bwb's blog » Politics

Fix The US Government Budget?

bwb — Thu, 02 Dec 2010 04:23:04 +0000

The NY Times released this awesome tool that allows you to go through and apply different items that will help to fix the budget and shortfall for 2015 and 2030. Check out the tool here but be warned it is super addictive!

Here are my my choices! And a couple notes:

1. Farm subsidies, Joel made a convincing argument on these, and I left them only because i want the subsidies moved towards promoting better eating. So away from corn…

2. Reduce the federal work force, this one I’m a tad split on and left it unchecked. I think we need to lower it but do it smartly. There are some offices that need more resources and some that do not. Personal need to go towards areas such as education, energy policy, SEC and bank monitoring and investigation, and other protective areas. I did however cut the 250k in government contractors.

3. On military I reduced our nuke and space spending, duh. I feel strongly we should keep troops in Asia and Europe and really push that up, its good for the country and for our ability to project force abroad. Which is also why I didn’t vote for reducing the navy and air force fleet as they enable us to do that. I cut some of the terrible programs like the osprey, we need to drop the cold war race against our self. And not cutting veterans benefits as that seems insulting. And I voted to reduce the troops to 60k by 2015, I’d love to do 30k but I don’t think that is as feasible.

4. With health care I voted to cap medicare growth as I’ve read some on that and it makes sense, and to enact medical malpractice reform. I also wanted to vote to reduce tax breaks on employer provided health insurance, but this should be done once we have a base government provided health care or at least something that you buy yourself. Then the added extra insurance through your employer should be taxed.

5. Social security… I voted to reduce social security to those with high incomes and use an alternative measure for inflation. I’m not huge on increasing the retirement age just yet.

6. Existing taxes. This is a big one for me and I would vote for the most moderate one by Lincoln, the Obama one is good too as its the same as Bushes. Investment taxes, we need to go with Obama’s proposal. And on the bush tax cuts I want to allow expiration of taxes for incomes above 250,000 a year. And allow the payroll tax for those above 106k a year.

7. New taxes… The millionaire tax needs to happen. In terms of overhaul I’m very for the Bowles Simpson plan, we need to bring corporate tax rates down while cutting loopholes and other tax deductions. Plus reducing mortgage deductoins for high income households.

This puts me at 43% savings from tax increases and 57% from spending cuts… It puts me around 42 billion over the 2015 shortfall and it puts me 185 billion in surplus over the 2030 shortfall.

Now, I am very interested in a national VAT tax of 5%… I like consumption taxes as right now Americans just consume consume consume and this might break that a bit and bring in much needed money we could focus on doubling teacher saleries and redoing our energy grid…

So here are my results to view.

19 Senators Want To Censor Free Speech.

bwb — Fri, 19 Nov 2010 03:56:10 +0000

This is a really sad vote right here, click here for the names of 19 Senators who want to censor the internet. Sad day.

This is hardly a surprise but, this morning (as previously announced), the lame duck Senate Judiciary Committee unanimously voted to move forward with censoring the internet via the COICA bill — despite a bunch of law professors explaining to them how this law is a clear violation of the First Amendment.

Hopefully the courts knock this down if it even passes out of committee… Al Franken how could you? Although maybe they didn’t read the proposed bill… Or maybe this was slipped in, regardless this should never have been voted aye on. (Although maybe they just voted this way to get part of it out of committee and then will strike this BS out or count on the supreme court removing it).

Wow we can not find any related posts, awesome!

Great Article On How To Build A Working Economy

bwb — Sun, 08 Aug 2010 18:43:06 +0000

Still super busy so can’t post much but I highly recommend this article on how to grow rich using a charter city idea. Very cool idea built on it’s success in history.

The American Nations Plan

bwb — Mon, 02 Aug 2010 22:01:25 +0000

A great idea and I can’t type more as I’m super busy but you should check it out! Read The American Nations Plan… This is a great first step!

Patriotism Isn’t A Flag On Your Suit

bwb — Fri, 09 Jul 2010 17:50:19 +0000

I love this video.

Glenn Beck Is Right???

bwb — Wed, 09 Jun 2010 06:10:53 +0000

Confusing, I know. With this title you would think I am ushering the four angels of the apoch into my living room…

Glenn Beck is the head of an entertainment company, he seems to be the functionally retarded equivalent of Oprah for stupid white people. That said I have a lot of respect for the retard. He has such respect for the power of the system, that he is willing to abuse the fuck out of it and hope it remains working. Which is awesome both in his patience and the power of his belief, or maybe just his greed.

I’m going to work towards this as well, fuck belief, fuck what you think, fuck “good”. if you truly believe the established system is built to handle crazy retards then for all means abuse it. Let’s say some crazy shit, let’s rewrite history, let’s cry some crazy shit, and then let’s sell some books and seminars! Yeeehaawww! Or as they say in Glen Beck land, “crazy tear-rant wink wink”…

Yum!

bwb — Mon, 22 Mar 2010 07:41:57 +0000

I went to sleep in a land of freedom and democracy, I’ve awaken in a socialist, communist, fascist, nazi nightmare of a country because of a watered down health care bill that was voted on by people the country elected to vote on things. Glenn Beck please send me your delicious crazy tears to add to my vodka martini comrade! Yum!

Heath Care Passes! Finally!

bwb — Mon, 22 Mar 2010 03:40:32 +0000

Great news! The health care bill passes! Although trying to get a copy or real summary to see the changes.

Hopefully this brings some real change to the industry! One of our companies just got hit with 20% to 30% raises on rates this year, and they also had the audacity to tell us the insurance company says they are working hard to sell us on what they call “educating” consumers to buy plans with higher deductibles and so on (ie make more money). I don’t blame them as they are businesses, which is why the government needs to run their own health care, health care needs to be a right or it will continue to hurt our nation and our economic growth. My personal health care rates increased about 20% this year and I have a pretty low end plan meant for emergencies.

Sarah Palin 2010 Video

bwb — Fri, 19 Mar 2010 00:09:05 +0000

So scary, the Sarah Palin / Glenn Beck ticket of crazy insane idiots.

Capitalism: A Love Story

bwb — Mon, 15 Mar 2010 06:16:15 +0000

I just watched the new Michael Moore movie Capitalism: A Love Story, it is my least favorite of those he has made thus far and I found my self disagreeing with about half of the movie. He makes a lot of good points but the thing that frustrates me the most is he fails to place a lot of the blame for the housing market on Americans being stupid and getting a second mortgage or trying to live beyond their means. Although he makes good points that this is just the death rattle of bad economic policies of the last 20 years that have stripped low income and middle class families of their ability to prosper and their ability to create wealth decline.

That said people are just dumb, people buy things on credit cards, people take out second mortgages, and people get themselves into trouble (I know as I’ve done it). If people are signing documents that put their house payment real low for a few years and then 2x or 5x years later that is basically gambling that you can afford it by then, and that is dumb. Same thing with college loan, college is probably not worth $80,000 dollars in debt, you can go to a State school for a lot cheaper or find some place in state. And overall it seems the real failure in this mess is the government. The government’s job is to protect Americans but a lot of Americans loosing everything are the same jack asses who call for small government and seem to think private enterprise is good when in fact it just took their house and FFFFed them in the A.

I like FDR’s proposals and wish we had followed through, I think America needs to step it up, if socialism is a dirty weird call it the Capitalism Contract. This contract would draw a line so that Capitalism is adjust slightly towards protecting it’s participants and this helps the system because you have a base of consumers who are better off both when they are in the system and after they retire.

Capitalism Contract

- Government health care. Health care is a right and should not be provided by a company, it should be provided by the government.

- Very cheap college education. I think school should cost something, but it needs to be a lot less. It needs to be something you can afford working part time at minimum wage and paying rent. There needs to be a State school that is quality in every state that is doing medical and scientific research while educating students at a very reduced rate.

- Retirement. The dreaded third rail of american politics. This system needs improvement but I do like it. The problem I see now is not many people are saving for their retirement, I would like to see how much we contribute to retirement increased and handled on the government side of things.

- Higher tax rates on the top tax tiers. For people making over 1,00,000 a year or higher tax that at 50%. The current rate is just 35% after $357,000 and that is low if you look at history. I love business and the motivation behind creating businesses needs to be there, but at some point its not about the money, it’s about the freedom it brings and having enough money to be very very well off. For anyone making over a million dollars a year taxing the remaining portion at 50% is a fair social contract when that money is creating the system that created the opportunity for their wealth.

- Every third Friday of the month is a holiday so you get a 3 day weekend, this is only for 10 months and not for Nov/Dec. Basically would result in 10 extra holidays. I’m not sure how this one would work but I like it, and I think it would be good for Americans on the higher end of the work spectrum who already put in a lot of hours.

- Some type of government run Training Centers or at least informational website. With the speed the economy is going to shift and shift again over the coming years I would like to see a partnership with private companies that are having trouble finding qualified people. So for example with Wind and Solar and them needing people, there needs to be a national website that lists where you can receive training and where jobs are in the country. And maybe tax breaks if you move there to get a job. Not entirely sure how it would work but we need something along these lines, the people who get fucked such as when the car industry melts down need help finding a new industry to work in that is actually going to grow. Otherwise they will remain a burden on the system. I know we have a hard time finding qualified people for basic support all the way up.

Slow, Unarmed, Communist…

bwb — Wed, 24 Feb 2010 09:39:32 +0000

Great video on the idiocy that is Glenn Beck, this makes me want to go into TV if any idiot can spout this insane rabble and be so powerful.

The Daily Show With Jon Stewart

Mon – Thurs 11p / 10c

Rage Within the Machine – Progressivism

www.thedailyshow.com

Daily Show
Full Episodes

Political Humor

Health Care Crisis

John Stewart is an absolute genius.

American Health Care! Fuck Ya!

bwb — Fri, 12 Feb 2010 02:05:15 +0000

Here is a nice dueling paragraph:

Health insurer WellPoint blames the Great Recession and rising medical costs for its planned 39 percent rate increase for some California customers. To President Barack Obama, however, it’s Exhibit A in his campaign to revive the health care overhaul.

Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius, who received the company’s explanation in a letter Thursday, said “it remains difficult to understand” how premium increases of that size by can be justified when WellPoint Inc. reported a $2.7 billion profit in the last quarter of 2009.

A Brave Man…

bwb — Sun, 31 Jan 2010 06:55:23 +0000

Fantastic, what a strong person to go to them and call them out on their bullshit as well of some of his own parties bs. I’m so tired of the rhetoric on both sides, but especially the republicans as they seem to just want to do nothing when they don’t have the presidency. As if their job when they are in the minority is just to stop all forward progress, and to deny that the majority of Americans want universal health care!

And This Is Why I Fear For My Hypothetical Children

bwb — Mon, 30 Nov 2009 04:26:36 +0000

Wow, watch this movie of Palin supporters trying to explain why they like her. It is super painful but I think this is the level of knowledge that at least 60% of the people in this country are at. And unfortunately a higher majority of republicans seems to love repeating buzz words without anything to back them up.

Here according to her supporters is what Palin is about:

Liberty
Right to Speak
Fairness
Realness
Make A Difference
Good Judgment
Clean Up The Spending
Cutting Taxes
Entrepreneurial Environment
Less Government
Back To Individuals
Obama is Marxist, Leninist
Obama Hates The Military
Obama is not a citizen.
We need profiling of people?
Drill oil in protected areas.
Hate special interest groups like PETA
Abortion Crap
Obama is taking away free speech and religious choice?
Back To Basics Of America?

Buzz words and talking points. A few really crazy people too, especially guy with glasses half way in and the retard in the Steelers jacket.

Blame Fox News.

Obama Is A What Now?

bwb — Sat, 10 Oct 2009 18:22:52 +0000

The functionally retarded people of the USA have joined together and decided that Obama is a number of things, and as always I am amazed at how awesome Obama is to have mastered so many ideologues. Truly the man, nah the second son of Christ is a genius! I hope the liberal third reich arrives soon so that I can sacrifice small children to my new overlords.

What is wrong with these people? When did Republican start meaning Retard? When will the normal republican people start distancing themselves from these crazies? I would never want to be called a democrat, and that is like 10x better than what the republican party has become. Where are the logical people who want smaller government, to balance our budget, and who can focus on real issues? Instead we get retards who think Obama is not a citizen, disrespect him during his speeches, and think that he is a secret muslim/socialist/nazi. This shit weakens our country and makes Canada look like a good place to live (just kidding Canada).

SC Rep. Joe Wilson Should Resign!

bwb — Thu, 10 Sep 2009 03:56:31 +0000

Joe Wilson is a disgrace to his state and America! Plus a total retard who believes the crap fox news puts out. People like this give republicans a bad name and why I wince every time someone says the word, your party is full of stupid people, good luck with that plan.

Step 1: Fill Party With Idiots and Religious Zealouts
Step 2: ?
Step 3: World Domination / Return of Jesus?

If you would like to see something that explains death panels
please watch this movie. No really they are totally real! Cause everyone loves killing old people, especially liberals. Really?

Rush Limbaugh Says What?

bwb — Thu, 20 Aug 2009 21:19:36 +0000

Rush Limbaugh tells a caller who can’t afford $6,000 to treat broken wrist: “Well, you shouldn’t have broken your wrist“…

Watch the video here.

Fuck Republicans… Health Care!

bwb — Mon, 17 Aug 2009 05:40:07 +0000

Man I am so tired of hearing this bullshit, it sounds like Obama is being forced to drop the government health care plan and that fucking sucks. Health care is a right not something to make a profit off of. If there is any reason why our country is entering a decline and eventual demise it is because of the right wing’s ability to spread disinformation and not to enter any debate with facts. Who the hell wants to kill old people? Nobody, but if you can extend someone’s life by a week yet that procedure and similar are costing everyone in the country 40% than fuck old people, they can pay for that out of their pockets. I’m all for denying reality (friends will attest) but death is not something to be afraid of, and I’m tired of the right / christian right thinking you have to keep people alive no matter what. It is such a deeply ethical and personal question but as a society its going to come down to cost, insurance companies right now screw you so how the hell can the government do once. Not a glowing endorsement but I trust our government a lot more than private insurance companies who screw everyone I know over pricing and options.

As a small business owner whose team works remote it is ridiculous to think American can compete with the Aussies/NZ/UK/Rest of the world if we don’t provide health care to our citizens, espicially when our health care industry is 100% profit driven. I can hire quality people in Aussie and Europe and don’t have to worry about paying for their health care. America still has the biggest pool of quality labor but that is going to change as salaries have to compensate for health care that is going through the roof. Eventually it will make more sense for us to higher a full time doctor than buy health care (just half kidding).

On a personal level I see my dad screwed by the lack of affordable health care in that he can’t retire until he can get on a government plan at X age. And I personally have been at the hospital, asked how much something was by someone who does that procedure 20x times a day, and been told he has no idea as they outsource pricing. Crazy? Yes that is crazy. If you hook up someone to check their heart you should know what it costs for everyone. Instead some other agency checks your background and insurance and makes up some price.

This country is going to shit, luckily countries don’t matter any more and smart people are going to go to nations that provide them with what they need. I’m just waiting for Singapore or another smart country to start giving citizenship and free health care to people that are smart or making above X a year. Watch for a mass exodus of Americans over the next 100 years, I’m all for being a free agent citizen. Being American is a set of core values and beliefs, it is not tied to a government or geographic location.

/rant,
Ben

War On Drugs Insane? CNN

bwb — Wed, 01 Apr 2009 00:16:21 +0000

This is a good read, hopefully the government uses this moment to make the shift and not dick around for twenty years with bad policies that make no sense. Read the nice commentary over at CNN by Cafferty.

Glenn Beck Is Actually Retarded

bwb — Mon, 23 Feb 2009 00:46:57 +0000

I truly believe he is retarded and needs to be in a home, although really Fox News probably loves him. And really Fox News is a “special” place.

Here is a nice story on the kind of fluff and crap he creates.

That’s the context for this Glenn Beck “War Games” show on Fox News this week — one promoted, with some mild and obligatory caveats, by Michelle Malkin’s Hot Air. In the segment below, he convened a panel that includes former CIA officer Michael Scheuer and Ret. U.S. Army Sgt. Major Tim Strong. They discuss a coming “civil war” led by American “Bubba” militias — Beck says he “believes we’re on this road” — and they contemplate whether the U.S. military would follow the President’s orders to subdue civil unrest or would instead join with “the people” in defense of their Constitutional rights against the Government (they agree that the U.S. military would be with “the people”)[/blockquote]I want Glenn Beck to stop using words like bubba, on the front, main street, whoa, you people, bad guys, good guys, common sense, average etc.

I hope SouthPark makes an episode where Glenn Beck is impaled on a common sense pole. Or maybe have the founders beat the shit out of him for twisting their words and trying to speak for people who lived so long ago and not in our world.

bwb's blog » Politics

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