Idol God of the Almighty Dollar.
It was one of the saddest things I was told about writing, you should always write to a seven years old level.
That to write using prefect Oxford English and using words that will require a Dictionary setting by your side to look up the words you do not know or understand.
Is to lose 99 % of all readers, but the odd thing is that even the worst English student in school will see every misspelling and grammatical error. They will not do any better when they writing something, but will see all of your mistakes like they have been highlighted with a yellow highlighter.
I know that doing more interacting with the Blogs and message boards my own has suffered.
The need to be precious and the usage of proper writing skills often only ends in you are not taken serious.
Or become scroll over material.
Who turned the heat off outside?
Remember, in these frigid days and nights, that your elderly neighbors may not be fully aware of the dangers. Keep an eye on them, or better yet, stay in touch, visit once in a while or call them. It only takes a minute of your time.
In our fair city, a man died over the weekend, most likely from freezing to death outside. Many charitable organizations are down on donations this year and need assistance with providing services to the homeless and other less fortunates. Money isn’t everything! Go through your dressers and closets and donate clothes that you are not wearing.
Remember that sweater that you got for Christmas ten years ago? The one that you would rather die than to wear it in public? Donate it. Someone, a little less fashion conscious could use it to keep warm.
It’s too damned cold to be outside, so do a little “Spring Cleaning” and load up those old clothes for the needy!
John Boehner refuses to use the word compromise – which plays very well to his Religious Right base and the other extreme radical righties who only use the Religious Right for their votes.
Let’s see how long the Party of NO continues to be the Party of Choice by those voters who continue to see nothing being resolved by two parties who refuse to work together.
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2010/12/12/john-boehner-60-minutes-video_n_795597.html
My grandpa was a man of few words. But when he spoke – everybody listened.
Maybe that is what is missing today?
There are too many people ranting, rambling and screaming about issues they really know nothing about?
I remember my grandpa telling us kids to not worry about the Russians because it is the Chinese we need to watch. My grandpa died in 1971.
How prophetic were those words?
It was also in the 70’s that my dad out of the clear blue sky just told me that the enemy we should be concerned about were the radical Moslems. That any enemy who does not fear death and in fact see it as a blessing to come.
Is almost unstoppable, War is only an effective deterrent when each side fears their own destruction.
An enemy that longs for their own death, there is no way to stop.
At the time I was lost and confused about what he was saying.
There had not been anything that actually prompted him to even bring it up!
Yeah both were prophetic!
Wow – both men were wise beyond their times, huh?
To think – China owns us economically and radical Muslims are more than happy to blow us all up all in the name of their God.
I guess we are screwed either way – huh?
I heard of “Cold sickness” a condition where your body is not equipment to handle cold weather.
It effects you and you actually show signs of hypothermal even in the 30’s.
I wonder if that is something I have suffered from even as a child.
I am so ready to move South!
When we were transferred in late October to Michigan with my husband’s corporation in the mid 1980’s, we were told that our blood was too thin for the cold weather. We were also told that as soon as our blood thickened up, we would absolutely love their bitter cold winters.
We put in for our next transfer the first week and it took them 9 months to find a willing replacement.
We moved out in late July and we had to wear coats to pack the moving van.
What a shame too – we had a beautiful house by the lake. It’s just too bad we could never use the lake for anything but ice skating and/or ice fishing.
BTW – my kids were in Kindergarten and 2nd grade at that time. The kids had to go out for recess no matter how cold the temperature got outside. Those people were NUTS…
The problem with moving South is that it’s as red as Kansas!
While we have our soldiers fighting for Afghanistan – this is the current situation in that country.
I recently read where a recently-released Wikileak cable cited the the Vice President of Afghanistan was caught with a luggage filled with $52 million in cash. Nobody seemed to question him and he was allowed to keep the money and go on his way.
Hmmmmm……let’s see. Afghanistan is a very poor country but yet the second-to-the highest political leader had $52 million in cash. Aww, surely there was nothing corrupt going on – was there?
I’m going to try to find that article about. In the meantime – did anyone else see this news coverage?
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/south_asia/8366371.stm
This is the article about that $52 million in cash I referenced in my comment above about Afghan corruption.
http://afghanistan.foreignpolicyblogs.com/2010/11/28/afghanistan-vice-president-carries-52-million-in-cash-to-uae/
There are too many people ranting, rambling and screaming about issues they really know nothing about?
—
I must confess, I tend to ramble once I get on a blog – especially when I feel very passionate about the issue or when I feel attacked. But I do try to back up my issue with some facts.
I must also confess, I do not consider Fox News a reliable fact source – but I suspect most of you already know that. LMAO
I recently read this description of Obama: He’s Mitt Romney with better SCOTUS picks.
We should always remember how important judicial appointments can be! Here is a reminder:
Health Care Law Ruled Unconstitutional
Judge Henry E. Hudson, who was appointed to the bench by former President George W. Bush, ruled on Monday that the keystone provision — that most Americans obtain health insurance exceeds the regulatory authority granted to Congress under the Commerce Clause of the Constitution — in the Obama health care law is unconstitutional.
Unfortunately, fnord, I think that Judge Hudson is correct in his ruling. This provision is the most worrisome one, IMHO, under the law, insofar as its constitutionality is concerned. This ruling is the obvious one to make for any judge (irrespective of his/her political/jurisprudential leanings) given the current state of Commerce Clause SCOTUS jurisprudence, notwithstanding the presumption of Constitutionality to which an enacted law is entitled. It will be interesting to follow the appeals.
I see fnord and 6176 are already discussing the health care reform law ruling that came down from the VA federal judge.
Here is a link to the news:
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/40642879/ns/politics-more_politics
Of course this ruling was just about the requirement to purchase health insurance – correct?
I have to say, this part of the health care reform bill has bothered me also. But didn’t the Obama Administration expect this to be found unconstitutional?
Because I thought it was a bone being thrown to the health insurance companies as a way to get all those new, mandated, customers.
Let’s face, the healthcare reform we eventually got was nothing more than health insurance reform – wasn’t it? But the health insurance companies and/or employers also get help from the federal government to purchase the mandated insurance. So it really is not that much of a loss for most health insurance companies.
Yes, as I understand it, the rest of the law is still effective (as to constitutionality), only the mandate to buy was found unconstitutional. I think the government’s standing argument is a good one, but that’s for the Court of Appeals to rule, not me.
And, the “health care reform” was always about health insurance reform. Nothing more, nothing less. The “public option” was a way for those mandated to have insurance to obtain it from an entity other than an insurance company.
However one wishes to label it, the law is for the most part not yet effective. That said, expect more court challenges to “chip away” at the law, especially if there is no repeal as desired by the GOP, in particular.
And the Mad Hatter is……
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2010/12/13/sharron-angle-patriot-caucus-pac_n_795783.html
And now we have the new kids on the block – No Labels…..
I wonder if they serve coffee, tea or cappuccino?
I seem to remember a Coffee Party that sprang up after the Tea Party started but I guess the coffee got stale? It will be interesting to see if this No Labels group will fare any better. They should since there seems to be alot of seasoned politicians in this group.
But the proof will be in the pudding – won’t it? Maybe we should call it the Pudding Party?
http://content.usatoday.com/communities/onpolitics/post/2010/12/michael-bloomberg-no-labels-/1
Speaking of judges —
Read more —
http://thinkprogress.org/2010/11/15/scalia-seventeenth/
I know a group of people, none of whom are lawyers or judges, who are of the belief that the Seventeenth Amendment was a bad change. I will admit to some ambivalence in that regard, but I’m not ready to repeal the said amendment based thereon.
Without torturing everyone with rote recitation of what should have been learned in U.S. Government class about representative government, the House being “for the people”, and the Senate to act as a curb on the House, I can say the 17th Amendment was most certainly contrary to the intent and purpose of the Framers.
Voting rights for women, people of color, poor people who weren’t landed aristocrats properly worthy at the moment of their birth into a ‘better family,’ were most certainly contrary to the intent and purpose of the Framers too.
But I suppose repealing the 17th amendment would advance the march to a Corpocracy. Maybe we’ll get all control in the hands of the tiny part of the population who represent the billionaires of today during my lifetime. Seems to be moving that way quickly. Modern version of old rich white men in charge.
I saw the word ‘filibernie’ used to describe Bernie Sanders’ filibuster last week.
Another article I read listed a bounty of new words added this year to our political vocabulary, such as Mama Grizzlies, Obamacare, Aqua Buddha, Man up, Refudiate, WikiLeaks…
The 2010 Political Dictionary from A to Z
“Without torturing everyone with rote recitation of what should have been learned in U.S. Government class about representative government, the House being “for the people”, and the Senate to act as a curb on the House, I can say the 17th Amendment was most certainly contrary to the intent and purpose of the Framers.”
“Voting rights for women, people of color, poor people who weren’t landed aristocrats properly worthy at the moment of their birth into a ‘better family,’ were most certainly contrary to the intent and purpose of the Framers too.”
Large difference between the two. While the last was due to the social and economic norms of the day, the first was due to the actual on purpose design of the way government was supposed to work.
However, the Constitution was amended, and that too is how it is supposed to work, regardless of the intent of the founders. I am unsure of what the real consequences would be if the 17th were repealed. Obviously, the state government would appoint, and not the people directly vote for, their senators. How that would play out, these days, I have no idea
I wonder if those who want to go back to the original Constitution and not have women, people of color and non-landowners be able to vote are also up for having taxpayer money NOT go towards those people with money and/or land to get wealthier? Or what about that social program called Medicare?
Where in the Constitution does it say it is okay to take taxpayer money and give it to a select group?
I suspect these Pure Constitutionalists like to cherry pick the Constitution in much the same way so-called Religious Right like to cherry pick their Bible.
All for me and NONE for thee.
“I am unsure of what the real consequences would be if the 17th were repealed. Obviously, the state government would appoint, and not the people directly vote for, their senators. How that would play out, these days, I have no idea.”
According to the article referenced: It’s puzzling why Scalia, or anyone else for that matter, would suddenly take a swipe at this entirely uncontroversial amendment — although the Wonk Room offers one possible explanation. Before the Seventeenth Amendment was enacted, corporate interest groups were able to lean on state lawmakers and thus effectively buy U.S. Senate seats. In other words, repealing the Seventeenth Amendment “would be like Citizens United on steroids.”
If you have no problem with the Citizens United decision I suppose it would be difficult to see any “real consequences” of repealing the 17th Amendment.
And it wasn;t an article, it was an editorial, the bestI can see
“although the Wonk Room offers one possible explanation. Before the Seventeenth Amendment was enacted, corporate interest groups were able to lean on state lawmakers and thus effectively buy U.S. Senate seats. In other words, repealing the Seventeenth Amendment “would be like Citizens United on steroids.””
Sorry, I prefer to do my own thinking, instead of the WONK ROOM
“If you have no problem with the Citizens United decision I suppose it would be difficult to see any “real consequences” of repealing the 17th Amendment”
A couple of things
1) whether or not I have no problem withthe Citizens United Decision, it appears to me, and a good many others, that it is in line with precedent.
2) I didn’t say that I didn’t see any “real consequences” of repealing the 17th Amendment, I said that in today’s climate, I am unsure of how that would play out.
3) I didn;t call for it’s repeal, just so you understand that.
OK, y’all, it appears my original post on the 17th Amendment didn’t make my point as well as it should, given the reactions thereto.
Clarification: my ambivalence goes to the dramatic change evidenced by ratification of the 17th Amendment, not to its potential repeal. As has been noted above, the same did, in fact, change a fundamental basis of the structure of the federal government by increasing the “people’s representation” in the Congress (in theory). I would argue that this has not worked out as had been anticipated, as the Senate, at present, is as much, if not more, of a tool of the corporations and moneyed interests than it would have been if the said Amendment had not been ratified. I also think that direct election has decreased, rather than increased, the general level of the competence of the Senate as a whole. One only need think of the recent 2010 election for at least one example (does anyone really think Rand Paul would win if the state legislature did the electing?).
Thus, my ambivalence.
If we are worried about corporations controlling who gets in the Senate, does it really matter if the State Legislators or the people decide on who is given the power of the Senate seat?
Corporations will always go to where the action really takes place -whether that is the campaigns of these senators wannabe’s or the campaigns of all who is in the State Legislatures because as we all know…
when money talks, B.S. walks.
Judge Who Ruled Health Care Reform Unconstitutional Owns Piece of GOP Consulting Firm
Henry E. Hudson, the federal judge in Virginia who just ruled health care reform unconstitutional, owns between $15,000 and $50,000 in a GOP political consulting firm that worked against health care reform.
http://tpmlivewire.talkingpointsmemo.com/2010/12/judge-who-ruled-health-care-reform-unconstitutional-owns-piece-of-gop-consulting-firm.php
Why, I’m shocked……….
heavy, heavy sarcasm…
But seriously, I do think this ruling is more fair to my mind. It has always bothered me that the government is mandating everyone to buy health insurance. Something about that just does not sit well with me.
Speaking about corporations buying our elected representatives – it looks like all these corporations have no problem spending millions of dollars against Oamacsare but they sure are lined up at the governnment trought for their share of that evil government’s taxpayer money to help them comply with the new health care reform.
I know, I know – it is only good business to use government money. After all, why spend your own money when we can demonize the taxpayers while taking their money at the same time?
It’s about time the middle class taxpayers become the Party of HELL NO and tell those billionaires who have millions for shiny campaigns to use their own money and to get off the government’s teet.
Looks like the Obama-GOP tax cut deal is going forward. Was there ever any doubt?
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2010/12/13/senate-tax-cuts-for-rich-move-forward_n_796108.html
Some thoughts on indy’s post about education, no links, no cites, but a summary of the synthesis of reading, discussions with education professionals, etc.
Secondary education in the United States has been, since the early 1900s and particularly after World War I, been based on the general idea of “seat time = learning”. One purpose of this approach was (and is) to give employers and colleges a basis for evaluation of the knowledge base of prospective employees/admitees, as appropriate. A criticism (valid, imho) of this approach is this hinders interdisciplinary learning. Rote recitation of “facts” is of more value than critical thinking about these “facts”.
An unanticipated benefit of this approach was that upon graduation, these students were already appropriately “programmed” (my term) to accept jobs where the ability to perform repeatedly one task all day was valued. In other words, due to the regimentation, compartmentalization of subject, and general rigid adherence to the model, high school students were ready for work on an assembly line. This, in fact, worked well until things began changing in the late 1960s, when new fields of economic activity began to arise which required the ability to think critically over the ability to perform a rote task repetitively. Unfortunately, the schools didn’t change, captives of the thinking that still exists today in some way, namely that there is a need to have workers in manufacturing of goods in the same way rather than well-rounded individuals who are able to take on new challenges as the need arises, and who can be trained to perform these new challenges more quickly than retraining workers who lack the basic skills necessary to make changes (think steel workers, auto workers, aircraft workers, among others) due to the rigid approach fostered by the assembly line approach to education and jobs.
So, indy, what you write about is nothing new; this has been true since high school attendance became expected following WWI, and expected throughout the remainder of the recent past century into the current one. I wish it would have been and be different, but it isn’t going to change until we, as a people, recognize the value of education for education’s sake over socializing and training young people as “worker ants” (with apologies to the ants).
While I know our education system has been the same for a long time, what I find disturbing about the current educational system is that we seem to be settling for this mediocre stuff.
At least when I was in school (60’s & 70’s), we had the ability to either go on a college-bound track or a work-related track. Nowadays, these school kids are already working, with their own car, their own cell phone so they think they don’t need any more education.
Our graduation rate is abysmal and we have to institute an educational goal to raise the number of high school graduates? How sad is that?
But back in my day, education was valued and encouraged. Nowadays it seems like if the kids just manage to make it through their senior year they are lucky.
So what is the future of our country? We have been hearing for years how our educational system is broken and needs fixed. On one side of the politial aisle we have the Republicans who loudly proclaim that if only we get rid o the teachers union, then all will be hunky-dory.
But what about the intened goal of our educational system? With all the budget cuts – what has happened to the arts? What has happened to the creative side of education?
Frankly, I am tired of seeing young people at fast food places and retail shops that cannot count out the correct change.
again, this is sad and the status of our educational system reflects on how our country prioritizes – in my opinion.
This has NO importance, but I found it emblematic of politics — a charade!
http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2010/dec/13/top-rnc-official-hasnt-voted-gop-primary-in-years/
The problem with moving South is that it’s as red as Kansas!
LOL said it recently that Okla Cons make Kansas Cons look like liberals.
SO a young manat the job has knocked up his girlfriend. I asked around to other workers there with children, “How do you do it? How can you afford a life for children, I barely manage to take care of myself.
“There’s always foodstamps,” was the reply.
Then it hit me. The tax payers are subsidizing the business owners, instead of compelling businesses to pay an decent wage for an honest days work.
If you look at the record profits, largely based on wages which are far below what a family needs to live… it’s clear who the real beneficiaries are of the government’s largess.
It’s corporate America and the bourgeoisie, who can have cheap labor, low prices and record profits.
If couples do not marry, then the single parent with children can claim the Earned Income Credit, plus the Child Tax Credit. With one person’s income, they are more than likely qualify for these credits and they will usually get back all the taxes withheld from their paychecks plus come out of the tax preparer’s office with a hefty income tax refund check – sometimes in the thousands.
Now if the couple were to be married and they both work – then they would have a harder time to qualify for those tax credits (the income cap limit used to be around $31,000/yr – I don’t know what it is this year).
So, in order to get the most bang from your tax bucks – it is advantageous to be single with kids.
And if that single parent with kids wants to go to college – there are all kinds of grants for them.
My oldest was working a full time job, a part time job and trying to finish her college degree at night. She was constantly being told by the financial counselor that if she only had a baby – she would qualify for federal grants that she would not have to repay.
But my oldest did not get pregnant, she took out student loans and she graduated. So, is it fair to my oldest to have to bear the burden of doing the ‘right’ thing while many of her fellow college students and friends were taking the other way and getting pregnant just to get that federal money?
What gets me is – alot of times these couples that choose to not marry are living together as man and wife. But since legally they are not married, they can qualify for all this federal money.
But aren’t you glad Republicans are saving our country from gay marriage ruining us?
heavy, heavy sarcasm//
I watched the debate before the vote in the Senate on the tax cuts.
Some made valid points, but most were more like an analogy I came up with to describe how much sense a lot of what they say and want to do.
It is like they are advocating the eating of cat crap, something that on the basis of common sense and reality would be rejected.
It was a bit funny what happened after John Mc Cain lambasted the added on give a ways.
He named one, the Ethanol tax credit which of course when ever they use that term means they are borrowing the money they would have gotten from the tax.
Later it became apparent who was the one that put that Ethanol tax credit in!
Chuck Grassley used his time to defend the Ethanol tax credit and then listed all the other tax credits that they were borrowing money to fund.
But what the majority of the debate ended up was trying to sell the eating of cat crap.
The only differences amounted to the Republicans were advocating the eating of Calico cat crap.
And the Democratic advocating the eating of Yellow tabby cat crap.
But it added up to in the end it is still expecting the American public to swallow a bunch of cat crap!
Like no one is smart enough to realize they are feeding us all cat crap.
But sadly they may know us too well, I am sure that tonight Fox will be tell how great Calico cat crap is.
And MSNBC will be telling how great Yellow tabby cat crap is.
So tomorrow on that other Blog will be Kanza pronouncing the nutritional value of Calico cat crap,
And Monkeyhawk will counter with the vitamin content of Yellow tabby cat crap!
It is all that they are trying to feed us nothing but cat crap in the end….