With the state of the economy and already balloning deficits lawmakers, including the Obama Administration are searching for ways to cut spending. While this in itself is not a bad idea, I think our government should be very careful where they decide to cut corners. Why not just stop wasting hundreds of billions of dollars a month in the middle-east?? As always, we seem to be able to invest in anything that is not our own country or people.
As many people suspected, the Max Baucus Corporate Democrat coalition and the Republicans in the Senate Finance Committee effectively stabbed Progressives in the back by voting down the Public Option. Several Progressive Senators tried to inject the public option into the bill but Baucus and his kindred spirits among Corporate Democrats and Republicans successfully beat it back. In the end he was joined by four other Corporate Democrats who feel much more at home with the robber-barons in the insurance industry than supporting the huge majority of Americans that prefer a public option.
Not only is the version of healthcare in the Senate Finance Committee garbage, but now Sen. Kent Conrad of North Dakota is telling everyone it is the only one that will pass. Of course it is because it is the only one that was written for the Insurance Lobby and the only won that has been spearheaded by a bought and paid for Senator, Max Baucus.
The compromise in the House is not real Healthcare reform. Although our country desperately needs Healthcare reform just supporting any bill offered is not progress. After Corporate Democrats and Republicans have gotten a hold of the bills in the House and Senate they are so watered down that they will not be anything that will do much good.
The Oil and Gas Companies definately get the best of both worlds, unlike the American taxpayer. While extracting natural resources from public lands that are owned by all of us, they also get to take us for a ride in more ways than just gouging prices. An ideas piece by Nick Rahall, the Chairman of the House Committee on Natural Resources has spelled out some of this welfare given to Corporations that posted record profits on the backs of the American consumer in the last several years.
(the wealthy pay more taxes sometimes... - promoted by poligirl)
No one LIKES paying Taxes, still we do it, year after year, because most of us still have a sense of Patriotic Duty. This instinctive "love of Country" seems to have evaded some however, who often "love their Wealth" more than their Country ...
Experts estimate that Americans now have more than $1 trillion in assets offshore and illegally evade between $40 and $70 billion in U.S. taxes each year through the use of offshore tax schemes. U.S. corporations are estimated to illegally evade another $30 billion in taxes each year through offshore tax dodges. America's working people bear the burden of this $100 billion tax gap.
It is no big secret that we need real solutions to our energy crises. We need to end our dependence on oil from nations that hate us. Our energy costs are skyrocketing and Americans need real relief, not failed solutions. We could be creating millions of new clean-energy jobs, and we need to deal with the emerging climate crises.
Kentucky Republicans live in a fantasy world that puts anything dreamed up by J.R. Tolkien to shame. Where else in this country do you find people who believe that the suppression of Free Speech by theft and vandalism is a "Christian Value? Where else do you find people who are invested in, and profiting from our pain at the pump seeking to lecture all of us on the high price of gas, while voting against a windfall tax on Big Oil? Indeed, where else will you find a Congressman who refuses to return the blood money of a convicted terrorist seek to lecture the rest of us on the "War on Terror"?
Here at Ryan for Kentucky we have a great candidate who understands we need fundamental change in this district, state and indeed our country. Unlike her opponent, Exxon Ed Whitfield, she is not beholden to the corporate interests that impede progress in this country. She is beholden to her neighbors, who are falling further and further behind due to stagnant wages and the inflation of necessary goods and services due to the record profits of Big Oil. Profits Exxon Eddie is invested in.
I have been blogging for Heather Ryan, and been a proud member of Ryan for Kentucky for a little over a month now. I have started my own ActBlue page in support of Heather, and asked my fellow Democrats around the country to contribute to Americans for Ryan. Well, many of you have responded, and I am very grateful. I have said that your contribution will be put to work immediately to defeat a sitting incumbent Republican and expand our Congressional majorities.
Just a short note to everyone regarding the buyout of Bear Stearns by the American government, er, J.P. Morgan.
Yes, I know you heard that J.P. Morgan bought them for approximately $2.00 per share. The stock for this company was trading one year ago today at $159.36 per share.
The stock was trading for $62.00 one week ago today.
The stock opened today at $3.20 per share. That is at an upside to the discounted price that J.P. Morgan paid. J.P. Morgan was guaranteed the money to purchase Bear Stearns by the US Fed. Guaranteed. The. Money. By the US Government.
