President Utopia

It seems that Mr. Obama is running as the head of the Utopian party.  Despite the harsh reality of all that is going on around him:  $14 trillion in deficits; Medicare that cannot fulfill its obligations over the long run; states on the verge of bankruptcy; millions of jobs gone; the Mexican drug cartels taking over national parks and operating in 200+ of our cities; chaos in the middle east;  he continues to preach a mantra of never seeing another homeless person, everyone can have their health care paid for, the world will love us is we admit we are not special, nothing really needs to be serious done to entitlements and on and on. We have serious issues facing us and hard realities and choices to be made.   I think his campaign song needs to be Lennon's Imagine. 

Livinging in Denial

The discussions of the last few months over last year's budget have convinced my that far too many Democrats and not an insignificant number of Republicans are living in denial.  America stands on the brink of becoming Europe.  Our debt is out of control. Our obligations for entitlement programs mount with each passing day. The pension and health care obligations for municipal workers threaten bankruptcy to our states.  Business over committed to retiree benefits at the cost of their competitiveness.  And yet the cry of "Spend on. Spend on"  and "Give me mine, give me mine" .  It is time to face reality.  We must demand change, not that be can believe in, but change that will get us back to fiscal stability and health.  If we do not directly and forceful confront the reality of our collective irresponsibility and selfishness, and the irresponsibility of those we elect then we will fall off the cliff and wreck this great country of ours.

rightwingsocialist: Big Bed Buddies

rightwingsocialist: Big Bed Buddies: "I am always surprised at how big business is so willing to get in bed with big government. For people who are supposedly all about fre..."

rightwingsocialist: Of vacuums and regime changes

rightwingsocialist: Of vacuums and regime changes: "Regime change is a many sided thing. The biggest problem with it is what happens when you take the existing leader out. In Egypt..."

Of vacuums and regime changes

Regime change is a many sided thing.  The biggest problem with it is what happens when you take the existing leader out.  In Egypt, there was the structure of government, assured by the military, that allows for some sense of transition including elections, we hope free.  In countries like England and Australia a government may fall, but the opposition operates a shadow government that is ready to step in.  When the Shah fell in Iran there was a government, however repressive that was ready to go.  In the first Gulf War one of the reasons we did not take Hussein out was there was not one to replace him.  We did not heed that in the second Gulf War.  In Libya, who will take the place of the current dictator?  There is no government in exile ready step in.  We do not even now who to talk to among the rebel forces.  A vacuum created like this is most apt to be filled with someone more repressive or just with ongoing civil war

Big Bed Buddies

I am always surprised at how big business is so willing to get in bed with big government.  For people who are supposedly all about free market competition, too many CEO's are very willing to have major government regulation of their industry.  The real purpose is to stifle competition, especially from smaller more nimble companies.  One need only go back at look at the behavior of companies during the Roosevelt era. The big boys supported the NRA (not the national rifle association but the national recovery act)  Big business could afford the price of regulation, the small companies could not.  Regulation became a competitive advantage is a perverse way.  We see the same thing today with the support of the over reach of the government if regulating farms.  Agribusiness can afford it.  The independents cannot.  The small organic farmers will be forced to sell at much higher prices because they cannot spread the cost of regulation the way Agribusiness can.  This jumping into the government bed by business is a form of Fascism that we do not like to admit.