Morons for Bachman

I wonder whether Michelle Bachman could really be as stupid as she sounds.  I mean, she makes Sarah Palin seem like a deep thinker.

Michelle’s latest is her proclamation that EPA is a job killer. Apparently Michelle prefers living in a polluted world in which Exxon gets to say how much oil in your drinking water is really ok, and smog from polluting cars is just the product of the overactive imagination of liberal-terrorists.  Michelle, let me say it. “You’re a world class idiot, an asshole of the first order. I assume that you are on the payroll of the Cock Brothers, your very own Lords of the Manors. “

Thinking of this dimwitted Minnesotan/Iowan as President is enough to bring back all the dark thoughts from the darkest days of the Shrub. No, he doesn’t look good by comparison, but I am reminded of the old “bottomless barrel” theory, in which it is held that each incoming administration is intended to make the last look good.  It didn’t work with Obama. No he didn’t make Bush look good, but Bachman just might. Remember . . .

Or even that classic . . .

We really need to begin thinking again in this country, and I don’t mean wishful thinking, because then we would need to:

“be careful what you wish for folks.”

Happy 4th

Everyone please enjoy the 4th celebrations. May yours be filled with joy . . . and a few night-time boomers in your very own son et lumiere. Last year we celebrated the 4th with our daughter and son-in-law. Kathy and Denny took us out on their boat off the coast of Virginia and we saw, from a fair distance some lovely celebratory fireworks. may yours be as beautiful . . . and as safe.
So, a Happy 4th of July to one and all.

56 Years

July 2, 1955. A year to remember.  "Why, I remember it well", he thought.  "Why might that be?" he answered to himself. Well, it was the specific day and year that I committed myself, to my best friend and lover, to become married . . . "til death us do part." A lot of people speak that phrase. Fewer mean it.

 But mean it, we did. It was a very hot day, close to 100 degrees in Spring Valley, New York.  One of our favorite people, Mr. Z (aka Reverend Zeltner) oversaw the procedure, looking resplendant in white Episcopal gown.  Below, he is looking a bit more ordinary, with that sweet, boyish smile he always displayed.

We were young, oh so young, when we committed to each other. People like Newt Gingrich probably utter these same words, but, since they are older and think themselves smarter than everyone else, they don't really mean any of it. See, we were young, and sweet, and we meant every word.  And so, we cut the cake and waltzed into our adult, married life..

We stayed the night at the LaGuardia Hotel, at the airport, because we were flying out the next night, to California, our home for a while, so I could finish college. The next day, July 3, 1955, much of New York City seemed closed, because it was the Fourth weekend.  So, we took in a movie--The Seven Year Itch". Funny film for newlyweds.

Then we had dinner someplace in Manhattan. Don't remember where, except that I ordered shrimp cocktail and shrimp creole--exotica. We just wandered around the city, trying to look married and adult.

And then we flew out very late that night on World Airways. We flew on a Lockheed Constellation to San Francisco, departing New York at midnight and arriving 14 hours later in San Francisco.

After a year spent finishing my studies, we moved briefly to the LA area, so I could work at Firestone at the first of several aerospace jobs. My first company, at which I earned the grand sum of $5100/year, was making a thing called the Corporal Guided Missile, a slight improvement on old Werner von Braun's V2 missiles, with which he beguiled the Brits during WW II.

Then, being unable to tolerate the lifestyle and the smog of LA, we moved back to Northern California.  We eventually bought a home in what is now Silicon Valley (then just Sunnyvale).

We were still really, really young. We produced a couple of kids. I worked at Lockheed. Carol cared for our kids. That's the way it worked in the 1950s. I worked for a while, until I grew tired of secret stuff, and working on things that would go boom in someone else's night. I went to work for a small consulting company.

Then in 1964, our company asked us if we wanted to go to India. "India?" we asked. We thought about it for a few minutes, then said, "Sure, why not?" And we prospered there, and grew there as a couple. Carol took to this exotic place (that was before India handled all of our telephone tech support) .

She wore saris all the time, and looked, well . . . spectacular, if I might say so. We were happy.

Then we decided to add to our modest family of two children. We tried for a bit and then produced another health baby girl. Indian friends were disappointed it wasn't a boy. We were delighted.

Now we felt complete. After another couple of years (four total) we returned home to find much of the US in chaos--Martin Luther King shot and killed. Bobby Kennedy shot and  killed.  Later, in Chicago, the protesters tried to burn down Chicago. What is going on??? Well Vietnam was going on. And a lot of ordinary folks didn't like this war in Asia.

 But we kept on truck'n. We had moved to Washington, center of a lot of the craziness (before all of Congress turned terminally crazy).  Our family enjoyed Washington.

Right around that time, in the early 1970s, it seemed as though we were the only ones who stayed married. Our friends began divorcing, as though it was some disease suddenly afflicting our whole population of friends (this was before Facebook, when friends were actual  . . . friends).

But, we worked. Carol finished her college degree and joined the working class (she had worked her whole life, but we don't count being a full-time mom and caregiver as work. Dumb us).

We stayed married. Mostly, though, we stayed happy. See, we liked one another, as well as being in love. We were best friends.

Then as we aged, our kids aged also. Our first, Karen, took off and lived in a commune for a while. She produced a baby and so we became grandparents at a very early age.  Our second, Kathleen, decided to become married, and, guess what, she and her hubby are still married . . . going on 26 + years now.  Our first, the rebel, also got married, and guess what--she and her hubby just completed 25 years  together.
Then, our baby, Erika by name, went off to college, became a doctor, got married and, after 20 years, she and her hubby remain happy together. Hey, the whole family has now been married 56+26+25+20 years. You do the math--a lot of happy years together.
And then we turned 65 and retired.

 Yeah, it happens when you aren't looking. One day, you're a young sprout, full of piss and vinegar. The next, you're 65.
So, we retired. We moved to North Carolina. We bought a 1920's bungalow, similar to the kind of house we had seen in India during our years there. We stayed up to bring in the new millenium.

We continued our habit of traveling to celebrate stuff. For our 49th together, we took a 9000 mile road trip out west.  For our 50th, wow . . . biggie . . . we traveled to one our favorite places--Niagara on the Lake in Canada. We dined at the Peller Estate Winery, outdoors, and we toasted each other, as we do every day--"To us" we say.

And we mean it. It's one of our daily rituals. In the morning now--every morning--, we have a cappuccino, beside our pond, and we toast each other--"To Us" we say. Then we just relax and watch our koi's cavort and the birds play and eat what we feed them.

See, we still like each other. We're friends and lovers, the best of all possible worlds.

So, tonight, we will dine for our 56th at Giannis, our very favorite Italian restaurant in Concord.  I will update this saga a bit later, by adding a picture of us at Gianni's, toasting each other--"To Us" we will say, before we begin our sumptuous meal prepared by Heather, our very favorite chef. Gianni's not only serves wonderful Italian food, freshly prepared and savory. But the owner, John Goode, greets each customer during their meal. And his maitre de, Kathy, greets each customer. They treat us as though we are a member of their family . . . and that is nice. It makes each meal memorable. And of course, our 56th anniversary meal, will be special.

So, "To Us" I say. "To Us."

As promised, an update. Our anniversary dinner at Gianni's was wonderful, with the hosts, John Goode, the owner, and the chef, Heather, greeting us as members of their family. The meal, as always was extraordinary. Heather really is a master chef. And John is a true Restaurateur. Together, they combine to create special evenings for their guests. So, to us again. A memorable conclusion to a very special day.

Pay As You Go

Given that our current crop of neo-republicans seem opposed to paying for anything out of general revenues (i.e., tax revenues), I infer that their preferred model is a pay as you use system of (non)government.  Such a system might work as follows:

1.       Central Premise: you only pay for the government services you actually use.

2.       Education: if you have no kids enrolled in school, or you are not yourself enrolled, you would pay no local/county property taxes associated with education, and no federal or state taxes associated with education.  All costs of education would be borne by the users. And for those who hate the idea of public education, we could even consider eliminating all public education, relying on that old standard, private schools. For those who cannot afford such schools, educate your kids at home.

3.       Health care: We only pay for the health care we actually use. That means, of course, no insurance, private or public. So the Aetna’s and Blue Crosses of the world would cease to exist, as would the Health Care Financing Administration and its central program Medicare. If you get sick, go to a doctor’s office, or the ER and pay for the services rendered out of pocket. If you can’t afford to pay, don’t get sick.

4.       Health Research: Leave it to the drug companies. Eliminate NIH.

5.       Drug and Food Safety: Buy from your friendly neighborhood farmers. Stay away from drugs. Have you ever read the side effect notes on these things???

6.       Environmental Protection: The environment will take care of itself, thank you. So, eliminate all EPA functions at all levels of government.

7.       Workplace Safety: Gone. If your workplace is unsafe, go somewhere else to work.

8.       Unemployment Insurance: Gone. Get a job, you slackers.

9.       Business Regulation: Gone. Regulation of commercial entities is un-American. All business owners have the welfare of Americans in mind in all decision-making. What’s good for GM is good for America. Your friendly mega-banker is clearly a saint, and should be accorded such status by all you peasants.

10.   Rich people are good by any definition: The IRS and all tax codes will be eliminated. Taxing rich people especially is un-American.  To compensate for the loss of tax collectors, ATM machines will be placed in all homes and on all street corners. If you want something, whip out your debit/credit card and pay for it first. Example: if your home is being burglarized at 3:00 AM, there will be no police to call. Instead you will insert your ATM card into your home machine, hit 911 on the machine, enter your PIN code, and your friendly neighborhood vigilante group will be over shortly to take on those nasty burglars. Alternatively, just take out your AK-47 and spray the house with bullets.

11.   Traffic controls: there will be no police/sheriff/state highway patrols, so all drivers will have to control themselves. We will adopt the system of driving popular in Rome: ignore all vehicles behind you, focusing instead exclusively on the car in front of you.  If you cut off someone behind you, that’s their problem.

12.   Immigration: We will have no INS agents patrolling the borders. Instead, those living near our borders, will have to pay someone to build a big fence . . . or learn Spanish.

13.   Military: We will eliminate our military (there’s a big savings), so nobody can go and start any wars. If someone looks to be invading us, those who are in the way, are allowed to privately contract with Blackwater (Xe??) to counter the threat.

14.   Climate Controls: Climate is the work of God. It cannot be controlled. Anyone who says different is a liar, and a Liberal.

15.   Flooding, etc.: Move your house.

So, that’s the general idea. Everyone can do whatever they please. That’s Amurrica. Oh, except for those nasty gay and Lesbo types.  We’ll just have to dump them at sea I guess.

Oh, and there won’t be any voting nonsense, because there won’t be any voting. The neo-republicans, aided by their Christian Taliban allies will decide who is in charge, whenever someone needs to be in charge.

Fiscal Sanity

So Eric Cantor and his neo-republican buddies couldn’t deal with reality any longer and decided to head for the hills. That’s the way with these fellows. They love charging stuff; they just can’t deal with paying for anything. They’re the original “charge and spend” pols. Apparently, if you raise the subject of taxes with them, like the wicked witch of the west, they threaten to dissolve into a pool of liquid dung.

I have concluded this gang is un-American, if not downright anti-American, since they care not a whit whether the nation crashes and burns as a result of their actions. Default on our obligations? We don’t care. This strategy is fairly standard for republicans. They first create a crisis. Then they bail out. Then they try to blame the democrats. All in the name of getting themselves re-elected to power, because power is their one and only principle.

Apparently the collective lords of the manor—the Koch’s and other of their ilk, have decreed—“No New Taxes” So, Mr. Cantor and the rest of the black knights of the realm, are implementing the Koch’s royal decree. They are willing to fall on their swords rather than cross the dukes of the land—their owners.  Should the Americans default on its public debt, causing the economy to crash and burn, so be it. Should everyone not currently unemployed suddenly join the ranks of the great unemployed, tough—stuff happens. The Koch’s won’t be unemployed and nothing else matters.

America really needs to turn out this gang of thieves—for that’s what they are. They are stealing America’s future.  Americans need to awaken from its current stupor and begin to understand that republicans have turned into enemies of the Land.

And I have a suggestion for our collective pols. How about if we take the current national debt and divide it into two parts—the debt created under republican presidents and the debt created under Democratic presidents.  All registered democrats assume responsibility for paying down their debt. Republican voters assume responsibility for paying down their debt.  Uncommitted voters get to choose whose part of the debt they wish to assume.

Then they cast their ballots for the future.

Crazy America

I confess that it is getting absurdly difficult to write a blog about American politics these days. I mean, how can any rational person write anything in response to "Weinergate" as but one example. In the old days, I had thought Anthony Weiner was a rational person who represented some part of the good folks in New York City.  He seemed OK, or as OK as Congresspeople ever get. I mean we do tend towards the bottom of the barrel when we seek out citizens for Congress.  But Tony baby, you shot past all low-grade expectations for stupid behavior by a member of Congress. You claim you "made mistakes." No, Tony, it's not a mistake when you shoot pictures of your penis and then broadcast them for all the world to see. It is simply stupid. So, from now on, you have joined the legions of Mr. Stupidheads all over America.
And the Republicans . . . hard to imagine how they could be any worse, or any more extreme in their attitudes toward ordinary Americans. You all seem to despise government, yet, like St. Ronald, you seem crazed to head up this noxious beast. That's because you're phonies. You espouse ethical beliefs, but you're phonies. The only thing in which you believe is power--power apparently at any cost to America. You even have a southern Governor of that now unmentionable state in the southwest who believes his state should secede from the Union, that having worked out so well last time. Maybe he's hankering for yet another "Reconstruction."
I guess the most rational course for the near term is to obtain all my news from Jon Stewart and Steven Colbert.  Like the Faux News Network, they too just make stuff up, but at least they're funny.

America of Your Dreams

So, it turns out that Americans are angry.  Mainly, they’re pissed about the absence of jobs in America. I guess a few are angry about the state of our fiscal mess—you know, the continuing deficits. Mostly, though, Americans only really care about themselves.  I have long believed that republicans adopted a “Let’m eat cake” philosophy, with their official motto, “Hoist up the ladder, Jack. I’m aboard.” But apparently, it’s more than the douchebag republicans and their teabagger serfs. Turns out that many, many people are angry that nobody, including especially Obama, has fixed the economy, mainly jobs.  And it’s clear that, while few really like republicans, Obama is getting more than his fair shareof criticism for not making sure everyone in America has a chicken in every pot, and a car in every garage.

The big question in my mind is, “Why Obama?” I thought these same people rebelled at the idea that the Prez and government in general create jobs. Whenever he does anything, they’re always yelling that only the private sector creates jobs. OK, so then why not yell at the private sector, as in the bank CEOs who refuse to part with any of their trillion dollar holdings to give out some loans to get some businesses moving? Well, apparently, it doesn’t work that way. In fairyland, where most Americans seem to live, we applaud the private sector when jobs are created, and yell at government when the economy stalls. For example, I really love the round of arguments about the debt ceiling.

Republicans want to avoid raising the debt ceiling unless Prez agrees to do something about the deficits. OK, but then when he suggests doing something, like raising taxes to reduce the deficit, they scream—no, no, you will kill jobs. Huh?? But, guys, in, say 1996, when the economy was booming (remember those good old days??) we had a (marginally) higher tax rate, a full economy, and budget surpluses that were leading to paying down the debt . . . until George II and his neo-con stupidheads took over.

Then there’s the real jobs issue, also not created or really solvable by the Prez. See, our collective corporate CEOs thought it would be just grand if we shipped most of our manufacturing enterprise to China. We’d keep the gambling casinos (Wall Street), mining, and housing. Everything else could go.

Well, go it did, with a vengeance.  Then our banking CEO’s all decided to pull the plug on the housing bubble and the economy crashed—not just tumbled, but it flamed out and crashed big time.. Then the banks began failing, cuz there was nobody left to pay back those dumbass loans they had manufactured.

So, then what are we left with? Well, we have no industrial base remember. And since nobody has a job, or realistic chance at one, the housing market, the last remaining manufacturing entity left in fairyland, has nowhere to go but down, and it is continuing its downward death spiral.

So now, the residents of fairyland are yelling at our Prez, as though he had any control over any of this.  He can cut government spending, of course, but that will surely exacerbate the unemployment problem.  Or he could raise taxes, say back to the 1996 levels. But then the “hoist up the ladder” boys would begin whining about how jobs will be killed. Huh! What to do, what to do?

Well, the solution of the clamoring hordes in fairyland, seems to be to elect more of the guys who created the current mess—you know. . . Republicans.

Then what do they expect will happen?  Well, republicans are telling them what to expect. Under the Ryan plan, the economic quick fix of choice for republican deep thinkers, the plan is to rid the country of poor people and old people—they’re so messy. Get rid of health care for both so they’ll . . . die more quickly.  Then drop the tax rates below even current levels, so the really rich (the 1% who own 90% of the current wealth) will smile more (a new kind of Smile Train).  Then eliminate all pretense at environmental control—just get rid of all those laws and the pesky regulators and let industry (what’s left) do whatever they want.

Then everyone in fairyland will be happy.

Just in time for the Fall Rapture.