The Republi-CONs Secretly Support Obamacare

UPDATE II: According to "MIT professor Jonathan Gruber, the man more responsible for helping Mitt Romney create Romneycare than anyone else . . . without Romneycare’s embrace of the individual mandate — which is now despised by conservatives — Obamacare would never have happened." He also says that "Romney was an aggressive champion of the individual mandate." Read the Washington Post, Former Romney adviser: Without Romneycare, Obamacare would never have happened.


UPDATE: "A few years ago, [the Affordable Care Act (aka ObamaCare) was the Republi-con healthcare plan] — but it was called RomneyCare, or the Dole-Chafee bill. Then Democrats adopted their plan, and rather than view that as a victory for the conservative movement, Republicans abandoned it. Now their plan is either nothing at all or some variation of the Affordable Care Act that differs in ways they have trouble explaining." Read the Washington Post, The conservative case for the Affordable Care Act, Part II.

You don't need to travel to an alternate universe to find a Republi-con plan to reform a government health care program into ObamaCare. It is happening today, in Washington, D.C. Read the Washington Post, ‘Even if he agreed with me, he couldn’t say so’.

The Social Security Trust Fund Lie

Those Social Security trust fund "IOUs 'do not consist of real economic assets that can be drawn down in the future to fund benefits' . . . [and] pay off seniors for the next 26 years. . .

That money is gone with the wind. Those trust fund trinkets are nothing more than a record of past borrowings. They say nothing about the future."

Read the Washington Post, It’s still an empty lockbox.

More Partisan Zealotry Through Highly Selective Editing of Reality

UPDATE: "James O’Keefe’s guerrilla video attack on NPR [had] . . . all the hallmarks of a hit piece. . .

O’Keefe did not merely leave a false impression; he manufactured an elaborate, alluring lie. . .

The result is more than a race to the murky journalistic bottom. It is the triumph of a thoroughly postmodern view of politics: Power means everything. Truth means little. Ethical standards are for the weak and compromised. Influence is gained, not by persuasion, but by deception and ruthlessness.

This escalation is really a descent. "

Read the Washington Post, The NPR video and political dirty tricks.

Another deceptively edited tape, causing a faux Republi-con firestorm. Read TheBlaze (Glenn Beck's website), Does Raw Video of NPR Expose Reveal Questionable Editing & Tactics?, which concluded that while "undercover reporting is acceptable and ethical in very defined situations, it is another thing to approve of editing tactics that seem designed to intentionally lie or mislead about the material being presented."

Budget Gamesmanship and Tough Decisions

UPDATE VI: Something else to cut, undeserved combat pay. Read the Washington Post, I didn’t deserve my combat pay.


UPDATE V: Another tough decision after years of irresponsible budget decisions. Read the Washington Post, Tricare target of Pentagon cuts as health care projected to reach $65B.


UPDATE IV: "Public media fear budget may pull plug" Read the Pensacola News Journal, Public broadcast cuts catch static.


UPDATE III: As noted before, "we should discuss some of the difficult decisions that will have to be made to balance the budget, with a case study of WUWF, focusing on the general expenses (I'm trying to get a copy of the station's $1.135 million budget), funding sources, and Public Radio's campaign to prevent cuts to government funding."

Well, I got a copy of WUWF's 2010 Audited Financial Statements. The total WUWF budget is $2 million.

I noticed that "Cash paid to Employees" (page 9) is approximately $730,000. To understand that number, I asked the station manager how many full-time paid employees work at WUWF. Also, what part of that budget item is attributable to his position. His reply:

"WUWF radio has 12 full-time employees. Of that, 3 positions are funded by federal or state grants. 7 positions are funded by the university (including mine). The remaining 2 positions are funded by the UWF Foundation. $55,334 of the salary budget is attributable to my position, representing 50% of my compensation. The other 50% is paid from our television operation, which I also oversee. The television operation has 3 positions (in addition to mine), funded partially by the university and partially from earned revenue. It receives no federal or state grants."

We can discuss on the next show.


UPDATE II: "We’re going to be doing a lot of deficit cutting over the next several years. The country’s future greatness will be shaped by whether we cut wisely or stupidly. So we should probably come up with a few sensible principles to guide us as we cut.

The first one, as I tried to argue last week, is: Make Everybody Hurt. The sacrifice should be spread widely and fairly. A second austerity principle is this: Trim from the old to invest in the young. We should adjust pension promises and reduce the amount of money spent on health care during the last months of life so we can preserve programs for those who are growing and learning the most. . .

[Third, n]ever cut without an evaluation process. Before legislators and governors chop a section of the budget, they should make a list of all the relevant programs. They should grade each option and then start paying for them from the top down."

Read The New York Times, The New Normal.


UPDATE: "Governing is not a 'hostile corporate takeover,' Morgan tells Gov." Read the Pensacola News Journal, Sheriff Morgan gets frank with Gov. Scott.

The article includes a link to the letter.

Imagine a politician who takes a logical approach to budget decisions by "recommend[ing] that the governor compile a list of agencies and tasks performed, then delineate 'want vs. need,'" instead of focusing on political gamesmanship. Read Rick's Blog, Sheriff Morgan questions Scott’s budget.

Time to Call the Bluff of Republi-CON Budget Hypocrites

On the budget, "Boehner is in a pickle. If he moves to the right on the continuing resolution to temporarily fund the government, he loses the Senate. If he moves to the left, he loses his own Republicans. And if he just stands there, the government gets shut down -- and polls suggest the public will blame Boehner and the Republicans." Read the Washington Post, John Boehner’s problem — and ours.

Happy St. Patrick's Day from Maxine

Class Today at McNoBullU on WEBY

Listen to the voice of wisdom and reason in a wilderness of partisan rhetoric -- No political insanity, no conservative hypocrisy, no liberal foolishness -- Just straight talk, straight at you, and that’s no bull!!

NoBullU will broadcast today from 4:05 to 6:00 p.m. at 1330 AM WEBY and on line.

Topics:

Happy St. Patrick's Day from Maxine


Follow-up to fact-free fantasies: TBD;


Local and regional: our very own Sunshine advocate, and more disclosures about Florida's new Senate president, and after two years, a trial for Florida's former house speaker, will it lays bare a conspiracy to defraud taxpayers, and remember days gone by, watch this 1964 Pensacola tourism film;


National and international: I'm waiting, where's the balanced budget, don't hold you breath because the Republi-CONs Con the Tea Party, there'll be no $100 billion budget cut, but the budget battles continue, is the problem that there are too many old people?,

after the devastation in Japan, you should support better, not just less, government

free speech, is it all or nothing?, or should there be limits on hate speech like our very on pastor-in-residence to the dictators, 64 days til the end of the world, again

union busting, part of the Republi-CON war on the middle class, but who said: “where collective bargaining is forbidden, freedom is lost”

budget gamesmanship and tough decisions, and Congressional pension reform hypocrisy

the Republi-CON Double Dip Recession, not a new ice cream, but it'll make you scream,

and they're off and running, reports are that former speaker of the House Gingrich will become the first major Republican candidate to enter the 2012 Presidential race, and he start the campaign by explaining his patriotic affair(s), but he's number four, how do the others rate,

more partisan zealotry through highly selective editing of reality, but even Glenn Bonkers doesn't believe it, so many lies, so little time to 'refudiate', this time it the EPA and milk

BE AFRAID!, says the terrorist group support, now Republi-con the Congressman

a Facebook revolution?, did it take an ominous turn this week when Saudi Arabia invaded Bahrain, America's addiction to oil, and support of Middle East dictators

new score in the health care lawsuit: US 3 - VA 1 and FL, and Obama can continue the reform effort , and did you know, the Republi-CONs secretly support Obamacare

the benefits of a modern secular legal system, don't read your spouse's email, or record her conversations, you can kill a rat, but not a hamster, is it a crime to have a false persona,

no class like this at my school,

you're so wonderful, not

and 'The Great Stagnation' and our broken political system;


Fun stuff: test your power of observation, quiz for the know-it-all, what Dads do when Moms are not home, read the witticisms!, America's Funniest Grandmother and Mission Impossible, Squirrel Edition, Escapa;

and

Donate to a good cause: help the friends of a former instructor at the Naval EOD school at Eglin Air Force Base, Gunnery Sgt. John Hayes, who was detachment company gunnery sergeant from June 2007 to June 2010 and taught several courses and was recently wounded in Afghanistan.

I'll discuss anything, but expect a no mercy take down if you are a party hack pandering to fear, anger and hatred, because the truth sure makes it hard out there for the party pimps.

So tune-in, call-in, but only if you can handle the truth and some ass kickin' discussion of politics and current events.

You Can Kill a Rat, But Not a Hamster

"Why do we protect pets more than farm animals?" Read The New York Times, Some Animals Are More Equal Than Others.

Congressional Pension Reform Hypocrisy

Despite the call to cut the pensions of government workers, "members of Congress, regardless of party, aren’t saying much about their own retirement plans, which are much more generous than those held by most Americans." Read the Washington Post, Congressional pensions fall on high end of scale.

And They're Off!

UPDATE III: From the Washington Post, Rating the Republican primary field:




UPDATE II: And let's not forget the "governor of New Jersey[, whose] videos are a sensation, fueling buzz about a national candidacy." Read The New York Times, Christie’s Message Gets Wide Audience on YouTube.


UPDATE: For the next celebrity contestant in Who Wants to be the President, read USA Today, Donald Trump considers taking on Palin in presidential bid.

Next up, Mickey Mouse.

It's still early, but it's past candidates Romney, Huckabee and Gingrich down the back stretch, with newcomers Pawlenty and Thune close behind, many others dreaming of Air Force One, and Palin on everybody's mind. For the current odds on the prospective Republican presidential candidate, read The New York Times, 2012 Contenders to Bet Against.

Florida Republi-CONs, and Their Corrupt Relationship With Their Corporate Overlords

You remember former Florida House Speaker Ray Sansom -- over 2½ years, a 25-year-old junior Sansom staffer, who was given a party American Express card, spent nearly $1.3 million. Thousands were spent "on jewelry, sporting goods and in one case $15,000 for what's listed as a monthlong stay at a posh Miami Beach hotel." The Florida Republi-cons spent "$650,000 in lodging, $60,000 in airfare — mostly commercial airlines — and $66,000 for charter planes."

Now, more than two years after first calling for his prosecution, the show will soon begin. Read the St. Petersburg Times, Corrupt capital culture exposed from the inside, which notes that "[s]ome in Tallahassee, inured to the capital's corrupt culture, have defended Sansom and argue that he has paid a price for doing nothing more than what many other lawmakers do to help their districts and benefactors. But . . . testimony now lays bare a conspiracy to defraud taxpayers."

I remind you that Florida government is dominated by those waskly Republi-cons.

Witticisms!

From an email. The first and last two regard Congress:

It 's not whether you win or lose, but how you place the blame.

You are not drunk if you can lie on the floor without holding on.

We have enough youth. How about a fountain of "smart"?

The original point and click interface was a Smith & Wesson.

A fool and his money can throw one heck of a party.

When blondes have more fun do they know it?

Five days a week my body is a temple. The other two it's an amusement park.

Learn from your parents' mistakes, use birth control.

Money isn't everything, but it sure keeps the kids in touch.

Don't drink and drive, you might hit a bump and spill something.

If at first you don't succeed skydiving is not for you..

Reality is only an illusion that occurs due to a lack of alcohol.

Time's fun when you're having flies. --Kermit the Frog

We are born naked, wet and hungry. Then things get worse.

Red meat is not bad for you Fuzzy green meat is bad for you.

Ninety-nine percent of all lawyers give the rest a bad name..

One good thing about Alzheimer's is you get to meet new people every day.

Xerox and Wurlitzer will merge to produce reproductive organs.

Alabama state motto: At least we're not Mississippi

Artificial intelligence is no match for natural stupidity.

The latest survey shows that three out of four people make up 75% of the population

You know why a banana is like a politician? When he first comes in he is green, then he turns yellow and then he's rotten.

I think Congressmen should wear uniforms like NASCAR drivers so we can identify their corporate sponsors.

So Many Lies, So Little Time to 'Refudiate'

The latest Republi-con lie: "Assertions by Republican lawmakers and in the press that dairy farmers will have to build containment facilities are 'fictions,' the E.P.A. chief says." Read The New York Times, Spilled Milk Regulations a Myth, E.P.A. Says.

A School Teacher, Tea Party Member and CEO

First seen at Rick's Blog.biz:

A school teacher, Tea Party member and CEO are sitting at a table. In the middle of the table there is a plate with a dozen cookies on it. The CEO reaches across and takes 11 cookies, looks at the Tea Party member and says, "Look out for that school teacher, she wants a piece of your cookie."

Patriotic Affair(s)

UPDATE: "Thanks to Newt Gingrich, we have learned of the link between patriotism and adultery." Read The New York Times, Eye of the Newt.

Gingrich explains the reason for his marital affair(s), giving new meaning the phrase 'in service to our country.' Read the Washington Post, Newt Gingrich: 'Passion for the country' led to personal indiscretion.

Sub Today at NoBullU on WEBY

Usually on Thursdays you can listen to me, the voice of wisdom and reason in a wilderness of partisan rhetoric -- no political insanity, no conservative hypocrisy, no liberal foolishness -- just straight talk, straight at you, and that’s no bull!!

But I can't make it today. I'll be back next week to deprogram you.

Quiz for the Know-It-All

This is a quiz for people who know everything! These are not trick questions, they are straight questions with straight answers.

1. Name the one sport in which neither the spectators nor the participants know the score or the leader until the contest ends.

2. What famous North American landmark is constantly moving backward?

3. Of all vegetables, only two can live to produce on their own for several growing seasons. All other vegetables must be replanted every year. What are the only two perennial vegetables?

4. What fruit has its seeds on the outside?

5. In many liquor stores, you can buy pear brandy, with a real pear inside the bottle. The pear is whole and ripe, and the bottle is genuine; it hasn't been cut in any way. How did the pear get inside the bottle?

6. Only three words in standard English begin with the letters ' dw' and they are all common words. Name two of them.

7. There are 14 punctuation marks in English grammar. Can you name at least half of them?

8. Name the only vegetable or fruit that is never sold frozen, canned, processed, cooked, or in any other form except fresh.

9. Name 6 or more things that you can wear on your feet beginning with the letter 'S.'

For the answers to the quiz, click on comments.

The End of America's Zenith?

UPDATE X: "Americans seem unable to grasp the magnitude of the challenges that face us. Despite the hyped talk of China's rise, most Americans operate on the assumption that the U.S. is still No. 1." Read Time, Are America's Best Days Behind Us?


UPDATE IX: "Napoleon is famously said to have declared, 'When China wakes, it will shake the world.'" Read The New York Times, China Rises, and Checkmates.


UPDATE VIII: "China is playing games with its foreign-exchange policy at the world’s expense." Read The New York Times, The Renminbi Runaround.


UPDATE VII: The title says it all. Read Newsweek, It’s China’s World We’re Just Living in It.

Thanks again to Wal-Mart and the Republi-cons.


UPDATE VI: Thanks to Wal-Mart, "China has the United States about where it wants it. You can make your own calculation of President Obama’s leverage over Beijing — and it’s heading south." To understand why, read The New York Times, The World’s Watchmaker.


UPDATE V: For yet more proof of the growing power of China, read the Washington Post, China's strident tone raises concerns among Western governments, analysts.

And there is not much that can be done about it since the Republi-cons' war on the middle class and unfair trade policies gave China a $2.4 trillion slush fund to "create a world economy that serves China's interests."


UPDATE IV: Tell your kids to learn a new language of business. Read The New York Times, Foreign Languages Fade in Class — Except Chinese.


UPDATE III: After yesterday's fireworks, read The New York Times, Chinese Fireworks Display, about the future of Chimerica, the tightly integrated China-America symbiotic relationship.


UPDATE II: Will the dollar soon be worth less (pun intended)? Read The New York Times, The Almighty Renminbi?

And if you doubt the growing power of China, read The New York Times, China’s Heart of Gold, in which the writer, the executive director of the Beijing Private Equity Association and a director of the China National Association of International Studies, demands "inflation-protection measures for China’s existing investments in America, and [requests] additional security or collateral for its continued investments. America should also provide its largest creditor with greater transparency and information."

This is a stunning demand and challenge to American sovereignty.

This is also the beginning of the end of America's debt addiction, and the withdrawal/detox of the American economy is going to be ugly.

All thanks to Republi-con unfair trade policies as part of their war on the middle class.


UPDATE: Read The New York Times, America the Tarnished.

Will this decade prove to be America's zenith? I predict that the economic mess will be the event leading to the emergence of Chinese economic and military dominance.

Read Washington Post, In Downturn, China Sees Path to Growth.

Another Four Pinocchios for the Republi-CONs

"Congress already has appropriated some spending in future years [for the new health care law], but [Bachmann's] claim that this money was 'hidden' does not have credibility. The money for these programs was clearly described and analyzed by the Congressional Budget Office before the legislation was voted into law." Read the Washington Post, Michele Bachmann's 'bombshell' on a 'hidden' $105 billion.

Cut Federal Government Pay and Benefits

UPDATE III: Reports suggest that "federal employees are paid too generously when compared to private sector workers." Read the Washington Post, Federal pay and benefits back in the spotlight.


UPDATE II: Better less and late than none and never. Read the Washington Post, Obama announces 2-year pay freeze for federal workers.


UPDATE: Another I told ya so, my idea to cut all federal government payments is catching on. Read the Washington Post, Freshman from Utah is making a name for himself.

A bill would furlough federal workers for 2 weeks. That would be a start. I've suggested a 10% pay reduction for all government payees (workers, retirees, veterans, social security recipients, etc.), 50% for any payment over $100k/year.