Monday, October 31, 2011

The 'Trickle Down Effect' of cutting Government

'There are four primary ways in which state and local budgets in particular support private-sector jobs':

'1) Transfer payments: A significant portion of state budgets goes toward transfer payments, such as Medicaid or unemployment benefits. These programs have some overhead costs, but the vast majority of these funds go straight into consumers’ pockets, who then spend the money in the private sector'.

'2) Private contracting: More and more work is being done on the local level not by government workers, but by private workers on public contracts. See those construction workers repairing that bridge on your way to work? They’re likely employed by a private contractor, but if the government cuts highway spending, poof! Their job is gone'.

'3) Equipment suppliers: While many services are subsidized or contracted out by the public sector—and thus actually provided by the private sector—others are provided in-house. Public safety and education come to mind. But the funds aren’t all spent on public employee salary and benefits—much of it is spent on equipment and materials as well. Firefighters need hoses and trucks, and teachers need books, computers, and chalk. Everyone needs office supplies. And all those goods are produced by private-sector workers'.

'4) Re-spending: The first three items in this list show how budget cuts can cause private-sector job loss. True, there will be public-sector job loss as well. But as all these workers lose their jobs—both private and public—they cut back on their spending on food, clothing, durables, and other consumer goods. And who provides consumer goods? Private-sector workers'.

'Because this is the reality conservatives are desperately trying to ignore':

'Viewing state and local budget relief as only affecting the public sector underestimates just how intertwined the public and private sectors really are'.
From : http://www.epi.org/blog/state-local-budget-relief-helps-private/

Take a number

When I was born, I was the 2,652,690,053rd person in the population at that time.

That's my number, go get your own.

Today the UN estimates that the World's population will hit 7 Billion.

Imagine. In just under 60 years, we have gone from 2.6 Billion to 7 Billion people living on the Earth.

The good news is that the rate of increase is declining :
http://www.infoplease.com/ipa/A0762181.html

The bad news is that the population is still increasing. Along with the suffering and misery of poverty.

'At a poverty line of $1.25 a day, the revised estimates find :

'•1.4 billion people live at this poverty line or below'.

20% - 1 in 5 people living in the World today, sustain themselves on $1.25 a day.

But that's the World. We're the US. The Greatest Country in the World.

Where our poverty rate is only 15%.

Sunday, October 30, 2011

Was it something they said?

“Every gun that is made, every warship launched, every rocket fired, signifies in the final sense a theft from those who hunger and are not fed, those who are cold and are not clothed.”
~Dwight D. Eisenhower

“Labor is prior to, and independent of, capital. Capital is only the fruit of labor, and could never have existed if labor had not first existed. Labor is the superior of capital, and deserves much the higher consideration.”
~Abraham Lincoln

“To impose taxes when the public exigencies require them is an obligation of the most sacred character, especially with a free people.”
~James Monroe

“Today’s so-called ‘conservatives’ don’t even know what the word means. They think I’ve turned liberal because I believe a woman has a right to an abortion. That’s a decision that’s up to the pregnant woman, not up to the pope or some do-gooders or the Religious Right. It’s not a conservative issue at all.”
~Barry Goldwater

“The tax which will be paid for the purpose of education is not more than the thousandth part of what will be paid to kings, priests and nobles who will rise up among us if we leave the people in ignorance.”
~Thomas Jefferson

“I know of no safe repository of the ultimate power of society but people. And if we think them not enlightened enough, the remedy is not to take the power from them, but to inform them by education.”
~Thomas Jefferson

“While I am a great believer in the free enterprise system and all that it entails, I am an even stronger believer in the right of our people to live in a clean and pollution-free environment.”
~Barry Goldwater

“Where free unions and collective bargaining are forbidden, freedom is lost.”
~Ronald Reagan

“Only a fool would try to deprive working men and working women of their right to join the union of their choice.”
~Dwight D. Eisenhower

“We establish no religion in this country. We command no worship. We mandate no belief, nor will we ever. Church and state are and must remain separate.”
~Ronald Reagan

“Should any political party attempt to abolish social security, unemployment insurance, and eliminate labor laws and farm programs, you would not hear of that party again in our political history. There is a tiny splinter group, of course, that believes that you can do these things. Among them are a few Texas oil millionaires, and an occasional politician or businessman from other areas. Their number is negligible and they are stupid.”
~Dwight Eisenhower
From : http://www.addictinginfo.org/2011/10/29/50-quotes-americans-should-remember/

Role Models in the American Work Ethic

'House Majority Leader Eric Cantor released the 2012 House calendar today, and lawmakers will be spending even less time in Washington next year than they did this year'.

'There are just six scheduled working days in January. Three in August. And five in October. In all, the House of Representatives is scheduled to be in session 109 weekdays next year, and will be in recess 151 weekdays - meaning recess days will outstrip working days by nearly a 3 to 2 margin'.
From : http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-503544_162-20126778-503544/house-plans-only-109-workdays-in-2012/

And before all of you respond with 'The Campaigner in  Chief' come backs, show me in the Constitution  where the President Of The United Statges can pass legislation or spend a single penny.

And for all of the 'well he is the leader' :

'“Obama is on the ropes; why do we appear ready to hand him a win?” said one senior House Republican aide who requested anonymity to discuss the matter freely'.
From : http://hotair.com/headlines/archives/2011/09/12/obama-is-on-the-ropes-why-do-we-appear-ready-to-hand-him-a-win/

“Our #1 priority is to make President Obama a one term president” – Mitch McConnell
From : http://www.zimbio.com/Senator+Mitch+McConnell+of+Kentucky/articles/oYWE-RODu2O/Negotiating+Party+No

“We will make it so that a Democrat cannot govern as a Democrat.”
Grover Norquist
From : http://kaystreet.wordpress.com/2011/07/03/%E2%80%9Cwe-will-make-it-so-that-a-democrat-cannot-govern-as-a-democrat-%E2%80%9D/

If someone won't work with you, only a fool would keep trying to work with them. Guess that's why he is campaigning AGAINST Congress. A Congress that is SO popular :

'Congress' New Approval Rating Low: 9%'
From : http://www.newser.com/story/131874/congress-approval-rating-9-president-obama-at-46-in-cbsnyt-poll.html

Maybe that's why they don't want to work.

How much do we pay them again?

'The current salary (2011) for rank-and-file members of the House and Senate is $174,000 per year'.
From : http://usgovinfo.about.com/od/uscongress/a/congresspay.htm

Who's is more stupid? Them for not working? Or us for voting for them?


Saturday, October 29, 2011

Caturday at the Kanes

From : http://agonist.org/tina/20111028/friday_cat_blogging_republican_debate_version

'Birtherism' - It's not just for Rick Perry

'This week, birther queen Orly Taitz joined radical Arizona immigration sheriff Joe Arpaio — who is conducting his own investigation into Obama’s birthplace — at a Tea Party town hall in Arizona.'

'Arpaio, however, surprised the crowd by telling Taitz that he has evidence even she doesn’t have. And though he can’t tell her, or anyone else, what it is, he promises it will surprise even the harshest critics of the birtherism movement':

'ARPAIO: Thanks for your info. We’re looking at this very closely. I can’t tell you everything, but there could a shock somewhere my guys came up with, and we’ll see how that — again, I can’t talk too much about it. [...] I gotta be careful sometimes, because it’s very complex'.
From : http://thinkprogress.org/justice/2011/10/28/356099/radical-sheriff-arpaio-has-secret-birther-plan-to-keep-obama-off-2012-ballot/


"My gut tells me a couple of things. Number 1, you know it took a long time to produce this certificate and when it came out, as you know, you check out the internet, many people say it is not real. Okay? It's a forgery," Donald Trump told CNN'.
From :http://www.realclearpolitics.com/video/2011/10/26/trump_birth_certificate_issue_a_positive_thing_for_perry.htmlhttp://www.realclearpolitics.com/video/2011/10/26/trump_birth_certificate_issue_a_positive_thing_for_perry.html

ROTFLMFAO!!!!!

Newt Gingrich - just call opponents 'traitor'

In 1996.

Maybe (wink,wink) this is why some people like Newt.

Everybody throws words around and especially in a heated arguement, those words can get nasty at times.

And politics is not the exception - it is THE rule when it comes to hot button words.

But on a National level and from a (then) leader of the Republican Party, AND in a memo - not just using but encouraging the use of especially this word - 'traitor' - is wrong on any level.

'Language: A Key Mechanism of Control'

'Newt Gingrich's 1996 GOPAC memo'

'As you know, one of the key points in the GOPAC tapes is that "language matters."

' But, we believe that you could have a significant impact on your campaign and the way you communicate if we help a little. That is why we have created this list of words and phrases'.

'Often we search hard for words to define our opponents. Sometimes we are hesitant to use contrast. Remember that creating a difference helps you. These are powerful words that can create a clear and easily understood contrast. Apply these to the opponent, their record, proposals and their party'.

anti- (issue): flag, family, child, jobs
cheat
corrupt
corruption
disgrace
failure (fail)
hypocrisy
ideological
liberal
lie
mandate(s)
pathetic
radical
sensationalists
sick
traitors
waste
welfare
From : http://www.informationclearinghouse.info/article4443.htm