Connecticut independent Joe Lieberman was allowed to keep his committee chairmanship, allowing for a possible filibuster proof Senate, leaving the fate of "turn coat Joe" to the voters in a few years.
Research 2000 for Daily Kos. 11/11-13. Likely voters. Do you approve or disapprove of the job Joe Lieberman is doing as U.S. senator?
Approve 36 (45)
Disapprove 61 (43)
If the 2012 election for U.S. Senate were held today would you to reelect Joe Lieberman would you consider voting for another candidate or would you vote to replace Lieberman?
Reelect 35
Consider Someone Else 18
Replace 48
I'm hoping we get to see this ad from Ned Lamont again and again and again...
Tuesday, November 18, 2008
Wisconsin Rep. Paul Ryan, Future of Republican Party? Yes, "Back to the Future"
Congressman Paul Ryan has been mentioned as an up and comer in the Republican Party. Being a fellow Wisconsinite, I have taken it upon myself to watch close-up just how he has perfected his sales pitch, even at the risk of my sanity. You'll see what I mean after watching these short, but telling clips.
In this clip, Rep. Ryan justifies sending taxpayer money to Wall Street, to prevent a "deep" recession, but sees no value in fixing bridges and providing food stamps. "More spending from the federal government, whether its bridges or food stamps or whatever, that doesn't create jobs, that doesn't grow the economy-that grows the deficit."
Jeezes Paul, how wrong can you get it? Getting people back to work and buying food does NOT stimulate the economy?
trashes his own districts GM Janesville plant closure by opposing the bridge loan to auto makers,
In this clip, Rep. Ryan justifies sending taxpayer money to Wall Street, to prevent a "deep" recession, but sees no value in fixing bridges and providing food stamps. "More spending from the federal government, whether its bridges or food stamps or whatever, that doesn't create jobs, that doesn't grow the economy-that grows the deficit."
Jeezes Paul, how wrong can you get it? Getting people back to work and buying food does NOT stimulate the economy?
In this clip, only the first 30 sec., Ryan says this: "Yet Congress has made it illegal to drill in most of America. I wanna lift the ban..."
That sounds pretty general, sweeping really, in scope. Is this Ryan's plan to beautify America?
trashes his own districts GM Janesville plant closure by opposing the bridge loan to auto makers,
College Republicans View Spineless Congressional Democratic Compromisers as Partisan. Think of Themselves as Fair Over the Last 10 Years.
Republicans are on the defensive these days, not because they are in the minority, but because they’ve had their ideological rug pulled out from under them. Nationwide the negative campaign ads exposed their prejudices, racism, bigotry and anger. Sure these were desperate moves by desperate candidates, but that was no excuse to accuse half the country of siding with terrorists. Which brings me to this revealing look at the next generation of Republicans.
Politico.com is reporting that a poll by Washington Square News found 86 percent of students on the NYU campus voted for President-elect Barack Obama.
But Republicans on campus (say), “Republican policies aren’t racist, cold-hearted or mean-spirited, despite what many students at NYU believe.”
Apparently the alternate reality referred to by the Bush Administration is alive, thriving and doing well in the real world where the conservative ideology has proven itself to be a complete disaster. After 10 years of Republican political dominance, and our current economic crisis, it’s hard to imagine anyone making the following statement:
CAS sophomore and College Republican member Annie Peck said. “We need a multitude of ideas in order to make the best possible decisions for this country,” Peck said. “With the same ideology in every facet of Washington, I don’t think there will be enough deliberation and discussion that is typical of a bipartisan government.”
Sorry, but I don’t recall hearing those same complaints when Republicans controlled everything in Washington. Drumming out moderate Republicans and discriminating against Democrats on K-Street is hardly bipartisan. In a party that creates its own reality, would it surprise you to hear this next observation?:
Stern freshman Andrea Catsimatidis hopes for a Republican transfer of power in the 2010 midterm elections. “Voting for Obama became a fad and people did it because it was cool, even though they might not have known what he stood for,” Catsimatidis said.
Actually we knew what Obama stood for because we listened to his explanations and went to his web site for a detailed breakdown of his policies. That’s all anyone really had to do. Andrea of course doesn’t stop at just one talking point:
“I think that people will realize this and since Republican houses have a history of fixing problems, America will elect a Republican house in two years once they realize the detrimental effects of instating an extremely partisan government.”
Sorry Andrea, fixing the gay marriage problem isn’t what America vote for this time. What can you say to someone who didn’t think Gingrich, Bush, Cheney, Delay and Michele Bachmann weren't partisan?
Honda's Natural Gas Car Can Be Filled Up at Home
I know this is cruel, but while the American auto makers are trying to stay afloat, Honda is pushing the expansion of natural gas cars. With more cars rolling off the assembly line, the price might come down, and with a little help from energy tax credits we all might someday be in the market to buy.
They even have a way to retrofit your homes natural gas supply so you can tap into it and fill up at home, instead of driving all over hells creation looking for a station. Check it out:
They even have a way to retrofit your homes natural gas supply so you can tap into it and fill up at home, instead of driving all over hells creation looking for a station. Check it out:
Monday, November 17, 2008
Disaster Capitalism: Republicans Want Auto Industry Bankrupt to Break Up Unions
Let's talk about the auto industry bailout. Think Progress layed it out this way:
Nice try guys, but that's not the half of it, and there in lies the problem.
Response 1: Come on, say it, the Republicans have found another disaster opportunity to break up the unions by having them file for bankruptcy and restructure. They are willing to bring down the industry and it's many affilitates and suppliers so they can break the unions.
See how easy that was. Say it everytime you're asked about the bailout and the Republican response
Reponse 2: Republicans want to take the money already given to the auto makers to make fuel efficient competitive cars to sell so they can get back on their feet and use it for other purposes.
That's right, forget about long term planning, just keep them afloat long enough to go bankrupt so they can restructure themselves. Retooling for the future, are you crazy. Ever wonder how the country got to this point? Now you know.
Congress and the Bush administration are currently considering whether to spend $25 billion to rescue Detroit automakers. The proposal has generally been met with stiff resistance from conservatives, who have increasingly been pinning all the blame for the crisis in Detroit on labor unions.
Nice try guys, but that's not the half of it, and there in lies the problem.
Response 1: Come on, say it, the Republicans have found another disaster opportunity to break up the unions by having them file for bankruptcy and restructure. They are willing to bring down the industry and it's many affilitates and suppliers so they can break the unions.
See how easy that was. Say it everytime you're asked about the bailout and the Republican response
Reponse 2: Republicans want to take the money already given to the auto makers to make fuel efficient competitive cars to sell so they can get back on their feet and use it for other purposes.
That's right, forget about long term planning, just keep them afloat long enough to go bankrupt so they can restructure themselves. Retooling for the future, are you crazy. Ever wonder how the country got to this point? Now you know.
Stephen Moore Is the Court Jester of Conservative Chaos
The Wall Street Journal's own Stephen Moore strutted his goofy stuff with Stephen Colbert. Here's a guy that will admit to anything in the spirit of having fun, never realizing just how sad and sick he really looks to America. We've moved on Moore, or haven't you even noticed?
Auto Industry Out of Touch, Chevy Volt Troublesome Future Savior
The Frontline special "Heat," took a look at why the auto industry is going bankrupt right now, along with it's future savior the Chevy Volt. It's not looking good for either.
Not only are some of the people interviewed stuck hopelessly in the past, but shockingly, the Volt stalled during the Frontline demonstration. Democratic Congressman John Dingell, in supporting the auto industry opposition to raising CAFE standards, failed the people he tried to protect from losing their jobs. Even though higher mileage cars were determined to be a common sense solution since the 1970's, Japan thought so, Dingell couldn't see past the profit motives of GM.
Sadly, he's a major reason why the auto industry is in shambles. I'd ask how he is able to sleep at night, but apparently, he still doesn't get it.
Not only are some of the people interviewed stuck hopelessly in the past, but shockingly, the Volt stalled during the Frontline demonstration. Democratic Congressman John Dingell, in supporting the auto industry opposition to raising CAFE standards, failed the people he tried to protect from losing their jobs. Even though higher mileage cars were determined to be a common sense solution since the 1970's, Japan thought so, Dingell couldn't see past the profit motives of GM.
Sadly, he's a major reason why the auto industry is in shambles. I'd ask how he is able to sleep at night, but apparently, he still doesn't get it.
Bailout Money Used for Bank Bonuses! How Dumb is Congress?
Stop payment on some of that bailout money, NOW!
That should have been the response by the House Oversight Committee's Chairman, Henry Waxman, when he found out that $108 billion of the $125 billion of taxpayer money given to the banks would go to employee compensation and bonuses. But instead, typical of almost all Democratic responses, this polite letter:
Mr. John G. Stumpf
Chief Executive Officer
Wells Fargo & Company
Chief Executive Officer
Wells Fargo & Company
Dear Mr. Stumpf: Earlier this month, the Treasury Department announced plans to invest $125 billion of taxpayer funds in nine major banks, including yours, as an emergency measure to rebuild depleted capital. According to recent public filings, these nine banks have spent or reserved $108 billion for employee compensation and bonuses in the first nine months of 2008, nearly the same amount as last year.
Some experts have suggested that a significant percentage of this compensation could come in year-end bonuses and that the size of the bonuses will be significantly enhanced as a result of the infusion of taxpayer funds? According to one analyst, "Had it not been for the government's help in refinancing their debt they may not have had the cash to pay bonuses."
Some experts have suggested that a significant percentage of this compensation could come in year-end bonuses and that the size of the bonuses will be significantly enhanced as a result of the infusion of taxpayer funds? According to one analyst, "Had it not been for the government's help in refinancing their debt they may not have had the cash to pay bonuses."
While I understand the need to pay the salaries of employees, I question the appropriateness of depleting the capital that taxpayers just injected into the banks through the payment of billions of dollars in bonuses, especially after one of the financial industry's worst years on record.
Sincerely,
Henry A. Waxman
Sincerely,
Henry A. Waxman
The only thing Waxman left out was the XXX & OOOO!
Down the Rabbit Hole with State Rep. Fitzgerald: "you can't cut or tax your way out" of budget deficit. What's Left, Magic?
It's time to hold Republicans feet to the fire. They talk there usual game, tax cuts, but are never forced into telling the American public just what they'll cut.
Case in point: Newly installed Wisconsin Assembly Minority Leader Jeff Fitzgerald contradicts his own comments, all in the same statement, about the possibility of raising sales or income taxes and making cuts in our state budget. In fact if you take Fitzgerald at his word-"you can't cut your way out or tax your way out," than there really is NO SOLUTION, since these are the only two option legislators have. Ooops. No wonder they're a minority party.
Rep. Jeff Fitzgerald: "It's a non-starter for us (sales tax increase)... when you're dealing with a $5 billion deficit I think, you really can't cut your way or tax your way out of that. You really need to grow the economy... to try and grow your way out of the deficit."
Typical Republican "top down/trickle down" rhetoric, ignoring the fact that if we're in an economic slump, businesses won't be expanding and hiring more people to make products and goods no one can afford to buy. More importantly, Fitzgerald clearly states, "you can't cut your way out or tax your way out" of the budget deficit, yet proposes just the opposite.
Rep. Jeff Fitzgerald: "The first thing you have to do is to stop the spending... that's what we have a problem with."
Oh, you mean "cut" our way out of the problem, which you just said would not be enough? For a party that wants to do away with the income tax and replace it with a sales tax, Republicans seem to have a problem raising that sales tax a .5 to 1 percentage point higher for some reason.
Bottom line: If you can't raise the sales tax to increase the state budgetary coffers, and you slash Medicaid and educational funding while removing more business taxes from the rolls, just where does that leave us? Alabama?
The press and the Democratic majority have got to stop leaving their comments alone and literally badger them into exposing what they want to eliminate. And don't stop there, ask them to convince the public that their cuts will benefits our quality of life.
Case in point: Newly installed Wisconsin Assembly Minority Leader Jeff Fitzgerald contradicts his own comments, all in the same statement, about the possibility of raising sales or income taxes and making cuts in our state budget. In fact if you take Fitzgerald at his word-"you can't cut your way out or tax your way out," than there really is NO SOLUTION, since these are the only two option legislators have. Ooops. No wonder they're a minority party.
Rep. Jeff Fitzgerald: "It's a non-starter for us (sales tax increase)... when you're dealing with a $5 billion deficit I think, you really can't cut your way or tax your way out of that. You really need to grow the economy... to try and grow your way out of the deficit."
Typical Republican "top down/trickle down" rhetoric, ignoring the fact that if we're in an economic slump, businesses won't be expanding and hiring more people to make products and goods no one can afford to buy. More importantly, Fitzgerald clearly states, "you can't cut your way out or tax your way out" of the budget deficit, yet proposes just the opposite.
Rep. Jeff Fitzgerald: "The first thing you have to do is to stop the spending... that's what we have a problem with."
Oh, you mean "cut" our way out of the problem, which you just said would not be enough? For a party that wants to do away with the income tax and replace it with a sales tax, Republicans seem to have a problem raising that sales tax a .5 to 1 percentage point higher for some reason.
Bottom line: If you can't raise the sales tax to increase the state budgetary coffers, and you slash Medicaid and educational funding while removing more business taxes from the rolls, just where does that leave us? Alabama?
The press and the Democratic majority have got to stop leaving their comments alone and literally badger them into exposing what they want to eliminate. And don't stop there, ask them to convince the public that their cuts will benefits our quality of life.
Sunday, November 16, 2008
Big Health Care Providers Squeeze Insurance Companies, Raising Customer Premiums
Michael Moore had it right: Get the profit out of health care insurance. The following story was basically off my screen until I found it, and surprisingly, market forces continue to rack up more cash by gaming the system (any system). This time insurance bows to the big health care providers. The Boston Globe uncovered this:
"A healthcare system badly out of balance,” Elite hospitals are paid much more for care that is often no better than average. It is the best kept secret in Massachusetts medicine.
.... Call it the best-kept secret in Massachusetts medicine: Health insurance companies pay a handful of hospitals far more for the same work even when there is no evidence that the higher-priced care produces healthier results.
This payment pattern has become a driving force in the state's galloping healthcare costs, and it raises hard questions about why certain hospitals and physicians receive premium pay for care that is no better than that of their competitors. Until now, the growing pay gap has not been subject to public scrutiny because contracts between insurers and hospitals typically include confidentiality agreements. But dramatic payment gaps have emerged over the last decade as hospitals pushed, with varying levels of success, to offset federal budget cuts by boosting their income from insurance companies, health executives say. The resulting wide range of payments for the same services reflects a healthcare system in which deregulation and lax government oversight have allowed the hospitals with the most clout to extract big increases from insurers while everyone else falls behind....
Health insurance premiums paid by the average Massachusetts family have jumped 78 percent since 2000, and a significant portion of the rise has been driven by hefty insurance payment increases to dominant providers, who use the extra income to install the latest technology and expand, often on rivals' turf… officials say that they steadily lose doctors to those that can pay more, and that they constantly struggle to keep pace with advances in costly medical technology.
The hospitals that are paid at the highest rates all share one trait: They have the bargaining clout to demand higher insurance payments. Often, that clout is based on a powerful brand name and elite reputation....
The other source of bargaining power is geographical isolation. No company has thrived more in this sharply competitive world than Partners HealthCare, a company formed in 1994 to fight back against what its founders saw as the stinginess and lopsided power of insurance companies, which had brought many hospitals to their knees. By bringing together two of the most prestigious hospitals in Boston - the Brigham and Mass. General - Partners became what some called the "800-pound gorilla" of Massachusetts healthcare, able to bend insurers to its will.
Partners' dominance became clear in 2000, when executives of Tufts Health Plan had the temerity to refuse Partners' demand for a substantial rate increase. Partners countered by declaring it would no longer accept Tufts insurance at its hospitals. Within days, as thousands of Tufts customers threatened to change insurance rather than lose the right to treatment at the two famous hospitals, Tufts gave in to Partners' demands. Since then, Partners has negotiated one big pay increase after another from insurance companies fearful of a similar humiliation.
"Some are able to spend more than others," said Jack Connors, Partners' longtime chairman of the board. "It's our fortune that we're probably in the lead on those investments. And several hospitals aren't able to keep that pace. And that's what I, as a businessman, call market forces, if you will."
"A healthcare system badly out of balance,” Elite hospitals are paid much more for care that is often no better than average. It is the best kept secret in Massachusetts medicine.
.... Call it the best-kept secret in Massachusetts medicine: Health insurance companies pay a handful of hospitals far more for the same work even when there is no evidence that the higher-priced care produces healthier results.
This payment pattern has become a driving force in the state's galloping healthcare costs, and it raises hard questions about why certain hospitals and physicians receive premium pay for care that is no better than that of their competitors. Until now, the growing pay gap has not been subject to public scrutiny because contracts between insurers and hospitals typically include confidentiality agreements. But dramatic payment gaps have emerged over the last decade as hospitals pushed, with varying levels of success, to offset federal budget cuts by boosting their income from insurance companies, health executives say. The resulting wide range of payments for the same services reflects a healthcare system in which deregulation and lax government oversight have allowed the hospitals with the most clout to extract big increases from insurers while everyone else falls behind....
Health insurance premiums paid by the average Massachusetts family have jumped 78 percent since 2000, and a significant portion of the rise has been driven by hefty insurance payment increases to dominant providers, who use the extra income to install the latest technology and expand, often on rivals' turf… officials say that they steadily lose doctors to those that can pay more, and that they constantly struggle to keep pace with advances in costly medical technology.
The hospitals that are paid at the highest rates all share one trait: They have the bargaining clout to demand higher insurance payments. Often, that clout is based on a powerful brand name and elite reputation....
The other source of bargaining power is geographical isolation. No company has thrived more in this sharply competitive world than Partners HealthCare, a company formed in 1994 to fight back against what its founders saw as the stinginess and lopsided power of insurance companies, which had brought many hospitals to their knees. By bringing together two of the most prestigious hospitals in Boston - the Brigham and Mass. General - Partners became what some called the "800-pound gorilla" of Massachusetts healthcare, able to bend insurers to its will.
Partners' dominance became clear in 2000, when executives of Tufts Health Plan had the temerity to refuse Partners' demand for a substantial rate increase. Partners countered by declaring it would no longer accept Tufts insurance at its hospitals. Within days, as thousands of Tufts customers threatened to change insurance rather than lose the right to treatment at the two famous hospitals, Tufts gave in to Partners' demands. Since then, Partners has negotiated one big pay increase after another from insurance companies fearful of a similar humiliation.
"Some are able to spend more than others," said Jack Connors, Partners' longtime chairman of the board. "It's our fortune that we're probably in the lead on those investments. And several hospitals aren't able to keep that pace. And that's what I, as a businessman, call market forces, if you will."
Anonymous GOP Leader Hides from Angry Touchy Feely Appeasers and Peaceniks
Not only did Republicans run without mentioning their party affiliation in their TV ads and take on Democrats in the Democratic primary in Milwaukee, they’re even afraid talk to the press and allow their names to be mentioned publically. No, really.
In an Isthmus article “Dane County's secret GOP chair” by Bill Lueders, we are treated to a surreal and amusing tale of frightened Republicans playing the victim to the hilt again, this time threatened by liberals who are against violence, guns and war. These are the same myths of "threats" we heard from our own Attorney General J.B. Van Hollen, traveling anti-intellectual David Horowitz and columnist Jonah Goldberg. It’s a way for them to appear more heroic, as they take the fight to the party of inclusion, intellectualism and progress. For a country that is center right, this would appear to many as contradictory and somewhat paranoid.
Enjoy this tale from the outer edge of Bizarro Land:
Perhaps the most bizarre part of last week's Election Night Watching Party sponsored by the Republican Party of Dane County (see post, TheDailyPage.com) wasn't the guy overheard saying, "You know, it wouldn't surprise me if the Democrats started using the Koran," or even the handout evoking the eerie parallels between the rise of Adolf Hitler and that of the "abortionist" Barack Obama.
Rather, it was the effort made to shield the identity of the group's top official — its elected chairman.
He was there, all right, periodically addressing the audience from the podium. But he was not wearing a nametag and never said his name. Bill Richardson, the group's spokesman, told Isthmus the chair's name, but asked that it not be used. Other media were asked not to photograph or quote anyone without permission, expressly to prevent the negative consequences that could ensue from being exposed as a Republican.
The chair’s name appears on the party's website only in its archived newsletters. Richardson attributes the man's reticence to two factors.
First, he doesn't like dealing with the press: "He gets so passionate and so upset he's afraid he'll say something stupid." Second, says Richardson, the chair works in business construction (according to the newsletter, he's a commercial banker) and "depends on being able to get along with a lot of different people in Madison." And that's hard for a Republican.
"Most of the people on the city council and County Board are very far left folks," explains Richardson, and others in Madison are similarly intolerant. "If they find out he's the chairman of the Dane County Republican Party, they'd say, 'No way are we going to do business with this guy.'"
Other Dane County Republicans, avers Richardson, live in near-constant fear. "Their cars get keyed, all the time," he says. "Their homes are painted with obscenities. Things are burned into their lawns. Their kids are scared half to death."
Really?
Oh, yeah. According to Richardson, the chair's car was vandalized. Richardson himself, a former UW-Madison music professor, once had a guy on a bike "start screaming at the top of his lungs" because he didn't like his "Vote No to Cut and Run" bumper sticker.
"That happens over and over in Madison, all the time."
For this reason, Richardson asked Isthmus to please not print the chair's name. With the poor man's livelihood if not his life in jeopardy, due to the sheer wickedness of local liberals, that's the least we can do
Then why do local officials give millions of dollars in subsidies to developer Terrence Wall, a self-described "Ronald Reagan conservative" who enjoys picking fights with the left ("Up Against T. Wall," 10/2/08)?
Says Richardson, "He's big enough to make things happen."
Saturday, November 15, 2008
Obama Reaches Out to 7 Year Old Blogger
Then there's the story of the 7 year old blogger Stanislaw Gunkle, smart kid, who gets a surprise letter in the mail from president elect Barack Obama. Here's a kid who builds environmentally friendly Lego communities, waxing (blogging) political. He even compared McCain and Obama platforms and felt Obama's would be best for the country. Great story.
Free Market Greed and the Formula for Making Money on Education Through Charter Schools: Vilify Teachers and Public Ed
While Republicans focus on attacking the teachers unions and over abundance of critically important school administrators, the educational community is working overtime fixing the problems that have plagued the system.
While conservatives see education as an opportunity for exploitation and profit, i.e. private school vouchers/charters, educators are feverishly trying to improve the public school systems in order to keep up with promising new teaching advances and European competition.
So far as I can see, free market/small government principals have not only wiped out state and federal budgets to advance necessary educational investments, but it has also made it almost impossible for inner city and low income families to focus on their kids learning while struggling to hold down multiple jobs. Let’s face it, economic status is the elephant in the room these ideologues refuse to acknowledge, so they have a reason to blame schools and teachers for high drop out rates and low performance. It’s that simple, and that sick.
So my question to those who want to make money on private, home and unregulated e-schooling: Just how much do you want to spend on research and technology to stay competitive in the global economy? Without massive public funding and investment, bottom lines and investor profits in the private sector, will expose education to downsizing and budget cutting.
Take what’s happening in Minnesota for instance, where 1 in 5 charter schools are failing. Some teachers are unlicensed, which is against state law, but still teaching with the full backing of school administrators. They think he’s a good teacher and is qualified anyway. Don’t you love free markets?
KAAL TV reported this:
A school made a bold and public response to Thursday night’s 5 EYEWITNESS NEWS investigation.
A sign welcomed students to North Lakes Academy in St. Paul in the morning. It read ‘License shouldn't matter, knowledge does, save Mister Engen.’ Dave Engen is one of the unlicensed teachers the 5 EYEWITNESS NEWS investigation uncovered was working at a Minnesota charter school.
The North Lakes Academy director said Engen is qualified, even though he hasn't had a valid teaching license in five years.
When the Minnesota Department of Education heard about the sign, they sent a letter to the director that states, "Your school's mocking of state laws and regulations, is disturbing." The letter also warns that if North Lakes Academy doesn't comply with teacher licensure laws, the state will withhold funds.
While conservatives see education as an opportunity for exploitation and profit, i.e. private school vouchers/charters, educators are feverishly trying to improve the public school systems in order to keep up with promising new teaching advances and European competition.
So far as I can see, free market/small government principals have not only wiped out state and federal budgets to advance necessary educational investments, but it has also made it almost impossible for inner city and low income families to focus on their kids learning while struggling to hold down multiple jobs. Let’s face it, economic status is the elephant in the room these ideologues refuse to acknowledge, so they have a reason to blame schools and teachers for high drop out rates and low performance. It’s that simple, and that sick.
So my question to those who want to make money on private, home and unregulated e-schooling: Just how much do you want to spend on research and technology to stay competitive in the global economy? Without massive public funding and investment, bottom lines and investor profits in the private sector, will expose education to downsizing and budget cutting.
Take what’s happening in Minnesota for instance, where 1 in 5 charter schools are failing. Some teachers are unlicensed, which is against state law, but still teaching with the full backing of school administrators. They think he’s a good teacher and is qualified anyway. Don’t you love free markets?
KAAL TV reported this:
A school made a bold and public response to Thursday night’s 5 EYEWITNESS NEWS investigation.
A sign welcomed students to North Lakes Academy in St. Paul in the morning. It read ‘License shouldn't matter, knowledge does, save Mister Engen.’ Dave Engen is one of the unlicensed teachers the 5 EYEWITNESS NEWS investigation uncovered was working at a Minnesota charter school.
The North Lakes Academy director said Engen is qualified, even though he hasn't had a valid teaching license in five years.
When the Minnesota Department of Education heard about the sign, they sent a letter to the director that states, "Your school's mocking of state laws and regulations, is disturbing." The letter also warns that if North Lakes Academy doesn't comply with teacher licensure laws, the state will withhold funds.
Sen. Debbie Stabenow Asks U.S. to Get a Clue from Rest of the World
We heard Gov. Palin mention over and over in stump speeches about American Exceptionalism, as though it provided the answers to everything, including the economic debacle. In truth, it's this extremist kind of thinking that isolates us from the outside world and alienates us from them, rejecting their solutions as "not our way." This "go it alone" attitude is holding us back.
Sen. Debbie Stabenow offers up a short list of "good government" areas of involvement, that would make life a little better for everyone.
Sen. Debbie Stabenow offers up a short list of "good government" areas of involvement, that would make life a little better for everyone.
Shhh! GOP is Dead, Pass It On...
You may have noticed my pronouncements here that the Republican Party is dead. I have been providing video examples of an ideology in its death throws, the deniers and enablers, the hacks and delusional. The cute little huggable teddy to the right, from cafepress.com, is a wonderful sleeping companion for those who want to stop the nightmares.
The other reviews are coming in now, and this one stood out:
That giant sucking sound that you hear, is the hole in the ground where the GOP used to be. The Christian Right (CR) took them over and instead of spreading out to envelop the entire country, the greedy, intolerant, deceitful hypocrites have killed the GOP. Moderate and independent citizens have spoken with their votes. It turns out that Americans really do want equality for all.
The GOP has collapsed as a direct result of the unholy marriage between the oil / defense industry GOP hacks and religious zealots seeking to install their religion into government. They both sought to fleece the other, like two grifters each assuming that the other one had money. Barack Obama was too tempting for them. They couldn't help themselves but to be stoke fear and hate in an ever intensifying downward spiral. They have lost almost everyone except white racists and apologists for corporate corruption.
The collapse of the GOP promises to be a grand spectacle indeed. There are still a great deal of GOP faithful that still haven't caught on that they are being used by people in their party and religious leadership. Once they start to really figure it out, the party will get even smaller.
I think the final nail in the coffin is this: the world has one universal currency - ideas. The country that can think and create better than every other country will have the advantage in production, quality of life, prosperity, security and longevity. The GOP & Christian Right do not support an educated population. They do not want their autocratic rule to be challenged. We Americans have seen that ignorance is not bliss, it is a cancer. So too, is the GOP today.
Friday, November 14, 2008
Republican Mike Paul Has Fomula for Change, While Pat Buchanan Laughs. Are They Their Own Worst Enemy?
Chris Matthews had Republican strategist Mike Paul on to get his take on the direction the party might be taking after its two recent election drubbings. You know, what are some of the changes the Republican Party might have to make, to gain back any credibility in the future.
The old guard crazy Pat Buchanan tried in vain to convince Paul to get back to the roots of the Republican platform, ignoring the public signal that something has just gotta change, while rudely telling him to take a look at himself instead of the Grand Old Party. Paul articulated a promising message of change instead.
The old guard crazy Pat Buchanan tried in vain to convince Paul to get back to the roots of the Republican platform, ignoring the public signal that something has just gotta change, while rudely telling him to take a look at himself instead of the Grand Old Party. Paul articulated a promising message of change instead.
Young College Republicans the Future of Party? God I hope Not.
Here's a little clip from the recent Lee Atwater documentary showing a few twisted scary representatives at the 2007 College Republican Convention. What kind of political party of Americans would push this kind of frightening propaganda and think they were sane?
Prop 8 Supporters Fighting Back, Forcing Bigots out into the Open via Public Records of Donations, on Blacklist.
When the tables are turned on the anti-gay marriage zealots, feeling like an outsider and bigot for supporting Prop 8 should give them pause, and maybe a little social rejection.
According to CBS News:
I think Li is a little confused. After all, he just created a government protected form of discrimination, just like in communist countries.
Funny thing though, the blacklist isn’t a hate list, just a list of bigots who are afraid to stand up for their beliefs. Public records are just that. If anything, they should feel a sense of pride making a gay person a second class citizen, along with being a constitutionally protected form of discrimination. Bravo!
Wow, threatening to reveal the names of those who aren't bigots, and blackmailing them on top of that. These people really are nuts.
According to CBS News:
For supporters of same-sex marriage, the Election Day loss in California seems to be energizing their campaign rather than ending it. Now the anger is moving to the Internet, where supporters of same-sex marriage are posting blacklists - the names and businesses of those who gave money to help Proposition 8 pass. Chris Lee, an engineer who is an immigrant from China, was shocked to see his name on the Web site AntiGayBlacklist.com after he gave $1,000 to the campaign to end same-sex marriage. "I was completely disgusted," Li said. "This sort of blacklist should only appear in communist countries, should not be found in the United States."
I think Li is a little confused. After all, he just created a government protected form of discrimination, just like in communist countries.
In Los Angeles, demonstrators called for a boycott of a restaurant whose manager made a personal donation of $100 to the "Yes on 8" campaign. "She didn't think it would be public record," said Jeff Yarbrough.
Anger over the blacklists brought out demonstrators in Sacramento, where Scott Eckern resigned as musical director of a local theater when he was identified as a donor.
While it isn't clear who is behind the blacklisting Web sites, political donations are public record and publishing them is legal. But this campaign is making even many supporters of same-sex marriage uncomfortable. "I understand the anger, but I think we need to channel it," said Molly McKay of Marriage Equality USA. "Into conversations, into moving forward because, you know again, hate vs. hate produces more hate."
Funny thing though, the blacklist isn’t a hate list, just a list of bigots who are afraid to stand up for their beliefs. Public records are just that. If anything, they should feel a sense of pride making a gay person a second class citizen, along with being a constitutionally protected form of discrimination. Bravo!
Those campaigning to end same-sex marriage drew up their own blacklist, sending letters to large donors to the campaign to save same-sex marriage, demanding equal money or threatening to publish their names.
Wow, threatening to reveal the names of those who aren't bigots, and blackmailing them on top of that. These people really are nuts.
Thursday, November 13, 2008
Bush: "Not more Government. It Should Be Smarter Government." Huh?
The lesson from this failed, miserable, callous and ideologically driven President and Republican Party: Free market capitalism FAILED.
In the clip, Bush warns us not to inject government into a slightly flawed capitalistic system (some highlighted comments are written below). Bush is followed by Financial Regulation Consultant Paul Equale, Rich Lowery and a few others. Fox News of course does its best not to blame Bush or Republicans, as you'll see when the host cuts off Equale's criticism of Bush for not regulating the markets when he knew he had too, and then throws in the "Democrats are equally to blame" for the meltdown.
Rich Lowery merely proves how capitalism really works, inadvertently, when he says Paulson 's plan is just a slush fund for every failing business in America. Gee Rich, if businesses were so in love with deregulated and tax free capitalism, why are they rushing to get government handouts?
Are they hypocrites?
I loved this exchange:
Bush nuggets on capitalism:
In the clip, Bush warns us not to inject government into a slightly flawed capitalistic system (some highlighted comments are written below). Bush is followed by Financial Regulation Consultant Paul Equale, Rich Lowery and a few others. Fox News of course does its best not to blame Bush or Republicans, as you'll see when the host cuts off Equale's criticism of Bush for not regulating the markets when he knew he had too, and then throws in the "Democrats are equally to blame" for the meltdown.
Rich Lowery merely proves how capitalism really works, inadvertently, when he says Paulson 's plan is just a slush fund for every failing business in America. Gee Rich, if businesses were so in love with deregulated and tax free capitalism, why are they rushing to get government handouts?
Are they hypocrites?
I loved this exchange:
The host also injects, (the president did say) "This is not a failure of free markets."
Fox pundit: "It's almost cyclical. He says let's remember we had 60 years of prosperity, there have been a couple of occasions in the 30's and I think he referenced the 80's and also now, a few months of bad times. Don't let them overshadow decades of prosperity."
Bush nuggets on capitalism:
"History has shown that the greater threat to economic prosperity is not too little government involvement in the market, it is too much government involvement in the market."
" The surest path to that (economic) growth is free markets, and free people."
"In the wake of the financial crisis, voices from the left and right are equating the free enterprise system with greed and exploitation and failures, by lenders and borrowers and financial firms and government and independent regulators. But the crisis was not a failure of the free market system...capitalism is not perfect, it can be subject to excesses and abuse, but it is by far the most efficient and just way of structuring an economy."
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