A Few Items

Our Federal Government has been "shut down" for three or four days due to the massive storm. Has anyone noticed any difference as compared to when it's "open"? :) Don't get me wrong: even Libertarians believe there is a legitimate need for a central government...for national defense, a money system, a court system, laws governing interstate commerce, and a few other things of that sort. But here's what we don't need: $50 million of federal money spent on an indoor rainforest project in Iowa; $26 million for the Harrisburg, PA Courthouse (a courthouse, OK, but $26 million!); $1.4 billion (in 2001) in erroneous payments in the Food Stamp Program; $13.3 billion (in 2002) in improperly paid Medicare claims; 342 different economic development programs at the Federal level, a great many of which overlap; and on & on. [Facts courtesy of the GAO.]
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I'm getting very weary of reading and hearing about "Climate-Gate" and the whole Global Warming argument. The so-called "Conservatives" believe that the warming is due to natural causes (such as solar sunspot cycles), while the so-called "Liberals" or "Progressives" believe that it is caused by human activity which produces Greenhouse Gases (such as carbon dioxide, chlorofluorocarbons, chlorofluorohydrocarbons, etc.).

I don't hold a PhD in anything, but do have an environmental education at the Master's Degree level. I also worked for the Sacramento County Environmental Management Department for seven years and as an environmental consultant for a total of five years, part of which I researched and wrote Environmental Impact Statements. Hello!---the probability is very high that Global Warming is caused by BOTH natural events and gases generated by human activity. Currently we are in a natural interglacial warming period, and industrial-produced gases such as carbon dioxide (billions of tons generated by human activity annually) do trap heat in our atmosphere. The percentage of warming caused by each source is unknown.
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Uncle TOM (Tired Old Media) often castigates those of us who are pro-Constitutional government and thus pro-limited government as being anti this or that. What's good for the goose is good for the gander, as the saying goes; therefore, let me state plainly that those who are for Big Government are anti-Constitutional government and anti-limited government. Both of the above arguments are simply attempts at misdirection and misinformation... and should be ignored by anyone with common sense.
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One Party Rule

It doesn't matter (not in any significant way, at least) which major candidate comes out on top November 4th. The only real winners will be the super-rich and the CEOs of huge multi-national companies...and their crony U.S. Senators and Representatives. The common person will lose. [For WHY, see the previous three posts on this blog.]

The Republican Party is dead; the Democrat Party is dead. Long live the ruling Republi-crat Party, the shill of the Corporatocracy. The coming months and years will benefit only the super-rich, no matter who wins on Nov. 4th. The entire political process at the national level is a farce. Crony Capitalism (not genuine Capitalism) now rules this country---the CEOs of mega multi-national companies have partnered up with Government and pulled off the biggest heist in the history of Mankind...the bailout. It is Cronyism beyond compare. Uncle TOM (Tired Old Media) makes it all possible by feeding the American voters the biggest line of crap ever concocted.

I fear for the future of our children. The Republic of the United States of America is gone.

Uncle TOM Gets It Wrong Again

In a political primary contest, it's the number of delegates that determines the winner; that often corresponds to the popular vote, but not always. Our Uncle, the Tired Old Media, declared Hillary Clinton the winner in Nevada in the Democratic race. Here is the number of delegates won by each of the top two candidates in that race: Obama---13; Clinton---12. Hello, TOM, Hillary lost.

On top of that, did you notice the amount of coverage given to the second place winner in the Republican race in Nevada? Was there any coverage? The marginalizing of Ron Paul continues. In every other race thus far, the second place (and often the third place) winner either has been interviewed or, at least, discussed by the pundits. There hardly was any mention of even Paul's name.

The Corporate Media are busy molding public opinion, convincing people that at this early stage in the Presidential race certain candidates simply are not viable. Keep in mind that some time ago TOM essentially had written off John McCain as being out of the running. Now the Media are busy promoting certain candidates, while at the same time declaring that the Dem and Repub races are "wide open".

Uncle TOM is Downright Comical at Times

Our Uncle, the Tired Old Media, is becoming more and more of a farce. The other night on NBC Nightly News netcast, TOM (represented by Brian Williams) had this story...(somewhat paraphrased)...

"The gloves came off in the Republican campaign today. Giuliani and Romney hit each other HARD." Giuliani said that Romney was "just like Hillary", and that during Romney's term as Governor, "crime in the State went up". Romney said that Giuliani "didn't add the figures properly; crime in Massachusetts actually went down during my term".

WOW! I'm not sure if either candidate will ever recover from those wicked blows. Thank you, TOM, for staying on top of this crucial and HARD-hitting political story.

[Surely people can see through this farce. Tweedle Dum and Tweedle Dee are campaigning for a nomination.]

Oh for the days of Edward R. Murrow.