Friday, July 20, 2012

@Nicknich3: That Lucretius. Such a comedian.

  • Jim Nichols ‎"Life is one long struggle in the dark." --Lucretius
    (But at least there is good food, and computers, and ways for sons to talk to dads on the other side of the world in one click)
    June 25 at 3:39am · Like · 1
  • Nick Nichols That Lucretius. Such a comedian.
    June 25 at 3:41am · Unlike · 1

Thursday, July 19, 2012

Breaking 3rd Congressional district news: Lynn Westmoreland drops out of TV debate

Just got this via the Kingsley campaign, a GOP candidate running in the primary against my abysmal congressman:

Westmoreland Drops Out Of Televised Debate

Dear Jim,

This week we learned that Mr. Westmoreland has dropped out of the Atlanta Press Club debates airing on GPB at 5:30 on Sunday the 22nd. He has until Sunday morning to change his mind if he wishes.

Since there is still time for him to change his mind it is up to the voters of the 3rd district to demand that he show up on Sunday. Here is the contact info for his Washington and Local office:

Washington, DC Office
2433 Rayburn House Office Bldg
Washington, DC 20515
Phone (202) 225-5901
Fax (202) 225-2515

Third District Office
1601-B East Highway 34
Newnan, Georgia 30265
Phone (770) 683-2033
Fax (770) 683-2042

Call, fax, or show up at his office and demand that the he show up and face the voters of his district on Sunday. If we can apply enough pressure he will be forced to appear.

Politicians must be held accountable by their constituency. If a politician is afraid to stand in front of their voters, it is time for them to go. 

Westmoreland bumbles through appearances when he's put on the spot with tough questions. 

He may actually be concerned about his opponents in the primary who are looking to out wingnut a wingnut will put him in a bind trying to explain... well, anything at all really.

Just a reminder here is Westmoreland at his best... 

Wednesday, July 18, 2012

Romney's mistaken credo

Michael Kazin in his article, Why Businessmen Don’t Get Elected President, notes Romney's mistaken credo:

Romney fervently shares the same mistaken credo preached by Hoover, Perot, and Cain. They all believed that to do well in business, which requires dedication to the narrow welfare of one firm or economic sector, splendidly equips one to triumph in the presidency, which demands a talent for reconciling competing interests and voter blocs for the purpose of advancing a semblance of the common, national good. To get rich may be glorious. But it does not qualify you to represent the best ideals of the country or to make policy for the vast majority of Americans. After all, the only chance most of us will have to get $100,000 a year in exchange for no work is to win the lottery.

Friday, July 6, 2012

Stimulus and Tax Cuts Not a Long Term Solution

Yves Smith: Reaganomics Was Pro Business, Not Pro "Free Market"

Glenn Greenwald: Obama Has Continued Bush Approach to Civil Liberties, War on Terror

Where's The GOP Healthcare Plan?

 

The thing is, I had to get to understand the healthcare policy debate in the 1990s and the core conservative ideas then were an individual mandate and healthcare exchanges where consumers could shop for their own insurance policy. Both of those are in Obamacare as they were in Romneycare.

The truth is that "the most plausible institutional vehicle for conservative ideas about health care" is the Obama administration. 

Only about one third of Americans have passports, and if it weren’t for the post- September 11 requirement that one travel to Canada and Mexico on a passport, it would no doubt be an even smaller proportion. (Hence the high number of passports in states with large Latino populations). But take Latinos out of the equation, and which states are cosmopolitan is pretty clear. Lack of experience with the world seems to track pretty closely with strong opinions about how to deal with the rest of the world. It also tracks with socially reactionary views.

passports by state
So I have a possible solution... maybe we should send this guy below on a tour of Red America to explain ObamaCare to the good people fearing the right wing healthcare plot that was just upheld by the Supreme Court

Face it.  We have to fix our health care system and the GOP plan of doing nothing but repealing what little improvements were made in ObamaCare is not economically viable option.

With U.S. Economy Stuck, Fiscal Fix Can’t Wait Any Longer

Bloomberg:

But this isn’t a problem that only the Fed can -- or should -- solve. As Bernanke has said, monetary policy can only do so much to break the stubborn logjam preventing consumers from spending and businesses from investing and hiring. Look no further than Thursday’s collective market shrug after three central banks in Europe and China took uncoordinated steps to stimulate borrowing and spending.

At some point, elected officials in both parties are going to have to take steps to get the economy growing faster. What’s needed has been clear for a long time: Resolve the uncertainty about expiring tax breaks and looming spending cuts; create short-term fiscal stimulus; and outline a more sustainable long- term fiscal path.

Thursday, July 5, 2012