Nov 22 2012

A Day of Thanks

In light of most of my rants and ravings there is relatively little time where I am not grateful for what which I have been blessed. While there are many days where I consciously spend brain cycles recognizing how lucky I have been in my life, Thanksgiving provides a better time to share. Whether read or understood by anyone else, writing these down and having the opportunity to see the words helps solidify and deepen the appreciation I should never lose sight of.

I am thankful for many things – some personal and some a bit broader:

1. My wife – the most important person in my life. She is my best friend and she has provided me guidance, advice and support for almost 32 years now – despite me often pushing back or trying to ignore it. She has got to be one of the most caring and giving people I know and she has been an ongoing balance to much of the imbalance I’ve brought to the party.

2. My kids – they were a lot of work (as all kids are – if you do it right) but they have both blossomed into great, capable and caring adults. They are a source of both pride and ongoing discovery for me as they grow, learn and continue their journey thru adulthood and all that goes with it.

3. My life in general – I am extremely blessed for what I have. Yes, I have worked for it but there are many that work hard and meet greater challenges and have less. I want for little and don’t really have to think twice for anything I really need that I don’t have. I am blessed that when the unexpected comes up I don’t have to make the hard choices that many do. I can take care of my family as needed without much concern other than recognizing that I can’t fix everything. (sorry Erin…).

4. My health – yes, I’m getting older and there are aches and pains that come with that and I have had to have a few parts fixed so they will continue to work as I get even older. But I am healthy and my family is healthy. How does it go – when you have your health… – a saying that becomes more and more true if you look around and see what many deal with on a day-to-day basis. Anything I have pales in comparison so my complaints don’t really count for much.

5. It might sound strange but I am thankful for what lies ahead. We have planned well and have been pretty balanced in how we have lived life so as I look out towards retirement (not that far away) I don’t feel panic. We will be okay. I have a life partner to share it with, we will be far from destitute and we will have time to discover new adventures for ourselves.

6. I am thankful I have lived during a time where the change in this country has been dramatic. Growing up and coming of age when things like civil rights and equality for women had their roots, experiencing the impact of the war in Vietnam as well as Woodstock, JFK, RFK, Martin Luther King, Jr. – it has all been instrumental in helping shape who I am today. It all helped my form a sense of conscience about we as people and how a society should be. It helped establish a view that we need to be aware of others and that we, as a society, have an obligation and responsibility to take care of others who need help and support. Not sure what happened to a lot of my peers but for me it is hard to ignore. And we had the best music.

7. I am thankful for this younger generation. While it is important to realize that my generation reared many of them and that is why much of the attitude and perspective is there, how refreshing to see a generation of young adults who are less bigoted and biased. There is a core of our society that truly doesn’t see people around them as less deserving or 2nd class because they are black, gay, a different religion, whatever. It gives me hope (and some solace) that my son will be able to live a normal life and will be able to marry and live without constant discrimination because he is gay.

8. I am thankful for this last election and the American public that made it clear it isn’t just about the economy and it isn’t just about the present at the expense of the future. Because enough of us cared about others and not just ourselves, we will have at least four more years of progress in rights for women, rights for our LGBT community, forward progress on our environment and global warming, healthcare rights and reform, maybe some fairness in terms of tax reform, etc. For those of us on the side that won, it was pretty much goodness and a break from having to worry about what progress we’ve seen being rolled backward.

9. From a different perspective, I am thankful that the likes of Romney, Ryan, Rove, Trump, Santorum, McConnell – the names can go on and on – were unable to really hide who they really are – which are pretty much self-centered shit heads and assholes – to the extent that it became pretty obvious and helped move the election in the direction it went. Taking nothing from Obama and the Democratic machine, the other side and their views of a “new” America, was so out of touch it became almost laughable if it hadn’t been so sad.

10. Lastly, thankful I live in a country where I can say and write all the things I have in this blog and not have to worry I’ll be in jail or shot for it.

Happy Thanksgiving to all.

Oct 15 2012

It’s not the demeanor, stupid!

Wonder how Ryan’s mom feels being one of the 47%?

It has been a while since my last post and to be perfectly honest I have pretty much tired of this presidential campaign as I can hardly bear to listen to Romney and Ryan as they manipulate and lie their way forward. I can only hear so much garbage and can only tolerate those who continue to not see anything problematic with the shifting sands in which their campaign run sits. However, after the last debate with Biden and Ryan, to hear the differing perspectives of who won, who was more professional and/or stately, whatever, it become entirely clear that the details really don’t matter to most. We have reached the point where it is less about what really is impactful and critical to our future and more about whether the candidate presented themself in a way that meets our expectations. To be honest, I would rather have someone who I feel is honest about who they are and how they feel. I find Biden’s dismissal of Ryan as basically a liar and a lightweight actually refreshing – not only because I agree but mostly because I know that is really how he feels. This positioning and guidance that Obama got for the first debate not to get angry and not to show his true feelings I believe did more harm than good. And in typical Republican style, Mitt took quite the advantage of it and has continued to pound his chest and throw off all that recently found testosterone – which was usually more reserved for Ann Romney.

It is time to really get angry and more aggressive in light of what lies ahead as potential consequences. To be at this point in the election and still be undecided speaks more to someone not really paying attention or someone who really has no stated values or philosophical stand on life. This is symptomatic of our arrival at being a society where People Magazine is the literary choice of most, the Kardashian family a focal point of many and how we look is less important than who we really are. Pretty sad but also something that explains the lack of real attention to detail.

I don’t think that everyone else needs to believe what I believe or feel strongly about those issues I find important. But you have to stand for something. You have to know what is important to you and what will make a difference. To be undecided and to have your decision on who you vote for based on whether Joe Biden interrupted too much (was it only me who thought Romney did a bit more butting in) or snickered more than you thought was right, I find that mind-boggling. What really set me off was an item I saw right after the debate this past week. I actually read a twitter comment from someone who was part of a group our local paper (a bastion on inadequacy in its own right) that after watching how Biden comported (my word) himself in that debate, she was changing her vote. Amazing – but not really a surprise given the “undecideds” still on the fence. If you are still undecided at this point I would submit you did not pass the litmus test of having enough intelligence to actually vote – or you have been in a cave for the past 11 years and didn’t see what had brought this country to its knees. But that is my concern – to think that Romney might win and it not be because people agree with his policies (what ever they are today) or what he will likely change is disheartening – it is because of some shallow, really unimportant factor like whether you like someone’s demeanor. Look, I think Romney is a flaming asshole and is so far away from what it most people’s life experience that his ability to understand or relate is non-existent. But if I believed in his policies and his direction for America, his persona is of less importance. Sure we want likeable. But that won’t cut it. As I recall, the Bush the 2nd polls showed him as someone with whom you would want to have a beer – unfortunately that “likeability” can now be enjoyed by almost 7000 less American military people given the execution of his policies and his view of what was good for the US.

This time around, I see there are several key areas where you don’t have to be a rocket scientist to recognize a difference between the candidates. You don’t need to agree but recognize what you will get on each side. My list of what is important:
1. Equal Rights for our gay citizens – whether you want to recognize it as the same as the rights won by minorities over the past decades, gay rights and equal right to marriage and the perks that go with it will not move ahead in a Romney win.
2. Women’s reproductive rights and their ability to control their own destiny – I still remain in awe of the women that support Romney. His abortion and birth control agenda will move our country back 50 years.
3. Abortion – related to above but important enough to put as its own headliner. Still trying to overturn Roe v Wade 40 years later – persistent but not based on what the American people want.
4. Religious Freedom – or what is in reality the installation of religious intolerance of anyone who doesn’t believe as I do or doesn’t hold the same view of life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. I could give two shits about what you do and how you do it in your personal space – but don’t limit mine. I won’t tell you what to do beyond stay out of my life and how I live it.
5. The poor and the needy – as if they haven’t had it tough enough already. Sure there are those who suck off of the rest of us but let’s not ignore our responsibility to those who are really in need – not going to happen with Romney – once politics are aside, it is back to Republican tactics and focus on the rich getting richer.
6. Behind most everything – who sits on the Supreme Court – do we want another Scalia? Do we want more political leaning and furthering of a right leaning agenda? It is likely the next 4 years will bring us at least one appointment of a new justice – and the current tenuous balance will disappear with a Romney administration.

Sure the economy is important but it is and will continue to improve. Not my hot button since I will likely be okay no matter who is in the Whitehouse and probably better with the Republicans but that really doesn’t sit well – we aren’t great as a country because we only care about our own self-interest. Bringing back the policies of yesteryear and depending on trickle down economics flies in the face of reality. There is quite a bit of money sitting in corporate coffers (keep in mind that corporations are people too) and they are doing nothing to take care of the workers – middle class or not. They are the rich and well-off – and they have been at the core of much of the pain of the middle-class. Do we really think corporate behavior will change? It will only to the extent that their profits are larger – and profits at the expense of everything else.

An uncanny resemblance – has anyone checked Ryan’s birth certificate? (A “Saved by the Bell” moment – who could forget Screech – no doubt one of the more annoying characters from kid’s TV)

Now, quick comment on the debate this week – townhall-style, questions I believe from the audience. If I could have my wish, I’d love to see a “Michael Dukakis” moment where Romney can’t hide behind his corporate and political persona. I’d ask him “what are you going to do and what is your first action when one of your sons announces he is gay?”.

Let’s really see what kind of person we have here.

Sep 18 2012

Some are Truthful…Some are just Stupid

From: http://www.afscme.org and Politico

Good to see the real feelings and beliefs of the Republican candidate have leaked out. Most of us that already sit on the other side have long figured out that the pandering and positioning of Romney and the others hide what they really think and more importantly how they really feel about most of the rest of America. This latest debacle on the Republican doorstep where Mitt shares his real feelings that 47% of America lives on handouts from Government and they have no sense of personal responsibility and care for themselves (and never will) should really help with his struggling campaign. He further denigrates these 47% by seeing them as non-thinking individuals who will automatically vote for Obama (not that the same phenomenon exists on his side of the aisle). Given the number of senior citizens in that 47%, his expressed concern for that segment of the America also has to be questioned. Despite the immediate push back from the Romney camp that this was all taken out of context, it is obvious we have a problem here with character and integrity – not new for politicians on both sides but one I think is critical as we look at who we want to lead our country into the future. While many might not see this recent look into the real Republican agenda has anything to do with integrity and/or character, I would beg to differ. Compromises in character and integrity have become more commonplace and people seem to be more accepting. That acceptance is a problem in itself but that is a different issue. Not an excuse, but I think most of America is just getting worn out. If we can’t expect integrity from our President, then we are really lost. There are alot of definitions out there but I found one that I believe is more contemporary and relevant to the world in which we find ourselves today.

Integrity is a concept of consistency of actions, values, methods, measures, principles, expectations, and outcomes. In ethics, integrity is regarded as the honesty and truthfulness or accuracy of one’s actions. Integrity can be regarded as the opposite of hypocrisy, in that it regards internal consistency as a virtue, and suggests that parties holding apparently conflicting values should account for the discrepancy or alter their beliefs. (From Wikipedia)

I would suggest the following quote might be relevant here.

“In looking for people to hire, you look for three qualities: integrity, intelligence, and energy. And if they don’t have the first, the other two will kill you.” – Warren Buffet

I think this might be the core of Mitt’s struggle to connect with the most of America. He rarely feels or looks real. In looking at this recent video where he basically dismisses half of America, he actually appears to be pretty real and honest. Those words flowed rather easily out of his mouth and he needed no notes. His life experience has provided him little opportunity to understand the 99% and his voice to the contrary doesn’t ring true. I’m guessing his inability to move that “Likeability” needle is rooted in his issues with integrity.

Sorry Mitt – it’s really about what you say when you think no one is looking – worse because you are stupid enough (or pompous enough) to think it wouldn’t happen.

The reputation of a thousand years may be determined by the conduct of one hour. ~Japanese Proverb

Ricky – doing his Stan Laurel imitation (look it up)

On another note, we are privileged to have Ricky Santorum back in front of us to remind us how big an idiot he really is (as if we need to be reminded). Thanks to my son for passing this along. At the Values Voter Summit in DC this past weekend, Ricky shared these thoughts – “We will never have the media on our side, even in this country. We will never have the elite, smart people on our side – because they believe they should have the power to tell you what to do.”

Good to see he agrees with what we all knew. Wonder if anyone in the audience realized they weren’t included in with the smart people.

At least two-thirds of our miseries spring from human stupidity, human malice and those great motivators and justifiers of malice and stupidity idealism, dogmatism and proselytizing zeal on behalf of religous or political ideas. – Aldous Huxley

Sep 16 2012

Romney – World Leader? – not

“Study the past if you would define the future.” ― Confucius

“Those who fail to learn from history are doomed to repeat it.” Sir Winston Churchill

There are a host of reasons to have concerns about a new Republican administration led by Romney and Ryan. It is obvious to many that neither man has any real depth of understanding or solution to anything going on in the US today or even more so, the world beyond our shores. To think that Romney will somehow figure it all out and do things differently tomorrow ignores the longstanding view that the past is the best predictor of the future. In some ways it actually transcends Romney and can be applied to the platform and plans for America set out by the Republican Party. To think that repeating actions and approaches tried in the past will somehow have a different result in the future is again reflective of the degree of ignorance and denial present in much of the public today. I wouldn’t apply that same ignorance and denial to the real leaders and key proponents of returning to the policies of the past since they know better than any it is the best way to not only keep their wealth but to enable it’s growth in the future.

Insanity: doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results. – Albert Einstein

Even ignoring Mitt’s faux pas on his recent world tour where he managed to insult multiple countries without really trying. Now, after the most recent statements by Romney this past Tuesday as events unfolded in Libya it is time to get even more concerned as we get more insight into his position on Foreign Policy. First off, I’ll give him credit for recognizing what he doesn’t know and assembling a group of people experienced in foreign policy – He has gathered a group of 24 “advisors (as listed on his website) as well several other individuals whom form an inner circle of advice, a majority serving under previous Republican (Bushx2) adminstrations – the administrations who have taken us to war on several occasions and who have cost our country numerous lives. I am reminded these wars have also helped set the view the rest of the world has of the US. So do we really have to wonder what stance or position foreign policy will take in a Romney presidency? Again, history is the best predictor of the future and this predictor doesn’t take a brain surgeon or rocket scientist to figure out. This is a direction of shoot first and ask questions later (if indeed questions are ever asked as the answers might not support the direction). We saw this again this week as the tragedy in Libya played itself out and the violence escalated across other countries. The decision by Romney to take the opportunity to make it a political attack rather than take the broader and more knowing approach that faster is not always better gives immediate rise to the type of leader Romney will be. This is made even worse by the fact that Romney seems to have few thoughts and ideas himself and instead draws positions an decisions from those around him or where the immediate political reward is the greatest. Not sure we have a chess master at work here…maybe chinese checkers or tiddlywinks.

We can also see how connected Romney is to the world and what forces are at work in his statement several weeks back on the position that Russia is America’s “No. 1 geopolitical foe.” Now while I wouldn’t dismiss Russia as a foe, not sure it has moved back into that cold war status. But worse yet, again indicating that Romney is either too naive or too stupid to realize consequences of an open mouth policy. The statements by Vladimir Putin need little explanation as to the potential longer term effect of speaking without thinking or understanding the broader implications.

From ABC News:

MOSCOW — Russian President Vladimir Putin said today that Mitt Romney’s characterization of Moscow as the United States’ “number one geopolitical foe” has actually helped Russia.

The Russian leader said Romney’s comments strengthened his resolve to oppose NATO’s plan for a missile defense shield in Eastern Europe, a system Russia believes will degrade its nuclear deterrent. The U.S. insists the system is aimed at Iran, not Russia.

“I’m grateful to him (Romney) for formulating his stance so clearly because he has once again proven the correctness of our approach to missile defense problems,” Putin told reporters, according to the Russian news agency RIA Novosti.

“The most important thing for us is that even if he doesn’t win now, he or a person with similar views may come to power in four years. We must take that into consideration while dealing with security issues for a long perspective,” he said, speaking after a meeting with Serbian President Tomislav Nikolic, according to Interfax news agency.

Might only be my read of it but it doesn’t sound like Mitt’s statement provided much help to an already complex and dangerous situation. But then again, one has to wonder if this launch of a foreign policy stance by a Republican isn’t as much an attempt to re-kindle the fire that has kept the military industrial machine well oiled and lined the pockets of such luminaries as Dick Cheney and Halliburton.

So here we have a glimpse into Romney’s experience in the area of foreign policy – his only real experience to date being the outsourcing of US jobs to a foreign country or two. In his message, we also get a glimpse of Mitt’s ignorance (or at least ignoring) of foreign influence. Good to know since to date, most of the focus in the Romney camp has been on the US economy and his sweeping statements (and a dearth of details) of his plans to make things better. I would submit it is a quite different world than Reagan and even the first Bush had to deal with. And we see what happened in the 2nd Bush years when the global community had taken a position of greater influence and control and where complexity grew and global economics and forces clashed with the historical Republican answers to everything.

See definition of Insanity ==> above.

Sep 6 2012

US Budget Deficit – Credit where Credit is Due

And you made quite a few of us older Americans cry also!

It’s hard to decide which topic to pick on any given day in the current Presidential race but there is one that I find particularly irritating. The Obama contribution to the current deficit at $15 trillion is one that impacts everyone – or at least the deficit does. The Republicans have had no shortage of data spinners in this area. As we saw with the admission from a Romney Pollster, Neil Newhouse, (who has worked on the Republican side of the aisle for a good number of years, including working with Romney in his run for Governor in Massachusetts in 2002) the Romney campaign messaging and ads will “not be dictated by fact checkers” ( or as I like to say “Let’s not confuse things with the facts”), the Republican leaders have given Obama credit for the large rise in the current budget deficit. Paul Ryan, in a phenomenally inaccurate RNC speech filled with lies and mis-statements, has obviously taken the approach that most Americans are lazy and/or stupid and won’t dig any deeper than needed. True at some level but just in case, let’s throw some real data out there.

Aside from lying about the closure of the GM plant in his home district, Paulie’s crap about how the Obama Medicare plan is that different from his, his ignoring of the Republican role in the US credit downgrade as a result of their holding the debt ceiling hostage, Paulie made it clear that “President Obama has added more debt than any other president before him” and proclaimed “We need to stop spending money we don’t have.” Let’s spend a minute or so and look at the data. I can’t speak for 100% accuracy in every bit of the analysis, but the data is consistent across multiple sources so I’ll take a risk that it isn’t too far off. Looking at this data, it becomes pretty clear that rather than the $5 Million attributed to Obama, he can take credit for less than $1 Mil – quite a different picture. I’d suggest you actually take a step out to the articles for more detail and context.

Credit: Washington Post with Bloomberg (http://www.washingtonpost.com/business/economy/adding-to-the-deficit-bush-vs-obama/2012/01/31/gIQAQ0kFgQ_graphic.html)

Both graphics make the point very clear. Of the $5 Million or so added to the deficient on Obama’s watch, the majority (say 80%) can be attributed to the previous administration. When the Republican idiots throwing this crap around are actually looking for the right recipient, I would suggest they look a little further in the back of the Republican crowd – only you don’t see Georgie W. Bush and anyone else from his administration who put us in this mess anywhere to be found.

I’d like to think that Georgie has a conscience (there’s that idealistic side of me) and, if so, I expect he would be drinking again – I imagine it is tough to have the sinking of the American economy (and all that goes with it) as well as the deaths of over 6500 US soldiers on your head.

So when we put almost all our ills together today, I have to think it is only right to present the latest “Head up the Butt” award to former President Georgie W. Bush. Take a bow – wherever you are!

Aug 31 2012

Christie and A bit of Rick Perry

Do as I say, Not as I do…

Now, if he just moved over a bit to the left we could take Mitt entirely out of the picture!

In his speech Tuesday night at the RNC, New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie spoke to the lack of civility and cooperation in American politics. “We are demanding that our leaders stop tearing each other down, and work together to take action on the big things facing America,” Christie said. Of course, he immediately began the negative attacks on Obama and almost every other speaker followed suit. Now, being realistic, we know that is what happens at these conventions – whether they be Republican or Democratic. It is to be expected. But there is something here that I see as a good deal of the problem with the Republican leadership today (and over the past three years). Say one thing and do another. Talk cooperation and then take a contrarian action. Speak of embracing diversity and then pushing agendas and legislation that further divides. Again, not saying it doesn’t happen on both sides of the aisle, it is just not so obvious on the other side. I’d bet, say $10,000, that the likes of John Boehner and Mitch McConnell can’t actually put aside their own agenda’s set to make that happen.

Is there some way to give Texas back to Mexico?

The USA – in better times

Texas Gov. Rick Perry released a statement today about the Voter ID court ruling.

“Chalk up another victory for fraud,” he said. “Today, federal judges subverted the will of the people of Texas and undermined our effort to ensure fair and accurate elections. The Obama Administration’s claim that it’s a burden to present a photo ID to vote simply defies common sense.

As my wife so aptly put it this morning as she read this in the paper (and I paraphrase) “he doesn’t get it – if we left it up to the will of the people, blacks would still be sitting in the back of the bus”.

I think we all saw the level of intelligence resident in Perry during his laughable run for the Republican nomination. I expect the only reason he can run a state is because the state itself is generally one that seems to be living in a different universe – kind of a world where logic never prevails and priorities are never for the good of the whole – wait a minute – maybe not – sounds a lot like the Republican Party platform.

Let’s take a look at Texas under Perry as Governor (with some help from Wikipedia)-

With Perry in the lead, Texas rose from second to first among states with the highest proportion of uninsured residents and had the lowest level of access to prenatal care in the U.S. Perry and the Republican-led state legislature have cut Medicaid spending and made it more difficult to enroll in the program, which now covers one-third of Texas children. The cost of caring for uninsured Texans has been borne by those with insurance, leading to substantial rises in insurance premiums and leading Texas to rank next-to-last among states in terms of affordability of health insurance. The Los Angeles Times wrote that under Perry, “working Texans increasingly have been priced out of private healthcare while the state’s safety net has withered.”
In 2010 Perry signed into law a bill requiring that a sonogram be performed prior to every abortion, and that the practitioner discuss the sonogram images with the patient except in limited cases where the patient may waive the explanation.
In 2011, Perry had an epiphany and now opposed all abortions, including in cases of rape and incest. He did come back a little and said he would allow an exception for abortions that would save a mother’s life.
In February 2007, Perry issued an executive order requiring all girls in Texas receive the HPV vaccine, a positive (in some aspect) step given the vaccine protects against some strains of the human papilloma virus, a contributing factor to some forms of cervical cancer. Unfortunately, it did not seem that his decision was necessarily based on looking out for the welfare of his citizens. Shortly after the edict, news outlets reported various apparent financial connections between Perry and the vaccine’s manufacturer, Merck and Merck’s PAC has contributed $28,500 since 2001 to Perry’s campaigns. What a guy.
Perry supported the Texas 2005 ballot proposition which amended the Texas constitution by defining marriage as “only a union between a man and a woman” and prohibiting the state from creating or recognizing “any legal status identical or similar to marriage”.
In 2008 in his book On My Honor, Perry offered his view that there was a parallel between homosexuality and alcoholism, writing that he is “no expert on the ‘nature versus nurture’ debate”, but that gays should simply choose abstinence. During the 2012 presidential campaign, he criticized the repeal of “don’t ask, don’t tell”.
During his run for the 2012 Republican nomination for President, the Washington Post reported that Perry’s family leases a hunting camp once called “Niggerhead” (apologies – I even hate to write it). According to local residents interviewed by the Post, the Perrys had used the camp for years before painting over a large rock with that name on it, which stands at an entrance to the area, and during this time Perry hosted many friends and supporters at the camp. Perry’s campaign disputed the claims, stating that the Perrys painted over the rock almost immediately after acquiring a lease on the property in 1983. Of course, being the broad-minded thinker he obviously is.
Perry again showed his open-minded when, in a presidential campaign video he stated “there’s something wrong in this country when gays can serve openly in the military, but your kids can’t openly celebrate Christmas.”

Given this recent proclamation about Voter ID as well as Rick’s long-standing role as a big thinker leading to a better America, I have no other option other to award Rick the latest “Head in the Butt” Award. Congratulations Rick – you can hang this one on your belt right above the concealed weapon you carry!

We have a 2-for-1 special today as I think it is only right to further recognize the great state of Texas which again shows continued evidence of excess, imbalance of the “haves and have-nots” given the news today of the opening of a new football stadium. Normally not news but this stadium cost a mere $60 million for a Texas High School stadium with free Wi-Fi, and a high-definition video screen. It is a sunken design and “has a more intimate feeling than the old one” according to some locals. While it would seem that the old stadium was in need of replacement, given the struggles in meeting educational and student needs across the country (and I would expect equally if not more so in Texas), this outright in your face move by the people of Allen, Texas deserves a bit of attention. While probably more deserved by the city of Allen, given that this is not the largest stadium in Texas, as I’m feeling a bit magnanimous (being it is Friday and a long weekend), I also want to award the state of Texas their own “Head in the Butt” award. Maybe they can hang it in one of the many corporate boxes in the new stadium!

I leave today with one more thought – especially given the level of rhetoric we are currently experiencing in our country with the great divides we see. Our real challenge is focusing on what we are leaving those who follow us. A little too much hate going around at the moment. The quote is by Golda Meir and is specific to the Israeli/Arab relationship at the time but I think the sentiment (just take out “with the Arabs”) is one that can be applied universally –

“We will have peace with the Arabs when they love their children more than they hate us”- Golda Meir

Aug 29 2012

Fact from Fiction: It takes a Little Work

Black Hole ‘Bonanza’: Millions Found by NASA Space Telescope

When I saw this headline pop up across the TV screen this afternoon, I had to wonder if NASA has mistakenly focused the WISE telescope on Tampa.

Sorry, can’t help it as that is how my mind works. I can’t help but reach out to find ways to somehow ridicule the current crop of Republican politicians and supporters as it becomes more and more distressing to listen to or read their messaging and their platform. I expect I will continue to bring that same perspective as the election comes closer but I also think it is important to recognize that the rhetoric we hear, whether Republican or Democratic, will be slanted and skewed to manipulate and push American minds and emotions in one direction or the other. I know I am biased in what I believe but in reviewing parts of the speeches from the RNC last night (I find watching and listening to any political convention difficult – Republican or Democratic) but I was somewhat astounded at the simplicity and lack of “realness” in anything I heard. Anyone who was turned to think the Republicans have the answers based on Santorum, Christie or Ann Romney is woefully shallow. For me, I was quite unimpressed and was actually somewhat offended to think that they thought their case for change and support of Mitt would pass muster. My biggest concern remains, as always, that most people in the US will do little to dig further into the “facts” stated last night and those that will be stated by each party going forward. I have tried (between my rants and attacks on many) to offer some data and information on some of the issues I see as critical to us as a country. I don’t really care to change people’s beliefs or how they live their lives – I just don’t want people elected based on false information and slanted statistics. Yes, we all listen more intently to information that matches our beliefs but I think we have an obligation as citizens to try to make informed decisions, as hard as that may be. It takes time and it takes wading thru a great deal of data, trying to separate fact from fiction. I started to go thru some of the “facts” stated last night with an intent to put some real information in my blog that I would hope would give some balance to anyone reading. I quickly realized there was just too much to effectively cover and I expect it won’t get much less intense. What I would suggest is that as the political rhetoric and facts continue to get spun, people should take the time to stop in on several websites that try to fact check and do the detailed analysis necessary to separate out fact from fiction. And again, that goes for anything that either side states, not just the Republicans. Just a suggestion, but take a look at these websites that can shed some real light on what has been done, what has been accomplished and what is really real. I don’t think any one is specifically better than the other but they all offer interesting and detailed information that should take you closer to the truth. I expect, like anything, there are some leanings to the left and to the right and there is no site that will be always in the middle but by looking across multiple sites proclaiming to stay objective, there should be obvious threads of reality.

I also want to give credit to another WordPress blog that got me thinking more about checking our facts: http://sarahjanelives.com/2012/08/28/you-cant-fact-check-what-aint-a-fact-well-you-can-but-try-get-anyone-to-listen/

There is one additional recent event from the RNC I do need to share. While it doesn’t mean that all Republicans or RNC attendees feel the same way, I am amazed that in 2012, there are people this stupid – not surprised they believe it but surprised they would be that obvious. I do believe it represents a level of the bias, anger, hate and intolerance I see as core to the current Republican party. Talk about animals!

From CNN.com

Aug 25 2012

Mitt – just another one of the common folks

Credit: Huffingtonpost.com

Overall, we all know that Mitt has a problem with his Likeability as he trails Obama by over 23 percentage points in the most recent Gallup Likeability Poll. Not sure why that is any surprise given the way Mitt manages to portray himself to the American public. Could just be me but Mitt’s efforts to downplay his stature well up near the top of the 1% don’t seem to resonate with him being common folk.

That doesn’t mean he hasn’t tried to relate to the rest of us.

Couple of examples –

Highlighting he hasn’t paid less than a 13% effective tax rate in the last 10 years was no doubt an attempt to show his sharing the same tax bracket as those common folk making $30K or so (at least the single filers – maybe $80K for those married).

His visit to a hardware store in New Hampshire – when asked what he bought, he quickly offered “hardware stuff” – probably to use when he has to do “stuff” around the house.

As he shopped at a grocery store, also in NH, he offered he was going to be doing the cooking that evening and that he had some people coming over. I guess someone should have informed him that the two ears of sweet corn that he picked up from the stand outside the store would likely fall short in terms of helpings – or maybe he was going to break those ears into several portions – just like the common folk do.

Sure, last time I made a bet with someone, I said , without hesitation, “Bet you $10,000”.

In trying to make connections and show he was one with the myriad of NASCAR fans, he shared that “My friends own NASCAR teams”. I’m sure we all have friends like that.

Like many of us, the Romney’s own a horse. We did for a good number of years. What I missed was anything close to the $77K tax deduction Mitt managed to get for Ann’s dressage horse. Actually, it wasn’t that my deduction wasn’t close, I never got a deduction.

One of my favorite of Mitt’s attempts to relate to the public was on an early campaign stop in Michigan. “The trees are the right height,” he said in Michigan, trying to show his love for his native state. I know I comment on the height of the trees in Pennsylvania all the time. Is Mitt intimating that Michigan trees are somehow better than trees in other states?

Okay, while not really seen as likeable, Mitt does get the nod when it comes to how people see his ability (vs. Obama) to fix the economy. Here he beats Obama 52% to 43%. Of course one key way he will carry out that fix is his management in taxation of Americans. Oh, Wait – something looks askew…

Undoubtedly looking out for the common man!

Before I go, I can’t ignore another bonehead move by Mitt. Again showing he is relatively clueless about what he should say and how it makes him look, he cracked a joke about his own birth certificate while campaigning Friday in his native Michigan. “No one has ever asked to see my birth certificate,” Romney said. “They know that this is the place that we were born and raised.” Given his Likeability ratings among Americans, you would think he would think twice about a comment that immediately puts him alongside one of the biggest assholes ever to grace corporate America – Donny Trump.

Computer generated photo of Mitt and Don – if they had not been separated at birth

Aug 17 2012

Mitt – are you really that stupid?

Mitt – at a fundraising event yesterday in SC. And he needs armed (in combat gear) security because? Maybe because he had a lower tax rate than most Americans over the last decade.

So Mitt shares he has personally gone back to review his taxes (highly doubtful) and he reveals that he has paid taxes contrary to the remarks made by Harry Reid. Ok – but he also includes the fact that in the last 10 years, he has never paid less than 13% effective tax rate. Could just be me but I can’t think that telling the America public that he has paid at an even lower tax rate than we all heard previously would seem to be a great strategic move. I guess it is better than a situation where he paid no tax but not much. His throwing in that if you count his charitable contributions, he is paying over 20% also doesn’t carry much weight for a couple of reasons. First, if I recall correctly, most all his charitable contribution went to the Morman Church. While it works for his church, it somewhat pales in comparison to actually helping others outside your personal circle. Second, last time I looked, charitable contributions are a deduction from taxes so no matter how you looked at it, he didn’t pay 20% in taxes. Lastly, giving to charity is a voluntary action. Unlike, taxes which isn’t really a choice. So when you add it all up, what Mitt pays falls into the same tax bracket for a single person making less than $35K. Take a look – and these are for 2012 – obviously much higher than the last decade. I know it is a bit more complex than this and that tax brackets don’t equate to effective tax rate but directionally not that far off considering his average annual income isn’t even in the six figure range. Hell, I’m figuring I’ll need to be retired before I see that tax rate – mine hasn’t been below 24% in recently memory.

2012 Tax Brackets

So, for being so stupid and trying to answer one problem by waving a flag elsewhere and actually pointing to another problem, I think it is appropriate tha Mitt get today’s “Head in the Butt” award – I think he should share it with his staff given it is obvious no one said “You know, Mitt, might not be a great idea to tell everyone you are actually paying even less tax”.

Mitt – take a bow – carefully…it’s one thing to have your foot in your mouth.

notthebestoftimes…

And it is getting worse – time to get our collective head out of our ass

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