I guess since we've moved from the dusty high plains of Colorado to the lush green of Florida I should reconsider naming this blog. But it's not like I have a ton of followers. So it shouldn't be any big deal one way or the other.
Today we're planing on cleaning out the apartment and turning the keys over. It's our last act in our days of being nomads. We've still got a ton of empty boxes to get rid of. I'll post them on Craig's list later today.
Wednesday, November 28, 2012
Saturday, November 27, 2010
Federal Debt Balderadash
Here's a truism - The Federal Debt is out of control. If this debt belonged to an individual or a family they would be filing bankruptcy and starting all over again. Our government doesn't have that option but it can print more money which reduces the value of the money in our pockets.
The current big economic debate appears to be about keeping the Bush tax cuts. There also needs to be a debate about spending cuts. Even drunken sailors quite spending when they run out of money but not our ladies and gentlemen in congress. The bulk of their spending is to keep getting reelected (bridges to nowhere, turtle crossings, etc) not the good of the nation. There is even two kinds of spending processes! A mandatory and a discretionary.
The mandatory process is created when Congress and the President create a law (and a bureaucracy to administer it) that says if there are this many people that meet the qualification than they are allotted this much money. Zippo ! Presto! It's off and running and since it's a law no matter how long ago it was voted on, it will continue to live on and on and on and on. Think Social Security, Medicare, etc.
The discretionary process requires Congress and the President to each year establish the budget for those items that aren't covered by the mandatory process. Think Congressional and Executive operational budgets, etc.
The current big economic debate appears to be about keeping the Bush tax cuts. There also needs to be a debate about spending cuts. Even drunken sailors quite spending when they run out of money but not our ladies and gentlemen in congress. The bulk of their spending is to keep getting reelected (bridges to nowhere, turtle crossings, etc) not the good of the nation. There is even two kinds of spending processes! A mandatory and a discretionary.
The mandatory process is created when Congress and the President create a law (and a bureaucracy to administer it) that says if there are this many people that meet the qualification than they are allotted this much money. Zippo ! Presto! It's off and running and since it's a law no matter how long ago it was voted on, it will continue to live on and on and on and on. Think Social Security, Medicare, etc.
The discretionary process requires Congress and the President to each year establish the budget for those items that aren't covered by the mandatory process. Think Congressional and Executive operational budgets, etc.
Sunday, November 29, 2009
Just finished reading Cheryl Russell's book "Bet You Didn't Know". It's a quick and informative read about our nation's demographics. The book is enjoyable because it is not just a listing of statistics but because of her evaluation and analysis of the stats. For example on page 188 she shows the statistic "Black Share of the American Population: 14". She then follows this statistic with 4 paragraphs of evaluations concluding:
For further examples of her work see her blog at http://demomemo.blogspot.com/
The book is a quick, enjoyable, and revealing read.
- These media distortions have consequences, says Gilens. Most of those who believe the poor are primarily black say the poor themselves are to blame for their predicament. Those who believe the poor are primarily white are more likely to lay the blame for poverty on bad luck rather than bad character.
For further examples of her work see her blog at http://demomemo.blogspot.com/
The book is a quick, enjoyable, and revealing read.
Monday, April 20, 2009
Dependence begets subservience and venality, suffocates the germ of virtue, and prepares fit tools for the designs of ambition.
Thomas Jefferson
What the heck was he talking about? I think it means if we receive something without performing the corresponding due diligence, that is doing our homework, we should not be surprised if bad things happen. The people who handed over their money to Bernie Madoff on blind faith should not be surprised with the result.
The same can be said with our tax dollars. We send our money off to the government organizations (Federal and State) and we don't pay attention to how our representatives manage it. Consequently we have the Chris Dodds and Barney Franks of congress feathering their nests with our tax dollars or worse yet feathering their political agenda.
There is a tremendous amount of media coverage on the President and virtually none on the Congress. However, it is Congress that needs an equal amount of oversight. Congress is the organization that raises taxes an authorizes the President's budget. It is the members of congress that sneak in the line items into the budget for bridges to nowhere.
We need to pay attention and focus on them. We need to evaluate their deeds and votes.
Thomas Jefferson
What the heck was he talking about? I think it means if we receive something without performing the corresponding due diligence, that is doing our homework, we should not be surprised if bad things happen. The people who handed over their money to Bernie Madoff on blind faith should not be surprised with the result.
The same can be said with our tax dollars. We send our money off to the government organizations (Federal and State) and we don't pay attention to how our representatives manage it. Consequently we have the Chris Dodds and Barney Franks of congress feathering their nests with our tax dollars or worse yet feathering their political agenda.
There is a tremendous amount of media coverage on the President and virtually none on the Congress. However, it is Congress that needs an equal amount of oversight. Congress is the organization that raises taxes an authorizes the President's budget. It is the members of congress that sneak in the line items into the budget for bridges to nowhere.
We need to pay attention and focus on them. We need to evaluate their deeds and votes.
Friday, April 17, 2009
At one time I gave the charge that the media has a liberal bias a lot of slack. I believed that in general things were balanced. However, after seeing and hearing the coverage on the Tea Parties I no longer have that generous attitude.
The CNN report which featured a reporter debating with one of the participants (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6G3fvNhdoc0&feature=related) validates the liberal bias charge. The piece is presented as a sample of the event. The problem is she starts debating with the man and presenting her views. The report is no longer a presentation of an actual event but has become an editorial. Had the report been identified as an opinion piece that would have been acceptable because the viewer would know that what is being presented is someone's commentary.
The leading television station in Denver, channel 9, framed the Tea Party as a republican vs democrat event. That the crowd chanted "Impeach Obama", I was there and I never heard it. Of course there were over 5,000 people there scattered across the lawn and we will always have that 10% who fall behind. So there may have been some fools trying to start something but the dominate crowd chants were: U-S-A, NO YOU CAN'T, and WHERE'S RITTER.
So what to do? First realize that all "news" is biased and try to get multiple sources with a variety of biases. This is going to be difficult because the majority is liberal dominated view and frames things in favor of the left.
The CNN report which featured a reporter debating with one of the participants (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6G3fvNhdoc0&feature=related) validates the liberal bias charge. The piece is presented as a sample of the event. The problem is she starts debating with the man and presenting her views. The report is no longer a presentation of an actual event but has become an editorial. Had the report been identified as an opinion piece that would have been acceptable because the viewer would know that what is being presented is someone's commentary.
The leading television station in Denver, channel 9, framed the Tea Party as a republican vs democrat event. That the crowd chanted "Impeach Obama", I was there and I never heard it. Of course there were over 5,000 people there scattered across the lawn and we will always have that 10% who fall behind. So there may have been some fools trying to start something but the dominate crowd chants were: U-S-A, NO YOU CAN'T, and WHERE'S RITTER.
So what to do? First realize that all "news" is biased and try to get multiple sources with a variety of biases. This is going to be difficult because the majority is liberal dominated view and frames things in favor of the left.
Thursday, April 16, 2009
First Blog
Well, here I go. My first blog entry. Surely, a momentous historical occasion.
I went to a Tea Party yesterday in Denver. It started at noon on the west side of the capital building and there were about 5 to 6 thousand people present. The crowd was composed of a fairly diverse group of people. The event started with the pledge of allegiance and the singing of the national anthem. The sound system was poor as I had difficulty in hearing some of the speakers. However, what I did hear was in line with my thoughts on limiting the federal government, reduce federal spending, reduce federal taxation, a fairer and simpler federal tax.
I'm also dismayed with the news coverage. The coverage seems to range from describing a gathering of right wing, bigoted, knuckle dragging, lunatics to sour grapes republicans. I also find it interesting how certain news people enjoy using "Tea Bagging" as a double-entendre. I didn't even know there was a sexual meaning for it.
Here locally, channel 9's report would have a viewer or reader believe the rally was an impeach Obama focused event. I never heard any such thing. They also focused on Republicans and Democrats as if that's what the frustration is about. It's not.
The frustration is with a congress that's not doing their job of representing us. Unfortunately, that frustration gets targeted at the President. I think that the office of the president is a convenient target for that frustration. But it's the congress that needs to focused on. Our senators and representatives need to be communicated with and told what we think and believe.
I went to a Tea Party yesterday in Denver. It started at noon on the west side of the capital building and there were about 5 to 6 thousand people present. The crowd was composed of a fairly diverse group of people. The event started with the pledge of allegiance and the singing of the national anthem. The sound system was poor as I had difficulty in hearing some of the speakers. However, what I did hear was in line with my thoughts on limiting the federal government, reduce federal spending, reduce federal taxation, a fairer and simpler federal tax.
I'm also dismayed with the news coverage. The coverage seems to range from describing a gathering of right wing, bigoted, knuckle dragging, lunatics to sour grapes republicans. I also find it interesting how certain news people enjoy using "Tea Bagging" as a double-entendre. I didn't even know there was a sexual meaning for it.
Here locally, channel 9's report would have a viewer or reader believe the rally was an impeach Obama focused event. I never heard any such thing. They also focused on Republicans and Democrats as if that's what the frustration is about. It's not.
The frustration is with a congress that's not doing their job of representing us. Unfortunately, that frustration gets targeted at the President. I think that the office of the president is a convenient target for that frustration. But it's the congress that needs to focused on. Our senators and representatives need to be communicated with and told what we think and believe.
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