Monday, June 7, 2010
Saturday, June 5, 2010
Thursday, June 3, 2010
Wednesday, June 2, 2010
Get Rid of the 17th Amendment?
Some advocate getting rid of the 17th Amendment? Why? What are the implications?
Read to learn more.
Read to learn more.
Wednesday, November 11, 2009
Veterans Day
Different Thoughts on Veterans Day:
What we owe our warriors
Dulce et Decorum Est - Wilfred Owen (1917)
Bent double, like old beggars under sacks,
Knock-kneed, coughing like hags, we cursed through sludge,
Till on the haunting flares we turned our backs
And towards our distant rest began to trudge.
Men marched asleep. Many had lost their boots
But limped on, blood-shod. All went lame; all blind;
Drunk with fatigue; deaf even to the hoots
Of tired, outstripped Five-Nines that dropped behind.
Gas! Gas! Quick, boys!–An ecstasy of fumbling,
Fitting the clumsy helmets just in time;
But someone still was yelling out and stumbling
And flound'ring like a man in fire or lime...
Dim, through the misty panes and thick green light,
As under a green sea, I saw him drowning.
In all my dreams, before my helpless sight,
He plunges at me, guttering, choking, drowning.
If in some smothering dreams you too could pace
Behind the wagon that we flung him in,
And watch the white eyes writhing in his face,
His hanging face, like a devil's sick of sin;
If you could hear, at every jolt, the blood
Come gargling from the froth-corrupted lungs,
Obscene as cancer, bitter as the cud
Of vile, incurable sores on innocent tongues,–
My friend, you would not tell with such high zest
To children ardent for some desperate glory,
The old Lie: Dulce et decorum est
Pro patria mori.
The veterans agenda
'My crew thought I was dead'
What we owe our warriors
Dulce et Decorum Est - Wilfred Owen (1917)
Bent double, like old beggars under sacks,
Knock-kneed, coughing like hags, we cursed through sludge,
Till on the haunting flares we turned our backs
And towards our distant rest began to trudge.
Men marched asleep. Many had lost their boots
But limped on, blood-shod. All went lame; all blind;
Drunk with fatigue; deaf even to the hoots
Of tired, outstripped Five-Nines that dropped behind.
Gas! Gas! Quick, boys!–An ecstasy of fumbling,
Fitting the clumsy helmets just in time;
But someone still was yelling out and stumbling
And flound'ring like a man in fire or lime...
Dim, through the misty panes and thick green light,
As under a green sea, I saw him drowning.
In all my dreams, before my helpless sight,
He plunges at me, guttering, choking, drowning.
If in some smothering dreams you too could pace
Behind the wagon that we flung him in,
And watch the white eyes writhing in his face,
His hanging face, like a devil's sick of sin;
If you could hear, at every jolt, the blood
Come gargling from the froth-corrupted lungs,
Obscene as cancer, bitter as the cud
Of vile, incurable sores on innocent tongues,–
My friend, you would not tell with such high zest
To children ardent for some desperate glory,
The old Lie: Dulce et decorum est
Pro patria mori.
The veterans agenda
'My crew thought I was dead'
Sunday, November 8, 2009
Wednesday, October 28, 2009
Which would you be?
The generals in this political conflict were Alexander Hamilton and Thomas Jefferson. Hamilton looked at the emerging nation and saw great commercial potential. In Hamilton's eyes, the United States' future was directly tied to industry and trade. Through the construction of global trading networks, close commerical ties to Britain, and support for emerging industries a solid economic foundation could be laid. With such a vision Hamilton believed it was necesary to have a powerful and active central government that could protect and promote such economic progress.
Jefferson, with great assistance from his political right-hand James Madison, took a contrary view. In Jefferson's mind, the foundation of a stable and free democracy lay not in commercial interests but rather in the yeoman farmer. Jeffersonian ideals were based on this notion of agarian republicanism. Republican ideals were best promoted and protected when power was rested in the independent farmer who was bound to his land through his labor. Thus, for Jefferson, government should be closely tied to this population. Anything that broke this principle was a direct threat to democracy and a promotion of tyranny.
Now, whose vision was correct? You are now tasked with defending one of the two visions as the correct political philosophy for the United States. In your defense make sure you discuss governmental power (where should power rest and what are the government's proper responsibilities), foreign policy, and constitutional interpretation. Remember to keep a 1790s perspective.
So...are you are Hamiltonian Federalist or a Jeffersonian Democratic-Republican?
Thursday, October 8, 2009
Problems in the Parties
Do Republicans have a problem with moderates?
GOP pick sparks revolt on right
Do the Congressional Democratic Leaders have a problem with each other?
Nancy Pelosi, Harry Reid at odds over war
GOP pick sparks revolt on right
Do the Congressional Democratic Leaders have a problem with each other?
Nancy Pelosi, Harry Reid at odds over war
Sunday, October 4, 2009
Friday, September 18, 2009
Sunday, September 13, 2009
The Census and Federalism
States gear up for the 2010 Census.
Instructions: Read the attached story above. Afterwards post a comment to this post explaining how the elements of federalism apply to the story. Make sure to cite specific passages from the story and your textbook in your comment.
Instructions: Read the attached story above. Afterwards post a comment to this post explaining how the elements of federalism apply to the story. Make sure to cite specific passages from the story and your textbook in your comment.
Saturday, September 12, 2009
4 problems that could sink America
Interesting commentary in light of the current political environment.
We're uninformed:
The health care smackdown -- sorry, "debate" -- is Exhibits A, B and C.
The soaring cost of health care is a problem that affects most Americans. It's shrinking paychecks, squeezing small businesses, bankrupting families and swelling the national debt.
Yet outraged Americans seem most concerned about fictions like death panels and government-enforced euthanasia, while clinging to the myth that our current system of selective availability and perverse incentives somehow represents capitalist ideals.
But let's take a break from that burdensome issue to examine the likelihood that President Obama was born in a foreign country and hoodwinked America into believing he was eligible to run for president.
People who lack the sense to question Big Lies always end up in deep trouble. Being well informed takes work, even with the Internet. In a democracy, that's simply a civic burden. If we're too foolish or lazy to educate ourselves on health care, global warming, financial reform and other complicated issues, then we're signing ourselves over to special interests who see nothing wrong with plundering our national -- and personal -- wealth.
The iCulture:
We may be chastened by the recession, but Americans still believe they deserve the best of everything -- the best job, the best health care, the best education for our kids.
And we want it at a discount -- or better yet, free -- which brings us back to the usual disconnect between what we want and what we're willing to pay for.
Rationing is a dirty word, so we can't have a system that officially rations something as vital as health care or education. Instead, we have unacknowledged, de facto rationing that directs the most resources to those with the best connections, the most money or the savvy to game the system.
What keeps the rest of us content is the illusion that we, too, will eventually be able to game the system -- as long as the government doesn't interfere.
Solutions that serve some public good -- like Social Security and bank deposit insurance in the 1930s and Medicare in the 1960s -- usually require everybody to give something to get something. If it works, the overall benefits outweigh the costs.
Good programs leave individuals the option to pay more if they want more. Bad programs promise more than they can deliver. But often we don't know that until it's too late.
We're uninformed:
The health care smackdown -- sorry, "debate" -- is Exhibits A, B and C.
The soaring cost of health care is a problem that affects most Americans. It's shrinking paychecks, squeezing small businesses, bankrupting families and swelling the national debt.
Yet outraged Americans seem most concerned about fictions like death panels and government-enforced euthanasia, while clinging to the myth that our current system of selective availability and perverse incentives somehow represents capitalist ideals.
But let's take a break from that burdensome issue to examine the likelihood that President Obama was born in a foreign country and hoodwinked America into believing he was eligible to run for president.
People who lack the sense to question Big Lies always end up in deep trouble. Being well informed takes work, even with the Internet. In a democracy, that's simply a civic burden. If we're too foolish or lazy to educate ourselves on health care, global warming, financial reform and other complicated issues, then we're signing ourselves over to special interests who see nothing wrong with plundering our national -- and personal -- wealth.
The iCulture:
We may be chastened by the recession, but Americans still believe they deserve the best of everything -- the best job, the best health care, the best education for our kids.
And we want it at a discount -- or better yet, free -- which brings us back to the usual disconnect between what we want and what we're willing to pay for.
Rationing is a dirty word, so we can't have a system that officially rations something as vital as health care or education. Instead, we have unacknowledged, de facto rationing that directs the most resources to those with the best connections, the most money or the savvy to game the system.
What keeps the rest of us content is the illusion that we, too, will eventually be able to game the system -- as long as the government doesn't interfere.
Solutions that serve some public good -- like Social Security and bank deposit insurance in the 1930s and Medicare in the 1960s -- usually require everybody to give something to get something. If it works, the overall benefits outweigh the costs.
Good programs leave individuals the option to pay more if they want more. Bad programs promise more than they can deliver. But often we don't know that until it's too late.
Deficit Soars Higher into Record Territory
Federal Deficit Hits $1.38T through August; Economists Estimate 2009 will be Record Year
(AP) The federal deficit surged higher into record territory in August, hitting $1.38 trillion with one month left in the budget year.
The Treasury Department said Friday that last month's deficit was $111.4 billion, below the $152 billion that economists expected. Still, the imbalance added to a flood of red ink already accumulated through a severe recession and massive spending needed to stabilize the banking system.
The soaring deficits have raised worries about the willingness of foreigners to keep purchasing Treasury debt. The Chinese, now the largest foreign owners of U.S. Treasury securities, have expressed concerns about runaway deficits.
Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner and other administration officials have sought to address those concerns by insisting that once the current downturn is over and the financial system is stabilized, the administration will move forcefully to get the deficits under control. However, Republican critics contend the administration does not have a credible plan to address future deficits.
Private economists worry the country could face the grim prospect of seeing interest rates soar in future years and the dollar weaken as foreigners dump their U.S. holdings.
The Obama administration last month trimmed its forecast for this year's deficit to $1.58 trillion, from an earlier $1.84 trillion. The recovery of the banking system led to the reduced estimate as it meant the administration did not need to get an additional $250 billion in bailout support for banks.
The $1.58 trillion estimate for the full budget year signals that that administration expects the imbalance in September to be around $200 billion. That would be a sharp deterioration from September 2008 when the government closed out that budget year with a $45.7 billion surplus.
Many private economists have slightly smaller deficit estimates for the full year but all agree that 2009 will be a record-holder by a large margin. The previous record deficit in dollar terms was $454.8 billion last year.
The administration's revised budget forecasts issued last month also underscored how much the government's fiscal picture has deteriorated. It is now projecting the deficit over the next decade will total $9 trillion, $2 trillion more than its estimates from a few months ago.
The deterioration partly reflects the country's deep recession, the worst since the 1930s. That downturn has cut into government receipts and pushed up spending in such areas as unemployment benefits and food stamps, along with the cost of fighting wars in Iraq and Afghanistan.
In addition, the government is using a $787 billion economic stimulus program passed by Congress last February to jump-start growth and is spending massive amounts from the $700 billion financial bailout package passed in October 2008 to stabilize the financial system.
The Treasury Department budget report for August showed the government collected $145.5 billion in revenues, a drop of 7.3 percent from August 2008. It marked the 16th consecutive month that revenues have been lower than the previous year, a string that reflects how much the recession, which began in December 2007, has cut into personal income and corporate taxes. Spending in August totaled $256.9 billion, down 4.5 percent from the year before.
However, that comparison was misleading because the deficit last month was lowered by timing shifts which saw some payments shifted into July because Aug. 1 fell on a Saturday.
Primarily because of the timing shifts, last month's deficit was 0.5 percent lower than in August 2008.
(AP) The federal deficit surged higher into record territory in August, hitting $1.38 trillion with one month left in the budget year.
The Treasury Department said Friday that last month's deficit was $111.4 billion, below the $152 billion that economists expected. Still, the imbalance added to a flood of red ink already accumulated through a severe recession and massive spending needed to stabilize the banking system.
The soaring deficits have raised worries about the willingness of foreigners to keep purchasing Treasury debt. The Chinese, now the largest foreign owners of U.S. Treasury securities, have expressed concerns about runaway deficits.
Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner and other administration officials have sought to address those concerns by insisting that once the current downturn is over and the financial system is stabilized, the administration will move forcefully to get the deficits under control. However, Republican critics contend the administration does not have a credible plan to address future deficits.
Private economists worry the country could face the grim prospect of seeing interest rates soar in future years and the dollar weaken as foreigners dump their U.S. holdings.
The Obama administration last month trimmed its forecast for this year's deficit to $1.58 trillion, from an earlier $1.84 trillion. The recovery of the banking system led to the reduced estimate as it meant the administration did not need to get an additional $250 billion in bailout support for banks.
The $1.58 trillion estimate for the full budget year signals that that administration expects the imbalance in September to be around $200 billion. That would be a sharp deterioration from September 2008 when the government closed out that budget year with a $45.7 billion surplus.
Many private economists have slightly smaller deficit estimates for the full year but all agree that 2009 will be a record-holder by a large margin. The previous record deficit in dollar terms was $454.8 billion last year.
The administration's revised budget forecasts issued last month also underscored how much the government's fiscal picture has deteriorated. It is now projecting the deficit over the next decade will total $9 trillion, $2 trillion more than its estimates from a few months ago.
The deterioration partly reflects the country's deep recession, the worst since the 1930s. That downturn has cut into government receipts and pushed up spending in such areas as unemployment benefits and food stamps, along with the cost of fighting wars in Iraq and Afghanistan.
In addition, the government is using a $787 billion economic stimulus program passed by Congress last February to jump-start growth and is spending massive amounts from the $700 billion financial bailout package passed in October 2008 to stabilize the financial system.
The Treasury Department budget report for August showed the government collected $145.5 billion in revenues, a drop of 7.3 percent from August 2008. It marked the 16th consecutive month that revenues have been lower than the previous year, a string that reflects how much the recession, which began in December 2007, has cut into personal income and corporate taxes. Spending in August totaled $256.9 billion, down 4.5 percent from the year before.
However, that comparison was misleading because the deficit last month was lowered by timing shifts which saw some payments shifted into July because Aug. 1 fell on a Saturday.
Primarily because of the timing shifts, last month's deficit was 0.5 percent lower than in August 2008.
Wednesday, September 9, 2009
Saturday, August 22, 2009
Sunday, August 9, 2009
Mehsud Dead...Let Us Hope
It appears a drone attack in Pakistan has been successful in killing the self-described Taliban leader in that country. Let us hope the initial reports are correct. If the reports are true this would be a victory in trying to disrupt the Taliban leadership in this critical region.Thursday, August 6, 2009
Town Halls Continue to Spiral Out of Control
This is no longer about debating the issue. This is simply shouting down those you don't like. So much for intellectually debating the issues.
White House to Democrats: 'Punch back twice as hard'
And now fist fights at a town hall?
Another Dem overrun by protesters at town hall
Town hall trouble from both sides now
OFA tries to counter "mobs" with their own supporters
Media Bias in Coverage? You decide...
http://www.thedailyshow.com/watch/wed-august-19-2009/fox-news--the-new-liberals
White House to Democrats: 'Punch back twice as hard'
And now fist fights at a town hall?
Another Dem overrun by protesters at town hall
Town hall trouble from both sides now
OFA tries to counter "mobs" with their own supporters
Media Bias in Coverage? You decide...
http://www.thedailyshow.com/watch/wed-august-19-2009/fox-news--the-new-liberals
Monday, August 3, 2009
Saturday, August 1, 2009
Too Much Democracy?
Is meeting with the voters always good?Do voters have the right to interrupt town hall meetings with protests?
Town halls gone wild
Protests designed to embarrass members of Congress
Wednesday, July 29, 2009
Sunday, July 26, 2009
What a Constitution Should Look Like
Here I try to detail the challenges and concerns that formed the basis of the ratification debate in 1787-1788.
So Easily Distracted...
| The Daily Show With Jon Stewart | Mon - Thurs 11p / 10c | |||
| The Born Identity | ||||
| ||||
In the age of the internet we all need to become better consumers of information. We all have a responsibility to confirm information from credible sources. Furthermore, we have a responsibility to expose falsehoods and conspiracy theories for what they are.
I recommend the following site to validate the information given out by both sides of the political spectrum.
http://www.factcheck.org/
http://www.politifact.com/
The specific entry on the birth certificate issue.
Further investigations.
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