If true-----------this is deplorable-------we have not moved very far have we?

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/us-election/9506961/US-election-Republican-convention-guests-call-black-woman-an-animal.html

In my heart of hearts I hope this is NOT true.

Clint Eastwood and the Republicans---------OMG!

So here's another old white dude--------way past his prime--------trying to deliver a message that was humorous, and came off lookin' like one-a Jeff Dunham's dummies.  I mean, good grief, Achmed is more animated that Eastwood came off last night.  I'd have LOVED to see Chris Rock, Bill Cosby, Dick Gregory, or Steve Harvey pull off that routine.  THAT woulda been funny, not pathetic.

The worst part is that in the minds of those who wonder what the heck a Republican is-----the answer was clear.  Out of touch, out of step, out of solutions and------- in general-------- out to lunch.  The primary platform seems to be to just get Prez Obama outta the White House------they ain't got no plan to recover this country.  No plan to improve edumication, no plan to help the environment, no plan to balance the trade deficit, no plan to strengthen the dollar, no plan to improve international diplomatic relations, no jobs plan, no plan to rescue, and save Social Security, and Medicare, no workable, equitable tax plan, no plan to rennovate our dangerously unsafe infrastructure, no plan to make our food supply safer, both meat and produce.  They have no plan for even  minimal health care coverage.

Here is what we DO know about Republican thinking.  Repeal of the ACA, overturn R v W, tax workers while giving the richest a pass (including corporations), continue to pander to big Pharma and heck with Rx prices for the working person, do away with Planned Parenthood.  That would be just peachy since Repubs don't think insurance should pay for contraception. So where do women go for reproductive counseling and support? They also pander to big Insurance, big Banks by allowing them to levy the life out of our own money with ridiculous unjustified fees.

Clint Eastwood threw the drowning Republicans a giant anchor--------I mean hey--------There is no way the Democrats could have come up with such a destructive strategy to destroy a candidate.  The election will not be close, not by a long shot.

is it anger or racism

Some days the Repub's just can't win.

— Angry. On the campaign trail this summer, President Obama has become — in the words of the mainstream Associated Press — more “aggressive.” But don’t you dare call him “angry.” According to MSNBC host Touré, that’s racist!

“You notice he said ‘anger’ twice,” Touré fumed in response to a speech last week by GOP presidential candidate Mitt Romney. “He’s really trying to use racial coding and access some really deep stereotypes about the angry black man.” Or maybe Romney is just accurately describing the singular temperament of the growling, finger-jabbing, failure-plagued demagogue-in-chief. It’s about the past four years, not 400 years. Sheesh.

— Chicago. The Obamas and their core team of astroturfers, pay-for-play schemers, and powerbrokers hail from the Windy City. This is a simple geographic fact. But in progressive-of-pallor Chris Matthews’ world, it’s an insidious dog whistle. The frothing cable TV host attacked Republicans this week who had the gall to remind voters of the ruthless Chicago way.

“(They keep saying ‘Chicago,’ by the way. Have you noticed?” Matthews sputtered. “That sends that message: This guy’s helping the poor people in the bad neighborhoods and screwing us in the ‘burbs.”

Actually, it’s a pointed reminder that the radical redistribution politics of Chicago-on-the-Potomac have done little to alleviate the suffering of impoverished Americans in violence-plagued, job-hungry inner cities everywhere. Racist!

— Constitution. Fox News contributor Juan Williams, who proudly calls himself a “real reporter,” has apparently added real telepathist to his curriculum vitae. Earlier this year, he read the minds of Republicans and conservatives whom he accuses of deep-seated bigotry when they show any public reverence for our founding principles, documents, and leaders.

“The language of GOP racial politics is heavy on euphemisms that allow the speaker to deny any responsibility for the racial content of his message,” Williams wrote. “References to a lack of respect for the ‘Founding Fathers’ and the ‘Constitution’ also make certain ears perk up by demonizing anyone supposedly threatening core ‘old-fashioned American values.’”

http://michellemalkin.com/2012/08/31/the-condensed-liberal-handbook-of-racial-code-words/

Guess the president is exempt from the rules

The report cited multiple emails showing that agreements were negotiated behind closed doors with a small group of auto makers, in violation of the Administrative Procedures Act. The companies were pressured into agreeing to the new standard by the Environmental Protection Agency, which threatened to allow California to set its own mileage standards. Had the Golden State done so, auto makers would have had to make two sets of cars, one for California, and one for the other 49 states, or one set that was California-compliant.

The technology does not yet exist to make cars that get 54 miles to the gallon that are no smaller than today’s models. EPA estimated that the retooling to make lighter cars would cost $140 billion for model years 2017 to 2025, following a cost of $51 billion for model years 2012-2016.

Ron Bloom, White House Assistant to the President for Manufacturing Policy until his resignation in August 2011, told Toyota executives last summer, “Our technical folks think you can get there. It’s the best we can do.”

Prices of new cars will rise. The nonprofit, unaffiliated Center for Automotive Research anticipates an increase of $4,000 to $11,000 between 2008 and 2025. If that occurs, fewer motorists will buy new cars and employment in the auto industry will suffer. As for used cars, their prices will rise too, as new cars are avoided.

As EPA told a Mazda official in July 2011, as documented in the House Committee on Reform and Oversight report, the administration needed to do a final rule before the 2012 presidential elections because the president “wants to secure his legacy.”

Summary:
The administration negotiated it with a few companies in violation of the law.  The technology doesn't exist.   The consumers will buy fewer autos in the coming years.  Can you spell auto bail out again?  Political gain.

This administration has to go.
http://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=4066062120776667625#editor/target=post;postID=7543859397465304989

Thought's on the final night of GOP Convention?

First, the Liberal MSM couldn't figure out Clint Eastwood. One person saying he was strange and another saying it distracted from Mitt and another saying it was rambling. However, I think it was clever and provided a bit of comic relief. I think most of America easily understood what he was talking about. When the Dems have Muslim speakers, do you think Tom Brokaw will point out every few minutes that the speaker is a Muslim? Nah I didn't think so.

"Faded Obama poster on the wall"

Paul Ryan: ‘College Graduates Should Not Have to Live Out Their 20s in Their Childhood Bedrooms, Staring Up at Fading Obama Posters’

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YSwC0IurHnI

Mia Love

Who is Mia Love?

 “President Obama’s version of America is a divided one — pitting us against each other based on our income level, gender, and social status. His policies have failed! We are not better off than we were 4 years ago, and no rhetoric, bumper sticker, or campaign ad can change that.”

 Stan Thompson · Top Commenter · California State University, Fresno

How refreshing to see this beatiful young woman get up in front of millions and talk about personal responsiblity rather than victimization. Like the vast majority of conservatives, I don't care if a person is skybluepink as long as they aren't liberal. Like Brad Thor wrote in one of his books, "It's amazing how uncommon, common sense is"! That is a perfect description of a liberal. No common sense!

 

 Hilary Grant Weber · Subscribe · Frisco, Texas She was fantastic! She captured and articulated the point that we are the masters and creators of our destiny and fate.

 

 David Wilkozek · Top Commenter

The disgusting leftwingers defaced Mia love's Wikipedia page with racial slurs and insults.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EX8kI51WOp4

Mr. Obama today and maybe our next president too!

Calvin Coolidge once wrote that “it is a great advantage to a President, and a major source of safety to the country, for him to know that he is not a great man. When a man begins to feel that he is the only one who can lead in this republic, he is guilty of treason to the spirit of our institutions.”

Politicians think of themselves as being bigger and better than the rest of us. This mindset leads them to believe that they know better than we do how to run our lives.

The president and Congress have to decide for us what charities we should support with our money. They need to determine what health-insurance benefits we should buy. What kinds of light bulbs we buy to how our toilets flush, our political leaders are needed to design and micromanage our lives. They know what we should eat and what we should earn. They understand how much an airline should charge for baggage fees and know, down to the last decimal point, what the proper fee for processing a credit-card transaction is.

This is our country today, will it remain the same after Nov. 4th??

Did Ann Romney get the job done with her speech?

I like HER a lot, I admire and respect her, but she is not running for POTUS.  I am my husband's #1 fan too, but that does not mean that he can make me likable, or that I can make him UN-likable.

HE is running----------and I like Romney less for dragging his wife around the campaign stops.  I am sure she gets SOME rest, but with MS---------and cancer, a lot of rest and peace and quiet are absolutely essential.  She is a trooper and I wish her nothing but the best----------

The Republican National Convention Is On PBS Tonight

Are you going to watch it this early or wait for the heavy hitters later?

Random Thoughts of the Day

Cat One Hurricane in New Orleans? Sounds like a great excuse to PARTAY! See you at Pat O's Egypt allows Iranian warship through Suez despite U.S. objection... - NO RESPECT. We are giving Egypt Billions of dollars (plus another 5 Billion waiting approval) and Egypt thumbs their nose at us? Time to cut off their AID. Price Harry Sex Tape? Now there is video footage of the naked Prince being shopped around. If that cocktail waitress thinks she's going to be the next Kim K. Forgetaboudit. Charlie Crist to have prominent role in DNC convention? Thanks Charlie! You just handed Florida to the GOP. GM suspends Chevy Volt production for a month. How long would it be if the US Government wasn't forcing it's people to buy Volts? Vanderbilt versus South Carolina starts college football THURSDAY night. Vandy wins by a point!

Today's news from Florida.

Meanwhile in Tampa.  Tropical storm Isaac just dropped some rain as it passed.  Even so, the RNC was postponed 1 day. Tomorrow will be the opening day with a shortened schedule. Rick Scott was smart to cancel his speech so he could take care of business, with a hurricane possible for Florida. One protester was arrested today for refusing to take off a Guy Faulks mask he was wearing. My son's model airplane club was informed that no radio controlled airplanes would be allowed within 50 miles of the convention. No cruise ships are being allowed to enter or leave the Port of Tampa, so Carnival is busing their passengers to Port Canaveral. That's today's big news from Tampa Bay.

Fake Republican women for Obama Ad

More sleaze ball antics. Obama campaign recruits registered Democrats to say they are Republicans and for the first time ever they are voting for Obama. Scum. http://www.powerlineblog.com/archives/2012/08/republican-women-for-obama.php

2016 The Movie

I've spoken to two people who have viewed the movie. Does anyone have any plans to see it? Does anyone on the left care that Obama was deliberately trained at every stage of his life?

Does anyone think this movie will have any impact in November?

1773-2009 Mr. Obama, it's not working. You didn't build anything.

Greece going down the crapper again

This time the EU is getting tired of it. How many billions more will they throw down the hole? one more time at least I'M guessing. http://www.boston.com/news/world/europe/2012/08/26/report-germany-seeks-european-integration-pact/FcUOK0FR3XWHCUpMq4oBML/story.html

The Boxer

Paul Simon is no stranger to writing masterpiece songs.  The Boxer is no exception.  There are a couple of verses that I think fit the recent spirit:

I am just a poor boy, though my story's seldom told 
I have squandered my resistance for a pocketful of mumbles, such are promises 
All lies and jest, still a man hears what he wants to hear 
And disregards the rest (hmmmm....mmmm......) 

and

Now the years are rolling by me, they are rockin' even me 
I am older than I once was, and younger than I'll be, that's not unusual 
No it isn't strange, after changes upon changes, we are more or less the same 
After changes we are more or less the same ... 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y-YgA4WSWUA&noredirect=1

Pathetic

It is amazing that so many here are sing songs and holding hand while wishing for peace at the same time Americans are being arrested for speaking out. I am talking about Brandon J. Raub, a 26-year-old former U.S. Marine, and Virginia resident who was ILLEGALLY arrested and stuck in a mental hospital BY OUR GOVERNMENT. Did you hear about it in the mainstream media – no not really as it was radio and many groups like John Birch and FB who got the word out. But according to many of you here this “fear mongering” is so unjustified. Anger is illogical? Gee what PAC do we balm for this? You are so dam pathetic such as waste of time air and space….

Empire State Shooting - Police shoot 9 innocents

9 bystanders shot. How many were shot by the gunman? ZERO. He didn't fire a single round outside. All 9 civilians were shot by the police. http://www.cnn.com/2012/08/24/justice/new-york-empire-state/index.html?hpt=hp_t1

Hello Friends And Neighbors

Our country has always had some ideological differences which can divide us on many lines.  Some issues simmering under the surface can erupt into violence if allowed to get out of control.  There may be some truths in a lot of the things that divide us, but most of the time the main force driving them is emotional responses to fear mongering.  It seems that we are being fed class warfare fear mongering themes and these ideas take root easier when the economy is doing poorly.  I really hope that something happens soon to ease some of the pain in the working class budgets.  I have never felt this level of anger in our society before.

Fox news outs Navy Seal, including home town

Just about the scummiest thing they've ever done. WHY? http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/08/23/fox-news-navy-seal-bin-laden_n_1825146.html

The Most Important Chart In TheWorld

The Most Important Chart in the World
Back in my Bernstein days, I never really took a large amount of presentation materials to most of my meetings.  However, there was one chart that I always printed out and brought with me and I called it “The Most Important Chart in the World.”  It still is.  The chart I am referring to is the ratio of the Dow Jones Industrial Average: The Gold Price.  In a nutshell, charting this ratio demonstrates the “real” return on stocks adjusted for inflation or currency debasement.  As we all know, the Zimbabwe stock market essentially went up to infinity during their hyperinflation but did anyone get rich from that?  Of course not, the shares were denominated in a currency that was on its way to worthlessness.  At the moment, with many U.S. stock indices hitting new post-2008 highs there seems to be a general view that stocks as an asset class will do well in an inflationary environment.  As a result, whenever there is actually QE or even the mention of the potential resumption of Fed balance sheet expansion there is a rally in equity prices.  In fact, I think the entire investor class in the U.S. has been lulled into a sense of sleep and complacency at the moment.  There are two things I want to point out to people when they are considering whether to increase exposure to equities broadly or not.

A Lightning War for Liberty

The first panacea for a mismanaged nation is inflation of the currency; the second is war. Both bring a temporary prosperity; both bring a permanent ruin. But both are the refuge of political and economic opportunists. – Ernest Hemingway

http://libertyblitzkrieg.com/2012/08/23/the-most-important-chart-in-the-world/spx70s/



1.  Allocation of Portfolios from the BRICS and Europe:  When you look at how well U.S. Treasuries and German Bunds have done this year, it becomes pretty clear that investors have shifted massive amounts of bond capital away from the formerly high growing areas of the world (that are now in serious collapse) into those nations perceived as “safe havens.”  While Germany doesn’t have its own currency, the U.S. obviously does and given concerns surrounding a Euro breakup and the extreme difficulties in the Chinese and Indian economies, many investors have decided the dollar is the best house in a bad neighborhood, at least temporarily.  This has led to a flight to U.S. equities generally, but also specifically into large cap U.S. centric names with dividends.  This is THE crowded trade of 2012 and three prime examples are Wal-Mart (WMT, +22% YTD), Target (TGT, +26% YTD), and Home Depot (HD, +36% YTD).  If you ask me, this trade is extremely long in the tooth.
2.  Strong Performance Concentrated in a Few Stocks:  I have hit on this theme many times before, but the key point is that if you weren’t in the right names this year there is a good chance you have underperformed the market significantly.  While you can say that this is normally the case, this year has been far more extreme as is evidenced by reports of horrible hedge fund performance this year relative to the benchmarks.  Apple (AAPL), of course, is the prime example.  This giant now sports a market cap of $623 billion and is up 65% YTD.

ObamaCare

This was a con job from the beginning. Not only is it going to cost Americans more money. The number of uninsured will ultimately be as high or higher than it is now. Mostly in the Middle class. To top it all off, our treatment quality will decline significantly - Livestrongest ---------- Under Obamacare, it’s presumed that government officials are better qualified to make these decisions, and it’s a safe bet that they will be instructed to weigh each patient’s anticipated future contributions to society against the long-term costs of keeping that patient alive. President Obama made it clear that this is exactly where we are headed when he said, “Maybe you are better off not having the surgery, but taking the painkiller.” He was doubtlessly thinking ahead to a time when the cost to government will take precedence over what’s best for the individual. Government-run health care is the most cold-hearted health care. For example, the U.K.’s National Health Service denies kidney dialysis to patients over the age of 55 just to save money. Read more: http://dailycaller.com/2012/08/23/obamacare-and-the-vanishing-medical-miracle/#ixzz24P2HhZNv

Who is supposed to benefit from this program anyway?

Wells Fargo has our mortgage and I called about this program. I was told that even if we were underwater (which we are) that asking for a refinance at a lower rate is like , "asking a car dealer to refinance a car at a lower rate). Ok, so this whole program is a sham, to hear it from a Wells Fargo officer. He talked down to me and that is not easy to do.


http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2011-10-24/regulators-to-announce-expanded-mortgage-refinance-plan-today.html

Government agents moving out of airports and into the streets

For some time we have been warning that the TSA is systematically moving beyond the nation’s airports and conducting operations on the streets of America. The latest example of this kind of activity occurred at an event organized by Mitt Romney’s GOP running mate Paul Ryan this past weekend in The Villages, Florida. The Shark Tank blog reports that TSA officers showed up alongside Secret Service and the local Sumter County Sheriff’s Office, and proceeded to do what they do like no one else does. “A big WTF is in order here.” the blog notes, adding “We heard that the TSA was going to expand its ummm, ‘reach,’ but to assist in political campaigns is quite the jump in broadening their ‘transportation security horizons.’” “I counted no less than (6) TSA agents alongside the usual uniformed Secret Service detail-not to be confused with the ‘Men In Black’ looking agents.” blogger Javier Manjarres notes, with a picture of the agents in action (below). As we have previously documented, airport security style checkpoints and inspection procedures are already in place at bus terminals , train stations , and are rapidly being expanded to the streets of America. Agents have even been spotted roaming around at public events such as sports games and music concerts, and even at high school proms. The TSA even moved beyond its own borders this summer as agents were dispatched to airports in London for the Olympic Games. The TSA has also announced its intention to expand the VIPR program to include roadside inspections of commercial vehicles, setting up a network of internal checkpoints and rolling out security procedures already active in airports, bus terminals and subway stations to roads and highways across the United States. These internal checkpoints, run by Homeland Security, the Department of Transportation, and the TSA, involve trucks being scanned with backscatter x-ray devices in the name of “safety” and “counter terrorism”. Homeland Security is also developing technology to be used at “security events” which purports to monitor “malintent” on behalf of an individual who passes through a checkpoint. Since its inception in the US after 9/11, the TSA has grown in size exponentially. The agency was slammed in a recent congressional report for wasting hundreds of millions of taxpayer dollars on security theatre. If people think they can avoid the TSA by staying away from airports, they’re going to be in for a rude awakening. TSA is clearly engaged in a total takeover of society and plans to have its agents searching, patting down, scanning and harassing Americans at all levels of society, not just at transport hubs but at public events, in the street and on highways and roads across the country. The implementation of ‘Checkpoint USA’, where citizens are routinely stopped, searched and radiated by federal VIPER teams is further evidence of how America is crumbling into a Soviet-style police state where the presumption of innocent until proven guilty is abolished and the 4th amendment eviscerated. http://www.infowars.com/tsa-rifles-through-bags-conducts-pat-downs-at-paul-ryan-event/

U.S. weekly jobless claims up

Applications for U.S. jobless benefits rose by 4,000 to a seasonally adjusted 372,000 in the week ended Aug. 18, the Labor Department said Thursday. Economists surveyed by MarketWatch had projected claims would rise to 369,000. Initial claims from two weeks ago were revised up to 368,000 from an original reading of 366,000, based on more complete data collected at the state level. The average of new claims over the past month, meanwhile, climbed by 3,750 to 368,000. The four-week average reduces seasonal volatility in the weekly data and is seen as a more accurate barometer of labor-market trends. Also, Labor said continuing claims increased by 4,000 to a seasonally adjusted 3.32 million in the week ended Aug. 11. Continuing claims reflect the number of people already receiving benefits. About 5.59 million people received some kind of state or federal benefit in the week ended Aug. 4, down 109,812 from the prior week. Total claims are reported with a two-week lag.

Top 10 U.S. States Plagued by Exotic Diseases

Political correctness can be deadly. Especially when it comes to Third World diseases slipping through and around America’s borders. And even more worrisome given the political bottlenecks that prevent new and effective antibiotics from entering the market. A number of diseases once thought to be unknown or eradicated in the U.S. are becoming prevalent again. I’m talking about rare and deadly diseases like tuberculosis, malaria, and leprosy. We’re also beginning to see outbreaks of diseases common in Third World countries, but never before seen here – diseases like West Nile Virus and Dengue Fever. Third World Diseases Making Comeback in America Often it’s illegal immigrants who bring these diseases into the country. Illegal immigrants obviously don’t undergo an initial health screening required of permanent residents who are entering the country legally. In fact, many cross the border because they are ill, so they can latch onto free healthcare services. Once here, illegal immigrants may pass on these deadly diseases to people they work with, healthcare workers, and lawful citizens. Currently, many of these diseases are most prevalent in the states along the border with Mexico. For example, in El Paso, tuberculosis cases are twice as high as the national average. You may think if you don’t live near the border that you don’t have to worry about rare or exotic disease outbreaks, but you might be surprised to read some of the states that top the list for exotic disease. Identified: Ten States with Unusual Outbreaks Don’t wait around for these states’ Chambers of Commerce to give you this heads up. Here is a list of ten states that have experienced at least one outbreak of a rare or exotic disease. The list includes the five most populous states in the nation and accounts for better than 42% of the U.S. population. Arizona: No surprise here. Despite Arizona’s efforts to crack down on illegal border crossings, there’s still a steady influx of undocumented immigrants in this state. West Nile Virus entered the United States in 1999 and quickly spread across the nation. In recent years, Arizona has been hard hit with a virulent strain of this once-exotic-but-now-commonplace virus, and patients have been affected with seizures and nerve damage in some cases. Arizona citizens will pay a high cost in personal health consequences for the federal government’s hostile and aggressive opposition to the state’s commonsense attempts to curb illegal immigration. California: It’s also no surprise that California is home to exotic diseases, but even I didn’t realize that typhoid was making a comeback. In 2009, an outbreak of typhoid fever affected 90 Californians. And, they weren’t the only ones… there were 400 cases reported during the year nationwide. Historically, tens of thousands of Americans have died of typhoid fever, including some 81,000 Union soldiers and two First Ladies, Abigail Adams and Mary Todd Lincoln. The truly scary part is that typhoid has repeatedly evolved to become resistant to more and more antibiotics. There’s no reason to believe that this evolution will not continue, enabling typhoid to reassert its historic role as a major public health threat. Globally, the disease still kills over 200,000 people annually. Colorado: In Colorado, people are at a higher risk of contracting hantavirus than in other states. Hantavirus can lead to a deadly respiratory infection. It’s spread through rodent waste. Most people get it by drinking from contaminated containers or by inhaling dust in buildings with rodent infestations. Sponsored Message Independent Living Nasty Superbugs on the Loose – Strengthen Your Immune System Now! There are so many smart and inexpensive ways to improve your health and immune system using supplements and natural remedies. Our Ultimate Immune Boosting Manual tells you everything you need to know to get started. Access it here. Delaware: Delaware tops the list for Lyme Disease cases, but you may come in contact with infected ticks throughout New England, down through Maryland and as far west as Minnesota. Florida: In 2010, more than 66 cases of Dengue fever were reported in the Sunshine State. Dengue is transmitted by mosquitoes and until very recently was found most often in more tropical regions like India and the South Pacific. Illinois: Certain insects typically found in South and Central America transmit Chagas disease. It infects you with a parasite that attacks your organs. It’s difficult to diagnose because many of the symptoms mimic heart disease, and because most U.S. doctors have never seen it. Several confirmed cases of Chagas disease have been diagnosed in Illinois as well as California, Texas, Florida, New York, and many other states. New Mexico: If you thought the plague was a disease of bygone days, think again. While the U.S. only sees a handful of Bubonic Plague cases a year, it is still around… and more often than not, it’s in New Mexico. In 2009, 75% of all reported cases were there. New York: When was the last time you heard of someone having the measles? How about mumps? Both diseases are on the rise in New York. Oklahoma: You may have thought that Rocky Mountain spotted fever was a thing of the past – a disease you hear about in old Western movies. But, nearly 2000 people contract this bacterial infection every year. A third of the cases happen in Oklahoma, making it the biggest hot spot for this disease of yore. Texas: Last, but not least… another border state. In Texas, approximately 150 new cases of leprosy – yes, leprosy – are diagnosed each year. Travelers and illegal immigrants bring in some cases, but in Texas the armadillos also carry the bacteria that triggers the disease. So, if you ever go to Texas, don’t wrestle the wildlife! Keeping Safe from Exotic Diseases Statistically speaking, the chances of you ever contracting one of these rare or exotic diseases are slim. But, statistics provide cold comfort when you end up being among the unlucky few. Unfortunately, the chance that you will come in contact with one of these exotic diseases is trending upward. First, let me just say that I’m not suggesting you flee your home state because a handful of people have come down with a strange ailment. But, knowing the risks is important. And, knowing what you can do to protect yourself is even more important. When It Comes to Rare Diseases, Prevention Is Your Best Defense In most cases, using insect repellent and practicing good hygiene habits will keep you safe. In areas where West Nile Virus is prevalent, for example, it’s prudent to wear bug spray and to keep your window and door screens in good repair. If you live in Colorado, give a little extra attention to how thoroughly you wash your hands and your dishes, especially if you hear reports that the rodent population is high. To avoid infectious diseases like tuberculosis, try to avoid places where you’re likely to come in contact with those carrying the disease. Public transportation, crowded shopping centers, and hospital emergency rooms are all good places to steer clear of if at all possible. If you must venture out among the crowds, remember to wash you hands before you eat next and don’t touch your nose or mouth with your hands. By all means take advantage of the hand-washing stations (using gel or pre-moistened towelettes) now posted at the entrances to most major retail centers. Wipe down not only your hands, but the handle of the shopping cart you are using. Finally, if you do come down with odd symptoms that don’t go away after 72 hours, check in with your doctor. Again, though, visit your regular doctor or an urgent care center. Try to avoid hospital emergency rooms if you can. Yes, we live in interesting times. The resurgence of many diseases we thought were a thing of the past is just one symptom of the disturbing trends we’re seeing in many different sectors of society, and it serves as one more reminder that it pays to be ready for anything. Yours in Savvy Preparation, Lee Bellinger, Publisher Independent Living P.S. – America is facing a growing health crisis involving dozens of truly nasty diseases that had long since been eradicated in the U.S. It’s not PC to talk about this, but I am getting extremely concerned. Learn more here. http://www.independentlivingnews.com/2012/08/12/top-10-u-s-states-infested-by-third-world-diseases/

California Farm Labor Shortage

California Farm Labor Shortage 'Worst It's Been, Ever' There's a different sort of drought plaguing California, the nation's largest farm state. It's $38 billion agricultural sector is facing a scarcity of labor. Migrant workers weed lettuce seed plants at an organic produce farm near Fresno, California. "This year is the worst it's been, ever," said Craig Underwood, who farms everything from strawberries to lemons to peppers, carrots, and turnips in Ventura County. Some crops aren't get picked this season due to a lack of workers. "We just left them in the field," he said. The Western Growers Association told CNBC its members are reporting a 20 percent drop in laborers this year. Stronger border controls are keeping workers from crossing into the U.S. illegally, and the current guest worker program is not providing enough bodies. (Related: Massive US Drought Leads to Worst Fears for Corn Crop.) "We have 100 fewer people this year," said Sergio Diaz, who provides workers under contract for growers. "We're having difficulty finding people to do this work." The lack of workers is forcing farmers to pay more. In one of Underwood's fields, pickers are harvesting peppers for $9.25 a hour, or $5 a bucket, whichever is more. Craig Underwood said his workforce is aging and starting to retire, and no one is coming in to replace them. When asked if any local residents have come out to apply to work in the fields, Craig Underwood replied, "None. Absolutely none." He is even having trouble finding truck drivers and other semi-skilled labor for jobs that pay $12-$18 an hour. "The downturn should be helping us," Underwood said.

Where did Hollywood go wrong?

The recent Layoffs at the Tonight Show with Joy Leno got me to thinking. I used to be a huge fan of late night tv. I even appreciated their political humor even when(most of the time) it was directed at the Republican party. But somewhere along the line, it turned from comedy to a political agenda. (I'm going to ignore the MSM for now because I think we all pretty much agree what's going on there and the source of their low numbers) Comedy routines turned in to vindictive snarky little skits and monologues. Maybe funny to those sitting in a coffee cafe in a major coastal city in a faux intellect way, but out of touch with many other parts of America. The activism has gone way past late night television and in to the Hollywood establishment. I will never watch a Sean Penn movie again, ditto Morgan Freeman and many others. Hollywood wonders why its revenue numbers are down. The numbers should be up HUGE in a time of recession. With people staying home and not going on vacation or expensive ball parks etc. A ten dollar ticket is cheap entertainment for the afternoon. But middle America is boycotting actors. Middle America is boycotting gratuitous sex and violence. Middle America's values don't match Hollywood's values. The liberal elite will snicker over their latte's at how backward and unsophisticated American's are in the "red states". Meanwhile, entities offering wholesome entertainment are thriving. It's a silent majority. Yes they are out there. Regardless of your position on gay rights, you have to be impressed with the turnout at Chik-fil-A. Hollywood caters to mankinds primal instincts. Glutony, Sex, Greed. If Hollywood practiced what it preached, there would be no starving artists living in their cars.

Berkshire Hathaway terminated a large wager on the municipal-bond market five years early,

In a quarterly regulatory disclosure filed this month, the Warren Buffett-owned company terminated credit-default swaps insuring $8.25 billion of municipal debt. The paper said the early termination is deepening questions among some investors about the risks of buying debt issued by cities, states and other public entities. --------------------------------------------------------------------- This is worrying because Buffet has been on the inside track with Obama and company. What does he know that the financial markets don't know?

Say Good Bye to one of the Senate seats that the GOP was going to win.

Dem Senator Claire McCaskill was losing to Rep Todd Akin. Then Akin pulled a Biden with extremely poor choice of words. But unlike Biden, he doesn't have a sympathetic press. Akin Says He Has No Plans to Quit Missouri Senate Race Rep. Todd Akin says he has no plans to withdraw as Missouri’s Republican candidate for Senate after drawing national criticism for his comments on rape and pregnancy. In his first interview since telling St. Louis Fox affiliate KTVI that “legitimate rape” typically does not result in pregnancy, Akin appeared on Mike Huckabee’s syndicated radio show and apologized for the comments. “I’ve really made a couple of serious mistakes here that were just wrong, and I need to apologize for those,” Akin said. “Let me be clear: Rape is never legitimate. It’s an evil act that’s committed by violent predators. I used the wrong words in the wrong way. What I said was ill conceived, and it was wrong, and for that I apologize.” Republican Sens. Scott Brown of Massachusetts and Rob Johnson of Wisconsin have called on Akin to drop out of Missouri’s Senate race, and National Republican Senatorial Committee Chairman John Cornyn hinted at the same, issuing a prepared statement urging Akin to “carefully consider what is best for him, his family, the Republican Party, and the values that he cares about and has fought for throughout his career in public service.” Nevertheless, Akin said he has no plans to withdraw. “I don’t know that I’m the only person in public office who’s suffered from foot-in-mouth disease here, and this was a very, very serious error. On the other hand, there are so many good people in Missouri who nominated me, and they understood my heart,” Akin said.

California doesn't exist, It's 2 states

California Doesn't Exist—It's Now Two States

By VICTOR DAVIS HANSON

 Posted 08/17/2012 06:29 PM ET

Driving across California is like going from Mississippi to Massachusetts without crossing a state line. Consider the disconnects:
• California's combined income and sales taxes are among the nation's highest, but the state's deficit is still about $16 billion.
• It's estimated that more than 2,000 upper-income Californians are leaving per week to flee high taxes and costly regulations, yet California wants to raise taxes even higher.
• Its business climate already ranks near the bottom of most surveys. Its teachers are among the highest paid on average in the nation, but its public school students consistently test near the bottom in math and science.
• Public employees enjoy some of the nation's most generous compensation, but state retirement systems are underfunded by about $300 billion.
• The state's gas taxes — at over 49 cents per gallon — are among the highest in the nation, but its once-unmatched freeways, like the 101 and 99, for long stretches have degenerated into potholed, clogged nightmares.
• The state wishes to borrow billions of dollars to develop high-speed rail, beginning with a little-traveled link between Fresno and Corcoran — a corridor already served by money-losing Amtrak. Apparently, coastal residents like the idea of European high-speed rail — as long as construction doesn't begin in their backyards.
• As gas prices soar, California chooses not to tap millions of barrels of oil and even more natural gas offshore and below ground.
• Home to bankrupt green companies like Solyndra, California has mandated a third of all energy provided by state utilities soon must come from renewable energy sources — largely wind and solar, which now provide about 11% of its electricity and almost none of its transportation fuel.
How to explain the seemingly inexplicable? There is no California. It is a misnomer. There is no such state. Instead there are two radically different cultures and landscapes with little in common, each equally dysfunctional in quite different ways. Apart they are unworldly, together a disaster.
A postmodern coastal corridor runs from San Diego to Berkeley, where the weather is ideal, the gentrified affluent make good money, and values are green and left-wing. This Shangri-La is juxtaposed to a vast impoverished interior, from the southern desert to the northern Central Valley, where life's becoming pre-modern.
Near the coast, blue-chip universities like Cal Tech, Berkeley, Stanford and UCLA in pastoral landscapes train the world's doctors, lawyers, engineers and businesspeople. In the hot interior of blue-collar Sacramento, Turlock, Fresno and Bakersfield, over half the incoming freshman in the California State University system must take remedial math and science.

In postmodern Palo Alto or Santa Monica, a small cottage costs more than $1 million. Two hours from the Bay Area, in pre-modern and now-bankrupt Stockton, a bungalow the same size goes for less than $100,000.
In the interior, joblessness in many areas peaks at over 15%. The theft of copper wire is reaching epidemic proportions. Thousands of the shrinking middle class flee the interior for the coast or nearby no-income-tax states.
To fathom the state's nearly unbelievable statistics, visit the state's hinterlands. As the state population grew by 10 million from the mid-1980s to 2005, its number of Medicaid recipients increased by 7 million. One-third of the nation's welfare recipients now reside in California.
But in the Never-Never Land of Apple, Facebook, Google, Hollywood and the wine country, millions live in an idyllic paradise.
Coastal Californians can afford to worry about the state's trivia — as their legislators seek to outlaw foie gras, shut down irrigation projects to save the 3-inch delta smelt and allow children to have legally recognized multiple parents.
But in the less feel-good interior, crippling regulations curb timber, gas and oil, and farm production. For the most part, the rules are mandated by coastal utopians who have little idea where the gas for their imported cars comes from, or how the redwood is cut for their decks, or who grows the ingredients for their Mediterranean lunches of arugula, olive oil and pasta.
On the coast, it's politically incorrect to talk of illegal immigration.
In the interior, residents see first-hand the bankrupting effects on schools, courts and health care when millions arrive illegally without English-language fluency or a high school diploma — and send back billions of dollars to Mexico and other Latin American countries.
The drive from Fresno to Palo Alto takes three hours, but you might as well be rocketing from Earth to the moon.

So much for the Golden State.

Do we need ID to vote?

 Becker said no one's name will be deleted automatically.  Officials are required by law to try to contact the voter first.  Wonder how they contact dead people to purge them???

 

Study: 1.8 Million Dead People Still Registered To Vote

by Pam Fessler

 

February 14, 2012

Democrats and Republicans don't agree on much. But they do agree that voter registration lists across the country are a mess.
A new report by the Pew Center on the States finds that more than 1.8 million dead people are currently registered to vote. And 24 million registrations are either invalid or inaccurate.
There's little evidence that this has led to widespread voter fraud, but it has raised concerns that the system is vulnerable.
Election officials say one problem is that Americans move around a lot. And when they do, they seldom alert the local election office that they've left.
Ben Skupien, a registered voter who now lives in Northern Virginia, is pretty typical. He has moved repeatedly over the years and says he's probably registered to vote in about a half-dozen states.
"The assumption, I would think, is that they would do the courtesy of letting the other states know that if you're registered with a new state, [the old registration] would no longer apply," said Skupien.
In fact, states seldom share such information. The Pew study found that almost 3 million people are registered to vote in more than one state.
Voters also die, which leads to another problem, says Linda Lamone, who runs Maryland's elections.
"If a John Smith lives in Maryland and goes to another state, say on vacation, and dies," Lamone said, "the law of the state where John Smith dies dictates whether or not the Maryland vital statistics people can share that information with me."
And even when they do — or if a person dies in-state — there's often a delay before election officials are alerted. It's also not always clear that the individual on the death certificate is the same one who's registered to vote. Election officials still have to do a lot more digging to avoid accidentally taking someone off the rolls who is very much alive.

New Survey On Voter Registration

Source: Pew Center for the States

Washington Secretary of State Sam Reed says it's amazing how many times his state has come across names on the voter rolls that appear to be the same person, but turn out not to be.
"We've even had cases, in very small counties, people [with the] same name and same birth dates," added Reed.
He said that has led to inaccurate reports that "dead" people are voting. He admits there have been a few cases in his state where widows or widowers have cast ballots for former spouses, but he said such fraud is very rare.
Still, election officials say it's important that the public have confidence in the system.
So Washington and seven other states — Oregon, Colorado, Delaware, Maryland, Virginia, Utah and Nevada — are joining a pilot program to share more voter information and other databases, to try to make their lists more accurate.
David Becker, director of election initiatives at Pew, which organized the project, said he hopes to have the program implemented in time for November's general election.
"What this system will do is it will take in data from the states who choose to participate, specifically motor vehicles data and voter registration data, and it will be matched, along with some data that many states use already, like national change of address data from the Postal Service," said Becker.
The data will be matched with other government databases as well, such as death records from the Social Security Administration.
Becker thinks that should help states weed out duplicates and mistakes more quickly and accurately. He said the program will also allow states to identify some of the more than 50 million Americans who are eligible to vote but aren't registered.
Election officials can then contact them and encourage them to sign up.
It all sounds great to Lillie Coney of the Electronic Privacy Information Center, a research group in Washington, D.C. But she and other privacy advocates say they'll be watching closely to make sure all this new data-sharing actually leads to more accurate voter rolls.
"We do know that there are a lot of people who want to believe that that in fact will be the case, but we want to see the numbers," said Coney.
Coney recalled another data-matching program in Florida where legitimate voters were confused with convicted felons and mistakenly removed from the rolls.
Becker said no one's name will be deleted automatically. Officials are required by law to try to contact the voter first.

Social Security is ALREADY a voucher program

When someone gets a SS check there is a huge deduction for Medicare and in order to be properly covered an individual has to have a Medicare supplement plan.

My question is this------------As high as the Medicare SS deduction is (on a % basis), and given that a senior will pay at LEAST $550 for a Medicare premium, and at LEAST $150-$350 for the supplement insurance plan the minimum they can get by with is $700 a month in total.

There is NO WAY for one to buy adequate insurance for $700 a month--------so the rest is covered by the government---------isn't that already a voucher system?

Former Marine Arrested By FBI For Patriotic Facebook Posts

Cat parasite worms into humans' brains can drive victims to suicide

A parasite found in cats is tampering with people's brains and driving them to suicide, research suggests.

Scientists have shown that men and women infected with a bug that breeds in cats' stomachs and worms into people's brains are seven times more likely to attempt suicide than others.

They say that Toxoplasma gondii may tinker with the delicate chemistry of the brain and screening people for it could help identify those at risk of taking their own lives.

A parasite found in cats is tampering with people's brains and driving them to suicide, research suggests

The parasite, which is carried by many Britons, has a complicated life cycle but can only breed inside cats. The microscopic eggs are passed on in cat faeces, spreading the infection.

Pregnant women are advised not to empty cat litter trays because the parasite can be fatal to unborn babies. The bug can also be picked up from contaminated food.

 

More...

• Meet the 'cave robber' - an entirely new family of spider discovered by amateur naturalists in an Oregon cave
• Perpetually 29? How a brain scan can reveal if you are lying about your age

Around a third of people worldwide carry the parasite, with most catching it by consuming undercooked meat, especially lamb, pork and venison or by ingesting water, soil or anything contaminated by cat faeces.

Scientists looked for evidence of the infection in the blood of 84 men and women, more than half of whom had tried to commit suicide.

The Toxoplasma gondii parasite is only able to reproduce in a cat's gut

Dr Lena Brundin, of Michigan State University, said: 'We found that if you are positive for the parasite, you are seven times more likely to commit suicide.'

She said that the parasite, which has previously been linked to brain cancer, schizophrenia and personality disorders, may inflame the brain or tamper with its chemistry, including levels of the 'feel-good' chemical dopamine.

Those behind the latest study stressed that not everyone who is infected will be suicidal. However, they said if the link is confirmed, screening for the bug could make it easier to determine which mental health patients are at the greatest risk of attempting suicide.

Knowing more about the biology that precedes suicide could also lead to the creation of better anti-depressants.

Dr Brundin said: 'It means we can develop new treatments to prevent suicides and patients can feel hope that maybe we can help them.'

Muslim Brotherhood Crucifies Opponents

Egyptian President Mohamed Morsi (right) during a swearing in of cabinet members. Photo: LA Times.

Last week in Egypt, when Muslim Brotherhood supporters terrorized the secular media, several Arabic websites—including Arab News, Al Khabar News, Dostor Watany, and Egypt Now—reported that people were being “crucified.” The relevant excerpt follows in translation:

A Sky News Arabic correspondent in Cairo confirmed that protestors belonging to the Muslim Brotherhood crucified those opposing Egyptian President Muhammad Morsi naked on trees in front of the presidential palace while abusing others. Likewise, Muslim Brotherhood supporters locked the doors of the media production facilities of 6-October [a major media region in Cairo], where they proceeded to attack several popular journalists.

That there were attacks and violence—both in front of Egypt’s presidential palace and at major media facilities, is well-documented. An August 9 report by El Balad, a widely read Egyptian website, gives the details:

Last Wednesday, August 8, “thousands of the Muslim Brotherhood’s supporters” attacked 6-October’s media facilities, beat Khaled Salah—chief editor of the privately-owned and secular Youm 7 newspaper—prevented Yusif al-Hassani, an On TV broadcaster, from entering the building, and generally “terrorized the employees.”

El Balad adds that the supporters of Tawfik Okasha, another vocal critic of President Morsi—the one who widely disseminated the graphic video of a Muslim apostate being slaughtered to cries of “Allahu Akbar”—gathered around the presidential palace, only to be surrounded by Brotherhood supporters, who “attacked them with sticks, knives, and Molotov cocktails, crucifying some of them on trees, leading to the deaths of two and the wounding of dozens.”

Far from condemning these terrorists, Al Azhar, Egypt’s most authoritative Islamic institution, has just issued a fatwa calling for more violence and oppression, saying that “fighting participants in anti-Muslim Brotherhood demonstrations planned for 24 August is a religious obligation.”

Most of the aforementioned Arabic sites point out that these attacks are part of the Muslim Brotherhood’s campaign to intimidate and thus censor Egypt’s secular media from exposing the group’s Islamist agenda, which Youm 7, On TV, and Okasha do daily. [Note: the latter's channel was recently shut down, despite Morsi's previous reassurances that "no station or media will be shut down in my era."]

These threats are not new; back in April, an organization called the “Jihad Group to Cleanse the Country” threatened these media with “painful and severe punishments.” Apparently now that Morsi has become master of Egypt, threats are becoming reality, just as promises are being broken.

And the threats are taking their toll. Sky News, which was first to report about the crucifixions, has taken down its original article (though the URL still appears in the address box with the Arabic words “protesters-crucified-in front of-egypt’s-presidential-palace”).

While one may argue that Sky News removed the article because it was found false, one can equally argue that it censored itself for fear that it would be next in the terror campaign against the media.

In reality, there is little reason to doubt this crucifixion story. Militant Muslims crucifying their opponents is a regular feature of the Islamic world—recent cases coming from the Ivory Coast, where two Christian brothers were crucified, similarly by supporters of a Muslim president who ousted a Christian; Indonesia, where Islamic separatists crucified a fellow Muslim for being a military informant; and in Iraq, where Muslim militants crucified Christian children.

Moreover, those alleged to have been crucified in Egypt certainly fit the Koran’s description of who deserves to be crucified. According to Allah, “The punishment of those who wage war against Allah and His messenger and strive to make mischief in the land is only this: that they should be murdered or crucified or their hands and their feet should be cut off…” (Koran 5:33).

“Making mischief in the land” is precisely what the secular media is being accused of, by constantly exposing the Muslim Brotherhood and its Islamist agenda. Even the Jihad Group to Cleanse the Country, which threatens to “liquidate” many secular media, accuses them of “creating chaos to implement the American and Zionist agenda.”

Finally, it is telling that only a few months ago, and for the first time in Egypt’s modern history, an Egyptian MP proposed to institutionalize Sharia’s most draconian punishments—including crucifixion.

In short, under the Muslim Brotherhood in Egypt, the bottle has been uncorked and the Islamic Genie set loose. Expect much worse to come.

crazykatmamma squares - no comments please

Post

People can't comment on this post because early post is kludging it with two text boxes.

posted on August 16, 2012 by Eric Rauch

Poking the Sleeping Giant

In what has become the year of the vocal atheist, a district judge should strike down a high-profile case brought against September 11 Memorial by American Atheists, a nonprofit group. As has been their modus operandi, the atheists are arguing that the famous steel-beam cross found among the World Trade Center wreckage should not be included as part of the display in the Memorial, claiming that it is a violation of the U.S. Constitution’s First Amendment.

In typical fashion, the American Atheists (or the other “freethinker” organization, Freedom From Religion Foundation) can be counted to stick their nose in whenever and wherever a cross happens to appear. The cross is, of course, a well-known symbol of Christianity, but atheists, of all people, seem to be the ones who are most obsessed with it. And as I have pointed out before, by the very nature of their vigil against any and every form of public Christian symbology, these atheists are actually giving Christianity far more free publicity in the American media than it ever gets on its own.

In this instance, however, the American Atheists may have overstepped even their own inflated sense of self-importance. The cross at Ground Zero (it is called “Icon of Tragedy. Sign of Comfort” according to the plaque that accompanied it for years) is much more than simply another cross. To the workers, victims’ families, and much of America, the cross is not only a symbol of Christianity; it is a symbol of resolve and healing. A symbolic reminder of what happened, what is happening, and what will happen. It is akin to the phoenix, the mythical bird that rises from the ashes of its own destruction. It is a symbol of rebirth.

In fact, according to the Memorial museum itself, the cross is an “important and essential artifact that comprises a key component of the retelling of the story of 9/11, in particular the role of faith in the events of the day and, particularly, during the recovery efforts.” Further, the museum made the point that “the 9/11 Museum is not in the business of providing equal time for faiths, we are in the business of telling the story of 9/11 and the victims of 9/11.” Indeed. The story of the WTC cross is the story of September 11, 2001. The two have become so intermingled that to tell one without the other is not to tell the real story. It would be a fabrication of history to remove the cross from the museum. And here I thought atheists were all about facts and reason (wink, nod).

While it appears that the atheists will not get their way in this instance, it may turn out to be far more significant then even they realize. Picking on small towns in Indiana and Arizona to remove public crosses is one thing, but messing with the collective conscience of an entire nation is a whole other animal. The American Atheists may have gotten far more here than they ever bargained for. Like the gay-agenda setters quickly found out, incessantly poking a sleeping giant is not a very smart tactical decision. Eventually, the giant wakes up. All signs seem to indicate that the “silent majority” is finally being aroused, thanks to gays, lesbians, and now, atheists.

Concerned citizens have been asking for years what it’s going to take to get the citizens of this country to act. I think we’re finally beginning to find out what it takes. Just wait until the giant opens both eyes.

Read more: http://politicaloutcast.com/2012/08/poking-the-sleeping-giant/#ixzz23qpsNFXS

OBAMA’S MEDICARE FEAR MONGERING WILL DROWN IN THE FACTS

By: David Limbaugh
8/17/2012 07:17 AM

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Analysts may be correct that the presidential election won’t primarily turn on entitlements reform, but by choosing Paul Ryan as his running mate, Mitt Romney can, contrary to conventional wisdom, make it a winning issue and lay the foundation for a reform mandate when he wins.

Besides, the economy and entitlements are wholly integrated issues: We cannot ultimately fix the economy long term without entitlement reform, and we can’t balance the budget or retire the debt without a growing economy.

Democrats appear jubilant about the Ryan pick, believing his close association with entitlement reform provides an opening for them to scare seniors into thinking they’ll lose Medicare and Social Security benefits.

But what they haven’t factored in, or are pretending to deny, is that Ryan’s presence on the ticket ensures that Romney and Ryan will tackle the entitlements issue head on and that Democrats will not have the luxury of merely fear mongering. They’ll have to deal with the substance of these issues, and this is a battle they cannot win, because the facts are their foe. Let’s examine these facts briefly.

No one can reasonably deny that Medicare is headed for insolvency, and that Medicare’s insolvency, if not rectified, will lead to the federal government’s insolvency. President Obama has admitted that Medicare is on an unsustainable course and that no amount of tax increases can fix it. The Congressional Budget Office tells us that Medicare spending has increased fivefold in the past 42 years, dramatically more than all other categories of federal spending.

Short of severe price controls ordered and enforced by Obamacare’s Independent Payment Advisory Board, which common sense and the history of such controls demonstrate will not work to reduce costs absent rationing and radical reductions in access to care, Obama has no plan to restructure entitlements. Only a restructuring of the program can work.

The Ryan-Wyden plan (Sen. Ron Wyden is a Democrat), which Romney has essentially embraced, is a type of hybrid system that includes market reforms while guaranteeing comprehensive coverage for Medicare beneficiaries. That is, the law would provide guaranteed coverage, but the costs for such coverage would not be unilaterally determined by the government and thus open-ended, out of control and manageable only by rationing boards (resulting in reduced access to care), but by a competitive process.

Under the current system (and under Obamacare), the government sets the price (the reimbursement), and the absence of competition guarantees spiraling costs and/or rationing. Under Ryan-Wyden, a bidding process among insurance providers, including a federal insurance provider, would determine the government’s premium-support payment to Medicare beneficiaries and would ensure that their out-of-pocket costs won’t exceed those under the current system unless they choose a more expensive option. This bidding process — competitive by definition — would contain or reduce costs.

Recent studies have shown that such competition works. The Medicare Advantage program, which was far less ambitious than Ryan-Wyden, produced a 9 percent cost reduction. The savings under Ryan-Wyden should be substantially greater.

Team Obama has no plan of its own and no credible rebuttal for the Ryan-Wyden model, so they have begun a vigorous disinformation campaign to distort the Romney-endorsed plan.

They say his plan would end Medicare as we know it. To the contrary, it is the only plan on the table that has a chance of saving Medicare from insolvency. Those now 55 and older would receive Medicare benefits as they currently exist. As for all others, they would receive the same type of comprehensive coverage (though the costs of that coverage would be reduced through market forces), and the older, sicker and poorer would receive preferential treatment.

In fact, it is Obama, not the GOP, who has assaulted Medicare, robbing it of $716 billion to shore up Obamacare. Obama can’t deny that he’s pilfered this money from Medicare, but speciously argues that it is a cut to health care providers, not Medicare beneficiaries. But cuts to health care providers always result in a reduction to access. Indeed, Obama’s own Medicare actuaries have warned that these cuts could result in providers discontinuing their participation in Medicare.

Obama also fraudulently claims that Ryan’s original plan didn’t put Obamacare’s stolen $716 billion back into the Medicare fund, either. But Ryan’s plan never took that money out in the first place because it involved a full repeal of Obamacare. Romney, for his part, clearly doesn’t contemplate robbing the Medicare fund.

Obama doesn’t believe in market reforms and so has no ideas other than to impose top-down cost controls, which cannot work. His re-election guarantees the insolvency of Medicare — and ultimately of the entire federal government.

The Romney-Ryan plan preserves benefits for current and future seniors and would drive costs down through competition, thereby shoring up Medicare’s solvency and averting the principal driver of national insolvency.

This is a debate Obama can’t win on the merits, so expect increasing demagoguery, fear and stridency. But the truth will prevail.

http://www.humanevents.com/2012/08/17/obamas-medicare-fear-mongering-will-drown-in-the-facts/ 

When Will "The System" Fail?

By Nick Hodge | Friday, August 17th, 2012

It's all one steaming pile of horse turds.

More and more layers continue to be peeled back, exposing central planning and banking for what it is: an internationally rigged game with only the little guy as loser.

This week we learned John Corzine and his ilk WILL NOT be charged for losing $1.6 billion in customer funds, some of which they transferred into company accounts to stave off collapse.

Their criminal moves didn't stave it off, of course...

MF Global went the way of Lehman last fall in the eighth largest bankruptcy in U.S. history.

Remember, Corzine was the governor of New Jersey and also the CEO of Goldman Sachs (where he was succeeded by ol' Hank Paulson). On top of this, he was a United States senator.

America's become a place where those who take spins in the banking/political revolving door run the show with only their interests in mind.

And when they screw up... they find a way to make you pay.

Here we have a senator, governor, and Goldman CEO running a brokerage straight into the ground — losing billions in customer funds along the way.

Company emails show him giving “direct instructions” to use customer money to cover its shortfalls.

And not one single charge.

His net worth is still in the hundreds of millions while average Americans are bled dry.

That's not what this country is supposed to be about.

It's Endless

There's an endless stream of information and instances illustrating just how politicians and bankers have created their own society — protecting themselves, their profits, and their ability to keep up the ruse at all costs.

Wake up.

Point out unjust actions to everyone.

They'll roll their eyes at first, but rest assured, millions of hibernating sheeple are starting to emerge from hibernation.

They're starting to realize how the game has been rigged.

And it's only a matter of time before their complacency is erased and replaced with anger...

Anger toward a system that allows 21,000 retired federal workers to collect lifetime pensions over $100,000 per year.

Anger toward a system that has put over 100 million people on some form of federal welfare (32% of the country).

Anger toward a system that has stolen their wealth and chance for advancement, and led more than 46% of Americans to their death with less than $10,000 in assets.

I can sense it coming with every bone in my body.

So Can They

The collective “they” can feel it coming, too. And they're starting to prepare.

Check out this excerpt from Susanne Posel, who runs the website Occupy Corporatism:

A source in the Deutsche Bank claims that in 2008 our financial and monetary system completely collapsed and since that time the banking cartels have been “propping up the system” to make it appear as if everything was fine. In reality our stock market and monetary systems are fake; meaning that there is nothing holding them in place except the illusion that they have stabilized since the Stock Market Crash nearly 5 years ago.

Since this time, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) in conjunction with FEMA and other federal agencies have been quickly working to set in place their directives of control under a silent martial law.

The Deutsche Bank informant says that the cause for the bailout of the banks was a large sum of cash needed quickly to repay China who had purchased large quantities of mortgage-backed securities that went belly-up when the global scam was realized. When China realized that they had been duped into buying worthless securitized loans which would never be repaid, they demanded the actual property instead. The Chinese were prepared to send their “people” to American shores to seize property as allocated to them through the securitized loan contracts.

To stave this off, the American taxpayers were coerced by former President Bush and former US Treasury Secretary Hank Paulson. During that incident, the US Senate was told emphatically that they had to approve a $700 billion bailout or else martial law would be implemented immediately. That money was funneled through the Federal Reserve Bank and wired to China, as well as other countries that were demanding repayment for the fraudulent securitizations.

Couple things here...

First, there's that Paulson name again.

Isn't it fun when we keep seeing the same names swirling around shady banking and political activity?

Mr. Paulson was CEO of Goldman after John Corzine.

He then became Secretary of the Treasury.

After our economic collapse, he got a cozy job teaching (what else?) public policy.

Also, you know who voted for that $700 billion bailout?

That banking shill Obama.

Oh, and Paul Ryan.

Neither want to protect you, or your money, or the Constitution. It's all about keeping the system going at all costs — even if that means suspending the Constitution and declaring martial law as the sheeple start to awaken to the ruse.

Why else are multiple federal agencies buying millions of rounds of hollow point ammunition?

And not just police agencies...

The National Weather Service has put out a solicitation for 46,000 rounds of jacketed hollow points to be delivered to four locations around the country.

The Social Security Administration is seeking 174,000 rounds of the same high-powered bullets.

And the Department of Homeland Security purchased as many as 450 million rounds — enough to kill every man, woman, and child in the country. It's planning a 750 million-round purchase separately.

All this ammo in addition to major orders for riot gear and bullet-proof checkpoint booths.

Bullet-proof checkpoint booths?

What the hell are they preparing for?

It certainly would seem like the day the majority wakes up and realizes their government has been colluding with the banks to rig the entire game in their favor.

It's getting tougher and tougher to hide as:

The most highly-touted IPO ever loses half its value ($40-some billion) in three months. I bet Facebook shareholders don't “Like” that.

Trading algorithms lose millions in seconds...

JPMorgan gets caught manipulating silver and loses $5.8 billion on trades it “didn't understand” (and is not prosecuted)...

All while the men who orchestrate this system continue to rack up bank accounts in the millions.

And all while the average American dies with less than ten grand to his name.

Call it like you see it,

Nick Hodge