What you can do for your country

Happy New Year 2011

Let 2011 remind us that the United States remains the land of freedom and opportunity. While Tom Freedman et. al. wish to be more like China, which bans simple freedoms like Skype, or Russia, which imprisons dissidents for questioning government, know that our future is not Washington, but instead the innovation and liberties we pursue as free people each day.

The Obama's Whitehouse Christmas Card

Please accept with no obligation, implied or implicit, our best wishes for an environmentally conscious, socially responsible, low-stress, non-addictive, gender-neutral celebration of the winter solstice holiday, practiced within the most enjoyable traditions of the religious persuasion of your choice, or secular practices of your choice, with respect for the religious/secular persuasion and/or traditions of others, or their choice not to practice religious or secular traditions at all. We also wish you a fiscally successful, personally fulfilling and medically uncomplicated recognition of the of the generally accepted calendar year 2011, but not without due respect for the calendars of choice of other cultures whose contributions to society have helped make America great. Not to imply that America is necessarily greater than any other country nor the only America in the Western Hemisphere. And without regard to the race, creed, color, age, physical ability, religious faith or sexual preference of the wishes. By accepting these greetings you are accepting these terms. This greeting is subject to clarification or withdrawal. It is freely transferable with no alteration to the original greeting. It implies no promise by the wisher to actually implement any of the wishes for herself or himself or others, and is void where prohibited by law and is revocable at the sole discretion of the wisher. This wish is warranted to perform as expected within the usual application of good tidings for a period of one year or until the issuance of a subsequent holiday greeting, whichever comes first, and warranty is limited to replacement of this wish or issuance of a new wish at the sole discretion of the wisher.

Days of Black and White

Someone Sent this to me with no reference to the author.  Please enjoy....

My Mom used to cut chicken, chop eggs and spread mayo on the same cutting board with the same knife and no bleach, but we didn't seem to get food poisoning.

My Mom used to defrost hamburger on the counter and I used to eat it raw sometimes, too.

Our school sandwiches were wrapped in wax paper in a brown paper bag, not in ice pack coolers, but I can't remember getting e. Coli.

Almost all of us would have rather gone swimming in the lake instead of a pristine pool (talk about boring), no beach closures then.

The term cell phone would have conjured up a phone in a jail cell, and a pager was the school PA system.

We all took gym, not PE...and risked permanent injury with a pair of high top Ked's (only worn in gym) instead of having cross-training athletic shoes with air cushion soles and built in light reflectors. I can't recall any injuries but they must have happened because they tell us how much safer we are now.

Flunking gym was not an option... even for stupid kids! I guess PE must be much harder than gym.

Speaking of school, we all said prayers and sang the national anthem, and staying in detention after school caught all sorts of negative attention.

We must have had horribly damaged psyches. What an archaic health system we had then. Remember school nurses? Ours wore a hat and everything.

I thought that I was supposed to accomplish something before I was allowed to be proud of myself.

I just can't recall how bored we were without computers, Play Station, Nintendo, X-box or 270 digital TV cable stations.

Oh yeah.. and where was the Benadryl and sterilization kit when I got that bee sting? I could have been killed!

We played 'king of the hill' on piles of gravel left on vacant construction sites, and when we got hurt, Mom pulled out the  48-cent bottle of mercurochrome (kids liked it better because it didn't sting like iodine did) and then we got our butt spanked.

Now it's a trip to the emergency room, followed by a 10-day dose of a $49 bottle of antibiotics, and then Mom calls the attorney to sue the contractor for leaving a horribly vicious pile of gravel where it was such a threat.

We didn't act up at the neighbor's house either, because if we did we got our butt spanked there and then we got our butt spanked again when we got home.

I recall Donny Reynolds from next door coming over and doing his tricks on the front stoop, just before he fell off.

Little did his Mom know that she could have owned our house. 

Instead, she picked him up and swatted him for being such a goof. It was a neighborhood run amuck.

To top it off, not a single person I knew had ever been told that they were from a dysfunctional family.

How could we possibly have known that? 

We needed to get into group therapy and anger management classes.

We were obviously so duped by so many societal ills, that we didn't even notice that the entire country wasn't taking Prozac!

How did we ever survive?

Sarah meets Obama for a Tea Party after the election

The USS Cole

‎10 years ago today, two Al Qaeda terrorists pulled alongside the USS Cole during a routine refueling and detonated a suicide bomb. It was the deadliest attack on a United States naval vessel since 1987. 17 sailors were killed. 39 more were wounded. The 17 sailors who died left behind 11 children. Never forget
the names of the fallen who gave their lives in service to our country. 

1. Electronics Technician 1st Class Richard Costelow
2. Mess Management Specialist Lakina Francis
3. Information Systems Technician Tim Guana
4. Signalman Seaman Recruit Cherone Gunn
5. Seaman James McDaniels
6. Engineman 2nd Class Mark Nieto
7. Electronics Warfare Technician 3rd Class Ronald Owens
8. Seaman Recruit Lakiba Parker
9. Engineman Fireman Joshua Parlett
10. Fireman Apprentice Patrick Roy
11. Electronics Warfare Technician Kevin Rux
12. Petty Officer 3rd Class Ron Santiago
13. Operations Special 2nd Class Timothy Sanders
14. Fireman Gary Swenchonis Jr
15. Ensign Andrew Triplett
16. Seaman Apprentice Craig Wibberly
17. Hull Maintenance Technician 3rd Class Kenneth Clodfelter.

To Kill an American

Written by an Australian Dentist

You probably missed this in the rush of news, but there was actually a report that someone in Pakistan had published in a newspaper, an offer of a reward to anyone who killed an American, any American.

So an Australian dentist wrote an editorial the following day to let everyone know what an American is . So they would know when they found one.

An American is English, or French, or Italian, Irish, German, Spanish, Polish, Russian or Greek. An American may also be Canadian, Mexican, African, Indian, Chinese, Japanese, Korean, Australian, Iranian, Asian, or Arab, or Pakistani or Afghan.

An American may also be a Comanche, Cherokee, Osage, Blackfoot, Navaho, Apache, Seminole or one of the many other tribes known as native Americans.

An American is Christian , or he could be Jewish, or Buddhist, or Muslim. In fact, there are more Muslims in America than in Afghanistan . The only difference is that inAmerica they are free to worship as each of them chooses.

An American is also free to believe in no religion.. For that he will answer only to God, not to the government, or to armed thugs claiming to speak for the government and for God.

An American lives in the most prosperous land in the history of the world.

The root of that prosperity can be found in the Declaration of Independence , which recognizes the God given right of each person to the pursuit of happiness.

An American is generous.. Americans have helped out just about every other nation in the world in their time of need, never asking a thing in return.

When Afghanistan was over-run by the Soviet army 20 years ago, Americans came with arms and supplies to enable the people to win back their country!

As of the morning of September 11, Americans had given more than any other nation to the poor in Afghanistan ..

The national symbol of America , The Statue ofLiberty , welcomes your tired and your poor, the wretched refuse of your teeming shores, the homeless, tempest tossed. These in fact are the people who built America.

Some of them were working in the Twin Towersthe morning of September 11 , 2001 earning a better life for their families. It's been told that the World Trade Center victims were from at least 30 different countries, cultures, and first languages, including those that aided and abetted the terrorists.

So you can try to kill an American if you must. Hitler did. So did General Tojo , and Stalin , and Mao Tse-Tung, and other blood-thirsty tyrants in the world..

But, in doing so you would just be killing yourself . Because Americans are not a particular people from a particular place. They are the embodiment of the human spirit of freedom. Everyone who holds to that spirit, everywhere, is an American.

MSM - Have You no Sense of Decency?

I will probably never make it as a politician.  I don't do sound bites.  I do try to simplify points in the context of others perspective, but sound bites don't do it for me.  I am sure every politician is trained to respond in only very specific ways so that the media can't catch phrase and use it to wedge in their own agenda.

But, the time comes to stop routine. 

Day by day, almost accelerating now, the free press has given up on any form of critical thinking.  The press seems compelled to drive speed and controversy in a way that is destructive to their own purpose.  We as viewers let this happen.  Politicians let this happen.

My tipping point, as if there aren't 100's, was an NBC expose today on the RNC's expenditure of $1,900 for some club, $17K for a jet, and some other things.  NBC  went on to interview various democrats who said "And the Republicans think they should manage the nations money?".  Very cute, but.....  Nancy Pelosi flies back and forth from San Francisco and DC each week on a plane designed to care 250 passengers at a cost of probably a couple million per year.  She spent something like 200K in the last 2 years on food and beverages for the plane.  A rational person would say "So mister DNC person, what does it mean that Speaker Pelosi spent 200K on food for her plane?"

There are those great moments where after much frustration, leaders speak out and challenge the moment.  The Joe McCarthy Moment where Joseph Welch challenge the senator with the famous line:

"Have you no sense of decency, sir, at long last? Have you left no sense of decency?"

Or,the Reagan "I am paying for this microphone" moment. In these and other cases people paused and realized we were moving the wrong way.  These leaders rejected the powers in front of them and went a different direction.  We need more "Have you no sense of decency" moments, holding government accountable for its actions.  When people fear government, its called tyranny.  When government fears the people, its liberty.  Time for more liberty.

Politician and others need to ask questions of reporters, challenging the question they ask.  They need to challenge the reporters that have not done their job, are a mouth piece for a point of view, or simply lack critical thinking skills.  Here are some examples with a recommended challenge (We will call the reporter Jane or Joe):

Corporate Write-down for Health Care

Jane: Senator, It seems big corporations are trying to embarrass the president with these big write downs.  Rep. Waxman will hold a hearing.  How will these big companies justify their actions?

Senator: Jane, every corporation is legally bound to comply with a range of explicit accounting rules.  With the implementation of SOX, new criminal rules were put in place that directly impact the CEO and CFO.  Why aren't you asking Congressman Waxman why he failed to comprehend FASB, SOX and other financial regulations when he wrote the health care bill.  In the United States the Government is responsible to the people.  I am not sure why AT&T needs to show up in a hearing to explain US law to the congressman who wrote the bill?  Maybe he did not read it before he voted for it.

Bush Budget Deficit

Joe: Senator, President Obama arrived with an unprecedented financial crisis as a result of deficits run up by the Bush administration.  Isn't he doing what is needed to make up for those failures.

Senator: Joe, a large portion of the Bush deficits came about from the global war on terror.  That is an expenditure with a known end point, unlike something like health care which will go on forever.  You might recall, the global war on terror was a result of 3200 Americans dying in an attack on our country.  70% voted yes in the senate and congress for the Iraq war.  Do you understand the difference between a war and an entitlement?

Tea Party People Calling Congressman the N Word

Jane: Senator, with all the nasty comments being made by tea party members how do you see the country coming together to make progress.  Given this vindictive why should the government try to be bipartisan.

Senator: Jane, do you have any video showing these nasty comments in which a congressman was called the N word?  I assume it happened, but normally you all have video when reporting facts.  Or maybe a few corroborating sources? If we go back to the principle of a free press, the press is sort of focused on questioning government facts on behalf of the people.  So, I would ask you, should the President leverage unsubstantiated comments to push forward partisan legislation?  Does the press like being used as an arm of the government to achieve a partisan objective?

Deregulation

Joe: Senator, as a result of Bush Era deregulation the financial system is in Chaos, what other choice did President Obama have but to authorize all these stimulus programs

Senator:  Bush era deregulation?  Like Class Stiegle reform, which happened under Clinton?  Or the thousands of pages regulation added during the Bush administration?  Joe, which of the banks that have been bailed out were deregulated as a result of Class Stiegle? Which continued to operate under the old scope.  Do you know?  Do you care?  If you interview a single mortgage broker from the last few years, can you find one of them that thought the Government driven FHA no money down loans were safe?  Do you think these loans came about because of Bank deregulation or because of acts of Congress dating back 15+ years?

The "We the People Act"

Our congressional leaders have seen fit to implement the perfect health care system for the country, but have chosen not to make it applicable to the senior leadership of congress and their staff.  It is hard to justify this position.  

For too long we have been too complacent about the workings of Congress.  Many citizens had no idea that congressional operations and members of Congress are exempt from various laws or have special benefits such as:

• After 5 years of service, someone in Congress can retire with a pension salary 2-3 times greater than a similar executive that pays into social security (They did not participate in social security until 1984) also see NTUF Report
• Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970
• Freedom of Information Act and Privacy Act and Open Record Laws
• National Labor Relations Act of 1947
• The Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974
• Various building codes
• Various equal opportunity, equal employment and affirmative action laws
• Minimum wage

The Republicans fixed previous transgressions in 1995 under the Congressional Accountability Act.  However, the latest step to special privileges is to exempt congress from aspects of Health care Reform, specifically senior staff and legislators with respect to health exchanges.  Somehow, that doesn't seem logical.  We do not have an elite that is above the law. Some have proposed a constitutional amendment in a well meaning but error filled email.  The basic amendment is:

Proposed 28th Amendment to the United States  Constitution:
Congress shall make no law that applies to the citizens of the United States that does not apply equally to the Senators and/or Representatives; and, Congress shall make no law that applies to the Senators and/or Representatives that does not apply equally to the citizens of the United States

Baring an amendment, perhaps instead, someone in the senate or the congress should propose the "We the People Act" removing limitations of laws applied to citizens but for some reason excluded from application to government.  Other rules might be:

1. No congressman shall be paid more than 4x the average wage of the American people
2. No senator shall be paid more than 4.5x the average wage of the American people
3. No "Earmark" may be authorized to the sole benefit of the sponsors district
4. All Senators and Congressman must sign an affidavit acknowledging if they have or have not read the entirety of the bill they are voting on

What rules would you add?

Evil rich guy who does not care, apparently.....

I am one of those evil successful people who needs to give his "Fair Share".  I have been listening to the health care debate.  I have read the giant bills congress has created, which seems like 2000+ pages to essentially say "We will force 240M Americans to pay for the insurance of 30M other Americans".  The more the press, politicians, etc talk about the Affordable Care Act, the more I feel like I am a bad guy in some way or manner.

Occasionally I have been at a dinner or some other social event when someone says, "Jim what do you do to contribute to society".  That's easy, "I create jobs".  To which they say, "No, what do you do for  for society? The poor and the indigent".  I thought I answered them the first time.

I do one thing very well and that is, help innovative ideas turn into full scale businesses that employee a lot of people, creates a lot of opportunity and pay a lot of taxes.  I have a specific talent for innovation and business creation.  I really don't do anything else well.  Occasionally I have thought I might become a rescue dog person, you know the kind that goes to earthquakes and helps find people with their German Shepard.  But, I really want to do that because I love training German shepherds.  I am not sure that counts for the "contribute to society" question.

I work very hard and do not take care of myself.  I pay all my taxes.  I don't try to play the “edge” on my taxes as I have a right to do.  I probably will drop dead of a heart attack at some point, so I doubt I will burden the health care system much.  I don't use my power to get to the front of the line.  I travel on commercial airplanes rather than private jets.  When people need help around me I find them jobs, give them money, or help in anyway that is appropriate.  But, President Obama, Speaker Pelosi, Leader Reid, and others say I need to do more to help others.  I need to give them more money so they can offer health care to others.

When I do give money to a cause, I normally find that there is some form of acknowledgment by the institution (Did the IRS ever send you a “Platinum Card” thank you note?).  I am often asked to join the board to help the cause do more and expand its success.  I am asked for financial and intellectual contributions, respecting that my success in business might help the success in the cause.  I am not sure that is always correct, but it is what it is.....

So, our dear government, as you reach into my pocket let me give you the benefit of my 20+ years of business success creating 20K jobs, generating billions in revenue, collecting 3M+ frequent flyer miles, starting 30+ businesses, and paying millions in taxes.....

Its a "False Choice" to suggest health care is broken and this plan is the only fair way to provide health care to 30M.  My biggest lesson from business is to look for solutions that mitigate risk, not create them.  Given a choice of an Ivory Tower perfect plan vs. a mundane partial solution derived from market feedback, I take the mundane.  If the government wanted to deliver health care to more people, they should do what has worked in our economy (not Europe), like Health Savings Accounts.

Wal-Mart has done more to help society, by driving down food cost, than any government program.  The United States is unique in its ability to innovate.  Ironically, It appears that government doesn’t really care about the 30M uninsured.  Because if they really did, they would choose a low risk proven solutions (like HSAs) rather than unproven, innovation constraining, government intervention.  If government really cared about delivering affordable care to more people it would choose innovation over Government intervention.  There is no way for the CBO to properly score what will happen under the Affordable Care Act, because markets will not follow the Government doctrine:

• Entrepreneurs will pursue business elsewhere because innovators don't like a game that is fixed.  With less innovation, costs will go up. 
• The wealthy, responsible for paying for increased costs, will work less thus reducing the revenue (Tax receivables) forecast
• More free Helath Care will increase moral hazard, thus increasing cost
• Pre-existing condition requirements will increase insurance cost, directing anger towards health insurance companies, and driving for more government regulation, ultimately leading to government take over
• Government will never move at the speed of the market, as new technologies are developed or patient needs change it will take years for government to alter polices to allow health providers to provide better solutions.

I don't know what the motives are of those pushing for this health care bill, but I doubt it really has anything to do with better care.  It likely intends to increase government resources and congressional powers.  But as the person paying for it, I vote no.  And interestingly, I have the choice not to participate by not working.  I am not sure what the President will do next if I don't work.  Maybe he will require all successful people to gather at a work camp to deliver our services to the nation.  Unlikely.  All I can offer as an evil rich guy is: I am tired of others reaching into my pocket and telling me how I should behave, given that I have done everything possible to contribute to society by creating jobs and opportunity.  Congress has no moral high ground in this argument, but the do have the power.  Its a sad day.

A Economics Professor's Lesson in Socialism

I received this in an E-Mail so I am not sure of the source or accuracy, but the message is clear:

An economics professor at a local college made a statement that he had never failed a single student before, but had once failed an entire class.

That class had insisted that Obama's socialism worked and that no one would be poor and no one would be rich, a great equalizer.

The professor then said, "OK, we will have an experiment in this class on Obama's plan".

All grades would be averaged and everyone would receive the same grade so no one would fail and no one would receive an A.

After the first test, the grades were averaged and everyone got a B.
The students who studied hard were upset and the students who studied little were happy. 

As the second test rolled around, the students who studied little had studied even less and the ones who studied hard decided they wanted a free ride too so they studied little.  The second test average was a D! No one was happy.

When the 3rd test rolled around, the average was an F. 

The scores never increased as bickering, blame and name-calling all resulted in hard feelings and no one would study for the benefit of anyone else. 

All failed, to their great surprise, and the professor told them that socialism would also ultimately fail because when the reward is great, the effort to succeed is great but when government takes all the reward away, no one will try or want to succeed.

Any Questions?

What I want in our Next President #45 in 2012

As I dream about our next president, I have an outline of who I want.  I have been generally disappointed with our last 4 presidents.  Each has had positive qualities, but more negative then positive.  I would rather make a shopping list of what I want and see if someone can raise to the occasion to get my vote.  What do you have from your list of qualities?  I want a President.....

1. With real executive experience
2. Who has negotiated with legislators, but does not grovel like a legislator
3. Who has had to make decisions and take responsibility for the consequences
4. Who is a principled defender of constitutional government
5. Who recognizes public sector success depends on growth in the private sector
6. Who can say why he loves America, without a teleprompter
7. Who wants to kill terrorists rather than try them
8. Who sees their role in the international arena as the guardian of American interests
9. Who has real business experience
10. Who attracts a diverse set of the best talent, not zealots
11. Who listens to those that create jobs when thinking about job growth
12. Who listens to those that provide care when reforming health care
13. Who implements domestic reform that has proven success at a state level
14. Who does not refer to himself in every speech
15. Who says we, us, our instead of I and me
16. Who can control the special interests in their party
17. Who has a cabinet of people with private sector and public sector experience

Please leave your comments......

The President Does Not See 9/11 as an Act of War

Attorney General Holder has announced that he intends to bring the 9/11 mastermind Khalid Sheikh Mohammed to trial in Federal Court in New York City.  AG Holder made this decision in part becasue he believes the 9/11 attacks were primarily against citizens, and therefore should be held in a federal court.

9/11 was an act of war by a non state actor, typically defined as terrorism.  The purpose of the attack was not to kill American citizens.  The attack was designed to weaken the United States ability to respond to the longer term efforts efforts by Osama bin Laden and Al-Qaeda to form a Caliphate in the Middle East.

Caliphate (from the Arabic خلافة or khilāfa) refers to the first form of government inspired by Islam. It was initially led by Muhammad's disciples as a continuation of the political authority the prophet established, known as the 'rashidun caliphates'. It represented the political unity of the Muslim Ummah, and was the world's first major welfare state.

Al-Qaeda and its affiliates are on a 50+ year journey, perhaps even longer if you follow Professor Bernard Lewis, to establish radical Islamic philosophy's into the world.  Their goal is to do this in the Middle East first, and then over decades (if not centuries) expand the reach of Islamic teachings and government through out the world.

Al-Qaeda believes that the West is weak.  They learned from Russia's invasion in Afghanistan, that a small force of warriors can take on a great army.  They believed that getting the United States to fight a battle in Afghanistan would result in a defeat of the Americans and power for Al-Qaeda.  Power that could be used for Osama bin Laden to drive the over throw of Saudi Arabia through Civil War.  Saudi Arabia is a teetering state.  The Royal family has been in power for too long.  Saudi Arabia is running out of oil.  My guess is that the secret Oil "Cheney meeting" in 2002 was really about Saudi's declining oil reserves, not some other collusion. Economic instability is a great basis for revolution.  Osama bin Laden sees Saudi as his target, not the United States.

Economic stability in the Middle East is a big concern.  The population in the Middle East is booming due significant reductions in infant mortality and elements of economic gain.  The problem however is there will be a lot of young adults in the 2018 time frame, without enough jobs.  So, if Saudi has less oil revenue and there are more young adults without jobs in 2018, the foundation of civil war in Saudi Arabia is set.

On 9/9/2001, Al-Qaeda killed the head of the Northern Alliance (Ahmad Shah Massoud ) in a decapitation maneuver.  Why would Al-Qaeda do this?  Because Al-Qaeda knew the United States would retaliate by invading Afghanistan.  A military strategy.  Killing Massoud would weaken a US counter attack.

Many have criticized the Bush Administration for not sending more troops and not being more aggressive in Afghanistan.  Beyond the fact that Afghanistan has never been effectively conquered (so why try), Al-Qaeda was positioning for a massive invasion of regular army troops from the US.  Instead, we attacked with Special Forces and other covert operations.  We attacked with these limited but highly effective forces to disrupt Al-Qaeda's strategy.

I personally believe that our invasion of Iraq was a counter maneuver to disrupt Al-Qaeda's further plan to cause revolution in Saudi Arabia, and Al-Qaeda's desire to begin the process of a Middle East revolution towards a Caliphate.  In the 2000-2002 time frame we moved military resources out of Saudi Arabia to Qatar.  Bringing down Iraq, eliminated Saddam Hussein as a resources for Al-Qaeda in a future step of the Caliphate strategy.  Near term it gives us a place to base forces to enter Saudi Arabia or any Gulf state that Al-Qaeda trys to drive to Civil war.  Iraq as a free state also opens up, over time, another mature oil economy in the Middle East that has an economic interest in stability.

Al-Qaeda, stalled in Afghanistan and blocked in Saudi Arabi due to Iraq, and the immense US force structure there, reset their strategy to weaken Pakistan and maybe get a Nuclear bomb.  It also gets them out of Afghanistan, which is a looser to begin with.

I am not sure what is going on with the current Afghanistan strategy.  It is unclear there is any reason to send troops there, other than its hard to let it fall into chaos.  It has little strategic benefit.  Obama was a fool to suggest it did.  Now he does not know how to unravel his position.

So, back to NYC.  The attack on 9/11 was a military strategy focused on weakening the United States.  Viewed over the arc of the last 8 years, it seems the strategy may be working.  Khalid Sheikh Mohammed is the key strategist is in that military attack.  For Holder to say 9/11 was primarily an attack on Citizens so KSM should be tried in a federal court, is to ignore:

• A frontal attack on the essence of our democracy
• 1000s of troops that have died
• Those that died in the pentagon
• The planned attack on the white house/congress
• The meaning of the Al-Qaeda threat in the long term

I guess we can try to hold a trial in Federal court for KSM.  Personally I think its stupid, difficult to pull off, and threatens key elements of secrecy.  In the broader sense, I can only hope Holder is doing this for some stupid political reason.  If he, and the administration, are doing this becasue they see 9/11 as a violation of federal law they are missing the bigger (very much bigger) picture.  Al-Qaeda, KSM, and the rest mean to limit the notion of democracy around the world.  They are making a direct attack on freedom and the stability of the Middle East.  Al-Qaeda made a military strike.  They did not break the law.  Holder and the President are acting either out of ignorance or political motivation.  Lets hope they understand the bigger picture because our democracy depends on it.

Jobs created or made up... Unprecedented level of transparency?

 
Stimulus job boost in state exaggerated, review finds
Errors, incomplete data, estimated positions go into federal report

FACT CHECK: Health insurers' profits 35th of 53

The Chicago rules say to pick on folks to win your points; (Alansky's Rules for Radicals)

RULE 12: Pick the target, freeze it, personalize it, and polarize it." Cut off the support network and isolate the target from sympathy. Go after people and not institutions; people hurt faster than institutions. (This is cruel, but very effective. Direct, personalized criticism and ridicule works.)

It seems, as highlighted by a recent article in AP, that the administration should have followed the "...not institutions..." part of the Alansky rule set.  Institutions have fact's that in the end come out.  Institutions at some point fight back.  The AP article goes on.....

In the health care debate, Democrats and their allies have gone after insurance companies as rapacious profiteers making "immoral" and "obscene" returns while "the bodies pile up."  But in pillorying insurers over profits, the critics are on shaky ground. Ledgers tell a different reality.  More.....

Captialism a Love Story

 

I don't need Michael Moore to tell me people are greedy. Capitalism is not greed. Greed is a lack of morals. Morals can't be regulated. Immoral behavior will always find the cracks in regulations, but moral people will not. "In Go...d we trust" and "Under god" are observations that our democracy works best if we come to the table equipped with a moral compass.