I would really like to run for office someday, and I figure it would be nice to be a candidate that actually came to the plate with some ideas, not just vague soundbites that might get a "whoo-hoo" but are worth nothing in the area of implementation. So here is my platform so far, think it would be electable?
I. Government
A) Government salaries for all Representatives will be equal to the previous years median income for all citizens. Senators will get an extra $25,000 for the extra work of the office and the President will make $500,000. Mostly because that has got to be the most stressful, most un-rewarding job while you're in it. Plus, he/she must not make so little as to be easily bribed. Pensions end and no grandfathering unless you are over 80. Institute a standard 401k, then maybe we can get rid of that fraud styled retirement. No medical insurance. Not until all other citizens have it.
B) Re-instituting the filibuster in the Senate. The real filibuster. 51 votes is supposed to decide legislation. The filibuster wasn't a winning tactic, it was a way of getting attention. And you had to stand there, no bathroom breaks, no sitting down, no food, UNLESS another senator gave you a break by taking the floor and asking a 5 minute question. 60 votes are enough to end it, but now it takes 60 to pass anything because the other side will say, "we will filibuster". Then do it.
1) And here is an important addendum. All bills must be singular. All bills. And no bill can be longer than 3 pages. This has a multi pronged effect. Now there can be no baloney claims by opponents because of some minuscule good rider on a horrible bill. If you vote for or against a bill, it will be clear what you stand for and will face referendum on election day. And finally, if you filibuster, you are stating loudly that you oppose a bill and with the bills being short and singular, you better be damn sure your constituents are going to be okay with it. And every day, and organized by the day, week, month or year you can see each bill, which is short enough to read, and see how your electee has voted. And there will be facebook and twitter links so if you do something that is bad for the people, they will know it, and fast.
C) Campaign finance reform. Immediately instituted caps. $500,000 for all congressional races. $1 million for Senate races and $10,000,000 for Presidential races. That money won't go far, so you better come to the table with a clear set of objectives and you are going to have to have a lot of town hall meetings and lots of debates. THE CANDIDATE must sign off personally on all expenditures, penalties for exceeding the caps include 5 years in prison and at minimum, being barred from ever holding elected office. All non-campaign political adds will carry a 200%(you pay 200% times what the channel charged you to run the commercial) tax rate. Nearly all campaign and 100% of non campaign commercials are negative adds, the statements of fact and wildly manipulated. So spend a fortune on them, even though no one wants to watch them. This will also greatly reduce the influence of wealthy over poor and quiet the voice of business or corporate interests. This is a government of the people. That's it.
D) Felons no longer in prison have the right to vote.
II. Business:
A) Corporate personhood is explicitly legislatively abolished. Person hood is reserved for living human beings whom have to deal with morals, guilt, compassion, empathy, sympathy, love, hate and joy. No emotions, no person hood. Also, businesses can't have bankruptcy protection like a person. You screw over a customer and jury awards a huge settlement? You sell everything you have by that business or subsidies have to pay them off (and yes it comes first, if as a business you allow supplies on the promise of payment (credit), you take the risk. Welcome to Capitalism. You go under? Fine, someone will take your place and do better. And if you are a personal or home business and you aren't incorporated, that's a you problem for not taking the 1 days effort to research the 1,000 reasons its what you should do.
B) Regulation. Regulation is probably the single most important issue to have successful Capitalism. Booms create busts, busts create recessions, recessions are bad for everyone. Recessions are bigger, the bigger the bust, hence the bigger the boom. Booms come from un-fettered and unregulated business. But we do it wrong. One we have a FED, we abolish that and create the National Bank of the United States, under control of Congress and the sole power to print money comes back to the Government like Jefferson told us. But regulation is very important but needs to be greatly streamlined. Now we have a regulation, it doesn't work right or is easy to work around, so a more complicated patch is addendum-ed to the law. Wrong approach. Get simpler, not more complex, that gets you closer to the spirit of the law and loopholes become impossible. Regulations will include 3 areas.
1) Environmental Degradation. This is a threat to national security. If our soil, water or air become to intoxicated we will reduce our mortality and increase our morbidity. So there will be two types of ED regulation.
a) Human Mortality: Pollution of any medium cannot exceed the threshold of reducing mortality. And executives of companies must live in the same state counties where their production facilities live. If you pollute, you pollute your own family. (ok, that last one is impossible but it IS a good idea).
b) Human Morbidity: If you a polluting to a level where you are increasing society wide morbidity,you must reduce or get shut down. Maybe you have to pay for disposal and storage, well, better invest some of that in R&D to get more sustainable. (and think of the jobs created by that new industry, BIG DOLLARS)
2)Financial and Bank regulation. This is absolutely critical in an economy where a lot of wealth has been "created" not by goods or services but on complex financial equations and trading. For business, you make the board of directors personally financially responsible for fraudulent activities. No bailouts, period, and if you sell intentionally rip off you clientele with fraudulent practices, you get financially ruined. Bankruptcy doesn't save you. And this is INTENTIONAL fraud. If you offer an investment with a contract that EXPLICITLY announces the risk, then its buyer beware.
For Banks, remember, we already abolished the FED. Now we begin massive anti-trust on banks. All banks must be State bound. All ownership of banks must also be in-state or better yet, in county. Many small banks make for a very healthy competitive banking system and is very stabilizing. Bank profit is supposed to mainly from interest on loans, and if you try to gouge, you loose business to another bank, remember competition is good. And regulation will constrain bank investments to in-state, and to further encompass banks in their communities, usury laws will be widely re-instituted, and selling of credit is not allowed (you can't sell a debt you hold to another entity.) Though banks will be allowed to purchase in state corporate bonds, investment in small and medium business is good.
3) Trade and Tariffs. Free trade agreements will be dismantled. It is unhealthy for the largest national economy in the world. If you want to import your goods here, or as an American business you produce your goods overseas for tiny costs, and then bring in to America and mark way up, you will now face tariffs that will greatly reduce your marginal profit.
10 years from the inception of this new regulatory structure, there will be a 10 year transition. Each area in turn implemented, while all current regulatory laws expire in 500 days from passage of a replacing legislation. At the end of 10 years, all laws not replaced, expire.
III. Spending: This is ridiculous. How can we possibly be hemorrhaging money like this?
1) Military. Immediate closure of 2/3 of foreign military bases. We don't need to be everyone's police. And we stop supplying tons of weapons at cheap prices. Let business sell them to them, we need not subsidize. And of course you have a No-Sell list of countries. Better yet, a list of Pro-sell countries. People who will use it for defense. And remove all military presence from the middle east. They need to figure out their issues, not have us do it for them. Also, we cut contractor spending by 2/3 for R&D. Let business pay for it if they want and the military can buy it if its good. We don't need a huge physically imposing military or 20% of the nukes we have. War doesn't work that way anymore. That's what an Ocean on both sides does for you. Hell of a moat, let's use it. Out of these massive savings, we will raise the funds for VA hospitals, mental therapy for returning soldiers (of which we will have many less) and fully fund the GI bill. Serve 4 years, get a free education. And if you take a bullet or shrapnel, you are guaranteed a minimum of a room in a "Vets Home" with 3 squares a day. Stop posting a bumper sticker that says you support the troops and actually do it.
2) Social Security. The trust fund and it yearly interest cannot be touched. Remove it from the budget. It is self sustaining. Do you realize the amount of interest even at just 3% for the trust? No realize a loaning of the budget (except by the National Bank, to smaller banks to subsidize reserves for the night to meet reserve requirements. These massive profits now earned by the FED, and are as low risk as it gets, makes a fortune every day. Now that money goes into the Trust so it is solvent to 75 years, and excess goes to medicare, and then when that is solvent to 75 years, the excess goes half to the debt, and half to the rainy day fund. This rainy day fund (used for national emergencies by natural disasters, routine infrastructure upkeep and public education building modernizing and repair for schools.) When this "rainy day" fund reaches 10% of GDP, every dollar over will be distributed, in equal dollar amounts to taxpayers who pay taxes at the end of the year. If you receive an amount that equals the taxes you owe, you receive no more excess of that year. This puts and investment incentive to taxation that will favor those who pay the most taxes. With a system like this and smart spending cuts, we could lower taxes greatly overall for everyone.
3)Business Welfare: businesses don't need money from the government, and the government should not be creating monopolies. The state centered businesses will serve their customers correctly due to competition and the farming subsidies are not needed with the tariff structure. Let business succeed or die, that's what leads to good customer service for god's sake. And remember, just because a business is local, doesn't mean it can't sell across state lines. but states are within their right to tariff and create free trade deals between states. This helps with creating specialization, greatly increasing efficiency and should lower costs.
4) with the elimination of riders, or "earmarks", they will all expire soon enough and reupping would require single bill votes, and good luck passing those. With this waste, and the waste of military and SS money no longer an issue, along with no more FED, means debt should quickly no longer be an issue.
IV. Social Issues:
1) The right to bear arms will not be restricted, but the means of turning them into mass murdering machines will be. No automation, no extended clips, no silencers. But you can own normal guns and all types of hunting weapons. That's fine. And let's not argue that automation or extended clips are necessary for the populace to be able to stand up to the military, give me a break. Number 1, most of our soldiers are good citizens, have some respect; and Number 2, you would last 24 hours no matter the size of your militia, and you only last that long because they would try to end it peacefully first.
2) A human life is worth more than a potential life. Period. The Federal Government won't fund abortions in any way. But the right of a woman to have domain over her body is absolute.
3) Flag burning is allowed. The Flag, and more our country isn't just the people, or the land, or the products, like no other country it is about ideas, freely expressed. The Flag stands for those ideals, and a citizen has the freedom to criticize that idea through desecration.
4) Gay Marriage is legal. Marriage is legal. Marriage by the government is the contractual establishment of a familial unit. Doesn't matter if the structure is one you agree with. Gay, Polygamist, Threesome. Whatever. It just establishes medical and inheritance combination, that's all. And raise the age of marriage to 20, with the only exception being if one member of the unit is actively in the military.
5) There is no establishment of Religion. Its a free country and most of the first settler waves came in search of religious freedom, and they were ALL Christians. They wanted protection from their own religion, so they want it from other religions as well. And we can achieve that by never establishing government religion. And also from not infringing on religion. The government is secular, that is critical for a Republic. This means no saying you can't practice how you want (assuring you don't threaten another's life or liberty). It also means no prayer in school (biggest reason? The Muslim or Jewish or Wicca or Hindu child who gets threatened for not praying like a Christian), no holiday decorations of obvious religious implication. So no cross or nativity scene, but wreaths, trees, lights, Santa's, that's all fine to celebrate an important societal Holiday. And this is for GOVERNMENT buildings. Private businesses, clubs, schools, houses, organizations can put up whatever they want. As long as it is non inflammatory, like a burning Cross. It also means no ten commandments in a Court. The government will NEVER infringe on your religion, but it won't establish it either.
Do you notice a theme? Freedom. Not spoken of, but practiced. In your personal life you do what you feel is correct, as long as you don't restrict freedom or mortality of a fellow citizen. If you want to live freedom, here is a well expressed speech from a movie.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TUxGqU6LwVI
I have some other ideas about immigration and unions but that is a lot more complex. But for the above, do you think I could get a vote with this platform?
Wednesday, November 2, 2011
Tuesday, July 5, 2011
The Great Obama Con
No, no conservatives don't get excited. I am not talking about the rampant falsehoods about Obama as in he isn't an American Citizen (how many more birth certificates do you want?), or that he is a Muslim (he isn't but why I would care which superstitious religion he pretends to believe like all other Americans?), nor that he is a Socialist (if you keep trying that one try looking up a true Socialist country, then you can see that A-we already are Socialist and have been in personal and corporate matters for 90 years, and B-making people buy medical insurance from the massively corrupt Health insurance industry isn't Socialist, its Republican). No, I am referring to the Con Obama is pulling on the looney Right. The most entertaining part is that Clinton did it to you all a decade ago and you're falling for it again. See the Republicans couldn't figure out why Clinton stayed popular despite the Monica Scandal (oh no, the President cheated on his wife!! Wake up, they ALL do.) Two reasons, the first is that the economy was rolling along due to higher taxes and so even though everyone bitched about higher taxes, they still had more money, that makes people happy. Second, he pulled a fast one, the Republicans wanted welfare reform, and all the bobbing head sheeple conservatives said "yeah, reform welfare, those bums!", until they realized Rush Limbaugh didn't tell the truth (has he ever?) and the GOP cut THEIR money and they got pissed and voted Blue instead. Its happening again and wow is the Democratic party going to wipe the floor in 2012.
You heard it here first. Its gonna be a slaughter. Obama is doing it on a much grander scale. See at first, being a true Blue and voting in earnest for Obama, and it pissed me off that he kept capitulating to the Republicans. First on the Health Care Act, then on extending the tax cuts for the wealthy, now on the debt ceiling. Until I realize he is doing exactly as I suggested the Dems do in earlier blogs, only doing it while avoiding catastrophe. Very shrewd. You see if there is one thing everyone agrees that Obama and company are good at its politics and campaigning. We haven't had a speaker like Obama in years (why is using a teleprompter a big deal? When was the last time a President didn't? Well W maybe but that doesn't count since he couldn't read). Starting in oh, March, when the campaigns start heating up (why is the GOP having primary debates 16 months before the election?) things are gonna be booty. The economy will still be stuttering because the GOP with its hard line on keeping the tax cuts and stopping Government investment, any economist knows that's how it works even if they lie to be popular to the conservatives (yes, we are talking to you Mike Rosen). So then the Republicans will try to do their same blah blah blah that hasn't changed in 40 years, except when they try to blame the Dems, they will be hung out to dry.
Obama will point out in his talented oratory style, that he passed the public option on healthcare and all he really did was make sure people have health insurance to reduce emergency room costs which are covered by taxpayers. It actually saves us money, careful, don't tell a conservative, complex thought unravels their alternate reality. Its taxes!!! they will cry, except Obama will say, "I gave you a two year extension on massive tax cuts despite our debt, that was supposed to create jobs and drive the economy." And then he will point out that all the rich did was horde the money (hey, so would I, but I wouldn't lie that it would start the economy rolling.) Finally it won't be what they say but what people feel. All the massive cuts from the non military discretionary spending is going to hit families hard, especially the middle class. And the debt will hardly shrink because without additional revenue from taxation or cuts in the 85% of the remainder of the budget (Military, SSN, Medicare) and so all the posturing will come down hard on the Repubs. People in this country are dumb, but more than that they are selfish. And when they realize they have no money, no prospects and no government benefits despite Obama caving every which way to the GOP, they will finally have to do what they hate. Admit that Rush, Hannity and O'Reily are just using them to get big contracts and aren't suffering at all while the listeners are dying a slow death, the whole GOP system will crumble. But that's what you get when you lie. Now sleep in the bed you've made.
And for the lunatics that keep harping about economics yet don't understand at all how it works, I will catch you up real quick (I won't do all the work for you. That's how you got in trouble in the first place, you have to think for yourself and realize rich propagandists and pundits don't tell the truth. They say whatever will hit your emotions.) So first off, higher taxes STIMULATES the economy. Its been true for 1,000 years and is still true now. When the government takes in more money is spends more, and that starts the multipliers. And many of the technological advances that fuel booms, come from government research and development. Actually other than drugs, and derivatives, it ALL comes from government sponsored research. Two, small businesses create jobs, not the wealthy, and that means lowering barriers to entry which means not letting businesses get too big to fail or get their fingers in too many honey pots. Sorry but its true, and if you don't see why, you really shouldn't pollute the country with your vote. Un-knowledgeable voters are very dangerous to a Republic. Finally, STOP GIVING REAGAN CREDIT FOR THE 80's BOOMTIME. For one, the boom happened after he RAISED taxes. Two, the boom came mostly from a near doubling of citizen consumption fueled by credit cards which previously were only accessible to the wealthy. But thanks to deregulation and the embracing of corporate profits from predatory lending that the GOP supports we expanded the economy by spending money we didn't have for goods we didn't actually need and that didn't gain value. You know, what the government spends money on now thanks to a decade of horrid conservative direction. Obama is just starting to undo this damage, get a clue and stop following the GOP who has zero concern for any of you. Start reading, you would be amazed what you learn if you teach yourself instead of being told what to think.
You heard it here first. Its gonna be a slaughter. Obama is doing it on a much grander scale. See at first, being a true Blue and voting in earnest for Obama, and it pissed me off that he kept capitulating to the Republicans. First on the Health Care Act, then on extending the tax cuts for the wealthy, now on the debt ceiling. Until I realize he is doing exactly as I suggested the Dems do in earlier blogs, only doing it while avoiding catastrophe. Very shrewd. You see if there is one thing everyone agrees that Obama and company are good at its politics and campaigning. We haven't had a speaker like Obama in years (why is using a teleprompter a big deal? When was the last time a President didn't? Well W maybe but that doesn't count since he couldn't read). Starting in oh, March, when the campaigns start heating up (why is the GOP having primary debates 16 months before the election?) things are gonna be booty. The economy will still be stuttering because the GOP with its hard line on keeping the tax cuts and stopping Government investment, any economist knows that's how it works even if they lie to be popular to the conservatives (yes, we are talking to you Mike Rosen). So then the Republicans will try to do their same blah blah blah that hasn't changed in 40 years, except when they try to blame the Dems, they will be hung out to dry.
Obama will point out in his talented oratory style, that he passed the public option on healthcare and all he really did was make sure people have health insurance to reduce emergency room costs which are covered by taxpayers. It actually saves us money, careful, don't tell a conservative, complex thought unravels their alternate reality. Its taxes!!! they will cry, except Obama will say, "I gave you a two year extension on massive tax cuts despite our debt, that was supposed to create jobs and drive the economy." And then he will point out that all the rich did was horde the money (hey, so would I, but I wouldn't lie that it would start the economy rolling.) Finally it won't be what they say but what people feel. All the massive cuts from the non military discretionary spending is going to hit families hard, especially the middle class. And the debt will hardly shrink because without additional revenue from taxation or cuts in the 85% of the remainder of the budget (Military, SSN, Medicare) and so all the posturing will come down hard on the Repubs. People in this country are dumb, but more than that they are selfish. And when they realize they have no money, no prospects and no government benefits despite Obama caving every which way to the GOP, they will finally have to do what they hate. Admit that Rush, Hannity and O'Reily are just using them to get big contracts and aren't suffering at all while the listeners are dying a slow death, the whole GOP system will crumble. But that's what you get when you lie. Now sleep in the bed you've made.
And for the lunatics that keep harping about economics yet don't understand at all how it works, I will catch you up real quick (I won't do all the work for you. That's how you got in trouble in the first place, you have to think for yourself and realize rich propagandists and pundits don't tell the truth. They say whatever will hit your emotions.) So first off, higher taxes STIMULATES the economy. Its been true for 1,000 years and is still true now. When the government takes in more money is spends more, and that starts the multipliers. And many of the technological advances that fuel booms, come from government research and development. Actually other than drugs, and derivatives, it ALL comes from government sponsored research. Two, small businesses create jobs, not the wealthy, and that means lowering barriers to entry which means not letting businesses get too big to fail or get their fingers in too many honey pots. Sorry but its true, and if you don't see why, you really shouldn't pollute the country with your vote. Un-knowledgeable voters are very dangerous to a Republic. Finally, STOP GIVING REAGAN CREDIT FOR THE 80's BOOMTIME. For one, the boom happened after he RAISED taxes. Two, the boom came mostly from a near doubling of citizen consumption fueled by credit cards which previously were only accessible to the wealthy. But thanks to deregulation and the embracing of corporate profits from predatory lending that the GOP supports we expanded the economy by spending money we didn't have for goods we didn't actually need and that didn't gain value. You know, what the government spends money on now thanks to a decade of horrid conservative direction. Obama is just starting to undo this damage, get a clue and stop following the GOP who has zero concern for any of you. Start reading, you would be amazed what you learn if you teach yourself instead of being told what to think.
Monday, May 9, 2011
The Debt Ceiling
So the debate has finally moved from Obama's birthplace, to the debt ceiling. Where the GOP has decided they need to pretend to care about cutting the debt and deficit to try to keep the Tea Party upstart from dominating their next primaries and destroying their hopes of unseating Obama and taking back the Senate. At this point Boehner is stating that without cuts in spending of at least as much as the debt increase they won't allow it to go through. First off, I know all the talking empty heads like Limbaugh and Palin will have fun for a week or so talking about how the Republicans "finally" need to take a stand. Well, they have been complete obstructionists ever since they lost control of Congress in 2006, so there is no finally there. Would it be the Republicans finally need to make a stand that only higher taxes and reduced military spending can get us there? Haha, I know, the GOP could never stand to become a espionage and subterfuge military, they have too much desire to see explosions and charred bodies. And we know they will never accept any taxes, Boehner has already said as much. They are "not on the table". Ok.
If your reading this then you probably read my earlier posts so you know how I think we should go about reducing the deficit and debt. Because unlike the GOP, I actually believe in a balanced budget, not forcing the Democrats to crawl back to even so the GOP can then get power and finance tax cuts through borrowing like they have for 30 years. Now, I know we can never do it the way I want to since the Democrats are physically unable to stand up for some reason (except for Bernie Sanders, Al Franken, and Dennis Kucinich, thank all of you). So here is the next best thing. Call their bluff! That's all, just call their bluff. Walk in to the meeting with the GOP leadership, including that troll Cantor, and put a $2 trillion reduction on the table. And make it pure blue. Massive military funding slashes, mostly from the closing of overseas bases, especially in areas under no real threat of attack, and let them defend themselves. Huge loophole eliminations in the corporate tax code, and massive reductions of subsidies across the board. And close the Federal Reserve. And make the Republicans take it or leave it. No discussion, say this is the proposal take it or don't.
They HAVE to raise the debt ceiling. There is no if, ands, or buts. If they blocked it we could suddenly no longer borrow money. We are out. Bankrupt. Our notes lose all value and the dollar plummets (and I mean a real plummet), and then inflationary pressures of capitalism would finish the deal and we would be out of debt in a few years. We would also have no power, no military, no fire or police protection. Even the agencies the States run would be worthless because right now the States are borrowing from the National government to stay afloat, while in debt. We do need to work our way out and be serious about it, but this is a non starter. The economy would be gone, we would turn into a third world country over 10 years. Now, I do think even so we would get through it, Americans are pretty damn resorcefull when their backs are against the wall. We still have ingenuity. But is that really how you want to go about it? Hoping for 10 years we don't get nuked without a military (although without our nose in everyones business, who knows, maybe they would stop wanting to get us)? No one wants to be responsible for holding this bag and so no one will.
Now, calling the bluff would be awesome, but I doubt we will see that kind of courage from the Blues, so us Liberals will go on dreaming one day of a Liberal Congress and Liberal President leading our country back to greatness like the great Liberal Theodore Roosevelt did. But pretty unlikely. So here is the second plan. How about we eliminate the Republican party? It really wouldn't be hard. It's like the NRA, they are annoying and pointless, no Liberal I have ever met even for a second thinks eliminating guns is anywhere near realistic. They want to remove semi automatic weapons and extended clips. What could anyone need that for other than to kill people? Oh, you need it to rise up against the government? Good luck, ask Ruby Ridge how that works. Now if Liberals really wanted to destroy the NRA, easy, everyone join and vote to outlaw guns. Now they have to form a new organization and it would annoy them, but we hate to waste our time so we don't do it. But in politics it would be easy. Democrats should come out and say, okay, as the votes say we bow to public demand and will pass conservative legislation. Then introduce bills that massively slash or eliminate social services. Make guns not only easy to acquire but legal to carry on the streets. Make income tax a flat tax in the lower teens. Completely deregulate the markets and businesses. Dissolve regulatory and federal authority agencies. Put the majority of legal power in the states.
Can you imagine what the country would look like? The economy would become solid, that's for sure. With no more regulations and without restrictions to how employees were treated marginal profits would skyrocket making the uber wealthy richer than whole continents, while most of the middle class would drop into the indigent class, but will show up to work anyway because the poor who refused would have no government assistance and many families would start living in abandoned buildings. Medical care both basic and critical would be too expensive for the poor and education would become a luxury, not a given. And with guns readily available and legal, most disputes, especially with so many more struggling just to live murder will skyrocket. People would demand the Democrats be Liberal and they could rule for 60 years like they did in the 1900's after America's last bought with greed run amok and its aftershocks. Of course in todays world, most likely the rich would pay off the Congress who would start reducing suffrage and be unremovable from their seats and it would be that way forever. So the Dems really need to grow some balls and stand up now . . . . . oh right. We're screwed.
If your reading this then you probably read my earlier posts so you know how I think we should go about reducing the deficit and debt. Because unlike the GOP, I actually believe in a balanced budget, not forcing the Democrats to crawl back to even so the GOP can then get power and finance tax cuts through borrowing like they have for 30 years. Now, I know we can never do it the way I want to since the Democrats are physically unable to stand up for some reason (except for Bernie Sanders, Al Franken, and Dennis Kucinich, thank all of you). So here is the next best thing. Call their bluff! That's all, just call their bluff. Walk in to the meeting with the GOP leadership, including that troll Cantor, and put a $2 trillion reduction on the table. And make it pure blue. Massive military funding slashes, mostly from the closing of overseas bases, especially in areas under no real threat of attack, and let them defend themselves. Huge loophole eliminations in the corporate tax code, and massive reductions of subsidies across the board. And close the Federal Reserve. And make the Republicans take it or leave it. No discussion, say this is the proposal take it or don't.
They HAVE to raise the debt ceiling. There is no if, ands, or buts. If they blocked it we could suddenly no longer borrow money. We are out. Bankrupt. Our notes lose all value and the dollar plummets (and I mean a real plummet), and then inflationary pressures of capitalism would finish the deal and we would be out of debt in a few years. We would also have no power, no military, no fire or police protection. Even the agencies the States run would be worthless because right now the States are borrowing from the National government to stay afloat, while in debt. We do need to work our way out and be serious about it, but this is a non starter. The economy would be gone, we would turn into a third world country over 10 years. Now, I do think even so we would get through it, Americans are pretty damn resorcefull when their backs are against the wall. We still have ingenuity. But is that really how you want to go about it? Hoping for 10 years we don't get nuked without a military (although without our nose in everyones business, who knows, maybe they would stop wanting to get us)? No one wants to be responsible for holding this bag and so no one will.
Now, calling the bluff would be awesome, but I doubt we will see that kind of courage from the Blues, so us Liberals will go on dreaming one day of a Liberal Congress and Liberal President leading our country back to greatness like the great Liberal Theodore Roosevelt did. But pretty unlikely. So here is the second plan. How about we eliminate the Republican party? It really wouldn't be hard. It's like the NRA, they are annoying and pointless, no Liberal I have ever met even for a second thinks eliminating guns is anywhere near realistic. They want to remove semi automatic weapons and extended clips. What could anyone need that for other than to kill people? Oh, you need it to rise up against the government? Good luck, ask Ruby Ridge how that works. Now if Liberals really wanted to destroy the NRA, easy, everyone join and vote to outlaw guns. Now they have to form a new organization and it would annoy them, but we hate to waste our time so we don't do it. But in politics it would be easy. Democrats should come out and say, okay, as the votes say we bow to public demand and will pass conservative legislation. Then introduce bills that massively slash or eliminate social services. Make guns not only easy to acquire but legal to carry on the streets. Make income tax a flat tax in the lower teens. Completely deregulate the markets and businesses. Dissolve regulatory and federal authority agencies. Put the majority of legal power in the states.
Can you imagine what the country would look like? The economy would become solid, that's for sure. With no more regulations and without restrictions to how employees were treated marginal profits would skyrocket making the uber wealthy richer than whole continents, while most of the middle class would drop into the indigent class, but will show up to work anyway because the poor who refused would have no government assistance and many families would start living in abandoned buildings. Medical care both basic and critical would be too expensive for the poor and education would become a luxury, not a given. And with guns readily available and legal, most disputes, especially with so many more struggling just to live murder will skyrocket. People would demand the Democrats be Liberal and they could rule for 60 years like they did in the 1900's after America's last bought with greed run amok and its aftershocks. Of course in todays world, most likely the rich would pay off the Congress who would start reducing suffrage and be unremovable from their seats and it would be that way forever. So the Dems really need to grow some balls and stand up now . . . . . oh right. We're screwed.
Tuesday, April 19, 2011
The Great Conservative Lie
I wish I had lived back in the Barry Goldwater days. When you had two parties, not completely beholden to big business, and if you needed fiscal responsibility you could get it. This past election cycle the Democrats to a "thumping." But everyone knows the majority of the reason is the sluggish response to the economy. There are two major factors to that, and I will get to those later. But the campaign of the GOP (Great to who?) was that we weren't getting jobs because the tax cuts were set to expire and and the rich wouldn't hire and small businesses that file 1040 would be punished. And on top of that, "Obamacare", which is a nickname for the Affordable Health Care Act, would tax businesses right out of the market. This is of course ridiculous for many reasons but none greater than they are making the Liberal argument. Health Insurance premiums are skyrocketing and Business is refusing to make up the difference and pass that cost to the workers because they cannot "afford" it. Well, 80% of them can, but it means the shareholders will get a smaller dividend, and in Reagan America, there is nothing worse than the workers getting a rise in standard of living at the cost of insane profits for the ownership. Any way you spin it, Business says healthcare is too expensive, but recoil in horror when you mention ways to cheapen the cost, because it means a business, and hence ownership may see profits drop to help the people, and again, that is conservative sacrilege. Of course the GOP doesn't mention that our last 3 booms were built on bubbles, while our infrastructure crumbles, and the reason debt is rising is our becoming a "nanny state", because with cost of living going up every day, real wages have been stagnant for 30 years. I know no Liberal politician has the balls to say it so I will, "The GOP is purposefully making the USA a nanny state and has almost succeeded which is why they are now starting to demand cuts to social services to manage the budget, while not touching anything that reduces profits for any business sector so that the can create a new Feudal society where none of us can care for ourselves so they can have a Noble Class again." The Founding Fathers would be so furious with the GOP they would champion War against it, considering them a foreign Nation. The war on the Middle Class continues.
So let's hop into the Republican debate on the Debt, the Deficit, and the cure for the ails. Let's start with Paul Ryan, the GOP favorite right now for his "serious" attempt to solve the debt. The greatest part of his plan is to reduce the top Corporate and Personal tax rates to 25%. They have wanted a flat tax forever and now they are making the big push. Because a flat tax is more "fair". Really? 25% of someone who makes $30,000 barely leaves enough to live a life, and negates the thought of health insurance, and other benefits that reduce State costs long term. Our biggest cost in Medicare is Chronic Illnesses or Injuries. If these issues were taken care of long ago, the cost when those folks were elderly would be reduced. Now if you tax 25% of $1 million, well, that person pays $250,000 in taxes. That's a lot of dollars, but that person is left with $750,000 plus whatever they can reduce of the $250,000 with tax shelters and other loopholes. $750,000 is a huge some of money, you could buy your home in cash, pay for all your children's college tuition, have brand new cars, have fantastic insurance of all kinds, and still have more money left over than many of us make over 2 years. This loss of perspective ignores the fact that these individuals make their money BECAUSE of our society and government. Subsidies, credits, low interest loans, the IRS, and other governmental constructs added to the most important, a incredibly strong military and security structure. Basically by denying these taxes should be paid, people are advocating for a Russia style America. Mobs are the security and only the rich are safe, while the people barely survive but do it anyway to live, until they revolt and kill some of the rich. Happened many times before and it would happen again. Back to Mr. Ryan. He says the loss of revenue from the cuts would be offset by the closing of many loopholes. The same ploy Reagan used. That right there should be enough for the GOP to never win another election, if our public had any kind of intellect. A Conservative and fiscally responsible leader would say "first we fix these silly loopholes that let some people cheat. Then if we are bringing in more than we need, we can start reducing taxes." It doesn't work the other way around. Giving the tax cuts before improving revenue is a cash grab, pure and simple.
It never ceases to amaze me how many people are so brainwashed by the sound bite party and their pundits (amazingly Glenn Beck was fired, but the rest are still there, and Beck ain't going to go quietly) that they will vote against their best interest. Many will tell me, "making the rich pay so much more is unfair." Yet all my life when I theorize that something isn't fair I am told that life isn't fair. So if that argument doesn't work for most of us, why does it work for the rich? I assume the reason is because we all dream of being the rich one someday. I also hold no sympathy for people who say the debt and deficit is a huge concern but paying more taxes to reduce that debt, while having 30 of nearly unregulated wealth and business practices, that made these people from rich to uber wealthy. And I also understand that a large number of responsible millionaires and billionaires have said the responsible thing to do would be to raise taxes. What is the difference between the rich who would willingly pay more and those who wouldn't is patriotism. You either love your country and will help with a small portion of your income to keep it from collapsing in on itself or you say to hell with my country, its all about me. I guess it depends what kind of world you want to live in. But there is a fundamental economic certainty; When everyone does better, everyone does better.
Of course eventually at the rate we are going, the middle-class will be working day and night just to pay the essential bills whilst all their possessions are owned by a creditor. The poor will become transients and a tiny sliver of the population will be wealthy. The war on the middle class continues. A simple perusal of GOP policies leads you inexorably to one conclusion, war has been declared on the middle class and the goal is a feudal state of America. 33% of millions is never going to be anywhere as painful as 25% of $30,000 and few individuals in the top bracket even pay close to that much due to loopholes, tax shelters and itemized deductions. And lets not forget the other Conservative Lie that the rich create jobs. Wrong, small and mid size business create the vast majority of jobs, and most of these businesses are started by middle class individuals who have enough credit/assets to put it all on the line for their dream. These incredible loopholes for individuals and top corporate rates are just another way to raise the barriers to entry. America seems to have finally evolved to where Old money doesn't want to play or converse with New money, and the old money folks seem dead set on reducing the number of people joining the rich club as possible.
There is nothing is hate more than bullshit, especially when it has a big ribbon around it. Don't pretend you are doing what you can to help my country. You are destroying my country 100% out of greed. The government is here to protect the people, not business, that's why we all joined in on this social contract. But I know few people in this country have the ability to think and let the pundits do it for them. And most conservatives I know believe the GOP is in favor of personal liberty, patriotism, American exceptionalism, American morality, and smaller government. How long can the GOP do the complete opposite before these fools wake up?
So let's hop into the Republican debate on the Debt, the Deficit, and the cure for the ails. Let's start with Paul Ryan, the GOP favorite right now for his "serious" attempt to solve the debt. The greatest part of his plan is to reduce the top Corporate and Personal tax rates to 25%. They have wanted a flat tax forever and now they are making the big push. Because a flat tax is more "fair". Really? 25% of someone who makes $30,000 barely leaves enough to live a life, and negates the thought of health insurance, and other benefits that reduce State costs long term. Our biggest cost in Medicare is Chronic Illnesses or Injuries. If these issues were taken care of long ago, the cost when those folks were elderly would be reduced. Now if you tax 25% of $1 million, well, that person pays $250,000 in taxes. That's a lot of dollars, but that person is left with $750,000 plus whatever they can reduce of the $250,000 with tax shelters and other loopholes. $750,000 is a huge some of money, you could buy your home in cash, pay for all your children's college tuition, have brand new cars, have fantastic insurance of all kinds, and still have more money left over than many of us make over 2 years. This loss of perspective ignores the fact that these individuals make their money BECAUSE of our society and government. Subsidies, credits, low interest loans, the IRS, and other governmental constructs added to the most important, a incredibly strong military and security structure. Basically by denying these taxes should be paid, people are advocating for a Russia style America. Mobs are the security and only the rich are safe, while the people barely survive but do it anyway to live, until they revolt and kill some of the rich. Happened many times before and it would happen again. Back to Mr. Ryan. He says the loss of revenue from the cuts would be offset by the closing of many loopholes. The same ploy Reagan used. That right there should be enough for the GOP to never win another election, if our public had any kind of intellect. A Conservative and fiscally responsible leader would say "first we fix these silly loopholes that let some people cheat. Then if we are bringing in more than we need, we can start reducing taxes." It doesn't work the other way around. Giving the tax cuts before improving revenue is a cash grab, pure and simple.
It never ceases to amaze me how many people are so brainwashed by the sound bite party and their pundits (amazingly Glenn Beck was fired, but the rest are still there, and Beck ain't going to go quietly) that they will vote against their best interest. Many will tell me, "making the rich pay so much more is unfair." Yet all my life when I theorize that something isn't fair I am told that life isn't fair. So if that argument doesn't work for most of us, why does it work for the rich? I assume the reason is because we all dream of being the rich one someday. I also hold no sympathy for people who say the debt and deficit is a huge concern but paying more taxes to reduce that debt, while having 30 of nearly unregulated wealth and business practices, that made these people from rich to uber wealthy. And I also understand that a large number of responsible millionaires and billionaires have said the responsible thing to do would be to raise taxes. What is the difference between the rich who would willingly pay more and those who wouldn't is patriotism. You either love your country and will help with a small portion of your income to keep it from collapsing in on itself or you say to hell with my country, its all about me. I guess it depends what kind of world you want to live in. But there is a fundamental economic certainty; When everyone does better, everyone does better.
Of course eventually at the rate we are going, the middle-class will be working day and night just to pay the essential bills whilst all their possessions are owned by a creditor. The poor will become transients and a tiny sliver of the population will be wealthy. The war on the middle class continues. A simple perusal of GOP policies leads you inexorably to one conclusion, war has been declared on the middle class and the goal is a feudal state of America. 33% of millions is never going to be anywhere as painful as 25% of $30,000 and few individuals in the top bracket even pay close to that much due to loopholes, tax shelters and itemized deductions. And lets not forget the other Conservative Lie that the rich create jobs. Wrong, small and mid size business create the vast majority of jobs, and most of these businesses are started by middle class individuals who have enough credit/assets to put it all on the line for their dream. These incredible loopholes for individuals and top corporate rates are just another way to raise the barriers to entry. America seems to have finally evolved to where Old money doesn't want to play or converse with New money, and the old money folks seem dead set on reducing the number of people joining the rich club as possible.
There is nothing is hate more than bullshit, especially when it has a big ribbon around it. Don't pretend you are doing what you can to help my country. You are destroying my country 100% out of greed. The government is here to protect the people, not business, that's why we all joined in on this social contract. But I know few people in this country have the ability to think and let the pundits do it for them. And most conservatives I know believe the GOP is in favor of personal liberty, patriotism, American exceptionalism, American morality, and smaller government. How long can the GOP do the complete opposite before these fools wake up?
Tuesday, February 22, 2011
Free Market Myth
Over our near constant election cycles I hear a lot about "Free Markets" and especially the GOP talking about "getting off business' back so they can flourish" Since these terms are rarely used by anyone showing the slightest knowledge of what they mean, and often used in incomprehensible ways. But I guess it shouldn't be huge surprise in a country where great thinkers are usually reduced to soundbites and quips without acknowledging the theory behind the statements. For an outside example, consider the vast majority of Tea Partiers who are against and are even picketing the protest in Wisconsin. The City Workers are not protesting reduced benefits, they are protesting the eradication of the CBA (Collective Bargaining Agreement, think NFL potential lockout). The are protesting NON-REPRESENTATION. Ring a bell Tea Partiers?
Alright so lets get into free markets. First off I find it hilarious that a 'freer' market is one that is more liberalized. What is actually means is simply no government economic control or regulation; or more simply, no price controls or tariffs no any restrictions on business practices. Now this does not exist anywhere in the world, but the US comes as close as any country. A true market economy would quickly come under Underground Crime rule and prices would be on a roller coaster any given day due to supply and demand that morning. A communist country is the near totally controlled market. This leads to massive shortages and inefficient productivity making production of goods overly expensive.
So what are the problems with these Free Markets and De-regulation (getting off business' back)? I will review 3 big ones. But feel free to investigate others, there are many. Let's start with no economic intervention. No government involvement. This means, no rules for credit card companies or other lenders. No protection from a contract too hard to comprehend. No agencies to control risk. Sorry I veered into regulation already. Economic intervention would be price ceilings, floors and tariffs. And zero subsidies for business, especially farms. Basically an unstable market and that means an unstable dollar prone to inflation and free fall. Not much else to say, unless you don't understand inflation but that's a pretty long topic to actually understand why prices increase economy wide.
So back to regulation. So again basically no rules. Unfair practices are legit, and you can do whatever makes your business more profitable. This includes environmental dumping and air pollution. That may sound like whining, until you wake up and can't go outside because the air is actually dangerous. Has happened in LA. Imagine how fast it would happen now. Or take a look at China. Plus we have rules now (lax though they maybe) and still we almost collapsed. And while I'm on the Recession, Tea Partiers, THEY HAD TO BAIL THEM OUT. HAD TO. Or you would have woke up in a couple days and your debit and credit cards wouldn't work. And after the FDIC replaced all the lost funds inflation again. Bad for GDP growth. So treat your workers, business, customers and investments however you choose, no matter what. You can go alot deeper into this but I don't have that kind of time. So those are the broad themes but you get the idea.
Last issue is Monopoly and Unions. So I guess two things. Monopolies exist now but are government established like your utility company or how your phone used to work if you grew up in the 80's. You know, before you could carry your phone everywhere. In an unregulated economy you see essentially what already did happen here back in the late 1800's. A company would get to a size that allowed them to absorb any and all loses from underpricing their competitors. Eventually the smaller firms would lose too much business or lower their prices until they could not break even and closed. Then the one standing firm absorbs their clientele or the purchases the company at fire sale prices and now can charge whatever they want because they have no competitors and none will emerge because the barriers to entry have gotten too high. This is the principle of anti trust legislation. Even with that, we are having problems because it has been deregulated lately. Walmart now buys roughly 19% of the countries food products and charges higher prices than Grocieries but still get good business because of customers in for the other things they do carry at a lower price. What's the #1 rule of sales? "Get them in the door." That's the hardest part. If they secure too much of the market and decide to slash prices you could EASILY see Safeway, King Soopers and Albertson's collapse. It is the elimination of choice.
Last, Unions. This is the whole hoopla in Wisconsin this week. The government is trying to crush the Union. Remember, the Union isn't unwilling to negotiate to help the state save money, it is protesting the elimination of its Right to Negotiate. And try to do something hard for Americans but look back to when our Nation truly seemed unstoppable. It was generally the 50's. We won the War, had a robust economy, a thriving middle class and home ownership rising. Not to mention that every business provided health coverage. But that was also when insurance had regulations so they couldn't charge insane sums and deny coverage like the deregulated markets of the last 30 years has. Unions are why you work only 8 hours a day or get paid more. Why you have safety regulations, why you get paid vacation, why you get pensions or retirement accounts. Unions were 40% of the work force in the 50's and the rich were rich and the middle class hard working Americans had enough to not have to constantly worry, and to save for emergencies. Today, they hold 7% of all workers. And working pay averages have been nearly level since the 80's while corporate and capital gain profits have exploded, and cost of living increases at an increasing rate.
And as far the the Government Unions go, remember, they could all make a larger paycheck by doing the same jobs in the private sector, but take less to do a job they feel is important and we all reap the benefits. So instead of calling them selfish, thank them for taking less to do a hard job simply due to a sense of responsibility. o
Alright so lets get into free markets. First off I find it hilarious that a 'freer' market is one that is more liberalized. What is actually means is simply no government economic control or regulation; or more simply, no price controls or tariffs no any restrictions on business practices. Now this does not exist anywhere in the world, but the US comes as close as any country. A true market economy would quickly come under Underground Crime rule and prices would be on a roller coaster any given day due to supply and demand that morning. A communist country is the near totally controlled market. This leads to massive shortages and inefficient productivity making production of goods overly expensive.
So what are the problems with these Free Markets and De-regulation (getting off business' back)? I will review 3 big ones. But feel free to investigate others, there are many. Let's start with no economic intervention. No government involvement. This means, no rules for credit card companies or other lenders. No protection from a contract too hard to comprehend. No agencies to control risk. Sorry I veered into regulation already. Economic intervention would be price ceilings, floors and tariffs. And zero subsidies for business, especially farms. Basically an unstable market and that means an unstable dollar prone to inflation and free fall. Not much else to say, unless you don't understand inflation but that's a pretty long topic to actually understand why prices increase economy wide.
So back to regulation. So again basically no rules. Unfair practices are legit, and you can do whatever makes your business more profitable. This includes environmental dumping and air pollution. That may sound like whining, until you wake up and can't go outside because the air is actually dangerous. Has happened in LA. Imagine how fast it would happen now. Or take a look at China. Plus we have rules now (lax though they maybe) and still we almost collapsed. And while I'm on the Recession, Tea Partiers, THEY HAD TO BAIL THEM OUT. HAD TO. Or you would have woke up in a couple days and your debit and credit cards wouldn't work. And after the FDIC replaced all the lost funds inflation again. Bad for GDP growth. So treat your workers, business, customers and investments however you choose, no matter what. You can go alot deeper into this but I don't have that kind of time. So those are the broad themes but you get the idea.
Last issue is Monopoly and Unions. So I guess two things. Monopolies exist now but are government established like your utility company or how your phone used to work if you grew up in the 80's. You know, before you could carry your phone everywhere. In an unregulated economy you see essentially what already did happen here back in the late 1800's. A company would get to a size that allowed them to absorb any and all loses from underpricing their competitors. Eventually the smaller firms would lose too much business or lower their prices until they could not break even and closed. Then the one standing firm absorbs their clientele or the purchases the company at fire sale prices and now can charge whatever they want because they have no competitors and none will emerge because the barriers to entry have gotten too high. This is the principle of anti trust legislation. Even with that, we are having problems because it has been deregulated lately. Walmart now buys roughly 19% of the countries food products and charges higher prices than Grocieries but still get good business because of customers in for the other things they do carry at a lower price. What's the #1 rule of sales? "Get them in the door." That's the hardest part. If they secure too much of the market and decide to slash prices you could EASILY see Safeway, King Soopers and Albertson's collapse. It is the elimination of choice.
Last, Unions. This is the whole hoopla in Wisconsin this week. The government is trying to crush the Union. Remember, the Union isn't unwilling to negotiate to help the state save money, it is protesting the elimination of its Right to Negotiate. And try to do something hard for Americans but look back to when our Nation truly seemed unstoppable. It was generally the 50's. We won the War, had a robust economy, a thriving middle class and home ownership rising. Not to mention that every business provided health coverage. But that was also when insurance had regulations so they couldn't charge insane sums and deny coverage like the deregulated markets of the last 30 years has. Unions are why you work only 8 hours a day or get paid more. Why you have safety regulations, why you get paid vacation, why you get pensions or retirement accounts. Unions were 40% of the work force in the 50's and the rich were rich and the middle class hard working Americans had enough to not have to constantly worry, and to save for emergencies. Today, they hold 7% of all workers. And working pay averages have been nearly level since the 80's while corporate and capital gain profits have exploded, and cost of living increases at an increasing rate.
And as far the the Government Unions go, remember, they could all make a larger paycheck by doing the same jobs in the private sector, but take less to do a job they feel is important and we all reap the benefits. So instead of calling them selfish, thank them for taking less to do a hard job simply due to a sense of responsibility. o
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)