Another Letter to DCCC

I am writing to express my frustration with the Democratic Party and specifically in President Obama. The past 2.5 years of this administration has seen some progress, but not the HOPE & CHANGE we voted and campaigned for back in 2008.

I will bypass the usual fact that we are still at war in Iraq and Afghanistan. President Obama has not only expanded the war in Afghanistan he, along with the Department Of Defense appears to want to break the drawdown of forces agreement signed by the BUSH Administration. Congressional democrats should fight the president on this issue.

On the economic end the debt deal was horrible, for Democrats. Speech after speech President Obama said “balanced approach” and “deal must have revenue”. In the end what was in the deal, nothing but cuts to programs that will hurt middle class and poor and not 1 penny of revenue in way of tax increases on rich or corporations…NOT ONE! Then since the democratic president/senate/congress voted the deal has to be defended??? It was a massive rightwing plan, conceived by right wingers. It included this baloney “super congress” which I can already tell the fix is in. With corporatist democrats like Max Baucus there to vote with GOP on cuts to SS/Medicare it really very sad. If President Obama and democrats really think you can get even 1 of the radical right-wingers that GOP picked to raise taxes on the rich (we should) then either the WH is the most politically inept group ever to have somehow won a national election or they are really just moderate republicans. I mean really if Democrats vote with GOP to cut ss/Medicare then what is the purpose of Democratic Party other than to just be a little better than the radical reactionary republicans?

It’s time for President Obama and democrats to stop with this “balanced approach” stuff. The middle class and poor have been giving and giving for years. Cuts to programs, cuts to jobs, cuts cuts cuts. The thieves on wall st, the rich, and corporations have given nothing and gained everything. It’s time for them to pay SOMETHING. The difference, the poor/middle class do not have teams of lobbyist and think tanks like Heritage and ALEC (Koch industries) writing and influencing legislation. Over 60% of American people want to end oil subsidies, but when 100% of GOP is bought and paid for by oil industry they suddenly stop with their “the American people want…” BS line they lie with constantly. When propaganda networks like Fox cry and cry about class warfare it’s the RICH who have been waging and winning the class warfare. It’s time for the 99% who fall in the non-rich rest of us to have a voice…and it’s not the tea party idiot dupes who seem to have so much sway in beltway media and halls of congress. It’s time for Democratic populism. Confused at what I mean…take a look at Bernie Sanders for some examples. Tax the rich, close the corporate loopholes, and raise the carried interest tax rate (hedge fund loophole). If you all really have this fixation on the debt, then raise some revenue to pay it down, but guess what, us at the bottom are tapped out…those at the top been sucking all the money out.

Stop “compromising” with republicans. President Obama has an obsession with “bipartisan solutions”. The GOP has no interest in this. Then in order to compromise with GOP Obama goes further and further right…this is not compromise. He needs to make his case, the democratic case on issues. Not start out on the moderate gop platform and then move right as the gop moves further and further right. This moves the whole Overton window of the debate. Then the corporate idiot box media says dumb crap like “everyone got a bit of this or that” when in reality the GOP have gotten everything they wanted. Stand up for something, have principals and be strong…independents will vote for someone who displays strength and leadership by CONVINCING THEM. Name names, don’t use ambiguous language like “both parties, some in Washington, ect.” If Orin Hatch is blocking a nomination to an important post or judges say “Orin Hatch and the republicans are impeding government and playing partisan politics with people meant to provide justice or server the American people.” The republicans have no problem blaming President Obama, Nancy Pelosi or Harry Reid every chance they get. Even after they get everything they want or have held the country hostage to protect rich people…they name names. Perhaps it’s time to play hardball with the republicans as well.

The major thing I would like to say is any cuts to SS/Medicare by raise of retirement age or benefit cuts are unacceptable. If this is what is going to come out of super congress and signed by President then what was the point of voting in a democrat for president? We paid into these programs; don’t steal from us to pay for wars and tax cuts for rich. If President Obama wants to agree with the GOP on these cuts, then it’s the obligation of Democrats to stand against him. Will Clyburn and Van Hollen stand up for SS/Medicare? Or will they fall in line with GOP and WH who want to cut these programs? Why did Nancy Pelosi only appoint 1 member from Progressive caucus?

I know I am not a rich donor or lobbyist. I am just a regular middle class American. Trying to make it the best I can. You sent me a survey asking for money and my opinion. Right now all I can afford (and think the DCCC deserves) is my opinion. Take it or leave it, but I am a voter, one who wants to vote for democrats. I really do think that the democratic/progressive idea of the New Deal, good government, regulations that strongly protect consumers, labor policies that support/protect workers and unions are things that democrats use to and should stand for. Let us see some bold action like this by Dems, and you will earn my donation.

Waste of time

In case you missed it, the most important story (you would think by coverage) in the news was about a NY congressmen who sent pic and messages to women who happened to not be his wife. Now the amount of coverage this got far outweighed the 2 wars we are in (still) , the games GOP playing with debt ceiling, the almost 10% unemployment, the widening gap between rich & poor, or the rising plutocracy and corporate state. The news media lizard brain loves that TMZ bullshit I guess.

Here is my take on this “scandal” who cares. I know this is a shock but some people do weird dirty things in their private lives. What consenting adults do (text, cock pics, whatever) is at the end of the day private. Now you might say but hes a public figure, and yes as a Congressman he is. So I have some other things that I look at.
An important thing I look at is as a legislator who has a “moral lapse” is he a hypocrite. A few examples include Newt Gingrich, who legislated morality and has been married 3 times. His most recent wife uses to be his chief of staff, which he cheated on his 2nd wife with while they were still married. Where is he now, running for GOP presidential nomination.

The other I look at is are you legislating morality and did something sexual that is illegal. An example would be David Vitter, who admitted to being with hookers via DC Madam Case. Where is Mr. Vitter now, serving another term as Louisiana GOP Senator. This man received a standing ovation from his fellow Republicans when he won.
I have more examples but I digress at this point.

In the end I could care less about any of these scandals. When I look at people who are in Government the only thing that I care about are what their votes and legislation they present hurt or help poor/middle class. Is what they do at their jobs advancing the public good. This is what matters when you vote for represented government. The moral outrage should be when these officials take money from powerful interests and advance their goals above the needs of the people. The purchase of government by corporations and plutocrats, that’s what should be written about and cause outrage. The zombie lies of more tax cuts for rich and corporations, the lies of the need for austerity that hurts the most needy these are the things that need discussion and dissection by media. It will never happen though with this group of clowns and propagandist.

Slut?

So Ed Schultz (liberal radio/tv host) called Laura Ingraham (conservative talk/tv host) a "right wing slut" . After some firestorm Ed went on his show and made , what i would consider, an honest apology.

Now this caused some outrage that it was to far, mean to women, so on and so forth. Now sure its not the proper thing to say or do by any stretch. I want to make it clear i am not going to say what he did was excusable, but I want to make another case.

Right wing hosts like Ingraham, Culter, Rush, Hannity, Billo, Beck , ect say worst things daily. They say racist, sexist comments on a regular basis. They have in a way called liberals nazi. They lie constantly. Never not once has any of these people apologized for anything that has ever fallen from their mouths. Its always the liberals that have to apologize, resign, take responsibility. So next time right winger tells listeners to shoot liberals, Democrats in the head or say racist things (plenty to pick from just try for 1 sec) dont hold your breath for them to be held accountable, its not going to happen.

At the end of the day, sure Ed can say sorry, but Laura Ingraham is still a despicable person.

"Doomsday" 2011 passes, everyone still here.

So some religious guy that runs a fairly large Christan radio/church was going around saying the end of the world was going to happen may 21st at 6pm. What this guy and people who believed him thought would happen is that god would suck up all the "true Christians" in to the sky, an event called Rapture. (This was his second wrong prediction)

Now this sounds super crazy to any logical person but please note that this Rapture theology is VERY VERY prevalent in Evangelicals in US. Thay are also know as "Christian Conservatives" as a voting block. These people see/want doom and gloom around every corner. The end of the world is just around the corner to these wackos. They hope and pray that it happens in their lifetime. A whole book series was written about this called "Left Behind" and has sold millions of copies.

Its people like this that have turned me off to religion. If being Christian means believing all this crazy shit, hating gays, controlling womens rights, being "conservative" (which now means hating poor people,and only doing for the rich)anti science among other things then i opt out. I opt out and will point out the logical falsehoods that people cling to as institutional religion. They can wait on mountain top hoping for the end to come. I will be living my life NOW, not hoping for a "better place". I want to make this reality that i can control the better place for me. Good luck.

Oil Fat Cats = Corporate welfare queens

So other day the Senate called the greedy fat cat CEO's of the top most profitable oil corporations in america to DC for a hearing about oil subsides. If you did not already know, we , the tax payers , give about 36 billion to big oil in tax breaks. Not only that many of these corporations use multiple tax loopholes to pay a lower tax burden than most any person in america but then they proceed to cry that they cant afford to do business if they do not steal our tax payer money. This is the biggest bunch of bullshit i have ever witnessed or heard of. Not only did they have audacity to claim that these goodies they receive are necessary and to take them away would be "unamerican" one of the dirt bag CEO's threated the senators and american people. He basically said if the tax payer subsides are taken away, he will ship jobs overseas. Fuck him.

We truly are in a new guiled age where CEOS are more powerful than our elected government. Oh and true to form the bought and paid for Republicans bowed their heads and sucked up to their plutocratic overlords and sided with and voted against end billions in these tax giveaways. So remember that when they claim to need to cut programs that help people (head start, SS, Medicare,unemployment insurance, Ect Ect) that gop have no interest in "fiscal responsibly" but rather protect the rich and corporations while CUTS to poor/middle class.

Great book

Just finished Paul Krugman book The Conscience of a Liberal. What an incredible book. I would highly recommend it. The book written well before the HCR debate was very accurate in discussion of the problems and obstacles that were faced during that time. Unfortunately the administration must not have read the book. Point is its a great read and really informative.

We are Not T.E.A

U.S. tax burden at lowest level since '58

Time to tax. If anyone ever cries about debt, and then cries about taxes, they dont understand economics/math or numbers. The Us has a massive revenue problem. We have a 21st century population with 19th century tax policy. Quit crying and start taxing the rich and corporations.

"Pro Business"?

I am tired of this term "pro business". With corporations having record profits, CEO pay way up, total number of millionaires going up i think if anything the country (including President Obama) have been plenty pro business. I think its time we start talking about pro worker policy. Things that have the little guy in mind.

Over 10 years of "pro business" bullshit have helped out the top 1% only. We have cut taxes for rich, cut taxes for corporations, removed regulations on business that have caused economy to implode. NONE of this has helped. You would think that the nonsense trickle down economic theory espoused by republicans would be dismissed as stupid, nonsensical, or a farce. Tax cuts do not create jobs, especially cuts for the rich and corporations. All these policies have done is create the greatest income inequality in history. The plutocrats have bought the government and tricked (some) poor and middle class to vote against their own interest. If you feel disillusionment with the government its probably cause its only working to promote the interest of the few (rich, powerful, corporations), and not the many.

My Letter to the DNC

DNC

You asked for my thoughts on issues facing the nation on your survey. Here are a few.

Protect SS/Medicare/Medicaid. A raise in retirement age in SS is a huge cut and is unacceptable. The Democratic party will not get any donations or help from me if they go along with right wing cuts and framing of this issue. SS is not part of “debt problem”. Stop lumping it with the talking points like the gop/radicals are.

DO NOT CUT TAXES ON CORPERATIONS. They have plenty and make plenty. Close loopholes and leave the tax rate alone or raise it. Corporations like GE/Exxon already pay an effective tax of about 0%. This is unacceptable.

Let Bush Tax cuts for rich (including the stupid giveaway in estate tax) end for good. DC/USA has a massive revenue problem.

The spending problem we do have is in defense spending. Bring home troops, cut money shoveled to contractors and military industrial complex.

Finally, play to win. If you cannot control anti-choice, anti-democratic members like Heath Shuler, Mark Critz, Joe Donnelly, Dan Boren, Collin Peterson, Nick Rahall and rest of the “Blue Dog” sellout corporatist caucus. And people like Kent Conrad, Ben Nelson, Max Baucus, Joe Manchin in Senate. All they do is cause problems and undermine every and any democratic-progressive action. If they want to vote with republicans then why let them run as democrats. PRMARY THEM! CUT THEIR FUNDING. I and many other lifelong democrats will not and should not donate while money is going to these types of candidates.

Thank you for your time. Don’t know if this will just end up in the trash, but at least I tried and shared my feelings about the party I want to vote for.

Rich people makeover

New show soon on ABC called Secret Millionaire appears as another attempt to trick people. Much like undercover boss this is rich makeover tv.

Undercover boss is a show where CEO's go and work on front lines of their corporations and help out the people they meet. Here is the things I have observed watching the show.

While I am happy that some people get the help they need, what about the others that work for the company that might be in same or worse predicament. It's really just winning the lottery. Unless the show results in serious fundamental changes in the company then what is the point, other than making the CEO's feel good about themselves. Also it's makes viewers feel that the company and
CEO are "not that bad". Don't get it twisted, most of these guys live pampered lavish lives and would fire or crush the common worker if it was an extra nickel for themselves.

I guess my point is don't feel bad for these guy. They can pay more taxes. They can get their companies taxed more. They can be forced to hire more Americans and not offshore jobs. Their workers should be allowed to join collectively in bargaining. Don't fall for this makeover attempt. The last thing these guys deserve is our sympathy.

Remote blogging

Testing out new app to blog from my iPod. Perhaps it will force me to be more active.