The Young Turks

But, no ,I have never considered professional writing, I write out of necessity. As a young lad my CO told me the performance reviews I wrote for my troops read like the ingredients label on a soup can. I also noticed that my competition, who could write with any sort of style and purpose would do well.

So I decided to change that through practice practice practice. 

It is still hard for me. I write too fast, I don't proof read nearly enough and I depend on gizmos like spell checkers entirely too much.  I'd much rather pick up the wrench and fix stuff tham write about it.

But thank's anyway. 

by MRFred on 05/15/2008 01:20:58 PM EST

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I do think this has a chance to be a realignment election.

I am starting to think the Solid South may be breaking up and the southwest clearly seems to be turning blue.  The GOP might spend some time in the wilderness (a la the Dems from 1972-1992 or the Pubs from 1932-1952) but eventually they will be back with an even more repuslive coalition of greed, self interest and downright evil. 

by ProfRich on 05/15/2008 02:26:27 AM EST

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Obama or no Obama the "new ideas" folk keep recycling the same old crap...over and over and over.  The same drool; Behold the "American Families Agenda" :

National security = Hold on, what have they been doing since 9-11? It's a little late to have a 'agenda" on national security...that cow has left the barn. Expect this: Obama is a Muslim , Democrats are favored by Humas, Terror Alert ,Terror Alert!  and all of that bullshit...Iraq Iraq Iraq.

Tax cuts = Same old shit, different day: WEaht we ar talking about here are corporate tax cuts in exchange for a marginal rate reduction for the rest of us. The battle cry is our poor, poor companies pay the "highest taxes in world! Thats why they can't compete in the global market place! Really? Wasn't free trade supposed to do that?

In short, no they don't. After they take all the tax breaks, credits and write offs they pay less as a percentage of their income than the average citizen does. Pfizer for example paid an average of 20% for the last 5 years.

When corporations received a "tax cut" in 2004 in the guise of the "Create American Jobs Act" the companies received the breaks on the expectation of creating job domestically. What happened? The recipients of the Republican largess ( contributors) promptly pocketed the saving and merrily outsourced another 300000 or so jobs. That ,of course ,was the plan all along.

Balancing the budget = They had a balanced budget in 2000. Now?, not so much.

The slash and burn budgeting of the Republicans has come full circle. The idea that you can cut revenue , which will grow the economy and generate more revenue without fiscal discipline is absurd on its face and in practice. The real agenda was to run roughshod over domestic spending in the social safety net to eliminate those programs.

The proponents of this idiocy cite Wal-mart as an example...yep Wal-mart. The old volume volume volume argument. It work's for Walmart,  yes because of the volume they do but also because of the predatory relationship they have with suppliers, transportation providers and employees to drive cost down.

 "But!" they say " we must cut those wastefull earmarks." Yes, thats true they should but earmarks are a very small percentage of the overall discretionary spending. Thats a smoke screen.  The bottom line it's fine to cut spending...but you cut outlays first to realize savings. 

Boosting domestic oil production !! = If isnt wasn't so sad it would be funny. I would think that 120$ + a barrell oil would be all the incentive oil companies would need to "boost" domestic oil production. Market driven incentives after all.

No ...there is very little domestic reserves left to exploit regarless of the ANWAR ANWAR ANWAR! battle cry. In reality ANWAR would only slightly reduce our dependence on imports and would lower oil prices by less than 50 cents a barrel, according to  the Energy Department. Its time to bite the bullet and face the facts...they ain't making no mo oil.

In this forum we have been regailed with tales of the plentifulness of oil ( spin ) , how "enviromental wackos" prevent refineries from being built , prevent driliing in enviromental sensitive area ( spin ) all such other diversions. To a certain degree some of that may be true, on the other hand the drill ,drill, drill crowd are simply interested in quick profit and no long term solutions.

To show you how backward these folk are ,peruse this:

This Administration has delayed the expeditious handling of oil shale patent applications and the early development of a domestic oil shale industry. It has allowed the deterioration of the domestic mining and petroleum industries including displacement of domestic markets by foreign imports.

 Who could the author of that passage be talking about? Any guesses? Lyndon Johnson. It is from the 1964 Republican platform. Oilshale. 1964. 44 years ago. Where have we heard that before? Here, here  and, oh nevermind, heres the real point;since 1964 the Republicans have been in power for 28 years. Plenty of time to boost domestic oil production. By the way...is domestic oil cheaper than imported oil to the common folks? Nope.

So, I'm not smug...just cynical, but certainly not smug.

 

by MRFred on 05/15/2008 12:24:21 PM EST

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It's always wise to win the election first, then brag later. Democrats sound a lot like Ohio State before the Florida game; and USC before the Texas game; and Ohio State before the LSU game. Rich wants to make predictions now? Go ahead Rich, let's hear your predictions.

by KenTX on 05/15/2008 12:44:12 PM EST

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