The real scam with regard the IRS….

OK. Lets go over the scandal number two of the week because I think I helped simmer that other one (Beghazi) down…After we wrote that blurb up about that non issue of a story, it trickled outward right away to msnbc, and then eventually up to the Pres. They used my exact wording (odd) too…so lets keep this real thing going to see where it lands….and also….its ONLY Tuesday mind u but lets dissect the IRS thing by first by allowing me to give my one affiliation with the IRS. And, then again, I want to break that down too…

Back in 91 and/or maybe it was 92, we had an intern in our department at my job at that time, that worked at the IRS…In Vermont though….He said to me first hand which I am paraphrasing today, but in a nutshell that his co workers at the IRS, and, at that time, hated (or loved) seeing people’s write offs per se, by us staff people in the in the entertainment industry.

Remember, this was 1991 and for people to be writing off going to concerts, or writing off gas when going out to clubs to see music every night, and/or so to speak that is; annoyed the people at the IRS. Or it made them angry that people would consider that to be work, let alone to have the audacity to write off that type of thing, on any tax form.

Now today, and especially during the Bush II years, you have people in production working for 4 weeks. The production ends. And, these people get to somehow start collecting unemployment insurance money in between their Indy contracted jobs. Then, these same people go back on salary again for another bunch of weeks during the same production and then when that ends, they start collecting unemployment insurance, again,….and they do that many times in a year…My point is that these reps at the IRS back then, targeted all music and entertainment people that went to write off what would be considered to be fun, in the eyes of the people that work at the IRS. I will also say that humanized them to me, for the first time in my life. I never thought of the IRS staffers, as people, until then or until I had met one I real life.

Regardless about my only first hand experience with the IRS, I am saying that anyone can be targeted, as they say. And I assume its age old; especially, if what was said to me, was stipulated by IRS people in 1991 and 1992. Not that its right, but I am just saying that its gone on for decades, but just said in different ways. But, also (also) I must assume these generalizations if you will, are based on some science. for instance, Ill get to the round about problem in that regard because we are in bad cycle that allows it to be this way.

First, second and third is that there were a ton of new non profits that were considered to be right winged or tea potty people, that sprouted up at the same time in 2010. The irony is that most of them, should NOT have been issued any tax exempt status. But that is what I am going to figure out today. If you look at it that way, and you have many new non profits opening up in a short time frame, it makes absolute sense from a  science POV, that they would get flags raised because of those filings. Just because of the numbers.

Then it goes back to being real about it because in reality, you cannot file that way unless you … well I am going to stop there because that brings me to the law.

I am now going to try to piece together what Ezra Klein (Post & Wonk Blog) and Lawrence O’ Donnell (Last Word) and then what I think Jonathan Chait (New Yorker) is emphasizing or trying to emphasize about that scandal that I am now calling #2 of the week…(and again…its only Tues not even 1Pm east coast time)…..

There is a term or provision in the tax law code, 501C4. That gives anyone that provides “social welfare” to file for tax exempt purposes with the Internal Revenue Service, or the IRS. It is stated that it is set up for “social welfare organizations, civic league or organizations not organized for profit but operated EXCLUSIVELY for the promotion of social welfare.” The word exclusively was amended back in 1959 to state that it “to be operated exclusively to promote social welfare, an organization must operate PRIMARILY to further the common good and general welfare of the community.”

The word primarily was added in these IRS laws, by the IRS themselves. They took it upon themselves to change the wording from EXCLUSIVE, to the word/term, PRIMARY. This was not done aby any Pres. or anyone on the Gov. of the USA. It was done internally by the law makers within the IRS organization. Therefore, we must ask then what is the literal meaning of the word primary (see below)?

Most of all, and fundamentally here, is that do the organizations with the words “tea” and “party”in it, represent “the community and social welfare to further the common good and/or the promotion of social welfare for the benefit of the community?” The woman on Hardball last night, from that Tea Potty Organization admitted to it being political and I don’t even know if she knew what she was doing to herself because that’s the scam.

Its how do political organizations get this tax exempt status?

Because we, the tax payers, are paying for it. We subsidize any and every “tax exempt” company that falls under the 501C4 provision. And, we are paying for organizations like the ones that have the words, “tea” and “party” in it, to get tax free ads placed everywhere that not only are for political reasons, they also attack liberals, and dem’s in every ad. Therefore, should these people even be given these tax exempt statuses in the first places? They are 110% political and like I mentioned the one on Hardball last night that make no bones about where they stand on that political level. We have these political organizations with the ability to buy political ads in support of political candidates while attacking the opponents in any political race all hidden behind that tax exempt law. And, again, the IRS took it upon themselves to change that up so organizations can hide behind that vague tax exempt law.

Next thing about the term PRIMARY vs. EXCLUSIVE is the crazy thing here because under that same clause, you can be anonymous when filing using the 501C4 tax exempt code. You do NOT have to stipulate any of the names of any donor when filing that way. That way, along with being primarily political, they can spend up to what? 51% on ads which brings me back to the word primary. What does that mean because Lawrence (O’ Donnell) railed it off fast last night on his show, but here is the dictionary meaning of the word:

pri·ma·ri·ly  [prahy-mair-uh-lee, -mer-, prahy-mer-uh-lee, -mer-uh-]  Show IPA

adverb

1. essentially; mostly; chiefly; principally: They live primarily from farming.

2. in the first instance; at first; originally: Primarily a doctor, he later became a lawyer.

It says nothing about primary meaning 51% out of 100%.

Now it works both ways just like Ezra (Klein) says because no way in the history of man kind should the likes of Karl Rove’s group, American Crossroads GPS, and under no circumstance should Obama’s Organizing For America, be permitted that tax exempt status. yet they do get it.

But anyway…or overall…that’s the loaded gun fro the IRS. There is no way they could ever win no matter what the time, when you mention this on a surface level when in reality, you will see about it…laws will lessen….and you will get much more un regulation of this law….and provision…..The IRS aint going near this one and nor did they ever want to do it.

There are two ironies here and one is that more organizations that are political, will seep in to this status under this tax law. While again, the IRS stays hands off not saying a word to not allow it…and the other irony is that everyone is freaking out that the IRS is doing too much when that is NOT the case, they are doing too little…they should NOT be allowing certain elements under this tax exempt status. The scrutiny should be directed at them NOT rejecting these groups that they allowed to file this way.

Oh and last issue is that this NOT an attack on anyone. Nixon attacked his enemies during his time. He ordered audits on his people that were against his ways. that’s an attack on people’s rights, while abusing your power in office. Bush I audited the NAACP. But again, this issue today with the IRS, is being talked about before any audit happened like the ones I mention are an attack on people.

This is merely a look at whether they should be allowed to deal that way in the first place. That’s what not getting emphasized here. That’s the smoke screen here. Its not what is being led to believe in the media. Its kept so vague because this admin does NOT have a clue how to talk to the people. He is built on emotion. which is great to see….but, again, we need to be told about it in this simple way. it needs to be spelled out by them for real.  This admin never deals head on that way.

Because think about what they (Ezra (Klein), Lawrence (O’ Donnell), Jonathan (Chait), etc….) are saying here….We are technically upset at them (IRS) because of the what they are supposed to be doing when we should be mad at what they are not doing. Its diabolical if you think about it. Its brilliant to be able to manipulate us that way….But it really is not what it seems…..

And, then scandal #3 of the week (AP)….is one I have no clue about but I will say that if anyone thinks that anything we do is private…and that everything about us is not accessible to anyone, if they make the efforts, is a fool that is delusional because I live my life knowing that I am being heard by anyone that wants to hear what I say. I don’t condone it, but we lost our privacy after 9/11.

Overall though as far as scandal number two of the week, I just don’t know why I am paying for tax exempt companies that are political just because the IRS is too scared to turn these groups that are scamming our tax system, down in the first places. It is so much easier to just say that how the Gov is interfering in your freedoms…its so easy to just leave it at that sentence….

Its just NOT the real scam with regard the IRS….

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• O’Donnell: The real IRS scandal happened in 1959 (tv.msnbc.com)
• Let’s back up: How is the IRS supposed to scrutinize 501(c)(4)s, anyway? – Washington Post (blog) (washingtonpost.com)
• Benghazi, IRS, some other buzzword…(Part II) (footballandphysics.wordpress.com)
• The IRS should review all 501(c)(4) organizations (evergreeninstitute.wordpress.com)
• What The IRS Was Trying To Do (dish.andrewsullivan.com)
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OMG…GIVE IT REST ALREADY…..Lets go over the TWELVE changes in this god for saken memo….YOU PEOPLE ARE NUTS….DO SOME REAL WORK,…..

Reblogged from Sunset Daily:

Regardless...here is the initial memo...no one one is hiding anything....we know the changes but again...here is the first version...OK....

We need to figure out so many other ways to get up obamas butt....and/or up the defense departments butts or even up Hilary's butt (can you say drone program?). Go that route, you weirdo's!.....this is such a non issue that it makes no sense to anyone that has no stake in carrying on about it.

Read more… 1,426 more words

Proofed...

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The President Should Stand Up To lead The Nation:

I am more than 70,000 or so words through my next book (A Ram Phan). I tend now to put anything that comes to mind that i want to write out in some way, into the book. Rather than here and besides, we are plenty busy with things that needed to be talked about but overall, lets culminate this sequestration thing by saying thanks in advance to the producers of the Lawrence O Donnell Show or maybe it did come from Ezra Klein whom was working for Lawrence Friday night. This is mostly paraphrased from that show which is why I want it sitting online forever, rather than it being buried in the last chapter of a book with more than 100,000 words.

Now, I called the GOP a bunch of Nigel’s from Spinal Tap because i have never seen so much use of the “these goes to Eleven” delusion, than I see with with regard to the sequester and whom is at fault, etc. What i mean is that the no matter what is going on the world of politics, Obama is criticized for “leading too much” when something is happening in politics and then at the same times, he is criticized for whatever is NOT happening like now, because now he is now considered to be NOT leading enough with regard to this sequester, etc. Or, it is like my mom when she would yell at me for placing my jacket on the kitchen chair one day. And then the next week, when I would hang it on the door knob, she would ask me why that jacket is NOT on the back of the kitchen chair.  

Regardless, lets be real about Political Science 101, it is an absolute myth, delusion and a bold face lie that is how DC works for us people.

The American political system is and was set up by a group of people that as part of its design were horrified at the notion that any President could act as a monarch as they say, or like a King.

Those people that set up the constitution to make certain that any President of the USA, would be weak in his position to be able to do whatever they wanted to do law wise….

So again, lets go back to Poli Sci 101 which is done about our Freshman year as an undergraduate college student. Look at the first section or what is Section I of the Constitution which is NOT about the President and how he leads this nation.

It is about CONGRESS.

Again…one more time is that was NOT done by accident and it was done on purpose but the fact…..is that the CONGRESS is where the governments primary power lies. Its always been that way and it was set up that way purposely by our forefathers way back in 1876.

Therefore, it is CONGRESS that writes up, and then in turn passes what is called a “bill.” In its’ case today, Congress could set up a bill to END THE SEQUESTER….at any time…The President caNOT do it.

And, then, it is just like that Saturday Morning Special Cartoon (I’m Just A Bill) that’s been spelling out this message since the 70s, as to how this system works….Kids know how it works. 

Because then and ONLY then can the President step into action to lead the country if you will, to sign or veto that bill (to become a law). The President canNOT by law, and per our beloved Constitution of The United States, create the bill to sign himself. That’s is NOT allowed to be done in America.

Actually, the President can sign or veto any bill and even if the President vetoes the bill,the CONGRESS can even over turn that decision.

The next argument is that the POTUS has its”bully pulpit” but as Ezra (Klein) said on Lawrence’s show Friday night, “The Bully Pulpit does not even work anyway.” And then those producers or whomever on the show reminds us of G.W.’s (Bush) push for Social Security Privatization. That did not work. And, then there was (Bill) Clinton’s push for Healthcare reform back then when he was Pres. That did not work until Obamacare, and then even (Ronald) Reagan’s push for those Social Security cuts. That did not work let alone has not NOT to this day. There have been ZERO examples of any speeches given by any President of the United States to build public support for anything the public had been against or disagreed with and I mean ever as in forever. Therefore, the answer cannot be that Reagan, Clinton and Bush were all bad at accomplishing whatever even after using their bully pulpit. There was a study from my alma Mata, the University of Maryland by Professor Frances Lee whom did a study that proved or showed that if the President preaches something out loud to the people, it makes it much more likely that the other party, will vote against it.

Even though i feel that the Bully Pulpit is a non issue in this exact case with regard to the sequestration, however, there is that the USA Today / Pew Research Poll (not a left winged poll by any means) that shows that 76%…let me repeat this a few times like Ezra did on the show because SEVENTY SIX PERCENT…that is 76%…of the American people agree to a “combination of spending cuts” and that “tax increases should be part of tackling the budget deficit.”

76%.

Still, the GOP does not care about it because of their select few people that voted them in back in 2010′s elections, will threaten to “primary” them next year in those mid term elections. And, it is because they do not want any tax increases, let alone any compromise with Obama. 

This Nigel syndrome as i refer to it, happened to us two years ago with the mandate that i personally wanted on the healthcare bill. That, mind you, is the same mandate that the GOP pushed and introduced in the 90s. And it is the very same mandate that Willard (Mitt Romney) brought to everyone in Mass. The GOP goes so far to say that Obamas mandate idea was NOT only bad to enact with Obamacare, these same people also call it an “unconstitutional policy.”

Ironically and with everything I said here in writing, plus everything I took from Lawrence’s Friday Night show, is that without this working this way, the President would then fold or buckle to those pressures of the GOP. Whereas in turn and again, ironically speaking today, he would not be a good so called leader of this country if he acted that way. He would not be showing leadership if he just did whatever the GOP wanted and wait a second here, the first four years of this admin, were all driven by the old Bush policies that were up kept by Obama until after this last Presidential election that went down in November last year.

And, wait a second here because on Monday of last week, I heard the POTUS say that he would already sign it. And/or he said something along the lines of that he would sign a variation or some compromised proposal between the two parties. he said that last week. 

And, remember everyone, its Political Science 101 because the point of our constitution in the united States, is to make sure any POTUS canNOT do what Congress is now saying for him to do and moreover and overall, is that we no doubt need more leadership from CONGRESS. We do NOT need more leadership from the White House and the people that work in it. We need the House of Rep’s GOP or republicans in the House to compromise with the Democratic senate. 

And, when that does not work. It is up to the media to call them out on any lie quite frankly and if that does not work for the People, the public needs to vote these officials out of those jobs. 

It is Poli Sci 101 folks. 

Visit the Sustainable Action Network regarding John Beohners Do Nothing congress. And, Visit the Sustainable Action Network with regard to gerrymandering issues.

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The Sunset daily Blog is exactly one year old today!

English: Cover of Birth Control Review July 1919 Captions: “How shall we change the law?”, “Must She Always Plead in Vain? “You are a nurse – can you tell me? For the children’s sake – help me!” (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Planned Parenthood (Photo credit: WeNews)

This was about the time last year when Planned Parenthood and susan komen had their thing start up fiercely and it was about the time I realized that I was in my own so called bubble…I just did not know people cared about abortion today and woman’s rights if you will…which tend to all be about birth control, etc…I did not know they were issues today…so to speak….and then we had an entire primary and an election based with that as the focal points…it was wild to me and so I guess i need to be heard…this thing here, the sustainable action network growing huge in the last year, and then Ram Phan will be out sooner than later this year….its been cool…

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Even though my jokes to him became a reality this week, however, one of the top foreign affairs media people on the planet, Richard Engel, NBC correspondent, free after 5 days of captivity in Syria

Richard Engel, NBC correspondent, free after 5 days of captivity in Syria

NBC News said Tuesday morning that veteran foreign correspondent Richard Engel, two of his colleagues and their security guard were free after five days of captivity at the hands of unidentified assailants in Syria.

NBC said in a statement that Engel, who went missing along with his crew on Thursday, was “freed from captors in Syria after a firefight at a checkpoint on Monday, five days after they were taken prisoner.” The network did not identify the others who had been abducted with Engel.

 

“We are pleased to report they are safely out of the country,” NBC added.

 

It remained unclear exactly who abducted Engel and the rest of his team. NBC said only that the captors “were not believed to be loyal to the Assad regime.”

According to NBC, two of the captors were killed in the shootout at the checkpoint manned by a Syrian rebel group, the Ahrar al-Sham brigade, an Islamic Salafist group which operates across Syria, but has its strongest presence in the northern city of Idlib.

Several Western journalists have been detained by the increasingly isolated regime of President Bashar Assad, which has virtually banned independent reporting inside Syria. The journalists held by the regime have generally been set free in a matter of days. Others have been abducted and held briefly by armed militant groups fighting against Assad. The myriad rebel militias in Syria have vastly varying

 

One American journalist, freelance writer Austin Tice, remains missing after disappearing in mid-August. His parents visited Beirut, Lebanon in November, seeking information about their son, but said they still had not learned who was holding him or what condition he was in.

The U.S. government has said Assad’s regime is likely holding the 31-year-old former Marine, who had been reporting on Syria’s civil war for The Washington Post, McClatchy Newspapers and others.

 

Engel, NBC’s chief foreign correspondent, has extensive history reporting on and living in the Middle East. He was reporting on the war from inside Syria when he was captured. His work has won him numerous awards, including five News & Documentary Emmys.

According to NBC, Engel speaks and reads fluent Arabic and can comfortably transition between several Arabic dialects spoken across the Arab world.

NBC News chief foreign correspondent Richard Engel / GETTY

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Have a Grateful Holiday!

Make this holiday a chance to give back to charity

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Thursday…Green Week Continues With Recycling Drive…Win VIP Tix to Green Game This Sunday Afternoon Vs The Seahawks

The St. Louis Rams are greening our operations, from recycling and waste reduction to energy efficiency and the use of recycled materials. Since our participation in the NFL’s first carbon neutral game in 2005 against the Philadelphia Eagles, we have been committed to establishing and growing our Green Platform with the intention of identifying authentic opportunities to reduce our carbon footprint.

We currently facilitate and promote single-stream recycling during all Rams home games on our Concourse and Terrace levels, in all of our suites, in the Bud Light Party Zone and at additional key points of entry/exit. We secured branded receptacles, made from 100% post-consumer waste, for the collection of materials. In 2008, we began printing our game tickets on recycled paper stock.

Similar to our success at the Edward Jones Dome, we have implemented a recycling program at the Russell Training Center, home of the St. Louis Rams. We have encouraged our staff to recycle paper and plastic by offering personal receptacles for office/cubicle use.

In 2009, the Rams became the first team in the NFL to print our Media Guide on 100% post consumer waste paper. The Media Guide was printed with soy ink, made from environmentally friendly soy beans. The guide was certified with the FSC (Forest Stewardship Council), an independent, non-governmental, not-for-profit organization established to promote the responsible management of the world’s forests. The Media Guide was also reduced by more than 250 pages and additional information was placed on the Rams website.

In 2010, the Rams furthered our commitment to enhance our Green Platform in many different ways. The Rams completely eliminated our Media Guides this year, instead handing out flash drives to the media with all applicable information. We are committed to reducing our energy and waste throughout the season and are Pure Power Gold Certified through Ameren Missouri Pure Power. This means that we will help prevent the release of approximately 342,000 pounds of carbon dioxide from entering the atmosphere, which is equal to taking 30 cars off the road for a year.

The Rams will host a Green Game on September 30, 2012 against the Seattle Seahawks. As a part of this game, we will offset 100% of the electricity used at the Edward Jones Dome. We have also offset Seattle Seahawks team travel to and from St. Louis and fan travel to and from the Edward Jones Dome using carbon offsets. We will highlight the importance of sustainability throughout the game with a Green Expo in Baer Park prior to the game and in-game features throughout.

Obama’s claim that ‘90 percent’ of the current deficit is due to Bush policies = Four Pinocchios…Oops…Sort Of I Guess……..

Obama’s claim that ‘90 percent’ of the current deficit is due to Bush policies

Obama’s claim that ‘90 percent’ of the current deficit is due to Bush policies = Four Pinocchios…Oops…Sort Of I Guess……..

Posted by Glenn Kessler at 06:02 AM ET, 09/26/2012

(Carolyn Kaster/AP)

“Over the last four years, the deficit has gone up, but 90 percent of that is as a consequence of two wars that weren’t paid for, as a consequence of tax cuts that weren’t paid for, a prescription drug plan that was not paid for, and then the worst economic crisis since the Great Depression. Now we took some emergency actions, but that accounts for about 10 percent of this increase in the deficit, and we have actually seen the federal government grow at a slower pace than at any time since Dwight Eisenhower, in fact, substantially lower than the federal government grew under either Ronald Reagan or George Bush.”

“Taxes are lower on families than they’ve been probably in the last 50 years. So I haven’t raised taxes.”

— President Obama, interview on CBS’s “60 Minutes,” recorded on Sept. 12, 2012, and aired on Sept. 23

There are a lot of numbers and assertions in these statements by the president. We will primarily focus on the first statement, since it raises interesting questions of presidential responsibility.

But we do want to note the tax statement, since we seem to have a rare moment when Obama and GOP rival Mitt Romney appear to agree. Here’s what Romney said on Tuesday: “I admit this, he has one thing he did not do in his first four years, he’s said he’s going to do in his next four years, which is to raise taxes.”

Generally, Republicans have argued (and the Supreme Court agreed) that Obama’s health-insurance mandate is a tax. The health-care law also included a number of taxes aimed mostly at the wealthy. But broadly speaking, Obama has reduced taxes for most Americans, so much so that the Congressional Budget Office says that effective tax rates are at their lowest point in three decades.

In any case, let’s examine more closely Obama’s two key assertions during 60 Minutes — that only 10 percent of the current deficit comes from his policies and that the federal government has grown under his watch at a “a slower pace than at any time since Dwight Eisenhower.” Are those claims correct?

The Facts

In support of the first statement, the Obama campaign pointed us to a chart made by the Treasury Department.

This chart looks backward, to the reasons why the projected $5.6 trillion surplus from 2001 disappeared. It is based on these CBO data, which the Fact Checker column first brought to public view in early 2011. So we are quite familiar with it. This is how we broke down the numbers then in explaining the reasons for the disappearance of the surplus and the rise of monster deficits:

Increased spending (discretionary and mandatory): $4.3 trillion (36.5 percent)

Incorrect CBO estimates (economic/technical reasons): $3.3 trillion (28 percent)

Tax cuts: $2.8 trillion (24 percent)

Higher interest costs: $1.4 trillion (12 percent)

Obama, in his remarks, doesn’t really say he is talking about the disappearance of the surplus. In fact, he prefaces his statement with a misleading phrase — “over the last four years” — which suggests he is only talking about the period in which he was president.

Because of compounding, however, the Treasury Department chart overemphasizes the impact of the events that happened early in the process (such as the Bush tax cuts) and minimizes more recent events (such as Obama’s policies.)

Under this theory, one could go back to the Lyndon Johnson administration and blame him for a huge chunk of the deficit, since he signed Medicare and Medicaid into law. In other words, every “old” policy will almost by definition appear to contribute much more to current deficits than recent policies.

Using the same CBO data, former Bush administration official Charles Blahous portrayed it another way, which gives an entirely different picture. This chart, drawn from a much longer study by Blahous, tries to place the tax cuts into context. (He also does not break down the spending into categories, such as the wars.)

As can be seen above, CBO’s errors in forecasting played a large role in the demise of the projected surpluses. CBO had kept counting on a gusher of capital gains revenue — and then obviously failed to predict the recession of 2008.

But Obama’s policies also played a big role during his presidency. Using the CBO data for the years 2009-2011, here’s a very rough calculation of the contribution to the deficit. To keep things simple, we did not try to allocate interest expense, and we did not include categories of spending or taxes that were difficult to allocate.

The 2009 fiscal year is especially hard because that budget year is so much of an amalgam of Bush and Obama policies; we essentially split the cost of the Troubled Asset Relief Program between the two of them. Since this is not intended to be exact, but illustrative, we have rounded numbers and percentages:

2009:

Economic/technical differences: $570 billion (46 percent)

Bush policies: $330 billion (27 percent)

Obama policies: $325 billion (27 percent)

2010:

Economic/technical: $815 billion (51 percent)

Bush: $225 billion (14 percent)

Obama: $565 billion (35 percent)

2011:

Economic/technical: $720 billion (46 percent)

Bush: $160 billion (10 percent)

Obama: $685 billion (44 percent)

Clearly, a huge part of the deficit problem — about half — stems from the recession and forecasting errors. But Obama’s policies represent a big chunk as well. (We would welcome suggestions for fine-tuning these numbers.)

Now one could argue, as Obama’s defenders do, that his policies to combat the recession were intended to be temporary. But he has also supported permanently extending the Bush tax cuts for Americans making less than $250,000, which by itself will shrink federal revenues for years to come. That means these are no longer Bush’s tax cuts, but Obama’s.

Moreover, an important part of Obama’s legacy — the health-care law — has not even taken full effect yet. The CBO calculated virtually no impact on the deficit in the first 10 years after enactment, but all bets are off after that.

Finally, Obama claims that “we have actually seen the federal government grow at a slower pace than at any time since Dwight Eisenhower.” We regret to say that the president is repeating a widely debunked column that appeared on MarketWatch earlier this year. We devoted three columns to the column’s faulty logic, and FactCheck.org and the Associated Press also said it was bunk. (PolitiFact said it was “half true.”)

Not to get too deep in the weeds again, but the claim is based on treating 2009 (as we said, an amalgam of Bush and Obama policies) as actually Bush’s year, and then ignoring Obama’s proposed spending increases in the future. Such calculations help to dramatically shrink the growth of spending under Obama relative to other presidents.

The Pinocchio Test

We are not trying to make excuses for the fiscal excesses of the Bush administration — and Congress — in the last decade. But at some point, a president has to take ownership of his own actions.

Obama certainly inherited an economic mess, and that accounts for a large part of the deficit. But Obama pushed for spending increases and tax cuts that also have contributed in important ways to the nation’s fiscal deterioration. He certainly could argue that these were necessary and important steps to take, but he can’t blithely suggest that 90 percent of the current deficit “is as a consequence” of his predecessor’s policies — and not his own.

As for the citing of the discredited MarketWatch column, we have repeatedly urged the administration to rely on estimates from official government agencies, such as the White House budget office. It is astonishing to see the president repeat this faulty claim once again, as if it were an established fact.

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Rams Look Forward to Officials‘ Return

Reports surfaced Wednesday morning and into the afternoon that a tentative agreement between the NFL and the NFL Referee’s Association had been struck.

In the hours after those reports, there were a number of reports saying that nothing had been agreed to and that the two sides were still in negotiations.

The good news was that the sides were negotiating and the bad news was, well, the sides were negotiating.

Meanwhile at ContinuityX Training Center, Rams coach Jeff Fisher wasn’t too worried about much aside from getting ready to play Seattle, not that he wouldn’t like to hear some good news on the impasse between the officials and the league.

“I don’t know,” Fisher said. “We’re preparing against the Seahawks. If that thing works itself out, it works itself out. We’re all very hopeful that they’ll be able to get it resolved. When they’re officially back, then I’m sure we’ll be notified.”

Based on the reports of late Wednesday afternoon, a deal appeared to be extremely close. And for the players who play, the fans who watch and really everyone involved with the league, a deal wouldn’t be coming a moment too soon.

“You guys have seen it – we need them back,” Rams quarterbackSam Bradford said. “I hope it happens soon. I just don’t think it’s fair to the fans, I don’t think it’s fair to us as players to go out there and have to deal with that week in and week out. I really hope that they’re as close as they say they are.”

Defensive end Chris Long echoed Bradford’s sentiments but also wanted to make it clear that he doesn’t hold anything against the replacement officials, who are simply trying to officiate games played at a much higher speed than what they’re used to.

Following the fallout of the Monday night game in which Seattle escaped with a win against Green Bay on a disputed last-second touchdown call, the need to get a deal done seemed to reach a critical mass.

It’s no surprise that the sides went to work this week after a void in negotiations.

“They are doing the best they can,” Long said. “It’s not really on the replacement refs. You just hope that the NFL is doing everything they can to get the real guys back because that’s what we’re about, right? Protecting the shield? That’s what I heard at the rookie symposium so right now we are putting a price on the integrity of the game. It’s just tough to watch.”

While Long didn’t mince words, he also made it clear that he just wants the game to be played, coached and officiated at the highest level across the board.

“I’m proud of the shield, too,” Long said. “I just hope we continue to see football games being played at a high level.”

WILD FINISH: Speaking of the wild finish in Seattle from Monday night, there were a few interesting takes from the Rams locker room on Wednesday afternoon.

On the game’s final play, Seattle quarterback Russell Wilson appeared to have his last ditch pass intercepted by Green Bay safety M.D. Jennings but Seattle receiver Golden Tate got his hands on the ball. Conflicting calls were made before a touchdown was called on the field.

After a review, the play stood as a touchdown and the Seahawks left with a win.

“I think everyone in the country, except for people who live in Seattle, saw it as an interception,” Bradford said.

When informed that a poll in a Seattle newspaper only had about 17 percent of fans in Seattle saying that it was a catch, Bradford was surprised.

“Really? They’re honest up there, then,” Bradford said. “That’s good to know. Everyone saw it. We don’t need to get into that. It’s unfortunate that that could affect not only those two teams, but a lot of other teams towards the end of the year when the playoffs start to come into the picture.”

Long saw it from a different viewpoint, choosing not to offer an opinion on the game’s outcome but making note that this week’s opponent played well.

“The Seahawks played a hell of a game, that’s the first thing I’ll say,” Long said. “To go toe to toe with the Packers and possibly beat them, I don’t know, you could probably make that call either way but I do think it was utter chaos. It’s just been crazy. I hope those real guys come back soon.”

Fisher also declined comment on the game itself but offered his take on it purely from a head coach’s standpoint.

“My only comment on that is that I thought that (Packers Head) Coach Mike McCarthy did an extraordinary job dealing with a difficult set of circumstances,” Fisher said.

YOUNG G.Z.: By now, it seems there’s nothing rookie Greg Zuerlein can do to surprise those that have watched the cannon-legged kicker since he arrived in St. Louis.

After booting two more field goals last week – including a 56-yarder – Zuerlein has now converted all eight of his field goal tries and his four extra point attempts.
“Well, it just gives you confidence that the odds are that it’s going to go through the uprights,” Fisher said. “He’s got length. So, especially before a half, you can take some shots and do some things.”

Fisher has been around some powerful kickers before but never anything like Zuerlein.

“(Titans K Rob) Bironas has got a very strong leg,” Fisher said. “But I’ve not seen anybody like Greg.”

INJURY REPORT: All signs point to a return this week for defensive tackleMichael Brockers after he went through his first practice in almost a month Wednesday afternoon.

Brockers was officially listed as limited in his return from a high ankle sprain but barring a setback he’ll likely be ready to play.

Elsewhere, offensive tackle Wayne Hunter was also limited after twisting his knee against the Bears. He played through the injury and will likely be able to play this week again.

Running back Steven Jackson (groin) did not participate and will likely go through a similar process as last week in determining his role for Sunday.

Defensive end Eugene Sims left practice with the flu and also did not participate. Joining Jackson and Sims on the did not participate list were tackleRodger Saffold (knee), defensive tackle Matt Conrath (knee) and safety Matt Daniels (hamstring).

 Nick Wagoner Senior Writer

Encore For ‘Treme’ As Fourth, Final Season Announced

Written by Sophie Jones - today

So it’s good and bad news for HBO’s Treme.

As reported by The Times Picayune, the New Orleans-based drama is announced to return for fourth season, but it will be its last, and cut short at that.

Creator and writers of The Wire David Simon and Eric Overmyer brought us this jazz-fueled drama about the aftermath of hurricane Katrina (tip: don’t ask about their houses). It’s currently running its third season but sadly (or happily) for fans of the show, the next will be its last.

It’s had good reviews all round and a dedicated fan base, but unfortunately it failed to raise enough “buzz” — unlike Boardwalk Empire or Game Of Thrones — to merit a continuation. However, unlike other HBO shows such as Deadwood, which was cruelly denied a fourth season, at least the creators of Treme will have the space and budget to round off the whole series.

Neither is this the first TV series to be given a truncated fourth season. NBC’sCommunity only has a certain future up to 13 episodes rather than the 25 of previous seasons, but, unlike Community, at least the original creators are allowed to take it to the end their way.

There was some trepidation about whether the actors would agree to the arrangement, but Simon reports happily:

To a person, they all came back…we’re happy for a chance to finish the story on our own terms.

No word yet of when Season 4 will show, but there’s plenty to keep you going til then. Season 3 of Treme is on air now and will run until November 25th.

Strike Back Kicked into gear at the end/beginning of the last two episodes….

 

As you can see here in the pic, Siad, from Oz….is in this episode and i guess the new one coming up next week…As you also know about last season…Adibisi…from Oz…was also in two episodes both adding to each respective story lines…..

 

Phillies try to stay in hunt vs. NL Wild Card leaders

By Teddy Cahill / MLB.com | 9/20/2012 11:49 PM ET

Kendrick speaks about the NL pennant race

At the start of the season, this weekend’s three-game series between the Braves and Phillies appeared likely to have playoff implications. And it will. But instead of matching two teams competing for the National League East title, it will feature the NL Wild Card leader and a team hoping to stay in contention for the other spot.

The Braves enter the series with a commanding lead in the Wild Card standings and will have a chance to clinch a spot in the postseason this weekend, as their magic number is five. The Phillies, meanwhile, are one of three teams within four games of the Cardinals, who currently lead the race for the second NL Wild Card spot.

The Phillies will turn to right-hander Kyle Kendrick as they try to stay in the hunt. In his last start, Kendrick lost to the last-place Astros.

“It’s tough to lose to a team like that,” Kendrick said. “I can’t say I did my job.”

Right-hander Tommy Hanson will start for the Braves. Since returning from a strained back that forced him onto the disabled list at the end of July, Hanson has battled inconsistency. But his last three starts seem to have been a step in the right direction. In those starts, Hanson has a 3.31 ERA and has struck out 20 batters in 16 1/3 innings.

Hanson pitched well in his most recent start, a 5-4 Braves victory against the Nationals on Saturday. He overcame a pair of errors that led to two unearned runs to strike out seven and walk one batter in five innings, giving the Braves a chance to complete their comeback.

“I thought Tommy did a great job, the next three innings, settling down,” manager Fredi Gonzalez said. “He kept his head and kept us in the ballgame.

Braves: Simmons, Janish injured in Marlins series 
The Braves lost both starting shortstop Andrelton Simmons and backup Paul Janish to left shoulder injuries in their series against the Marlins this week. Simmons jammed his shoulder Monday and Janish dislocated his Tuesday. Neither played in the Braves’ 3-0 victory Wednesday.

Gonzalez said Simmons could be able to play in Friday’s series opener in Philadelphia, but Janish would be out longer. Janish returned to Atlanta on Wednesday for further tests to determine whether he will need surgery or not.

“They’re going to do all the tests, whatever they got to do,” Gonzalez said. “He won’t play for a while right now. He won’t play for a while because it’s significant.”

Phillies: Rollins’ hot streak continues 
Jimmy Rollins went 2-for-5 Thursday in the Phillies’ 16-1 victory against the Mets, giving the shortstop a hit in 16 of Philadelphia’s 18 games in September. Rollins has reached base via a hit or a walk in all but one game this month.

Rollins is hitting .338 with seven home runs and a .635 slugging percentage this month. The Phillies improved to 9-1 in September when Rollins scores at least one run.

Worth noting 
• Braves third baseman Chipper Jones, who will likely be playing for the final time in Philadelphia, is 8-for-26 with two home runs in his career against Kendrick. • Braves closer Craig Kimbrel has 38 saves this season, tied with Cardinals closer Jason Motte for the most in the National League. Phillies closer Jonathan Papelbon is tied for third with 36 saves.

Related articles

• Phillies’ Path to the Postseason: Sept. 21, 2012 (sunsetdaily.wordpress.com)
• Braves vs. Phillies: Potential NL Wild Card Preview Arrives In Philadelphia (atlanta.sbnation.com)
• Braves begin series in south Philly (oddonion.com)

That Took All Of About FIVE (5) Hours, But University Laboratory Exepriments Exposed…Letter From PETA Founder…

Dear Don,

What experimenters did to Double Trouble is heartbreaking.

This beautiful tabby cat endured horrific torment for months in cruel and useless “sound localization” experiments at the University of Wisconsin-Madison (UW)—deadly experiments that have been supported by more than $3 million in tax dollars.

Will you help PETA end animal tests like these by taking the Global “Stop Animal Tests” Challenge right now? Your secure gift online today will be matched—dollar for dollar—by a group of generous PETA donors toward our online goal of $250,000 but only if you give before October 31. If we meet this ambitious goal, it will mean an urgently needed $500,000 to help shut down experiments like the one that killed Double Trouble.

It took more than three years and a successful PETA lawsuit before UW was compelled to release images from its deadly experiments on cats. Now, we can show you what the university tried so very hard to hide. According to records obtained by PETA, Double Trouble had to endure invasive surgeries during which she had steel coils implanted in her eyes, a stainless-steel post screwed to her skull, and electrodes inserted into her brain. In a subsequent surgery, this gentle orange cat was deafened by a toxic substance applied to her ears, and electrical implants were placed deep inside both ears. Please try to imagine the horror and fear that she endured—all the while “living” in a stainless-steel cage, alone at night and tormented by experimenters during the day. During surgery, Double Trouble’s anesthesia is reported to have worn off, likely leaving her to experience pain as experimenters cut into her head and skull. It is too horrible to contemplate, but we must because we need to stop such torture.

As time went on, Double Trouble’s condition worsened. Her face became partially paralyzed, and her head wound would not heal for more than three months after her last surgery. An antibiotic-resistant infection raged in her wound for almost two months before UW experimenters killed her, beheaded her (and we have pictures of that, too, which we will spare you), and cut apart her brain.

Double Trouble is just one of so very many sensitive animals who are cut, burned, poisoned, and subjected to even worse torment in deadly experiments each year. If you donate during PETA’s Global “Stop Animal Tests” Challenge right now, your gift made before the October 31 deadline will be matched, going twice as far toward combating the horrific suffering of animals like her in cruel experiments.

The useless experiments that led to Double Trouble’s torment are conducted on as many as 30 cats each year by UW alone and, according to the school’s very own records, are needed to “keep up a productive publication record that ensures our constant funding.” In other words, to publish papers in order to keep public funds coming in. That’s their game. There are no peer-reviewed papers in any scientific journals that have resulted from the months of suffering that she endured; indeed, even experimenters themselves have acknowledged that there was a problem with her surgery.

Since our first landmark undercover exposé of laboratory abuse more than 30 years ago, PETA has won groundbreaking victories that have stopped deadly animal tests in their tracks and saved millions of animals from suffering at the hands of experimenters. At this very moment, we’re pressuring federal officials to investigate Double Trouble’s case and cut off funding for these cruel and completely worthless experiments.

Your generous gift today during the Global “Stop Animal Tests” Challenge will be matched, bringing us closer to our $250,000 online goal and going twice as far toward ending horrific tests like those at UW.

Thank you for your compassion for all animals, particularly those in laboratories who right now need our help.

Kind regards,

Ingrid E. Newkirk
President

P.S. There may be no better time to help animals like Double Trouble than during this special challenge. Please donate online right now and support PETA’s work to expose and stop deadly experiments on animals.

UPDATED: Speaking Of Jobs and Not Creating Them For Political reasons…Here’s Another One That Came And Went Yesterday….

Speaking Of Jobs and Not Creating Them For Political reasons…Here’s Another One That Came And Went Yesterday….

Speaking Of Jobs and Not Creating Them For Political reasons…Here’s Another One That Came And Went Yesterday….But fundamentally…when did 60% become the majority of voting needed again…In my world…a majority is 51% and when I was a kid here…it was 51%….everything else in this world has a majority vote of 51%…but the US government….we have a government that has 60% as its majority out of what is 100%…Nothing makes sense to me…what does 51% mean when you relate to a majority vote? Is 60 to compound the issue or something?

Update:

UPDATED: They just addressed this issue on M. Joe to Tom Coburn who blames this not going through because its “a lie” He then mentions that about the accounting and all..and he says its actually “a gimmick”…He goes on to say that its a temp fix but then he says that there are never any temporary fixes…so I am not sure how to take that because if they wanted a real fix…they should do do it and make it more than temporary…Can you even blame something that way? I guess you can….He also states that vets are addressed in the 5 other job bills that no one knows about today. There are evidently 5 jobs bills on the floor…I know about that one from last year…the big jobs bill that is still sitting on everyones desks…..whatever…we are a country divided…its the way right vs the way left and there are people in the middle….I think this is the first year ever the leftoies are lashing back in the righties faces…No one was there is in 2010…but whatever…there is a upheavel of the dems and lefties fighting back finally…I used to call the dems and lefties pussys…I would all of the time…in that recount, etc…in every vote….they acted like wimps…till lately but then again..the RNC is so easy to fuck with…u cant even make up the shit they come up with every day…thats why saturday night Live was so good this week…there is so much funny shit and everyone knows about it…its great….it ceratanly gets rid of the idiots….romney looked spent at that 11PM press conference he threw the other day…about the 47% recording….anyway…

Brilliant election…ship of fools…..this is the oddest election i can remember and i was a kid during nixons years…I was in elementary school but still…..

Does everyone know that Natural Gas is not natural (processed with many synthetic chemicals) at all, and there is no such thing as Clean Coal?

I want to make sure everyone knows that Natural Gas is not natural (processed with synthetic chemicals) at all, and there is no such thing as Clean Coal…I think its wrong to be able to call these terms with positive attributes like clean and natural..although i guess you can get clean blow and natural something that are negative but this is so mis leading in every way. And, there are natural gas or whatever, ad campaigns on like full force. And, many times a day. They make fracking seem so delightful….and same with clean coal which is not even scientifically possible to use those two words in the same sentence yet that industry…does it anyway…its a bit reckless to use natural gas as a term when it is poisoning people. same with clean coal because it makes you wanna lick it. when that is also deadly. I dunno…I am bored today….but that goes back to corps are people except when ot come to morlas…it does not matter to these people to call something so lovely…yet in reality….its deadly….

Natural gas extraction by countries in cubic meters per year.

Natural gas is a naturally occurring hydrocarbon gas mixture consisting primarily of methane, with other hydrocarbons, carbon dioxide, nitrogen and hydrogen sulfide.^[1] Natural gas is an important energy source to provide heating and electricity. It is also used as fuel for vehicles and as a chemical feedstock in the manufacture of plastics and other commercially importantorganic chemicals.

Natural gas is found in deep underground natural rock formations or associated with other hydrocarbon reservoirs in coal beds and as methane clathrates. Petroleum is also another resource found in proximity to and with natural gas. Most natural gas was created over time by two mechanisms: biogenic and thermogenic. Biogenic gas is created by methanogenic organisms in marshes, bogs, landfills, and shallow sediments. Deeper in the earth, at greater temperature and pressure, thermogenic gas is created from buried organic material.^[2][3]

Before natural gas can be used as a fuel, it must undergo processing to clean the gas and remove impurities including water to meet the specifications of marketable natural gas. The by-products of processing include ethane, propane, butanes, pentanes, and higher molecular weighthydrocarbons, hydrogen sulphide (which may be converted into pure sulfur), carbon dioxide, water vapor, and sometimes helium and nitrogen.

Natural gas is often informally referred to simply as gas, especially when compared to other energy sources such as oil or coal.

Clean coal technology is a collection of technologies being developed to reduce the environmental impact of coal energy generation.^[1] When coal is used as a fuel source, the gaseous emissions generated by the thermal decomposition of the coal include sulphur dioxide, nitrogen dioxide, carbon dioxide, and other chemical byproducts that vary depending of the type of the coal being used. These emissions have been established to have a negative impact on the environment, contributing to acid rain and climate change. As a result, clean coal technologies are being developed to remove or reduce pollutant emissions to the atmosphere. Some of the techniques that would be used to accomplish this include chemically washing minerals and impurities from the coal, gasification (see also IGCC), treating the flue gases with steam to remove sulfur dioxide, carbon capture and storage technologies to capture the carbon dioxide from the flue gas and dewatering lower rank coals (brown coals) to improve the calorific value, and thus the efficiency of the conversion into electricity.

Clean coal technology usually addresses atmospheric problems resulting from burning coal. Historically, the primary focus was on sulfur dioxide and particulates, since it is the most important gas in the causation of acid rain. More recent focus has been on carbon dioxide (due to its impact on global warming) as well as other pollutants.^[2] Concerns exist regarding the economic viability of these technologies and the timeframe of delivery,^[3] potentially high hidden economic costs in terms of social and environmental damage,^[4] and the costs and viability of disposing of removed carbon and other toxic matter.^[5][6]

Coal, which is primarily used for the generation of electricity,^[7] is the second largest domestic contributor to carbon dioxide emissions in the USA.^[8] The public has become more concerned about global warming which has led to new legislation. The coal industry has responded by running advertising touting clean coal in an effort to counter negative perceptions and claiming more than $50 billion towards the development and deployment of “traditional” clean coal technologies over the past 30 years; and promising $500 million towards carbon capture and storage research and development.^[9]

The world’s first “clean coal” power plant went on-line in September 2008 in Spremberg, Germany. The plant is owned by the Swedish company Vattenfall and has been built by the German firm Siemens.^[10] The plant is called Schwarze Pumpe power station. The facility captures CO₂ and acid rain producing sulfides, separates them, and compresses the CO₂ into a liquid. Plans are to inject the CO₂ into depleted natural gas fields or other geological formations. This technology is considered not to be a final solution for CO₂reduction in the atmosphere, but provides an achievable solution in the near term while more desirable alternative solutions to power generation can be made economically practical.^[10]

Rams vs. Redskins: Running Blog – Big Win – First Home Opener WIN in a Long Time – On To Chi Town….

Rams vs. Redskins: Running Blog - Big Win - First Home Opener in a Long Time - On To Chi Town....


Very impressed with the offense today. Bradford is playing perfectly and Jackson must be averaging about 12 yards a carry at this time. A horrible call by the ref or actually...I think he just missed it...but it was a personal foul that took the skins down a bunch of the field. But, we waltzed back down field and are on the goal line but Jackson just fumbled the ball back but...the elbow is down....and the ball is in his arm so this should stay with the rams. That would be awful if it turned hands inside the one...he was clearly down so lets hope they get it right in the booth...Yes...they did get it right so lets hope fisher does not get called for asking for a replay....(its an automatic one...)...3rd and goal....and shit...shanahan is complaining about it now...ok..whew....field goal. Although, they did give him back that penalty with the one against jackson. Welp...Our secondary just got beat. Doh...68 yard TD. Must get it back before half or this will suck. Excellente....Man...this offense is better than I have seen in many years. I cant believe they punished jackson (they sat em out) but that Richardson is great himself. I forgot about him. But Bradford and Amandola are having insane games right now. Amandola is sick. His first catch of the game was incredible. I was totally impressed with him and i like this offense this week. They need to hold the team now. Bradford does not have full control of the o yet..hes great at getting down field, but he leaves a lot of time for them to score again. Which is fine, but the D needs to step up and our first round pick is out today. Must win today. Actually...nice pick off after letting RG3 run that 3rd down play so lets get down and get another T....45 seconds...down to about the 20 maybe...12 yard gain...Bradford keeper...I am loving bradford after today....If we can get into the half tied...that would be insanity....was that finegan that caught the interception? He did the blog on the ram site last week...ok...eleven seconds...this is the time to go for the end zone and if not...kick a FG so long as the clock can stop in time....here we go....FG but holding call...good call...42 yard FG try and this guy is great....whistle blew before snap...Time out washington which is good because the ball went wide....which you cant gauge because the whistle blew interrupting the play....Lets just get the FG to end the half,......that would be a 4 point game....come on.....GOOD...smacked it right down the middle like a missile...thought it was headed right but it went blistering into the net without a doubt...nice...ok..thats a ten point turn around in the last few minutes....shower time after the kick off to end the half....LOL...I was just saying to myself that it would be ridic if jackson was benched for disciplinary....i was saying maybe a few plays tops, but then richardson just rips off a 50 to 60 yard tun....Now Daryl's (Richardson) is injured and phiuk me....Bradfoord never saw the defender in the end zone and boom..picked off...that sucks....OK...three and out with a near interception and blocked punt....second of the year..the rams are fast this year....richardsons back and I maintain that jackson is injured or something...he has shorts on....and he was bummed when they threw that last interception..he reacted to it....Good d so far in this last qtr....I have got to assume that jackson is out for some type if an ailment....i mean for the love of everyones god...close a goddam game...jeez....D needs to deal now....Okedokums....big win...Bradford had a big game....same amendola...and D came up Big a few times today...

Rams vs. Redskins: Running Blog

Fourth Quarter

• Mulligan was rewarded for his special teams play as he grabs a 1-yard touchdown for a 29-28 lead.

• Richardson punched it in from 2 yards out to make it 31-28 Rams with 14:55 to go.

• Washington starts again at its 20.

• The defense responds with a huge three and out, and Amendola was horse collared on the punt.

• The Rams start from their 32.

-Richardson gained nothing on first down and Bradford threw incomplete on second down.

• On third and 10, Bradford hit Amendola for 8 yards, short of the first down. Three and out for the offense but a quick note on the catch as Amendola hauled in his 15th grab of the day, tying with Flipper Anderson and Isaac Bruce for franchise record.

• Washington starts again at its 16.

• False start to the 11 and Griffin hits Josh Morgan for 14 to the 25 for second-and-1.

• Griffin picked up 6 to move the chains and 14 two plays later for a first at Washington’s 45.

• He ran for 9 more on the next play.

• Evan Royster gained 4 to the Rams’ 42.

• Morris lost 4 on first down.

• A 2-yard completion and a 5-yard scramble forced Washington to punt.

• The Rams get it back at their 11 with 7:07 to go and a 31-28 lead.

Third Quarter

• The Redskins start the third with the ball at their 15.

• Morris ran for 3 on first down and a false start pushed the Skins back 5 for second and 12 at their 13.

• After a 1 yard run, Washington had third and 13.

• A 4-yard completion finished a three and out to give it back to the Rams at their 37.

• The Rams wasted no time claiming their first lead of the game as they marched the 63 yards in just four plays. Bradford hit Steve Smith for a gain of 25 to Washington’s 33. Two plays later, Bradford hit Gibson for a 34-yard touchdown and a 23-21 lead with 10:23 to go in the third.

• Washington starts again from its 20.

• The Redskins came up with a strong response of their own as Griffin hit Aldrick Robinson for 28 yards on first down.

• Two plays later, Morris ripped off a gain of 29 to the Rams’ 18.

• He gained 9 on his next two carries to make it third-and-1 at the Rams’ 9.

• After Griffin hit Fred Davis for 8 yards to the Rams’ 1, a false start moved it back to the 6 and Morris lost a yard.

• A QB draw for Griffin covered that up though and he went in from 7 yards out to make it 28-23 Redskins with 5:27 to go in the third.

• The Rams start again from their 20.

• After a sack on first down, the Rams made quick work of getting down the field as Bradford hit Kendricks for 11 and Amendola for 16 on third-and-6 to the 41.

• Richardson blew down the right sideline for a 53-yard gain to Washington’s 6.

• But disaster hit again as Bradford fired into the end zone into the waiting arms of LB London Fletcher to give it back to Washington at its 20.

• Two plays netted 4 to set up a big third-and-6 from the 24.

• After an incompletion that was nearly an INT for CB Bradley Fletcher, the Rams made a huge play on special teams as TE Matthew Mulligan of all people broke through and blocked a Sav Rocca punt. Eugene Sims recovered at Washington’s 24.

• On third-and-5 from the 20, Bradford hit Richardson in the flat for 19 yards to give the Rams a first down at Washington’s 1.

• At the end of three, Washington leads it 28-23.

Second Quarter

• Jackson ripped off 9 more to open the quarter but the Rams lost 5 on yet another penalty.

• Bradford followed with a first down completion to Amendola for 8 yards to the 44.

• The Rams continued to put together a strong drive with Jackson carrying most of the freight. He ripped off a 20-yard gain and Richardson chipped in 8 in addition to a 19-yard strike from Bradford to Gibson.

• On first and goal at the 4, Jackson picked up 3.

• Jackson got another carry on second down and came up short. The ball came loose and he appeared to be down. But the Redskins recovered and the officials ruled it a fumble.

• The Rams challenged and won to get another shot on third-and-goal from the 1.

• Jackson CLEARLY was in for a touchdown but the referees had no clue what to do, made no call and then flagged Jackson for unsportsmanlike conduct. An absurd sequence of events.

• Zuerlein hits from 33 yards to make it 14-6 Washington.

• The Redskins struck back quickly as Griffin threw a perfect deep ball to WR Leonard Hankerson for 68 yards and a touchdown. Washington leads 21-6 with 6:19 to go in the half.

• The Rams had their best response of the day as Bradford hit Amendola for 56 yards and eventually connected again for a 1-yard touchdown to make it 21-13 Washington with 1:58 to go in the half.

• Amendola has 12 catches for 133 yards and a touchdown. That ties him with Reggie Wayne for the most receptions in a half in league history. What a bounce back after the fumble to start the game.

• Washington started from its 21 and two smoke screens netted no yards to set up a big third-and-10 with 1:01 to go in the half.

• Griffin ran a QB draw for 15 yards and a first down to the Redskins’ 36.

• On first down from there, Griffin got baited by CB Cortland Finnegan who made a terrific catch with his left hand for an interception. The Rams got it back at Washington’s 40.

• The Rams moved into Redskins territory on a completion to Steve Smith and a 12-yard scramble by Bradford.

• They settled for a 42-yard field goal by Zuerlein to trim it to 21-16 Washington at the half.

• Despite a lot of factors working against them, a heck of an effort by the Rams overcoming adversity to be right in this at the half.

First Quarter

• The Rams won the toss and elected to receive.

• Disaster struck quickly as the Rams started from their 20.

• QB Sam Bradford hit WR Danny Amendola in the flat for a gain of 10 but Amendola was hit by LB Perry Riley, causing a fumble that was scooped up by CB Josh Wilson for a 30 yard return and a touchdown.

• Just like that, Washington leads 7-0.

• The Rams start again from their 9 and pick up a first down on a defensive hold.

• Washington DL Adam Carriker was injured on the first play.

• Bradford goes right back to Amendola, who picked up 12 yards on the completion and 15 more on a personal foul penalty on LB London Fletcher.

• It was all Amendola all the time on the drive as the Rams responded with a solid drive. He had five catches for 42 yards on the possession.

• WR Brandon Gibson had a near touchdown called out of bounds as he just missed getting his feet down inbounds.

• The drive took its biggest when Barry Richardson was flagged for a false start.

• The Rams settled for a 39-yard field goal from Zuerlein to make it 7-3 Redskins with 9:05 to go in the first.

• The Redskins started again from their 22.

• After converting on a third down, DE Robert Quinn blew past LT Trent Williams for a 9-yard sack on third-and-8 to force a punt.

• The Rams get it back at their 38.

• Saffold has a knee injury. His return is questionable. Wayne Hunter is in at left tackle.

• The Rams go three and out as a third-and-3 completion to RB Daryl Richardson comes up a yard short. Richardson ran toward the sideline and the defender knocked him out of bounds before he got to the sticks.

• The Redskins started from their 20 and got a first down on third-and-17 on a personal foul penalty on the Rams to their 40.

• Morris picked up 6 on first down.

• Morris followed with 27 more.

• On third-and-2, the Rams seemed to get a stop but yet another personal foul penalty, this time on Quinn kept the drive alive.

• Griffin III ran it in from 5 yards out to make it 14-3.

• Bad penalties on the Rams, very costly.

• The Rams start again from their 20.

• Jackson ran for 12 yards to the 32 on first down.

• At the end of the first, the Redskins lead it 14-3.

Pregame Notes

• Greetings from the Edward Jones Dome where the Rams and Redskins are preparing to kickoff at 3:05 in the home opener at the Edward Jones Dome.

• First quick order of business, the Rams have one roster move to report: C Tim Barnes has been elevated to the active roster. To make room, the Rams released CB Quinton Pointer. That gives the Rams some insurance at center behind preumptive starter Robert Turner.

• The move also leaves the Rams with just four healthy and active corners, all of whom will get plenty of playing time. Cortland Finnegan and Janoris Jenkins will start with Bradley Fletcher as the nickel  and Trumaine Johnson also available. In a pinch, the Rams could also use Rodney McLeod at corner.

• We know three inactives for today: G Rokevious Watkins (ankle), DT Michael Brockers (ankle) and DT Matt Conrath (knee).

• The other inactives are RB Terrance Ganaway, QB Austin Davis, G Shelley Smith and S Darian Stewart.

• LT Rodger Saffold is active and expected to start. Really great to see that last week’s injury was nothing more than a scare.

• Quinn Ojinnaka is expected to start at LG.

• With Smith inactive, the Rams have Wayne Hunter, Ty Nsekhe and Barnes available as backup linemen.

• The Rams are wearing the all blues today.

• Of note for Washington, WR Pierre Garcon is inactive. Also of note is S Brandon Merriweather.

• Stay tuned for updates throughout the game.

Posted in From the Sidelines | 6 Comments »

1. By Sunset Daily on Sep 16, 2012 | ReplyIve been impressed with the Offense today. Anmd, the damn ref missed that one….
2. By Mbaby on Sep 16, 2012 | ReplyOfficials suck on the rams game!!! So many bad calls, that should have been a touchdown and that sideline personal foul was bs
3. By Sunset Daily on Sep 16, 2012 | ReplyI forgot the real refs are out till that guy cam on to say it….i guess they are on strike…i had no clue…I cannot imagine them being ballsy enuff to merely give em that 15 because of the missed call on fisher…because in reality…that spike could be misconstrued because he technically did score…which gives him the right to spike the ball….but it was a fine line…sort of…lol….
4. By Sunset Daily on Sep 16, 2012 | ReplyPS: I wish they would stop talking sh&t…or wait till we up in the game….
5. By Mark on Sep 16, 2012 | ReplyWhy didn’t Fisher challenge the out of bounds reception call in the end zone against Rams wide receiver Gibson in 1Q. If yo’re not gonna make a challenge in the red zone, then when are you. Very bad judgement.

Five ways President Obama has strengthened our national security

September 15, 2012

 

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When President Obama took office, America was engaged in two wars and faced terrorist threats at home and abroad directed by Osama bin Laden. Since day one, the President has refocused our priorities on addressing the most serious threats facing our country and on rebuilding our standing in the world.

Take a look at just five ways that President Obama has bolstered our national security.

1. Taking the fight to al-Qaeda and Osama bin Laden: Shortly after taking office, President Obama directed the CIA to make the death or capture of Osama bin Laden its top priority. Now, more than two-thirds of al-Qaeda’s top leaders have been eliminated under the President and bin Laden has been brought to justice. Over the past three and a half years, we’ve eliminated more of al-Qaeda’s top leadership than we did over the previous eight years. In 2011, the Secretary of Defense announced we are “within reach of strategically defeating al-Qaeda.”
2. Responsibly ended the war in Iraq: As a candidate, then-Senator Obama promised he’d end the war in Iraq. On December 18, 2011—after almost 9 years—the last convoy of U.S. troops left Iraq and the war came to an end. Speaking at Fort Bragg, the President told the troops, “On behalf of a grateful nation, I’m proud to finally say these two words, and I know your families agree: Welcome home.”
3. Outlined a plan to end the war in Afghanistan: President Obama has announced a plan for Afghan Security Forces to assume full responsibility for the security of their country and to end the war by the end of 2014. The President plans to reinvest half of our spending on overseas operations to rebuild here at home and the other half to pay down the deficit.
4. Put in place the toughest sanctions Iran has ever faced: Under the President, the U.S. “has already put in place the toughest sanctions ever imposed on the Iranian government, including new measures targeting, for the first time, Iran’s entire financial system.” He also secured global cooperation, including from Russia and China, to impose the most comprehensive and biting international sanctions the Iranian government has ever faced—affecting its nuclear activities, ballistic missile program, and, for the first time, its conventional military.
5. Reducing the threat of nuclear weapons: As promised, the President worked with Russia to reduce the threat of nuclear weapons and global stockpiles of vulnerable nuclear material. By signing the New START Treaty, Russia and the U.S. agreed to reduce the number of strategic arms deployed in both countries and Russia agreed to allow inspections of its nuclear arsenal to resume.

 

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4:05 p.m. game against the Marlins – the final game of the homestand and last Citizens Bank Business Person Special of the season! Plus, all fans receive this great Pride of the Phillies Carlos Ruiz print

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What Ron Paul didn’t say

What Ron Paul didn’t say.

Thursday, September 6, 2012 - Reawakening Liberty by Thomas Mullen

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TAMPA, September 6, 2012 — There was no big announcement during Ron Paul’s appearance on Jay Leno Tuesday night. On the contrary, Paul’s appearance was somewhat anticlimactic given Mitt Romney’s nomination at the Republican National Convention last week. Of course, he still said what he has been saying for over thirty years in public life: America must stop spending money it doesn’t have, must liquidate its debts and rethink the role of government as cradle-to-grave caregiver and policeman of the world.

Ron Paul has said many memorable things during his two most recent campaigns for president. A debate moderator tried to put him on the spot regarding his position on leaving Iraq, asking contemptuously, “What is your plan to get U.S. troops out of Iraq?” Paul replied without hesitation, “We marched right in there without a plan, we can march right out.”

When asked about Newt Gingrich’s suggestion that the U.S. government explore colonizing the moon, Paul replied, “No, I don’t want to go to the moon, although I’d like to send some politicians up there.”

A few days ago, I posed a question at the end of my story on the Maine delegation fiasco. What were they really so afraid of?

It wasn’t what Ron Paul said that had them so scared. It was what he didn’t say.

At the RNC, it was what he wasn’t allowed to say. It is hard not to conclude that the entire war to unseat Paul’s delegates was waged to silence him. There was almost no chance for Paul to win. He came into the convention with eight states. In order to win, he would have had to persuade almost a thousand of Romney’s delegates to change their minds.

But had all of Paul’s delegates been seated, he would have had a chance to try. He would have been entitled to a 15-minute speech for that very purpose. Whether he would have persuaded a single Romney delegate is not important. What is important is that millions of television viewers would have heard that speech, a large percentage of whom have still probably never heard of Ron Paul.

Think for a moment what a problem that would have been for the Romney/RNC cabal. While Romney/Ryan tried to pass themselves off as champions of small government even as they propose to spend more during their first year in office than Obama is spending now, Ron Paul would have talked about his budget that would have cut $1 trillion during his first year in office.

While Paul Ryan was attacking President Obama for cutting Medicare, Ron Paul would present his plan to phase out both Social Security and Medicare while still maintaining benefits for those who paid into the programs.

While Romney beat the war drums against Iran, Ron Paul would talk not only about getting U.S. troops out of the Middle East, but getting out of Germany, Japan, Korea and 100 other countries as well. That may not have played well with the aging neoconservatives, but millions of people watching on television would have heard a completely different Republican platform.

In short, a Ron Paul speech at the RNC would have been about really doing what Republicans claim they stand for but never actually do: reduce the size and influence of the federal government. And it would have appealed not only to Republicans, but Democrats and independents as well, just as Paul’s campaign had during primary season.

This could not be allowed to happen. He could not be allowed to speak.

Instead, Ryan, Romney and others made some exhilarating speeches about free markets, smaller government and restoring America’s founding principles, while every detail of their plans completely contradicts those principles.

A friend texted me during Romney’s speech. “Is it exciting?” she asked?

“As exciting as watching tens of thousands of people who have no grip on reality can be,” I replied.

Now, we head into another general election season with two candidates who really don’t disagree on anything of substance. We’ll hear that Romney didn’t pay enough taxes and that Obama didn’t drop enough bombs.

And whoever wins will propose the first $4 trillion federal budget in U.S. history.

Couldn’t we have at least been allowed to hear something different?

Tom Mullen is the author of A Return to Common Sense: Reawakening Liberty in the Inhabitants of America.

Read more: What Ron Paul didn’t say | Washington Times Communities
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Fixing The Deficit Without Making Things Even Worse – from Down With Tyranny

 

Fixing The Deficit Without Making Things Even Worse.

Fixing The Deficit Without Making Things Even Worse

Wall Street‘s proposals to fix the deficit may be wonderful for Wall Street… but they are WRONG for America

Thursday night, when everyone was finishing up with the Democratic convention in Charlotte, author David Korten (Agenda For A New Economy) tweeted a recommendation for an article by John Cavanagh ay Yes! Magazine, 7 Ways To End The Deficit (Without Throwing Grandma Under The Bus). Cavanagh is looking for a more just, more secure, more sustainable economy… as Korten did in his book. And as we have been over the past month in our exploration of Jacob Hacker‘s alternative to the failed Austerity Agenda Paul Ryan and Mitt Romney are pushing.

Along with 16 congressional candidates we’ve been looking at the proposals Hacker and his partner Nate Loewentheil have made– “Prosperity Economics”– to help us create prosperity across all income classes, reform our broken political system, invest for the long term and, not incidentally, fix the debt problem– all without cutting vital government programs. Here’s how Dr. David Gill, a Democrat in downstate Illinois running strongly for an open seat (IL-13) put it:

The politics of austerity embraced by Paul Ryan and the rest of the Republicans are not a solution to the ongoing economic malaise here in central Illinois– in fact, such policies will only exacerbate the real pain that has been experienced by so many of my neighbors for so many years now. The ever-growing income gap between the extremely rich and the rest of us has reached historical proportions, and it is this gap that fuels economic misery on “Main Street.” Politicians who refuse to acknowledge the need to have corporations and millionaires and billionaires pay their fair share are serving but a tiny minority of their constituents, and they are forcing us to remain in an economic quagmire. American workers are amongst the most productive in the world, but with real wages stagnant for 30 years now, with virtually all the gains going to a small fraction of society, we are left with a populace unable to enjoy the fruits of its labor, and unable to fuel economic recovery. Austerity is not the answer– investing in people is the answer! Make the millionaires and billionaires pay their fair share. Put in place Improved Medicare for All, which will provide an economic stimulus the likes of which we’ve rarely seen by taking back the 30+% of our health care dollars currently wasted on the private health insurance industry. And fully invest ourselves in the Green Revolution so desperately needed to ensure clean air and clean water for generations to come, producing hundreds of thousands of jobs in the process. These are the steps which will restore our economic health and bring additional benefits in the bargain.

There was one sour note in Clinton’s speech on Wednesday and one sour note in Obama’s speech on Thursday– and they were the same sour note: threats of a so-called Grand Bargain with the Republicans, a Grand Bargain based on conservative plans to further shred the social safety net. The last time Democrats entered into a Grand Bargain with the Republicans– that time is was Teddy Kennedy and George W. Bush, the end result was No Child Left Behind. Obama’s deal with Boehner would be far worse– and catastrophic for the Democratic Party brand and their reputation as a party willing to stand up for the legitimate aspirations of working families. It’s why, in the end, even with the potential nightmare of a Romney/Ryan regime, I won’t be voting (albeit safely in California) for Barack Obama. Obama could learn a lot from Cavanagh’s deficit reduction proposals, far more than what he seems intent on doing for his party’s corporate donors. Cavanagh reports that there are seven steps that, together, more than eliminate the deficit while making the country more equitable, green, and secure.

Our first three proposals could bring in $329 billion a year; this alone would solve the deficit problem while helping to close the yawning inequality gap.

• 1.  Tax Wall Street: $150 billion per year. A tiny tax on stock and derivatives transactions, which several European countries are on track to adopt, would discourage Wall Street speculation, fill the hole in the deficit left by the Bush tax cuts, and leave plenty left over to fund lots of programs. The National Nurses Union and many other allies are fighting hard for this.

• 2.  Tax Corporations and Stop Tax Haven Abuse: $100 billion per year. The Financial Accountability and Corporate Transparency coalition has pointed out that one of the main ways that corporations avoid paying taxes is by declaring their profits in overseas tax havens like the Cayman Islands.

• 3.  Tax the Wealthy Fairly: $79 billion per year. Our rigged tax code lets CEOs pay a lower tax rate than their secretaries do (as Warren Buffett keeps pointing out). The proposed Fairness in Taxation Act (HR 1124) would address this by adding five additional tax brackets for incomes over $1 million.

These three policy changes would go a long way toward making our society more equal, and that means better health, too. There is a terrific body of global evidence, a lot of it compiled by British researchers Richard Wilkinson and Kate Pickett, that more equal societies are much healthier. People at all income levels live longer; they are more fulfilled; and there is less violence. The United States, a relatively equal society as recently as the 1970s, is now off the charts in terms of wealth and income inequality. It doesn’t have to be that way. Just as we created a more just and vibrant economy and a strong middle class through fair taxes between 1940 and 1980, we can do it again through progressive taxation.

The second source of revenue would make the economy more green, a key imperative in a world where the environmental crisis is now as deep as the economic one. We found two simple ways to raise revenues and help save the environment.

• 4.  Tax Pollution: $75 billion per year. A tax on the carbon content of fossil fuels would reduce our dependence on oil while cutting air pollution and emissions of greenhouse gases. And, as economist Robert Frank pointed out on August 25 in the New York Times, “News that a carbon tax was coming would create a stampede to develop energy-saving technologies.”

• 5.   End Fossil Fuel Subsidies: $12 billion per year. This call should unite left and right. Why would anyone want to maintain a giant government subsidy to an industry that is the world’s major contributor to fossil-fuel emissions? 350.org has made this a centerpiece of their work. We should be able to win this.

Finally, there are simple ways to cut the military while making the country and the world more secure. More than half of government discretionary spending now goes to the military. Congress has long avoided cuts, in part because they equate military spending with jobs, but IPS has pointed out that almost every other industry employs more workers per dollar than the military. Plus, there is now bipartisan support for two sets of significant cuts.

• 6.  End Military Waste: $109 billion per year. A broad spectrum of experts has found over $100 billion a year in waste that could be eliminated with no sacrifice in security. Three recent commissions, two of them bi-partisan, have recommended roughly $1 trillion in military cuts over 10 years.

• 7.  Close a third of our overseas bases and our Iraq operations: $21 billion per year. Over two decades after the Cold War ended, the United States still maintains roughly 1,000 military installations in other countries. A majority of the President’s own deficit commission, which includes three Republican senators– the National Commission on Financial Responsibility and Reform– backed a proposal to close one third of our overseas military bases.

These seven simple steps would raise close to $550 billion a year. They would quickly erase the fiscal deficit  and return the country to a healthy budget surplus. There would be hundreds of billions left to invest in key sectors that could make the country more secure, more green, and more equitable: care jobs, green jobs, infrastructure jobs.

In other words, this plan could help erase the nation’s dangerous social and environmental deficits.
Many groups– from Jobs with Justice to National People’s Action to the AFL-CIO– are organizing to counter a push by the Right to use the deficit crisis to shred social programs and our nation’s safety net. Let’s up the ante and spread the message. America is not broke. We have plenty of resources to rebuild shared prosperity in the U.S.

Would you like to see the country move down this path rather than the path the GOP and Wall Street are insisting on? The Prosperity candidates will help give Obama the strength and resolve he needs to resist Austerity. Please do what you can to help them get elected in November.

Labels: David Gill, David Korten, deficits, Grand Bargain, Jacob Hacker, Prosperity Economics

 

Hey President Barak Obama and hey Willard Mitt Romney; Let me show you how to tell everyone how to deal with gaining us jobs and how to fix the housing issues we still face today; You both Refuse to tell us how its getting done at both of your conventions….allow me to help you out since I have said the same thing ninety times since 2004…Thanks!

 

Hey President Barak Obama and hey Willard Mitt Romney; Let me show you how to tell everyone how to deal with gaining us jobs and how to fix the housing issues we still face today; You both Refuse to tell us how its getting done at both of your conventions….allow me to help you out since I have said the same thing ninety times since 2004…Thanks!

Same with the media too. No One is reporting on this story or lack of pone. We talk more about optics and what things look and sound like more than actual substance but again, why wont anyone ask or tell us how and what we are doing to gain jobs. I am sorry but saying manufacturing now…is not an answer…thats politics 101 to say production or manufacturing…come on guys…SPELL IT OUT FOR PEOPLE.

Oh yeah…I have to do it here again until someone finally listens to my words…..But thanks in advance for telling me or letting me know that things are going to get better. Thats real great to hear…but can you now lay down some points within the issues that are going to change so radically? Oh fuck me…I have to deal since no one will do it…ok…alright…..let me grab some coffee…

Now that we know what both of our candidates are going to do and what they are not gonna do, lets break this down to tell them how to do it. Its not like anyone is telling is what they are gonna do but I sure as hell hear alot about that is gonna get done. Everyone says they are GOING TO to all of these amazing things without laying down not only what they are doing, but how to go about doing it. therefore, I am going to rehash what I said in 2007, and in 2004…..let alone today and its what i heard from brilliant mind in politics and from the media over that span of time.

Neither the President or the other guy has said how and why and when, etc….

For instance, lets discus the homeowners situation. Evidently, there is one guy that is holding back a bill to become a law to reduce and/or to somehow infuse money to rid of all principles due on the homes that are worth less money than what is due to the bank or loan company.

As for creating jobs, this is what i said in book and it’s what I heard from bernie saunders on some interview or in some speech:

I can easily explain four broad ways to put millions of people back to work while at the same time, create billions of dollars in revenues for the country. For instance, according to the American Society of Engineers, there is a need for several trillion dollars worth of un met infrastructure needs throughout the United States. Roads, bridges, schools, waste water plants, water systems, high speed railroads, internet broadband are all in desperate need of people to work to rebuild those types of facilities. If we continue to let these things go by the wayside in the U.S., nothing will get better while things will get worse for the people in America. We would not only be able to gain many jobs working on fixing up the needs of the United States, but also, we have an energy system in place today that imports 350 Billion Dollars worth of oil from, Saudi Arabia. We need better ways to transform our energy needs and dependencies from oil to wind power and solar power. Once that work begins, it will create thousands of jobs making America more valuable as a nation, creating more revenues for the country. Next, we have a trade system that forces the United States to compete with China, South East Asia and South America. There should be an International Fair Trade law set in place. We cannot compete with paying people wages to manufacture product for pennies versus the dollar. Starting small businesses today is hard too, the GOP just did another filibuster to veto the bill against a 30 Billion Dollar Small Business Program. There will continue to be no loans and no lines of credit given to any startup companies. And, without that bill enacted anytime soon, there will be no tax breaks for small businesses.

And, there is ONE person holding back a bill that would allow the ridding of all principle amounts or balloon amounts due for home owners and honestly, I don’t know why Obama has not fired the guy.

Regardless, i wrote about this three times including back in 07 or whenever i finished the book.

I am reposting this letter from this year or last year and then its actually taken direct from my book that was written in 2004 and 2007 and then released last year…but, evidently now, there is one person in the aobama admin that is stopping this from happneing (according to van Jones).

His name is Ed demarco and if he would just step aside lets just say for the sake of it, there  would be a law or something allowed to get the banks to rid of the principle…because again,…changing rates does nothing and gettinmg rid of the pribciple is win, win, win, win and win situation…..

Remember please, that this point of view by me, is age old and honestly, dated back to about 2007 which is when I initially wrote about it, but as far as the Presidents Housing Plan for the US, there is ONLY one way to deal, and thats to cut out the principle amounts due for everyone. First, second and third on that issue alone, many of the ways they created that huge amount of principle money due to various companies, was done in a corrupt way. Which the Presidents bill may address or maybe not because I ONLY heard that spokes person talk about deleting some of the principle amounts due, as part of that bill. I think what I wanna do today is reiterate what REALLY needs to get done if you want that housing burst fixed and honestly, it aint brain surgery because I no doubt read about this forma economics from a pro, and I dealt myself when I had huge debt way back in da nineties. I cut the principle amounts due to nada and I didn’t feel bad for me skimping on what was due to the cc company because I realized back then in like 98, that they make money on the merchant end. Along with making money with consumers that used cards. Anyway, aside from that rationale to skip out on bills or to reduce those bills, if you apply that same logic or concept to what is wrong with our housing issue to this day, its not about lowing interests…its about getting rid of the principle. Thats also all you really need to do too.  Think about please but again, what I wrote was in 2007, so take it in stride but at the same time, it holds true to that new bill or budget plan the pres introduced last week….The government is now providing $75 billion (this was written a few years ago so I am not sure of the number today) in taxpayer funds to help banks deal with those bad mortgagesthat are in reality, are what is helping bankrupt this country. That money is supposed to lower the monthly payments of three to four million home owners, by cutting down the interest rates. The problem with that economic philosophy today is that lowering any rates now, does not help people. They need to be cutting the outstanding principle owed because of any agreement that continues to tie people to those bad deals. That would reduce the overall amounts due on all mortgages. Any government intervention will only reduce the interest rate. The government should just reduce the overall amount owed on the mortgage if they really want to solve that housing burst we are seeing today. That would mean adjusting the overall principle amount of money. People owe more than their homes are worth today. Changing the rates does nothing but most of all, it’s a waste for tax payers to spend that money without fixing the problems in that overall market. The newscaster supports my theory saying that almost 3.4 million people are expected to go into foreclosure or will have by the end of this year. With the next year seemingly being worse for thehousing market, it has also been worse than it has been in the last few years. By fall time, it will be reported that less than two percent of the people that get any temporary help with regard to their money due on their mortgage, will have a permanent fix. To this day, the tax payers have shelled out more than $27 billion to be able to cover it. And, anyone that owes more than the house is worth will be pushed further into a worse situation. If anyone is living with negative equity in any way, the only effective way to deal is to get rid of the principle. I dealt that same way back in the early 00’s when I had to get rid of my debts, and I especially dealt that way with the credit card companies. They also make money on the merchant end. That is why I would not feel bad at all, when I got rid of any principle amount added on to that bill and statement which was 2/3rds of any total amount due on any of those debts. A loan cannot be modified ever, without deducting the principle. If the government would provide a tax payer funded bill that concentrates on reducing the principle for anyone with negative credit problems that cannot pay their mortgage, the total cost to the tax payer would be about 3 to 5 billion dollars over three years.

I explain that even though I don’t have any bad mortgage to cover, that I did have that as a solution to get out of that housing problem today. It would be easy to limit the program at first, to subprime and other non prime borrowers that are up to date with their own mortgages. That money would go to people that have good credit ratings. I do not want to reward anyone by handing out free money to people that have fallen behind on paying their monthly mortgage. But, you start with the people that already have great credit ratings which generally are people that stay cognizant of their credit reports and are also people that tend to do anything to make sure it’s perfect. The financial issue should be administered by hiring a set of people from the bank community and people that have worked those jobs in the private sector. That’s where the costs lie in executing this program and using mortgage service providers has been proven to be ineffective for this situation. The key then would be to reduce each principle to be of lesser value than each of the houses so the homeowner gains value right away giving them back some equity in the house. However, that same amount of money due would also be more than what the note holder would get for any foreclosure of that same house. That net result is a win all around for the banks and for the consumer. Plus, the home owner has incentive to keep their credit in good standing with the credit bureaus. It would also increase the amount of people staying in their houses. The bond holders would be satisfied making money adding to and growing their revenue streams. While at the same time, those bond owners or lien holders would not lose anywhere near the amounts of money they lose on reselling foreclosed on houses. Further, these communities grow rather than die making the entire neighborhood more valuable than it is with houses foreclosed on everywhere in the town. Which means fewer houses on the market would be for sale which would create a lesser downward spiral with the prices for houses. The tax payer should not be responsible for making up that huge gap in principle money due when it’s really just a phantom number. What is now happening with housing is that lien holders have already devalued and discounted their subprime mortgage holdings and by dealing with decreasing the principles, it does not cost the lien holders one penny. The damage is done with the loss already felt by the lien holder. You would essentially be forcing these people to absorb the loss, after they already took the loss in every way. Please remember too…its even more of  win to delete those fees if they were fundamentally were achieved in a corrupt and even maybe in an illegal way. That at least wipes out that injustice that happened to people that lost houses.

 

DNC 2012: How Bill Clinton does it – POLITICO.com (PS: I just heard Lawrence O’Donnell say that 40% of this speech, was off script….)

 

DNC 2012: How Bill Clinton does it – POLITICO.com. By JOHN F. HARRIS and JONATHAN MARTIN | 9/6/12 6:07 AM EDT

How Bill Clinton does it

Some of the effective elements of Clinton’s address were impossible to miss—his ease on stage, the sheer theatricality of the performance. But Clinton scored in Charlotte for reasons that go beyond superficial style and reflect the essence of the Clinton political brand.

The speech was a vivid illustration of why Clinton survived so many disasters in office, and, even 12 years out of power, remains more effective than most politicians of the succeeding generation.

Here are several of classic Clinton techniques on display in Charlotte—political lessons there to be borrowed by Obama, Mitt Romney, or any politician with national aspirations.

Policy matters—more than biography

People have long remarked that Clinton’s gift is for human connection—for his supposed “feel-your-pain” empathy.

Less understood is that Clinton does not project empathy primarily by telling stories about his scrappy upbringing or other travails, the way Ann Romney related how she and her future-millionaire husband scrimped and saved in their newlywed years by eating pasta and canned tuna, or the way Michelle Obama talked about young Obama courting her in a rusty used car.

Clinton on Wednesday avoided this kind of Oprah-style mood music in favor a more potent skill—his ability to convey the concrete human dimensions of public policy.

One example was when he cited GOP proposals to turn Medicaid over to states as a block grant, a subject which has drawn less attention in this year’s political debate than Medicare. While many middle-income voters think of Medicaid as something that goes mainly to poor people, Clinton emphasized how many elderly people in nursing homes are supported by the program. He also cited the travails of families with children suffering from Down Syndrome or autism, setbacks that could leave even affluent families reeling. “I don’t know,” Clinton said, “what those families are going to do.”

Repeatedly, Clinton cited a barrage of facts and figures, woven with historical context, sometimes in a highly argumentative way. He boasted that in the past 52 years, Democratic administrations have created 44 million jobs, compared to 24 million under Republicans.

The point is not that Clinton’s every factual assertion is entirely fair on in context. Like all politicians, Clinton is selective in which facts he chooses to highlight.

But his emphasis on policy has the effect—and in large measure the reality—of seeming to treat voters as adults who must be reached by reason, rather than Hallmark-card sentimentality.

“He made the case tonight both on values and intellectually,” Missouri Gov. Jay Nixon (D) told POLITICO. “Both of those are important. When you can connect and make the solid, fact-based arguments he made tonight you can begin the fall campaign in earnest.”

Mitt Romney’s decision to all-but-entirely forego detailed policy in his acceptance speech in Tampa looks especially peculiar in the wake of Clinton. But Obama’s strategists, too, have often made clear their belief that the most important part of what they describe as the Obama brand rests with the president’s personal traits and unique biographical arc.

Read more: http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0912/80819.html#ixzz25gUu4muq

 

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The earth’s climate took a one-two punch last week. First a jab from the right:

Mitt Romney said, “President Obama promised to begin to slow the rise of the oceans and heal the planet. My promise…is to help you and your family.” Romney got big laughs from convention delegates apparently planning to live on some other planet.

Then the crushing hook from the “left”:

President Obama gave Shell Oil approval to drill beneath the Arctic Ocean off Alaska.

Join us in demanding a serious response to climate change by clicking here now.

President Obama seems to be moving ahead with the Tar Sands pipeline, blocked global action in Copenhagen and Durban, and created fairly weak auto fuel standards.  Romney’s promise is to out-do Obama.

Our job is to push back against both agendas, regardless of how we plan to vote. Self-censorship on climate is not an option.

Click here to denounce the bipartisan drill-baby-drill chorus now!

Please forward this email widely to like-minded friends.

– The RootsAction.org team

P.S. Our small staff is supported by contributions from people like you; your donations are greatly appreciated.

P.P.S. RootsAction is an independent online force endorsed by Jim Hightower, Barbara Ehrenreich, Cornel West, Daniel Ellsberg, Glenn Greenwald, Naomi Klein, Bill Fletcher Jr., Laura Flanders, former U.S. Senator James Abourezk, Coleen Rowley, and many others.

Background:

Center for Biological Diversity: Obama Ignores Huge Dangers in Approving Arctic Drilling Permit for Shell

Demos: White House Picks Sides in Keystone XL, and TransCanada is the Winner

Democracy Now: As Copenhagen Summit Closes, Obama Maintains Widely Criticized US Position on Emissions Cuts, Climate Aid

Democracy Now: Leading Climate Change Denier Embraces U.S. Stance at U.N. Talks

CommonDreams: New Mileage Standards Encourage More Gas-guzzling, Not Less: Report

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• Romney mocked climate change and conservation. Really. That happened. In 2012. (southernfriedscience.com)
• Mitt Romney now has an energy plan. In its 21 pages are promises to the fossil fuel industry for nearly everything on its wish list – more fracking, more oil drilling, and more freedom to pollute. (sunsetdaily.wordpress.com)
• Roots Action: Why are Obama and Biden saying opposite things about Social Security? (sunsetdaily.wordpress.com)

What does Mitt Romney bring to the table and what has the President done over the last few years…..

OK. I don’t know why the Dem’s were caught off guard and granted…leave it to a MD (which if he wants to make any type of run in the future…for a higher office position…he best wake his ass up with regard how to deal…) guy to be a dumb ass when asked the q if we are better today, than say four years ago….Which I raised that issue to the Obama camp directly months ago asking or saying that I dont get why they just dont reply with two words…It and Is….when people say that things are not better than they were…because in reality…and on every level…

It is….

Lets discuss the worst topic for obama which is unemployment level. This year…its been steady but is 8.2 or 8.3% not better than it was three or four years ago, let alone 4 or 5 years ago from today?

I am also positive those numbers were at about 8.7%.

Which I know its hard dealing with percentages but the 8.3% number today…is 4 points HIGHER (not lower even though the number is less amount) than I think it was in 2008.

If I am wrong about that number; I am sorry about printing it….if its not correct…

Now…lets all be bi partisan and agree that exiting two wars…dealing with the unrest in the middle east at that time and to this day….stopping the housing burst and homeowners situation which hit its peak in 2007 and into 2008…(which those numbers are even up compared to last year)…along with the finance situation that imploded in 08…is NOT gonna happen at the drop of a dime and/or over night…so to speak.

No one could change that around within a few years and moreover…I know I heard obama say that it should and could take more than one term or four years. I dont think he made any bones about it.

Its been three years. And, things are better in general today…and especially for RNCers if you wanna get down to it…that’s the great irony too…

After all, the Bush tax cuts (http://sunsetdaily.wordpress.com/about-sunset/bush-tax-cuts/) were let go through last year. Guantanamo bay is still opened…Bud places in CA (http://sunsetdaily.wordpress.com/about-sunset/2303-2/private-prisons/) are being fucked with on a federal level….there are more drone strikes than ever…we are involved in more pseudo wars than ever…the banks were bailed out without one fucking way to control them…and the beloved car industry is again thriving for the US worker and consumers too…which i think Obama can take credit considering….

I never really understood that argument…at least from an RNC POV…Actually…I dont think the RNC has a platform that will stick. So that’s why we see everything….But, everything they say which they are trying anything….just gets pushed right back at em…and that’s the issue with the RNC…They have nothing to say…

And, they are trying to trick people into giving them their vote…(https://sunsetdaily.wordpress.com/2012/08/08/voter-supressions-what-they-did-in-fla-back-during-gorebush-is-being-enacted-into-law-today-unless-you-stop-it/)

That campaign and its admin is so bad at this and their jobs…. that the entire campaign over the last few weeks….is based on a total lie (we did build it). Like they cant even create a banner to hang in back of them…thats is true..or real….it is wild that someone cannot come up with one or two or maybe three words…to use…thats not a lie…That is how bad they are at their jobs….They canNOT even figure out three words that is not based on a lie.

What i mean is that I just think their (GOP) candidate is so bad that anything you can say positive about Romney and even ryan, you can easily rebut with a….BUT….

Think about now….

For instance, You heard that Romneys a great business person and that’s why we need him in the office….That was the initial platform…

That’s a farce and/or its not impressive to me….because u must be real about his way of doing biz. He set up yet another system and another fail safe way to do biz where even if your client goes under, they help devise a way to take money anyway….They made money no matter the gamble or risk…And, all they really did for the US is to create yet another unnecessary middle man…if you wanna get down it at that time, those middle men of you will, reaped off what was set in place by the innovators that started the business in that industry (Insurance, etc.)….Nor did he produce anything on behalf of the USA, etc…so great..he made a lot of money as his job but that whole industry is totally suspect and what person could not make money if given millions to deal? You cant be brilliant if you do that with lots of money…Brilliant people make huge things from nada…and with no money….Besides, that way of doing finance, seems to be more wasteful than productive, except for the people orchestrating it. Overall though, who needs a middle man if you will, to tell you what to do about your flailing biz? Whomever should have done anything else, than start a biz in the first place, if they were not ready for it…and/or if they need other people to step into deal for them….That would not happen in my life to any of my companies….

Next…Romney’s a great patriot…Romney and Ryan for that matter…are great americans….Huh?

Real Americana’s do NOT have offshore accounts. Real patriots to this country, NOT ONLY do not have shell of a businesses in Bermuda and on the Cayman islands, they also never set up ways to skimp on taxes that should have been paid in the USA. Let alone any patriotic person and/or so called real American, would never have any accounts set up in any way to cut down taxes, that you are to pay America quite frankly…acting that way..is the total opposite of being patriotic…and not American….Its very odd to say…actually…let me rephrase that one because you should NOT be allowed to say the words that I am a great american….if you skimp on paying taxes every year….because listen to them..they say in one sentence that they love America as they find ways to skimp on paying Americas its full taxes….regardless, I’m done overstating this obvious issue….They somehow skated by NOT showing any of his taxes that matter (the last two years do NOT count) but honestly…that damage is so done…hes shady…we all know it about him….Real americans are proud to pay their taxes…let alone they pay the full rates rather than paying money to lawyers to deal with skimping on those taxes….that money for lawyers quite frankly…should have been money spent on paying full tax rates….

What else? hes a great man? A Loving Man…a compassionate man….etc. etc…etc….When?

When he put the dog on the roof? When he beat up the gay guy in college just for the fun of it or because he those long golden locks of hair…which i guess in certain peoples simple minds….if you have long hair…that makes you gay….

Oh..I hear that he is a humble person and would never brag about his wealth….

Except for the time him and his friends decided it would be cool…to hold up cash as a way to flaunt it….because they had just made so much of it…Notice that they do not flaunt how they made it or what they made…just that they made LOTS of money…..its a retarded way to act if you wanna get down to it…only assholes would act this way….humble people do NOT act this way…people that do NOT brag…do NOT act this way….

Next? hes got great education and attended grad school which I can safely say that his daddy got him into those schools. Bullshit….i have never seen a pres candidate use the term…in regards to….in the singular sense more than I have heard him say it…used wrongly….over the last year….(ironically..in 1994…he used the term perfect but now…cant figure it out) and I am sorry to knit pick about it but anyone that studies for the LSAT or GMAT is taught the misconception of how words sound…compared to the real meaning….anyone with higher education knows when to use in regard to when referring to something….Plus…he could not even articulate the corps are people too issue in any real way…

There is nothing redeeming about that guy.

His religion or whatever is a joke…I don’t even know what the LDS is for religion but it seems like its more about making money more than doing anything that has to do with spirituality. I also know that a small % of their money,, goes to helping people (http://sunsetdaily.wordpress.com/2012/09/02/mitt-romney-and-the-mormon-church/).

what else can be said about Romney? That is positive…I am so lost on that guy and the other one too…I mean what about social issues…that would take us back to 1958.

And, watching the RNC is like watching Nigel from spinal tap describe that his amp goes to eleven….

Now….What I wanna get out of this Dem Convention is a mention to rid of that Citizens United issues (http://sunsetdaily.wordpress.com/about-sunset/2303-2/overturn-citizens-united/) (http://sunsetdaily.wordpress.com/about-sunset/2303-2/).

I feel that Bud should be descalissifed down from its current felony status and it not be lumped into the same drugs like Heroin, Coke, Speed, etc…(http://sunsetdaily.wordpress.com/2012/09/02/first-things-first-with-regard-to-drug-laws-marijuana-should-not-be-classified-with-heroin-speed-blow-etc/). And, then I would take a deep breathe before dealing with the private prison issue (http://sunsetdaily.wordpress.com/about-sunset/2303-2/private-prisons/).

Next, I very much wanna vknow why he…we let the Bush tax Cuts (http://sunsetdaily.wordpress.com/about-sunset/bush-tax-cuts/) go through last year? And, whether they will be extended after this year.

Another issue is that i wanna know why we need to build that Keystone Pipeline (http://sunsetdaily.wordpress.com/about-sunset/keystone-pipeline/)? I know its for over seas and not for our use, but considering that I now know that we are starting to work with wind energy (http://sunsetdaily.wordpress.com/2012/08/15/share-this-image-if-you-agree-that-we-need-to-invest-in-clean-energy-thats-made-right-here-in-america/), is it that much money to be made on exporting that oil? And, is that cost effective to the plundering of the earth that will happen because of it? I have heard vast differences with regard to the jobs it would create but i wanna know more about this deal.

As for medical…YOU now need to find some way to make that sustainable. I do NOT think that bill or law went far enough for people (http://sunsetdaily.wordpress.com/about-sunset/medical-healthcare/)

I also want to also know why one guy is holding back that bill to become law with regard to cutting down the principles due (http://sunsetdaily.wordpress.com/2012/08/04/update-housing-foreclosure-etc-issue-housing-money-and-budget-plan-will-it-really-solve-that-problem-not-unless-they-attack-the-principle/) on homes owned, etc…Because cutting percentages or rates is futile…cutting principles down is win..win..win…win..win…and yet its stagnate to this day….

last…which comes full circle because something needs to be done about those corrupt glass steagel (http://act.boldprogressives.org/sign/sign_glasssteagall/?source=bp) tax laws implemented during the Bush years…which is what gives the romneys of the world, the ability to skimp on paying taxes to the USA every pay period…..

Aside from these issues…I dont have much….

McFly…McFly…..It’s Hunter Pence bobblehead night at the Phillies tonight. One problem: the Phils traded Pence last month….

It’s Hunter Pence bobblehead night at the Phillies tonight. One problem: the Phils traded Pence last month.

Ticket holders for tonight’s game at Citizens Bank Park will receive a Hunter Pence bobblehead. (Credit: Phillies)

Reporting Mike DeNardo - By Mike DeNardo

Hunter Pence wears a San Francisco Giants uniform now, but all fans at Citizens Bank Park tonight will get a bobble figurine of Pence in a Phillies uniform. The giveaway was planned for months, so when Pence was traded on July 31, Phillies’ Director of Merchandising Scott Brandreth says the team had a decision to make.

“We kind of immediately talked with the sponsor, Liberty Mutual, and Hunter himself. We got him involved a little bit. And he was supportive — ‘I’d still like this to be given away. It’s a great honor.’  And I think it was pretty unanimous by us that we should give it away.”

Plus, Brandreth says the dolls were already in production.

“A.) It’s on our schedule. We’ve told people that we were going to give it out and a lot of people have bought tickets for the game to get the item. And you know what?  It’s a collector’s item anyway even as it is. And now, maybe a little bit more of a collector’s item.”

Brandreth expects fans will still enjoy the long-planned bobblehead giveaway — even if Hunter Pence does wear a different uniform these days.

“He played here for, I guess a solid year, and he was a big part of the 102 wins a year ago. So, I think people still like him and they wish him well. So it’s a little collector’s piece of a small piece of Phillies history.”

Before now, the Phils had never given out an item tied to a traded player, but there is precedent:  the Indians gave away Victor Martinez bobbles in 2009, days after he was traded to the Red Sox.

Lech Walesa’s Endorses Romneys latest ad….(BTW, is he still alive here on earth because the last time i heard that guys names, was in 1979….?)

Lech Walesa‘s Endorses Romneys latest ad….The campaign is saved! you could not even write that one up if you tried it….if you said to me…hey don…come up with a joke or a skit with romney in it…and then bring up some world leader from say…the 80s…i would not even think for one second to come up an ad that says that lech wlaenza…endorsed it…does willard really think anyone knows him let alone cares about that so called endoresement and is he still alive to endorse things…i know what the pope endorsed in that ad, is a quote from jesus….its not even the popes quote..this is just brilliant…

Lech Walesa’s Endorses Romneys latest ad….(BTW, is he still alive here on earth because the last time i heard that guys names, was in 1979….?)

NEW YORK –  TITLE: “Be Not Afraid”

LENGTH: 30 seconds.

AIRING:  The ad is on the web. Romney‘s campaign said it will air on  television beginning Friday, but will not say where.

KEY IMAGES: The spot opens with text that asks “Who Shares Your Values?”  followed by a voice that says President Barack Obama “used his health care plan  to declare war on religion, forcing religious institutions to go against their  faith.” As the announcer talks, Obama appears in grainy, black-and-white video  above the newspaper headline, “Obama’s Insurance Decision Declares War on  Religion.” The ad then cuts to color video of Romney last month on his visit to  Poland, including an excerpt from a speech he gave there. “In 1979, a son of  Poland, Pope John Paul II, spoke words that would bring down an empire. Be not  afraid,” Romney says. A series of images flash by: a photo of Pope John Paul II,  arms outstretched, holding a crozier; John Paul talking with ex-Polish President  Lech Walesa, the former leader of the Solidarity labor movement that helped end  Communist rule. Next is video of Walesa and Romney shaking hands during Romney’s  visit. Text on the screen says: “Endorsed by Lech Walesa” as a voice asks, “When  religious freedom is threatened, who do you want to stand with?”

ANALYSIS:  This latest ad by Romney’s campaign and the Republican National  Committee is the former Massachusetts’ governor’s most direct bid yet for  religious voters.

Obama’s health care overhaul split religious groups, with Catholic bishops  and conservative Protestants strongly opposed to provisions that permitted women  to buy insurance coverage for abortion, provided they used their own money. But  liberal Protestant denominations supported the law, as did many religious orders  of Catholic nuns, and the trade group representing Catholic hospitals.

Religious objections arose again when the administration ruled that most  employers, including faith-affiliated hospitals and nonprofits —  but not  churches  —  will have to provide health insurance that includes birth control  as a preventive service covered free of charge. The bishops have been fiercely  lobbying against the rule. Obama promised to change the requirement so that  insurance companies and not faith-affiliated employers would pay for the  coverage. But details have not been worked out. And not only the bishops, but  Catholic hospitals and some other religious leaders generally supportive of  Obama’s policies are saying the compromise appears to be unworkable.

Lis Smith, an Obama campaign spokeswoman, said in a statement that the  president believes “women should have access to free contraception as part of  their health insurance and he has done so in a way that respects religious  liberty.”

The ad does not name the specific policy on birth control or any others, but  instead repeats the broad claim by Obama critics that the administration aims to  restrict religious freedom overall.

The ad  —  and the issue  —  also gave Romney a way to talk about religion  without discussing his own. The presumptive GOP presidential nominee, who is  Mormon, has avoided direct mention of his church while campaigning. The spot  links Romney with the late, beloved John Paul. The pope was a hero not only to  Catholics, but to people across faiths for his defense of Christian orthodoxy,  stand against communism and personal struggle as a young man living under the  Nazis. The phrase, “Be Not Afraid,” is from the Bible, but was used so often by  John Paul that it became known as his trademark.

Obama supporters say Romney’s focus on Walesa’s endorsement isn’t the full  story. Walesa effectively backed Romney when they met. But the current leaders  of the Solidarity movement distanced themselves from Romney, citing his “attacks  against trade unions and labor rights.”

Catholic voters, who were about one-fourth of the 2008 electorate, are key in  any presidential race. The candidate who wins the most Catholic votes usually  wins the White House.

While Obama won the overall Catholic vote in 2008, 54 percent to 45 percent,  he lost the votes of white Catholics, 52 percent to 47 percent, according to  exit polls.

An Aug. 1 poll by the Pew Research Center found that more than half of  Catholics who had heard about the birth control rule side with the Catholic  bishops. So far this year, neither Obama nor Romney has established a consistent  lead among Catholic voters. Obama had a narrow edge overall in the Pew survey,  but Romney was slightly ahead among white Catholics.

Read more: http://www.foxnews.com/us/2012/08/09/adwatch-romney-ad-hits-obama-on-religious-freedom/#ixzz236dfBu6M

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Karen & Ziggy Marley at last night’s ‘Marley’ documentary screening with LA Chapter President MC Lyte.

The siblings were presented with a new Lifetime Achievement Award for their late father Bob Marley.

http://instagram.com/p/OEzq84Ktyg/

Stop riging system against small business

Opinion: Stop rigging system against small business – Elizabeth Warren – POLITICO.com.

Small business owners bust their tails every day, the author writes. | AP  Photo

By ELIZABETH WARREN | 8/5/12 10:56 PM EDT

I meant what I said.

I stood before a group of voters in Massachusetts last year and talked about  what it would take to move forward as a nation. I laid out how we all needed to  invest in our country, to build a strong foundation for our families today and  make sure the next kid with the great idea has the chance to succeed.

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But too often that kid can’t succeed because the system is  rigged against him.

Small-business owners bust their tails every day. They’re the first ones in  and the last to leave, six and often seven days a week. That’s how my Aunt Alice  ran her small restaurant, where I worked as a kid. My brother and my daughter  both started small businesses. And I’ve visited and talked with small-business  owners across Massachusetts. From the insurance agency in Brockton to the coffee  shop in Greenfield and the manufacturing plant in Lawrence — all started and run  by people with good ideas and a determination to succeed.

I believe in small businesses. They’re the heart and soul of our economy.  They create jobs and opportunities for the future.

Washington politicians line up 10-deep to claim they support small  businesses, but they avoid talking about a harsh reality: The system is rigged  against small business. These owners can’t afford armies of lobbyists in D.C.,  but the big corporations can. It’s those armies of lobbyists that create the  loopholes and special breaks that let big corporations off the hook for paying  taxes. While small businesses are left to pay the bills.

We’ve got to close those loopholes and end the special breaks — so small  businesses have a level playing field and a fair chance to succeed.

When small businesses grow and flourish, we should applaud their success, and  the companies should benefit from their hard work and clever ideas. But here’s  my point: If a business makes it big, the reward shouldn’t be the ability to rig  the system to stop the next guy.

If a business takes its profits to the Cayman Islands, ships its jobs  overseas or finds a loophole to avoid paying its fair share of taxes, then that  business now has a leg up over every small business and start up that can’t take  advantage of those loopholes. Sometimes the big can get bigger not because they  are better but because they can work the system better. That’s bad for every  small business in America.

Read more: http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0812/79391.html#ixzz22nBBmExd

I saw the Who at the Spectrum (I have my tic stub) a few days after this happened in Ohio and also, Are the Kids Alright was manditory reading for me in some class back in College or maybe Grad School class…..

The Who fans disappointed by ‘79 show cancellation trade in tickets for concert 33 years later

(and by “disappointed”…do they mean it was because of the 7 or 8 or 15 people that died that night; pretty abnormal….to think that way….as if they could have had a show…my mom did not want me to go a week later….there was a consensus amongst my parents and my friends at that time, parents….how to deal..and whether we could go and we could not be in the general admission area….that was of course a tragedy that happened when people entered the venue…to get to the rail or front row or on the floor….but one woman had a scarf on because it was in december btw….december 10th i think…our show was on the 15th….and because of the scarf…it was caught under peoples feet..and she suffocated that way…that was in the book..i hated reading it…so I figure to share it to you’all…oops…)

By Associated Press, Published: July 31

PROVIDENCE, R.I. — It was December 1979 when Emery Lucier learned the concert he was eagerly awaiting in Rhode Island by British rockband The Who had been canceled over safety concerns. The 17-year-old was so angry he knocked over a chair in his high school classroom.“I just remember being so upset about the whole thing,” he said.

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Lucier, now 50, of Milford, Mass., held onto the ticket, for which he paid $25 ($12.50 for the ticket and $12.50 more for the scalper). On Tuesday, he and nine other people traded in tickets from that canceled show and got new ones for The Who’s final appearance on its Quadrophenia tour in February at the Dunkin Donuts Center, the same venue it was supposed to play 33 years ago.

The venue’s general manager, Lawrence Lepore, said earlier this month he would honor tickets for the 1979 show, which then-Mayor Buddy Cianci canceled after a stampede before a Who concert in Ohio killed 11 people. Any 1979 tickets the venue receives will be donated to the Special Olympics of Rhode Island, which plans an August eBayauction of the 14 tickets turned in on Tuesday.Ed McConnell, now 50, was a high school student in Pawtucket and planned to attend the concert with about 15 friends. He said he remembers the disappointment when he heard the concert was canceled, and even now can list reasons why it was a bad decision, among them that the concert had assigned seats and not festival seating — which is what was blamed for the stampede in Cincinnati.“I still don’t agree with it,” McConnell said after trading in his and his brother’s tickets for the show.McConnell said he met Cianci once and took the opportunity to complain.

Sandy Ball exchanged two tickets that her brother, Stephen, now of Colonial Heights, Va., had waited in line for overnight when he was a college freshman. The tickets have moved 16 times since then with Stephen, who was in the military. Ball said her family remembers the day when he learned the show was canceled.

“We had to talk him off the cliff,” she said.

Barry Belotti, now 53, of Fitchburg, Mass., estimates he’s seen The Who 100 times but still remembers the canceled show in Providence. He had second-row tickets and had bought several other tickets for friends to come along.

“We were pretty upset about it,” he said.

He got a refund on most of the tickets after the show was canceled but kept one as a memento in a binder filled with newspaper clippings about the band and photos of singer Pete Townsend. Belotti said he is planning to see the band play on four or five stops on this tour, one he’s especially looking forward to because it’s playing the 1973 album “Quadrophenia,” which is especially meaningful for him.

“It was very instrumental in my adolescence,” Belotti said. “Townsend’s writing, he was talking about me.”

As for Lucier, he never got a chance to see The Who perform after that canceled 1979 show, until now. He’s held onto the ticket for decades.

After he heard he could exchange his old ticket for a new one, he started digging and found it in a box with about 65 other stubs.

The one for The Who was the only one that wasn’t ripped.

Copyright 2012 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

So, who did get the MOST votes in the Ohio RNC primary….Obama?!?!!!!

Thats right folks…the candidates are so bad this year that in the most contested swing state (no RNC’er has won the pres without winning Ohio) along side of Florida, in the USA, the Dem Pres, Barack, had over 547,000 votes compared to Romny getting 456,205, Santorum getting 445,697, Newt got 175,375…and Paul got 111,093 votes….That means that almost 548K people got up yesterday…or tuesday I should say (sorry…i think I was sick this week)….took a shower…ate food…grabbed their keys to their vehicles or took the bus or walked from their home or left their job….to the district voting places in their school or municipal building…to vote for someone “symbolically” as Lawrence O said, for someone that is not even running vs these people on the ballot per se…..its insane….its really…really…disgraceful…There were more voters for a fake vote if you will, than there are people that actually support any of the GOP candidates….actually, can we please just get this the heel over with already…..in reality…if there is a time for anyone to enter this thing…or make a name for itself…..its this year….I very much feel that an Indy should at least create waves and/or make a good stand this year…to eventually set the tone for more Indy candidates to be more viable and allowed to compete…(Roemer was not even allowed at one debate)…that way we can get rid of this antiquated and ridic system we have in place today….its fun I guess…for the media, etc…and political buffs…buts its also annoying when you wanna get shit done….or it’s a fine line between wanting to get things done…and wanting to laugh at these people to make sure america knows about these ship of fools….anyway…is it fri? I dont even think its fri yet…holy cow…what an odd week…