Mind and Destiny

Small Businesses

2010-02-06T00:04:00.000-08:00

Jobs will be the focus of the Obama administration in 2010. In his State of the Union Address, he called upon Congress to help create the conditions necessary for businesses to expand and hire more workers.

Small businesses have historically been the engine of job creation in this country. Therefore Obama is proposing that we take $30 billion of the money Wall Street banks have repaid and use it to help community banks give small businesses the credit they need to stay afloat. Many small companies have weathered the recession and are ready to grow, but the banks on Wall Street are mostly lending to larger companies.

President Obama is proposing a new small-business tax credit, for small businesses who hire new workers or raise wages. He wants to eliminate all capital gains taxes on small-business investment and provide a tax incentive for all businesses to invest in new plants and equipment.

Unquestionably, we must put more Americans to work building clean-energy facilities and give rebates to Americans who make their homes more energy efficient, which supports clean-energy jobs. Obama wants to encourage businesses to stay within our borders, and has insisted, that the time to slash tax breaks for companies that ship our jobs overseas is long overdue.

The House of Representatives has passed a jobs bill that includes many of these proposals, and it’s time for the Senate get to work on a jobs bill, because so many Americans are out of work and hurting.

These steps won’t make up for the 8 million jobs that have been lost over the last two years, but it’s the only way to move towards full employment and will begin to lay a new foundation for long- term economic growth, while addressing the problems that America’s families have confronted for decades.

James Barr III

2010-02-05T00:35:00.000-08:00

In a letter published in the Oneonta Star on 2/3/10, James Barr of Hobart wrote: “This past October, the village of Hobart encountered a problem with the Maple Avenue bridge. I was advised to contact State Sen. John Bonacic and Congressman Scott Murphy for information. It took one phone call to Sen. Bonacic's office to receive a response, and his office continues to be very helpful. Unfortunately, I cannot say the same for our congressman, Scott Murphy.

“I personally contacted Murphy's office in Saratoga Springs, Glens Falls, Clifton Park and Washington, D.C., a total of 17 times, along with two e-mails through his website.

“As of Jan. 22, I still had not received a return call. Recently, when Scott Murphy took the time to campaign in Stamford, he was asked about all the phone calls that were made to his office and went ignored. He replied, “I’m not sure what happened, but give me the telephone number and I’ll make sure he gets a call first thing tomorrow morning.” Here we are weeks later and still no contact made.

“According to my research, a congressman’s base salary as of 2009 was $174,000 a year without travel expenses, etc. I know if that were me, I would do everything I could to make sure everyone who contacted my office had the courtesy of a reply. Apparently, Scott Murphy doesn’t really care about this area. He just cared when he was looking for votes. I hope you’ll think twice next election!”

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James Barr claims, that he was advised to contact Congressman Scott Murphy concerning a problem with the Maple Street bridge in Hobart. Who gave, that advise and what kind of information is he seeking? Since, State Senator John Bonacic office has been very helpful providing “information,” he has found a solution to his problem.

Members of Congress shouldn’t allow themselves to be distracted by those with political agendas or issues, that are the responsibility of a village, town, county or state government. Contacting Rep. Murphy’s office 19 times demonstrates, that Barr is harassing Murphy’s staff. Perhaps, Barr’s political agenda from the very beginning was to write the Oneonta Star and tell readers: “Scott Murphy doesn’t really care about this area.”

Some are claiming, that our Democratic representatives in Congress don’t really care about the people in Delaware County, but the facts prove otherwise.

Congressional Democrats made that clear a year ago, when they passed the Recovery and Reinvestment Act, that provided help to millions of Americans throughout this country. Although, Congressman Scott Murphy was not yet in Congress to vote, he did support the legislation because it address the economic challenges facing upstate New York.

The Recovery Act was passed without the vote of a single House Republican and only 3 Republican Senators (only 2 now). The bill, include $27 billion for highway and bridge construction projects. The person in charge of deciding which transportation projects would receive funding is Secretary of Transportation Ray LaHood, who is a former Republican Congressman.

Recovery Act legislation extended or increased unemployment benefits for more than 18 million Americans. It made health insurance 65 percent cheaper for families who get their coverage through COBRA, and passed 25 different tax cuts. There are million Americans working today, who would otherwise be unemployed. Two hundred thousand are working in construction and clean energy. Three hundred thousand are teachers and other education workers. Tens of thousands are cops, firefighters, correctional officers, and first responders, who remain employed.

The Recovery Act included $86.6 billion for Medicaid, $100 million for meals programs for seniors, such as Meals on Wheels, $100 million for free school lunch programs, $1.3 billion for medical care for service members and military families, $1 billion for the Veterans Health Administration, $44.5 billion in aid to local school districts to prevent layoffs and cutbacks, $2.1 billion for Head Start, $19.9 billion for the Food Stamp Program, $14.2 billion to give one-time $250 payments to Social Security recipients, and veterans receiving disability and pensions, $3.95 billion for job training, $500 million for vocational training for the disabled, $120 million for subsidized community service jobs for older Americans, and much more.

I suspect, that these services are being used by more than a few residents of Delaware County. It’s important to remember, that except for 3 Republican Senators every Republican member Congress voted “NO.”

Not Waiting

2010-02-04T00:31:00.000-08:00

During, the last decade, jobs grew more slowly than during any prior economic expansion. The income of the average American household declined while the cost of health care and college tuition reached record highs. Prosperity was built on a housing bubble and financial speculation.

According to President Obama, some political advisors have insisted, that our political system is gridlocked and that Democrats should just put things on hold for a while. Obama responded by asking: “How long should we wait? How long should America put its future on hold?”

For decades, some in Washington have claimed, that our leadership wait, but waiting has only allowed our problems to grow worse. China, Germany and India aren’t waiting to revamp their economy and they’re not playing for second place. They're putting more emphasis on math and science. They're rebuilding their infrastructure. They're making serious investments in clean energy because they want the jobs of the future.

As uncomfortable and contentious as the debates may become, it’s time to get serious about fixing the problems that are hampering America’s economic growth.

Obama insists, that he isn’t interested in punishing banks, but serious financial reform is needed. We must insist that Congress begin protecting our economy by ensuring a healthy financial market. A market, that will make it possible for businesses to access credit and create new jobs. A market, that will channel the savings of families into investments that raise incomes and guard against the recklessness that nearly brought down our entire economy.

The House of Representatives has already passed a financial reform bill with many important changes, but lobbyists are trying to kill it. Obama has promised, that if a bill ends up on his desk that doesn’t meet the test of real reform, it will be send back until Congress gets it right.

Moving Forward

2010-02-03T00:36:00.000-08:00

When President Obama and his Cabinet took office a year ago, they faced an array of historic challenges: an economy in freefall, job losses averaging almost 700,000 a month, a middle class under assault, two wars and badly frayed global alliances, and a staggering $1.3 trillion budget deficit.

Faced with these unparalleled challenges, Obama and his Cabinet went to work. They’re attempting to rescue our country from a potential second Great Depression. Our economy needs to be rebuild, so that businesses can thrive and middle class families will be more secure. The ultimate goal is to restore America’s leadership in the world, as our government grapples with the global challenges of the 21st Century.

According to the National Bureau of Economic Research this recession began in December 2007. There are 7 million fewer jobs and many Americans are enduring extreme hardships on a daily basis. Fortunately, we’re no longer seeing the severe deterioration in the job market that we saw last January. According to the Congressional Budget Office the “American Recovery and Reinvestment Act,” has already created and saved up to 2 million jobs.

Small businesses have continued to find it difficult to get the loans they need to start up or grow. Obama wants to increase the guarantees for Small Business Administration backed loans, and has asked his Treasury Secretary to make plans to transfer the remaining TARP funds to alleviate the difficulty, that small businesses are having getting loans.

Obama pointed out: “And when we walked through these doors last year, our first and most urgent task was to rescue our economy, to give immediate relief. These steps have saved or created about two million jobs so far. But more than seven million have been lost as a consequence of this recession, an epidemic that demands our relentless and sustained response.”

Racists?

2010-02-02T02:09:00.000-08:00

About 10 miles south of the North Carolina border just off Interstate 95 is the community of Dillion, South Carolina. Dillion is considered by some to be the focal point of a so-called Corridor of the Shame. The Dillion Central school has about 50% of their students reading two or three grades below level and a dropout rate of 50%.

South Carolina’s Lt. Governor Andre Bauer wanted the state legislature to kick Marc Sanford out of office after his Argentinean affair. He made the following comment regarding families who are in the government’s free or reduced-price school lunch programs: “My grandmother was not a highly educated woman, but she told me as a small child to quit feeding stray animals. You know why? Because they breed! You’re facilitating the problem. If you give an animal or a person ample food supply, they will reproduce, especially ones that don‘t think too much further than that. And so, what you’ve got to do is you’ve got to curtail that type of behavior. They don’t know any better.”

The recession has had a sever impact on South Carolina. It’s jobless rate is at 12.6, and 58% of its students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch. Lt. Governor Andre Bauer is completely out of touch in suggesting that the government should treat its citizens like animals.

Last summer, Republican Senator Jim DeMint of South Carolina insisted: “If we’re able to stop Obama on this, it will be his Waterloo. It will break him.”

On 1/25/10, Senator DeMint sang an entirely different tune on ABC’s “This Week”. He was asked: “Did you break him? And is that really how Americans want you to behave here in Washington? Break the president?” Sen. DeMint responded: “I didn’t want this to be the president’s Waterloo. But, pushing through a massive government takeover of our health care system was certainly not a good idea.”

Apparently, a majority of the voters of South Carolina “don’t know any better,” because they keep voting for Jim DeMint and Andre Bauer.

Universal Jurisdiction

2010-02-01T05:04:00.000-08:00

“Universal jurisdiction is the well established legal principle that some crimes can be tried outside of the boundaries of the country in which they were committed, if they can be considered crimes against humanity or war crimes. It was expressed in the Nuremberg Trials of Nazi war criminals at the end of the World War II.

“The Nuremberg judges concluded that the trials were ‘not an arbitrary exercise of power on the part of victorious nations,’ but were ‘the expression of international law.’ This principle was confirmed by the United Nations in 1946 and it was expressed in the trial of Adolf Eichmann in Israel for his part in the Holocaust. In 1998, the House of Lords upheld the principle in the case of former Chilean president Augusto Pinochet, who had been arrested in London.

“With regard to war crimes, the Geneva Conventions require signatory nations, such as Britain and the US, to pass the necessary laws and ‘provide effective penal sanctions’ for persons ‘committing, or ordering to be committed’ any ‘grave breaches’ of the Conventions. Crucially, Article 129 goes on to state that each signatory ‘shall be under the obligation to search for persons alleged to have committed, or to have ordered to be committed, such grave breaches, and shall bring such persons, regardless of their nationality, before its own courts.’

“Following the Davids Commission report, the Dutch government should therefore feel itself obliged to issue arrest warrants--not only for Balkenende, but for Blair and his cabinet, as well as all the senior members of the Bush administration, including the former president. Naturally, it has no intention of doing so. But that is far from being the end of the matter.

“In its modern form, universal jurisdiction is a democratic principle that arises historically from the bourgeois revolutions of the late 18th century, when it was established that sovereignty resides in the people and not the state. It implies that no one is above the law and that a minister, civil servant or military officer cannot claim immunity from prosecution for crimes committed against humanity because he was acting on behalf of a state. That is why individuals and groups can, at present, apply, as Palestinians have done in the UK, for an arrest warrant against even the most senior representative of a government or the armed forces.

“This situation is becoming intolerable for the international league of war criminals who head the governments of the world’s major powers. It has led to repeated efforts to curtail universal jurisdiction by the US, Israel Belgium, Spain and now Britain. In doing so, these governments and their representatives only place themselves more firmly on a collision course with the mass of the world’s population, who continue to believe that those responsible for the crimes committed in Iraq, Afghanistan, Palestine and elsewhere must be brought to justice.”- Ann Talbo

“Actively Conspiring”

2010-01-31T02:36:00.001-08:00

In an article entitled,“New Smoking Gun Disclosures,” Tom Burghardt reports, that a month after passengers foiled an attempted suicide bomb attack aboard Northwest Airlines Flight 253 as it approached Detroit on Christmas Day, new information reveals that the White House and U.S. security agencies had specific intelligence on accused terrorist, Umar Farouk Abdulmutallab, far earlier than previously acknowledged.

New reports suggest that the administration’s cover-up of the affair has very little to do with a failure by the intelligence apparatus to connect the dots and may have far more serious political implications for the Obama administration, and what little remains of a functioning democracy in the United States, than a botched bombing.

The New York Times claimed, that Michael Leiter joined the staff of a commission, appointed by President George W. Bush, to examine intelligence failures leading up to the war in Iraq. That led to a series of jobs in the intelligence world, and in 2008, Bush appointed him director of the counterterrorism center.

One subject barely explored by corporate media throughout the Flight 253 affair, is the unsettling notion that the aborted Christmas day bombing may have been a move by rightist elements within the security apparatus to destabilize the Obama administration.

It becomes a painfully simple matter for the enemy to gain advantage and change their tactics, when those charged with protecting the public actually facilitate their entrée into the country for some undisclosed reason.

Burghardt wrote: “As events continue to unfold and new information shreds the official story, is Leiter’s chilling testimony that suspected terrorists are allowed to enter the United States ‘because we have generally made the choice that we want them here in the country for some reason or another,’ merely a banal slip or something far more sinister that betrays the real order of things in post-democratic America?

“Relevant questions begging for answers include: Who made the decision not to ‘connect the dots’? Are right-wing elements and holdovers from the previous administration actively conspiring to destabilize the Obama government? Was the attempted bombing a planned provocation meant to incite new conflicts in the Middle East and restrict democratic rights at home?

“As with the 9/11 attacks, these questions go unasked by corporate media. Indeed, such lines of inquiry are entirely off the table and are further signs that a cover-up is in full-swing, not a hard-hitting investigation.

“In truth, what we are dealing with here as we stagger into the second decade of the 21st century, is not a conspiracy per se but a modus operandi as the World Socialist Web Site has argued, rooted in a bankrupt system quickly reaching the end of the line.”

Disaster Capitalism

2010-01-30T01:09:00.000-08:00

The International Monetary Fund must make good on its promise to forgive all $265 million of debt Haiti owes, and the International- Inter-American Development Bank should do the same with its massive $477 million debt.
Reportedly, less than 24 hours after last week's earthquake in Haiti, the right-wing Heritage Foundation demonstrated the meaning of compassionate conservatism.

The Heritage Foundation said that the devastation offered an "opportunity to re-shape Haiti's long-dysfunctional government and economy as well as to improve the public image of the United States in the region."

Disaster capitalism is real, and right-wing activists want to use the chaos in Haiti to their advantage, by exposing the country to the inequalities and undemocratic ways of the global corporate system. Grants, rather than loans will give Haiti what it needs to rebuild its public sector and become independent of foreign assistance for economic stability.

Richard Kim pointed out in The Nation, that it's no accident that Haiti lacks infrastructure and is vulnerable to natural disaster, because Haiti has been burdened for centuries by the bondage of slavery and debt. Freed slaves were forced to pay reparations to their former slave owners, and by 1900, Haiti was spending 80 percent of its national budget on repayments. It's unconscionable, but it's not unlike what the right is asking for now.

Debt forgiveness will ensure that Haiti can get back on its feet and ward off disaster capitalists seeking to profit from the tragedy.

An article by Rebecca Solnit in “The Nation” pointed out: “The people in Haiti need food, and the international delivery system has been a dud. Under those circumstances, breaking into a U.N. food warehouse -- food assumedly meant for the poor of Haiti in a catastrophic moment -- might not be “violence,” or “looting,” or “law-breaking.” It might be the most effective way of meeting a desperate need.

“Why were so many people in Haiti hungry before the earthquake? Why do we have a planet that produces enough food for all and a distribution system that ensures more than a billion of us don't have a decent share of that bounty? Those are not questions whose answers should be long delayed.

“And what is absolutely accurate, in Haiti right now, and on Earth always, is that human life matters more than property, that the survivors of a catastrophe deserve our compassion and our understanding of their plight, and that we live and die by words and ideas, and it matters desperately that we get them right.”

Free Speech

2010-01-29T00:21:00.000-08:00

FREE SPEECH FOR PEOPLE AMENDMENT PETITION:

WHEREAS, the First Amendment to the United States Constitution was designed to protect the free speech rights of people, not corporations;

  WHEREAS, for the past three decades, a divided United States Supreme Court has transformed the First Amendment into a powerful tool for corporations seeking to evade and invalidate democratically-enacted reforms;

WHEREAS, the United States Supreme Court’s ruling in Citizens United v. FEC overturned longstanding precedent prohibiting corporations from spending their general treasury funds in our elections;

  WHEREAS, this corporate takeover of the First Amendment has reached its extreme conclusion in the United States Supreme Court’s recent ruling in Citizens United v. FEC;

WHEREAS, the United States Supreme Court’s ruling in Citizens United v. FEC will now unleash a torrent of corporate money in our political process unmatched by any campaign expenditure totals in United States history;

WHEREAS, the United States Supreme Court’s ruling in Citizens United v. FEC presents a serious and direct threat to our democracy;

  WHEREAS, the people of the United States have previously used the constitutional amendment process to correct those egregiously wrong decisions of the United States Supreme Court that go to the heart of our democracy and self-government;
Now hereby be it resolved that we the undersigned voters of the United States call upon the United States Congress to pass and send to the states for ratification a constitutional amendment to restore the First Amendment and fair elections to the people.

To sign this petition go to: DontGetRolled.org 

Republic Destroyed

2010-01-28T01:05:00.000-08:00

Abraham Lincoln said: “I see in the near future a crisis approaching that unnerves me and causes me to tremble for the safety of my country. As a result of the war, corporations have been enthroned, and an era of corruption in high places will follow, and the money power of the country will endeavor to prolong its reign by working upon the ...prejudices of the people until all wealth is aggregated in a few hands and the Republic is destroyed.”

Our democracy may have already been destroyed, because United States has the most unequal distribution of wealth and income of any major nation in the industrialized world. Presently, the richest 1% of Americans have as much financial wealth as the bottom 95 % combined.

The shocking decision in Citizens United v. Federal Election Commission struck down 60 years of legal precedent prohibiting corporations from making campaign expenditures to attack or support political candidates. By a five to four vote, the Supreme Court ruled that the First Amendment, which is meant to protect the speech of actual human beings will hence forth give for-profit corporations the right to influence elections.  Corporations are not human beings, and shouldn’t be able to use their vast financial power to drown out the voices of real people. The U.S. Supreme Court ruled that corporations are entitled to spend unlimited funds in our elections, rolling back a century of modest limits. The First Amendment was never intended to protect corporations.

In order to protect our democracy, we must ensure fair elections by giving congressional candidates a public financing alternative to elections bankrolled by corporations. Furthermore, corporate shareholders must be given a say over corporate spending on elections.   Ultimately, we must pass a constitutional amendment to ensure corporate money does not overwhelm our democracy and clarify that the First Amendment is for people -- not corporations.

Tomorrow, I’ll post a Free Speech For People Amendment Petition, but don’t wait go now to DontGetRolled.org

Failed to Deliver

2010-01-27T00:29:00.000-08:00

Alexis de Tocqueville’s “Democracy in America” stated: “In a democracy, people get the government they deserve.”

On 1/19/10, we saw many voters, who didn’t feel President Obama was delivering on the change they voted for in 2008, shoot themselves in the foot. They voted to send a message, but as it turned out the only message they sent was: “See how stupid we are.”

Politics is the art of the possible. Last August, Nate Silver, of FiveThirtyEight.com fame, estimated that the number of solid Senate votes for a public option was a only 43. Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid was able to put together a bill without a public option, that got 60 votes.

Angry and frustrated voters rant about politicians, but fail to recognize that it’s our informed opinion, that determines who represents us in Congress. We’ve gotten the government we deserve, because some voters aren’t able to reason clearly and have allow anger and frustration to determine their vote.

There are over 2 million unregistered voters in Massachusetts. Furthermore, an exit poll of Massachusetts voters showed that: 82% of Obama supporters who voted for Brown support the public option, as did 86% of Obama voters who stayed home. Of the Obama voters who cast a ballot for Brown, 49% support the Senate bill or think it doesn’t go far enough, and 57% of Obama voters who stayed home on election day support the Senate health care bill or think it doesn’t go far enough.

President Obama represents the best hope to save this divided country. Real change depend on calm, dependable, pragmatic and reasonable voters. Irrational, impatient Massachusetts voters claim, that they want real change and were disappointed with Obama’s failure to deliver. In fact, they were the ones, that failed to deliver.

Appalling Silence

2010-01-26T00:47:00.000-08:00

Martin Luther King, Jr. pointed out: “History will have to record that the greatest tragedy of this period of social transition was not the strident clamor of the bad people, but the appalling silence of the good people.” 

It was devastating for many of us to see conservative Republican Scott Brown replace Ted Kennedy in the Senate. Joe Lieberman and the “Party of No” have let lobbyists and corporate interests run roughshod over the people’s business. Big Insurance rewrote the health care bill, while ordinary Americans continued to struggle to make ends meet.

Hopefully, Democrats in Congress recognize, that they’ll need to go it alone to win back voters’ confidence. They must not give up and drop health care reform. Many impulsive Massachusetts voters selected Scott Brown to send a message, that they wanted change, but actually, they made change much more difficult.

Regardless, of what MoveOn.org and some politicians claim a public health insurance option never had a chance in the Senate. The reconciliation process won’t work and meaningful legislation won’t pass the Senate without 60 votes.

House Democrats are serious about restarting the economy by creating millions of new jobs and cracking down on the Wall Street banks that got us into this mess with tough new rules to stop their predatory behavior. The House has already passed important legislation, but the “Party of No,” with the help of Joe Lieberman and Scott Brown in the Senate will most certainly insure that it’s watered down or defeated.

Voters need to support Obama and the large majority of Democrats in Congress, who are fighting for them. Congressional Democrats need to show the world that they won’t be deterred and won’t back down. Instead, we need to honor Ted Kennedy’s call: “The work begins anew. The hope rises again. And the dream lives on.”

Christian Values

2010-01-25T00:10:00.000-08:00

Mark Lavine of Cooperstown wrote the following rebuttal to Donna Sells' letter.

“In her letter of Jan. 11, Donna Sell equates President Obama's policies, especially health care reform, with the socialism of Karl Marx, deploring what she calls a redistribution of wealth.

“The fact is that most of our tax codes are a redistribution of wealth. In your town, people who own expensive homes pay more of the costs of your school system than people who own more-modest homes. On the federal level, people who earn more pay more of the costs of the military and other essential expenditures. Why should health care be different?

“Ms. Sell also compares criticism of Christian fundamentalists intruding on government with blaming the Nazis for their evil policies. That is absurd and disrespectful to those who suffered or died during the Nazi regime.

“She is correct, however, that digressing from traditional Christian values has hurt America. Is it Christian to deny health care to millions?

“The meek shall inherit the earth, but with no health insurance. Is it Christian to start unnecessary wars against people who did not attack us? Is it Christian to legislate religion into law? The Supreme Court has spoken: government cannot intrude on a woman's choice as to when to bear children, even if it is against your religion.

“President Obama's policies have nothing to do with Marxism and everything to do with basic fairness and equality. We are all entitled to basic health care.”

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Furthermore, is it Christian to continue to privatize the profits, while socializing the risk, on Wall Street?

Neil Monzeglio

2010-01-24T01:06:00.000-08:00

On 1/19/10, the Oneonta Star published the following letter by Neil Monzeglio of West Oneonta.

“In response to a letter on Jan. 11 by Donna Sell, I have some questions for her.

“When the Bush administration took from the poor to give more to the rich (wealth redistribution), was that anti-socialism?

“Also, why does the right want to outlaw abortion as murder while at the same time refusing to fund medical care and the social programs that might help these unwanted babies have a chance at a decent life? That doesn't seem very Christian to me.

“Speaking of Christianity, our nation was founded on freedom of religion (that's any religion, or no religion, not your specific type of Christianity).

“Does a role model for the world torture its enemies, spy on its own people, or start wars based on lies that so far have cost more than 4,000 American lives and at least a half million Iraqi lives? If that's Christianity to you, I'll take atheism any day!

“One last question, how can people who tout Christianity as such a loving and charitable thing spew so much hatred at people who disagree with them? Do you attend Rev. Mitch Wright's church?

“I was taught a simple, important lesson by my mother when I was just a little boy: Treat people as you would like to be treated. If the whole world lived that way, there would be no more wars, and no need for the religion from which all wars emanate.”

******************************************************************************************************************************** I wouldn’t go so far as to say, that “all wars emanate” from religion. The desire to control the natural resources of other countries has and will continue to have a great deal to do with the initiation of wars. It was called Imperialism, but today it's often referred to as Disaster Capitalism.

Less Fox News

2010-01-23T00:53:00.000-08:00

In a letter published in The Oneonta Star on 1/19/10, Janet Whelan of Mount Vision wrote: “Mr. Obama's spring breaks, winter breaks, flying all over the globe, sometimes with the whole family on Air Force One.… You need to watch more FoxNews.”

Recently, Obama stated: “My resolve is only strengthened when I see a return to old practices at some of the very firms fighting reform, when I see soaring profits and obscene bonuses at some of the very firms claiming that they can‘t lend more to small businesses, they can‘t keep credit card rates low, they can‘t pay a fee to refund taxpayers for the bailout, without passing on the costs to shareholders or customers. That’s the claims they’re making. It’s exactly this kind of irresponsibility that makes clear reform is necessary.”

Unfortunately, FoxNews propagandist continue to complain, that Obama takes too many vacations. Compared to Bush, Obama is a workaholic.

On 8/4/01, the Associated Press reported: “President Bush seems to bolt from the White House every chance he gets. He begins a month-long vacation on his Texas ranch today, and by the time he returns he will have spent nearly two months of his presidency there.”

While Bush was on vacation in Texas, FBI agent John O’Neil repeatedly warned of the prospect of suicide hijackings. According to the 9/11 Commission Report, CIA Director George Tenet was asked by Timothy Roemer, when he first found out about the report from the FBI’s Minnesota field office, that Islamic jihadist Zacarias Moussaoui had been taking lessons on how to fly a 747. Tenet replied that he was briefed about the case on Aug. 23 or 24, 2001.

Then Roemer asked Tenet if he mentioned this information to Bush at one of their frequent morning briefings. Tenet replied: “I was not in briefings at this time,” and “Bush was on vacation.” He added that he didn’t see the president at all in August 2001, because Bush was at his ranch in Texas. Tenet admitted that he was “on leave,” for much of August.

The “Washington Post” calculated that Bush took; 149 visits to Camp David for a total of 487 days, 77 visits to Crawford for a total of 490 days, 11 visits to Kennebunkport for a total of 43 days. Bush took off 1,020 days, which is more than a third of his entire 8 year presidency.

Janet Whalen needs to watch Fox News less.

Shift of Power

2010-01-22T00:06:00.000-08:00

The four biggest banks, JP Morgan Chase, Citibank, Bank Of America, Wells Fargo, have cut lending to businesses by 100 billion dollars over the last six-month after taking billions in taxpayer money in part to increase lending. Those big banks, which were crowding out community banks even before the economic crisis, have an even greater advantage now, because the system is rigged.

Beyond being angry, frustrated, or resigned, to deal with this huge chasm, between how the big banks are doing and how Main Street is doing, there is something we can do and it’s gaining momentum. The financial writers of “Time Magazine,” “Newsweek,” and “The Nation,” are encouraging the idea of moving your money from these banks.

We can take our money out of the big banks, put it in community banks. There are over 8,000 credit unions and about 8,000 community banks, with tens of thousands of branches around the country. People across the country are choosing to move their money out of bigger banks and into smaller, community-oriented financial institutions that generally avoided the reckless investments and schemes that helped cause the present financial crisis. Fueled by the personal initiatives of thousands, it’s a grassroots effort that has the potential to shift power in the financial system away from Wall Street and to Main Street.

A bank rating agency will give you all the credit worthy, safe and solvent banks in your area, if you put your zip code into the website MoveYourMoney.info Then, you can choose among them, and move your money there.

The additional advantage, beyond you not having to deal with all the hidden fees and all of the other charges that make the big banks additional billions every year—the additional advantage is that these community banks can then turn around and invest in the communities, invest in small businesses, and create jobs, which are so desperately needed. The risk for a depositor is the same, whether you’re with a big bank, a credit union, or a community bank, any deposit under 250,000 dollars is guaranteed, either by the FDIC or by the Credit Union Insurance Fund.

Tyranny

2010-01-21T06:34:00.000-08:00

The following excerpt is from an on line article by Paul Craig Roberts entitled: “Americans Are Hell-Bent On Tyranny.”

“According to polls, Americans support torture, a violation of both US and international law, and Americans don’t mind that their government violates the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act and spies on them without obtaining warrants from a court. Apparently, the brave citizens of the ‘sole remaining superpower’ are so afraid of terrorists that they are content to give up liberty for safety, an impossible feat.

“With stunning insouciance, Americans have given up the rule of law that protected their liberty. The silence of law schools and bar associations indicates that the age of liberty has passed. In short, the American people support tyranny. And that’s where they are headed.”
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Unfortunately, Mr. Roberts doesn’t provide the source of those polls, and their presented without any qualifying adjectives, such as a few, some or most. It’s a flagrant over generalization, that weakens any credibility and makes me question whatever truth there is in Robert’s accusations.

Many American, don’t support torture, or violation of both US and international laws, and we do mind that our government violated the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act and spied on us without obtaining warrants from a court. Historically, we have been called traitors and liberals.

Many “independents” and “Tea Party” folks are troublemakers who love to sit back and complain. They’re not interested in governing this country. They’ve never run for office. They’re not interested in working for somebody in public office. They prefer to sit back and bitch. A few years ago, most were considered Republicans, but now they proudly proclaim, that they’re independent conservatives.

Obama represents the best hope to save this divided country, from tyranny. Change that we believe in doesn't depend on members of Congress or Obama, it depends on informed voters. Change depends on all of us putting out accurate information, otherwise we’re no better than Fox News and Rush Limbaugh. Politics is said to be the art of the possible. I might be overly pragmatic and naive, but I think, that I can make a difference by writing factual letters to news papers and posting on this web site every day. I remain optimistic, because cynicism, apathy and despair are not an option.

Recently, a very discouraged senior citizen claimed: “I’ve supported the Democratic Party all my life and they’ve done nothing for me.” I reminded him of Social Security and Medicare, and he had nothing more to say.

Drinking Water

2010-01-20T00:32:00.000-08:00

Simone Weichselbaum, a Daily News staff writer quoted Attorney General Andrew Cuomo as saying: “Want to drink a glass of antibiotics or a glass of medication?"

He has fined two upstate hospitals and three nursing homes for dumping drugs into the water supply. Reportedly, workers from five facilities in Delaware county tossed painkillers, antibiotics, antidepressants and hormones down toilets and sinks. The investigation began eight months ago after reports that other major cities had found traces of drugs in their drinking water. Cuomo’s office then launched a probe into 15 medical complexes in the eight counties that supply the city's water.

O’Connor Hospital in Delhi, Countryside Care Center west of Delhi, Margaretville Memorial Hospital, and Mountainside Residential got fines of between $3,000 and $12,000. Ten others are under investigation. O’Connor Hospital and Margaretville Memorial Hospital were each fined $3,500. Mountainside Residential Care Center paid a fine of $4,500 and Countryside paid $6,000 in fines. Three other Delaware County facilities, including Delaware Valley Hospital in Walton, Robinson Terrace in Stamford and Kirkside Adult Home in Roxbury refused to sign consent orders.

The settlement required each of the facilities to cease all discharges of pharmaceutical wastes into New York City’s watershed and directed them to use waste-management facilities capable of treating pharmaceuticals. The medical facilities were directed to implement pharmaceutical “take back programs” to ensure the collection and proper disposal of wastes generated by households.

Republican Assemblyman Clifford Couch claimed, that local health care facilities had been following standard procedures for disposing of excess pharmaceuticals. Couch said: “The concern over pharmaceuticals in drinking water was something that was just recently reported, and we need to step back.” The investigation started 8 months ago, and the danger of painkillers, antibiotics, antidepressants and hormones getting into the water supply by being flushed down toilets and sinks has been known for more than a decade.

Upstate politicians and the executives of those hospitals and nursing homes had plenty of opportunity to protect NYC’s water supply, but neglect to address the issue. Consequently, Attorney General Andrew Cuomo addressed it for them and by so doing fulfilled his responsibility to the people of our state.

Recovering Our Money

2010-01-19T00:02:00.000-08:00

President Obama has announce a new fee on our country's largest financial firms to recover up to $120 billion in taxpayers’ money used to prop up corporations during the economic crisis. He’s targeting an industry whose political deafness has vexed his administration.

Obama has proposed a Financial Crisis Responsibility Fee on the country’s largest banks: "My commitment is to recover every single dime the American people are owed. And my determination to achieve this goal is only heightened when I see reports of massive profits and obscene bonuses at some of the very firms who owe their continued existence to the American people...We want our money back, and we're going to get it."

The fee would recover every penny loaned to Wall Street during the financial crisis and stop the reckless abuses and excesses that nearly caused the collapse of our financial system in the first place. However, the banking industry is among the most powerful lobbies in Washington and has already launched attacks to stop Congress from enacting the proposal.

The $120 billion recovery goal is the most that administration officials expect to lose from the government’s $700 billion Troubled Asset Relief Program that bailed out banks, automakers and other financial firms. Most of the TARP losses are expected to come from auto industry rescues and the bailout of insurance conglomerate American International Group Inc.

Obama’s plan has been in the works since August and would seek modifications to the law that sent billions of dollars in bailout money in 2008 and 2009 to a flailing Wall Street that was approaching collapse. Details of the fee are expected to be spelled out when Obama releases his 2011 budget next month, but Congress would have to approve the fee plan.

The idea received an early boost from Speaker Nancy Pelosi, the top Democrat in the House, where there have been calls for a hefty tax on bank bonuses. A spokesman for Speaker Pelosi said: “While we have not seen any specific language from the administration, Congress will certainly examine any serious proposals to lower the deficit and recoup even more of the TARP funds for the taxpayers.”

Rev. Pullyblank

2010-01-18T02:14:00.000-08:00

Rev. Thomas E. Pullyblank is pastor of the Fly Creek and Schuyler Lake United Methodist churches and a history instructor at State University College at Oneonta. On 1/12/10, he had the following very enlightening letter published in the Oneonta Daily Star.

“U.S. Rep. Michelle Bachmann received more than $250,000 in federal farm subsidies. Senator Chuck Grassley received more than $1 million of the same. Senator Sam Brownback? $500,000. Senator Max Baucus? $250,000. Senator Blanche Lincoln. $715,000.

“These are the same politicians who object most loudly to the public option in health care reform. They quote scripture and pray for God to stop our slide into socialism. All the while, government money continues to flow into their and their friends' coffers: of the $200 billion in agricultural subsidies doled out by Washington recently, the wealthiest 10 percent of American corporate farmers have collected $150 billion (www.truthdig.com). Welfare for the wealthy: I can smell the hypocrisy from 600 miles away.

“Some local wise men enjoy parroting the propaganda of these Washington hypocrites. They too argue that we are turning socialist and disobeying the will of God. Their stern, harsh judgment, in this world or the next, will fall on those who disagree!

“Meanwhile, local farmers suffer as supermarkets and box stores promote cheap, government-subsidized food as being good for us and good for the economy. Where do the profits go? Into the pockets of those wealthiest 10 percent of American corporate farmers. Local families suffer in poverty, unable to afford either nutritious food or reliable health care.

“Do Messrs. Sears and Eckardt and Rev. Wright have the courage to embrace reality, change their tune and speak against their conservative heroes, whose greed is destroying America's most cherished community-based principles? Do they have the moral clarity to abandon hatred and defend the primary commandment of Jesus Christ _ to love your neighbor _ in the midst of our neighbors' sufferings? The questions are rhetorical. The stench of hypocrisy is even stronger in our own backyard.”

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Furthermore, Mexican farmers have been displaced by having to compete with multinational agriculture corporations, who are receiving federal farm subsidies. They’re no longer able to compete in local markets, because the rice and corn imported from America is cheaper. Illegally Mexican immigrants from small farms are entering our country in order to find work to support their families.

Key Mistakes

2010-01-17T00:44:00.000-08:00

Regarding a Christmas bombing attempt on a Detroit-bound airliner, Obama said: “The U.S. government had sufficient information to have uncovered this plot and potentially disrupt the Christmas Day attack, but our intelligence community failed to connect those dots.” He spoke of his solemn responsibility to protect the American people. He told his aides “I take that responsibility, and I take it very seriously.” Obama made it clear his aides, that there was no room for another series of errors.
Afterward, John Brennan, Obama’s top White House counterterrorism aide admitted: “There are things we could do better, I take my share of the responsibility in ensuring we have an up-to-date system that is agile and that challenges the assumptions the way this President wants.”

Obama and Brennan have already identified several key mistakes. For example, intelligence agencies knew about the intent of radicals in Yemen to attack America. They knew that the suspected bomber, Umar Farouk Abdulmutallab, had traveled to Yemen and that his father had contacted the U.S. embassy in Nigeria with concern that his son had fallen in with radical elements. Regrettably, no one in the intelligence community tied the two sets of information together, and failed to inquired as to whether Abdulmutallab had a U.S. visa or thought to add him to the no-fly list, which would have prevented him from boarding the plane.

Obama has announced a number of changes to deal with these oversights. Security screening has been beefed up at both domestic and foreign airports, especially for the citizens of countries like Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, Syria and Sudan. More air marshals have been added. More names have been added to the no-fly list. The State Department is now requiring embassies and consulates to include current visa information in their warning on individuals with terrorist or suspected terrorist connections.

Ted McNamara, who resigned in August 2009 as the program manager for the Information Sharing Environment, a congressionally created office to oversee the effort points out: “These remedies were all adopted by President George W. Bush, but the work was never completed, even if the previous White House occupants wanted to claim victory, in fact the problem of information sharing has not been solved.”

Obama’s team has decided that the old triggers that were put in place to alert intelligence analysts haven’t kept up with the evolving threat of al-Qaeda and its sympathizers. Five years ago, it would have been one thing if a Nigerian went to Yemen, but it’s different now when a Nigerian goes to Yemen, because we know that al-Qaeda is trying establish itself in West Africa, specifically in Nigeria.

Politicizing Terrorism

2010-01-16T00:33:00.000-08:00

Republicans wasted no time in politicizing the Christmas day terrorist attempt on Flight 253 to Detroit. Dick Cheney led the way, by claiming: “President Obama is trying to pretend we are not at war. He seems to think that if he has a low-key response to an attempt to blow up an airliner and kill hundreds of people, we won’t be at war. He seems to think that if he gets rid of the words ‘war on terror,’ we won’t be at war, but we are at war. And when President Obama pretends we aren’t, it makes us less safe.”

Cheney didn’t decrying the terrorist incident itself, but instead used the attack as an opportunity to accuse Obama of not keeping America safe. Republicans launched a series of baseless, factually incorrect, demonstrably untrue and hypocritical attacks. Republican

Congressman Peter King of New York said that he was disappointed it took Obama 72 hours to address the issue.

Republican Rep. Hoekstra of Michigan complained: “The president has decided to stay silent for 72 hours. He needs to explain that.”

Former Bush advisor Karl Rove repeated: “It’s over 72 hours from the time of the incident until the time the president spoke today.”

For the record, Bush didn’t see fit to comment on the arrest of Richard Reid, the so-called “shoe bomber,” until almost a full week after it happened. Where was the Republican criticism of Bush back then, for taking so long to comment on the shoe bomber?

Bush avoided criticism, because of the type of language that he used when talking about terrorism. When it came to the issue of terrorism, Bush preferred bravado, such as: “smoke ‘em out of their caves, bring ‘em on.” Obama prefers a low key response and avoids the trash talking cowboy rhetoric on the subject of terrorism.

T - Party

2010-01-15T00:03:00.000-08:00

Recently, I received the following message. Although, it’s obviously intended for “Tea Party members,” I’m passing it on, because it’s sound advice for all of us.

“How much has your life improved since you joined the “Tea Party?” You pay your taxes, respect the law, and do everything expected of a good citizen. Why does it feel like your just getting by!

“Truth is, wages for the working class have stopped rising since the 1970’s, but the gap between the rich and the rest of us is greater now than during the Great Depression. Rush Limbaugh with his $33 million a year, and Glenn Beck, at $23 million claim to speak for us, but it’s obvious their they’re only interested in protecting the system that allows them to make such vasts sums of money and keeps you from getting ahead. Even the proposed “Tea Party” organizers are profiteers using donations to fund personal projects, or $1,600 steak dinners. Is that who you want calling the shots!

“The situation is not hopeless. A few things you can do to start fixing our country :

“1. Get your news from multiple sources. Doubt what sounds to outrageous to be true, double-check everything and remember that nobody holds a monopoly on the truth.

“2. Identify your real opponents. You’re right to be angry, but don’t let it get misdirected. Remember, the rich are richer than ever -- how well off are you?

“3. Stay organized. Once you’re armed with the truth, share it. Keep organizing protests, but target those truly responsible. Vote to protect your community, not the interests of big business.

“4. Hit them where it hurts--their wallets.

“This is time for action, but don’t let your enemy fool you into fighting their battles. -- A fellow American.”

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On 12/6/09, my post was entitled “Tea Party.” It provoked the following comment from john: “dude, your a total loser....get a life. If I ever see your face on this planet...I'll ship your ass personally over to Afghanistan for tea with your brother Osama your Mama.”

I doubt that john and a majority of Tea Party members are interested in the truth or the advise provided, by “A fellow American.”

According to Snopes

2010-01-14T00:09:00.000-08:00

Accurate information from Snopes follows: “It is not true that Congressmen do not pay into the Social Security fund. Since 1984 they have been required to pay into Social Security just as most everyone else does. (A few odd exceptions to the Social Security program still exist, both inside and outside of government, but not for members of Congress.)

“It was true prior to 1984 that Congressmen did not pay into the Social Security fund because they participated in a separate program for civil servants (the Civil Service Retirement System, or CSRS), but that program was closed to government employees hired after 1983:In 1983, Public Law 98-21 required Social Security coverage for federal civilian employees first hired after 1983 and closed the Civil Service Retirement System (CSRS) to new federal employees and Members of Congress. All incumbent Members of Congress were required to be covered by Social Security, regardless of when they entered Congress. Members who had participated in CSRS before 1984 could elect to stay in that plan in addition to being covered by Social Security or elect coverage under an 'offset plan' that integrates CSRS and Social Security. Under the CSRS Offset Plan, an individual's contributions to CSRS and their pension benefits from that plan are reduced ('offset') by the amount of their contributions to, and benefits from, Social Security.

“It is not true that Congressmen "continue to draw their same pay, until they die." The size of their pensions is determined by a number of factors (primarily length of service, but also factors such as when they joined Congress, their age at retirement, their salary, and the pension options they chose when they enrolled in the retirement system) and by law cannot exceed 80% of their salary at the time of their retirement.

“It is not true that Congressmen "paid nothing in on any kind of retirement," and that their pension money "comes right out of the General Fund." Whether members of Congress participate in the older Civil Service Retirement System or the newer Federal Employees' Retirement System (FERS), their pensions are funded through a combination of general tax provisions and contributions from the participants. Members of Congress in the FERS plan must pay 6.2% of their salaries (up to the Social Security wage base of $108,600) into Social Security, as well as 1.3% of their full salary into the Civil Service Retirement and Disability Fund.

“It is true that, if current pension levels and cost-of-living adjustments (COLA) for Congress members continue to apply in the future, some former members of Congress could conceivably collect millions of dollars in annuities over the course of their lifetimes. However, the huge dollar amounts bandied about in e-mails.”

Both my wife Karen and Mary McKeon make use of snopes on a regular basis. They can be counted on to provide me with accurate information, which I greatly appreciate.

Above the Law

2010-01-13T00:12:00.000-08:00

I received the following e-mail from someone, that I thought was a reliable source:

“For too long we have been too complacent about the workings of Congress. Many citizens had no idea that members of Congress could retire with the same pay after only one term, that they didn't pay into Social Security, that they specifically exempted themselves from many of the laws they have passed....Somehow, that doesn't seem logical. We do not have an elite that is above the law. I truly don't care if they are Democrat, Republican, Independent or whatever. The self-serving must stop. This is a good way to do that. It is an idea whose time has come.”

I was asked to contact a minimum of twenty people on my address list, and ask each of them to do likewise. The e-mail claimed: “In three days, most people in The United States of America will have the message. This is one proposal that really should be passed around.”

The e-mail proposed a 28th Amendment to the United States Constitution: "Congress shall make no law that applies to the citizens of the United States that does not apply equally to the Senators and/or Representatives; and, Congress shall make no law that applies to the Senators and/or Representatives that does not apply equally to the citizens of the United States.”

I passed on this information to the people in my address book. However, my wife and friend, who has always been a very reliable source of factual information, immediately informed me, that according to snopes the accusation that Members of Congress receive lavish pensions but are not required to contribute to the Social Security fund is false.

Consequently, I felt compelled to send the following retraction: “I'm very sorry that I failed to check the allegations calling for a 28th Amendment to the United States Constitution out before sending it. My failure to confirm that information indicates, that I'm susceptible to believing disinformation about our elected officials, and that I'm as gullible as Russ Limbaugh diddoheads and the Tea Party crowd.”

I've entered Snopes prominently on my Bookmark address bar, and tomorrow, I’ll post the facts, they provide.