Be Realistic

For the third time today I've received the 'Obama voted against raising the debt ceiling in 2006' quote.

Really? Is that what you think this is about? Childlike bullshit? "But Mom, HE DID IT FIRST!"

Grow the fuck up, please. Anyone who thinks this is relevant is merely playing games, or an idiot. This shit ain't about games, folks.

When Obama voted against the ceiling it was MERELY POLITICAL. Does that sound awful? Sure, it does. He did it for politics? Yep. That shit happens all the time.

But guess what happened after he did it? If you guessed "nothing", you win.

Why? Because no one had a real clue what it is, or what it does. If they did, they'd never have except the reason it had to be raised in the first place: THE WARS and the BUSH TAX CUTS!

But those were cheered on! We were told the tax cuts would result in surplus. Nope. Didn't happen. Never does. Just lies.

Obama voted against the ceiling AFTER the Democratic House passed the bill, where all bills start, and then it came to the Senate. It was a close vote, and the POLITICAL point was to make the country aware of WHY there's debt. Instead it passed, and everyone went about not giving a shit. HAD IT NOT PASSED, then they'd have to go back to the drawing board and do it again.

However, debt ceiling has been a FORMALITY, especially during the 7 times Bush raised it. It was practically a VOICE VOTE from the floor.

Had people taken notice THEN, and had the POLITICAL MOVE worked, then CNN/FOX/MSNBC talks about it, and maybe people aware.

But Obama and the Democrats were not TAKING THE NATION HOSTAGE. It was to MAKE A POINT. Not to tarnish the nation.

Basically, right now, Republicans are forcing Americans to take huge cuts in Medicare, Social Security, and other programs. They say the debt ceiling is too high. They REFUSE to allow Bush tax cuts to expire, mostly on the wealthy, when in fact THOSE TAX CUTS and the Wars are the REASON FOR the deficit. They're not cutting those things though.

INSTEAD THEY'RE CUTTING THINGS THAT MOST AMERICANS NEED.

That's the difference, CHILDREN.

This ain't pickup sticks, tiddly winks, or political votes. This is the real fucking deal, and they're putting us over a barrel for the FIRST TIME EVER.

We'll Show 'Em!!!

Upset about jobs, the economy, the nation, Obama's blackness and lack of birth certificate, Republicans got righteous in 2010. They emboldened the Tea Party movement, then propelled young-ish candidates into office to solve the Nation's ills.

These days all you hear about is the pledges they made to "not raise taxes" (which, btw, is the dumbest fucking pledge in ages...) regardless. Now they won't touch the debt ceiling. Cable news repeats, "it's the new members of Congress who refuse to budge on these issues...who were elected on these issues..."

Maybe that's true. Maybe they were elected. And maybe they have quite a few more years before they have to worry about a reelection. Whatever the case may be, knowing the economy was in serious trouble, what do you think these very intelligent, educated, and sensible voters from coast to coast did to turn this ship around?

If you guessed "elected people who don't know shit about Economics", well, consider yourself a winner. Because that's EXACTLY what they did.

I compiled a little list here of all the newly elected Republicans, under the age of 50 (or around), who were recently put in office for a first term. There's a few doctors, a scientist or two, A LOT OF LAWYERS (who they hate), and quite a few farmers. I mean, when I want to know how to fix the economy, I don't ask former CEO of Goldman Sachs Jon Corzine. No, no. I ask former US Attorney with no knowledge of financial matters, Chris Christie. That's what Americans do!

Here's that list (btw, I chose under 50 because it was supposedly a 'new day' and a 'youth movement.' All the others over 50, no economists or anyone who is really versed in business, etc. I think there's 1 financial adviser in the group)

These are the folks STANDING FIRM on debt ceiling because THEY KNOW BETTER!

Just mentioning the people under 55, since it’s supposed to be the “youthful teaparty movement...”

Reid Ribble - Roofer, Bible College, runs dad’s business.
Sean Duffy - lawyer, St. Mary’s college, was on the Real World, Dad’s law office
Jamie Herrera - spent her career as Congressional Aide
Morgan Griffin - career attorney, and local politics
Robert Hunt - lawyer, town council
Scott Rigel - owns car dealership
Blake Farenthold - lawyer
Stephen Fincher - High School graduate. Farmer
Scott Desjarlais - pediatrician, who may have threatened ex-wife...
Chuck Fleischmann - lawyer
Kristi Noem - farmer, rancher, hunting lodge owner
Mick Mulvaney - lawyer, real estate developer
Trey Gowdy - lawyer
Jeff Duncan - real estate
Tim Scott - insurance broker
Michael Fitzpatrick - lawyer
James Lankford - religious youth camp director (please move to norway...)
Bob Gibbs - hog farmer
Steve Stivers - Lobbyist, securities company executive.
Rick Berg - Property developer
Renee Ellmers - Nurse
Tom Reed - real estate lawyer
Chris Gibson - Army Officer
Michael Grimm - FBI Agent, Health Food Store Owner
Jon Runyan - NFL Football player
Vicky Hartzler - farmer, rancher
Steven Palazzo - accountant for defense contractor
Justin Amash - 31, works for marketing company
Bill Huizenga - private school fundraiser
Jeff Landry - lawyer
Kevin Yoder - lawyer
Todd Young - marine corps, congressional aide
Marlin Stutzman - farmer
Raul Labrador - lawyer
Austin Scott - insurance agent, owner
Rob Woodall - congressional aide
David Rivera - hispanic outreach coordinator, career politician
Sandy Adams - deputy sheriff
Cory Gardner - lawyer, congressional aide
Jeff Denham - packing owner
Rick Crawford - Agricultural News Service Owner
Ben Quayle - Dan’s son.
Paul Gosar - Dentist
Martha Roby - lawyer

All believe in God, for sure.

Not saying these aren't bright people, or successful, but I am betting that the majority of them don't know jack-shit about how the economy works, etc.

In other words, when I see them speaking on tv about "spending" etc, it doesn't make me think Tim Geithner and Ben Bernanke are wrong...

Tressel Transcript

Just read the entire NCAA interview with Tressel, and it's really sad.

A man put in a terrible position by someone who didn't even know what he was doing by sending him an email.

The entire interview is Tressel internally agonizing, knowing he'll likely never coach at OSU again with every word he speaks.

He could have, and should have, notified the correct compliance officers the day he heard Terrelle Pryor was caught up in a bad situation, but he didn't. The pressure of winning beat him in that moment, and it's really too bad.

The man's a legend of a coach, and hopefully that one mistake, later compounded, doesn't define him.

One Part of the Budget

Ever since this budget "crisis" began I've been paying more attention to politics, and believe you me, not everyone is happy about this.

One of the things I noticed was Land and Water Conservation Fund, how Obama requested full funding, which is $900 Million. These funds are derived from monies made from the sales of US Land (aka, YOUR land), and the subsequent taxes on those lands. Most of the time they're sold to Oil and Gas companies, who make Buh Buh Buh BILLIONS of dollars, they pay taxes, hence the fund.

Only TWICE since the fund began has the funding been met in full. Most of the time it's around half. In the last 10 years on one occasion the allotted monies for the LWCF was $1.2 Billion, and that was in 2001. Don't get crazy and think to yourself, "When Bush was President?" Yes, he may have been, but it was Clinton money, voted when he was in office, and it was because of another program in addition to LWCF.

In case you're wondering how monies were doled out under Bush you can read about it here. But do you really even need to look? Lets just say there's the allotted monies, but there are little ways you can finagle how it is spent. In Bush's last years he made sure some private land owners worked WITH states to maintain properties, parks, etc, relying on the PEOPLE to handle things. In other words, he gave money to individuals, and they're likely large landowners who gave money to him.

BUT THAT'S JUST A GUESS!!!!

Point of all this is simple to me.

California is a huge recipient of these matching funds, and these days states won't be matching anything. Parks, land, recreation, other areas, etc. etc. NEED THE MONIES. Meanwhile, Republicans only want to "make cuts" and not "increase revenues." Basically, cut programs like these, which are built on the monies made by the very people Republicans won't tax, and short change every day people who have less of a country to speak of. Less parks, less wildlife, less nature, less clean water, less clean air. You get the picture. But the people who they WON'T TAX, they don't have these problems. No, no, no.

In fact, they don't worry about clean air, because they can buy it. They don't worry about clean water because they could afford to refill their pools every day with Evian. They don't worry about protected land because there are gates on the golfcourses. And when people are literally DYING IN CITIES FROM EXTREME HEAT, they have a park to go to, it's called their BACKYARD, and their BEACHFRONT PROPERTY.

I don't mind that these people have all these things. I want these things. But I sure as hell think it's pretty ridiculous to be discussing cutting money for public land use, and not asking the wealthy to pay more. Republicans want CUTS ONLY.

Seriously?

The Republican budget requests $63 Million dollars of the $900 Million allotted for the program. That's a 93% cut. That's just over a $1 Million per state. That's NOTHING.

There was a time in 1964 when the government made a deal, signed a law, and promised Americans that while we're giving away these lands, and allowing these enormous companies and individuals to profit, they will be giving back to you. President Eisenhower signed this law. He was a Republican. Nixon was his Vice President.

These men wouldn't even be allowed in the room to negotiate a budget ceiling with today's Republicans. And yet at the time, they weren't liberal enough! The nation then chose Kennedy.

This is who we are today.

Fun.

And that's just ONE PART of the budget. The part where you suffer, but the wealthiest will not.

Fear not, Romney will fix it........