Thursday, November 23, 2006
Thanksgiving!
Hope everyone is having a good dinner. Tried to make a weird Banana/ Pineapple pudding that came out....well, not as I expected. Hey, I went by the directions, so we're gonna eat it! I'm just killing a bit of time before I try buying an X-Box on Amazon. They have a thousand up for sale at $100. You have to wait for 2pm before you can buy. So much for buying locally.
Tuesday, November 21, 2006
A Better Economy
Who is "RICH"?
The rightwing often argue the tax question by belaboring the "definition" of RICH. "Who is RICH, to a Democrat?" they ask scornfully, and then unleash the assertion that Dems want to tax EVERYONE into poverty.
I came up with a definition of "rich" that has not been successfully challenged. Perhaps today is the day a rightwinger can rebut it: One is RICH if their MONEY makes them more income than their LABOR makes.
Working folks will have some investments, but the vast majority of their income comes from their labor. RICH folks often have income from investments which dwarfs any reasonable wage. They may actually work, in say an art gallery part time to have something to do, but it is not their major source of income. Often, the basis for their investment income is the result of inheritance.
Nothing wrong with any of that, of course. What IS wrong is when the nation's tax structure is geared towards ever fewer people amassing ever greater fortunes, while working folks are backsliding in their quality of life, and the nation amasses huge debts. It's especially galling to have government policy which heaps advantage after advantage geared towards allowing wealthy folks to "keep" more and more of their wealth, while simultaneously slashing and burning programs which serve as a safety net for the nation's people in most need.
Small business "creates" jobs because they want to make more money. Same for big business, although multinational corps have found they make MUCH more profit if they use cheap overseas labor instead of American workers. Of course, then those products are shipped back HERE to take advantage of American consumers. And then they want huge TAX BREAKS because ... they're the ones who "create jobs"? Really? Where?
So, the old, tried-and-true rightwing arguments for lavishing favor on "the rich" do not hold water. Instead, we need to look at the nation as a whole, and decide what is in our long term best interest.
Is it better to favor workers, take care of those in most need, and improve the quality of life for society as a whole? Or is it in our long term best interest to focus ONLY on creating a wealthy class and eliminating any governmental action which stands in the way of forming an increasingly balkanized CLASS society of Haves and Have Nots (modelled on the Feudal Societies of old where the royalty had ALL wealth, and the serfs got only what the charity of the royals allowed ... noblesse oblige).
There have been many nations in history which have tried the Feudal/Oligarchy system, where the rich had the power, and made all the rules. America was not founded on those principles, nor should we be rushing headlong ... as Republicans desire ... into having a ruling class which wants for nothing, and a working class headed steadily to poverty who have nothing to look forward to but more suffering.
It's GREAT that America has very wealthy people. Just let them pay their taxes. Oh, and about that top 10% paying most of the taxes? Another attempt at misdirection. The top 10% OWN 85% of America's assets, yet PAY only 50% of the tax burden. Only by a rightwinger's mentality can that seem UNFAIR ... that the wealthy are paying TOO MUCH.
So, what should the top rate be set at? It's been as high as the upper 70's during my life time and I would like to see it in that area again.
The rightwing often argue the tax question by belaboring the "definition" of RICH. "Who is RICH, to a Democrat?" they ask scornfully, and then unleash the assertion that Dems want to tax EVERYONE into poverty.
I came up with a definition of "rich" that has not been successfully challenged. Perhaps today is the day a rightwinger can rebut it: One is RICH if their MONEY makes them more income than their LABOR makes.
Working folks will have some investments, but the vast majority of their income comes from their labor. RICH folks often have income from investments which dwarfs any reasonable wage. They may actually work, in say an art gallery part time to have something to do, but it is not their major source of income. Often, the basis for their investment income is the result of inheritance.
Nothing wrong with any of that, of course. What IS wrong is when the nation's tax structure is geared towards ever fewer people amassing ever greater fortunes, while working folks are backsliding in their quality of life, and the nation amasses huge debts. It's especially galling to have government policy which heaps advantage after advantage geared towards allowing wealthy folks to "keep" more and more of their wealth, while simultaneously slashing and burning programs which serve as a safety net for the nation's people in most need.
Small business "creates" jobs because they want to make more money. Same for big business, although multinational corps have found they make MUCH more profit if they use cheap overseas labor instead of American workers. Of course, then those products are shipped back HERE to take advantage of American consumers. And then they want huge TAX BREAKS because ... they're the ones who "create jobs"? Really? Where?
So, the old, tried-and-true rightwing arguments for lavishing favor on "the rich" do not hold water. Instead, we need to look at the nation as a whole, and decide what is in our long term best interest.
Is it better to favor workers, take care of those in most need, and improve the quality of life for society as a whole? Or is it in our long term best interest to focus ONLY on creating a wealthy class and eliminating any governmental action which stands in the way of forming an increasingly balkanized CLASS society of Haves and Have Nots (modelled on the Feudal Societies of old where the royalty had ALL wealth, and the serfs got only what the charity of the royals allowed ... noblesse oblige).
There have been many nations in history which have tried the Feudal/Oligarchy system, where the rich had the power, and made all the rules. America was not founded on those principles, nor should we be rushing headlong ... as Republicans desire ... into having a ruling class which wants for nothing, and a working class headed steadily to poverty who have nothing to look forward to but more suffering.
It's GREAT that America has very wealthy people. Just let them pay their taxes. Oh, and about that top 10% paying most of the taxes? Another attempt at misdirection. The top 10% OWN 85% of America's assets, yet PAY only 50% of the tax burden. Only by a rightwinger's mentality can that seem UNFAIR ... that the wealthy are paying TOO MUCH.
So, what should the top rate be set at? It's been as high as the upper 70's during my life time and I would like to see it in that area again.
Monday, November 20, 2006
Sunday, November 19, 2006
Sunday, November 12, 2006
It's a New Day for America
Yes, locally we didn't get the results I would have liked to have seen, but nationally.....Wonderful. A clear rebuke of neo-fascism. The Bush Hunta is on notice and on the way out. Bush is hoping to get Bolton appointed to the UN before the new congress takes place. Guess what, it ain't happening.
Now, let's do the right things for the country and take back the White House in '08.
Now, let's do the right things for the country and take back the White House in '08.
Thursday, November 09, 2006
Sunday, November 05, 2006
Advice for Democrats
"When they say the terrorists want the Democrats to win. You say, are you insane? George Bush has been a terrorist's wet dream. He inflames radical hatred against America and then runs on offering to protect us from it. It's like a guy throwing shit on you, and then selling you relief from the flies."
Friday, November 03, 2006
Wednesday, November 01, 2006
ABC Memo Reveals Air America Advertiser Blacklist
An internal ABC Radio Networks memo obtained by Media Matters for America, originally from a listener to The Peter B. Collins Show, indicates that nearly 100 ABC advertisers insist that their commercials be blacked out on Air America Radio affiliates. According to the memo, the adverstisers insist that "NONE of their commercials air during AIR AMERICA programming." Among the advertisers listed are Bank of America, Exxon Mobil, Federal Express, General Electric, McDonald's, Microsoft, Wal-Mart, and the U.S. Navy.
The above information came from Media Matters. A group I generally trust. I suspect these companies have strog Republican ties. No more Big Macs for me.
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