Hello everyone from the land of the progressives. This is the Adirondack Howler for Sunday, November 14th, 2010. I have recovered from my election day hangover and now I am ready to return to the serious business of participating in our frayed democracy.
What's On My Mind
1) In Tuesday's Commondreams.org article, Alexander Main tells us about the Republicans who are poised to take over the House Foreign Affairs Committee and its Subcommittee on the Western Hemisphere. According to the piece, the Congressmembers slated to head their respective committees, Ileana Ros-Lehtinen and Connie Mack of Florida, will not be a positive development in the relationship with the countries of Latin America. Th story can be found at http://www.commondreams.org/view/2010/11/09-8 .
2) This week, the co-chairmen of President Obama's Deficit Reduction Commission, Alan Simpson and Erskine Bowles, released a draft document about the recommendations to reduce the deficit and by the preliminary information, the proposals skew toward more rewards for the rich. Some highlights can be found at http://www.commondreams.org/view/2010/11/10-10 .
According to today's Commondreams.org, Robert Freeman tells us that the Deficit Commission represents the final assault of a mostly undeclared war on the nation's middle class. Freeman's essay is found at
http://www.commondreams.org/view/2010/11/14-1 .
3) In Friday's Commondreams.org, Ted Rall has a small essay that serves as a retort to the draft recommendations of the Deficit Commission when he gives his ideas for a balanced budget. I suggest a reading of the article at http://www.commondreams.org/view/2010/11/12-3 and think about your own situation.
Special Segment
Today I am introducing a new part of my blog and I am calling it Special Segment after the 1980's NBC Nightly News featured story. Special Segment will appear occasionally to deal with specific topics that are ongoing beyond the regular What's On My Mind sections. There will be two Special Segment features for the inaugural run. One will be titled "You and the 2012 Elections" and the other will be called "You and the Economy".
Today, I will open both parts of the new feature.
1) You and the 2012 Elections -- In Friday's Commondreams.org, Marc Morfort illustrates how people who voted for Barack Obama and then switched their vote two years later did not vote for their best interest. His piece is located at http://www.commondreams.org/view/2010/11/12-4 .
Complenting this is a feature in Saturday's Alternet.org by Sarah Setzer. According to the story, a combination of right wing lies, public ignorance, and a Left that has a fear of rudeness have contributed to the present sad state of affairs. Setzer's essay is found at http://www.alternet.org/story/148826/16_of_the_dumbest_things_americans_believe_--_and_the_right-wing_lies_behind_them/ .
To help turn the tide, John Atcheson gives a five-step program to insure success in the 2012 Elections. His feature is found at http://www.commondreams.org/view/2010/11/14 .
2) You and the Economy -- An important part of the ecomomy is the role of financial system in creating opportunities for real people in real communities. Fran Korten of Yes! Magazine through Friday's Commondreams.org gives 7 ways to transform our current banking system to serve real people who live in real communities. This can be found at http://www.commondreams.org/view/2010/11/12-0 .
Three Cheers of the Week
1) To officials of the Food and Drug Adminstration for having the courage to put graphic warning labels on packages of cigarettes. The appearance of the labels, in my view, do not come a moment too soon.
2) To Cindy McCain for appearing in a PSA for the NoH8 campaign in California that deal with the bullying of gays and the government policy that encourages it. She appears about 53 seconds into the video. I believe that bullying is not welcome under ANY circumstance.
3) To Nina Power for her story in Thursday's Commondreams.org about the protests of students, teachers, and university staff of education cuts in Great Britain. I wish the United States could have similar protests on a daily basis about our state of education thanks to the whims of the very rich. Power's article is located at http://www.commondreams.org/view/2010/11/11-4 .
Three Boos of the Week
1) To the co-chairmen of President Obama's Deficit Reduction Commission for releasing a draft document of recommendations to rectify the deficit problem on the backs of the middle class. The rich need to pay their fair share of taxes.
2) To former President George W. Bush for the release of his book this past week. He continues to reaffirm himself as a war criminal.
3) To President Obama for being willing to capitulate to Republicans who want to extend the tax cuts enacted under President George W. Bush. As I said before, the rich need to pay their fair share of their taxes
I will return shortly with the Video of the Week.
See creative way to fix the budget at
ReplyDeletehttp://whitecollargreenspace.blogspot.com/
The Government could save $50 billion per year by having two shifts of white collar employees work each day. Office space costs $50,000/year for each employee yet we only use space 30% of time. We can no longer afford to have banker's hours for all. With over 2 million federal employees this cost-free paradigm change could avoid lay offs/furloughs and reduce pollution.