Submitted by Lawrence Rafferty, (rafflaw), Guest Blogger
It seems like everywhere you turn there is a story about the how bad the deficit is and how the government must make drastic cuts to save the economy and reduce the deficit. The Tea Party is clinging to their demands for $100 Billion in budget cuts or they say they will shut down the government. “Rep. Mike Pence (R) of Indiana, a tea party favorite in Congress, urged taking a hard-line on budget cuts – and if that meant a shutdown, then so be it. “If liberals in the Senate would rather play political games and shut down the government instead of making a small down payment on fiscal discipline and reform, I say, shut it down,” Congressman Pence said, eliciting a chant of “Cut or shut! Cut or shut!” from the crowd. Republicans worried about blame for a shutdown might not be so happy with Pence for that.” Christian Science Monitor
It is interesting to note that cuts in the bloated defense budget were not included in the demands made by the Republicans and Tea party faithful. They want to cut the programs that seem to do the most good for the poor and the middle class, all the while allowing the wealthy and corporations to get tax breaks and tax credits. We have seen the stories detailing so many of the big corporations that paid little or no federal tax. “Last week, the New York Times reported that General Electric (GE), the world’s largest corporation paid nothing in federal corporate income taxes in 2010. In fact, the company made over $14 billion in profits and actually received a $3.2 billion tax benefit.” Think Progress
That is an amazing statistic. GE not only paid no federal taxes, they actually got billions in tax credits! That means that all of those nurses, and firemen and state workers who were in danger of losing their jobs, paying more in insurance premiums and losing their collective bargaining rights in states across the union because of the dire economic situation in their states, actually paid more taxes to the Federal Government than the Third largest corporation in the world! Why aren’t the Tea Party faithful going after the GE’s of the world to share in the sacrifice?
The Tea Party is not satisfied with the large cuts that have been already made and those offered by the Democrats, they simply want to tear away at the heart of the programs that help you and I. They want to end all funding to Planned Parenthood that would actually put poor women in the street looking for serious health care programs because they are also demanding to defund The Affordable Care Act, or Obamacare as they refer to it as. “With a hard deadline looming, talks to prevent a government shutdown have been stymied for a week because Tea Party members of the House have demanded everything: not just some of their cuts but almost all of them, and not just a reduction in spending but a reduction only in the programs they don’t like. Many are insisting Democrats also agree to nonbudgetary riders, like ending the financing of Planned Parenthood or health care reform. “ New York Times
Why does the Tea Party want to attack the programs that help the most people? Why doesn’t the Tea Party include the Defense budget in its budget cut plans? Why does the Tea Party not want to force our largest corporations to pay their fair share of Federal taxes? I submit that the Tea Party is only concerned about helping themselves. Just who makes up the Tea Party? According to one poll, the majority of the Tea Party is comprised of white, male, wealthy Republicans. “The 18 percent of Americans who identify themselves as Tea Party supporters tend to be Republican, white, male, married and older than 45. They hold more conservative views on a range of issues than Republicans generally. They are also more likely to describe themselves as “very conservative” and President Obama as “very liberal.” And while most Republicans say they are “dissatisfied” with Washington, Tea Party supporters are more likely to classify themselves as “angry.” ‘ New York Times
If I read this poll correctly, the Tea Party hates Obama and they think black people and poor people are getting all of the breaks from the government. They also want to end wasteful government spending, but most of them want to keep “government’s big hands” off of their Medicare and Social Security! In other words, I want mine, but the hell with everyone else! These guys might be well-educated, but they must not be well read if they think the poor and minorities are getting all of the “big breaks” from the Federal government. Maybe they need to stop listening to intelligent politicians like Michele Bachmann and Rand Paul and start reading Prof. Turley’s blog! What is your take?
Respectfully submitted by Lawrence Rafferty, (rafflaw), Guest Blogger
OS,
Hang in there. Only time will heal some of that burn. That version of Mull of Kintyre was amazing!
AY,
I’m sorry about your son – please know that my thoughts are with you.
Guys, I cannot believe the level of support I have received. The caring from all here as well as elsewhere makes me weep. Shortly after my grandson died, a friend on Daily Kos set up a NFTT fund-raising page for the troops, an issue close to my heart. NFTT is dedicated to sending “Care” type packages of small items to troops deployed in the field. He set a goal of $1,000 for the packages, and within a couple of hours the donations had shot well past the goal. It is humbling to see the outpouring of generosity by people I probably will never meet. Thank you one and all.
http://www.dailykos.com/story/2011/04/04/963299/-NFTT:Dedicated-to-the-Memory-of-Reed
AY and OS,
When you are sorrowful look again in your heart, and you shall see that in truth you are weeping for that which has been your delight. (K. Gibran)
OS,
The soul would have no rainbow had the eyes no tears. John Vance Cheney
A friend wrote this in a card to me after my best friend died. It will be six years on April 26th and I miss my father just as much now as I did then. I take great comfort in the time we had and the memories we made.
Take comfort in the memories you have – they’re priceless …
To all those above who have expressed condolences and support, I thank you and my family thanks you. Mespo, the Ashokan Farewell is one of my favorite pieces, and you are right, it is a ‘just right’ lament to express the longing and sorrow for what might have been.
Bdaman, the hole will never heal. We have to live with what is. AY knows this as well as anyone, I fear.
The piper closed the memorial service for my grandson with the haunting Mull of Kintyre, which was also played for my son three years ago at the National Cemetery. This version is by the pipe and drum band of the Royal Scots Dragoon Guards. The Dragoons are one of the most honored regiments in military history.
AY: No, of course not–I see you as a stalwart friend here. I am sort of numb and may not respond to all the comments. My fatigue level is off the chart. Every time I sit down for more than five minutes, I seem to fall asleep. I also drop in and out here and may miss some comments as well. I am so sorry about your son. It was three and a half years ago I buried the younger of my two sons. The wound does not bleed, but it burns. I wish it would go away, but there is no ignoring it, is there? We are a small and unenviable fraternity that no one in their right mind would want to join. My sincere condolences to you and your family.
AY:
I posted just before you did but please know my thoughts go out to you as well for your loss.
Good coverage of Nickolaus’ controversial work methods here:
http://www.bradblog.com/?p=8456#more-8456
Press conference
http://www.jsonline.com/general/37714089.html?bcpid=8725036001&bckey=AQ~~,AAAAAGgk8Us~,dLqgruaIT6rTqyyEHVUdSjL5KQ9h61sv&bctid=895391546001
OS:
My heartfelt condolences on your loss and I hope the toll on your family subsides in due course. Here’s a rendition of “Ashokan Farewell” from Ken Burns’ masterpiece,”The Civil War,” whose haunting strains I find a comforting backdrop to remembrance of youth lost.
OS,
Have I done something to offend you….I can make direct comments to you and you seem to ignore them….then again, your grief may have over come you. I am sorry for your loss. My son OD’d and died nearly 3 years ago.
This is an old link from Aug 2010 but the story is relevant to how this kind of error could happen:
“Officials dispute reliability of Waukesha County clerk’s election data system
By Laurel Walker of the Journal Sentinel
“…Nickolaus said she decided to take the election data collection and storage system off the county’s computer network – and keep it on stand-alone personal computers accessible only in her office – for security reasons.
“…”How does anybody else in the county know, except for her verbal word, that there are backups, and that the software she has out there is performing as it should?” he said. “There’s no way I can assure that the election system is going to be fine for the next presidential election.”
“…The tug-of-war between Nickolaus and administration is evident in a March 8 memo from Cummings to Nickolaus in which he said hardware and software on the clerk’s computers were “obsolete, not repairable and unsupportable.” Without improvements, he worried that the elections system could be “inoperative and irrecoverable.”
Nickolaus and Cummings both said the problem stems from when Waukesha County moved its network from an old, outdated Novell server – the processing unit that multiple personal computers tap into for shared services – to a Microsoft platform. Among other things, the conversion saved the county $500,000 a year, Cummings said.
Nickolaus’ election system, however, depended on the old platform, so technicians restored a lone Novell server for her use, without a backup.
Biagioli said a major upgrade to the election system was recommended, but Nickolaus has said it’s unnecessary.”
http://www.jsonline.com/news/waukesha/100595954.html
This doesn’t look good for the recall vote results if she is allowed to be the conservator of the vote count/totals in those elections.
sb hole
pete you right down the street.
OS hope all is well and may time heal the whole in your heart.
Thanks SL. I am still recovering from the strain of burying my 17 y/o grandson on Tuesday. This has been a really rough month and I am trying to get back on track with things.
OS,
Good to “see” you 🙂
Chan,
“Most African country’s are a mixture between feudalism, fascism and gangsterism.”
Which is just another definition of socialism.”
Clue #1 you’re way out of you’re league – only you would classify three distinct political systems as one and the same. And be smug about it.
“You have just learned the history your professors wanted you to learn. And you accept your economic view so thoroughly you will reject any idea that undermines that foundation.”
Clue #2 you’re way out of you’re league – no, son. Learning is a life long endeavor, not just the time you spend in school. We listen to those who are experts in their respective fields; they base their studies and positions on the evidence before them, not what they “think” the evidence is.
“I don’t think geography is the reason for Africa’s problems. Tribalism is socialism and racism. Those are Africa’s problems. Not some line on a map created 100 plus years ago.”
Clue #3 you’re way out of you’re league – history isn’t based on what people think; history is based on fact, what past records state. You know, evidence. Africa’s problems aren’t based on what you “think” the reasons are, but based on historical fact, which has been provided to you.
You are in way over your head, kid. Quit while you’re head’s still somewhat above water.
If they are willing to disenfranchise a country of 300 million people, stealing a single state is a cakewalk. They have no shame, no morals, and (apparently) no repercussions. If they are able to keep on stealing elections without anyone going to prison, what makes one think they have any motivation to stop.
Am I the only one around here that found it more than suspicious they objected to having hard copies of everything? Our bank uses Diebold ATM machines that ALWAYS give an accurate receipt and a duplicate of the receipt is kept inside the machine. How is it that Diebold cannot use the same gadget to make paper records of votes? Never mind, I know the answer to that.