So, according to Sue Lowden, Republican Senatorial candidate in Nevada, I guess it's a good thing I live in California. She is advocating the barter system as a way to bring down health care costs. Her analogy is that "in the olden days" our grandparents used chickens to pay for doctor visits. Ms. Lowden, this is not the "olden days" and you are assuming that we have the materials to barter medications, treatments, and tests. That's gonna take a lot of chickens.
I wonder how many chickens Ms. Lowden owns. I just hope she's not planning on bartering votes for services. I think that's illegal. Perhaps Senator Ensign could advise her on that one.
Hamster Prez
Wednesday, April 21, 2010
Tuesday, April 20, 2010
Guest Columnist tonight:Re An Open Letter
Oddly enough, a great deal of my studies this week revolved around the subject of ethics. The one thing that everyone seemed to agree on although no one would admit it was that ethics are anything but universal.
Can we as a species coexist in such a way that there is enough for everyone? Of course we can. Will we ever get to that point? I believe that some day we will. Will you and I live to see it manifest on a national let alone a global scale? Probably not.
Human Beings are hard wired for self preservation. Preservation of the species however.....Let's face it our collective sense of species survival stops shortly after our virtually uncontrollable need to breed like germs. Oh, we may be programed to protect our young (while they are young) but, God help the youngster who is not the fruit of our loins. We will think nothing of letting them die in the streets.....don't believe me? Go outside and look at what's roaming the streets. The miracle here is that we are able some how to breed more rapidly than we are able to kill one another off. Were it not for taught social structure and the need for collective effort to achieve a great many of our needs we might indeed have gone the way of the DoDo long ago.
You speak of the haves and the have nots but, I think that there are two much more prominant groups. These would be those who serve others and those who serve self. Further it occurs to me that the reason that we're in such a mess; the reason for the disparity lies in the fact that while those who serve others are busy doing just that, those who serve self are equally busy with their agenda. Unfortunately all too often this agenda puts these people in postions of power and control where they continue to....you guessed it...serve themselves.
My fear is that it will take a global collapse of ... well... global proportion before the playing field will truly be leveled.
Thunder Rodent
Can we as a species coexist in such a way that there is enough for everyone? Of course we can. Will we ever get to that point? I believe that some day we will. Will you and I live to see it manifest on a national let alone a global scale? Probably not.
Human Beings are hard wired for self preservation. Preservation of the species however.....Let's face it our collective sense of species survival stops shortly after our virtually uncontrollable need to breed like germs. Oh, we may be programed to protect our young (while they are young) but, God help the youngster who is not the fruit of our loins. We will think nothing of letting them die in the streets.....don't believe me? Go outside and look at what's roaming the streets. The miracle here is that we are able some how to breed more rapidly than we are able to kill one another off. Were it not for taught social structure and the need for collective effort to achieve a great many of our needs we might indeed have gone the way of the DoDo long ago.
You speak of the haves and the have nots but, I think that there are two much more prominant groups. These would be those who serve others and those who serve self. Further it occurs to me that the reason that we're in such a mess; the reason for the disparity lies in the fact that while those who serve others are busy doing just that, those who serve self are equally busy with their agenda. Unfortunately all too often this agenda puts these people in postions of power and control where they continue to....you guessed it...serve themselves.
My fear is that it will take a global collapse of ... well... global proportion before the playing field will truly be leveled.
Thunder Rodent
Monday, April 19, 2010
Today's Question
Hamster Prez wants to know...
While I applaud President Obama's focus on obtaining all the nuclear material in the world to put into one safe place, I wonder why we're not going the extra step to destroying it so that it can never be used, period? I mean, if it's all in one place, and we don't really need it, then what's the point in keeping it safe?
Just asking.
While I applaud President Obama's focus on obtaining all the nuclear material in the world to put into one safe place, I wonder why we're not going the extra step to destroying it so that it can never be used, period? I mean, if it's all in one place, and we don't really need it, then what's the point in keeping it safe?
Just asking.
Wednesday, April 14, 2010
An Open Letter To Congress from your Boss: Wrapup
Being a pragmatist, I know that you all stopped reading after the second paragraph of the first post, so I thought maybe I could save us all some time and encapsulate the primary thesis. The simple solutions that I speak of all share a common genetic structure so the solution to each is the same for the rest.
But before we delve into that, one of the most fascinating events of the past year has been word usage vis a vis the mood of the country. The pundits like to call it rhetoric, whereas I prefer misrepresentation. Some of it has been quite nuanced, some quite blatant, and some violent. As an example, if health care had been separated into the two separate issues that it was, with one called reform and the other Medicare for All, I really don't think there would have been so much anger about it. The Dems missed the train and allowed the Reps and the T's to take over the message. It was doomed from then on.
Having said that, the first solution is to redefine our relationship to what it is supposed to be rather than what it has become. From this point forward, we are no longer your constituents, you are our representatives. See how changing just a couple of words simplifies and corrects the meaning? Now, go to your dictionary and look up the word representative and come back.
What's Right Simply...
We can complicate the heck out of trying to define what's right but the whole point of this series is simplification. There are those that would argue that Right is a matter of perception and opinion. They would not be wrong in arguing that point, but it rather misses the larger picture. For the purposes of our discussion, Right is not The Right, nor is it having a right, nor is it even right vs wrong. It is the communal, human, internal sense shared by the majority of people that what's right essentially...
...Is What's Simply Right
The bowing and scraping at the Temple of Greed has got to stop. It started at the top and with Trickle Down Economics it has seeped into the rest of us. Every aspect of our lives has been consumed by money. You can't even go to church without being hounded to give more. Airlines want to now charge you to use the bathroom (uh, the floor is free) and overhead bins and we actually have to have legislation drafted to prevent this?
There is so much misplaced anger, undefined hatred of the government, imaginary enemies at the gate, vociferous talking heads spouting half-truths and vitriol, placards and banners that are both evil and generic simutaneously, and politicians who fan the flames instead of extinguishing them.
We've lost our collective minds.
The ultimate in fairness is that everyone gets an equal share of everything, but even I know that won't work. The Grand Design requires the division known as The Haves and The Havenots. That system is part of the human condition and as such is incurable. However, one of the major lessons in history is that when the haves have too much and the havenots not enough, trouble ensues. We are fast approaching that history repeating itself lesson, I fear.
As we have also learned, you can't just throw more money into the problem since the haves end up getting all of that, too. The hundreds of billions of dollars given to the very same people who took all of it to start with did not result in a sudden largesse. Nope, they just said thanks and headed off to the Cayman's for some retirement banking and fun in the sun.
Simple Solutions at their Genetic Root
The common genetic root of simple solutions is common sense. I have stated before that I believe this particular aspect of the human condition may have been bred out of our genetic material. As I look around, it seems to be the one commodity most lacking in our culture. Let's break it down: Common can be used to describe a general acceptance and Sense in this case means applicable practicality benefitting the majority.
Despite the obvious divisions within the Parties and the People, there is one common thread which has the unfortunate distinction of being the least recognized component: Enough is enough and we've had enough of not having enough. Anger, like nearly every other emotion, has at its core fear, and the fear that you are hearing is not political or ideological it is simply that we have no more to give and are afraid of having even less.
Job creation is first a function of the private sector and secondarily of the government. The Capitalists must first create the jobs to expand the tax base to allow the government to provide the public jobs. Build windmills throughout the open spaces. Build and install solar panels in every coporate building in America. Put the drill bits away and forget nuclear. Get the oil companies moving faster on alternative fuels while pushing the auto industry into making nothing but alternative fuel vehicles. Jobs, jobs, and more jobs.
The government begins hiring to repair infrastructure and installing solar panels in every government building and school. Return the stimulus money and bailout funds to the people by hiring for infrastructure development and repair. This reduces the welfare rolls and puts the money to better use than simply giving it to the crooks.
Corporate America needs a lesson from the Republicans that self-regulation and restraint is a far better solution than legislation. Creating more agencies and commissions and bureaus is not the first or best use of our resources. Enacting laws to force you to do what you should be doing on your own is counterproductive and senseless.
Corporate America is about to get a real lesson from its customer base too, and that lesson is simple: Continue to try to gouge us for every nickle and we will cease using your product or service and end your business entirely. Simple and to the point. And to the stockholders of these corporations I say this, we are your neighbors and friends and your greed is a part of the problem. Because, despite the Supreme Court's ignorant decision, a Corporation is a sum of its people and is not a living entity on its own. All we ask is that you become more reasonable and remember that you are part of a community from which you are draining the lives of others.
I already pointed out to you that jobs in energy and the development of alternative resources has many benefits. It improves and stabalizes the economy, it's good for the environment, and it ends wars. A little something for everyone.
Immigration sounds difficult, but it really isn't. The solution is neither amnesty nor deportation. It is legalization and assimilation. It isn't feasible to try to send them all back to where they came from any more than it is to allow this situation to continue as it is. The drain on our resources cannot be sustained and the only way out of it is to get their contribution. Legalization, unlike naturalization, does not grant citizenship, just a legal right to be here. It requires the payment of taxes and affords legal rights and responsibilities. It can be revoked and the person deported
for violations of our laws.
For this to work we have to be serious about enforcement and realistic at the same time. There can be no incentives to come here illegally. No jobs or government programs, no reason to risk. It will mean the deportation of those who do not register which means restoring power to INS. It will also include the deportation of every illegal immigrant in our prisons and jails to whatever fate awaits them in their country of origin. The Common Sense in this approach is that it allows us to be charitable and it ultimately improves the quality of life for all. When we are all part of a community, we tend to behave with more civility which reduces stress and leads to a better quality of life.
All41-14All
Look, I think we can all agree on one thing, and that is that the status quo is not working. What is going on in this country is shameful and disgusting and pointless. We have completely gone off the rails, and it is time to get back on track. It is time to put aside all of the differences and focus on the similarities. By virtue of birth, we all have a right to be here and a right to be treated fairly. We need to restore our self-respect both individually and as a country. Simply put, we need a paradigm shift.
I rather favor Alexander Dumas' All For One, One For All ideal. It encompasses all that is right about being a human and sharing a planet. It was that ideal that led to this country being what it was: the place to want to live. And I happen to believe that it can take us back to there. In order for Common Sense to have a chance, a Common Purpose has to be identified. That Common Purpose, I believe, ought to be in making this country what we all want it to be. Prosperous, Strong, United, Committed to the general welfare of its people and a Positive example to the rest of the world. You know, like we used to be.
I would be happy to entertain anyone's opinions to the contrary. Show me that it won't work. Prove to me that we are incapable of change. Convince me that we no longer have humanity in humans. It will be a sad day for us all if you do.
Thank you for your attention.
Hamster Prez
But before we delve into that, one of the most fascinating events of the past year has been word usage vis a vis the mood of the country. The pundits like to call it rhetoric, whereas I prefer misrepresentation. Some of it has been quite nuanced, some quite blatant, and some violent. As an example, if health care had been separated into the two separate issues that it was, with one called reform and the other Medicare for All, I really don't think there would have been so much anger about it. The Dems missed the train and allowed the Reps and the T's to take over the message. It was doomed from then on.
Having said that, the first solution is to redefine our relationship to what it is supposed to be rather than what it has become. From this point forward, we are no longer your constituents, you are our representatives. See how changing just a couple of words simplifies and corrects the meaning? Now, go to your dictionary and look up the word representative and come back.
What's Right Simply...
We can complicate the heck out of trying to define what's right but the whole point of this series is simplification. There are those that would argue that Right is a matter of perception and opinion. They would not be wrong in arguing that point, but it rather misses the larger picture. For the purposes of our discussion, Right is not The Right, nor is it having a right, nor is it even right vs wrong. It is the communal, human, internal sense shared by the majority of people that what's right essentially...
...Is What's Simply Right
The bowing and scraping at the Temple of Greed has got to stop. It started at the top and with Trickle Down Economics it has seeped into the rest of us. Every aspect of our lives has been consumed by money. You can't even go to church without being hounded to give more. Airlines want to now charge you to use the bathroom (uh, the floor is free) and overhead bins and we actually have to have legislation drafted to prevent this?
There is so much misplaced anger, undefined hatred of the government, imaginary enemies at the gate, vociferous talking heads spouting half-truths and vitriol, placards and banners that are both evil and generic simutaneously, and politicians who fan the flames instead of extinguishing them.
We've lost our collective minds.
The ultimate in fairness is that everyone gets an equal share of everything, but even I know that won't work. The Grand Design requires the division known as The Haves and The Havenots. That system is part of the human condition and as such is incurable. However, one of the major lessons in history is that when the haves have too much and the havenots not enough, trouble ensues. We are fast approaching that history repeating itself lesson, I fear.
As we have also learned, you can't just throw more money into the problem since the haves end up getting all of that, too. The hundreds of billions of dollars given to the very same people who took all of it to start with did not result in a sudden largesse. Nope, they just said thanks and headed off to the Cayman's for some retirement banking and fun in the sun.
Simple Solutions at their Genetic Root
The common genetic root of simple solutions is common sense. I have stated before that I believe this particular aspect of the human condition may have been bred out of our genetic material. As I look around, it seems to be the one commodity most lacking in our culture. Let's break it down: Common can be used to describe a general acceptance and Sense in this case means applicable practicality benefitting the majority.
Despite the obvious divisions within the Parties and the People, there is one common thread which has the unfortunate distinction of being the least recognized component: Enough is enough and we've had enough of not having enough. Anger, like nearly every other emotion, has at its core fear, and the fear that you are hearing is not political or ideological it is simply that we have no more to give and are afraid of having even less.
Job creation is first a function of the private sector and secondarily of the government. The Capitalists must first create the jobs to expand the tax base to allow the government to provide the public jobs. Build windmills throughout the open spaces. Build and install solar panels in every coporate building in America. Put the drill bits away and forget nuclear. Get the oil companies moving faster on alternative fuels while pushing the auto industry into making nothing but alternative fuel vehicles. Jobs, jobs, and more jobs.
The government begins hiring to repair infrastructure and installing solar panels in every government building and school. Return the stimulus money and bailout funds to the people by hiring for infrastructure development and repair. This reduces the welfare rolls and puts the money to better use than simply giving it to the crooks.
Corporate America needs a lesson from the Republicans that self-regulation and restraint is a far better solution than legislation. Creating more agencies and commissions and bureaus is not the first or best use of our resources. Enacting laws to force you to do what you should be doing on your own is counterproductive and senseless.
Corporate America is about to get a real lesson from its customer base too, and that lesson is simple: Continue to try to gouge us for every nickle and we will cease using your product or service and end your business entirely. Simple and to the point. And to the stockholders of these corporations I say this, we are your neighbors and friends and your greed is a part of the problem. Because, despite the Supreme Court's ignorant decision, a Corporation is a sum of its people and is not a living entity on its own. All we ask is that you become more reasonable and remember that you are part of a community from which you are draining the lives of others.
I already pointed out to you that jobs in energy and the development of alternative resources has many benefits. It improves and stabalizes the economy, it's good for the environment, and it ends wars. A little something for everyone.
Immigration sounds difficult, but it really isn't. The solution is neither amnesty nor deportation. It is legalization and assimilation. It isn't feasible to try to send them all back to where they came from any more than it is to allow this situation to continue as it is. The drain on our resources cannot be sustained and the only way out of it is to get their contribution. Legalization, unlike naturalization, does not grant citizenship, just a legal right to be here. It requires the payment of taxes and affords legal rights and responsibilities. It can be revoked and the person deported
for violations of our laws.
For this to work we have to be serious about enforcement and realistic at the same time. There can be no incentives to come here illegally. No jobs or government programs, no reason to risk. It will mean the deportation of those who do not register which means restoring power to INS. It will also include the deportation of every illegal immigrant in our prisons and jails to whatever fate awaits them in their country of origin. The Common Sense in this approach is that it allows us to be charitable and it ultimately improves the quality of life for all. When we are all part of a community, we tend to behave with more civility which reduces stress and leads to a better quality of life.
All41-14All
Look, I think we can all agree on one thing, and that is that the status quo is not working. What is going on in this country is shameful and disgusting and pointless. We have completely gone off the rails, and it is time to get back on track. It is time to put aside all of the differences and focus on the similarities. By virtue of birth, we all have a right to be here and a right to be treated fairly. We need to restore our self-respect both individually and as a country. Simply put, we need a paradigm shift.
I rather favor Alexander Dumas' All For One, One For All ideal. It encompasses all that is right about being a human and sharing a planet. It was that ideal that led to this country being what it was: the place to want to live. And I happen to believe that it can take us back to there. In order for Common Sense to have a chance, a Common Purpose has to be identified. That Common Purpose, I believe, ought to be in making this country what we all want it to be. Prosperous, Strong, United, Committed to the general welfare of its people and a Positive example to the rest of the world. You know, like we used to be.
I would be happy to entertain anyone's opinions to the contrary. Show me that it won't work. Prove to me that we are incapable of change. Convince me that we no longer have humanity in humans. It will be a sad day for us all if you do.
Thank you for your attention.
Hamster Prez
Monday, April 12, 2010
An Open Letter to Congress from Your Boss
Dear Senators and Congress(wo)men,
You should not think by my lack of posts the past few days as an indication that I am through offering you more advice. I work 12 hour shifts on the weekends and we've been a little busy and so I have not had time to compose the rest of the solutions. But fear not, I will be back possibly as early as tomorrow, but probably Wednesday.
Take a breath and I'll be talking to you very soon.
Hamster Prez
You should not think by my lack of posts the past few days as an indication that I am through offering you more advice. I work 12 hour shifts on the weekends and we've been a little busy and so I have not had time to compose the rest of the solutions. But fear not, I will be back possibly as early as tomorrow, but probably Wednesday.
Take a breath and I'll be talking to you very soon.
Hamster Prez
Friday, April 9, 2010
An Open Letter to Congress from Your Boss
Part Three A
Simple Solutions: The Economy
As I have already stated, my life experience has taught me that if I seek out the simplest solution I will solve more problems faster. I do not feel unique in this understanding and I am sure that there are those of you who share a similar experience. I do not suffer from Terminal Uniquenss. And while I've never actually witnessed it I suspect that one looks rather foolish pole vaulting over mouse turds.
You continually tell us that the issues are too complex to be done simply which means you assume that we are all rather stupid and uninformed. The majority of us, although not particularly vocal about it, have a fairly substantial grasp of the concept behind Common Sense as well as the Obvious. What's obvious to us is that you folks don't possess much of either.
This can no longer be about who's right. It has to become about what's right. These are not political issues, they are human issues. Jobs, health care, immigration, financial reform, the economy, climate change, energy, and justice. Each of these issues affect humans, and we are no longer interested in being your ping pong balls. So, allow me the opportunity to offer some simple solutions. This will be easy, I promise.
Remember, these solutions are dependent on your having read part 2 and agreeing to stick to your Party principles and a willingness to listen.
Republicans, you are responsible for the economy and it will be up to you to repair this fiasco. The private sector must create the jobs that feed the kitty that allows the Democrats to take care of their responsibility to provide for health, education, and welfare. This is not an antagonistic relationship, it is a symbiotic one. When each side does its job, unlike now, everything hums right along. I've already told you where the jobs are going to have to come from and it's up to you and your corporated colleagues to get busy devloping the necessary funding to get it going.
Cooperation between you and Wall Street and the banks has to center on fixing what's broken, not finding ways to work around reform. Reforming things is what Democrats do. The best way to game them is to convince the Capitalists to just do the right thing and stop bleeding us for every damn nickel. The goal of corporate America seems to be acquiring every last dime. My question is, then what? Do you have a plan B? Look, if you don't reign in the greed and the voracious appetite for more there will be nothing left. You'll have it all, and it will be worth nothing. Forget reform, tell them to start doing the right thing. They will be rewarded by the single most consumer driven market on earth. Think about it, if you let us have some, we'll give it right back.
Those that were bailed out must give back every dime we gave them, and they must do it now. They have it, they know right where it is, including the first $350 million that is still unaccounted for. The banks have to be separated again into regular banks and investment banks. No more risk taking with our money. They can do what they want with theirs.
We don't need another agency designed to protect us from unscrupulous business practices if businesses would stop being unscroupulous. Again, the simplest way to get around reform is to not continually do things that make it look like you need it. As an example, I have a credit card that started with a balance of $2000 that was for a medical procedure. After two years of minimum payments, with one inadvertent late payment (one day, no less), I still owe them almost $2000. Another card disclosed that if I continued to make minimum monthly payments, it would take me 14 years and cost me an extra $8000 on a balance of just over $7000. Now you know why I don't have a new car or flat screen TV.
If you made $20 million dollars last year, how much of that $20 million dollar salary did you actually spend on living? Do you know how much of my $32 thousand dollar salary I had to spend last year to live? All of it. Neither of us needs $20 million dollars a year to live but I sure could use more than $32 thousand.
Stop throwing people out of their homes then writing off the loss which (as always) ultimately comes out of our pockets. Negotiate deals that people can afford based on their current situation, which is what you're doing with the folks that are actually able to buy a house right now, arent' you? Why not extend the same courtesy to the people who trusted you to not screw them in the first place? If the house they were tossed out of is still available, sell it back to them. If not, let them buy something else. Not everyone is going to be able to take advantage because some people actualy have almost nothing to work with anymore.
You could offer some as lease-to-own so that people who were forced out have another way back in. They're essentisally renting it from you when you give them a loan on it anyway. No one with a mortgage owns a home, they aren't homeowners, they are tenants of the bank. Might as well make full use of the position.
We just want to live, not merely survive. We really aren't asking for much, and we certainly aren't asking for anything that you don't have and can't afford to share. Unlike you, we don't want it all, we just want enough. The right thing is the simple thing and the simple thing is respect for your fellow humans.
The simple solution is to get the money moved to the right places, invest in alternative energy development and other technologies, stop stealing from us, give some back so that we can play, too, create the jobs that will allow the Democrats to help the other part of the country that won't be able to get in on the private sector jobs.
Republicans, you have the power to make this happen. If the Capitalists resist, give them exactly what they don't want...reform. If they won't do it on their own, make them do it. You will get Democratic support for it is in their best interests, too.
So, Democrats what do you do? Support the Republicans as they deal with their friends on Wall Street and start preparing the way for your responsibilites. Creating public sector jobs ala the WPA and getting this country's infrastructure up to par is your first order. I don't know if you've noticed, but it's really starting to fall apart out here. You can also start crafting the immigration legislation that will be addressed and that I will speak to in an upcoming post. And keep your financial reform package and public option handy just in case.
Simply put, do this or we will replace you with people who will.
Simple Solutions: The Economy
As I have already stated, my life experience has taught me that if I seek out the simplest solution I will solve more problems faster. I do not feel unique in this understanding and I am sure that there are those of you who share a similar experience. I do not suffer from Terminal Uniquenss. And while I've never actually witnessed it I suspect that one looks rather foolish pole vaulting over mouse turds.
You continually tell us that the issues are too complex to be done simply which means you assume that we are all rather stupid and uninformed. The majority of us, although not particularly vocal about it, have a fairly substantial grasp of the concept behind Common Sense as well as the Obvious. What's obvious to us is that you folks don't possess much of either.
This can no longer be about who's right. It has to become about what's right. These are not political issues, they are human issues. Jobs, health care, immigration, financial reform, the economy, climate change, energy, and justice. Each of these issues affect humans, and we are no longer interested in being your ping pong balls. So, allow me the opportunity to offer some simple solutions. This will be easy, I promise.
Remember, these solutions are dependent on your having read part 2 and agreeing to stick to your Party principles and a willingness to listen.
Republicans, you are responsible for the economy and it will be up to you to repair this fiasco. The private sector must create the jobs that feed the kitty that allows the Democrats to take care of their responsibility to provide for health, education, and welfare. This is not an antagonistic relationship, it is a symbiotic one. When each side does its job, unlike now, everything hums right along. I've already told you where the jobs are going to have to come from and it's up to you and your corporated colleagues to get busy devloping the necessary funding to get it going.
Cooperation between you and Wall Street and the banks has to center on fixing what's broken, not finding ways to work around reform. Reforming things is what Democrats do. The best way to game them is to convince the Capitalists to just do the right thing and stop bleeding us for every damn nickel. The goal of corporate America seems to be acquiring every last dime. My question is, then what? Do you have a plan B? Look, if you don't reign in the greed and the voracious appetite for more there will be nothing left. You'll have it all, and it will be worth nothing. Forget reform, tell them to start doing the right thing. They will be rewarded by the single most consumer driven market on earth. Think about it, if you let us have some, we'll give it right back.
Those that were bailed out must give back every dime we gave them, and they must do it now. They have it, they know right where it is, including the first $350 million that is still unaccounted for. The banks have to be separated again into regular banks and investment banks. No more risk taking with our money. They can do what they want with theirs.
We don't need another agency designed to protect us from unscrupulous business practices if businesses would stop being unscroupulous. Again, the simplest way to get around reform is to not continually do things that make it look like you need it. As an example, I have a credit card that started with a balance of $2000 that was for a medical procedure. After two years of minimum payments, with one inadvertent late payment (one day, no less), I still owe them almost $2000. Another card disclosed that if I continued to make minimum monthly payments, it would take me 14 years and cost me an extra $8000 on a balance of just over $7000. Now you know why I don't have a new car or flat screen TV.
If you made $20 million dollars last year, how much of that $20 million dollar salary did you actually spend on living? Do you know how much of my $32 thousand dollar salary I had to spend last year to live? All of it. Neither of us needs $20 million dollars a year to live but I sure could use more than $32 thousand.
Stop throwing people out of their homes then writing off the loss which (as always) ultimately comes out of our pockets. Negotiate deals that people can afford based on their current situation, which is what you're doing with the folks that are actually able to buy a house right now, arent' you? Why not extend the same courtesy to the people who trusted you to not screw them in the first place? If the house they were tossed out of is still available, sell it back to them. If not, let them buy something else. Not everyone is going to be able to take advantage because some people actualy have almost nothing to work with anymore.
You could offer some as lease-to-own so that people who were forced out have another way back in. They're essentisally renting it from you when you give them a loan on it anyway. No one with a mortgage owns a home, they aren't homeowners, they are tenants of the bank. Might as well make full use of the position.
We just want to live, not merely survive. We really aren't asking for much, and we certainly aren't asking for anything that you don't have and can't afford to share. Unlike you, we don't want it all, we just want enough. The right thing is the simple thing and the simple thing is respect for your fellow humans.
The simple solution is to get the money moved to the right places, invest in alternative energy development and other technologies, stop stealing from us, give some back so that we can play, too, create the jobs that will allow the Democrats to help the other part of the country that won't be able to get in on the private sector jobs.
Republicans, you have the power to make this happen. If the Capitalists resist, give them exactly what they don't want...reform. If they won't do it on their own, make them do it. You will get Democratic support for it is in their best interests, too.
So, Democrats what do you do? Support the Republicans as they deal with their friends on Wall Street and start preparing the way for your responsibilites. Creating public sector jobs ala the WPA and getting this country's infrastructure up to par is your first order. I don't know if you've noticed, but it's really starting to fall apart out here. You can also start crafting the immigration legislation that will be addressed and that I will speak to in an upcoming post. And keep your financial reform package and public option handy just in case.
Simply put, do this or we will replace you with people who will.
Thursday, April 8, 2010
An Open Letter to Congress from Your Boss
Part Two: The Job Descriptions
Dear Senators and Representatives,
It has come to my attention that production has declined and there is an inordinate amount of dissention within your ranks. It is time that we cleared the air on both our continuing employment arrangement and your job descriptions. I will address the latter issue first. For ease of understanding, I am going to present this in a party by party manner. That said, do not misconstrue that you should only read the part that pertains to you. Know thine enemy, know thyself.
The Emerging Third Party with the Terrible Name:
First, mount an ad campaign to change your name. Good God, Tea Baggers? Really? I think you can do better.
Second, distance yourselves from the other two. Neither will ever adopt your ideology. They are not built that way. As far as I can see, you appear to be Libertarian Conservatives and the new party of the religious right evangelical crowd. Nothing wrong with that since they were very influential once and directly influenced quite a bit of legislation. It could be argued that there is still some pull there given that issues like gay marriage continue to be defeated at the polls.
Go your own way. The Republicans are trying to use your fear and energy even as they continue to protect your greatest enemies. The Democrats are scaring the hell out of you and you’re not really sure why. It all sounds so complicated and confusing. But you really need to broaden your views, be more inclusive, shed the radical fringe, and become a solid third party contender. You could continue to scream and wave scary signs, or you could become part of the solution by rationally presenting your case to the American people. We will always ignore the ignorant and unfortunately, that’s how you are behaving. Simply put, stop it.
The Republicans
The most glaring and obvious mistake that you have made so far is in not realizing that the Project Manager, Mr. Obama, is not a Democrat but is actually a Social Republican. (By the way, it’s the same mistake the Democrats made). The health care bill is an absolutely perfect example of social republicanism. Your client, the health insurance industry (although I cannot figure out why they’re called an industry since they make nothing unless you consider misery a product), was a dying entity and it knew it. It had a completely unsustainable business model and, left alone, would have imploded and given us the public option whether we wanted it or not. In a fit of pure genius, he saved a completely useless corporate money whore and provided it with a sustainable business model. At the same time, he solved the Democrats need for social justice.
(Health care and access to it should never have become a profit center, but it has and we now have new life for this completely vile business. But I digress).
The reforms that are built into this legislation are what create the sustainable future of the industry. The reforms make it impossible for the insurance companies to destroy themselves. It saves tens of thousands of jobs and potentially creates millions more both in the private and public sectors. This bill is the most bipartisan piece of legislation to come out of your houses in probably forever. Recognize the good parts of it for all sides and realize that what Mr. Obama did was bring you back to your roots as a party. Simply put, work with him instead of against him and you’ll get a lot more of what you want. Just make sure that what you want is what we want as well.
Stop railing against the parts of it that were your idea in the first place. There is nothing wrong with the mandate that can’t be fixed and please tell your people that end of life counseling was also your idea and is not a death panel. And when you vote against something that contains many of your own ideas, you look foolish. When your tirade centers around a procedure that you have used more often than anyone else, you look foolish. When you endorse crowds of people who wave placards and banners that depict your Project Manager as the most despicable characters in history, you become despicable. Simply put, stop it.
You need to remember that the “C” you are supposed to represent is Capitalism, not Christianity. I would like to suggest that you all get a copy of the original doctrine that outlined your responsibilities. Your number one priority is the consistent flow of the economy by managing the ebbs and flows. Employment, credit, the stock market, the banks, manufacturing, and trade are under your direct purview. And you’re doing a lousy job. Capital is the engine that keeps everything else running. Social policy is not your problem. Your job is to make sure that the economy functions successfully.
You have rules that you must adhere to within your respective houses. Some of them are certainly arcane, still others ridiculous, and some downright stupid. The majority have a sound logical reason for being. And as you must operate under rules, so must the corporations and entities that cause our economy to work properly. We have all witnessed what happens when we leave these greed-based gluttons to their own devices. It is the private sector that fuels the public one, not the other way around.
Energy is where you must concentrate your efforts. Alternative fuels development, obvious natural resource technologies. These are where the new money and jobs will come from. Jobs create tax revenues and the greater the revenues, the quicker we start eliminating the debt and deficit. Having a job and an income that allows people to live instead of survive eliminates their desire to throw bricks through your windows and scaring your kids. People who are content are much easier to get along with.
The economic impact of this is great for America and terrible for our enemies. A strong, patriotic, and energy independent America bankrupts and scares the bejeesus out of our enemies. They have only one commodity to offer, and it is becoming obsolete. They know this; they may live on a fence between the 15th and 21st centuries but they know that most of the rest of the world is moving away from fossil fuels. They have nothing to fall back on and without money, they pose no threat to anyone. You cannot throw a rock across the ocean and you can’t buy bombs with sand.
But you like war, you say? Well, for a little while longer it will be necessary to maintain the upward mobility of the economy. When you can pull money out of the defense budget to help create more jobs, higher wages, debt and deficit reduction you will reap the rewards. You will also have coming out of the service a whole new group of young, highly trained and capable people to help create new technologies and strategies. Spending less for something bad and more for something good will benefit you both professionally and personally. Killing, like illness, should not be profitable.
Trust me, the Democrats will help you with this for it is in their best interest to do so. I’ll explain why in their section. They are going to need your help as well. Don’t be afraid, what I will be asking of you will not hurt, will not damage your credibility, nor will it stray from your original manifesto…assuming you return to it. Simply put, do it.
Democrats
The yelling across the aisle that your counterparts are nothing more than obstructionists may be factually correct, but it is also ignores your own brand of the same thing. While I have stated that the Project Manager is a Social Republican, he identifies as a Democrat and, as such, is your guide. The efforts of some to contradict the “Smartest Man in the Room” proved futile and a complete waste of time. All he did was give everyone what they wanted whether they knew they wanted it or supported wanting it. He took you all to school, so learn from his lessons.
Your group is divided too many times. Blue Dog Democrats are not Democrats and should either move into the party or out of it. Anti-abortion Democrats are not Democrats and should either move into the party of out of it. Liberal and Progressive Democrats are Democrats but there cannot be degrees of Democrat-ness. It’s time to declare your Party. Everyone pull out that dog-eared credo of the Party and follow it.
There are a couple of major issues coming to your side of the room between now and midterms. I will go into more detail on those in the next letter. The one thing you have to hand to the Republicans is that they stood by their strategy, come hell, high water, or defeat. And they almost beat you. Organize and decide what you want your priorities to be and act according to the principals or your party on the issues that are your responsibility and in a positive manner to those that are not.
You are the Socialist side of the founding fathers’ equation, and before you get all puckered about being called a Socialist, look it up. Your responsibility is the health, education, and welfare of the people. If you assist the Republicans with the Capitalist issues, they in turn are more likely to allow you the social programs that follow the flow of money. It is mutually beneficial to do so. There are those that worry about a single party system, and I am not advocating that. What I am saying is that while it is true that both parties have specific ideological paths, they are not mutually exclusive.
Two quick fixes that will eliminate them as distractions: Repeal DADT and DoMA now. There is no need to wait and you really don’t need them hanging over your heads. They are offensive and unnecessary and wrong. Just do it.
Summary
Pull yourselves together and get on the same page. Concentrate on the issues that are yours to focus on and assist with those that aren’t. The two party system works best when it works together. The Republicans will not go far enough with reform and you will go too far with social programming. The system is designed so that both sides can achieve their own ideals while at the same time ensuring that the country is fiscally sound and our people are secure in all aspects of life.
And try to remember that, for now at least, you work for us, not the other way around.
Dear Senators and Representatives,
It has come to my attention that production has declined and there is an inordinate amount of dissention within your ranks. It is time that we cleared the air on both our continuing employment arrangement and your job descriptions. I will address the latter issue first. For ease of understanding, I am going to present this in a party by party manner. That said, do not misconstrue that you should only read the part that pertains to you. Know thine enemy, know thyself.
The Emerging Third Party with the Terrible Name:
First, mount an ad campaign to change your name. Good God, Tea Baggers? Really? I think you can do better.
Second, distance yourselves from the other two. Neither will ever adopt your ideology. They are not built that way. As far as I can see, you appear to be Libertarian Conservatives and the new party of the religious right evangelical crowd. Nothing wrong with that since they were very influential once and directly influenced quite a bit of legislation. It could be argued that there is still some pull there given that issues like gay marriage continue to be defeated at the polls.
Go your own way. The Republicans are trying to use your fear and energy even as they continue to protect your greatest enemies. The Democrats are scaring the hell out of you and you’re not really sure why. It all sounds so complicated and confusing. But you really need to broaden your views, be more inclusive, shed the radical fringe, and become a solid third party contender. You could continue to scream and wave scary signs, or you could become part of the solution by rationally presenting your case to the American people. We will always ignore the ignorant and unfortunately, that’s how you are behaving. Simply put, stop it.
The Republicans
The most glaring and obvious mistake that you have made so far is in not realizing that the Project Manager, Mr. Obama, is not a Democrat but is actually a Social Republican. (By the way, it’s the same mistake the Democrats made). The health care bill is an absolutely perfect example of social republicanism. Your client, the health insurance industry (although I cannot figure out why they’re called an industry since they make nothing unless you consider misery a product), was a dying entity and it knew it. It had a completely unsustainable business model and, left alone, would have imploded and given us the public option whether we wanted it or not. In a fit of pure genius, he saved a completely useless corporate money whore and provided it with a sustainable business model. At the same time, he solved the Democrats need for social justice.
(Health care and access to it should never have become a profit center, but it has and we now have new life for this completely vile business. But I digress).
The reforms that are built into this legislation are what create the sustainable future of the industry. The reforms make it impossible for the insurance companies to destroy themselves. It saves tens of thousands of jobs and potentially creates millions more both in the private and public sectors. This bill is the most bipartisan piece of legislation to come out of your houses in probably forever. Recognize the good parts of it for all sides and realize that what Mr. Obama did was bring you back to your roots as a party. Simply put, work with him instead of against him and you’ll get a lot more of what you want. Just make sure that what you want is what we want as well.
Stop railing against the parts of it that were your idea in the first place. There is nothing wrong with the mandate that can’t be fixed and please tell your people that end of life counseling was also your idea and is not a death panel. And when you vote against something that contains many of your own ideas, you look foolish. When your tirade centers around a procedure that you have used more often than anyone else, you look foolish. When you endorse crowds of people who wave placards and banners that depict your Project Manager as the most despicable characters in history, you become despicable. Simply put, stop it.
You need to remember that the “C” you are supposed to represent is Capitalism, not Christianity. I would like to suggest that you all get a copy of the original doctrine that outlined your responsibilities. Your number one priority is the consistent flow of the economy by managing the ebbs and flows. Employment, credit, the stock market, the banks, manufacturing, and trade are under your direct purview. And you’re doing a lousy job. Capital is the engine that keeps everything else running. Social policy is not your problem. Your job is to make sure that the economy functions successfully.
You have rules that you must adhere to within your respective houses. Some of them are certainly arcane, still others ridiculous, and some downright stupid. The majority have a sound logical reason for being. And as you must operate under rules, so must the corporations and entities that cause our economy to work properly. We have all witnessed what happens when we leave these greed-based gluttons to their own devices. It is the private sector that fuels the public one, not the other way around.
Energy is where you must concentrate your efforts. Alternative fuels development, obvious natural resource technologies. These are where the new money and jobs will come from. Jobs create tax revenues and the greater the revenues, the quicker we start eliminating the debt and deficit. Having a job and an income that allows people to live instead of survive eliminates their desire to throw bricks through your windows and scaring your kids. People who are content are much easier to get along with.
The economic impact of this is great for America and terrible for our enemies. A strong, patriotic, and energy independent America bankrupts and scares the bejeesus out of our enemies. They have only one commodity to offer, and it is becoming obsolete. They know this; they may live on a fence between the 15th and 21st centuries but they know that most of the rest of the world is moving away from fossil fuels. They have nothing to fall back on and without money, they pose no threat to anyone. You cannot throw a rock across the ocean and you can’t buy bombs with sand.
But you like war, you say? Well, for a little while longer it will be necessary to maintain the upward mobility of the economy. When you can pull money out of the defense budget to help create more jobs, higher wages, debt and deficit reduction you will reap the rewards. You will also have coming out of the service a whole new group of young, highly trained and capable people to help create new technologies and strategies. Spending less for something bad and more for something good will benefit you both professionally and personally. Killing, like illness, should not be profitable.
Trust me, the Democrats will help you with this for it is in their best interest to do so. I’ll explain why in their section. They are going to need your help as well. Don’t be afraid, what I will be asking of you will not hurt, will not damage your credibility, nor will it stray from your original manifesto…assuming you return to it. Simply put, do it.
Democrats
The yelling across the aisle that your counterparts are nothing more than obstructionists may be factually correct, but it is also ignores your own brand of the same thing. While I have stated that the Project Manager is a Social Republican, he identifies as a Democrat and, as such, is your guide. The efforts of some to contradict the “Smartest Man in the Room” proved futile and a complete waste of time. All he did was give everyone what they wanted whether they knew they wanted it or supported wanting it. He took you all to school, so learn from his lessons.
Your group is divided too many times. Blue Dog Democrats are not Democrats and should either move into the party or out of it. Anti-abortion Democrats are not Democrats and should either move into the party of out of it. Liberal and Progressive Democrats are Democrats but there cannot be degrees of Democrat-ness. It’s time to declare your Party. Everyone pull out that dog-eared credo of the Party and follow it.
There are a couple of major issues coming to your side of the room between now and midterms. I will go into more detail on those in the next letter. The one thing you have to hand to the Republicans is that they stood by their strategy, come hell, high water, or defeat. And they almost beat you. Organize and decide what you want your priorities to be and act according to the principals or your party on the issues that are your responsibility and in a positive manner to those that are not.
You are the Socialist side of the founding fathers’ equation, and before you get all puckered about being called a Socialist, look it up. Your responsibility is the health, education, and welfare of the people. If you assist the Republicans with the Capitalist issues, they in turn are more likely to allow you the social programs that follow the flow of money. It is mutually beneficial to do so. There are those that worry about a single party system, and I am not advocating that. What I am saying is that while it is true that both parties have specific ideological paths, they are not mutually exclusive.
Two quick fixes that will eliminate them as distractions: Repeal DADT and DoMA now. There is no need to wait and you really don’t need them hanging over your heads. They are offensive and unnecessary and wrong. Just do it.
Summary
Pull yourselves together and get on the same page. Concentrate on the issues that are yours to focus on and assist with those that aren’t. The two party system works best when it works together. The Republicans will not go far enough with reform and you will go too far with social programming. The system is designed so that both sides can achieve their own ideals while at the same time ensuring that the country is fiscally sound and our people are secure in all aspects of life.
And try to remember that, for now at least, you work for us, not the other way around.
An Open Letter to Congress from Your Boss
Part One: The Problem
Dear Senators and Representatives,
I know that you are busy standing still, but I hope that you will take the time to read this and that you thank the staffer who passed it along to you for me. As evidenced in the title, this is the first of several letters you are going to be receiving in the coming days.
I would like to point out that the building that houses the office you are in, the chair that you occupy, the computer that you are reading this on, all belong to me. Your salary, which is already six times greater than mine, and the benefits that are provided to you that you did not want to share with me in the way of health care, and the manicured lawn upon which sits your residence are all courtesy of my largesse. And that of the 300 million stock holders who share that ownership with me.
While there are a number of large issues facing this country at the moment and you having been hired to see to these issues, I would like to point out that you are not dealing at all well with the problem. You see, the issues are not the problem. All of the issues have a solution. The question is, is there one for the problem? I know there is and I believe you do as well.
The problem is, quite frankly, you. None of the issues can be solved as long as you remain the problem. There are, as usual, several factors that define this problem, and I will be addressing those with you in the coming letters. For now, suffice to say that the solutions to both the issues and the problem are quite simple. That is not to say easy as they are not the same things. I have found in my years of experience that it is usually the simplest answer that solves the most problems.
The second step to solving the problem involves campaign finance reform. Due to the misguidance of the Supreme Court and your own rules, the company has been taken over by special interests inside and outside of Washington. The first change to be enacted is self-financed candidates. When a gubernatorial candidate can force others out of the race simply because they have $39 million of their own dollars to open with, it makes the system inherently unfair and corrupted. A candidate cannot donate any more than any other contributor to their own campaign.
Second, cap “war chests” and require all donations be spent on the campaign. Professional sports have salary caps for a reason, and so should you when it comes to campaign dollars. How can you tell an executive at a bailed out company that he must regulate his pay while simultaneously lining your coffers with millions of his company’s dollars? And you cannot create a “foundation” or other vehicle to funnel campaign contributions to or from. No one should need more than $10 million per year, and probably less.
So, we start here at step one: Sit down and talk, shut up and listen, and show us and yourselves a little respect. In short, stop running for re-election and earn the right to keep your jobs. See, if you just do your jobs, you’ll get to keep them. Wasn’t that simple?
Dear Senators and Representatives,
I know that you are busy standing still, but I hope that you will take the time to read this and that you thank the staffer who passed it along to you for me. As evidenced in the title, this is the first of several letters you are going to be receiving in the coming days.
I would like to point out that the building that houses the office you are in, the chair that you occupy, the computer that you are reading this on, all belong to me. Your salary, which is already six times greater than mine, and the benefits that are provided to you that you did not want to share with me in the way of health care, and the manicured lawn upon which sits your residence are all courtesy of my largesse. And that of the 300 million stock holders who share that ownership with me.
While there are a number of large issues facing this country at the moment and you having been hired to see to these issues, I would like to point out that you are not dealing at all well with the problem. You see, the issues are not the problem. All of the issues have a solution. The question is, is there one for the problem? I know there is and I believe you do as well.
The problem is, quite frankly, you. None of the issues can be solved as long as you remain the problem. There are, as usual, several factors that define this problem, and I will be addressing those with you in the coming letters. For now, suffice to say that the solutions to both the issues and the problem are quite simple. That is not to say easy as they are not the same things. I have found in my years of experience that it is usually the simplest answer that solves the most problems.
The second step to solving the problem involves campaign finance reform. Due to the misguidance of the Supreme Court and your own rules, the company has been taken over by special interests inside and outside of Washington. The first change to be enacted is self-financed candidates. When a gubernatorial candidate can force others out of the race simply because they have $39 million of their own dollars to open with, it makes the system inherently unfair and corrupted. A candidate cannot donate any more than any other contributor to their own campaign.
Second, cap “war chests” and require all donations be spent on the campaign. Professional sports have salary caps for a reason, and so should you when it comes to campaign dollars. How can you tell an executive at a bailed out company that he must regulate his pay while simultaneously lining your coffers with millions of his company’s dollars? And you cannot create a “foundation” or other vehicle to funnel campaign contributions to or from. No one should need more than $10 million per year, and probably less.
So, we start here at step one: Sit down and talk, shut up and listen, and show us and yourselves a little respect. In short, stop running for re-election and earn the right to keep your jobs. See, if you just do your jobs, you’ll get to keep them. Wasn’t that simple?
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)