Out of all the sports games though, the majority of my playing hours was spent with RBI. I liked to be the Cardinals cause they had the speed. The Yanks were pretty good too, and oh yeah, of course the All Star teams…

Now of course he blames everyone else (Michael J. Fox, Perez Hilton, Al Sharpton, Jesse Jackson, Obama, Oprah Winfrey, Sonia Sotomayor, Hillary Clinton, Olympia Snowe, ESPN, NFL, the media, basically people of color, the handicapped, women and gays) when of course all you have to do is listen to his show and plainly hear his daily prejudices filled sermons. So NFL, I salute you decision, job well done. And to the whaling cry baby perched on his self made pedestal, quit your whining it was your own fault. Don’t we all feel better?

There is a gentleman named Bill Vaughan who used to tend bar at the old Orange Inn Tap Room here in Goshen, New York. Heaven knows how many hours the poor guy spent listening to me waxing inebriate on all matter of subjects from the deplorable state of American politics to the age-old question as to who was the funniest of the two: Stan Laurel or Oliver Hardy? I would imagine that in a perfect society, no one other than a patient, world-weary and kindly mixologist would ever have bothered paying any attention to the opinions expressed by the likes of Rush Limbaugh.

http://www.tomdegan.blogspot.com

Tom Degan
Goshen, NY

My response would that the Bush tax cuts could be considered the primary reason why the budget became unbalanced. The rich reaped the benefits of the Clinton/Bush policies and the middle-class shrank and working wages remained stagnant for the last decade. Meanwhile, we lost trillions in revenue. I don’t think we need to revert to the overly-progressive income tax code of the 60s+70s, but I believe that 3% break should be repealed (or allowed to expire…)

Also, despite revisionist historians in the conservative press, the New Deal helped pull the US out of Depression. Investing in the country is different than pissing $ away on our biggest welfare state – Iraq. Not to mention the needs of our crumbling infrastructure, energy dependence, etc…
Also, despite popular opinion fueled by mainstream media’s misinformation, Obama has not raised taxes. He has lowered them.

But am I in agreement that there’s a shitload of govt. waste? Absolutely.

As for the “czar” issue, one of the reasons I voted for Obama is because I thought he would surround himself with people who would challenge him (jury’s out). As I said, all presidents have unelected advisors. But at the end of the day, Obama deliberates and makes the decisions (the Decider). I assume the constitutional question has to do with Article II, but I’m not really sure what drives the outrage. These advisors issue no orders, and the president gives them no authority to make such orders. SO to me, this is a non-issue. I will agree that many of his economic advisors concern me. The conflict of interest in many cases is staggering. Almost like having an ex-Halliburton chairman as the vice-president during a time of conflict.

As for the pundits, I would take the opposite view that Maddow is the most tolerable. In the cases of Beck, KO, O’Reilly, it’s all about them. Egomania trumps any elevated discourse. While I wouldn’t call her a “journalist,” there’s probably more substance on her show that watching an hr of any 24hr news programming. And from a purely cosmetic standpoint, I like the fact that she’s not a blonde bobble-head drone. But at the end of the day, I have little patience for any of them.

peace, matt

…let me know where you want me to link people for your campaign site, if you want.

Thanks for the response and thanks for writing your blogs. I enjoy reading them. I now understand what your blog is trying to say and I agree that it’s ludicrous for Beck to compare himself and FOX to the holocaust, although I would not say that the holocaust was the worst genocide in history. The most recorded sure, but not the worst. Rwanda was pretty bad, China in the 40s and 50s was pretty bad (70 million dead), the American Indian genocide was pretty bad,

Let me point out that I am neither a DEM or GOP, a liberal or a conservative, I’m an independent American. Quite frankly, I despised George Bush Jr and his policies along with Reganomics, Bush Sr, and nearly every other quasi fascist politician since the 20th century with the exception of a few. Yes, George Bush’s foreign policy, massive expansion of government, and bailouts were disastrous, but the problem is Obama is continuing the same policies. Really the only difference between Obama and Bush is that Obama is a much better communicator, goes out of his way to please the media, and is a better salesman. Otherwhise, they are both Fabian Socialists.

I don’t find it a valid argument to say well Bush had “czars” to justify Obama’s use of “czars.” Or to say well Bush started the bailouts or the Iraq war or the Patriot Act. They are all Unconstitutional and severely damaging the fabric of what is American and a horrendous justification for bad policies by liberals.

The national debt has been spiraling out of control since after Clinton (he was the last fiscal conservative). Just like with personal finance, there is a tipping point or a point of no return and I fear we may already be there. I cannot see how it is mathematically possible to pay the debt back ever and the currency may well implode very soon and then we are all f’d. Especially when the dollar loses OPEC and reserve status, we will all find out in an ugly way why the right to bear arms is in our Constitution. The budget has nothing to do with politics and everything to do with finance and mathematics.

Let me ask you this: In your personal finances, if you all of a sudden take a cut in pay by 50%, do you spend your way out of it or cut your expenses and save? The gov’t is no different. In the same regard, if you are the president and your people and businesses are suffering from economic hardship, do you tax them more or put more money in the pockets?

Finally, I get my news from reuters and the AP and The independent, but I can’t help to think though that good journalism is dead. I watch Beck, Maddow, O’Reilly, and the other clowns only to educate myself on how the political blocs in our country think. As far as factual info is concerned, I take it with a grain of salt because they are opinion shows, but they do represent the political views of a good portion of their audience and this is where I learn how biased every side of the spectrum is because it is fueled by sel-interest and personal beliefs.

By the way, in my opinion, Rachel Maddow is the worst cause she actually thinks she is a journalist…

As for your other points, it sounds like regurgitation of Fox News talking points. It doesn’t sound like your watching these opinion shows for “entertainment.” Who cares about Van Jones? The “czar” issue is manufactured and ridiculous. All presidents have unelected advisors. Bush had a slew of “czars.” The constant use of the word “czar” is meant to vaguely associate Obama with Soviet-era Russia – which is ironic considering the Bolsheviks overthrew the czars.

Health care bill? A long way away and lots of bills to reconsile. Here’s the House bill: http://www.opencongress.org/bill/111-h3200/text , free of death panels and all the other conspiracy theory bullshit.
Reagan tripled the national debt and Bush doubled it. Now the sky is falling? History has shown if there is one reason for govt. spending, it’s during a recession, when GDP lags. I don’t pretend to be an economist, but that’s the historical record.

One thing we probably agree on is the mismanagement of the financial crisis. I think it’s bullshit there’s no relief for homeowners, but windfalls for Wall Street. I think the incestuous relationship between our govt. and the finance industry is disgusting. But don’t forget the current administration is working within the TARP framework established by the previous administration. I agree the Fed should be audited. Obama should be more aggressive in getting Congress to pass appropriate regulation. But then you start talking about Marxists + Zionists and you lose me.

I don’t know if the White House thinks Beck is a threat. But I have no problem with them calling out Fox News as the PR/Propaganda arm of the Republican Party. You can’t watch their programing or know anything about Roger Ailes without coming to that objective conclusion. Sure, they have a great business model. I wouldn’t really consider it news.

And the point still remains – no one is preventing Beck from asking any of his bullshit. Free speeech is free speech (except of course when the GOP is in power, at which time every criticism of govt = siding with the terrorists)

Finally, it’s too bad you’re getting a political education from a guy who freely admits he’s uneducated. 24-hr news channels are an awful source of information.

I think “they” refers to openly Marxist communists and Zionists that are working within the enormous administration that are not elected by american people.

Here are some questions I have for “them”

1. What happened to the trillions of dollars that bled undocumentated from the treasury and fed during the bailout madness? This money literally left the country.
2. Where is the promised transparency in Harry Reid’s office where they are currently drafting the newest health reform bill in secrecy that “they” are going to shove down our throats in a couple of months?
3. Where did Van Jones come from and where did he go?
4. How can the head of our treasury and IRS be a tax cheat?
5. Why did most of Geitner’s current Councilmen reap millions in bank bonuses, contracts, and dividends from the worst year in US banking history (2008)?
6. If Obama is so against Wall Street greed, why are the Wall Street banks dolling out record bonuses once again this year as millions of homeowners are losing homes, americans are going broke, etc etc
7. How come there is hardly any mention from American media about how the US dollar is reaching its last months of solvency and the roll the government is playing to ensure its death?
8. Why isn’t any politician addressing the record national debt to revenue ratios that are sure to bankrupt us all if it is not addressed immediately?

I’ll venture to guess part of the answer…

Because most the media is focused on balloons flying in the sky, how great health reform is going to be, why we should all get vaccinated from the “deadly” h1n1, how any opinions contrary to liberal bias are labled as “nutty”, and the rousing campaign speeches Obama gives to gradeschool and university students.

Glenn Beck gets way too much attention. I wonder why the White House percieves him as such a threat…

So the problem becomes what do we do with these current detainees who’ve been held unjustly held for years without due process. That’s what Obama has in front of him. I agree with you, they should be give a fair trial or released- certainly NOT indefinitely detained. This is the debate you saw in congress earlier this year that turned into nonsense as congressman declared NIMBY, our federal prison won’t be able to hold these people, blah, blah not my problem blah. all bullshit pandering to their consituents instead of taking responsibility. Which Senator is going to step up? Not a fucking one of em. Another debate that I’ve heard played out involves who, in these foreign mideast countries, do we release them to? Saudi arabia has a program but they can only take some many. There was an article about a # of Yemeni’s that Saudi Arabia refused to take. So when these detainees are released, some of them who may have been innocent by-standards when arrested, are now hardened by Guantanamo and now harbor Ant-American resentment and hatred (our fault). So do we release them full well knowing there’s a good chance they’ll be spreading terrorism and violence? That’s the pickle Obama is in and I don’t think it’s an easy task. But you’re right to point out that relying on bush-era detention policy laws, while maybe practical, is plain wrong and goes against our constitution, our moral judgment and basic human rights. I just want the point to be noted that Obama, and his admin, is in a tough spot. And this shit doesn’t happen overnight.

http://www.freedomworks.org/blog/max/obamacare-no-insurance-go-to-jail

Sure people are happy with Medicare and Medicaid. The problem does not lie in the service, but the fact that the system is bankrupt, unfundable, unsustainable, etc. The unfunded social liabilities in this country over the next 20 years is something like 43 TRILLION dollars (thanks to medicare)!! Bush really severed his ties with true conservatives with this bill. These unfunded liabilities do not include the current proposed health care reform. Let me ask you, how are we going to pay for this with the social security unbalance, rising unemployment, lower tax revenues, the wars, welfare, etc

Lastly, health insurance is considered a service. A proposed mandate by the government to force its citizenry to purchase a good or service is completely unprecedented. We are not talking about Swedish style health care right now. Their health care is a right since it is funded by income tax and health care is enjoyed by every citizen, whereas here the dems are proposing for the premium to be paid out of pocket by everyone.

Have you noticed that the actual price per person has not been mentioned once in this debate? Some estimates say that these new insurance premiums could cost between $5,000 and $12,000 annually per household!!

No thanks! If I get sick, I’ll head down to Costa Rica and pay for my health care in the good old fashioned free market.

The fact is, people with Medicare are happy with their government health care. Hence all the old people protesting town halls over confused concern for the security of their govt. benefits. I don’t think proponents of govt health care see this as a way to line govt. pockets. While low- middle-class wages remained stagnant over the last decade, insurance premiums skyrocketed and coverage became harder to obtain.

Supporeters of a real public option recognize the drain this has on the country (e.g. the amount of bankruptcies directly related to medical bills of people who HAD “insurance”). If you think the “American” thing to do is give insurance companies free reign to manipulate coverage (maximize profits), and rescind/deny coverage to those who paid or are willing to pay, I have to disagree.

I think the “American” thing would be an attempt to bring the will of the people to fruition. People like the security of Medicare. People want a public option. If the govt. can’t run an efficient, quality program (as the Right always claims), the insurance companies will have nothing to worry about.

1. Census already cut ties w/ ACORN. Also, the Census will need to contract with firms to conduct the vast undertaking. The fact is that poor people in both urban and rural areas are routinely underrepresented in the Census.

2. According to Minnesota Public Radio, no state $ is currently set to go to ACORN + minimal amounts have gone to them over the last decade. Easy political points for Pawlenty, but not much substance.

3. If you think the SEIU is drafting the health reform bill, I don’t think you’ve seen who is donating to the people currently drafting the bill (Baucus, Conrad, etc.) As of now, insurance companies + related corporate interests are the key players in drafting the legislation. Hopefully, that will change.

I’m not aware of what Olberman and Maddow had to say. But to me, what is unique about this issue is that a congressional resoultion came down preventing the org from receiving any $. That would never happen to KBR, Halliburton + the anchors of industry that exert tremendous influence on our government.

As I said in my post, I don’t care if ACORN gets a dime of federal money. I just don’t understand the uproar over an organization with zero power on the national scene. If people want to villainize the group and use them as a scapegoat for government “excess,” that’s fine. I think it’s a bullshit front to discourage empowerment of the country’s most marginalized citizens.

1. ACORN was set to control the entire 2010 census which could have assisted liberals and the DNC with restructuring congressional districts for 2012. they were set to receive billions.
2. ACORN is currently funded by state governments ie Minnesota as well as the fed which is where the billions dollar figure comes into play
3. ACORN is a sister organization to the SEIU which is the org responsible for writing the current health reform tax, therefore causing many Americans to seriously question the health reform tax.

also, it’s an unfair, yet common ploy, by the people from MSNBC like maddow and olbermann to combat fraud and corruption allegations against the liberal left with allegations of fraud and corruption charges from the bush era. they also do this to justify their overspending with arguments like, “well where were you when the GOP spent all this money on the wars…”

the fact is arguments for fraud, corruption, and overspending are justified on both sides of the media driven political spectrum and we are at a time of the most immature tit for tat American politics that will economically destroy us all. it is like the family feuds that occurred in the 1800’s. nobody wins.