The Limits of Compromise

If Obama is going to compromise with Republicans, rewarding them for having acted like toddlers with tantrums throughout his whole presidency, in the same spirit, should he make Kansas a Taliban state to mollify more unreasonable people?

Billing The Real Deadbeats

If you can send a political candidate a donation, it stands to reason that you should also be able to send a candidate a bill.

If you can say that you support someone so much that you are willing to back them financially, well, it stands to reason that you can also say that you oppose someone so virulently that they should pay you. If you think someone is committing malfeasance against the American people, why shouldn't they pay you for the privilege of their corruption?

It can even vary with the degree of numbskullery that the person exhibits. Maybe you just lightly oppose someone. If you supported someone to that degree, you might send them twenty bucks. So you would bill the offender twenty bucks.

So how much is Abu Ghraib worth? Homelessness and hunger? Bank corruption? Someone owes us all a pile of money in contributions.

If the candidate doesn't pay the bill, it would seem that makes that person an irresponsible deadbeat, right? Shouldn't they be reported to the credit bureaus?

Cuts You Can Believe In

The Republicans are talking about "across-the-board cuts." But none of 'em will say what they will cut. Why don't we cut the salaries of the House and Senate, and turn Congress into a homeless shelter? There's a start.

And who knows, if you pack enough people into triple bunks throughout the halls of Congress, it might save us some benefits money at least in the DC area, and it could be a pilot program for government buildings all over the country. Not to mention the organic gardens that could grow once we plow up all the cement on the grounds. It might invigorate Congress with some new energy once it has the vibe of a youth hostel in Copenhagen.

Now, some will say that this can't possibly be a serious proposal, and that we can't squeeze enough savings out of it to make a dent in the deficit. But symbolism matters, otherwise President Obama would not have finally pinned that American flag onto his lapel. And once the ball gets rolling, with real pain coming to the ones who, after all, caused it for the American people, maybe real fiscal responsibility will be around the corner.

False Choices

The Deficit Commission has been focusing on Social Security as one of the major means to lower the deficit and the national debt. But Social Security is really not as much of a problem as other areas of the government. Social Security is solvent for years to come, and one of the only reasons that it is not in better shape is that the Social Security Trust Fund has been repeatedly raided for years.

One of the biggest problems going forward into the future is the cost of providing health care. This is an elephant that threatens to engulf huge amounts of money going into the next few decades. With workers everywhere being asked to downsize, insurance companies, pharmaceutical companies and providers continue to expand their profits.

One of the reasons that single-payer was allegedly rejected is the amount that it would add to the deficit. But that money is circulating in the economy anyway, and to bring it under the federal government would be eliminating most of the profit that adds to the cost, and much of the waste. Also, providers and pharmaceutical companies would be held to reasonable profits that would be more in line with what people are experiencing and able to pay in this diminished economy.

And let's not forget military spending. Is it really necessary for the US to spend more than most of the other countries of the world combined? And why are do we still have bases in Germany, Japan, and other countries around the world? Military spending threatens to overwhelm us, and no other country spends anywhere near as much as we do.

Cutting education would be a huge mistake when the US is falling so far behind in its ability to innovate. And with the economy in a shambles, unemployment and food stamps provide an important (but inadequate, given the increase in hunger and homelessness within our borders over the last 30 years) safety net.

Maybe we should heed the old truism and not "bite off our nose to spite our face."

Propaganda Factories

Why is it that the corporate-owned half-hour news shows all cover the same eight stories night after night, with all the things that are going on with six billion people around the world?

Just try watching more than one national news broadcast at any given time (or recording news broadcasts) on major broadcast or cable networks, and it is often obvious that sometimes they are even covering stories in the same order at the same time, with very close to the same slant. There is something seriously wrong with that.

It probably has something to do with news pools, embedded reporters, "pack journalism" and editors that don't want to run things that other organizations are not confirming. But when a virtual corporate news cartel fulfills a propaganda function that is not all that dissimilar to what the Communist Party did in Eastern Europe, maybe that is a problem.

Repeal Health Care? Good Luck With That...

Just how exactly are the Republicans going to repeal health care?

Dry up funding for it? That will just bring in less revenue and bust the budget, making them look like bad guys. Defund the IRS' ability to monitor taxes? Obama has already said he is open to changing the 1099 provision. What else can they do? Tell the country that their children under 26 have to come off their insurance? Re-impose discrimination against people with pre-existing conditions? Take insurance away from those who couldn't get it before? Put the doughnut hole for seniors back?

Good luck with all that, Mitch McConnell and John Boehner.

Homophobia and Hypocrisy

The Pope went to Spain and blasted same-sex marriage. Funny he didn't have anything to say about same-sex priests (or pedophile priests).

Seriously, many of the people who are against same-sex marriage say they don't have anything against gays, it's just that the institution of marriage is "sacred." But often it is the only way for people to get insurance, to inherit, to get tax breaks that others can get, and obtain many other benefits that others see as a basic right. To deny these economic and political benefits to an entire class of people is nothing short of bigotry.

And it is certainly not compatible with the Catholic Church's lip service to tolerance.

Now Is Not A Good Time To Order A Printer From Yemen

You might want to cancel any orders for laser printer cartridges from the Middle East in general.

In the foreseeable future: Laser printer cartridges are forbidden on flights. Of course. Any thing that has happened in the past becomes hysterically prohibited. Even though there are infinite numbers of ways people can mess with us in the future.

What is it they say in the stock market? Past results are not predictive of future performance. And, indeed, every time a terrorist tries to mess with the US, it rarely happens in a fashion that has been discovered in the past. Yet we can't carry toothpaste or other liquids and we have to take our shoes off so that the authorities can show that they are taking impotent measures.

What will happen if somebody brings on a toupee bomb or a bra bomb? What will happen when somebody activates a remote-controlled aircraft with a bomb? And what absolutely intrusive measures will be taken if somebody is caught with swallowed or surgically implanted explosives? You can't take a person apart and put them back together...

Just Trying To Help Carly Out Here...

Since Carly Fiorina fired so many HP employees and bought herself two corporate jets, here's a strategy that would work for her, and fit in with the Republican philosophy: Fire the people of California, and then buy a Hummer. Of course, Carly, you would only want to fire the slackers, not the fine, shiny, productive millionaires who are pissed off about how much they pay in taxes. So Paris Hilton can stay.

Her lackeys can just drive up to peoples' houses in the middle of the night, ring the doorbell, and when someone answers, say, "You're fired!" Then put a black hood over their heads and whisk them to the Nevada border. It's simple, it's inhumane, and not much thought needs to be put into it. In other words, it's solid baseline Republicanism through and through.

But maybe the people of California will fire her first. That would be what you might call "pulling an HP."

Perspective...It's a Beautiful Thing.

Fox has been involved in so many conflicts of interest and instances of blatant manipulation that perhaps someone should consider pulling their license, yet they thrive, supported by some of the most angry, evil and blatantly political money. NPR does one vaguely stupid thing and it should be destroyed? And the guy they fire immediately gets a two million dollar contract and national attention? What kind of punishment is that?

What Juan Williams said on Fox was definitely cringe-worthy. But he probably should not have been fired over it. It's really not the greatest move for NPR, already in the crosshairs of conservatives, to create a bullseye on their forehead in a manner that will attract negative attention on them, and has rewarded Williams with a better deal. Many people say unintelligent, uninformed things all the time, and it often just passes. Williams definitely should have been brought in and read the riot act, and absolutely prohibited from identifying himself as an NPR correspondent in any further outside outside interviews.

The True Culture of Entitlement

The Republican Right is really furious about the "culture of entitlement." For years, terms like "welfare queen" have been bandied about to try to inflame passions and influence voters.

We do need to get rid of the culture of entitlement. But the right is looking in the wrong direction. We need to get rid of the feeling of entitlement to big government contracts and legislated bribery from those who demand they should have it because they have the right friends and grease the right wheels. We need to get rid of the claim to privilege by those who have sucked the wealth out of society through activities that have damaged our nation. We need to cast off the demand that there are those who deserve to use up our resources and flaunt it in everybody else's face because, frankly, "we are better than you."

These are some of the worse claims of entitlement around. And none of us should stand for it.

Mental Red Sludge

There are some truly vile and disruptive things people will do for money. People like Ann Coulter, Sarah Palin, Sharron Angle, Rush Limbaugh and Glenn Beck are the psychological equivalent of strip-mining entire mountaintops or Hungarian red sludge released into the Danube. Some people will just say things that are divisive and clearly just uttered to draw attention for no other purpose than to get money to flow in their direction.

It is really sad that segments of our culture encourage this and come up with large sums to reward it. Can you imagine if great teachers were paid what any of these hate-spreaders makes on a book tour, or if an organic farmer made what a Wall Street trader makes? Surely they create more true value in our society where the meaning of "creating value" has been turned upside down.

Driving Miss Daisy (Or Running Her Over)

Sometimes it seems like the main objective of many drivers is not to get from point A to point B. It is to become enraged, aggressive and abusive if anybody gets in front of them or acts like they want to get in front of them. Sometimes it also seems like the main use of an automobile is not as a means of transportation, but as a weapon.

Popular psychotic driving maneuvers include the "question mark", where somebody zooms around you in a (questionable) move shaped like a question mark just so they can wait in line in front of you at the red light ahead.

Another trendy move is "peeling out straight from the right turn lane." Or its more dangerous cousin, executed from the left turn lane. Bonus points for complete disregard as to what is going on with the rest of traffic so multiple people have to suddenly brake into a near-skid. C'est magnifique.

Our driving habits are, for the most part, sad, and indicative of a disturbed society. The courteous driver is out there, but there seem to be few sometimes.

It helps, though, to think of those reckless drivers as altruistic. Just think of how generous and selfless it is of them to divert police attention away from you.

Fractured Fairy Tales

It's sometimes amazing how someone will put a complete fruitcake on TV for some imagined concept of "balance." Political hacks will combat facts with unimaginable fantasy and then howl about how their "side" is not being represented.

One of the best examples of this (though there are many) is the "opposing view" on global warming. Somebody seeks out some parapsychotic "expert" to come up with a fairy tale that is contrary to all of the scientific data, and suddenly after there is some fabricated howling about how "the other side of the story is not being told," corporate media and politicians are suddenly putting the straw man in front of the cameras to spin the "reality" that up is down.

That's the beauty of an America where opinions can be bought.

Feeding The Beast

The reporting in the New York Times is excellent compared to most big media sources. But the huge, glossy real estate ads for properties that probably only the top .05 percent of the population could afford are really a discordant note. Not only do they strike a tone that that these overpriced spaces are the norm and surely anyone who can't even approach affording anything of this sort is not even worth considering as a human being, but the occasional features that provide background noise for the culture of these ads about "how far your money goes" in various locations seem to skew towards the most opulent properties in what are otherwise very affordable areas.

And then there are the wedding ads. They certainly sometimes seem like a directory of the overprivileged. When was the last time the love of two homeless people was celebrated in these venerable pages?

The argument would be that you have to feed the beast somehow, especially since print media is flying down the trash chute at an immoral velocity. Investigative reporting suffers somewhat, but, hey, at least there's a style magazine.

Radioactive Waste

Sharron Angle wants to phase out the EPA? The EPA should phase out Sharron Angle. First, they can declare the things she says to be toxic waste. Next, they can create a special fund to clean up the brownfields of her mind. And then they can put a protective bubble around her temporarily and finally encase her in a concrete dome designed to protect us all from her radioactive ideas.

Does "Green" Mean "Money?"

A lot of "green" solutions turn out to be not so green when examined more closely. Take electric cars, for instance.

Ten years ago, one would be shouted down for even suggesting that the materials in batteries in electric cars might be troublesome, that the energy to power them might be really dirty, and nobody knows if massive electromagnetic fields that close to one's body might not be the greatest thing (even from people who complained about cell phones causing damage from the electric fields). But now people are starting to look at those things in earnest.

There's also the fact that once the batteries are used up (seven years?), you have to get another really expensive and material-intensive one. Mined rare earths are being diverted to many of the car batteries at an alarming speed.

And how will this all play out for the consumer? Suppose they implement one idea that has been talked about and put up charging stations so you can change out your depleted battery for a charged one every 100 miles (or whatever the range of an electric vehicle is). What happens when you change out your brand-new battery for one that is near the end of its chargeable life? Can you say "rip-off?"

It's funny how there's been a much more environmentally friendly vehicle around for a long time (called a "bicycle") that is just not getting the good press. And there's an even more environmentally friendly way of getting around. Have you heard of "feet?"

Afghanistan Bandstand

The Afghani War continues as Congress votes to provide more funding even after the WikiLeaks documents show what a fiasco this is. General Motors has killed more people than Al-Qaeda. Should we bomb the car companies mercilessly? Of course not.

We are killing large numbers of innocent civilians, including women and children, and also sowing untold misery, as well as flushing our future down the drain by massively wasting money. The whole thing is basically a gangland vendetta. Good idea? If anybody thinks so, I wish they would please provide a definition of "good idea" because this mess looks like monumental stupidity.

Tolls and Trolls

People have been whining a lot about toll roads lately. One of the latest whines involves a certain local road where ONLY ONE LANE would be tolled, and it has been pointed out that not only would this lane be added, but others would benefit from the decreased traffic due to those who choose to pay the toll. Some people have been suggesting that we start charging bicyclists also, especially since bicycles are a menace because they crash into pedestrians.

Yes, maybe we should charge a shoe tax also, and have all shoes inspected, for pedestrians? Or simply put toll booths on everybody's front doors to go outside? But then, shouldn't we all be charged to go from the living room to the kitchen also? Or to get up at night to pee?

Where are the news reports about all of these medical victims of bicycles? Where are the headlines about these rampant mobs of killer bicycles who are mowing down pedestrians so heavily that it is burdening our society? If this is such a big factor in our fiscal insolvency, we should take immediate action by all means. But, ummm...how many people did General Motors' cars kill last year (sorry...fill in Toyota, Hyundai, Mazda, Fiat or the death machine maker of your choosing...not trying to make it "evening in America")? And didn't they know when they made the cars that a certain number would die from using their product as intended?

All kidding aside, the fact is that cars heavily use fossil fuels, pollute, congest our traffic and do not anywhere near pay for their usage. They are heavily subsidized in our society to the exclusion of good public transportation. It is no wonder nobody wants to ride the train or a bicycle, when auto drivers can have the public paying for their automobile usage and pollution. Why pay for it if you can get someone else to?

In Poland, there are bus stops in every small town (imagine if you could take a bus from Austin to Dripping Springs or Elgin at any time), and they run almost all the time (though the night buses, from 11 pm to 5 am, only run every half hour). The city buses coordinate with the regional buses and the national buses. People who look like our parents and grandparents are routinely riding bicycles. There are bike lanes (usually made with bricks or tile) in many small towns. C'mon, if they can get this kind of public transportation going in a relatively poor European nation, surely we could do it here. We have poor people in our suburbs and exurbs who are virtually landlocked, and this can't be helping the employment situation (of course, there are no jobs for them to take right now, but that's a separate issue). The only excuse we have for not setting up good, usable public transportation, and setting up a regulatory structure to promote it over car use, is raw selfishness.

So if your blood pressure, cholesterol and weight go up because you rode your car instead of walking, taking the bus/train or riding a bike (keep in mind I'm talking about the able-bodied here, which probably comprise a majority of the drivers), or your lungs got congested from all the car pollution, don't expect medical care, because that's going down the tubes too in our lopsided, "too-rich-to-support-the-poor-and-middle-class" society. Maybe if there is a toll on some of our roads, ya might make a healthier choice, not only for the rest of us, but for yourself.

The Republican Economic Recovery Plan

The Republican economic plan seems to be the same as their health care plan, "Die Quickly." That surely must be what is behind their latest maneuver to kill any further extensions of unemployment in this era where so many cannot find employment.

But seriously, is it a good thing to have more calls to suicide hot lines?