GOP Goes With the Big Money

                  


As of  today, thanks to Republican Senators, 100,000 Ohioans will lose jobless benefits and have to resort to food stamps to feed their families. These guys (Republicans) were able to live with huge bank-bailouts, but just don't have the cajones to step up to the plate when their working-class constituents are in trouble. After all, the big banks and their lobbyists will provide huge campaign contributions, especially now that "their" Supreme Court has ruled that Goldman Sachs is  a "person" and can influence elections with its millions.


History has demonstrated that,  in a crisis, a government has to go to bat for the middle-class workers. Growth and recovery occur at that level, not at the level of the "Too-Big-To-Fail" good-old boys.


Unfortunately, "The Grand Old Party" has become beholden to and captive of the fanatical, one-issue conservative minority. History is replete with examples of great countries being destroyed by such political  propositions. Hopefully, our country is not one of the victims!

Why Do Commentators Pick on Justin Henin?

         

As the second week of the Wimbledon Tennis Tournament begins, it appears to me and others that the women commentators for ESPN and NBC have some sort of bias against Justin Henin. They repeatedly find fault we her when she shouts, "Allez!" after she has won a point resulting from an opponent's error. They maintain this is an "in-your-face" taunt. "Allez!" means "Go!" or "Let's go!" Which isn't much different than Rafa Nadal shouting, "Vamos!" or a fist pump after an opponent's unforced error on a big point. It is not directed at the opponent, but is an attempt by a player to psyche herself up. Would they expect football players not to celebrate when an opponent drops a game-winning pass in the end-zone?


On the other hand, what is unsportsmanlike is the shrieking of many of the women tennis players.

Quote from Oscar Wilde

       

 “Some cause happiness wherever they go; others whenever they go.”
- Oscar Wilde

Motorcycles and Riders Need a New Color.

                 

In the interest of clarification: I like motorcycles,  and in an earlier time I liked to ride motorcycles until the day I wrecked a fine bike.

That being said, within the last two months, on two occasions, I have come close to causing a motorcycle accident because I did not see the motorcycle and its rider until the last moment. Fortunately, both times I was able to avoid colliding with the bike; but on careful assessment of each incident, I determined that the bike seemed to appear from "nowhere."

I think I have determined the cause of the problem which is that motorists frequently do not see motorcycles. Unfortunately, the vast majority of motorcycles are painted black or a dark color, and most motorcyclists wear black  clothing.  A black motorcycle with a rider wearing black in the shade of trees is almost invisible on a sunny day. Once the motorcycle moves into the sun light, it becomes visible to the motorist: but in some cases, that may too late.  

Motorcyclists tend to think that motorists show no respect for them, but I suggest that it is a problem of visibility. Insurance studies have indicated that white automobiles are involved in less accidents than black or dark-colored vehicles. One can then conclude that a black motorcycle with a rider clothed in black is in more jeopardy than a brightly-colored bike with a brightly-attired rider.

Granted that black may be "cool" in the biker community; it is not the safest color.

Rest assured, bikers, it's not that we disrespect you; it's that we do do not see you. Perhaps you could wear a brightly-colored vest or ride a brightly-colored bike.

Kasich's Irresponsible Platform for Ohio

                     


John Kasich (R) wants to replace Ted Strickland (D) as the next governor of Ohio; but, unfortunately, John doesn't get it. He apparently has no idea of the role of governor. Mr. Kasich, after leaving his Wall St. job at Lehman Brothers, is running for governor on the same old Rovian campaign of cutting and eliminating taxes.
He wants to repeal Ohio's income tax, the state's second largest source in income behind sales taxes, and then yesterday signed a pledge saying he would oppose and veto any effort to raise taxes.


 Great,  everybody would like to pay less in taxes; but the problem is Mr. Kasich has no plan as to how he is going to govern the State of Ohio after he eliminates nearly 50% of its revenues. Is he going to cut state spending on highways, education, infrastructure, penitentiaries, the highway patrol, environmental control, mining and safety programs, state employees' retirement programs, agricultural programs,  or unemployment services? The man has not said. Either he has no plan or he has a secret plan that he will tell us about after he is elected. Either of those options is unconscionable and irresponsible.


The governor's job is to balance the budget and execute the state programs that the people and the legislature have instituted. Mr. Kasich wants to eliminate nearly half of the state's revenue, but cannot tell us how he is going to balance the budget or tell us which state programs he is going to eliminate.


Such a position is the pinnacle of irresponsibility! Mr. Kasich, you are no longer on Wall Street; you can't sell us another batch of sub-prime loans.

Understanding Religious Language

     

Recently I recalled what a biblical scholar, Maurice Hofer,  frequently repeated: " Religious language is symbolic language." He would explain that the Old Testament, the New Testament, and the Quran had Semitic origins, and those languages were extremely rich in symbolism and imagery.  The unfortunate aspect is that today people who do not appreciate that symbolism try to interpret those wonderful religious texts literally.

Mandatory Voting: Time to Get Serious about Democracy

                            

Yesterday, William Galston of the Brookings Institution argued that to combat our increasing political polarization, some states should experiment with mandatory or compulsory voting. Those citizens who choose not to vote will be required to pay a fine.


He argues that in the present political situation those who vote are disproportionately partisan and that politicians are in the habit of "continually tossing red meat to the party faithful." in order fire up their "base." The result is that the two extremes, right and left, wield a disproportionate amount of influence while the middle majority are not only ignored but disgusted by a system that caters to the extremes. And those who are ignored by the politicians and the media who are less inclined to vote. Whereas this vast moderate middle should be the "deciders;" they end up sitting on the side lines. An effective democracy requires their participation.


Mr Galston suggests that a state or two (he suggests Minnesota) experiment with compulsory voting,


As an extension of Mr. Galston's proposed experiment, I would suggest that as a corollary election day be declared a holiday. Historically, the United States has been reluctant to make voting convenient. Politicians apparently fear the prospect of having 95% of the citizens voting.


Of the 31 countries with mandatory voting laws, Mr. Galston points to Australia as a good comparison for the US because "of its love of individual liberty." Australia's turnout rate is an impressive 95% of eligible voters; the other 5 % chose to pay the fine. In the 2000 American election, only 67%  participated.


If this country is really serious about participatory democracy, at the very least we should give Mr. Galston's suggestion a try.


In a true democracy, voting should be a duty.

Catholic Diocese of Pheonix Excommunicates Sister McBride

       

At St. Joseph's Hospital and Medical Center (Phoenix), a young woman, 11 weeks pregnant, was suffering from a life-threatening condition that likely would have caused her death if she hadn't had an abortion. A nun and administrator at the hospital, Sister Margaret McBride, who served on an ethics committee with the woman's doctors agreed to permit an abortion to save the young woman's life.


In spite of the fact that he has no authority at the hospital, Bishop Olmsted informed Sister McBride that she was automatically excommunicated from the Catholic Church, and then demoted and reassigned.


Apparently Bishop Olmsted would choose the death of the young woman with the resultant death of the 11-week fetus rather than saving at least one life. What kind of "pro-life" policy is that? I suspect most caring Christians would have agreed with the decision of Sister McBride and the hospital's ethics committee.


The obsession of some of the Church's hierarchy with the issue of abortion seems to have distorted their common sense and the teachings of Jesus. What would Jesus have decided had He been at St. Joseph's Hospital and Medical Center? The Man from Nazareth did not attempt to tell us that life begins at conception. I suspect, if He had been asked, Jesus or any of his disciples would have said life begins when the new-born child draws its first breath.


And the other irony is that the abortion-obsessed bishops who are so quick to excommunicate people like Sister McBride are the same ones who for years tried to cover up the problem of  pedophile priests.   

National Sales Tax

        


Periodically, especially in times of high deficits, the idea of a national sales tax emerges among some economists and lawmakers. After all, about 150 countries haver a VAT (value-added tax) and the funds generated frequently account for half of that country's revenues. For instance in France the VAT accounts for 52%.  The tax usually applies to all purchases (including stock trades) and services,


The Congressional Budget office estimates that each 1% of VAT in the US would raise $1 trillion over ten years. Since we have a deficit of $1.4 trillion, the concept appears quite appealing. Maybe the guy who can afford to purchase a $1 million yacht could easily pay a national sales tax on that purchase.


The problem, of course, is that such a tax disproportionately harms the the elderly and the poor who spend most of their income on necessities like prescriptions and groceries. Others worry that with this extra revenue Congress will simply waste more


Contrary to many of the media and political loudmouths, I am not opposed to taxes. (cf. earlier post, "Taxes and Patriotism" 3/1/2010) However, I am opposed to a national sales tax based on its inherent inequity. Although flawed and in need of simplification, I think our national income tax is still the most fair system of providing funds for the necessary functions of governing. In fact I might agree with those who maintain that the income tax has been instrumental in making the US the super power it is today. Granted that income tax laws need fixing, the basic concept is more desirable than a VAT.