The Game Is Over

I saw the latest polls of likely voters this morning for Ohio, Pennsylvania and Florida. Obama is way ahead in all of them. Now don't start telling me that the polls are bogus. The Romney campaign is not disputing them in any way indicating that their internal polling is showing the same thing.

Things can change. Don't let your guard down.

Romney can still win this. However, from the Obama side, this is all about getting out to vote.

Obama will need all the votes they can get. Don't assume that it can be done without you.

Republican Supporter Forced Miners to Attend Event

This was reported from the Huffington Post.

Can a company force workers to go to a non-work event without pay? Apparently they can in Beallsville, Ohio. This is the problem I have with the Republican way. Power is used indiscriminately with no regard to those on whom they trample. The powerful get what they want and the no so powerful be damned.

One of Mitt Romney’s latest campaign ads contains several seemingly unhappy miners standing behind the Republican presidential candidate. The message Romney's wanted to convey was that he was pro mining while his opponent was against mining. And supposedly this would reduce mining jobs. But the workers were really unhappy for another reason.

Grist first pointed out, that some of the miners work at Century Mine in Beallsville, Ohio. That mine was criticized in mid-August after it was reveaeled that the Murray Energy Company made the miners miss a day of work, without pay, to attend a Romney campaign rally.

"Our managers communicated to our workforce that the attendance at the Romney event was mandatory, but no one was forced to attend," Rob Moore, Chief Financial Officer of Murray Energy Company, which owns the mine, told local news radio WWVA shortly thereafter. Attendance was mandatory.

The ad, which was posted on YouTube Wednesday, features co-workers of the men that feared not attending the event could cost them their jobs. That despite already sacrificing a day’s pay after the mine was shut down for the event.

The ad’s contention that the Obama administration has hurt the coal industry is suspect, as Philip Bump of Grist points out. In big coal mining states such asPennsylvania and West Virginia, the number of coal jobs has actually increased since 2009.

It's All About The Middle Class

The best economic scenarios we have ever seen came from a strong middle class.  The bigger the middle class, the more potent the economy. It also leads to a more stable country as a whole. It stands to reason that policies should be such that they encourage the middle class to expand.

The middle class are characterized by hard work and sensible values. On many levels they are part of their community. They value education as they understand the life long impact a good education has on an individual, both in an economic sense and quality of life.

When America was had a broad manufacturing base, it was easier to have a middle class. Goods were being sold around the world as America was the only place that could make these goods. It enabled factory workers without a college degree to get a decent salary that met their needs. Since then, other countries have taken over the bulk of manufacturing operations and this has lead to a shift in the type of work that one generally does. Many of these replacement jobs do not pay what the manufacturing jobs once paid. And so, this development was a blow to the middle class. As a result, we see various effects like both spouses working, a downshift in their purchasing habits and so on.

You might think that the best approach is just to bring back manufacturing. Easier said than done. This is a different world. At the time when manufacturing jobs were plentiful in America, most of the rest of the world were not able to manufacture to the capacity, quality of America. Today that is not the case. America must compete with very capable competitors and it isn't clear that America can beat them all the time.

We now live in a world where start ups like Instagram get bought by Facebook for 1 billion dollars. That was impossible in the days when manufacturing was king. The economy was much more spread out back then but there was little room for huge winners like that. Instagram is only one example. There are many. What if we could tap into that sort of entrepreneurship and set the stage for that to happen more frequently? Here is what I think could be done to make that the case.

One reason that a person will work for a company instead of building their own business is for the benefits such as health insurance.  We should disconnect businesses from being in the health insurance business. Where I get health insurance should have nothing to do with who I work for. If we can achieve health insurance independence, then someone would be free to engage in business building without having to be concerned about where health insurance will come from. Businesses would benefit too. They would no longer have to spend any time thinking about health insurance or negotiating with insurance companies to cover their employees.

Romney Does Not Care About 47 Percent of The Country

Check out this guy's comment on Romney's hidden camera comments.

It would seem to that Romney would want to be the president for everyone. My take on this is that he is essentially saying he wants to be president for half the country.

What Romney isn't saying here is that half of that 47% are retirees some of whom will vote for him. These comments are contemptible.

You don't like the job Obama has done? Maybe so. But Romney is not an upgrade.

Taxes on the Wealthy And Why It Won't Solve The Deficit

There's been much said about taxes forever. The biggest tax discussion centers around The so called Bush tax cuts. President George W. Bush passed a tax cut and actually sent out checks to the public. As part of that process, the tax rate on some individuals in the high tax brackets was reduced. To be fair, everyone's taxes were reduced. However, as a dollar amount, the higher tax brackets got a bigger chunk of that money.

Bear in mind all of this was before we had a deficit. We had a surplus. Then we cut taxes, had two wars, then the economy almost died and there were enormous bailouts. The result is that now we have a deficit. This means that we owe money instead of having excess money in the bank.

One thing to note about what caused the deficit is that a big part of it was caused by those very tax cuts. More than one third of the deficit caused by the actions of George W. Bush was a result from the tax cuts he initiated.

There isn't one magical thing that can be done to fix the problem.  The solution has to come from doing many different things that when combined will reduce the deficit and get things on a better financial basis.

One of the items that is proposed is to change the tax rate for high income individuals back to the rate it was before the Bush tax cuts.  There isn't an exact number but the discussion has been to make this for people who make 250,000 a year or more. It isn't a huge change but I am not surprised that there is resistance. And so, the talking heads and the "experts" take to the airwaves. And they paint a slightly different picture than I just laid out to you.

It goes like this. The deficit cannot be fixed by taxing the rich. I agree with this statement. If all we did was to do that, it would not fix the deficit. Remember when I said that the solution has to come from doing many things? No one is proposing that the tax increase be the only action. However, it should be one of the actions. And don't think for a minute that any of them will be hurting. They will still eat and drive a BMW and wear Armani suits or whatever. That's fine. But please stop complaining that a few percentage points on your taxes is going to hurt you so badly that it is unbearable.

The next time you hear someone making the argument that taxing the rich won't fix the deficit, remember to agree with them. They are right.  But also point out to them that it will take changes in many areas to get the deficit corrected and some of that solution should be in the form of tax changes.

Voting And Then Some

Elections are fine. We the people get to choose who leads the country, city, county, school board and so on.  And yet many of us don't like where we end up. The country is going in the wrong direction say some. Complaints about the city, county or other organization or entity that is run by an elected body are ever present.

The situation is complex. People vote for a candidate but ultimately may be unhappy with some of that person's actions once they are in office.  These actions can sometimes have life changing or even devastating effects on others. Therefore, they have a right to be upset.

Let's say that a person is elected and does something that the public does not like. The only real remedy that can come from the people is to vote in the next election.  And if in that next election, the options are such that the other choices are worse. And so, an elected person can potentially see no consequences as a result of his undesirable act.

Would you throw out your congressional representative if the alternative was much worse? Of course not. A congress person in a safe district can therefore do whatever he pleases. He does not really have to represent his constituents at all.

What would be interesting is having some means to punish elected people while they are in office without having to vote them out. I'm not sure how it would work. But I would like to see a way to pressure them while in office. And this feedback mechanism should be solely voter initiated. If you are or have been elected to something, then you cannot participate.

Perhaps the repercussion is to fine them the way the NFL fines players after the fact for various transgressions. And the money would go to a charity.

This way, when elections come along, we can focus on ideas for moving forward knowing that said person running for office had already paid for debt back to his voters.

Who's Contemptible Now

I do my small part in this crazy world to help bring you a little sanity. Because so much of what we see and hear can only be attributed to some form of temporary madness. I bring you the following because I want to expose what is being said. I will say that I support their right to have an opinion. But some of this is pure lunacy. Watch for my notes mixed into the comments.

What follows is supposedly written by someone named Michael Massey from LA. I could not verify this but nevertheless, the statements expose the basic thinking behind the anti-Obama mindset.

The truth is I do not like the Obamas, what they represent, their ideology, and I certainly do not like his policies and legislation. I've made no secret of my contempt for the Obamas. As I responded to the person who asked me the aforementioned question, I don't like them because they are committed to the fundamental change of my/our country into what can only be regarded as a Communist state.

I respect this opinion to an extent. At least it is honest. In my mind, he is convinced that Obama is a communist. Where they come up with this I have no idea. The man has been president for three and a half years and has done nothing to support such a conclusion.

I don't hate them per definition, but I condemn them because they are the worst kind of racialists, they are elitist Leninists with contempt for traditional America. (I would offer that the opposite is true) They display disrespect for the sanctity of the office he holds (where did this come from?), and for those who are willing to admit same, Michelle Obama's raw contempt for white America is contemptibly. (baseless opinion)

I don't like them because they comport themselves as emperor and empress. (Perhaps that's how they make you feel. That's emotion. You already said you do not like him so how can you expect to feel good about him.) I expect, no I demand respect, for the Office of President and a love of our country and her citizenry from the leader entrusted with the governance of same (agreed. I think you have it in this case but you refuse to see it). President and Mrs. Reagan displayed an unparalleled love for the country and her people (True. Go on). The Reagan's made Americans feel good about themselves and about what we could accomplish. His arrogance by appointing 32 leftist czars and constantly bypassing congress (Constantly? That's a stretch.) is impeachable (No it isn't because it's not true). Eric Holder is probably the MOST incompetent and arrogant DOJ head to ever hold the job (Really? Do you remember that guy George W Bush had? What was his name? Alberto Gonzalez? That was ultimate incompetence). Could you envision President Reagan instructing his Justice Department to act like jack-booted thugs? (Easily. It happened many times. And you stated you don't like Obama so finding fault is to be expected.)
Presidents are politicians and all politicians are known and pretty much expected to manipulate the truth, if not outright lie, but even using that low standard, the Obama's have taken lies, dishonesty, deceit, mendacity, subterfuge and obfuscation to new depths. (You are free to say what you like) They are verbally abusive to the citizenry, and they display an animus for civility. (Verbally abusive? You're kidding right?)

I do not like them, because they both display bigotry overtly (never seen it once.), as in the case of Harvard Professor Louis Gates, when he accused the Cambridge Police of acting stupidly, and her code speak pursuant to now being able too be proud of America. I view that statement and that mindset as an insult to those who died to provide a country where a Kenyan (a birther? Ah now i get it), his illegal alien relatives, and his alleged progeny, could come and not only live freely, but rise to the highest, most powerful, position in the world. Michelle Obama is free to hate and disparage whites because Americans of every description paid with their blood to ensure her right to do same.
I have a saying, that "the only reason a person hides things, is because they have something to hide (Tell Romney to release his tax returns. What does he have to hide?)." No president in history has spent over a million dollars to keep his records and his past sealed (Debunked. Only something that extreme right-wingers believe. It never happened). And what the two of them have shared has been proved to be lies. He lied about when and how they met, he lied about his mother's death and problems with insurance, Michelle lied to a crowd pursuant to nearly $500,000 bank stocks they inherited from his family. He has lied about his father's military service, about the civil rights movement, ad nausea. He lied to the world about the Supreme Court in a State of the Union address. He berated and publicly insulted a sitting Congressman.(As he should for that Congressman being an ass)
He has surrounded himself with the most rabidly, radical, socialist academicians today (Nonsense. Obama asked several Republicans to join his administration). He opposed rulings that protected women and children that even Planned Parenthood did not seek to support. He is openly hostile to business (Nonsense) and aggressively hostile to Israel (Again, nonsense). His wife treats being the First Lady as her personal American Express Black Card (arguably the most prestigious credit card in the world). I condemn them because, as people are suffering, losing their homes, their jobs, their retirements, he and his family are arrogantly showing off their life of entitlement - as he goes about creating and fomenting class warfare.(you need help)
I don't like them, and I neither apologize nor retreat from my public condemnation of them and of his policies. We should condemn them for the disrespect they show our people, for his willful and unconstitutional actions pursuant to obeying the Constitutional parameters he is bound by, and his willful disregard for Congressional authority.
Dislike for them has nothing to do with the color of their skin; it has everything to do with their behavior, attitudes, and policies. And I have open scorn for their constantly playing the race card. It is my intention to do all within my ability to ensure their reign is one term.(as is your right) I could go on, but let me conclude with this. I condemn in the strongest possible terms the media for refusing to investigate them, as they did President Bush and President Clinton, and for refusing to label them for what they truly are. There is no scenario known to man, whereby a white president and his wife could ignore laws, flaunt their position, and lord over the people, as these two are permitted out of fear for their color. (your judgement is obviously clouded by heightened emotions)
As I wrote in a syndicated column titled, "Nero In The White House" - "Never in my life, inside or outside of politics, have I witnessed such dishonesty in a political leader (surely you are kidding). He is the most mendacious political figure I have ever witnessed. Even by the low standards of his presidential predecessors, his narcissistic, contumacious arrogance is unequaled. Using Obama as the bar, Nero would have to be elevated to sainthood...
Many in America wanted to be proud when the first person of color was elected president, but instead, they have been witness to a congenital liar, a woman who has been ashamed of America her entire life, failed policies, intimidation, and a commonality hitherto not witnessed in political leaders.
He and his wife view their life at our expense as an entitlement - while America's people go homeless, hungry and unemployed."

Now it's my turn. It is obvious that you hold deep negative sentiment against the president. Objectively if you look at it, he has done nothing egregious by any standards of past presidents. His administration has no major scandals compared to several of his predecessors. Even your great Reagan was involved in Iran Contra, a major scandal. You seem to be a bitter person, hell bent on hating someone for your own reasons. You are so entrenched in your emotion that you no longer appear rational.  I am going to guess that you did not vote for Obama and would not have nor would you ever do so no matter what the conditions. That is your prerogative. If you don't agree with his policies, that is certainly acceptable.  The reality is that Obama is actual a practical problem solver who is relatively moderate. You can't see it.  The reality is that things are never as bad as they seem.  

I truly hope no one listens to you. You are misguided and can only result in expanding your emotions to those who listen to you and read what you write. 

We cannot run a country on emotion. We certainly should not be electing our leader based on how they make us feel. If you're on a date I could see that, but in the selection of a leader, I hope not.

My hope is that anyone who is exposed to your opinions realize how your emotions are causing you to overreact and that they turn from this approach. 

Romney Wants To Keep Some of Obamacare

From an article on Time.com, we see that Romney actually now starting to make a little sense. However, as he does this, he starts to say things that agree with President Obama. 

Romney is saying that at least some parts of Obamacare make sense.

“There are a number of things that I like in health care reform that I’m going to [keep] in place,” said Romney.

Romney agrees with President Obama that deficits will take considerable time to bring under control. 

He acknowledged that deficits could not be brought under control in a single presidential term. President Obama has been saying this for a while. 

Romney admits that President Obama's is effectively handling the war on Al Queda 

Romney admits that President Obama had made America safer with the execution of Osama bin Laden and the drone attacks on al-Qaeda targets.

While it is good that Romney is beginning to say things that actually make sense, one has to be concerned that he was saying all the crazy stuff before. Now he's singing a different tune. Does anyone know which Romney will show up if he wins?

And if he is now saying things that agree with the president, why do we need him?

One Dollar for My Two Fifty

If I offered you a deal where for every dollar you gave me, I would give you two dollars and fifty cents would you take it?  Would you think it strange that someone would not take a deal like that?  

We have a looming national debt and the fix most likely involves cutting spending and raising revenues. Yes, that means raising some taxes.  This is what President Obama offered and it was flatly refused. For every 2.50 in spending cuts he asked for 1.00 in tax increases.  By all accounts that should be a good deal  But no, that was not enough. All for me and none for you.  That's what republicans said.  They were like school children who plugged theirs and blabbered on because no one was saying anything they wanted to hear.  That was irresponsible.

But I can see that it was in their interest to do that.  If they had, we would have had part of a debt solution underway and republicans would have zero chance of winning the white house.  Instead, nothing got done and this gave them the opportunity to say that nothing got done.

That's backwards.

All for Me, None For You

We do not live in an all for me, none for you society. None of us would want to live like that. And the drumbeat I hear from Republicans is exactly that. No healthcare for you.  Hurry up and die. Is that really where we want to go? I hear continual whining about taxes. I'm sorry, a person who has an elevator in his house for his cars can afford to pay some extra taxes. All the whining makes them seem greedy and self interested only.

They Want to Buy Our Government

I have little doubt that Romney himself would be a decent president. It's all the other baggage that they bring along.  All the other loonies with their own agenda. Some want war, others want to impose religious beliefs. And there is so much money coming from the Koch brothers and others like them. I have to think that they are buying something. And what they are buying is in their own interests, not everyone at large.

They want to buy our government to enrich themselves at our expense.

Why Didn't We Get a Jobs Bill Passed?

It seems to me that if republicans in general had negotiated SOMETHING and helped president Obama pass some of the bills he wanted, the country would be better off now.  Why didn't they pass his jobs bill? What that tells me is that they were more interested in not giving him a "victory" instead of what is good for the country.

Fox News Says Not to Vote for Obama

Hearing that someone from Fox News says not to vote for Obama means I probably should vote for him.

Do We Really Want Religious Leaders To Run Our Country

I am struck by those who appear to want religious leaders run the country. Why do you want to inject religion into government? We are not Iran where the religious leaders rule. Is that what you want? You guys need to knock it off. Government is government and religion is religion. Let's leave it that way.

I understand that you want someone in office that hold some of your beliefs. And to you, that means they must hold some radical beliefs almost to the point where nothing else matters. Guess what? That is not what most of the rest of us want. There is nothing wrong with believing in God or Jesus or whatever. If you do or don't fine. That is your choice. God gave you that choice to make. 

Have your religion and I will have mine. But let's keep them out of our politics.

Conservatives are allergic to facts

Some conservatives seem allergic to facts. They appear easily willing to make up their own facts to support their views and positions. Here is a list of false beliefs that are very common among conservatives.

• Women who are raped have a special bodily defense mechanism against getting pregnant.
• Abortion causes breast cancer.
• Abortion causes mental disorders.
• There was no human evolution.
• Same sex parenting hurts children.
• You can choose whether to be gay.
• You can undergo therapy to un-gay yourself.

A study was published recently that showed liberals and conservatives accept facts that are false to fit their views but conservatives do it a lot more.

Everyone needs to stop contorting the facts to suit their view point.  If you think something is wrong, that is fine.