Republicans Rush to the Right

Almost as amazing as the speed of decoupling of the world's means of production is the Republicans, what is left of them, rush to the right. It is as if they are tots on a teeter totter with a big bully and must lean all the way back to maintain equilibrium. The Republicans point of view is so insolated from the majority of Americans that they are unable to see that the Democrats have cornered the markets on both left and center. The danger is that they fall all the way off and an even smaller tot will have to move forward to take their place. Will it be the old stand by Libertarians or the Ultra-eco greens? Barring the candidate or platform that can seamlessly bridge the two: Libereens (People that believe government spending is bad for the environment?)? This doesn't give either, or at worst both, much of a chance. Yet it is still not too late for the Republicans, there is time for them to come to their senses on environmental issues and show that their are better, more efficient and sure ways to meet those goals than Gore's Cap and Trade system.

Republican's Attack on the Demacrat's Plan to Save the Economy

For most Americans the current Republican tactic of complaining that the Democrat’s stimulus package is too large, falls on deaf ears. The reason for this is simply that the Republicans stood idly by while trillions of dollars were squandered in Iraq, on foreign oil, and on interest to China to fund the multi-trillion dollar deficit Obama was left with. Trying to deny him the means to do anything about it now seems hypocritical at minimum. A more thoughtful strategy would be to suggest by supporting failing Industries and financial strategies of the past we are preventing the economy from being about to naturally adapt to the new economic landscape. Restructuring State and Federal taxes, funding groundbreaking energy research, giving small grants to small and medium companies and learning institutions trying new ideas can help our economy find new, practical answers. The free market will determine the winners. If the French can safely burn their spent fuel rods through reprocessing in breeder reactors, how can America not take advantage of our nuclear waste and this technology? Why should we encourage the big three to manufacture an overabundance of vehicles that anyone can buy for a song used? Especially when they could be partnering with GE to produce and deploy wind turbines as they (GE) already do, with foreign companies overseas? We will need more light-rail, CNG busses and light transport in the new economy, GM could make those. Both of these companies (GM and GE) already have taken US taypayers' money, maybe we should just convert our shares to voting shares and force them to do so. The right way to "save" to economy is to help it "change" to face the changing world, not to prop up economic strategies already proven to fail, that waste resources, new strategies need to succeed.


Nathan Benefield
January 25 at 10:50am
You nailed it Rick, Obama is merely continuing the failed policies of George W. Bush. More spending on "infrastructure", more grants for "alternative energy", tax "rebates," more money for Medicare and Medicaid without reforming those programs. We tried this "fiscal stimulus" in 2001 and in 2008 - and it failed. Haven't we learned our lesson. If government spending leads to an economic boom, after 8 years in which Bush increase federal spending almost 70% (about twice as much as under Clinton), shouldn't our economy be booming? "The free market will determine the winners" - sounds good, but how will that work when the government is choosing winners to give taxpayer money to?FYI, light rail is a boondoggle, everywhere it is tried it end up costing taxpayers more and delivering few riders than promised. If I (as a taxpayer) am forced to become a shareholder in GM, I certainly don't want to force them to get into that business.


Frederick Kardatzke
Today at 9:42am
You nailed it Rick, Obama is merely continuing the failed policies of George W. Bush. answer- The reason for this is how bad of shape the economy is in thanks to the Republican party driving our economy into a huge hole under the ground. Obama feels forced to prop things up, which you are right, is a mistake. More spending on "infrastructure", more grants for "alternative energy", tax "rebates," more money for Medicare and Medicaid without reforming those programs. We tried this "fiscal stimulus" in 2001 and in 2008 - and it failed. Haven't we learned our lesson. If government spending leads to an economic boom, after 8 years in which Bush increase federal spending almost 70% (about twice as much as under Clinton), shouldn't our economy be booming? answer - The problem with Bush spending - it went overseas to destroy Iraq and line the pockets of the rich, who do not spend most of it, but hide increasing quantities of cash in foreign banks, and did not to produce anything in or for America."The free market will determine the winners" - sounds good, but how will that work when the government is choosing winners to give taxpayer money to? Answer - Clearly we are not going to have a completely "free" market in the US under the Republicans of the Democrats. We need to set up a new tax structure that gives incentives for planet and America saving behavior.FYI, light rail is a boondoggle, everywhere it is tried it end up costing taxpayers more and delivering few riders than promised. If I (as a taxpayer) am forced to become a shareholder in GM, I certainly don't want to force them to get into that business.Light rail and CNG bus production have been a profit maker for the companies that produce them (in Wisconsin) You need to look, instead of at the Gross profit of light rail at the net effects of it. Less traffic on the roads (which are subsidized by government) save us fossil fuels and give us alternatives when the foreign oil producers shut off supply. Before the Feds build the Interstate system there were many more thriving light rail companies operating and profiting in the US. But the greatest unrealized benefit (at least by the Republican party) is that it allows the urban poor to search for and hold jobs far from the urban blight which they live in, giving them a way out and the USA a new source of taxpayers instead of additional burdens.

Life in the New Economy

Have you lost your job or been downsized to part-time status? You may have thought having less work, you would have more time for an exercise program, taking up a forgotten hobby, or visiting friends and relatives. As you start putting more time into being greener, eating healthy, renewing, reusing and recycling, doing more for yourself around the home front and buying or bartering and trading you find they all take time and energy. Even though some of these activities do not make you the big money that you used to get in the old economy, they directly benefit your life, especially in the long run. At least generally, they are exercise.

We, as Americans especially, but as the capitalistic world in general have paid far too much attention the the gross numbers, GDP, Gross Profit, Gross margin, gross income. We need to start looking at the NET. When you start looking at the net, big picture wise, you start to realize that instead of merely acting for your body, or even your family is way too limited. Too limited to even be in your own, or your family's best interest. Long term, we need a bigger sense of self. Not one that is acting for the Whole in only the Here and Now, one that is acting here and now for the Whole with respect for the past and in the interests of the Future. If we save a gallon of gas, say, we have saved the work of the drillers to find and pump it out of the ground the refiners, storage facilities and shippers and retailers that brought it to me, the financiers that make this infrastructure possible and what they would have spent their profits on etc: And we have saved that resource for the future when they will be able to use it for polymers and plastics and other things we can't imagine yet.

Will this result in an economic downturn. Gross-wise and now-wise, yes; but we get a longer lasting world with healthier people to enjoy it so net-wise we win. Do we need 3 big automakers? No, but we do need manufactures. We need insulation, windmills and turbines and solar cells and cell phone towers. If we are to depend on big SUVs less in the future, we will need light transport, public rail and CNG delivery systems. We will continue to need drill rigs and earth movers. We will need an underground superconducting super-secure electricity and data backbone. We will want Household size easy and efficient composting systems. The new economy needs a lot of new things but three big auto companies? No, sorry. Can't you learn to make some of the things we do need though? Since GM and GE both took money from the government can't they work together to manufacture the wind systems GE in already producing and using overseas? I encourage you to take the long view and not to squander the country's resources propping up the status quo which further wastes our resources by producing unneeded vehicles and jobs that do not have a net positive effect.

Why USPS can't make money;(

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Ship Carrier:
USPS
Tracking Number:
9102127391790478542012
Status:
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Order #:
105-8327106-4244235
Shipment Date:
January 7, 2009
Destination:
Evanston, IL, United States
Estimated Arrival:
January 13, 2009
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Toward a healthier meatloaf

CB's SCD GF/CF Meat loaf

Preheat oven to 325

1 lb ground chicken
1/2 small ripe pumpkin or 1 package frozen squash
3/4 c hazelnut flour or other ground nuts
2/3 cup finely diced pickled beets, carrots or cauliflower
2 eggs
2 T ground flaxseed mixed with 6 T boiling water in small bowl
1/2 c salsa verde with cilantro and green olives
2 t salt
1 T Italian seasoning
1T Oregano
1 t sage
1t thyme
1t Hungarian 1/2 sharp paprika
1t Baharat . spice
2 cloves garlic minced
1 shallot minced
1/4 c minced onion
optional:
1 can drained green beans
1/2 green pepper finely diced
1/2 red pepper strips
1/2 cup shredded carrots
1/2 c lentils

Possible Substitutes:
Steamed Cauliflower (1/2 head) and carrots (2/3 c) for pumpkin
Double eggs or double flaxseed mix to eliminate the other
Lamb or turkey for chicken


Mix all ingredients in heavy duty mixer on med-hi speed until it is a mealy thick soup add chicken gradually until all is well blended. Pour into oiled large bread pan (4 x 10 x 3), smooth out and top with ketchup, diced tomatos and shallots, or salsa. Cook 325 for 1 hour or until knife comes out clean and meat loaf is slice-able.

A new kind of stocking stuffer - STOCKS in your Socks!

This Christmas, stocks are at an all time discount. Why not spend your Christmas dollars on stocks for the whole family? After all the youngest of us will be around to realize the longest term rewards of their presents. While parents will maintain the families stock portfolio, and set certain rules*, a young man with 400 shares of say, Ford (under a dollar a share, last week), or one share of Apple at almost $90! may pay closer attention to the news, their math studies and learn something about the stock market too. Getting into the market is easier now than ever with some brokers offering attractive deals. By printing out fake certificates on your computer you can have a physical symbol of your gift for your child to keep (and a record of the transaction). The key is that the stock be in an area that interests the "holder" in some way and has a good chance of being in business for a couple of years or so.

*Rules that I would include are no trades for first 3 months to a year, and then only tradeing for other stock or diversification until a certain age be it 12 to 21 and then for specific purposes as worked out by the principals.

A New Way of Doing Things

David Brooks the Republican pundit cannot grasp that not only will Barrack Obama attempt to do many things at once but will actually use doing these things together in order to accomplish that first thing, fixing the economy. This is a generational issue, directly related to Davis's inability to multitask. This may also be the reason the Republican Party finally dies, and goes the way of the Dinosaurs, like Sinclair Oil. Anyway to explain it to those of a bygone era, it is like making lemonade when life gives you lemons. It is actually an old way of doing things. If you are given a swamp, you buy saws, cut the lumber and build a lumberyard. The trees being gone you sell the saws and build a clay digger. Convert the Lumberyard into a Tile yard. Sell tiles, install tiles, plant orchard, garden, stock ponds with sunfish bass and catfish. Some things must be done sequentially, some all at once.

So, translating, It is by changing the Tax code, regulating financial markets, changing banking system, educating Americans, fixing and developing infrastructure that will allow growing the green economy that will permanently fix our failing economy. Fixing our health care system will save us money by making Americans healthier and more productive: A penny of prevention is worth a pound of cure. The bailing out measures we are currently working on is only a way of kicking the can down the road so things don't get too much worse before they get better. After all this is done and the new economy is begining to work "too well" -- heating up ever faster--we will slow it by paying down the debt.

New Bank of the United States

What if we took our 700 billion and created a new Bank of the United states, backed by the federal government that offered a baseline of financial services at reasonable, but less than exceptional prices. It could be most cheaply based online. If the economy was good few would use it, but it would serve as a backstop in times such as those we face now. As far as the junk "assets, " this bank would be able, if the price was to its advantage, to purchase those, disassemble them and resell or restructure them with the original buyer. If financial institutions fail, the government could seize any remaining assets and deposit them in this bank. The current 700 billion dollar plan runs the grave risk of creating huge ghettos of foreclosed neighborhoods that may never be able to return to their previous vitality.

Interesting Plan... But...
By Economan Sep 25th 2008 at 1:56 pm EDT (Updated Sep 25th 2008 at 1:56 pm EDT)

That is an interesting idea, but, unfortunately, there is a catch. By creating a new bank, new staff would need to be hired, and a completely new infrastructure would need to be created. This would prevent a rapid acquisition of the assets.Much as the current plan is flawed, the $700 billion has to go to the existing banks, using their current infrastructure to administer the assets. This also allows their employees to keep their current jobs. The job losses at these major banks would actually hurt the economy a lot more.
Re: Interesting Plan... But...
By Frederick from Evanston, IL Sep 29th 2008 at 12:03 pm EDT (Updated Sep 29th 2008 at 12:03 pm EDT)

By making the bank on-line only and using the esisting resources of the teasury and IRS I would hope to avoid large infrastructure expenditures.

A once in a lifetime chance for reform
By Peter Rutherford Sep 25th 2008 at 2:10 pm EDT (Updated Sep 25th 2008 at 2:10 pm EDT)

Possibly never again in our liefetimes will we get a chance to negotiate with the International banking system for thorough root and branch reform. We must not lose this opportunity. The bail out must come with demands to get the World's banking system into proper order so that it works for people.
Re: A once in a lifetime chance for reform

By Frederick from Evanston, IL Sep 29th 2008 at 12:08 pm EDT (Updated Sep 29th 2008 at 12:08 pm EDT)

I hope you are right about this and positive changes occur. The Idea of the new US Bank might seem unneccessary then, it would certainly be little used under a healthy private financial system. However it would still serve as an alternative, safety-net for savings, checking, credit card and loan services.

Special Report-Forbes Almost Got It Right!

Special Report
The Forbes 400
The Forbes article and commentary on NPR Forbes spokesman notices the rich are not getting richer but remaining stagnant in their income. They went on to note that this is not good for the "rest of us" or the 'little' man because when the rich man is getting richer that correlates with gains in amount of work and productivity for the American worker. What they failed to realize is that it isn't the rich spending their money that gives the masses a job but the expenditures of the masses that drive the economy and lead to the profits that make the rich richer. So, the rich getting richer is a sign but not the cause of a healthy economy. In order to fix this economy it is the little man that we need to think about for our society is only as productive and healthy as its weakest citizens. Universal health care and a move to a greener, healthier culture that gives Americans an alternative to the tyranny of today's big oil economy.
It is most interesting that Bush-McCain oversaw the deregulation of the financial system that led to the current failure and now is bailing out those that begged for the deregulation so that they could further leverage their incredible profits. And though the little man would be hurt by economic downturn, the rich, especially the rich that made bad, risky decisions would fall the farthest. Do not use the taxpayer to insure the rich failures and forestall the enviable collapse of the old economy. Let that go. Use this opportunity invest in the American worker, through education and universal healthcare, inspire the new, already developing, green economy, and staunch the drain on our scarce resources that is the Iraq war.
http://www.forbes.com/2008/09/16/forbes-400-billionaires-lists-400list08_cx_mn_0917richamericans_land.html

Solving Our Enery Crisis - Free Enterprise and Competition

Solving Our Energy Crisis - Free Enterprise and Competition

The United States is poised to solve its energy issues quickly if it shifts the drain on res0olves to the Middle East and redirects it into clean energy alternatives. We already have extra industrial capacity to begin mass producing new products quickly once promising alternatives are found. It should feel free to offer prizes as DARPA has already proven to be an effective strategy. As energy prices increase a premium will be put on fuel effeciency for various jobs. It should encourage completions in schools and communities to raise people's individual awareness. When viable alternatives are found the free market should determine their use and the inventor should retain their royalties. While government regulation is necessary for safety's sake, it is imperative that Governments across the country begin to rethink their traffic systems. Often it might be possible to begin to allow a lane system based on half lanes. Some roads might be open to half lane vehicles only. Consider a mini would be a half lane car, about the biggest. I’m sure Escorts and Corollas would soon be adapted. Depending on the size of the Road, more lane configurations are possible as is the possibility of separate highways for lighter traffic:

Light Walkway, non polluters only:

Pedestrian High speed walkways with benches that move. Along the Lake, Walkways move progressively faster as you move inside. (Electric Moped and lighter friendly) 15 MPH in the fast lane though, however that speed is guaranteed until you step off onto the 10 MPH path then to the 5 mph path to the sidewalk. (Relegated initially to commercial and tourist areas)

1 Half lane each way: Bike Path Expresso 20 MPH


Mini or lighter Skyway light polluters:

3 half lanes each way, on and off ramps, limited access 35 MPH speed limit in inner lane, 25 in second and 10 minimum in slow lane.

2 Half lanes each way. Middle lane 25, slow lane 5 min. Density every other street, excluding major streets which would remain unaltered.

Meanwhile, some traffic would require 2 and some time in the future, even 3 lanes.

Air Traffic:

Even a modest town should boast an ultralight Airport, and Chicago should be no exception installing 7 within the city inself and 27 More in collar counties, inculding Indiana.

Hydrogen and electic powered Lighter than Air (or Lighter than half) vehicles should be allowed to land in even more areas.

Solving Our Enery Crisis - Giving America a New Backbone

In order to secure our energy independence it is critical that America have a High Efficiency Electronic Backbone, this could be used to allow communities and individuals to sell electricity across our country preventing the need of communities to create greenhouse gases with inefficient power generation. The current Internet Backbone Map would be a good starting point. International connections at least to Canada would probably be needed. Wind power from the shores of Lake Eire could be sold to New York City. The Sun's power could to captured in Arizona and the wave action of the Pacific could be harnessed and used to power Los Angeles. Further, as we have already gone down the nuclear road, and are left with spent fuel rods it makes sense for us (U.S.) to develop the breeder reactor under a joint government - private utility company project in association with Canada and with the aide of French advisers. (the French already have developed and are using breeder reactor technology. The idea of this venture would be to develop one example smaller size breeder reactor in the southeast (which would still be the largest reactor in the country) and then build 2 larger reactors in the Midwest and western parts of the country, all on our new backbone, this would give the whole country access to dependable electricity which will be needed as we continue to see fuel prices rise. This power can be used to create hydrogen or to power electric and hybrid plug in vehicles. Finally nuc

lear batteries are already being developed which could be buried to power outlying communities at reasonable prices and quite safely, though the Department of Energy still need to develop rules for thier use as this is new technology. These two uses for spent fuel rods will help reduce, but not completely eliminate America's need for a Nuclear Storage Facillity.

Photos courtesy of http://www.cameco.com/uranium_101/fact.php, OSHA and Natl. Geo. Soc.

The Verdict on MSNBC

Regarding your "Obama should offer the VP job to Hillary" segment and panel: A couple of your guests seemed to have it right, but failed to articulate. Obama needs to think outside the box and not pick merely to win as has been done in the past, not pick to unify the party, as has been done in the past, but pick a VP that will help to unify the country. Chuck Hagel would be an excellent example of this, but I'm sure there are others.

I'm sure your smug little mealy mouthed republican apologist would try to twist my words also but as I white male, I have no difficulty understanding what Michelle Obama was saying, when she said she was truly proud of America for the first time in her adult life. As children we are taught to expect a lot, perhaps to an unrealistic degree for and from America. Even if America is the best of all the countries in the world, I would still expect that America should hold itself to an even higher, idealistic standard. One of my first memories was of JFK getting shot. I was horrified what might happen to America then. Later I was horrified again and again when Martin Luther King was gunned down and Robert Kennedy shot. I was proud of America when we landed on the moon in 1969 and was in England then and let them know it. But I was only 9 then... I was not proud of Nixon, the Vietnam war, our involvement in the Bay of Pigs, Iran-contra, Guatemala, and our other not so secret enterprises. It infur iates me that Americas taxpayers dollars are spent secretly and stolen by those who have taken oaths to serve. I was not proud of America was I saw a movie about the Tuskegee Syphillis Project. I was proud of the US Hockey Team and all of Americas Olympians, win or lose, if done honorably. Perhaps Mrs. Obama is not a sports fan ... I am not proud of our mishandling our our foreign policy, the Iraq war, destruction of our economy and am deeply saddened by our impudent attempts to capture or kill Osama bin Laden.


Yet, Barack Obama's Campaign has made me proud of America again and given me new hope for America. If we are a strong enough as a people to unite over our racial prejudices and elect Barack to the highest office in the land, we can certainly solve global warming and learn to power our economy in new ways. Perhaps we can even realize that health involves the whole of a population