Sunday, June 06, 2010
Oily Coast
The gulf coast oil spill has been going on for almost 2 months with no solution in sight. The blame game is already being played by both sides. The right calling this Obama's Katrina while the left is saving their vitriol for BP.
Anyway you slice it, it's British Petroleum's negligence that should be investigated. It appears their only concern was profits. The safety of their workers, their deaths, and the death of the wildlife and livelihood of the people that depend on fishing and tourism can be laid at BP's feet. How anyone has energy to ponder anything besides stopping the leak and helping the people that were harmed by this disaster is beyond me?
The one lesson all reasonable people should have learned from this is how reckless we, as a nation have been. How could we have allowed the politicians on both sides of the aisle to allow the oil industry to dupe us into believing they had the knowledge and technology to prevent these kinds of accidents? Why didn't someone ask the right questions? The answer is the cozy relationship between the auditors and the oil companies, as well as assuming that monetary penalties for infractions would be a big enough deterrent for a multi-billion dollar company. Work has already started on separating the auditing wing of the US Mineral Management Services (MMS) from the oil leasing contract area. Will that alone be the remedy? Without putting bite into the regulations, will the oil companies meekly disclose and correct safety issues? Why were these company's leases not revoked? Why are there no criminal charges being levied when it's so obvious that BP ignored the safety regulations?
Hopefully the spill will be stanched and we will get some answers to these questions. My only concern is that we don't allow the politicizing of this accident to prevent us from implementing regulations that will make corporations and individuals culpable for their negligence. Jail time, appropriate monetary assessments and revocation of oil leases should be added to the new regulations. Without these penalties, it will be business as usual for the oil companies.
Friday, March 26, 2010
Health Care Bill Final Vote
Finally!!! The House gave final approval, sending the bill to the President for approval. The final vote occurred yesterday in a mad dash for those lazy bums to meet their 2 week recession. Nice work, if you can get it, huh?
Though happy they got something done, I'm still peeved that a group of over priviledged Americans took their own sweet time to throw a bone at the rest of us. A group of people who already have health insurance for life, paid for by those same insurance-poor people they represent. Not only that, these same worthless piece of scum felt the need to discuss such things as the end of the private insurance industry, as if that would be such a great lost. An industry that has been responsible for the capitalization of health care, as well as, other aspects of our lives. The same industry that has a greater sway over our representatives in the Congress than we do. They are so powerful that most of the language of this new health care bill was written by them.
So, though happy that some of us working stiffs are getting at least some of our tax dollars applied to something we can use, I wonder what happened to universal health care, where everyone is covered? Isn't that what the Republicans are so steamed about? Isn't that part of Obama's "socialist agenda?" Socialism would ensure that ALL Americans would have the same health insurance. That means the homeless man on the street would have the same coverage as any member of Congress. What happened to the government envisioned in Lincoln's "Gettysburg Address" that would be "of the people, for the people, and by the people?" I guess he was just another radical like Obama. This, as well as, Obama's adoption of Lincoln's philosophy of inclusion, came back to bite him. Not only did he not deliver on his promise of universal health care, not a single Republican voted for the bill.
All the speeches in the world couldn't change what was preordained. Pretty words can't ignite a revolution in a sleeping giant. It's this kind of thing that makes me want to just tune out like everyone else. The only thing that keeps me from doing that is complacency is how we got here.
WAKE UP AMERICA!!!!!!
Wednesday, March 03, 2010
Health Care Bill Vote Soon: SAY IT'S SO!!!
In addition, as a member of Organizing for America, I got an email from our illustrious President. Here's the content:
No! Thank you, President Obama. I only hope you aren't left swaying in the wind because I still don't have ANY faith in the Dems.
After bellyaching about the naivete of the President and the weak kneed Dems, I read in the Washington Post that Obama is calling on the Senate to use reconciliation, a majority vote, to push through the Health Care Bill. I'm not one to just take what the press has to say as gospel, so I headed over to the White House website and found today's press release.
In addition, as a member of Organizing for America, I got an email from our illustrious President. Here's the content:
Last Thursday's first-of-its-kind summit capped off a debate that has lasted nearly a year. Every idea has now been put on the table. Every argument has been made. Both parties agree that the status quo is unacceptable and gets more dire each day. Today, I want to state as clearly and forcefully as I know how: Now is the time to make a decision about the future of health care in America.
The final proposal I've put forward draws on the best ideas from all sides, including several put forward by Republicans at last week's summit. It will put Americans in charge of their own health care, ensuring that neither government nor insurance company bureaucrats can ration, deny, or put out of financial reach the care our families need and deserve.
I strongly believe that Congress now owes the American people a final vote on health care reform. Reform has already passed the House with bipartisan support and the Senate with a super-majority of sixty votes. Now it deserves the same kind of up-or-down vote that has been routinely used and has passed such landmark measures as welfare reform and both Bush tax cuts.
Earlier today, I asked leaders in both houses of Congress to finish their work and schedule a vote in the next few weeks. From now until then, I will do everything in my power to make the case for reform. And now, I'm asking you, the members of the Organizing for America community, to raise your voice and do the same.
The final march for reform has begun, and your participation is crucial. Please commit to join with me to take reform across the finish line.
Essentially, my proposal would change three things about the current health care system:
First, it would protect all Americans from the worst practices of insurance companies. Never again will the mother with breast cancer have her coverage revoked, see her premiums arbitrarily raised, or be forced to live in fear that a pre-existing condition will bar her from future coverage.
Second, my proposal would give individuals and small businesses the same choice of private health insurance that members of Congress get for themselves. And my proposal says that if you still can't afford the insurance in this new marketplace, we will offer you tax credits based on your income -- tax credits that add up to the largest middle class tax cut for health care in history.
Finally, my proposal would bring down the cost of health care for everyone -- families, businesses, and the federal government -- and bring down our deficit by as much as $1 trillion over the next two decades. These savings mean businesses small and large will finally be freed up to create jobs and increase wages. With costs currently skyrocketing, reform is vital to remaining economically strong in the years and decades to come.
In the few crucial weeks ahead, you can help make sure this proposal becomes law. Please sign up to join the Organizing for America campaign in the final march for reform:
http://my.barackobama.com/commit
When I talked about change on the campaign, this is what I was talking about: coming together to solve a huge problem that has been troubling America for 100 years and standing up to the special interests to deliver a brighter, smarter future for generations to come.
I look forward to signing this historic reform into law. And when I do, it will be because your organizing played an essential role in making change possible.
Thank you,
President Barack Obama
Tuesday, March 02, 2010
I'm BACK!!! After almost 4 years hiatus.
I was mucking around trying to create a Facebook badge for my website when I stumbled upon this old blog of mine. I had given it up due to the extreme frustrations from the 8 years of GW Bush.
I'm still frustrated even though Bush and Cheney were sent packing. The Dems are as spineless as ever. What a bunch of eunuchs! They're just standing around holding their crouches as if that alone will stimulate new growth. And though proud that America selected the first African American to the presidency, I see him just as ineffective. It's simply stupid for a man as intelligent as Obama to think the Republicans will help him accomplish anything but failure.
So, yes. I'm back. The free flowing thought process that this blog allows is cathartic. I need this to keep myself sane. Hopefully, this will be so for anyone else that stumbles upon this blog
Thursday, April 27, 2006
Is Bush Really Crazy?
There has been speculation that "King" George is off his rocker. The "Randi Rhodes Show" on Air America Radio had a guest, Dr. Frank, that indicated that baby boy Bush had a thing for exploding frogs. He even eluded to Bush's homo-erotic tendencies by relating such childhood instances of placing lit firecrackers in the anuses of frogs and incidences in college that included branding the asses of pledges. All of this behavior was explained as stemming from his distant-emotionless parents, George H. W. and Barbara Bush, who decided not to mention to young George that his sister had died of leukemia. There are other articles littering the internet that suggest that this explains the sociopathic behavior of the President. His lack of emotional connect with Americans could easily be explained away. Someone who was not allowed to show or feel emotions, who was taught that it was a sign of weakness, could easily decide to send our children to war because someone ticked him off. Someone who had no empathy could decide to privitize health insurance and social security, to allow the "free-market" to take care of the poor and elderly.
With that said, I don't think it fair for these speculations to continue. Though one should note that someone like the President, without empathy, would not afford that luxury to others. So let the stories continue.
Tuesday, April 04, 2006
High Crimes and Misdeanors=Impeachment!!!!
There are so many reasons why GW Bush should be impeached. The Nation had an excellent issue back in January enumerating the numerous reasons many Americans support the idea. In my opinion this is why this opinion should have legs:
- Iraq WMD: Regardless of where you stand on this issue, the mere fact that the Bush administration was not able to provide any legitimate evidence of WMDs in Iraq should have led to an investigation into how and why this lie got us into this unwinnable war. This includes testimony from all the agencies and individuals who sat through the meetings leading up to this conclusion. The fact that American lives have been and are still being lost makes a thorough investigation imperative. The excuses that have been made for the elusive WMDs are weak to say the least. The fact that our Congressmen and Senators were duped also, should make everyone pause. The continued lies that they got the same security information is the weakest excuse of all. The selling of this lie to America continues unabated. For Americans still not to know that the President and only select members of the Senate and Congress are privy to the more sensitive FBI/CIA information that was used to build up the WMD lie should be made perfectly clear. Those members were overwhelmingly Republican and to this day still are lamenting that the evidence was there. The same evidence that the CIA had already debunked during the Clinton administration. Let's not even mention the "Downing Street" memo which asserts what many were already speculating, that Bush had already planned to invade Iraq to overthrow Saddam. We expect politicians to lie to us. We don't, however, expect that those lies should directly lead to the lost of American lives. When that happens, someone should be held accountable. Who do you think that should be and what recourse should we have for this kind of betrayal of the American people? To ask that we sacrifice our future, our children's lives, for a self-serving lie is unforgiveable and in mine and many others opinions treasonous to say the least.
- Homeland Security Preparedness: More lies. We are safer than we ever were before 9/11. We have not been attacked because the Bush administration is in power. All lies. There has been absolutely NO progress in securing our borders, shipping ports, or airlines (other than having us remove our shoes). Be it by plane, train or automobile, we have done very little to change the way Al Queda members or any other terrorist group would have entered this country before 9/11. The 9/11 panel gave homeland security a failing grade ("5 F's, 12 D's, and two "incompletes"). The ineptitude of this administration is overwhelming. Basic issues that should have been resolved immediately, first responders' communication system, were identified shortly after 9/11 as major obstacles to the police, firefighers, and other emergency groups. For this administration to sat on their asses for over 4 years and not address these issues is unforgiveable. As I mentioned in a previous post, this Presidency appears to have such disdain for public service. Anytime they are required to provide a service to their employees, the US citizens, they balk. To leave us so vulnerable to attack, could only be considered a complete direliction of duty. That alone could be considered strong enough reason for impeachment.
- Katrina - In hindsight, the lack of appropriate response from the Bush administration during the first major castatrophe after 9/11 was not surprising. When you consider the 9/11 Panel grading of the inept Homeland Security Department and then realize that this department was responsible for FEMA, you see that this was inevitable. For the administration to lie about their knowledge of the impact the hurricane would have on a major US city was also expected. When they have the opportunity to do their jobs and serve the US citizens, Bush and company shirk their responsibility, blame others instead of owning the mistakes, and determining ways to make sure the problem does not occur again. With hurricane season again upon us, I doubt that this administration has made any changes that would prevent another New Orleans. The richest most powerful nation in the world DID NOT rescue its citizens. They left them to die. The poor and the elderly of New Orleans were abandoned. What makes us believe that we are safe from terrorist attacks that occur without warning, when we can't manage to protect ourselves from natural catastrophes in which we are given ample warning? The Bush administration may not see that they are at fault here. Throwing their pre-election promises back at them would obviously yield their oft bandied response, "Who would have thought....". Treasonous, direliction of duty.
- Spying on Americans - Need I remind you that Watergate was about the spying on private citizens. Nixon resigned to avoid impeachment for this offense. After Watergate, there were laws that allowed the executive powers to request a judicial warrant for domestic wiretaping. There is also provisions in the law that will allow the executive to proceed witht the wiretapping prior to the warrant for national security reasons. Why did the Bush administration do this knowing that it was illegal? Some speculate the wiretapping was similar to Nixon's true reasons, to spy on political opponents. This is the only logical conclusion that can be drawn. If it is found that they won the 2004 election as a result of wiretapes or political opponents or that the wiretapping were not for national security reasons, there can be no other recourse but to impeach this President and remove his entire cabinet.
That's my case for impeachment. I believe I've provided ample support. We went to war with much less.
Monday, January 30, 2006
Got A Shout Out
My blog got a shout out from one of my favorite Podcasts, Le Jazz Affair (Le Jazz Affair a Podcast with a Tech Flair 2006-01-29 #18). The website is: http://www.lejazzaffair.com/. This is an unique Podcast that includes PodSafe jazz music found on the internet and technology news. The Podcast is produced twice weekly. After voting for his Podcast in Podcast Alley, the creator Sal Calfa, was gracious enough to give my blog a shot out. Give it a listen.
Other Podcasts that I enjoy:
- Jazzin' Around (http://www.edge1550.com/jazzaround.xml) The Description: Unique and informative weekly jazz radio magazine. Host David Jaye spotlights the latest JazzWeek Top-50, plus covers jazz news, new album reviews, artist interviews, more. All in two hours.
- Portland Jazz Jam Podshow (http://feeds.feedburner.com/PortlandJazzJams) The Description: We record live jazz jams, interviews with great players near and far, create instructional materials for jazz players, Feature Artists and more. Their sessions run on the philosophy of community. Read about this and much more at portlandjazzjams.com
Check out the Worldwide Jazz Knowledge Wiki at our site!
We're a grass roots organization, and can use your support to keep the sessions, podshows, classes going: portlandjazzjams.com/support.htm
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