Eliminate WFW, Not SS

 Although congressman Eric Cantor, John Boehner, and conservative Republicans are again calling for cuts in Social Security as a way to reduce the federal deficit, it is abundantly clear that either they do not understand Social Security or they are trying to misrepresent it.


Social Security is not adding to the deficit, it is paid through the payroll tax, and it raises more money than it pays out and is projected to do so for another couple of decades. The salaries and perks of Congress add to the deficit, Social Security does not. Also, these guys fail to point out that over the years Congress has raided the Social Security Fund to finance a plethora of  projects. If the fund had not been used for these other pet projects, the Social Security System would continue to have a surplus well into the future. 


Other actions of Congress have added to the federal deficit. Tax cuts for billionaires. Agriculture subsidies. Bush's wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. Subsidies for big oil companies. Bailing out Wall Street. Defense contracts for weapons and services the military does not want or need. These are the real deficit makers.


And, as Senator Bernie Sanders points out, if we want to make Social Security solvent well into the foreseeable  future, all we need to do is remove the income cap on SS. There is no reason a billionaire pays the same as the guy who makes a hundred and six thousand dollars.


 Before Congress talks about attacking Social Security which will run a surplus for decades, they need to eliminate welfare for the wealthy--billionaire tax cuts, agricultural subsidies, big oil subsidies, and defense contracts for worthless weapon systems. These are the items that are increasing the deficit. Until they start working on these items, they are just blowing smoke.

Kasich: "I don't need your people."

Gov. Kasich

Although Gov. Kasich's office is trying to spin his derogatory remark, everyone knows he was referring to blacks. That was the only possible meaning given the context.


When he became governor of Ohio, Kasich warned us: "If you're not on the bus, we'll run over you with the bus." He forgot to mention:  if you are black, you go to the back of the bus


It would be interesting to learn what other people His Arrogance doesn't need. It would be fair to say he doesn't need Latinos. That brown skin reminds him of blacks. And of course, he doesn't need any gays, they make him nervous. Obviously lesbians need not apply; they have two strikes against them.The same applies to Arabs. Some have dark skin, and then there is that religious thing. One can never be too careful. You never know which Muslim is a terrorist. He's made it clear he doesn't need public employees and their damned unions, but then who is going to the real work? He may have to keep some of those people.


Basically His Arrogance needs white Anglo-Saxon Protestant males. We know he needs his Wall Street buddies from failed Lehman Brothers, at least the white males. He needs bankers and financiers to handle the citizens' money since they did such a great job in the build-up to the Great Recession. He definitely needs businessmen to cherry-pick and privatize the best (most profitable) of government services.


At least Ohioans know where they stand --  in the middle of 1962, the last time the state had a lily white cabinet.

Brown-skinned Anti-war Socialist?

Whom did you expect?
from: prosebeforehos.com

Justice Clarence Thomas Violates Disclosure Law

Clarence Thomas and Wife, Virginia

Just a few days after Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas tried to explain why he and another justice, Antonin Scalia, attended a private meeting sponsored by Charles and David Koch (John Birch Society and Tea Party funders), we now learn that for six years Thomas  has failed to disclose, as required by law, his wife's employment.


He said he misunderstood the directions, and thus did not disclose that she worked for conservative organisations with interests in the landmark Citizens United Case. This controversial 5-4 ruling allows corporations and unions to donate undisclosed amounts to political campaigns.


As it turns out, Mrs. Thomas worked for the Heritage Foundation, a conservative policy group  from 2003 to 2007 and was paid $686,589. Although her salary is unknown, she was also employed by conservative Hillsdale College (Michigan). In 2009 she was involved in the founding of another conservative organization, Liberty Central, a group that opposes President Obama's policies. An "unknown" contributor donated $550,000.


In spite of this, Justice Thomas marked the box indicating "no spousal income." 


Where did he think $686,589 come from? The tooth fairy? How can a Supreme Court Justice not understand "spousal income"?  Can the rest of us break the law and claim "misunderstanding" as an excuse? Is this not an impeachable offense? Why are the law-and-order Republicans not calling for him to resign? Why are the major media not headlining this story? "SCOTUS Justice Breaks Disclosure Law" would be on the front pages in most democracies around the world, but not here. 


One has to wonder what the reaction might be if Justice Sonia Sotomayor had filed false disclosure papers.

Headlines that Bespeak the Obvious

Almost everyday most of us come upon newspaper headlines that are not news. Everyone knew this information or anticipated this information, but the media feel compelled to inform us of the obvious. Their mission is to educate us, the "unwashed masses."

Please consider these recent examples:

1. "Israeli panel clears military in ship raid."

2. "Limbaugh blasts Obama's speech."

3. "Kate Middleton quits her day job."

4. "Airlines fly less, charge more."

5. "Justices Thomas and Scalia have ties to conservative groups."

6. "Obama to stand by Social Security."
7. "Cheney needs a new heart."
8. "Rahm Emanuel uses the F.... word."
9. "Financial crisis was avoidable."
10. "Bush, Rove broke the law."
11. "National Rifle Association favors online ammo sales."
12. "Businesses give billions to House GOP leaders."
13. "Bachmann could not take her eyes off the teleprompter."
14. "Lieberman confused about WMD."
15. "Afghanistan is becoming a 'quagmire.'"
16. "Racism still exists in the US."
17. "Fox News is the least trusted network."
18. "Sleeping with pets can be harmful."
19. "McCain confused by DADT."
20. "Tea Party is reincarnation of John Birch Society."


Please note that I did not make any direct reference to John Kasich, John Boehner, Eric Cantor, or Sarah Palin. I'm saving those headlines for another time. 

NFL: Another Arcane Rule

In the Green Bay Packers vs. the Chicago Bears championship playoff game (1/23/2010), many of us learned of an obscure NFL rule that says if a team like Chicago brings in their third quarterback before the fourth quarter, they cannot bring back the other two quarterbacks who have already played.


The question is: WHY?


The question is: Why cannot a coach use his roster of players as he sees fit?


The NFL is in danger of becoming like the USGA which has so many silly rules that their own officials have to get out a book to check the definition of a sand trap.

GOP: Repeal Your Own Government Health Care

This past week the Republicans and a few Democrats voted to repeal the new health insurance reform law for Americans. By so doing they voted:
-to raise insurance premiums.
-to take away prescription drug benefits
-to allow insurance companies to cut off coverage to those with pre-existing conditions.


But those cuts did not apply to the health insurance that they receive as members of congress! They will continue to receive health insurance provided by the American taxpayer.


Although we should be acclimated to GOP hypocrisy by now, they continue push the envelope even further.

Calendar Malfunction in Governor's Office

Governor Kasich's Proclamation

According to the above Proclamation signed by John Kasich, Ohio is going to celebrate Martin Luther King Day on March 17th this year. Yes you are correct, March 17 is St. Patrick's Day. But don't be too hard on our governor for not paying attention. Since he has no African-Americans in his cabinet of 22 (the 1st time in Ohio since 1962), he honestly does know the date of  MLK's birthday. Or maybe Ohio under Kasich is going to have a new calendar. Perhaps we could celebrate July 4th on Thanksgiving day. Fireworks and turkeys! Maybe New Year's Day could be celebrated on Memorial Day. Champagne, noise makers, and wreaths! Imagine the possibilities. And where is it written that Ohio has to celebrate July 4th on the 4th day of July. We can assert our "States'Rights."

Kasich's Budget for Ohio?

art work from dispatchpolitics.com

During the gubernatorial campaign, candidate Kasich managed not to tell us how he was going to balance the State of Ohio's budget.Now that he is governor, he still has not revealed his magical methods of accounting for a $8 billion projected deficit. All that we know is that his expanded staff will receive up to 35 % more than Strickland's staff. He has talked about privatizing the liquor control agency and the turnpike commission. He thinks it would be a good idea to eliminate collective bargaining for public employees. At one point he talked about eliminating the sales tax, but apparently has back-tracked on that brilliant idea.


Not to bring up an inconvenient truth, but Wall Street John campaigned on creating jobs. Obviously he is now talking about eliminating jobs, particularly jobs of public employees who actually do the real work of government.


Obviously Mr. Kasich has not confided in me and never will; but since we have little information from him, I am stepping in to predict  how his budget will account for the projected $8 billion dollar deficit. I will begin with the cutbacks.


Possible Budget  Cuts:


1. State public employees are an expensive drag on our state's economy. We will  fire 15% of these public service employees. We know the crime rate will increase and fire insurance will cost more, but that's not our problem.


2. We will halt all state expenditures on the infrastructure, unless. of course, the contractor donated  the required amount to the Republican party in the last election. You know who you are; not to worry.


3. Education? By all means we are spending too much money on our future. We need to reduce this spending on all levels, kindergarten through university. We cannot invest in long-range projects like this. We need to privatize education, and cut costs. We cannot afford to spend money on these snotty-nosed kids like our parents' generation did  for us. These are hard times; we need to take care of ourselves.


4. We need to privatize the Ohio Highway Patrol and Ohio's prison system. Perhaps we can turn those responsibilities over to Blackwater Inc. (renamed, Xe). Since they did such a "bang-up" job in Iraq, they can do a number on Ohio.


5. Following Arizona's lead, we will have to eliminate Medicaid payments for transplants of the heart, liver, lung, pancreas, and bone marrow. True, as in Arizona, some poor people will die because of this, but we can't afford these transplants.


6. We need to eliminate the Ohio Environmental Agency. The industries can regulate themselves. Furthermore, we may be able to attract new polluters, er I mean responsible businesses to Ohio.


7. All 74 state parks need to be closed and employees laid off. Who needs state parks? Perhaps if they are closed, families will attend invest-owned amusement parks like Cedar Point in greater numbers. Wall Street likes that.


8. The Ohio National Guard needs to be drastically reduced. There are no no natural or man-made disasters predicted to occur in the next two years.


9. The Department of Agriculture's food safety staff will be cut in half. Not to worry; the huge food conglomerates will guarantee the safety of our food, just like they have in the past.


10. And it goes without saying, state funding for libraries has to be eliminated. And in addition libraries are unfair competition for private corporations like Barnes and Noble, video stores, and internet cafes. We can't have that.


Possible New Sources of Income (not taxes, mind you):


1. Fees for driver's licenses, boat licences, trailer licenses, hunting licenses, fishing licenses, and any other license issued by the state of Ohio will be tripled. Stop complaining,  you are lucky to have a boat, fishing rod,  shotgun, and a dog -- oops, too bad we do not have a state dog license.


2. Beginning as soon as the budget is passed, the following will apply to rest areas along state and interstate highways: parking meters will charge $1.00 per every fifteen minutes. So do your business and get out of there. The pay toilets will cost $1.00 per ten minutes -- so again do your business and get out of there. Need we remind you, time is money.  Urinals will be 50 cents per ten minutes. Ladies, sorry about the discrepancy, but you have to admit urinals are more efficient. If you have a complaint, take it up with your Creator.


3. Of course, because of the above noted cutbacks, the cost of tuition at all state colleges and universities will increase by $2000 a year. Again, don't complain to the governor;  if you had earned a scholarship, you would not have to worry about it.


4. The utility companies will collect $5.00 a month from consumers in order to pay the salaries of PUCO members and staff. Although they will  rubber-stamp whatever the utilities ask for, it remains a fact: someone has to pay their salaries. (I need to get me one of those jobs.)


5.For years, Ontario has been transporting its garbage to Michigan and dumping it in landfills and paying Michigan to do so. Well, now Michigan has become uppity and refuses to take any more Canadian garbage. This is the perfect opportunity for Ohio. We will take the Canadian garbage and the many, many loons they will spend to keep Ontario safe and clean. We call it "turning-lemons-into-lemonade." But that's just the beginning, we could do the same with Indiana's, Kentucky's, West Virginia's and Pennsylvania's garbage.
And then there is toxic and nuclear waste. Ohio could become wealthy on being the area's landfill. You have to love uncontrolled capitalism!


As I said and everyone knows,  I have no idea of  what the governor is going to do, and I hope he makes my predictions seem as ludicrous as they are.

A Song for Our Grandchildren

This song is from another age and time - all you 
grandparents will remember, but I hope it will 
speak to our grandchildren as well.





Joan Baez singing

Forever Young (written by Bob Dylan)

May God bless and keep you always,
May your wishes all come true,
May you always do for others
And let others do for you.
May you build a ladder to the stars
And climb on every rung,
May you stay forever young,
Forever young, forever young,
May you stay forever young.

May you grow up to be righteous,
May you grow up to be true,
May you always know the truth
And see the lights surrounding you.
May you always be courageous,
Stand upright and be strong,
May you stay forever young,
Forever young, forever young,
May you stay forever young.

May your hands always be busy,
May your feet always be swift,
May you have a strong foundation
When the winds of changes shift.
May your heart always be joyful,
May your song always be sung,
May you stay forever young,
Forever young, forever young,
May you stay forever young.