Occupy This Blog

From my FB status this AM:

the occupy movement is a good idea in theory, It's annoying that my marginal tax rate is higher than some making more money than they know what to do with, It's annoying that tax loop holes exist that allow corporations that make a pile of money here to not be taxed here, I'ts annoying that some pay absolutely nothing to the cause, but trying to get the rich to throw in more of their money to the cause by sitting around a park like a bunch of hobos looking for a handout is like trying to explain how terrible McDonald's is while plowing through a McRibb

I kind of want to expand on this rant a bit.  It is no secret that the tax code/structure in this country is totally f'd.  I see three big problems as I stated simplistically above: Multi-billion dollar corporations make a killing in the US w/o paying a dime in taxes due to loop holes.  Proportionally, folks making lifetimes worth of money don't pay near what I pay, the famous example: Warren Buffet says he has a lower marginal tax rate than his house keeper.  And finally there is a large percentage of people who pay nothing, or virtually nothing, into the system.  Among other things, all of these things need to be addressed to get our country's revenue stream back up to what it needs to be.  Spending has to come down no one disputes that, but revenue has GOT to come up as well.  It's business basics folks, cutting operating expenses is nice, but at some point revenue has to be adjusted up as well.  

Occupation folks... I'll say it.  You are not revolutionaries.  You are not visionaries.  You are not  representing the so called 1%.  What you guys are doing is ruining it for everyone and giving the whole process a bad name and bad image.  You spent too much time on Twitter following 'revoulutions' in other countries... to put that in perspective though those countries were at about a 3 and the people were trying to get them to a 5 as far as quality of life is concerned.  The US is probably at about a 7 on average... so hate to break it to you but as you sit in your camp on your iPhone no one feels too sorry for you.  Bumming around a park for weeks not working, not trying to find work, not contributing to a solution through action is only exacerbating the problem.  The rich feel like they already pay too much into entitlement programs and by turning yourselves into hobos in a park you are only angering them further.  Change in this arena is not going to happen through this kind of demonstration or protest.  It's bigger than this.  It is a fundamental flaw in our government as a whole where politicians in Washington are more concerned with covering their own ass and securing their own job for the next term that they honestly could care less about the people.  Face it, the Federal Government is now a business.  They are a real estate conglomerate (landlord) and we all pay them rent (taxes).  President is the CEO and the Congress is the Board of Directors.  They "represent" the shareholders, but in reality they want a payout for themselves and position next term.  Until this problem gets fixed and elected officials actually start acting like elected representatives of the people then nothing is going to change.  

This is the kind of change that SHOULD be the focus of protests etc. rather than the pity party that is taking place now.  A stand like that would really address the problem rather than a consequence of the problem.  

A rant I know... but as I've said before, the political process today really frustrates me and when I here interviews and read things from and about the 'Occupy' protests it angers me because I get the impression that many have no idea what they are even doing there or what they are even protesting.

Rant over...

Megamind

Today perhaps the greatest and most diabolic political scandal of all time has been resolved.

A bit of back story...  This plot began August 4, 1961 in Honolulu, Hawaii.  Convinced that her unborn child would once be in a position to lead the USA as president, the mother and doctor of one Barack Hussein Obama II drafted a Hawaiian birth certificate; thus ensuring that his rise to power 5 decades later would not be thwarted by something as trivial as citizenship questions about eligibility for office.

Fast forward to April 27, 2011.  After much posturing by both sides the rumored and mysterious "long form" birth certificate was presented to the public.

My reaction:  So what.  Who cares.  How much time was wasted on this while the country flounders in nearly all areas that, I don't know, "matter."

As I've said before, I'm not pro Red or pro Blue, I'm pro common sense, so lets go with Purple since colors seem to be way to go these days.  But this whole "Birther" thing is/was an embarrassment to the country.  In this day of 24/7 media and everyone knocking their own grandmother to the ground for the chance at their 15 min. is it really plausible to believe that humanity in general is capable of the type of massive cover up that would be needed to fake a president's citizenship status/eligibility for the office of the president?  I mean think about... this plan would have had to have been hatched 5 decades ago, how many people would have had to have been paid off?  Politicians and celebrities can't hide anything... at all, no matter how personal.  Affairs, drug use, slips of the tongue, slips of the nipple, you name it it is a headline 5 seconds after it happens.  For that reason I never gave much traction to the whole thing, if there was evidence to prove he wasn't eligible someone would a have rolled over long long ago.  Plus if he was declared ineligible, that leaves us with Biden and who really thinks that would be a better option at this point?  

I just sincerely hope that this thing is now put to bed and the government can begin work on things that are actually important.  I hope they stop the petty bickering and fighting and do their job, which contrary to many of their beliefs is not to rile people into a frenzy and play partisan only games.  Both sides are at fault and these past years have been an absolute train wreck of uncooperative behavior that should have all politicians on both sides of the aisle embarrassed.  

As an aside, with this all important issue now seemingly resolved potential presidential candidate Donald Trump has now moved to questioning the president's college records... come 2012 is Trump is given any legitimate consideration whatsoever I seriously may move to another country for a while. 

It's My Turn to Play with Batman

The clock is ticking and if a deal is not reached by midnight Friday the Federal Government of the United States of America will shutdown due to no budget....  I'll repeat that,  the Federal Government of the United States of America will shutdown due to no budget.  We aren't talking about a Pizza Hut closing because the owner bungled the budget and they had no operating capital for the year.  We are talking about the federal government, the governing body of the great US of A.  How is it that an organization can not reach an agreement or *gasp* a compromise?  I whole heartedly believe that the problem lies squarely on the shoulders of the political party system and the machines that they drive.  The pendulum of democracy now swings so far to the right AND left that common sense and the interests of the country at large, and more to the point the constituencies of the elected officials, has gone by the wayside.  

This budget squabble is just one example of many:  the Federal Government is one of the largest employers in the country, so effectively the members of Congress are the Board of Directors do they honestly think it is in the best interest of the people they represent (employees) to shut the government down?  Absolutely not.  But the members of congress, in their infinitely increasing pettiness, are essentially holding the budget hostage to propel their own partisan agendas.  Too far apart on budget cuts... and all agree the deficit is out of control, split the difference and agree to revisit additional cuts/spending in 2012.  Problem solved.  Have a nice vacation.  I know it sounds overly simplistic, but seriously how/why is it any harder than that?  Is it worse than not cutting enough?  Is worse than cutting too much?  Both sides get 50% of what they want, they tie, and American Government (Democracy) is not further elevated as a potential laughing stock.

B instead of working to a logical compromise, the two sides (now three if you count tea party) are more focused on winning this game of chicken, they are like pre-school children fighting over a Batman action figure, the country.  The country and its well being are not a pose-able figure with kung fu chop action and a spring loaded grappling hook.  It is a land made up of hard working men and women who at the end of the day just want what is fair, what needs to be done, and bottom line what makes sense.  Heaven help us if there is a "real" problem in the near future that requires Government action.  Because with this current group's inability to work together for the greater good, I have serious concerns about how any material problem would be handled, or  ... not handled.

Vaction...

I've taken a break a vacation if you will because so far any ideas I've had have been extreme rants on politics or the insanity of people.  Such as Republicans continuing to just belittle everything the president does, I mean they guy has made some mistakes for sure, but criticizing him for going to support the UNITED STATE'S bid for the 2016 Olympics... sure it's in Chicago, but come on I live in Chicago and last I checked it was in the US and the face it given our image with some countries abroad, hosting them in international competition might be a good thing... If it was a Republican representing Dallas's bid I guarantee not word one would be said.  Pettiness like this is exactly why nothing will get done for the next 3.5 years.

"Fair & Balanced"... Fox, You're the Red Team - MSNBC is the Blue Team

Politics are a Joke, Fire Everyone

I think it's time for a fresh start in Congress. I think we need to sack the entire lot of them (man I wish I talked British), we need new ideas for new problems and the old timers sitting on Capital Hill aren't getting it done. Exhibit A: Senile old man with a Dragon flip chart. That is not a product of photoshop, that actually happened. Seriously it looks like a page from a deranged conservative children's book. For the Sunshine Days Preschool story time totally appropriate, but on the floor of a house of Congress, come on man get serious.

Now I'm not just picking on the Republicans, although that had to be one of the more blatant displays of "what the hell was that?" that I've seen. Exhibit B: Harry Reid saying that Ted Kennedy's death would "help" them on the health care bill. Really. You think that's just what you needed to push it over the edge, to give you the votes you need a guy dying? I mean who's mind is so easily corruptible that they say "hmm well I was against this, but Ted died and he was for it, so... in his memory I vote yes."

Last but not least we have the general public. It's our fault too, it absolutely is. We voted for Sir George and the AARP club that sits on the hill. But perhaps my biggest beef with the general public has come about as a result of the recent "town hall" meetings on healthcare. What a joke these things are. I would bet money, serious money. That these people who grab the mic know zero about the health care plan other than what they've heard from Olberman, Limbaugh, Hannity, etc. And you think that is a balanced argument? About as balanced as the teeter-totter would be if my nephew and I were to have a go at it (British again). There may be some well informed people out there but by and large the people making the biggest deal of it are simply parroting what they heard from their respective "talking head" which makes great headlines but gets us nowhere.

It's just sad how two colors, two directions, two parties (Red/Blue, Right/Left, Rep./Dec.) have trumped common sense. For one side to say they have all the right answers is lunacy. But each are too immature to work it out... On second thought... maybe Mr Grassley's picture book style dragon flip chart was appropriate.

Earth Day Idea

I think that ALL cabs should be converted to Hybrids, I mean think of how much that would cut down on emissions, gas use, etc, etc, etc.  I think there is a very easy way to do this too, get rich tree huggers to do it, they have plenty of money.  Get Clooney, DiCaprio and all their cronies to go in on it.  Lets face it celebrities are some of the biggest pushers of the "green" initiative and most of them have more money than 5 generations of their family can realistically spend.  So this initiative would be a very easy way for them to, put there money where there mouth is, so to speak.  And to make it so it's not a totally unfair and a total "handout" give them a substantial tax break for every Hybrid they purchase.  Think about it it's winner winner all the way around.  Pollution in cities down.  Check.  Tax bill for rich people down.  Check.  Tree huggers happy.  Check.  Car companies happy.  Check.  The last one is huge, I mean think about it if all the rich started throwing money at this initiative it would provide a pretty solid kick start to the auto industry, I mean there are something like 13,000 cabs in NY City alone.  Somewhere along the way someone will poke some holes in this idea because I came up with it and thought it through for all of 5 seconds, but hell seems like a lot easier and more practical than the whole "everyone turn off all your power for 1 hour starting.... now" or "don't anyone buy gas on Thursday April 23, 2009" ideas that are floating around.  The only hole I see is what to make the cabbies and cab companies do so they aren't getting a "free lunch," maybe make them pay for 1/2 or a 1/4, something like that.  I dunno, while I'm kind of opposed to handouts, I can't see a good way to make this change without someone getting a freebie.  At least with this we have a lasting impact on the environment and some pretty nice short term benefits as well, which I think can cancel out the freebie.

Presidential Address to Congress

So... I'm watching the Presidential Address am I the only one annoyed by Pilosi jumping up like a dang jack in the box every time Obama pauses to take a breath? I mean I understand it's the President and he's throwin' haymakers up there tonight but come on do we need a standing O after everything he says? Sit Down Nancy, I mean I am very interested in this speech as are most all Americans given the condition of the country right now; but Nancy, your constant spasms of standing up are single handedly delaying the start of Law and Order SVU, which I find troubling.