Day: August 15, 2011

Democrats Lead By Seven Points In New Poll For Congressional Elections Of 2012!

A new Gallup poll shows Democrats leading by seven points over Republicans in a generic ballot as to which party they prefer to control Congress in 2013-2014.

This is a wider lead at this point than Republicans had in 2009, which led to a GOP House of Representatives!

The support of the Tea Party is very tepid, and it seems as if the alliance of the Tea Party with the GOP may backfire on them, and lead to the Republicans being pushed out of majority control after only two years, well justified as the Republicans have done nothing positive on the issue of jobs and the economy, and instead have simply stood in the way as obstructionists to President Barack Obama!

Warren Buffett Calls Upon Wealthy To Pay More In Taxes: Absolutely Appropriate!

Billionaire Warren Buffett has called upon the wealthy, like himself, to start paying their fair share of taxes, including capital gains taxes at a higher rate, as most of them do not work and do not pay federal income tax on a job, as we all do! Buffett says that he should pay a higher level of taxes than his secretary does, and he is ABSOLUTELY CORRECT!

It is about time that this occur, and yet, Rick Perry says that the half of the population who do not pay federal income taxes should start paying, conveniently forgetting that they do not make enough income to be able to survive as it is!

Plus, the poor DO actually pay many taxes, including state and local income and sales taxes, gasoline taxes, and payroll taxes on Social Security and Medicare!

Why should those who have stocks and bonds be able to avoid the rate of taxation that middle class working Americans pay on their employment income?

With 14 and a half months to go to the Presidential Election of 2012, the clear cut differences are drawn, for all who have any brains, intelligence, and sense of social justice, to see clearly!

The Texasfication Of America: Is This What We Want?

Governor Rick Perry of Texas has come out charging like a bull as a Presidential candidate, offering Texas as a model for America, but is it?

Texas is low down in the list of states in the following areas:

1. Educational spending and attainments and curriculum accuracy
2. Health Care spending and coverage
3. Minimum Wage Jobs
4. Environmental Protection from pollution
5. Corporate Regulation in the public interest
6. Stratification of wealth between rich and poor.
7. Mistreatment of Mexican American citizens
8. A backward legal system with high crime rates and execution numbers.

Besides all of the above, Rick Perry would like to wipe out most of the reforms of the 20th century, including:

1. 16th Amendment–Federal Income Tax
2. 17th Amendment–Direct Election Of Senators
3. National Labor Relations Act
4. Federal Education Programs
5. Environmental Protection Agency
6. Consumer Products Safety Commission
7. Medicaid, Medicare as we know it, and Obama Health Care
8. Occupational Safety And Health Administration
9. Food Stamps and Unemployment Compensation
10.Corporate and Banking Regulations
11.Repeal of Social Security

We will be learning a lot more about Rick Perry as time goes on, and as research by journalists is completed, but is not the above enough reason to reject Rick Perry for President of the United States?

It is clear that Rick Perry would be the most reactionary, right wing candidate for President since Barry Goldwater in 1964!

Enough said!

Barack Obama Throws Down The Gauntlet To The Republicans In Congress: A Jobs Program Proposal In September Enacted, Or Used Against The GOP Next Year!

President Obama came out swinging today in Minnesota, declaring that while he shares blame for the economic mess with the Republicans created by the Debt Ceiling Crisis, he will propose specific jobs legislation when Congress returns in September, and if the Republicans block action, he will use it against them in the 2012 Congressional and Presidential campaign!

It is wonderful to see Barack Obama sound like Franklin D. Roosevelt and Harry Truman, going after the Republicans, and it is certainly about time!

Since it is certain that the right wing Tea Party activists in Congress will NOT allow any legislation on jobs to pass into law, it is certain we will see fireworks over the next year!

This is the time and place for all progressives who care about the future to get over disappointment about specific shortcomings of Barack Obama, and realize it is a choice of Obama or going backward to the era of the 1920s or even the Gilded Age of the late 19th century.! We cannot allow ourselves to see the Great Society, New Deal, and even the reforms promoted during the administration of Richard Nixon, to be destroyed!

The Mid Third Year First Term Presidential Slump: Perfectly Normal!

When one looks at the history of the Presidency, in the third year of the first term of a President, it is very normal that he suffers a loss in public opinion support, and is usually the low point of his first term, but often has had no effect on future electoral success.

Witness the following examples:

1, Franklin D. Roosevelt in his third year (1935) was denounced as a socialist, a communist, a fascist, and every other dirty name by opponents, including the American LIberty League, Huey Long, Dr. Francis Townsend, Father Charles Coughlin, and others. He went on to a smashing reelection victory, winning all but two states in 1936.

2. Harry Truman in 1947 was very unpopular and predicted to have no chance at reelection, particularly with the opposition party in control of Congress, and some members of his party suggesting he resign, because of the vote of no confidence represented by the Republican 80th Congress. He proceeded to win a miracle upset victory for reelection!

3. John F. Kennedy in 1963 was in deep trouble in the South because of his stand on civil rights, and he was on a campaign swing in the South, trying to mend fences, when he was assassinated.

4. Richard Nixon was at a low point in 1971 over the Vietnam War, with the Pentagon Papers being revealed and attempts of Congress to end the war by cutting funds. It was fear that his Democratic opponent might be strong that convinced Nixon operatives to become involved in the Watergate scandal, but Nixon won all states but one in 1972.

5. Ronald Reagan in 1983 had the highest unemployment rate since FDR, and low public opinion ratings similar to those of Barack Obama now (low 40s), but went on to win all but one state in 1984.

6. Bill Clinton had low public opinion ratings in 1995, particularly after the Republicans took over both houses of Congress, but won reelection in 1996.

7. George W. Bush had a lot of opposition and criticism about the war in Iraq in 2003, but went on to win reelection in 2004.

So it is not a danger sign that Barack Obama is suffering a low point in the summer of 2011, as despite many problems, he still has strong popular support personally, and the opposition Republicans are being blamed by many for the Debt Ceiling Crisis and its aftermath!

So don’t count the President out by any means, as the odds still strongly favor his reelection in 2012!

The Growing Danger Of Social Media, Social Networking: Growing Discontent Among Young People Who Are Unemployed Leads To Potential Violence And Revolution!

Social Media such as Facebook and Twitter have brought people together in all kinds of great causes and crusades, including the “Arab Spring” in many Middle East nations that are autocracies.

At the same time, social networking has also been leading to the ability of crime gangs to promote chaos and anarchy, as has been occurring recently in Philadelphia; to demonstrations interfering with freedom of movement in the BART (Bay Area Rapid Transit) system in San Francisco; and to authorities attempting to shut down social media and cell phones to prevent such confrontations and violence, but in the process interfering with civil liberties, and the ability to communicate for law abiding citizens.

When one realizes that a lot of what has happened in the “Arab Spring” is not just based on politics, but also on the inability of many young people in the Middle East to find work or make an adequate living even with those who have educational attainment, one must also realize that millions of young Americans, who would never be ordinarily considering being lawless, MIGHT with growing unemployment and frustration help to cause some firebrands to incite people to rise up in violence and bloodshed in opposition to the lack of federal and state governments doing what they can to promote job creation. Whether with business assistance or through public works projects, as during the Great Depression, when millions of people contributed to the growth of infrastructure through the Works Projects Administration and other agencies, giving them faith in the future and a steady paycheck, it is ESSENTIAL that actions be taken immediately to prevent such an occurrence!

The fact that the US government under Republican House leadership has done NOTHING to promote job growth, and that state governments are cutting employment at the same time, means that unemployment is likely to grow, apparently part of the plan of the GOP to make Barack Obama look bad. But in the process, it is likely to provoke eventual violence and bloodshed, which can be fueled on the internet through Facebook and Twitter and other social media!

The potential for trouble is alarming, and the events in the Middle East, Philadelphia and San Francisco should ring alarm bells in our government at all levels, that we CANNOT allow widespread unemployment to grow and claim there is nothing that government can do, as they indeed did a GREAT DEAL during the New Deal years of Franklin D. Roosevelt and saved the country from revolution!

It is time for Congress and the states to stop the politics, and start promoting job opportunity, whether privately inspired or publicly created, and not later, but NOW!